Quantitative live-cell imaging of secretion activity reveals dynamic immune responses.

Quantification of cytokine secretion has facilitated advances in the field of immunology, yet the dynamic and varied secretion profiles of individual cells, particularly those obtained from limited human samples, remain obscure. Herein, we introduce a technology for quantitative live-cell imaging of secretion activity (qLCI-S) that enables high-throughput and dual-color monitoring of secretion activity at the single-cell level over several days, followed by transcriptome analysis of individual cells based on their phenotype. The efficacy of qLCI-S was demonstrated by visualizing the characteristic temporal pattern of cytokine secretion of group 2 innate lymphoid cells, which constitute less than 0.

Upregulation of IL-4 receptor signaling pathway in circulating ILC2s from asthma patients.

Background: Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) produce type 2 cytokines by stimulation with epithelial cell-derived cytokines and are implicated in the pathogenesis of various allergic diseases, including asthma. However, differences in the molecular characteristics of ILC2s between patients with asthma and healthy subjects remain unclear.

Objective: We sought to evaluate differences in cytokine production capacity and gene expression profile of ILC2s in the peripheral blood of patients with asthma and healthy subjects.

Annexin A1 is a cell-intrinsic metalloregulator of zinc in human ILC2s.

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) produce large amounts of type 2 cytokines including interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IL-13 in response to various stimuli, causing allergic and eosinophilic diseases. However, the cell-intrinsic regulatory mechanisms of human ILC2s remain unclear. Here, we analyze human ILC2s derived from different tissues and pathological conditions and identify ANXA1, encoding annexin A1, as a commonly highly expressed gene in non-activated ILC2s.

Clinical characteristics of patients with not well-controlled severe asthma in Japan: Analysis of the Keio Severe Asthma Research Program in Japanese population (KEIO-SARP) registry.

Background: Multiple phenotypes exist within the classification of severe asthma. However, characteristics of patients with not well-controlled severe asthma have not been well identified.

Methods: Japanese patients with asthma (age ≥ 20 years) were enrolled at the Keio University Hospital and its affiliated hospitals in this observational study (Keio Severe Asthma Research Program).

Construction of a system using a deep learning algorithm to count cell numbers in nanoliter wells for viable single-cell experiments.

For single-cell experiments, it is important to accurately count the number of viable cells in a nanoliter well. We used a deep learning-based convolutional neural network (CNN) on a large amount of digital data obtained as microscopic images. The training set consisted of 103 019 samples, each representing a microscopic grayscale image.

Characteristics of severe asthma with fungal sensitization.

Background: Some patients with severe asthma also have fungal sensitization and are considered to have severe asthma with fungal sensitization. However, there is limited information on the clinical features of SAFS.

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of severe asthma with fungal sensitization.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome due to Mycobacterium avium complex successfully followed up using 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection: A case report.

Background: In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) due to nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection is one of the most difficult types of IRIS to manage. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) has been suggested as a useful tool for evaluating the inflammatory status of HIV-infected patients. We present the first case of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)-associated IRIS (MAC-IRIS) that was successfully followed up using 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Phenotype of asthma related with high serum periostin levels.

Background: Asthma is a heterogeneous disease composed of various phenotypes. Periostin, a molecule inducible with interleukin (IL)-4 or IL-13 in bronchial epithelial cells, is a biomarker of "TH2-high" asthma. The objective of this study is to examine whether the serum periostin concentrations are correlated with the severity, specific phenotype(s), or comorbidity of asthma.