Ovarian steroids and C. trachomatis infection

Louise Hafner and colleagues discuss the effects of the ovarian steroids estrogen and progesterone on innate and adaptive immunity in the female genital tract, particularly in response to Chlamydia trachomatis infection. See page 859

Molecular methods for diagnosing infectious diarrhea

Standard methods to diagnose intestinal infections can be cumbersome, and they are often difficult to interpret. James Platts-Mills et al. discuss the range of available methods to diagnose infectious diarrheas, including new molecular approaches that are leading to new definitions of disease, particularly in resource-poor areas of the world. See page 876

TL1A drives TNFα production from human T cells

Shu Jin and co-workers demonstrate a direct role for tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-like cytokine 1A (TL1A)/TNF superfamily member 15 in driving the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNFα, from human CD3+ CD161+ T cells as well as increased TL1A and CD161 expression in gut biopsies from patients with inflammatory bowel disease. See page 886

Th17 cells confer long-term protection against candida

Using an infection and re-challenge model, Nydiaris Hernández-Santos and colleagues found that T helper type 17 (Th17) cells, but not Th1 or innate Th17- producing cells, provided long-term protection against oropharyngeal candidiasis in mice. See page 900

Mast cell chymase degrades IL-33

Ida Waern and colleagues report that mouse mast cell protease 4 can protect against allergic airway inflammation induced by house-dust mite extract, probably owing to its ability to degrade interleukin (IL)-33. See page 911

Autocrine IL-33 from DCs in allergic conjunctivitis

Zhitao Su and colleagues identified a possible autocrine role for interleukin (IL)-33 produced by bone marrow and tissue-derived dendritic cells (DCs) from inflamed conjunctiva. See page 921

Helminth infection enhances control of mycobacterial infection

Nelita du Plessis and colleagues present data demonstrating that early-stage Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection elicits a macrophage response that is protective during the early stages of subsequent pulmonary mycobacterial infection. See page 931

Primary antibody responses in bovine PPs are associated with AID expression

Jenni Liljavirta and co-workers found that activationinduced cytidine deaminase (AID) is strongly expressed in fetal bovine ileal Peyer's patches (PPs) and spleen and is associated with primary antibody responses. See page 942

Th17 cells and gastric inflammation during H. pylori infection in children

Carolina Serrano and colleagues demonstrate that reduced gastric inflammation and neutrophil accumulation in children with Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with decreased numbers of gastric T helper type 17 (Th17) cells and enhanced Foxp3 and interleukin-10 expression, as compared with adults. See page 950

HSP90 drives intestinal inflammation

In studies of mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease, Colm Collins and colleagues identified a role for heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) in driving intestinal inflammation, the inhibition of which enhanced regulatory T-cell function and interleukin-10 production. See page 960

IL-17 mediates vaccineinduced protection against TB

Radha Gopal and colleagues show that interleukin (IL)-17 mediates protection against Mycobacteria tuberculosis infection in mice following immunization with mucosal adjuvants, such as type II heat-labile enterotoxin. See page 972

Low numbers of pDCs in celiac disease

Melinda Ráki and colleagues found that, contrary to previous findings, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are scarce and interferon-α is expressed at low levels in human intestinal tissue from patients with celiac disease. See page 985

Flagellin induces protective S100A8 and S100A9 in corneal epithelial cells

By means of transcriptional analysis of corneal epithelial cells in response to flagellin, Nan Gao and co-workers identified S100A8 and S100A9 as being protective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. See page 993

αβT cells prime innate immunity in the lung

Sanjeev Kumar and colleagues report that αβ T cells play an essential role in priming innate immunity in the lung after inhalation of Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin A. See page 1006

NK cells prevent DSS colitis via NKG2A

Using the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) model of colitis, Lindsay Hall and co-workers found that natural killer (NK) cells inhibit colitis induction by suppressing neutrophil reactive oxygen species and cytokine production via direct interactions with NKG2A receptors. See page 1016

Poor M-cell maturation in aged mice

Atsushi Kobayashi and colleagues demonstrate a marked decline in the functional maturation of Peyer's patch M cells in aged mice. See page 1027