Article
Immunology
Eros Di Giorgio, Liqing Wang, Yan Xiong, Lanette M. Christensen, Tatiana Akimova, Rongxiang Han, Arabinda Samanta, Matteo Trevisanut, Claudio Brancolini, Ulf H. Beier, Wayne W. Hancock
Summary: The Mads/Mef2 family of transcription factors regulate differentiation in various cell types and are involved in physiological feedback loops. Disruption of their interaction with Hdac9 can lead to the development of pathologic states, including cancer. These transcription factors also indirectly control tumor progression by regulating antitumor immunity, particularly in Treg cells, adding complexity to the study of Treg biology.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Zi-xiao Zhao, Xi Yuan, Yan-yan Cui, Jun Liu, Jing Shen, Bi-ying Jin, Bing-cheng Feng, Yun-jiao Zhai, Meng-qi Zheng, Guan-jun Kou, Ru-chen Zhou, Li-xiang Li, Xiu-li Zuo, Shi-yang Li, Yan-qing Li
Summary: This study reveals that melatonin can alleviate type 2 immune response-associated colitis by suppressing inflammation, improving intestinal permeability, and modulating gut microbiota composition.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Hao-ming Xu, Jing Xu, Mei-feng Yang, Yu-jie Liang, Quan-zhou Peng, Yuan Zhang, Cheng-mei Tian, Yu-qiang Nie, Li-sheng Wang, Jun Yao, De-feng Li
Summary: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a heterogeneous disorder with complex pathogenesis. This study aimed to evaluate genome-wide DNA methylation changes associated with the pathogenesis of UC. The results confirmed that Zbtb7b was demethylated in UC tissues and its expression was up-regulated in both UC patients and a colitis model. Over-expression of Zbtb7b activated the maturation of CD4(+)T cells and repressed the differentiation of DP CD4(+)CD8(+)T cells, resulting in the production of inflammatory cytokines in colonic tissue.
JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Christina Seitz, Anne-Laure Joly, Fang Fang, Katie Frith, Paul Gray, John Andersson
Summary: The transcription factor FOXP3 is crucial for the development and function of CD4(+)FOXP3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells. Alterations in the expression of FOXP3 isoforms are associated with inflammatory disease progression. This study investigates the effects of a specific FOXP3 mutation on Treg cell subsets. The findings suggest that the full-length FOXP3 isoform is important for maintaining Treg cell lineage stability but not essential for Treg cell activation.
CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sujata Prasad, Amar Singh, Shuxian Hu, Wen S. Sheng, Priyanka Chauhan, James R. Lokensgard
Summary: This study investigated the role of CD4+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in regulating neuroinflammation during viral Ag-challenge and rechallenge. The findings show that Tregs recruited into mouse brains following prime-CNS boost displayed altered phenotypes and inefficient immunosuppressive capacity after repeated Ag-challenge. Treatment with amphiregulin (Areg) reduced the production of neurotoxic mediators and decreased microglial activation and proliferation. Overall, these data suggest that brain Tregs fail to control reactive gliosis in response to repeated Ag-challenge.
Article
Biology
Xiaodan Liao, Zhongpu Zhao, Hui Li, Bo Wu, Jiawei Huo, Lei Li, Xue Li, Xinran Cao, Min Xia, Chunru Wang, Chunli Bai
Summary: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease without an effective cure, but a novel therapeutic strategy using C-60 fullerene suspension (C60FS) has shown promising results in an animal model. C60FS can repair colon barrier dysfunction, promote ulcer healing, reduce inflammation, and inhibit the expression of certain receptors and inflammatory markers in colorectal tissues. This study provides a reliable strategy based on fullerene for treating UC and offers a novel approach for UC therapy.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jian Yu, Wenbin Xu, Qian Dong, Qingwei Ji, Min Cheng, Desheng Hu, Yifan Cai, Qiutang Zeng, Kunwu Yu
Summary: CD4+LAP+ T cells play a protective role in preventing atherosclerosis by modulating monocyte/macrophage differentiation and regulatory factors.
CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Michal P. Kuczma, Edyta A. Szurek, Anna Cebula, Vu L. Ngo, Maciej Pietrzak, Piotr Kraj, Timothy L. Denning, Leszek Ignatowicz
Summary: The study suggests that T cell anergy induction plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of self-immunity. Disruption in peripherally-induced Tregs formation or exposure to selective self-peptides can result in an accumulation of anergic cells. Additionally, microbial antigens can induce anergy and promote the conversion of naive T cells to regulatory T cells.
MUCOSAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Daniel S. Shin, Sneha Ratnapriya, Creel Ng Cashin, Lucy F. Kuhn, Rod A. Rahimi, Robert M. Anthony, James J. Moon
Summary: Self-antigen-specific T cells are regulated through tolerance mechanisms, but tissue injury can disrupt this regulation and trigger autoimmunity. Using mouse models of lung injury, we found that acute injury leads to the expansion of CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) that specifically recognize self-antigen. Conventional CD4+ T cells with the same self-antigen specificity remained unresponsive even after Treg ablation. Therefore, the self-antigen-specific CD4+ T cell repertoire plays a regulatory role in limiting tissue damage and autoimmunity during acute injury.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yan Zhang, Shuang Song, Haitao Li, Xinyan Wang, Lianlian Song, Jianfei Xue
Summary: Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide-1 (GLP-1) has been found to alleviate cognitive impairment in mice with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) by increasing regulatory T cell levels and regulating cytokine levels as well as abnormal energy metabolism.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Caroline Voskens, Diane Stoica, Marita Rosenberg, Francesco Vitali, Sebastian Zundler, Marion Ganslmayer, Heike Knott, Manuel Wiesinger, Jutta Wunder, Mirko Kummer, Britta Siegmund, Elisabeth Schnoy, Timo Rath, Arndt Hartmann, Holger Hackstein, Beatrice Schuler-Thurner, Carola Berking, Gerold Schuler, Raja Atreya, Markus F. Neurath
Summary: This study reports a successful case of adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded Tregs in a patient with refractory UC, showing positive responses. These findings suggest that adoptive Treg therapy might be effective in refractory UC.
Article
Immunology
Xuguang Tai, Alyssa Indart, Mirelle Rojano, Jie Guo, Nicolai Apenes, Tejas Kadakia, Marco Craveiro, Amala Alag, Ruth Etzensperger, Mohamed Elsherif Badr, Flora Zhang, Zhongmei Zhang, Jie Mu, Terry Guinter, Assiatu Crossman, Larry Granger, Susan Sharrow, Xuyu Zhou, Alfred Singer
Summary: Singer and colleagues have found that the fate of autoreactive CD4(+) thymocytes is determined by the timing and duration of agonist signaling. Early agonist signaling leads to clonal deletion, while late agonist signaling induces the differentiation into Foxp3(+) T-reg cells or IL-2(+) T-eff cells depending on TGF-beta's interference with TCR signaling. These findings reveal that disruption or persistence of agonist signaling is a general mechanism that determines the lineage fate of autoreactive thymocytes in the thymus.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yifei Wang, Jingbin Zheng, Md Sahidul Islam, Yang Yang, Yuanjia Hu, Xin Chen
Summary: Tregs play a crucial role in COVID-19, influencing disease severity and immunopathology mechanisms. They may help regulate immune responses in the early stages and alleviate organ damage in the later stages.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chang-Shun Liu, Yin-Xia Hu, Zhen-Ye Luo, Chuan-Wei Qiu, Xiang-Hua Deng, Fei-Long Chen
Summary: The study suggests that Xianglian pill (XLP) treats ulcerative colitis (UC) by regulating gut microbiota, specifically through the gut microbiota-succinate-Treg differentiation axis.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Tianzhen He, Yibo Chen, De Yang, Md Sahidul Islam, Chon-Kit Chou, Jiarui Liu, Denise L. Faustman, Joost J. Oppenheim, Xin Chen
Summary: This study found that an anti-mouse TNFR2 antibody TY101 can inhibit the proliferative expansion of Tregs and promote their death. In a mouse tumor model, TY101 antibody treatment effectively inhibited tumor growth and triggered potent antitumor immune responses.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Paola Stefanelli, Filippo Trentini, Giorgio Guzzetta, Valentina Marziano, Alessia Mammone, Monica Sane Schepisi, Piero Poletti, Carla Molina Grane, Mattia Manica, Martina Del Manso, Xanthi Andrianou, Marco Ajelli, Giovanni Rezza, Silvio Brusaferro, Stefano Merler
Summary: The dominant variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Italy is the Alpha variant, while the Gamma variant co-circulates at a substantial proportion. However, the Gamma variant is unable to outcompete the Alpha variant, likely due to its lower transmissibility.
Article
Virology
Flavia Ferrantelli, Chiara Chiozzini, Francesco Manfredi, Patrizia Leone, Massimo Spada, Antonio Di Virgilio, Andrea Giovannelli, Massimo Sanchez, Andrea Cara, Zuleika Michelini, Maurizio Federico
Summary: Engineered extracellular vesicles can induce a potent SARS-CoV-2 CD8(+) T cell immune response and generate long-lasting lung-specific immune memory. This immunization approach is significant in addressing the limitations of current anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Manuele Gori, Sara Maria Giannitelli, Gianluca Vadala, Rocco Papalia, Loredana Zollo, Massimo Sanchez, Marcella Trombetta, Alberto Rainer, Giovanni Di Pino, Vincenzo Denaro
Summary: The organic zwitterionic-poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) [poly(SBMA)]-hydrogel has been demonstrated as an effective coating to reduce foreign-body reaction caused by intraneural electrodes. This hydrogel exhibits low fouling characteristics and can be successfully coated on Polyimide surfaces through covalent bonds, showing potential for long-term release of anti-fibrotic drugs. Its properties make it a promising diffusion-based delivery system for slow and controlled anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic drug release in vivo.
Article
Virology
Giulietta Venturi, Massimo Fabiani, Antonello Amendola, Giulia Marsili, Eleonora Benedetti, Cristiano Fiorentini, Claudia Fortuna, Simonetta Pupella, Patrizio Pezzotti, Stefania Vaglio, Giulio Pisani, Vincenzo De Angelis, Flavia Riccardo, Ilaria Pati
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of recent/ongoing Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections in blood donors in the Lazio Region during the 2017 outbreak. Through testing 4595 plasma samples, it was found that there was no evidence of recent/ongoing CHIKV infections in blood donors of the affected area.
Article
Immunology
Francesco Manfredi, Chiara Chiozzini, Flavia Ferrantelli, Patrizia Leone, Andrea Giovannelli, Massimo Sanchez, Maurizio Federico
Summary: This study proposes an innovative strategy for anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune response using extracellular vesicles (EVs). By fusing SARS-CoV-2 N with Nef(mut) or a deletion mutant of Nef(mut), the researchers successfully induced immune responses in human cells. The findings demonstrate the potential of engineered EVs to elicit a strong immune response in human cells.
Article
Cell Biology
Alessio Lanna, Bruno Vaz, Clara D'Ambra, Salvatore Valvo, Claudia Vuotto, Valerio Chiurchiu, Oliver Devine, Massimo Sanchez, Giovanna Borsellino, Arne N. Akbar, Marco De Bardi, Derek W. Gilroy, Michael L. Dustin, Brendan Blumer, Michael Karin
Summary: It was discovered that some T cells can elongate telomeres by acquiring telomere vesicles from antigen-presenting cells, independently of telomerase action, which contributes to delaying the aging process.
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Martina Musella, Andrea Guarracino, Nicoletta Manduca, Claudia Galassi, Eliana Ruggiero, Alessia Potenza, Ester Maccafeo, Gwenola Manic, Luca Mattiello, Sara Soliman Abdel Rehim, Michele Signore, Marco Pietrosanto, Manuela Helmer-Citterich, Matteo Pallocca, Maurizio Fanciulli, Tiziana Bruno, Francesca De Nicola, Giacomo Corleone, Anna Di Benedetto, Cristiana Ercolani, Edoardo Pescarmona, Laura Pizzuti, Francesco Guidi, Francesca Sperati, Sara Vitale, Daniele Macchia, Massimo Spada, Giovanna Schiavoni, Fabrizio Mattei, Adele De Ninno, Luca Businaro, Valeria Lucarini, Laura Bracci, Eleonora Arico, Giovanna Ziccheddu, Francesco Facchiano, Stefania Rossi, Massimo Sanchez, Alessandra Boe, Mauro Biffoni, Ruggero De Maria, Ilio Vitale, Antonella Sistigu
Summary: The study demonstrates that type I interferons can promote the formation of cancer stem cells by upregulating the chromatin remodeling factor KDM1B. Inhibition of KDM1B could potentially prevent stem cell expansion and increase the long-term benefit of therapy.
Article
Virology
Daniela Peruzzu, Antonello Amendola, Giulietta Venturi, Valeria de Turris, Giulia Marsili, Claudia Fortuna, Katia Fecchi, Maria Cristina Gagliardi
Summary: The study demonstrates that Zika virus uses lipid rafts in cell membrane as an entry portal, and suggests the potential of using Amphotericin B as an alternative antiviral therapy for Zika virus infections.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Immacolata Pietraforte, Alessia Butera, Lucia Gaddini, Anna Mennella, Raffaella Palazzo, Doriana Campanile, Katia Stefanantoni, Valeria Riccieri, Roberto Lande, Loredana Frasca
Summary: CXCL4 is an important biomarker of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and its presence is linked to an unfavorable prognosis. CXCL4-RNA complexes can protect RNA from enzymatic degradation and circulate in SSc plasma, correlating with IFN-I and TNF-alpha levels. These findings suggest a role for CXCL4-RNA complexes in immune amplification and modulation of myeloid dendritic cell effector functions in SSc and normal immune responses.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Daniela Peruzzu, Zaira Boussadia, Federica Fratini, Francesca Spadaro, Lucia Bertuccini, Massimo Sanchez, Maria Carollo, Paola Matarrese, Mario Falchi, Francesca Iosi, Carla Raggi, Isabella Parolini, Alessandra Care, Massimo Sargiacomo, Maria Cristina Gagliardi, Katia Fecchi
Summary: In this study, the role of cholesterol transport in the endosomal degradative-secretory system was explored using the U18666A inhibitor in a metastatic human melanoma cell line (WM266-4). The results showed that U18666A induced a shift of Cav-1 from the plasma membrane to the endolysosomal compartment, affecting the formation and release of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs). The inhibitor also altered the protein composition of sEVs and reduced their transfer capacity on target cells.
Article
Immunology
Stefania Vetrano, Gerben Bouma, Robert J. Benschop, Thomas Birngruber, Antonio Costanzo, G. R. A. M. D'Haens, Loredana Frasca, Rainer Hillenbrand, Lars Iversen, Claus Johansen, Arthur Kaser, Hans J. P. M. Koenen, Christa Noehammer, Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet, Jeroen Raes, Leonardo Ricotti, Philip Rosenstiel, Venkata P. Satagopam, Stefan Schreiber, Severine Vermeire, Andreas Wollenberg, Stephan Weidinger, Daniel Ziemek, Silvio Danese, ImmUniverse Consortium
Summary: Immune mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are a group of heterogeneous and destructive conditions characterized by dysregulated immune responses. The lack of reliable disease progression and therapy response biomarkers makes it difficult to predict disease development and treatment effectiveness. ImmUniverse, a consortium of 27 partners, aims to advance the understanding of two IMIDs and identify new biomarkers through a multi-omics approach.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Loredana Frasca, Giuseppe Ocone, Raffaella Palazzo
Summary: Since the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a global challenge and the development of vaccines has been crucial. Instead of traditional vaccines, some companies have focused on developing products that induce the host to produce the antigenic protein of SARS-CoV-2 called Spike by injecting RNA or DNA instructions. This article provides an overview of the safety profile and known adverse effects of these products in relation to their mechanism of action. The necessity of administering these products with unclear long-term effects to at-risk individuals with autoimmune conditions and to healthy individuals during the emergence of the omicron variant is debated, considering the availability of therapeutic interventions and the relatively lower aggressiveness of the new viral variants.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Immacolata Pietraforte, Loredana Frasca
Summary: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects 2-4% of the global population. T-cell derived factors dominate in the disease, and therapies targeting these factors have been developed. Autoreactive T-cells specific for keratins, LL37, and ADAMTSL5 have been described, and both autoreactive CD4 and CD8 T-cells exist and correlate with disease activity. This review focuses on Tregs in psoriasis, discussing their increased numbers but impaired regulatory/suppressive function, and the possibility of conversion into T-effector cells under inflammatory conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Virology
Chiara Acchioni, Marta Acchioni, Flavia Mancini, Antonello Amendola, Giulia Marsili, Valentina Tirelli, Chin Piaw Gwee, Kitti Wing-Ki Chan, Silvia Sandini, Monica Bisbocci, Mohamed Mysara, Mahmoud ElHefnawi, Massimo Sanchez, Giulietta Venturi, Maria Letizia Barreca, Giuseppe Manfroni, Alberto Bresciani, Subhash G. Vasudevan, Marco Sgarbanti
Summary: Dengue virus (DENV) evades the immune response by degrading STAT2 using the NS5 protein. The compounds Apigenin and Luteolin inhibit DENV replication and restore STAT2 phosphorylation even in the absence of infection. This highlights the importance of screening compounds that can interact with host factors to counteract viral proteins that dampen innate immune responses.
