Immunology articles within Nature Reviews Nephrology

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  • Review Article |

    This Review outlines the roles of innate and adaptive immune cells in hypertension. The authors discuss the mechanisms and important properties of immune cells that contribute to hypertension pathogenesis, such as memory and plasticity.

    • Bianca A. Nguyen
    • , Matthew R. Alexander
    •  & David G. Harrison

  • Review Article |

    Antibody-mediated rejection is a key mechanism in allograft loss. Here, the authors examine advances in B cell biology and how they can inform the development of new therapies to prevent or mitigate antibody-mediated rejection, with the goal of improving transplantation outcomes.

    • Peter S. Heeger
    • , Maria Carrera Haro
    •  & Stanley Jordan

  • Year in Review |

    The widespread availability of single-cell and single-nuclear genomic tools has enabled unbiased and high-dimensional assessment of tissue immunity in the kidney. The application of these technologies to human and mouse kidney samples, combined with spatial transcriptomics, has yielded unexpected insights into how resident and infiltrating immune cells maintain tissue homeostasis and drive disease.

    • Andrew P. Stewart
    •  & Menna R. Clatworthy

  • Review Article |

    Sex differences in immune cell function and immune responses affect the development and outcome of diverse diseases. Here, the authors review current understanding of sex differences in immunity. They describe the key mechanisms that mediate sex differences in immune responses and discuss the functional relevance of such differences for immune-related diseases.

    • Shannon E. Dunn
    • , Whitney A. Perry
    •  & Sabra L. Klein

  • Review Article |

    Emerging evidence suggests that cells resident within organs — both immune and parenchymal — can facilitate the instigation and propagation of tissue injury. In this Review, the authors discuss findings that suggest that kidney parenchymal cells provide structural immunity to the kidney through the regulation of immune-relevant processes, with consequences for kidney inflammation and injury.

    • George C. Tsokos
    • , Afroditi Boulougoura
    •  & Hao Li

  • Review Article |

    The complement system is often involved in immune-driven kidney injury. In this Review, the authors discuss complement activation in a variety of kidney diseases, including conditions not traditionally considered to be immune-mediated, and the potential of complement therapeutics for the treatment of kidney disease.

    • Vojtech Petr
    •  & Joshua M. Thurman

  • Review Article |

    This Review examines the role of alterations in the gut microbial ecosystem, as well as inflammation and oxidative stress, in the bone and mineral disorder that affects patients with chronic kidney disease. The authors also explore novel therapeutic options that can target these disease factors.

    • Pieter Evenepoel
    • , Peter Stenvinkel
    •  & Roberto Pacifici

  • Review Article |

    The bladder and kidney engage adaptive and innate immune responses to prevent urinary tract infections and minimize tissue injury following infection. Here, the authors describe the mechanisms used by uropathogenic bacteria to establish and promote kidney infection, as well as the immune defence mechanisms used by resident kidney cells and infiltrating immune cells to eradicate infection.

    • Laura Schwartz
    • , Juan de Dios Ruiz-Rosado
    •  & John David Spencer

  • Review Article |

    This Review examines insights from genetic studies of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including observations from reports of monogenic SLE, as well as the role of common and rare variants. The authors also discuss age-associated B cells, as the integration of genetic, epigenetic and transcriptomic data suggests a key role for these cells in SLE.

    • Carola G. Vinuesa
    • , Nan Shen
    •  & Thuvaraka Ware

  • Review Article |

    Here, the authors describe regulatory T (Treg) cell development and function and discuss how molecular anomalies or genetic variations in Treg cells contribute to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. They also discuss how Treg cells can be exploited to treat kidney diseases and to induce immune tolerance, particularly in kidney transplantation.

    • Norihisa Mikami
    •  & Shimon Sakaguchi

  • Review Article |

    This Review examines the contribution of innate and adaptive immune cells to the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis, including new insights into the molecular mechanisms that drive this disease, such as recognition of endogenous chromatin by endosomal and cytosolic nucleic acid sensors.

    • Chandra Mohan
    • , Ting Zhang
    •  & Chaim Putterman

  • Review Article |

    Autoimmune diseases are a diverse group of conditions characterized by aberrant B cell and T cell reactivity to normal host constituents. This Review provides an overview of the basis of autoimmune disease with a focus on autoantibodies, given their valuable role as markers for diagnosis, classification and of disease activity.

    • David S. Pisetsky

  • Review Article |

    Complement proteins and receptors with intracellular activity — the complosome — have emerged as important regulators of physiological processes. In this Review, the authors examine evidence of complosome activity across a variety of cells and tissues, as well as their contributions to human disease and therapeutic potential.

    • Erin E. West
    •  & Claudia Kemper

  • Review Article |

    Here, the authors discuss tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) development, maintenance and function, with a focus on the roles of TLSs in autoimmune disease, cancer, infection and chronic age-related inflammatory diseases. They also discuss the clinical implications of TLSs in various tissues and diseases.

    • Yuki Sato
    • , Karina Silina
    •  & Motoko Yanagita

  • Review Article |

    Renal cell carcinoma is sensitive to immune checkpoint blockade despite having a moderate traditional tumour mutational burden profile. Here, the authors discuss how the high prevalence of frameshift insertion or deletions in renal cell carcinoma, as well as the reactivation of endogenous retroviral gene expression, might provide alternative neoantigens that potentiate responses to immunotherapy.

    • Melissa M. Wolf
    • , W. Kimryn Rathmell
    •  & Aguirre A. de Cubas

  • Consensus Statement |

    Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is linked with poor outcomes in critically ill patients. This Consensus Statement from the Acute Disease Quality Initiative discusses the definition, epidemiology and pathophysiology of SA-AKI, fluid, resuscitation and extracorporeal therapies, and the role of biomarkers in risk stratification and diagnosis.

    • Alexander Zarbock
    • , Mitra K. Nadim
    •  & Lui G. Forni

  • Review Article |

    Immune dysregulation contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Here, the authors examine the role of immune cells and mediators in driving the oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction that characterize this hypertensive disorder of pregnancy.

    • Evangeline Deer
    • , Owen Herrock
    •  & Babbette LaMarca

  • Review Article |

    Pyroptosis is a form of regulated cell death that is mediated by the membrane-targeting, pore-forming gasdermin family of proteins. Here, the authors provide an overview of the basic biology of gasdermins and pyroptosis with a focus on the mechanisms by which these proteins may contribute to kidney disease.

    • Esteban E. Elias
    • , Brayden Lyons
    •  & Daniel A. Muruve

  • Review Article |

    Trained immunity refers to the development of immunological memory in innate immune cells. Here, the authors examine the basic features of trained immunity, as well as its role and potential therapeutic targeting in immunopathologies that involve the kidney.

    • Jordi Ochando
    • , Willem J. M. Mulder
    •  & Raphaël Duivenvoorden

  • Review Article |

    This Review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding immunological barriers to xenotransplantation and discusses the major approaches that are being used to overcome these barriers, including immunosuppression, genetic engineering of pigs and tolerance induction.

    • Megan Sykes
    •  & David H. Sachs

  • Review Article |

    Sterile inflammation triggered by activation of the innate immune system is an important driver of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its associated cardiovascular disease. Here, Speer et al. summarize current understanding of the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of CKD and CKD-associated cardiovascular disease, and how these insights may translate into novel therapeutic strategies.

    • Thimoteus Speer
    • , Stefanie Dimmeler
    •  & Paul M Ridker

  • Review Article |

    Effective vaccination strategies are crucial to mitigate the high risk of infection-associated morbidity and mortality in patients with kidney failure. Here, the authors examine vaccine-induced immunity in these patients, in particular their responses to COVID-19 vaccination, in the context of the immune impairment induced by kidney dysfunction and the use of immunosuppressive medications.

    • Nina Babel
    • , Christian Hugo
    •  & Timm H. Westhoff

  • Review Article |

    Alloimmune T cell responses have a crucial role in graft rejection. Here, the authors examine the factors that regulate T cell activation, differentiation and function in secondary lymphoid organs and in the graft, including the different pathways of allorecognition, innate–adaptive immunity crosstalk and the role of survival cytokines.

    • Charlotte Duneton
    • , Pamela D. Winterberg
    •  & Mandy L. Ford

  • Review Article |

    The interplay between immunological and metabolic processes is important in a variety of processes. This Review describes how changes in lipid and energy metabolism, driven by receptors of the innate immune system, contribute to the response of tubule epithelial cells to injury and the functional consequences of these intersecting pathways in kidney health and disease.

    • Sanne van der Rijt
    • , Jaklien C. Leemans
    •  & Alessandra Tammaro

  • Review Article |

    The cyclic GMP–AMP synthase (cGAS)–stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway not only is involved in host defence against infection but can lead to immune dysregulation. Here, the authors examine the biology and biochemistry of cGAS–STING and discuss its role in disease and potential approaches to therapeutic targeting.

    • Sladjana Skopelja-Gardner
    • , Jie An
    •  & Keith B. Elkon

  • Review Article |

    Hypoxia-dependent changes in cellular metabolism have important implications for the effective functioning of multiple immune cell subtypes. This Review describes the inputs that shape the hypoxic response in individual cell types and contexts, and the implications of this response for cellular metabolism and associated alterations in immune cell function.

    • Cormac T. Taylor
    •  & Carsten C. Scholz

  • Review Article |

    Tissue-resident memory T cells are crucial to immune responses in epithelial and mucosal tissues. This Review examines the unique characteristics and differentiation pathways of these cells, as well as their unique adaptations in the urogenital tract, and their role in infection, cancer, inflammatory diseases and transplantation.

    • Loreto Parga-Vidal
    • , Michiel C. van Aalderen
    •  & Klaas P. J. M. van Gisbergen

  • Year in Review |

    Glucocorticoid exposure remains a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients with immune-mediated kidney disease. Recent clinical trials have tested novel potential therapies for these patients and showed that glucocorticoid doses can be reduced without compromising efficacy.

    • Andreas Kronbichler
    •  & Rachel B. Jones

  • Review Article |

    Novel non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists have a better safety profile than steroidal formulations. This Review examines the pro-inflammatory and profibrotic activity of mineralocorticoid receptor activation and discusses the therapeutic potential of MRAs in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease to improve kidney and cardiovascular outcomes.

    • Jonatan Barrera-Chimal
    • , Ixchel Lima-Posada
    •  & Frederic Jaisser

  • Comment |

    Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 seems to be safe in patients with immunity-mediated kidney disease, although their immunological responses to vaccination are impaired. Further strategies, including the administration of additional vaccine doses and passive immunization with long-acting monoclonal antibodies, might increase protection in this vulnerable patient group.

    • Maria Prendecki
    • , Michelle Willicombe
    •  & Stephen P. McAdoo

  • Review Article |

    Endothelial cells in the kidney microvasculature have an intrinsic molecular and phenotypic heterogeneity and respond to sepsis-induced acute kidney injury conditions in a segment-specific manner. This Review discusses the roles of these cells and the molecular systems that control endothelial functions in the development of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury.

    • Grietje Molema
    • , Jan G. Zijlstra
    •  & Jan A. A. M. Kamps

  • Review Article |

    The actions of immune cells within the kidney are of fundamental importance to kidney homeostasis and disease. This Review describes how live imaging of the kidney microvasculature in animal models has advanced our understanding of leukocyte behaviour in healthy and diseased kidneys.

    • A. Richard Kitching
    •  & Michael J. Hickey

  • Review Article |

    This Review examines the unique biological characteristics of unconventional T cells, including γδ T cells, mucosal-associated invariant T cells and natural killer T cells, and their roles in kidney injury, glomerulopathies and fibrosis. The authors also discuss the potential clinical applications of these cells, including in patients with kidney failure treated with dialysis or transplantation.

    • Hannah Kaminski
    • , Lionel Couzi
    •  & Matthias Eberl

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