Vaccines have traditionally worked by teaching the immune system to recognize a specific virus or bacterium—in effect, showing it a wanted poster for a single suspect. But what if one vaccine could protect against dozens of different infections at once…
Why can the human immune system often remember a vaccination for a whole lifetime? Researchers at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen have now investigated this question. Their study provides a surp…
Researchers with the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience have modified a well-known immune protein to spark the growth of new neurons, ease brain inflammation, and improve cognition in old mice. The findings, published in the journal Immunity, could…
A new study has shed light on why patients with certain rare immune disorders develop severe, food-triggered allergic reactions while others with similar diagnoses do not. The findings, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, could help guid…
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke investigators at the National Institutes of Health traced meningeal immune activity to dural venous sinuses that actively constrict and dilate, exchange fluid across a permeable wall, and coordina…
Scientists at Stanford Medicine have unveiled a bold new kind of “universal” vaccine that could one day protect against everything from COVID-19 and the flu to bacterial pneumonia and even common allergens. Instead of targeting a specific virus or bact…
Deep in the folds of the intestine, in microscopic pockets called crypts, a quiet surveillance system is always at work. Stem cells lining the gut wall are not just rebuilding tissue—they are listening and signaling. When certain strains of Escherichia…
Over 95% of the world’s adult population is infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), but most people never realize it. The infection often causes few symptoms and then stays in the body for life.
A common strep throat infection can trigger guttate psoriasis by altering the behavior of key immune cells, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in eBioMedicine. The findings suggest how an infection can lead to sudden skin inf…
Researchers at the Ribeirao Preto Blood Center and the Center for Cell-Based Therapy (CTC) conducted a study using the NK-92 cell line to test new models of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) with specific costimulatory domains, such as 2B4 and DAP12. T…
Background
Most colorectal cancers (CRCs) are mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) and microsatellite stable (MSS), and they respond poorly to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Radiotherapy (RT) can promote antitumor immunity but may also trigger adap…
Background
Global clinical programs based on TIGIT (T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain) blockade have been terminated due to inadequate clinical efficacy. New approaches are needed to increase the antitumor activity of anti-TIGIT-based immunotherap…
by Subudhi, S. K., Siddiqui, B. A., Zarrabi, K. K., Kelly, W. K., Drake, C. G.
Abstract
T cell engagers (TCEs) recruit T cells to the tumor microenvironment (TME) to induce antitumor immune responses. TCEs have demonstrated promising clinical responses in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and have adv…
by Lee, S. N., Arseneau, R. J., Arnason, T., Boudreau, J. E.
Background
At diagnosis, ~80% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) have metastasized. Relapse is thus common even among patients who undergo surgical resection, the only curative option. PDAC progresses rapidly, and existing immunotherapies hav…
by Chen, X., Chen, J., Yin, Y., Sun, M., Li, S., Zhang, J., Wu, Z., Jiang, J., Hu, D., Fan, D., Nie, Y., Huang, W., Wu, K., Xia, L.
Background
The complex tumor microenvironment (TME) of colorectal cancer (CRC), composed of diverse cellular components and dynamic interactions, constitutes a major barrier to effective immunotherapy and facilitates disease progression. There is a pr…
by de Bont, D. A., Straetemans, T., Sebestyen, Z., Kuball, J.
Adoptive transfer of unmodified T cells has shown limited clinical benefit, prompting a shift toward chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineering to enhance activation, persistence, and tumor specificity. CAR technology positions T cells as promising…
by Andon, F. T., Rosales Sanchez, A., Pensado-Lopez, A., Garcia-Campelo, R., Takimoto, C. H.
Tumor-associated macrophages are key myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), acting as essential orchestrators of innate and adaptive immune responses. The efficacy of current antitumoral treatments can be promoted by macrophages, thanks to…
Objective
Metadherin (MTDH) is a recognized oncogene involved in the progression and metastasis of various cancers. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the biological role of MTDH, which is expressed in macrophages during tumor progressio…
by Xiao, Q., Zhang, X., Liang, X., Yu, G., Li, Y., Du, R., Xiang, H., Yang, Z., Liu, Y.
This Highlight describes a key observation where serotonin transporter (SERT) was shown to suppress CD8+ T cell antitumor responses via depletion of intratumoral 5-HT. While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—among the most widely u…
J Immunol. 2026 Feb 9;215(2):vkaf367. doi: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf367. ABSTRACT Dickkopf1 (DKK1) is a quintessential Wnt antagonist and immunomodulator in various inflammatory diseases. The underlying molecular mechanisms of DKK1-mediated immunomodulation remain elusive. Here, we identified TLR4 as a new receptor for DKK1, activating NFκB-mediated gene expression. Subsequently, this event resulted in pyroptosis via the NLRP3 inflammasome in … Read more
J Immunol. 2026 Feb 9;215(2):vkaf359. doi: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf359. ABSTRACT Membrane atg8ylation is a broad homeostatic process of immunological import. It encompasses membrane repair and remodeling pathways, including canonical autophagy, in cells subjected to stress, damage, infection, and immune or metabolic signaling under microbe-induced or sterile inflammatory conditions. The initial reports on autophagy, which is one of … Read more
1. Normal state: T-cell-endogenous IL-6 stabilizes IL6R and promotes STAT3 activation, functional Th17 differentiation with resistance to immune suppression. 2. Il6-KO: Loss of T-cell endogenous IL-6 destabilizes IL6R expression, leading to suboptimal Th17 and greater susceptibility to suppression, despite availability of exogenous IL-6. 3. IL-21 bypasses the requirement for endogenous IL-6 by restoring STAT3 signaling … Read more
Mucosal Immunol. 2026 Feb 21:S1933-0219(26)00023-1. doi: 10.1016/j.mucimm.2026.02.006. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT EFFECTIVE control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection requires timely activation and accumulation of CD4+ T cells in the lungs, yet the factors delaying this response remain unclear. Here we show that alveolar macrophages (AMs) delay CD4+ T cell priming by retaining Mtb within … Read more
Mucosal Immunol. 2026 Feb 21:S1933-0219(26)00021-8. doi: 10.1016/j.mucimm.2026.02.004. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Basal cell dysfunction contributes to the pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory airway disorders and is linked to persistent epithelial barrier defects. Epithelial integrity dysfunction, basal cell hyperplasia and metaplasia have been described in allergic rhinitis (AR). However, it remains unclear how basal cell progenitor … Read more
Cellular & Molecular Immunology, Published online: 24 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41423-026-01392-0B cells maintain the homeostasis of splenic marginal zone antigen-presenting cells to promote the antiviral CD8+ T-cell response
Cellular & Molecular Immunology, Published online: 24 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41423-026-01394-yAuthor Correction: NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis is required for HIV-1 gp120-induced neuropathology
Liver disease progression is profoundly shaped by the spatial and temporal dynamics of innate immune cells, particularly neutrophils and macrophages. Recent advances in single-cell and spatial omics, intravital imaging, and multiplexed histology have r…
BackgroundLupus nephritis (LN) and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) are major organ manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), imposing significant health and economic burdens due to their chronic course. This study aims to explore putati…
ObjectiveRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that significantly impacts quality of life. Despite extensive research, its pathogenesis remains unclear. This study aims to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic ta…
Although a range of glomerular diseases profoundly affect glomerulus-associated cells, a comprehensive understanding of their molecular alterations is still lacking. Here, we performed in-depth analysis of glomerular data from mouse models of primary a…
BackgroundA number of microRNAs are implicated in aging, cell senescence, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases. Particularly, miR-34a levels in the brain are increased in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but its mechanistic role in AD pathogenesis is u…
Autoimmune diseases are complex disorders caused by the interaction between the immune system and self-antigens, involving genetic, environmental triggers, and other cellular factors. The programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) gene, as a critical fact…
IntroductionDonor-specific HLA antibodies (DSAs) are well-established mediators of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), but growing evidence suggests that non-HLA antibodies may also contribute to kidney allograft dysfunction. However, the clinical utili…
IntroductionBovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) can induce diarrhea and mucosal tissue damage, and in severe cases, may result in fatal. Targeted adjuvants capable of enhancing intestinal IgA antibody responses represent an effective strategy for preven…
Myelodysplastic Neoplasms (MDS) are a group of clonal hematopoietic malignancies originating from hematopoietic stem cells. Their pathogenesis involves not only genetic abnormalities in hematopoietic cells but is also closely associated with functional…
BackgroundThe relationship between “three inflammations and one deafness” (allergic rhinitis, pharyngitis, otitis media, tinnitus, and deafness) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently unclear, and this study aims to investigate their corr…
As a pivotal contributor to tumor metabolism following glucose and glutamine, serine plays a crucial role in the metabolic network of tumors via its de novo synthesis pathway (SSP). The SSP is aberrantly activated in a variety of malignant tumors and p…
IntroductionIntratumoral collagen deposition is a hallmark of solid cancers and plays a critical role in shaping the tumor microenvironment (TME). This study aimed to characterize the clinical and molecular implications of collagen deposition and eluci…
IntroductionThe management of advanced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains a clinical challenge. Prognostic biomarkers are needed to guide treatment decisions. The C-reactive protein–albumin–lymphocyte (CALLY) index reflects nutritional, immune, and infla…
BackgroundResistance of gynecological cancers to immunotherapy is due to their ability to impair the cytotoxic activity of immune cells. One strategy to overcome this resistance is the combination of different types of immunotherapies with different me…
ObjectiveTo characterize systemic transcriptomic alterations across psoriatic arthritis (PsA) disease states, including distinctions from psoriasis-only (PsO), signatures of disease activity, and treatment-responsive changes in peripheral blood mononuc…
BackgroundGout is a prevalent inflammatory arthropathy driven by monosodium urate crystal deposition, yet the causal relationships between circulating biomarkers and disease susceptibility remain incompletely characterized. Establishing robust causal a…
BackgroundOver the past decade, the treatment landscape for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) has improved significantly with the introduction of immunotherapy, targeted agents, and antibody–drug conjugates. The median overall survival (mOS) reache…
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major threat to human health worldwide. Its suboptimal responses to current therapies are largely attributable to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that dampens the efficiency of available treatments…
BackgroundDiabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a serious complication of diabetes with impaired healing. This study focused on the herbal medicine Evodia rutaecarpa as a case to investigate the mechanisms of diabetic wound healing via the “gut microbiota–infla…
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is still a leading cause of death due to infection globally, yet precise severity assessment remains a significant clinical problem. More than any other group of cytokines, interleukins are central to the regulation o…
Thermal burn injury (TBI) is an important source of morbidity and mortality. The exact mechanisms for the systemic effects including multiple organ dysfunction (MOD) and immune deficits associated with extensive skin burn injuries are unclear and this …
BackgroundNuclear protein in testis (NUT) carcinoma is an extremely rare and highly aggressive epithelial malignancy driven by NUTM1 rearrangements. Sinonasal involvement is uncommon and often presents with non-specific clinical and radiologic features…
The major effector cells of antitumor immunity are killer lymphocytes that recognize and eliminate tumor cells. The fact that tumor cells look a lot like normal cells poses a challenge to antitumor immune control. A danger signal from the tumor or from…
Osteoporosis (OP), a prevalent disease among middle-aged and elderly individuals, is characterized by a decrease in bone mineral density (BMD), which predisposes individuals to fragile fractures. The core pathological process involves excessive bone re…
ObjectivesThis study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate how imaging parameters derived from 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) predict treatment outcomes in patients with diffuse large B-…
Immune inhibitory receptors are negative regulators of immune cells and, as such, dampen immune responses. Blocking inhibitory receptors in cancer results in not only powerful antitumor responses but also a diverse array of immune-related adverse event…
Here we introduce the Cross-Organ Neuroimmunology of Behavior (CONB) Network, a framework that reconceptualizes behavior as an emergent property of a distributed, whole-body immune–brain network. It builds on knowledge of neuroimmune communicatio…
Viral infections trigger complex immune responses with heterogeneous outcomes shaped by nonlinear feedback. A system of ordinary differential equations is developed to investigate immune response dynamics during viral infection, incorporating six modul…
Affinity for antigen is a fundamental parameter of humoral immunity. It determines the B cell clones that participate in the response, it is a readout of clonal selection as the response progresses, and the magnitude of its improvement in T cell–…
IntroductionThe etiology of Canine Diabetes Mellitus (CDM) is poorly understood but findings like increased CD3+CD4+CD40+ pathogenic effector T cells (Th40 cells), support an autoimmune contribution. Despite insulin supplementation and possible residua…
J Immunol. 2026 Feb 9;215(2):vkaf331. doi: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf331. ABSTRACT Exposure to a diversity of microbes has been implicated in playing a major role in susceptibility to the development of allergic lung-type diseases. The hygiene hypothesis suggests that those exposed to a broad diversity of microbes are more likely to be protected against developing allergic-type diseases. However, … Read more
J Immunol. 2026 Feb 9;215(2):vkaf341. doi: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf341. ABSTRACT Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Management of preterm labor relies on the use of tocolytics, like nifedipine, which fail to prevent preterm birth and related morbidities. Interleukin-1β plays significant roles in the pathophysiology of preterm birth including inflammation and uterine activation. … Read more
J Immunol. 2026 Feb 9;215(2):vkaf362. doi: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf362. ABSTRACT Environmental temperature significantly influences immune responses. Cold exposure suppresses host defense against infections and exacerbates autoimmune and allergic conditions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying temperature-dependent immune regulation remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the cold-activated sympathetic modulation of immune responses. We presented that semaphorin 6D (Sema6D), … Read more
J Immunol. 2026 Feb 9;215(2):vkaf351. doi: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf351. ABSTRACT Sepsis-induced liver injury involves profound immune dysregulation. Natural compounds such as artesunate (ART), capsaicin (CAP), and oridonin (ORI) have demonstrated efficacy in mitigating systemic inflammation; however, their comparative cellular mechanisms in sepsis remain poorly characterized. Here, we integrated and reanalyzed the single-cell transcriptomic datasets of murine livers … Read more
EBV latent and lytic genes uniquely contribute to Multiple Sclerosis development by various immunopathogenic mechanisms in susceptible hosts. Briefly, EBV infection shapes the B-cell repertoire and promotes the oligoclonal expansion and subsequent CNS infiltration of T-bet+CXCR3+ B cells, resulting in a cascade of immune dysregulation, CNS inflammation, and autoreactive T cell stimulation. Created in BioRender. … Read more
Chemical library screening identified lomitapide as a novel mast cell (MC) regulatory agent. Lomitapide selectively inhibits IgE/Ag- or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)/ionomycin-mediated MC degranulation by altering plasma membrane dynamics, including endocytosis and membrane fusion. ABSTRACT Allergic diseases are a global health concern, and new molecular insights and therapeutic agents are necessary to support future research … Read more
This article reviews the mechanisms and clinical trial findings of Trichuris suis ova (TSO) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).The results show TSO may exert potential effects on IBD via multiple pathways, yet no significant efficacy has been confirm…
IntroductionNeuroinflammation is involved in a wide range of neurological disorders, yet the lack of minimally invasive biomarkers hampers early diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring. Glycine receptors (GlyRs), classically known as inhibitory neurotrans…
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed oncology, yet durable benefit remains confined to a minority of patients, revealing the limitations of single biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression, tumor mutational burden, and microsatellite instabil…
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare hyperinflammatory disease caused by an overactivation of immune cells. Its low incidence and broad range of clinical signs and symptoms may mimic more common inflammatory and/or infectious processes, c…
IntroductionCancer immunotherapy holds promise for the treatment of malignancies by mobilizing the immune system; however, its efficacy remains limited in tumors that lack immune infiltration. Innovative approaches are therefore required to convert the…
