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Immuno, Volume 3, Issue 4 (December 2023) – 2 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Liver fibrosis is a complex, dynamic process associated with a broad spectrum of chronic and acute liver diseases. It is defined by the dysregulated intrahepatic production of extracellular matrix proteins, replacing functional liver cells with scar tissue, resulting in cirrhosis and liver failure. Despite the global burden of the disease, no existing therapies can treat or reverse hepatic fibrosis. In this review, we summarise the current understanding of the intricate inflammatory network central to liver fibrogenesis, with a focus on the role of regulatory T cells. We also discuss the advancements in therapeutics, including T cell immunotherapies, which show promise as effective treatments for liver fibrosis. Further work is required to better define the function of immune cells in fibrosis to enable the rationale design of better treatments. View this paper

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34 pages, 7800 KiB

Open AccessReview

Inflammatory Network of Liver Fibrosis and How It Can Be Targeted Therapeutically

by Kirstin O. Lowe, Constantin E. Tanase, Susan Maghami, Leanne E. Fisher and Amir M. Ghaemmaghami

Immuno 2023, 3(4), 375-408; https://doi.org/10.3390/immuno3040023 - 28 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1264

Abstract

Liver fibrosis is a complex, dynamic process associated with a broad spectrum of chronic liver diseases and acute liver failure, characterised by the dysregulated intrahepatic production of extracellular matrix proteins replacing functional liver cells with scar tissue. Fibrosis progresses due to an interrelated cycle of hepatocellular injury, triggering a persistent wound-healing response. The accumulation of scar tissue and chronic inflammation can eventually lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, no therapies exist to directly treat or reverse liver fibrosis; hence, it remains a substantial global disease burden. A better understanding of the intricate inflammatory network that drives the initiation and maintenance of liver fibrosis to enable the rationale design of new intervention strategies is required. This review clarifies the most current understanding of the hepatic fibrosis cellular network with a focus on the role of regulatory T cells, and a possible trajectory for T cell immunotherapy in fibrosis treatment. Despite good progress in elucidating the role of the immune system in liver fibrosis, future work to better define the function of different immune cells and their mediators at different fibrotic stages is needed, which will enhance the development of new therapies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Clinical/translational Immunology)

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17 pages, 10267 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-Avidity Anti-Filovirus IgG Elicited Using Protein Subunit Vaccines Does Not Correlate with Protection

by Caitlin A. Williams, Teri Ann S. Wong, Michael M. Lieberman, Jake Yalley-Ogunro, Mehtap Cabus, Sara Nezami, Fabian Paz, Hanne Andersen, Thomas W. Geisbert and Axel T. Lehrer

Immuno 2023, 3(4), 358-374; https://doi.org/10.3390/immuno3040022 - 24 Oct 2023

Viewed by 966

Abstract

Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) poses a significant threat to public health due to its high case fatality rate and epidemic potential. This is further complicated by the lack of precise immune correlates of protection and difficulties in conducting in vivo animal studies due to species specificity of Ebola virus disease (EVD) and classification as a biosafety level 4 pathogen. Related ebolaviruses have also contributed to the public health threat; Uganda recently experienced an outbreak of Sudan ebolavirus, which also had a high case fatality rate. Vaccination targeting EBOV has demonstrated significant efficacy; however, the protective cellular and humoral responses at play are still poorly understood. Vaccination for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, young children, and immunocompromised individuals is still limited. Understanding vaccine correlates of protection (vCOP) is key to developing alternative vaccination strategies for these groups. Components of immunity such as neutralizing antibody and cell-mediated immunity are likely responsible for protective responses; however, existing research fails to fully define their roles in protection. Here we investigated vaccine-elicited antibody avidity as a potential correlate of protection and to further characterize the contribution of antibody avidity in protective and nonprotective vaccine responses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Infectious Immunology and Vaccines)

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Immuno, Volume 3, Issue 4 (December 2023) – 2 articles

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