Immunology explores the intricate defense systems that keep our bodies safe from infections and disease. This field examines how our immune cells recognize threats, coordinate responses, and maintain a delicate balance between fighting invaders and avoiding self-harm. From understanding vaccine mechanisms to investigating autoimmune disorders, these studies reveal the dynamic biology protecting human health every day.

On Gist.Science, we ensure these critical discoveries remain accessible to everyone. We automatically process every new preprint in this category as it appears on bioRxiv, transforming complex research into both plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries. This approach allows readers to grasp the core findings without getting lost in dense jargon, while still providing the depth needed for scientific inquiry.

Below are the latest immunology papers from bioRxiv, each accompanied by our curated summaries to help you navigate the newest breakthroughs in the field.

🛡️ immunology

Rhomboid protease Rhbdl2 regulates macrophage recruitment and wound regeneration in zebrafish

This study identifies the rhomboid protease Rhbdl2 as a critical immune checkpoint in zebrafish that constrains macrophage recruitment and tissue regeneration by negatively regulating Rac2 signaling, as its loss leads to enhanced wound healing through increased macrophage accumulation and Rac2 activity.

Gourkanti, S., Ramakrishnan, G., Cheung, J., Schoen, T. J., Munoz, Y., Chavez, R. M., Dohnalek, J., Martin, K., Lovett-B (…)2026-09-17
🛡️ immunology

Early, adjuvant-responsive epigenetic programs in B cells imprint subsequent plasma cell survival and the duration of humoral immunity

This study reveals that B cell-intrinsic epigenetic programs, specifically IRF8- and Ets-dependent pathways regulated by the transcription factor ZBTB20 during the first week after immunization, are imprinted early to determine the long-term survival of plasma cells and the duration of humoral immunity, a process that can be modulated by adjuvant choice.

Ripperger, T. J., D'Souza, L., Read, J. F., Qi, W., Cusanovich, D., Schultz-Cherry, S., Corcoran, L., Bosco, A., Bhattac (…)2026-09-10
🛡️ immunology

Dissociation kinetics and avidity gate SARS-CoV-2 neutralization by HR2 stem helix antibodies

This study identifies the rare human antibody hr2.016 as a resilient therapeutic candidate that neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 by leveraging slow dissociation kinetics and IgG-mediated avidity to target the highly conserved Spike HR2 stem helix, a mechanism not replicated by more common but less potent antibodies despite convergent structural recognition.

Crivelli, V., Guerra, C., Abernathy, M. E., Sgrignani, J., Zoppi, G., Greeson, M. L., Sanga, A., Locatelli, P., Cantergi (…)2026-09-09
🛡️ immunology

TLR-mediated activation of synovial fibroblasts from osteoarthritis patients promotes chondrocyte dysfunction

This study demonstrates that Toll-like receptor activation in osteoarthritis synovial fibroblasts induces a pro-inflammatory and catabolic phenotype that directly impairs chondrocyte homeostasis, identifying these fibroblasts as key effectors of innate immune signaling and potential therapeutic targets in OA.

Dai, Y., Gong, A., Duran Hernandez, N., Liang, X., Liu, X., J. Gearing, L., Durek, P., Li, Y., Oehme, S., Wu, P., Heinri (…)2026-09-08
🛡️ immunology

Antibodies with Engineered Fc Domains Having Absolute Binding Selectivity to either FcγRIIa or FcγRI Delineate the Respective Effector Phenotypes by Human Monocytes and Macrophages

This study utilizes engineered IgG1 Fc domains with absolute selectivity for either FcγRIIa or FcγRI to demonstrate that while both receptors can mediate phagocytosis and trogocytosis, they drive distinct cytokine secretion profiles, thereby delineating their specific contributions to human monocyte and macrophage effector functions.

George, K., Ko, S., Irani, S., Delidakis, G., Lee, C.-H., Menon, P., Kim, J. E., Herpers, B. M., Rocha, E., Soto, G., Ma (…)2026-09-04
🛡️ immunology

Tirzepatide preserves hematopoietic stem and progenitor cycling while remodeling inflammatory monocytes in obese mice

This study demonstrates that in obese mice, tirzepatide-induced weight loss selectively remodels inflammatory monocytes while preserving hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell cycling, thereby avoiding the broad blood lineage suppression observed with caloric restriction.

Krah, N. M., Gonzalez-Alvarado, E., Urs, A. P., Goda, C., Bustos, Y., Marvin, J. E., Weaver, B. D., Gygi, S., Toshniwal (…)2026-09-04
🛡️ immunology

Modeling how memory CD8 T cells can elicit post-treatment control of HIV infection

By combining mathematical modeling with SIV data, this study proposes that antiretroviral therapy preserves memory CD8 T cell functionality by halting antigenic stimulation, thereby enabling robust recall responses that can establish post-treatment control of HIV independently of the latent reservoir size.

Vemparala, B., Passaes, C., Desjardins, D., Monceaux, V., Lemaitre, J., Melard, A., Charre, C., Gourves, M., Dimant, N. (…)2026-09-04