A tonsil organoid model reveals Epstein-Barr virus infected germinal center B cell states during primary infection Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) colonizes secondary lymphoid tissues to establish persistent infection and is strongly associated with malignancy and autoimmunity. Our understanding of EBV infection biology is hindered by a lack of models that capture infected B cell activity in the lymphoid tissue microenvironment. We therefore developed an EBV human tonsil organoid model to evaluate key B cell states and antiviral responses, including after primary infection. EBV promoted B cell differentiation into germinal center (GC)-like phenotypes and transcriptomic analyses highlighted numerous B cell transcriptional programs unique to EBV-infected cells. B cell receptor repertoire analysis revealed that most EBV-infected B cells underwent class switching but only rarely participated in somatic hypermutation. CD4 T cells, highly activated by organoid infection, limited EBV+ B cell outgrowth. Our findings demonstrate human tonsil organoids as a physiologically relevant model to investigate key aspects of EBV immunity and pathogenesis. ### Competing Interest Statement L.E.W declares inventor status on a US patent (US-20230235284-A1) describing the immune organoid technology. The other authors declare no competing interests. Wellcome Leap HOPE Program, National Institutes of Health, R01AI173023, R01CA228700, R01DE033907 Immunology Training grant, University of California Irvine, GU12093 American Cancer Society Post-doctoral Fellowship, PF-23-1144614-01-IBCD National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, UM1 TR004927

#understanding of #EBV #infection is hindered by a #lack of #models that capture infected B cell activity in the #lymphoid #tissue. #Not #anymore -#lisawagar @ucirvinemedschool.bsky.social @washuneurology.bsky.social #autoimmunity @tcellwhisperer.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

📰New & Featured | A paper from #Nature suggests that #liver can be temporarily repurposed to restore immune signals that decline with age and enhance T-cell function in aged mice
🔸Delivering #mRNAs that encode #DLL1, #FLT3L and IL-7 to #hepatocytes expand #lymphoid progenitors

#Myeloid cells 🤝 #Lymphoid cells!

Michelle von Locquenghien, Drs. Pascale Zwicky, Ken Xie, and Dr. Ido Amit's lab developed myeloid-targeted immunocytokines and NK/T cell enhancers that could potentially treat solid cancers.

📃@cp-cell.bsky.social - https://bit.ly/3Mkw3eM
🎧 - https://bit.ly/4pJvw4u

Researchers highlight the vital role of #MucosalImmunity, detailing its #lymphoid structures, regulatory mechanisms, and emerging therapies, including #MucosalVaccines and inhalable antibodies. #SARSCoV2 #medsky

#OpenAccess in #STTT: doi.org/10.1038/s413...

Rare Case Report of Pulmonary Mucosa-Associated #Lymphoid Tissue #Lymphoma
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

1/
➡️ less than half of all patients in the cohort had a cause identified for their spleen enlargement

➡️ #lymphoid malignancies and #autoimmune/#inflammatory diseases were the most frequent etiologies in their respective categories (malignant vs non-malignant causes)

B and T Cell Collaboration in Lymphoid and Nonlymphoid Microenvironments | Keystone Symposia Join us at the Keystone Symposia on B and T Cell Collaboration in Lymphoid and Nonlymphoid Microenvironments, March 2026, in Keystone, with field leaders!

Working with a great team to organize @keystoneSymposia.bsky.social #BCells & #TCells Collaboration: #Lymphoid & Beyond, this March! Join us to explore emerging research in Keystone! keysym.us/KSBTCells26 #KSBTCells26

B and T Cell Collaboration in Lymphoid and Nonlymphoid Microenvironments | Keystone Symposia Join us at the Keystone Symposia on B and T Cell Collaboration in Lymphoid and Nonlymphoid Microenvironments, March 2026, in Keystone, with field leaders!

Explore emerging research with field leaders @keystoneSymposia.bsky.social #BCells & #TCells Collaboration: #Lymphoid & Beyond, this March in Keystone! keysym.us/KSBTCells26 #KSBTCells26 www.keystonesymposia.org/conferences/...

The brain fires up immune cells when sick people are nearby When people viewed virtual avatars with coughs or rashes, their brains triggered an immune response.

At the mere sight of a sick person, the brain activates front-line immune cells in mimicking the body’s response to an actual infection → cascade of #neuro–immune mediators→ activation of innate #lymphoid cells. go.nature.com/46u1v2t
bit.ly/3Ha2drc [open access]

Impact of tertiary lymphoid structure scores and their stage of maturation on prognosis of colorectal cancer patients - Genes & Immunity Genes & Immunity - Impact of tertiary lymphoid structure scores and their stage of maturation on prognosis of colorectal cancer patients

Impact of #tertiary #lymphoid #structure scores and their stage of #maturation on #prognosis of #colorectal #cancer #patients

#genes & #Immunity @springernature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

#Lymphoid #Interstitial #Pneumonia Without Known Cause: Diagnostic Work Up and Differential Considerations
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Follow us on Bluesky: @respcasereports.bsky.social

Take the chance and apply to work on #OrganOnChip and #Organoid models of #lymphoid #tissues in this exciting project funded by the @carlzeissstiftung.bsky.social at @unituebingen.bsky.social.

Recapitulating a #human #antibody response and the recruitment of antigen-presenting cells into #lymphoid #tissue using #OrganOnChip technology? In our newest @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social preprint, we do exactly that:
doi.org/10.1101/2025...

Maintenance and functional regulation of immune memory to COVID-19 vaccines in tissues While vaccine-induced immunity circulates through blood, Davis-Porada et al. reveal that T and B cell memory generated by COVID-19 mRNA vaccines is stably maintained across lymphoid and mucosal tissues. Functionally, spike-reactive T cells exhibit heterogeneous effector and regulatory profiles compartmentalized in blood and tissues, respectively, for protection and tissue homeostasis.

Our collaborators chart the regulation of #immune memory to #covid19 in #lung and #lymphoid tissues. Authors include Peter Sims, Donna Farber, Alba Grifoni, Daniela Weiskopf and Alessandro Sette.
www.cell.com/immunity/ful...

A photo of yesterday's Medical Grand Rounds of our speaker, Dr. Sarubah Mehandru presenting at a podium next to his presented titled "Novel Insights on the role of lymphoid aggregates in infections and inflammatory disorders of the GI Tract"

We were THRILLED to have Dr Mehndru from Mount Sinai Health System⁦ presenting Medical Grand Rounds yesterday!!

📸- @susanquaggin.bsky.social

#northwestern #NorthwesternMedicine #northwesternmedicine #lymphoid #gastroenterology #medicalgrandrounds

#COVID19 #mRNA #vaccination- induced #immunologicalmemory in human non-lymphoid and #lymphoid tissues @jci_insight

dm5migu4zj3pb.cloudfront.net/manuscripts/...