Toxicity of Eosinophil MBP Is Repressed by Intracellular Crystallization and Promoted by Extracellular Aggregation Investigators showed how intragranular major basic protein (MBP-1) nanocrystals restrain toxicity, enabling its safe storage, and characterized them with an X-ray-free electron laser. Following eosinophil activation, MBP-1 toxicity was triggered by granule acidification, followed by extracellular aggregation, which mediated the damage to pathogens and host cells. [Mol Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cell Alterations in Obese and Type 2 Diabetic Patients Scientists analyzed mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells in the blood and adipose tissues of patients with type 2 diabetes and/or severe obesity. In both patient groups, circulating MAIT cells displayed an activated phenotype that was associated with elevated Th1 and Th17 cytokine production. [J Clin Invest] Full Article | Press Release Use of the CRISPR/Cas9 System as an Intracellular Defense against HIV-1 Infection in Human Cells Investigators adapted the CRISPR/Cas9 system to human cells for intracellular defense against foreign DNA and viruses. Using HIV-1 infection as a model, their results demonstrate that the CRISPR/Cas9 system disrupts latently integrated viral genome and provides long-term adaptive defense against new viral infection, expression and replication in human cells. [Nat Commun] Abstract | Press Release Human Ebola Virus Infection Results in Substantial Immune Activation Researchers characterized the human immune response to Ebola virus infection in four patients. They defined the kinetics of T- and B-cell activation, and determined which viral proteins are targets of the Ebola virus-specific T-cell response in humans. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Full Article | Press Release L-Selectin Shedding Is Activated Specifically within Transmigrating Pseudopods of Monocytes to Regulate Cell Polarity In Vitro Using advanced imaging techniques, scientists observed L-selectin shedding occurring exclusively as primary human monocytes actively engage in transendothelial migration. Moreover, the shedding was localized to transmigrating pseudopods within the subendothelial space. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Full Article An Autologous Endothelial Cell: Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Assay that Detects Cytokine Storm Responses to Biologics Investigators report a novel bioassay where endothelial cells grown from stem cells in the peripheral blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the same donor can be used to create an autologous coculture bioassay that responds by releasing a plethora of cytokines to authentic TGN1412 but only modestly to Campath and not to control antibodies such as Herceptin, Avastin, and Arzerra. [FASEB J] Abstract | Press Release A Discrete Population of IFN λ-Expressing BDCA3hi Dendritic Cells Is Present in Human Thymus Researchers describe in human thymus the presence of a discrete population of BDCA3hi dendritic cells that, like their peripheral counterparts, express CD13, low-intermediate levels of CD11c, CLEC9A, high levels of XCR1, IRF8 and TLR3, and mostly lack the expression of CD11b, CD14 and TLR7. [Immunol Cell Biol] Abstract Complement Receptor Type 1 (CR1/CD35) Expressed on Activated Human CD4+ T Cells Contributes to Generation of Regulatory T Cells Researchers demonstrated that co-ligation of CD46 and CD35, the two C3b-binding structures present on activated CD4+ human T cells significantly enhanced CD25 expression, elevated granzyme B production and synergistically augmented cell proliferation. [Immunol Lett] Abstract Linezolid, Vancomycin and Daptomycin Modulate Cytokine Production, Toll-Like Receptors and Phagocytosis in a Human In Vitro Model of Sepsis Scientists examined the effect of antibiotics linezolid (LIN), vancomycin (VAN) and daptomycin (DAP) on the immune response under sepsis-like conditions in vitro. Lipopolysaccharide-activated THP-1 monocytes were incubated with LIN, VAN or DAP. The antibiotics differentially modulated the gene expression of investigated cytokines. [J Antibiot] Full Article Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) A*1101-Restricted Epstein-Barr Virus-Specific T-Cell Receptor Gene Transfer to Target Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Scientists explored T-cell receptor (TCR) gene transfer to rapidly and reliably generate T-cells specific for the nasopharyngeal carcinoma-associated viral protein LMP2. Studying both wild-type and modified forms they optimized expression of the TCR and demonstrated high avidity antigen-specific function in both CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells. [Cancer Immunol Res] Abstract | Press Release Subscribe to our sister publications: Immunology of Infectious Disease News and Immune Regulation News! |