Table of contents
January 2009 Vol 9 No 1
From the editors
p1 | doi:10.1038/nri2486
Research Highlights
T-cell development: Thymocytes run the 'gauntlet' | PDF (158 KB)
p2 | doi:10.1038/nri2480
Immune tolerance: A T-cell-independent function for AIRE? | PDF (151 KB)
p3 | doi:10.1038/nri2475
In brief
Apoptosis | Tumour immunology | Immunotherapy | PDF (123 KB)
p3 | doi:10.1038/nri2485
Vaccines: Predicting immunity | PDF (135 KB)
p4 | doi:10.1038/nri2478
Immune regulation: Tightening responses by TIGIT | PDF (171 KB)
p5 | doi:10.1038/nri2482
In the news
Hopeful beginnings | PDF (102 KB)
p5 | doi:10.1038/nri2483
Inflammation: Recruitment freeze | PDF (224 KB)
p6 | doi:10.1038/nri2472
Allergy: Allergic mimicry | PDF (220 KB)
p6 | doi:10.1038/nri2479
Dendritic cells: Assessing cross-presentation in vivo | PDF (156 KB)
p7 | doi:10.1038/nri2481
Immune responses: Rearranging the cytoskeleton | PDF (148 KB)
p8 | doi:10.1038/nri2477
In brief
Immune responses | Thymocyte development | Innate immunity | PDF (125 KB)
p8 | doi:10.1038/nri2484
Progress
Newly discovered roles for basophils: a neglected minority gains new respect
Hajime Karasuyama, Kaori Mukai, Yusuke Tsujimura & Kazushige Obata
p9 | doi:10.1038/nri2458
Basophils, often regarded as a lesser relative to the mast cell, are now proving to have important, non-redundant roles in immune responses. This Progress article updates us on the latest studies that identify new roles for basophils in allergic reactions and immune regulation.
Reviews
The who, how and where of antigen presentation to B cells
Facundo D. Batista & Naomi E. Harwood
p15 | doi:10.1038/nri2454
How B cells see antigen has been an area of intense research for many years. Here, recent advances in our understanding of the specific sites, cells and molecules that are involved in the presentation of antigen to B cells are discussed.
Harnessing invariant NKT cells in vaccination strategies
Vincenzo Cerundolo, Jonathan D. Silk, S. Hajar Masri & Mariolina Salio
p28 | doi:10.1038/nri2451
Targeting invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells could be a good way to boost vaccine responses, according to recent studies reviewed here. Structural and functional analyses of iNKT-cell ligands are helping to direct approaches that harness the capacity of iNKT cells to enhance immune responses.
SLAM receptors and SAP influence lymphocyte interactions, development and function
Pamela L. Schwartzberg, Kristen L. Mueller, Hai Qi & Jennifer L. Cannons
p39 | doi:10.1038/nri2456
This article discusses the recently identified role of SLAM-associated protein (SAP) — which mediates signals from signalling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) receptors — in regulating interactions between lymphocytes in the thymus and germinal centres, and suggests that SAP and SLAM family members have roles in lymphocyte adhesion that affect development and differentiation.
Scaffold proteins and immune-cell signalling
Andrey S. Shaw & Erin L. Filbert
p47 | doi:10.1038/nri2473
Scaffold proteins are known to have an important role in signal transduction but their mechanisms of activation are still unclear. In this Review, recent studies that have shed light on the function of cytoplasmic scaffold proteins in immune-cell signalling are discussed.
Perspectives
Science and society
The ageing immune system: is it ever too old to become young again?
Kenneth Dorshkind, Encarnacion Montecino-Rodriguez & Robert A. J. Signer
p57 | doi:10.1038/nri2471
As a result of advances in medicine, public-health policies and socioeconomic development, we are living longer than ever before. Here, the authors describe how ageing affects immune function and discuss the potential of different therapies to slow or reverse this process in the elderly population.
Opinion
Annexin A1 and glucocorticoids as effectors of the resolution of inflammation
Mauro Perretti & Fulvio D'Acquisto
p62 | doi:10.1038/nri2470
In this Opinion article, the effector function of annexin A1 in the anti-inflammatory action of glucocorticoids is discussed, and a model to address the opposing effects of glucocorticoids on the expression of annexin A1 by different immune cells is proposed.
