A High-Dimensional Atlas of Human T Cell Diversity Reveals Tissue-Specific Trafficking and Cytokine Signatures.

Depending on the tissue microenvironment, T cells can differentiate into highly diverse subsets expressing unique trafficking receptors and cytokines. Studies of human lymphocytes have primarily focused on a limited number of parameters in blood, representing an incomplete view of the human immune system. Here, we have utilized mass cytometry to simultaneously analyze T cell trafficking and functional markers across eight different human tissues, including blood, lymphoid, and non-lymphoid tissues.

A subpopulation of high IL-21-producing CD4(+) T cells in Peyer's Patches is induced by the microbiota and regulates germinal centers.

The production of IL-21 by T follicular helper (Tfh) cells is vital in driving the germinal centre reaction and high affinity antibody formation. However, the degree of Tfh cell heterogeneity and function is not fully understood. We used a novel IL-21eGFP reporter mouse strain to analyze the diversity and role of Tfh cells.

Biology of IgE production: IgE cell differentiation and the memory of IgE responses.

The generation of long-lived plasma cells and memory B cells producing high-affinity antibodies depends on the maturation of B cell responses in germinal centers. These processes are essential for long-lasting antibody-mediated protection against infections. IgE antibodies are important for defense against parasites and toxins and can also mediate anti-tumor immunity.

Maternal antibodies or nonproductive infections confound the need for rederivation.

After rederivation of a mouse parvovirus (MPV)-contaminated transgenic mouse strain, serology and PCR testing of the surrogate dam showed it to be infected with mouse parvovirus strain 1 (MPV-1). The rederived pups (n = 3) also were MPV-positive, according to serology. Despite MPV seropositivity, fecal PCR tests of the pups were negative, as were serologic results from direct-contact sentinels.

esBAF facilitates pluripotency by conditioning the genome for LIF/STAT3 signalling and by regulating polycomb function.

Signalling by the cytokine LIF and its downstream transcription factor, STAT3, prevents differentiation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs). This contrasts with most cell types where STAT3 signalling induces differentiation. We find that STAT3 binding across the pluripotent genome is dependent on Brg1, the ATPase subunit of a specialized chromatin remodelling complex (esBAF) found in ESCs.

Engineering the ABA plant stress pathway for regulation of induced proximity.

Chemically induced proximity (CIP) systems use small molecules and engineered proteins to control and study biological processes. However, small molecule-based systems for controlling protein abundance or activities have been limited by toxicity, instability, cost, and slow clearance of the small molecules in vivo. To address these problems, we modified proteins of the plant abscisic acid (ABA) stress response pathway to control the proximity of cellular proteins and showed that the system could be used to regulate transcription, signal transduction, and subcellular localization of proteins in response to exogenously applied ABA.

Loss-of-function mutations in a glutathione S-transferase suppress the prune-Killer of prune lethal interaction.

The prune gene of Drosophila melanogaster is predicted to encode a phosphodiesterase. Null alleles of prune are viable but cause an eye-color phenotype. The abnormal wing discs gene encodes a nucleoside diphosphate kinase.