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Leukocytes enter inflamed tissues by initiating selectin-dependent rolling on reactive endothelia. Mantovani and colleagues show that the long pentraxin PTX3 competes for P-selectin and acts to limit neutrophil extravasation.
The mechanism of T cell avidity maturation has remained elusive. Geisler and co-workers show that induction of the phospholipase PLC-γ1 via the alternative p38 pathway is required for avidity maturation in naive human T cells.
The immunological mechanisms of diabetes onset in NOD mice are poorly characterized. Unanue and co-workers find that insulin peptide–reactive (but not insulin protein–reactive) type B T cells can cause diabetes.
Dendritic cells classically require cognate licensing by helper T cells to cross-prime cytotoxic T cells. Kurts and colleagues have found an alternative mechanism of cognate licensing mediated by natural killer T cells.
Quiescence must be actively maintained in cells of the immune response. Beutler and colleagues describe a new mutant mouse, elektra, with defective control of T cell and monocyte quiescence; this defect maps to Slfn2.
The importance of natural killer cell 'licensing' in vivo remains unclear. Lanier and co-workers now report that 'unlicensed' natural killer cells are more protective than 'licensed' cells during viral infection.
How IL-9 expression is regulated remains unclear. Dong and co-workers show that the IL-25–IL-17RB pathway is central to the physiological regulation of this cytokine in vivo.
Lymphocyte development requires transcription factors of the E2A family. Goldrath and colleagues identify a unique role for the E2 protein HEB in the generation and survival of invariant natural killer T cells.
The identity of self antigens targeted in various autoimmune diseases is often unknown. Haskins and colleagues identify a chromagranin A epitope whose presentation by I-Ag7 involves an unusual peptide-binding mode.
Reactive oxygen species can enhance B cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling strength. Dyer and colleagues show that the voltage-gated proton channel HVCN1 associates with BCRs and contributes to BCR signaling via the generation of reactive oxygen species.
Whether CD8-lineage specification and CD8+ T cell differentiation is dependent on intrathymic cytokines signaling is unclear. Singer and co-workers show that interleukin 7 specifies CD8-lineage choice and promotes the differentiation of cytotoxic-lineage T cells.
Phagocytosis involves ionic flux, but the identity of the ion channels involved remains ill defined. Caterina and co-workers show that the cation channel TRPV2 is involved in particle binding and phagocytosis in macrophages.
Efficient antiviral responses require cross-priming of cytolytic T lymphocytes by dendritic cells. Randall and colleagues show that CD103−CD11bhi dendritic cells directly cross-prime CD8+ T cells after influenza infection.
Hematopoietic stem cells infrequently proliferate, but their self-renewal is essential. Aifantis and colleagues show regulation of c-Myc protein stability by the ubiquitin ligase Fbw7 controls the self-renewal and differentiation potential of these cells.