Drug-induced metabolic remodeling of immune cell repertoire generates an effective broad-range antimicrobial effect.

Multiple mechanisms of immunity must be coordinated to defend against a comprehensive range of pathogens; however, the mechanisms by which broad-spectrum antipathogens act remain largely elusive. Here, we employed systems biology approaches to understand the organization of human immune cells at the single-cell level, as well as their reorganization in response to K21, a silane derivative effective against viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. K21 induced pro-inflammatory pathways in M1 and M2c macrophages without altering cytokine secretion, decreased a specific subtype of M1 macrophages and CXCL4-induced M2-like macrophages, and improved mitochondrial health by enhancing mitochondrial recycling via mitophagy.

Transcriptomic profiling of individual bacteria by MATQ-seq.

Bacterial single-cell transcriptomics is revolutionizing our understanding of cell-to-cell variation within bacterial populations and enables gene expression profiling in complex microbial communities. Using the eukaryotic multiple annealing and dC-tailing-based quantitative single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) (MATQ-seq) approach, we have developed a robust bacterial scRNA-seq protocol, which integrates index sorting, random priming and rRNA depletion. This method stands out for its high rate of cell retention and its suitability for experiments with limited input material, offering a reliable method even for small sample sizes.

Circulating NK cells establish tissue residency upon acute infection of skin and mediate accelerated effector responses to secondary infection.

Natural killer (NK) cells are present in the circulation and can also be found residing in tissues, and these populations exhibit distinct developmental requirements and are thought to differ in terms of ontogeny. Here, we investigate whether circulating conventional NK (cNK) cells can develop into long-lived tissue-resident NK (trNK) cells following acute infections. We found that viral and bacterial infections of the skin triggered the recruitment of cNK cells and their differentiation into Tcf1CD69 trNK cells that share transcriptional similarity with CD56TCF1 NK cells in human tissues.

Vector-borne Trypanosoma brucei parasites develop in artificial human skin and persist as skin tissue forms.

Transmission of Trypanosoma brucei by tsetse flies involves the deposition of the cell cycle-arrested metacyclic life cycle stage into mammalian skin at the site of the fly's bite. We introduce an advanced human skin equivalent and use tsetse flies to naturally infect the skin with trypanosomes. We detail the chronological order of the parasites' development in the skin by single-cell RNA sequencing and find a rapid activation of metacyclic trypanosomes and differentiation to proliferative parasites.

Brain-to-gut trafficking of alpha-synuclein by CD11c cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Inflammation in the brain and gut is a critical component of several neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). One trigger of the immune system in PD is aggregation of the pre-synaptic protein, α-synuclein (αSyn). Understanding the mechanism of propagation of αSyn aggregates is essential to developing disease-modifying therapeutics.

Sequential antigen loss and branching evolution in lymphoma after CD19- and CD20-targeted T-cell-redirecting therapy.

CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and CD20 targeting T-cell-engaging bispecific antibodies (bispecs) have been approved in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma lately, heralding a new clinical setting in which patients are treated with both approaches, sequentially. The aim of our study was to investigate the selective pressure of CD19- and CD20-directed therapy on the clonal architecture in lymphoma. Using a broad analytical pipeline on 28 longitudinally collected specimen from 7 patients, we identified truncating mutations in the gene encoding CD20 conferring antigen loss in 80% of patients relapsing from CD20 bispecs.

Microglia-mediated demyelination protects against CD8 T cell-driven axon degeneration in mice carrying PLP defects.

Axon degeneration and functional decline in myelin diseases are often attributed to loss of myelin but their relation is not fully understood. Perturbed myelinating glia can instigate chronic neuroinflammation and contribute to demyelination and axonal damage. Here we study mice with distinct defects in the proteolipid protein 1 gene that develop axonal damage which is driven by cytotoxic T cells targeting myelinating oligodendrocytes.

Lymph node medulla regulates the spatiotemporal unfolding of resident dendritic cell networks.

Unlike macrophage networks composed of long-lived tissue-resident cells within specific niches, conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) that generate a 3D network in lymph nodes (LNs) are short lived and continuously replaced by DC precursors (preDCs) from the bone marrow (BM). Here, we examined whether specific anatomical niches exist within which preDCs differentiate toward immature cDCs. In situ photoconversion and Prtn3-based fate-tracking revealed that the LN medullary cords are preferential entry sites for preDCs, serving as specific differentiation niches.

A primary cell-based model of the human small intestine reveals host olfactomedin 4 induction in response to Typhimurium infection.

Infection research largely relies on classical cell culture or mouse models. Despite having delivered invaluable insights into host-pathogen interactions, both have limitations in translating mechanistic principles to human pathologies. Alternatives can be derived from modern Tissue Engineering approaches, allowing the reconstruction of functional tissue models .

Th17.1 cell driven sarcoidosis-like inflammation after anti-BCMA CAR T cells in multiple myeloma.

Pseudo-progression and flare-up phenomena constitute a novel diagnostic challenge in the follow-up of patients treated with immune-oncology drugs. We present a case study on pulmonary flare-up after Idecabtagen Vicleucel (Ide-cel), a BCMA targeting CAR T-cell therapy, and used single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) to identify a Th17.1 driven autoimmune mechanism as the biological underpinning of this phenomenon.

Type 1 conventional dendritic cells maintain and guide the differentiation of precursors of exhausted T cells in distinct cellular niches.

Reinvigoration of exhausted CD8 T (Tex) cells by checkpoint immunotherapy depends on the activation of precursors of exhausted T (Tpex) cells, but the local anatomical context of their maintenance, differentiation, and interplay with other cells is not well understood. Here, we identified transcriptionally distinct Tpex subpopulations, mapped their differentiation trajectories via transitory cellular states toward Tex cells, and localized these cell states to specific splenic niches. Conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) were critical for successful αPD-L1 therapy and were required to mediate viral control.

Advances and challenges in single-cell RNA-seq of microbial communities.

Microbes have developed complex strategies to respond to their environment and escape the immune system by individualizing their behavior. While single-cell RNA sequencing has become instrumental for studying mammalian cells, its use with fungi, protozoa and bacteria is still in its infancy. In this review, we highlight the major progress towards mapping the molecular states of microbes at the single-cell level using genome-wide transcriptomics and describe how these technologies can be extended to probe thousands of species at high throughput.

Single-cell RNA-sequencing reports growth-condition-specific global transcriptomes of individual bacteria.

Bacteria respond to changes in their environment with specific transcriptional programmes, but even within genetically identical populations these programmes are not homogenously expressed. Such transcriptional heterogeneity between individual bacteria allows genetically clonal communities to develop a complex array of phenotypes, examples of which include persisters that resist antibiotic treatment and metabolically specialized cells that emerge under nutrient-limiting conditions. Fluorescent reporter constructs have played a pivotal role in deciphering heterogeneous gene expression within bacterial populations but have been limited to recording the activity of single genes in a few genetically tractable model species, whereas the vast majority of bacteria remain difficult to engineer and/or even to cultivate.

Regulation of oncogene expression in T-DNA-transformed host plant cells.

Virulent Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains integrate their T-DNA into the plant genome where the encoded agrobacterial oncogenes are expressed and cause crown gall disease. Essential for crown gall development are IaaH (indole-3-acetamide hydrolase), IaaM (tryptophan monooxygenase) and Ipt (isopentenyl transferase), which encode enzymes for the biosynthesis of auxin (IaaH, IaaM) and cytokinin (Ipt). Although these oncogenes are well studied as the tumor-inducing principle, nothing is known about the regulation of oncogene expression in plant cells.