Immunology letters最新文献

{"title":"Letter to the editor: \"Importance of BCG vaccination at birth in pediatric patients with chronic granulomatous disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in developing countries\"","authors":"Saaz Kumar , Yashpal Jesswani , Manaish Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107112","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107112","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 107112"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145603906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Profiling of circulating T follicular helper and T peripheral helper cell subsets in patients with primary biliary cholangitis","authors":"Haixia Ma ,&nbsp;Ying Liu ,&nbsp;Yuehong Zhu ,&nbsp;Guoxin Xu ,&nbsp;Xiaoli Xiang ,&nbsp;Senlin Xue ,&nbsp;Zhicheng Zhang ,&nbsp;Cuie Cheng ,&nbsp;Fenying Lu ,&nbsp;Bin Wang ,&nbsp;Yanyun Zhang ,&nbsp;Tingwang Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107100","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a common chronic cholestatic autoimmune liver disease that may progress to liver fibrosis or cirrhosis if not accurately diagnosed and promptly treated. T follicular helper (Tfh) cells and T peripheral helper (Tph) cells, as subsets of T cells that assist B cells in producing antibodies, are closely related to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. This research aims to explore the potential of Tfh and Tph cells as biomarkers for PBC disease progression. We recruited 30 PBC patients, 25 post-hepatitis B cirrhosis (PHBC) patients, and 30 healthy subjects. Both Tfh and Tph cells were significantly enriched in the peripheral blood of PBC patients, and their frequencies were correlated with autoantibody production. Area under the ROC curve (AUC) analysis demonstrated that Tfh and Tph cell frequencies exhibited convergent diagnostic performance with anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) in discriminating PBC patients from healthy controls. Furthermore, the frequencies of these cells were positively correlated with liver enzyme levels (ALT, AST, and GGT), suggesting that they may indicate liver and bile duct damage in PBC patients. The frequency of Tfh cells was negatively correlated with total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) levels, indicating that the increase of Tfh cells was related to the impairment of hepatocyte function. Additionally, the frequencies of Tfh and Tph cells were positively correlated with IgM levels, showing that these cells seem to be involved in the production of immunoglobulins. Together, Tfh and Tph cells can serve as biomarkers for both diagnosing PBC and correlating with disease severity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 107100"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145232481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"B cell dysregulation during acute COVID-19 is transient","authors":"Suvi T Jokiranta ,&nbsp;Anh Nguyen Ngoc ,&nbsp;Xiaobo Huang ,&nbsp;Kirsten Nowlan ,&nbsp;Leo Hannolainen ,&nbsp;Lari Pyöriä ,&nbsp;Pirkka T Pekkarinen ,&nbsp;Pia Dürnsteiner ,&nbsp;Tinja Lääveri ,&nbsp;Nelli Heikkilä ,&nbsp;Santtu Heinonen ,&nbsp;Sini M Laakso ,&nbsp;Anu Kantele ,&nbsp;Olli Vapalahti ,&nbsp;Tomas Strandin ,&nbsp;Jussi Hepojoki ,&nbsp;Maria F Perdomo ,&nbsp;Eliisa Kekäläinen","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107086","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107086","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>COVID-19 is still a significant health concern worldwide. B cell responses to COVID-19 have been extensively studied in acute severe disease, but less so during extended follow-up or mild disease. Persisting immunological changes together with herpesvirus reactivations during acute COVID-19 have been suggested as contributing factors for post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). Here, we evaluated the natural kinetics of B cell subpopulations together with serological markers of increased B cell activity during acute COVID-19 and long-term follow-up. We also measured human herpesvirus reactivations during acute COVID-19.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We collected plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples from 120 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients (outpatients = 56, inpatients = 64) at up to five timepoints during acute disease and recovery (up to 460 days since symptom onset, dsso). We determined circulating B cell and Th cell subpopulations using flow cytometry, and measured free light chains, in addition to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology, and herpesvirus qPCR from the plasma samples. The presence of anosmia as a proxy for PASC was self-reported at 3–12 months post-COVID.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>All changes in B cell subpopulation proportions normalized within 200 dsso. Likewise, the acute alterations observed in circulating T follicular helper and T follicular regulatory cell proportions stabilized soon after. Free light chains were high in acute COVID-19, especially in inpatients, but normalized during follow-up. EBV and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) reactivations were significantly more common in inpatients than outpatients, with reactivation in 47 and 19 % of inpatients and 4.3 and 0 % of outpatients respectively. Anosmia was not significantly associated with any herpesvirus reactivation.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The circulating B cell and Th cell subpopulations experience transitional changes during SARS-CoV-2 infection, but these changes recover in follow-up. EBV and HHV-6B reactivations are common in inpatients, but they are not associated with persisting anosmia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 107086"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145015207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Taurohyodeoxycholic acid ameliorates inflammatory response in a murine model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma","authors":"Ye You ,&nbsp;Jing Li ,&nbsp;Jiayi Wang ,&nbsp;Xianglan Luo ,&nbsp;Jingyuan Liu ,&nbsp;Xinmiao Wang ,&nbsp;Shichen Yi ,&nbsp;Ruizhi He ,&nbsp;Yating Shi ,&nbsp;Jie Xu ,&nbsp;Mengqing Hou ,&nbsp;Yanjun Cao ,&nbsp;Yang Li ,&nbsp;Jing Dong ,&nbsp;Jiao He","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107096","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107096","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Taurohyodeoxycholic acid (THDCA), a naturally occurring conjugated bile acid compound formed by the condensation of taurine and deoxycholic acid, possesses various biological activities. Present study attempted to assess whether THDCA can alleviate airway inflammation in allergic asthma through regulating the immune balance among CD4⁺ <em>T</em> cell subgroups. Mice were exposed with ovalbumin (OVA) to build allergic asthma model and THDCA was administrated orally. Pulmonary histopathology analysis was evaluated by H&amp;E and PAS staining. The typical cytokines and transcription factors of CD4⁺ <em>T</em> cell subgroups were determined, and the proportion of CD4⁺ <em>T</em> cell subgroups were analyzed. The oral administration of THDCA attenuated OVA-induced asthma by decreasing inflammatory cell counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), reducing tIgE and OVA-sIgE concentration in the serum, and improving histopathological changes in the lung tissue. In addition, THDCA reduced the secretion of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17A, and TGF-β1, but increased the production of IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-35 in the BALF and lung tissue. Meanwhile, THDCA inhibited GATA3 and RORγt expression, and STAT3 phosphorylation, but improved T-bet and Foxp3 expression in the lung tissue. Besides, THDCA restored the proportion of CD4⁺ <em>T</em> cell subgroups in the spleen and peripheral blood. These findings indicated that THDCA may have therapeutic potential for treating allergic asthma by regulating the immune balance of CD4⁺ <em>T</em> cell subgroups.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 107096"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Addressing the immunological gaps in asthma treatment: A call for region-specific research in Africa","authors":"Zemichael Getu Alemayehu,&nbsp;Brook Lelisa Sime,&nbsp;Abenezer Shiferaw Keraga","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107110","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107110","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 107110"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145512572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Herpesvirus entry mediator on effector memory CD8+ T cells mediates the effects of sterol ester (27:1/18:1) levels on critical sepsis","authors":"Junpu Cai ,&nbsp;Haitao Li ,&nbsp;Wenqiang Cui ,&nbsp;Mingyu Hou ,&nbsp;Huaiqian Bo ,&nbsp;Ning Zhang ,&nbsp;Yifan Wang ,&nbsp;Jingwen Zhu ,&nbsp;Caijun Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107103","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107103","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Lipid metabolism is closely associated with the development of sepsis; however, the relationship between specific lipid molecules and sepsis remains unclear, as does the extent to which immune cell traits mediate the effects of lipid levels on critical sepsis.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The effects of lipids on critical sepsis were examined in this work, along with the potential mediating function of immune cell characteristics in this process, using Mendelian randomization.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>A comprehensive two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted using genetic data from a genome-wide association study of 179 lipids, a large-scale genome-wide association study of 731 immune cell traits, and the latest genome-wide association study of critical sepsis. The ratios of immune cell trait indirect and mediating effects were computed using the coefficient product approach.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We identified 4 lipids and 18 immune cell traits that had a negative causal relationship with critical sepsis, and 1 lipid and 13 immune cell traits that had a positive causal relationship with critical sepsis. Herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) on effector memory CD8+ T cells mediates the effects of sterol ester (27:1/18:1) levels on critical sepsis, accounting for 6.1% of this effect.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our study confirmed the genetic causal relationship between lipids, immune cell traits, and critical sepsis, highlighting the potential mediating role of HVEM on effector memory CD8+ T cells and providing insights that may aid in the development of strategies for the prevention and treatment of critical sepsis in the clinic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 107103"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145292203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High complement expression on extracellular vesicles in Covid-19 patients without pulmonary embolism leading to death. Case report","authors":"Apostolos Taxiarchis ,&nbsp;Jovan Antovic ,&nbsp;Olav Rooyackers ,&nbsp;Gabriel Dumitrescu","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107104","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107104","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This case report analyzes two severe COVID-19 patients without pulmonary embolism, revealing persistently elevated levels of extracellular vesicles (EVs) carrying tissue factor (TF+), complement proteins (C3a+, TCC+), and endothelial markers (CD144+, CD54+). Temporal trends in these EV subpopulations correlated with clinical deterioration, suggesting their role in endothelial injury, complement hyperactivation, and thromboinflammation. Notably, TF+EV dynamics aligned with anticoagulant treatment responses, while MPO+EVs reflected neutrophil activity without thrombotic complications. Despite differences in patient characteristics, these findings propose that patient-specific EV profiles may serve as potential indicators of disease progression, warranting targeted studies to validate their biomarker potential in severe COVID-19.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 107104"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145292173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"B cells in inflammatory bowel disease","authors":"Francisca A. Castillo ,&nbsp;Bianca C. Kern ,&nbsp;Eduardo J. Villablanca","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107071","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107071","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have traditionally been considered T cell-driven disorders; however, accumulating evidence challenges this view and underscores a critical, multifaceted role for B cells in the pathogenesis of chronic intestinal inflammation. In the healthy gut, B cells contribute to immune tolerance and mucosal protection primarily through the production of secretory IgA and the regulation of the microbiota. During IBD, the B cell compartment is markedly altered, characterized by increased infiltration of IgA and IgG-secreting PCs, altered humoral responses against gut microbiota and self-antigens, the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures and the emergence of pro-inflammatory subsets such as interferon-induced Sca1⁺PD-L1⁺ B cells. Experimental models have demonstrated both pathogenic and regulatory roles for B cells, which may explain the limited efficacy of pan-B cell depleting therapies, such as rituximab, in clinical settings. This review highlights the evolving landscape of B cell biology in IBD, emphasizing the need for selective therapeutic approaches that distinguish between protective and pathogenic B cells. A deeper understanding of the spatial, phenotypic, and temporal dynamics of intestinal B cell subsets may facilitate the development of precise immunotherapies in IBD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 107071"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144912456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The cancer-immunity cycle in motion: The effects of exercise on antitumor immunity","authors":"Katharina Leuchte ,&nbsp;Maike Trommer ,&nbsp;Gitte Holmen Olofsson ,&nbsp;Per thor Straten","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107101","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107101","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Physical activity has recently emerged as a promising modulator of antitumor immunity, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we review human studies assessing the effects of exercise on the single steps of the cancer-immunity cycle. Interventions were mostly based on acute or continuous high- and moderate-intensity endurance exercise, followed by analyses of immune cell function and serum markers. There is evidence that exercise enhances tumor cell susceptibility to apoptosis and promotes dendritic cell maturation via damage-associated molecular patterns. Catecholamine-mediated NK and CD8⁺ <em>T</em> cell mobilization facilitates trafficking to tumors, further supported by vascular and metabolic changes to the tumor microenvironment. Overall, there is evidence from human studies that exercise improves immune cell effector function at different steps of the cancer-immunity cycle, thereby potentiating antitumor responses. These findings support the integration of structured exercise therapy into cancer care, possibly in combination with immunotherapeutic strategies. Further mechanistic and clinical research is warranted to optimize exercise-based interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 107101"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145250915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coordination of cellular responses to SARS-CoV-2 during severe COVID-19 illness","authors":"Assia Samri ,&nbsp;Raphael Lhote ,&nbsp;Alice Rousseau ,&nbsp;Véronique Morin ,&nbsp;Nadine Tarantino ,&nbsp;Stéphane Marot ,&nbsp;Aude Jary ,&nbsp;Delphine Sterlin ,&nbsp;Anne-Geneviève Marcelin ,&nbsp;Zahir Amoura ,&nbsp;Guy Gorochov ,&nbsp;Vincent Vieillard ,&nbsp;Amélie Guihot","doi":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107090","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imlet.2025.107090","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The early cellular and humoral immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 result in a wide range of COVID-19 disease severity. Here we conducted an observational study of these three arms of the immune responses (T, B and NK) to SARS-CoV-2 in 17 patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19 at median of 31 days after first symptoms. We found that the main T cell response was directed against two specific regions of the spike viral protein, called B and E, which are inversely correlated with the expression of the KIR2DL1 inhibitory receptor on NK cells (p = 0.03, and p = 0.0001 respectively). Furthermore, expression of the inhibitory receptor ILT2 on NK cells was only correlated with T cell responses against the specific E region (p = 0.02), suggesting that HLA-G may play a role in the extinction of the NK response to the T cell response. Moreover, the antibody response was mainly directed against the nucleocapsid, whereas the antibody neutralizing response was inversely correlated with the cellular response to spike (p &lt; 0.003). Taken together these data suggest a strong coordination between the innate and adaptive immune responses during the acute phase of infection, which could reflect the further resolution of COVID-19 patients with severe disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13413,"journal":{"name":"Immunology letters","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 107090"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145080551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}