Immune Regulation News Volume 5.44 | Nov 15 2013

Metabolites Produced by Commensal Bacteria Promote Peripheral Regulatory T-Cell Generation
Researchers studied the effect of microbial metabolites on the generation of anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells (T_reg) cells. They found that in mice a short-chain fatty acid, butyrate, produced by commensal microorganisms during starch fermentation, facilitated extrathymic generation of T_reg cells. [Nature] Abstract

Paired Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor A Is an Intrinsic, Self-Limiting Suppressor of IL-5-Induced Eosinophil Development
Scientists demonstrated that interleukin 5 (IL-5) activity in eosinophils is regulated by paired immunoglobulin-like receptors PIR-A and PIR-B. Upon self-recognition of β2-microglobulin molecules, PIR-B served as a permissive checkpoint for IL-5-induced development of eosinophils by suppressing the proapoptotic activities of PIR-A, which were mediated by the Grb2-Erk-Bim pathway. [Nat Immunol]
Abstract | Press Release

Naive and Memory Human B Cells Have Distinct Requirements for STAT3 Activation to Differentiate into Antibody-Secreting Plasma Cells
Investigators previously showed that loss-of-function mutations in STAT3, but not STAT1, abrogate IL-10- and IL-21-mediated differentiation of human naive B cells into plasmablasts. They report here that, in contrast to naive B cells, STAT3-deficient memory B cells responded to these STAT3-activating cytokines, differentiating into plasmablasts and secreting high levels of IgM, IgG, and IgA, as well as antigen-specific IgG. [J Exp Med] Abstract

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Expression Drives Human Regulatory T Cell Resistance to Posttransplantation Cyclophosphamide
The authors studied early T cell reconstitution in patients undergoing allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation with posttransplantation cyclophosphamide and the effects of mafosfamide, a cyclophosphamide analog, on CD4⁺ T cells in allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions in vitro. [Sci Transl Med ] Abstract

The Duration of T Cell Stimulation Is a Critical Determinant of Cell Fate and Plasticity
Researchers constructed a logic circuit model of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathways, a major feature of which is an incoherent feed-forward loop involving both TCR-dependent activation of Foxp3 and its inhibition by mammalian target of rapamycin, leading to the transient appearance of Foxp3⁺ cells under T helper cell-generating conditions. [Sci Signal] Abstract

Impact of 3-D Printed Polylactic Acid- and Chitosan-Based Scaffolds on Human Monocyte/Macrophage Responses: Unraveling the Effect of 3-D Structures on Inflammation
Scientists report on the analysis of the cytokine profile of human monocytes/macrophages in contact with biodegradable 3-D scaffolds with different surface properties, architecture and controlled pore geometry, fabricated by 3-D printing technology. [Acta Biomater] Abstract

The Spleen in Local and Systemic Regulation of Immunity
The authors discuss the integration of the spleen in the regulation of immune responses locally and in the whole body and present the relevance of findings for our understanding of inflammatory and degenerative diseases and their treatments. [Immunity] Abstract

Immune Cells and Metabolic Dysfunction
Chronic inflammatory conditions and aberrant activation of immune cells have emerged as key features of obesity-related metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance, cardiovascular complications, and type 2 diabetes, whereas a major research focus has been placed on the adipocyte-macrophage interaction in the context of metabolic dysfunction. [Semin Immunopathol] Abstract

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Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center’s Rodriguez Receives Cancer Immunotherapy Presidential Award
Paulo C. Rodriguez, PhD was selected as the 2013 recipient of the Presidential Award by the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). Established in 1991, the SITC Presidential Award is the most prestigious of the young investigator awards in immunotherapy, which are based upon excellence in quality of research and presentation, the strength of results and methods, and whether the reported research significantly advances the field of cancer immunotherapy. [EurekAlert!] Press Release

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Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

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Postdoctoral Fellowship – Immune Regulation by Extracellular Matrix Proteins (Johns Hopkins University)

PhD Studentship – Systems Biology and Lymphocyte Activation (University of Oxford)

Tenure-Track Faculty Position – Women’s Infectious Disease Research (Washington University School of Medicine)

Research Studentship – Imaging Membrane Lipid in Activating T Cells (King’s College London)

Postdoctoral Position – Lymphocyte Motility (INSERM)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Immunotherapy (Washington University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Ripk1 in Innate Immune Responses and Necroptosis (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

PhD/Postdoctoral Positions – Quantitative T-Cell Immunology (University of Leeds)

PhD Research Position – Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Immune Tolerance and Autoimmunity (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Research Technologist – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate/Scientist – Antibodies Group (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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