Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) are used by several human pathogens to anchor themselves to or invade host cells. Interestingly, human granulocytes express a specific isoform, CEACAM3, that participates together with CEACAM1 and CEACAM6 in the recognition of CEACAM-binding microorganisms. Here we show that CEACAM3 can direct efficient, opsonin-independent phagocytosis of CEACAM-binding Neisseria , Moraxella , and Haemophilus species. CEACAM3-but not CEACAM6-mediated uptake is blocked by dominant-negative versions of the small GTPase Rac. Moreover, CEACAM3 engagement triggers membrane recruitment and increased GTP loading of Rac that are not observed upon bacterial binding to CEACAM6. Internalization and Rac stimulation are also inhibited by compromising the integrity of an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-like sequence in the cytoplasmic tail of CEACAM3 or by interference with Src family protein tyrosine kinases that phosphorylate CEACAM3. In contrast to interfering with CEACAM6, blockage of CEACAM3-mediated events reduces the ability of primary human granulocytes to internalize and eliminate CEACAM-binding bacteria, indicating an important role of CEACAM3 in the control of human-specific pathogens by the innate immune system.

Several pathogenic bacteria exploit human carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecules (CEACAMs) for adhesion to and invasion into their host cells. CEACAM isoforms have characteristic expression patterns on epithelial, endothelial, or hematopoietic cells, providing bacteria with distinct sets of receptors on particular tissues. For example, while CEACAM1 and CEACAM6 have a wide tissue distribution, CEACAM3, CEACAM4, and CEACAM8 are uniquely expressed on primary human granulocytes, whereas CEA and CEACAM7 are limited to epithelia. By reconstitution of a CEACAM-deficient cell line with individual CEACAMs, we have analyzed the requirements for CEACAM-mediated internalization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Our results point to two mechanistically different uptake pathways triggered by either epithelial CEACAMs (CEACAM1, CEA, and CEACAM6) or the granulocyte-specific CEACAM3. In particular, CEACAM3-mediated uptake critically depends on Src family protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity, and CEACAM3 associates with the SH2 domains of several Src PTKs. In contrast, epithelial CEACAMs require the integrity of cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains and are affected by cholesterol depletion, whereas CEACAM3-mediated uptake by transfected cells or the opsonin-independent phagocytosis by human granulocytes is not altered in the presence of cholesterol chelators. These results allow the subdivision of all human CEACAMs known to be utilized as pathogen receptors into functional groups and point to important consequences for bacterial engagement of distinct CEACAM isoforms.

Although axonal loss has been observed in demyelinated multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions, there has been a major focus on understanding mechanisms of demyelination. However, identification of markers for axonal damage and development of new imaging techniques has enabled detection of subtle changes in axonal pathology and revived interest in the neurodegenerative component of MS. Axonal loss is generally accepted as the main determinant of permanent clinical disability. However, the role of axonal loss early in disease or during relapsing-remitting disease is still under investigation, as are the interactions and interdependency between inflammation, demyelination, neurodegeneration and neuroprotection in the pathogenesis of MS.

During development in the thymus, invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells commit to one of three major functionally different subsets, iNKT1, iNKT2, and iNKT17. Here, we show that T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signal strength governs the development of iNKT cell subsets, with strong signaling promoting iNKT2 and iNKT17 development. Altering TCR diversity or signaling diminishes iNKT2 and iNKT17 cell subset development in a cell-intrinsic manner. Decreased TCR signaling affects the persistence of Egr2 expression and the upregulation of PLZF. By genome-wide comparison of chromatin accessibility, we identify a subset of iNKT2-specific regulatory elements containing NFAT and Egr binding motifs that is less accessible in iNKT2 cells that develop from reduced TCR signaling. These data suggest that variable TCR signaling modulates regulatory element activity at NFAT and Egr binding sites exerting a determinative influence on the dynamics of gene enhancer accessibility and the developmental fate of iNKT cells.

The cotton rat was evaluated as a model for anti-inflammatory and antiviral influenza therapy. Beginning 3 days after intranasal infection with 10(7) tissue culture infectious doses-50% (TCID)(50) of an H3N2 human influenza, animals were treated topically via intranasal lavage with a range of doses of triamcinolone acetonide (1, 4, or 16 mg/kg), alone or in combination with a neuraminidase inhibitor or anti-influenza convalescent serum. Pulmonary histopathologic changes were dramatically decreased in animals treated with 4 or 16 mg/kg of triamcinolone, with little additional benefit from addition of a neuraminidase inhibitor or topical serum, agents which were much less effective when used alone. A high degree of suppression of IFN-gamma levels was observed in all combinations where 4 or 16 mg/kg of triamcinolone were used. Viral replication was not prolonged by corticosteroid therapy. Tissue damage during influenza infection may be greatly reduced by combination antiviral and anti-inflammatory therapy.

BackgroundCEACAM3 is a granulocyte receptor mediating the opsonin-independent recognition and phagocytosis of human-restricted CEACAM-binding bacteria. CEACAM3 function depends on an intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-like sequence that is tyrosine phosphorylated by Src family kinases upon receptor engagement. The phosphorylated ITAM-like sequence triggers GTP-loading of Rac by directly associating with the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Vav. Rac stimulation in turn is critical for actin cytoskeleton rearrangements that generate lamellipodial protrusions and lead to bacterial uptake.Principal FindingsIn our present study we provide biochemical and microscopic evidence that the adaptor proteins Nck1 and Nck2, but not CrkL, Grb2 or SLP-76, bind to tyrosine phosphorylated CEACAM3. The association is phosphorylation-dependent and requires the Nck SH2 domain. Overexpression of the isolated Nck1 SH2 domain, RNAi-mediated knock-down of Nck1, or genetic deletion of Nck1 and Nck2 interfere with CEACAM3-mediated bacterial internalization and with the formation of lamellipodial protrusions. Nck is constitutively associated with WAVE2 and directs the actin nucleation promoting WAVE complex to tyrosine phosphorylated CEACAM3. In turn, dominant-negative WAVE2 as well as shRNA-mediated knock-down of WAVE2 or the WAVE-complex component Nap1 reduce internalization of bacteria.ConclusionsOur results provide novel mechanistic insight into CEACAM3-initiated phagocytosis. We suggest that the CEACAM3 ITAM-like sequence is optimized to co-ordinate a minimal set of cellular factors needed to efficiently trigger actin-based lamellipodial protrusions and rapid pathogen engulfment.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, electronic monitoring (EM) has emerged as a cost‐efficient supplement to existing catch monitoring programmes in fisheries. An EM system consists of various activity sensors and cameras positioned on vessels to remotely record fishing activity and catches. The first objective of this review was to describe the state of play of EM in fisheries worldwide and to present the insights gained on this technology based on 100 EM trials and 12 fully implemented programmes. Despite its advantages, and its global use for monitoring, progresses in implementation in some important fishing regions are slow. Within this context, the second objective was to discuss more specifically the European experiences gained through 16 trials. Findings show that the three major benefits of EM were as follows: (a) cost‐efficiency, (b) the potential to provide more representative coverage of the fleet than any observer programme and (c) the enhanced registration of fishing activity and location. Electronic monitoring can incentivize better compliance and discard reduction, but the fishing managers and industry are often reluctant to its uptake. Improved understanding of the fisher's concerns, for example intrusion of privacy, liability and costs, and better exploration of EM benefits, for example increased traceability, sustainability claims and market access, may enhance implementation on a larger scale. In conclusion, EM as a monitoring tool embodies various solid strengths that are not diminished by its weaknesses. Electronic monitoring has the opportunity to be a powerful tool in the future monitoring of fisheries, particularly when integrated within existing monitoring programmes.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly evolving infectious/inflammatory disorder which has turned into a global pandemic. With severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as its etiologic agent, severe COVID-19 cases usually develop uncontrolled inflammatory responses and cytokine storm-like syndromes. Measuring serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-6 and others) as inflammatory biomarkers may have several potential applications in the management of COVID-19, including risk assessment, monitoring of disease progression, determination of prognosis, selection of therapy and prediction of response to treatment. This is especially true for pediatric patients with COVID-19 associated Kawasaki-like disease and similar syndromes. In this report, we review the current knowledge of COVID-19 associated cytokines, their roles in host immune and inflammatory responses, the clinical significance and utility of cytokine immunoassays in adult and pediatric COVID-19 patients, as well as the challenges and pitfalls in implementation and interpretation of cytokine immunoassays. Given that cytokines are implicated in different immunological disorders and diseases, it is challenging to interpret the multiplex cytokine data for COVID-19 patients. Also, it should be taken into consideration that biological and technical variables may affect the commutability of cytokine immunoassays and enhance complexity of cytokine immunoassay interpretation. It is recommended that the same method, platform and laboratory should be used when monitoring differences in cytokine levels between groups of individuals or for the same individual over time. It may be important to correlate cytokine profiling data with the SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification testing and imaging observations to make an accurate interpretation of the inflammatory status and disease progression in COVID-19 patients.