Search results for "Immune system"

Liver fibrosis: Common mechanisms and antifibrotic therapies

2015

Liver fibrosis and in particular cirrhosis have become major endpoints in clinical trials of patients with chronic liver diseases. Here, viral hepatitis, alcoholic and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis have become the major etiologies. We have made great progress in our understanding of the mechanisms and the cell biology of liver fibrosis and have already made the transition from preclinical testing of antifibrotic agents and strategies towards clinical translation. There continues to be an urgent need for specific antifibrotic therapies, despite the advent of highly potent antiviral agents that can even induce regression of advanced fibrosis. This review addresses central mechanisms and cells…

Glycoconjugate vaccines and immune interactions, and implications for vaccination schedules.

2011

Conjugate vaccines using diphtheria toxoid variant (CRM(197)), diphtheria toxoid and tetanus toxoid (TT) as carrier protein may induce immune interactions (interference or impairment as measured by lower antibody levels, or enhancement [higher antibody levels]) when coadministered with other vaccines. Immune enhancement occurs when two TT conjugates are coadministered. CRM(197) conjugate vaccines induce immune bystander interference when given with diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccines, which reduces responses to coadministered Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine conjugated to TT. These bystander effects are greater as the amount of CRM(197) administered increases. When large am…

2013

B cells were first discovered as antibody producing cells, as B-1 B cells and finally as effector cells. In recent years their capacity to serve as antigen presenting cells is increasingly appreciated, and better tools are needed to study their function. We have previously described a new mouse model, the iDTR mice, that allow for the Cre-mediated expression of the diphtheria toxin receptor, thus rendering cells that express the Cre-recombinase sensitivity to diphtheria toxin. Herein we describe a new mouse line, the B-DTR mice, where the CD19-Cre was crossed to the iDTR mice. B-DTR allows for the efficient and cost-effective depletion of different B cell subpopulations, but only partially …

GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL VARIATION IN ANTIBODY AND T-CELL MEDIATED RESPONSES IN THE GREAT TIT

2006

Host parasite coevolution assumes pathogen specific genetic variation in host immune defense. Also, if immune function plays a role in the evolution of life history, allocation to immune function should be heritable. We conducted a cross-fostering experiment to test the relative importance of genetic and environmental sources of variation in T-cell mediated inflammatory response and antigen specific antibody responses in the great tits Parus major. Cell mediated response was measured during the nestling period and antibody response against two novel antigens was measured in two-month-old juveniles raised in a laboratory. We found no effect of nest of origin, but a strong effect of rearing e…

Decreased presence of Langerhans cells is a critical determinant for Indian Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis.

2015

Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is the dermal sequel of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and occurs after apparent cure or alongside with VL. It is confined to South Asia (India, Nepal and Bangladesh) and East Africa (mainly Sudan), the incidence being 5-10% and 50-60% respectively. In South Asia, as the transmission of VL is anthroponotic, PKDL patients are the proposed disease reservoir, thus assuming epidemiological significance, its eradication being linked to the control of leishmaniasis. In the absence of an animal model and its low incidence, factors contributing towards the immunopathogenesis of PKDL remain an open-ended, yet pertinent question. This study delineated the lesio…

Internet Gaming Disorder profiles and their associations with social engagement behaviours.

2021

Abstract Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), describes the abuse of Internet games with detrimental impact to the real-life social engagement of some gamers. Indeed, evidence suggests that gamers differ on the severity and way in which they express IGD symptoms, as well as their social engagement behaviours. The present study aimed to: a) profile gamers regarding their experience of IGD symptoms and; b) examine how different IGD profiles varied on social engagement behaviours. Methods: A sample consisting of 1032 gamers (18–72 years, Mage = 24) was assessed with the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale 9 Items Short Form (IGDS9-SF) and social engagement questions regarding their participation in empl…

Pharmacokinetics of oligodeoxynucleotides encapsulated in liposomes: effect of lipid composition and preparation method

2000

1. The effect of the method employed to prepare liposomes and their lipid composition were evaluated in terms of the encapsulation efficiency and pharmacokinetic features of two oligodeoxynucleotides of a 21 mer: the normal (N-Odn) and the phosphorothioate (S-Odn) oligodeoxynucleotide. 2. Liposomes were prepared by the classical method of multilamellar vesicles (MV) and by the dehydration-rehydration method (DR). Two lipid mixtures were used to prepare liposomes--the predominant lipid being phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM) respectively. 3. The DR method for liposome preparation provided the highest encapsulation efficiency, regardless of liposome lipid composition and the typ…

Identifying SARS‐CoV‐2 ‘memory’ NK cells from COVID‐19 convalescent donors for adoptive cell therapy

2021

Abstract COVID‐19 disease is the manifestation of syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection, which is causing a worldwide pandemic. This disease can lead to multiple and different symptoms, being lymphopenia associated with severity one of the most persistent. Natural killer cells (NK cells) are part of the innate immune system, being fighting against virus‐infected cells one of their key roles. In this study, we determined the phenotype of NK cells after COVID‐19 and the main characteristic of SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific‐like NK population in the blood of convalescent donors. CD57+ NKG2C+ phenotype in SARS‐CoV‐2 convalescent donors indicates the presence of ‘memory’/activated NK cells as it ha…

Immunotoxicity of Therapeutic Antibodies and Nanoparticles.

2020

Therapeutic antibodies and nanotherapeutic drugs are of great concern due to their widespread use against numerous diseases worldwide. They are frequently used for targeted therapy under the assumption that they cause fewer side effects than nontargeted drugs. Despite their specificity and particular design for therapeutic actions, they might still exhibit unintended adverse effects in the immune system. Immunotoxicity reactions are mediated by immunomodulation, including immunostimulation and immunosuppression. The present review gives an overview on the adverse immunotoxic effects induced by therapeutic antibodies as well as nanotherapeutic drugs. In this context, future methods combining…

Immunomodulatory drugs: Oral and systemic adverse effects

2013

Objectives: The main objectives are to present the different adverses effects of the immunomodulatory drugs that can impair the quality of life of the immunosupressed patients and study the impact of immunomodualtion on oral diseases. Immunomodulatory drugs have changed the treatment protocols of many diseases where immune functions play a central role, such as rheumatic diseases. Their effect on oral health has not been systematically investigated, however. Study Design: We review current data on the new immunomodulatory drugs from the oral health perspective based on open literature search of the topic. Results: These target specific drugs appear to have less drug interactions than earlie…