Publications by authors named "Jolien Schippers"

The Wilms' tumor protein 1 (WT1) is a well-known and prioritized tumor-associated antigen expressed in numerous solid and blood tumors. Its abundance and immunogenicity have led to the development of different WT1-specific immune therapies. The driving player in these therapies, the WT1-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, has received much less attention.

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Truncating variants in TTN (TTNtv) are present in 15-25 % of patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Interestingly, the pathogenicity of TTNtv seems to be linked to their location within the gene. More proximal I-band TTNtv (TTNtvI) harbour less pathogenic potential than distant A-band TTNtv (TTNtvA).

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Cardiovascular outcome in Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients most prominently depends on aortic aneurysm progression with subsequent aortic dissection. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) prevent aneurysm formation in MFS mouse models. In patients, ARBs only slow down aortic dilation.

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The role of T cell receptor (TCR) diversity in infectious disease susceptibility is not well understood. We use a systems immunology approach on three cohorts of herpes zoster (HZ) patients and controls to investigate whether TCR diversity against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) influences the risk of HZ. We show that CD4 T cell TCR diversity against VZV glycoprotein E (gE) and immediate early 63 protein (IE63) after 1-week culture is more restricted in HZ patients.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A study analyzed genetic data from UK Biobank patients with shingles, focusing on immune responses and risk factors, uncovering significant links between susceptibility and human leukocyte antigens (HLAs).
  • * Key findings indicate that variations in the major histocompatibility complex play a crucial role in developing shingles, alongside increased immune responses related to type I interferon, offering new insights into how VZV reactivation affects the immune system.
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  • Researchers are using human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural models to study the interactions between the Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) and the immune system in neurons.
  • A new study explored whether macrophages could help activate an antiviral response in VZV-infected hiPSC-neurons, but found the macrophages were ineffective in suppressing the infection.
  • RNA sequencing results showed a weak immune response in both infected neurons and co-cultured macrophages, indicating that other immune cells, like T-cells, may be necessary for a strong antiviral response against VZV.
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