Publications by authors named "Pala F"

Human recombination-activating gene (RAG) deficiency can manifest with distinct clinical and immunological phenotypes. By applying a multiomics approach to a large group of -mutated patients, we aimed at characterizing the immunopathology associated with each phenotype. Although defective T and B cell development is common to all phenotypes, patients with hypomorphic variants can generate T and B cells with signatures of immune dysregulation and produce autoantibodies to a broad range of self-antigens, including type I interferons.

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Background: Heterozygous immunoproteasome subunit beta-type 10 (PSMB10) mutations can cause severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and Omenn syndrome (OS). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in these patients is associated with severe complications and poor immune reconstitution, often resulting in death.

Objective: To perform immunological and molecular characterization of an infant with a PSMB10 heterozygous variant.

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Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a highly heritable group of neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by varying clinical and pathological features. gene has been described worldwide within the FTD/ALS spectrum but its association with right and left temporal variant of FTD (tvFTD) is still unclear. This study aimed to reclassify a Sardinian FTD cohort according to proposed criteria for the semantic behavioral variant FTD (sbvFTD), explore mutations' association with tvFTD, and review related literature.

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T cells develop from circulating precursor cells, which enter the thymus and migrate through specialized subcompartments that support their maturation and selection. In humans, this process starts in early fetal development and is highly active until thymic involution in adolescence. To map the microanatomical underpinnings of this process in pre- and early postnatal stages, we established a quantitative morphological framework for the thymus-the Cortico-Medullary Axis-and used it to perform a spatially resolved analysis.

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The thymus is crucial for optimal T-cell development by facilitating the generation and selection of a diverse repertoire of T cells that can recognize foreign antigens while promoting tolerance to self-antigens. A number of inborn errors of immunity causing complete or partial defects in thymic development (athymia) and/or impaired thymic function have been increasingly recognized that manifest clinically with a combination of life-threatening infections, severe multiorgan autoimmunity, and/or cardiac, craniofacial, ectodermal, and endocrine abnormalities. The introduction of newborn screening programs and the advent of thymic transplantation show promise for early detection and improving the outcomes of patients with certain thymic inborn errors of immunity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Pathogenic variants in a specific transcription factor are linked to syndromes like EEC and AEC, and this case report presents an infant with severe T cell lymphopenia, detected during newborn screening.
  • Flow cytometry revealed low levels of CD4+ and almost no CD8+ T cells, while the B and NK cell levels were normal; further genetic analysis identified a particular variant in the transcription factor.
  • Using an artificial thymic organoid system, researchers found that T cell differentiation occurred, implying a thymic defect, leading to the patient receiving an allogenic cultured thymus tissue implant, which showed promising signs of T cell development after 9 months.
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Recent technological advances have transformed our understanding of the human thymus. Innovations such as high-resolution imaging, single-cell omics, and organoid cultures, including thymic epithelial cell (TEC) differentiation and culture, and improvements in biomaterials, have further elucidated the thymus architecture, cellular dynamics, and molecular mechanisms underlying T cell development, and have unraveled previously unrecognized levels of stromal cell heterogeneity. These advancements offer unprecedented insights into thymic biology and hold promise for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for immune-related disorders.

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We describe humans with rare biallelic loss-of-function variants impairing pre-α T cell receptor (pre-TCRα) expression. Low circulating naive αβ T cell counts at birth persisted over time, with normal memory αβ and high γδ T cell counts. Their TCRα repertoire was biased, which suggests that noncanonical thymic differentiation pathways can rescue αβ T cell development.

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Recombination activating genes () are tightly regulated during lymphoid differentiation, and their mutations cause a spectrum of severe immunological disorders. Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) transplantation is the treatment of choice but is limited by donor availability and toxicity. To overcome these issues, we developed gene editing strategies targeting a corrective sequence into the human gene by homology-directed repair (HDR) and validated them by tailored two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and in vivo xenotransplant platforms to assess rescue of expression and function.

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Article Synopsis
  • Elderly patients with severe COVID-19 showed reduced T-cell diversity and weaker immune responses compared to younger patients, highlighting age-related vulnerabilities in fighting the virus.
  • The study used advanced sequencing techniques to analyze T-cell responses in both COVID-19 patients and individuals with inborn errors of immunity who received an mRNA vaccine, revealing specific genetic associations affecting these responses.
  • Findings indicated that mRNA vaccines successfully enhanced the T-cell responses in individuals with immune deficiencies, suggesting their effectiveness even in populations that struggle to develop strong immune responses on their own.
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Introduction: Mulibrey nanism (MUL) is a rare disorder caused by gene variants characterized by growth failure, dysmorphic features, congestive heart failure (CHF), and an increased risk of Wilms' tumor. Although immune system impairment has been documented in MUL, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Methods: We present a case of MUL with progressive lymphopenia and review similar cases from the literature.

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Recombination-activating genes (RAG1 and RAG2) are critical for lymphoid cell development and function by initiating the variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) (V(D)J)-recombination process to generate polyclonal lymphocytes with broad antigen specificity. The clinical manifestations of defective RAG1/2 genes range from immune dysregulation to severe combined immunodeficiencies (SCIDs), causing life-threatening infections and death early in life without hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Despite improvements, haploidentical HCT without myeloablative conditioning carries a high risk of graft failure and incomplete immune reconstitution.

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T cells develop from circulating precursors, which enter the thymus and migrate throughout specialised sub-compartments to support maturation and selection. This process starts already in early fetal development and is highly active until the involution of the thymus in adolescence. To map the micro-anatomical underpinnings of this process in pre- vs.

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Article Synopsis
  • Research on COVID-19 vaccination in immune-deficient people largely centers on cancer and organ transplant recipients, showing that 88% developed antispike IgG after the second vaccine dose, increasing to 93% by six months post-third dose.
  • However, the antibody levels in immune-deficient patients were significantly lower than those in healthy volunteers, never exceeding one-third of their levels.
  • The study suggests that while three doses of the vaccine generate an antibody response, additional doses may be necessary for improved protection, especially against the Omicron BA.1 variant, warranting further investigation into the effectiveness of booster shots.
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Paired box 1 (PAX1) deficiency has been reported in a small number of patients diagnosed with otofaciocervical syndrome type 2 (OFCS2). We described six new patients who demonstrated variable clinical penetrance. Reduced transcriptional activity of pathogenic variants confirmed partial or complete PAX1 deficiency.

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Background: Mutations in the recombinase-activating genes 1 and 2 (RAG1, RAG2) cause a spectrum of phenotypes, ranging from severe combined immune deficiency to combined immune deficiency with immune dysregulation (CID-ID). Hematopoietic cell transplantation is a curative option. Use of conditioning facilitates robust and durable stem cell engraftment and immune reconstitution but may cause toxicity.

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Environmental degradation is one of the most significant issues that developing nations confront and needs to be resolved right away in order for them to achieve sustainable development. Government policies are crucial in this situation since emerging nations frequently struggle with the issue of policy ambiguity, which can result in environmental deterioration. In this context, this study investigates how policy uncertainty affects environmental degradation in the five fragile emerging economies known as the Fragile Five-Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Turkey.

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Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare and severe condition that follows benign COVID-19. We report autosomal recessive deficiencies of , , or in five unrelated children with MIS-C. The cytosolic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-sensing OAS1 and OAS2 generate 2'-5'-linked oligoadenylates (2-5A) that activate the single-stranded RNA-degrading ribonuclease L (RNase L).

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Parents play a critical role in emotional socialization and the development of emotion regulation during childhood. The tools to measure how parents assist children's emotion regulation are very limited. The Parental Assistance with Child Emotion Regulation (PACER) Questionnaire is a novel scale developed for this purpose with excellent psychometric properties.

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The main function of the thymus is to support the establishment of a wide repertoire of T lymphocytes capable of eliminating foreign pathogens, yet tolerant to self-antigens. Thymocyte development in the thymus is dependent on the interaction with thymic stromal cells, a complex mixture of cells comprising thymic epithelial cells (TEC), mesenchymal and endothelial cells. The exchange of signals between stromal cells and thymocytes is referred to as "thymic cross-talk".

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Article Synopsis
  • * Two individuals were identified with nonsevere T-cell lymphopenia linked to mutations in the FOXI3 gene, suggesting a genetic basis for their condition.
  • * The research indicates that reduced function of FOXI3 impacts T-cell development in the thymus, highlighting its role in the disease.
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Article Synopsis
  • Pediatric COVID-19 (pCOVID-19) usually has mild symptoms, but some children may develop a serious condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which can lead to significant health problems.
  • A study analyzed 110 children with COVID-19, 76 with MIS-C, and 76 healthy controls using advanced techniques to understand their immune responses and genetic factors.
  • The findings revealed different immune signatures between pCOVID-19 and MIS-C, suggesting that these conditions have distinct biological pathways, which could help in developing targeted treatments.
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We report a non-consanguineous family from North-west India in which 3 siblings succumbed to a rare variant of combined immunodeficiency. All three had similar clinical and immunological profiles. However, the youngest child also developed Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in infancy.

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