Recent evidence supports the notion that mitochondrial metabolism is necessary for T cell activation, proliferation, and function. Mitochondrial metabolism supports T cell anabolism by providing key metabolites for macromolecule synthesis and generating metabolites for T cell function. In this review, we focus on how mitochondrial metabolism contro...
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that provide critical host defense against pathogens and cancer. Originally heralded for their early and rapid effector activity, NK cells have been recognized over the last decade for their ability to undergo adaptive immune processes, including antigen-driven clonal expansion and generation of long...
For many infections and almost all vaccines, neutralizing-antibody-mediated immunity is the primary basis and best functional correlate of immunological protection. Durable long-term humoral immunity is mediated by antibodies secreted by plasma cells that preexist subsequent exposures and by memory B cells that rapidly respond to infections once th...
T lymphocytes, the major effector cells in cellular immunity, produce cytokines in immune responses to mediate inflammation and regulate other types of immune cells. Work in the last three decades has revealed significant heterogeneity in CD4+ T cells, in terms of their cytokine expression, leading to the discoveries of T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, ...
The innate immune response is a rapid response to pathogens or danger signals. It is precisely activated not only to efficiently eliminate pathogens but also to avoid excessive inflammation and tissue damage. cis-Regulatory element–associated chromatin architecture shaped by epigenetic factors, which we define as the epiregulome, endows innate immu...
Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes >1.5 million deaths worldwide annually. Innate immune cells are the first to encounter M. tuberculosis, and their response dictates the course of infection. Dendritic cells (DCs) activate the adaptive response and determine its characteristics. Macrophages are responsible both for exerting cell-intri...
The immune system has coevolved with extensive microbial communities living on barrier sites that are collectively known as the microbiota. It is increasingly clear that microbial antigens and metabolites engage in a constant dialogue with the immune system, leading to microbiota-specific immune responses that occur in the absence of inflammation. ...
Among antibodies, IgA is unique because it has evolved to be secreted onto mucosal surfaces. The structure of IgA and the associated secretory component allow IgA to survive the highly proteolytic environment of mucosal surfaces but also substantially limit IgA's ability to activate effector functions on immune cells. Despite these characteristics,...
Understanding tumor immune microenvironments is critical for identifying immune modifiers of cancer progression and developing cancer immunotherapies. Recent applications of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in dissecting tumor microenvironments have brought important insights into the biology of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, including thei...
Classically, skin was considered a mere structural barrier protecting organisms from a diversity of environmental insults. In recent decades, the cutaneous immune system has become recognized as a complex immunologic barrier involved in both antimicrobial immunity and homeostatic processes like wound healing. To sense a variety of chemical, mechani...
