Reviews & Analysis

Maturation of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1b is achieved mainly by the canonical caspase-1 inflammasome. An alternative caspase-8-dependent inflammasome that is engaged after stimulation with dectin-1 during fungal and mycobacterial infection has now been described.

Dynamic imaging portrays intraepidermal T cells as truly autoreactive, constitutively transmitting signals from a putative ligand expressed by normal epithelial cells.

It is unknown how T cell antigen receptors from autoreactive CD8⁺ T cells recognize self. A new paper shows that an unorthodox, low-affinity way of interacting with targets may be at the basis of autoimmunity.

Boosting immune responses during malaria remains a challenge. Overcoming T cell exhaustion by blocking coinhibitory receptors offers a promising lead.

AhR is more than just a receptor for pollutants. Studies have now identified crucial roles for this environment-sensing transcription factor in the development and maintenance of gut-associated lymphoid tissues.

Since the definition of an immunoselective proteasome, the 'immunoproteasome', its function has been heavily disputed. A mouse with complete deficiency in immunoproteasomes has resolved one issue of the adaptation of the immune system to the proteasome but has raised other questions.

IFN-γ is a cytokine that is critical for defense against intracellular bacterial pathogens. New work provides evidence that the recognition of bacterial flagellin by the NLRC4 inflammasome in splenic dendritic cells triggers rapid release of IL-18, which leads to IFN-γ production by memory CD8⁺ T cells.

Neutrophils and B cells are thought to specialize in driving innate and adaptive immune responses to infection. New data suggest that these cells may also communicate in the splenic marginal zone to drive T cell–independent antibody responses.