The Journal of Immunology

Extracellular HMGB1 impairs macrophage phagocytosis and promotes salivary gland dysfunction in Sjogren’s syndrome Abstract. Impaired phagocytosis of macrophages was observed in the salivary glands (SGs) of Sjogren’s syndrome (SS). This study aims to investigate the dyn

Data show that extracellular HMGB1 exacerbates the inflammatory-autoimmune microenvironments in salivary glands, suggesting that glycyrrhizin treatment may serve as a promising natural inhibitor for the management of Sjogren’s syndrome. Learn more: ow.ly/lp9S50YepSa.

NKG2A-mediated immune modulation of natural killer cells by Staphylococcus aureus Abstract. Natural killer (NK) cells are specialized lymphocytes that help protect against viruses and cancer. However, in the context of bacterial infectio

Data suggest that S. aureus bloodstream infection in humans promotes a phenotypic shift toward CD57− NKG2A+ NK cells with greater IFN-γ–producing capacity, providing a plausible way to promote inflammation-driven disease pathogenesis. Read more online: ow.ly/AEZA50Yepye.

Data identified a function of TLR7 in modulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells response to Candida albicans and suggested that RUNX1 and KLF4 were key transcription factors in regulating TLR7-mediated granulocytic MDSC immune responses. Learn more: ow.ly/qWfo50YepvI.

Data shed light on the immunological dimensions of hypoxia-inducible factor stabilization and its implications for patient care, urging further exploration of its therapeutic and safety profile. Learn more in The JI: ow.ly/sY2o50Yepq9

Deep phenomics of PRR agonist activated human blood Abstract. Human whole blood (WB) immunophenotyping may represent the in vivo immunological state with better fidelity than artificially isolated peripheral

Researchers used a deep phenomics modeling approach to elucidate the quantitative differences in major immune cell lineages in whole blood vs peripheral blood mononuclear compartments in a steady-state in vitro setting. See what they found: ow.ly/G6mv50YephG.

Distinct expression of CD56 and CD19 marks molecular and functional endotypes of tetanus- versus RBD-specific human bone marrow plasma cells Abstract. Plasma cell survival is influenced by various factors, including soluble mediators, intrinsic and extrinsic signals as well as adhesion molecules

Given the emerging potential of selective human bone marrow plasma cells subsets, data may provide a rationale for optimized vaccination protocols, as well as selective plasma-cell targeting in autoimmunity. Read why in The JI: ow.ly/nbqX50Yelj3.

Type 1 regulatory cells suppress T-cell cytotoxicity to alleviate liver injury during acute hepatitis B virus infection in mice Abstract. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) exclusively infects hepatocytes and produces large quantities of subviral particles containing its surface antigen (HBsAg

Researchers uncover the mechanisms that regulate T-cell responses to eliminate hepatitis B without causing immunopathology during acute infection, highlighting the critical function of Tr1 cells in modulating T-cell cytotoxicity. Read about it in The JI: ow.ly/bkYw50YeloL

Non-hematopoietic tryptophan metabolism is a driver of ineffective T cell responses during secondary pulmonary bacterial infection Abstract. Pulmonary infections often fail to produce long-lived immune memory and the underlying mechanism(s) for this are unclear. Given the complex inter

Crosstalk among cells of the lungs influences spatial organization of immune cells, affecting the ability to develop effective memory immune responses against bacterial infection and explaining the challenge of using live vaccines against tularemia.

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The January issue of The Journal of Immunology is online now! Featuring updates on #CuttingEdge criteria and research from esteemed colleagues, be sure to give it a read.

🔗 bit.ly/TJI0126

Resolving the field: a role for Nod2 in T cells Abstract. NOD2 is primarily recognized as a cytosolic bacterial sensor of peptidoglycan, activating a downstream Rip2/NF-κB–mediated antimicrobial signalin

This #BriefReview highlights a T cell intrinsic role for NOD2 downstream of T cell receptor and co-receptor signaling and delineates how NOD2 shapes T cell responses in both homeostasis and disease. Read the full review: ow.ly/gKJs50Y4nNq.

TLR4al senses heme as a key damage/danger-associated molecular pattern to activate immune responses in lower vertebrates Abstract. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a critical pattern recognition receptor, detects microbe- and damage/danger-associated molecular patterns to trigger

#WeekendRead! #SameSameButDifferent! #FirstLove! Its discovery changed our understanding of the functioning of innate immunity and of the immune response in general, but actually not all TLR4s are equal, check this out @jimmunol.bsky.social 👇👇👇 academic.oup.com/jimmunol/art...

Calling all authors and readers of The JI and @immunohorizons.bsky.social! Late-breaking abstract submissions for IMMUNOLOGY2026™ close today, January 22. Showcase your groundbreaking #immunology research in Boston this April.

Data show that BRGSF-HIS mice possess human myeloid and lymphoid cell compartments in the lung interstitium comparable to humans, providing an opportunity for studying immune mechanisms of human lung diseases. This #TopRead is a collaboration led by Dr. Doumet Georges Helou: ow.ly/c5JL50XYaBP.

Data indicate that human CD4+ mucosal-associated invariant T cell TCRs may be selected by alternative MR1 ligands in addition to canonical riboflavin intermediates. Find this #TopRead article from @charlesvorkas.bsky.social and team online: ow.ly/hcNc50XYarT.

Diagram showing immune cell interactions in thymus regions with labeled microenvironments and IFN concentration gradients.

#ICYMI: From Dr. Kristin Hogquist at the Center for Immunology-UMN focuses on interferon (IFN) production within the thymus and its effects on thymic APCs and developing thymocyte while also examining the importance of T-cell tolerance to IFN. The Journal of Immunology: https://ow.ly/UEMw50VEIEx

Optimized detection and inference of immune cell type names in single-cell RNA sequencing data Abstract. Accurate identification of immune cell subsets in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data is critical for understanding immune responses in a

Researchers developed optimized detection and inference of names in scRNA-seq data (scODIN) to enhance the understanding of immune cell heterogeneity and immune regulation. Read more to see the broad implications for immunology and personalized medicine: ow.ly/InOb50XS9k2.

Malat1 regulates female Th2 cell cytokine expression through controlling early differentiation and response to IL-2 Abstract. Identifying cell intrinsic regulators of immune sexual dimorphism is critical for treatment of several immunopathologies. We show that Malat1 is

Female Malat1-/- mice demonstrated altered Th2 cytokine expression, evidenced by a reduction in IL-10+ Th2 cells in both lung and spleen, while male Malat1-/- mice did not, revealing Malat1 as a novel determinant of immune sexual dimorphism. Read more: ow.ly/RgN050XQCz8.

Awesome @altmetric.com trending research from The Journal of Immunology & @immunohorizons.bsky.social is featured in this year's #immunologywrapped! From the "Impact of sleep deprivation on monocyte subclasses and function" to "TRPV1+ neurons promote cutaneous immunity against Schistosoma mansoni".

Enhanced affinity for the IL-2 receptor β subunit potently increases antitumor efficacy of IL-2 across various tumor models by reshaping the tumor microenvironment Abstract. The main limitations of cancer treatment with high doses of recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) are high toxicity and the undesired expansion of reg

Researchers evaluated SB834Fc, an IL-2 mutated variant, for its anti-tumor properties. Their results support SB834Fc as a candidate to develop a new IL-2 based cancer #immunotherapy with less toxicity than other IL-2 treatments. Read more online: ow.ly/7Axz50XIyeG.

Immunology of Zoonotic Diseases and Relevant Animal Models Crystal Loving guest edits a collection of reviews featuring research on diseases that lie at the interface of human and animal health.

#InternationalVeterinaryMedicineDay recognizes the essential role of Vets in global health. Animal models, both traditional and nontraditional, are crucial for studying the complex immunology of diseases that jump species barriers. 📖 Zoonotic Diseases collection: academic.oup.com/jimmunol/pag....

Veterinarian with a dog in front of a globe, celebrating International Veterinary Medicine Day honoring vets and scientists.

Happy #InternationalVeterinaryMedicineDay! See how diverse species are advancing research in our special collection in The Journal of Immunology, "Beyond the Mouse: Nontraditional Animal Models." Discover more: https://ow.ly/i5Vk50XGp5K.

Associated transcription factors of allergic rhinitis: SP1 aggravates nasal epithelial barrier damage Abstract. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a respiratory airway disorder characterized by inflammation and barrier dysfunction. The transcription factor specifici

Data suggest that transcription factor specificity protein 1 (SP1) aggravates allergic rhinitis through the upregulation of forkhead box C1 (FOXC1), which reverses the protective effect of SP1 silencing on epithelial barrier damage. Read more online: ow.ly/cKOO50XFVik.

MEF2D regulates T-cell function via CD70-CD27 signaling and promotes immune evasion in hepatocellular carcinoma Abstract. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as one of the most prevalent and fatal malignancies globally, posing a persistent challenge in its treatmen

Researchers found that MEF2D blocks T-cell–mediated antitumor immunity by regulating the expression of CD70 and activating the CD70-CD27 signaling axis. Manipulating this pathway may improve the efficacy of liver cancer immunotherapy. Learn more: ow.ly/nh8n50XFUxU.

📥 Submit your abstracts for IMMUNOLOGY2026™ by Dec 16 and ensure that your original abstract is published in The Journal of Immunology as a supplement: immunology2026.aai.org/abstracts/

📖 Explore last year's IMMUNOLOGY2025™ abstracts now: academic.oup.com/jimmunol/iss...

This November #TopRead from Wei Luo and Shlomchik Lab demonstrated that PTEN deficiency selectively expanded germinal center B cells in Peyer’s patches but had no impact on those induced by immunization, revealing an unknown role for PTEN. Read more: ow.ly/Ia9k50XAbiP.

Volume 214 Issue 11 | The Journal of Immunology | Oxford Academic The JI publishes peer-reviewed manuscripts describing novel findings in all areas of experimental immunology, including both basic and clinical studies.

The latest issue of The JI is now online! Read cutting edge research, brief reviews, and more.

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#ReadTheJI #Immunology

This #CuttingEdge article reports that neutralizing FLT3L may effectively treat Sjögren’s and other FLT3L-associated autoimmune diseases. Read all about in The JI: ow.ly/u3lj50XyhWR.

Data suggest that S. mansoni may have evolved to manipulate TRPV1+ neuron activation as a countermeasure to limit IL-17-mediated inflammation, facilitating systemic dissemination and chronic parasitism. Read more: ow.ly/3zz250XxJKa .

Clonally expanded IgG, but not IgA, antibody-secreting cells preferentially target influenza nucleoprotein following homologous and heterologous infections The Editors have selected this article as a highlight of the issue.

New data reveals the complex relationship between bone marrow antibody secreting repertoires, mucosal humoral immune responses, and B cell receptor antigen specificity during #influenza infection. Read more in this #TopRead article: ow.ly/3INy50Xt1vV.

Eomesodermin defines uterine NK cells crucial for pregnancy success in mice Abstract. Uterine natural killer cells have been thought to be critical for reproductive success, and their developmental origins remain unclear. Here, we

In this #CuttingEdge article, researchers describe the pivotal role of uterine NK cells in pregnancy, offering novel insights into their lineage specification and revealing Eomesodermin as crucial to their establishment. Learn more: ow.ly/jA6550XsYGs