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Immune Effector Cells (immune + effector_cell)
Selected AbstractsThe role of intrahepatic immune effector cells in inflammatory liver injury and viral control during chronic hepatitis B infectionJOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS, Issue 3 2003T. J. Tang Summary. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and Kupffer cells play an important role in the immune control of hepatitis B virus (HBV), but may also induce liver injury during infection. We investigated the intrahepatic immune response in liver biopsies of chronic HBV patients in relation to inflammatory liver injury and viral control. Forty-seven liver biopsies from patients with chronic HBV with varying degrees of inflammation (ALT values) were selected. Acute hepatitis and normal liver specimens served as controls. Immune effector cells, cytotoxic effector molecules and cytokine producing cells were quantified after immunohistochemical staining in lobular and portal areas of the biopsies. The intralobular number of CD8+ T-lymphocytes was significantly decreased in biopsies of patients with high ALT (r = ,0.54; P < 0.001). Higher ALT-values were correlated with increased numbers of granzyme+ cells in portal areas (r = 0.65; P < 0.001) and higher numbers of intralobular Fas-L+ cells (r = 0.32; P = 0.05). Fas-L was expressed on Kupffer and lymphoid cells. More intralobular CD8+ T-lymphocytes were found in HBeAg, than in HBeAg+ patients (P = 0.002). But IFN- , and TNF- , producing cells were observed sporadically in chronic HBV patients. Hence, in chronic HBV infection, low viral replication and HBeAg negativity is related to increased presence of intralobular CD8+ T-lymphocytes. Persistence of the virus may be caused by the absence of cells producing anti-viral cytokines in the liver. Inflammatory liver injury during chronic HBV infection is probably not the result of increased numbers of infiltrating CD8+ T-lymphocytes, but of Fas-L expression by Kupffer cells and increased cytolytic activity of cells in portal areas. [source] Promoter regulation in Candida albicans and related speciesFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Sabine E. Eckert Abstract Regulation of gene expression has been studied extensively in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Some, but by far not all, of the findings are also applicable to Candida albicans, an important ascomycete fungal pathogen of humans. Areas of research in C. albicans include the influence of key signal transduction cascades on morphology, and the response to host-generated influences, such as host immune effector cells, blood, pH or elevated carbon dioxide. The resistance to antifungal agents and response to stress are also well researched. Conditional gene expression and reporter genes adapted to the codon usage of C. albicans are now widely used in C. albicans. Here we present a comprehensive overview of the current techniques used to investigate regulation mechanisms for promoters in C. albicans and other Candida species. In addition, we discuss reporter genes used for the study of gene expression. [source] Microglial expression of ,v,3 and ,v,5 integrins is regulated by cytokines and the extracellular matrix: ,5 Integrin null microglia show no defects in adhesion or MMP-9 expression on vitronectinGLIA, Issue 7 2009Richard Milner Abstract As the primary immune effector cells in the CNS, microglia play a central role in regulating inflammation. The extracellular matrix (ECM) protein vitronectin is a strong inducer of microglial activation, switching microglia from a resting into an activated potentially destructive phenotype. As the activating effect of vitronectin is mediated by ,v integrins, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the requirement of the ,v,5 integrin in mediating microglial adhesion and activation to vitronectin, by studying these events in ,5 integrin-null murine microglia. Surprisingly, ,5 integrin null microglia were not defective in adhesion to vitronectin. Further analysis showed that microglia express the ,v,3 integrin, in addition to ,v,5. Flow cytometry revealed that microglial ,v integrin expression is regulated by cytokines and ECM proteins. ,v,3 integrin expression was downregulated by IFN-,, TNF, LPS, and TGF-,1. ,v,5 expression was also reduced by IFN-,, TNF, and LPS, but strongly increased by the antiactivating factors TGF-,1 and laminin. Gel zymography revealed that ,5 integrin null microglia showed no deficiency in their expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 in response to vitronectin. Taken together, these data show that microglia express two different ,v integrins, ,v,3 and ,v,5, and that expression of these integrins is independently regulated by cytokines and ECM proteins. Furthermore, it reveals that the ,v,5 integrin is not essential for mediating microglial adhesion and MMP-9 expression in response to vitronectin. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Gangliosides activate microglia via protein kinase C and NADPH oxidaseGLIA, Issue 3 2004Kyoung-Jin Min Abstract Microglia, the major immune effector cells in the central nervous system, are activated when the brain suffers injury. A number of studies indicate that gangliosides activate microglia. However, the signaling mechanisms involved in microglial activation are not yet to be elucidated. Our results show that gangliosides induce the expression of interleukin (IL)-1,, tumor necrosis factor-, (TNF-,), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in rat brain microglia and BV2 murine microglia via protein kinase C (PKC) and NADPH oxidase. Expression of IL-1,, TNF-,, and iNOS in ganglioside-treated cells was significantly reduced in the presence of inhibitors of PKC (GF109203X, Gö6976, Ro31-8220, and rottlerin) and NADPH oxidase (diphenyleneiodonium chloride [DPI]). In response to gangliosides, PKC-,, ,II, and , and NADPH oxidase p67phox translocated from the cytosol to the membrane. ROS generation was also activated within 5 min of ganglioside treatment. Ganglioside-induced ROS generation was blocked by PKC inhibitors. Furthermore, ganglioside-induced activation of NF-,B, an essential transcription factor that mediates the expression of IL-1,, TNF-,, and iNOS, was reduced in the presence of GF109203X and DPI. Our results collectively suggest that gangliosides activate microglia via PKC and NADPH oxidase, which regulate activation of NF-,B. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Impact of class A, B and C CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides on in vitro activation of innate immune cells in human immunodeficiency virus-1 infected individualsIMMUNOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Jeffrey A. Martinson Summary Oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) with unmethylated deoxycytidyl-deoxyguanosine dinucleotides (CpG-ODNs) stimulate Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) and B cells and activate innate and adaptive immunity. Three classes of synthetic CpG-ODNs, class A, B and C, activate cells through TLR9; our goal was to evaluate their effect on cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1+ individuals. We compared the frequencies and the unstimulated activation status of immune effector cells in HIV-1+ and HIV-1, individuals. Fewer pDC, myeloid dendritic cells (mDC), B cells, natural killer (NK) cells and invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT) were present in HIV-1+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and their baseline activation status was higher than HIV-1, PBMC. Exposure of HIV-1+ PBMC to all classes of CpG-ODNs led to activation and maturation of pDC based on CD86, CD80, and CD83 expression similar to that of cells from HIV-1, individuals. The percentage of CpG-ODN stimulated pDC that express CD40 was dramatically higher when cells were obtained from HIV-1+ than from HIV-1, individuals. B-lymphocytes were activated similarly in HIV-1+ and HIV-1, individuals. mDC, NK and iNKT cell, which lack TLR9, were indirectly activated. Interferon-, (IFN-,) and interferon inducible protein 10 (IP-10) secretion was induced by class A or C but not class B CpG-ODN, but the concentrations were less than those produced by HIV-1, PBMC. HIV-1 infected individuals have fewer innate effector cells that are chronically activated, but these cells can be further activated by CpG-ODN, which suggests that synthetic CpG-ODNs could be used to enhance the immune system in HIV-1 infected individuals. [source] Fas ligand expressed in colon cancer is not associated with increased apoptosis of tumor cells in vivoINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 2 2003Aileen Houston Abstract Expression of Fas ligand (FasL/CD95L) may help to maintain colon cancers in a state of immune privilege by inducing apoptosis of antitumor immune effector cells. Colon tumor-derived cell lines appear to be relatively insensitive to apoptosis mediated by their own or exogenous FasL in vitro, despite expression of cell surface Fas. In our present study, we sought to investigate if FasL upregulated in human colon cancers leads to any increase in apoptosis of the tumor cells in vivo. FasL and Fas receptor (APO-1/CD95) expression by tumor cells were detected immunohistochemically. Apoptotic tumor cell death was detected by immunohistochemistry for caspase-cleaved cytokeratin-18. FasL expression did not correlate with the extent of apoptosis of tumor cells. There was no significant local difference in the frequency of apoptosis of tumor cells between tumor nests that expressed FasL (mean = 2.4%) relative to those that did not (mean = 2.6%) (p = 0.625, n = 10; Wilcoxon signed rank). FasL expressed by the tumor cells appeared to be functional, since FasL expression in tumor nests correlated with diminished infiltration of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). TILs were detected using immunohistochemistry for CD45. Expression of FasL by tumor nests was associated with a mean 4-fold fewer TILs relative to FasL-negative nests (range 2.4,33-fold, n = 10, p < 0.003). Together, our results indicate that colon tumors are insensitive to FasL-mediated apoptosis in vivo. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Tumour immunology, vaccination and escape strategiesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOGENETICS, Issue 3 2003A. García-Lora Summary Our increasing knowledge of the mechanisms by which tumour cells escape immune effector cells is helping to establish new approaches to therapeutic vaccination against tumour development. One of the escape mechanisms used by tumour cells is the generation of multiple variants with different HLA phenotypes. These MHC class I phenotypic alterations play a key role in the tumour,host scenario, as they are crucial molecules for antigen presentation to T cells and modulation of natural killer (NK) cell activity. This review presents evidence indicating that tumours develop sophisticated MHC phenotypes that allow them to escape immune surveillance. We evaluate the importance of these alterations in terms of the potential development of therapeutic approaches to immune vaccination. [source] The role of intrahepatic immune effector cells in inflammatory liver injury and viral control during chronic hepatitis B infectionJOURNAL OF VIRAL HEPATITIS, Issue 3 2003T. J. Tang Summary. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and Kupffer cells play an important role in the immune control of hepatitis B virus (HBV), but may also induce liver injury during infection. We investigated the intrahepatic immune response in liver biopsies of chronic HBV patients in relation to inflammatory liver injury and viral control. Forty-seven liver biopsies from patients with chronic HBV with varying degrees of inflammation (ALT values) were selected. Acute hepatitis and normal liver specimens served as controls. Immune effector cells, cytotoxic effector molecules and cytokine producing cells were quantified after immunohistochemical staining in lobular and portal areas of the biopsies. The intralobular number of CD8+ T-lymphocytes was significantly decreased in biopsies of patients with high ALT (r = ,0.54; P < 0.001). Higher ALT-values were correlated with increased numbers of granzyme+ cells in portal areas (r = 0.65; P < 0.001) and higher numbers of intralobular Fas-L+ cells (r = 0.32; P = 0.05). Fas-L was expressed on Kupffer and lymphoid cells. More intralobular CD8+ T-lymphocytes were found in HBeAg, than in HBeAg+ patients (P = 0.002). But IFN- , and TNF- , producing cells were observed sporadically in chronic HBV patients. Hence, in chronic HBV infection, low viral replication and HBeAg negativity is related to increased presence of intralobular CD8+ T-lymphocytes. Persistence of the virus may be caused by the absence of cells producing anti-viral cytokines in the liver. Inflammatory liver injury during chronic HBV infection is probably not the result of increased numbers of infiltrating CD8+ T-lymphocytes, but of Fas-L expression by Kupffer cells and increased cytolytic activity of cells in portal areas. [source] T cell-mediated immunoregulation in the gastrointestinal tractALLERGY, Issue 4 2009L. Saurer In the intestinal tract, only a single layer of epithelial cells separates innate and adaptive immune effector cells from a vast amount of antigens. Here, the immune system faces a considerable challenge in tolerating commensal flora and dietary antigens while preventing the dissemination of potential pathogens. Failure to tightly control immune reactions may result in detrimental inflammation. In this respect, ,conventional' regulatory CD4+ T cells, including naturally occurring and adaptive CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ T cells, Th3 and Tr1 cells, have recently been the focus of considerable attention. However, regulatory mechanisms in the intestinal mucosa are highly complex, including adaptations of nonhaematopoietic cells and innate immune cells as well as the presence of unconventional T cells with regulatory properties such as resident TCR,, or TCR,, CD8+ intraepithelial lymphocytes. This review aims to summarize the currently available knowledge on conventional and unconventional regulatory T cell subsets (Tregs), with special emphasis on clinical data and the potential role or malfunctioning of Tregs in four major human gastrointestinal diseases, i.e. inflammatory bowel diseases, coeliac disease, food allergy and colorectal cancer. We conclude that the clinical data confirms some but not all of the findings derived from experimental animal models. [source] Expression of MHC Class II, CD70, CD80, CD86 and pro-inflammatory cytokines is differentially regulated in oral epithelial cells following bacterial challengeMOLECULAR ORAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2003D. C. Han Oral epithelium may play a regulatory role in local immune responses when interacting with bacteria. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of selected bacterial pathogens found in periodontal and endodontic infections on oral epithelial cells. Expression of cell surface molecules (major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Class II, CD54, CD70, CD80 and CD86) and secretion of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1,, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-,) in response to selected bacterial challenge were examined on an immortalized oral epithelial cell line, HOK-18A and a skin epithelial cell line, HaCaT. Actinomyces viscosus, Actinomyces israelii, Fusobacterium nucleatum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or primary human periradicular exudate from a granuloma were co-cultured with epithelial cells for 4 or 24 h. Subsequently, cell surface expression of MHC Class II, CD54, CD70, CD80 and CD86, along with pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were determined using flow cytometry, ELISA and RT-PCR. Results indicated that the selected oral bacteria have greater effects on oral versus skin epithelial cells. F. nucleatum increased MHC Class II and CD54 (ICAM-1) cell surface expression on HOK-18A and HaCaT cells. A. israelii also had enhancing effects on the expression of CD54 and MHC Class II. A. israelii and LPS induced a 2.8-fold (P < 0.001) and 4.4-fold (P < 0.005) TNF-, secretion, respectively, while F. nucleatum and LPS induced a 10-fold (P < 0.0004) and 6-fold (P < 0.01) IL-1, secretion, respectively by HOK-18A. Interestingly, CD70, CD80, and CD86 were generally decreased upon bacteria and LPS challenge on HOK-18A. The effects of increased MHC Class II and decreased CD70 were also evident with challenge of human periradicular exudate on HOK-18A. The implications of the study are unique in that oral epithelial cells may play both activating and inhibitory roles in the host immune response towards infection by oral bacteria. We introduce a concept of ,dormancy' where the differential expression of key cell surface antigens on oral epithelial cells may keep the recruited immune effector cells in a state of unresponsiveness, thus contributing to the long term quiescent period observed in many periodontal and endodontic lesions. [source] Review: Biological effects of organic arsenic compounds in seafood,APPLIED ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2002Teruaki Sakurai Abstract This review describes the results of our recent experiments concerning the in vitro biological effects of water-soluble organic arsenic compounds contained in seafood in murine immune effector cells using synthetic pure materials. A dimethyl organic arsenic compound in seaweed, viz. an arsenosugar, was weakly cytotoxic in murine alveolar macrophages during a 72,h incubation (50% lethal concentration in vitro, LC50,=,8,mmol,dm,3); conversely, it increased the cell viability of peritoneal macrophages at an optimal dose of 5,mmol,dm,3. Trimethyl arsenic compounds in marine animals, arsenocholine and arsenobetaine, were less toxic in murine splenocytes, thymocytes, Peyer's patch lymphocytes, peritoneal macrophages and alveolar macrophages in vitro, even over 10,mmol,dm,3. Interestingly, they significantly increased the cell viability of immature bone marrow cells at doses over 100,µmol dm,3, and induced the maturation of bone marrow cells especially into granulocytes. The tetramethyl arsenic compound, tetramethylarsonium hydroxide, isolated from some lower marine animals had no in vitro cytolethality on murine immune effector cells. Taken together, organic arsenic compounds in seafood are not very toxic in living systems. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Involvement of breast cancer resistance protein expression on rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue macrophages in resistance to methotrexate and leflunomideARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 3 2009Joost W. van der Heijden Objective To determine whether multidrug-resistance efflux transporters are expressed on immune effector cells in synovial tissue from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and compromise the efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) and leflunomide (LEF). Methods Synovial tissue biopsy samples obtained from RA patients before treatment and 4 months after starting treatment with MTX (n = 17) or LEF (n = 13) were examined by immunohistochemical staining and digital image analysis for the expression of the drug efflux transporters P-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance,associated protein 1 (MRP-1) through MRP-5, MRP-8, MRP-9, and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), and the relationship to clinical efficacy of MTX and LEF was assessed. Results BCRP expression was observed in all RA synovial biopsy samples, both pretreatment and posttreatment, but not in control noninflammatory synovial tissue samples from orthopedic patients. BCRP expression was found both in the intimal lining layer and on macrophages and endothelial cells in the synovial sublining. Total numbers of macrophages in RA patients decreased upon treatment; in biopsy samples with persistently high macrophage counts, 2-fold higher BCRP expression was observed. Furthermore, median BCRP expression was significantly increased (3-fold) in nonresponders to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) compared with responders to DMARDs (P = 0.048). Low expression of MRP-1 was found on synovial macrophages, along with moderate expression in T cell areas of synovial biopsy specimens from one-third of the RA patients. Conclusion These findings show that the drug resistance,related proteins BCRP and MRP-1 are expressed on inflammatory cells in RA synovial tissue. Since MTX is a substrate for both BCRP and MRP-1, and LEF is a high-affinity substrate for BCRP, these transporters may contribute to reduced therapeutic efficacy of these DMARDs. [source] Listeria monocytogenes infection in the face of innate immunityCELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Sinead C. Corr Summary Pathogen recognition and induction of immune responses are important for efficient elimination of infection. However, pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes employ strategies to evade or modulate these defences, thus creating a more favourable environment that ensures their survival and pathogenesis. New insights into these strategies, particularly those targeting innate immunity, have recently emerged. L. monocytogenes is initially detected at the cell surface or in phagosomes by toll-like receptor 2 and in the cytosol by nuclear oligodimerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NOD1, NOD2) and NALP3 and Ipaf. It carries out N-deacetylation of peptidoglycan to avoid this detection by toll-like receptor 2 and NOD-like receptors. L. monocytogenes modulates transcription of host immunity genes through modification of histones and chromatin remodelling. Furthermore, L. monocytogenes has recently been shown to avoid autophagy and induce apoptosis in immune effector cells. In this review we discuss some of these strategies, which have provided new insights into the interaction between L. monocytogenes and the immune response at a crucial stage of infection. [source] Intravenous immunoglobulins , understanding properties and mechanismsCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2009A. Durandy Summary High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) preparations are used currently for the treatment of autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. Despite numerous studies demonstrating efficacy, the precise mode of action of IVIg remains unclear. Paradoxically, IgG can exert both pro- and anti-inflammatory activities, depending on its concentration. The proinflammatory activity of low-dose IVIg requires complement activation or binding of the Fc fragment of IgG to IgG-specific receptors (Fc,R) on innate immune effector cells. In contrast, when administered in high concentrations, IVIg has anti-inflammatory properties. How this anti-inflammatory effect is mediated has not yet been elucidated fully, and several mutually non-exclusive mechanisms have been proposed. This paper represents the proceedings of a session entitled ,IVIg , Understanding properties and mechanisms' at the 6th International Immunoglobulin Symposium that was held in Interlaken on 26,28 March 2009. The presentations addressed how IgG may affect the cellular compartment, evidence for IVIg-mediated scavenging of complement fragments, the role of the dimeric fraction of IVIg, the anti-inflammatory properties of the minor fraction of sialylated IgG molecules, and the genetic organization and variation in Fc,Rs. These findings demonstrate the considerable progress that has been made in understanding the mechanisms of action of IVIgs, and may influence future perspectives in the field of Ig therapy. [source] | |||||||||||||