Trends in Immunology

Trends Immunol. 2026 Apr 16:S1471-4906(26)00067-0. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.03.006. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Immunogenic cell death (ICD) converts the death of a tumor cell into an event sensed by the immune system. Recent studies show that distinct ICD modalities, including immunogenic apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and hybrid forms such as PANoptosis, release defined sets of danger signals … Read more

Trends Immunol. 2026 Apr 9:S1471-4906(26)00069-4. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.03.008. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has attracted considerable attention in tumor biology and cancer therapy. Beyond its intrinsic role in tumor suppression, ferroptosis greatly influences the tumor immune microenvironment. Ferroptotic tumor cells release damage-associated molecular patterns, … Read more

Trends Immunol. 2026 Apr 9:S1471-4906(26)00068-2. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.03.007. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT The central nervous system (CNS), once considered immune privileged, is, in fact, protected by a dynamic immune compartment located in the meninges. These immune cells are crucial for brain protection, controlling neuroinflammation, and also supporting neural function. Recent studies show that meningeal immune … Read more

Trends Immunol. 2026 Apr 2:S1471-4906(26)00066-9. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.03.005. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Trained immunity (TRIM), a paradigm-shifting concept in immunology, refers to the long-term functional reprogramming of innate immune cells, enabling enhanced responsiveness to secondary challenges through metabolic and epigenetic remodeling. This phenomenon bridges the gap between innate and adaptive immunity, offering novel strategies for … Read more

Trends Immunol. 2026 Apr 1:S1471-4906(26)00062-1. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.03.003. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2) serves as an innate immune sensor that recognizes specific viral proteins, thereby initiating signaling pathways that can either enhance antiviral host defenses or induce pathological inflammatory responses. In this forum, we discuss the role of TLR2 and its agonists in … Read more

Trends Immunol. 2026 Mar 31:S1471-4906(26)00037-2. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.02.006. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT THEMIS (thymocyte-expressed molecule involved in selection) is the founding member of a family of metazoan proteins distinguished by the presence of a novel structural element designated the cysteine-containing all-beta-in-THEMIS (CABIT) module. Several studies have confirmed a critical role for THEMIS in T cell … Read more

Trends Immunol. 2026 Mar 31:S1471-4906(26)00041-4. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.03.001. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Endothelial cells (ECs), which form the monolayer lining the vasculature, serve as critical gatekeepers of vascular homeostasis. They actively coordinate immune cell recruitment, adhesion, migration, and activation. Through tightly controlled expression and secretion of chemokines, cytokines, adhesion molecules, and immunomodulatory proteins, ECs locally … Read more

Trends Immunol. 2026 Mar 27:S1471-4906(26)00012-8. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.01.009. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes uniquely equipped with stochastically expressed activating and inhibitory receptors that shape their cytotoxic potential. Although traditionally viewed as rapid and potent innate effectors against infected or transformed cells, we now appreciate that NK cells possess adaptive … Read more

Trends Immunol. 2026 Mar 28:S1471-4906(26)00063-3. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.03.004. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) are a large family of intracellular pattern recognition receptors primarily involved in innate immunity. Although canonical inflammasome-forming NLRs, such as NLRP3 and NLRC4, and microbial sensors, including NOD1 and NOD2, are well-characterized, the functions of many other … Read more

Trends Immunol. 2026 Mar 27:S1471-4906(26)00040-2. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2026.02.009. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT The importance of γδ T cells in cancer, as defenders against tumorigenesis, was established more than 2 decades ago. Since that time, research using mouse models of cancer has brought to light a nonuniform view of tumor-associated γδ T cells by providing granularity … Read more