immunology

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent metabolic disorder with a complex pathogenesis. Although epitranscriptomic modifications such as N6-methyladenosine (m6A) have been implicated in NAFLD, the role of N1-methyladenosine (m1A) and its regulators is largely unexplored.

Nature Immunology, Published online: 25 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41590-026-02536-0 Waterfield and colleagues report the transcription factor RUNX1 expressed in mTECs profoundly influences the diversity of thymic mimetic cells that express tissue-specific antigens.

Nature Immunology, Published online: 25 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41590-026-02532-4 An amino acid metabolic enzyme transforms bacterial lipoproteins into disulfide-linked lipid structures that activate the non-canonical inflammasome, redefining cytosolic innate immune sensing as a process shaped by host metabolic remodeling.

Nature Immunology, Published online: 25 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41590-026-02522-6 mRNA-based vaccines saved millions of lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they require frequent boosting and periodic updates to match emerging virus strains. We demonstrate that fungal glycans can function as adjuvants for mRNA-based vaccines, expanding the durability and breath of protection against several vir…

Scientists have long known that electric fields can guide cell movement by a process called electrotaxis. However, most studies rely on electrodes that touch the cell medium, creating currents that complicate the biochemistry. Now, researchers designed a wireless platform that delivers a unidirectional electric field (Wi-uEF) without measurable current. Using this system, they discovered that hum…

A new review brings attention to the STING pathway as a critical regulator in both colitis and colon cancer, highlighting its complex and often opposing roles in inflammation and tumor development. The findings underscore how this key component of the innate immune system can act as both a driver of disease and a protective mechanism, depending on biological context.

Scientific Reports, Published online: 25 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-54950-x Dorsal switch protein 1 activates toll immune signaling pathway via modular serine protease in Tenebrio molitor

Scientists at McGill University have found a way to supercharge the immune system’s natural killer (NK) cells, helping them break through the defenses tumors use to stay alive. By temporarily blocking two proteins, researchers turned these cells into far more effective cancer fighters against difficult cancers like leukemia, glioblastoma, kidney cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer.

This in vitro study found that negatively charged SiO2 nanoparticles suppressed antigen-induced degranulation and activation-marker changes in IgE-sensitized mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells. By contrast, mTiO2 nanoparticles showed cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects, including enhanced DNP-induced IL-6 release, suggesting nanoparticle composition can shape early allergic immune responses.

Nature Communications, Published online: 25 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73122-z Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is a common liver disorder with poorly defined genetic causes. Here, the authors identify 26 risk loci through a large GWAS meta‑analysis, implicating bile acid and lipid metabolism pathways and revealing shared genetic architecture with pancreatitis.

A newly published review article brings attention to the expanding role of RBM15, a critical regulator of RNA m6A methylation, in the development and progression of a wide range of diseases, including cancer, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular conditions.

A new review has illuminated a critical but often overlooked dimension of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)—its immune microenvironment.

A new review article highlights the powerful influence of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in regulating natural killer (NK) cells, revealing promising opportunities to enhance immune responses and improve treatment strategies across multiple diseases.

A newly published review article highlights the emerging importance of the immunoproteasome in the development and progression of diabetes and its wide-ranging complications, offering fresh perspectives on future therapeutic strategies.

A new perspective on gut immunity is highlighting the powerful role of RNA modifications in shaping how the body maintains balance in the digestive system.

A new review highlights the emerging importance of YTHDF2, a key regulator of RNA activity, in shaping the body's inflammatory responses and influencing a wide range of diseases.

Unusual fat deposits in domestic cat kidneys may reveal why cats are especially vulnerable to chronic kidney disease. Scientists at the University of Nottingham have identified an unexpected feature of domestic cat biology that could help explain their high risk of chronic kidney disease. Compared with dogs and most other mammals, domestic cats seem to [...]

Many disease-driving proteins sit outside cells, where they have been difficult to remove with conventional medicines. A new study shows how they can be linked to the cell’s own waste-disposal system and sent for degradation. That opens a new way to treat diseases in which the problem is not only what a protein does, but that it keeps being there.