Publications by authors named "Carl J H Wang"

The major histocompatibility complex class I related protein (MR1) presents microbially derived vitamin B2 precursors to mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. MR1 can also present other metabolites to activate MR1-restricted T cells expressing more diverse T cell receptors (TCRs), some with anti-tumor reactivity. However, knowledge of the range of the antigen(s) that can activate diverse MR1-reactive T cells remains incomplete.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study highlights that culturing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) remains the best method for diagnosing tuberculosis, but over 40% of samples can't isolate MTB, leaving many infectious cases undetected.
  • Researchers tested two cationic peptides, T14D and TB08L, which can disrupt the mycobacterial membrane, triggering MTB growth and altering its dormant state to a replicative one.
  • The peptides notably improved traditional culture methods, increasing positivity rates by 46% and speeding up results, especially in hard-to-detect sample types like sputum smear-negative and feces.
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The Major Histocompatibility Complex class I-related protein 1 (MR1) presents small molecule metabolites, drugs, and drug-like molecules that are recognized by MR1-reactive T cells. While we have an understanding of how antigens bind to MR1 and upregulate MR1 cell surface expression, a quantitative, cell-free, assessment of MR1 ligand-binding affinity was lacking. Here, we developed a fluorescence polarization-based assay in which fluorescent MR1 ligand was loaded into MR1 protein in vitro and competitively displaced by candidate ligands over a range of concentrations.

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Chemokines and their receptors are pivotal for the trafficking of leukocytes during immune responses, and host defense. However, immune cell migration also contributes to a wide variety of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. Compelling evidence suggests that both CXCR3 and CCR6 chemokine receptors play crucial roles in the migration of pathological Th1 and Th17 cells during the course of certain inflammatory diseases.

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