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In this Perspective, the authors discuss the currently available models for psychiatric disease modeling. They present a framework for translating new knowledge by placing more emphasis on identifying neurophysiological defects.
Aging is a major risk factor for cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases. A new study identified β2-microglobulin as a blood-borne factor that detrimentally influences the brain during the aging process.
A new study shows that astrocytes are involved in the development of chronic itch in a mouse model. This is dependent on upregulation of lipocalin 2 (LCN2) by the transcription factor STAT-3 and astrogliosis.
Engraftment of progenitor cells to effect repair of injured lungs has been a major challenge. A new study combines a conditioning strategy adopted from bone marrow transplantation with a lung injury model to bring this potential therapeutic approach closer to reality.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating autoimmune disorder, the etiology of which is poorly understood. A new study reveals dysbiosis in gut and oral microbiomes of affected individuals, potentially providing a basis for patient stratification and clues to pathophysiological mechanisms of RA onset and progression.
In this Perspective, attendees of the Herrenhausen Tumour Heterogeneity meeting discuss the challenges in understanding tumour heterogeneity and propose ways forward for overcoming these hurdles.
In this Perspective, the authors discuss the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in muscle regeneration, and they conclude that both are necessary for the action of muscle stem cells in the aging process.
Muscle fibrosis after acute injury can be debilitating, but in chronic muscle disease it can be lethal. A new study reveals that shifts in macrophage phenotype in injured or diseased muscle can influence whether connective tissue production by fibro/adipogenic precursors in muscle is beneficial or pathological.
Adipocyte progenitors have the capacity to differentiate into mature brown adipocytes with thermogenic capabilities. Two new studies identify novel markers to help prospectively isolate these and mature adipocytes from human brown fat biopsies.
Two new studies demonstrate that so-called 'liquid biopsies' may reveal important genomic information needed to monitor treatment responses, forecast tumor recurrences, and provide a rationale for novel therapeutic strategies in patients with lung cancer and colon cancer.
Recent studies have provided insight into how the environment, and in particular the diet, influence the development of lymphocytes. Emerging studies indicate a role for this immune development in inflammatory disease.
Tissue-resident memory T cells are increasingly being linked to human tissue-specific immune and inflammatory disease. These roles are discussed in this review.
Cua and colleagues discuss the cellular and molecular rationale for targeting IL-12 and IL-23 for therapeutic purposes in inflammatory diseases; they also review existing clinical data, discuss potential side effects, and propose future directions for targeting these cytokines in additional disorders.
Recent advances in genetics have deepened our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms behind autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases. This has revealed both shared pathways and a considerable degree of heterogeneity between diseases.
In the liver there is a fine balance between immune surveillance of blood-borne infections and regulation of immunopathology. A new study identifies a role for granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells in limiting T cell–mediated immunopathology in hepatitis B virus infection.
Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of heart attacks and strokes and is caused by a chronic inflammatory response in the coronary and carotid arteries. A new study shows that smooth muscle cells within atherosclerotic plaques can change phenotypes to become macrophage-like cells, thereby revealing the remarkable plasticity of these cells.
Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM cells) protect against recurrent or renewed infection in barrier tissues such as skin and mucosa. A new study sheds light on the clonal origin of TRM cells and demonstrates a crucial role for tissue-embedded T cell memory in contact hypersensitivity in skin.
A new study identifies recurrent mutations in the purine biosynthesis gene phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase 1 (PRPS1) in relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This work highlights the importance of this pathway in the pathogenesis of relapse and suggests an approach to predicting and circumventing resistance in ALL.
