A case of junk science, conflict and hype

Nature Immunology 9, 1317 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni1208-1317

Despite accumulating evidence that vaccines are safe, vaccination uptake is falling, driving a resurgence in old scourges of society.

Immunology in India: an emerging story

Nature Immunology 9, 1319 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni1208-1319

Author: Kanury V S Rao

Although immunological research is of only recent origin in India, it is nevertheless rapidly becoming an area of choice for young researchers in this country.

Nervous about immunity: neuronal signals control innate immune system

Nature Immunology 9, 1329 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni1208-1329

Authors: Cheng-Yuan Kao, Ferdinand C O Los & Raffi V Aroian

The molecular mechanisms by which the nervous system influences innate immunity to pathogens remain mysterious. Two new studies show that neuronal products modulate established innate immune signaling pathways operative in the Caenorhabditis elegans intestine.

RIG-I-like antiviral protein in flies

Nature Immunology 9, 1327 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni1208-1327

Authors: Osamu Takeuchi & Shizuo Akira

The function of gene expression in the response of drosophila to viral infection is poorly understood. A report now demonstrates that the helicase Dicer-2 controls antiviral gene expression in addition to RNA interference–mediated gene silencing.

Alternative lifestyles of T cells

Nature Immunology 9, 1323 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni1208-1323

Authors: Cristina M Tato & Daniel J Cua

T cells are intrinsically more malleable than previously thought. Two studies now show that existing T helper type 2 cells can be converted into alternative CD4+ T helper cells that coexpress interleukins 9 and 10.

Self-termination of the terminator

Nature Immunology 9, 1325 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni1208-1325

Authors: David Wallach & Andrew Kovalenko

The protein kinase NIK is regulated by a complex of ubiquitin ligases that destroys it. When NIK-activating receptors are triggered, the ubiquitin ligase complex self-destructs.

IL-4 inhibits TGF-β-induced Foxp3+ T cells and, together with TGF-β, generates IL-9+ IL-10+ Foxp3− effector T cells

Nature Immunology 9, 1347 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1677

Authors: Valérie Dardalhon, Amit Awasthi, Hyoung Kwon, George Galileos, Wenda Gao, Raymond A Sobel, Meike Mitsdoerffer, Terry B Strom, Wassim Elyaman, I-Cheng Ho, Samia Khoury, Mohamed Oukka & Vijay K Kuchroo

The DExD/H-box helicase Dicer-2 mediates the induction of antiviral activity in drosophila

Nature Immunology 9, 1425 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1664

Authors: Safia Deddouche, Nicolas Matt, Aidan Budd, Stefanie Mueller, Cordula Kemp, Delphine Galiana-Arnoux, Catherine Dostert, Christophe Antoniewski, Jules A Hoffmann & Jean-Luc Imler

Distinct functions for the transcription factor Foxo1 at various stages of B cell differentiation

Nature Immunology 9, 1388 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1667

Authors: Hart S Dengler, Gisele V Baracho, Sidne A Omori, Shane Bruckner, Karen C Arden, Diego H Castrillon, Ronald A DePinho & Robert C Rickert

Toll-like receptor–induced arginase 1 in macrophages thwarts effective immunity against intracellular pathogens

Nature Immunology 9, 1399 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1671

Authors: Karim C El Kasmi, Joseph E Qualls, John T Pesce, Amber M Smith, Robert W Thompson, Marcela Henao-Tamayo, Randall J Basaraba, Till König, Ulrike Schleicher, Mi-Sun Koo, Gilla Kaplan, Katherine A Fitzgerald, Elaine I Tuomanen, Ian M Orme, Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti, Christian Bogdan, Thomas A Wynn & Peter J Murray

Neuroendocrine signals modulate the innate immunity of Caenorhabditis elegans through insulin signaling

Nature Immunology 9, 1415 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1672

Authors: Trupti Kawli & Man-Wah Tan

Proteolytic cleavage in an endolysosomal compartment is required for activation of Toll-like receptor 9

Nature Immunology 9, 1407 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1669

Authors: Boyoun Park, Melanie M Brinkmann, Eric Spooner, Clarissa C Lee, You-Me Kim & Hidde L Ploegh

Tonic B cell antigen receptor signals supply an NF-κB substrate for prosurvival BLyS signaling

Nature Immunology 9, 1379 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1666

Authors: Jason E Stadanlick, Mary Kaileh, Fredrick G Karnell, Jean L Scholz, Juli P Miller, William J Quinn III, Randall J Brezski, Laura S Treml, Kimberly A Jordan, John G Monroe, Ranjan Sen & Michael P Cancro

Nonredundant and complementary functions of TRAF2 and TRAF3 in a ubiquitination cascade that activates NIK-dependent alternative NF-κB signaling

Nature Immunology 9, 1364 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1678

Authors: Sivakumar Vallabhapurapu, Atsushi Matsuzawa, WeiZhou Zhang, Ping-Hui Tseng, Jonathan J Keats, Haopeng Wang, Dario A A Vignali, P Leif Bergsagel & Michael Karin

Transforming growth factor-β 'reprograms' the differentiation of T helper 2 cells and promotes an interleukin 9–producing subset

Nature Immunology 9, 1341 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1659

Authors: Marc Veldhoen, Catherine Uyttenhove, Jacques van Snick, Helena Helmby, Astrid Westendorf, Jan Buer, Bruno Martin, Christoph Wilhelm & Brigitta Stockinger

Nedd4 augments the adaptive immune response by promoting ubiquitin-mediated degradation of Cbl-b in activated T cells

Nature Immunology 9, 1356 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1670

Authors: Baoli Yang, Denise L Gay, Megan K L MacLeod, Xiao Cao, Tamara Hala, Eileen M Sweezer, John Kappler, Philippa Marrack & Paula M Oliver

Noncanonical NF-κB activation requires coordinated assembly of a regulatory complex of the adaptors cIAP1, cIAP2, TRAF2 and TRAF3 and the kinase NIK

Nature Immunology 9, 1371 (2008). doi:10.1038/ni.1676

Authors: Brian J Zarnegar, Yaya Wang, Douglas J Mahoney, Paul W Dempsey, Herman H Cheung, Jeannie He, Travis Shiba, Xiaolu Yang, Wen-chen Yeh, Tak W Mak, Robert G Korneluk & Genhong Cheng