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Immunoproteasomes incorporate three alternative β subunits that catalyze peptide cleavage. Rock and colleagues generate mice lacking all three immunoproteasome-specific subunits and reveal marked differences in MHC class I presentation and CD8+ T cell responses.
Follicular T cells provide help to B cells to elicit antibody responses. Cerutti and colleagues show that neutrophils provide help to marginal-zone B cells that produce T cell–independent antibodies.
Interferon-α is a critical mediator of pathogen-induced thymic involution. Liston and colleagues show that the microRNA miR-29a reduces sensitivity of thymic epithelium to infection signals and protects against thymus involution.
Chronically infected mice upregulate expression of inhibitory molecules on exhausted T cells. Harty and colleagues report similar findings in human patients with malaria and show that blockade of the inhibitory receptors PD-L1 and LAG-3 restores antimalaria responses in mice.
Endothelium-presented chemokines are critical for the entry of lymphocytes into tissues. Alon and colleagues show that transendothelial migration, but not adhesion, of effector lymphocytes on inflamed endothelium is dependent on chemokine signals.
Interleukins 4 and 13 are critical for responses to helminthes. Locksley and colleagues use genetically engineered reporter mice to assess the temporal and spatial production of these cytokines in vivo.
Invariant NKT cells elicit the rapid release of cytokines. Two papers by Leadbetter and Vinuesa and colleagues show that these cells can also provide direct help to B cells to elicit rapid antibody responses.
Invariant NKT cells elicit the rapid release of cytokines. Two papers by Leadbetter and Vinuesa and colleagues show that these cells can also provide direct help to B cells to elicit rapid antibody responses.
The generation of reactive oxygen species needs to be carefully controlled to prevent tissue injury. Malik and colleagues identify a negative feedback mechanism for such production involving the cation channel TRPM2.
Type 1 interferon limits virus replication. Lang and colleagues show that expression of Usp18 in metallophilic macrophages results in less interferon responsiveness, which allows locally restricted virus replication and the induction of adaptive immune responses.
The generation of certain gut innate lymphoid cell (ILC) populations requires the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Colonna and colleagues show that the induction of Notch expression by AHR is required for the development of interleukin 22–producing NKp46+ ILCs.
Lymphocyte development is regulated by Ikaros transcription factors. Georgopoulos and colleagues show that Ikaros tethers the nucleosome-remodeling factor Mi-2β and restrains its ability to act at nonlymphoid gene sites.
Induced regulatory T cells are important for peripheral tolerance. Oliver and colleagues identify a key function for the adaptor Ndfip1 in stabilizing the identity and function of such cells.
Id proteins negatively regulate the binding of E-protein transcription factors to DNA. Goldrath et al. show that Id2 and Id3 are important in the generation of memory in distinct functional populations of CD8+ cells.
The molecular basis of CD8+ memory is still being delineated. Gattinoni et al. show that the DNA-binding inhibitor Id3 is critical for the formation of long-lived memory.
Signaling by the inflammatory cytokine TNF is tightly regulated. Venuprasad and colleagues show that ubiquitin modification of the kinase TAK1 by Itch and Cyld terminates TNF signaling.
The transcription factor STAT5 commonly activates gene transcription. Clark and colleagues show that tetrameric STAT5, induced by high concentrations of interleukin 7, can repress gene expression by recruitment of the histone methyltransferase Ezh2.
The priming of an antibacterial response requires the uptake and presentation of bacterial antigens by dendritic cells. Busch and colleagues describe a new platelet-dependent mechanism for shuttling bacteria to dendritic cells.
The stability of interleukin 6 transcripts is negatively regulated by the RNAse regnase-1. Akira and colleagues show that regnase-1 is targeted for degradation by phosphorylation mediated by the kinase IKK, which allows more interleukin 6 production.
The identification of an endogenous ligand for natural killer T cells has remained elusive. Brenner and colleagues identify β-d-glucopyranosylceramide as a physiologically important self ligand for these cells.