1. Diabetes drug details unveiled

Researchers uncovered the details of how a common diabetes treatment works -- by blocking the phosphorylation of a master regulator of fat development, thereby suppressing the activation of genes that promote insulin insensitivity -- providing clues that may help reduce side effects, such as weight gain.

J.H. Choi et al., "Anti-diabetic drugs inhibit obesity-linked phosphorylation of PPARgamma by Cdk5," Nature, 466:451-6, 2010. Evaluated by Perry Bickel, Univ of Texas; Paul Webb, Methodist Hosp Res Inst; Michael Andresen, Oregon Health and Science Univ; Lawrence Hamann, Novartis. Free F1000 Evaluation

Salmonella typhimurium culture Image: NIAID, NIH/ Wikimedia Commons

2. Combo causes Crohn's

The toxic chemicals produced by a combination of factors -- including a chronic viral infection, a mutation in a disease susceptibility gene, and possibly also commensal bacteria -- drive this intestinal autoimmune disease in a mouse model, giving researchers new leads for discovering the factors involved in human Crohn's.

K Cadwell, et al., "Virus-plus-susceptibility gene interaction determines Crohn's disease gene Atg16L1 phenotypes in intestine," Cell, 141:1135-45, 2010. Evaluated by Daniel S Mansur and Mauro Teixeira, Univ Federal De Minas Gerais, Brazil; Christopher Weber and Jerrold Turner, Univ of Chicago; Christopher Karp, Cincinnati Children's Hosp Res Foundation; Alina Baum and Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, Mount Sinai School of Med. Free F1000 Evaluation

3. Nickel allergy explained

Allergy to nickel plated jewelry is initiated because Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) binds and recognizes nickel in much the same way that it recognizes lipopolysaccharides, a component of the bacterial cell wall.

M. Schmidt et al., "Crucial role for human Toll-like receptor 4 in the development of contact allergy to nickel," Nat Immunol, 11:814-9, 2010. Evaluated by Marc Rothenberg, Cincinnati Children's Hosp Med Center; Caetano Reis e Sousa, Cancer Research UK; Michael Maroney, Univ of Massachusetts. Free F1000 Evaluation

4. A test for TB?

A scan of genes expressed by tuberculosis-infected patients revealed a set of transcripts associated with neutrophils that could be used to diagnose patients with TB before they progress to aggressive disease.

M.P. Berry, et al., "An interferon-inducible neutrophil-driven blood transcriptional signature in human tuberculosis," Nature, 466:973-7, 2010. Evaluated by Rino Rappuoli, Chiron Corporation, Italy; Jeremy McAleer and Jay Kolls, Lousianna State Univ Health Sciences Centre; Andrea Cooper, Trudeau Institute. Free F1000 Evaluation

5. Making peace with gut flora

Dendritic cells of the gut have beta-catenin signaling turned on constantly in order to subdue inflammation and keep immune cells tolerant to commensal bacteria and food antigens, offering a potential therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases.

S. Manicassamy et al., "Activation of beta-catenin in dendritic cells regulates immunity versus tolerance in the intestine," Science, 329:849-53, 2010. Evaluation by Jay Berzofsky, Center for Cancer Research, NCI; Barry Rouse, Univ of Tennessee; Torben Lund, University College London. Free F1000 Evaluation

6. New tool for HIV vaccine

Researchers have found a new technique to help isolate broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies from certain patients -- an essential first step to developing an effective HIV vaccine.

X. Wu et al., "Rational design of envelope identifies broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies to HIV-1," Science, 329:856-61, 2010. Evaluation by Alan Landay, Rush Univ Med Center; Jeffrey Bergelson, University of Pennsylvania; Rino Rappuoli, Chiron Corporation. Free F1000 Evaluation

7. Useless antibodies promote infection

Patients with HIV are more likely to die from Salmonella infection not because the immune system is compromised, but because the majority of antibodies produced against the bacterium are ineffective. Removing the unsuccessful antibodies against the bacterial lipopolysaccharide allows those against the outer membrane protein to initiate Salmonella killing.

C.A. MacLennan et al., "Dysregulated humoral immunity to nontyphoidal Salmonella in HIV-infected African adults," Science, 328:508-12, 2010. Evaluation by Marie-Eve Blais and Sarah Rowland-Jones, John Radcliffe Hosp, UK; Ken Wilson, Duke University; David Payne, GlaxoSmithKline. Free F1000 Evaluation

The F1000 Top 7 is a snapshot of the highest ranked articles from a 30-day period on Faculty of 1000 Immunology, as calculated on September 23, 2010. Faculty Members evaluate and rate the most important papers in their field. To see the latest rankings, search the database, and read daily evaluations, visit http://f1000.com.


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