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A new study demonstrates that commitment to the CD8 lineage in the thymus requires sequential T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and interleukin 7 (IL-7) signaling. The TCR signal first induces IL-7 responsiveness, then recognition of IL-7 induces the nuclear factor Runx3, which specifies the CD8 lineage.
Hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal is tightly regulated. Regulation of the stability of c-Myc protein contributes to this control of hematopoietic stem cell quiescence and repopulation.
The signaling intermediates that activate inflammasomes are elusive. New data now show that reactive oxygen species causes TXNIP to associate with NLRP3 and activate the inflammasome.
The mutator activation-induced cytidine deaminase is essential for immunoglobulin diversification but can be detrimental in other settings. A new comprehensive analysis investigates how its gene expression is regulated.
Preclinical studies in mice suggest that the natural killer cell receptor NKp46 may be a new molecular target for delaying the progression of type 1 diabetes by interfering with unexpected natural killer cell–mediated recognition of pancreatic beta cells.
CTLA-4 is a potent coinhibitory molecule that is critical for peripheral T cell tolerance. New data suggest that CTLA-4 exerts its critical immunoregulatory functions by controlling antigen-specific conventional T cells as well as regulatory T cells.
The present views of how CD4+ T cells respond to antigen are based largely on artificial systems. A highly sensitive approach that allows normal T cell responses to be monitored in physiological conditions overturns some existing ideas about the differentiation of CD4+ T cells.
Recent advances in microscopy have enabled imaging of cell surface receptors at ever higher resolutions. A report using the latest technology now provides evidence that the T cell antigen receptor and the adaptor Lat are confined to small islands, which cluster together after triggering of the T cell antigen receptor.
The mammalian intestine contains a large number of commensal bacterial strains. New work suggests that antimicrobial peptides used for defense against pathogenic bacteria are also used to adjust the balance among bacterial populations and to control intestinal homeostasis.
