Autoimmunity-associated T cell receptors recognize HLA-B*27-bound peptides

Human leucocyte antigen B*27 (HLA-B*27) is strongly associated with inflammatory diseases of the spine and pelvis (for example, ankylosing spondylitis (AS)) and the eye (that is, acute anterior uveitis (AAU))1. How HLA-B*27 facilitates disease remains unknown, but one possible mechanism could involve presentation of pathogenic peptides to CD8+ T cells. Here we isolated orphan T cell receptors (TCRs) expressing a disease-associated public β-chain variable region–complementary-determining region 3β (BV9–CDR3β) motif2,3,4 from blood and synovial fluid T cells from individuals with AS and from the eye in individuals with AAU. These TCRs showed consistent α-chain variable region (AV21) chain pairing and were clonally expanded in the joint and eye. We used HLA-B*27:05 yeast display peptide libraries to identify shared self-peptides and microbial peptides that activated the AS- and AAU-derived TCRs. Structural analysis revealed that TCR cross-reactivity for peptide–MHC was rooted in a shared binding motif present in both self-antigens and microbial antigens that engages the BV9–CDR3β TCRs. These findings support the hypothesis that microbial antigens and self-antigens could play a pathogenic role in HLA-B*27-associated disease

Un-nation branding: the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in Israeli soft power

This chapter presents a theory of ‘un-nation branding’. We define this as the practice of promoting a nation-state with minimal or even no reference to the nation-state. In contrast to nation branding, un-nation branding involves states symbolising themselves as/through cities (or regions) in order to make themselves attractive to others. In articulating this theory, we focus on the case study of Israel’s ‘Two Cities. One Break’ advertising campaign. We highlight how this campaign serves to visually represent Israel as the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. As a practice of un-nation branding, we argue that the ‘Two Cities. One Break’ campaign silences contentious aspects of the Israeli state, such as questions about borders, settlements and conflict. As such, this campaign is demonstrative of the importance of un-nation branding for states in the twenty-first century, and we suggest several implications of un-nation branding as well as future directions for research into the role of cities in contemporary accounts of soft power