Search results for "mmunopathology"

Autoimmunity and liver disease

1990

T-bet and mucosal Th1 responses in the gastrointestinal tract

2002

T cells play an essential role in regulating mucosal immune responses in the gastrointestinal tract. Recent observations on T helper cell differentiation and activation by regulatory transcription factors-especially T-bet-in chronic inflammatory diseases have provided new perspectives for understanding mucosal immunity. Here we summarise recent advances in the field of transcription factors and discuss the implications of these findings for future therapeutic approaches in inflammatory bowel diseases. In particular, we have focused on the role of T-bet in controlling mucosal Th1 responses in the gastrointestinal tract.

Anti-HCV, anti-GOR, and autoimmunity

1992

Plasma cytokine profiles in patients with celiac disease and selective IgA deficiency

2003

Celiac disease (CD) and selective IgA deficiency (IgAD) are frequently associated, and share the same genetic background. The aim of the present study was to evaluate both Type 1 and 2 plasma cytokine levels in CD and in CD-IgAD. IL-2, TNF-alpha, IL-10, IL-4 and IL-13 plasma levels were measured both at diagnosis and after a gluten-free diet (GFD) in 32 CD patients, in 27 CD-IgAD patients and in 30 healthy controls. IFN-gamma levels were significantly higher in CD and CD-IgAD than in controls, TNF-alpha displayed significantly higher levels in CD-IgAD when compared both with controls and with CD, and IL-2 was in CD-IgAD significantly increased respect to controls. Kinetics of the Type 1 cyt…

Clinical Relevance of Thyroid-Stimulating Immunoglobulins in Graves' Ophthalmopathy

2011

Purpose Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins (TSIs) likely mediate Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). The clinical relevance of these functional autoantibodies was assessed in GO. Design Cross-sectional trial. Participants A total of 108 untreated patients with GO. Methods Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins, assessed with a novel bioassay, bind to the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) and transmit signals for cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent activation of luciferase gene expression. The cAMP/cAMP response element-binding protein/cAMP-regulatory element complex induces luciferase that is quantified after cell lysis. The TSI levels were correlated with activity and severity of GO and compa…

Neuro-endocrine networks controlling immune system in health and disease

2014

The nervous and immune systems have long been considered as compartments that perform separate and different functions. However, recent clinical, epidemiological, and experimental data have suggested that the pathogenesis of several immune-mediated disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), might involve factors, hormones, and neural mediators that link the immune and nervous system. These molecules are members of the same superfamily, which allow the mutual and bi-directional neural–immune interaction. More recently, the discovery of leptin, one of the most abundant adipocyte-derived hormones that control food intake and metabolism, has suggested that nutritional/metabolic status, acting …

New Insight into Immunity and Immunopathology of Rickettsial Diseases

2011

Human rickettsial diseases comprise a variety of clinical entities caused by microorganisms belonging to the generaRickettsia,Orientia,Ehrlichia, andAnaplasma. These microorganisms are characterized by a strictly intracellular location which has, for long, impaired their detailed study. In this paper, the critical steps taken by these microorganisms to play their pathogenic roles are discussed in detail on the basis of recent advances in our understanding of molecularRickettsia-host interactions, preferential target cells, virulence mechanisms, three-dimensional structures of bacteria effector proteins, upstream signalling pathways and signal transduction systems, and modulation of gene exp…

Data from: Correlational selection on pro- and anti-inflammatory effectors

2012

Parasites impose a permanent threat for hosts. As a consequence, immune defenses are important for host fitness. However, the immune response can also produce self-damage and impair host fitness if not properly regulated. Effectors that up- and down-regulate the immune response should, therefore, evolve in concert, and be under the action of correlational selection. To address this issue, we assessed the shape of the selection operating on pro- and anti-inflammatory effectors following an inflammatory challenge in laboratory mice. We found that selection acts on the combination of these two traits as individuals that produced large amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines could achieve relative…

Hereditary Angioedema: Increased Number of Attacks after Frequent Treatments with C1 Inhibitor Concentrate

2009

OBJECTIVE: C1 inhibitor concentrate is regarded as effective and safe in treating acute attacks of hereditary angioedema caused by C1 inhibitor deficiency. This study investigated the course of disease in 3 women treated frequently with C1 inhibitor concentrate. METHODS: Three women are described who received C1 inhibitor concentrate for the treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema and experienced an increase in the frequency of attacks during that treatment period. In a control group of 24 patients aged more than 60 years with hereditary angioedema, the natural course of disease was determined. RESULTS: The 3 women (ages 50, 69, and 72 years) had received C1 inhibitor concentrat…

Hereditary angio-oedema with normal C1 inhibitor in a family with affected women and men

2005

Recurrent angio-oedema is a sign of various acquired and inherited disease entities, including hereditary angio-oedema types I and II that result from a genetic deficiency of C1 inhibitor, and a recently described type of dominantly inherited angio-oedema, which does not show a deficiency of C1 inhibitor. Until now, this new type of hereditary angio-oedema, designated as hereditary angio-oedema type III, has been assumed to be a disorder specific to females. We now describe a four-generation family with dominantly inherited angio-oedema and normal C1 inhibitor in which, in contrast to all previous observations, not only five female but also three male family members were clinically affected…