Table of contents
August 2007 Vol 7 No 8
Research Highlights
Mucosal immunology: APRIL drives switch to IgA2 | PDF (148 KB)
p577 | doi:10.1038/nri2145
Vaccines: Rice-based mucosal vaccine | PDF (101 KB)
p578 | doi:10.1038/nri2135
Regulatory T cells: Reciprocal regulation by retinoic acid | PDF (138 KB)
p578 | doi:10.1038/nri2143
In the news
Hormone links asthma and obesity | PDF (82 KB)
p578 | doi:10.1038/nri2148
In brief
T helper cells | Innate immunity | T cells | PDF (100 KB)
p579 | doi:10.1038/nri2149
Immune tolerance: New mechanism of tolerance induction in cancer | PDF (101 KB)
p580 | doi:10.1038/nri2141
In brief
Structure | T helper cells | Immunogenetics | PDF (103 KB)
p580 | doi:10.1038/nri2150
Immune regulation: New player in the generation of TH17 cells | PDF (219 KB)
p581 | doi:10.1038/nri2139
Antigen presentation: Maintaining the groove | PDF (153 KB)
p582 | doi:10.1038/nri2140
Lymphocyte development: Damage limitation | PDF (134 KB)
p582 | doi:10.1038/nri2147
T-cell responses: Howdy, partner! | PDF (136 KB)
p583 | doi:10.1038/nri2146
Focus on: Immune tolerance
Reviews
Regulatory T-cell immunotherapy for tolerance to self antigens and alloantigens in humans
Maria-Grazia Roncarolo & Manuela Battaglia
p585 | doi:10.1038/nri2138
Preclinical studies provide hope that the adoptive transfer of regulatory T cells can be used to treat autoimmunity and prevent transplant rejection. Will such an approach ever be feasible in humans? And which regulatory T-cell subset should we use?
Molecular mechanisms of CD4+ T-cell anergy
C. Garrison Fathman & Neil B. Lineberry
p599 | doi:10.1038/nri2131
Understanding the state of long-lived functional unresponsiveness of T cells, known as T-cell anergy, could help to prevent T-cell-driven autoimmune diseases. This Review discusses the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon and, in particular, the role of E3 ubiquitin ligases.
Tolerogenic dendritic cells and the quest for transplant tolerance
Adrian E. Morelli & Angus W. Thomson
p610 | doi:10.1038/nri2132
Tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs) have potential as therapeutic tools for preventing transplant rejection. This Review describes what constitutes a tolerogenic DC, how tolerogenic DCs can be induced, the mechanisms by which they mediate tolerance and the future challenges facing DC-based immunotherapy.
CD3-specific antibodies: a portal to the treatment of autoimmunity
Lucienne Chatenoud & Jeffrey A. Bluestone
p622 | doi:10.1038/nri2134
CD3-specific monoclonal antibodies have great potential as therapeutics for autoimmune diseases through the induction of immune tolerance. This Review discusses the current progress of the use of these antibodies in preclinical and clinical studies and highlights ways to improve on this type of immune therapy.
B-cell anergy: from transgenic models to naturally occurring anergic B cells?
John C. Cambier, Stephen B. Gauld, Kevin T. Merrell & Barbara J. Vilen
p633 | doi:10.1038/nri2133
How self-reactive B cells can exist in the periphery yet be unresponsive to antigen stimulation is unclear. John Cambier and colleagues describe the mouse models that have been used to study B-cell anergy and the possible mechanisms that explain this phenomenon.
Perspectives
Timeline
A decade of AIRE
Diane Mathis & Christophe Benoist
p645 | doi:10.1038/nri2136
Diane Mathis and Christophe Benoist describe how our understanding of the function of autoimmune regulator (AIRE) has developed over the last decade, from its discovery to its role in central tolerance. Key questions that need to be addressed over the next decade are also highlighted.
Viewpoint
What does the future hold for cell-based tolerogenic therapy?
Jeffrey A. Bluestone, Angus W. Thomson, Ethan M. Shevach & Howard L. Weiner
p650 | doi:10.1038/nri2137
In this Viewpoint article, four leading researchers provide their view on the prospect of using tolerogenic cells as an immunotherapy in humans and highlight some of the hurdles that must be addressed for this type of treatment to become a viable therapeutic approach.