Article
Developmental Biology
Bryce T. Bajar, Nguyen T. Phi, Harpreet Randhawa, Orkun Akin
Summary: This study demonstrates the necessity of astrocytes for developmental activity during synaptogenesis in Drosophila. The glia of the central nervous system participate in developmental activity with type-specific patterns of intracellular calcium dynamics. Genetic ablation of astrocytes leads to severe attenuation of neuronal activity, and inhibition of neuronal activity results in the loss of astrocyte calcium dynamics. Astrocytic calcium cycles can influence neuronal activity but are not necessary per se.
DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Eva Persyn, Sigrid Wahlen, Laura Kiekens, Wouter Van Loocke, Hannah Siwe, Els Van Ammel, Zenzi De Vos, Filip Van Nieuwerburgh, Patrick Matthys, Tom Taghon, Bart Vandekerckhove, Pieter Van Vlierberghe, Georges Leclercq
Summary: IRF2 plays an important role in the differentiation and functional maturation of human NK cells. Its expression levels directly affect cell numbers and functions.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Osamu Nozawa, Muneaki Miyata, Hajime Shiotani, Takeshi Kameyama, Ryouhei Komaki, Tatsuhiro Shimizu, Toshihiko Kuriu, Yutaro Kashiwagi, Yuka Sato, Michinori Koebisu, Atsu Aiba, Shigeo Okabe, Kiyohito Mizutani, Yoshimi Takai
Summary: We demonstrated that co-cultured neurons induced astrocyte ramifications and formation of tripartite synapses in an in vitro system. The induction of astrocyte ramifications was dependent on neuronal activity and likely involved synaptically-released glutamate and activation of astrocytic mGluR5. Moreover, the Necl2/3 trans-interaction recruited glutamate transporters and K+ channels to the perisynaptic astrocyte processes, enhancing synapse formation and astrocyte functional polarization.
Article
Immunology
Zhangchun Guan, Yu Liu, Chenghua Liu, Huiting Wang, Jiannan Feng, Guang Yang
Summary: The study demonstrates that the hemolysin Hlb of S. aureus can upregulate IFN-gamma production in target cells by increasing calcium influx and inducing phosphorylation of ERK1/2. This process is dependent on the sphingomyelinase activity of Hlb.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Michelle Wantoch, Erica B. Wilson, Alastair P. Droop, Sarah L. Phillips, Matt Coffey, Yasser M. El-Sherbiny, Tim D. Holmes, Alan A. Melcher, Laura F. Wetherill, Graham P. Cook
Summary: This study analyzed the mechanism by which reovirus modulates human NK cell activity. It was found that reovirus activates NK cells through the dependent manner of type I interferon, inducing STAT1 and STAT4 signaling, and producing different responses in CD56(dim) and CD56(bright) subsets. Moreover, reovirus treatment inhibits IL-15-induced NK cell proliferation and reduces AKT signaling. In vivo experiments also showed that CD56(bright) NK cells are transiently lost from the peripheral circulation at the peak of the IFN-I response, indicating their redistribution to secondary lymphoid tissue. The activation of both CD56(dim) and CD56(bright) NK cells by antiviral pathways induces a spectrum of activity that includes the NK cell-mediated killing of tumor cells and modulation of adaptive responses via the trafficking of IFN-gamma expressing CD56(bright) NK cells to lymph nodes.
Review
Neurosciences
Samuel Teo, Patricia C. Salinas
Summary: The formation of synapses is tightly regulated and vital for the treatment of neurological disorders. Wnt signaling plays a key role in synapse formation by modulating neuronal activity.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Yashveer Chohan, Emily A. Eitzman, Wayne D. Hawkins, Daniel J. Klionsky
Summary: A recent study has found that the recruitment of Egfr to synapses suppresses autophagic degradation of presynaptic proteins, which is necessary for proper neuronal circuit development. Inactivation of Egfr during late development leads to increased levels of autophagy in the brain and decreased neuronal circuit development. The presence of brp in the synapse is critical for proper neuronal functioning, and increased autophagy due to Egfr inactivation results in decreased brp levels and reduced neuronal connectivity.
Article
Developmental Biology
Junghyun Kim, Yogendra Bordiya, Yanpeng Xi, Bo Zhao, Dong-Hwan Kim, Youngjae Pyo, Wei Zong, William A. Ricci, Sibum Sung
Summary: Changes in ambient temperature greatly affect developmental programs in many species. Plants adapt to high ambient growth temperature through the involvement of VIL1, which leads to genome-wide accumulation of H3K27me3. VIL1 is necessary for thermo-morphogenesis and loss of function results in hypo-responsiveness to warm ambient temperature.
Article
Immunology
Jana-Julia Siegler, Margareta P. Correia, Tomas Hofman, Isabel Prager, Emrullah Birgin, Nuh N. Rahbari, Carsten Watzl, Ana Stojanovic, Adelheid Cerwenka
Summary: ILC3s are cytokine-producing lymphocytes that directly respond to tumor cells, leading to enhanced IFN-gamma release and TRAIL-dependent cytotoxicity against cancer cells. This suggests that ILC3s may play a role in anti-tumor immunity and could be further utilized for cancer therapies.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eva Persyn, Sigrid Wahlen, Laura Kiekens, Sylvie Taveirne, Wouter Van Loocke, Els Van Ammel, Filip Van Nieuwerburgh, Tom Taghon, Bart Vandekerckhove, Pieter Van Vlierberghe, Georges Leclercq
Summary: This study investigated the role of TXNIP in human NK cell differentiation and found that TXNIP promotes human NK cell differentiation by affecting protein synthesis and proliferation of early NK cell differentiation stages.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Takayuki Morimoto, Tsutomu Nakazawa, Ryosuke Matsuda, Fumihiko Nishimura, Mitsutoshi Nakamura, Shuichi Yamada, Ichiro Nakagawa, Young-Soo Park, Takahiro Tsujimura, Hiroyuki Nakase
Summary: Studies have shown that enhancing NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity on GBM cells through TIM3 knockout using CRISPR-Cas9 technology may be a promising immunotherapeutic alternative.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
Samyoung Kim, Mieko Imayasu, Tomoyuki Yoshida, Hidekazu Tsutsui
Summary: Neural circuits consist of different cell types, each playing a specific role in circuit functions. Current microelectrode techniques lack cell-type specificity in recording neuronal activities. This study demonstrates a proof-of-principle experiment using IL1RAPL1 as a model synapse organizer, showing that a microelectrode functionalized with a synapse organizer can induce a synapse-like junction between neurons upon physical contact. The prospects of developing a new mode of electrophysiology that allows cell-type specific recordings via molecularly induced neuron-microelectrode junctions are then discussed.
APPLIED PHYSICS EXPRESS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Emily S. Wilson, Karen Litwa
Summary: Hyaluronan synthase-2 is crucial in the development of neural circuits, with increased hyaluronan production reducing excitatory synapses, promoting inhibitory synaptogenesis, and suppressing action potential formation. The hyaluronan receptor, CD44, plays a role in hyaluronan retention and regulation of excitatory synaptogenesis through RhoGTPase signaling.
Article
Cell Biology
Julia Solana-Balaguer, Genis Campoy-Campos, Nuria Martin-Flores, Leticia Perez-Sisques, Laia Sitja-Roqueta, Melike Kucukerden, Ana Gamez-Valero, Albert Coll-Manzano, Eulalia Marti, Esther Perez-Navarro, Jordi Alberch, Jordi Soriano, Merce Masana, Cristina Malagelada
Summary: Extracellular vesicles, specifically neuron-derived EVs, play a crucial role in intercellular communication within the central nervous system. These EVs carry signaling molecules and exert a trophic effect on neurons, influencing synaptic events and promoting neuronal protection.
JOURNAL OF EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Houyang Chen, Liang Tang, Qing Hong, Tingting Pan, Shiqi Weng, Jie Sun, Qiongfang Wu, Xuhui Zeng, Yuxin Tang, Tao Luo
Summary: TDRG1 is associated with asthenozoospermia and plays a role in regulating human sperm motility. The study provides new insights into mechanisms of sperm motility and may contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of asthenozoospermia.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Allergy
Ivan K. Chinn, Alice Y. Chan, Karin Chen, Janet Chou, Morna J. Dorsey, Joud Hajjar, Artemio M. Jongco, Michael D. Keller, Lisa J. Kobrynski, Attila Kumanovics, Monica G. Lawrence, Jennifer W. Leiding, Patricia L. Lugar, Jordan S. Orange, Kiran Patel, Craig D. Platt, Jennifer M. Puck, Nikita Raje, Neil Romberg, Maria A. Slack, Kathleen E. Sullivan, Teresa K. Tarrant, Troy R. Torgerson, Jolan E. Walter
JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2020)
Letter
Allergy
Caitlin M. Burk, Kara E. Coffey, Emily M. Mace, Bret L. Bostwick, Ivan K. Chinn, Zeynep H. Coban-Akdemir, Shalini N. Jhangiani, James R. Lupski, Damara Ortiz, Jessie L. Barnum, Steven W. Allen, Leanna-Marie Robertson, Jordan S. Orange, Hey J. Chong
JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE
(2020)
Review
Hematology
Michael T. Lam, Emily M. Mace, Jordan S. Orange
Article
Immunology
Deepti R. Deshpande, Yesim Y. Demirdag, Rebecca A. Marsh, Kathleen E. Sullivan, Jordan S. Orange
Summary: The study found that low absolute CD3+ T cell counts below 50% of age-adjusted normal values in patients with DiGeorge syndrome are associated with higher odds of autoimmunity and/or asthma.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Pediatrics
Steven H. Abman, Sarah Armstrong, Susan Baker, Clifford W. Bogue, Waldemar Carlo, Lina Chalak, Stephen R. Daniels, Stephanie Davis, Michael R. Debaun, Candice Fike, Lauren Frazer, Keisha Gibson, Michelle Gill, Hannah Glass, Catherine M. Gordon, Monika Goyal, Joel Hirschhorn, Lori Holtz, David Hunstad, Mary B. Leonard, Nathalie Maitre, Larry Markham, Linda McAllister-Lucas, Jordan Orange, Prachi Shah, Tamar Simon, Robin H. Steinhorn, Beth Tarini, Leslie R. Walker-Harding
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Maria A. Clavijo-Salomon, Rosalba Salcedo, Soumen Roy, Rodrigo X. das Neves, Amiran Dzutsev, Helioswilton Sales-Campos, Karen Steponavicius-Cruz Borbely, Lucia Silla, Jordan S. Orange, Emily M. Mace, Jose A. M. Barbuto, Giorgio Trinchieri
Article
Immunology
June Ho Shin, Uriel Y. Moreno-Nieves, Luhua H. Zhang, Chen Chen, Amera L. Dixon, Miles H. Linde, Emily M. Mace, John B. Sunwoo
Summary: NK cells are effector cells of the innate immune system involved in defense against virus-infected and transformed cells. A study showed that in the absence of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), NK cells have reduced capacity to migrate and infiltrate tumors. AHR regulates the expression of Asb2 and filamin A, affecting the migration ability of NK cells.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Everardo Hegewisch-Solloa, Seungmae Seo, Bethany L. Mundy-Bosse, Anjali Mishra, Erik H. Waldman, Sarah Maurrasse, Eli Grunstein, Thomas J. Connors, Aharon G. Freud, Emily M. Mace
Summary: This study investigates the expression profile of integrin adhesome in NK cells from various human sources, revealing differences in gene and protein expression associated with cell isolation site and developmental stage. Furthermore, differences in cortical actin content linked to varying expression of actin regulating proteins were identified, suggesting an association between adhesome expression and cortical actin homeostasis in NK cells.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu Li, Jordan S. Orange
Summary: This study demonstrates that NK cells are protected from perforin-mediated autolysis by densely packed and highly ordered presynaptic lipid membranes. The aggressive breast cancer cell line is perforin resistant due to a densely packed postsynaptic membrane, but disrupting membrane packing can make these cells susceptible to NK cell-mediated killing. Lipid membranes play an unexpected role in NK cell functionality, protecting them from autolysis and creating local ordered lipid shields against self-destruction during degranulation.
Review
Immunology
Seungmae Seo, Emily M. Mace
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the diversity of human NK cells, using next generation sequencing and single-cell transcriptomic studies. It offers new insights into the developmental trajectories and mature subsets of NK cells, and highlights critical outstanding questions in the field.
CURRENT OPINION IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Sandra Andrea Salinas, Emily M. Mace, Matilde I. Conte, Chun Shik Park, Yu Li, Joshua I. Rosario-Sepulveda, Sanjana Mahapatra, Emily K. Moore, Evelyn R. Hernandez, Ivan K. Chinn, Abigail E. Reed, Barclay J. Lee, Alexander Frumovitz, Richard A. Gibbs, Jennifer E. Posey, Lisa R. Forbes Satter, Akaluck Thatayatikom, Eric J. Allenspach, Theodore G. Wensel, James R. Lupski, H. Daniel Lacorazza, Jordan S. Orange
Summary: NK cell deficiencies are a type of primary immune deficiency that affect the number, maturity, or function of NK cells. Patients with NKD are more susceptible to viral infections and may experience chronic, recurrent, and fatal infections. This study identified a damaging variant in the ELF4 gene as a potentially novel cause of NKD.
Review
Immunology
Nicole C. Guilz, Yong-Oon Ahn, Seungmae Seo, Emily M. Mace
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Everardo Hegewisch-Solloa, Ansel P. Nalin, Aharon G. Freud, Emily M. Mace
Summary: This article presents the latest advances in understanding the development of natural killer cells and innate lymphoid cells in peripheral sites, including the role of signals in their maturation and spatial localization. The authors propose a model for the spatial distribution of developmental intermediates in tissue and highlight the need for future studies to fully map the developmental trajectory of these cells in secondary lymphoid tissues.
JOURNAL OF LEUKOCYTE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Yao-Yu Gong, Hongguang Shao, Yu Li, Patricia Brafford, Zachary E. Stine, Jing Sun, Dean W. Felsher, Jordan S. Orange, Steven M. Albelda, Chi Dang
Summary: This study demonstrates the feasibility of metabolic engineering immune effector cells to overcome inhibition in the tumor microenvironment, an approach that could enhance the efficacy of adoptive transfer immunotherapy.
CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kashyap R. Patel, Maria C. Rodriguez Benavente, W. Walter Lorenz, Emily M. Mace, Adam W. Barb
Summary: This study identified substantial differences in CD16a processing by NK cells from different origins, suggesting that CD16a N-glycan composition is influenced by gene expression regulation, and different cell types show high variability in processing the same human protein.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
