Noncanonical Autophagy Inhibits the Autoinflammatory, Lupus-Like Response to Dying Cells Mice lacking any of several components of the LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) pathway show increased serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies, glomerular immune complex deposition, and evidence of kidney damage. When dying cells are injected into LAP-deficient mice, they are engulfed but not efficiently degraded and trigger acute elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines but not anti-inflammatory interleukin-10. [Nature] Abstract | Press Release Expansion and Activation of CD103+ Dendritic Cell Progenitors at the Tumor Site Enhances Tumor Responses to Therapeutic PD-L1 and BRAF Inhibition Using mouse melanoma models, researchers found that CD103+ dendritic cells were the only antigen-presenting cells transporting intact antigens to the lymph nodes and priming tumor-specific CD8+ T cells. [Immunity] Abstract | Graphical Abstract Gut Microbiota Drive Autoimmune Arthritis by Promoting Differentiation and Migration of Peyer’s Patch T Follicular Helper Cells Using the K/BxN autoimmune arthritis model, scientists demonstrated that Peyer’s patch (PP) T follicular helper cells were essential for gut commensal segmented filamentous bacteria-induced systemic arthritis despite the production of auto-antibodies predominantly occurring in systemic lymphoid tissues, not PPs. [Immunity] Abstract | Graphical Abstract Innate-Like Functions of Natural Killer T Cell Subsets Result from Highly Divergent Gene Programs The authors analyzed purified populations of thymic natural killer T (NKT) cell subsets at both the transcriptomic level and epigenomic level and by single-cell RNA sequencing. The data indicated that despite their similar antigen specificity, the functional NKT cell subsets were highly divergent populations with many gene-expression and epigenetic differences. [Nat Immunol] Abstract Silencing Spinal Interneurons Inhibits Immune Suppressive Autonomic Reflexes Caused by Spinal Cord Injury Scientists showed that profound plasticity develops within spinal autonomic circuitry below an injury, creating a sympathetic anti-inflammatory reflex, and that chemogenetic silencing of this reflex circuitry blocks post-spianl cord injury immune suppression. [Nat Neurosci] Abstract | Press Release Osteopontin Ablation Ameliorates Muscular Dystrophy by Shifting Macrophages to a Pro-Regenerative Phenotype Investigators demonstrated that the improved dystrophic phenotype observed with osteopontin (OPN) ablation does not result from reductions in natural killer T cells. OPN ablation skews macrophage polarization toward a pro-regenerative phenotype by reducing M1 and M2a and increasing M2c subsets. [J Cell Biol] Abstract | Press Release Biodegradable Antigen-Associated PLG Nanoparticles Tolerize Th2-Mediated Allergic Airway Inflammation Pre- and Postsensitization Researchers hypothesized that antigen-associated nanoparticles, which they have used to prevent and treat T helper 1 (Th1)/Th17-mediated autoimmune disease, would also be effective for the induction of tolerance in a murine model of Th2-mediated ovalbumin/alum-induced allergic airway inflammation. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release Monocyte-Derived Macrophages Contribute to Spontaneous Long-Term Functional Recovery after Stroke in Mice Researchers determined the role of monocyte-derived macrophages in long-term spontaneous functional recovery after middle cerebral artery occlusion in mice. Analyses by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry revealed that monocytes home to the stroke-injured hemisphere, and that infiltration peaks three days after stroke. [J Neurosci] Abstract | Press Release A Novel Differentiation Pathway from CD4+ T Cells to CD4− T Cells for Maintaining Immune System Homeostasis Investigators provide evidence that a novel differentiation pathway of CD4+ T cells shifts the balance from a destructive T-cell response to one that favors regulation in an immune-mediated liver injury model. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article Don’t forget to subscribe to Human Immunology News and Immunology of Infectious Disease News! |