Issues
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Cover Image
Cover Image
ON THE COVER
The cover is a light-sheet microscopy image of a cleared, immunostained human skin biopsy depicting podoplanin-positive, αSMA-negative lymphatic vessels (yellow-red) and αSMA-positive blood vessels (blue). Image © Bauer et al., 2025. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20242353 - PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
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Insights
AC/DC: Highway to cell
AC corpses can be taken up by certain types of dendritic cell (DC), which cross-present dead cell–derived antigens. Tam et al. reveal that GPR34, a lysophosphatidylserine receptor, promotes AC uptake and cross-presentation by type 1 DCs (cDC1s).
Reviews
Pathogenesis of polyglutamine diseases: Piecing together a complex molecular puzzle
This comprehensive review by Villavicencio Gonzalez and Zoghbi integrates established and emerging insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of polyglutamine disorders, emphasizing recent discoveries on transcriptional dysregulation, somatic expansion, protein accumulation, and cellular toxicity. It explores evolving therapeutic strategies and recent clinical trials for these disorders.
Monogenic disorders of the IRF transcription factors
The number of human diseases caused by genetic disruption of the interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) is growing rapidly. Here, Stojcic et al. review the biology and clinical features of inborn errors of IRFs, a group of monogenic disorders affecting the IRF family of transcription factors.
Bringing natural killer cells to the clinic: Opportunities beyond cancer
This review explores the expanding roles of natural killer cells beyond cancer, highlighting their pivotal functions in viral infections, neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune diseases, and transplantation medicine—offering insights into their functions in the pathogenesis and new therapeutic avenues.
Perspectives
Does fever drive the evolution of antiviral genes?
Fever is an evolutionary conserved response to pathogens. In this Perspective, Langlois hypothesizes that antiviral genes are selected for their function at fever temperatures yet are commonly studied at basal temperatures. It is therefore possible that there is currently a blind spot in our understanding of antiviral gene mechanisms.
Brief Definitive Reports
Splenic cDC1 efferocytosis and cross-presentation to CD8 T cells are promoted by GPR34 and lysophosphatidylserine
Tam et al. identify GPR34 as a splenic cDC1 receptor that is required for efferocytosis and for the cross-presentation of apoptotic cell–associated antigen to CD8 T cells. The lysophosphatidylserine-generating enzyme PLA1A acts in the GPR34 pathway to support this response.
Articles
Thymic myeloid cells are heterogenous and include a novel population of transitional dendritic cells
Thymic myeloid cells regulate T cell tolerance. Here, we describe their heterogeneity. We found that thymic “DC2” comprise four distinct lineages, including monocyte-derived DCs and macrophages, and conventional DC2. Among DC2, a novel population of transitional DCs, representing thymus immigrating cells, was identified.
Radiotherapy induces YTHDF2 in dendritic cells impairing cross-presentation and T cell function
Chen et al. discover that YTHDF2 in dendritic cells negatively regulates antitumor immunity of radiotherapy. The SPI1–YTHDF2–Notch signaling–MHC-I axis orchestrates the antigen cross-presentation function of dendritic cells. Pharmacological YTHDF2 inhibition potentiates dendritic cell vaccine efficacy.
Lung tissue–resident memory T cells optimize protection by IL-10 regulation of innate immunity
This study shows that the lung-localized secondary compared with primary response to influenza infection exhibits reduced inflammatory cytokines and increased IL-10 production. Lung tissue–resident memory T cells are the predominant producers of IL-10, which reduces macrophage-mediated inflammation and promotes T cell effector function.
FCRL3 is an immunoregulatory receptor that restrains the activation of human memory T lymphocytes
The authors found that the FCRL3 receptor is expressed upon repetitive activation of human memory T lymphocytes and limits their responses via inhibitory pathways. This study identifies FCRL3 as a regulator of highly differentiated memory T cells in humans.
Transcriptomics- and 3D imaging–based characterization of the lymphatic vasculature in human skin
This study reveals how the structure and cellular morphology of human dermal afferent lymphatic vessels differ from the current, primarily mouse tissue–based textbook description. Furthermore, it identifies the new valve marker CD24 and reveals its contribution to mesenteric valve formation.
The assembly of cancer-specific ribosomes by the lncRNA LISRR suppresses melanoma anti-tumor immunity
Cinque et al. demonstrate that inhibition of a cancer-specific transcript makes human drug-tolerant persister cells visible to the immune system and re-sensitizes cancer cells to immune checkpoint blockade.
Heterologous mucosal vaccine boosting enhances mucosal and systemic immunity by distinct mechanisms
Bissett et al. demonstrate that mucosal delivery of heterologous omicron vaccine is able to overcome deleterious prime-derived immunological imprinting via multiple mechanisms, with intranasal boosting responses unaffected by suppressive prime-derived antibodies, and cross-reactive memory T cells engaged and recruited to the lungs.
Xbp1 controls the reparative function of intestinal ILC2s during colitis
This study reveals that the impaired IRE1α-Xbp1 pathway in gut ILC2s, caused by loss of IL-25 and rise of IFN-γ, disrupts folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism during colitis. Supplementation with one-carbon metabolism-derived AMP alleviates inflammation, suggesting a potential target of UC.
Role for NF-κB in herpes encephalitis pathology in mice genocopying an inborn error of IRF3-IFN immunity
Idorn et al. characterized a mouse strain harboring a mutation identified in an HSE patient. Defective IFN-driven antiviral responses led to hyperactivation of inflammatory responses, which contributed to disease development. The study identifies immunopathology as an important contributor to HSE pathogenesis.
Genetically heterozygous - transcriptionally homozygous IRF7 deficiency underlies herpesvirus CNS infections in humans
This study identifies genetically heterozygous and transcriptionally homozygous deficiency of IRF7 as an inborn error of interferon immunity underlying herpesvirus CNS infection. We find that the monoallelic expression of a deleterious IRF7 variant determines disease penetrance and exerts its effect in a spatial and temporal manner.
Adenosine metabolic clearance maintains liver homeostasis by licensing arginine methylation of RIPK1
ADK removes adenosine to license PRMT5-mediated RIPK1 R606 symmetric dimethylation. The methylation inhibits death domain–mediated RIPK1 dimerization, which suppresses TNFα-induced cell death. ADK deficiency leads to RIPK1-driven hepatic tissue homeostasis disruption, including spontaneous liver injury in unstressed conditions and ischemia–reperfusion injury during liver surgery.
Corrections
Correction: Neonatal microbiota colonization primes maturation of goblet cell–mediated protection in the pre-weaning colon
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