Celebrating great ideas - p693

doi:10.1038/ni0708-693a

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded jointly to Paul Ehrlich and Ilya Metchnikov.

Full Text - Celebrating great ideas | PDF (185 KB) - Celebrating great ideas

Science in an open society - p693

doi:10.1038/ni0708-693b

A vibrant and eclectic international immunology meeting recently took place in the Arabian Desert of the United Arab Emirates, in the heart of the Islamic world.

Full Text - Science in an open society | PDF (185 KB) - Science in an open society

Metchnikoff's Legacy in 2008 - pp695 - 698

Carl Nathan

doi:10.1038/ni0708-695

This report presents themes highlighted during the eclectic and stimulating Metchnikoff's Legacy in 2008 meeting hosted at the Institut Pasteur in April 2008 in honor of the 100^th anniversary of the 1908 Nobel Prize.

Full Text - Metchnikoff's Legacy in 2008 | PDF (447 KB) - Metchnikoff's Legacy in 2008

See also: Historical Commentary by Kaufmann

Immunology in the Arabian desert - pp699 - 703

Basel al-Ramadi, Adrian Hayday & Wilhelm Schwaeble

doi:10.1038/ni0708-699

Increasing evidence suggests that immune mechanisms underlie major inflammatory diseases that show no overt microbial etiology. In this context, a 4-day conference of clinical and nonclinical scientists convened in the United Arab Emirates to consider recent research developments in this fast-moving field.

Full Text - Immunology in the Arabian desert | PDF (467 KB) - Immunology in the Arabian desert

Immunology's foundation: the 100-year anniversary of the Nobel Prize to Paul Ehrlich and Elie Metchnikoff - pp705 - 712

Stefan H E Kaufmann

doi:10.1038/ni0708-705

Abstract - | Full Text - Immunology's foundation: the 100-year anniversary of the Nobel Prize to Paul Ehrlich and Elie Metchnikoff | PDF (977 KB) - Immunology's foundation: the 100-year anniversary of the Nobel Prize to Paul Ehrlich and Elie Metchnikoff

See also: Meeting Report by Nathan

New dimensions of CIITA - pp713 - 714

Walter Reith & Jeremy M Boss

doi:10.1038/ni0708-713

CIITA encodes the 'master regulator' of the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II genes. A new layer of complexity has been identified in the control of CIITA expression, which involves the formation of a complex three-dimensional chromatin structure promoted by interactions among many distant regulatory elements.

Full Text - New dimensions of CIITA | PDF (227 KB) - New dimensions of CIITA

See also: Article by Ni et al.

Erg in stem cells: a function emerges - pp714 - 716

Ellen V Rothenberg

doi:10.1038/ni0708-714

Transcription factors of the Ets family are important for mammalian development. A genetic screen now finds that the Ets family member Erg is essential for definitive hematopoiesis and adult hematopoietic stem cell function.

Full Text - Erg in stem cells: a function emerges | PDF (196 KB) - Erg in stem cells: a function emerges

See also: Article by Loughran et al.

PTEN gives neutrophils direction - pp716 - 718

Daniel D Billadeau

doi:10.1038/ni0708-716

Neutrophils can respond to many chemotactic signals, but how these cells 'prioritize' such signals to react to invading pathogens has remained unclear. The phosphatase PTEN seems to be critical in directing the migration of neutrophils toward their end target in a complex milieu of competing signals.

Full Text - PTEN gives neutrophils direction | PDF (490 KB) - PTEN gives neutrophils direction

See also: Article by Heit et al.

Nuclear geography and allelic exclusion - pp718 - 720

Cornelis Murre

doi:10.1038/ni0708-718

The mechanisms responsible for establishing allelic exclusion remain enigmatic. New data indicate that stochastic interactions of antigen-receptor alleles with repressive nuclear compartments may contribute to the mechanisms that support allelic exclusion.

Full Text - Nuclear geography and allelic exclusion | PDF (822 KB) - Nuclear geography and allelic exclusion

See also: Article by Schlimgen et al.

Basophils now enhance memory - pp720 - 721

Toshiaki Kawakami

doi:10.1038/ni0708-720

Additional immune functions of basophils have been identified in recent years. Mack and colleagues add to this growing list by showing that basophils enhance humoral memory responses by producing interleukins 4 and 6 in response to specific antigen.

Full Text - Basophils now enhance memory | PDF (282 KB) - Basophils now enhance memory

See also: Article by Denzel et al.

Research Highlights - p723

doi:10.1038/ni0708-723

Full Text - Research Highlights | PDF (118 KB) - Research Highlights

Immunity to malaria: more questions than answers - pp725 - 732

Jean Langhorne, Francis M Ndungu, Anne-Marit Sponaas & Kevin Marsh

doi:10.1038/ni.f.205

Abstract - | Full Text - Immunity to malaria: more questions than answers | PDF (751 KB) - Immunity to malaria: more questions than answers

Basophils enhance immunological memory responses - pp733 - 742

Andrea Denzel, Ulrich A Maus, Manuel Rodriguez Gomez, Cordula Moll, Marianne Niedermeier, Christine Winter, Regina Maus, Susan Hollingshead, David E Briles, Leoni A Kunz-Schughart, Yvonne Talke & Matthias Mack

doi:10.1038/ni.1621

Basophils are associated mainly with allergy and immune responses to parasites. Mack and colleagues now show that 'antigen-specific' basophils contribute to the humoral memory response by supplying interleukins 4 and 6.

Abstract - | Full Text - Basophils enhance immunological memory responses | PDF (686 KB) - Basophils enhance immunological memory responses | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Kawakami

PTEN functions to 'prioritize' chemotactic cues and prevent 'distraction' in migrating neutrophils - pp743 - 752

Bryan Heit, Stephen M Robbins, Charlene M Downey, Zhiwen Guan, Pina Colarusso, B Joan Miller, Frank R Jirik & Paul Kubes

doi:10.1038/ni.1623

Leukocytes sense and move in the direction of chemoattractants. Kubes and colleagues show that the phosphatase PTEN is required by migrating neutrophils to 'prioritize' multiple chemoattractant signals, as are encountered in infected tissues.

Abstract - | Full Text - PTEN functions to 'prioritize' chemotactic cues and prevent 'distraction' in migrating neutrophils | PDF (728 KB) - PTEN functions to 'prioritize' chemotactic cues and prevent 'distraction' in migrating neutrophils | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Billadeau

Structure of and influence of a tick complement inhibitor on human complement component 5 - pp753 - 760

Folmer Fredslund, Nick S Laursen, Pietro Roversi, Lasse Jenner, Cristiano L P Oliveira, Jan S Pedersen, Miles A Nunn, Susan M Lea, Richard Discipio, Lars Sottrup-Jensen & Gregers R Andersen

doi:10.1038/ni.1625

Complement 5 (C5) generates the C5a anaphylatoxin and C5b, a component of the membrane attack complex. Andersen and colleagues present the crystal structure of C5 and identify similarities and differences between C5 and other complement proteins.

Abstract - | Full Text - Structure of and influence of a tick complement inhibitor on human complement component 5 | PDF (1,027 KB) - Structure of and influence of a tick complement inhibitor on human complement component 5 | Supplementary information

A Toll-like receptor 2–integrin ₃ complex senses bacterial lipopeptides via vitronectin - pp761 - 768

Gisa Gerold, Khalid Abu Ajaj, Michael Bienert, Hans-Jürgen Laws, Arturo Zychlinsky & Juana L de Diego

doi:10.1038/ni.1618

Mechanisms facilitating Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) ligand recognition are incompletely understood. De Diego and colleagues show that integrin ₃ and the serum protein vitronectin are essential for responsiveness to a panel of TLR2 agonists.

Abstract - | Full Text - A Toll-like receptor 2–integrin 3 complex senses bacterial lipopeptides via vitronectin | PDF (464 KB) - A Toll-like receptor 2–integrin 3 complex senses bacterial lipopeptides via vitronectin | Supplementary information

Regulation of humoral and cellular gut immunity by lamina propria dendritic cells expressing Toll-like receptor 5 - pp769 - 776

Satoshi Uematsu, Kosuke Fujimoto, Myoung Ho Jang, Bo-Gie Yang, Yun-Jae Jung, Mika Nishiyama, Shintaro Sato, Tohru Tsujimura, Masafumi Yamamoto, Yoshifumi Yokota, Hiroshi Kiyono, Masayuki Miyasaka, Ken J Ishii & Shizuo Akira

doi:10.1038/ni.1622

The characteristics of the cell type(s) responsible for initiating protective gut immune responses are not fully defined. Akira and colleagues show that TLR5⁺ lamina propria dendritic cells trigger, in a retinoic-dependent way, the production of interleukin 17 and immunoglobulin A.

Abstract - | Full Text - Regulation of humoral and cellular gut immunity by lamina propria dendritic cells expressing Toll-like receptor 5 | PDF (611 KB) - Regulation of humoral and cellular gut immunity by lamina propria dendritic cells expressing Toll-like receptor 5 | Supplementary information

An autonomous CDR3 is sufficient for recognition of the nonclassical MHC class I molecules T10 and T22 by T cells - pp777 - 784

Erin J Adams, Pavel Strop, Sunny Shin, Yueh-Hsiu Chien & K Christopher Garcia

doi:10.1038/ni.1620

The molecular basis of ligand recognition by TCRs remains vague. Adams and colleagues show that the CDR3 loop, when grafted in place of a CDR3 loop, is sufficient to confer TCR specificity on an TCR.

Abstract - | Full Text - An autonomous CDR3 is sufficient for recognition of the nonclassical MHC class I molecules T10 and T22 by T cells | PDF (705 KB) - An autonomous CDR3 is sufficient for recognition of the nonclassical MHC class I molecules T10 and T22 by T cells | Supplementary information

The chromatin-remodeling enzyme BRG1 coordinates CIITA induction through many interdependent distal enhancers - pp785 - 793

Zuyao Ni, Mohamed Abou El Hassan, Zhaodong Xu, Tao Yu & Rod Bremner

doi:10.1038/ni.1619

The transcription factor CIITA regulates coordinated MHC class II gene expression. Bremner and colleagues show that the chromatin-remodeling protein BRG1 confers interferon- responsiveness on the CIITA locus by inducing the formation of chromatin loops.

Abstract - | Full Text - The chromatin-remodeling enzyme BRG1 coordinates CIITA induction through many interdependent distal enhancers | PDF (827 KB) - The chromatin-remodeling enzyme BRG1 coordinates CIITA induction through many interdependent distal enhancers | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Reith & Boss

Regulation of Tcrb recombination ordering by c-Fos-dependent RAG deposition - pp794 - 801

Xiaoming Wang, Gang Xiao, Yafeng Zhang, Xiaomin Wen, Xiang Gao, Seiji Okada & Xiaolong Liu

doi:10.1038/ni.1614

Developing thymocytes carry out precise assembly of D-to-J followed by V-to-DJ rearrangements at the Tcrb locus. Liu and colleagues show that the transcription factor Fos directs ordered temporal recombination of D segments.

Abstract - | Full Text - Regulation of Tcrb recombination ordering by c-Fos-dependent RAG deposition | PDF (551 KB) - Regulation of Tcrb recombination ordering by c-Fos-dependent RAG deposition | Supplementary information

Initiation of allelic exclusion by stochastic interaction of Tcrb alleles with repressive nuclear compartments - pp802 - 809

Ryan J Schlimgen, Karen L Reddy, Harinder Singh & Michael S Krangel

doi:10.1038/ni.1624

The influence of repressive nuclear compartments on Tcrb rearrangement remains uncertain. Krangel and colleagues show that frequent stochastic, rather than directed, association of Tcrb alleles with repressive compartments promotes monoallelic recombination at this locus.

Abstract - | Full Text - Initiation of allelic exclusion by stochastic interaction of Tcrb alleles with repressive nuclear compartments | PDF (473 KB) - Initiation of allelic exclusion by stochastic interaction of Tcrb alleles with repressive nuclear compartments | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Murre

The transcription factor Erg is essential for definitive hematopoiesis and the function of adult hematopoietic stem cells - pp810 - 819

Stephen J Loughran, Elizabeth A Kruse, Douglas F Hacking, Carolyn A de Graaf, Craig D Hyland, Tracy A Willson, Katya J Henley, Sarah Ellis, Anne K Voss, Donald Metcalf, Douglas J Hilton, Warren S Alexander & Benjamin T Kile

doi:10.1038/ni.1617

Ets family transcription factors function in mammalian development. Kile and colleagues demonstrate that the Ets family member Erg is essential for definitive hematopoiesis and adult hematopoietic stem cell function.

Abstract - | Full Text - The transcription factor Erg is essential for definitive hematopoiesis and the function of adult hematopoietic stem cells | PDF (1,065 KB) - The transcription factor Erg is essential for definitive hematopoiesis and the function of adult hematopoietic stem cells | Supplementary information

See also: News and Views by Rothenberg