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Mouse strains show varying inherent biases to T helper type 2 (TH2) responses. Bix and colleagues identify Mina, a jumonji C protein, as a negative regulator of the gene encoding interleukin 4 whose expression inversely correlates with TH2 bias.
Self-reactive thymocytes are eliminated through negative selection in the thymic medulla. Robey and colleagues find that autoreactive thymocytes show slower and more confined migration than that of polyclonal thymocytes in the medulla.
Granules containing perforin and granzymes are secreted from cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Krönke and co-workers find that acid sphingomyelase is needed for granule shrinkage just before exocytosis in this process.
Complement forms an ancient innate immune defense. Gros and colleagues provide new insight into the interactions between complement convertase C3b and its regulator factor H and with the staphylococcal inhibitor SCIN.
Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) induces the proliferation of mononuclear phagocytes, and DAP12 is needed for their function. Colonna and colleagues show that DAP12 is also needed for M-CSF-induced stabilization of β-catenin.
Immunological synapses (IS) involving surface receptors form between dendritic cells (DC) and T cells. Rodriguez-Fernandez and colleagues show that IS-induced signals activate Akt and NF-κB and suppress Foxo1 to promote DC survival.
Complement forms an ancient innate immune defense. Gros and colleagues provide new insight into the interactions between complement convertase C3b and its regulator factor H and with the staphylococcal inhibitor SCIN.
Immune complexes are captured from lymph by subcapsular macrophages. Cyster and colleagues show that an intricate relay shuttles antigen into germinal centers to drive affinity maturation.
E3 ubiquitin ligases are critical for innate and adaptive immunity. Cao and colleagues show that the E3 ubiquitin ligase Nrdp inhibits the production of proinflammatory cytokines while promoting the release of interferon-β in Toll-like receptor–triggered macrophages.
How interleukin 17 influences B cell biology is unclear. Bonnefoy-Bérard and colleagues find that interleukin 17 alone or in combination with B cell–activating factor controls the survival, proliferation of human B cells and their differentiation into immunoglobulin-secreting cells.
Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are necessary for maintaining peripheral tolerance. Chi and colleagues show that the receptor S1P1 negatively regulates thymic Treg cell production and blocks Treg cell activity via an Akt-mTor pathway.
Basophils act as effector cells in immunoglobulin E–mediated hypersensitivity responses. Artis, Nakanishi and Medzhitov and their colleagues report that basophils present antigen and induce T helper type 2 responses to helminths, allergens and immunoglobulin E immune complexes.
Basophils act as effector cells in immunoglobulin E–mediated hypersensitivity responses. Artis, Nakanishi and Medzhitov and their colleagues report that basophils present antigen and induce T helper type 2 responses to helminths, allergens and immunoglobulin E immune complexes.
Basophils act as effector cells in immunoglobulin E–mediated hypersensitivity responses. Artis, Nakanishi and Medzhitov and their colleagues report that basophils present antigen and induce T helper type 2 responses to helminths, allergens and immunoglobulin E immune complexes.
The function of interleukin 17 in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory disorders is controversial. Flavell and colleagues now demonstrate that interleukin 17A mediates a protective effect on T cell—driven intestinal inflammation in vivo.
Immunoglobulin gene rearrangements occur in an organized, temporal way. Skok and colleagues show that immunoglobulin alleles 'pair' to coordinate cleavage and allelic availability.
The reorientation of the T cell microtubule-organizing center toward the antigen-presenting cell enables the directional secretion of cytokines and lytic factors. Huse and colleagues show that this process depends on diacylglycerol.
How and where bacterial recognition triggers the induction of type I interferon is unclear. Teti and colleagues show that phagosomal bacteria trigger Toll-like receptor 7–dependent interferon production in lysosomes of conventional dendritic cells.
The function of T cell antigen receptor (TCR) specificity in thymic regulatory T cell development is controversial. Hsieh and colleagues show that this development is a 'TCR-instructive' process that depends on a small selecting niche
The transcription factor ELF4 controls hematopoietic stem cell quiescence. Lacorazza and colleagues show that ELF4 is also needed to maintain the quiescence of naive T cells during steady-state conditions and after antigen stimulation.