Search results for "Venom"

Do Tr1 cells play a role in immunotherapy?

1999

sULLE ANGIODISPLASIE VENOSE DEL SISTEMA GIUGULARE ESTERNO NELL'INFANZIA

1978

Gli Autori descrivono un caso di angiodisplasia venosa del collo (il cosiddetto venoma) per contribuire alla clinica e terapia dell'affezione.

Importance of the inducible costimulator molecule for the induction of allergic immune responses and its decreased expression on T helper cells after…

2004

The inducible costimulator (ICOS), a newly identified member of the CD28 receptor family that is induced after T-cell activation, and its ligand (ICOSL), being expressed on activated monocytes and dendritic cells play a key role in T-cell-mediated immune responses. As ICOS costimulation also seems to regulate T helper 2 effector cells, the aim of this study was to analyse the function of this molecule in allergic immune responses and their specific therapy, mainly venom immunotherapy (VIT). CD4+ T cells from grass pollen-, or bee or wasp venom-allergic donors were stimulated in the presence of autologous mature dendritic cells, which were pulsed with different allergen doses. In this system…

Dual role of the p38 MAPK/cPLA2 pathway in the regulation of platelet apoptosis induced by ABT-737 and strong platelet agonists.

2013

p38 Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase is involved in the apoptosis of nucleated cells. Although platelets are anucleated cells, apoptotic proteins have been shown to regulate platelet lifespan. However, the involvement of p38 MAP kinase in platelet apoptosis is not yet clearly defined. Therefore, we investigated the role of p38 MAP kinase in apoptosis induced by a mimetic of BH3-only proteins, ABT-737, and in apoptosis-like events induced by such strong platelet agonists as thrombin in combination with convulxin (Thr/Cvx), both of which result in p38 MAP kinase phosphorylation and activation. A p38 inhibitor (SB202190) inhibited the apoptotic events induced by ABT-737 but did not influ…

Regulatory activity of human CD4 CD25 T cells depends on allergen concentration, type of allergen and atopy status of the donor.

2005

Regulatory CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3-positive T cells (Treg) are functional in most atopic patients with allergic rhinitis and are able to inhibit T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 cytokine production of CD4+ CD25- T cells. This study was designed to analyse the following additional aspects: influence of allergen concentration, influence of the type of allergen, and influence of the atopy status of the donor on the strength of the regulatory activity. CD4+ CD25- T cells from healthy non-atopic controls or from grass-pollen-allergic or wasp-venom-allergic donors were stimulated alone or in the presence of Treg with autologous mature monocyte-derived dendritic cells which were pulsed with different concen…

The Mucus of Actinia equina (Anthozoa, Cnidaria): An Unexplored Resource for Potential Applicative Purposes

2015

The mucus produced by many marine organisms is a complex mixture of proteins and polysaccharides forming a weak watery gel. It is essential for vital processes including locomotion, navigation, structural support, heterotrophic feeding and defence against a multitude of environmental stresses, predators, parasites, and pathogens. In the present study we focused on mucus produced by a benthic cnidarian, the sea anemone Actinia equina (Linnaeus, 1758) for preventing burial by excess sedimentation and for protection. We investigated some of the physico-chemical properties of this matrix such as viscosity, osmolarity, electrical conductivity, protein, carbohydrate, and total lipid contents. Som…

Old Weapons for New Wars: Bioactive Molecules From Cnidarian Internal Defense Systems

2016

The renewed interest in the study of genes of immunity in Cnidaria has led to additional information to the scenario of the first stages of immunity evolution revealing the cellular processes involved in symbiosis, in the regulation of homeostasis and in the fight against infections. The recent study with new molecular and functional approach on these organisms have therefore contributed with unexpected information on the knowledge of the stages of capturing activities and defense mechanisms strongly associated with toxin production. Cnidarians are diblastic aquatic animals with radial symmetry; they represent the ancestral state of Metazoa, they are the simplest multicellular organisms tha…

A rapid separation of the four major deoxynucleosides and deoxyinosine by high-pressure liquid cation-exchange chromatography

1973

Synthesis and comparison of the antiinflammatory activity of manoalide and cacospongionolide B analogues.

1998

We have synthesized analogues of two naturally occurring antiinflammatory marine compounds, manoalide and cacospongionolide B, containing a pyranofuranone moiety which is considered the pharmacophoric group. The two compounds, and hence their analogues, differ in the presence or absence in the dihydropyran ring of an hemiacetal function which was considered essential to irreversibly inactivate phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ). The two series of compounds were tested for their inhibitory effects on secretory PLA 2 belonging to the groups I, II, and III, and the activities were found to be similar in both series, irrespective of the presence or absence of the additional hemiacetal function. In addi…

A peptide inhibiting the collagen binding function of integrin alpha2I domain.

1999

Integrin alpha2 subunit forms in the complex with the beta1 subunit a cell surface receptor binding extracellular matrix molecules, such as collagens and laminin-1. It is a receptor for echovirus-1, as well. Ligands are recognized by the special "inserted" domain (I domain) in the integrin alpha2 subunit. Venom from a pit viper, Bothrops jararaca, has been shown to inhibit the interaction of platelet alpha2beta1 integrin with collagen because of the action of a disintegrin/metalloproteinase named jararhagin. The finding that crude B. jararaca venom could prevent the binding of human recombinant ralpha2I domain to type I collagen led us to study jararhagin further. Synthetic peptides represe…