09/15/2024


It is known that a subpopulation of T cells expresses two T cell receptor (TCR) clonotypes, though the extent and functional significance of this is not established. To definitively evaluate dual TCRα cells, we generated mice with green fluorescent protein and red fluorescent protein reporters linked to TCRα, revealing that ∼16% of T cells express dual TCRs, notably higher than prior estimates. Importantly, dual TCR expression has functional consequences, as dual TCR cells predominated response to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection, comprising up to 60% of virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells during acute responses. Dual receptor expression selectively influenced immune memory, as postinfection memory CD4+ populations contained significantly increased frequencies of dual TCR cells. These data reveal a previously unappreciated contribution of dual TCR cells to the immune repertoire and highlight their potential effects on immune responses.Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent regulated necrosis mediated by lipid peroxidation. Cancer cells survive under metabolic stress conditions by altering lipid metabolism, which may alter their sensitivity to ferroptosis. However, the association between lipid metabolism and ferroptosis is not completely understood. In this study, we found that the expression of elongation of very long-chain fatty acid protein 5 (ELOVL5) and fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) is up-regulated in mesenchymal-type gastric cancer cells (GCs), leading to ferroptosis sensitization. In contrast, these enzymes are silenced by DNA methylation in intestinal-type GCs, rendering cells resistant to ferroptosis. Lipid profiling and isotope tracing analyses revealed that intestinal-type GCs are unable to generate arachidonic acid (AA) and adrenic acid (AdA) from linoleic acid. AA supplementation of intestinal-type GCs restores their sensitivity to ferroptosis. Based on these data, the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) biosynthesis pathway plays an essential role in ferroptosis; thus, this pathway potentially represents a marker for predicting the efficacy of ferroptosis-mediated cancer therapy.Preclinical and clinical data support the use of focused ultrasound (FUS), in the presence of intravenously injected microbubbles, to safely and transiently increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). FUS-induced BBB permeability has been shown to enhance the bioavailability of administered intravenous therapeutics to the brain. Ideal therapeutics candidates for this mode of delivery are those capable of inducing benefits peripherally following intravenous injection and in the brain at FUS-targeted areas. In Alzheimer's disease, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), a fractionated human blood product containing polyclonal antibodies, act as immunomodulator peripherally and centrally, and it can reduce amyloid pathology in the brain. Using the TgCRND8 mouse model of amyloidosis, we tested whether FUS can improve the delivery of IVIg, administered intravenously (0.4 g/kg), to the hippocampus and reach an effective dose to reduce amyloid plaque pathology and promote neurogenesis. Our results show that FUS-induced BBB permeability is required to deliver a significant amount of IVIg (489 ng/mg) to the targeted hippocampus of TgCRN8 mice. Two IVIg-FUS treatments, administered at days 1 and 8, significantly increased hippocampal neurogenesis by 4-, 3-, and 1.5-fold in comparison to saline, IVIg alone, and FUS alone, respectively. Amyloid plaque pathology was significantly reduced in all treatment groups IVIg alone, FUS alone, and IVIg-FUS. Putative factors promoting neurogenesis in response to IVIg-FUS include the down-regulation of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α in the hippocampus. In summary, FUS was required to deliver an effective dose of IVIg to promote hippocampal neurogenesis and modulate the inflammatory milieu.We have previously shown that multimers of plasma pentraxin-3 (PTX3) were predictive of survival in patients with sepsis. To characterize the release kinetics and cellular source of plasma protein changes in sepsis, serial samples were obtained from healthy volunteers (n = 10; three time points) injected with low-dose endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) and analyzed using data-independent acquisition MS. The human plasma proteome response was compared with an LPS-induced endotoxemia model in mice. Proteomic analysis of human plasma revealed a rapid neutrophil degranulation signature, followed by a rise in acute phase proteins. Changes in circulating PTX3 correlated with increases in neutrophil-derived proteins following LPS injection. Time course analysis of the plasma proteome in mice showed a time-dependent increase in multimeric PTX3, alongside increases in neutrophil-derived myeloperoxidase (MPO) upon LPS treatment. The mechanisms of oxidation-induced multimerization of PTX3 were explored in two genetic LPS-induced deposition of multimeric PTX3 in the aorta.Whereas previous research in the medical humanities has tended to neglect theology and religious studies, these disciplines sometimes have a very important contribution to make. The hearing of spiritually significant voices provides a case in point. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ag-221-enasidenib.html The context, content and identity of these voices, all of which have typically not been seen as important in the assessment of auditory-verbal hallucinations (AVHs) within psychiatry, are key to understanding their spiritual significance. A taxonomy of spiritually significant voices is proposed, which takes into account frequency, context, affect and identity of the voice. In a predominantly Christian sample of 58 people who reported having heard spiritually significant voices, most began in adult life and were infrequent experiences. Almost 90% reported that the voice was divine in identity and approximately one-third were heard in the context of prayer. The phenomenological characteristics of these voices were different from those in previous studies of voice hearing (AVHs). Most comprised a single voice; half were auditory; and a quarter were more thought-like (the rest being a mixture). Only half were characterful, and one-third included commands or prompts. The voices were experienced positively and as meaningful. The survey has implications for both clinical and pastoral work. The phenomenology of spiritually significant voices may be confused with that of psychopathology, thus potentially leading to misdiagnosis of normal religious experiences. The finding of meaning in content and context may be important in voice hearing more widely, and especially in coping with negative or distressing voices.