Comment

Levels of the cytokine IL-17 positively correlate with disease severity in COVID-19. Here, the authors argue that existing anti-IL-17 therapies should be considered for the treatment of severe COVID-19.

Helminth co-infections can skew systemic immunity towards type 2 responses. Here, Bradbury and colleagues consider how this may impact the severity of COVID-19 in helminth-endemic regions.

Here, Hotez and colleagues highlight the two ‘faces’ of immune enhancement that could impact COVID-19 vaccine design.

This Comment article from Lambris and colleagues considers the therapeutic potential of targeting the complement system in patients with COVID-19.

This Comment article from the Precision Immunology Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine (PrIISM), New York, describes their efforts to provide critical reviews of COVID-19 articles posted daily on the preprint servers bioRxiv and medRxiv.

Here, Iwasaki and Yang highlight the potential dangers of inducing suboptimal antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2. They stress the need for proper safety evaluation of candidate vaccines for COVID-19.

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases are often treated with cytokine blocking therapy. This comment discusses whether such therapies may pose a risk — or even a benefit — in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

In the short time since SARS-CoV2 emerged, much has been learned about the immunopathology of the infection. Here, Xuetao Cao discusses what these early insights imply for drug discovery and clinical management.

Lifestyle-associated pathologies have reached epidemic proportions and urgent action is needed to protect the public from unhealthy diets. Here, the authors describe how the Western diet has long-lasting effects on the immune system that promote chronic metabolic inflammatory diseases.

In this comment, Maziar Divangahi discusses the roles of disease tolerance and trained immunity in tuberculosis infection.

Scientists involved in the Human Cell Atlas Project describe its potential as a resource for future research and the challenges that lie ahead.

Quorum sensing is the regulation of gene expression programmes in response to changes in population density. It is probably best recognized as a mechanism through which bacterial communities can synchronize behaviours, such as biofilm formation and bioluminescence. This Comment article highlights the emerging evidence suggesting that quorum sensing also contributes to the regulation of immune cell responses.

Transcriptional signatures of disease can be used for diagnosis or to gain insight into disease mechanisms. This Comment article discusses the different sets of criteria that should be considered for the optimal design of investigations addressing these two purposes, using examples from the study of tuberculosis.

Remembering Emil von Behring, one of the founders of immunology, 100 years after his death.

Immunologists appreciate the need for creative approaches to tackle complex scientific questions, which can involve not only the use of novel technologies but also the experience of scientists from diverse backgrounds. Here, we highlight measures to prime for the inclusion of women and underrepresented individuals in science to boost immunology research.

To coincide with the 'Day of Immunology', Professor Daniel Davis issues a 'call to arms' to immunologists, explaining the importance of engaging the public with the field of immunology.

The 2013 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine recognizes James Rothman, Randy Schekman and Thomas Südhof, whose work over several decades has characterized key components and mechanisms of the trafficking machinery in eukaryotic cells. Reflecting on these Nobel Prize-winning discoveries raises some important and exciting prospects for immunologists.

Differences in the gut microbiota can influence immunity, not just at mucosal sites but also at more distal sites. But what are the implications for immunology research?