Immunology

CXXC-finger protein 1 associates with FOXP3 to stabilize homeostasis and suppressive functions of regulatory T cells

1. Xiaoyu Meng
2. Yezhang Zhu
3. Kuai Liu
4. Yuxi Wang
5. Xiaoqian Liu
6. Chenxin Liu
7. Yan Zeng
8. Shuai Wang
9. Xianzhi Gao
10. Xin Shen
11. Jing Chen
12. Sijue Tao
13. Qianying Xu
14. Linjia Dong
15. Li Shen
16. Lie Wang

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study presents important findings on the role of CXXC-finger protein 1 in regulatory T cell gene regulation and function. The evidence supporting the authors' claims is convincing, with mostly state-of-the-art technology. The work will be of relevance to immunologists interested in regulatory T cell biology and autoimmunity.

Reviewed by eLife

Follicular helper- and peripheral helper-like T cells drive autoimmune disease in human immune system mice

1. Mohsen Khosravi-Maharlooei
2. Andrea Vecchione
3. Nichole Danzl
4. Hao Wei Li
5. Grace Nauman
6. Rachel Madley
7. Elizabeth Waffarn
8. Robert Winchester
9. Amanda Ruiz
10. Xiaolan Ding
11. Georgia Fousteri
12. Megan Sykes

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important study utilizes humanized mice, in which human immune cells are introduced into immune-deficient mice, to provide convincing evidence that two helper CD4 T-cell subsets, T-follicular helper (Tfh) and T-peripheral helper (Tph) cells, are able to drive both autoantibody production and induction of autoimmunity. The work will be of broad interest to medical scientists engaged in deciphering how human immune cells mediate immune responses and contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases.

Reviewed by eLife

The antigenic landscape of N1 neuraminidase in human influenza A virus strains isolated between 2009 and 2020

1. João Paulo Portela Catani
2. Anouk Smet
3. Tine Ysenbaert
4. Laura Amelinck
5. Yvonne Chan
6. Dan Tadmor
7. Philip Davidson
8. Satyajit Ray
9. Eric Camire
10. Liqun Han
11. Jianxin Zhang
12. Guadalupe Cortés
13. Katherine Roebke
14. Bianca Baum
15. John Hamberger
16. Maryann Giel-Moloney
17. Xavier Saelens
18. Thorsten U Vogel

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  Catani and colleagues provide data on antigenic properties of neuraminidase proteins of pandemic H1N1 and show that antigenic diversity of the neuraminidase from 2009 to 2020 largely falls into two groups. These antigenic groups map to two phylogenetic groups, and substitutions at positions 432 and 321 are likely associated with the antigenic change. These data and results allow useful insights into the antigenic properties of N1 influenza and the evidence supporting the conclusions is solid.

Reviewed by eLife

Sex-dependent gastrointestinal colonization resistance to MRSA is microbiota and Th17 dependent

1. Alannah Lejeune
2. Chunyi Zhou
3. Defne Ercelen
4. Gregory Putzel
5. Xiaomin Yao
6. Alyson R Guy
7. Miranda Pawline
8. Magdalena Podkowik
9. Alejandro Pironti
10. Victor J Torres
11. Bo Shopsin
12. Ken Cadwell

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This fundamental study highlights potential mechanisms underlying the sex-dependent bias in susceptibility to gut colonization by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The evidence supporting the conclusion is compelling. The work will interest biologists who study intestinal infection and immunity.

Reviewed by eLife

Deciphering the preeclampsia-specific immune microenvironment and the role of pro-inflammatory macrophages at the maternal–fetal interface

1. Haiyi Fei
2. Xiaowen Lu
3. Zhan Shi
4. Xiu Liu
5. Cuiyu Yang
6. Xiaohong Zhu
7. Yuhan Lin
8. Ziqun Jiang
9. Jianmin Wang
10. Dong Huang
11. Liu Liu
12. Songying Zhang
13. Lingling Jiang

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This valuable study investigates the immune system's role in pre-eclampsia. The authors map the immune cell landscape of the human placenta and find an increase in macrophages and Th17 cells in patients with pre-eclampsia. Following mouse studies, the authors suggest that the IGF1-IGF1R pathway might play a role in how macrophages influence T cells, potentially driving the pathology of pre-eclampsia. There is convincing evidence in this study that will be of interest to immunologists and developmental biologists.

Reviewed by eLife

Soluble immune mediators orchestrate protective in vitro granulomatous responses across Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex lineages

1. Ainhoa Arbués
2. Sarah Schmidiger
3. Miriam Reinhard
4. Sonia Borrell
5. Sebastien Gagneux
6. Damien Portevin

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study describes the impact of mycobacterial genetic diversity on host-infection phenotypes by assessing the effect of different M. tuberculosis lineages on granulomatous inflammation using a 3D in vitro granuloma model. Despite being descriptive and showing mostly correlative relationships, the findings are useful and provide some solid support regarding the functional impact of M. tuberculosis's natural diversity on host-pathogen interactions. The study will interest researchers working on mycobacteria and motivate future studies to understand how genetic diversity influences virulence and immunity outcomes.

Reviewed by eLife

Extracellular matrix phenotyping by imaging mass cytometry defines distinct cellular matrix environments associated with allergic airway inflammation

1. J E Parkinson
2. M Ghafoor
3. R J Dodd
4. H E Tompkins
5. M Fergie
6. M Rattray
7. J E Allen
8. T E Sutherland

Reviewed by Review Commons

Inhibiting NINJ1-dependent plasma membrane rupture protects against inflammasome-induced blood coagulation and inflammation

1. Jian Cui
2. Hua Li
3. Dien Ye
4. Guoying Zhang
5. Yan Zhang
6. Ling Yang
7. Martha MS Sim
8. Jeremy P Wood
9. Yinan Wei
10. Zhenyu Li
11. Congqing Wu

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  The authors aim to elucidate the mechanism by which pyroptosis (through the formation of Gasdermin D (GSDMD) pores in the plasma membrane) contributes to increased release of procoagulant Tissue Factor-containing microvesicles. The data offers solid mechanistic insights as to the interplay between pyroptosis and microvesicle release with NINJ1. The study provides useful insights into the potential of targeting Ninj1 as a therapeutic strategy.

Reviewed by eLife

Discovery of a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Human NLRP3 with a Novel Binding Modality and Mechanism of Action

1. Kevin Wilhelmsen
2. Aditi Deshpande
3. Sarah Tronnes
4. Maitriyee Mahanta
5. Matthew Banicki
6. Mary Cochran
7. Samantha Cowdin
8. Kristen Fortney
9. George Hartman
10. Robert Hughes
11. Rusty Montgomery
12. Claudia Portillo
13. Paul Rubin
14. Yan Wang
15. Shijun Yan
16. Barry A Morgan
17. Assem Duisembekova
18. Romane Riou
19. Michael Marleaux
20. Inga V. Hochheiser
21. Hannes Buthmann
22. Dominic Ferber
23. Wei Wang
24. Melanie Cranston
25. Chloe M. McKee
26. Thea Mawhinney
27. Emma McKay
28. Bénédicte F. Py
29. Matthias Geyer
30. Rebecca C. Coll

Reviewed by preLights

SIV-specific neutralizing antibody induction following selection of a PI3K drive-attenuated nef variant

1. Hiroyuki Yamamoto
2. Tetsuro Matano

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  Yamamoto and Matano provide convincing evidence that a G63E/R CD8+ T-cell escape mutation in the accessory viral protein Nef promote the induction of neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses in rhesus macaques infected with SIVmac239, which is usually largely resistant to neutralization. Functional analyses support that this mutation specifically impairs Nef`s ability to stimulate PI3K/Akt/mTORC2 signalling. This important study suggests that the accessory viral protein Nef impairs B cell function and effective humoral immune responses and is of interest for researchers and physicians interested in HIV/AIDS and vaccine development.

Reviewed by eLife