Emergence and fate of stem cell-like CD8 T cells during a primary immune response to viral infection.

In response to infection, naïve CD8 T (T) cells yield a large pool of short-lived terminal effector (T) cells that eliminate infected host cells. In parallel, a minor population of stem cell-like central memory (T) cells forms, which has the capacity to maintain immunity after pathogen clearance. It has remained uncertain whether stem-like T cells arise by dedifferentiation from a subset of cytolytic T cells or whether priming generates stem-like cells capable of seeding the T compartment and, if so, when cytolytic T cells branch off.

The Influence of Schmorl Nodes in Spinal Sagittal Balance in Young Adults.

 The present study aims to characterize the spinal balance (SB) in young adults with Schmorl nodes (SN).  A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 47 young adults. Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to divide the patients into an SN group and a control group.

Central memory CD8 T cells derive from stem-like Tcf7 effector cells in the absence of cytotoxic differentiation.

Central memory CD8 T cells (Tcm) control systemic secondary infections and can protect from chronic infection and cancer as a result of their stem-cell-like capacity to expand, differentiate, and self-renew. Central memory is generally thought to emerge following pathogen clearance and to form based on the de-differentiation of cytolytic effector cells. Here, we uncovered rare effector-phase CD8 T cells expressing high amounts of the transcription factor Tcf7 (Tcf1) that showed no evidence of prior cytolytic differentiation and that displayed key hallmarks of Tcm cells.

Cell Competition, the Kinetics of Thymopoiesis, and Thymus Cellularity Are Regulated by Double-Negative 2 to 3 Early Thymocytes.

Cell competition in the thymus is a homeostatic process that drives turnover. If the process is impaired, thymopoiesis can be autonomously maintained for several weeks, but this causes leukemia. We aimed to understand the effect of cell competition on thymopoiesis, identify the cells involved, and determine how the process is regulated.

Stability of Protein Formulations at Subzero Temperatures by Isochoric Cooling.

Optimization of protein formulations at subzero temperatures is required for many applications such as storage, transport, and lyophilization. Using isochoric cooling (constant volume) is possible to reach subzero temperatures without freezing aqueous solutions. This accelerates protein damage as protein may unfold by cold denaturation and diffusional and conformational freedom is still present.

T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia as a Consequence of Thymus Autonomy.

Thymus autonomy is the capacity of the thymus to maintain T lymphocyte development and export independently of bone marrow contribution. Prolonging thymus autonomy was shown to be permissive to the development of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), similar to the human disease. In this study, performing thymus transplantation experiments in mice, we report that thymus autonomy can occur in several experimental conditions, and all are permissive to T-ALL.

Suppression of Tcf1 by Inflammatory Cytokines Facilitates Effector CD8 T Cell Differentiation.

The formation of central CD8 T cell memory in response to infection depends on the transcription factor Tcf1 (Tcf7). Tcf1 is expressed at high levels in naive CD8 T cells but downregulated in most CD8 T cells during effector differentiation. The relevance of Tcf1 downregulation for effector differentiation and the signals controlling Tcf1 expression have not been elucidated.

HIV-1 Nef Impairs the Formation of Calcium Membrane Territories Controlling the Signaling Nanoarchitecture at the Immunological Synapse.

The ability of HIV-1 to replicate and to establish long-term reservoirs is strongly influenced by T cell activation. Through the use of membrane-tethered, genetically encoded calcium (Ca) indicators, we were able to detect for the first time, to our knowledge, the formation of Ca territories and determine their role in coordinating the functional signaling nanostructure of the synaptic membrane. Consequently, we report a previously unknown immune subversion mechanism involving HIV-1 exploitation, through its Nef accessory protein, of the interconnectivity among three evolutionarily conserved cellular processes: vesicle traffic, signaling compartmentalization, and the second messenger Ca We found that HIV-1 Nef specifically associates with the traffic regulators MAL and Rab11b compelling the vesicular accumulation of Lck.

Identification of a novel germline FOXE1 variant in patients with familial non-medullary thyroid carcinoma (FNMTC).

The familial forms of non-medullary thyroid carcinoma (FNMTC) represent approximately 5 % of thyroid neoplasms. Nine FNMTC susceptibility loci have been mapped; however, only the DICER1 and SRGAP1 susceptibility genes have been identified. The transcription factors NKX2-1, FOXE1, PAX8, and HHEX are involved in the morphogenesis and differentiation of the thyroid.

FOXE1 polymorphisms are associated with familial and sporadic nonmedullary thyroid cancer susceptibility.

Objective: FOXE1 is a transcription factor required for thyroid differentiation and function. FOXE1 locus polymorphisms (chromosome 9q22.33) were recently associated with increased sporadic thyroid cancer risk.

Survival and biofilm formation of Listeria monocytogenes in simulated vaginal fluid: influence of pH and strain origin.

Listeria monocytogenes, the agent responsible for listeriosis, can be transmitted from mother to fetus/neonates by vertical transmission, transplacentally or during passage through the birth canal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the survival and biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes (isolated from clinical cases or from food) in simulated vaginal fluid at different pH values (4.

Application of an Impedimetric Technique for the Detection of Lytic Infection of Salmonella spp. by Specific Phages.

This study was performed to evaluate the adaption of the impedimetric method to detect the lytic infection by Salmonella-specific bacteriophages and to provide a higher selectivity to this rapid method in detecting Salmonella spp. by using specific agents. Three bacteriophages and twelve strains of Salmonella spp.