AI Article Synopsis
- The thymus is an important organ that helps create T cells, which are vital for our immune system.
- Researchers studied 1000 healthy adults to find out what affects how well the thymus works and found that age and sex do matter.
- They discovered a specific gene variant related to T cell production, which could improve treatments in medicine in the future.
Article Abstract
The thymus is the primary lymphoid organ where naïve T cells are generated; however, with the exception of age, the parameters that govern its function in healthy humans remain unknown. We characterized the variability of thymic function among 1000 age- and sex-stratified healthy adults of the Milieu Intérieur cohort, using quantification of T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) in peripheral blood T cells as a surrogate marker of thymopoiesis. Age and sex were the only nonheritable factors identified that affect thymic function. TREC amounts decreased with age and were higher in women compared to men. In addition, a genome-wide association study revealed a common variant (rs2204985) within the T cell receptor locus, between the and gene segments, which associated with TREC amounts. Strikingly, transplantation of human hematopoietic stem cells with the rs2204985 GG genotype into immunodeficient mice led to thymopoiesis with higher TRECs, increased thymocyte counts, and a higher TCR repertoire diversity. Our population immunology approach revealed a genetic locus that influences thymopoiesis in healthy adults, with potentially broad implications in precision medicine.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aao2966 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Thymic and T-cell intrinsic critical roles associated with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency and Omenn syndrome due to a heterozygous variant (G201R) in PSMB10.
J Allergy Clin Immunol
December 2024
Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Electronic address:
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.
Cross-species analyses of thymic mimetic cells reveal evolutionarily ancient origins and both conserved and species-specific elements.
Immunity
December 2024
Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address:
Thymic mimetic cells are molecular hybrids between medullary-thymic-epithelial cells (mTECs) and diverse peripheral cell types. They are involved in eliminating autoreactive T cells and can perform supplementary functions reflective of their peripheral-cell counterparts. Current knowledge about mimetic cells derives largely from mouse models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicro nutrients as immunomodulators in the ageing population: a focus on inflammation and autoimmunity.
Immun Ageing
December 2024
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, 378, Oromia, Ethiopia.
Immunosenescence, the slow degradation of immune function over time that is a hallmark and driver of aging, makes older people much more likely to be killed by common infections (such as flu) than young adults, but it also contributes greatly to rates of chronic inflammation in later life. Such micro nutrients are crucial for modulating effective immune responses and their deficiencies have been associated with dysfunctional immunity in the elderly. In this review, we specifically focused on the contribution of major micro nutrients (Vitamins A, D and E, Vitamin C; Zinc and Selenium) as immunomodulators in ageing population especially related to inflame-ageing process including autoimmunity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA novel monoclonal antibody against human thymic stromal lymphopoietin for the treatment of TSLP-mediated diseases.
Front Immunol
December 2024
Tavotek Biotherapeutics, Inc., Lower Gwynedd Township, PA, United States.
Introduction: Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a master regulator of allergic inflammation against pathogens at barrier surfaces of the lung, skin, and gut. However, aberrant TSLP activity is implicated in various allergic, chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases and cancers. Biologics drugs neutralizing excess TSLP activity represented by tezepelumab have been approved for severe asthma and are being evaluated for the treatments of other TSLP-mediated diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComparison of oral zinc supplement and placebo effect in improving the T-cells regeneration in patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Clinical trial study.
Medicine (Baltimore)
December 2024
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background: Immune reconstitution is a significant factor in the success of "hematopoietic stem cell transplantation" (HSCT). Delaying the immune reconstitution increases the risk of infections and relapse after transplantation. T-cell recovery after HSCT is mainly thymus-dependent, and thymic atrophy is associated with various clinical conditions that correlate with HSCT outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!