Search results for "Immunity"
showing 10 items of 1537 documents
Characterization of neutrophil subsets in healthy human pregnancies
2014
We have previously shown that in successful pregnancies increased arginase activity is a mechanism that contributes to the suppression of the maternal immune system. We identified the main type of arginase-expressing cells as a population of activated low-density granulocytes (LDGs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in term placentae. In the present study, we analyzed the phenotype of LDGs and compared it to the phenotype of normal density granulocytes (NDGs) in maternal peripheral blood, placental biopsies and cord blood. Our data reveal that only LDGs but no NDGs could be detected in placental biopsies. Phenotypically, NDGs and LDGs from both maternal and cord blood expressed diff…
Oligodendrocyte ablation triggers central pain independently of innate or adaptive immune responses in mice.
2014
Mechanisms underlying central neuropathic pain are poorly understood. Although glial dysfunction has been functionally linked with neuropathic pain, very little is known about modulation of pain by oligodendrocytes. Here we report that genetic ablation of oligodendrocytes rapidly triggers a pattern of sensory changes that closely resemble central neuropathic pain, which are manifest before overt demyelination. Primary oligodendrocyte loss is not associated with autoreactive T- and B-cell infiltration in the spinal cord and neither activation of microglia nor reactive astrogliosis contribute functionally to central pain evoked by ablation of oligodendrocytes. Instead, light and electron micr…
Age-dependent changes in the transcription profile of long-lived Drosophila over-expressing glutamate cysteine ligase
2011
Abstract In our prior studies ( Orr et al., 2005 ) we achieved a 30–50% increase in the life span of Drosophila by manipulating glutathione (GSH) production in neuronal tissues, through over-expression of glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL), a key enzyme in glutathione biosynthesis. In the present study, we identified gene response patterns from which plausible mechanisms responsible for the observed effects on life span might be inferred. Functional clustering analysis of the transcriptome data revealed that biological processes affected by GCLc in young flies (10 days) were generally related to cell morphogenesis and differentiation, while those in older flies were associated with nucleosome …
A β-1,3 Glucan Sulfate Induces Resistance in Grapevine against Plasmopara viticola Through Priming of Defense Responses, Including HR-like Cell Death
2008
Sulfated laminarin (PS3) has been shown previously to be an elicitor of plant defense reactions in tobacco and Arabidopsis and to induce protection against tobacco mosaic virus. Here, we have demonstrated the efficiency of PS3 in protecting a susceptible grapevine cultivar (Vitis vinifera cv. Marselan) against downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) under glasshouse conditions. This induced resistance was associated with potentiated H2O2 production at the infection sites, upregulation of defense-related genes, callose and phenol depositions, and hypersensitive response-like cell death. Interestingly, similar responses were observed following P. viticola inoculation in a tolerant grapevine hybri…
Gatekeeper of pluripotency: A common Oct4 transcriptional network operates in mouse eggs and embryonic stem cells
2011
Abstract Background Oct4 is a key factor of an expanded transcriptional network (Oct4-TN) that governs pluripotency and self-renewal in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and in the inner cell mass from which ESCs are derived. A pending question is whether the establishment of the Oct4-TN initiates during oogenesis or after fertilisation. To this regard, recent evidence has shown that Oct4 controls a poorly known Oct4-TN central to the acquisition of the mouse egg developmental competence. The aim of this study was to investigate the identity and extension of this maternal Oct4-TN, as much as whether its presence is circumscribed to the egg or maintained beyond fertilisation. Results By comparing …
(2'-5')Oligoadenylate and intracellular immunity against retrovirus infection.
1992
1. 1. The double-stranded RNA-dependent 2′,5′-oligoadenylate (2–5A) synthetase/ribonuclease L (RNase L) system plays an essential role in the establishment of the antiviral state of a cell exposed to virus infection. 2. 2. Until recently, the application of 2–5A derivatives to reinforce this system seemed to be limited mainly due to the low specificity of RNase L for viral RNA. 3. 3. Two new strategies have been developed which yield a selective antiviral effect of 2–5As at least against human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection: (i) an “intracellular immunization” appproach using 2-5A synthetase cDNA linked to HIV trans -acting response element (TAR) and (ii) inhibition of retrovira…
Autoimmunity predicts prolonged survival in colon cancer patients undergoing GOLFIG biochemotherapy
2007
14542 Background: A multi-center phase II trial has been designed to evaluate toxicity, anti-tumour and immune-biological activity of the bio-chemotherapy GOLFIG regimen in advanced colorectal cancer (A-CRC). Methods: The trial involved 46 patients (34/46 2nd line or more). The biweekly GOLFIG regimen consisted of gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m2, day 1), oxaliplatin (85 mg/m2, day 2), levofolinic acid (100 mg /m2, day 1,2) and 5-FU (400 mg/m2 as a bolus, and 800 mg/m2 as 24 hour infusion, days 1,2) followed by sc GM-CSF (100 μg, days 3 to 8) and sc IL-2 (0.5 X 106 IUs twice a day, days 9 to 14). Results: GOLFIG regimen was well tolerated and resulted very active (ORR = 56.5%; disease control = 91…
Immunoglobulin Kappa C Predicts Overall Survival in Node-Negative Breast Cancer
2012
Background: Biomarkers of the immune system are currently not used as prognostic factors in breast cancer. We analyzedthe association of the B cell/plasma cell marker immunoglobulin kappa C (IGKC) and survival of untreated node-negative breast cancer patients.Material and Methods: IGKC expression was evaluated by immunostaining in a cohort of 335 node-negative breast cancer patients with a median follow-up of 152 months. The prognostic significance of IGKC for disease-free survival (DFS) and breast cancer-specific overall survival (OS) was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis as well as univariate and multivariate Cox analysis adjusted for age at diagnosis, pT stage, histological g…
OR18-03 Functional TSH Receptor Antibodies Are a Biomarker for Graves’ Disease - a Prospective Trial
2020
Abstract Objective We aimed to evaluate the clinical utility and predictive value of stimulatory (TSAb) and blocking (TBAb) TSH receptor antibodies in the management of Graves’ disease (GD). Methods Hundred well-defined, consecutive, unselected, untreated hyperthyroid patients with GD were enrolled in a prospective two-year trial. Methimazole (MMI) was administered for 24 weeks according to baseline serum concentrations of free T3/free T4. Starting dose was 5–30 mg/day. Through a titration regimen, this dose was respectively tapered or increased at each subsequent study visit as the patient became euthyroid or remained hyperthyroid. Goals of therapy were to maintain normal fT4 and TSH level…
Clinical Validation of a Novel Elispot-Based Diagnostic Assay: Monitoring Cytomegalovirus-Specific Cell-Mediated Immunity and Risk Stratification in …
2019
Increasing evidence suggests that impaired cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMV-CMI) is a major cause of uncontrolled CMV reactivations and associated complications in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). No reliable test exists to predict patients at risk of primary and/or recurrent CMV reactivations following HSCT. Accurately assessing CMV-CMI might therefore improve the risk stratification of patients and allow optimizing and individualizing patient care. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of a novel IFN-γ ELISpot assay (T-Track® CMV), based on the stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with T-activated® pp65 and IE-1 CMV proteins, to…