Bone Marrow: The Central Immune System

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In the manuscript „Bone marrow: the central immune system“ the author provides a comprehensive review of bone marrow (BM) as the hematopoietic and antigen responsive organ, leaning on the 20-year old discovery of bone marrow as priming site for T-cell response to blood-borne antigens. Furthermore, the manuscript brings comparison between BM and peripheral blood (PB) regarding DC, memory T cells and tumor specific CTL, it describes BM vaccination, interactions in BM between stem cells and immune cells, the effects of diet on the BM, BM-PB interactions, the role of BM in cancer and infection, MSC and their role in regenerative medicine and in the end gives future perspectives.

 

Broad comments: Manuscript is well-designed, interesting, and easy to read. There are just few questions I would like to ask to improve the manuscript.

 

Specific comments:

 

1.     The author often mentions central nervous system (CNS) but does not sufficiently explain the link between CNS and hematopoietic system – eg. some hematological malignancies and brain tumors both respond to the same treatment and many new developing drugs are studied in both models.

2.     It would be interesting to incorporate a chapter about the role of bone marrow regarding new cell therapies – eg. is there any data on the role of bone marrow and the destiny of infused T cells in patients treated with CART?

3.     It would be advisable to provide at least one figure that would summarize the major points in the manuscript, or perhaps at least a figure on antigen-responsive properties of BM and T cell response to blood-borne antigens since the manuscript leans on this important discovery.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

This review is extended, consists of an eclectic collection of information (not all of it accurate), and lacks any clear figure or summary. Prof. Schirrmacher has the outstanding position to tell this story first-hand, but the manuscript in its current form is not bringing the appropriate story to a broader readership.

Line 32: "After phylogeny now follows ontogeny," resonates with the infamous quote of Ernest Haeckel –"Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny." This happens to be false and deserves NOT to be mentioned. 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

The review entitled “Bone marrow: the central immune system” describes how bone marrow plays important role as a central immune system by implementing multifactorial protection and regulation of other immune cells. The most interesting part is the interactions in bone marrow between types of immune cells and stem cells and how dietary restrictions affect the marrow.

The review is well written and covers all the aspect.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

I am unable to see new figure in pdf document. All I can see is the name of the figure and bone_marrow.pdf

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

I have no further suggestions for the author.

Round 3

Reviewer 1 Report

The Figure 1 provided does not summarize the major points in the manuscript or antigen-responsive properties of BM and T cell response to blood-borne antigens, as was previously suggested. 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 4

Reviewer 1 Report

I have no further suggestions for the author.