0000000000407564
AUTHOR
Amparo Mir
showing 10 related works from this author
Phenotypic analysis of peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations in hydatid patients.
1999
Peripheral T-lymphocytes were analyzed in three groups of people: (1) individuals with current liver hydatid disease (hydatid patients, n = 20), (2) persons who had undergone surgical cyst removal at least 2 years previously (recovered patients, n = 9), and (3) a control group of healthy volunteers (uninfected controls, n = 13). Group 1 was subdivided according to cyst status, relapse of disease, and the presence or absence of symptoms. Percentages of lymphocytes expressing CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56, CD25, CD45RA, CD45RO, and HLA-DR were determined. Symptomatic patients had proportionally fewer CD3+ CD8 + lymphocytes than the control group (P=0.038). Hydatid patients with active cysts had proport…
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific CD4+ T lymphocyte response in AIDS patients with no past or current HCMV disease following HAART.
2003
Abstract Background: The incidence of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) end-organ disease has dramatically decreased since the implementation of highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAARTs), but the precise immune mechanism whereby HCMV is controlled remains to be elucidated. Objectives: To investigate the effect of (HAART) on CD4 + T-cell immunity to HCMV in AIDS patients with no past or current HCMV disease. Study design: Seventeen patients were prospectively examined for CD4 + (CD45RO + and CD45 RA + ) T-cell counts (flow cytometry), HIV RNA load (Amplicor HIV test), HCMV leukoDNAemia and HCMV DNA in urine (nested PCR), lymphoproliferative response (LPR) to HCMV, phytohemagglutinin (PHA) a…
Soluble-protein and antigenic heterogeneity in axenic Blastocystis hominis isolates: pathogenic implications.
1999
The protein profile and the antigenic cross-reactivity of 18 axenic isolates of Blastocystis hominis obtained from symptomatic patients with chronic diarrhea (14 isolates) showing no evidence of parasitic etiology and from patients with acute diarrhea attributable in 2 cases to Salmonella spp. were analyzed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of soluble proteins showed the existence of a common profile composed of 31 bands, with molecular weights ranging between 24 and >200 kDa, and minor differences in the proteins of 149, 118, 106, 50, 48, 47, and 30 kDa. These differences allowed us to classify the strains into three related patterns (I–III). In an indirect immunof…
Elevated serum eotaxin levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
2002
OBJECTIVE: Eotaxin is a recently characterized chemokine with potent and selective chemotactic activity for eosinophils. Previous studies indicating that eosinophils accumulate and become activated in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) led us to hypothesize that eotaxin is potentially involved in the pathophysiology of IBD and, therefore, that eotaxin would be increased in the serum of patients with IBD. The objective of this study was to test those assumptions. METHODS: We investigated 72 patients with IBD, 35 with ulcerative colitis, and 37 with Crohn’s disease. A total of 27 patients had active and 45 inactive disease; 26 were receiving corticosteroids. Eotaxin serum levels were determined…
Eosinophil-selective mediators in human strongyloidiasis
2006
SUMMARY Strongyloides stercoralis infection is characterized by the production of IgE and eosinophils in peripheral blood. Experimental studies have demonstrated that eosinophils play an important role in protection against Strongyloides stercoralis, but the mechanisms regulating eosinophils are not known. In this study we have focused on analysing the molecules that selectively regulate eosinophil migration, namely eotaxin and interleukin-5 (IL-5), using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients with strongyloidiasis. Serum expression of eotaxin and IL-5 were significantly increased in patients compared with the control group. This rise suggests that selective mediators of the eosin…
In vitroresponse toCandida albicansin cultures of whole human blood from young and aged donors
2007
Invasive infections with opportunistic fungi, such as Candida albicans, have become an increasing problem in aged adults in recent years. This work investigates the influence of human ageing on C. albicans recognition by toll-like receptors (TLRs), essential components of the innate immune system, using a cohort of 96 young (15-42 years) and aged (70 years) human volunteers. No significant differences between aged and young donors were observed on (1) cell surface TLR2, TLR6 and TLR4 expression on lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes, (2) production of cytokines [IL-8, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-12p70] and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) by whole human b…
Genetically engineered hybrid proteins from Parietaria judaica pollen for allergen-specific immunotherapy
2006
Background Despite the use of conventional allergen-specific immunotherapy in clinical practice, more defined, efficient, and safer allergy vaccines are required. Objective The aim of the study was to obtain hypoallergenic molecules by deleting B-cell epitopes, which could potentially be applied to Parietaria judaica pollen allergy treatment. Methods Three hybrid molecules (Q1, Q2, and Q3) derived from fragments of the 2 major P judaica pollen allergens, Par j 1 and Par j 2, were engineered by means of PCR. Hybrid structures were compared with their natural components by means of circular dichroism, and their biologic activities were compared by using T-cell proliferation assays. Their IgE-…
Patients with Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy Show Altered Thermal Sensitivity and Autonomic Function
2021
Cirrhotic patients may experience alterations in the peripheral nervous system and in somatosensory perception. Impairment of the somatosensory system could contribute to cognitive and motor alterations characteristic of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), which affects up to 40% of cirrhotic patients. We assessed the relationship between MHE and alterations in thermal, vibration, and/or heat pain sensitivity in 58 cirrhotic patients (38 without and 20 with MHE according to Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score) and 39 controls. All participants underwent attention and coordination tests, a nerve conduction study, autonomic function testing, and evaluation of sensory thresholds (vibra…
Biological characterization of glutaraldehyde-modified Parietaria judaica pollen extracts.
2004
Summary Background Allergoids are widely used in specific immunotherapy (SIT) for the treatment of IgE-mediated allergic diseases, but all techniques for standardization of conventional allergic extracts may not be appropriate for standardization of a glutaraldehyde (GA)-modified extract because of the unique characteristics of these extracts. Objective To assess an accurate methodology for standardization of chemically modified extracts. Methods GA-modified extracts from Parietaria judaica pollen were purified by diafiltration. Biochemical properties were investigated by determination of amino groups, chromatography, and SDS-PAGE. The IgE-binding activity was determined by skin prick test,…
A sensitive monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to quantify Parietaria judaica major allergens, Par j 1 and Par j 2
2006
Summary Background Parietaria pollen is one of the most important causes of pollinosis in Mediterranean countries. Parietaria judaica pollen extract presents two major allergens, Par j 1 and Par j 2, that belong to the lipid transfer protein family. Objective To develop an ELISA for quantification of both major allergens of P. judaica pollen extracts, and to assert correlation of these allergens content with the allergenic activity of extracts. Methods Natural Par j 1–Par j 2 allergens were purified by gel filtration, ion exchange, and affinity chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry. Rabbit antisera were obtained using this protein preparation as antigen and used for immunoaffin…