Intercellular signaling stabilizes single-cell level phenotypic transitions and accelerates the reestablishment of equilibrium of heterogeneous cancer cell populations.

Cancer cells within tumors exhibit a wide range of phenotypic states driven by non-genetic mechanisms in addition to extensively studied genetic alterations. Conversions among cancer cell states can result in intratumoral heterogeneity which contributes to metastasis and development of drug resistance. However, mechanisms underlying the initiation and/or maintenance of such phenotypic plasticity are poorly understood.

Quantitative study of microplastic degradation in urban hydrosystems: Comparing in situ environmentally aged microplastics vs. artificially aged materials generated via accelerated photo-oxidation.

The degradation of plastic waste is a major research challenge due to the adverse impacts of microplastic weathering on the environment and ecosystems. As a major source of plastic contamination comes from urban hydrosystems, studying MP degradation prior to their environmental dissemination is crucial. Through a combination of field sampling and laboratory experiments, this study provides a thorough statistical degradation comparison analysis between polyethylene in situ environmentally aged microplastics and artificially aged films.

Immune complexes-mediated activation of neutrophils in systemic lupus erythematosus is dependent on RNA recognition by toll-like receptor 8.

Introduction: Neutrophil activation is important in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We previously demonstrated that ribonucleoprotein (RNP) immune complexes (ICs) promoted neutrophil activation in a TLR7/8-dependent manner. However, it remains unclear if this mechanism occurs in patients.

Bioinformatic Tools for Studying the Cellular Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2, Vaccine Efficacy, and Future Pandemics at the Global Population Level.

Antigen recognition by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) restriction is critical for an adequate antiviral response in both natural infection and vaccination. However, the overwhelming polymorphism of HLA, with nearly 40,000 alleles identified, is an important limitation for the global analysis of cellular immune responses and vaccine efficacy. In this narrative review, we included several immunoinformatics studies performed in our laboratory to circumvent this limitation.