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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, Tregs finally getting the spotlight they deserve! 🙌

Adrian Liston @labliston.bsky.social · 2d

A small primer on the #NobelPrize awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi today. This prize was for combining two separate fields of immunology research - genetic research on IPEX and immunology research of regulatory T cells (#Tregs), with enormous impact on biology/medicine

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Reposted by Tuure Kinnunen

Science News @scinews.bsky.social · Aug 21

“You are here to learn to ride a bicycle, not to invent a bicycle.”

"Now, I’m about to establish my own research group. I feel ready to design and invent my own bicycle. I’ll remind my trainees that their job, first and foremost, is to learn how to ride."

www.science.org/content/arti...

How a Ph.D. is like riding a bike

This researcher struggled in grad school—until he embraced it as a time for learning

www.science.org

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Aug 8

Monoclonal antibodies 50 year anniversary!

Nature Reviews Immunology @natrevimmunol.nature.com · Aug 7

This discovery by Köhler and Milstein was revolutionary for biomedical research and drug development. Read the @nature.com editorial on the impact of monoclonal antibodies: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Monoclonal antibodies revolutionized biomedical science and health care

The story of the discovery of these molecules 50 years ago shows how the free exchange of ideas can lead to life-changing treatments.

www.nature.com

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Aug 4

Many thanks to all our collaborators at Kuopio University Hospital, @varhahyvinvointi.bsky.social, @pohde.bsky.social, @utu.fi, @helsinki.fi, @unioulu.bsky.social, and to the funders of the study: Foundation for Pediatric Research, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation and ISLAB Laboratory Centre.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Aug 4

Taken together, our data supports the view that autoantibodies generated in JIA likely target either multi-molecular antigen structures (like dsDNA-nucleosome complexes) and/or posttranslationally modified nuclear proteins, possibly formed during inflammatory processes in the joints.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Aug 4

However, no purified antigen appears to explain this reactivity. Interestingly, around 20% of JIA patients exhibited antibody reactivity to artificial nucleosome-dsDNA complexes, but not to isolated nucleosomes or dsDNA.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Aug 4

We studied a large collection of plasma samples from JIA patients and age-matched controls, using a variety of both clinical-grade and exploratory autoantibody assays. We confirmed previous findings that autoantibodies in JIA appear to target chromatin structures.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Aug 4

New science out from our group! This time on autoantibody specifities in juvenile idiopathic arthritis #JIA #immunosky #medsky. @uniuef.bsky.social

It is well known that antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are prevalent in JIA patients, but the actual autoantigen targeted has remained elusive.

ACR Journals @acr-journals.bsky.social · Jul 22

Plasma samples from untreated patients with active JIA were analyzed for ANA specificities. Results showed chromatin is the main target of autoantibody reactivity in JIA. 20% of JIA patients had reactivity to dsDNA-nucleosome complexes

Arthritis & Rheumatology
doi.org/10.1002/art....

#Medsky

Homogeneous nuclear ANA staining in JIA patients suggests autoantibody reactivity towards chromatin A) Frequency (left panel) and distribution (middle panel) of different ANA titers observed in the study groups using an indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT). Frequency of ANA-positive subjects (ANA≥1:160) in the different study groups (right panel). B) Representative speckled and homogeneous nuclear ANA staining patterns in HEp-2 cells using IIFT (left panel). Distribution of nuclear ANA staining patterns in ANA-positive (ANA≥1:160) study subjects (middle panel). Frequency of ANA-positive subjects (ANA≥1:160) with a homogeneous nuclear staining pattern in the different study groups (right panel). C) Reactivity towards nucleosomes and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in the MicroblotArray (MBA) presented as concentration (U/ml) of antibodies (left)

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

Currently in Boston at +37C, luckily most of the time in air-conditioned conference halls…

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

Huge thanks for this big effort to all our collaborators at @uniuef.bsky.social @utu.fi @unioulu.bsky.social @helsinki.fi and to our funders: Research Council of Finland, Finnish Diabetes Research Foundation and @sigridjuselius.bsky.social

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

This could potentially complicate the use of cTph cells as blood biomarkers in autoimmune diseases.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

Finally, we show that the CXCR5-PD1hi cells are more hererogeneous at the single cell level than CXCR5+PD1hi cells and TCR sharing is demonstrated also with CXCR5-PD1lo cells. This suggests that the putative "cTph" cells contain other T cell subsets besides those with a true Tph signature.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

Second, we investigated the phenotype of cTfh and cTph using flow cytometry and single cell omics. We confirm previous studies that blood CXCR5-PD1hi (cTph) and CXCR5+PD1hi (cTfh) cells share B-cell helper features. However, no phenotypic changes are seen in T1D, just an increase in frequency.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

It turns out that no changes are seen at this point, only later, i.e. a few years before clinical disease onset, and more dominantly for cTph than cTfh cells, suggesting that the increase of these cells in blood is associated with disease progression and hypothetically ectopic lymphoid structures.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

Here, we addressed a few outstanding questions. First: what is the exact timing of cTfh and cTph increase during the disease process? For this, we analysed rare samples collected at the time of seroconversion, i.e. the earliest detectable time point of autoimmunity.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

Links to the previous studies:

diabetesjournals.org/diabetes/art...

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

This study complements our earlier studies on the role of these "B-cell helper" T cells in T1D, where we have shown that both cTfh and cTph are increased in the blood of children with newly diagnosed T1D and also in prediabetic autoantibody-positive (AAb+) children.

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 24

New results on the role of circulating T follicular (cTfh) and T peripheral helper (cTph) cells in type 1 diabetes out at @eurjimmunol.bsky.social: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

#immunosky #T1D #autoimmunity

The Frequency but not the Phenotype of Circulating Peripheral T Helper Cells is Increased at Later Stages of Progression to Type 1 Diabetes

Frequencies of circulating T peripheral helper (cTph) and activated T follicular helper (cTfh) cells increase close to the diagnosis of clinical type 1 diabetes, but not at the onset of autoimmunity.....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Jun 19

There is always the Midsummer next year!

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Reposted by Tuure Kinnunen

WHO @who.int · Jun 10

Vaccines are rigorously tested, they are effective, and they save lives. More than 150 million lives have been saved in the past 50 years thanks to vaccines!

But you may be worried about what's in them?
So, let’s break it down ⬇

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · May 27

Great news, well deserved! Congratulations Eliisa!

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · May 23

Interested in translational human immunology? We are currently recruiting a PhD student or a post-doc to work on an exciting project to to study immune changes leading to the development of type 1 diabetes. #immunosky #sciencejobs uef.varbi.com/en/what:job/...

Postdoctoral Researcher/Doctoral Researcher/Project Researcher, Translational Immunology

The University of Eastern Finland is inviting applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher/Doctoral Researcher/Project Researcher (Translational Immunology) position in Kuopio. The position will be fill

uef.varbi.com

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Reposted by Tuure Kinnunen

Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · May 11

Multiple recent studies, including 3 impressive natural experiments, consistently show a link between Shingles vaccines and reduced dementia. This week a nationwide S Korea study added a reduction of cardiovascular events
My summary Table. More here on dementia erictopol.substack.com/p/the-shingl...

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Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Apr 30

More data is emerging that one shot of HPV vaccine is already efficient for protection, and boosters would not be needed. This change could both help increase vaccine compliance and reduce costs, both of which could increase HPV vaccine coverage globally.

Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · Apr 29

The real "one and done." Remarkable new data supporting the HPV vaccine prevention of cancer.
www.statnews.com/2025/04/28/h... by @matthewherper.bsky.social @statnews.com

U.S. government researchers present 'phenomenal' new data on HPV vaccines

A new study seems to confirm that a single dose of the vaccine used to prevent HPV infection is just as effective as two — and, therefore, also helps to prevent cancer.

www.statnews.com

Tuure Kinnunen @tuurekinnunen.bsky.social · Apr 24

Links to the papers suggesting protection on development of MS and T1D:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

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