Human Immunology最新文献

{"title":"In-silico design of a therapeutic multi-epitope peptide candidate vaccine against rheumatoid arthritis","authors":"Azadeh Mohammadi Sepahvand ,&nbsp;Nasrin Azarbani ,&nbsp;Fateme Zare ,&nbsp;Manica Negahdaripour ,&nbsp;Ali Dehshahri","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2025.111654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2025.111654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease primarily affecting the joints, resulting in inflammation, swelling, and pain, ultimately impacting patients’ quality of life and causing premature death. TNF-α, regulated by the NF-κB transcription factor, is a key cytokine implicated in tissue destruction and disease progression. Both TNF-α and the NF-κB receptor ligand (RANKL) are considered significant targets in the treatment of RA. Due to the limitations of current therapeutic strategies in providing safe and effective long-term healing, there is a clear need for novel therapeutic interventions, including vaccine development. This study aims to design an innovative multi-epitope polypeptide vaccine targeting RA through computational methods. To achieve this goal, epitope sequences from TNF-α and RANKL were predicted using three servers. Adjuvants CTxB, PADRE, and B29 were then incorporated with appropriate linkers. The structure underwent several analyses to assess physicochemical properties, immunogenicity, and allergenicity using various servers. The designed protein showed slightly hydrophilic characteristics with a negative Gravy index and a pI of 8.20. Additionally, with an instability index below 40, the protein demonstrates stability, which is crucial for the vaccine’s effectiveness. To predict the 3D structure, I-TASSER and trRosetta servers were utilized, and the best models underwent refinement using the GalaxyRefine server. Validation of the refined models was performed by the ProSA-web and Ramachandran plot analysis, and the best model was determined. Ultimately, the results of the conformational B-cell epitope prediction of the final model suggested that the designed vaccine can effectively trigger the humoral immune response. The combination of ten epitopes from TNF-α and RANKL linked with CTxB, PADRE, and B29 adjuvants presented a promising therapeutic candidate vaccine for RA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111654"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145947946","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":"A multipronged Tα1 reset of CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity against breast cancer","authors":"Smriti Mishra ,&nbsp;Gaurang Telang ,&nbsp;Anurag Sureshbabu ,&nbsp;Samruddhi Kulkarni ,&nbsp;Senthil Thayagrajan ,&nbsp;A.W Santhosh Kumar ,&nbsp;Rajshri Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111678","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111678","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thymosin α1 (Tα1) is an endogenous thymic peptide that enhances immune competence through activation of T cells, dendritic cells, and innate immune pathways. However, its direct impact on CD8⁺ T cell–mediated antitumor immunity in breast cancer remains unclear. In this study, CD8⁺ T cells isolated from peripheral blood of ten healthy donors were cultured under unstimulated, CD3/CD28-stimulated, Tα1-treated, or exhaustion–rescue conditions to evaluate cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and CD44⁺ cancer stem-like cells (CD44⁺ CSC-like cells). Tα1 significantly enhanced CD8⁺ T cell–mediated apoptosis, suppressed tumor cell proliferation, and increased granzyme B secretion beyond CD3/CD28 stimulation alone. In exhausted T cells, Tα1 partially restored effector function and reduced PD-1, TIM-3, and LAG-3 expression. Complementary transcriptomic analysis using a compact four-gene Tα1 Response Index (Tα1-RI: TLR9, TLR2, IRF1, NLRC5) in TCGA-BRCA (n = 1,112) confirmed positive correlations with antigen presentation and cytotoxic programs and enrichment in CD8-like T cells in single-cell datasets. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that Tα1 enhances CD8⁺ T cell cytotoxicity while alleviating exhaustion, supporting its potential as an adjunct immunomodulator for improving immune surveillance in breast cancer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111678"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079158","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":"Novel association of HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DPB1 alleles with acute myeloid leukemia susceptibility in (Central Asian) Kazakhstani population: A case-control study","authors":"Aida Turganbekova ,&nbsp;Zhandos Burkitbayev ,&nbsp;Zhulduz Zhanzakova ,&nbsp;Dana Baimukasheva ,&nbsp;Zhazira Saduakas ,&nbsp;Didara Khamitova ,&nbsp;Saniya Abdrakhmanova ,&nbsp;Zhaksylyk Masalimov ,&nbsp;Wassim Y. Almawi","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111680","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111680","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a diverse hematological cancer characterized by clonal growth of myeloid precursors in the bone marrow. Although the core genetic pathways involved in AML development are not completely understood, a connection between specific HLA variants and a predisposition to AML, as well as graft-versus-leukemia effects in transplantation, has been observed across various ethnic groups.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Using high-resolution genotyping, this study investigates the relationship between HLA Class I and Class II alleles and the risk of developing AML in the Kazakhstani population.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study included 123 patients diagnosed with AML and 350 unrelated healthy controls selected from the national registry of hematopoietic stem cell donors. HLA Class I (HLA-A, −C, −B) and Class II (HLA-DRB1, −DQA1, −DQB1, −DPB1) high-resolution genotyping was conducted using next-generation sequencing. Statistical significance was assessed with chi-square tests (and Fisher’s exact tests where suitable).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Class II alleles showed stronger associations with AML than Class I alleles. At the DQA1 locus, <em>DQA1*05:01:01</em>, <em>DQA1*03:01:01</em>, <em>DQA1*01:01:01</em>, and <em>DQA1*01:02:01</em> were significantly protective (p &lt; 0.001), while <em>DQA1*04:01:01</em> was strongly linked to risk (p &lt; 0.001). Protective DPB1 alleles included <em>DPB1*04:01:01</em> and <em>DPB1*02:01:01</em>, whereas <em>DPB1*01:01:01</em> increased susceptibility. Among Class I alleles, only <em>HLA-C*02:02:01</em> was protective, while <em>HLA-B*57:01:01</em> was associated with a higher AML risk.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Class II alleles, especially those within DQA1 and DPB1, are important genetic factors influencing AML susceptibility in the Kazakhstani population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111680"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146114640","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":"HLA-G alleles in Italian patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC)","authors":"Lucia Scarabel ,&nbsp;Erick C. Castelli ,&nbsp;Michela Zorzi ,&nbsp;Elena De Mattia ,&nbsp;Noemi Milan ,&nbsp;Aurora Giacomin ,&nbsp;Roberto Innocente ,&nbsp;Federico Navarria ,&nbsp;Marco Gigante ,&nbsp;Maurizio Mascarin ,&nbsp;Vincenzo Canzonieri ,&nbsp;Elena Ongaro ,&nbsp;Renato Cannizzaro ,&nbsp;Claudio Belluco ,&nbsp;Giuseppe Toffoli ,&nbsp;Erika Cecchin","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111673","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111673","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Aim</h3><div>High-resolution <em>HLA-G</em> typing in selected patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) enrolled at the National Cancer Institute “Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS” (Italy) (CRO-2023-77).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div><em>HLA-G</em> genotyping was conducted in 405 LARC patients with allele identification at the genomic (4-field), exonic (3-field), and protein (2-field) levels. Genomic DNA was extracted from buffy coat samples, and full-length <em>HLA-G</em> amplicons were obtained by long-range PCR. DNA libraries were prepared with the QIAseq FX DNA Library kit (Qiagen) and sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform (2x250bp). High-coverage sequencing data (&gt;50x) were analyzed using an updated version (v5) of the <em>hla-mapper</em> workflow.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>This LARC cohort predominantly included patients from the North-East regions of Italy. Variants in the <em>HLA-G</em> gene were mostly located in intronic (50, 41.0%) and regulatory regions, including promoter, 5′UTR, and 3′UTR (50, 41%), compared to exonic regions (22, 18.0%). Most variants were bi-allelic single nucleotide variants, although insertions/deletions were also detected. Almost half of patients (186, 45.9%) showed at least one missense (rs41551813, rs770412396, rs12722477, or rs12722482), start-lost (rs143732275), or frameshift (rs41557518) variants. Moreover, in 60 (14.8%) patients, 39 different rare or putative novel variants were found, all in heterozygosity. One patient carried the G*01:01:11 rare allele, previously reported only in two Brazilian relatives of Italian ancestry. The most prevalent allotypes were HLA-G*01:01, HLA-G*01:04, HLA-G*01:06, HLA-G*01:03, and the HLA-G*01:05N null allele, consistent with European reference data. Our LARC cohort shows frequencies similar to those reported for the Italian population. The differences observed comparing <em>HLA-G</em> 4-field allele frequencies between this LARC cohort and the European population for G*01:01:01:01 (<em>p</em> = 0.0004, <em>q</em> = 0.0048), G*01:01:02:01 (<em>p</em> = 0.0033, <em>q</em> = 0.0132), G*01:01:01:05 (<em>p</em> = 0.0012, <em>q</em> = 0.0072), G*01:01:01:04 (<em>p</em> = 0.0093, <em>q</em> = 0.0279), G*01:03:01:02 (<em>p</em> = 0.0354, <em>q</em> = 0.0708), and rare 4-field alleles (<em>p</em> = 0.0117, <em>q</em> = 0.0281) reflected the known allele differences across European countries.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study represents the largest Italian cohort to date with comprehensive high-resolution <em>HLA-G</em> genotyping in LARC patients. Ongoing analyses aim to correlate these genetic findings with clinical parameters and HLA-G expression levels in liquid biopsies. This integrative approach may identify HLA-G–related genetic factors influencing prognosis, therapeutic response, and treatment-related adverse events in patients with LARC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111673"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146144771","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":"Characterization of anti-HLA antibodies pre- and post-renal transplantation in the Tunisian central region","authors":"Maha Changuel ,&nbsp;Ichrak Bannour ,&nbsp;Mourad Elghali ,&nbsp;Nouha Ben Mahmoud ,&nbsp;Hadhom Chouat ,&nbsp;Ines Jaafar ,&nbsp;Wafa Aissi ,&nbsp;Mouna Hamouda ,&nbsp;Habib Skhiri ,&nbsp;Nabil Sakly","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111657","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111657","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In kidney transplantation, anti-HLA antibodies are associated with poor graft outcomes. This study aimed to describe the profile of anti-HLA antibodies in both renal transplanted patients and patients awaiting transplantation and to assess their impact on graft outcomes in the Tunisian central coastal region.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We retrospectively analyzed the results of anti-HLA antibody determination in 191 patients (31 transplanted and 160 awaiting transplantation) recruited between January 2019 and October 2024. Anti-HLA antibodies were investigated, prior and after a kidney transplantation if any, at the Immunology Laboratory of the University Hospital of Monastir, using Luminex technology in two steps: screening and single antigen typing.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the 191 patients evaluated before transplantation, 31.4 % (60/191) had anti-HLA antibodies, and 12.9 % (4/31) developed <em>de novo</em> antibodies after transplantation. Among the sensitized individuals, 92.2 % had anti-HLA class I antibodies, 54.7 % had class II antibodies, and 46.9 % had antibodies against both classes. The most frequent specificities were anti-HLA A2, A25, B44, B45, DQ7, and DR17. Sensitization was significantly associated with a history of blood transfusion (42.0 %; p = 0.036). High immunization levels (cPRA &gt; 80 %) were observed in 24.5 % of patients with class I antibodies and 29 % with class II antibodies, while high Mean Fluorescence Intensity (MFI &gt; 10,000) were detected in 38.9 % and 58.1 % of class I and class II cases, respectively. After transplantation, <em>de novo</em> developed antibodies were non-donor-specific antibodies, except for one. Graft rejection occurred in four patients (12.9 %), comprising three acute cellular rejections and one chronic rejection.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In summary, our study confirmed that anti-HLA antibodies are relatively frequent prior to transplantation. They are not associated with antibody-mediated rejection, and the most frequently detected antibody specificities did not correlate with the most prevalent HLA antigens in the Tunisian population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111657"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146020873","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":"Meta-analysis of the association between HLA-G 14-bp Insertion/Deletion polymorphism and susceptibility to viral infections and cancer risk","authors":"Hager Bourogâa ,&nbsp;Sabrine Dhouioui ,&nbsp;Haifa Zaibi ,&nbsp;Amina Mokrani ,&nbsp;Nadia Boujelbene ,&nbsp;Md Ataur Rahman ,&nbsp;Abdel Halim Harrath ,&nbsp;Inès Zidi","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111672","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111672","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background/Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;em&gt;HLA-G&lt;/em&gt; 14-bp insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism has been linked to both cancer susceptibility and various viral infections. This &lt;em&gt;meta&lt;/em&gt;-analysis examined the relationship between &lt;em&gt;HLA-G&lt;/em&gt; 14-bp I/D polymorphism with different viral infections on patients with or without complications of cancer.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We carried out a &lt;em&gt;meta&lt;/em&gt;-analysis according to PRISMA guidelines, pooling data from 26 case-control studies on &lt;em&gt;HLA-G&lt;/em&gt; 14-bp I/D polymorphism including association with viral diseases and cancer cases. 5906 cases and 6963 healthy controls were included in the &lt;em&gt;meta&lt;/em&gt;-analysis.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Analysis under the random model showed lack of association between &lt;em&gt;HLA-G&lt;/em&gt; 14-bp I/D polymorphism and viral infection either in the presence or absence of cancer in the overall population. Interestingly, subgroup analysis revealed variable outcomes across the subgroups analysed. Heterogeneous results depended mainly on virus characteristics (type, genome and family) and ethnicity. The &lt;em&gt;HLA-G&lt;/em&gt; 14-bp I/D polymorphism was associated with &lt;em&gt;Hepadnaviridae&lt;/em&gt; (DNA genome) infection in patients without cancer under the allelic model (D vs. I: OR = 0.801, 95% CI = 0.714–0.898, p &lt; 0.001). Conversely, it was associated with &lt;em&gt;Flaviviridae&lt;/em&gt; (RNA genome) infection in the presence of cancer under the same model (D vs. I: OR = 1.972, 95% CI = 1.022–3.806, p = 0.043). Whereas the &lt;em&gt;HLA-G&lt;/em&gt; 14-bp I/D polymorphism was not associated with &lt;em&gt;Coronaviridae&lt;/em&gt; infection or &lt;em&gt;Retroviridae&lt;/em&gt; infection in patients without cancer. The results of analysed subgroups influenced by ethnicity indicated that &lt;em&gt;HLA-G&lt;/em&gt; 14-bp I/D polymorphism was associated with viral infection under the allelic model for mixed populations and under the allelic model and the genotypic models for Caucasians. In complicated infections with the presence of cancer, the &lt;em&gt;HLA-G&lt;/em&gt; 14-bp I/D polymorphism is associated with viral infection under the allelic model (D vs. I: OR = 1.855, 95% CI = 1.459–2.358, p &lt; 0.001) and genotypic models (DD + DI vs II: OR = 4.410, 95% CI = 2.754–7.064, p &lt; 0.001; and DD vs DI + II : OR = 1.434, 95% CI = 0.984–2.088&lt;!--&gt; &lt;!--&gt;, p = 0.061) in Caucasians. Particularly, it gives protection against hepadnavirus infection in patients without cancer for Caucasians under the allelic model (D vs. I: OR = 0.752, 95% CI = 0.640–0.883, p = 0.001) and genotypic (DD + DI vs. II: OR = 0.534, 95% CI = 0.422–0.677, p &lt; 0.001 ; DD + II vs. DI: OR = 1.819, 95% CI = 1.449–2.284, p &lt; 0.001; and DI vs. II: OR = 0.509, 95% CI = 0.399–0.650, p &lt; 0.001) models. But it seems to offer a protection against flavivirus infection in Caucasians when expressing cancer under the allelic (D vs. I) and genotypic (DD vs. DI + II; DD + DI vs. II; DD + II vs. DI; DI vs. II; and DD vs. II) models.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusi","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111672"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146068314","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":"HLA typing challenges in organ donation after transplant","authors":"Nathan A. Lemp ,&nbsp;Peter Lalli ,&nbsp;Sara O. Dionne","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111658","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111658","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Background: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing is essential for organ donor-recipient matching. However, complexities arise when donors have unique clinical histories that are not fully disclosed to laboratory personnel.</div><div>Case Presentation: We describe two cases involving deceased organ donors who had recently received liver and lung transplants, respectively, prior to death. Both cases of Organ Donation After Transplant (ODAT) were referred for urgent infectious disease and HLA testing. In each case, HLA typing from peripheral blood specimens failed. At the time of laboratory submission, prior transplant status was not disclosed.</div><div>Outcome: Buccal swabs and pre-transplant HLA typing were obtained to determine HLA typing for use in organ allocation.</div><div>Conclusion: These cases underscore the need for timely, complete clinical communication between organ procurement teams and histocompatibility laboratories to avoid preventable delays and improve safety and efficiency in the donor allocation process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111658"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146020898","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":"Association of NLRC3 gene polymorphism with Graves’ disease susceptibility in a Southwest Chinese Han population","authors":"Zhongzhi Liang ,&nbsp;Qinxingzi Li ,&nbsp;Xin Wang ,&nbsp;Xin Sun ,&nbsp;Hua Li ,&nbsp;Jiahong Chen ,&nbsp;Hongsong Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111659","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111659","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>Graves’ disease (GD) is a frequently-occurring autoimmune thyroid 3condition, distinguished by complex molecular and cellular alterations. However, the fundamental mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis are still mostly unknown. The objective of this research was to explore the association between gene polymorphisms in candidate genes (<em>NLRC3</em>, <em>SATB1</em> and <em>USP19</em>) and susceptibility to GD in a Southwest Chinese Han population.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-stage association analysis was conducted in 768 GD patients and 768 healthy controls. Genotyping of <em>NLRC3</em> rs117213971 C &gt; G, <em>SATB1</em> rs2229261 G &gt; T and <em>USP19</em> rs11552724 C &gt; G was performed using the Sequenom Massarray platform. Additionally, the expression of candidate genes was assessed using qRT-PCR, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-17, IL-10, and TGF-β1) levels were measured by ELISA.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In the initial phase of statistical analysis, GD patients exhibited significantly higher frequencies of the <em>NLRC3</em> rs117213971 C &gt; G C allele and a greater prevalence of the CC genotype, a finding confirmed with a larger sample set. Additionally, the <em>NLRC3</em> rs117213971 C &gt; G CC genotype was significantly associated with increased IL-17 levels, decreased TGF-β1 secretion, and reduced <em>NLRC3</em> expression.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study demonstrates a strong correlation between the <em>NLRC3</em> rs117213971 C &gt; G genotype and susceptibility to GD in the Southwest Chinese Han population, suggesting that <em>NLRC3</em> expression regulation and inflammatory cytokine secretion may contribute to the development of GD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111659"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145981681","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":"Human Immunology thanks our 2025 reviewers","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111689","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111689","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111689"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147398046","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":"HLA typing of HLA-A, −B, −C, −DPB1, −DQB1 and −DRB1 loci of 226 individuals from three metropolitan areas in South Africa","authors":"Akiko Suzuki ,&nbsp;Richard Baguma ,&nbsp;Shobna Sawry ,&nbsp;Katherine Gill ,&nbsp;Jean Le Roux ,&nbsp;Anusha Nana ,&nbsp;Faeezah Patel ,&nbsp;Nigel Garrett ,&nbsp;Alex Sigal ,&nbsp;Penny L. Moore ,&nbsp;Lee Fairlie ,&nbsp;Catherine Riou ,&nbsp;Wendy A. Burgers ,&nbsp;Ziyaad Valley-Omar","doi":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111677","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humimm.2026.111677","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this study was to characterize HLA diversity in individuals from clinical research sites in order to better understand T cell responses to COVID-19 vaccines in relation to their HLA profiles. Next-generation sequence-based typing of the HLA-A, −B, −C, −DPB1, −DQB1 and −DRB1 loci is reported for 226 individuals from three metropolitan areas in South Africa. Overall, the frequencies of both class I and class II HLA alleles in this study were comparable to those identified in other South African studies. While a more uniform allele frequency prevalence was noted for HLA class I and HLA-DRB1 genes, an allele bias was noted within our population for HLA-DPB1 and −DQB1 alleles, where three most prevalent alleles accounted for allele frequencies of between 12.3 and 29.8%. Our HLA genotyping data will contribute to an expanding catalogue of HLA data from Africa, which are available in the Allele Frequencies Net Database under identifiers 3826, 3827 and 3828.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55047,"journal":{"name":"Human Immunology","volume":"87 3","pages":"Article 111677"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146114445","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}