Broad Defects in the Energy Metabolism of Leukocytes Underlie Immunoparalysis in Sepsis By transcriptional and metabolic profiling of human patients with sepsis, researchers found that a shift from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis was an important component of initial activation of host defense. [Nat Immunol] Abstract A Cytomegalovirus Peptide-Specific Antibody Alters Natural Killer Cell Homeostasis and Is Shared in Several Autoimmune Diseases Investigators report the identification of an autoantibody that recognizes a group of peptides with a conserved motif matching the Pp150 protein of human cytomegalovirus and is shared among patients with various autoimmune diseases. [Cell Host Microbe] Abstract | Graphical Abstract Microfluidic Differential Immunocapture Biochip for Specific Leukocyte Counting Scientists developed a biosensor based on a differential immunocapture technology to enumerate specific cells in 30 minutes using 10 μl of blood. They provide a comprehensive stepwise protocol to replicate our biosensor for CD4 and CD8 cell counts. [Nat Protoc] Abstract | Press Release A Calcium-Redox Feedback Loop Controls Human Monocyte Immune Responses: The Role of ORAI Ca2+ Channels Researchers showed that ORAI Ca2+ channels control store-operated Ca2+ entry, reactive oxygen species production, and bacterial killing in primary human monocytes. [Sci Signal] Abstract Effects of Systemically Administered Hydrocortisone on the Human Immunome Scientists examined the changes in cellular and molecular immune system parameters, or “immunome”, in healthy humans after systemic corticosteroid administration. They performed comprehensive phenotyping of 120 lymphocyte subsets by high dimensional flow cytometry, and observed a decline in circulating specific B and T cell subsets, which reached their nadir 4–8 hours after administration of hydrocortisone. [Sci Rep] Full Article Continuous Time Bayesian Networks Identify Prdm1 as a Negative Regulator of TH17 Cell Differentiation in Humans Using continuous time Bayesian networks over a time-course gene expression dataset, researchers inferred the global regulatory network controlling T helper 17 (TH17) differentiation. From the network, they identified the Prdm1 gene encoding the B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 as a crucial negative regulator of human TH17 cell differentiation. [Sci Rep] Full Article Interleukin-7 Promotes Human Regulatory T Cell Development at the CD4+CD8+ Double-Positive Thymocyte Stage The authors showed that at the CD4+CD8+ stage, FOXP3+ thymocytes are highly susceptible to apoptosis, and IL-7 selectively rescues them from death, leading to an increased frequency of FOXP3+ cells. IL-7 also promotes the development of regulatory T cell phenotype by inducing up-regulation of FOXP3+ and CTLA-4 expression. [J Leukoc Biol] Abstract The Tumor Antigen N-Glycolyl-GM3 Is a Human CD1d Ligand Capable of Mediating B Cell and Natural Killer T Cell Interaction Researchers demonstrated that CD1d binds to N-glycolyl-monosialodihexosyl-ganglioside (NGcGM3) and that human B lymphocytes present NGcGM3 in a CD1d context according to two alternative strategies. They also showed that paraformaldehyde treatment of cells expressing CD1d affects the presentation. [Cancer Immunol Immunother] Abstract JEG-3 Trophoblast Cells Producing Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Promote Conversion of Human CD4+FOXP3– T Cells into CD4+FOXP3+ Regulatory T Cells and Foster T Cell Suppressive Activity Scientists studied whether human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and hCG-producing human trophoblast cell lines induce Treg cells from CD4+FOXP3– T cells and promote T cell suppressive activity. [Biol Reprod] Abstract | Full Article Earlier Infantile Immune Maturation Is Related to Higher DTP Vaccine Responses in Children Researchers investigated whether early-life environmental factors and/or adaptive immune maturation were related to diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis (DTP) vaccine-specific antibody levels at 18 months of age. [Clin Transl Immunol] Full Article Subscribe to our sister publications: Immunology of Infectious Disease News & Immune Regulation News! |