Article
Biology
Jin Wang, Jiayi Xie, Daosong Wang, Xue Han, Minqi Chen, Guojun Shi, Linjia Jiang, Meng Zhao
Summary: Using single-cell sequencing, researchers identified a specific subpopulation of megakaryocytes (MKs) that highly expressed CXCR4 and exhibited both immune characteristics and MK-specific features. These CXCR4(high) MKs interacted with myeloid cells to promote their migration and enhance bacterial phagocytosis, and they were also capable of antigen presentation to activate T cells. Furthermore, in response to bacterial infection, these CXCR4(high) MKs could exit circulation and infiltrate into the spleen, liver, and lung. The ablation of MKs suppressed the innate immune response and impaired the anti-bacterial effects of T cells in mice.
Review
Cell Biology
Derrick R. Samuelson, Sabah Haq, Daren L. Knoell
Summary: Manganese and zinc are essential micronutrients that play a crucial role in regulating host immune response against infections. The metal transporter ZIP8 plays a key role in metal uptake and affects host defense mechanisms. Perturbations in metal homeostasis may impact the composition of bacterial communities in the host. Therefore, understanding the importance of zinc and manganese uptake is important for the development of intervention strategies against infectious diseases.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Min-Sub Lee, Steven J. Bensinger
Summary: Cholesterol plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity, fluidity, and biochemical function of mammalian cells. Macrophages can rapidly reprogram their cholesterol metabolism in response to immune activation signals. This review discusses current knowledge of cellular cholesterol homeostasis and highlights the reprogramming of cholesterol metabolism in macrophages during immune responses. It also explores the effects of these changes on sensitivity to microbial toxins and the potential therapeutic applications in diseases associated with tissue damage caused by cholesterol-dependent toxins.
CELLULAR & MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Jian Ye, Lili Zhang, Xuan Zhang, Xiujuan Wu, Rongxiang Fang
Summary: Plants face dual damage when infected with insect-borne microbial pathogens. Research has shown that many host genes involved in multistress resistance are related to innate immunity and plant hormone signaling, especially jasmonate and salicylic acid. Utilizing genome editing or chemical modulators to fine-tune crop defensive signaling offers potential for sustainable control of insect-borne diseases.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Chuqin Huang, Rui Xu, Samuel Liegeois, Di Chen, Zi Li, Dominique Ferrandon
Summary: The humoral immune response to bacterial or fungal infections in Drosophila is largely mediated by the Toll and Immune deficiency NF-kappa B pathways. The Mediator complex plays a crucial role in this process, with different subunits required for defense against different pathogens.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rohan Reddy Kalavakonda, Naren Vikram Raj Masna, Soumyajit Mandal, Swarup Bhunia
Summary: The study introduces a smart mask, ADAPT, which uses mist spray to rapidly guide aerosol particles to the ground, significantly reducing PM counts near the user. The mask is equipped with an intelligent control system that can monitor and adjust airborne particles in the environment in real-time.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Americo H. Lopez-Yglesias, Elise Burger, Ellie Camanzo, Andrew T. Martin, Alessandra M. Araujo, Samantha F. Kwok, Felix Yarovinsky
Summary: The study demonstrates that early T-bet-dependent production of IFN-gamma by ILC1 and NK cells is essential for maintaining inflammatory DCs during infection, ultimately contributing to host resistance against the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. T-bet-dependent IFN-gamma plays a critical role in inducing IRF8 and sustaining inflammatory DCs at the infection site, protecting against acute susceptibility to T. gondii infection.
Review
Plant Sciences
Kishor Kumar, Swarupa Nanda Mandal, Kumari Neelam, Benildo G. de los Reyes
Summary: This review examines the important role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating host responses to various pathogens and pests in rice cultivation. While breeding has been successful in utilizing defense mechanisms to develop resistant cultivars, miRNAs have shown potential in balancing defense with agronomic potential. Defense-related miRNAs such as Osa-miR156, Osa-miR159, and Osa-miR396 play a critical role in fine-tuning immune responses while maintaining grain yield. Identifying novel miRNAs that regulate physiological processes important to agronomic potential can help develop high-yielding rice cultivars with durable resistance to disease and pests.
Article
Biology
Alexandra Menna, Susanne Dora, Gloria Sancho-Andres, Anurag Kashyap, Mukesh Kumar Meena, Kamil Sklodowski, Debora Gasperini, Nuria S. Coll, Clara Sanchez-Rodriguez
Summary: The study reveals dynamic transcriptional changes in both fungus and root during interaction, with downregulation of primary CW synthesis genes being one of the early plant responses. Enhanced resistance to Fusarium oxysporum was observed in Arabidopsis mutants impaired in primary CW cellulose synthesis, while lignin-deficient mutants showed susceptibility similar to wildtype plants.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wu Qingzhi, Sijia Zou, Qian Wang, Lei Chen, Xiyun Yan, Lizeng Gao
Summary: Nanozymes, as artificial enzyme mimics, show promise in inducing fungal death due to their tunable catalytic activity, high stability, and low cost. Natural enzymes play a crucial role in defending against fungi, while nanozymes offer potential in antifungal performance and applications, yet facing challenges in this field.
NANOTECHNOLOGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Yi Zeng, Haifeng Song, Linchao Xia, Le Yang, Sheng Zhang
Summary: Long-lived tree species like poplars need to defend against changing environments and pathogens throughout their lifetime. Poplars have developed different defense strategies against necrotrophic and biotrophic fungi, including constitutive and induced defenses, recognition of fungi through receptor and resistance proteins, and the production of protective compounds. This paper reviews current research on poplar defensive responses to fungi, covering physiological and genetic aspects, as well as the role of noncoding RNA in fungal resistance. The review also offers strategies for enhancing poplar disease resistance and suggests future research directions.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Tiffany C. Taylor, Yang Li, De-Dong Li, Saikat Majumder, Mandy J. McGeachy, Partha S. Biswas, Sebastien Gingras, Sarah L. Gaffen
Summary: IL-17 plays a role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and is crucial for host defense against fungi. The RNA-binding protein Arid5a contributes to IL-17-driven pathology. Study findings suggest that Arid5a-dependent signals mediate pathology in autoimmunity, but are not required for immunity to candidiasis.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Osamah Al Rugaie, Majid S. Jabir, Mustafa K. A. Mohammed, Ruaa H. Abbas, Duha S. Ahmed, Ghassan M. Sulaiman, Salman A. A. Mohammed, Riaz A. Khan, Khalid A. Al-Regaiey, Mansour Alsharidah, Khalid M. Mohany, Hamdoon A. Mohammed
Summary: ZnO-Ag and ZnO-Au nano-composites embedded in SWCNTs were found to enhance phagocytic cell activities and bactericidal activity. The increased production of reactive oxygen species led to upregulated phagocytosis, and the hybrids showed potential in preventing bacterial infection by inhibiting biofilm formation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Robson Coutinho-Silva, Luiz Eduardo Baggio Savio
Summary: Purinergic signalling is a conserved pathway mediated by extracellular nucleotides and nucleosides, activating host innate immune defense mechanisms during intracellular pathogen infections.
BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Jiaying Zheng, Lingxiao Wang, Shunyi Zhao, Wenjing Zhang, Yuzhou Chang, Dale B. Bosco, Tao Huang, Aastha Dheer, Shan Gao, Shengze Xu, Katayoun Ayasoufi, Rawan Al-Kharboosh, Fangfang Qi, Manling Xie, Aaron J. Johnson, Haidong Dong, Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, Long-Jun Wu
Summary: The study revealed significantly elevated levels of TREM2 expression in brain tumors compared to other types of tumors in patients, predominantly localized in tumor-associated myeloid cells. Surprisingly, TREM2 deficiency did not confer a beneficial effect in preclinical glioma models, instead accelerating glioma progression by impairing the phagocytosis of tumor cells and reducing MHCII expression, leading to decreased presence of CD4(+) T cells within the tumor hemispheres.
Letter
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Caroline Scally, WaiKah Choo, Amelia Rudd, Christopher Neil, Nishat Siddiqi, Alice M. Mezincescu, Heather M. Wilson, Michael Frenneaux, Graham Horgan, Paul Broadhurst, Dana K. Dawson
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Christine Molzer, Jarmila Heissigerova, Heather M. Wilson, Lucia Kuffova, John V. Forrester
Summary: Immune privilege is a unique property of tissues like the eye and brain that affects the acceptance of allogeneic grafts. Different tissues within the eye display varying levels of immune privilege due to their composition. The retina, with its barrier systems, shows a specific form of immune privilege, while the adult eye is still susceptible to inflammation despite these protective mechanisms.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Virtu Solano-Collado, Rosa Angela Colamarino, David A. Calderwood, Massimiliano Baldassarre, Stefania Spano
Summary: Salmonella Typhi is a human-restricted bacterial pathogen that can survive in human macrophages but not in macrophages from other animals. An optimized experimental method for shRNA screening has been developed to identify genes controlling the growth of S. Typhi in macrophages, providing insights into host-restriction mechanisms.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Christine Molzer, Heather M. Wilson, Lucia Kuffova, John V. Forrester
Summary: The microbiome plays a significant role in immune homeostasis and may control autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases by affecting the induction and stabilization of T regulatory cells. Folate, as an essential nutrient for Treg generation and maintenance, could potentially have prophylactic and therapeutic benefits in autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Virtu Solano-Collado, Sofia Ruiz-Cruz, Fabian Lorenzo-Diaz, Radoslaw Pluta, Manuel Espinosa, Alicia Bravo
Summary: The study reveals the similarity of promoter recognition between SigA in Streptococcus pneumoniae and homologs in E. coli and Bacillus subtilis, showing the versatility of SigA in recognizing promoters from different sources. Results also demonstrate that SigA can direct RNA polymerase to transcribe genes involved in plasmid pMV158 replication and conjugative mobilization, indicating its critical role in the promiscuity of the plasmid.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Daniel P. Brice, Graeme Murray, Heather M. Wilson, Ross J. Porter, Susan Berry, Scott K. Durum, Mairi H. McLean
Summary: This study demonstrates that interleukin-27 (IL-27) plays a crucial role in the function of gut epithelial barrier, restoring permeability, regulating immune responses, and promoting wound healing, suggesting its potential as a treatment strategy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Moreno-Blanco, Virtu Solano-Collado, Alejandro Ortuno-Camunas, Manuel Espinosa, Sofia Ruiz-Cruz, Alicia Bravo
Summary: In this study, it was found that PclR in the Streptococcus pneumoniae genome is a transcriptional activator that stimulates transcription of the pclA gene by binding to a specific DNA site. PclR shares common features with MgaSpn but has different DNA-binding specificities, indicating distinct regulatory roles of these proteins.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Christopher T. A. Lewis, Keith S. Mascall, Heather M. Wilson, Fiona Murray, Keith M. Kerr, George Gibson, Keith Buchan, Gary R. Small, Graeme F. Nixon
Summary: This study explores the relationship between angiogenesis and inflammation in aortic valve stenosis, and finds that the expression of the anti-angiogenic protein sFlt1 is significantly decreased in diseased valves, potentially exacerbating inflammation and disease progression. These findings may provide new therapeutic targets for the treatment of valve diseases.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Heather M. Wilson
Summary: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by lipid accumulation and plaque formation in arterial vessel walls. Macrophages play a crucial role in this process and their accumulation is associated with disease activity and plaque stability.
BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY TRANSACTIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
C. Moelzer, Y. -H Liu, E. Muckersie, I. P. Klaska, R. Cornall, H. M. Wilson, L. Kuffova, J. V. Forrester
Summary: In this study, the researchers utilized a mouse model to investigate the association between undifferentiated uveitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They found that mice expressing both the HEL transgene in the retina and the HEL-specific TCR transgene developed both uveoretinitis and colitis. These mice also exhibited lymphopenia and a reduction in Treg numbers, which was sufficient to initiate eye disease. The researchers suggest that cell-associated antigen released from the inflamed eye can activate colonic HEL-specific T cells, leading to colitis and feedback amplification of uveitis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah E. J. Kamli-Salino, Paul A. J. Brown, Timo N. Haschler, Lihuan Liang, Denis Feliers, Heather M. Wilson, Mirela Delibegovic
Summary: This study compared the effects of freshly prepared STZ and anomer-equilibrated STZ on kidney damage in mice and found that anomer-equilibrated STZ caused more severe kidney tubule structural damage, while freshly prepared STZ only caused mild changes. Therefore, anomer-equilibrated STZ provides a reliable mouse model for diabetes and early-stage diabetic nephropathy.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Anesthesiology
E. Musatti, N. Webster, H. Wilson, H. Galley
BRITISH JOURNAL OF ANAESTHESIA
(2021)