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Immune Profile (immune + profile)
Selected AbstractsGene expression profiling of porokeratosisJOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 11 2008Zheng-Hua Zhang Background:, Porokeratosis (PK) represents a heterogeneous group of disorders of keratinization and has a wide variety of clinical manifestations. PK may exhibit similarities with psoriasis at both clinical and molecular levels. The genetic basis and pathogenesis for PK remain elusive. Methods:, We studied the transcriptional profiles of three pairwise lesional and uninvolved skin biopsies from patients with different subtypes of PK using the Illumina® BeadArrayŌ platform. Results:, A total of 37 upregulated genes were identified in our study, including wound-induced keratins, S100 calcium-binding protein genes involved in epidermal differentiation, as well as genes involved in mediating intercellular communication and the immune response. To our knowledge, this is the first study that characterizes the immune profile of PK lesions. Conclusions:, Here, we report that keratinocytes (KCs)-harboring lesions have activated and overexpressed wound-induced keratin genes, which appear to be coregulated with other genes involved in mediating epidermal differentiation, intercellular communication and immunity. This study, from the perspective of gene profiling, supports that gene misregulation in PK mimics that of psoriasis. Our data indicate that the genes implicated in the T-cell-mediated immune response pathway and activation of KCs play a key role in the pathogenesis of PK. [source] Systematic epitope analysis of the p26 EIAV core proteinJOURNAL OF MOLECULAR RECOGNITION, Issue 4 2007Adriana Soutullo Abstract The major core protein of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), p26, is one of the primary immunogenic structural proteins during a persistent infection of horses and is highly conserved among antigenically variants of viral isolates. In order to investigate its immune profile in more detail for a better diagnostic, an epitope mapping was carried out by means of two libraries of overlapping peptide fragments prepared by simultaneous and parallel SPPS on derivatized cellulose membranes (SPOT synthesis). Polyclonal equine sera from infected horses were used for the biological assay. Particularly two promising continuous epitopes (NAMRHL and MYACRD) were localized on the C-terminal extreme of p26, region 194,222. A cyclic synthetic fragment of 29 amino acid residues containing the identified epitopes was designed and studied. A significant conformational change towards a helical structure was observed when the peptide was cyclized by a bridge between Cys198 and Cys218. This observation correlated with an improvement of its ability to be recognized by specific antibodies in an EIA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay). These results suggest that the conformationally restricted synthetic antigen adequately mimics the native structure of this region of p26 core protein. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Cholangiocytes as immune modulators in rotavirus-induced murine biliary atresiaLIVER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 8 2009Barrett H. Barnes Abstract Background/Aims: Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive disease characterized by bile duct inflammation and fibrosis. The aetiology is unknown and may be due to a virus-induced, autoimmune-mediated injury of cholangiocytes. Cholangiocytes are not only targets of injury but may also modulate hepatic inflammation. The aim of this study was to determine the immune profile of murine cholangiocytes and the ability to function as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in culture with Rhesus rotavirus (RRV), poly I:C (viral mimic) or interferon-,/tumour necrosis factor-,. Methods/Results: Both the cholangiocyte cell line (long-term culture) and fresh, ex vivo cholangiocytes expressed APC surface markers major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-class I and II and CD40, while only the cultured cell line expressed costimulatory molecules B7-1 and B7-2. Despite APC expression, cultured cholangiocytes were unable to function as competent APCs in T-cell proliferation assays. Furthermore, both cultured and ex vivo cholangiocytes expressed RNA transcripts for many pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Conclusions: Although cholangiocytes contain APC molecules, they are incompetent at antigen presentation and cannot elicit effective T-cell activation. Upregulation of MHC-class I and II found in BA mice may serve to prime the cholangiocyte as a target for immune-mediated injury. Cholangiocytes produced many pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the setting of RRV infection and T-helper type 1 cytokine milieu, suggesting a role of cholangiocytes as immune modulators promoting the ongoing inflammation that exists in RRV-induced BA. [source] The potential interactions between polyunsaturated fatty acids and colonic inflammatory processesCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2 2005S C. Mills Summary n- 3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are recognized as having an anti-inflammatory effect, which is initiated and propagated via a number of mechanisms involving the cells of the immune system. These include: eicosanoid profiles, membrane fluidity and lipid rafts, signal transduction, gene expression and antigen presentation. The wide-range of mechanisms of action of n- 3 PUFAs offer a number of potential therapeutic tools with which to treat inflammatory diseases. In this review we discuss the molecular, animal model and clinical evidence for manipulation of the immune profile by n- 3 PUFAs with respect to inflammatory bowel disease. In addition to providing a potential therapy for inflammatory bowel disease there is also recent evidence that abnormalities in fatty acid profiles, both in the plasma phospholipid membrane and in perinodal adipose tissue, may be a key component in the multi-factorial aetiology of inflammatory bowel disease. Such abnormalities are likely to be the result of a genetic susceptibility to the changing ratios of n- 3 : n- 6 fatty acids in the western diet. Evidence that the fatty acid components of perinodal adipose are fuelling the pro- or anti-inflammatory bias of the immune response is also reviewed. [source] The immunobiology of Th1 polarization in high-pathology schistosomiasisIMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Issue 1 2004Miguel J. Stadecker Summary:, Schistosomiasis is a serious global helminthic disease, in which the main immunopathology consists of a granulomatous and fibrosing reaction against tissue-trapped parasite eggs. The severity of this inflammatory process, the product of a CD4+ T-cell-mediated immune response against parasite egg antigens, is, however, markedly uneven, both in human patients and among mouse strains in an experimental model. Severe schistosomiasis is associated with persistently elevated pro-inflammatory T-helper-1 (Th1)-type cytokines, whereas milder pathology is present when Th2 cytokines dominate. This scenario is supported by the pronounced pathology resulting from the obliteration of pathways that facilitate Th2 differentiation and by the development of more intense lesions in mouse strains that fail to downregulate the Th1 response. Genetically prone high-pathology mice have a higher proportion of CD4+ T cells in lymph nodes and granulomas, in which the Th1 phenotype is driven by interleukin-12; they also develop a dominant repertoire against peptide 234,246 of the major Sm-p40 egg antigen, utilizing a strikingly restricted T-cell receptor structure that involves V,11.3,8. In turn, low-pathology mice exhibit enhanced CD4+ T-cell apoptosis, which contributes to limit pathology. The definition of distinctive immune profiles associated with polar forms of schistosomiasis opens opportunities for targeted immuno-intervention in individuals suffering from or at risk of severe disease. [source] Macaques co-immunized with SIVgag/pol-HIVenv and IL-12 plasmid have increased cellular responsesJOURNAL OF MEDICAL PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 4-5 2007T.M. Robinson Abstract Background, The cell mediated immune profiles following immunization with a recombinant DNA vaccine was assessed in the simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) and Macaque model. Earlier work demonstrated increased numbers of antigen specific CD8 and CD4 effector cells able to secrete IFN- ,. Method, The vaccine strategy included co-immunization of a DNA based vaccine alone or in combination with a macaque IL-12 expressing plasmid (pmacIL12). Antigen activated lymphocytes were studied for activation of a set of immunological molecules. Results, The current study demonstrates lymphocytes isolated and activated from the group that was immunized with DNA and pmacIL12 had a higher level of IFN- , producing cells. We also observed a different immunological profile when comparing the cells isolated from macaques immunized with DNA as compared to those animals that also received pmacIL12. Conclusion, The observed immune profiles are reflective of the co-delivery of pmacIL12 and demonstrates that IL-12 can increase the magnitude and polyfunctionality of the cellular immune response. [source] | ||||||||||