Publications by authors named "C Hoffmeister"
Article Synopsis
- Human innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) play a significant role in regulating both normal and inflammatory processes in tissues, but their specific functions in liver health and chronic disease are not well understood.
- The study analyzed 50 human liver samples (both healthy and fibrotic) and compared them to other tissues, revealing a distinct group of ILC3-like cells that produce IL-13, especially in fibrotic livers.
- This IL-13-producing cell type may influence liver inflammation and fibrosis by inducing proinflammatory responses in hepatic cells, suggesting it could be important in chronic liver disease modulation.
Group 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) comprise a heterogeneous family of cytotoxic natural killer (NK) cells and ILC1s. We identify a population of "liver-type" ILC1s with transcriptional, phenotypic, and functional features distinct from those of conventional and liver-resident NK cells as well as from other previously described human ILC1 subsets. LT-ILC1s are CD49aCD94CD200R1, express the transcription factor T-BET, and do not express the activating receptor NKp80 or the transcription factor EOMES.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe mechanisms involved in HIV-associated natural killer (NK) cell impairment are still incompletely understood. We observed HIV infection to be associated with increased plasma levels of IFABP, a marker for gut epithelial barrier dysfunction, and LBP, a marker for microbial translocation. Both IFABP and LBP plasma concentrations were inversely correlated with NK cell interferon-γ production, suggesting microbial translocation to modulate NK cell functions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMitochondrial Dysfunction Contributes to Impaired Cytokine Production of CD56bright Natural Killer Cells From Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individuals Under Effective Antiretroviral Therapy.
J Infect Dis
September 2022
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with impaired natural killer (NK) cell activity, which is only incompletely restored under antiretroviral therapy. Analyzing the bioenergetics profiles of oxygen consumption, we observed that several parameters were significantly reduced in HIV+ NK cells, indicating a mitochondrial defect. Accordingly, we found HIV+ CD56bright NK cells to display a decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial mass.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Longitudinal studies of the innate immune system are crucial for understanding how COVID-19 progresses and affects the body.
- In a study involving 205 patients, researchers characterized natural killer (NK) cells and found that severe COVID-19 is linked with high levels of interferon (IFN)-α and decreased NK cell function.
- The findings suggest that distinct immune responses (IFN-α in severe cases and tumor necrosis factor in moderate cases) contribute to varying disease severities and that ongoing NK cell dysfunction may lead to complications like fibrotic lung disease.