Immune Regulation News Volume 11.45 | Nov 29 2019

TOP STORY

Stem Cell Therapy Helps Broken Hearts Heal in Unexpected Way

Scientists report that injecting living or even dead heart stem cells into injured hearts of mice triggers an acute inflammatory process, which in turn generates a wound healing-like response to enhance the mechanical properties of the injured area. [Press release from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center discussing online prepublication in Nature] Press Release | Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Type I Interferon Signaling Disrupts the Hepatic Urea Cycle and Alters Systemic Metabolism to Suppress T Cell Function

Investigators infected mice with chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, performed RNA sequencing and proteomics of liver tissue, and integrated these data with serum metabolomics at different infection phases. Widespread reprogramming of liver metabolism occurred early after infection, correlating with type I interferon responses. [Immunity] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Interaction Kinetics with Transcriptomic and Secretory Responses of CD19-CAR Natural Killer-Cell Therapy in CD20 Resistant Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Researchers investigated the cytolytic and mechanistic activity of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor natural killer therapy in lymphoma cell lines, including rituximab- and obinutuzumab-resistant cells, patient-derived cells, and a human xenograft model. [Leukemia] Abstract

Critical Role for TRIM28 and HP1β/γ in the Epigenetic Control of T Cell Metabolic Reprogramming and Effector Differentiation

The authors used mice defective for different components of heterochromatin-dependent gene silencing to investigate the epigenetic control of CD4⁺ T cell plasticity. They showed that, upon T cell receptor engagement, naive and regulatory T cells defective for TRIM28 or for heterochromatin protein 1 β and γ isoforms failed to effectively signal through the PI3K-AKT-mTOR axis and switch to glycolysis. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article

IRF-7 Is a Critical Regulator of Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells in Allergic Airway Inflammation

Scientists report that interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF-7) expression in murine lung type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) was dramatically induced upon papain or interleukin-33 stimulation. ILC2s from asthma patients displayed a much higher level of IRF-7 than those from healthy donors. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

HBsAg-Specific CD8⁺ T Cells as an Indispensable Trigger to Induce Murine Hepatocellular Carcinoma

HBsAg-specific CD8⁺ T cells were generated and specifically and continuously induced hepatocyte apoptosis with progressive chronic inflammation, and the depletion of CD8⁺ T cells or their deficiency prevented hepatocellular carcinoma, which could then be reproduced by the transfer of HBsAg-specific CD8⁺ T cells. [Cell Mol Immunol] Abstract

Treg Expression of CIS Suppresses Allergic Airway Inflammation through Antagonizing an Autonomous TH2 Program

Researchers found that the cytokine suppressor cytokine induced SH-2 protein (CIS) was required for maintenance of Treg cell identity. Mice with Treg-specific Cis-deficiency displayed aggravated experimental allergic asthma, and in adulthood, developed splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy and spontaneous eosinophilic airway inflammation, accompanied by accumulation of effector memory helper T (TH) cells. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract

Robo4 Contributes to the Turnover of Peyer’s Patch B Cells

In functional assays, Robo4-deficient animals showed accumulation of naïve B cells in Peyer’s patches, whereas no difference was seen within other lymphocyte subtypes. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract

Positive Allosteric Modulation of P2X7 Promotes Apoptotic Cell Death over Lytic Cell Death Responses in Macrophages

The authors compared cell death induced by high ATP concentrations, to cell death induced by compound K, a recently identified and potent positive allosteric modulator of P2X7. They propose that high ATP concentrations induce early cell swelling, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, plasma membrane rupture, and LDH release. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

BATF3 Is Sufficient for the Induction of Il9 Expression and Can Compensate for BATF during Th9 Cell Differentiation

Investigators showed that OX40 signaling induced the expression of Batf3 and that its overexpression in the presence or absence of OX40 signaling increased the expression of IL-9 in Th9 cells. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Subscribe to our sister publications: Human Immunology News & Immunology of Infectious Disease News.

Engineering Dendritic Cell Vaccines to Improve Cancer Immunotherapy

Scientists review the role of distinct dendritic cell (DC) subsets in the tumor microenvironment, with special emphasis on conventional type 1 DCs. [Nat Commun] Abstract

Roles of Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases in Immune Regulation and Immune Diseases

The authors address the infection and immune responses induced by pathogen aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs), as well as the potential anti-infective compounds that target pathogen ARSs. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the immune regulation research field.

Innovative Public-Private Partnership Led by Harvard and MIT Aims to Bolster State’s Role as a Leading Region Globally for Life Sciences

An innovative new major private-public partnership led by Harvard and MIT aims to accelerate one of the hottest and most promising areas of medical research: cell and gene therapy. [The Harvard Gazette] Press Release

ChemoCentryx and VFMCRP Announce Positive Topline Data from Pivotal Phase III ADVOCATE Trial Demonstrating Avacopan’s Superiority over Standard of Care in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis

ChemoCentryx, Inc. and Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma announced positive topline data from the pivotal Phase III ADVOCATE trial of avacopan, an orally-administered selective complement 5a receptor inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. [ChemoCentryx, Inc.] Press Release

PhD Students in China Report Misery and Hope

In a Nature survey, only 55% of the Chinese students who responded to the survey said that they were at least partially satisfied with their PhD experience. For the 5,630 respondents outside China, the satisfaction rate was 72%. [Nature News] Editorial

Chinese Ministry Investigates Duplications in Papers by University President

The Chinese education ministry is investigating scientific articles authored by high-profile immunologist and university president Cao Xuetao, following suggestions that dozens of papers contain potentially problematic images. Four journals also say they are examining papers from Cao. [Nature News] Editorial

Stark Party Differences in ‘Brexit Election’ Could Shape Future of UK Science

When representatives of each party took to a stage last week at the Royal Society in London, they all promised increased funding and easier immigration for scientists. But Brexit loomed over the discussion, says Sarah Main, director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, an advocacy group in London. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Immunology 2020
May 8-12, 2020
Honolulu, Hawai’i, United States

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW PhD Studentship – Visualizing Immune Cell Activation at Single Molecule Resolution (Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Immunology (Columbia University)

NEW Research Assistant/Associate – Innate Immunity (Newcastle University)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow Positions – Computational Immunology/Biology (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Research Associate – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Human Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Genetic Mechanisms of Lupus (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Immunology/Bioengineering (West Virginia University)

Postdoctoral Position – Pro-Inflammatory B Cells (Institut Necker Enfants Malades)

Postdoctoral Researcher – CAR T-Cell Immunology (Washington University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Neuro-Immune Control of Metabolism (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Translational Immuno-Oncology (Georg-Speyer-Haus – Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Immune Regulation News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.