Articles in 2016

This Review focuses on how purinergic signalling pathways regulate both innate and adaptive immune responses. The authors discuss the potential of targeting purinergic signalling pathways for the treatment of ischaemia, organ transplantation, autoimmunity and cancer.

Weaning onto solid food induces regulatory T cell populations in the small intestine that help protect against food allergy.

A pro-inflammatory innate cell profile at birth is linked to the development of food allergy through promotion of T helper 2-type immune responses.

Enteric bacterial infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In this Review, the authors describe the different types of mucosal defences — including innate and adaptive immune cells, epithelial cells and commensal microorganisms — that protect us against bacterial pathogens in the intestines.

The targeting of immunoglobulin loci by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is essential for generating a diverse antibody repertoire. However, AID also has off-target activity in B cells that can lead to oncogenic transformation. Here, the authors review recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that drive AID promiscuous activity.

Unique populations of innate lymphoid cells and innate-like T cells expand in tumours and control tumour growth.

Microbiota-associated biomarkers can predict colitis development following immune checkpoint blockade.

Enteric neurons promote pro-reparatory functions in muscularis macrophages.

T cells are inherently flexible and can acquire distinct functions to combat different pathogens or changing circumstances. However, this flexibility can be deleterious or advantageous depending on the disease setting. Here, the authors describe the molecular mechanisms that regulate CD4⁺T cell plasticity and how it might be harnessed to treat disease.

Kiyoshi Takeda describes a 2009 paper by Maslowskiet al. that provides the first evidence of a link between microbiota-derived metabolites and human health.

Taking lessons from 'search theory', which is based on migration patterns of animals searching for prey, for example, Krummel and colleagues discuss the intrinsic and extrinsic forces that influence T cell motility patterns as the cell searches for antigen in lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues.

The longevity hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 can act as a regulator of thymic T cell production during ageing.

Neutrophils support the spread of breast cancer cells to the lungs through the production of leukotrienes.

In this Viewpoint article,Nature Reviews Immunologyinvites five experts to discuss the nature of immunological memory. How should we define a memory response? And can innate immune cells — as well as lymphocytes — develop into memory populations? The contributors share their thoughts on these questions and other key issues in the field.

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells drive memory T helper 2 cell responses by licensing dendritic cells.

Tracking of human memory T cells infused after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation indicates that long-term persistent memory T cells originate mainly from stem cell memory T cells and are favoured by antigen rechallenge.

The guanine nucleotide exchange factor DENND1B specifically regulates TCR signalling in T_H2 cells and protects against allergy.

Fabienne Mackay describes a 2011 paper by Wineret al. that observed an effect of diet on the B cell repertoire.

A rare population of neuroendocrine cells in the lung epithelium can shape immune responses and tissue remodelling in the lungs.