Article
Immunology
Nai-Wen Fan, Shudan Wang, Gustavo Ortiz, Sunil K. Chauhan, Yihe Chen, Reza Dana
Summary: This study reveals the important role and transformation process of Th17 cells in autoimmune diseases. During the acute phase, eTh17/1 cells are the principal effector precursor cells, while mTh17 cells play a critical role in the chronic phase.
JOURNAL OF AUTOIMMUNITY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Weihang Luo, Jindong Hu, Weifang Xu, Jingcheng Dong
Summary: The immune response in the asthmatic respiratory tract is driven by CD4(+) T helper cells, especially Th2 cells. Asthma is a heterogeneous and progressive disease, with different stages of the disease course showing different immune responses. The complex immune networks in the inflammatory airway make it challenging to find a universal treatment for all asthmatics.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hye-Soo Park, Seunga Choi, Yong-Woo Back, Kang-In Lee, Han-Gyu Choi, Hwa-Jung Kim
Summary: The study found that PGE2 produced by RpfE-activated dendritic cells via the MAPK and cyclooxygenase 2 signaling pathways induces Th1 and Th17 cell responses mainly via the EP4 receptor, contributing to defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Moreover, adding optimal amount of PGE2 to IL-2-IL-6-IL-23p19-IL-1 beta is essential for promoting differentiation into Th1/Th17 cells with strong bactericidal activity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Aparajita Saha, Jaclyn Escudero, Troy Layouni, Barbra Richardson, Sharon Hou, Nelly Mugo, Andrew Mujugira, Connie Celum, Jared M. Baeten, Jairam Lingappa, Grace C. John-Stewart, Sylvia M. LaCourse, Javeed A. Shah
Summary: This study found that immune activation changes during pregnancy and postpartum may contribute to increased risk for tuberculosis progression. Specifically, pregnant women with latent tuberculosis infection showed diminished M. tuberculosis-specific CD4(+) cytokine responses in the third trimester, while M. tuberculosis-specific CD8(+) cytokines and nonspecifically activated T-cells increased during late pregnancy.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Kamakshi Prudhula Devalraju, Deepak Tripathi, Venkata Sanjeev Kumar Neela, Padmaja Paidipally, Rajesh Kumar Radhakrishnan, Karan P. Singh, Mohammad Soheb Ansari, Martin Jaeger, Romana T. Netea-Maier, Mihai G. Netea, Sunmi Park, Sheue-Yann Cheng, Vijaya Lakshmi Valluri, Ramakrishna Vankayalapati
Summary: The study found that young household contacts who exhibit decreased production of thyroid hormones are at high risk of developing active TB disease.
Article
Cell Biology
Henry J. Sutton, Racheal Aye, Azza H. Idris, Rachel Vistein, Eunice Nduati, Oscar Kai, Jedida Mwacharo, Xi Li, Xin Gao, T. Daniel Andrews, Marios Koutsakos, Thi H. O. Nguyen, Maxim Nekrasov, Peter Milburn, Auda Eltahla, Andrea A. Berry, K. C. Natasha, Sumana Chakravarty, B. Kim Lee Sim, Adam K. Wheatley, Stephen J. Kent, Stephen L. Hoffman, Kirsten E. Lyke, Philip Bejon, Fabio Luciani, Katherine Kedzierska, Robert A. Seder, Francis M. Ndungu, Ian A. Cockburn
Summary: Using single-cell RNA sequencing, researchers explored the diversity of human B cells in healthy individuals and those exposed to malaria, identifying two distinct lineages with atypical B cells being part of the alternative lineage. Upon malaria vaccination, the alternative lineage cells respond to initial immunization and booster doses, but develop an atypical phenotype with repeated boosts, indicating that atypical cells are a normal component of healthy immune responses.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Anele Gela, Melissa Murphy, Miguel Rodo, Kate Hadley, Willem A. Hanekom, W. Henry Boom, John L. Johnson, Daniel F. Hoft, Simone A. Joosten, Tom H. M. Ottenhoff, Sara Suliman, D. Branch Moody, David M. Lewinsohn, Mark Hatherill, Chetan Seshadri, Elisa Nemes, Thomas J. Scriba, Libby Briel, Hellen Veldtsman, Nondumiso Khomba, Bernadette Pienaar, Hadn Africa, Marcia Steyn
Summary: DURT cells, which have nearly unrestricted antigen recognition, play an important role in tuberculosis vaccine development. This study investigated the roles of DURT cells in BCG vaccination and found that BCG did not modulate most DURT cell populations.
Article
Immunology
Inta Gribonika, Anneli Stromberg, Cristina Lebrero-Fernandez, Karin Schon, James Moon, Mats Bemark, Nils Lycke
Summary: This study found that T(H)17 cells in the intestinal immune system are responsive to both pathogenic and commensal bacteria, but their plasticity to convert into T-FH cells is not a major contributor to gut IgA responses. Two mouse models of T(H)17 deficiency confirmed that gut IgA responses to oral immunization do not require T(H)17 cells.
SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jessica Elmore, Chavez Carter, Amie Redko, Nicholas Koylass, Amelia Bennett, Max Mead, Marinel Ocasio-Rivera, Weishan Huang, Ankur Singh, Avery August
Summary: The kinase ITK is normally required for the differentiation of Th17 cells, but this study shows that under certain inflammatory conditions, ITK can be bypassed.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Marc Lindenberg, Luis Almeida, Ayesha Dhillon-LaBrooy, Ekkehard Siegel, Birgitta Henriques-Normark, Tim Sparwasser
Summary: The study demonstrates that Clarithromycin affects the frequency and number of IL-17 producing T helper cells in the lungs of mice infected with macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, as well as impairs the tissue-resident memory T cell response. Mechanistically, Clarithromycin inhibits Th17 cell differentiation through ERK pathway inhibition.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE-JMM
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Melba Munoz, Ahmed N. Hegazy, Tobias M. Brunner, Vivien Holecska, Roman M. Marek, Anja Froehlich, Max Loehning
Summary: Th2 cells lacking T-bet exhibit strong immunomodulatory potential by suppressing antigen-specific CD8(+) T cell responses via IL-10. These cells protect mice against virus-induced type 1 diabetes and hinder effector and cytotoxic CD8(+) T cell development by downregulating dendritic cell activation. IL-10-secreting Th2 cells could potentially be used as a therapeutic approach for T cell-mediated inflammatory disorders.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Dhiraj Kumar Singh, Ashima Bhaskar, Isha Pahuja, Aishwarya Shaji, Barnani Moitra, Yufang Shi, Ved Prakash Dwivedi, Gobardhan Das
Summary: Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is becoming increasingly drug resistant, highlighting the urgent need for alternative therapies. Combined treatment with antibiotics and an immunomodulator, such as clofazimine and rapamycin, shows promise in eliminating both multiple drug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. This treatment induces robust T-cell memory and polyfunctional T-CM responses, reducing the expression of latency-associated genes and providing a potential solution for treating drug-resistant tuberculosis.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Andrea Vecchione, Tatiana Jofra, Jolanda Gerosa, Kimberly Shankwitz, Roberta Di Fonte, Giuseppe Galvani, Elio Ippolito, Maria Pia Cicalese, Andrew R. Schultz, Howie R. Seay, Mariagrazia Favellato, Giulia Milardi, Angela Stabilini, Francesca Ragogna, Pauline Grogan, Eleonora Bianconi, Andrea Laurenzi, Amelia Caretto, Rita Nano, Raffaela Melzi, Nichole Danzl, Emanuele Bosi, Lorenzo Piemonti, Alessandro Aiuti, Todd Brusko, Constantinos Petrovas, Manuela Battaglia, Georgia Fousteri
Summary: The study found significantly reduced frequency of Tfr cells in the spleen and pancreatic lymph nodes of T1D patients, while no significant differences were observed in the frequency and phenotype of blood Tfr cells. Adoptive transfer of Tfr cells in a mouse model of T1D delayed disease development, indicating an important role for Tfr cells in maintaining peripheral tolerance and regulating autoreactive Tfh cells.
Article
Microbiology
Isha Pahuja, Akanksha Verma, Antara Ghoshal, Suparba Mukhopadhyay, Anjna Kumari, Aishwarya Shaji, Shivam Chaturvedi, Ved Prakash Dwivedi, Ashima Bhaskar
Summary: This study investigates the functionality of the carbapenem antibiotic-Biapenem (BPM) in generating long-lasting immunity against TB. It found that BPM treatment can significantly boost the activation status of the innate immune system and activate adaptive immune cells, leading to the generation of long-lived memory cells. These results suggest the potential of BPM as an adjunct immunomodulator for treating TB.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Indumathi Manoharan, Daniel Swafford, Arulkumaran Shanmugam, Nikhil Patel, Puttur D. Prasad, Muthusamy Thangaraju, Santhakumar Manicassamy
Summary: The activation of the TCF4 transcription factor in dendritic cells is critical for controlling the magnitude of inflammatory responses and limiting neuroinflammation. Loss of TCF4 in DCs leads to heightened activation of p38 MAPK and increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines, exacerbating experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis pathology. Manipulation of the TCF4 pathway in dendritic cells represents a potential therapeutic approach to control autoimmune neuroinflammation.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mariangeles Lacava, Luis Fernando Garcia, Carmen Viera, Radek Michalko
Summary: Glyphosate may have negative sublethal effects on native predators such as wolf spiders, affecting their functional responses to potential pests. Contaminated spiders killed fewer ants and caterpillars compared to non-contaminated spiders, likely due to the irritating effects of glyphosate. Further studies are necessary to explore the impact of glyphosate on other native predators in South American crops.
Letter
Immunology
Jose Y. Rodriguez, Patrice Le Pape, Olga Lopez, Kelin Esquea, Anny L. Labiosa, Carlos Alvarez-Moreno
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Luis Fernando Garcia, Erika Nunez, Mariangeles Lacava, Horacio Silva, Sebastian Martinez, Julien Petillon
Summary: The study assessed the predatory behavior of a wandering spider in South American crops, revealing their ability to attack and feed upon prey with different morphologies, including well-defended arthropods.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Mercedes Olaya-C, Marta Garrido, Jorge Andres Franco, Jorge Luis Rodriguez, Magda Jimena Vargas, Ana Aula-Olivar, Laura Quintero, Santiago Ramon Y. Cajal
Summary: Remodeling of uterine spiral arteries is crucial for successful pregnancy, as failure can result in pregnancy complications. The process of arterial remodeling is not synchronous in all vessels, with different stages occurring in a single sample. Muscle and endothelial tissue loss during pregnancy between weeks 14-17 is a key aspect of the remodeling process.
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Santiago Garnica-Velandia, Luz Adriana Aristizabal-Ruiz, Carlos Arturo Alvarez-Moreno
Summary: The study observed the therapeutic effect and tolerability of meropenem in routine clinical practice, showing positive outcomes for different types of infections and good tolerance. The results align with clinical studies of the innovator drug.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Myriam Patricia Cifuentes, Laura Andrea Rodriguez-Villamizar, Maylen Liseth Rojas-Botero, Carlos Arturo Alvarez-Moreno, Julian Alfredo Fernandez-Nino
Summary: The study found significant socioeconomic inequalities in COVID-19 mortality, with higher risk of death among males, individuals over 60 years old, indigenous people, those under subsidised health insurance regime, and individuals living in the very low socioeconomic strata.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Miguel Novoa-Bravo, Eleonora Bernal-Pinilla, Luis Fernando Garcia
Summary: Colombian Paso horses are classified into four categories based on gait performance, with Colombian Paso Fino recognized as a new breed. Analysis of genetic data, pedigree records, and phenotypic differences revealed the split of the breed into two populations with increased genetic differentiation between them.
Article
Oncology
Lucila N. Kerbauy, Nancy D. Marin, Mecit Kaplan, Pinaki P. Banerjee, Melissa M. Berrien-Elliott, Michelle Becker-Hapak, Rafet Basar, Mark Foster, Luciana Garcia Melo, Carly C. Neal, Ethan McClain, May Daher, Ana Karen Nunez Cortes, Sweta Desai, Francesca Wei Inng Lim, Mayela Carolina Mendt, Timothy Schappe, Li Li, Hila Shaim, Mayra Shanley, Emily L. Ensley, Nadima Uprety, Pamela Wong, Enli Liu, Sonny O. Ang, Rong Cai, Vandana Nandivada, Vakul Mohanty, Qi Miao, Yifei Shen, Natalia Baran, Natalie W. Fowlkes, Ken Chen, Luis Muniz-Feliciano, Richard E. Champlin, Yago L. Nieto, Joachim Koch, Martin Treder, Wolfgang Fischer, Oswaldo Keith Okamoto, Elizabeth J. Shpall, Todd A. Fehniger, Katayoun Rezvani
Summary: The study suggests that using bispecific engagers and cytokine pre-activation can enhance NK-cell cytotoxicity against NK-resistant cancers. Additionally, there are differences in treatment response based on the source of NK cells.
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Nancy D. Marin, Bradley A. Krasnick, Michelle Becker-Hapak, Leah Conant, Simon P. Goedegebuure, Melissa M. Berrien-Elliott, Keenan J. Robbins, Jennifer A. Foltz, Mark Foster, Pamela Wong, Celia C. Cubitt, Jennifer Tran, Christopher B. Wetzel, Miriam Jacobs, Alice Y. Zhou, David Russler-Germain, Lynne Marsala, Timothy Schappe, Ryan C. Fields, Todd A. Fehniger
Summary: The treatment of advanced melanoma is a clinical challenge, and natural killer (NK) cells show promise as a cellular therapy. Cytokine-induced memory-like (ML) differentiation enhances NK-cell responses against blood cancer targets, but its activity against solid tumors like melanoma needs further research. In preclinical studies, ML NK cells from healthy donors and melanoma patients exhibited increased IFN gamma production and cytotoxicity against melanoma targets, with a response partially dependent on activating receptors NKG2D and NKp46. Furthermore, in mouse models, ML NK cells showed better control of melanoma compared to conventional NK cells.
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Melissa M. Berrien-Elliott, Jennifer A. Foltz, David A. Russler-Germain, Carly C. Neal, Jennifer Tran, Margery Gang, Pamela Wong, Bryan Fisk, Celia C. Cubitt, Nancy D. Marin, Alice Y. Zhou, Miriam T. Jacobs, Mark Foster, Timothy Schappe, Ethan McClain, Samantha Kersting-Schadek, Sweta Desai, Patrick Pence, Michelle Becker-Hapak, Jeremy Eisele, Matthew Mosior, Lynne Marsala, Obi L. Griffith, Malachi Griffith, Saad M. Khan, David H. Spencer, John F. DiPersio, Rizwan Romee, Geoffrey L. Uy, Camille N. Abboud, Armin Ghobadi, Peter Westervelt, Keith Stockerl-Goldstein, Mark A. Schroeder, Fei Wan, Wen-Rong Lie, Patrick Soon-Shiong, Allegra A. Petti, Amanda F. Cashen, Todd A. Fehniger
Summary: In a clinical trial for relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), same-donor memory-like (ML) NK cell therapy supported by N-803 successfully augmented reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Donor ML NK cells had unique phenotypic and transcriptional profiles and exhibited enhanced ex vivo function compared to conventional NK cells.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Celia C. Cubitt, Ethan McClain, Michelle Becker-Hapak, Jennifer A. Foltz, Pamela Wong, Julia A. Wagner, Carly C. Neal, Nancy D. Marin, Lynne Marsala, Mark Foster, Timothy Schappe, Patrick Soon-Shiong, John Lee, Melissa M. Berrien-Elliott, Todd A. Fehniger
Summary: This study describes the creation of a novel triple-cytokine fusion molecule, 18/12/TxM, using the N-803 scaffold fused to IL-18 and IL-12p70. The molecule exhibits trispecific cytokine activity and induces similar activation and memory-like differentiation of NK cells, as well as anti-tumor activity, compared to the individual cytokines.
MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Marlon Castrillon, Nancy D. Marin, Amado J. Karduss-Urueta, Sonia Y. Velasquez, Cristiam M. Alvarez
Summary: This study aims to determine the distribution of KIR genes in the Colombian population, infer the most common haplotypes, and compare them with other Central and South American populations and worldwide. Analysis of 161 individuals revealed three new genotypes not previously reported in any other ethnic group. The Medellin population showed significant differences in KIR gene frequencies, particularly in activating KIR isoforms, compared to worldwide populations.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Dario Gonzalez, Mauricio Rojas, Benjamin Rojano, Giovanni Restrepo
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of LDL, Q and R on the quality of boar semen during cooling. Results showed that LDL improved sperm motility and modulated mitochondrial activity, while Q may negatively impact sperm motility.
REPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Carolina Zapata-Zapata, Mauricio Rojas-Lopez, Liliana T. Garcia, Wendy Quintero, Maria C. Terron, Daniel Luque, Ana C. Mesa-Arango
Summary: Combined use of Lippia origanoides essential oil or thymol with fluconazole showed synergistic effects against azole-resistant Candida tropicalis, reversing the drug-resistant phenotype.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Karen Alvarez, Mauricio Rojas
Summary: Autoimmune diseases are challenging to diagnose and treat. Nanoparticles offer promising strategies for targeting monocyte populations and delivering drugs for the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases. This field of research is of great importance.