Common clonal origin of conventional T cells and induced regulatory T cells in breast cancer patients.

Regulatory CD4 T cells (Treg) prevent tumor clearance by conventional T cells (Tconv) comprising a major obstacle of cancer immune-surveillance. Hitherto, the mechanisms of Treg repertoire formation in human cancers remain largely unclear. Here, we analyze Treg clonal origin in breast cancer patients using T-Cell Receptor and single-cell transcriptome sequencing.

Inflammation-Induced Emergency Megakaryopoiesis Driven by Hematopoietic Stem Cell-like Megakaryocyte Progenitors.

Infections are associated with extensive platelet consumption, representing a high risk for health. However, the mechanism coordinating the rapid regeneration of the platelet pool during such stress conditions remains unclear. Here, we report that the phenotypic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) compartment contains stem-like megakaryocyte-committed progenitors (SL-MkPs), a cell population that shares many features with multipotent HSCs and serves as a lineage-restricted emergency pool for inflammatory insults.

Promiscuous gene expression patterns in single medullary thymic epithelial cells argue for a stochastic mechanism.

Promiscuous expression of tissue-restricted autoantigens in medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) imposes central T cell tolerance. The molecular regulation of this unusual gene expression is not understood, in particular its delineation from cell lineage-specific gene expression control remains unclear. Here, we compared the expression profile of the casein gene locus in mTECs and mammary gland epithelial cells by single cell PCR.

Molecular mechanisms of L-selectin-induced co-localization in rafts and shedding [corrected].

Leukocyte recruitment to lymph nodes or inflammatory sites is regulated by adhesion and activation. L-selectin (CD62L) is expressed on leukocytes and mediates tethering and rolling of leukocytes on endothelial cells. Upon stimulation L-selectin is down-regulated by proteolytic cleavage but the molecular mechanisms regulating this shedding step are poorly defined.