Search results for "protein"
showing 10 items of 21431 documents
The JAK2 pathway is activated in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
2018
Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most rapidly progressive and fatal fibrotic disorder, with no curative therapies. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein is activated in lung fibroblasts and alveolar type II cells (ATII), thereby contributing to lung fibrosis in IPF. Although activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) has been implicated in proliferative disorders, its role in IPF is unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze JAK2 activation in IPF, and to determine whether JAK2/STAT3 inhibition is a potential therapeutic strategy for this disease. Methods and results: JAK2/p-JAK2 and STAT3/pSTAT3 expression was evaluated using quantitative …
Antibodies against Lewis antigens inhibit the binding of human norovirus GII.4 virus-like particles to saliva but not to intestinal Caco-2 cells.
2016
BACKGROUND: Human noroviruses (NoVs) are the main cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. The most commonly detected NoV strains belong to the genetically diverse GII.4 genotype, with new pandemic variants emerging periodically. Despite extensive efforts, NoV investigation has been hampered by the lack of an effective in vitro cell culture system. However, NoV-derived recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) resembling empty capsids are good surrogates for analysing NoV antigenicity and virus-ligand interactions. NoV VLPs have been reported to bind to histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs). We have analysed the ability of NoV VLPs derived from GI.1 genotype and from three GII.4 genotype variants, GI…
Characterisation of a household norovirus outbreak occurred in Valencia (Spain)
2016
Background Human noroviruses (NoVs) are the main cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Several studies have linked human susceptibility to NoVs with the expression of histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs). In January 2012, a NoV gastroenteritis outbreak affected a household in Valencia, Spain, and the personal susceptibility to NoV was investigated. Methods To reach this aim 8 members of the affected household were recruited for this study and their secretor status, ABO and Lewis antigens were determined. NoV-specific saliva IgA and serum IgG antibody titers were analyzed. Their capacity to block viral binding to saliva receptors was analyzed, using virus-like particles (VLPs) of t…
Netrin-1 receptor antibodies in thymoma-associated neuromyotonia with myasthenia gravis.
2017
Objective:To identify cell-surface antibodies in patients with neuromyotonia and to describe the main clinical implications.Methods:Sera of 3 patients with thymoma-associated neuromyotonia and myasthenia gravis were used to immunoprecipitate and characterize neuronal cell-surface antigens using reported techniques. The clinical significance of antibodies against precipitated proteins was assessed with sera of 98 patients (neuromyotonia 46, myasthenia gravis 52, thymoma 42; 33 of them with overlapping syndromes) and 219 controls (other neurologic diseases, cancer, and healthy volunteers).Results:Immunoprecipitation studies identified 3 targets, including the Netrin-1 receptors DCC (deleted i…
Different Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses to SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Asymptomatic, Mild, and Severe Cases
2020
Abstract Background SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus, not encountered before by humans. The wide spectrum of clinical expression of SARS-CoV-2 illness suggests that individual immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 play a crucial role in determining the clinical course after first infection. Immunological studies have focussed on patients with moderate to severe disease, demonstrating excessive inflammation in tissues and organ damage. We have studied the individual response to SARS-CoV-2 of asympromatic, mild and severe COVID-19 patients in order to investigate the role of innnate and adaptive immunity in determining the clinical course after first infection. Methods To understand the basis of th…
Matching for the MICA-129 polymorphism is beneficial in unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
2016
Major histocompatibility complex class I polypeptide-related sequence A (MICA) is a highly polymorphic ligand of the activating NKG2D receptor on natural killer (NK) cells, γδ-T cells, and NKT cells. MICA incompatibilities have been associated with an increased graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) incidence, and the MICA-129 (met/val) dimorphism has been shown to influence NKG2D signaling in unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (uHSCT). We investigated the effect of MICA matching on survival after uHSCT. We sequenced 2172 patients and their respective donors for MICA. All patients and donors were high-resolution HLA-typed and matched for 10/10 (n = 1379), 9/10 (n = 636), or 8/10 (n…
Growth factors and IL-17 in hereditary angioedema
2015
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, due to C1-inhibitor deficiency, which causes episodic swellings of subcutaneous tissues, bowel walls and upper airways which are disabling and potentially life-threatening. We evaluated n = 17 patients with confirmed HAE diagnosis in basal and crisis state and n = 19 healthy subjects. The samples were tested for IL-17, FGFb, G-CSF and GM-CSF, using Bio-plex kit. Data analysis was performed via nonparametric Spearman’s correlations and two sets of linear mixed models. When comparing HAE subjects during basal and crisis states, we found out significantly (i.e., p value <0.05) higher values in crisis states rather than in basal…
Resting Energy Expenditure and Substrate Oxidation in Malnourished Patients With Type 1 Glycogenosis.
2019
Abstract Context Type 1a and 1b glycogenosis [glycogen storage disorder (GSD)1a, GSD1b] are rare diseases generally associated with malnutrition. Although abnormal substrate oxidation rates and elevated energy expenditures might contribute to malnutrition, this issue has not been investigated. Objective To investigate whether abnormal resting energy expenditure (REE) and substrate oxidation rate characterize patients with GSD1. Design Cross-sectional study Setting Outpatient referral center for rare diseases and laboratory of clinical nutrition at the University Hospital of Palermo Patients Five consecutive patients with GSD1 (4 type a, 1 type b; 3 men, 2 women; age range, 19 to 49 years) M…
Sex Alters the MHC Class I HLA-A Association With Polyglandular Autoimmunity.
2018
Abstract Context The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) strongly contributes to the development of polyglandular autoimmunity (PGA). Objective To evaluate the impact of sex on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) association with PGA for the first time. Design Cross-sectional immunogenetic study. Setting Academic tertiary referral Orphan Disease Center for PGA (ORPHA 282196) and immunogenetics laboratory. Subjects Patients (158) with coexistent type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease (adult type 3 PGA, ORPHA 227982) and 479 unrelated healthy controls. Interventions All 637 white subjects were typed for HLA-A, -B, -DRB1, -DQA1, and -DQB1 alleles at a two-field level. Main Outcome Measure…
Effects of the flavonol quercetin and α-linolenic acid on n-3 PUFA status in metabolically healthy men and women: a randomised, double-blinded, place…
2017
AbstractIncreased dietary intake and tissue status of the long-chainn-3 PUFA, EPA and DHA, is associated with cardiovascular benefits. Epidemiological and animal studies suggest that concomitant nutritive intake of flavonoids may increase the conversion ofα-linolenic acid (ALA) to longer-chainn-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. We investigated the effects of increased ALA intake on fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids and erythrocytes in metabolically healthy men and women and whether fatty acid profiles and ALA conversion were affected by regular quercetin intake or sex. Subjects (n74) were randomised to receive at least 3·3 g/d ALA with either 190 mg/d quercetin (ALA+quercetin) or place…