2023
Questioning the fetal microbiome illustrates pitfalls of low-biomass microbial studies
Kennedy K, de Goffau M, Perez-Muñoz M, Arrieta M, Bäckhed F, Bork P, Braun T, Bushman F, Dore J, de Vos W, Earl A, Eisen J, Elovitz M, Ganal-Vonarburg S, Gänzle M, Garrett W, Hall L, Hornef M, Huttenhower C, Konnikova L, Lebeer S, Macpherson A, Massey R, McHardy A, Koren O, Lawley T, Ley R, O’Mahony L, O’Toole P, Pamer E, Parkhill J, Raes J, Rattei T, Salonen A, Segal E, Segata N, Shanahan F, Sloboda D, Smith G, Sokol H, Spector T, Surette M, Tannock G, Walker A, Yassour M, Walter J. Questioning the fetal microbiome illustrates pitfalls of low-biomass microbial studies. Nature 2023, 613: 639-649. PMID: 36697862, PMCID: PMC11333990, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05546-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMicrobial populationsHuman immune developmentMicrobial ecologyReproductive biologyMicrobial communitiesLow biomass environmentsMicrobial signalsMicrobial studiesDNA sequencingMicrobiome studiesDNA extractionMicrobial analysisClinical microbiologyMechanistic conceptsCautionary exampleImmune developmentRecent studiesHuman fetusesFetal tissuesMammalsGnotobiologyEcologyMicrobiologyFetal microbiomeBiology
2022
Immune landscape of human placental villi using single-cell analysis
Toothaker JM, Olaloye O, McCourt BT, McCourt CC, Silva TN, Case RM, Liu P, Yimlamai D, Tseng G, Konnikova L. Immune landscape of human placental villi using single-cell analysis. Development 2022, 149 PMID: 35050308, PMCID: PMC8935213, DOI: 10.1242/dev.200013.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAntigens, CDAntigens, Differentiation, MyelomonocyticB7-H1 AntigenB-LymphocytesChorionic VilliFemaleFetusFlow CytometryHLA-DR AntigensHumansKiller Cells, NaturalLeukocyte Common AntigensLymphocyte ActivationMacrophagesMemory T CellsPlacentaPregnancyPregnancy Trimester, SecondReceptors, Cell SurfaceReceptors, ChemokineSingle-Cell AnalysisT-LymphocytesConceptsT cellsHuman placental villiPlacental villiImmune systemFetal immune systemMaternal immune systemFetal immune cellsAdult T-cellT cell receptor stimulationCell receptor stimulationHealthy pregnancyImmune landscapeMemory phenotypeImmune cellsFetal organsEnhanced proliferative capacityReceptor stimulationMultiple subtypesPV tissueComplex immune systemImaging modalitiesMass cytometryProliferative capacityMaternal mechanismsRecent reports
2020
In utero human intestine harbors unique metabolomic features including bacterial metabolites
Li Y, Toothaker JM, Ben-Simon S, Ozeri L, Schweitzer R, McCourt BT, McCourt CC, Werner L, Snapper SB, Shouval DS, Khatib S, Koren O, Agnihorti S, Tseng G, Konnikova L. In utero human intestine harbors unique metabolomic features including bacterial metabolites. JCI Insight 2020, 5: e138751. PMID: 33001863, PMCID: PMC7710283, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.138751.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFetal immune systemIntestinal barrier integrityMicrobial-associated metabolitesHost-derived metabolitesBacterial DNAIntestinal immunityMaternal microbiomeIntestinal functionImmune regulationGastrointestinal tractIntestinal microbiomeFetal intestineBarrier integrityImmune systemHuman intestinal samplesIntestinal samplesIntestinal profileMicrobial encountersMetabolomic featuresBacterial metabolitesUteroNutrient metabolismMetabolitesRecent studiesMicrobiome
2019
Maturation of the Human Intestinal Immune System Occurs Early in Fetal Development
Stras SF, Werner L, Toothaker JM, Olaloye OO, Oldham AL, McCourt CC, Lee YN, Rechavi E, Shouval DS, Konnikova L. Maturation of the Human Intestinal Immune System Occurs Early in Fetal Development. Developmental Cell 2019, 51: 357-373.e5. PMID: 31607651, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.09.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsB-LymphocytesCell ProliferationClone CellsCytokinesFemaleFetal DevelopmentFetusHumansImmune SystemImmunity, MucosalImmunologic MemoryImmunophenotypingInfant, NewbornIntestinesPregnancyPregnancy Trimester, SecondReceptors, Antigen, B-CellReceptors, Antigen, T-CellT-LymphocytesV(D)J RecombinationConceptsInnate lymphoid cellsGestational ageIntestinal immunityDendritic cellsB cellsHuman intestinal immune systemAdaptive immune landscapeIntestinal immune systemNatural killer cellsWeeks gestational ageTransitional B cellsB cell maturityT cell receptorComplex innateImmune atlasEarly life developmentImmune landscapeKiller cellsTCR repertoireLymphoid cellsFetal developmentImmune systemInnate immunityCell receptorMass cytometry