Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to stable water isotope labeling followed by detection via MRI (swiMRI), including deuterium MRI (dMRI) and 17O MRI, for visualizing rapidly dividing immune cells within target and/or lymphoid organ/s and/or tissues affected by chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Using deuterated water labeling, followed by dMRI, a distinction in deuterium signal was detected in a target organ (e.g. liver) of the cGVHD-affected mice compared to unaffected mice, i.e. syngeneic HSCT recipient mice, where the host and donor are matched, and normal (unmanipulated) mice.

Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to stable water isotope labeling followed by detection via MRI (swiMRI), including deuterium MRI (dMRI) and 17O MRI, for visualizing rapidly dividing immune cells within target and/or lymphoid organ/s and/or tissues affected by chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Using deuterated water labeling, followed by dMRI, a distinction in deuterium signal was detected in a target organ (e.g. liver) of the cGVHD-affected mice compared to unaffected mice, i.e. syngeneic HSCT recipient mice, where the host and donor are matched, and normal (unmanipulated) mice.

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods useful for altering cell proliferation by modifying SPATIAL activity in cells. In some methods, thymocyte numbers in subjects with disease-associated immunodeficiencies are increased by administering an agent that inhibits SPATIAL activity. Also provided are methods useful for increasing thymocyte number in a subject by administering an agent that interferes with an interaction between SPATIAL and Uba3. In other methods, cell growth is inhibited by introducing or expressing a SPATIAL or SPATIAL-related polypeptide or nucleic acid in one or more cell(s), such as neoplastic cell(s). Further provided are methods of identifying agents that modify (for example, inhibit) SPATIAL expression or activity, or which interfere with an interaction between SPATIAL and Uba3 polypeptides, and therefore which are useful in influencing thymocyte number.

Abstract: Methods for generating highly enriched Th1/Tcl and Th2/Tc2 functions are described. In particular, the generation of these functions are attained by the addition of an immune suppression drug, rapamycin or a rapamycin derivative compound. In addition to enhanced purity of T cell function, the T cells generated in rapamycin also express molecules that improve immune T cell function such as CD28 and CD62L. Such rapamycin generated functional T cell subsets may have application in the prevention or treatment of GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the treatment of autoimmunity, or the therapy of infection or cancer.