{"title":"Molecular determinants of NK cell memory.","authors":"Mark Owyong, Joseph C Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2026.01.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.it.2026.01.009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes uniquely equipped with stochastically expressed activating and inhibitory receptors that shape their cytotoxic potential. Although traditionally viewed as rapid and potent innate effectors against infected or transformed cells, we now appreciate that NK cells possess adaptive capabilities, such as antigen-specific clonal expansion and the generation of long-lived memory cells. The ability of NK cells to engage in innate and adaptive immune responses is tightly coordinated by a 'three-signal' framework that relies on the synergy between NK cell receptor engagement (signal 1), co-stimulation (signal 2), and cytokine-mediated signals (signal 3). This review focuses on knowledge gleaned from emerging molecular pathways aimed at modulating signals 1, 2, and 3 to reprogram NK cells for therapeutic utility.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13048293/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147576463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Charting the nerve-immune axis in endometriosis.","authors":"Tianyi Lu, Zhengrong Deng, Kailin Yang, Shengtao Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2026.01.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2026.01.005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Endometriosis is increasingly recognized as a systemic disorder involving complex interactions between nerves and immune cells, driving chronic pain and inflammation beyond the initial theories. Recent breakthroughs highlight aberrant sensory nerve growth and dysfunctional immune responses as key events in lesion development and sustained pain. This review systematically examines the functional link between neuroimmune interplay and endometriosis, showing how reciprocal signaling between nerves and immune cells actively shapes epithelial and stromal behavior, amplifies inflammation, and reinforces pain circuitry. Recognizing this integrated neuroimmune framework reframes endometriosis as a disorder of distributed network dysregulation and highlights that targeting key neuroimmune nodes may offer new therapeutic opportunities to curb both lesion progression and endometriosis-related chronic pain.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147534451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Postpandemic adjuvants to tailor vaccine-induced immunity.","authors":"Divya Sinha, Garance Coquant, Xinchen Yuan, Stéphane Paul, Stéphanie Longet","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2026.01.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2026.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adjuvants are critical to improving the magnitude, breadth, functionality, and durability of vaccine immunogenicity. Despite advances in vaccinology, long-term immunity, variant cross-protection, and robust mucosal responses remain unmet goals. These challenges underscore the need for novel, safe, and effective adjuvants. This review explores emerging adjuvants targeting specific immune pathways. We highlight clinical and preclinical studies focusing on adjuvants that enhance durable and persistent humoral, cellular, and mucosal immunity. Current trends are discussed alongside tailored approaches for children and the elderly. Finally, the aim of this review is to highlight novel vaccine adjuvants currently in preclinical and clinical development, with the potential to generate a vaccine platform fit for the necessary yet unmet needs of public health in a postpandemic era.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecular mechanisms of type 2 innate immune sensing.","authors":"Ziqi Chen, Mo Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2026.01.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2026.01.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Type 2 immunity protects against helminths and venoms, yet its dysregulation drives allergic diseases. Initiation occurs at barrier tissues, where epithelial cells detect perturbations and release alarmins, activating type 2 innate lymphoid cells and conditioning dendritic cells for T helper 2 priming. However, the framework of type 2 innate immune sensing remains largely incomplete. Critical gaps include the core immunostimulatory components of many stimuli and their host detection pathways. Recent advances, including tuft cell chemosensation, membrane pore formation as a common trigger, and the role of protein crystals and proteases in allergic inflammation, highlight emerging molecular principles. Unlike bacterial, viral, and fungal recognition via conserved molecular patterns, type 2 immunity often involves the sensing of perturbations and stress signals.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147488306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yiquan Wang, Wenhao O Ouyang, Chaoyang Wang, Armita Nourmohammad, Ge Liu, Nicholas C Wu
{"title":"Experimental immunologists in the era of artificial intelligence.","authors":"Yiquan Wang, Wenhao O Ouyang, Chaoyang Wang, Armita Nourmohammad, Ge Liu, Nicholas C Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2026.01.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.it.2026.01.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>While artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming biological science, its full potential in immunology has yet to be realized due to limited data and the need for extensive experimental validation. This review provides a practical guide for experimental immunologists to actively contribute to AI development, with a focus on applications for B- and T-cell receptors. It not only gives an overview of common AI techniques in immunology but also highlights the important role of high-throughput experimental methodologies. Overall, we believe that the synergy between AI and experimental innovation will be a crucial catalyst for advancing the field of immunology.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147488335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Imke S C van Rossum, Annemiek B van Spriel, Guido van Mierlo
{"title":"Decoding the immune-tumor synapse for data-driven design of next-generation immunotherapies.","authors":"Imke S C van Rossum, Annemiek B van Spriel, Guido van Mierlo","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2025.12.009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2025.12.009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The immunological synapse (IS) formed between cytotoxic CD8<sup>+</sup> T lymphocytes (CTLs) and tumor cells represents the critical interface where many immunotherapies act, including therapeutic antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor immunotherapy. However, detailed characterization of the CTL-tumor IS has remained limited, primarily due to the transient and dynamic nature of this structure. Recent advances in proteomics, transcriptomics, high-throughput imaging, and machine learning are now enabling more precise investigation of this complex cell-cell interaction. This review highlights how emerging technologies have advanced our understanding of the CTL-tumor IS, outlines their potential to inform next-generation immunotherapies, and proposes future directions for technological innovation.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147482232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wannes Van Hooste, Elizabeth Gray, Sara Parsa, Dirk Elewaut, Erik Lubberts, Leonie S Taams, Koen Venken
{"title":"Barrier breakdown: insights into the skin-gut axis in psoriatic arthritis.","authors":"Wannes Van Hooste, Elizabeth Gray, Sara Parsa, Dirk Elewaut, Erik Lubberts, Leonie S Taams, Koen Venken","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2026.02.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2026.02.005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the skin, joints, and entheses. Growing evidence implicates alterations at the gut and skin barriers in PsA pathogenesis. These sites play a crucial role in tissue homeostasis, and their disruption can contribute to the translocation of immune cells and bacterial products, resulting in systemic inflammation. Crosstalk between barrier sites and joints can promote or exacerbate disease development, with barriers also being a potential target of disease. This review article provides a barrier-centered perspective across gut, skin, and synovium, with a specific focus on new concepts about intertissue communication involving immune and microbial mediators that can propagate inflammation in PsA.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147460951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Stealth designs to overcome allorejection in engineered cell therapy.","authors":"Yan-Ruide Li, Yuning Chen, Lili Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2026.02.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2026.02.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The rapid development of allogeneic engineered therapeutic cells has intensified the challenge of host immune-mediated rejection. Advances in molecular immunology, genetic engineering, and induced pluripotent stem cell-based multigene editing have enabled the creation of 'stealth' allogeneic cells designed to evade immune detection while maintaining function. Key strategies include the deletion of human leukocyte antigen class I and class II molecules to limit T cell recognition, the expression of natural killer (NK) cell inhibitory ligands to prevent NK cell-mediated killing, and the upregulation of CD47 to suppress phagocytosis. An expanding repertoire of immune-modulatory molecules, receptor-ligand interactions, and experimental assays is refining these approaches. Together, stealth designs are accelerating the translation of allogeneic cell therapies toward more durable and broadly applicable clinical use.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147445700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jens V Stein, Heidi E L Lischer, Clara V I Palou, Aditya Seth, Rémy Bruggmann
{"title":"Integration of biochemical and physical cues by patrolling CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells.","authors":"Jens V Stein, Heidi E L Lischer, Clara V I Palou, Aditya Seth, Rémy Bruggmann","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2026.02.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2026.02.004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell migration is central to host defense, enabling clonal selection, tissue infiltration, and elimination of infected cells. While chemokines guide these cells by activating Rac for F-actin polymerization, recent studies reveal a complementary mechanism through Rho activation. This pathway relies on tissue confinement, which deforms the nucleus, activates the actomyosin network, and allows CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells to use physical cues for surveillance without external signals. In this review article, we explore how chemokine- and mechanosensing-dependent pathways guide CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell surveillance and introduce a 'front-' versus 'rear-driven' motility model to illustrate their integration for effective tissue monitoring. Ultimately, the interplay of biochemical and physical cues ensures tissue-specific protection by T cells during homeostasis and inflammation.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147379469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Secondary bile acids as immune and metabolic mediators.","authors":"Stefano Fiorucci, Michele Biagioli, Silvia Marchianò, Angela Zampella, Eleonora Distrutti","doi":"10.1016/j.it.2025.12.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2025.12.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bile acids are cholesterol derivatives, generated by the coordinated intervention of human and bacterial genes, functioning as endogenous ligands for multiple transcription factors and receptors throughout the body. While only two primary bile acids are generated by the human liver, the intestinal microbiota is the source of hundreds of secondary bile acids and microbially conjugated bile acids. Secondary bile acids regulate immune function throughout the body, promote the conversion of thyroid hormone, and regulate energy expenditure in muscle and adipose tissues, ultimately contributing to the beneficial effects of calorie restriction on human health and longevity. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of secondary bile acids, the intestinal microbiota generating them, and their role in immune disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":54412,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Immunology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":13.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147357444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}