Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be classified as seropositive or seronegative according to the presence of autoantibodies. An abnormal B cell phenotype and function could be one of the main components of the immunopathology of seropositive patients, however, there is little information regarding B cell defects in these patients. This study showed a broad characterization of the B cell phenotype

The skin is a unique immune organ that constitutes a complex network of physical, chemical, and microbiological barriers against external insults. Keratinocytes are the most abundant cell type in the epidermis. These cells form the physical skin barrier and represent the first line of the host defense system by sensing pathogens via innate immune receptors, initiating antimicrobial responses and producing

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare primary immunodeficiency of innate immunity, leading to increased susceptibility to bacterial and fungal infections and to dysregulated inflammatory responses. The disease is caused by defects in the genes encoding any of the components of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase complex, which is essential for the intracellular killing

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that mainly damages the salivary and lacrimal glands. Immune complex (IC) formation triggers local inflammation through IC deposition and decreased antigen function. Some ICs can leak from the lesion and into the saliva but no salivary ICs have been reported to date. We used immune complexome analysis to comprehensively identify antigens incorporated

Macrophages play important roles in MS and EAE, and M2 macrophage may have anti‐inflammatory effects. In this study we elucidated the roles of M1 and M2 macrophages in the pathogenesis of EAE and the effects of treatment with M2 macrophages that target certain pro‐inflammatory cytokines and with immunomodulatory preparations that beneficially influence the disease course. We found macrophages increased

Interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is a master regulator of macrophage phenotype and a key transcription factor involved in expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokine responses to microbial and viral infection. Here, we show that IRF5 controls cellular and metabolic responses. By integrating ChIP‐seq and ATAC‐seq datasets, we uncovered that IRF5 directly regulates metabolic genes such as hexokinase‐2

Behçet disease is a multisystem disease associated with Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) class I polymorphism. High‐resolution Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) with haplotype analysis has not been performed previously for this disease. Sixty Egyptian patients diagnosed according to the International Study Group (ISG) criteria for Behçet disease, and 160 healthy geographic and ethnic‐matched controls were

When Thetis dipped her son Achilles into the River Styx to make him immortal, she held him by the Heel, which was not submerged, and thus created a weak spot that proved deadly for Achilles. Millennia later, Achilles Heel is part of today’s lexicon meaning an area of weakness or a vulnerable spot that causes failure. Also implied is that an Achilles Heel is often missed, forgotten or underappreciated

Circulating microvesicles (MVs) from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) express the type 1 interferon (IFN)‐inducible protein galectin‐3 binding protein (G3BP), which may enhance their deposition in the glomerular basement membrane. The release of G3BP‐expressing MVs from normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are induced by Toll‐like receptor 9 (TLR9) ligands and these vesicles

Behςet’s disease (BD) is an inflammatory disease mostly affecting men along the ancient silk route. In the present study we describe a Dutch family suffering from BD‐like disease with extreme pathergic responses, but without systemic inflammation. Genetic assessment revealed a combination of the HLA‐B*51 risk‐allele together with a rare heterozygous variant in the CSF2 gene (c.130A>C, p.N44H) encoding

A better understanding of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) may help inform precision treatment strategies. We sought to identify clinically meaningful TIME signatures in ccRCC.

Against the backdrop of the global coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic in the past year we have seen huge changes to the way we communicate and share research, not just between researchers, but also with industry and the general public. Immunology as a discipline has been evidently thrust into the limelight of public attention. Given the increasing importance of the speed of research dissemination

Natural Killer (NK) cell functions are regulated by diverse inhibitory and activating receptors including Killer cell Immunoglobulin‐like receptors (KIR) which interact with HLA class I molecules. Some KIR/HLA genetic combinations were reported associated with spontaneous clearance (SC) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) but with discordant results, possibly reflecting KIR and/or HLA gene polymorphism according

The COVID‐19 pandemic, caused by SARS‐CoV‐2, has resulted in more than a million deaths and tens of millions of infections globally. As we approach the first anniversary of its characterization, it is timely to consider the developments, and persistent limitations, in our understanding of this pathogen. In this special edition of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, we present five reviews and research