Review
Immunology
Manpreet K. Semwal, Nicholas E. Jones, Ann V. Griffith
Summary: The thymus is crucial for T lymphocyte development, with thymic stromal cells playing an important role. Metabolic regulation of thymic stromal cell function is an emerging area of study.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel A. Michelson, Koji Hase, Tsuneyasu Kaisho, Christophe Benoist, Diane Mathis
Summary: Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) ectopically express thousands of peripheral-tissue antigens (PTAs), which drive deletion or phenotypic diversion of self-reactive immature T cells during thymic differentiation. Lineage-defining transcription factors (TFs) for distinct cell types are present in different mTEC subtypes, and these factors are essential for the accumulation of mimetic cells and the expression of PTAs, contributing to self-tolerance.
Review
Oncology
Madison Ballman, Chen Zhao, Meredith J. McAdams, Arun Rajan
Summary: Immunotherapy has shown promise in treating various types of cancer, but the unique biology of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) presents challenges for its use. This paper reviews the biology of TETs and discusses the potential benefits and risks of immunotherapy. It also explores the use of biomarkers to improve the safety and tolerability of immunotherapy for TETs.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhongwei Xin, Mingjie Lin, Zhixing Hao, Di Chen, Yongyuan Chen, Xiaoke Chen, Xia Xu, Jinfan Li, Dang Wu, Ying Chai, Pin Wu
Summary: In this study, the developmental pattern of intra-tumoral T-cells in human thymic epithelial tumors (TET) was analyzed by single cell analysis. Three types of TETs were identified based on the characteristics of tumor cells and their effects on T-cell development. The molecular subtypes of TETs were found to determine their tumor immune microenvironment, and GNB3 and CHI3L1 might serve as predictors for the immunological behavior and prognosis of these tumors.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Qian Zhang, Zhanfeng Liang, Jiayu Zhang, Tong Lei, Xue Dong, Huiting Su, Yifang Chen, Zhaoqi Zhang, Liang Tan, Yong Zhao
Summary: The study reveals the crucial role of the epigenetic regulator Sirt6 in the development and differentiation of mTECs, with its deficiency leading to decreased mTEC compartment, accelerated differentiation, and autoimmune diseases.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Claudia Haftmann, Pascale Zwicky, Florian Ingelfinger, Florian Mair, Stefan Floess, Rene Riedel, Pawel Durek, Marianne R. Spalinger, Ekaterina Friebel, Brian P. Leung, Mirjam Lutz, Nicole Puertas, Ana Amorim, Stefanie Scharli, Benedict Becher, Jan Kisielow, Ari Waisman, Mir-Farzin Mashreghi, Jochen Huehn, Burkhard Becher
Summary: Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) play a crucial role in regulating T cell immune tolerance by negatively selecting self-reactive T cells and promoting the development of regulatory T cells. Dysfunctional regulatory T cells may be a key factor in the development of autoimmune diseases.
SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jason A. Carter, Leonie Stroemich, Matthew Peacey, Sarah R. Chapin, Lars Velten, Lars M. Steinmetz, Benedikt Brors, Sheena Pinto, Hannah Meyer
Summary: This study reveals the transcriptomic diversity of mTECs in the thymus and establishes a web portal for querying their transcriptome, which may aid in identifying the drivers of autoimmune diseases.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Zhanfeng Liang, Qian Zhang, Zhaoqi Zhang, Lina Sun, Xue Dong, Tianxiu Li, Liang Tan, Xubiao Xie, Liguang Sun, Yong Zhao
Summary: Tsc1 regulates the homeostasis of thymic medullary epithelial cells by inhibiting lysosomal-mediated apoptosis pathway. Deficiency of Tsc1 leads to developmental defects in mTECs and disrupts T cell homeostasis. The dysfunction of mTECs in Tsc1-deficient mice is associated with increased lysosomal biogenesis, cell metabolism, and apoptosis pathways, leading to reactive oxygen species overproduction and lysosome malfunction.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Tatsuya Ishikawa, Nobuko Akiyama, Taishin Akiyama
Summary: Peripheral T cells are crucial components of the adaptive immune system, capable of distinguishing between self and non-self antigens. Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) play a key role in orchestrating the development and selection of self-tolerant T cells. Recent studies have uncovered the heterogeneity of TECs, but the identity of adult thymic TEC progenitors remains unclear.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Salix Boulet, Livia Odagiu, Mengqi Dong, Marie-Eve Lebel, Jean-Francois Daudelin, Heather J. Melichar, Nathalie Labrecque
Summary: Central tolerance aims to limit the production of T lymphocytes with high affinity TCR, and Nr4a3 transcriptional induction plays an important role in limiting accumulation of self-reactive thymocytes through negative selection. NR4A3 deficiency results in an increase of cells bearing a negative selection phenotype in the thymus and a decrease in cleaved caspase-3(+) signaled thymocytes, suggesting its necessity in controlling central tolerance.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Gustavo Ulises Martinez-Ruiz, Abigail Morales-Sanchez, Avinash Bhandoola
Summary: The thymus is crucial for the development of T cell subsets, with interest in manipulating thymic function for therapeutic purposes in various conditions. Thymic epithelial cells play essential roles in directing T cell development and are regulated by several transcription factors. While some transcription factors have been studied in detail, the roles of many others remain unclear, suggesting potential for new discoveries in this field.
IMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Li-Hua Mo, Xiang-Qian Luo, Gui Yang, Jiang-Qi Liu, Li-Teng Yang, Zhi-Qiang Liu, Shuai Wang, Da-Bo Liu, Zhi-Gang Liu, Ping-Chang Yang
Summary: This study demonstrates the crucial role of CD83 in Treg differentiation in the airway mucosa and the ability of CD83/OVA-carrying exosomes to inhibit airway allergy. These findings provide a new potential approach for the treatment of airway allergic disorders.
Review
Immunology
Nathan Provin, Matthieu Giraud
Summary: The thymus plays a crucial role in immune tolerance, but genetic disorders can lead to thymic dysfunction and autoimmune syndromes. Recent advances in gene editing and pluripotent stem cell differentiation offer new possibilities for studying and treating genetic pathologies affecting the thymus.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Ruben G. R. Pinheiro, Nuno L. Alves
Summary: TECs play an essential role in the formation of functionally diverse and self-tolerant T cells, particularly in the first weeks after birth in mice. Recent studies highlight the critical coordination between the expansion and maturation of TECs during this period and their specialized role in T cell development and selection. The impact of aging on TEC progenitors and maintenance of functional thymic epithelial microenvironments is discussed, along with how these changes affect the thymus's ability to sustain regular thymopoiesis throughout life.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel A. Michelson, Christophe Benoist, Diane Mathis
Summary: Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) are crucial for T cell central tolerance. In addition to the transcription factor Aire, we found that mTECs express the inhibitory receptor CTLA-4. CTLA-4(+) mTECs have a distinct gene signature associated with antigen presentation and interferon-gamma signaling, complementing the role of Aire.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ryo Miyazaki, Hiroyuki Saiga, Takumi Kato, Takamitsu Bakoshi, Rina Senba, An Shintani, Makiko Suzuki, Kenjiro Takao, Izumi Sasaki, Akihiko Iizuka, Masanaka Sugiyama, Nana Iwami, Yuri Fukuda-Ohta, Hiroaki Hemmi, Takashi Tanaka, Minoru Miyake, Tsuneyasu Kaisho, Katsuaki Hoshino
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hidekazu Takano, Yanlin Wu, Masato Hoshino, Karol Vegso, Koh Hashimoto, Koichi Matsuo, Atsushi Momose
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Akihisa Takeuchi, Kentaro Uesugi, Masayuki Uesugi, Hiroyuki Toda, Kyosuke Hirayama, Kazuyuki Shimizu, Koichi Matsuo, Takashi Nakamura
Summary: In this study, high-energy x-ray nanotomography (nano-CT) based on full-field x-ray microscopy was developed to successfully resolve fine 2D and 3D structures, with potential for non-destructive observation in 3D multiscale imaging. The spatial resolutions of the system were evaluated and found to be in good agreement with theoretical values, supporting its application in various fields. This high-energy nano-CT technology provides a powerful tool for imaging bulky samples and regions of interest in a non-destructive manner.
REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Lijuan Zhao, Shinichirou Ito, Atsushi Arai, Nobuyuki Udagawa, Kanji Horibe, Miroku Hara, Daisuke Nishida, Akihiro Hosoya, Rinya Masuko, Koji Okabe, Masashi Shin, Xianqi Li, Koichi Matsuo, Shinichi Abe, Satoru Matsunaga, Yasuhiro Kobayashi, Hideaki Kagami, Toshihide Mizoguchi
Summary: Severe dental tissue damage leads to odontoblast death followed by differentiation of dental pulp stem and progenitor cells into odontoblast-like cells for reparative dentin. The PTH1R cascade triggered by odontoblast death may serve as a therapeutic target for inducing dental regeneration. Increased expression of PTH1R enhances dentin formation in response to odontoblast depletion even without physical damage to dental tissue.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Yukiko Kuroda, Katsuhiro Kawaai, Naoya Hatano, Yanlin Wu, Hidekazu Takano, Atsushi Momose, Takuya Ishimoto, Takayoshi Nakano, Paul Roschger, Stephane Blouin, Koichi Matsuo
Summary: The study identified a new subtype of osteoblasts, known as auditory osteoblasts, that produce type II collagen and are responsible for the highly mineralized hearing-related bones. These osteoblasts exhibit differences from conventional osteoblasts and chondrocytes, showing higher bone matrix mineralization and apatite orientation in auditory ossicles and the bony labyrinth.
JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Keisuke Onishi, Hai Ying Fu, Tadashi Sofue, Atsushi Tobiume, Masahiro Moritoki, Hiroyuki Saiga, Mari Ohmura-Hoshino, Katsuaki Hoshino, Tetsuo Minamino
Summary: The study showed that Gal-9 plays a protective role in endotoxemic acute kidney injury, and deficiency in Gal-9 worsens hypothermia and kidney injury in mice. The accelerated hypothermia induced by Gal-9 deficiency contributes to a blunted response to fluid resuscitation.
CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL NEPHROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Koichi Matsuo, Ryota Tamura, Kohji Hotta, Mayu Okada, Akihisa Takeuchi, Yanlin Wu, Koh Hashimoto, Hidekazu Takano, Atsushi Momose, Atsuo Nishino
Summary: The study on ascidian larva tail cells revealed left-handed helices in muscle cells, while nuclei were roughly bilaterally aligned, showing bilateral symmetry.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kenjiro Takao, Makiko Suzuki, Ryo Miyazaki, Minoru Miyake, Kazuya Akimitsu, Katsuaki Hoshino
Summary: D-Allose, a rare sugar, has been found to inhibit cytokine production by murine dendritic cells stimulated with ssRNA or CpG DNA by attenuating the phosphorylation of MAPK family members.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Long Li, Romain Durand-de Cuttoli, Antonio V. Aubry, C. Joseph Burnett, Flurin Cathomas, Lyonna F. Parise, Kenny L. Chan, Carole Morel, Chongzhen Yuan, Yusuke Shimo, Hsiao-yun Lin, Jun Wang, Scott J. Russo
Summary: Traumatic social experiences in humans can lead to psychiatric disorders. In rodents, little is known about the impact of social trauma on social reward. A study on the chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model in mice suggests that previously rewarding social targets are perceived as threats in susceptible mice.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tomoyuki Homma, Noriyo Nagata, Masayuki Hashimoto, Naoko Iwata-Yoshikawa, Naomi M. Seki, Nozomi Shiwa-Sudo, Akira Ainai, Keiji Dohi, Eiji Nikaido, Akiko Mukai, Yuuta Ukai, Takayuki Nakagawa, Yusuke Shimo, Hiroki Maeda, Seiki Shirai, Miwa Aoki, Takuhiro Sonoyama, Mamoru Sato, Masataka Fumoto, Morio Nagira, Fumihisa Nakata, Takao Hashiguchi, Tadaki Suzuki, Shinya Omoto, Hideki Hasegawa
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine S-268019-b, and found that it can elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses, producing neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and effectively inhibiting viral replication.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
S. M. Khaledur Rahman, Sumire Sasaki, Toru Uyama, Zahir Hussain, Mohammad Mamun Sikder, Hiroyuki Saiga, Mari Ohmura-Hoshino, Ken-ichi Ohta, Yoshimi Miki, Katsuaki Hoshino, Masaki Ueno, Makoto Murakami, Natsuo Ueda
Summary: The deficiency of PLAAT1 in mice can alleviate HFD-induced obesity and hepatic lipid accumulation, and improve lipid metabolism disorders. PLAAT1 may function as a phospholipase A(1)/A(2) in the liver, and its expression is increased by HFD treatment in wild-type mice.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Takashi Nakamura, Sayako Honda, Shinichirou Ito, Toshihide Mizoguchi, Takehiro Yamamoto, Masataka Kasahara, Yasuaki Kabe, Koichi Matsuo, Makoto Suematsu
Summary: In this study, a new differentiated osteoblast- and osteocyte-specific Cre knock-in mouse model was created, and the efficient expression of both Dmp1 and Cre proteins was confirmed using the 2A self-cleaving peptide. This model is a useful tool for studying the functioning of various genes in hard tissues.
JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Long Li, Romain Durand-de Cuttoli, Antonio V. Aubry, C. Joseph Burnett, Flurin Cathomas, Lyonna F. Parise, Kenny L. Chan, Carole Morel, Chongzhen Yuan, Yusuke Shimo, Hsiao-yun Lin, Jun Wang, Scott J. Russo
Summary: Research shows that following chronic social defeat stress, a subset of male and female mice tend to avoid social interaction with non-aggressive, same-sex juvenile C57BL/6J mice and do not exhibit context-dependent social reward after encounters. This avoidance behavior seems to be linked to the activation of specific stress-responsive neurons in the lateral septum, which interferes with social reward processing.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Yoshikazu Kuboi, Yukiko Kuroda, Masayoshi Ohkuro, Sotaro Motoi, Yoshiya Tomimori, Hisataka Yasuda, Nobuyuki Yasuda, Toshio Imai, Koichi Matsuo
Summary: The chemokine fractalkine (FKN) regulates the survival and differentiation of osteoclast precursor cells (OCPs) through the CX3CR1 receptor. Blocking the FKN-CX3CR1 axis may be a therapeutic option for noninflammatory bone loss diseases.
Article
Immunology
Hiroyuki Saiga, Masaki Ueno, Takashi Tanaka, Tsuneyasu Kaisho, Katsuaki Hoshino
Summary: This study reveals that MafB acts as a negative regulator of type I IFN production in pDCs by interfering with the complex formation of IRF-7 and Spi-B. Decreased MafB expression and degradation in the early phase of immune responses lead to increased type I IFN production. MafB is also involved in resistance against psoriasis-like skin inflammation.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)