Protocol for assessing T cell receptor-mediated human T cell cytotoxicity.

Measuring the cytotoxicity of human T cells is a valuable but challenging task. We present a protocol for assessing the ability of polyclonal human T cells to kill target cells upon T cell receptor (TCR) triggering. We describe steps for preparing L and T cells for the assay and incubation of target cells with effector cells.

Earlier vs. later time period of COVID-19 infection and emergent autoimmune signs, symptoms, and serologies.

Objective: Autoantibodies and autoimmune diseases after SARS-CoV-2 infection are widely reported. Given evolving variants, milder infections, and increasing population vaccination, we hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 infection earlier in the pandemic would be associated with more autoimmune connective tissue disease (CTD) symptoms and immunologic abnormalities.

Methods: Patients ≥18 years old with COVID-19 3/1/2020-8/15/2022 completed the CTD Screening Questionnaire and were tested for 27 autoimmune serologies, SARS-CoV-2 serologies, cell-bound complement activation products (CB-CAPs), and T and B lymphocyte immunophenotypes by flow cytometry.

Interferon subverts an AHR-JUN axis to promote CXCL13 T cells in lupus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is prototypical autoimmune disease driven by pathological T cell-B cell interactions. Expansion of T follicular helper (T) and T peripheral helper (T) cells, two T cell populations that provide help to B cells, is a prominent feature of SLE. Human T and T cells characteristically produce high levels of the B cell chemoattractant CXCL13 (refs.

Clonally expanded CD38 cytotoxic CD8 T cells define the T cell infiltrate in checkpoint inhibitor-associated arthritis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies used to treat cancer, such as anti-PD-1 antibodies, can induce autoimmune conditions in some individuals. The T cell mechanisms mediating such iatrogenic autoimmunity and their overlap with spontaneous autoimmune diseases remain unclear. Here, we compared T cells from the joints of 20 patients with an inflammatory arthritis induced by ICI therapy (ICI-arthritis) with two archetypal autoimmune arthritides, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Humoral and cellular immune responses in persons with rheumatoid arthritis after a third dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Objective: Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may reduce immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination. We compared humoral and cell-mediated immunity before and after a 3rd dose of mRNA COVID vaccine in RA subjects.

Methods: RA patients that received 2 doses of mRNA vaccine enrolled in an observational study in 2021 before receiving a 3rd dose.