Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Polygenic Risk Score Based On A Cardioembolic Stroke Multitrait Analysis Improves A Clinical Prediction Model For This Stroke Subtype, Jara Cárcel-Márquez, Laura Ibañez, Laura Heitsch, Rajat Dhar, Carlos Cruchaga, Jin-Moo Lee, Et Al

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Background: Occult atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the major causes of embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). Knowing the underlying etiology of an ESUS will reduce stroke recurrence and/or unnecessary use of anticoagulants. Understanding cardioembolic strokes (CES), whose main cause is AF, will provide tools to select patients who would benefit from anticoagulants among those with ESUS or AF. We aimed to discover novel loci associated with CES and create a polygenetic risk score (PRS) for a more efficient CES risk stratification.

Methods: Multitrait analysis of GWAS (MTAG) was performed with MEGASTROKE-CES cohort (

Results: We found and replicated …

Advances In Understanding Interferon-Mediated Immune Responses To Enteric Viruses In Intestinal Organoids, Lila S Nolan, Megan T Baldridge

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Interferons (IFN) are antiviral cytokines with critical roles in regulating pathogens at epithelial barriers, but their capacity to restrict human enteric viruses has been incompletely characterized in part due to challenges in cultivating some viruses

Bsl2-Compliant Lethal Mouse Model Of Sars-Cov-2 And Variants Of Concern To Evaluate Therapeutics Targeting The Spike Protein, Mohanraj Manangeeswaran, Derek D C Ireland, Seth G Thacker, Ha-Na Lee, Logan Kelley-Baker, Aaron P Lewkowicz, Paul W Rothlauf, Marjorie Cornejo Pontelli, Louis-Marie Bloyet, Michael A Eckhaus, Mirian I Mendoza, Sean Whelan, Daniela Verthelyi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Since first reported in 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is rapidly acquiring mutations, particularly in the spike protein, that can modulate pathogenicity, transmission and antibody evasion leading to successive waves of COVID19 infections despite an unprecedented mass vaccination necessitating continuous adaptation of therapeutics. Small animal models can facilitate understanding host-pathogen interactions, target selection for therapeutic drugs, and vaccine development, but availability and cost of studies in BSL3 facilities hinder progress. To generate a BSL2-compatible

Differences In Subjective Well-Being Between Individuals With Distinct Joint Personality (Temperament-Character) Networks In A Bulgarian Sample, Danilo Garcia, Maryam Kazemitabar, Kristina Stoyanova, Drozdstoy Stoyanov, C Robert Cloninger

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Background: Personality is the major predictor of people's subjective well-being (

Method: The sample consisted of 443 individuals from Bulgaria (68.70% females) with a mean age of 34 years (

Results: We found two Temperament Profiles and two Character Profiles that clustered into two distinctive Joint Personality Networks. All individuals in Joint Personality Network 1 had a Reliable (nhRP) Temperament Profile in combination with an Organized (SCt) Character Profile (

Conclusions: Although a stable temperament and a healthy character were separately important for well-being, it was clear that it was the interaction between such temperament and character configuration that yielded …

Child Dietary Patterns In Homo Sapiens Evolution: A Systematic Review, Lora L Iannotti, Emmanuel A Gyimah, Miranda Reid, Melissa Chapnick, Mary Kate Cartmill, Chessa K Lutter, Charles Hilton, Theresa E Gildner, Elizabeth A Quinn

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Dietary patterns spanning millennia could inform contemporary public health nutrition. Children are largely absent from evidence describing diets throughout human evolution, despite prevalent malnutrition today signaling a potential genome-environment divergence. This systematic review aimed to identify dietary patterns of children ages 6 months to 10 years consumed before the widespread adoption of agriculture. Metrics of mention frequency (counts of food types reported) and food groups (globally standardized categories) were applied to: compare diets across subsistence modes [gatherer-hunter-fisher (GHF), early agriculture (EA) groups]; examine diet quality and diversity; and characterize differences by life course phase and environmental context defined using Köppen-Geiger …

Variation In Ampicillin Dosing For Lower Respiratory Tract Infections And Neonatal Bacterial Infections In Us Children's Hospitals, Elizabeth A Daniels, Christopher C Mcpherson, Jason G Newland, Brian R Lee

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: We examined ampicillin dosing in pediatric patients across 3 conditions: (1) bacterial lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in infants and children >3 months, (2) neonates with suspected or proven sepsis, and (3) neonates with suspected central nervous system (CNS) infections. We compared our findings to dosing guidance for these specific indications.

DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING: The study included data from 32 children's hospitals in the United States.

METHODS: We reviewed prescriptions from the SHARPS study of antimicrobials, a survey of antibiotic prescribing from July 2016 to December 2017. Prescriptions were analyzed for indication, total daily dose per kilogram, …

Sepsis Prediction For The General Ward Setting, Sean C Yu, Aditi Gupta, Kevin D Betthauser, Patrick G Lyons, Albert M Lai, Marin H Kollef, Philip R O Payne, Andrew P Michelson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a sepsis prediction model for the general ward setting and extend the evaluation through a novel pseudo-prospective trial design.

DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of data extracted from electronic health records (EHR).

SETTING: Single, tertiary-care academic medical center in St. Louis, MO, USA.

PATIENTS: Adult, non-surgical inpatients admitted between January 1, 2012 and June 1, 2019.

INTERVENTIONS: None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 70,034 included patient encounters, 3.1% were septic based on the Sepsis-3 criteria. Features were generated from the EHR data and were used to develop a machine learning model to predict sepsis 6-h ahead …

Compound Loss Of Gsdmd And Gsdme Function Is Necessary To Achieve Maximal Therapeutic Effect In Colitis, Jianqiu Xiao, Kai Sun, Chun Wang, Yousef Abu-Amer, Gabriel Mbalaviele

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Gasdermin D (GSDMD) and gasdermin E (GSDME) perpetuate inflammation by mediating the release of cytokines such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18. However, not only are the actions of GSDMD in colitis still controversial, but its interplay with GSDME in the pathogenesis of this disease has not been investigated. We sought to fill these knowledge gaps using the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) experimental mouse colitis model. DSS ingestion by wild-type mice caused body weight loss as the result of severe gut inflammation, outcomes that were significantly attenuated in

Cardiac Immune Cell Infiltration Associates With Abnormal Lipid Metabolism, Vincenza Cifarelli, Ondrej Kuda, Kui Yang, Xinping Liu, Richard W Gross, Terri A Pietka, Gyu Seong Heo, Deborah Sultan, Hannah Luehmann, Josie Lesser, Morgan Ross, Ira J Goldberg, Robert J Gropler, Yongjian Liu, Nada A Abumrad

2020-Current year OA Pubs

CD36 mediates the uptake of long-chain fatty acids (FAs), a major energy substrate for the myocardium. Under excessive FA supply, CD36 can cause cardiac lipid accumulation and inflammation while its deletion reduces heart FA uptake and lipid content and increases glucose utilization. As a result, CD36 was proposed as a therapeutic target for obesity-associated heart disease. However, more recent reports have shown that CD36 deficiency suppresses myocardial flexibility in fuel preference between glucose and FAs, impairing tissue energy balance, while CD36 absence in tissue macrophages reduces efferocytosis and myocardial repair after injury. In line with the latter homeostatic functions, we …

Analysis Of Neuronal Injury Transcriptional Response Identifies Ctcf And Yy1 As Co-Operating Factors Regulating Axon Regeneration, Oshri Avraham, Jimmy Le, Kathleen Leahy, Tiandao Li, Guoyan Zhao, Valeria Cavalli

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Injured sensory neurons activate a transcriptional program necessary for robust axon regeneration and eventual target reinnervation. Understanding the transcriptional regulators that govern this axon regenerative response may guide therapeutic strategies to promote axon regeneration in the injured nervous system. Here, we used cultured dorsal root ganglia neurons to identify pro-regenerative transcription factors. Using RNA sequencing, we first characterized this neuronal culture and determined that embryonic day 13.5 DRG (eDRG) neurons cultured for 7 days are similar to e15.5 DRG neurons

Mesenchymal Gene Expression Subtyping Analysis For Early-Stage Human Papillomavirus-Negative Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Reveals Prognostic And Predictive Applications, Gregory M Mayhew, Joshua M Uronis, David Neil Hayes, Jose P Zevallos

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) are predominantly human papillomavirus (HPV)(-), and treatment typically involves surgical resection ± neck dissection, followed by radiation ± chemotherapy. We previously described four mRNA expression patterns (classical, atypical, basal, and mesenchymal), each with unique genomic features and prognosis. Here, we examine the clinical utility of gene expression subtyping in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and introduce potentially predictive applications in HPV(-) OCSCC. A retrospective genomic database analysis was performed including 562 HNSCC patients from MD Anderson (MDA-GSE41116) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Samples were assigned molecular subtypes (classical, atypical, …

Examining Virtual Driving Test Performance And Its Relationship To Individuals With Hiv-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders, David Grethlein, Vanessa Pirrone, Kathryn N Devlin, Will Dampier, Zsofia Szep, Flaura K Winston, Santiago Ontañón, Elizabeth A Walshe, Kim Malone, Shinika Tillman, Beau M Ances, Venk Kandadai, Dennis L Kolson, Brian Wigdahl

2020-Current year OA Pubs

SIGNIFICANCE: Existing screening tools for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) are often clinically impractical for detecting milder forms of impairment. The formal diagnosis of HAND requires an assessment of both cognition and impairment in activities of daily living (ADL). To address the critical need for identifying patients who may have disability associated with HAND, we implemented a low-cost screening tool, the Virtual Driving Test (VDT) platform, in a vulnerable cohort of people with HIV (PWH). The VDT presents an opportunity to cost-effectively screen for milder forms of impairment while providing practical guidance for a cognitively demanding ADL.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to: …

Weakly Activated Core Neuroinflammation Pathways Were Identified As A Central Signaling Mechanism Contributing To The Chronic Neurodegeneration In Alzheimer's Disease, Fuhai Li, Abdallah M Eteleeb, William Buchser, Christopher Sohn, Guoqiao Wang, Chengjie Xiong, Philip R Payne, Eric Mcdade, Celeste M Karch, Oscar Harari, Carlos Cruchaga

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVES: Neuroinflammation signaling has been identified as an important hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in addition to amyloid β plaques (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). However, the molecular mechanisms and biological processes of neuroinflammation remain unclear and have not well delineated using transcriptomics data available. Our objectives are to uncover the core neuroinflammation signaling pathways in AD using integrative network analysis on the transcriptomics data.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: From a novel perspective, i.e., investigating weakly activated molecular signals (rather than the strongly activated molecular signals), we developed integrative and systems biology network analysis to uncover potential core neuroinflammation signaling targets …

Totally Percutaneous Endovascular Repair For Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, Shirli Tay, Mohamed S Zaghloul, Mehreen Shafqat, Chao Yang, Kshitij A Desai, Gayan De Silva, Luis A Sanchez, Mohamed A Zayed

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: The PEVAR Trial demonstrated that compared to open femoral exposure, elective percutaneous endovascular AAA repair (ePEVAR) is associated with decreased perioperative morbidity and access site complications. We hypothesized that PEVAR for ruptured AAA (rPEVAR) may also improve perioperative morbidity compared to open femoral exposure (rEVAR). There are currently no reports that evaluate the utility and outcomes of rPEVAR.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2015 to 2021, all patients who underwent an endovascular repair of a ruptured AAA at a single institution were included in the study and grouped into rPEVAR and rEVAR. Demographics, procedural details (successful preclose technique, conversion to …

Correlating Electroconvulsive Therapy Response To Electroencephalographic Markers: Study Protocol, Subha Subramanian, Alyssa K Labonte, Thomas Nguyen, Anhthi H Luong, Orlandrea Hyche, S Kendall Smith, R Edward Hogan, Nuri B Farber, Ben Julian A Palanca, Mohammadmehdi Kafashan, Cet-Rem Study Group

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective intervention for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Despite longstanding use, the underlying mechanisms of ECT are unknown, and there are no objective prognostic biomarkers that are routinely used for ECT response. Two electroencephalographic (EEG) markers, sleep slow waves and sleep spindles, could address these needs. Both sleep microstructure EEG markers are associated with synaptic plasticity, implicated in memory consolidation, and have reduced expression in depressed individuals. We hypothesize that ECT alleviates depression through enhanced expression of sleep slow waves and sleep spindles, thereby facilitating synaptic reconfiguration in pathologic neural circuits.

METHODS: Correlating …

Automated Lesion Detection Of Breast Cancer In [18f] Fdg Pet/Ct Using A Novel Ai-Based Workflow, Jeffrey P Leal, Steven P Rowe, Vered Stearns, Roisin M Connolly, Christos Vaklavas, Minetta C Liu, Anna Maria Storniolo, Richard L Wahl, Martin G Pomper, Lilja B Solnes

2020-Current year OA Pubs

UNLABELLED: Applications based on artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL) are rapidly being developed to assist in the detection and characterization of lesions on medical images. In this study, we developed and examined an image-processing workflow that incorporates both traditional image processing with AI technology and utilizes a standards-based approach for disease identification and quantitation to segment and classify tissue within a whole-body [

METHODS: One hundred thirty baseline PET/CT studies from two multi-institutional preoperative clinical trials in early-stage breast cancer were semi-automatically segmented using techniques based on PERCIST v1.0 thresholds and the individual segmentations classified as to tissue …

Advances In Our Clinical Understanding Of Autonomic Regulation Therapy Using Vagal Nerve Stimulation In Patients Living With Heart Failure, Marvin A Konstam, Douglas L Mann, John James E Udelson, Jeffrey L Ardell, Gaetano M De Ferrari, Martin R Cowie, Helmut U Klein, Douglas D Gregory, Joseph M Massaro, Imad Libbus, Lorenzo A Dicarlo, Javed Butler, John D Parker, John R Teerlink

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The ANTHEM-HF, INOVATE-HF, and NECTAR-HF clinical studies of autonomic regulation therapy (ART) using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) systems have collectively provided dose-ranging information enabling the development of several working hypotheses on how stimulation frequency can be utilized during VNS for tolerability and improving cardiovascular outcomes in patients living with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Changes in heart rate dynamics, comprising reduced heart rate (HR) and increased HR variability, are a biomarker of autonomic nerve system engagement and cardiac control, and appear to be sensitive to VNS that is delivered using a stimulation frequency that is similar to …

Association Of Pretreatment Hippocampal Volume With Neurocognitive Function In Patients Treated With Hippocampal Avoidance Whole Brain Radiation Therapy For Brain Metastases: Secondary Analysis Of Nrg Oncology/Rtog 0933, Christopher D. Abraham, Stephanie L. Pugh, Joseph A. Bovi, Vinai Gondi, Minesh P. Mehta, Tammie Benzinger, Christopher J. Owen, Simon S. Lo, Vijayananda Kundapur, Paul D. Brown, Alexander Y. Sun, Steven P. Howard, Albert S Denittis, Clifford G. Robinson, Lisa A. Kachnic

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Hippocampal volume (HV) is an established predicting factor for neurocognitive function (NCF) in neurodegenerative disease. Whether the same phenomenon exists with hippocampal-avoidant whole brain radiation therapy is not known; therefore, we assessed the association of baseline HV with NCF among patients enrolled on RTOG 0933.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Hippocampal volume and total brain volume were calculated from the radiation therapy plan. Hippocampal volume was correlated with baseline and 4-month NCF scores (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised [HVLT-R] Total Recall [TR], Immediate Recognition, and Delayed Recall [DR]) using Pearson correlation. Deterioration in NCF was defined per the primary endpoint of RTOG …

Management Of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia In The Setting Of Acute Covid-19 Infection, Kevin G Shim, Mallory Crain, Kristan Augustin, Karolyn A Oetjen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) often presents with significant coagulopathy which may result in both hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has complicated the initial treatment and diagnosis of APL owing to the viral infection's own associated coagulopathy. Here we report two cases of APL newly diagnosed in the setting of COVID-19 infection and considerations in their management. Included is a discussion of strategies for the dosing of arsenic trioxide in patients with significant obesity and renal insufficiency. The case series submitted does not represent a study on patients and thus no specific informed consents or permissions …

Functional Tic-Like Presentations Differ Strikingly From Provisional Tic Disorder, Amanda L Arbuckle, Emily C Bihun, Bradley L Schlaggar, Kevin J. Black

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

It Is Time To Define An Organizational Model For The Prevention And Management Of Infections Along The Surgical Pathway: A Worldwide Cross-Sectional Survey, Massimo Sartellli, John E. Mazuski, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Aging With Long-Term Physical Disability: Cohort Analysis Of Survey Sample In The U.S., Kerri A Morgan, Michelle Putnam, Sandra M Espin-Tello, Marian Keglovits, Margaret Campbell, Yan Yan, Aimee Wehmeier, Susan Stark

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Chronic health conditions, secondary conditions, and decreasing functional ability related to aging and/or changes in underlying impairment may influence participation for persons aging with long-term physical disability (AwD).

OBJECTIVE: To examine sample integrity and baseline findings through exploration of associations of sociodemographic, health, and disability factors with social participation for persons AwD.

METHODS: This is a longitudinal cohort study following persons AwD over three years, reporting baseline cohort study data. A convenience sample of 474 persons AwD aged 45-65 reporting physical disability of ≥5 years' duration was recruited through community organizations and social media. The cohort was majority female …

Primary Care Experiences Of Providing Mental Healthcare For Children In The Usa During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study, Jane Garbutt, Sherry Dodd, Lauren Ericson, Randall Sterkel, Katie Plax

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Green Space On Obesity In China: A Systematic Review, Jing Shen, Mengfei Li, Qianhui Wang, Ruidong Liu, Mengmeng Ji, Ruopeng An

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: This study systematically reviewed scientific evidence concerning the influence of green space on obesity in China.

METHODS: Keyword and reference search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO, and CNKI. Predetermined selection criteria included study designs: experimental and observational studies; subjects: people of all ages; exposures: green space (i.e., any open land partly or entirely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation); outcomes: body weight status (e.g., body mass index [BMI], overweight, or obesity); and country: China.

RESULTS: Ten studies met the selection criteria and were included in the review. All studies adopted a cross-sectional design. …

Virtual Adaptation Of An International Exchange Program In Medical Education, Celia Fung, Nicholas Maxwell, Stephen Powell, Michelle Benassai, Natalia Chunga, Jennifer Corcoran, William Barbosa, Marisabel Lopez, Betsy Hanampa, Melissa Llaiqui-Condori, Victor Delgado-Lazo, Karina Mendoza, Yanet Astete, Martin Flor, Sheyla Palacios, Blanca Valdovinos, Jorge Risco, Isabel Camargo, Ralph Jozefowicz, Karlo J Lizárraga

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Medical education has drastically transformed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures such as adopting telemedicine visits, minimizing the number of trainees on service, discontinuing external rotations, and converting in-person to online didactics have been broadly and swiftly implemented. While these innovations have promoted greater interconnectivity amongst institutions and made continuing medical education possible, international exchange programs in medical education are still largely disrupted. In response to the changing guidelines and restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors used Kern's six-step approach to design and implement a virtual curriculum to replace the in-person activities of the 2020-2021 Neurology Peru-Rochester exchange program …

Cdc20 Regulates Sensitivity To Chemotherapy And Radiation In Glioblastoma Stem Cells, Diane D. Mao, Ryan T. Cleary, Amit Gujar, Tatenda Mahlokozera, Albert H. Kim

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) are an important subpopulation in glioblastoma, implicated in tumor growth, tumor recurrence, and radiation resistance. Understanding the cellular mechanisms for chemo- and radiation resistance could lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies. Here, we demonstrate that CDC20 promotes resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. CDC20 knockdown does not increase TMZ- and radiation-induced DNA damage, or alter DNA damage repair, but rather promotes cell death through accumulation of the pro-apoptotic protein, Bim. Our results identify a CDC20 signaling pathway that regulates chemo- and radiosensitivity in GSCs, with the potential for CDC20-targeted therapeutic strategies in the treatment …

Unique Molecular Identifier-Based High-Resolution Hla Typing And Transcript Quantitation Using Long-Read Sequencing, Caleb Cornaby, Maureen C Montgomery, Chang Liu, Eric T Weimer

2020-Current year OA Pubs

HLA typing provides essential results for stem cell and solid organ transplants, as well as providing diagnostic benefits for various rheumatology, gastroenterology, neurology, and infectious diseases. It is becoming increasingly clear that understanding the expression of patient HLA transcripts can provide additional benefits for many of these same patient groups. Our study cohort was evaluated using a long-read RNA sequencing methodology to provide rapid HLA genotyping results and normalized HLA transcript expression. Our assay used NGSEngine to determine the HLA genotyping result and normalized mRNA transcript expression using Athlon2. The assay demonstrated an excellent concordance rate of 99.7%. Similar to …

Experiences Using A Multidisciplinary Model For Treating Injection Drug Use Associated Infections: A Qualitative Study, Nathanial S Nolan, Emily Gleason, Laura R Marks, Tracey Habrock-Bach, Stephen Y Liang, Michael J Durkin

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Background: Over the past two decades, the United States has experienced a dramatic increase in the rate of injection drug use, injection associated infections, and overdose mortality. A hospital-based program for treating opioid use disorder in people who inject drugs presenting with invasive infections was initiated at an academic tertiary care center in 2020. The goal of this program was to improve care outcomes, enhance patient experiences, and facilitate transition from the hospital to longer term addiction care. The purpose of this study was to interview two cohorts of patients, those admitted before vs. after initiation of this program, to …

Molecular Heterogeneity In Pediatric Malignant Rhabdoid Tumors In Patients With Multi-Organ Involvement, Katherine E Miller, Margaret Shatara, Et Al

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Rhabdoid tumors (RTs) of the brain (atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor; AT/RT) and extracranial sites (most often the kidney; RTK) are malignant tumors predominantly occurring in children, frequently those with

Efficient T Cell Migration And Activation Require L-Plastin, Hemant Joshi, Sharon Celeste Morley

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Rapid re-organization of the actin cytoskeleton supports T-cell trafficking towards immune sites and interaction with antigen presenting cells (APCs). F-actin rearrangement enables T-cell trafficking by stabilizing adhesion to vascular endothelial cells and promoting transendothelial migration. T-cell/APC immune synapse (IS) maturation also relies upon f-actin-anchored LFA-1:ICAM-1 ligation. Therefore, efficient T-cell responses require tight regulation of f-actin dynamics. In this review, we summarize how the actin-bundling protein L-plastin (LPL) regulates T-cell activation and migration. LPL enhances f-actin polymerization and also directly binds to the β2 chain of the integrin LFA-1 to support intercellular adhesion and IS formation in human and murine T …