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Although there are numerous immune mechanisms that destroy cancer precursors, the selection of tumour cells that are poorly immunogenic and that can subvert the immune response is crucial to the development of cancer. How these processes are linked is discussed in this Review.
This Review article discusses the importance of secondary gene rearrangements in the alteration of antigen-receptor specificity by B cells and T cells, and describes how this process is facilitated by the different genomic organization of the loci that encode the two antigen-receptor chains.
How does the immune system remember? The elegant system by which plasmablasts specific for 'new' pathogens compete with plasma cells specific for 'old' pathogens to gain access to survival niches ensures that the humoral immune system adapts to newly encountered antigens but does not forget those previously encountered.
An appreciation of the crosstalk between cells of the innate and the adaptive immune system is increasingly important for understanding both health and disease. As highlighted here, reciprocal regulation between natural killer cells and autoreactive T cells can influence all stages of autoimmune disease.
Allergen-specific immunotherapy can ameliorate the symptoms of allergic diseases and has shown long-lasting benefits. Recent work discussed in this Review indicates that the beneficial effects result from immunomodulation, including a switch to IgG responses and induction of regulatory T cells.
Adipose tissue produces several inflammatory mediators, including the adipocytokines adiponectin, leptin and resistin. Here, recent advances in our understanding of the role of these adipocytokines in inflammation and immunity are discussed, highlighting the importance of these mediators in obesity-associated diseases.
In this Opinion article, a new model for the generation and the maintenance of memory B cells is proposed. The model involves these cells being continuously produced by the germinal centre throughout an immune response, with B cells that are produced later in the response being fitter and therefore having a survival advantage.
