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European Journal of Immunology Nov 2007Cytokines affect nearly every biological process; these include embryonic development, disease pathogenesis, non-specific response to infection, specific response to... (Review)
Review
Cytokines affect nearly every biological process; these include embryonic development, disease pathogenesis, non-specific response to infection, specific response to antigen, changes in cognitive functions and progression of the degenerative processes of aging. In addition, cytokines are part of stem cell differentiation, vaccine efficacy and allograft rejection. This short insight focuses on the milestones in cytokine biology and how the various and often contradictory activities of these small, non-structural proteins affected the fields of inflammation and immunology. Multiple biological properties or pleiotropism is the hallmark of a cytokine. Today, the term "cytokine" encompasses interferons, the interleukins, the chemokine family, mesenchymal growth factors, the tumor necrosis factor family and adipokines. As of this writing, 33 cytokines are called interleukins, but many are part of families of related but distinct gene products. There are certainly over 100 separate genes coding for cytokine-like activities, many with overlapping functions and many still unexplored. Also discussed in this overview are the failures and successes of cytokines as therapeutic targets. A recent advance in the field has been that of differential cytokine production, which can be used to classify human disease as being "autoimmune" or "autoinflammatory" thus impacting on therapeutic interventions.
Topics: Allergy and Immunology; Animals; Cytokines; History, 20th Century; Humans
PubMed: 17972343
DOI: 10.1002/eji.200737772 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2019This treatise describes the development of immunology as a scientific discipline with a focus on its foundation. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, the study of... (Review)
Review
This treatise describes the development of immunology as a scientific discipline with a focus on its foundation. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, the study of immunology was founded with the discoveries of phagocytosis by Elias Metchnikoff, as well as by Emil Behring's and Paul Ehrlich's discovery of neutralizing antibodies. These seminal studies were followed by the discoveries of bacteriolysis by complement and of opsonization by antibodies, which provided first evidence for cooperation between acquired and innate immunity. In the years that followed, light was shed on the pathogenic corollary of the immune response, describing different types of hypersensitivity. Subsequently, immunochemistry dominated the field, leading to the revelation of the chemical structure of antibodies in the 1960s. Immunobiology was preceded by transplantation biology, which laid the ground for the genetic basis of acquired immunity. With the identification of antibody producers as B lymphocytes and the discovery of T lymphocytes as regulators of acquired immunity, lymphocytes moved into the center of immunologic research. T cells were shown to be genetically restricted and to regulate different leukocyte populations, including B cells and professional phagocytes. The discovery of dendritic cells as major antigen-presenting cells and their surface expression of pattern recognition receptors revealed the mechanisms by which innate immunity instructs acquired immunity. Genetic analysis provided in-depth insights into the generation of antibody diversity by recombination, which in principle was shown to underlie diversity of the T cell receptor, as well. The invention of monoclonal antibodies not only provided ultimate proof for the unique antigen specificity of the antibody-producing plasma cell, it also paved the way for a new era of immunotherapy. Emil Behring demonstrated cure of infectious disease by serum therapy, illustrating how clinical studies can stimulate basic research. The recent discovery of checkpoint control for cancer therapy illustrates how clinical application benefits from insights into basic mechanisms. Last not least, perspectives on immunology progressed from a dichotomy between cellular-unspecific innate immunity and humoral-specific acquired immunity, toward the concept of complementary binarity.
Topics: Allergy and Immunology; Animals; Antibody Formation; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Immunity, Innate
PubMed: 31001278
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00684 -
Neuron Nov 2022In an interview with Neuron, Gloria Choi gives us an overview of her work to characterize how neural circuits and behaviors are affected after immune challenges in...
In an interview with Neuron, Gloria Choi gives us an overview of her work to characterize how neural circuits and behaviors are affected after immune challenges in various contexts. We also learn about her unique perspective in marrying the two disciplines of neuroscience and immunology.
Topics: Humans; Allergy and Immunology; Nervous System; Neurosciences
PubMed: 36327891
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.10.011 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2021
Topics: Allergy and Immunology; Humans
PubMed: 34408756
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.744090 -
Cell Apr 2024Over the past 50 years in the field of immunology, something of a Copernican revolution has happened. For a long time, immunologists were mainly concerned with what is... (Review)
Review
Over the past 50 years in the field of immunology, something of a Copernican revolution has happened. For a long time, immunologists were mainly concerned with what is termed adaptive immunity, which involves the exquisitely specific activities of lymphocytes. But the other arm of immunity, so-called "innate immunity," had been neglected. To celebrate Cell's 50 anniversary, we have put together a review of the processes and components of innate immunity and trace the seminal contributions leading to the modern state of this field. Innate immunity has joined adaptive immunity in the center of interest for all those who study the body's defenses, as well as homeostasis and pathology. We are now entering the era where therapeutic targeting of innate immune receptors and downstream signals hold substantial promise for infectious and inflammatory diseases and cancer.
Topics: Immunity, Innate; Humans; Animals; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Adaptive Immunity; Allergy and Immunology
PubMed: 38670064
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.03.036 -
Gastroenterology May 2020
Topics: Advisory Committees; Allergy and Immunology; Eosinophilic Esophagitis; Gastroenterology; Humans; Societies, Medical; United States
PubMed: 32359562
DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.02.038 -
Cellular & Molecular Immunology May 2016
Topics: Allergy and Immunology; Liver
PubMed: 27041634
DOI: 10.1038/cmi.2016.09 -
Trends in Immunology Feb 2017Single-cell genomics offers powerful tools for studying immune cells, which make it possible to observe rare and intermediate cell states that cannot be resolved at the... (Review)
Review
Single-cell genomics offers powerful tools for studying immune cells, which make it possible to observe rare and intermediate cell states that cannot be resolved at the population level. Advances in computer science and single-cell sequencing technology have created a data-driven revolution in immunology. The challenge for immunologists is to harness computing and turn an avalanche of quantitative data into meaningful discovery of immunological principles, predictive models, and strategies for therapeutics. Here, we review the current literature on computational analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data and discuss underlying assumptions, methods, and applications in immunology, and highlight important directions for future research.
Topics: Allergy and Immunology; Animals; Computational Biology; Genomics; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; Immune System; Immunologic Techniques; Immunotherapy; Single-Cell Analysis
PubMed: 28094102
DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2016.12.001 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2019One of the mandates of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) is to promote immunological education to young scientists across the globe, including a... (Review)
Review
One of the mandates of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) is to promote immunological education to young scientists across the globe, including a large focus on those from low and low-to-middle income countries (LIC and LMIC). It strives to achieve this goal through the Education Committee (EDU), which is one of ten committees of the IUIS. To this end, EDU organizes three to four one-week courses per year in close cooperation with regional immunological societies and local organizers. Initially, the focus has been on Africa, addressing the most relevant topics and health issues facing specific countries or regions in the continent. The idea was then extended to Latin America and now also includes courses in Asia. The faculty of all courses is a blend of international and local/regional experts also known for their teaching expertise. The courses are highly interactive, and include "meet-the-speakers" sessions, poster walks, and sessions on grant or PhD project writing, and on practical aspects of becoming a successful scientist. Importantly, all the IUIS-EDU courses use a combination of pre- and during-course on-line learning followed by consolidation of knowledge in a collegial setting. This "flipped" classroom approach ensures that participants have acquired the basic knowledge needed to optimize their participation in the course. Immunopaedia is the IUIS-endorsed immunology learning site used for this purpose. All faculty members are requested to contribute material related to their specific topic while students must learn the on-line material before coming in person to the course. All course participants have free access to all Immunopaedia material indefinitely. The implementation of regional immunology courses targeted to local health issues in areas of the world where PhD students, post-doctoral, and early career scientists often do not have access to open on-line resources and contact with renowned experts in the field has proven to be highly successful. The long-term impact of this structured educational program is already visible through the large number of young scientists who are now connected via Immunopaedia and who are forming networks in regions where there had been very little contact before and building new Immunological Societies.
Topics: Allergy and Immunology; Curriculum; Education, Continuing; Education, Distance; Humans
PubMed: 31555265
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02012 -
Trends in Immunology Jul 2020
Topics: Allergy and Immunology; Humans
PubMed: 32405263
DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2020.05.004