Publications by authors named "T DeFrance"
Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are highly vulnerable to COVID-19. An intensified scheme of vaccination offers short-term protection to the 50%-75% of KTRs able to develop a germinal center reaction, required for the generation of neutralizing titers of antibodies (NAbs). However, the duration of this vaccinal protection is unknown.
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- Autosomal recessive PRKCD deficiency is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus, but its specific mechanisms are not well understood.
- Researchers created a mouse model with the Prkcd G510S mutation to study the disease, which mimics human symptoms and shows a shortened lifespan.
- The study found that this mutation affects B cell activation through the PI3K/mTOR pathway, leading to autoimmune symptoms that improve with rapamycin treatment, highlighting the pathway's role in PRKCD-related autoimmunity and reduced NK cell levels contributing to viral infection susceptibility.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines how different vaccination methods and previous infection histories affect immune memory in people vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.
- It finds that individuals with hybrid immunity (those who recovered from COVID-19 and then got vaccinated) have the highest levels of antibodies six months post-vaccination, compared to those who were vaccinated without prior infection.
- Additionally, hybrid immunity results in a more diverse memory B cell pool and enhances the functionality of T cell responses, suggesting better protection against the virus, especially at mucosal sites.
Article Synopsis
- - Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) leads to an increase in mature B lymphocytes and is often associated with autoimmune issues in about 25% of patients, though the cause of these autoimmune reactions is still unclear.
- - Researchers believe that the autoantibodies responsible for these complications come from healthy B cells rather than the cancerous ones, indicating a potential disruption in the development of non-malignant B cells in CLL patients.
- - A study utilizing a specialized antibody panel and mass cytometry found that CLL patients have a significant loss of naïve B cells and certain autoreactive B cells, indicating problems with B cell development and immune tolerance in these individuals.
Article Synopsis
- The study explores how recipient B cells produce donor-specific antibodies after organ transplantation, traditionally thought to require help from the recipient's own CD4 T cells.
- Researchers found that even without these T cells, recipient mice after heart transplantation produced antibodies against donor MHC I molecules due to help from donor CD4 T cells present in the graft.
- Similar mechanisms were observed in human kidney and lung transplants, suggesting that a new form of T cell interaction may explain early antibody responses and potentially worse transplant outcomes.