Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Ze Zhang, Woo Yong Chang, Kaiwen Wang, Yuqiu Yang, Xinlei Wang, Chen Yao, Tuoqi Wu, Li Wang, Tao Wang
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between B-cell receptors (BCRs) and B-cell gene expression in COVID-19. The researchers found a stronger coupling between BCRs and B-cell gene expression during COVID-19 infections. They developed the Benisse model, which revealed a gradient of B-cell activation along BCR trajectories.
NATURE MACHINE INTELLIGENCE
(2022)
Article
Reproductive Biology
Nisar Ahmad Wani, K. Praveen Kumar, SeungBum Hong, Muhammad Ahmed Umer
Summary: This study is the first to report telomere length in naturally produced and cloned dromedary camels produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer. It was found that telomere lengths in cloned camels were similar to their age-matched naturally produced counterparts, suggesting that the camel cytoplast reprograms the somatic cell nucleus and restores the telomere length to its totipotency stage.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elodie Bal, Rahul Kumar, Mohammad Hadigol, Antony B. Holmes, Laura K. Hilton, Jui Wan Loh, Kostiantyn Dreval, Jasper C. H. Wong, Sofija Vlasevska, Clarissa Corinaldesi, Rajesh Kumar Soni, Katia Basso, Ryan D. Morin, Hossein Khiabanian, Laura Pasqualucci, Riccardo Dalla-Favera
Summary: This study found that super-enhancers in the non-coding genome of DLBCL patients are highly mutated and linked to B cell developmental regulators and oncogenes. The mutations in these super-enhancers prevent the binding of transcriptional repressors and downregulation of target genes, indicating an oncogenic dependency. This research expands the involvement of known oncogenes in DLBCL pathogenesis and identifies new deregulated gene targets of therapeutic relevance.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Swarali S. Kulkarni, Darryl Falzarano
Summary: Members of Camelidae have unique immunological features, with three IgG isotypes and VHH domains devoid of light chains. Their T cell-mediated immunity involves somatic hypermutation, increasing the diversity of T cell repertoire.
MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Ida Lindeman, Chunyan Zhou, Linn M. Eggesbo, Zhichao Miao, Justyna Polak, Knut E. A. Lundin, Jorgen Jahnsen, Shuo-Wang Qiao, Rasmus Iversen, Ludvig M. Sollid
Summary: The study found a significant presence of disease-specific plasma cells (PCs) in the gut lesions of celiac disease (CeD) patients, showing a distinction between short-lived and long-lived cells, and suggesting that immunoglobulin gene polymorphisms may influence CeD-specific antibody responses.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Thomas Herrmann, Mohindar M. Karunakaran
Summary: This article discusses the role of BTNs, related molecules, and SKINT1 in the development, activation, and homeostasis of γδT cells, as well as their potential as interesting targets for therapeutic intervention.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Hussain Bahbahani, Sanaa Al-Zoubi, Fatima Ali, Arwa Afana, Mohammed Dashti, Abdulaziz Al-Ateeqi, David Wragg, Suzanne Al-Bustan, Faisal Almathen
Summary: This study investigates the natural selection signatures in the mitochondrial DNA of different dromedary camel populations. The findings reveal adaptive divergence between Old World and New World camels, with evidence of purifying selection among Old World camel species. A total of 89 codons, known to impact the physiochemical properties of proteins, were found to be under positive selection in the Camelidae family.
Article
Immunology
Doaa Waly, Aradana Muthupandian, Chia-Wei Fan, Harrison Anzinger, Brad G. G. Magor
Summary: This study reveals the existence of Aicda(+) cell clusters in fish that functionally resemble germinal centers in mammals. These clusters undergo B-cell clonal expansion and VDJ somatic hypermutation to achieve antibody affinity maturation. The study also provides evidence for positive selection for replacement mutations in regions encoding the antigen contact loops, leading to functional antibody modification. Additionally, melano-macrophages in the clusters trap antigens used for post-mutation B-cell selection, serving a role similar to follicular dendritic cells in mammalian germinal centers.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Kenneth B. Hoehn, Jackson S. Turner, Frederick Miller, Ruoyi Jiang, Oliver G. Pybus, Ali H. Ellebedy, Steven H. Kleinstein
Summary: The study found that after seasonal influenza vaccination, GC B cell lineages often exhibit measurable evolution, suggesting that the poor efficacy of seasonal influenza vaccines is not solely due to the inhibition of vaccine-specific B cell evolution.
Review
Oncology
Anne B. C. Cherry, Nicholas A. Gherardin, Hafiz I. Sikder
Summary: This minireview explores the biology of gamma delta T cells, including their unique ability to recognize intracellular disturbances and non-peptide-based antigens, and proposes a framework for understanding gamma delta T cell-inspired therapeutic strategies in cancer treatment.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Young-Bum Son, Yeon Ik Jeong, Yeon Woo Jeong, Xianfeng Yu, P. Olof Olsson, Lian Cai, Eun Ji Choi, Mohammad Shamim Hossein, Alex Tinson, Kuhad Kuldip Singh, Singh Rajesh, Al Shamsi Noura, Woo Suk Hwang
Summary: The study showed that somatic cell nuclear transfer using in vivo-matured oocytes can lead to successful production of early-developmental stage embryos and blastocysts in camels with similar efficiency, resulting in high live birth rates. Trans-vaginal blastocyst transfer is recommended for camels due to its ease of procedure, high pregnancy and live birth rates, as well as the comfort and safety of surrogates.
ANIMAL REPRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Hiroyuki Yoshitomi
Summary: Tph cells, characterized by CXCL13 production and efficient help to B cells, play important roles in the pathogenesis of RA and other diseases such as autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and cancers.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ton N. Schumacher, Daniela S. Thommen
Summary: This article discusses the current knowledge on TLSs in cancer, focusing on the drivers of TLS formation, the function and contribution of TLSs to the antitumor immune response, and the potential of TLSs as therapeutic targets in human cancers.
Article
Immunology
Leeana D. Peters, Wen- Yeh, Juan M. Arnoletti, Matthew E. Brown, Amanda L. Posgai, Clayton E. Mathews, Todd M. Brusko
Summary: The autoimmune pathogenesis of T1D involves immune cell infiltration into pancreatic islets. CD8(+) T cells play a primary role in killing insulin-producing beta-cells. This study demonstrates the engineering of human T cells to improve the specificity and function of autoreactive CD8(+) T cells, potentially leading to cellular therapeutics for treating autoimmunity.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Hadas Neuman, Jessica Arrouasse, Meirav Kedmi, Andrea Cerutti, Giuliana Magri, Ramit Mehr
Summary: This article introduces a tool called IgTreeZ, which analyzes Ig gene lineage trees and their repertoires, and demonstrates its reliability in mutation and selection analysis through simulations. Researchers used IgTreeZ on empirical data and found different mutation patterns in different B cell subpopulations, as well as gained insights into antigen-driven selection in COVID-19 patients.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luca Giordano, Manish K. Aneja, Natascha Sommer, Nasim Alebrahimdehkordi, Alireza Seraji, Norbert Weissmann, Carsten Rudolph, Christian Plank, Howard T. Jacobs, Marten Szibor
Summary: Expression of AOX in mammalian cells using sequence-optimized cmRNA supports respiration and protects against respiratory inhibition. This approach may be used for investigating and treating mitochondrial respiratory disorders.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonella De Donno, Giambattista Lobreglio, Alessandra Panico, Tiziana Grassi, Francesco Bagordo, Maria Pia Bozzetti, Serafina Massari, Luisa Siculella, Fabrizio Damiano, Francesco Guerra, Marilena Greco, Michele Chicone, Roberta Lazzari, Pietro Alifano
Summary: This study aimed to analyze antibody levels in relation to clinical status, time from symptom onset, sex, age, and comorbidities in individuals positive to SARS-CoV-2. The results showed that comorbidities and age were associated with clinical status, and IgG concentrations were higher in patients with critical and severe symptoms. IgG levels peaked around day 60 before gradually decreasing, while IgM titers decreased earlier but could still be detected later. High variability in humoral response was observed, with some patients having short IgG half-life and others showing persistent IgM levels.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Serafina Massari, Giovanna Linguiti, Francesco Giannico, Pietro D'Addabbo, Salvatrice Ciccarese, Rachele Antonacci
Summary: The research found that compared to other animals, the number of variable genes in camel γδ T cells is lower, but it is still able to be expanded and diversified through somatic hypermutation mechanisms. In addition, the multiple insertions of D genes contribute to the increased diversity of camel δ chain antigen binding sites.
Article
Hematology
Atinuke Dosunmu-Ogunbi, Shuai Yuan, Michael Reynolds, Luca Giordano, Subramaniam Sanker, Mara Sullivan, Donna Beer Stolz, Brett A. Kaufman, Katherine C. Wood, Yingze Zhang, Sruti Shiva, Seyed Mehdi Nouraie, Adam C. Straub
Summary: This study identifies SOD2(V16A) as a novel clinical biomarker of cardiovascular dysfunction in SCD patients. The variant decreases mitochondrial complex IV activity and increases ROS production in endothelial cells, highlighting its importance in understanding the cardiovascular consequences of SCD.
Meeting Abstract
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Atinuke Dosunmu-Ogunbi, Shuai Yuan, Michael Reynolds, Luca Giordano, Sanker Subramaniam, Mara Sullivan, Donna Beer Stolz, Brett Kaufman, Katherine Wood, Yingze Zhang, Sruti Shiva, Seyed Nouraie, Adam Straub
FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Giovanna Linguiti, Francesco Giannico, Pietro D'Addabbo, Angela Pala, Anna Caputi Jambrenghi, Salvatrice Ciccarese, Serafina Massari, Rachele Antonacci
Summary: In this paper, the authors analyzed the pig TRG locus and compared it with the loci of other suborders within Cetartiodactyla. The pig TRG genomic structure includes four TRGC cassettes with a total of 18 genes. All functional TRG genes are expressed, and the TRGV genes preferentially rearrange with the TRGJ genes within their own cassette, correlating gamma-chain repertoire diversity with the number of cassettes. The TRGC5 cassette, located at the 5' end of the locus, is the only one that retains homology with corresponding cassettes in all species analyzed, suggesting a highly specialized function and evolutionary ancientness within Cetartiodactyla.
Article
Cell Biology
Luca Giordano, Alyssa D. Gregory, Mireia Perez Verdaguer, Sarah A. Ware, Hayley Harvey, Evan DeVallance, Tomasz Brzoska, Prithu Sundd, Yingze Zhang, Frank C. Sciurba, Steven D. Shapiro, Brett A. Kaufman
Summary: This study measured the levels of cf-mtDNA and cf-nDNA in the plasma of COPD patients and the serum of mice with CS-induced emphysema and found increased levels of cf-mtDNA in both. In cell culture, exposure to CSE resulted in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, increased oxidative stress, dysregulated mitochondrial dynamics, and triggered mtDNA release in extracellular vesicles. These findings suggest that cf-mtDNA could serve as a marker of mitochondrial stress in response to CS exposure and COPD pathology.
Article
Immunology
Giovanna Linguiti, Vincenzo Tragni, Ciro Leonardo Pierri, Serafina Massari, Marie-Paule Lefranc, Rachele Antonacci, Salvatrice Ciccarese
Summary: This study investigates the 3D structure of human and dromedary γδ T cell receptors to understand how they recognize antigen in an antibody-like fashion. The results show that the interactions between the V domains of TRG and TRD, as well as between the V domains and CD1D G domains, are stable.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jacopo Martelossi, Giobbe Forni, Mariangela Iannello, Castrense Savojardo, Pier Luigi Martelli, Rita Casadio, Barbara Mantovani, Andrea Luchetti, Omar Rota-Stabelli
Summary: This study reports the draft genome of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes lucifugus, an economically important species with extensive research on its eusocial organization and mating system. The assembly covered a significant portion of the estimated genome size and showed complete homozygosity. The study identified numerous gene duplications associated with R. lucifugus diversification and significant lineage-specific expansions in gene families related to development, perception, and nutrient metabolism pathways. Additionally, a detailed analysis of P450 and odorant receptor gene repertoires revealed a wide diversity and dynamic evolutionary history. Overall, this newly assembled genome provides valuable insights into termite biology and pest control.
INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rachele Antonacci, Giovanna Linguiti, Federica Paradiso, Chiara Scalone, Carmelo Fanizza, Elena Ciani, Giulia Cipriano, Salvatrice Ciccarese, Roberto Carlucci
Summary: This study investigates the genetic variability of the striped dolphin in the Northern Ionian Sea. Results show low nucleotide diversity but high haplotypic diversity, indicating a rapid expansion of the population after a reduction in size and diversity. Phylogenetic analyses reveal the presence of two different lineages of striped dolphins in the Mediterranean Sea, one specific to the Northern Ionian Sea and one shared with the Mediterranean population. Hybridization between striped and common dolphins is also a potential problem that needs further investigation. Increasing the analysis of multiple markers can enhance understanding of the genetic diversity and support future conservation measures.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elisa Bertolini, Giulia Babbi, Castrense Savojardo, Pier Luigi Martelli, Rita Casadio
Summary: MultiFacetedProtDB is a database of multifunctional human proteins, collecting comprehensive annotations and allowing searches for gene, protein, and associated structural and functional information. Studying multifunctional proteins helps elucidate the complexities of biological processes, particularly their importance and wide applications in human biology.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Serafina Massari, Francesco Giannico, Nunzia Valentina Paolillo, Angela Pala, Anna Caputi Jambrenghi, Rachele Antonacci
Summary: This study reveals the characteristics and differences of the TRG loci in horses and donkeys, indicating a good level of diversification within the Equus genus.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)