Search results for "Monocyte"

Apoptotic-like Leishmania exploit the host´s autophagy machinery to reduce T-cell-mediated parasite elimination

2015

Apoptosis is a well-defined cellular process in which a cell dies, characterized by cell shrinkage and DNA fragmentation. In parasites like Leishmania, the process of apoptosis-like cell death has been described. Moreover upon infection, the apoptotic-like population is essential for disease development, in part by silencing host phagocytes. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism of how apoptosis in unicellular organisms may support infectivity remains unclear. Therefore we investigated the fate of apoptotic-like Leishmania parasites in human host macrophages. Our data showed--in contrast to viable parasites--that apoptotic-like parasites enter an LC3(+), autophagy-like compartment. The compartm…

The Value of a Complete Blood Count (CBC) for Sepsis Diagnosis and Prognosis.

2021

Sepsis represents an important global health burden due to its high mortality and morbidity. The rapid detection of sepsis is crucial in order to prevent adverse outcomes and reduce mortality. However, the diagnosis of sepsis is still challenging and many efforts have been made to identify reliable biomarkers. Unfortunately, many investigated biomarkers have several limitations that do not support their introduction in clinical practice, such as moderate diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, long turn-around time, and high-costs. Complete blood count represents instead a precious test that provides a wealth of information on individual health status. It can guide clinicians to early-identify …

Author response: Notch and TLR signaling coordinate monocyte cell fate and inflammation

2020

A new tool for sepsis screening in the Emergency Department

2021

Abstract Objectives In this study, we developed and evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of the Sepsis Index for early sepsis screening in the Emergency Department (ED). Methods Sepsis Index is based on the combination of monocyte distribution width (MDW) and mean monocyte volume (MMV). Sepsis Index≥1 was selected to define sepsis. We tested its diagnostic accuracy in an ED population stratified in four groups: controls, Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), infection, and sepsis, according to Sepsis-2 criteria. Results Patients with sepsis displayed higher median Sepsis Index value than patients without sepsis. At the receiver operating characterictis (ROC) curve analysis for the pr…

Preeclampsia, a pregnancy-specific disease, is associated with fetal monocyte activation.

2001

The maternal syndrome of preeclampsia is an exclusively pregnancy-related illness involving multiple organs and severe forms may be complicated by HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets) syndrome. Recently, it has been proposed that both normal pregnancy and preeclampsia are associated with a systemic activation of the nonspecific maternal immune system and that, in particular, monocytes have a central role in the adjustment of maternal immune functions in pregnancy. Here we have investigated the role of the fetal nonadaptive immune system in normal term delivery, uncontrollable preterm labor, and preeclampsia. We demonstrate that spontaneous delivery at term as well as pre…

Leukocyte chemotactic activity in cultures of unstimulated human lymphocytes.

2009

We have shown earlier that unstimulated human lymphocytes in in vitro cultures produce migration inhibitory factor into the supernatant. The evidence of spontaneous lymphokine synthesis is strengthened further by this study, which demonstrates leukocyte chemotactic activity in these culture supernatants. The factor has a molecular weight of more than 5000 daltons, it resisted heating for 15 min at 100 degrees C, and showed maximum activity at dilution 1:4-1:8 of the supernatants.

Abstract 18540: Heme Oxygenase 1 Activity and Expression Suppresses a Proinflammatory Phenotype in Monocytes and Correlates With Endothelial Function…

2014

Background: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) confers protection to the vasculature and suppresses inflammatory properties of monocytes and macrophages. It is unclear how HO-1 activity and expression determine the extent of vascular dysfunction in mice and humans. Methods and results: Decreasing HO activity was parallelled by decreasing aortic HO-1, eNOS and phospho-eNOS (ser1177) protein expression in HO-1 deficient mice, whereas aortic expression of nox2 showed a stepwise increase in HO-1+/- and HO-1-/- mice as compared to HO-1+/+ controls. Aortic superoxide formation increased depending on the extent of HO-1 deficiency and was blunted by the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine, indicating activation of t…

The neuro-B cell link of peptidergic innervation in the Bursa Fabricii

1991

The Bursa Fabricii, restricted to birds, specifically provides the microenvironment for B-cell maturation. The presence of nerve fibers containing immunopotent neuropeptides in immune organs opens interesting perspectives on the understanding of neuroimmune communication. As an organ for the development of only B-lymphocytes is not known in mammals, the contribution of a peptidergic innervation to the microenvironment of B-cells is not known. Therefore, we studied the peptidergic innervation of the Bursa Fabricii as an organ of B-cell maturation. Four different neuropeptides were found in nerve fibers of the Bursa Fabricii: tachykinins (TK), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), galanin (GAL…

Studies on the mechanism of PMN activation II. by triggering the alternative pathway of complement activation

1982

By means of cobra venom factor (CVF) it is demonstrated that the stimulation of hexosemonophosphate shunt (HMPS) of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) by zymosan (Z) and dextran sulfate (DS) is caused by at least two modes of activation: (a) via activation caused by phagocytosis, (b) via activated alternative pathway of complement activation (APC). Active factors of APC presented with phagocytizable objects strongly enhance activation of PMN. The effect of APC can be observed in serum-containing as well as in serum-free cultures. It can be demonstrated that in serum-free cultures the factors of APC participating in the activation of PMN are supplied by monocytes. By the use of synthet…

Repeated courses of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Clinical and biological results from a prospective multic…

2011

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) induces a transient mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells from bone marrow to peripheral blood. Our aim was to evaluate safety of repeated courses of G-CSF in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), assessing disease progression and changes in chemokine and cytokine levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Twenty-four ALS patients entered an open-label, multicenter trial in which four courses of G-CSF and mannitol were administered at 3-month intervals. Levels of G-CSF were increased after treatment in the serum and CSF. Few and transitory adverse events were observed. No significant reduction of the mean monthly decrea…