News & Comment

Quorum sensing is the regulation of gene expression programmes in response to changes in population density. It is probably best recognized as a mechanism through which bacterial communities can synchronize behaviours, such as biofilm formation and bioluminescence. This Comment article highlights the emerging evidence suggesting that quorum sensing also contributes to the regulation of immune cell responses.

The ATP sensor P2RX7 maintains mitochondrial function in long-lived memory CD8⁺ T cells.

Tumour cell-intrinsic factors determine the infiltration of T cells into tumours and their response to immunotherapy.

The metabolism and maintenance of natural killer (NK) cells is regulated by a previously uncharacterized transcription factor called regulatory factor X7 (RFX7).

Pulmonary neuroendocrine cells communicate with type 2 innate lymphoid cells and goblet cells to promote allergic asthma.

The antiviral protein viperin catalyses the production of a small molecule inhibitor of viral RNA polymerization.

CD4⁺ T_H9 cells show superior activity in adoptive cell transfer approach in melanoma mouse model.

Two papers show that combining IL-1 blockade with chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy for cancer can prevent the induction of a potentially lethal ‘cytokine storm’.

Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti describes a 2002 study by Jürg Tschopp and colleagues that first described the multiprotein, caspase-activating inflammasome complex that drives the maturation and secretion of IL-1β.

The long-term survival of HIV-1-infected CD4⁺ T cells is shown to be controlled by the anti-apoptotic protein BIRC5 and its upstream regulator OX40, which suggests new therapeutic targets to reduce the size of the viral reservoir.

A high-fibre diet protects against influenza virus infection by limiting lung immunopathology and enhancing antiviral T cell responses.

CYPD regulates the host response to tuberculosis infection through modulating T cell metabolism.

Activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in phago cytes during apoptotic cell uptake induces an anti-inflammatory response.

Gabrielle Belz describes a 2002 paper by Iyer et al. that linked cellular nutrient levels in cytotoxic T cells with their ability to mount a vigorous response.

A host-derived long non-coding RNA limits antiviral type I interferon responses by binding to and inhibiting RIG-I activation.

TLR9-mediated signalling induces type I IFN production through the direct recruitment of IKKα to a signalling platform anchored by the autophagy protein LC3.

The metabolite itaconate induces electrophilic stress that induces an antioxidant response and regulates secondary TLR transcriptional responses and IL-17-driven pathology.

γδ T cells have a crucial role in immune homeostasis and thermogenesis in adipose tissues through their production of IL-17A and TNF.

Microglial cells show innate immune memory of peripheral inflammatory stimuli that influences neurological disease pathology.

Natural influenza virus infection in humans induces protective neuraminidase-reactive antibodies that are not induced by current influenza vaccines.