Breaking Tolerance to Thyroid Antigens: Changing Concepts in Thyroid Autoimmunity

Science.gov (United States)

Rapoport, Basil

2014-01-01

Thyroid autoimmunity involves loss of tolerance to thyroid proteins in genetically susceptible individuals in association with environmental factors. In central tolerance, intrathymic autoantigen presentation deletes immature T cells with high affinity for autoantigen-derived peptides. Regulatory T cells provide an alternative mechanism to silence autoimmune T cells in the periphery. The TSH receptor (TSHR), thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and thyroglobulin (Tg) have unusual properties (“immunogenicity”) that contribute to breaking tolerance, including size, abundance, membrane association, glycosylation, and polymorphisms. Insight into loss of tolerance to thyroid proteins comes from spontaneous and induced animal models: 1) intrathymic expression controls self-tolerance to the TSHR, not TPO or Tg; 2) regulatory T cells are not involved in TSHR self-tolerance and instead control the balance between Graves' disease and thyroiditis; 3) breaking TSHR tolerance involves contributions from major histocompatibility complex molecules (humans and induced mouse models), TSHR polymorphism(s) (humans), and alternative splicing (mice); 4) loss of tolerance to Tg before TPO indicates that greater Tg immunogenicity vs TPO dominates central tolerance expectations; 5) tolerance is induced by thyroid autoantigen administration before autoimmunity is established; 6) interferon-α therapy for hepatitis C infection enhances thyroid autoimmunity in patients with intact immunity; Graves' disease developing after T-cell depletion reflects reconstitution autoimmunity; and 7) most environmental factors (including excess iodine) “reveal,” but do not induce, thyroid autoimmunity. Micro-organisms likely exert their effects via bystander stimulation. Finally, no single mechanism explains the loss of tolerance to thyroid proteins. The goal of inducing self-tolerance to prevent autoimmune thyroid disease will require accurate prediction of at-risk individuals together with an antigen

Selective Memory to Apoptotic Cell-Derived Self-Antigens with Implications for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Development.

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Duhlin, Amanda; Chen, Yunying; Wermeling, Fredrik; Sedimbi, Saikiran K; Lindh, Emma; Shinde, Rahul; Halaby, Marie Jo; Kaiser, Ylva; Winqvist, Ola; McGaha, Tracy L; Karlsson, Mikael C I

2016-10-01

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by pathogenic immune responses to self-antigens. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), many self-antigens are found in apoptotic cells (ACs), and defects in removal of ACs from the body are linked to a risk for developing SLE. This includes pathological memory that gives rise to disease flares. In this study, we investigated how memory to AC-derived self-antigens develops and the contribution of self-memory to the development of lupus-related pathology. Multiple injections of ACs without adjuvant into wild-type mice induce a transient primary autoimmune response without apparent anti-nuclear Ab reactivity or kidney pathology. Interestingly, as the transient Ab response reached baseline, a single boost injection fully recalled the immune response to ACs, and this memory response was furthermore transferable into naive mice. Additionally, the memory response contains elements of pathogenicity, accompanied by selective memory to selective Ags. Thus, we provide evidence for a selective self-memory that underlies progression of the response to self-antigens with implications for SLE development therapy. Copyright © 2016 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Control of treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma by measurement of thyroglobulin in serum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagemann, J.; Schneider, C.

1978-01-01

The presence of thyroglobulin in serum of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma was studied by a specific radioimmunoassay. Seventy-three patients with thyroid carcinomata were examined, 16 of whom had pulmonary or skeletal metastase, 11 local metastases, and the others no metastases. Patients with generalized metastases had very high serum thyroglobulin concentrations while those with local metastases had slightly elevated or normal concentrations. Those with remaining thyroid tissue had mainly normal thyroglobulin levels and patients with neither metastases nor remaining thyroid tissue had undetectable serum thyroglobulin. In seven patients with metastases it was possible to observe the development of serum thyroglobulin after 131 I treatment. In all cases the serum thyroglobulin concentration paralleled the development of the clinical status. Elevated serum thyroglobulin was also found in benign thyroid diseases such as hyperthyroidism and endemic goitre. Measurement of thyroglobulin in serum is therefore of little value in differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid diseases, but it is a good method for the follow-up control of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinomata. Because normal thyroglobulin levels do not exclude local metastases, additional examinations are necessary if normal thyroglobulin levels are found. When thyroglobulin is undetectable, metastases can be excluded and the measurement of thyroglobulin in serum can replace all other methods in the follow-up control. (author)

Robust and Accurate Discrimination of Self/Non-Self Antigen Presentations by Regulatory T Cell Suppression.

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Chikara Furusawa

Full Text Available The immune response by T cells usually discriminates self and non-self antigens, even though the negative selection of self-reactive T cells is imperfect and a certain fraction of T cells can respond to self-antigens. In this study, we construct a simple mathematical model of T cell populations to analyze how such self/non-self discrimination is possible. The results demonstrate that the control of the immune response by regulatory T cells enables a robust and accurate discrimination of self and non-self antigens, even when there is a significant overlap between the affinity distribution of T cells to self and non-self antigens. Here, the number of regulatory T cells in the system acts as a global variable controlling the T cell population dynamics. The present study provides a basis for the development of a quantitative theory for self and non-self discrimination in the immune system and a possible strategy for its experimental verification.

Robust and Accurate Discrimination of Self/Non-Self Antigen Presentations by Regulatory T Cell Suppression.

Science.gov (United States)

Furusawa, Chikara; Yamaguchi, Tomoyuki

The immune response by T cells usually discriminates self and non-self antigens, even though the negative selection of self-reactive T cells is imperfect and a certain fraction of T cells can respond to self-antigens. In this study, we construct a simple mathematical model of T cell populations to analyze how such self/non-self discrimination is possible. The results demonstrate that the control of the immune response by regulatory T cells enables a robust and accurate discrimination of self and non-self antigens, even when there is a significant overlap between the affinity distribution of T cells to self and non-self antigens. Here, the number of regulatory T cells in the system acts as a global variable controlling the T cell population dynamics. The present study provides a basis for the development of a quantitative theory for self and non-self discrimination in the immune system and a possible strategy for its experimental verification.

Regulatory B and T cell responses in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease and healthy controls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Birte

2016-01-01

Autoimmune diseases occur due to faulty self-tolerance. Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) are classic examples of organ-specific autoimmune diseases. GD is an auto-antibody-mediated disease where autoantibodies are produced against the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR...... (Bregs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) were investigated in the context of GD and HT. First, we studied the role of the thyroid self-antigen, thyroglobulin (TG) in healthy donors. The self-antigen TG, but not the foreign recall antigen tetanus toxoid (TT), was able to induce interleukin 10 (IL-10......) secretion by B cells and CD4+ T cells. These IL-10 producing B cells (B10 cells) from healthy donors were enriched with the CD5+ and CD24hi phenotype. In addition, TG was able to induce IL-6 production by B cells. In contrast, TT induced production of Th1-type pro-inflammatory cytokines including interferon...

A Clinical Study of Serum Thyroglobulin Levels in Patients with Thyroid Tumor

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Lee, Choong Kyu; Yu, Byung Hee; Lee, Woo Hyung; Yoo, Hyung Joon; Lee, Chong Suk [National Medical Canter, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1983-03-15

Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) was measured by radioimmunoassay in 81 patients with thyroid tumor who were treated in the department of Internal medicine of National Medical Center from January, 1981 to June, 1982. The results were as follows: 1) The mean serum thyroglobulin level in thyroid tumor was significantly higher than normal subjects (p<0.001). 2) The mean serum thyroglobulin level in benign tumor was lower than malignant tumor (p<0.05). 3) The thyroid carcinoma with metastasis had significant high level of serum thyroglobulin than without metastasis (p<0.001). 4) The mean postoperative serum thyroglobulin level was significantly lower than preoperative level (p<0.001). Data from our study show that serum thyroglobulin determination is useful for assessing the presence of malignant thyroid tumor, metastasis and the extent of residual or recurrent thyroid cancer after surgery.

A Clinical Study of Serum Thyroglobulin Levels in Patients with Thyroid Tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Choong Kyu; Yu, Byung Hee; Lee, Woo Hyung; Yoo, Hyung Joon; Lee, Chong Suk

1983-01-01

Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) was measured by radioimmunoassay in 81 patients with thyroid tumor who were treated in the department of Internal medicine of National Medical Center from January, 1981 to June, 1982. The results were as follows: 1) The mean serum thyroglobulin level in thyroid tumor was significantly higher than normal subjects (p<0.001). 2) The mean serum thyroglobulin level in benign tumor was lower than malignant tumor (p<0.05). 3) The thyroid carcinoma with metastasis had significant high level of serum thyroglobulin than without metastasis (p<0.001). 4) The mean postoperative serum thyroglobulin level was significantly lower than preoperative level (p<0.001). Data from our study show that serum thyroglobulin determination is useful for assessing the presence of malignant thyroid tumor, metastasis and the extent of residual or recurrent thyroid cancer after surgery.

The potential for induction of autoimmune disease by a randomly-mutated self-antigen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Anders Elm

2007-01-01

-antigens can be immunogenic and lead to autoimmunity against wildtype self-antigens. In theory, modified self-antigens can arise by random errors and mutations during protein synthesis and would be recognized as foreign antigens by naïve B and T lymphocytes. Here, it is postulated that the initial auto......, a relation to an infectious disease is described, and it is thought that microbes can play a direct role in induction of autoimmunity, for instance by molecular mimicry or bystander activation of autoreactive T cells. In contrast, less attention has been given to the possibility that modified self......-antigen is not a germline self-antigen, but rather a mutated self-antigen. This mutated self-antigen might interfere with peripheral tolerance if presented to the immune system during an infection. The infection lead to bystander activation of naïve T and B cells with specificity for mutated self-antigen and this can lead...

Ultraviolet light-induced suppression of antigen presentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spellman, C.W.; Tomasi, T.B.

1983-01-01

Ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation of animals results in the development of specific T suppressor cells that inhibit antitumor immune responses. It is thought that suppression may arise as a consequence of altered antigen presentation by UV-irradiated epidermal cells. This hypothesis is based on evidence demonstrating that specific lymphoid tissues from UV-irradiated hosts exhibit impaired antigen-presenting function and that animals cannot be contact sensitized when antigens are applied to a UV-irradiated skin site. Langerhans cells of the skin are likely candidates as targets of UV-induced defects in antigen presentation as they bear Fc and C3b receptors, express Ia antigens, are of bone marrow origin, and are capable of presenting antigen in vitro. We speculate on the possible clinical usefulness of UV-induced tolerance to specific antigens such as those encountered in monoclonal antibody therapy and tissue transplantation

Novel immunoradiometric assay of thyroglobulin in serum with use of monoclonal antibodies selected for lack of cross-reactivity with autoantibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piechaczyk, M.; Baldet, L.; Pau, B.; Bastide, J.M.

1989-01-01

A multisite immunoradiometric assay for measurement of serum thyroglobulin (Tg), designated Magnogel-IRMA-Tg, has been developed, involving magnetic microbeads (Magnogel). This assay is based on the use of five anti-Tg monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against three antigenic regions on the Tg molecule that are not recognized by anti-Tg autoantibodies (aAbs). Four of these MAbs, directed against two antigenic domains, were coupled to the magnetic beads and were used to trap the serum antigen. Another MAb, directed against the third region, was iodinated and served as the labeled second antibody. The Magnogel-IRMA-Tg technique is reproducible, rapid, and sensitive (lower detection limit, 3 micrograms/L). The assay reliably measures serum Tg in the presence of anti-Tg aAbs

Hormonogenic donor Tyr2522 of bovine thyroglobulin. Insight into preferential T3 formation at thyroglobulin carboxyl terminus at low iodination level

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Cetrangolo, Giovanni Paolo, E-mail: giovanni.cetrangolo@unimol.it [Dipartimento di Medicina e Scienze della Salute, Università del Molise, Via De Sanctis, snc, Campobasso 86100 (Italy); Arcaro, Alessia, E-mail: alessia.arcaro@unimol.it [Dipartimento di Medicina e Scienze della Salute, Università del Molise, Via De Sanctis, snc, Campobasso 86100 (Italy); Lepore, Alessio, E-mail: alessiolepore@alice.it [Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, Napoli 80131 (Italy); Graf, Maria, E-mail: mariagraf@tiscali.it [Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, Napoli 80131 (Italy); Mamone, Gianfranco, E-mail: mamone@isa.cnr.it [Centro di Spettrometria di Massa Proteomica e Biomolecolare, ISA-CNR, Via Roma 52 a, Avellino 83100 (Italy); Ferranti, Pasquale, E-mail: ferranti@unina.it [Dipartimento di Agraria, Università di Napoli “Federico II”, Parco Gussone, Portici (Napoli) 80055 (Italy); Palumbo, Giuseppe, E-mail: palumbo@unina.it [Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, Napoli 80131 (Italy); Gentile, Fabrizio, E-mail: gentilefabrizio@unimol.it [Dipartimento di Medicina e Scienze della Salute, Università del Molise, Via De Sanctis, snc, Campobasso 86100 (Italy)

2014-07-18

Highlights: • A carboxy-terminal fragment (residues 2515–2750) was isolated from a low-iodine bTg. • Post-translational status of 8 tyrosines in bTg region 2515–2750 was assessed by MS. • Tyr2522 of bovine Tg is an interspecifically conserved hormonogenic donor site. • Propensities of Tyr residues to mono or diiodination optimize T3 yield from Tyr2748. - Abstract: A tryptic fragment (b5{sub TR,NR}), encompassing residues 2515–2750, was isolated from a low-iodine (0.26% by mass) bovine thyroglobulin, by limited proteolysis with trypsin and preparative, continuous-elution SDS–PAGE. The fragment was digested with Asp-N endoproteinase and analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, revealing the formation of: 3-monoiodotyrosine and dehydroalanine from Tyr2522; 3-monoiodotyrosine from Tyr2555 and Tyr2569; 3-monoiodotyrosine and 3,5-diiodotyrosine from Tyr2748. The data presented document, by direct mass spectrometric identifications, efficient iodophenoxyl ring transfer from monoiodinated hormonogenic donor Tyr2522 and efficient mono- and diiodination of hormonogenic acceptor Tyr2748, under conditions which permitted only limited iodination of Tyr2555 and Tyr2569, in low-iodine bovine thyroglobulin. The present study thereby provides: (1) a rationale for the preferential synthesis of T3 at the carboxy-terminal end of thyroglobulin, at low iodination level; (2) confirmation for the presence of an interspecifically conserved hormonogenic donor site in the carboxy-terminal domain of thyroglobulin; (3) solution for a previous uncertainty, concerning the precise location of such donor site in bovine thyroglobulin.

Hormonogenic donor Tyr2522 of bovine thyroglobulin. Insight into preferential T3 formation at thyroglobulin carboxyl terminus at low iodination level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cetrangolo, Giovanni Paolo; Arcaro, Alessia; Lepore, Alessio; Graf, Maria; Mamone, Gianfranco; Ferranti, Pasquale; Palumbo, Giuseppe; Gentile, Fabrizio

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A carboxy-terminal fragment (residues 2515–2750) was isolated from a low-iodine bTg. • Post-translational status of 8 tyrosines in bTg region 2515–2750 was assessed by MS. • Tyr2522 of bovine Tg is an interspecifically conserved hormonogenic donor site. • Propensities of Tyr residues to mono or diiodination optimize T3 yield from Tyr2748. - Abstract: A tryptic fragment (b5 TR,NR ), encompassing residues 2515–2750, was isolated from a low-iodine (0.26% by mass) bovine thyroglobulin, by limited proteolysis with trypsin and preparative, continuous-elution SDS–PAGE. The fragment was digested with Asp-N endoproteinase and analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, revealing the formation of: 3-monoiodotyrosine and dehydroalanine from Tyr2522; 3-monoiodotyrosine from Tyr2555 and Tyr2569; 3-monoiodotyrosine and 3,5-diiodotyrosine from Tyr2748. The data presented document, by direct mass spectrometric identifications, efficient iodophenoxyl ring transfer from monoiodinated hormonogenic donor Tyr2522 and efficient mono- and diiodination of hormonogenic acceptor Tyr2748, under conditions which permitted only limited iodination of Tyr2555 and Tyr2569, in low-iodine bovine thyroglobulin. The present study thereby provides: (1) a rationale for the preferential synthesis of T3 at the carboxy-terminal end of thyroglobulin, at low iodination level; (2) confirmation for the presence of an interspecifically conserved hormonogenic donor site in the carboxy-terminal domain of thyroglobulin; (3) solution for a previous uncertainty, concerning the precise location of such donor site in bovine thyroglobulin

Skin-Resident T Cells Drive Dermal Dendritic Cell Migration in Response to Tissue Self-Antigen.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Niwa; Zirak, Bahar; Truong, Hong-An; Maurano, Megan M; Gratz, Iris K; Abbas, Abul K; Rosenblum, Michael D

2018-05-01

Migratory dendritic cell (DC) subsets deliver tissue Ags to draining lymph nodes (DLNs) to either initiate or inhibit T cell-mediated immune responses. The signals mediating DC migration in response to tissue self-antigen are largely unknown. Using a mouse model of inducible skin-specific self-antigen expression, we demonstrate that CD103 + dermal DCs (DDCs) rapidly migrate from skin to skin DLN (SDLNs) within the first 48 h after Ag expression. This window of time was characterized by the preferential activation of tissue-resident Ag-specific effector T cells (Teffs), with no concurrent activation of Ag-specific Teffs in SDLNs. Using genetic deletion and adoptive transfer approaches, we show that activation of skin-resident Teffs is required to drive CD103 + DDC migration in response to tissue self-antigen and this Batf3-dependent DC population is necessary to mount a fulminant autoimmune response in skin. Conversely, activation of Ag-specific Teffs in SDLNs played no role in DDC migration. Our studies reveal a crucial role for skin-resident T cell-derived signals, originating at the site of self-antigen expression, to drive DDC migration during the elicitation phase of an autoimmune response. Copyright © 2018 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Association of Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA4) and Thyroglobulin (TG) Genetic Variants with Autoimmune Hypothyroidism

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Patel, Hinal; Mansuri, Mohmmad Shoab; Singh, Mala; Begum, Rasheedunnisa; Shastri, Minal; Misra, Ambikanandan

2016-01-01

Autoimmune hypothyroidism is known to be caused by immune responses related to the thyroid gland and its immunological feature includes presence of autoimmune antibodies. Therefore the aim was to analyze presence of anti-TPO antibodies in hypothyroidism patients in Gujarat. Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA4) is one of the susceptibility genes for various autoimmune diseases. Hence, exon1 +49A/G and 3’UTR CT60A/G single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CTLA4 and its mRNA expression levels were investigated in autoimmune hypothyroidism patients. Thyroglobulin (TG) is known to be associated with autoimmune thyroid disorders and thus exon 33 (E33) SNP in TG was investigated. We analyzed the presence of anti-TPO antibodies in the plasma samples of 84 hypothyroidism patients and 62 controls by ELISA. PCR-RFLP technique was used for genotyping of polymorphisms. sCTLA4 and flCTLA4 mRNA expression levels were assessed by real time PCR. 59.52% of hypothyroid patients had anti-TPO antibodies in their circulation. The genotype and allele frequencies differed significantly for +49A/G (p = 0.0004 for +49AG, p = 0.0019 for +49GG & p = 0.0004 for allele), CT60 (p = 0.0110 for CT60AG, p = 0.0005 for CT60GG & phypothyroidism when adjusted for age and gender. Our results suggest +49A/G and CT60 polymorphism of CTLA4 and E33 polymorphism of TG may be genetic risk factors for autoimmune hypothyroidism susceptibility and down regulation of both forms of CTLA4 advocates the crucial role of CTLA4 in pathogenesis of autoimmune hypothyroidism. PMID:26963610

Robust and Accurate Discrimination of Self/Non-Self Antigen Presentations by Regulatory T Cell Suppression

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Furusawa, Chikara; Yamaguchi, Tomoyuki

2016-01-01

The immune response by T cells usually discriminates self and non-self antigens, even though the negative selection of self-reactive T cells is imperfect and a certain fraction of T cells can respond to self-antigens. In this study, we construct a simple mathematical model of T cell populations to analyze how such self/non-self discrimination is possible. The results demonstrate that the control of the immune response by regulatory T cells enables a robust and accurate discrimination of self ...

Immunity to tumour antigens.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Geng; Ali, Selman A; McArdle, Stephanie E B; Mian, Shahid; Ahmad, Murrium; Miles, Amanda; Rees, Robert C

2005-01-01

During the last decade, a large number of human tumour antigens have been identified. These antigens are classified as tumour-specific shared antigens, tissue-specific differentiation antigens, overexpressed antigens, tumour antigens resulting from mutations, viral antigens and fusion proteins. Antigens recognised by effectors of immune system are potential targets for antigen-specific cancer immunotherapy. However, most tumour antigens are self-proteins and are generally of low immunogenicity and the immune response elicited towards these tumour antigens is not always effective. Strategies to induce and enhance the tumour antigen-specific response are needed. This review will summarise the approaches to discovery of tumour antigens, the current status of tumour antigens, and their potential application to cancer treatment.

Follicular thyroglobulin induces cathepsin H expression and activity in thyrocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oda, Kenzaburo; Luo, Yuqian; Yoshihara, Aya; Ishido, Yuko; Sekihata, Kengo

2017-01-01

Thyroglobulin (Tg) stored in thyroid follicles exerts a potent negative-feedback effect on each step of pre-hormone biosynthesis, including Tg gene transcription and iodine uptake and organification, by suppressing the expression of specific transcription factors that regulate these steps. Pre-hormones are stored in the follicular colloid before being reabsorbed. Following lysosomal proteolysis of its precursor, thyroid hormone (TH) is released from thyroid follicles. Although the suppressive effects of follicular Tg on each step of pre-hormone biosynthesis have been extensively characterized, whether follicular Tg accumulation also affects hormone reabsorption, proteolysis, and secretion is unclear. In this study we explored whether follicular Tg can regulate the expression and function of the lysosomal endopeptidases cathepsins. We found that in the rat thyroid cell line FRTL-5 follicular Tg induced cathepsin H mRNA and protein expression, as well as cathepsin H enzyme activity. Double immunofluorescence staining showed that Tg endocytosis promoted cathepsin H translocalization into lysosomes where it co-localized with internalized Tg. These results suggest that cathepsin H is an active participant in lysosome-mediated pre-hormone degradation, and that follicular Tg stimulates mobilization of pre-hormones by activating cathepsin H-associated proteolysis pathways. - Highlights: • Follicular Tg increases cathepsin H mRNA and protein levels in rat thyroid cells. • Follicular Tg increases cathepsin H enzyme activity in rat thyroid cells. • After Tg stimulation cathepsin H co-localizes to lysosomes with follicular Tg. • Cathepsin H promotes hormone secretion by lysosome-mediated mechanisms.

Thyroid Autoantibodies Display both “Original Antigenic Sin” and Epitope Spreading

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Sandra M. McLachlan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Evidence for original antigenic sin in spontaneous thyroid autoimmunity is revealed by autoantibody interactions with immunodominant regions on thyroid autoantigens, thyroglobulin (Tg, thyroid peroxidase (TPO, and the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR A-subunit. In contrast, antibodies induced by immunization of rabbits or mice recognize diverse epitopes. Recognition of immunodominant regions persists despite fluctuations in autoantibody levels following treatment or over time. The enhancement of spontaneously arising pathogenic TSHR antibodies in transgenic human thyrotropin receptor/NOD.H2h4 mice by injecting a non-pathogenic form of TSHR A-subunit protein also provides evidence for original antigenic sin. From other studies, antigen presentation by B cells, not dendritic cells, is likely responsible for original antigenic sin. Recognition of restricted epitopes on the large glycosylated thyroid autoantigens (60-kDa A-subunit, 100-kDa TPO, and 600-kDa Tg facilitates exploring the amino acid locations in the immunodominant regions. Epitope spreading has also been revealed by autoantibodies in thyroid autoimmunity. In humans, and in mice that spontaneously develop autoimmunity to all three thyroid autoantigens, autoantibodies develop first to Tg and later to TPO and the TSHR A-subunit. The pattern of intermolecular epitope spreading is related in part to the thyroidal content of Tg, TPO and TSHR A-subunit and to the molecular sizes of these proteins. Importantly, the epitope spreading pattern provides a rationale for future antigen-specific manipulation to block the development of all thyroid autoantibodies by inducing tolerance to Tg, first in the autoantigen cascade. Because of its abundance, Tg may be the autoantigen of choice to explore antigen-specific treatment, preventing the development of pathogenic TSHR antibodies.

Determination of thyroglobulin in the cytology needle lavage for diagnosis of the thyroid nodule

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marrero Rodríguez, María Teresa; Turcios Tristá, Silvia Elena

2016-01-01

The determination of thyroglobulin in the lavage of the biopsy needle has been incorporated as a new tool for the diagnosis of thyroid lymphadenopathy. Objective: To determine the value of thyroglobulin quantification in the biopsy needle lavage in the diagnosis of the thyroid nodule. Material and Method: The biological material obtained from the rinsing of the needles used in the biopsy of the patients with diagnosis of thyroid nodule was taken as the study sample. An Immunoradiometric method was used to determine thyroglobulin. The Mann-Whitney non-parametric test was used to compare the median values of the thyroglobulin variable between malignant and benign lesions according to histopathological diagnosis. Significant differences (p <0.01) were found between mean thyroglobulin levels between benign nodules (502.6 ng / mL) and malignant nodules (11.9 ng / mL). Conclusion: The determination of thyroglobulin in the lavage of the needle used in the biopsy proved to be a useful procedure for the differential diagnosis of the thyroid nodule, so it would be very useful as a support for cytology.

Specificity of antigens on UV radiation-induced antigenic tumor cell variants measured in vitro and in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hostetler, L.W.; Romerdahl, C.A.; Kripke, M.L.

1989-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether antigenic variants cross-react immunologically with the parental tumor and whether the UVR-associated antigen unique to UVR-induced tumors is also present on the variants. Antigenic (regressor) variants and nonimmunogenic (progressor) clones derived from UV-irradiated cultures of the C3H K1735 melanoma and SF19 spontaneous fibrosarcoma cell lines were used to address these questions. In an in vivo immunization and challenge assay, the antigenic variants did not induce cross-protection among themselves, but each induced immunity against the immunizing variant, the parent tumor cells, and nonimmunogenic clones derived from UV-irradiated parent cultures. Therefore, the variants can be used to induce in mice a protective immunity that prevents the growth of the parent tumor and nonimmunogenic clones, but not other antigenic variants. In contrast, immunization with cells of the parental tumor or the nonimmunogenic clones induced no protective immunity against challenge with any of the cell lines. Utilizing the K1735 melanoma-derived cell lines in vitro, T-helper (Th) cells isolated from tumor-immunized mice were tested for cross-reactivity by their ability to collaborate with trinitrophenyl-primed B-cells in the presence of trinitrophenyl-conjugated tumor cells. Also, the cross-reactivity of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes from tumor-immunized mice was assessed by a 4-h 51Cr-release assay. Antigenic variants induced cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and Th activity that was higher than that induced by the parent tumor and nonimmunogenic clones from the UVR-exposed parent tumor and cross-reacted with the parental tumor cells and nonimmunogenic clones, but not with other antigenic variants

Regulatory B and T cell responses in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease and healthy controls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Birte; Hegedüs, Laszlo

2016-01-01

). HT is primarily a T-cell mediated disease, and whether B cells play a pathogenic role in the pathogenesis is still unclear. Both GD and HT are characterized by infiltration of the thyroid gland by self-reactive T cells and B cells. In the first paper of this thesis, the role of regulatory B cells...... (Bregs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) were investigated in the context of GD and HT. First, we studied the role of the thyroid self-antigen, thyroglobulin (TG) in healthy donors. The self-antigen TG, but not the foreign recall antigen tetanus toxoid (TT), was able to induce interleukin 10 (IL-10......Autoimmune diseases occur due to faulty self-tolerance. Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) are classic examples of organ-specific autoimmune diseases. GD is an auto-antibody-mediated disease where autoantibodies are produced against the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR...

Thyroglobulin is a more sensitive indicator of iodine deficiency than thyrotropin: development and evaluation of dry blood spot assays for thyrotropin and thyroglobulin in iodine-deficient geographical areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Missler, U; Gutekunst, R; Wood, W G

1994-03-01

Immunometric assays were developed for thyrotropin and thyroglobulin using time-resolved fluorescence as the measurement signal. The assays were suitable for measurements in serum/plasma or in dry blood spots (3 mm diameter). Both assays have acceptable coefficients of variation for dry blood spots (intra-assay median CV dry blood spot samples could be transported without special precautions for up to 5-6 weeks without significant loss in immunoreactivity. This agrees with other findings. The results showed that serum thyroglobulin levels are a more sensitive indicator of iodine deficiency than thyrotropin; elevated thyroglobulin levels were found in 182/304 children in Zimbabwe compared with elevated thyrotropin level in 28/304 cases. 213/304 children had enlarged thyroid glands. The cut-off levels used here were 4.5 mU/l thyrotropin and 20 micrograms/l for thyroglobulin, both in whole blood. The assays proved useful for assessing the efficacy of iodine therapy, either by oral dosage or intramuscularly (iodised oil).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cathepsin C and plasma glutamate carboxypeptidase secreted from Fischer rat thyroid cells liberate thyroxin from the N-terminus of thyroglobulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Suban, Dejan; Zajc, Tajana; Renko, Miha; Turk, Boris; Turk, Vito; Dolenc, Iztok

2012-03-01

The release of a thyroid hormone from thyroglobulin is controlled by a complex regulatory system. We focused on the extracellular action of two lysosomal enzymes, cathepsin C (catC, dipeptidyl peptidase I) and PGCP (lysosomal dipeptidase), on thyroglobulin, and their ability to liberate the hormone thyroxin. Cathepsin C, an exopeptidase, removes dipeptides from the N-terminus of substrates, and PGCP hydrolyses dipeptides to amino acids. In vitro experiments proved that cathepsin C removes up to 12 amino acids from the N-terminus of porcine thyroglobulin, including a dipeptide with thyroxin on position 5. The newly formed N-terminus, Arg-Pro-, was not hydrolysed further by cathepsin C. Cell culture experiments with FRTL-5 cell line showed localization of cathepsin C and PGCP and their secretion into the medium. Secretion of the active cathepsin C from FRTL-5 cells is stimulated by TSH, insulin, and/or somatostatin. The released enzymes liberate thyroxin from porcine thyroglobulin added to media. The hormone liberation can be reduced by synthetic inhibitors of cysteine proteinases and metalloproteinases. Additionally, we show that TSH, insulin, and/or somatostatin induce up-regulation of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 1, the enzyme responsible for the initiation of biosynthesis of hybrid and complex N-glycosylation of proteins. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Targeting tumor antigens to secreted membrane vesicles in vivo induces efficient antitumor immune responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeelenberg, Ingrid S; Ostrowski, Matias; Krumeich, Sophie; Bobrie, Angélique; Jancic, Carolina; Boissonnas, Alexandre; Delcayre, Alain; Le Pecq, Jean-Bernard; Combadière, Béhazine; Amigorena, Sebastian; Théry, Clotilde

2008-02-15

Expression of non-self antigens by tumors can induce activation of T cells in vivo, although this activation can lead to either immunity or tolerance. CD8+ T-cell activation can be direct (if the tumor expresses MHC class I molecules) or indirect (after the capture and cross-presentation of tumor antigens by dendritic cells). The modes of tumor antigen capture by dendritic cells in vivo remain unclear. Here we examine the immunogenicity of the same model antigen secreted by live tumors either in association with membrane vesicles (exosomes) or as a soluble protein. We have artificially addressed the antigen to secreted vesicles by coupling it to the factor VIII-like C1C2 domain of milk fat globule epidermal growth factor-factor VIII (MFG-E8)/lactadherin. We show that murine fibrosarcoma tumor cells that secrete vesicle-bound antigen grow slower than tumors that secrete soluble antigen in immunocompetent, but not in immunodeficient, host mice. This growth difference is due to the induction of a more potent antigen-specific antitumor immune response in vivo by the vesicle-bound than by the soluble antigen. Finally, in vivo secretion of the vesicle-bound antigen either by tumors or by vaccination with naked DNA protects against soluble antigen-secreting tumors. We conclude that the mode of secretion can determine the immunogenicity of tumor antigens and that manipulation of the mode of antigen secretion may be used to optimize antitumor vaccination protocols.

The Study on the Thyroglobulin in Thyroid Diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Suk Keun; Lim, Soo Duk; Lee, Mun Ho

1970-01-01

In recent with development of immuno-electrophoresis, more accurate analysis of the serum protein became possible. However, there is few reports in the literature which investigated the changes of the immunoglobulin compared with electrophoretically fractioned serum thyroglobulin in the patients with various thyroid diseases. The purpose of this report is to investigate the changes of thyroglobulin in various thyroid diseases by the method of immuno-electrophoresis and to compare the results with serum protein fractionated by the method of agar-gel micro-electrophoresis. Sera from 9 patients with diffuse toxic goiter, 2 nodular nontoxic goiter, 2 thyroiditis, 3 hypothyroidism, 1 thyroid cancer, 7 cystic degeneration of the thyroid gland, and 10 normal subject were taken. All cases were confirmed by various laboratory thyroid function tests and thyroid needle biopsy. Immuno-electrophoretic analysis of the serum were performed by Scheidegger's modified micro-immuno-electrophoretic method. The antiserum was obtained from the Travenol Laboratories International, Hyland Products Division and was rabbit anti-human thyroglobulin. Microscope slide agar-gel electrophoresis for serum protein fractionation was performed at 4 .deg. C using veronal buffer, pH 8.6 and ionic strength 0.05, with 54 volts and 2.8 mA for 60 minutes. The fractionated slide was stained with 0.1% thiazine red. The results were as follows: 1) Increase of immune-globulin macroglobulin (IgM), alphaglobulin, and immune-globulin A (IgA) by 95.8%, 100%, 29.2% respectively was found in the serum from various thyroid diseases. 2) Thyroglobulin fraction was found to be increased in 50%, no change in 41.7%, and no line in 8.3% with all of the various goiter patients. On the other hand, 10 normal control group showed only 2 cases of increase, 5 cases of no change and 3 cases of no line.

Effect of Thyroglobulin Autoantibodies on the Metabolic Clearance of Serum Thyroglobulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Latrofa, Francesco; Ricci, Debora; Bottai, Sara; Brozzi, Federica; Chiovato, Luca; Piaggi, Paolo; Marinò, Michele; Vitti, Paolo

2018-03-01

In order to establish whether thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) influence the metabolic clearance of thyroglobulin (Tg) in humans, serum Tg and TgAb were correlated shortly after radioiodine ( 131 I) treatment. Samples were collected from 30 consecutive patients undergoing 131 I activity for Graves' hyperthyroidism at the time of treatment and every 15 days thereafter, up to 90 days. Tg and TgAb were measured by immunometric assays (functional sensitivities: 0.1 ng/mL and 8 IU/mL). Tg was detectable in all patients at day 0. Tg concentrations rose from a mean of 33.2 ng/mL [confidence interval (CI) 17.8-61.0 ng/mL] at day 0 to a mean of 214.6 ng/mL [CI 116.9-393.4 ng/mL] at day 30 and then steadily decreased, reaching the lowest concentration at day 90 (M = 10.9 ng/mL [CI 5.5-20.9 ng/mL]). Compared to their levels at day 0 (M = 23.6 IU/mL [CI 10.5-52.9 IU/mL]), TgAb remained stable through day 15 and then gradually increased up to a mean of 116.6 IU/mL [CI 51.9-262.2 IU/mL] at day 90. Patients were then split into two groups according to their TgAb status at day 0: undetectable (metabolic clearance of Tg, supporting the concept that their interference in the measurement of Tg is mainly due to an in vivo effect.

Sericeous thyroglobulin and whole body thyroid scan in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendoza, G.; Cano, R.; Morales, R.; Huanca, M.; Postigo, J.; Farfan, J.

1994-01-01

Thyroid cancer is the most frequent malignant tumor among endocrine diseases. it has an incidence of 1,87 cases per hundred thousand habitants. Thyroglobulin is an iodo glycoprotein useful in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Total body scan is a well established method to localize distant functioning metastases. We report the concordance of this two methods in 22 patients attending to the Nuclear Medicine Center and proceeding from the Head and Neck Department of INEN, which had undergone total thyroidectomy, received a I-131 ablative dose, performed a total body scan and determined the thyroglobulin concentration fourteen were female patients and the same number were accounted as high risk patients. We conclude for the studied population, that an excellent correlation between thyroglobulin and scans was noted and that 6,5 ng/ml will be used as a cut-off point for the thyroglobulin determination. (authors). 40 refs., 5 tabs

Kefiran suppresses antigen-induced mast cell activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Furuno, Tadahide; Nakanishi, Mamoru

2012-01-01

Kefir is a traditional fermented milk beverage produced by kefir grains in the Caucasian countries. Kefiran produced by Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens in kefir grains is an exopolysaccharide having a repeating structure with glucose and galactose residues in the chain sequence and has been suggested to exert many health-promoting effects such as immunomodulatory, hypotensive, hypocholesterolemic activities. Here we investigated the effects of kefiran on mast cell activation induced by antigen. Pretreatment with kefiran significantly inhibited antigen-induced Ca(2+) mobilization, degranulation, and tumor necrosis factor-α production in bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) in a dose-dependent manner. The phosphorylation of Akt, glycogen synthase kinase 3β, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) after antigen stimulation was also suppressed by pretreatment of BMMCs with kefiran. These findings indicate that kefiran suppresses mast cell degranulation and cytokine production by inhibiting the Akt and ERKs pathways, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect for kefiran.

Seric thyroglobulin behavior in thyroid carcinoma patients treated with 131I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viterbo, B.G.

1988-01-01

The thyroid carcinomas, mainly the differentiated ones, for involving originally young patients and for showing relatively benign course, require a long term follow-up. So, every new available method that may be useful for the follow-up of these patients soon becomes very important. The advent of radioimmunoassay made the determination of thyroglobulin seric levels possible and this practice has been incorporated into medical routine in the past few years. The analysis of the results permit to conclude that the administration of 131 I therapeutic dose to differentiated and medular thyroid carcinoma patients is followed by imediate and transitory rise in circulating thyroglobulin levels. It denotes immediate effect of the 131 I that can be observed in a short period of time independently of L-T3 administration and endogen TSH levels. After this period the thyroglobulin is at least in a partial way, TSH-dependent. (author) [pt

A shift in the collagen V antigenic epitope leads to T helper phenotype switch and immune response to self-antigen leading to chronic lung allograft rejection.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiriveedhi, V; Angaswamy, N; Brand, D; Weber, J; Gelman, A G; Hachem, R; Trulock, E P; Meyers, B; Patterson, G; Mohanakumar, T

2012-01-01

Immune responses to human leucocyte antigen (HLA) and self-antigen collagen V (Col-V) have been proposed in the pathogenesis of chronic rejection (bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, BOS) following human lung transplantation (LTx). In this study, we defined the role for the shift in immunodominant epitopes of Col-V in inducing T helper phenotype switch leading to immunity to Col-V and BOS. Sera and lavage from BOS(+) LTx recipients with antibodies to Col-V were analysed. Two years prior to BOS, patients developed antibodies to both Col-V,α1(V) and α2(V) chains. However, at clinical diagnosis of BOS, antibodies became restricted to α1(V). Further, lung biopsy from BOS(+) patients bound to antibodies to α1(V), indicating that these epitopes are exposed. Fourteen Col-V peptides [pep1-14, pep1-4 specific to α1(V), pep5-8 to α1,2(V) and pep9-14 to α2(V)] which bind to HLA-DR4 and -DR7, demonstrated that prior to BOS, pep 6, 7, 9, 11 and 14 were immunodominant and induced interleukin (IL)-10. However, at BOS, the response switched to pep1, 4 and 5 and induced interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-17 responses, but not IL-10. The T helper (Th) phenotype switch is accompanied by decreased frequency of regulatory T cells (T(regs) ) in the lavage. LTx recipients with antibodies to α1(V) also demonstrated increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activation with decreased MMP inhibitor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP), suggesting that MMP activation may play a role in the exposure of new Col-V antigenic epitopes. We conclude that a shift in immunodominance of self-antigenic determinants of Col-V results in induction of IFN-γ and IL-17 with loss of tolerance leading to autoimmunity to Col-V, which leads to chronic lung allograft rejection. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Immunology © 2011 British Society for Immunology.

The effect of thyroid antigens on the in vitro migration of leucocytes from patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis

Science.gov (United States)

Calder, Elizabeth A.; McLeman, Dena; Barnes, E. W.; Irvine, W. J.

1972-01-01

A total of fifty-two patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis were tested for delayed hypersensitivity to thyroid antigens using the leucocyte migration test. The percentage of patients showing abnormal migration in the presence of crude thyroid extract, thyroglobulin, thyroid mitochondria and thyroid microsomes was 75, 44, 54 and 34% respectively. Fifty-three control patients were studied concurrently with the same antigens and the percentage showing abnormal migration was 4, 6, 6 and 6% respectively. The antigenic activity of the mitochondrial fraction was not organ specific; both liver and kidney mitochondria interfered with the migration of leucocytes from patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis. PMID:4568149

Preoperative Serum Thyrotropin to Thyroglobulin Ratio Is Effective for Thyroid Nodule Evaluation in Euthyroid Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lina; Li, Hao; Yang, Zhongyuan; Guo, Zhuming; Zhang, Quan

2015-07-01

This study was designed to assess the efficiency of the serum thyrotropin to thyroglobulin ratio for thyroid nodule evaluation in euthyroid patients. Cross-sectional study. Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China. Retrospective analysis was performed for 400 previously untreated cases presenting with thyroid nodules. Thyroid function was tested with commercially available radioimmunoassays. The receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine cutoff values. The efficacy of the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio and thyroid-stimulating hormone for thyroid nodule evaluation was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and odds ratio. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve was 0.746 for the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio and 0.659 for thyroid-stimulating hormone. With a cutoff point value of 24.97 IU/g for the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio were 78.9%, 60.8%, 75.5%, 2.01, and 0.35, respectively. The odds ratio for the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio indicating malignancy was 5.80. With a cutoff point value of 1.525 µIU/mL for thyroid-stimulating hormone, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio were 74.0%, 53.2%, 70.8%, 1.58, and 0.49, respectively. The odds ratio indicating malignancy for thyroid-stimulating hormone was 3.23. Increasing preoperative serum thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio is a risk factor for thyroid carcinoma, and the correlation of the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio to malignancy is higher than that for serum thyroid-stimulating hormone. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2015.

Sulfated N-linked carbohydrate chains in porcine thyroglobulin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vliegenthart, J.F.G.; Kamerling, J.P.; Rijkse, I.; Maas, A.A.M.; Kuik, J.A. van

1988-01-01

N-linked carbohydrate chains of porcine thyroglobulin were released by the hydrazinolysis procedure. The resulting mixture of oligosaccharide-alditols was fractionated by high-voltage paper electrophoresis, the acidic fractions were further separated by high-performance liquid chromatography on

Thyroglobulin assay in fluids from lymph node fine needle-aspiration washout: influence of pre-analytical conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Casson, Florence Boux de; Moal, Valérie; Gauchez, Anne-Sophie; Moineau, Marie-Pierre; Sault, Corinne; Schlageter, Marie-Hélène; Massart, Catherine

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pre-analytical factors contributing to uncertainty in thyroglobulin measurement in fluids from fine-needle aspiration (FNA) washout of cervical lymph nodes. We studied pre-analytical stability, in different conditions, of 41 samples prepared with concentrated solutions of thyroglobulin (FNA washout or certified standard) diluted in physiological saline solution or buffer containing 6% albumin. In this buffer, over time, no changes in thyroglobulin concentrations were observed in all storage conditions tested. In albumin free saline solution, thyroglobulin recovery rates depended on initial sample concentrations and on modalities of their conservation (in conventional storage tubes, recovery mean was 56% after 3 hours-storage at room temperature and 19% after 24 hours-storage for concentrations ranged from 2 to 183 μg/L; recovery was 95%, after 3 hours or 24 hours-storage at room temperature, for a concentration of 5,656 μg/L). We show here that these results are due to non-specific adsorption of thyroglobulin in storage tubes, which depends on sample protein concentrations. We also show that possible contamination of fluids from FNA washout by plasma proteins do not always adequately prevent this adsorption. In conclusion, non-specific adsorption in storage tubes strongly contributes to uncertainty in thyroglobulin measurement in physiological saline solution. It is therefore recommended, for FNA washout, to use a buffer containing proteins provided by the laboratory.

Serum Thyroglobulin Doubling Time in Progressive Thyroid Cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rossing, R.M.; Jentzen, W.; Nagarajah, J.; Bockisch, A.; Gorges, R.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Tumor marker doubling time (DT) has been proposed as a prognostic marker for various types of cancer. The present study analyzed the DT of the thyroid-specific tumor marker thyroglobulin (Tg), focusing on patients with progressive differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). METHODS: A total of

Characterization of Regulatory B Cells in Graves' Disease and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Birte; Hegedüs, Laszlo; Lundy, Steven K

2015-01-01

A hallmark of regulatory B cells is IL-10 production, hence their designation as IL-10+ B cells. Little is known about the ability of self-antigens to induce IL-10+ B cells in Graves' disease (GD), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), or other autoimmune disease. Here we pulsed purified B cells from 12 HT...... patients, 12 GD patients, and 12 healthy donors with the thyroid self-antigen, thyroglobulin (TG) and added the B cells back to the remaining peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This procedure induced IL-10+ B-cell differentiation in GD. A similar tendency was observed in healthy donors...... and correlated with free T3 levels in GD patients. IL-10+ B cells from both patient groups displayed CD25 or TIM-1 more frequently than did those from healthy donors. B-cell expression of two surface marker combinations previously associated with regulatory B-cell functions, CD24hiCD38hi and CD27+CD43+, did...

The self-antigen, thyroglobulin, induces antigen-experienced CD4+ T cells from healthy donors to proliferate and promote production of the regulatory cytokine, interleukin-10, by monocytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Claus H; Galdiers, Marcel P; Hedegaard, Chris J

2010-01-01

. Whereas TT induced pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-2 (IL-2)/interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)/IL-4/IL-5], TG evoked persistent release of the regulatory IL-10. Some donors, however, also responded with late IFN-gamma production, suggesting that the regulation by IL-10 could be overridden. Although...

Antigen-specific cytotoxic T cell and antigen-specific proliferating T cell clones can be induced to cytolytic activity by monoclonal antibodies against T3

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spits, H.; Yssel, H.; Leeuwenberg, J.; de Vries, J. E.

1985-01-01

T3 is a human differentiation antigen expressed exclusively on mature T cells. In this study it is shown that anti-T3 monoclonal antibodies, in addition to their capacity to induce T cells to proliferate, are able to induce antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte clones to mediate antigen

Bone marrow-derived thymic antigen-presenting cells determine self-recognition of Ia-restricted T lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Longo, D.L.; Kruisbeek, A.M.; Davis, M.L.; Matis, L.A.

1985-01-01

The authors previously have demonstrated that in radiation-induced bone marrow chimeras, T-cell self-Ia restriction specificity appeared to correlate with the phenotype of the bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting (or dendritic) cell in the thymus during T-cell development. However, these correlations were necessarily indirect because of the difficulty in assaying thymic function directly by adult thymus transplant, which has in the past been uniformly unsuccessful. They now report success in obtaining functional T cells from nude mice grafted with adult thymuses reduced in size by treatment of the thymus donor with anti-thymocyte globulin and cortisone. When (B10 Scn X B10.D2)F1 nude mice (I-Ab,d) are given parental B10.D2 (I-Ad) thymus grafts subcutaneously, their T cells are restricted to antigen recognition in association with I-Ad gene products but not I-Ab gene products. Furthermore, thymuses from (B10 X B10.D2)F1 (I-Ab,d)----B10 (I-Ab) chimeras transplanted 6 months or longer after radiation (a time at which antigen-presenting cell function is of donor bone marrow phenotype) into (B10 X B10.D2)F1 nude mice generate T cells restricted to antigen recognition in association with both I-Ad and I-Ab gene products. Thymuses from totally allogeneic bone marrow chimeras appear to generate T cells of bone marrow donor and thymic host restriction specificity. Thus, when thymus donors are radiation-induced bone marrow chimeras, the T-cell I-region restriction of the nude mice recipients is determined at least in part by the phenotype of the bone marrow-derived thymic antigen presenting cells or dendritic cells in the chimeric thymus

Thyroglobulin recovery test of sera containing elevated levels of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hervas, I.; Gonzalez-Cabezas, P.; Flores, D.; Perez-Pastor, J.L.; Bello, P.; Rivas, A.; Alonso, J.; Olivas, C.; Mateo, A.

2002-01-01

Aim: Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a macro-molecule synthesized exclusively in the thyroid gland for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. In differentiated thyroid carcinoma, after radical thyroidectomy, the discovering of measurable quantities of Tg can be indicator of relapse y/or spread of disease but Thyroglobulin antibodies can alter the determination of Tg. The aim of this study is to assess and measure the interference of Tg antibodies on the Tg determination. Methods: We have selected 50 consecutive serum whose Tg-antibodies levels were higher than the normality values (0-100 UI/mL). Tg-antibodies were measured using a 'sandwich' radioimmunometric assay on solid phase. We have performed a recovery test on these sera. This test consists on adding a known quantity (50 UI) of Tg on that sera and then measure the Tg values to find out the percentage of Tg that is recuperated. Tg was measured using a radioimmunometric assay on solid phase. Results: Sera were divided in two groups: A.- 15 sera with Tg-antibodies levels between 100-250 UI/mL: 85% of them presented a Tg recovery percentage higher than 90% (Tg-antibodies did not interfere on Tg values due to Tg was recovered almost in its totality). B.- 53 sera with Tg-antibodies levels higher than 250 UI/mL: Only 10% of them presented a Tg recovery percentage higher than >90% . (90% of sera interfered on Tg values). 70% of that sera presented percentages under 50%. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between Tg-antibodies and Tg recovery percentage was -0.34. Conclusions: The majority (90%)of sera with Tg-antibodies higher than 250 UI/mL presented an high interference on Tg determination. However the majority of sera with Tg-antibodies between 100-250 did not show any interference on Tg determination. There are not linear correlation between highest values and lowest percentages of Tg recovered. We recommend the realization of Tg recovery test on sera with elevated Tg antibodies specially when are higher than 250 UI/mL

Rapid desensitization induces internalization of antigen-specific IgE on mouse mast cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Oka, Tatsuya; Rios, Eon J; Tsai, Mindy; Kalesnikoff, Janet; Galli, Stephen J

2013-10-01

Rapid desensitization transiently prevents severe allergic reactions, allowing administration of life-saving therapies in previously sensitized patients. However, the mechanisms underlying successful rapid desensitization are not fully understood. We sought to investigate whether the mast cell (MC) is an important target of rapid desensitization in mice sensitized to exhibit IgE-dependent passive systemic anaphylaxis in vivo and to investigate the antigen specificity and underlying mechanisms of rapid desensitization in our mouse model. C57BL/6 mice (in vivo) or primary isolated C57BL/6 mouse peritoneal mast cells (PMCs; in vitro) were passively sensitized with antigen-specific anti-2,4-dinitrophenyl IgE, anti-ovalbumin IgE, or both. MCs were exposed over a short period of time to increasing amounts of antigen (2,4-dinitrophenyl-human serum albumin or ovalbumin) in the presence of extracellular calcium in vitro or by means of intravenous administration to sensitized mice in vivo before challenging the mice with or exposing the PMCs to optimal amounts of specific or irrelevant antigen. Rapidly exposing mice or PMCs to progressively increasing amounts of specific antigen inhibited the development of antigen-induced hypothermia in sensitized mice in vivo and inhibited antigen-induced PMC degranulation and prostaglandin D2 synthesis in vitro. Such MC hyporesponsiveness was induced antigen-specifically and was associated with a significant reduction in antigen-specific IgE levels on MC surfaces. Rapidly exposing MCs to progressively increasing amounts of antigen can both enhance the internalization of antigen-specific IgE on the MC surface and also desensitize these cells in an antigen-specific manner in vivo and in vitro. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The human thyroglobulin gene is over 300 kb long and contains introns of up to 64 kb

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baas, F.; van Ommen, G. J.; Bikker, H.; Arnberg, A. C.; de Vijlder, J. J.

1986-01-01

Thyroglobulin (Tg), the precursor of thyroid hormones, is a 660.000 Da dimeric glycoprotein synthesized exclusively in the thyroid gland. We have cloned the human thyroglobulin gene from cosmid and phage libraries and constructed a complete restriction map. The gene encodes an 8.7 kb mRNA, covers at

Age-Associated Decline in Thymic B Cell Expression of Aire and Aire-Dependent Self-Antigens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio Cepeda

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Although autoimmune disorders are a significant source of morbidity and mortality in older individuals, the mechanisms governing age-associated increases in susceptibility remain incompletely understood. Central T cell tolerance is mediated through presentation of self-antigens by cells constituting the thymic microenvironment, including epithelial cells, dendritic cells, and B cells. Medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs and B cells express distinct cohorts of self-antigens, including tissue-restricted self-antigens (TRAs, such that developing T cells are tolerized to antigens from peripheral tissues. We find that expression of the TRA transcriptional regulator Aire, as well as Aire-dependent genes, declines with age in thymic B cells in mice and humans and that cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic mechanisms contribute to the diminished capacity of peripheral B cells to express Aire within the thymus. Our findings indicate that aging may diminish the ability of thymic B cells to tolerize T cells, revealing a potential mechanistic link between aging and autoimmunity.

Radioimmunological proof of thyroglobulin antibodies in humans by the use of a double antibody method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waller, V.

1982-01-01

Thyroid antibodies, especially thyroglobulin antibodies, allow themselves to be proven with the double antibody method, in competitive radio binding assays and with the solid phase technique. These methods offer advantages relative to sensitivity and quantifiability. In this work a sensitive radioimmunoassay as a double antibody method was worked out whereby a 125 I-thyroglobulin/thyroglobulin antibody immune complex was precipitated out using anti-human immunoglobulin. The measured results from the radioimmunoassay show a good correlation with the results of the immune histological findings. A high to very high Tg antibody level occurs with autoimmune thyroiditis (80%), primary hypothyroidism (74%) and hyperthyroidism (70%). The control values with healthy people came to less than 5% specific binding. In correlation with the results of other authors this method is advantageous relative to test start and evaluation procedures. (orig.) [de

Cell surface antigens of radiation leukemia virus-induced BALB/c leukemias defined by syngeneic cytotoxic T lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneko, Yukio; Oettgen, H.F.; Obata, Yuichi; Nakayama, Eiichi.

1989-01-01

Two cell surface antigens of mouse leukemias were defined by BALB/c cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) generated against syngeneic radiation leukemia virus (RadLV)-induced leukemia, BALBRV1 or BALBRVD. Hyperimmunization of BALB/c mice with irradiated leukemias followed by in vitro sensitization of primed spleen cells resulted in the generation of CTL with high killing activity. The specificity of CTL was examined by direct cytotoxicity assays and competitive inhibition assays. A shared cell surface antigen, designated as BALBRV1 antigen, was detected by BALB/c anti-BALBRV1 CTL. BALBRV1 antigen was expressed not only on RadLV-induced BALB/c leukemias except for BALBRVD, but also on spontaneous or X-ray-induced BALB/c leukemias, chemically-induced leukemias with the H-2 d haplotype and some chemically-induced BALB/c sarcomas. In contrast, a unique cell surface antigen, designated as BALBRVD antigen, was detected by BALB/c anti-BALBRVD CTL. BALBRVD antigen was expressed only on BALBRVD, but not on thirty-nine normal lymphoid or tumor cells. These two antigens could be distinguished from those previously defined on Friend, Moloney, Rauscher or Gross murine leukemia virus (MuLV) leukemias, or MuLV-related antigens. Both cytotoxic responses were blocked by antisera against H-2K d , but not H-2D d . The relationship of BALBRV1 antigen and BALBRVD antigen to endogenous MuLV is discussed with regard to the antigenic distribution on tumor cell lines. (author)

Naive T lymphocytes traffic to inflamed central nervous system, but require antigen recognition for activation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krakowski, M L; Owens, T

2000-01-01

Organ-specific autoimmune diseases may be induced by infiltration of the target tissue by CD4(+) T cells with specificity for self antigen(s). As disease progresses, T cells of other specificities appear in the tissue. Traffic of naive, antigen-inexperienced T cells to target tissues has not been...

Generation and characterization of antigenic variants induced by exposure of tumor cells to UV radiation in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hostetler, L.L.W.

1988-01-01

Antigenic changes present in nonantigenic tumor cells exposed to UV radiation (UV) in vitro were investigated by addressing the following questions: (1) Are antigenic variants (AV) produced that are rejected in normal but not immunosuppressed mice? (2) Does generation of AV depend upon intrinsic properties of the cells exposed or result from the action of UV? (3) Is antigenic modification induced by UV due to increased histocompatibility antigen expression? (4) Do AV crossreact immunologically with parental tumor or with other AV? and (5) Is the UV-associated common antigen expressed on UV-induced tumors present on UV-irradiated tumor cells? AV were generated at different frequencies following in vitro UV irradiation of a spontaneous murine fibrosarcoma, a murine melanoma, and two melanoma clones. Immunological experiments demonstrated that the AV and parental cells shared a determinant that was susceptible to immune recognition, but incapable of inducing immunity. In contrast, the AV were noncrossreactive, suggesting that variant-specific antigens were also expressed. Finally, the AV were recognized by UV-induced suppressor cells, indicating that the UV-associated common antigen expressed by UV-induced tumors was also present

Helminth antigens counteract a rapid high-fat diet-induced decrease in adipose tissue eosinophils.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Berg, Susan M; van Dam, Andrea D; Kusters, Pascal J H; Beckers, Linda; den Toom, Myrthe; van der Velden, Saskia; Van den Bossche, Jan; van Die, Irma; Boon, Mariëtte R; Rensen, Patrick C N; Lutgens, Esther; de Winther, Menno P J

2017-10-01

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) activation and white adipose tissue (WAT) beiging can increase energy expenditure and have the potential to reduce obesity and associated diseases. The immune system is a potential target in mediating brown and beige adipocyte activation. Type 2 and anti-inflammatory immune cells contribute to metabolic homeostasis within lean WAT, with a prominent role for eosinophils and interleukin (IL)-4-induced anti-inflammatory macrophages. We determined eosinophil numbers in epididymal WAT (EpAT), subcutaneous WAT (ScAT) and BAT after 1 day, 3 days or 1 week of high-fat diet (HFD) feeding in C57Bl/6 mice. One day of HFD resulted in a rapid drop in eosinophil numbers in EpAT and BAT, and after 3 days, in ScAT. In an attempt to restore this HFD-induced drop in adipose tissue eosinophils, we treated 1-week HFD-fed mice with helminth antigens from Schistosoma mansoni or Trichuris suis and evaluated whether the well-known protective metabolic effects of helminth antigens involves BAT activation or beiging. Indeed, antigens of both helminth species induced high numbers of eosinophils in EpAT, but failed to induce beiging. In ScAT, Schistosoma mansoni antigens induced mild eosinophilia, which was accompanied by slightly more beiging. No effects were observed in BAT. To study type 2 responses on brown adipocytes directly, T37i cells were stimulated with IL-4. This increased Ucp1 expression and strongly induced the production of eosinophil chemoattractant CCL11 (+26-fold), revealing that brown adipocytes themselves can attract eosinophils. Our findings indicate that helminth antigen-induced eosinophilia fails to induce profound beiging of white adipocytes. © 2017 Society for Endocrinology.

Immunizations with hepatitis B viral antigens and a TLR7/8 agonist adjuvant induce antigen-specific immune responses in HBV-transgenic mice

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Ying Wang

2014-12-01

Conclusions: Immunization with CL097-conjugated HBV-Ag reversed immune tolerance in HBV-Tg mice and induced antigen-specific immune responses. TLR7/8 agonists appear to be potent adjuvants for the induction of antigen-specific Th1 responses in an immune tolerant state.

Strong Antibody Responses Induced by Protein Antigens Conjugated onto the Surface of Lecithin-Based Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Sloat, Brian R.; Sandoval, Michael A.; Hau, Andrew M.; He, Yongqun; Cui, Zhengrong

2009-01-01

An accumulation of research over the years has demonstrated the utility of nanoparticles as antigen carriers with adjuvant activity. Herein we defined the adjuvanticity of a novel lecithin-based nanoparticle engineered from emulsions. The nanoparticles were spheres of around 200 nm. Model protein antigens, bovine serum albumin (BSA) or Bacillus anthracis protective antigen (PA) protein, were covalently conjugated onto the nanoparticles. Mice immunized with the BSA-conjugated nanoparticles developed strong anti-BSA antibody responses comparable to that induced by BSA adjuvanted with incomplete Freund's adjuvant and 6.5-fold stronger than that induced by BSA adsorbed onto aluminum hydroxide. Immunization of mice with the PA-conjugated nanoparticles elicited a quick, strong, and durable anti-PA antibody response that afforded protection of the mice against a lethal dose of anthrax lethal toxin challenge. The potent adjuvanticity of the nanoparticles was likely due to their ability to move the antigens into local draining lymph nodes, to enhance the uptake of the antigens by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), and to activate APCs. This novel nanoparticle system has the potential to serve as a universal protein-based vaccine carrier capable of inducing strong immune responses. PMID:19729045

Inherent and antigen-induced airway hyperreactivity in NC mice

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Tetsuto Kobayashi

1999-01-01

Full Text Available In order to clarify the airway physiology of NC mice, the following experiments were carried out. To investigate inherent airway reactivity, we compared tracheal reactivity to various chemical mediators in NC, BALB/c, C57BL/6 and A/J mice in vitro. NC mice showed significantly greater reactivity to acetylcholine than BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice and a reactivity comparable to that of A/J mice, which are known as high responders. Then, airway reactivity to acetylcholine was investigated in those strains in vivo. NC mice again showed comparable airway reactivity to that seen in A/J mice and a significantly greater reactivity than that seen in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. To investigate the effects of airway inflammation on airway reactivity to acetylcholine in vivo, NC and BALB/c mice were sensitized to and challenged with antigen. Sensitization to and challenge with antigen induced accumulation of inflammatory cells, especially eosinophils, in lung and increased airway reactivity in NC and BALB/c mice. These results indicate that NC mice exhibit inherent and antigen-induced airway hyperreactivity. Therefore, NC mice are a suitable strain to use in investigating the mechanisms underlying airway hyperreactivity and such studies will provide beneficial information for understanding the pathophysiology of asthma.

Monoclonal antibodies reactive with common tumor antigens on UV-induced tumors also react with hyperplastic UV-irradiated skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spellman, C.W.; Beauchamp, D.A.

1986-01-01

Most murine skin tumors induced by ultraviolet light (UVB, 280-340 nm) can be successfully transplanted only into syngeneic hosts that have received subcarcinogenic doses of UVB. The tumor susceptible state is long-lived and mediated by T suppressor cells that control effector responses against common antigens on UV-induced tumors. Because antigen specific suppression arises prior to the appearance of a tumor, questions arise about the source of the original antigen. They have previously reported transplantation studies indicating that UV-irradiated skin is antigenically cross-reactive with UV-induced tumors. They now report on flow cytometry analyses showing that a series of MoAb reactive with common antigens expressed by UV-induced tumors are also reactive on cells from UV-irradiated skin. Various antigens appear at different times in the UV irradiation scheme, and some persist while others are transient. They speculate that the common antigens detected may be the ones to which functional suppression is directed. If true, these results suggest that successful tumors need not escape host defenses to emerge. Rather, tumors may arise and grow progressively if they express antigens that cross-react with specificities to which the host has previously mounted a suppressive response

A three-layer immunoradiometric assay for antibodies in different immunoglobulin classes and its application to the detection of chicken thyroglobulin autoantibodies and of antibodies to sheep erythrocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, L.C.P. de; Roitt, I.M.; Wick, G.

1980-01-01

A versatile solid-phase assay for detection of antibodies in different immunoglobulin classes is described. The assay has been applied to: (1) the detection of IgG and IgM antithyroglobulin autoantibodies in chickens with spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis, and (2) the detection of anti-sheep cell antibodies in normal chickens. Thyroglobulin-coated plastic tubes or formaldehyde-fixed sheep erythrocytes were used as the solid phase. Antisera were added in succession to the solid-phase antigen so as to form 3 antibody layers: (1) chicken antibody against the solid-phase antigen; (2) heavy-chain-specific rabbit anti-chicken immunoglobulin; and (3) 125 I-labelled goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin. The assay is suitable for routine determinations on large numbers of samples; its sensitivity enables small volumes of serum to be tested and allows considerable economy in the use of valuable class-specific antisera. The radiolabelled reagent can be readily applied to other assays employing rabbit antisera. (Auth.)

Antibody-antigen-adjuvant conjugates enable co-delivery of antigen and adjuvant to dendritic cells in cis but only have partial targeting specificity.

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Martin Kreutz

Full Text Available Antibody-antigen conjugates, which promote antigen-presentation by dendritic cells (DC by means of targeted delivery of antigen to particular DC subsets, represent a powerful vaccination approach. To ensure immunity rather than tolerance induction the co-administration of a suitable adjuvant is paramount. However, co-administration of unlinked adjuvant cannot ensure that all cells targeted by the antibody conjugates are appropriately activated. Furthermore, antigen-presenting cells (APC that do not present the desired antigen are equally strongly activated and could prime undesired responses against self-antigens. We, therefore, were interested in exploring targeted co-delivery of antigen and adjuvant in cis in form of antibody-antigen-adjuvant conjugates for the induction of anti-tumour immunity. In this study, we report on the assembly and characterization of conjugates consisting of DEC205-specific antibody, the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA and CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN. We show that such conjugates are more potent at inducing cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL responses than control conjugates mixed with soluble CpG. However, our study also reveals that the nucleic acid moiety of such antibody-antigen-adjuvant conjugates alters their binding and uptake and allows delivery of the antigen and the adjuvant to cells partially independently of DEC205. Nevertheless, antibody-antigen-adjuvant conjugates are superior to antibody-free antigen-adjuvant conjugates in priming CTL responses and efficiently induce anti-tumour immunity in the murine B16 pseudo-metastasis model. A better understanding of the role of the antibody moiety is required to inform future conjugate vaccination strategies for efficient induction of anti-tumour responses.

Follow-up of patients with thyroglobulin-antibodies : Rising Tg-Ab trend is a risk factor for recurrence of differentiated thyroid cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Meer, Siegrid G A; Vorselaars, Wessel M C M; Kist, Jakob W; Stokkel, Marcel P M; de Keizer, Bart; Valk, Gerlof D; Borel Rinkes, Inne H M; Vriens, Menno R

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Recurrences (5-20%) are the main reason for follow-up. Thyroglobulin (Tg) has proven to be an excellent disease marker, but thyroglobulin-antibodies (Tg-Ab) may interfere with Tg measurement, leading to over or

Human lymphoma mutations reveal CARD11 as the switch between self-antigen–induced B cell death or proliferation and autoantibody production

Science.gov (United States)

Jeelall, Yogesh S.; Wang, James Q.; Law, Hsei-Di; Domaschenz, Heather; Fung, Herman K.H.; Kallies, Axel; Nutt, Stephen L.

2012-01-01

Self-tolerance and immunity are actively acquired in parallel through a poorly understood ability of antigen receptors to switch between signaling death or proliferation of antigen-binding lymphocytes in different contexts. It is not known whether this tolerance-immunity switch requires global rewiring of the signaling apparatus or if it can arise from a single molecular change. By introducing individual CARD11 mutations found in human lymphomas into antigen-activated mature B lymphocytes in mice, we find here that lymphoma-derived CARD11 mutations switch the effect of self-antigen from inducing B cell death into T cell–independent proliferation, Blimp1-mediated plasmablast differentiation, and autoantibody secretion. Our findings demonstrate that regulation of CARD11 signaling is a critical switch governing the decision between death and proliferation in antigen-stimulated mature B cells and that mutations in this switch represent a powerful initiator for aberrant B cell responses in vivo. PMID:23027925

Clinical utility of an automated immunochemiluminometric thyroglobulin assay in differentiated thyroid carcinoma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Persoon, ACM; Van den Ouweland, JMW; Wilde, J; Kema, IP; Wolffenbuttel, BHR; Links, TP

Background: Thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements are important in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). We evaluated the analytical and clinical performance of a new automated immunochemiluminometric assay for Tg (Tg-ICMA; Nichols Advantage Tg; Nichols Institute

Semi-allogeneic dendritic cells can induce antigen-specific T-cell activation, which is not enhanced by concurrent alloreactivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wells, James W; Cowled, Chris J; Darling, David; Guinn, Barbara-Ann; Farzaneh, Farzin; Noble, Alistair; Galea-Lauri, Joanna

2007-12-01

Alloreactive T-cell responses are known to result in the production of large amounts of proinflammatory cytokines capable of activating and maturing dendritic cells (DC). However, it is unclear whether these allogeneic responses could also act as an adjuvant for concurrent antigen-specific responses. To examine effects of simultaneous alloreactive and antigen-specific T-cell responses induced by semi-allogeneic DC. Semi-allogeneic DC were generated from the F(1) progeny of inbred strains of mice (C57BL/6 and C3H, or C57BL/6 and DBA). We directly primed antigen-specific CD8(+) and CD4(+) T-cells from OT-I and OT-II mice, respectively, in the absence of allogeneic responses, in vitro, and in the presence or absence of alloreactivity in vivo. In vitro, semi-allogeneic DC cross-presented ovalbumin (OVA) to naïve CD8(+) OT-I transgenic T-cells, primed naïve CD4(+) OT-II transgenic T-cells and could stimulate strong alloreactive T-cell proliferation in a primary mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). In vivo, semi-allogeneic DC migrated efficiently to regional lymph nodes but did not survive there as long as autologous DC. In addition, they were not able to induce cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity to a target peptide, and only weakly stimulated adoptively transferred OT-II cells. The CD4(+) response was unchanged in allo-tolerized mice, indicating that alloreactive T-cell responses could not provide help for concurrently activated antigen-specific responses. In an EL4 tumour-treatment model, vaccination with semi-allogeneic DC/EL4 fusion hybrids, but not allogeneic DC/EL4 hybrids, significantly increased mouse survival. Expression of self-Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) by semi-allogeneic DC can cause the induction of antigen-specific immunity, however, concurrently activated allogeneic bystander responses do not provide helper or adjuvant effects.

Estradiol-induced vaginal mucus inhibits antigen penetration and CD8(+) T cell priming in response to intravaginal immunization.

Science.gov (United States)

Seavey, Matthew M; Mosmann, Tim R

2009-04-14

Although vaginal immunization has been explored as a strategy to induce mucosal immunity in the female reproductive tract, this site displays unique immunological features that probably evolved to inhibit anti-paternal T cell responses after insemination to allow successful pregnancy. We previously demonstrated that estradiol, which induces an estrus-like state, prevented CD8(+) T cell priming during intravaginal immunization of mice. We now show that estradiol prevented antigen loading of vaginal antigen presenting cells (APCs) after intravaginal immunization. Histological examination confirmed that estradiol prevented penetration of peptide antigen into the vaginal wall. Removal of the estradiol-induced mucus barrier by mucinase partially restored antigen loading of vaginal APC and CD8(+) T cell proliferation in vivo. The estradiol-induced mucus barrier may thus prevent exposure to antigens delivered intravaginally, supplementing additional estradiol-dependent mechanism(s) that inhibit CD8(+) T cell priming after insemination or vaginal vaccination.

Estradiol-induced vaginal mucus inhibits antigen penetration and CD8+ T cell priming in response to intravaginal immunization

Science.gov (United States)

Seavey, Matthew M.; Mosmann, Tim R.

2010-01-01

Although vaginal immunization has been explored as a strategy to induce mucosal immunity in the female reproductive tract, this site displays unique immunological features that probably evolved to inhibit anti-paternal T cell responses after insemination to allow successful pregnancy. We previously demonstrated that estradiol, which induces an estrus-like state, prevented CD8+ T cell priming during intravaginal immunization of mice. We now show that estradiol prevented antigen loading of vaginal antigen presenting cells (APC) after intravaginal immunization. Histological examination confirmed that estradiol prevented penetration of peptide antigen into the vaginal wall. Removal of the estradiol-induced mucus barrier by mucinase partially restored antigen loading of vaginal APC and CD8+ T cell proliferation in vivo. The estradiol-induced mucus barrier may thus prevent exposure to antigens delivered intravaginally, supplementing additional estradiol-dependent mechanism(s) that inhibit CD8+ T cell priming after insemination or vaginal vaccination. PMID:19428849

Structure-function analysis of the self-recognizing Antigen 43 autotransporter protein from Escherichia coli

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klemm, Per; Hjerrild, L.; Gjermansen, Morten

2004-01-01

Antigen 43 (Ag43) is a self-recognizing surface adhesin found in most Escherichia coli strains. Expression of Ag43 confers aggregation and fluffing of cells, promotes biofilm formation and is associated with enhanced resistance to antimicrobial agents. Ag43 is an autotransporter protein and consi......Antigen 43 (Ag43) is a self-recognizing surface adhesin found in most Escherichia coli strains. Expression of Ag43 confers aggregation and fluffing of cells, promotes biofilm formation and is associated with enhanced resistance to antimicrobial agents. Ag43 is an autotransporter protein......-clumping variants, we have pinpointed the region of the protein responsible for autoaggregation to be located within the N-terminal one-third of the passenger domain. Our data suggest that ionic interactions between charged residues residing in interacting pairs of Ag43(alpha) domains may be important for the self...

Targeted delivery of antigen to intestinal dendritic cells induces oral tolerance and prevents autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yulin; Wu, Jie; Wang, Jiajia; Zhang, Wenjing; Xu, Bohui; Xu, Xiaojun; Zong, Li

2018-03-15

The intestinal immune system is an ideal target to induce immune tolerance physiologically. However, the efficiency of oral protein antigen delivery is limited by degradation of the antigen in the gastrointestinal tract and poor uptake by antigen-presenting cells. Gut dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells that are prone to inducing antigen-specific immune tolerance. In this study, we delivered the antigen heat shock protein 65-6×P277 (H6P) directly to the gut DCs of NOD mice through oral vaccination with H6P-loaded targeting nanoparticles (NPs), and investigated the ability of this antigen to induce immune tolerance to prevent autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. A targeting NP delivery system was developed to encapsulate H6P, and the ability of this system to protect and facilitate H6P delivery to gut DCs was assessed. NOD mice were immunised with H6P-loaded targeting NPs orally once a week for 7 weeks and the onset of diabetes was assessed by monitoring blood glucose levels. H6P-loaded targeting NPs protected the encapsulated H6P from degradation in the gastrointestinal tract environment and significantly increased the uptake of H6P by DCs in the gut Peyer's patches (4.1 times higher uptake compared with the control H6P solution group). Oral vaccination with H6P-loaded targeting NPs induced antigen-specific T cell tolerance and prevented diabetes in 100% of NOD mice. Immune deviation (T helper [Th]1 to Th2) and CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + regulatory T cells were found to participate in the induction of immune tolerance. In this study, we successfully induced antigen-specific T cell tolerance and prevented the onset of diabetes in NOD mice. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt at delivering antigen to gut DCs using targeting NPs to induce T cell tolerance.

Immunogenicity is unrelated to protective immunity when induced by soluble and particulate antigens from Nocardia brasiliensis in BALB/c mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Salinas-Carmona, Mario C; Ramos, Alma I; Pérez-Rivera, Isabel

2006-08-01

Cell-mediated immunity plays a major role in protection against intracellular microbes. Nocardia brasiliensis is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes chronic actinomycetoma. In this work, we injected BALB/c mice with soluble P24 and particulate antigens from N. brasiliensis. A higher antibody titer and lymphocyte proliferation was induced by the particulate antigen than by the soluble antigen. However, five months after antigen injection, antibody concentration and lymphocyte proliferation were similar. An increase in CD45R and CD4 T cells was unrelated to protective immunity. Active immunization with soluble or particulate antigens induced complete protection during the primary immune response. This protective response was IgM mediated. The higher immunogenicity was not related to protective immunity since the particulate antigen induced protection similar to the soluble antigen. Using particulate antigens for vaccination guarantees a stronger immune response, local and systemic side effects, but not necessarily protection.

Radioimmunoassay for determination of thyroglobulin in human serum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez Cabrera, M.E.; Blanca Fernandez, S.; Baldor Navarro, F.; Rodriguez Gonzalez, J.C.

1996-01-01

We described the development and analytical evaluation of a radioimmunoassay with double antibody in liquid phase for human serum thyroglobulin determination using a set of reagents produced in the National Institute of Endocrinology. The reference interval for normal population was 5.7 - 44 ng/ml (X± 2DS; n=170). The intra-assay precipision was 8.1 % (control serum A) and 7.0 (control serum B) and the inter-assay precision was 9.1 % (control serum A) and 9.2 % (control serum B). The sensibility was 4.7 ng/ml and the recovery was 95 %

Perillyl alcohol suppresses antigen-induced immune responses in the lung

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imamura, Mitsuru; Sasaki, Oh; Okunishi, Katsuhide; Nakagome, Kazuyuki; Harada, Hiroaki; Kawahata, Kimito; Tanaka, Ryoichi; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko; Dohi, Makoto

2014-01-01

Highlights: •Perillyl alcohol (POH) is an isoprenoid which inhibits the mevalonate pathway. •We examined whether POH suppresses immune responses with a mouse model of asthma. •POH treatment during sensitization suppressed Ag-induced priming of CD4 + T cells. •POH suppressed airway eosinophila and cytokine production in thoracic lymph nodes. -- Abstract: Perillyl alcohol (POH) is an isoprenoid which inhibits farnesyl transferase and geranylgeranyl transferase, key enzymes that induce conformational and functional changes in small G proteins to conduct signal production for cell proliferation. Thus, it has been tried for the treatment of cancers. However, although it affects the proliferation of immunocytes, its influence on immune responses has been examined in only a few studies. Notably, its effect on antigen-induced immune responses has not been studied. In this study, we examined whether POH suppresses Ag-induced immune responses with a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation. POH treatment of sensitized mice suppressed proliferation and cytokine production in Ag-stimulated spleen cells or CD4 + T cells. Further, sensitized mice received aerosolized OVA to induce allergic airway inflammation, and some mice received POH treatment. POH significantly suppressed indicators of allergic airway inflammation such as airway eosinophilia. Cytokine production in thoracic lymph nodes was also significantly suppressed. These results demonstrate that POH suppresses antigen-induced immune responses in the lung. Considering that it exists naturally, POH could be a novel preventive or therapeutic option for immunologic lung disorders such as asthma with minimal side effects

Antigen recognition by cloned cytotoxic T lymphocytes follows rules predicted by the altered-self hypothesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huenig, T.R.; Bevan, M.J.

1982-01-01

Radiation chimeras prepared by injecting H-2 heterozygous F1 stem cells into lethally irradiated parental hosts show a marked, but not absolute, preference for host-type H-2 antigens in the H-2-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to minor histocompatibility (minor H) antigens. We have selected for the anti-minor HCTL that are restricted to the parental H-2 type absent from the chimeric host and found that in two out of eight cases, such CTL lysed target cells of either parental H-2 type. From one of these CTL populations that lysed H-2d and H-2k target cells expressing BALB minor H antigens, clones were derived and further analyzed. The results showed that: (a) lysis of both H-2d and H-2k target cells was H-2 restricted; (b) H-2d restriction mapped to Dd, and H-2k restriction mapped to Kk; (c) testing against various H-2d and H-2k strains of different and partially overlapping minor H backgrounds as well as against the appropriate F1 crosses revealed that in Dd- and Kk-restricted killing, different minor H antigens were recognized. In a second system, a CTL population was selected from normal (H-2d x H-2k)F1 mice that was specific for H-2d plus minor H antigens and for H-2k plus trinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin. We interpret these findings in terms of the altered-self hypothesis: The association of one H-2 antigen with one conventional antigen X may be recognized by the same T cell receptor specific for the complex formed by a different H-2 antigen in association with a second conventional antigen Y. The implications of these observations for the influence of self H-2 on the generation of the T cell receptor repertoire are discussed

Characterisation of antibody responses in pigs induced by recombinant oncosphere antigens from Taenia solium.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayashi, César M; Gonzalez, Armando E; Castillo Neyra, Ricardo; Kyngdon, Craig T; Gauci, Charles G; Lightowlers, Marshall W

2012-12-14

Recombinant antigens cloned from the oncosphere life cycle stage of the cestode parasite Taenia solium (T. solium) have been proven to be effective as vaccines for protecting pigs against infections with T. solium. Previous studies have defined three different host protective oncosphere antigens, TSOL18, TSOL16 and TSOL45. In this study, we evaluated the potential for combining the antigens TSOL16 and TSOL18 as a practical vaccine. Firstly, in a laboratory trial, we compared the immunogenicity of the combined antigens (TSOL16/18) versus the immunogenicity of the antigens separately. Secondly, in a field trial, we tested the ability of the TSOL16/18 vaccine to induce detectable antibody responses in animals living under environmental stress and traditionally reared in areas where T. solium cysticercosis is endemic; and finally, we characterised the immune response of the study population. Pigs of 8-16 weeks of age were vaccinated with 200 μg each of TSOL16 and TSOL18, plus 5mg of Quil-A. Specific total IgG, IgG(1) and IgG(2) antibody responses induced by TSOL16 and TSOL18 were determined with ELISA. The immunogenicity of both antigens was retained in the combined TSOL16/18 vaccine. The combined vaccine TSOL16/18 induced detectable specific anti-TSOL18 antibody responses in 100% (113/113) and specific anti-TSOL16 in 99% (112/113) of the vaccinated animals measured at 2 weeks following the booster vaccination. From the two IgG antibody subtypes analysed we found there was stronger response to IgG(2). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Axotomy induces MHC class I antigen expression on rat nerve cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maehlen, J; Schröder, H D; Klareskog, L

1988-01-01

Immunomorphological staining demonstrates that class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-coded antigen expression can be selectively induced on otherwise class I-negative rat nerve cells by peripheral axotomy. Induction of class I as well as class II antigen expression was simultaneously seen...... on non-neural cells in the immediate vicinity of the injured nerve cells. As nerve regeneration after axotomy includes growth of new nerve cell processes and formation of new nerve cell contacts, the present findings raise the question of a role for MHC-coded molecules in cell-cell interactions during...... nerve cell growth....

Global inhibition of DC priming capacity in the spleen of self-antigen vaccinated mice requires IL-10

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas Matthew Marvel

2014-02-01

Full Text Available DC in the spleen are highly activated following intravenous vaccination with a foreign antigen, promoting expansion of effector T cells, but remain phenotypically and functionally immature after vaccination with a self-antigen. Up-regulation or suppression of expression of a cohort of pancreatic enzymes 24-72 hours post-vaccination can be used as a biomarker of stimulatory versus toleragenic DC, respectively. Here we show, using MUC1 transgenic mice (MUC1.Tg and a vaccine based on the MUC1 peptide which these mice perceive as a self-antigen, that the difference in enzyme expression that predicts whether DC will promote immune response or immune tolerance, is seen as early as 4-8 hours following vaccination. We also identify early production of IL-10 as a predominant factor that both correlates with this early time point and controls DC function. Pre-treating mice with an antibody against the IL-10 receptor (IL-10R prior to vaccination results in DC that up-regulate CD40, CD80, and CD86 and promote stronger IFNγ+ T cell responses. This study suggests that transient inhibition of IL-10 prior to vaccination could improve responses to cancer vaccines that utilize self-tumor antigens.

Recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum induces immune responses to cancer testis antigen NY-ESO-1 and maturation of dendritic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Mobergslien, Anne; Vasovic, Vlada; Mathiesen, Geir; Fredriksen, Lasse; Westby, Phuong; Eijsink, Vincent GH; Peng, Qian; Sioud, Mouldy

2015-01-01

Given their safe use in humans and inherent adjuvanticity, Lactic Acid Bacteria may offer several advantages over other mucosal delivery strategies for cancer vaccines. The objective of this study is to evaluate the immune responses in mice after oral immunization with Lactobacillus (L) plantarum WCFS1 expressing a cell-wall anchored tumor antigen NY-ESO-1. And to investigate the immunostimulatory potency of this new candidate vaccine on human dendritic cells (DCs). L. plantarum displaying NY-ESO-1 induced NY-ESO-1 specific antibodies and T-cell responses in mice. By contrast, L. plantarum displaying conserved proteins such as heat shock protein-27 and galectin-1, did not induce immunity, suggesting that immune tolerance to self-proteins cannot be broken by oral administration of L. plantarum. With respect to immunomodulation, immature DCs incubated with wild type or L. plantarum-NY-ESO-1 upregulated the expression of co-stimulatory molecules and secreted a large amount of interleukin (IL)-12, TNF-α, but not IL-4. Moreover, they upregulated the expression of immunosuppressive factors such as IL-10 and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase. Although L. plantarum-matured DCs expressed inhibitory molecules, they stimulated allogeneic T cells in-vitro. Collectively, the data indicate that L. plantarum-NY-ESO-1 can evoke antigen-specific immunity upon oral administration and induce DC maturation, raising the potential of its use in cancer immunotherapies. PMID:26185907

Perillyl alcohol suppresses antigen-induced immune responses in the lung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Imamura, Mitsuru; Sasaki, Oh; Okunishi, Katsuhide; Nakagome, Kazuyuki; Harada, Hiroaki; Kawahata, Kimito; Tanaka, Ryoichi; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko [Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Dohi, Makoto, E-mail: mdohi-tky@umin.ac.jp [Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Institute of Respiratory Immunology, Shibuya Clinic for Respiratory Diseases and Allergology, Tokyo (Japan)

2014-01-03

Highlights: •Perillyl alcohol (POH) is an isoprenoid which inhibits the mevalonate pathway. •We examined whether POH suppresses immune responses with a mouse model of asthma. •POH treatment during sensitization suppressed Ag-induced priming of CD4{sup +} T cells. •POH suppressed airway eosinophila and cytokine production in thoracic lymph nodes. -- Abstract: Perillyl alcohol (POH) is an isoprenoid which inhibits farnesyl transferase and geranylgeranyl transferase, key enzymes that induce conformational and functional changes in small G proteins to conduct signal production for cell proliferation. Thus, it has been tried for the treatment of cancers. However, although it affects the proliferation of immunocytes, its influence on immune responses has been examined in only a few studies. Notably, its effect on antigen-induced immune responses has not been studied. In this study, we examined whether POH suppresses Ag-induced immune responses with a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation. POH treatment of sensitized mice suppressed proliferation and cytokine production in Ag-stimulated spleen cells or CD4{sup +} T cells. Further, sensitized mice received aerosolized OVA to induce allergic airway inflammation, and some mice received POH treatment. POH significantly suppressed indicators of allergic airway inflammation such as airway eosinophilia. Cytokine production in thoracic lymph nodes was also significantly suppressed. These results demonstrate that POH suppresses antigen-induced immune responses in the lung. Considering that it exists naturally, POH could be a novel preventive or therapeutic option for immunologic lung disorders such as asthma with minimal side effects.

A sensitive radio-immunoassay for serum thyroglobulin -including a correct screening for thyroglobulin autoantibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laurberg, Peter; Pedersen, K.M.

1987-01-01

A new thyroglobulin (Tg) assay employing polyethylene glycol (PEG) for separation of free and antibody bound : 125 I:Tg is described. By choosing a suitable PEG concentration the non-specific precipitation of free [ 125 I]Tg was kept low while both [ 125 I]Tg bound to rabbit anti-Tg immunoglobulins and to human Tg autoantibodies were precipitated. For all sera a 'blank' incubation with no rabbit anti-Tg immunoglobulins was run in parallel with the assay tubes. Hence any interference of Tg autoantibodies would be detected. A two-phase incubation gave a very low detection limit of 0.2 μg/l. The inter-assay coefficient of variation was 9.4% and the intra-assay coefficient of variation was 5.6%. Dilution curves of normal sera were parallel to the standard curve and Tg standards added to normal sera were recovered quantitatively. Twelve out of 60 normal sera from the Randers area contained Tg autoantibodies. The average serum Tg in the 48 sera without antibody was 44.6 ± 5.2 μg/l. (author)

Rare Case of Intratracheal Metastasis Detected on 68Ga-Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen PET/CT Scan in a Case of Thyroglobulin Elevated Negative Iodine Scan Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Sasikumar, Arun; Joy, Ajith; Pillai, M R A; Oommen, Karuna Elza; Jayakumar, R

2018-04-01

A 64-year-old woman underwent completion thyroidectomy with upper tracheal ring resection and right-sided neck dissection for papillary carcinoma of the thyroid infiltrating the trachea and was given I radioiodine treatment. Three years later, she presented with hemoptysis. On evaluation, she had increased serum thyroglobulin and negative iodine scan (TENIS). F-FDG PET/CT scan did not identify any site of disease. One year later, Ga-PSMA scan done revealed a moderate focal tracer-avid intratracheal soft tissue; biopsy revealed it to be metastatic papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. This case kindles the possibility of using Ga-PSMA PET/CT to reveal occult disease in cases of TENIS.

Strong homeostatic TCR signals induce formation of self-tolerant virtual memory CD8 T cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Drobek, Ales; Moudra, Alena; Mueller, Daniel; Huranova, Martina; Horkova, Veronika; Pribikova, Michaela; Ivanek, Robert; Oberle, Susanne; Zehn, Dietmar; McCoy, Kathy D; Draber, Peter; Stepanek, Ondrej

2018-05-11

Virtual memory T cells are foreign antigen-inexperienced T cells that have acquired memory-like phenotype and constitute 10-20% of all peripheral CD8 + T cells in mice. Their origin, biological roles, and relationship to naïve and foreign antigen-experienced memory T cells are incompletely understood. By analyzing T-cell receptor repertoires and using retrogenic monoclonal T-cell populations, we demonstrate that the virtual memory T-cell formation is a so far unappreciated cell fate decision checkpoint. We describe two molecular mechanisms driving the formation of virtual memory T cells. First, virtual memory T cells originate exclusively from strongly self-reactive T cells. Second, the stoichiometry of the CD8 interaction with Lck regulates the size of the virtual memory T-cell compartment via modulating the self-reactivity of individual T cells. Although virtual memory T cells descend from the highly self-reactive clones and acquire a partial memory program, they are not more potent in inducing experimental autoimmune diabetes than naïve T cells. These data underline the importance of the variable level of self-reactivity in polyclonal T cells for the generation of functional T-cell diversity. © 2018 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Evaluation of the highly sensitive Roche thyroglobulin II assay and establishment of a reference limit for thyroglobulin-negative patient samples

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Dorien M. Rotteveel-de Groot

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Thyroglobulin (Tg measurements are used to monitor for residual thyroid tissue in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC after thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablative therapy. In recent years highly sensitive Tg assays have been developed. In this study the analytical performance of the new Roche Elecsys Tg II assay was evaluated and compared with the well documented Access2 Tg assay (Beckman–Coulter. Design and methods: Analytical performance was examined using various Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI evaluation protocols. Tg negative patient sera were used to establish an upper reference limit (URL for the Elecsys Tg II assay. Results: Non-linearity, drift and carry-over according to CLSI EP10 and EP6 in a measuring range of 0.04–500 ng/mL were non-significant. Total precision according to CLSI EP5 was 10% at a Tg concentration of 0.08 ng/mL. A patient serum comparison performed according to a modified CLSI EP9 protocol showed a significant difference of a factor of approximately 1.4, despite using an identical CRM calibrator. The Elecsys Tg II assay measured Tg with a two-fold higher sensitivity than the Access2 assay. Finally, using human sera without Tg, an URL of 0.05 ng/mL was determined. Conclusions: In our hands the highly sensitive Elecsys Tg II assay shows a good analytical performance and a higher sensitivity compared to the Access2 Tg assay. An URL of 0.05 ng/mL for the Elecsys Tg II assay was determined which may improve the clinical utility of the assay for the detection of residual DTC or disease recurrence. Keywords: Thyroglobulin, Roche Elecsys Tg II assay, validation, reporting limit

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis with serum anti-thyroid antibodies and IgM antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus viral capsid antigen: a case report and one year follow-up

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Xu Chun-Ling

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis is an increasingly common autoimmune disorder mediated by antibodies to certain subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. Recent literatures have described anti-thyroid and infectious serology in this encephalitis but without follow-up. Case presentation A 17-year-old Chinese female patient presented with psychiatric symptoms, memory deficits, behavioral problems and seizures. She then progressed through unresponsiveness, dyskinesias, autonomic instability and central hypoventilation during treatment. Her conventional blood work on admission showed high titers of IgG antibodies to thyroglobulin, thyroid peroxidase and IgM antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus viral capsid antigen. An immature ovarian teratoma was found and removal of the tumor resulted in a full recovery. The final diagnosis of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis was made by the identification of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibodies in her cerebral spinal fluid. Pathology studies of the teratoma revealed N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1 positive ectopic immature nervous tissue and Epstein-Barr virus latent infection. She was discharged with symptoms free, but titers of anti-thyroid peroxidase and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies remained elevated. One year after discharge, her serum remained positive for anti-thyroid peroxidase and anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibodies, but negative for anti-thyroglobulin antibodies and IgM against Epstein-Barr virus viral capsid antigen. Conclusions Persistent high titers of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies from admission to discharge and until one year later in this patient may suggest a propensity to autoimmunity in anti- N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis and support the idea that neuronal and thyroid autoimmunities represent a pathogenic spectrum. Enduring anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibodies from admission to one year

A premature stopcodon in thyroglobulin messenger RNA results in familial goiter and moderate hypothyroidism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Graaf, S. A.; Ris-Stalpers, C.; Veenboer, G. J.; Cammenga, M.; Santos, C.; Targovnik, H. M.; de Vijlder, J. J.; Medeiros-Neto, G.

1999-01-01

Impaired thyroglobulin (Tg) synthesis is one of the putative causes for dyshormonogenesis of the thyroid gland. This type of hypothyroidism is characterized by intact iodide trapping, normal organification of iodide, and usually low serum Tg levels in relation to high TSH, and when untreated the

Limited transplantation of antigen-expressing hematopoietic stem cells induces long-lasting cytotoxic T cell responses.

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Warren L Denning

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Harnessing the ability of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs to recognize and eradicate tumor or pathogen-infected cells is a critical goal of modern immune-based therapies. Although multiple immunization strategies efficiently induce high levels of antigen-specific CTLs, the initial increase is typically followed by a rapid contraction phase resulting in a sharp decline in the frequency of functional CTLs. We describe a novel approach to immunotherapy based on a transplantation of low numbers of antigen-expressing hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs following nonmyeloablative or partially myeloablative conditioning. Continuous antigen presentation by a limited number of differentiated transgenic hematopoietic cells results in an induction and prolonged maintenance of fully functional effector T cell responses in a mouse model. Recipient animals display high levels of antigen-specific CTLs four months following transplantation in contrast to dendritic cell-immunized animals in which the response typically declines at 4-6 weeks post-immunization. Majority of HSC-induced antigen-specific CD8+ T cells display central memory phenotype, efficiently kill target cells in vivo, and protect recipients against tumor growth in a preventive setting. Furthermore, we confirm previously published observation that high level engraftment of antigen-expressing HSCs following myeloablative conditioning results in tolerance and an absence of specific cytotoxic activity in vivo. In conclusion, the data presented here supports potential application of immunization by limited transplantation of antigen-expressing HSCs for the prevention and treatment of cancer and therapeutic immunization of chronic infectious diseases such as HIV-1/AIDS.

Invariant NKT cells are required for airway inflammation induced by environmental antigens.

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Wingender, Gerhard; Rogers, Paul; Batzer, Glenda; Lee, Myung Steve; Bai, Dong; Pei, Bo; Khurana, Archana; Kronenberg, Mitchell; Horner, Anthony A

2011-06-06

Invariant NKT cells (iNKT cells) are a unique subset of T lymphocytes that rapidly carry out effector functions. In this study, we report that a majority of sterile house dust extracts (HDEs) tested contained antigens capable of activating mouse and human iNKT cells. HDEs had adjuvant-like properties in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model, which were dependent on Vα14i NKT cells, as vaccinated animals deficient for iNKT cells displayed significantly attenuated immune responses and airway inflammation. Furthermore, the administration of HDEs together with OVA mutually augmented the synthesis of cytokines by Vα14i NKT cells and by conventional CD4(+) T cells in the lung, demonstrating a profound immune response synergy for both Th2 cytokines and IL-17A. These data demonstrate that iNKT cell antigens are far more widely dispersed in the environment than previously anticipated. Furthermore, as the antigenic activity in different houses varied greatly, they further suggest that iNKT cell responses to ambient antigens, particular to certain environments, might promote sensitization to conventional respiratory allergens.

Evaluation of radioimmunoassay of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lourme, J.; Dessaint, J.P.; Capron, A.

1985-01-01

A statistical analysis is performed on the results of 881 determinations of thyroglobulin antibodies in humans. Antibodies were assayed comparatively by radioimmunoassay using a sandwich method and by tanned red cell haemagglutination. A very good concordance was found between the two techniques, apart from the low titer zone. A significant correlation was observed between on the one side, the radioactivity index of the diluted serum, defined as the increment of radioactivity bound by undiluted patient serum over the positive threshold, divided by this threshold, and, on the other side, the antibody titer, i.e. the reciprocal of the highest serum dilution superior to the positive threshold by radioimmunoassay. The corresponding linear regression allows to define a arbitrary unit system which associates values of the radioactivity index with an average antibody titer [fr

Antigen processing and remodeling of the endosomal pathway: requirements for antigen cross-presentation.

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Compeer, Ewoud Bernardus; Flinsenberg, Thijs Willem Hendrik; van der Grein, Susanna Geertje; Boes, Marianne

2012-01-01

Cross-presentation of endocytosed antigen as peptide/class I major histocompatibility complex complexes plays a central role in the elicitation of CD8(+) T cell clones that mediate anti-viral and anti-tumor immune responses. While it has been clear that there are specific subsets of professional antigen presenting cells capable of antigen cross-presentation, identification of mechanisms involved is still ongoing. Especially amongst dendritic cells (DC), there are specialized subsets that are highly proficient at antigen cross-presentation. We here present a focused survey on the cell biological processes in the endosomal pathway that support antigen cross-presentation. This review highlights DC-intrinsic mechanisms that facilitate the cross-presentation of endocytosed antigen, including receptor-mediated uptake, maturation-induced endosomal sorting of membrane proteins, dynamic remodeling of endosomal structures and cell surface-directed endosomal trafficking. We will conclude with the description of pathogen-induced deviation of endosomal processing, and discuss how immune evasion strategies pertaining endosomal trafficking may preclude antigen cross-presentation.

Interplay between immune responses to HLA and non-HLA self-antigens in allograft rejection.

Science.gov (United States)

Angaswamy, Nataraju; Tiriveedhi, Venkataswarup; Sarma, Nayan J; Subramanian, Vijay; Klein, Christina; Wellen, Jason; Shenoy, Surendra; Chapman, William C; Mohanakumar, T

2013-11-01

Recent studies strongly suggest an increasing role for immune responses against self-antigens (Ags) which are not encoded by the major histocompatibility complex in the immunopathogenesis of allograft rejection. Although, improved surgical techniques coupled with improved methods to detect and avoid sensitization against donor human leukocyte antigen (HLA) have improved the immediate and short term function of transplanted organs. However, acute and chronic rejection still remains a vexing problem for the long term function of the transplanted organ. Immediately following organ transplantation, several factors both immune and non immune mechanisms lead to the development of local inflammatory milieu which sets the stage for allograft rejection. Traditionally, development of antibodies (Abs) against mismatched donor HLA have been implicated in the development of Ab mediated rejection. However, recent studies from our laboratory and others have demonstrated that development of humoral and cellular immune responses against non-HLA self-Ags may contribute in the pathogenesis of allograft rejection. There are reports demonstrating that immune responses to self-Ags especially Abs to the self-Ags as well as cellular immune responses especially through IL17 has significant pro-fibrotic properties leading to chronic allograft failure. This review summarizes recent studies demonstrating the role for immune responses to self-Ags in allograft immunity leading to rejection as well as present recent evidence suggesting there is interplay between allo- and autoimmunity leading to allograft dysfunction. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FcepsilonRI-alpha siRNA inhibits the antigen-induced activation of mast cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Safaralizadeh, Reza; Soheili, Zahra-Soheila; Deezagi, Abdolkhaleg; Pourpak, Zahra; Samiei, Shahram; Moin, Mostafa

2009-12-01

FcepsilonRI, The high affinity receptor for IgE plays a critical role in triggering the allergic reactions. It is responsible for inducing mast cell degranulation and deliberation of allergy mediators when it is aggregated by allergen and IgE complexes. FcepsilonRI on the mast cells consists of three subunits; alpha chain directly binds IgE, beta chain and dimmer of gamma chains together mediate intracellular signaling. Cross-linking of IgE-bound FcepsilonRI on the surface of mast cells and basophils by the multivalent antigen induces release of chemical mediators. The present in vitro study was designed to investigate the effect of synthetic FcepsilonRI-alpha siRNA on the antigen-induced activation of MC/9 cells. MC/9 cells which are murine mast cells were transfected by FcepsilonRI-alpha siRNA and negative control siRNA. After 6 h, anti-DNP (Dinitrophenyl) IgE was used for the cells sensitization. Then the cells were challenged with Dinitrophenyl-Human Serum Albumin (DNP-HSA) for mast cell degranulation induction before collection of supernatants. The amount of mRNA and protein expression was measured by Real Time PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. Determination of the expression rate of FcepsilonRI-alpha on cell surface was achieved by flow cytometry. ELISA and spectrophotometry methods were used subsequently for measuring the effects of FcepsilonRI-alpha siRNA on antigen-induced histamine and beta-hexosaminidase release. FcepsilonRI-alpha siRNA treated cells showed significant decrease in FcepsilonRI-alpha mRNA and protein expression in comparison to control cells. FcepsilonRI-mediated mast cell release of beta-hexosaminidase and histamine were also inhibited. In this study it was shown that FcepsilonRI-alpha siRNA could suppress FcepsilonRI-alpha expression and inhibited degranulation and histamine release in antigen-stimulated MC/9 cells. In conclusion, knock-down of FcepsilonRI-alpha by siRNA could be a promising method for inhibition of the mast

Conventional CD4+ T cells present bacterial antigens to induce cytotoxic and memory CD8+ T cell responses.

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Cruz-Adalia, Aránzazu; Ramirez-Santiago, Guillermo; Osuna-Pérez, Jesús; Torres-Torresano, Mónica; Zorita, Virgina; Martínez-Riaño, Ana; Boccasavia, Viola; Borroto, Aldo; Martínez Del Hoyo, Gloria; González-Granado, José María; Alarcón, Balbino; Sánchez-Madrid, Francisco; Veiga, Esteban

2017-11-17

Bacterial phagocytosis and antigen cross-presentation to activate CD8 + T cells are principal functions of professional antigen presenting cells. However, conventional CD4 + T cells also capture and kill bacteria from infected dendritic cells in a process termed transphagocytosis (also known as transinfection). Here, we show that transphagocytic T cells present bacterial antigens to naive CD8 + T cells, which proliferate and become cytotoxic in response. CD4 + T-cell-mediated antigen presentation also occurs in vivo in the course of infection, and induces the generation of central memory CD8 + T cells with low PD-1 expression. Moreover, transphagocytic CD4 + T cells induce protective anti-tumour immune responses by priming CD8 + T cells, highlighting the potential of CD4 + T cells as a tool for cancer immunotherapy.

Precision cancer immunotherapy: optimizing dendritic cell-based strategies to induce tumor antigen-specific T-cell responses against individual patient tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Osada, Takuya; Nagaoka, Koji; Takahara, Masashi; Yang, Xiao Yi; Liu, Cong-Xiao; Guo, Hongtao; Roy Choudhury, Kingshuk; Hobeika, Amy; Hartman, Zachary; Morse, Michael A; Lyerly, H Kim

2015-05-01

Most dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccines have loaded the DC with defined antigens, but loading with autologos tumor-derived antigens would generate DCs that activate personalized tumor-specific T-cell responses. We hypothesized that DC matured with an optimized combination of reagents and loaded with tumor-derived antigens using a clinically feasible electroporation strategy would induce potent antitumor immunity. We first studied the effects on DC maturation and antigen presentation of the addition of picibanil (OK432) to a combination of zoledronic acid, tumor necrosis factor-α, and prostaglandin E2. Using DC matured with the optimized combination, we tested 2 clinically feasible sources of autologous antigen for electroloading, total tumor mRNA or total tumor lysate, to determine which stimulated more potent antigen-specific T cells in vitro and activated more potent antitumor immunity in vivo. The combination of tumor necrosis factor-α/prostaglandin E2/zoledronic acid/OK432 generated DC with high expression of maturation markers and antigen-specific T-cell stimulatory function in vitro. Mature DC electroloaded with tumor-derived mRNA [mRNA electroporated dendritic cell (EPDC)] induced greater expansion of antigen-specific T cells in vitro than DC electroloaded with tumor lysate (lysate EPDC). In a therapeutic model of MC38-carcinoembryonic antigen colon cancer-bearing mice, vaccination with mRNA EPDC induced the most efficient anti-carcinoembryonic antigen cellular immune response, which significantly suppressed tumor growth. In conclusion, mature DC electroloaded with tumor-derived mRNA are a potent cancer vaccine, especially useful when specific tumor antigens for vaccination have not been identified, allowing autologous tumor, and if unavailable, allogeneic cell lines to be used as an unbiased source of antigen. Our data support clinical testing of this strategy.

The Immunogenicity of the Tumor-Associated Antigen α-Fetoprotein Is Enhanced by a Fusion with a Transmembrane Domain

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Lucile Tran

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. To investigate the ability of recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (rMVA vector to induce an immune response against a well-tolerated self-antigen. Methods. rMVA vectors expressing different form of α-fetoprotein (AFP were produced and characterized. Naïve mice were vaccinated with MVA vectors expressing the AFP antigen in either a secreted, or a membrane-bound, or an intracellular form. The immune response was monitored by an IFNΓ ELISpot assay and antibody detection. Results. Vaccination with the membrane-associated form of AFP induced a stronger CD8+ T-cell response compared to the ones obtained with the MVA encoding the secreted or the intracellular forms of AFP. Moreover, the vaccination with the membrane-bound AFP elicited the production of AFP-specific antibodies. Conclusions. The AFP transmembrane form is more immunogenic. Expressing a membrane-bound form in the context of an MVA vaccination could enhance the immunogenicity of a self-antigen.

Cell-surface antigens associated with dualtropic and thymotropic murine leukemia viruses inducing thymic and nonthymic lymphomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haas, M.; Patch, V.

1980-01-01

Unique type-specific antigens were detected on cells infected with dualtropic and thymotropic viruses and x-ray-induced T cell- and B cell-malignant lymphomas of C57BL/6 mice. These findings support the contention that T cell lymphoma (TCL)-inducing and B cell lymphoma (BCL)-indcing viruses isolated from x-irradiated C57BL/6 mice are env gene recombinants in which ecotropic gene sequences have been substituted by xenotropic sequences. We found that unique antigenicities are associated with each TCL-inducing and BCL-inducing dualtropic virus, and that the thymotropic TCL-inducing virus isolates represent a separate serologic group. These virus mapping experiments indicated that many serologically different recombinant viruses can be isolated from C57BL/6 mice. It is suggested that many distinct recombinant viruses may exist in lymphomagenic C57BL/6 mice, some of which are associated with specific lyphoma induction

Comparison of antigen-specific T-cell responses of tuberculosis patients using complex or single antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mustafa, A S; Amoudy, H A; Wiker, H G

1998-01-01

GroES, rPstS, rGroEL and rDnaK) antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The responses of PBMC to these defined antigens were compared with the corresponding results obtained with complex antigens, such as whole-cell M. tuberculosis, M. tuberculosis culture filtrate (MT-CF) and cell wall antigens, as well...... as the vaccine strain, Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). In addition, M. tuberculosis and MT-CF-induced T-cell lines were tested in the same assays against the panel of purified and complex antigens. The compiled data from PBMC and T-cell lines tested for antigen-induced proliferation and IFN...

Definition of the upper reference limit for thyroglobulin antibodies according to the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry guidelines: comparison of eleven different automated methods

OpenAIRE

D?Aurizio, F.; Metus, P.; Ferrari, A.; Caruso, B.; Castello, R.; Villalta, D.; Steffan, A.; Gaspardo, K.; Pesente, F.; Bizzaro, N.; Tonutti, E.; Valverde, S.; Cosma, C.; Plebani, M.; Tozzoli, R.

2017-01-01

Purpose In the last two decades, thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) measurement has progressively switched from marker of thyroid autoimmunity to test associated with thyroglobulin (Tg) to verify the presence or absence of TgAb interference in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Of note, TgAb measurement is cumbersome: despite standardization against the International Reference Preparation MRC 65/93, several studies demonstrated high inter-method variability and wid...

Shrink-induced graphene sensor for alpha-fetoprotein detection with low-cost self-assembly and label-free assay

Science.gov (United States)

Sando, Shota; Zhang, Bo; Cui, Tianhong

2017-12-01

Combination of shrink induced nano-composites technique and layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembled graphene challenges controlling surface morphology. Adjusting shrink temperature achieves tunability on graphene surface morphology on shape memory polymers, and it promises to be an alternative in fields of high-surface-area conductors and molecular detection. In this study, self-assembled graphene on a shrink polymer substrate exhibits nanowrinkles after heating. Induced nanowrinkles on graphene with different shrink temperature shows distinct surface roughness and wettability. As a result, it becomes more hydrophilic with higher shrink temperatures. The tunable wettability promises to be utilized in, for example, microfluidic devices. The graphene on shrink polymer also exhibits capability of being used in sensing applications for pH and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) detection with advantages of label free and low cost, due to self-assembly technique, easy functionalization, and antigen-antibody reaction on graphene surface. The detection limit of AFP detection is down to 1 pg/mL, and therefore the sensor also has a significant potential for biosensing as it relies on low-cost self-assembly and label-free assay.

Identifying a Small Molecule Blocking Antigen Presentation in Autoimmune Thyroiditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Cheuk Wun; Menconi, Francesca; Osman, Roman; Mezei, Mihaly; Jacobson, Eric M; Concepcion, Erlinda; David, Chella S; Kastrinsky, David B; Ohlmeyer, Michael; Tomer, Yaron

2016-02-19

We previously showed that an HLA-DR variant containing arginine at position 74 of the DRβ1 chain (DRβ1-Arg74) is the specific HLA class II variant conferring risk for autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD). We also identified 5 thyroglobulin (Tg) peptides that bound to DRβ1-Arg74. We hypothesized that blocking the binding of these peptides to DRβ1-Arg74 could block the continuous T-cell activation in thyroiditis needed to maintain the autoimmune response to the thyroid. The aim of the current study was to identify small molecules that can block T-cell activation by Tg peptides presented within DRβ1-Arg74 pockets. We screened a large and diverse library of compounds and identified one compound, cepharanthine that was able to block peptide binding to DRβ1-Arg74. We then showed that Tg.2098 is the dominant peptide when inducing experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) in NOD mice expressing human DRβ1-Arg74. Furthermore, cepharanthine blocked T-cell activation by thyroglobulin peptides, in particular Tg.2098 in mice that were induced with EAT. For the first time we identified a small molecule that can block Tg peptide binding and presentation to T-cells in autoimmune thyroiditis. If confirmed cepharanthine could potentially have a role in treating human AITD. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Commensal oral bacteria antigens prime human dendritic cells to induce Th1, Th2 or Treg differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopitar, A N; Ihan Hren, N; Ihan, A

2006-02-01

In various immunopathologic conditions, bacterial flora induce an immune response which results in inflammatory manifestations, e.g. periapical granuloma. Dendritic cells provide the main orchestration of specific immune responses. The aim of our study was to test the capacity of distinct oral bacterial antigens (prepared from Streptococcus mitis, Propionibacterium acnes, and Bacteroides spp.) to prime human dendritic cells for stimulation of the T-lymphocyte response. To assess the T-lymphocyte response, the expression of CD25, CD69, intracellular interferon gamma (cIFN-gamma), and intracellular interleukin 4 (cIL-4) was determined. Dendritic cells were prepared from leukocyte buffy coat from healthy blood donors. Monocytes were stimulated with IL-4 and GM-CSF and dendritic cells activated with bacterial lysates. Cell suspensions contained up to 90% dendritic cells, which represented 2-12% of the initial number of mononuclear cells. Lymphocyte subsets that developed in lymphocyte cultures after 1 week of stimulation were analyzed by flow cytometry. Dendritic cells, primed with antigens of Bacteroides fragilis have shown significantly higher activation and expression of intercellular IFN-gamma by T lymphocytes compared to negative controls. The dendritic cells primed with antigens of P. acnes had no effect on T-lymphocyte activation or cytokine production; instead they induced differentiation of T lymphocytes into CD25bright cells (regulatory T cells) with a potentially inhibitory effect on immune response. Dendritic cells primed with antigens of S. mitis induced increased expression of cIL-4. We conclude that commensal oral bacteria antigens prepared from B. fragilis, S. mitis, and P. acnes prime human dendritic cells to induce Th1, Th2, and T(reg) differentiation, respectively. This may advance our understanding of immunopathologic manifestations in the oral cavity and offer new possibilities for redirecting immune responses in mucosal vaccination.

Dynamic imaging of experimental Leishmania donovani-induced hepatic granulomas detects Kupffer cell-restricted antigen presentation to antigen-specific CD8 T cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lynette Beattie

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Kupffer cells (KCs represent the major phagocytic population within the liver and provide an intracellular niche for the survival of a number of important human pathogens. Although KCs have been extensively studied in vitro, little is known of their in vivo response to infection and their capacity to directly interact with antigen-specific CD8(+ T cells. Here, using a combination of approaches including whole mount and thin section confocal microscopy, adoptive cell transfer and intra-vital 2-photon microscopy, we demonstrate that KCs represent the only detectable population of mononuclear phagocytes within granulomas induced by Leishmania donovani infection that are capable of presenting parasite-derived peptide to effector CD8(+ T cells. This restriction of antigen presentation to KCs within the Leishmania granuloma has important implications for the identification of new candidate vaccine antigens and for the design of novel immuno-therapeutic interventions.

Clinical Significance of Serum Thyroglobulin Levels in Patients with Thyroid Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sung Ki; Lee, Myung Sik; Lee, Myung Chul; Cho, Bo Youn; Kim, Byung Kook; Koh, Chang Soon

1983-01-01

To evaluate the significance of assay of serum thyroglobulin(Tg) in monitoring the course of the thyroid cancer or its response to treatment, serum thyroglobulin levels were measured in 41 patients with thyroid cancer who visited Seoul National University Hospital from August, 1981 to August, 1982. The results were as follows: 1) Serum Tg levels 1-3 months after thyroidectomy was 31±23 ng/ml(mean±S.D.) in 14 patients without metastasis, 66±41 ng/ml in 21 patients with regional metastasis and 176±59 ng/ml in 6 patients with distant metastasis and there were significant differences among three groups(p 131 I treatment were 134±62 ng/ml and 67±52 ng/ml respectively. 3) In the follow-up measurement of serum Tg levels every 3 months for about 1 year, almost all serum Tg levels were below 60 ng/ml in 12 patients without distant metastasis and serum Tg levels were elevated above 60 ng/ml in 5 of 6 patients with distant metastasis. 4) In 6 patients with distant metastasis, serum Tg levels were elevated in 5 patients and 131 I Whole body scan showed definite metastatic evidence in 3 patients and suspicious evidence in 1 patient. From above results, we concluded that serum Tg level is very useful as an indicator of recurrence or metastasis in patients with thyroid cancer after operation.

[Analysis of the main components of inner ear antigens inducing autoimmune Meniere's disease in guinea pigs].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Ling; Tan, Chang-Qiang; Cui, Yu-Gui; Ding, Gui-Peng; Ju, Xiao-Bin; Li, Yu-Jin; Cai, Wen-Jun

2008-08-01

To investigate the main components of inner ear antigens inducing autoimmune Meniere's disease (AIMD) in guinea pigs. The guinea pigs were immunized with isologous crude inner ear antigens (ICIEAg). Then, the hearing function was measured with auditory brainstem response (ABR), the vestibular function was measured with electronystagmography (including spontaneous nystagmus and caloric test), and inner ear histopathological changes were observed by inner ear celloidin section with haematoxylin-eosin staining and observed under light microscope. According to these results, the AIMD-model animals from non-AIMD-model ones were distinguished. The special antibodies against ICIEAg in sera were measured with ELISA. The antigen-antibody reactions against different components of ICIEAg were detected by Western blotting with sera of AIMD and non-AIMD guinea pigs respectively. Then, we analysed the contrast between them and found the main components of the ICIEAg that were positive reaction in AIMD guinea pigs and negative reaction in non-AIMD guinea pigs. The result of ELISA demonstrated that the sera of both the AIMD and non-AIMD guniea pigs contained the special antibodies against ICIEAg after immunized with ICIEAg. The difference of the amount of antibody against ICIEAg between AIMD guinea pig group and non-AIMD guinea pig group was not significant. Western blotting assay showed only the sera of AIMD guinea pig contained the antibodies against the specific antigens with the molecular of 68 000, 58 000, 42 000 and 28 000. ICIEAg contain many different components, the AIMD might only happen in the guinea pigs in which the special immunization against the main components that could induce this kind of disorder appeared. The inner ear antigens with molecular of 68 000, 58 000, 42 000 and 28 000 might be the main components inducing AIMD in guinea pigs.

Genetically modified anthrax lethal toxin safely delivers whole HIV protein antigens into the cytosol to induce T cell immunity

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yichen; Friedman, Rachel; Kushner, Nicholas; Doling, Amy; Thomas, Lawrence; Touzjian, Neal; Starnbach, Michael; Lieberman, Judy

2000-07-01

Bacillus anthrax lethal toxin can be engineered to deliver foreign proteins to the cytosol for antigen presentation to CD8 T cells. Vaccination with modified toxins carrying 8-9 amino acid peptide epitopes induces protective immunity in mice. To evaluate whether large protein antigens can be used with this system, recombinant constructs encoding several HIV antigens up to 500 amino acids were produced. These candidate HIV vaccines are safe in animals and induce CD8 T cells in mice. Constructs encoding gag p24 and nef stimulate gag-specific CD4 proliferation and a secondary cytotoxic T lymphocyte response in HIV-infected donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. These results lay the foundation for future clinical vaccine studies.

Characterization of Antigen-Specific B Cells Using Nominal Antigen-Coated Flow-Beads

Science.gov (United States)

Akl, Ahmed; Lepetit, Maud; Crochette, Romain; Giral, Magali; Lepourry, Julie; Pallier, Annaick; Castagnet, Stéphanie; Dugast, Emilie; Guillot-Gueguen, Cécile; Jacq-Foucher, Marylène; Saulquin, Xavier; Cesbron, Anne; Laplaud, David; Nicot, Arnaud; Brouard, Sophie; Soulillou, Jean-Paul

2013-01-01

In order to characterize the reactivity of B cells against nominal antigens, a method based on the coupling of antigens onto the surface of fluorescent core polystyrene beads was developed. We first demonstrate that murine B cells with a human MOG-specific BCR are able to interact with MOG-coated beads and do not recognize beads coated with human albumin or pp65. B cells purified from human healthy volunteer blood or immunized individuals were tested for their ability to interact with various nominal antigens, including viral, vaccine, self and alloantigens, chosen for their usefulness in studying a variety of pathological processes. A substantial amount of B cells binding self-antigen MOG-coated beads can be detected in normal blood. Furthermore, greater frequencies of B cell against anti-Tetanic Toxin or anti-EBNA1 were observed in primed individuals. This method can reveal increased frequencies of anti-HLA committed B cells in patients with circulating anti-HLA antibodies compared to unsensitized patients and normal individuals. Of interest, those specific CD19 cells were preferentially identified within CD27−IgD+ (i-e naïve) subset. These observations suggest that a broad range of medical situations could benefit from a tool that allows the detection, the quantification and the characterization of antigen-specific blood B cells. PMID:24386360

An inducible transgenic mouse model for immune mediated hepatitis showing clearance of antigen expressing hepatocytes by CD8+ T cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Cebula

Full Text Available The liver has the ability to prime immune responses against neo antigens provided upon infections. However, T cell immunity in liver is uniquely modulated by the complex tolerogenic property of this organ that has to also cope with foreign agents such as endotoxins or food antigens. In this respect, the nature of intrahepatic T cell responses remains to be fully characterized. To gain deeper insight into the mechanisms that regulate the CD8+ T cell responses in the liver, we established a novel OVA_X_CreER(T2 mouse model. Upon tamoxifen administration OVA antigen expression is observed in a fraction of hepatocytes, resulting in a mosaic expression pattern. To elucidate the cross-talk of CD8+ T cells with antigen-expressing hepatocytes, we adoptively transferred K(b/OVA257-264-specific OT-I T cells to OVA_X_CreER(T2 mice or generated triple transgenic OVA_X CreER(T2_X_OT-I mice. OT-I T cells become activated in OVA_X_CreER(T2 mice and induce an acute and transient hepatitis accompanied by liver damage. In OVA_X_CreER(T2_X_OT-I mice, OVA induction triggers an OT-I T cell mediated, fulminant hepatitis resulting in 50% mortality. Surviving mice manifest a long lasting hepatitis, and recover after 9 weeks. In these experimental settings, recovery from hepatitis correlates with a complete loss of OVA expression indicating efficient clearance of the antigen-expressing hepatocytes. Moreover, a relapse of hepatitis can be induced upon re-induction of cured OVA_X_CreER(T2_X_OT-I mice indicating absence of tolerogenic mechanisms. This pathogen-free, conditional mouse model has the advantage of tamoxifen inducible tissue specific antigen expression that reflects the heterogeneity of viral antigen expression and enables the study of intrahepatic immune responses to both de novo and persistent antigen. It allows following the course of intrahepatic immune responses: initiation, the acute phase and antigen clearance.

Co-adjuvant effects of retinoic acid and IL-15 induce inflammatory immunity to dietary antigens

Science.gov (United States)

Under physiological conditions the gut-associated lymphoid tissues not only prevent the induction of a local inflammatory immune response, but also induce systemic tolerance to fed antigens. A notable exception is coeliac disease, where genetically susceptible individuals expressing human leukocyte...

The follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer and undetectable thyroglobulin (Tg) and Tg antibodies during ablation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Phan, Ha T. T.; Jager, Pieter L.; van der Wal, Jacqueline E.; Sluiter, Wim J.; Plukker, John T. M.; Dierckx, Rudi A. J. O.; Wolffenbuttel, Bruce H. R.; Links, Thera P.

Objective: This retrospective study describes the rote of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) in relation to tumor characteristics in the prediction of persistent/recurrent disease in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) with negative Tg at the time of ablation. Design: Between 1989 and 2006, 94

Development of an ELISA for pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) for application in the nutrition and biological fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonthier, A; Boullanger, P; Fayol, V; Hartmann, D J

1998-01-01

Immunological assays appear to be the only alternative to the microbiological method for analysis of pantothenic acid in foods and blood. In order to evaluate the influence of the linker on the immunogenicity of the hapten, we have tried to raise antisera against pantothenic acid in rabbits using different conjugates. The hapten was coupled to a carrier protein (BSA or thyroglobulin) using adipoyl dichloride (adipoyl conjugate) or bromoacetyl bromide (acetyl conjugate). Only the acetyl conjugate has induced the production of a specific antibody. With this antibody, an assay on microplate using the ELISA inhibition technique was developed to measure pantothenic acid. The use of pantothenic acid coupled to thyroglobulin with adipoyl dichloride as the capture antigen has improved the sensitivity of the ELISA. This assay was applied to food products and blood.

[Destruction of synovial pannus of antigen-induced arthritis by ultrasonic cavitation in rabbits].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ling-yan; Qiu, Li; Wang, Lei; Lin, Ling; Wen, Xiao-rong

2011-11-01

To optimize the conditions of ultrasonic irradiation and microbubble of ultrasound cavitation on destruction of synovial pannus of antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) in rabbits. Antigen-induced arthritis was successfully induced on bilateral knee joints of 85 rabbits. Each 10 AIA rabbits were divided into two groups to compare various peak negative pressures, different ultrasonic pulse durations, various pulse repetition frequencies, different irradiance duration, different dosages of microbubble contrast agents, different ultrasonic irradiance times. With intravenous infusion of Sonovue to the rabbits, ultrasonic irradiance was performed on the right knee joint using the above condition of ultrasound cavitation. At the day 1 after ultrasonic irradiance, MRI and pathological examination were employed to evaluate the optimal conditions. The optimal parameters and conditions for ultrasonic irradiance included intermittent ultrasonic application (in 6 s intervals), 0.6 mL/kg of microbubble contrast agent, 4.6 MPa of ultrasonic peak negative pressure, 100 cycles of pulse duration, 50 Hz of pulse repetition frequency, 5 min of ultrasonic duration, 0.6 mL/kg of dosages of microbubble contrast agents and multi-sessional ultrasonic irradiance. After the ultrasonic irradiance, the thickness of right knee synovium measured by MRI was thinner than that of left knee and synovial necrosis was confirmed by the pathological finding. Under optimal ultrasonic irradiation and microbubble conditions, ultrasonic cavitation could destroy synovial pannus of AIA in rabbits.

Screening Immunomodulators To Skew the Antigen-Specific Autoimmune Response.

Science.gov (United States)

Northrup, Laura; Sullivan, Bradley P; Hartwell, Brittany L; Garza, Aaron; Berkland, Cory

2017-01-03

Current therapies to treat autoimmune diseases often result in side effects such as nonspecific immunosuppression. Therapies that can induce antigen-specific immune tolerance provide an opportunity to reverse autoimmunity and mitigate the risks associated with global immunosuppression. In an effort to induce antigen-specific immune tolerance, co-administration of immunomodulators with autoantigens has been investigated in an effort to reprogram autoimmunity. To date, identifying immunomodulators that may skew the antigen-specific immune response has been ad hoc at best. To address this need, we utilized splenocytes obtained from mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in order to determine if certain immunomodulators may induce markers of immune tolerance following antigen rechallenge. Of the immunomodulatory compounds investigated, only dexamethasone modified the antigen-specific immune response by skewing the cytokine response and decreasing T-cell populations at a concentration corresponding to a relevant in vivo dose. Thus, antigen-educated EAE splenocytes provide an ex vivo screen for investigating compounds capable of skewing the antigen-specific immune response, and this approach could be extrapolated to antigen-educated cells from other diseases or human tissues.

The human thyroglobulin gene: a polymorphic marker localized distal to C-MYC on chromosome 8 band q24

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baas, F.; Bikker, H.; Geurts van Kessel, A.; Melsert, R.; Pearson, P. L.; de Vijlder, J. J.; van Ommen, G. J.

1985-01-01

The human thyroglobulin (Tg) gene is localized to chromosome 8 and regionally to band q24 as shown independently by both in situ hybridization techniques and Southern blot analysis of human-rodent somatic cell hybrids. Analysis of hybrids derived from a Burkitt lymphoma, with a translocation

Large Discrepancy in the Results of Sensitive Measurements of Thyroglobulin Antibodies in the Follow-Up on Thyroid Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nygaard, Birte; Bentzen, Jens; Laurberg, Peter

2012-01-01

UNLABELLED: During follow-up on patients treated for differentiated thyroid cancer, thyroglobulin (Tg) antibodies can interfere with the Tg assay, making the use of Tg less reliable as a tumor marker. PURPOSE: To compare Tg and Tg autoantibodies (Tg-Ab) methods used in Denmark, regarding the number...

Comparison of antigen-specific T-cell responses of tuberculosis patients using complex or single antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mustafa, A S; Amoudy, H A; Wiker, H G

1998-01-01

We have screened peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from tuberculosis (TB) patients for proliferative reactivity and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) secretion against a panel of purified recombinant (r) and natural (n) culture filtrate (rESAT-6, nMPT59, nMPT64 and nMPB70) and somatic-derived (r......GroES, rPstS, rGroEL and rDnaK) antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The responses of PBMC to these defined antigens were compared with the corresponding results obtained with complex antigens, such as whole-cell M. tuberculosis, M. tuberculosis culture filtrate (MT-CF) and cell wall antigens, as well...... as the vaccine strain, Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). In addition, M. tuberculosis and MT-CF-induced T-cell lines were tested in the same assays against the panel of purified and complex antigens. The compiled data from PBMC and T-cell lines tested for antigen-induced proliferation and IFN...

Antigen processing and remodeling of the endosomal pathway: requirements for antigen cross-presentation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewoud Bernardus Compeer

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The cross-presentation of endocytosed antigen as peptide/class I MHC complexes plays a central role in the elicitation of CD8+ T cell clones that mediate anti-viral and anti-tumor immune responses. While it has been clear that there are specific subsets of professional antigen presenting cells (APC capable of antigen cross-presentation, description of mechanisms involved is still ongoing. Especially amongst dendritic cells (DC, there are specialized subsets that are highly proficient at antigen cross-presentation. We here present a focused survey on the cell biological processes in the endosomal pathway that support antigen cross-presentation. This review highlight DC-intrinsic mechanisms that facilitate the cross-presentation of endocytosed antigen, including receptor-mediated uptake, recycling and maturation including the sorting of membrane proteins, dynamic remodeling of endosomal structures and cell-surface directed endosomal trafficking. We will conclude with description of pathogen-induced deviation of endosomal processing, and discuss how immune evasion strategies pertaining endosomal trafficking may preclude antigen cross-presentation.

Increased expression of beta 2-microglobulin and histocompatibility antigens on human lymphoid cells induced by interferon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hokland, M; Heron, I; Berg, K

1982-01-01

Normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes were incubated in the presence of different concentrations of interferon for various incubation periods. Subsequently, the amount of beta 2-Microglobulin and HLA-A, B and C surface antigens was estimated by means of quantitative immunofluorescence (flow...... cytofluorometry) and by a radioimmunoassay for beta 2-Microglobulin. It was found that the amounts of these MHC antigens increased in a dose and time-dependent way after interferon treatment. Furthermore, the influence of different temperatures on this IFN-induced increase in beta 2-Microglobulin was gradually...

The Genetics of Autoimmune Thyroiditis: the first decade

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Noel R.

2011-01-01

Most of our current understanding of the genetic predisposition to autoimmune disease can be traced to experiments performed in the decade from 1971 to 1981. Chella David was a key contributor to this research. Many of these early steps came from studies of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis. This model has been especially valuable because essentially the same disease can occur spontaneously in selected strains of animals or can be induced by deliberate immunization. From a genetic point of view, the disease has been investigated in three different species: mice, rats and chickens. The same antigen, thyroglobulin, initiates the disease in all three species. Among the main discoveries were the relationship of autoimmune disease to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), the interplay of different subregions within the MHC in promoting or retarding development of disease, the differing roles of MHC class II and MHC I class genes in induction and effector phases, respectively, and the cumulative effect of non-MHC genes, each of which represents a small addition to overall susceptibility. Other experiments revealed that genetic differences in thyroglobulin allotypes influence susceptibility to thyroiditis. Thyroid glands differed in different strains in vulnerability to passive transfer of antibody. The first evidence of modulatory genes on the sex-related X chromosome emerged. All of these genetic findings were concurrently translated to the human disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, where thyroglobulin is also the initiating antigen. PMID:21683550

Thyroid autoimmunity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wiersinga, Wilmar M.

2014-01-01

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is a multifactorial disease in which autoimmunity against thyroid antigens develops against a particular genetic background facilitated by exposure to environmental factors. Immunogenicity of the major thyroid antigens thyroid peroxidase, thyroglobulin (TG) and

Assessment of side effects induced by injection of different adjuvant/antigen combinations in rabbits and mice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leenaars, P.P.A.M.; Koedam, M.A.; Wester, P.W.; Baumans, V.; Claassen, E.; Hendriksen, C.F.M.

1998-01-01

We evaluated the side effects induced by injection of Freund's adjuvant (FA) and alternative adjuvants combined with different antigens. Rabbits and mice were injected subcutaneously, intramuscularly (rabbits) and intraperitoneally (mice) with different adjuvants (FA, Specol, RIBI, TiterMax,

Distinction of the memory B cell response to cognate antigen versus bystander inflammatory signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Micah J; Elgueta, Raul; Schpero, William; Molloy, Michael; Zhang, Weijun; Usherwood, Edward; Noelle, Randolph J

2009-08-31

The hypothesis that bystander inflammatory signals promote memory B cell (B(MEM)) self-renewal and differentiation in an antigen-independent manner is critically evaluated herein. To comprehensively address this hypothesis, a detailed analysis is presented examining the response profiles of B-2 lineage B220(+)IgG(+) B(MEM) toward cognate protein antigen in comparison to bystander inflammatory signals. After in vivo antigen encounter, quiescent B(MEM) clonally expand. Surprisingly, proliferating B(MEM) do not acquire germinal center (GC) B cell markers before generating daughter B(MEM) and differentiating into plasma cells or form structurally identifiable GCs. In striking contrast to cognate antigen, inflammatory stimuli, including Toll-like receptor agonists or bystander T cell activation, fail to induce even low levels of B(MEM) proliferation or differentiation in vivo. Under the extreme conditions of adjuvanted protein vaccination or acute viral infection, no detectable bystander proliferation or differentiation of B(MEM) occurred. The absence of a B(MEM) response to nonspecific inflammatory signals clearly shows that B(MEM) proliferation and differentiation is a process tightly controlled by the availability of cognate antigen.

Antigen antibody interactions

CERN Document Server

DeLisi, Charles

1976-01-01

1. 1 Organization of the Immune System One of the most important survival mechanisms of vertebrates is their ability to recognize and respond to the onslaught of pathogenic microbes to which they are conti- ously exposed. The collection of host cells and molecules involved in this recognition­ 12 response function constitutes its immune system. In man, it comprises about 10 cells 20 (lymphocytes) and 10 molecules (immunoglobulins). Its ontogenic development is c- strained by the requirement that it be capable of responding to an almost limitless variety of molecular configurations on foreign substances, while simultaneously remaining inert to those on self components. It has thus evolved to discriminate, with exquisite precision, between molecular patterns. The foreign substances which induce a response, called antigens, are typically large molecules such as proteins and polysaccharides. The portions of these with which immunoglobulins interact are called epitopes or determinants. A typical protein epitope m...

Self-induced free surface oscillations caused by water jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukaya, M.; Madarame, H.; Okamoto, K.; Iida, M.; Someya, S.

1995-01-01

The interaction between the high speed flow and the free surfaces could induced surface oscillations. Recently, some kinds of self-induced free surface oscillations caused by water jet were discovered, e.g., a self-induced sloshing, 'Jet-Flutter' and a self-induced manometer oscillation. These oscillations have many different characteristics with each other. In this study, the similarities and differences of these oscillations are examined, and the geometrical effects on the phenomena are experimentally investigated. The self-induced sloshing and the Jet-Flutter have different dimensionless traveling times, which suggests a difference in the energy supply mechanism. When the distance between the inlet and the outlet is small in a vessel, the self-induced manometer oscillation could occur in the multi-free-surface system. (author)

Serum-thyroglobulin in women with cirrhosis of the liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruen, R.; Kopp, L.; Kaffarnik, H.

1985-01-01

In 68 women with liver cirrhosis of different origin (alcoholic n=34, cryptogenetic n=18, post hepatitic B n=9, PBC n=5, Morbus Wilson n=2) the median concentration of serum thyroglobulin (TG) was slightly but significantly elevated (31,7 ng/ml versus 22,1 ng/ml in controls). No difference could be found between TG levels in alcoholic and non alcoholic cirrhosis. The TG-concentrations overlapped to a large extent with the data of a control group and showed no significant correlation to other parameters of thyroid function (T 4 , T 3 , TBG, T 4 /TBG-quotient, TSH). The missing correlation to the concentrations of estradiol and estrone argues against a significant influence of estrogen concentrations on TG-concentrations. The increase in serum TG was highest in the subgroup with decompensated liver cirrhosis and is possibly caused by the reduced metabolic capacity of the liver. (orig.) [de

Clinical Usefulness of F-18 FDG PET/CT in papillary thyroid cancer with negative radioiodine scan and elevated thyroglobulin level or positive anti-thyroglobulin antibody

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Choi, Su Jung; Jung, Kyung Pyo; Lee, Sun Seong; Park, Yun Soo; Lee, Seok Mo [Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Bae, Sang Kyun [Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-15

Elevated thyroglobulin (Tg) levels, along with a negative radioiodine scan, present a clinical problem for the diagnosis of recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients. The purpose of this study was to assess (1) the usefulness of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) for PTC patients with negative diagnostic radioiodine scan and elevated serum Tg level or positive anti-thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), and (2) the effect of endogenous thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulation (ETS) on detecting recurrence in these circumstances. Eighty-four patients with negative diagnostic radioiodine scan and elevated serum Tg or positive TgAb under ETS were included. Correlation with clinicopathological features and recurrence, detectability of FDG PET/CT and cut-off value of serum Tg for recurrence in PTC patients with these circumstance were assessed. In addition, detectability of F-18 FDG PET/CT under ETS and suppression were compared. In Cox regression analysis, only serum Tg level was significantly associated with recurrence (P<0.001, HR  = 1.13; 95 % CI, 1.061–1.208). The cut-off level of Tg was 21.5 ng/mL (AUC, 0.919; P < 0.001) for discriminating the recurrence in the patients with positive PET/CT finding. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of F-18 FDG PET/CT for detecting recurrence were 64 %, 94 %, 86 %, 81 %, and 83 %. In the analysis of F-18 FDG PET/CT under ETS, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy was 64 %, 94 %, 88 %, 81 % and 83 %. Those under TSH suppression were 67 %, 92 %, 80 %, 85 % and 83 %. F-18 FDG PET/CT, although less sensitive, showed high specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy and therefore can be useful for the patients with negative diagnostic radioiodine scan and elevated serum Tg or positive TgAb. In addition, FDG PET/CT under ETS does not seem to have an additive role in detecting recurrence in these patients.

Antigen-specific immature dendritic cell vaccine ameliorates anti-dsDNA antibody-induced renal damage in a mouse model.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Yumin; Jiang, Shan; Weng, Shenhong; Lv, Xiaochun; Cheng, Hong; Fang, Chunhong

2011-12-01

Dendritic cells (DCs) can inhibit immune response by clonal anergy when immature. Recent studies have shown that immature DCs (iDCs) may serve as a live cell vaccine after specific antigen pulse based on its potential of blocking antibody production. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of nuclear antigen-pulsed iDCs in the treatment of lupus-like renal damages induced by anti-dsDNA antibodies. iDCs were generated from haemopoietic stem cells in bone marrow and then pulsed in vitro with nuclear antigen. The iDC vaccine and corresponding controls were injected into mice with lupus-like renal damages. The evaluation of disease was monitored by biochemical parameters and histological scores. Anti-dsDNA antibody isotypes and T-lymphocyte-produced cytokines were analysed for elucidating therapeutic mechanisms. RESULTS; The mice treated with antigen-pulsed iDCs had a sustained remission of renal damage compared with those injected with non-pulsed iDCs or other controls, including decreased anti-dsDNA antibody level, less proteinuria, lower blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine values, and improved histological evaluation. Analysis on isotypes of anti-dsDNA antibody showed that iDC vaccine preferentially inhibited the production of IgG3, IgG2b and IgG2a. Furthermore, administration of antigen-treated iDCs to mice resulted in significantly reduced IL-2, IL-4 and IL-12 and IFN-γ produced by T-memory cells. Conversely, the vaccination of antigen-pulsed mature DCs led to increased anti-dsDNA antibody production and an aggravation of lupus-like disease in the model. CONCLUSIONS; These results suggested the high potency of iDC vaccine in preventing lupus-like renal injuries induced by pathogenic autoantibodies.

Invariant NKT cells are required for airway inflammation induced by environmental antigens

OpenAIRE

Wingender, Gerhard; Rogers, Paul; Batzer, Glenda; Lee, Myung Steve; Bai, Dong; Pei, Bo; Khurana, Archana; Kronenberg, Mitchell; Horner, Anthony A.

2011-01-01

Invariant NKT cells (iNKT cells) are a unique subset of T lymphocytes that rapidly carry out effector functions. In this study, we report that a majority of sterile house dust extracts (HDEs) tested contained antigens capable of activating mouse and human iNKT cells. HDEs had adjuvant-like properties in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model, which were dependent on V?14i NKT cells, as vaccinated animals deficient for iNKT cells displayed significantly attenuated immune responses and airway ...

Thyroglobulin (Tg) recovery testing with quantitative Tg antibody measurement for determining interference in serum Tg assays in differentiated thyroid carcinoma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Persoon, ACM; Links, TP; Wilde, J; Sluiter, WJ; Wolffenbuttel, BHR; van den Ouweland, JMW

Background: Thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements are complicated by interference from Tg autoantibodies (TgAbs) or heterophilic antibodies (HAMAs). We used a new automated immunochemiluminometric assay (ICMA) with Tg recovery (TgR) on the Nichols Advantage (R) platform to reassess the clinical utility of

Concentration of plasma thyroglobulin and urinary excretion of iodinated material in the diagnosis of thyroid disorders in congenital hypothyroidism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gons, M. H.; Kok, J. H.; Tegelaers, W. H.; de Vijlder, J. J.

1983-01-01

In this paper we describe methods for the early aetiological diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism, using beside the classical T4, T3 and TSH plasma concentrations, four additional parameters in plasma and urine. The first one is thyroglobulin (Tg). In normal children of more than one year of age

Increased projection of MHC and tumor antigens in murine B16-BL6 melanoma induced by hydrostatic pressure and chemical crosslinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramakrishna, V; Eisenthal, A; Skornick, Y; Shinitzky, M

1993-05-01

The B16-BL6 melanoma, like most spontaneously arising tumors, is poorly immunogenic and expresses low levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. Treatment of cells of this tumor in vitro by hydrostatic pressure in the presence of adenosine 2',3'-dialdehyde (oxAdo), a membrane-impermeant crosslinker, caused elevated projection of MHC and a specific tumor antigen as demonstrated by flow-cytometric analysis. Maximum projection of both the MHC and the tumor antigens could be reached by application of 1200 atm for 15 min in the presence of 20 mM oxAdo. It is not yet clear whether this passive increase in availability of antigens on the cell surface originated from a dormant pool of antigens in the plasma membrane or from pressure-induced fusion of antigen-rich intracellular organelles (e.g. the endoplasmic reticulum). The immunogenic properties of the antigen-enriched B16-BL6 cells are described in the following paper.

NFE2-Related Transcription Factor 2 Coordinates Antioxidant Defense with Thyroglobulin Production and Iodination in the Thyroid Gland.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziros, Panos G; Habeos, Ioannis G; Chartoumpekis, Dionysios V; Ntalampyra, Eleni; Somm, Emmanuel; Renaud, Cédric O; Bongiovanni, Massimo; Trougakos, Ioannis P; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Kensler, Thomas W; Santisteban, Pilar; Carrasco, Nancy; Ris-Stalpers, Carrie; Amendola, Elena; Liao, Xiao-Hui; Rossich, Luciano; Thomasz, Lisa; Juvenal, Guillermo J; Refetoff, Samuel; Sykiotis, Gerasimos P

2018-06-01

The thyroid gland has a special relationship with oxidative stress. While generation of oxidative substances is part of normal iodide metabolism during thyroid hormone synthesis, the gland must also defend itself against excessive oxidation in order to maintain normal function. Antioxidant and detoxification enzymes aid thyroid cells to maintain homeostasis by ameliorating oxidative insults, including during exposure to excess iodide, but the factors that coordinate their expression with the cellular redox status are not known. The antioxidant response system comprising the ubiquitously expressed NFE2-related transcription factor 2 (Nrf2) and its redox-sensitive cytoplasmic inhibitor Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) defends tissues against oxidative stress, thereby protecting against pathologies that relate to DNA, protein, and/or lipid oxidative damage. Thus, it was hypothesized that Nrf2 should also have important roles in maintaining thyroid homeostasis. Ubiquitous and thyroid-specific male C57BL6J Nrf2 knockout (Nrf2-KO) mice were studied. Plasma and thyroids were harvested for evaluation of thyroid function tests by radioimmunoassays and of gene and protein expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting, respectively. Nrf2-KO and Keap1-KO clones of the PCCL3 rat thyroid follicular cell line were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and were used for gene and protein expression studies. Software-predicted Nrf2 binding sites on the thyroglobulin enhancer were validated by site-directed in vitro mutagenesis and chromatin immunoprecipitation. The study shows that Nrf2 mediates antioxidant transcriptional responses in thyroid cells and protects the thyroid from oxidation induced by iodide overload. Surprisingly, it was also found that Nrf2 has a dramatic impact on both the basal abundance and the thyrotropin-inducible intrathyroidal abundance of thyroglobulin (Tg), the precursor protein of thyroid hormones. This effect is mediated

Characterization of antigen-specific, Ia-restricted, L3T4+ cytolytic T lymphocytes and assessment of thymic influence on their self specificity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golding, H.; Munitz, T.I.; Singer, A.

1985-01-01

The goals of the present study were: (a) to generate antigen-specific L3T4+ cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL), (b) to determine their major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction specificity, and (c) to assess the influence of thymic MHC determinants on their self specificity. The authors found that L3T4+ CTL specific for either trinitrophenyl (TNP)-modified self determinants or minor histocompatibility antigens could be generated from Lyt-2- responder T cells provided that the response cultures were supplemented with supernatants rich in helper factors. Such antigen-specific L3T4+ CTL were Ia-restricted by the criteria that they lysed only Ia+ target cells and that their lysis of Ia+ target cells was specifically inhibited by anti-Ia monoclonal antibodies. The relative frequency of L3T4+ pCTL was found to be only 5-10% of the total anti-TNP pCTL present in the spleens of normal mice. Finally, the authors utilized radiation bone marrow chimeras to assess the influence of the thymic haplotype on the self-Ia specificity of L3T4+ CTL. Both bulk culture and limiting dilution experiments revealed that the self-Ia specificity of L3T4+ anti-TNP CTL from F1----parent and A----B allogeneic chimeras was not markedly skewed toward the haplotype of the chimeric thymus. These results contrast with those obtained previously for L3T4+ anti-TNP Th cells and demonstrate that in the radiation bone marrow chimera model of T cell differentiation, the self specificity of Th cells but not pCTL is markedly influenced by the haplotype of the chimeric thymus

Importance of the content and localization of tyrosine residues for thyroxine formation within the N-terminal part of human thyroglobulin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

den Hartog, M. T.; Sijmons, C. C.; Bakker, O.; Ris-Stalpers, C.; de Vijlder, J. J.

1995-01-01

Thyroxine (T4) is formed by coupling of iodinated tyrosine residues within thyroglobulin (TG). In mature TG, some iodinated tyrosine residues are involved preferentially in T4 formation. In order to investigate the specific role of various tyrosine residues in T4 formation, N-terminal TG fragments

Generation of monoclonal antibodies against highly conserved antigens.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongzhe Zhou

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Therapeutic antibody development is one of the fastest growing areas of the pharmaceutical industry. Generating high-quality monoclonal antibodies against a given therapeutic target is very crucial for the success of the drug development. However, due to immune tolerance, some proteins that are highly conserved between mice and humans are not very immunogenic in mice, making it difficult to generate antibodies using a conventional approach. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this report, the impaired immune tolerance of NZB/W mice was exploited to generate monoclonal antibodies against highly conserved or self-antigens. Using two highly conserved human antigens (MIF and HMGB1 and one mouse self-antigen (TNF-alpha as examples, we demonstrate here that multiple clones of high affinity, highly specific antibodies with desired biological activities can be generated, using the NZB/W mouse as the immunization host and a T cell-specific tag fused to a recombinant antigen to stimulate the immune system. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We developed an efficient and universal method for generating surrogate or therapeutic antibodies against "difficult antigens" to facilitate the development of therapeutic antibodies.

Expression and Antigenic Evaluation of VacA Antigenic Fragment of Helicobacter Pylori

Science.gov (United States)

Hasanzadeh, Leila; Ghaznavi-Rad, Ehsanollah; Soufian, Safieh; Farjadi, Vahideh; Abtahi, Hamid

2013-01-01

Objective(s) : Helicobacter pylori, a human specific gastric pathogen is a causative agent of chronic active gastritis. The vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA) is an effective virulence factor involved in gastric injury. The aim of this study was to construct a recombinant protein containing antigenic region of VacA gene and determine its antigenicity. Materials and Methods: The antigenic region of VacA gene was detected by bioinformatics methods. The polymerase chain reaction method was used to amplify a highly antigenic region of VacA gene from chromosomal DNA of H. pylori. The eluted product was cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET32a. The target protein was expressed in the Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS. The bacteria including pET32a-VacA plasmids were induced by IPTG. The antigenicity was finally studied by western blotting using sera of 15 H. pylori infected patients after purification. Results: Enzyme digestion analysis, PCR and DNA sequencing results showed that the target gene was inserted correctly into the recombinant vector. The expressed protein was purified successfully via affinity chromatography. Data indicated that antigenic region of VacA protein from Helicobacter pylori was recognized by all 15 patient’s sera. Conclusion : Our data showed that antigenic region of VacA protein can be expressed by in E. co.li. This protein was recognized by sera patients suffering from H. pylori infection. the recombinant protein has similar epitopes and close antigenic properties to the natural form of this antigen. Recombinant antigenic region of VacA protein also seems to be a promising antigen for protective and serologic diagnosis . PMID:23997913

Expression and Antigenic Evaluation of VacA Antigenic Fragment of Helicobacter Pylori

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Leila Hasanzadeh

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Objective(s: Helicobacter pylori, a human specific gastric pathogen is a causative agent of chronic active gastritis. The vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA is an effective virulence factor involved in gastric injury. The aim of this study was to construct a recombinant protein containing antigenic region of VacA gene and determine its antigenicity.   Materials and Methods: The antigenic region of VacA gene was detected by bioinformatics methods. The polymerase chain reaction method was used to amplify a highly antigenic region of VacA gene from chromosomal DNA of H. pylori. The eluted product was cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET32a. The target protein was expressed in the Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3 pLysS. The bacteria including pET32a-VacA plasmids were induced by IPTG. The antigenicity was finally studied by western blotting using sera of 15 H. pylori infected patients after purification. Results: Enzyme digestion analysis, PCR and DNA sequencing results showed that the target gene was inserted correctly into the recombinant vector. The expressed protein was purified successfully via affinity chromatography. Data indicated that antigenic region of VacA protein from Helicobacter pylori was recognized by all 15 patient’s sera. Conclusion : Our data showed that antigenic region of VacA protein can be expressed by in E. co.li. This protein was recognized by sera patients suffering from H. pylori infection. the recombinant protein has similar epitopes and close antigenic properties to the natural form of this antigen. Recombinant antigenic region of VacA protein also seems to be a promising antigen for protective and serologic diagnosis .

Induction of Oral Tolerance with Transgenic Plants Expressing Antigens for Prevention/Treatment of Autoimmune, Allergic and Inflammatory Diseases.

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Ma, Shengwu; Liao, Yu-Cai; Jevnikar, Anthony M

2015-01-01

The prevalence and incidence of autoimmune and allergic diseases have increased dramatically over the last several decades, especially in the developed world. The treatment of autoimmune and allergic diseases is typically with the use of non-specific immunosuppressive agents that compromise the integrity of the host immune system and therefore, increase the risk of infections. Antigenspecific immunotherapy by reinstating immunological tolerance towards self antigens without compromising immune functions is a much desired goal for the treatment of autoimmune and allergic diseases. Mucosal administration of antigen is a long-recognized method of inducing antigen-specific immune tolerance known as oral tolerance, which is viewed as having promising potential in the treatment of autoimmune and allergic diseases. Plant-based expression and delivery of recombinant antigens provide a promising new platform to induce oral tolerance, having considerable advantages including reduced cost and increased safety. Indeed, in recent years the use of tolerogenic plants for oral tolerance induction has attracted increasing attention, and considerable progress has been made. This review summarizes recent advances in using plants to deliver tolerogens for induction of oral tolerance in the treatment of autoimmune, allergic and inflammatory diseases.

Presentation of lipid antigens to T cells.

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Mori, Lucia; De Libero, Gennaro

2008-04-15

T cells specific for lipid antigens participate in regulation of the immune response during infections, tumor immunosurveillance, allergy and autoimmune diseases. T cells recognize lipid antigens as complexes formed with CD1 antigen-presenting molecules, thus resembling recognition of MHC-peptide complexes. The biophysical properties of lipids impose unique mechanisms for their delivery, internalization into antigen-presenting cells, membrane trafficking, processing, and loading of CD1 molecules. Each of these steps is controlled at molecular and celular levels and determines lipid immunogenicity. Lipid antigens may derive from microbes and from the cellular metabolism, thus allowing the immune system to survey a large repertoire of immunogenic molecules. Recognition of lipid antigens facilitates the detection of infectious agents and the initiation of responses involved in immunoregulation and autoimmunity. This review focuses on the presentation mechanisms and specific recognition of self and bacterial lipid antigens and discusses the important open issues.

Thyroid iodine content and serum thyroglobulin: cues to the natural history of destruction-induced thyroiditis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smallridge, R.C.; De Keyser, F.M.; Van Herle, A.J.; Butkus, N.E.; Wartofsky, L.

1986-01-01

Twenty-eight patients with destructive thyroiditis were followed to study the natural history of healing of thyroid gland injury. All had sequential measurements of thyroidal iodine [ 127 I] content by fluorescent scanning (normal mean, 10.1 mg), 17 had serial serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements (normal, less than 21 ng/ml), and 13 had perchlorate discharge studies during the recovery phase. Seventeen patients had painful subacute thyroiditis (SAT), 9 had painless thyroiditis with thyrotoxicosis (PTT), and 2 had postpartum thyroiditis with thyrotoxicosis (PPT). Thyroidal iodine content decreased from a mean of 9.8 to a nadir of 3.8 mg in patients with SAT and from 8.5 to a nadir of 3.5 mg in patients with PTT. Mean serum Tg concentrations were highest (approximately 165 ng/ml) in both groups 1-3 months after the onset of symptoms. Abnormalities in both 127 I content and Tg levels persisted for 2 or more yr in some individuals. No patient had detectable Tg antibodies by hemagglutination, but low titers were detected intermittently by sensitive RIA in 5 PTT patients. Microsomal antibodies were positive in only 1 of 16 SAT patients, but in 4 of 7 PTT patients and in both PPT patients. Three patients had positive perchlorate discharge tests (2 of 8 with SAT, 0 of 4 with PTT, and 1 of 1 with PPT). Permanent hypothyroidism occurred in 3 patients (2 with PTT; 1 with SAT and positive antibodies), but did not correlate with perchlorate results. HLA typing and serum immunoglobulin measurements were not useful for predicting the clinical course. These data indicate that several years may be necessary for complete resolution of destructive thyroiditis; many patients have evidence of thyroid injury persisting long after serum thyroid hormone and TSH levels become normal

Interleukin 13– and interleukin 17A–induced pulmonary hypertension phenotype due to inhalation of antigen and fine particles from air pollution

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Park, Sung-Hyun; Chen, Wen-Chi; Esmaeil, Nafiseh; Lucas, Benjamin; Marsh, Leigh M.; Reibman, Joan

2014-01-01

Abstract Pulmonary hypertension has a marked detrimental effect on quality of life and life expectancy. In a mouse model of antigen-induced pulmonary arterial remodeling, we have recently shown that coexposure to urban ambient particulate matter (PM) significantly increased the thickening of the pulmonary arteries and also resulted in significantly increased right ventricular systolic pressures. Here we interrogate the mechanism and show that combined neutralization of interleukin 13 (IL-13) and IL-17A significantly ameliorated the increase in right ventricular systolic pressure, the circumferential muscularization of pulmonary arteries, and the molecular change in the right ventricle. Surprisingly, our data revealed a protective role of IL-17A for the antigen- and PM-induced severe thickening of pulmonary arteries. This protection was due to the inhibition of the effects of IL-13, which drove this response, and the expression of metalloelastase and resistin-like molecule α. However, the latter was redundant for the arterial thickening response. Anti-IL-13 exacerbated airway neutrophilia, which was due to a resulting excess effect of IL-17A, confirming concurrent cross inhibition of IL-13- and IL-17A-dependent responses in the lungs of animals exposed to antigen and PM. Our experiments also identified IL-13/IL-17A-independent molecular reprogramming in the lungs induced by exposure to antigen and PM, which indicates a risk for arterial remodeling and protection from arterial constriction. Our study points to IL-13- and IL-17A-coinduced inflammation as a new template for biomarkers and therapeutic targeting for the management of immune response–induced pulmonary hypertension. PMID:25610601

Alphavirus Replicon DNA Vectors Expressing Ebola GP and VP40 Antigens Induce Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in Mice

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Shoufeng Ren

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Ebola virus (EBOV causes severe hemorrhagic fevers in humans, and no approved therapeutics or vaccine is currently available. Glycoprotein (GP is the major protective antigen of EBOV, and can generate virus-like particles (VLPs by co-expression with matrix protein (VP40. In this study, we constructed a recombinant Alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV replicon vector DREP to express EBOV GP and matrix viral protein (VP40. EBOV VLPs were successfully generated and achieved budding from 293 cells after co-transfection with DREP-based GP and VP40 vectors (DREP-GP+DREP-VP40. Vaccination of BALB/c mice with DREP-GP, DREP-VP40, or DREP-GP+DREP-VP40 vectors, followed by immediate electroporation resulted in a mixed IgG subclass production, which recognized EBOV GP and/or VP40 proteins. This vaccination regimen also led to the generation of both Th1 and Th2 cellular immune responses in mice. Notably, vaccination with DREP-GP and DREP-VP40, which produces both GP and VP40 antigens, induced a significantly higher level of anti-GP IgG2a antibody and increased IFN-γ secreting CD8+ T-cell responses relative to vaccination with DREP-GP or DREP-VP40 vector alone. Our study indicates that co-expression of GP and VP40 antigens based on the SFV replicon vector generates EBOV VLPs in vitro, and vaccination with recombinant DREP vectors containing GP and VP40 antigens induces Ebola antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. This novel approach provides a simple and efficient vaccine platform for Ebola disease prevention.

Plasmodium berghei: immunosuppression of the cell-mediated immune response induced by nonviable antigenic preparations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gross, A.; Frankenburg, S.

1989-01-01

In this work, plasmodial antigens were examined for their ability to suppress the cellular immune response during lethal Plasmodium berghei infection. Splenic enlargement and the number and function of white spleen cells were assessed after injection of normal mice with irradiated parasitized erythrocytes (IPE) or with parasitized erythrocytes (PE) membranes. Both IPE and PE membranes caused splenomegaly and an increase in the number of splenic white cells with concurrent alteration of the relative proportions of T cells and macrophages. The percentage of T lymphocytes was fractionally diminished, but there was a marked increase in Lyt 2.2 positive (suppressor and cytotoxic) T subsets and in the number of splenic macrophage precursors. The pathological enlargement of the spleen was induced by various plasma membrane-derived antigens containing both proteins and carbohydrates. Splenocytes of mice injected with liposomes containing deoxycholate-treated PE or PE fractions showed both diminished interleukin 2 production and a decreased response to mitogen. It appears that some of the changes in the cellular immune response during P. berghei infection are a consequence of the massive provision of a wide spectrum of antigens, capable of suppressing the immune response. Thus, it may be appropriate to evaluate the possible negative effect of parasite epitopes that are candidates for vaccine

Commercial bacterins did not induce detectable levels of antibodies in mice against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae antigens strongly recognized by swine immune system

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Andressa Fisch

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Enzootic Pneumonia (EP caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae results in major economic losses to the swine industry. Hence, the identification of factors that provide protection against EP could help to develop effective vaccines. One such factor that provides partial protection are bacterins. Therefore, the aim of this study was to verify the induction of antibodies against fifteen M. hyopneumoniae antigens, strongly recognized by the swine immune system during natural infection, in mice vaccinated with six commercial bacterins. Each group of mice was inoculated with one bacterin, and seroconversion was assessed by indirect ELISA using recombinant antigens and M. hyopneumoniae 7448 whole cell extract. Sera from one inoculated group recognized antigen MHP_0067, and sera from four inoculated groups recognized antigens MHP_0513 and MHP_0580. None of the bacterins was able to induce seroconversion against the twelve remaining antigens. This absence of a serological response could be attributed to the lack of antigen expression in M. hyopneumoniae strains used in bacterin production. Additionally the partial protection provided by these vaccines could be due to low expression or misfolding of antigens during vaccine preparation. Therefore, the supplementation of bacterins with these recombinant antigens could be a potential alternative in the development of more effective vaccines.

Self-induced temperature gradients in Brownian dynamics

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Devine, Jack; Jack, M. W.

2017-12-01

Brownian systems often surmount energy barriers by absorbing and emitting heat to and from their local environment. Usually, the temperature gradients created by this heat exchange are assumed to dissipate instantaneously. Here we relax this assumption to consider the case where Brownian dynamics on a time-independent potential can lead to self-induced temperature gradients. In the same way that externally imposed temperature gradients can cause directed motion, these self-induced gradients affect the dynamics of the Brownian system. The result is a coupling between the local environment and the Brownian subsystem. We explore the resulting dynamics and thermodynamics of these coupled systems and develop a robust method for numerical simulation. In particular, by focusing on one-dimensional situations, we show that self-induced temperature gradients reduce barrier-crossing rates. We also consider a heat engine and a heat pump based on temperature gradients induced by a Brownian system in a nonequilibrium potential.

Thyroglobulin in thyroid cancer: does it make a difference?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

San Luis, T.O.L.; Santiago, J.F.Y.

1996-01-01

Thyroid cancer is a disease with varied rates of growth and prognosis. A number of factors, including adequacy of follow-up after surgery, impact on the overall morbidity and mortality. Thyroglobulin (Tg) as tumor marker has been used in the surveillance of thyroid cancer particularly the differentiated type. It has a distinctive role in influencing decision-making whether to monitor thyroid medical suppression periodically or to implement further therapeutic interventions in the face of recurrent disease. We have made an anlysis of 60 thyroid cancer cases where Tg was used to discriminate between those likely to have recurrence or not. A Tg value of 10 ng/ml showed recurrences (83.3%) (p<0.001). On this basis, a practical guide in the form of an algorithm was formulated to help physicians in resolving contentious issues in post-operative management. In summary, Tg makes a lot of difference in the approach to diagnosis and further treatment of recurrent thyroid cancer and offers itself as a cost-effective and efficient determinant for long-term optimal outcome. (author)

Selection for genetic markers in beef cattle reveals complex associations of thyroglobulin and casein1-S1 with carcass and meat traits

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Genetic markers in casein (CSN1S1) and thyroglobulin (TG) genes have previously been associated with fat distribution in cattle. Determining the nature of these genetic associations (additive, recessive, or dominant) has been difficult because both markers have small minor allele frequencies in mos...

Detection of Avian Antigen-Specific T Cells Induced by Viral Vaccines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalgaard, Tina Sørensen; Norup, Liselotte Rothmann; Juul-Madsen, Helle Risdahl

2016-01-01

Live attenuated viral vaccines are widely used in commercial poultry production, but the development of new effective inactivated/subunit vaccines is needed. Studies of avian antigen-specific T cells are primarily based on analyses ex vivo after activating the cells with recall antigen. There is ......Live attenuated viral vaccines are widely used in commercial poultry production, but the development of new effective inactivated/subunit vaccines is needed. Studies of avian antigen-specific T cells are primarily based on analyses ex vivo after activating the cells with recall antigen...

Delayed development, death and abnormal thyroglobulin in rats maintained on low-iodine diets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Middlesworth, L.

1976-01-01

Rats weaned on Remington Low Iodine Diet (0.006 to 0.009 μgI/g) grew poorly, were very slow to breed, and 83% of their pups died in the neonatal period. A large iodide supplement (100μgI/d) improved growth of the females to almost normal but did not improve growth of males. With the iodide supplement they bred at an earlier age than rats fed the low iodide Remington diet but still 73% of the pups died before weaning. The addition of a vitamin mixture (biotin, vitamin B 12 , E, patothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamine and pyridoxine) to Remington Diet resulted in delayed pregnancies but 86% survival of offspring. A more nutritious low-iodine diet with a 'complete' mineral and vitamin supplement improved growth and survival, and the litters were delivered at the normal time. However, this more complete diet contained more iodine than the Remington diet. During the neonatal period, all the low iodine diets resulted in offspring that were unable to make T 3 as readily as adults fed the same diet. Pups from dams fed the Remington diet had thyroblobulin with lower sedimentation constants (18S and 12S) than was found in normal newborns. This unfolded and dissociated thyroglobulin may be an inadequate source of thyroid hormones, but it may hydrolyse more rapidly than normal 19S thyroglobulin. It is concluded that rats raised on a diet severely deficient in iodine were unable to litter until they were older than normal rats, and the survival of the offspring was poor unless the diet was supplemented with a vitamin mixture. The synthesis of thyroid hormones in low iodine neonatal rats was more severely impaired than in adults. (author)

Analytical and clinical performance of thyroglobulin autoantibody assays in thyroid cancer follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Katrangi, Waddah; Grebe, Stephan K G; Algeciras-Schimnich, Alicia

2017-10-26

While thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) can result in false low serum thyroglobulin (Tg) immunoassay (IA) measurements, they might also be indicators of disease persistence/recurrence. Hence, accurate TgAb measurement, in addition to Tg quantification, is crucial for thyroid cancer monitoring. We compared the analytical and clinical performance of four commonly used TgAb IAs. We measured Tg by mass spectrometry (Tg-MS) and by four pairs of Tg and TgAb IAs (Beckman, Roche, Siemens, Thermo) in 576 samples. Limit of quantitation (LOQ) and manufacturers' upper reference interval cut-off (URI) were used for comparisons. Clinical performance was assessed by receiving operator characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. Quantitative and qualitative agreement between TgAb-IAs was moderate with R2 of 0.20-0.70 and κ from 0.41-0.66 using LOQ and 0.47-0.71 using URI. In samples with TgAb interference, detection rates of TgAb were similar using LOQ and URI for Beckman, Siemens, and Thermo, but much lower for the Roche TgAb-IA when the URI was used. In TgAb positive cases, the ROC areas under the curve (AUC) for the TgAb-IAs were 0.59 (Beckman), 0.62 (Siemens), 0.59 (Roche), and 0.59 (Thermo), similar to ROC AUCs achieved with Tg. Combining Tg and TgAb measurements improved the ROC AUCs compared to Tg or TgAb alone. TgAb-IAs show significant qualitative and quantitative differences. For 2 of the 4 TgAb-IAs, using the LOQ improves the detection of interfering TgAbs. All assays showed suboptimal clinical performance when used as surrogate markers of disease, with modest improvements when Tg and TgAb were combined.

Implications of Thyroglobulin Antibody Positivity in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Verburg, Frederik A; Luster, Markus; Cupini, Cristina

2013-01-01

Background: Even though the presence of antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAbs) represents a significant problem in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), the current guidelines on the management of DTC that have been published in recent years contain no text concerning...... the methods to be used for detecting such antibody-related interference in thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement or how to manage TgAb-positive patients in whom Tg cannot be used reliably as a tumor marker. Aim: An international group of experts from the European Thyroid Association Cancer Research Network who...... insufficient evidence was available, a thorough discussion by a group of physician-scientists, all of whom have a distinguished track record in thyroid cancer care, was held to arrive at a consensus expert opinion. The questions and answers discussed were then summarized into an algorithm for the management...

Optic flow induced self-tilt perception

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, J.E.

2008-01-01

Roll optic flow induces illusory self-tilt in humans. As far as the mechanism underlying this visual-vestibular interaction is understood, larger angles of self-tilt are predicted than observed. It is hypothesized that the discrepancy can be explained by idiotropic (i.e., referring to a personal

Multiepitope fusion antigen induces broadly protective antibodies that prevent adherence of Escherichia coli strains expressing colonization factor antigen I (CFA/I), CFA/II, and CFA/IV.

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Ruan, Xiaosai; Knudsen, David E; Wollenberg, Katie M; Sack, David A; Zhang, Weiping

2014-02-01

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years and continues to be a major threat to global health. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains are the most common bacteria causing diarrhea in developing countries. ETEC strains are able to attach to host small intestinal epithelial cells by using bacterial colonization factor antigen (CFA) adhesins. This attachment helps to initiate the diarrheal disease. Vaccines that induce antiadhesin immunity to block adherence of ETEC strains that express immunologically heterogeneous CFA adhesins are expected to protect against ETEC diarrhea. In this study, we created a CFA multiepitope fusion antigen (MEFA) carrying representative epitopes of CFA/I, CFA/II (CS1, CS2, and CS3), and CFA/IV (CS4, CS5, and CS6), examined its immunogenicity in mice, and assessed the potential of this MEFA as an antiadhesin vaccine against ETEC. Mice intraperitoneally immunized with this CFA MEFA exhibited no adverse effects and developed immune responses to CFA/I, CFA/II, and CFA/IV adhesins. Moreover, after incubation with serum of the immunized mice, ETEC or E. coli strains expressing CFA/I, CFA/II, or CFA/IV adhesins were significantly inhibited in adherence to Caco-2 cells. Our results indicated this CFA MEFA elicited antibodies that not only cross-reacted to CFA/I, CFA/II and CFA/IV adhesins but also broadly inhibited adherence of E. coli strains expressing these seven adhesins and suggested that this CFA MEFA could be a candidate to induce broad-spectrum antiadhesin protection against ETEC diarrhea. Additionally, this antigen construction approach (creating an MEFA) may be generally used in vaccine development against heterogenic pathogens.

Overview of Plant-Made Vaccine Antigens against Malaria

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Marina Clemente

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is an overview of vaccine antigens against malaria produced in plants. Plant-based expression systems represent an interesting production platform due to their reduced manufacturing costs and high scalability. At present, different Plasmodium antigens and expression strategies have been optimized in plants. Furthermore, malaria antigens are one of the few examples of eukaryotic proteins with vaccine value expressed in plants, making plant-derived malaria antigens an interesting model to analyze. Up to now, malaria antigen expression in plants has allowed the complete synthesis of these vaccine antigens, which have been able to induce an active immune response in mice. Therefore, plant production platforms offer wonderful prospects for improving the access to malaria vaccines.

rBCG30-induced immunity and cross-protection against Mycobacterium leprae challenge are enhanced by boosting with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis 30-kilodalton antigen 85B.

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Gillis, Thomas P; Tullius, Michael V; Horwitz, Marcus A

2014-09-01

Leprosy remains a major global health problem and typically occurs in regions in which tuberculosis is endemic. Vaccines are needed that protect against both infections and do so better than the suboptimal Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine. Here, we evaluated rBCG30, a vaccine previously demonstrated to induce protection superior to that of BCG against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis challenge in animal models, for efficacy against Mycobacterium leprae challenge in a murine model of leprosy. rBCG30 overexpresses the M. tuberculosis 30-kDa major secretory protein antigen 85B, which is 85% homologous with the M. leprae homolog (r30ML). Mice were sham immunized or immunized intradermally with BCG or rBCG30 and challenged 2.5 months later by injection of viable M. leprae into each hind footpad. After 7 months, vaccine efficacy was assessed by enumerating the M. leprae bacteria per footpad. Both BCG and rBCG30 induced significant protection against M. leprae challenge. In the one experiment in which a comparison between BCG and rBCG30 was feasible, rBCG30 induced significantly greater protection than did BCG. Immunization of mice with purified M. tuberculosis or M. leprae antigen 85B also induced protection against M. leprae challenge but less so than BCG or rBCG30. Notably, boosting rBCG30 with M. tuberculosis antigen 85B significantly enhanced r30ML-specific immune responses, substantially more so than boosting BCG, and significantly augmented protection against M. leprae challenge. Thus, rBCG30, a vaccine that induces improved protection against M. tuberculosis, induces cross-protection against M. leprae that is comparable or potentially superior to that induced by BCG, and boosting rBCG30 with antigen 85B further enhances immune responses and protective efficacy. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Ablation of synovial pannus using microbubble-mediated ultrasonic cavitation in antigen-induced arthritis in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Li; Jiang, Yong; Zhang, Lingyan; Wang, Lei; Luo, Yan

2012-12-01

To investigate the ablative effectiveness of microbubble-mediated ultrasonic cavitation for treating synovial pannus and to determine a potential mechanism using the antigen-induced arthritis model (AIA). Ultrasonic ablation was performed on the knee joints of AIA rabbits using optimal ultrasonic ablative parameters. Rabbits with antigen-induced arthritis were randomly assigned to 4 groups: (1) the ultrasound (US) + microbubble group; (2) the US only group; (3) the microbubble only group, and (4) the control group. At 1 h and 14 days after the first ablation, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) monitoring and pathology synovitis score were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects. Synovial necrosis and microvascular changes were also measured. After the ablation treatment, the thickness of synovium and parameters of time intensity curve including derived peak intensity and area under curve were measured using CEUS, and the pathology synovitis score in the ultrasound + microbubble group was significantly lower than that found in the remaining groups. No damage was observed in the surrounding normal tissues. The mechanism underlying the ultrasonic ablation was related to microthrombosis and microvascular rupture that resulted in synovial necrosis. The results suggest that microbubble-mediated ultrasonic cavitation should be applied as a non-invasive strategy for the treatment of synovial pannus in arthritis under optimal conditions.

Acute changes of peripheral thyroid hormone concentrations and serum thyroglobulin during radio-iodine therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilhelm, K.R.; Steinbaecher, M.; Heilig, B.

1986-01-01

TT3, FT3 and FT4 concentrations were measured in 28 patients with hyperthyroidism before and during therapy with radioiodine. In addition, in some patients serum thyroglobulin was evaluated, too. Only in the patients with immunogenic hyperthyroidism FT3, FT4 and serum TG were elevated significantly within the first two days after radioiodine application. In the residual patients with diffuse autonomy, autonomous adenoma, and multifocal autonomy during the whole time of investigation there was no significant increase of the respective values. From these data it can be deducted that hyperthyroid storm is more likely to be provoked in patients with immunogenic hyperthyroidism compared to thyroidal autonomy. (orig.) [de

Reduction-sensitive dextran nanogels aimed for intracellular delivery of antigens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Li, Dandan; Kordalivand, Neda; Fransen, Marieke F.; Ossendorp, Ferry; Raemdonck, Koen; Vermonden, Tina; Hennink, Wim E.; Van Nostrum, Cornelus F.

2015-01-01

Targeting of antigens to dendritic cells (DCs) to induce strong cellular immune response can be established by loading in a nano-sized carrier and keeping the antigen associated with the particles until they are internalized by DCs. In the present study, a model antigen (ovalbumin, OVA) is

Smoking is negatively associated with the presence of thyroglobulin autoantibody and to a lesser degree with thyroid peroxidase autoantibody in serum: a population study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Inge Bülow; Laurberg, Peter; Knudsen, Nils

2008-01-01

Background: Autoimmune thyroid diseases are common and the prevalence of circulating thyroid antibodies (thyroid peroxidase antibody, TPO-Ab and thyroglobulin antibody, Tg-Ab) is high in the population. The knowledge of a possible association between lifestyle factors and circulating thyroid anti...

Protective immunity induced in mice by F8.1 and F8.2 antigens purified from Schistosoma mansoni eggs

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Claudia Campra Ferreira

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigens (SEA were fractionated by isoelectric focusing, resulting in 20 components, characterized by pH, absorbance and protein concentration. The higher absorbance fractions were submitted to electrophoresis, and fraction 8 (F8 presented a specific pattern of bands on its isoelectric point. Protein 3 was observed only on F8, and so, it was utilized to rabbit immunization, in order to evaluate its capacity of inducing protective immunity. IgG antibodies from rabbit anti-F8 serum were coupled to Sepharose, and used to obtain the specific antigen by affinity chromatography. This antigen, submitted to electrophoresis, presented two proteic bands (F8.1 and F8.2, which were transferred to nitrocellulose membrane (PVDF and sequenciated. The homology of F8.2 to known proteins was determined using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool program (BLASTp. Significant homologies were obtained for the rabbit cytosolic Ca2+ uptake inhibitor, and for the bird a1-proteinase inhibitor. Immunization of mice with F8.1 and F8.2, in the presence of Corynebacterium parvum and Al(OH3 as adjuvant, induced a significant protection degree against challenge infection, as observed by the decrease on worm burden recovered from portal system.

Lentivirus-Induced Dendritic Cells (iDC for Immune-Regenerative Therapies in Cancer and Stem Cell Transplantation

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Renata Stripecke

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Conventional dendritic cells (cDC are ex vivo differentiated professional antigen presenting cells capable of potently stimulating naïve T cells and with vast potential for immunotherapeutic applications. The manufacture of clinical-grade cDC is relatively complex and requires several days for completion. Clinical trials showed poor trafficking of cDC from subcutaneous injection sites to lymph nodes (LN, where DC can optimally stimulate naïve lymphocytes for long-lasting memory responses. We demonstrated in mouse and human systems that a single overnight ex vivo lentiviral (LV gene transfer into DC precursors for production of combination of cytokines and antigens was capable to induce autonomous self-differentiation of antigen-loaded DC in vitro and in vivo. These highly viable induced DC (iDC effectively migrated from the injected skin to LN, where they effectively activated de novo antigen-specific effector memory T cells. Two iDC modalities were validated in relevant animal models and are now in clinical development: Self-differentiated Myeloid-derived Antigen-presenting-cells Reactive against Tumors co-expressing GM-CSF/IL-4/TRP2 for melanoma immunotherapy in the autologous setting (SmartDCtrp2, and Self-differentiated Myeloid-derived Lentivirus-induced against human cytomegalovirus as an allogeneic matched adoptive cell after stem cell transplantation (SmyleDCpp65. The lentiviral vector design and packaging methodology has “evolved” continuously in order to simplify and optimize function and biosafety of in vitro and in vivo genetic reprogramming of iDC. Here, we address the challenges seeking for new creations of genetically programmed iDC and integrase-defective LV vaccines for immune regeneration.

Enhanced vaccine-induced CD8+ T cell responses to malaria antigen ME-TRAP by fusion to MHC class ii invariant chain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra J Spencer

Full Text Available The orthodox role of the invariant chain (CD74; Ii is in antigen presentation to CD4+ T cells, but enhanced CD8+ T cells responses have been reported after vaccination with vectored viral vaccines encoding a fusion of Ii to the antigen of interest. In this study we assessed whether fusion of the malarial antigen, ME-TRAP, to Ii could increase the vaccine-induced CD8+ T cell response. Following single or heterologous prime-boost vaccination of mice with a recombinant chimpanzee adenovirus vector, ChAd63, or recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA, higher frequencies of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were observed, with the largest increases observed following a ChAd63-MVA heterologous prime-boost regimen. Studies in non-human primates confirmed the ability of Ii-fusion to augment the T cell response, where a 4-fold increase was maintained up to 11 weeks after the MVA boost. Of the numerous different approaches explored to increase vectored vaccine induced immunogenicity over the years, fusion to the invariant chain showed a consistent enhancement in CD8+ T cell responses across different animal species and may therefore find application in the development of vaccines against human malaria and other diseases where high levels of cell-mediated immunity are required.

Multiepitope Fusion Antigen Induces Broadly Protective Antibodies That Prevent Adherence of Escherichia coli Strains Expressing Colonization Factor Antigen I (CFA/I), CFA/II, and CFA/IV

OpenAIRE

Ruan, Xiaosai; Knudsen, David E.; Wollenberg, Katie M.; Sack, David A.; Zhang, Weiping

2014-01-01

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years and continues to be a major threat to global health. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains are the most common bacteria causing diarrhea in developing countries. ETEC strains are able to attach to host small intestinal epithelial cells by using bacterial colonization factor antigen (CFA) adhesins. This attachment helps to initiate the diarrheal disease. Vaccines that induce antiadhesin immunity to block a...

Milk-induced eczema is associated with the expansion of T cells expressing cutaneous lymphocyte antigen.

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Abernathy-Carver, K J; Sampson, H A; Picker, L J; Leung, D Y

1995-02-01

The extravasation of T cells at sites of inflammation is critically dependent on the activity of homing receptors (HR) involved in endothelial cell recognition and binding. Two such HR (the cutaneous lymphocyte antigen [CLA] and L-selectin) have been shown to be selectively involved in T cell migration to skin and peripheral lymph nodes, respectively. This study was designed to assess the relationship between the organ specificity of an allergic reaction to food and the expression of HR on T cells activated in vitro by the relevant food allergen. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from seven milk allergic children with a history of eczema when exposed to milk. All patients had a positive prick skin test and double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge to milk. 10 children with either allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis or milk-induced enterocolitis and 8 nonatopic adults served as controls. Five-parameter flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies was used for detection of the specific HR on freshly isolated T cells versus T cell blasts induced by a 6-d incubation with casein, as compared with Candida albicans. After in vitro stimulation with casein, but not C. albicans, patients with milk allergy and atopic dermatitis had a significantly greater percentage of CLA+ T cells (P < 0.01) than controls with milk-induced enterocolitis, allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis, or nonatopic healthy controls. In contrast, the percentage of L-selectin-expressing T cells did not differ significantly between these groups. These data suggest that after casein stimulation allergic patients with milk-induced skin disease have an expanded population of CLA+ T cells, as compared with nonatopics or allergic patients without skin involvement. We postulate that heterogeneity in the regulation of HR expression on antigen-specific T cells may play a role in determining sites of involvement in tissue-directed allergic responses.

Investigating Patterns for Self-Induced Emotion Recognition from EEG Signals

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Zeng, Ying; Yang, Kai; Tong, Li; Yan, Bin

2018-01-01

Most current approaches to emotion recognition are based on neural signals elicited by affective materials such as images, sounds and videos. However, the application of neural patterns in the recognition of self-induced emotions remains uninvestigated. In this study we inferred the patterns and neural signatures of self-induced emotions from electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. The EEG signals of 30 participants were recorded while they watched 18 Chinese movie clips which were intended to elicit six discrete emotions, including joy, neutrality, sadness, disgust, anger and fear. After watching each movie clip the participants were asked to self-induce emotions by recalling a specific scene from each movie. We analyzed the important features, electrode distribution and average neural patterns of different self-induced emotions. Results demonstrated that features related to high-frequency rhythm of EEG signals from electrodes distributed in the bilateral temporal, prefrontal and occipital lobes have outstanding performance in the discrimination of emotions. Moreover, the six discrete categories of self-induced emotion exhibit specific neural patterns and brain topography distributions. We achieved an average accuracy of 87.36% in the discrimination of positive from negative self-induced emotions and 54.52% in the classification of emotions into six discrete categories. Our research will help promote the development of comprehensive endogenous emotion recognition methods. PMID:29534515

Investigating Patterns for Self-Induced Emotion Recognition from EEG Signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Ning; Zeng, Ying; Yang, Kai; Zhang, Chi; Tong, Li; Yan, Bin

2018-03-12

Most current approaches to emotion recognition are based on neural signals elicited by affective materials such as images, sounds and videos. However, the application of neural patterns in the recognition of self-induced emotions remains uninvestigated. In this study we inferred the patterns and neural signatures of self-induced emotions from electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. The EEG signals of 30 participants were recorded while they watched 18 Chinese movie clips which were intended to elicit six discrete emotions, including joy, neutrality, sadness, disgust, anger and fear. After watching each movie clip the participants were asked to self-induce emotions by recalling a specific scene from each movie. We analyzed the important features, electrode distribution and average neural patterns of different self-induced emotions. Results demonstrated that features related to high-frequency rhythm of EEG signals from electrodes distributed in the bilateral temporal, prefrontal and occipital lobes have outstanding performance in the discrimination of emotions. Moreover, the six discrete categories of self-induced emotion exhibit specific neural patterns and brain topography distributions. We achieved an average accuracy of 87.36% in the discrimination of positive from negative self-induced emotions and 54.52% in the classification of emotions into six discrete categories. Our research will help promote the development of comprehensive endogenous emotion recognition methods.

Original antigenic sin responses to influenza viruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jin Hyang; Skountzou, Ioanna; Compans, Richard; Jacob, Joshy

2009-09-01

Most immune responses follow Burnet's rule in that Ag recruits specific lymphocytes from a large repertoire and induces them to proliferate and differentiate into effector cells. However, the phenomenon of "original antigenic sin" stands out as a paradox to Burnet's rule of B cell engagement. Humans, upon infection with a novel influenza strain, produce Abs against older viral strains at the expense of responses to novel, protective antigenic determinants. This exacerbates the severity of the current infection. This blind spot of the immune system and the redirection of responses to the "original Ag" rather than to novel epitopes were described fifty years ago. Recent reports have questioned the existence of this phenomenon. Hence, we revisited this issue to determine the extent to which original antigenic sin is induced by variant influenza viruses. Using two related strains of influenza A virus, we show that original antigenic sin leads to a significant decrease in development of protective immunity and recall responses to the second virus. In addition, we show that sequential infection of mice with two live influenza virus strains leads to almost exclusive Ab responses to the first viral strain, suggesting that original antigenic sin could be a potential strategy by which variant influenza viruses subvert the immune system.

Functional, Antigen-Specific Stem Cell Memory (TSCM CD4+ T Cells Are Induced by Human Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheleka A. M. Mpande

2018-03-01

Full Text Available BackgroundMaintenance of long-lasting immunity is thought to depend on stem cell memory T cells (TSCM, which have superior self-renewing capacity, longevity and proliferative potential compared with central memory (TCM or effector (TEFF T cells. Our knowledge of TSCM derives primarily from studies of virus-specific CD8+ TSCM. We aimed to determine if infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb, the etiological agent of tuberculosis, generates antigen-specific CD4+ TSCM and to characterize their functional ontology.MethodsWe studied T cell responses to natural M. tb infection in a longitudinal adolescent cohort of recent QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT converters and three cross-sectional QFT+ adult cohorts; and to bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG vaccination in infants. M. tb and/or BCG-specific CD4 T cells were detected by flow cytometry using major histocompatibility complex class II tetramers bearing Ag85, CFP-10, or ESAT-6 peptides, or by intracellular cytokine staining. Transcriptomic analyses of M. tb-specific tetramer+ CD4+ TSCM (CD45RA+ CCR7+ CD27+ were performed by microfluidic qRT-PCR, and functional and phenotypic characteristics were confirmed by measuring expression of chemokine receptors, cytotoxic molecules and cytokines using flow cytometry.ResultsM. tb-specific TSCM were not detected in QFT-negative persons. After QFT conversion frequencies of TSCM increased to measurable levels and remained detectable thereafter, suggesting that primary M. tb infection induces TSCM cells. Gene expression (GE profiling of tetramer+ TSCM showed that these cells were distinct from bulk CD4+ naïve T cells (TN and shared features of bulk TSCM and M. tb-specific tetramer+ TCM and TEFF cells. These TSCM were predominantly CD95+ and CXCR3+, markers typical of CD8+ TSCM. Tetramer+ TSCM expressed significantly higher protein levels of CCR5, CCR6, CXCR3, granzyme A, granzyme K, and granulysin than bulk TN and TSCM cells. M. tb-specific TSCM were also

Energetic changes caused by antigenic module insertion in a virus-like particle revealed by experiment and molecular dynamics simulations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Zhang

Full Text Available The success of recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs for human papillomavirus and hepatitis B demonstrates the potential of VLPs as safe and efficacious vaccines. With new modular designs emerging, the effects of antigen module insertion on the self-assembly and structural integrity of VLPs should be clarified so as to better enabling improved design. Previous work has revealed insights into the molecular energetics of a VLP subunit, capsomere, comparing energetics within various solution conditions known to drive or inhibit self-assembly. In the present study, molecular dynamics (MD simulations coupled with the molecular mechanics-Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA method were performed to examine the molecular interactions and energetics in a modular capsomere of a murine polyomavirus (MPV VLP designed to protect against influenza. Insertion of an influenza antigenic module is found to lower the binding energy within the capsomere, and a more active state is observed in Assembly Buffer as compared with that in Stabilization Buffer, which has been experimentally validated through measurements using differential scanning calorimetry. Further in-depth analysis based on free-energy decomposition indicates that destabilized binding can be attributed to electrostatic interaction induced by the chosen antigen module. These results provide molecular insights into the conformational stability of capsomeres and their abilities to be exploited for antigen presentation, and are expected to be beneficial for the biomolecular engineering of VLP vaccines.

Thyroglobulin as a marker of iodine nutrition status in the general population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vejbjerg, P.; Knudsen, N.; Perrild, H.

2009-01-01

of iodine status in the population. Methods: Two identical cross-sectional studies were performed before (1997-1998, n=4649) and after (2004-2005, n=3570) the initiation of the Danish iodization programme in two areas with mild and moderate iodine deficiency. Serum Tg was measured from blood samples....... Thyroid volume was measured by ultrasonography. Results: Before iodization, the median serum Tg was considerably higher in moderate than in mild iodine deficiency. Iodization led to a lower serum Tg in all examined age groups. The marked pre-iodization difference in Tg level between the regions......Objective: The iodine status of a population is traditionally evaluated by either urinary iodine (UT) excretion or by some measure of thyroid volume and the prevalence of goitre. In this prospective study of a mandatory iodization programme, we aimed to evaluate serum thyroglobulin (Tg) as a marker...

Correlation of consecutive serum thyroglobulin levels during hormone withdrawal and failure of initial radioiodine ablation in thyroid cancer patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Hyuk Jin; Kim, Sung Hoon; O, Joo Hyun; Lee, Yeong Joo; Kim, Hyoung Woo [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Ye Young [Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, College of Medicine, The Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Ryu, Ji Young [Dept. of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of thyroglobulin (Tg) kinetics during preparation of radioiodine ablation for prediction of initial radioiodine ablation failure in thyroid cancer patients. Thyroid cancer patients after total thyroidectomy who underwent radioiodine ablation with 3–4 weeks of hormone withdrawal between May 2011 and January 2012 were included. Consecutive serum Tg levels 5–10 days before ablation (Tg1) and on the day of ablation (Tg2) were obtained. The difference between Tg1 and Tg2 (ΔTg), daily change rate of Tg (ΔTg/day) and Tg doubling time (Tg-DT) were calculated. Success of initial ablation was determined by the results of the follow-up ultrasonography, diagnostic radioiodine scan and stimulated Tg level after 6 to 20 months. A total of 143 patients were included. Failed ablation was reported in 52 patients. Tg2 higher than 5.6 ng/ml and Tg-DT shorter than 4.2 days were significantly related to a high risk of ablation failure. ΔTg and ΔTg/day did not show significant correlation with ablation failure. Thyroglobulin kinetics on consecutive blood sampling during hormone withdrawal may be helpful in predicting patients with higher risk of treatment failure of initial radioiodine ablation therapy in thyroid cancer patients.

Correlation of consecutive serum thyroglobulin levels during hormone withdrawal and failure of initial radioiodine ablation in thyroid cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Hyuk Jin; Kim, Sung Hoon; O, Joo Hyun; Lee, Yeong Joo; Kim, Hyoung Woo; Seo, Ye Young; Ryu, Ji Young

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of thyroglobulin (Tg) kinetics during preparation of radioiodine ablation for prediction of initial radioiodine ablation failure in thyroid cancer patients. Thyroid cancer patients after total thyroidectomy who underwent radioiodine ablation with 3–4 weeks of hormone withdrawal between May 2011 and January 2012 were included. Consecutive serum Tg levels 5–10 days before ablation (Tg1) and on the day of ablation (Tg2) were obtained. The difference between Tg1 and Tg2 (ΔTg), daily change rate of Tg (ΔTg/day) and Tg doubling time (Tg-DT) were calculated. Success of initial ablation was determined by the results of the follow-up ultrasonography, diagnostic radioiodine scan and stimulated Tg level after 6 to 20 months. A total of 143 patients were included. Failed ablation was reported in 52 patients. Tg2 higher than 5.6 ng/ml and Tg-DT shorter than 4.2 days were significantly related to a high risk of ablation failure. ΔTg and ΔTg/day did not show significant correlation with ablation failure. Thyroglobulin kinetics on consecutive blood sampling during hormone withdrawal may be helpful in predicting patients with higher risk of treatment failure of initial radioiodine ablation therapy in thyroid cancer patients

Native Mass Spectrometry, Ion mobility, and Collision-Induced Unfolding Categorize Malaria Antigen/Antibody Binding

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yining; Salinas, Nichole D.; Chen, Edwin; Tolia, Niraj H.; Gross, Michael L.

2017-09-01

Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein (PvDBP) is a promising vaccine candidate for P. vivax malaria. Recently, we reported the epitopes on PvDBP region II (PvDBP-II) for three inhibitory monoclonal antibodies (2D10, 2H2, and 2C6). In this communication, we describe the combination of native mass spectrometry and ion mobility (IM) with collision induced unfolding (CIU) to study the conformation and stabilities of three malarial antigen-antibody complexes. These complexes, when collisionally activated, undergo conformational changes that depend on the location of the epitope. CIU patterns for PvDBP-II in complex with antibody 2D10 and 2H2 are highly similar, indicating comparable binding topology and stability. A different CIU fingerprint is observed for PvDBP-II/2C6, indicating that 2C6 binds to PvDBP-II on an epitope different from 2D10 and 2H2. This work supports the use of CIU as a means of classifying antigen-antibody complexes by their epitope maps in a high throughput screening workflow. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Added value of thyroglobulin measurement in the fine-needle aspiration washout to diagnose cervical metastatic lymphadenopathy from papillary thyroid cancer

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Yun, Lan; Lee, Tae Hyun; Park, Dong Hee [Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate added value and diagnostic threshold value of thyroglobulin measurement in the fine-needle aspiration washout for detecting cervical lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid cancer on pre and postoperative patients. Total 219 cervical lymph nodes from 180 patients with papillary thyroid cancer were evaluated for fine needle aspiration cytology and thyroglobulin in fine needle aspiration (FNA-Tg), using immunometric chemiluminescent assay. Eighty-six patients were preoperative and remaining 94 patients were on follow up after total thyroidectomy. Final diagnoses were made on pathology of dissected lymph nodes or follow-up examination for at least 12 months. One hundred and twelve metastatic lymph nodes were finally confirmed in 94 patients out of total 180 patients. Sensitivity of FNA-Tg was 99.1, 98.21, 97.20%, respectively with threshold level at 1, 10, serum Tgng/mL, which were higher sensitivity of fine needle aspiration. Combined FNA and FNA-Tg with threshold at 1, 10, 100 ng/mL raised sensitivity and specificity to 100%, respectively. All 6 lymph nodes that were false negative on FNA were correctly diagnosed as metastasis on FNA-Tg with threshold of 1, 10, 100, and serum thyroglobulin. FNA-Tg with threshold level at 100 ng/mL combined FNA showed highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (97.56%) on preoperative patient groups among the 1, 10, 100, serum Tg threshold value. But, FNA only showed adequately high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (96.96%) on postoperative patient groups. Using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve analysis, cut off value was 57.69 in total patient, 78.66 in preoperative patient, and 32.81 in postoperative patient. FNA-Tg combined with FNA showed excellent sensitivity and specificity. FNA-Tg showed very high sensitivity and specificity at threshold level 78.66 ng/mL in preoperative patients, but FNA-Tg had less benefit on the postoperative patient group, having high

Definition of reference ranges for free T4, TSH, and thyroglobulin levels in healthy subjects of the Jaén Health District.

Science.gov (United States)

Olmedo Carrillo, Pablo; Santiago Fernández, Piedad; García Fuentes, Eduardo; Ureña Fernández, Tomás; Gutiérrez Alcántara, Carmen; Sánchez-Malo, Carolina; Gassó Campos, Manuela; Martínez Ramírez, María José

2017-10-01

The treatment guidelines for thyroid dysfunction recommend defining reference ranges for thyroid hormones in each area through assessment of local population data considering the iodine nutritional status. The aim of this study was to define the reference ranges of free thyroxine (FT4), TSH, and thyroglobulin levels in a general population from Jaen, an area of southern Spain with an adequate iodine nutritional status, and whether they were associated with urinary iodine levels. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1,003 subjects of the general population of the Jaen Health District. Levels of urinary iodine, FT4, TSH, thyroglobulin, and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies were measured according to age and sex. Median and mean urinary iodine levels were 110.59μg/L and 130.11μg/L respectively. Median TSH level was 1.83μIU/mL (p2.5=0.56μIU/mL, p97.5=4.66μIU/mL). Median FT4 level was 0.84ng/dL (p2.5=0.62ng/dL, p97.5=1.18ng/dL). TPO antibodies were detected in 5.7% of subjects. There was no correlation between urinary iodine levels and FT4, TSH or TPO antibodies. Subjects with positive TPO antibodies had higher TSH levels (3.34μIU/L versus 2.14μIU/mL, P=.001; odds ratio=2.42). Urinary iodine levels in Jaen are optimal according to World Health Organization standards. Reference ranges of FT4, TSH, and thyroglobulin do not differ from those reported in the literature and are no associated to urinary iodine levels. The prevalence of positive TPO antibodies was similar to that reported in other Spanish areas. Copyright © 2017 SEEN y SED. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Thyroid stimulating antibodies, thyroglobulin antibodies and serum proteins during treatment of graves' disease with radioiodine or propylthouracil

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Feldt-Rasmussen, U; Bech, K; Johansen, K; Nistrup Madsen, S [Dept. of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology F, Herlev University Hospital, Copenhagen (Denmark); Date, J; Hyltoft Pedersen, P [Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Odense University Hospital, (Denmark)

1982-01-01

The relation between serum concentrations of thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), thyroid stimulating antibodies (TSAb) and serum immunoglobulins during treatment of Graves disease was studied in 36 consecutive patients treated randomly with 131-iodine (n=16) or propylthiouracil (n=20). The patients were investigated before treatment was started and on seven occasions within the following year. In the entire patient group 78% were positive for TSAb and 47% for TgAb. There was a significant correlation between TSAb and TgAb in 15 patients concomitantly positive. There were no significant changes in serum immunoglobulins during treatment in either group of patients. In the radioiodine-treated group of patients TgAb was reduced after one week, whereas TSAb showed insignificant variations. After 5-10 weeks both antibodies increased, for TgAb with a median peak level 3 times above the initial concentration. Of 16 patients treated with radioiodine five developed myxoedema and four of these were positive for TgAb. There was a relation between the development of myxoedema and the ratio between increases of TSAb and TgAb. Increase in the TSAb was not related to serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measured in TgAb-negative patients. Propylthiouracil showed minor effects on the studied variables, but with lower mean values of Tg, TgAb and TSAb at the end of the observation period. The results indicate an immunological relation between TSAb and TgAb, although differences between their courses exist in some situations.

A generalized view of self-citation: direct, co-author, collaborative, and coercive induced self-citation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ioannidis, John P A

2015-01-01

The phenomenon of self-citation can present in many different forms, including direct, co-author, collaborative, and coercive induced self-citation. It can also pertain to the citation of single scientists, groups of scientists, journals, and institutions. This article presents some case studies of extreme self-citation practices. It also discusses the implications of different types of self-citation. Self-citation is not necessarily inappropriate by default. In fact, usually it is fully appropriate but often it is even necessary. Conversely, inappropriate self-citation practices may be highly misleading and may distort the scientific literature. Coercive induced self-citation is the most difficult to discover. Coercive Induced self-citation may happen directly from reviewers of articles, but also indirectly from reviewers of grants, scientific advisors who steer a research agenda, and leaders of funding agencies who may espouse spending disproportionately large funds in research domains that perpetuate their own self-legacy. Inappropriate self-citation can be only a surrogate marker of what might be much greater distortions of the scientific corpus towards conformity to specific opinions and biases. Inappropriate self-citations eventually affect also impact metrics. Different impact metrics vary in the extent to which they can be gamed through self-citation practices. Citation indices that are more gaming-proof are available and should be more widely used. We need more empirical studies to dissect the impact of different types of inappropriate self-citation and to examine the effectiveness of interventions to limit them. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Ligation of major histocompatibility complex class I antigens (MHC-I) prevents apoptosis induced by Fas or SAPK/JNK activation in T-lymphoma cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lamberth, K; Claesson, M H

2001-01-01

Early apoptosis in Jurkat T-lymphoma cells was induced by agonistic anti-Fas Ab or by anisomycin which activates the stress kinases SAPK/JNK. Apoptosis was inhibited by ligation of major histocompatibility complex class I antigens (MHC-I). MHC-I ligation induced upregulation of the anti-apoptotic......Early apoptosis in Jurkat T-lymphoma cells was induced by agonistic anti-Fas Ab or by anisomycin which activates the stress kinases SAPK/JNK. Apoptosis was inhibited by ligation of major histocompatibility complex class I antigens (MHC-I). MHC-I ligation induced upregulation of the anti......-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein and stabilized the mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsim). MHC-I ligation also prevented downregulation of Bcl-2 and destabilization of Deltapsim induced by anti-Fas Ab treatment or anisomycin exposure. Studies on three different Jurkat cell mutants deficient for src p56(lck), ZAP......-70 kinase, or TCR/CD3 gamma-chain showed that the cells undergo apoptosis after Fas ligation. Anisomycin exposure induced apoptosis in the src p56(lck)-deficient cell line but not in the two other mutant cell lines. Simultaneous cross-linking of MHC-I and Fas ligation inhibited apoptosis in the ZAP...

Self-Induced Backaction Optical Pulling Force

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Tongtong; Cao, Yongyin; Wang, Lin; Nie, Zhongquan; Cao, Tun; Sun, Fangkui; Jiang, Zehui; Nieto-Vesperinas, Manuel; Liu, Yongmin; Qiu, Cheng-Wei; Ding, Weiqiang

2018-03-01

We achieve long-range and continuous optical pulling in a periodic photonic crystal background, which supports a unique Bloch mode with the self-collimation effect. Most interestingly, the pulling force reported here is mainly contributed by the intensity gradient force originating from the self-induced backaction of the object to the self-collimation mode. This force is sharply distinguished from the widely held conception of optical tractor beams based on the scattering force. Also, this pulling force is insensitive to the angle of incidence and can pull multiple objects simultaneously.

Hepatitis B virus e antigen induces activation of rat hepatic stellate cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zan, Yanlu; Zhang, Yuxia; Tien, Po

2013-01-01

Highlights: •HBeAg expression in HSCs induced production of ECM protein and liver fibrotic markers. •The activation and proliferation of HSCs were mediated by TGF-β. •HBeAg protein purified from cell medium directly activated HSCs. -- Abstract: Chronic hepatitis B virus infection is a major cause of hepatic fibrosis, leading to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg) is an accessory protein of HBV, not required for viral replication but important for natural infection in vivo. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major producers of excessive extracellular matrix during liver fibrogenesis. Therefore, we examined the influence of HBeAg on HSCs. The rat HSC line HSC-T6 was transfected with HBeAg plasmids, and expression of α-smooth muscle actin, collagen I, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) was investigated by quantitative real-time PCR. The proliferation of HSCs was determined by MTS analysis. HBeAg transduction induced up-regulation of these fibrogenic genes and proliferation of HSCs. We found that HBeAg induced TGF-β secretion in HSCs, and the activation of HSCs was prevented by a neutralizing anti-TGF-β antibody. Depletion and addition of HBeAg protein in conditioned medium from HSC-T6 cells transduced with HBeAg indicated that HBeAg directly induced the activation and proliferation of rat primary HSCs. Taken together, HBeAg induces the activation and proliferation of HSCs, mainly mediated by TGF-β, and HBeAg protein purified from cell medium can directly activate HSCs

Hepatitis B virus e antigen induces activation of rat hepatic stellate cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zan, Yanlu [Center for Molecular Virology, CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhang, Yuxia, E-mail: yzhang@wehi.edu.au [Center for Molecular Virology, CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Tien, Po, E-mail: tienpo@sun.im.ac.cn [Center for Molecular Virology, CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China)

2013-06-07

Highlights: •HBeAg expression in HSCs induced production of ECM protein and liver fibrotic markers. •The activation and proliferation of HSCs were mediated by TGF-β. •HBeAg protein purified from cell medium directly activated HSCs. -- Abstract: Chronic hepatitis B virus infection is a major cause of hepatic fibrosis, leading to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg) is an accessory protein of HBV, not required for viral replication but important for natural infection in vivo. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major producers of excessive extracellular matrix during liver fibrogenesis. Therefore, we examined the influence of HBeAg on HSCs. The rat HSC line HSC-T6 was transfected with HBeAg plasmids, and expression of α-smooth muscle actin, collagen I, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) was investigated by quantitative real-time PCR. The proliferation of HSCs was determined by MTS analysis. HBeAg transduction induced up-regulation of these fibrogenic genes and proliferation of HSCs. We found that HBeAg induced TGF-β secretion in HSCs, and the activation of HSCs was prevented by a neutralizing anti-TGF-β antibody. Depletion and addition of HBeAg protein in conditioned medium from HSC-T6 cells transduced with HBeAg indicated that HBeAg directly induced the activation and proliferation of rat primary HSCs. Taken together, HBeAg induces the activation and proliferation of HSCs, mainly mediated by TGF-β, and HBeAg protein purified from cell medium can directly activate HSCs.

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) induces cell-surface Ro/SSA antigen expression by human keratinocytes in vitro: a possible mechanism for the UVR induction of cutaneous lupus lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, S.K.

1992-01-01

Antinuclear antibodies are useful markers of connective tissue disease. In this study, UVB but not UVA induced the expression of Ro/SSA antigen on keratinocyte surfaces in vitro. This expression was also found with the extractable nuclear antigens RnP and Sm, but not with single or double-stranded DNA. The expression was prevented by blocking protein synthesis, suggesting that it was an active process. The results suggest that UVB exposure may result in the expression of Ro/SSA antigen on the surfaces of basal keratinocytes in vivo. This antigen could then bind circulating antibody leading to the cutaneous lesions in neonatal and subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. (Author)

Freezing-induced self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Albouy, P. A.; Deville, S.; Fulkar, A.; Hakouk, K.; Impéror-Clerc, M.; Klotz, M.; Liu, Q.; Marcellini, M.; Perez, J.

The self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules usually takes place in a liquid phase, near room temperature. Here, using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments performed in real time, we show that freezing of aqueous solutions of copolymer amphiphilic molecules can induce self-assembly below 0{\\deg}C.

[Detection of fps tumor antigen with mono-specific anti-fps serum in tumors induced by acute transforming ALV].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yixin; Chen, Hao; Zhao, Peng; Li, Jianliang; Cui, Zhizhong

2013-03-04

To prepare anti-fps mono-specific serum, and detect the fps antigen in tumors induced by acute transforming avian leukosis/sarcoma virus containing v-fps oncogene. Two part of v-fps gene was amplified by RT-PCR using the Fu-J viral RNA as the template. Mono-specific serum was prepared by immuning Kunming white mouse with both two recombinant infusion proteins expressed by the prokaryotic expression system. Indirect immunofluorescent assay was used to detect fps antigen in tumor tissue suspension cells and CEF infected by sarcoma supernatant. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect fps antigen in tumor tissue. The mouse mono-specific serum was specific as it had no cross reaction with classical ALV-J strains. The result reveals that the tumor tissue suspension cells, the CEF infected by sarcoma supernatant, and the slice immunohistochemistry of the sarcoma showed positive results. The anti-fps mono-specific serum was prepared, and the detection method was established, which laid the foundation for the study of viral biological characteristics and mechanism of tumourgenesis of acute transforming avian leukosis/sarcoma virus containing v-fps oncogene.

Original antigenic sin: A comprehensive review.

Science.gov (United States)

Vatti, Anup; Monsalve, Diana M; Pacheco, Yovana; Chang, Christopher; Anaya, Juan-Manuel; Gershwin, M Eric

2017-09-01

The concept of "original antigenic sin" was first proposed by Thomas Francis, Jr. in 1960. This phenomenon has the potential to rewrite what we understand about how the immune system responds to infections and its mechanistic implications on how vaccines should be designed. Antigenic sin has been demonstrated to occur in several infectious diseases in both animals and humans, including human influenza infection and dengue fever. The basis of "original antigenic sin" requires immunological memory, and our immune system ability to autocorrect. In the context of viral infections, it is expected that if we are exposed to a native strain of a pathogen, we should be able to mount a secondary immune response on subsequent exposure to the same pathogen. "Original antigenic sin" will not contradict this well-established immunological process, as long as the subsequent infectious antigen is identical to the original one. But "original antigenic sin" implies that when the epitope varies slightly, then the immune system relies on memory of the earlier infection, rather than mount another primary or secondary response to the new epitope which would allow faster and stronger responses. The result is that the immunological response may be inadequate against the new strain, because the immune system does not adapt and instead relies on its memory to mount a response. In the case of vaccines, if we only immunize to a single strain or epitope, and if that strain/epitope changes over time, then the immune system is unable to mount an accurate secondary response. In addition, depending of the first viral exposure the secondary immune response can result in an antibody-dependent enhancement of the disease or at the opposite, it could induce anergy. Both of them triggering loss of pathogen control and inducing aberrant clinical consequences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cytotoxic lymphocytes in Hashimoto thyroiditis: an in vitro assay system using 51Cr-labelled chicken red blood cells coated with thyroglobulin

Science.gov (United States)

Calder, Elizabeth A.; Penhale, W. J.; Barnes, E. W.; Irvine, W. J.

1973-01-01

An in vitro method is described to detect lymphocytes in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis that are cytotoxic to thyroglobulin-coated chicken red blood cells. Using this technique, the cytotoxic index of lymphocytes from patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis was 25·46±3·81 (SEM), which is significantly different from that obtained with lymphocytes from control subjects, 6·28±0·80. PMID:4740396

Immunization with the recombinant antigen Ss-IR induces protective immunity to infection with Strongyloides stercoralis in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Abraham, David; Hess, Jessica A; Mejia, Rojelio; Nolan, Thomas J; Lok, James B; Lustigman, Sara; Nutman, Thomas B

2011-10-19

Human intestinal infections with the nematode Strongyloides stercoralis remain a significant problem worldwide and a vaccine would be a useful addition to the tools available to prevent and control this infection. The goal of this study was to test single antigens for their efficacy in a vaccine against S. stercoralis larvae in mice. Alum was used as the adjuvant in these studies and antigens selected for analysis were either recognized by protective human IgG (Ss-TMY-1, Ss-EAT-6, and Ss-LEC-5) or were known to be highly immunogenic in humans (Ss-NIE-1 and Ss-IR). Only mice immunized with the Ss-IR antigen demonstrated a significant decrease of approximately 80% in the survival of larval parasites in the challenge infection. Antibodies, recovered from mice with protective immunity to S. stercoralis after immunization with Ss-IR, were used to locate the antigen in the larvae. Confocal microscopy revealed that IgG from mice immunized with Ss-IR bound to the surface of the parasites and observations by electron microscopy indicated that IgG bound to granules in the glandular esophagus. Serum collected from mice immunized with Ss-IR passively transferred immunity to naïve mice. These studies demonstrate that Ss-IR, in combination with alum, induces high levels of protective immunity through an antibody dependent mechanism and may therefore be suitable for further development as a vaccine against human strongyloidiasis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tolerance without clonal expansion: self-antigen-expressing B cells program self-reactive T cells for future deletion.

Science.gov (United States)

Frommer, Friederike; Heinen, Tobias J A J; Wunderlich, F Thomas; Yogev, Nir; Buch, Thorsten; Roers, Axel; Bettelli, Estelle; Müller, Werner; Anderton, Stephen M; Waisman, Ari

2008-10-15

B cells have been shown in various animal models to induce immunological tolerance leading to reduced immune responses and protection from autoimmunity. We show that interaction of B cells with naive T cells results in T cell triggering accompanied by the expression of negative costimulatory molecules such as PD-1, CTLA-4, B and T lymphocyte attenuator, and CD5. Following interaction with B cells, T cells were not induced to proliferate, in a process that was dependent on their expression of PD-1 and CTLA-4, but not CD5. In contrast, the T cells became sensitive to Ag-induced cell death. Our results demonstrate that B cells participate in the homeostasis of the immune system by ablation of conventional self-reactive T cells.

Antigen-induced pleural eosinophilia is suppressed in diabetic rats: role of corticosteroid hormones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno L Diaz

1997-12-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have evidenced for the existence of interactive regulatory mechanisms between insulin and steroid hormones in different systems. In this study, we have investigated whether endogenous corticosteroids could be implicated in the hyporeactivity to antigen challenge observed in sensitized diabetic rats. Alloxinated rats showed a long-lasting increase in the blood glucose levels and a reduction in the number of pleural mast cells at 48 and 72 hr, but not at 24 hr after alloxan administration. In parallel, they also showed a significant elevation in the plasma levels of corticosterone together with an increase in the adrenal/body weight ratio. Antigen-evoked eosinophil accumulation appeared significantly reduced in rats pretreated with dexamethasone as well as in those rendered diabetic 72 hr after alloxan. In the same way, naive animals treated with dexamethasone also responded with a significant decrease in the number of pleural mast cells. Interestingly, when sensitized diabetic rats were pretreated with the steroid antagonist RU 38486 a reversion of the reduction in the allergen-induced eosinophil accumulation was noted. We conclude that the down-regulation of the allergic inflammatory response in diabetic rats is close-related to reduction in mast cell numbers and over expression of endogenous corticosteroids.

Serum thyroglobulin in normal subjects and patients with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease: effects of T3, iodide, 131I and antithyroid drugs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardner, D.F.; Rothman, J.; Utiger, R.D.

1979-01-01

A sensitive, reproducible radioimmunoassay for thyroglobulin (Tg) in unextracted human serum is described. The mean (+SD) serum thyroglobulin concentration in ninety-three normal subjects was 8.8 +- 5.1 ng/ml. The mean serum concentration in forty-seven patients with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease was 162 +- 145 ng/ml, and in nine patients with subacute thyroiditis 140 +- 75 ng/ml. In normal subjects, the effects of T3 and inorganic iodide on the levels of serum Tg and T4 were measured. In hyperthyroid (Graves' disease) patients, the effects of iodide, radioactive iodine and antithyroid drugs on serum Tg, T3 and T4 levels were measured. The data suggested that; (1) Tg release by the thyroid is normally under TSH control; (2) iodide inhibits thyroidal T4 and T3 release without affecting Tg secretion; (3) thyroidal injury results in marked increases in serum Tg concentrations; and (4) initial and/or serial Tg determinations may be useful in predicting remission in patients with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease treated with antithyroid drugs. (author)

Protamine-based nanoparticles as new antigen delivery systems.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Aramundiz, José Vicente; Peleteiro Olmedo, Mercedes; González-Fernández, África; Alonso Fernández, María José; Csaba, Noemi Stefánia

2015-11-01

The use of biodegradable nanoparticles as antigen delivery vehicles is an attractive approach to overcome the problems associated with the use of Alum-based classical adjuvants. Herein we report, the design and development of protamine-based nanoparticles as novel antigen delivery systems, using recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen as a model viral antigen. The nanoparticles, composed of protamine and a polysaccharide (hyaluronic acid or alginate), were obtained using a mild ionic cross-linking technique. The size and surface charge of the nanoparticles could be modulated by adjusting the ratio of the components. Prototypes with optimal physicochemical characteristics and satisfactory colloidal stability were selected for the assessment of their antigen loading capacity, antigen stability during storage and in vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept studies. In vitro studies showed that antigen-loaded nanoparticles induced the secretion of cytokines by macrophages more efficiently than the antigen in solution, thus indicating a potential adjuvant effect of the nanoparticles. Finally, in vivo studies showed the capacity of these systems to trigger efficient immune responses against the hepatitis B antigen following intramuscular administration, suggesting the potential interest of protamine-polysaccharide nanoparticles as antigen delivery systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A microculture system for the measurement of antigen-induced murine lymphocyte proliferation: advantages of 5% horse serum and 5 X 10(-5) M mercaptoethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Brummer, E; Vris, T W; Lawrence, H S

1977-01-01

Short term microculture systems which measure murine lymphocyte proliferative responses to mitogens are well established. We demonstrate here that these microculture methods are not suitable for antigen-induced responses because of the high levels of murine lymphocyte proliferation in control cultures associated with the use of fetal calf serum or human serum. We also show that this problem can be eliminated with the use of a combination of 5% horse serum and 5 X 10(-5) M mercaptoethanol. We describe an antigen-induced murine lymphocyte proliferation microculture system in which good stimulation indices are achieved and the lymphocyte proliferation in control cultures remain at a low level throughout the 7 day culture period.

Augmentation of antigen-specific immune responses using DNA-fusogenic liposome vaccine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshikawa, Tomoaki; Imazu, Susumu; Gao Jianqing; Hayashi, Kazuyuki; Tsuda, Yasuhiro; Shimokawa, Mariko; Sugita, Toshiki; Niwa, Takako; Oda, Atushi; Akashi, Mitsuru; Tsutsumi, Yasuo; Mayumi, Tadanori; Nakagawa, Shinsaku

2004-01-01

In an attempt to enhance the immunological efficacy of genetic immunization, we investigated a new biological means for delivering antigen gene directly to the cytoplasm via membrane fusion. In this context, we investigated fusogenic liposome (FL) encapsulating DNA as a possible genetic immunization vehicle. RT-PCR analysis indicated that a FL could introduce and express encapsulating OVA gene efficiently and rapidly in vitro. Consistent with this observation, an in vitro assay showed that FL-mediated antigen-gene delivery can induce potent presentation of antigen via the MHC class I-dependent pathway. Accordingly, immunization with FL containing the OVA-gene induced potent OVA-specific Th1 and Th2 cytokine production. Additionally, OVA-specific CTL responses and antibody production were also observed in systemic compartments including the spleen, upon immunization with the OVA-gene encapsulating FL. These findings suggest that FL is an effective genetic immunization carrier system for the stimulation of antigen-specific immune responses against its encoding antigen

A murine model of type 2 autoimmune hepatitis: Xenoimmunization with human antigens.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapierre, Pascal; Djilali-Saiah, Idriss; Vitozzi, Susana; Alvarez, Fernando

2004-04-01

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is characterized by an immune-mediated injury of the hepatic parenchyma of unknown pathogenesis. Type 2 AIH is identified by the presence of anti-liver-kidney microsomes type 1 (anti-LKM1) and anti-liver cytosol type 1 (anti-LC1) autoantibodies. The current study shows that a murine model of AIH can be generated by DNA immunization against type 2 AIH self-antigens (P450 2D6 and formiminotransferase-cyclodeaminase). A pCMV plasmid containing the N-terminal region of mouse CTLA-4 and the antigenic region of human CYP2D6 (672-1,377 bp) and human formiminotransferase cyclodeaminase (FTCD; 1,232-1,668 bp) was used for DNA immunization of C57BL/6 female mice. Immunized mice showed elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), with peaks at 4 and 7 months postinjection. Periportal, portal, and intralobular liver inflammatory infiltrates were observed at histology. Mainly CD4+ lymphocytes, but also CD8+ and B lymphocytes, were found in the liver. Cytotoxic-specific T cells were found in both the liver and spleen of these animals. Mice developed anti-LKM1 and anti-LC1 antibodies of immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) subclass, against specific mouse autoantigens. The ALT levels correlated with both the presence of anti-LKM1/anti-LC1 antibodies and the presence of liver necroinflammation. In conclusion, in mice, DNA immunization against human autoantigens breaks tolerance and induces an autoimmune liver disease. Molecular mimicry between foreign and self-antigens explains the liver injury. This model of AIH resembles human type 2 AIH and will be helpful for the study of its pathogenesis.

Goodbye warts, hello vitiligo: Candida antigen-induced depigmentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilmer, Erin N; Burkhart, Craig N; Morrell, Dean S

2013-01-01

Depigmentation after the use of topical immune modulators is a rare but reported event. Herein we present what is to our knowledge the first case of vitiligo at a site of Candida antigen injection. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Specific proliferative response of human lymphocytes to purified soluble antigens from Plasmodium falciparum in vitro cultures and to antigens from malaria patients' sera

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bygbjerg, I C; Jepsen, S; Theander, T G

1985-01-01

Antigens of Plasmodium falciparum, in supernatants of in vitro cultures of the parasite were affinity purified on columns prepared with the IgG fraction of the serum of an immune individual. The purified antigens induced proliferation of lymphocytes from persons who had recently had malaria....... The responses were strongest with lymphocytes from individuals infected with falciparum and ovale malaria; vivax malaria infections induced a lower level of response and lymphocytes of unsensitized individuals were little affected. Lymphocytes from unsensitized individuals did not respond to the affinity...

Chemoselective ligation and antigen vectorization.

Science.gov (United States)

Gras-Masse, H

2001-01-01

The interest in cocktail-lipopeptide vaccines has now been confirmed by phase I clinical trials: highly diversified B-, T-helper or cytotoxic T-cell epitopes can be combined with a lipophilic vector for the induction of B- and T-cell responses of predetermined specificity. With the goal of producing an improved vaccine that should ideally induce a multispecific response in non-selected populations, increasing the diversity of the immunizing mixture represents one of the most obvious strategies.The selective delivery of antigens to professional antigen-presenting cells represents another promising approach for the improvement of vaccine efficacy. In this context, the mannose-receptor represents an attractive entry point for the targeting to dendritic cells of antigens linked to clustered glycosides or glycomimetics. In all cases, highly complex but fully characterized molecules must be produced. To develop a modular and flexible strategy which could be generally applicable to a large set of peptide antigens, we elected to explore the potentialities of chemoselective ligation methods. The hydrazone bond was found particularly reliable and fully compatible with sulphide ligation. Hydrazone/thioether orthogonal ligation systems could be developed to account for the nature of the antigens and the solubility of the vector systems. Copyright 2001 The International Association for Biologicals.

Somatostatin reduces 3H-thymidine incorporation and c-myc, but not thyroglobulin ribonucleic acid levels in human thyroid follicular cells in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

degli Uberti, E.C.; Hanau, S.; Rossi, R.; Piva, R.; Margutti, A.; Trasforini, G.; Pansini, G.; del Senno, L.

1991-01-01

The action of somatostatin (SRIH) on 3 H-thymidine (thy) incorporation and on c-myc and thyroglobulin RNA levels in a suspension of follicles from normal and goitrous human thyroid was examined. SRIH, at 10 - 7 M concentration, inhibited basal thy incorporation (maximally by 4 h lasting for up 24 h), which effect was greater in goiter than in normal thyroid and was also detected in growing adherent epithelial cells. Moreover, in a follicle suspension SRIH prevented TSH-stimulated thy incorporation, both in normal and in goitrous thyroid. Basal expression of c-myc RNA was not affected by SRIH in either tissue, whereas the TSH-stimulated c-myc RNA level was significantly reduced in goiter. No effect of SRIH was observed on basal or TSH-stimulated thyroglobulin RNA levels. SRIH did not alter basal cAMP concentrations in normal or goitrous follicles, but it significantly reduced TSH-stimulated cAMP accumulation both in normal thyroid and in goiter. Overall, our data indicate a direct inhibitory action of SRIH on growth, but not on differentiation, of human thyroid, probably by a mechanism not entirely cAMP dependent

The Leishmania promastigote surface antigen-2 (PSA-2) is specifically recognised by Th1 cells in humans with naturally acquired immunity to L. major

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kemp, M; Handman, E; Kemp, K

1998-01-01

The promastigote surface antigen-2 (PSA-2) is a Leishmania parasite antigen, which can induce Th1-mediated protection against murine leishmaniasis when used as a vaccine. To evaluate PSA-2 as a human vaccine candidate the specific T-cell response to PSA-2 was characterised in individuals immune...... to cutaneous leishmaniasis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Sudanese individuals with a past history of self-healing cutaneous leishmaniasis proliferated vigorously in response to PSA-2 isolated from Leishmania major, whereas the antigen did not activate cells from presumably unexposed Danes....... Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from individuals with previous L. major infection had varying proliferative responses to PSA-2 derived from L. donovani promastigotes. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells activated by PSA-2 from L. major produced high amounts of interferon-gamma and tumour necrosis factor...

Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Small T Antigen Drives Cell Motility via Rho-GTPase-Induced Filopodium Formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Stakaitytė, Gabrielė; Nwogu, Nnenna; Dobson, Samuel J; Knight, Laura M; Wasson, Christopher W; Salguero, Francisco J; Blackbourn, David J; Blair, G Eric; Mankouri, Jamel; Macdonald, Andrew; Whitehouse, Adrian

2018-01-15

Cell motility and migration is a complex, multistep, and multicomponent process intrinsic to progression and metastasis. Motility is dependent on the activities of integrin receptors and Rho family GTPases, resulting in the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton and formation of various motile actin-based protrusions. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive skin cancer with a high likelihood of recurrence and metastasis. Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is associated with the majority of MCC cases, and MCPyV-induced tumorigenesis largely depends on the expression of the small tumor antigen (ST). Since the discovery of MCPyV, a number of mechanisms have been suggested to account for replication and tumorigenesis, but to date, little is known about potential links between MCPyV T antigen expression and the metastatic nature of MCC. Previously, we described the action of MCPyV ST on the microtubule network and how it impacts cell motility and migration. Here, we demonstrate that MCPyV ST affects the actin cytoskeleton to promote the formation of filopodia through a mechanism involving the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 4 (PP4C). We also show that MCPyV ST-induced cell motility is dependent upon the activities of the Rho family GTPases Cdc42 and RhoA. In addition, our results indicate that the MCPyV ST-PP4C interaction results in the dephosphorylation of β 1 integrin, likely driving the cell motility pathway. These findings describe a novel mechanism by which a tumor virus induces cell motility, which may ultimately lead to cancer metastasis, and provides opportunities and strategies for targeted interventions for disseminated MCC. IMPORTANCE Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is the most recently discovered human tumor virus. It causes the majority of cases of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), an aggressive skin cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms implicating MCPyV-encoded proteins in cancer development are yet to be fully elucidated. This study builds

Acanthocheilonema viteae: Vaccination of jirds with irradiation-attenuated stage-3 larvae and with exported larval antigens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucius, R.; Textor, G.; Kern, A.; Kirsten, C.

1991-01-01

Jirds (Meriones unguiculatus) were immunized with irradiated (35 krad) stage-3 larvae (L3) of Acanthocheilonema viteae. The induced resistance against homologous challenge infection and the antibody response of the animals were studied. Immunization with 3, 2, or 1 dose of 50 irradiated L3 induced approximately 90% resistance. Immunization with a single dose of only 5 irradiated L3 resulted in 60.8% protection while immunization with a single dose of 25 L3 induced 94.1% protection. The protection induced with 3 doses of 50 irradiated L3 did not decrease significantly during a period of 6 months. Sera of a proportion, but not all resistant jirds, contained antibodies against the surface of vector derived L3 as defined by IFAT. No surface antigens of microfilariae or adult worms were recognized by the sera. Vaccinated animals had antibody responses against antigens in the inner organs of L3 and in the cuticle and reproductive organs of adult worms as shown by IFAT. Immunoblotting with SDS-PAGE-separated L3 antigens and L3-CSN revealed that all sera contained antibodies against two exported antigens of 205 and 68 kDa, and against a nonexported antigen of 18 kDa. The 205-kDa antigen easily degraded into fragments of 165, 140, 125, and 105 kDa which were recognized by resistant jird sera. Various antigens of adult worms, but relatively few antigens of microfilariae, were also recognized. To test the relevance of exported antigens of L3 to resistance, jirds were immunized with L3-CSN together with a mild adjuvant. This immunization induced 67.7% resistance against challenge infection and sera of the immunized animals recognized the 205- and 68-kDa antigens of L3

Recombinant Forms of Leishmania amazonensis Excreted/Secreted Promastigote Surface Antigen (PSA Induce Protective Immune Responses in Dogs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elodie Petitdidier

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Preventive vaccination is a highly promising strategy for interrupting leishmaniasis transmission that can, additionally, contribute to elimination. A vaccine formulation based on naturally excreted secreted (ES antigens was prepared from L. infantum promastigote culture supernatant. This vaccine achieved successful results in Phase III trials and was licensed and marketed as CaniLeish. We recently showed that newly identified ES promastigote surface antigen (PSA, from both viable promastigotes and axenically-grown amastigotes, represented the major constituent and the highly immunogenic antigen of L. infantum and L. amazonensis ES products. We report here that three immunizations with either the recombinant ES LaPSA-38S (rPSA or its carboxy terminal part LaPSA-12S (Cter-rPSA, combined with QA-21 as adjuvant, confer high levels of protection in naive L. infantum-infected Beagle dogs, as checked by bone marrow parasite absence in respectively 78.8% and 80% of vaccinated dogs at 6 months post-challenge. The parasite burden in infected vaccinated dogs was significantly reduced compared to placebo group, as measured by q-PCR. Moreover, our results reveal humoral and cellular immune response clear-cut differences between vaccinated and control dogs. An early increase in specific IgG2 antibodies was observed in rPSA/QA-21- and Cter-rPSA/QA-21-immunized dogs only. They were found functionally active in vitro and were highly correlated with vaccine protection. In vaccinated protected dogs, IFN-γ and NO productions, as well as anti-leishmanial macrophage activity, were increased. These data strongly suggest that ES PSA or its carboxy-terminal part, in recombinant forms, induce protection in a canine model of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis by inducing a Th1-dominant immune response and an appropriate specific antibody response. These data suggest that they could be considered as important active components in vaccine candidates.

MYC-induced nuclear antigen (MINA) and preeclampsia.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Fierro, Margarita L; Reyes-Oliva, Edwin A; Cabral-Pacheco, Griselda A; Garza-Veloz, Idalia; Aceves-Medina, Maria C; Luevano, Martha; Barbosa-Cisneros, Olga Y; Galvan-Valencia, Marisol; Yahuaca-Mendoza, Patricia; Delgado-Enciso, Ivan; Zamudio-Osuna, Michelle; Rodriguez-Sanchez, Iram P; Vazquez-Castro, Rosbel; Guerrero-Saucedo, Marycruz

2016-05-01

Inadequate trophoblast invasion and the subsequent inflammatory response have been implicated in preeclampsia (PE) pathogenesis. Because MYC-induced nuclear antigen (MINA) gene expression is involved in cell proliferation and differentiation, inflammatory response modulation, and the unpaired regulation of which is associated with human diseases, we sought to investigate the connection between MINA and PE. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible relationship between the MINA rs4857304 variant and susceptibility to PE development as well as to estimate placental MINA gene expression and its association with PE. About 242 pregnant women (126 PE cases and 116 controls) were included. MINA genotyping and gene expression were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction using TaqMan probes. The G/G genotype of the MINA rs4857304 variant was associated with severe PE (p = 0.027, OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.8-3.2). Carriers of one G allele of the MINA rs4857304 variant exhibited a 1.7-fold increased risk of severe PE (p = 0.029, 95% CI = 1.1-3.0). MINA was underexpressed in preeclamptic placentas and MINA expression differed between the mild and severe PE groups. Differences in the expression levels of MINA were found among women with the T/T genotype of the rs4857304 polymorphism and carriers of at least one G allele (p = 0.024). PE and its severity are associated with the underexpression of placental MINA, and the G/G genotype of the MINA rs4857304 variant may modify the risk of severe PE among the PE cases evaluated.

Serum thyroglobulin and urinary iodine concentration are the most appropriate indicators of iodine status and thyroid function under conditions of increasing iodine supply in schoolchildren in Benin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Briel, T.; West, C. E.; Hautvast, J. G.; Vulsma, T.; de Vijlder, J. J.; Ategbo, E. A.

2001-01-01

Iodine deficiency control programs have greatly reduced iodine deficiency disorders worldwide. For monitoring changes in iodine status, different indicators may be used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of indicators of iodine status and thyroid function, thyroglobulin (Tg),

Usefulness of radioiodine scanning in patients with moderate/high risk differentiated thyroid carcinoma in whom thyroglobulin after thyroxin withdrawal is undetectable after initial treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosario, Pedro Weslley S.; Cardoso, Ludmilla David; Fagundes, Tales Alvarenga; Reis, Janice Sepulveda; Maia, Frederico F. Ribeiro; Purisch, Saulo

2004-01-01

We selected 92 patients without anti thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), in whom thyroglobulin (Tg) after L-thyroxin withdrawal was undetectable ( 1.5 cm; and lymph nodes metastases in 43 (46.7%), local invasion in 26 (28.2%) or distant metastases in 23 (25%). Control whole-body scanning was negative in 78.2% of the cases and showed cervical uptake in the others. Cases presenting thyroid bed uptake in the absence of tumor recurrence did not receive radioiodine and Tg remained undetectable one year after the initial evaluation in all. Cervical uptake was not observed in 4/13 cases on repeated scan. In contrast, even in the absence of uptake and with undetectable Tg, 7 patients with recurrence confirmed by ultrasound (US) received surgical treatment. US showed 92.8% sensitivity for the detection of local-regional disease. The present study suggests that even moderate/high-risk patients without TgAb and with undetectable T g levels (off T 4 ) do not require radioiodine scanning after initial treatment and can be evaluated by cervical US. (author)

Combined analysis of circulating epithelial cells and serum thyroglobulin for distinguishing disease status of the patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma

OpenAIRE

Lin, Hung-Chih; Liou, Miaw-Jene; Hsu, Hsung-Ling; Hsieh, Jason Chia-Hsun; Chen, Yi-An; Tseng, Ching-Ping; Lin, Jen-Der

2015-01-01

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) accounts for about 80% of the cases in thyroid cancer. Routine surveillance by serum thyroglobulin (Tg) and medical imaging is the current practice to monitor disease progression of the patients. Whether enumeration of circulating epithelial cells (CECs) helps to define disease status of PTC patients was investigated. CECs were enriched from the peripheral blood of the healthy control subjects (G1, n = 17) and the patients at disease-free status (G2, n = 26) ...

Recombinant expression of homodimeric 660 kDa human thyroglobulin in soybean seeds: an alternative source of human thyroglobulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Rebecca; Hudson, Laura C; Lambirth, Kevin C; Luth, Diane; Wang, Kan; Bost, Kenneth L; Piller, Kenneth J

2011-07-01

Soybean seeds possess many qualities that make them ideal targets for the production of recombinant proteins. However, one quality often overlooked is their ability to stockpile large amounts of complex storage proteins. Because of this characteristic, we hypothesized that soybean seeds would support recombinant expression of large and complex proteins that are currently difficult or impossible to express using traditional plant and non-plant-based host systems. To test this hypothesis, we transformed soybeans with a synthetic gene encoding human thyroglobulin (hTG)-a 660 kDa homodimeric protein that is widely used in the diagnostic industry for screening and detection of thyroid disease. In the absence of a recombinant system that can produce recombinant hTG, research and diagnostic grade hTG continues to be purified from cadaver and surgically removed thyroid tissue. These less-than-ideal tissue sources lack uniform glycosylation and iodination and therefore introduce variability when purified hTG is used in sensitive ELISA screens. In this study, we report the successful expression of recombinant hTG in soybean seeds. Authenticity of the soy-derived protein was demonstrated using commercial ELISA kits developed specifically for the detection of hTG in patient sera. Western analyses and gel filtration chromatography demonstrated that recombinant hTG and thyroid-purified hTG are biologically similar with respect to size, mass, charge and subunit interaction. The recombinant protein was stable over three generations and accumulated to ~1.5% of total soluble seed protein. These results support our hypothesis that soybeans represent a practical alternative to traditional host systems for the expression of large and complex proteins.

Antigen presentation by resting B cells. Radiosensitivity of the antigen-presentation function and two distinct pathways of T cell activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashwell, J.D.; DeFranco, A.L.; Paul, W.E.; Schwartz, R.H.

1984-01-01

In this report we have examined the ability of small resting B cells to act as antigen-presenting cells (APC) to antigen-specific MHC-restricted T cells as assessed by either T cell proliferation or T cell-dependent B cell stimulation. We found that 10 of 14 in vitro antigen-specific MHC-restricted T cell clones and lines and three of four T cell hybridomas could be induced to either proliferate or secrete IL-2 in the presence of lightly irradiated (1,000 rads) purified B cells and the appropriate foreign antigen. All T cell lines and hybridomas were stimulated to proliferate or make IL-2 by macrophage- and dendritic cell-enriched populations and all T cells tested except one hybridoma caused B cell activation when stimulated with B cells as APC. Furthermore, lightly irradiated, highly purified syngeneic B cells were as potent a source of APC for inducing B cell activation as were low density dendritic and macrophage-enriched cells. Lymph node T cells freshly taken from antigen-primed animals were also found to proliferate when cultured with purified B cells and the appropriate antigen. This APC function was easily measured when the cells were irradiated with 1,000 rads, but was greatly diminished or absent when they were irradiated with 3,300 rads. In addition, this radiosensitivity allowed us to easily distinguish B cell antigen presentation from presentation by the dendritic cell and macrophage, as the latter was resistant to 3,300 rads. Finally, one T cell clone that failed to proliferate when B cells were used as APC was able to recruit allogeneic B cells to proliferate in the presence of syngeneic B cells and the appropriate antigen. This result suggests that there are at least two distinct pathways of activation in T cells, one that leads to T cell proliferation and one that leads to the secretion of B cell recruitment factor(s)

CD8 T Cell Sensory Adaptation Dependent on TCR Avidity for Self-Antigens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marquez, M.-E.; Ellmeier, W.; Sanchez-Guajardo, Vanesa Maria

2005-01-01

dephosphorylation of linker for activation of T cells and ERK upon activation. Normal TCR levels and cytokine production were restored by culturing cells in the absence of TCR/spMHC interaction, demonstrating dynamic tuning of peripheral T cell responses. The effect of avidity for self-ligand(s) on this sensory...... ZAP-YEEI cells were enhanced. Our data provide support for central and peripheral sensory T cell adaptation induced as a function of TCR avidity for self-ligands and signaling level. This may contribute to buffer excessive autoreactivity while optimizing TCR repertoire usage....

A new magnetorheological damper with improved displacement differential self-induced ability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Guoliang; Zhou, Wei; Li, Weihua

2015-01-01

This work is an extension of our previous study on the development of a linear variable differential sensor (LVDS)-based magnetorheological (MR) damper with self-sensing capability, where a new MR damper integrated with LVDS technology was developed and prototyped, then its self-induced performance under static and dynamic working conditions was experimentally evaluated. The results of the static and dynamic experiments indicated that the self-induced voltage was proportional to the displacement of the damper. Moreover, the damping performance of this new MR damper was also evaluated through an experimental study. Compared with our previous study, the new MR damper performed better in terms of its self-induced sensing ability and damping capacity. (technical note)

Antigen-specific tolerance of human alpha1-antitrypsin induced by helper-dependent adenovirus.

Science.gov (United States)

Cerullo, V; McCormack, W; Seiler, M; Mane, V; Cela, R; Clarke, C; Rodgers, J R; Lee, B

2007-12-01

As efficient and less toxic virus-derived gene therapy vectors are developed, a pressing problem is to avoid immune response to the therapeutic gene product. Secreted therapeutic proteins potentially represent a special problem, as they are readily available to professional antigen-presenting cells throughout the body. Some studies suggest that immunity to serum proteins can be avoided in some mouse strains by using tissue-specific promoters. Here we show that expression of human alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) was nonimmunogenic in the immune-responsive strain C3H/HeJ, when expressed from helper-dependent (HD) vectors using ubiquitous as well as tissue-specific promoters. Coadministration of less immunogenic HD vectors with an immunogenic first-generation vector failed to immunize, suggesting immune suppression rather than immune stealth. Indeed, mice primed with HD vectors were tolerant to immune challenge with hAAT emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant. Such animals developed high-titer antibodies to coemulsified human serum albumin, showing that tolerance was antigen specific. AAT-specific T cell responses were depressed in tolerized animals, suggesting that tolerance affects both T and B cells. These results are consistent with models of high-dose tolerance of B cells and certain other suppressive mechanisms, and suggest that a high level of expression from HD vectors can be sufficient to induce specific immune tolerance to serum proteins.

T lymphocytes from irradiation chimeras repopulated with 13-day fetal liver cells recognize antigens only in association with self-MHC products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nisbet-Brown, E.; Diener, E.

1986-01-01

The restriction specificities of maturing thymocytes are determined by the Class II MHC antigens expressed by non-lymphoid thymic tissues. The proliferative response of mature T lymphocytes to antigen-presenting cells (APC) and antigen requires that the APC express the same MHC antigens as the thymus in which the T cells differentiated. Thus, in the two-way bone marrow chimera [A + B----(A x B)F1], T lymphocyte populations of A and B haplotypes have each acquired the potential to recognize antigens associated with either parental haplotype. In spite of the large body of work on MHC restriction, we still do not have a clear understanding of the mechanisms which impose self restriction. The chimeric model systems used previously to study MHC restriction have used adult bone marrow cells as the source of lymphoid precursors. During normal ontogeny, T cells are derived from precursors in the fetal liver and we felt that a direct comparison of T cells from fetal liver and bone marrow-repopulated animals would shed light on the development of MHC restriction specificities during T cell ontogeny in the thymus or prethymically. We found that parental T lymphocyte populations isolated from two-way fetal liver chimeras cooperated only with syngeneic APC, while those from bone marrow chimeras cooperated with APC of either parental haplotype. This suggests that fetal liver and bone marrow may not be equivalent sources of stem cells. Our results may be due to fundamental differences between thymocyte precursors in fetal liver and bone marrow, including the time course of their expression of T cell receptor gene products

Formulation of the bivalent prostate cancer vaccine with surgifoam elicits antigen-specific effector T cells in PSA-transgenic mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Karan, Dev

2017-10-13

We previously developed and characterized an adenoviral-based prostate cancer vaccine for simultaneous targeting of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA). We also demonstrated that immunization of mice with the bivalent vaccine (Ad 5 -PSA+PSCA) inhibited the growth of established prostate tumors. However, there are multiple challenges hindering the success of immunological therapies in the clinic. One of the prime concerns has been to overcome the immunological tolerance and maintenance of long-term effector T cells. In this study, we further characterized the use of the bivalent vaccine (Ad 5 -PSA+PSCA) in a transgenic mouse model expressing human PSA in the mouse prostate. We demonstrated the expression of PSA analyzed at the mRNA level (by RT-PCR) and protein level (by immunohistochemistry) in the prostate lobes harvested from the PSA-transgenic (PSA-Tg) mice. We established that the administration of the bivalent vaccine in surgifoam to the PSA-Tg mice induces strong PSA-specific effector CD8 + T cells as measured by IFN-γ secretion and in vitro cytotoxic T-cell assay. Furthermore, the use of surgifoam with Ad 5 -PSA+PSCA vaccine allows multiple boosting vaccinations with a significant increase in antigen-specific CD8 + T cells. These observations suggest that the formulation of the bivalent prostate cancer vaccine (Ad 5 -PSA+PSCA) with surgifoam bypasses the neutralizing antibody response, thus allowing multiple boosting. This formulation is also helpful for inducing an antigen-specific immune response in the presence of self-antigen, and maintains long-term effector CD8 + T cells. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Antigen Loss Variants: Catching Hold of Escaping Foes.

Science.gov (United States)

Vyas, Maulik; Müller, Rolf; Pogge von Strandmann, Elke

2017-01-01

Since mid-1990s, the field of cancer immunotherapy has seen steady growth and selected immunotherapies are now a routine and preferred therapeutic option of certain malignancies. Both active and passive cancer immunotherapies exploit the fact that tumor cells express specific antigens on the cell surface, thereby mounting an immune response specifically against malignant cells. It is well established that cancer cells typically lose surface antigens following natural or therapy-induced selective pressure and these antigen-loss variants are often the population that causes therapy-resistant relapse. CD19 and CD20 antigen loss in acute lymphocytic leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, respectively, and lineage switching in leukemia associated with mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene rearrangements are well-documented evidences in this regard. Although increasing number of novel immunotherapies are being developed, majority of these do not address the control of antigen loss variants. Here, we review the occurrence of antigen loss variants in leukemia and discuss the therapeutic strategies to tackle the same. We also present an approach of dual-targeting immunoligand effectively retargeting NK cells against antigen loss variants in MLL-associated leukemia. Novel immunotherapies simultaneously targeting more than one tumor antigen certainly hold promise to completely eradicate tumor and prevent therapy-resistant relapses.

Total Leishmania antigens with Poly(I:C) induce Th1 protective response.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, M V; Eliçabe, R J; Di Genaro, M S; Germanó, M J; Gea, S; García Bustos, M F; Salomón, M C; Scodeller, E A; Cargnelutti, D E

2017-11-01

Our proposal was to develop a vaccine based on total Leishmania antigens (TLA) adjuvanted with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [Poly(I:C)] able to induce a Th1 response which can provide protection against Leishmania infection. Mice were vaccinated with two doses of TLA-Poly(I:C) administered by subcutaneous route at 3-week interval. Humoral and cellular immune responses induced by the immunization were measured. The protective efficacy of the vaccine was evaluated by challenging mice with infective promastigotes of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis into the footpad. Mice vaccinated with TLA-Poly(I:C) showed a high anti-Leishmania IgG titre, as well as increased IgG1 and IgG2a subclass titres compared with mice vaccinated with the TLA alone. The high IgG2a indicated a Th1 bias response induced by the TLA-Poly(I:C) immunization. Accordingly, the cellular immune response elicited by the formulation was characterized by an increased production of IFN-γ and no significant production of IL-4. The TLA-Poly(I:C) immunization elicited good protection, which was associated with decreased footpad swelling, a lower parasite load and a reduced histopathological alteration in the footpad. Our findings demonstrate a promising vaccine against cutaneous leishmaniasis that is relatively economic and easy to develop and which should be taken into account for preventing leishmaniasis in developing countries. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Culicoides antigen extract stimulates equine blood mononuclear (BMN) cell proliferation and the release of eosinophil adherence-inducing factor(s).

Science.gov (United States)

Mckelvie, J; Foster, A P; Hamblin, A S; Cunningham, F M

2001-04-01

Intradermal injection of a Culicoides antigen extract (CAgX) induces T lymphocyte and eosinophil accumulation in the skin of horses with sweet itch. Blood mononuclear (BMN) cells from normal ponies proliferate when stimulated by mitogen (phytohaemagglutinin, PHA) or antigen (tetanus toxoid, TT) and, as shown here, release soluble factor(s) that induce eosinophil adherence. CAgX also caused concentration dependent proliferation of BMN cells from sweet itch and normal ponies [stimulation index: 29 (13) and 17 (7) for BMN cells from sweet itch and normal ponies, respectively during the active phase of disease; 4 microg protein ml(-1)CAgX; 168 h]. A heat labile factor(s) which caused eosinophil adherence was also released [sweet itch ponies: 6.0 (1.6) per cent adherence versus 1.3 (0.4) per cent; normal ponies: 6.6 (0.5) per cent adherence versus 0.9 (0.1) per cent for supernatants from CAgX (4 microg protein ml(-1); 48 hours) stimulated versus unstimulated BMN cells, respectively]. These results suggest that soluble proteins released from T lymphocytes could affect eosinophil function in the lesional skin of sweet itch horses. Copyright 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

Antibiotic treatment attenuates behavioral and neurochemical changes induced by exposure of rats to group a streptococcal antigen.

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Dafna Lotan

Full Text Available Post-streptococcal A (GAS sequelae including movement and neuropsychiatric disorders have been associated with improvement in response to antibiotic therapy. Besides eradication of infection, the underlying basis of attenuation of neuropsychiatric symptoms following antibiotic treatment is not known. The aim of the present study was to test the efficacy of antibiotic treatment in a rat model of GAS-related neuropsychiatric disorders. In the model, rats were not infected but were exposed to GAS-antigen or to adjuvants only (Control rats and treated continuously with the antibiotic ampicillin in their drinking water from the first day of GAS-antigen exposure. Two additional groups of rats (GAS and Control did not receive ampicillin in their drinking water. Behavior of the four groups was assessed in the forced swim, marble burying and food manipulation assays. We assessed levels of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors and tyrosine hydroxylase in the prefrontal cortex and striatum, and IgG deposition in the prefrontal cortex, striatum and thalamus. Ampicillin treatment prevented emergence of the motor and some of the behavioral alterations induced by GAS-antigen exposure, reduced IgG deposition in the thalamus of GAS-exposed rats, and tended to attenuate the increase in the level of TH and D1 and D2 receptors in their striatum, without concomitantly reducing the level of sera anti-GAS antibodies. Our results reinforce the link between exposure to GAS antigen, dysfunction of central dopaminergic pathways and motor and behavioral alterations. Our data further show that some of these deleterious effects can be attenuated by antibiotic treatment, and supports the latter's possible efficacy as a prophylactic treatment in GAS-related neuropsychiatric disorders.

Immunization with FSHβ fusion protein antigen prevents bone loss in a rat ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geng, Wenxin; Yan, Xingrong; Du, Huicong; Cui, Jihong; Li, Liwen, E-mail: liven@nwu.edu.cn; Chen, Fulin, E-mail: chenfl@nwu.edu.cn

2013-05-03

Highlights: •A GST-FSH fusion protein was successfully expressed in E. coli. •Immunization with GST-FSH antigen can raise high-titer anti-FSH polyclonal sera. •Anti-FSH polyclonal sera can neutralize osteoclastogenic effect of FSH in vitro. •FSH immunization can prevent bone loss in a rat osteoporosis model. -- Abstract: Osteoporosis, a metabolic bone disease, threatens postmenopausal women globally. Hormone replacement therapy (HTR), especially estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), is used widely in the clinic because it has been generally accepted that postmenopausal osteoporosis is caused by estrogen deficiency. However, hypogonadal α and β estrogen receptor null mice were only mildly osteopenic, and mice with either receptor deleted had normal bone mass, indicating that estrogen may not be the only mediator that induces osteoporosis. Recently, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), the serum concentration of which increases from the very beginning of menopause, has been found to play a key role in postmenopausal osteoporosis by promoting osteoclastogenesis. In this article, we confirmed that exogenous FSH can enhance osteoclast differentiation in vitro and that this effect can be neutralized by either an anti-FSH monoclonal antibody or anti-FSH polyclonal sera raised by immunizing animals with a recombinant GST-FSHβ fusion protein antigen. Moreover, immunizing ovariectomized rats with the GST-FSHβ antigen does significantly prevent trabecular bone loss and thereby enhance the bone strength, indicating that a FSH-based vaccine may be a promising therapeutic strategy to slow down bone loss in postmenopausal women.

Improved Activation toward Primary Colorectal Cancer Cells by Antigen-Specific Targeting Autologous Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Schlimper

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Adoptive therapy of malignant diseases with cytokine-induced killer (CIK cells showed promise in a number of trials; the activation of CIK cells from cancer patients towards their autologous cancer cells still needs to be improved. Here, we generated CIK cells ex vivo from blood lymphocytes of colorectal cancer patients and engineered those cells with a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR with an antibody-defined specificity for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA. CIK cells thereby gained a new specificity as defined by the CAR and showed increase in activation towards CEA+ colon carcinoma cells, but less in presence of CEA− cells, indicated by increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Redirected CIK activation was superior by CAR-mediated CD28-CD3ζ than CD3ζ signaling only. CAR-engineered CIK cells from colon carcinoma patients showed improved activation against their autologous, primary carcinoma cells from biopsies resulting in more efficient tumour cell lysis. We assume that adoptive therapy with CAR-modified CIK cells shows improved selectivity in targeting autologous tumour lesions.

Molecular mimics of the tumour antigen MUC1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tharappel C James

Full Text Available A key requirement for the development of cancer immunotherapy is the identification of tumour-associated antigens that are differentially or exclusively expressed on the tumour and recognized by the host immune system. However, immune responses to such antigens are often muted or lacking due to the antigens being recognized as "self", and further complicated by the tumour environment and regulation of immune cells within. In an effort to circumvent the lack of immune responses to tumour antigens, we have devised a strategy to develop potential synthetic immunogens. The strategy, termed mirror image phage display, is based on the concept of molecular mimicry as demonstrated by the idiotype/anti-idiotype paradigm in the immune system. Here as 'proof of principle' we have selected molecular mimics of the well-characterised tumour associated antigen, the human mucin1 protein (MUC1 from two different peptide phage display libraries. The putative mimics were compared in structure and function to that of the native antigen. Our results demonstrate that several of the mimic peptides display T-cell stimulation activity in vitro when presented by matured dendritic cells. The mimic peptides and the native MUC1 antigenic epitopes can cross-stimulate T-cells. The data also indicate that sequence homology and/or chemical properties to the original epitope are not the sole determining factors for the observed immunostimulatory activity of the mimic peptides.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A QUESTIONNAIRE TO MEASURE SELF-INDUCED CONCATENATED DEMOTIVATION

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Josko Sindik

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The concept of self-induced concatenated demotivation describes the “chain“ of demotivational processes and interactions of employees, in the contexts of postsocialism, job characteristics, dominant forms of motivation and group cohesion in work organizations. The aim of the preliminary research was to construct a questionnaire to measure the concept of self-induced concatenated demotivation and the relations between its latent dimensions. The study included a “snowball“ sample of 196 participants aged 20 to 65, of both genders, with heterogeneous professions and degrees in education. Based on the results of factor analysis three latent dimensions have been obtained, that account for only 36% of the total variance of the manifest area of self-induced concatenated demotivation, which we have named: pessimism/rationalization, social orientation, the ability to evaluate other people. The questionnaire to measure self-induced concatenated demotivation of employees has proved to be a low but satisfactory reliable measuring instrument for all three dimensions of the concept.

Is Stimulated Thyroglobulin Necessary after Ablation in All Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and Basal Thyroglobulin Detectable by a Second-Generation Assay?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Weslley Rosario

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate the percentage of elevated stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg and persistent or recurrent disease (PRD in patients with detectable basal Tg < 0.3 ng/mL. Methods. The sample consisted of 130 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC who were at low risk of PRD and who had neck ultrasound (US without abnormalities, negative anti-Tg antibodies (TgAb, and detectable basal Tg < 0.3 ng/mL about 6 months after ablation. Results. sTg was <1 ng/mL in 88 patients (67.7%, between 1 and 2 ng/mL in 26 (20%, and ≥2 ng/mL in 16 (12.3%. Imaging methods revealed the absence of tumors in 16 patients with elevated sTg. During follow-up, Tg increased to 0.58 ng/mL in one patient and lymph node metastases were detected. Sixty-nine patients continued to have detectable Tg < 0.3 ng/mL and US revealed recurrence in only one patient. Sixty patients progressed to persistently undetectable Tg without apparent disease on US. Conclusions. In low-risk patients with PTC who have detectable basal Tg < 0.3 ng/mL after ablation, negative TgAb, and US, persistent disease is rare and eventual recurrences can be detected by basal Tg elevation and/or subsequent US assessments, with follow-up without sTg being an “alternative” to Tg stimulation.

Polyethylenimine-based polyplex delivery of self-replicating RNA vaccines.

Science.gov (United States)

Démoulins, Thomas; Milona, Panagiota; Englezou, Pavlos C; Ebensen, Thomas; Schulze, Kai; Suter, Rolf; Pichon, Chantal; Midoux, Patrick; Guzmán, Carlos A; Ruggli, Nicolas; McCullough, Kenneth C

2016-04-01

Self-amplifying replicon RNA (RepRNA) are large molecules (12-14 kb); their self-replication amplifies mRNA template numbers, affording several rounds of antigen production, effectively increasing vaccine antigen payloads. Their sensitivity to RNase-sensitivity and inefficient uptake by dendritic cells (DCs) - absolute requirements for vaccine design - were tackled by condensing RepRNA into synthetic, nanoparticulate, polyethylenimine (PEI)-polyplex delivery vehicles. Polyplex-delivery formulations for small RNA molecules cannot be transferred to RepRNA due to its greater size and complexity; the N:P charge ratio and impact of RepRNA folding would influence polyplex condensation, post-delivery decompaction and the cytosolic release essential for RepRNA translation. Polyplex-formulations proved successful for delivery of RepRNA encoding influenza virus hemagglutinin and nucleocapsid to DCs. Cytosolic translocation was facilitated, leading to RepRNA translation. This efficacy was confirmed in vivo, inducing both humoral and cellular immune responses. Accordingly, this paper describes the first PEI-polyplexes providing efficient delivery of the complex and large, self-amplifying RepRNA vaccines. The use of self-amplifying replicon RNA (RepRNA) to increase vaccine antigen payloads can potentially be useful in effective vaccine design. Nonetheless, its use is limited by the degradation during the uptake process. Here, the authors attempted to solve this problem by packaging RepRNA using polyethylenimine (PEI)-polyplex delivery vehicles. The efficacy was confirmed in vivo by the appropriate humoral and cellular immune responses. This novel delivery method may prove to be very useful for future vaccine design. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the highly sensitive Roche thyroglobulin II assay and establishment of a reference limit for thyroglobulin-negative patient samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Rotteveel-de Groot, Dorien M; Ross, H Alec; Janssen, Marcel J R; Netea-Maier, Romana T; Oosting, Janine D; Sweep, Fred C G J; van Herwaarden, Antonius E

2016-08-01

Thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements are used to monitor for residual thyroid tissue in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) after thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablative therapy. In recent years highly sensitive Tg assays have been developed. In this study the analytical performance of the new Roche Elecsys Tg II assay was evaluated and compared with the well documented Access2 Tg assay (Beckman-Coulter). Analytical performance was examined using various Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) evaluation protocols. Tg negative patient sera were used to establish an upper reference limit (URL) for the Elecsys Tg II assay. Non-linearity, drift and carry-over according to CLSI EP10 and EP6 in a measuring range of 0.04-500 ng/mL were non-significant. Total precision according to CLSI EP5 was 10% at a Tg concentration of 0.08 ng/mL. A patient serum comparison performed according to a modified CLSI EP9 protocol showed a significant difference of a factor of approximately 1.4, despite using an identical CRM calibrator. The Elecsys Tg II assay measured Tg with a two-fold higher sensitivity than the Access2 assay. Finally, using human sera without Tg, an URL of 0.05 ng/mL was determined. In our hands the highly sensitive Elecsys Tg II assay shows a good analytical performance and a higher sensitivity compared to the Access2 Tg assay. An URL of 0.05 ng/mL for the Elecsys Tg II assay was determined which may improve the clinical utility of the assay for the detection of residual DTC or disease recurrence.

Chimeric antigen receptors with human scFvs preferentially induce T cell anti-tumor activity against tumors with high B7H6 expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Gacerez, Albert T; Hua, Casey K; Ackerman, Margaret E; Sentman, Charles L

2018-05-01

B7H6 is emerging as a promising tumor antigen that is known to be expressed on a wide array of tumors and is reported to stimulate anti-tumor responses from the immune system. As such, B7H6 presents a good target for tumor-specific immunotherapies. B7H6-specific chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) based on a murine antibody showed successful targeting and elimination of tumors expressing B7H6. However, mouse single chain variable fragments (scFvs) have the potential to induce host anti-CAR responses that may limit efficacy, so human scFvs specific for B7H6 were selected by yeast surface display. In this study, we validate the functionality of these human scFvs when formatted into chimeric antigen receptors. The data indicate that T cells expressing these B7H6-specific human scFvs as CARs induced potent anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo against tumors expressing high amounts of B7H6. Importantly, these human scFv-based CARs are sensitive to changes in B7H6 expression which may potentially spare non-tumor cells that express B7H6 and provides the foundation for future clinical development.

Autoreactive lymphocytes in thyroid disorders. 2. Comparison of anti-thyroglobulin antibody production by plaque-forming cell, radio-immunological and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petersen, J; Feldt-Rasmussen, U; Siersbaek-Nielsen, K; Hoeier-Madsen, M; Larsen, F; Husby, S

1986-01-01

Blood mononuclear cells (MNC) from 9 randomly selected patients with autoimmune thyroiditis were stimulated in vitro with pokeweed mitogen (PWM), a polyclonal B lymphocyte activator. The secretion of immunoglobulins (Ig) and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) was assayed by means of haemolytic plaque-forming cell (PFC) assays, radioimmune assay (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Total Ig and TgAb production was maximal using MNC cultured at 1.0 x 10/sup 6//ml as estimated by PFC, RIA and ELISA. The Ig and TgAb production as measured by RIA and ELISA was 1.5 - 3 times higher after 12 days' culture compared to 6 days' culture. Ig and TgAb production measured by PFC-assays at day 6 correlated positively to the results obtained by RIA and ELISA at day 12. PWM-induced TgAb secretion correlated positively to TgAb titres in serum. As judged by PFC, TgAb production was found in 8/9 patients; about 5% (range 0 - 7.9%) of the total PWM-stimulated IgG-secreting cells were involved in TgAb secretion. TgAb production as measured by ELISA and RIA was found in 6/9 patients. By reference to an affinity-purified human TgAb preparation, the TgAb secretion was about 0.7% (range 0 - 21.3%) of the total PWM-induced IgG secretion.

Targeted gene delivery to the synovial pannus in antigen-induced arthritis by ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Xi; Tang, Yuanjiao; Leng, Qianying; Zhang, Lingyan; Qiu, Li

2016-02-01

The purpose of this study was to optimize an ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) technique to improve the in vivo transfection efficiency of the gene encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in the synovial pannus in an antigen-induced arthritis rabbit model. A mixture of microbubbles and plasmids was locally injected into the knee joints of an antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) rabbits. The plasmid concentrations and ultrasound conditions were varied in the experiments. We also tested local articular and intravenous injections. The rabbits were divided into five groups: (1) ultrasound+microbubbles+plasmid; (2) ultrasound+plasmid; (3) microbubble+plasmid; (4) plasmid only; (5) untreated controls. EGFP expression was observed by fluorescent microscope and immunohistochemical staining in the synovial pannus of each group. The optimal plasmid dosage and ultrasound parameter were determined based on the results of EGFP expression and the present and absent of tissue damage under light microscopy. The irradiation procedure was performed to observe the duration of the EGFP expression in the synovial pannus and other tissues and organs, as well as the damage to the normal cells. The optimal condition was determined to be a 1-MHz ultrasound pulse applied for 5 min with a power output of 2 W/cm(2) and a 20% duty cycle along with 300 μg of plasmid. Under these conditions, the synovial pannus showed significant EGFP expression without significant damage to the surrounding normal tissue. The EGFP expression induced by the local intra-articular injection was significantly more increased than that induced by the intravenous injection. The EGFP expression in the synovial pannus of the ultrasound+microbubbles+plasmid group was significantly higher than that of the other four groups (Ppannus of an AIA model. Thus, this could become a safe and effective non-viral gene transfection procedure for arthritis therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Structure determination by 1H NMR spectroscopy of (sulfated) sialylated N-linked carbohydrate chains released from porcine thyroglobulin by peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-β-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase-F

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vliegenthart, J.F.G.; Waard, P. de; Koorevaar, A.; Kamerling, J.P.

1991-01-01

The N-linked carbohydrate chains of porcine thyroglobulin were released by peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-β-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase-F (PNGase- F). The resulting oligosaccharides were fractionated by a combination of fast protein liquid chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography and

Relations between various measures of iodine intake and thyroid volume, thyroid nodularity, and serum thyroglobulin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Lone Banke; Ovesen, L.; Bulow, I.

2002-01-01

sought to identify, if possible, groups at risk of thyroid disease because of their food choices. Design: This cohort study included 4649 randomly selected subjects with mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency; the subjects lived in 2 cities in Denmark. Iodine intake was estimated by using a food...... some measures of iodine intake were significantly related to the prevalence of thyroid nodules. Conclusions: Even in a geographic area where mild iodine deficiency is common, a significant relation between iodine intake and thyroid volume was found. All measures of iodine intake, except iodine......Background: Iodine intake can be measured in various ways, and each method may have advantages and disadvantages. Objective: We sought to investigate the potential associations of various measures of iodine intake with thyroid volume, prevalence of thyroid nodules, and serum thyroglobulin. We also...

Human leukocyte antigen genetics and clinical features of self-treated patients on a gluten-free diet.

Science.gov (United States)

Coburn, John A; Vande Voort, Jennifer L; Lahr, Brian D; Van Dyke, Carol T; Kroning, Cynthia M; Wu, Tsung-Teh; Gandhi, Manish J; Murray, Joseph A

2013-01-01

Increasingly, people start a gluten-free diet (GFD) without a clear celiac disease (CD) diagnosis. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping is useful in ruling out CD in patients with equivocal results of serologic testing or small-bowel biopsy (SBB), but its utility and the clinical features of patients on self-treated GFD (ST-GFD) are largely unknown. Retrospective study of single tertiary care center cohort compared 137 patients on ST-GFD and 443 patients with well-defined CD. We compared HLA genotype, symptoms, serologic and SBB results, and response to GFD between the 2 groups. Analysis used univariate logistic regression modeling, adjusted for age and sex. Patients with ST-GFD presented more often with diarrhea (Pgluten sensitivity may play a role.

Ionic imbalance induced self-propulsion of liquid metals

Science.gov (United States)

Zavabeti, Ali; Daeneke, Torben; Chrimes, Adam F.; O'Mullane, Anthony P.; Zhen Ou, Jian; Mitchell, Arnan; Khoshmanesh, Khashayar; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kourosh

2016-08-01

Components with self-propelling abilities are important building blocks of small autonomous systems and the characteristics of liquid metals are capable of fulfilling self-propulsion criteria. To date, there has been no exploration regarding the effect of electrolyte ionic content surrounding a liquid metal for symmetry breaking that generates motion. Here we show the controlled actuation of liquid metal droplets using only the ionic properties of the aqueous electrolyte. We demonstrate that pH or ionic concentration gradients across a liquid metal droplet induce both deformation and surface Marangoni flow. We show that the Lippmann dominated deformation results in maximum velocity for the self-propulsion of liquid metal droplets and illustrate several key applications, which take advantage of such electrolyte-induced motion. With this finding, it is possible to conceive the propulsion of small entities that are constructed and controlled entirely with fluids, progressing towards more advanced soft systems.

Immunogenic Properties of Lactobacillus plantarum Producing Surface-Displayed Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigens.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuczkowska, Katarzyna; Kleiveland, Charlotte R; Minic, Rajna; Moen, Lars F; Øverland, Lise; Tjåland, Rannei; Carlsen, Harald; Lea, Tor; Mathiesen, Geir; Eijsink, Vincent G H

2017-01-15

Tuberculosis (TB) remains among the most deadly diseases in the world. The only available vaccine against tuberculosis is the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, which does not ensure full protection in adults. There is a global urgency for the development of an effective vaccine for preventing disease transmission, and it requires novel approaches. We are exploring the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as a vector for antigen delivery to mucosal sites. Here, we demonstrate the successful expression and surface display of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion antigen (comprising Ag85B and ESAT-6, referred to as AgE6) on Lactobacillus plantarum The AgE6 fusion antigen was targeted to the bacterial surface using two different anchors, a lipoprotein anchor directing the protein to the cell membrane and a covalent cell wall anchor. AgE6-producing L. plantarum strains using each of the two anchors induced antigen-specific proliferative responses in lymphocytes purified from TB-positive donors. Similarly, both strains induced immune responses in mice after nasal or oral immunization. The impact of the anchoring strategies was reflected in dissimilarities in the immune responses generated by the two L. plantarum strains in vivo The present study comprises an initial step toward the development of L. plantarum as a vector for M. tuberculosis antigen delivery. This work presents the development of Lactobacillus plantarum as a candidate mucosal vaccine against tuberculosis. Tuberculosis remains one of the top infectious diseases worldwide, and the only available vaccine, bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), fails to protect adults and adolescents. Direct antigen delivery to mucosal sites is a promising strategy in tuberculosis vaccine development, and lactic acid bacteria potentially provide easy, safe, and low-cost delivery vehicles for mucosal immunization. We have engineered L. plantarum strains to produce a Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion antigen and to anchor this

Ultraviolet light-induced keratinocyte apoptosis: a potential mechanism for the induction of skin lesions and autoantibody production in LE.

Science.gov (United States)

Casciola-Rosen, L; Rosen, A

1997-01-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototype systemic autoimmune disease which is characterized clinically by pleiotropy and periodicity. The immune features which accompany the characteristic flares of the disease have strongly suggested that the autoimmune response is driven by self antigen, and is T cell-dependent. These features have prompted the search for potential initiating process(es) which induce the release of self-antigens in a form which causes T cell tolerance to those self molecules to be broken. We review here several recent observations which implicate apoptotic cells as an important potential source of clustered and concentrated autoantigens in SLE, and present our current model whereby the novel autoantigen fragments generated in apoptotic surface blebs initiate and drive the autoimmune response in this disease.

Altered balance between self-reactive T helper (Th)17 cells and Th10 cells and between full-length forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) and FoxP3 splice variants in Hashimoto's thyroiditis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, B; Hegedüs, Laszlo; Madsen, H O

2015-01-01

cells from healthy donors and patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) or Graves' disease (GD) to polyclonal stimulation, or stimulation with human thyroglobulin (TG), human thyroid peroxidase (TPO), or Esherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). TPO and LPS induced increased differentiation of naive CD...

Delayed radiation-induced inflammation accompanying a marked carbohydrate antigen 19-9 elevation in a patient with resected pancreatic cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mattes, Malcolm D.; Cardinal, Jon S.; Jacobson, Geraldine M. [West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown (United States)

2016-06-15

Although carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 is a useful tumor marker for pancreatic cancer, it can also become elevated from a variety of benign and malignant conditions. Herein we describe an unusual presentation of elevated CA 19-9 in an asymptomatic patient who had previously undergone adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy for resected early stage pancreatic cancer. The rise in CA 19-9 might be due to delayed radiation-induced inflammation related to previous intra-abdominal radiation therapy with or without radiation recall induced by gemcitabine. After treatment with corticosteroids the CA 19-9 level decreased to normal, and the patient has not developed any evidence of recurrent cancer to date.

The value of thyroglobulin in washout of fine needle aspirate from 16 cervical lesions in patients with thyroid cancer.

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Familiar Casado, Cristina; Antón Bravo, Teresa; Moraga Guerrero, Inmaculada; Ramos Carrasco, Araceli; García García, Carmen; Villanueva Curto, Santiago

2013-11-01

Thyroglobulin in the needle washout (Tg-FNA) and cytology of fine needle aspiration (cyto-FNA) are recommended for diagnosis of metastatic lymphadenopathies and recurrence of differentiated thyroid cancer. The objective of this study was to assess the value of these procedures in 16 cervical masses from patients with thyroid cancer of the follicular epithelium (TC). The study included six patients with TC and cervical lymphadenopathies evaluated before initial thyroid surgery and 10 patients followed up after TC surgery with cervical lumps discovered. FNA was performed in all 16 masses. Results of cyto-FNA, Tg-FNA and of the combined tests were compared to the final diagnosis of each lesion. Among 10 lesions proven to be malignant at surgery, cyto-FNA, Tg-FNA and the combination of both allowed for adequate diagnosis in 7, 9, and 10 cases respectively. Among 6 lesions considered to be benign, cyto-FNA was able to confirm diagnosis in 4, was non-diagnostic in one, and was falsely negative in the remaining case, while Tg-FNA was below the established cut-off value (to consider malignancy) in all cases. In patients with TC and suspect cervical masses, Tg-FNA improved the diagnostic yield of cyto-FNA alone, thus warranting its routine recommendation when FNA is performed. However, universal standardization of the technique and definition of valid cut-off thyroglobulin values (depending on the immunoassay used) above which the lesion should be considered to be malignant are still pending. Copyright © 2013 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

A novel mutation in the thyroglobulin gene that causes goiter and dwarfism in Wistar Hannover GALAS rats.

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Sato, Akira; Abe, Kuniya; Yuzuriha, Misako; Fujii, Sakiko; Takahashi, Naofumi; Hojo, Hitoshi; Teramoto, Shoji; Aoyama, Hiroaki

2014-04-01

Outbred stocks of rats have been used extensively in biomedical, pharmaceutical and/or toxicological studies as a model of genetically heterogeneous human populations. One of such stocks is the Wistar Hannover GALAS rat. However, the colony of Wistar Hannover GALAS rat has been suspected of keeping a problematic mutation that manifests two distinct spontaneous abnormalities, goiter and dwarfism, which often confuses study results. We have successfully identified the responsible mutation, a guanine to thymine transversion at the acceptor site (3' end) of intron 6 in the thyroglobulin (Tg) gene (Tgc.749-1G>T), that induces a complete missing of exon 7 from the whole Tg transcript by mating experiments and subsequent molecular analyses. The following observations confirmed that Tgc.749-1G>T/Tgc.749-1G>T homozygotes manifested both dwarfism and goiter, while Tgc.749-1G>T/+ heterozygotes had only a goiter with normal appearance, suggesting that the mutant phenotypes inherit as an autosomal semi-dominant trait. The mutant phenotypes, goiter and dwarfism, mimicked those caused by typical endocrine disrupters attacking the thyroid. Hence a simple and reliable diagnostic methodology has been developed for genomic DNA-based genotyping of animals. The diagnostic methodology reported here would allow users of Wistar Hannover GALAS rats to evaluate their study results precisely by carefully interpreting the data obtained from Tgc.749-1G>T/+ heterozygotes having externally undetectable thyroidal lesions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient Capsid Antigen Presentation From Adeno-Associated Virus Empty Virions In Vivo.

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Pei, Xiaolei; Earley, Lauriel Freya; He, Yi; Chen, Xiaojing; Hall, Nikita Elexa; Samulski, Richard Jude; Li, Chengwen

2018-01-01

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have been successfully applied in clinical trials for hemophilic patients. Although promising, the clinical results suggest that the capsid-specific CD8+T cell response has a negative effect on therapeutic success. In an in vitro analysis using an engineered AAV virus carrying immune-dominant SIINFEKL peptide in the capsid backbone, we have previously demonstrated that capsid antigen presentation from full (genome containing) AAV capsids requires endosome escape and is proteasome dependent and that no capsid antigen presentation is induced from empty virions. In the present study, we examined capsid antigen presentation from administration of empty virions in animal models. In wild-type mice, similar to AAV full particles, capsid antigen presentation from AAV empty virion infection was dose dependent, and the kinetics studies showed that antigen presentation was detected from 2 to 40 days after AAV empty virion administration. In the transporter associated with antigen processing 1 deficient (TAP-/-) mice, capsid antigen presentation was inhibited from both AAV full and empty virions, but higher inhibition was achieved from AAV full particle administration than that from empty virions. This indicates that the pathway of capsid antigen presentation from AAV transduction is dependent on proteasome-mediated degradation of AAV capsids (mainly for full particles) and that the endosomal pathway may also play a role in antigen presentation from empty particles but not full virions. The capsid antigen presentation efficiency from AAV preparations was positively correlated with the amount of empty virions contaminated with full particles. Collectively, the results indicate that contamination of AAV empty virions induces efficient antigen presentation in vivo and the mechanism of capsid antigen presentation from empty virions involves both endosomal and proteasomal pathways. The elucidation of capsid antigen presentation from AAV empty

Nuclear antigen expression by ultraviolet light irradiation - a contribution to the UV-induced autoimmunity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wollina, U

1986-05-01

A review is given of nuclear antigen expression due to UVB, UVA, and PUVA. UVB alters DNA resulting in strong immunogenic UVDNA and complementary antibodies. Antibodies to UVDNA cross react with double-stranded DNA. UVDNA plays a (hypothetical) role in the induction of cutaneous lesions in lupus erythematosus (LE). Investigations of SS-A/Ro expression due to UVB seem to be more important under this view. Antibodies against SS-A/Ro are related to an increased photosensitivity in LE. PUVA and UVA are able to induce antinuclear antibodies of unknown specificity. It is likely that PUVA enhances SS-A/Ro expression in vitro. The results are discussed in sense of LE photobiology and unwanted side effects of photo(chemo)therapy in psoriasis. 54 references.

Nuclear antigen expression by ultraviolet light irradiation - a contribution to the UV-induced autoimmunity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wollina, U.

1986-01-01

A review is given about nuclear antigen expression due to UVB, UVA, and PUVA. UVB alters DNA resulting in strong immunogenic UVDNA and complementary antibodies. Antibodies to UVDNA cross react with double-stranded DNA. UVDNA plays a (hypothetical) role in the induction of cutaneous lesions in lupus erythematosus (LE). Investigations about SS-A/Ro expression due to UVB seem to be more important under this view. Antibodies against SS-A/Ro are related to an increased photosensitivity in LE. PUVA and UVA are able to induce antinuclear antibodies of unknown specificity. It is likely that PUVA enhances SS-A/Ro expression in vitro. The results are discussed in sense of LE photobiology and unwanted side effects of photo(chemo)therapy in psoriasis. (author)

Mycoplasma fermentans glycolipid-antigen as a pathogen of rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawahito, Yutaka; Ichinose, Sizuko; Sano, Hajime; Tsubouchi, Yasunori; Kohno, Masataka; Yoshikawa, Toshikazu; Tokunaga, Daisaku; Hojo, Tatsuya; Harasawa, Ryo; Nakano, Teruaki; Matsuda, Kazuhiro

2008-01-01

Mycoplasma fermentans has been suspected as one of the causative pathogenic microorganisms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) however, the pathogenic mechanism is still unclear. We, previously, reported that glycolipid-antigens (GGPL-I and III) are the major antigens of M. fermentans. Monoclonal antibody against the GGPL-III could detect the existence of the GGPL-III antigens in synovial tissues from RA patients. GGPL-III antigens were detected in 38.1% (32/84) of RA patient's tissues, but not in osteoarthritis (OA) and normal synovial tissues. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that a part of GGPL-III antigens are located at endoplasmic reticulum. GGPL-III significantly induced TNF-α and IL-6 production from peripheral blood mononulear cells, and also proliferation of synovial fibroblasts. Further study is necessary to prove that M. fermentans is a causative microorganism of RA; however, the new mechanisms of disease pathogenesis provides hope for the development of effective and safe immunotherapeutic strategies based on the lipid-antigen, GGPL-III, in the near future

A radioimmunoassay to screen for antibodies to native conformational antigens and analyse ligand-induced structural states of antigenic proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernotat-Danielowski, S.; Koepsell, H.

1988-01-01

A radioimmunoassay is described in which antigenic protein was immobilized by incubating nitrocellulose filters of defined diameter with antigen-containing solutions. Antigenic sites which are sensitive to protein denaturation by drying could be detected with the assay. The assay was also used to screen hybridoma supernatants for antibodies directed against Na + cotransport proteins from renal brush-border membranes. Monoclonal antibodies were selected which showed different binding charactertics depending on whether or not substrates of Na + cotransporters were present. One of the antibodies, which showed different antibody binding after addition of D-glucose or L-lactate, bound to a polypeptide component of the renal N + -D-glucose cotransporter and was able to inhibit Na + gradient-dependent. To investigate the effects of D-glucose and L-lactate on the binding of this antibody concentration dependence was measured. High and low affinity binding sites for D-glucose and L-lactate were characterized thereby demonstrating that the radioimmunoassay permits investigations of the properties of high and low affinity substrate binding sites. (author). refs.; 6 figs.; 2 tabs

Aspergillus antigen induces robust Th2 cytokine production, inflammation, airway hyperreactivity and fibrosis in the absence of MCP-1 or CCR2

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Charo Israel F

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Asthma is characterized by type 2 T-helper cell (Th2 inflammation, goblet cell hyperplasia, airway hyperreactivity, and airway fibrosis. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1 or CCL2 and its receptor, CCR2, have been shown to play important roles in the development of Th2 inflammation. CCR2-deficient mice have been found to have altered inflammatory and physiologic responses in some models of experimental allergic asthma, but the role of CCR2 in contributing to inflammation and airway hyperreactivity appears to vary considerably between models. Furthermore, MCP-1-deficient mice have not previously been studied in models of experimental allergic asthma. Methods To test whether MCP-1 and CCR2 are each required for the development of experimental allergic asthma, we applied an Aspergillus antigen-induced model of Th2 cytokine-driven allergic asthma associated with airway fibrosis to mice deficient in either MCP-1 or CCR2. Previous studies with live Aspergillus conidia instilled into the lung revealed that MCP-1 and CCR2 play a role in anti-fungal responses; in contrast, we used a non-viable Aspergillus antigen preparation known to induce a robust eosinophilic inflammatory response. Results We found that wild-type C57BL/6 mice developed eosinophilic airway inflammation, goblet cell hyperplasia, airway hyperreactivity, elevations in serum IgE, and airway fibrosis in response to airway challenge with Aspergillus antigen. Surprisingly, mice deficient in either MCP-1 or CCR2 had responses to Aspergillus antigen similar to those seen in wild-type mice, including production of Th2 cytokines. Conclusion We conclude that robust Th2-mediated lung pathology can occur even in the complete absence of MCP-1 or CCR2.

Can resting B cells present antigen to T cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashwell, J.D.; DeFranco, A.L.; Paul, W.E.; Schwartz, R.H.

1985-01-01

Antigen stimulation of T lymphocytes can occur only in the presence of an antigen-presenting cell (APC). An ever-increasing number of cell types have been found to act as APCs; these include macrophages, splenic and lymph node dendritic cells, and Langerhans cells of the skin. Although activated B lymphocytes and B cell lymphomas are known to serve as APCs, it has been generally believed that resting B cells cannot perform this function. However, in recent studies the authors have found that resting B cells can indeed present soluble antigen to T cell clones as well as to antigen-primed T cells. The previous difficulty in demonstrating this activity can be explained by the finding that, in contrast to macrophages and dendritic cells, the antigen-presenting ability of resting B cells is very radiosensitive. Macrophages are usually irradiated with 2000-3300 rads to prevent them from incorporating [ 3 H]thymidine in the T cell proliferation assay. Resting B cells, however, begin to lose presenting function at 1500 rads and have completely lost this activity at 3300 rads. It was also possible to distinguish two distinct T cell clonal phenotypes when resting B cells were used as APCs on the basis of two different assays (T cell proliferation, and B cell proliferation resulting from T cell activation). The majority of T cell clones tested were capable of both proliferating themselves and inducing the proliferation of B cells. Some T cells clones, however, could not proliferate in the presence of antigen and B cell APCs, although they were very good at inducing the proliferation of B cells

CD8+ T Cells Induce Fatal Brainstem Pathology during Cerebral Malaria via Luminal Antigen-Specific Engagement of Brain Vasculature.

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Phillip A Swanson

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Cerebral malaria (CM is a severe complication of Plasmodium falciparum infection that results in thousands of deaths each year, mostly in African children. The in vivo mechanisms underlying this fatal condition are not entirely understood. Using the animal model of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM, we sought mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of CM. Fatal disease was associated with alterations in tight junction proteins, vascular breakdown in the meninges / parenchyma, edema, and ultimately neuronal cell death in the brainstem, which is consistent with cerebral herniation as a cause of death. At the peak of ECM, we revealed using intravital two-photon microscopy that myelomonocytic cells and parasite-specific CD8+ T cells associated primarily with the luminal surface of CNS blood vessels. Myelomonocytic cells participated in the removal of parasitized red blood cells (pRBCs from cerebral blood vessels, but were not required for the disease. Interestingly, the majority of disease-inducing parasite-specific CD8+ T cells interacted with the lumen of brain vascular endothelial cells (ECs, where they were observed surveying, dividing, and arresting in a cognate peptide-MHC I dependent manner. These activities were critically dependent on IFN-γ, which was responsible for activating cerebrovascular ECs to upregulate adhesion and antigen-presenting molecules. Importantly, parasite-specific CD8+ T cell interactions with cerebral vessels were impaired in chimeric mice rendered unable to present EC antigens on MHC I, and these mice were in turn resistant to fatal brainstem pathology. Moreover, anti-adhesion molecule (LFA-1 / VLA-4 therapy prevented fatal disease by rapidly displacing luminal CD8+ T cells from cerebrovascular ECs without affecting extravascular T cells. These in vivo data demonstrate that parasite-specific CD8+ T cell-induced fatal vascular breakdown and subsequent neuronal death during ECM is associated with luminal, antigen

Polymer nanoparticles for cross-presentation of exogenous antigens and enhanced cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immune response

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Song C

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Chanyoung Song,* Young-Woock Noh,* Yong Taik Lim SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT, School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Effective induction of an antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL immune response is one of the key goals of cancer immunotherapy. We report the design and fabrication of polyethylenimine (PEI-coated polymer nanoparticles (NPs as efficient antigen-delivery carriers that can induce antigen cross-presentation and a strong CTL response. After synthesis of poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA NPs containing ovalbumin (OVA by the double-emulsion solvent-evaporation method, cationic-charged PLGA NPs were generated by coating them with PEI. In a methyl tetrazolium salt assay, no discernible cytotoxic effect of PEI-coated PLGA (OVA NPs was observed. The capacity and mechanism of PEI-coated PLGA (OVA NPs for antigen delivery and cross-presentation on dendritic cells (DCs were determined by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. PEI-coated PLGA (OVA NPs were internalized efficiently via phagocytosis or macropinocytosis in DCs and induced efficient cross-presentation of the antigen on MHC class I molecules via both endosome escape and a lysosomal processing mechanism. The DCs treated with PEI-coated PLGA (OVA NPs induced a release of IL-2 cytokine from OVA-specific CD8-OVA1.3 T cells more efficiently than DCs treated with PLGA (OVA NPs. Therefore, the PEI-coated PLGA (OVA NPs can induce antigen cross-presentation and are expected to be used for induction of a strong CTL immune response and for efficient anticancer immunotherapy. Keywords: antigen delivery, dendritic cells, polymer NPs, vaccine, cross-presentation

Thyroid autoantibodies and differentiated thyroid cancer: revue of 662 cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izembart, M.; Dagousset, F.; Chevalier, A.; Hassid, V.; Leger, A.; Barritault, L.; Clerc, J.

1999-01-01

The incidence of thyroid autoantibodies is clearly increased in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate frequency and evolution of anti-thyroglobulin and anti-microsomal (anti-peroxidase) autoantibodies in 662 patients with thyroid carcinoma treated with 131 radioiodine. Ours results obtained with 'classical' methods confirmed others earlier reports. When using more sensitive methods to detect thyroglobulin antibodies we obtained an increase in positive results and a more frequent association with anti-microsomal antibodies. Antibodies became undetectable with a variable period, ranging from a few months to 13 years in one case. If we suppose that the disappearance of antibodies is linked to the thyroid tissue disappearance, thyroid cancer follow up ought to include anti-thyroglobulin and anti-peroxidase antibodies, both directed against thyroid antigens. A decrease of both antibodies seems to indicate a favorable prognostic factor whereas an increase may suggest relapse. (author)

A nonself sugar mimic of the HIV glycan shield shows enhanced antigenicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Doores, Katie J.; Fulton, Zara; Hong, Vu; Patel, Mitul K.; Scanlan, Christopher N.; Wormald, Mark R.; Finn, M.G.; Burton, Dennis R.; Wilson, Ian A.; Davis, Benjamin G. (Scripps); (Oxford)

2011-08-24

Antibody 2G12 uniquely neutralizes a broad range of HIV-1 isolates by binding the high-mannose glycans on the HIV-1 surface glycoprotein, gp120. Antigens that resemble these natural epitopes of 2G12 would be highly desirable components for an HIV-1 vaccine. However, host-produced (self)-carbohydrate motifs have been unsuccessful so far at eliciting 2G12-like antibodies that cross-react with gp120. Based on the surprising observation that 2G12 binds nonproteinaceous monosaccharide D-fructose with higher affinity than D-mannose, we show here that a designed set of nonself, synthetic monosaccharides are potent antigens. When introduced to the terminus of the D1 arm of protein glycans recognized by 2G12, their antigenicity is significantly enhanced. Logical variation of these unnatural sugars pinpointed key modifications, and the molecular basis of this increased antigenicity was elucidated using high-resolution crystallographic analyses. Virus-like particle protein conjugates containing such nonself glycans are bound more tightly by 2G12. As immunogens they elicit higher titers of antibodies than those immunogenic conjugates containing the self D1 glycan motif. These antibodies generated from nonself immunogens also cross-react with this self motif, which is found in the glycan shield, when it is presented in a range of different conjugates and glycans. However, these antibodies did not bind this glycan motif when present on gp120.

A chimeric antigen receptor for TRAIL-receptor 1 induces apoptosis in various types of tumor cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Eiji; Kishi, Hiroyuki; Ozawa, Tatsuhiko; Hamana, Hiroshi; Nakagawa, Hidetoshi; Jin, Aishun; Lin, Zhezhu; Muraguchi, Atsushi

2014-10-31

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its associated receptors (TRAIL-R/TR) are attractive targets for cancer therapy because TRAIL induces apoptosis in tumor cells through TR while having little cytotoxicity on normal cells. Therefore, many agonistic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for TR have been produced, and these induce apoptosis in multiple tumor cell types. However, some TR-expressing tumor cells are resistant to TR-specific mAb-induced apoptosis. In this study, we constructed a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) of a TRAIL-receptor 1 (TR1)-specific single chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody (TR1-scFv-CAR) and expressed it on a Jurkat T cell line, the KHYG-1 NK cell line, and human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). We found that the TR1-scFv-CAR-expressing Jurkat cells killed target cells via TR1-mediated apoptosis, whereas TR1-scFv-CAR-expressing KHYG-1 cells and PBLs killed target cells not only via TR1-mediated apoptosis but also via CAR signal-induced cytolysis, resulting in cytotoxicity on a broader range if target cells than with TR1-scFv-CAR-expressing Jurkat cells. The results suggest that TR1-scFv-CAR could be a new candidate for cancer gene therapy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Limitaciones técnicas de los métodos para cuantificar tiroglobulina sérica y su repercusión clínica Technical limitations of methods to quantify the serum thyroglobulin and its clinical repercussion

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Julio César Rodríguez González

2010-04-01

Full Text Available La determinación de tiroglobulina sérica se emplea, sobre todo, como marcador tumoral en el seguimiento posoperatorio de pacientes con cáncer diferenciado del tiroides. Lamentablemente, los métodos de tiroglobulina sérica presentan gran variabilidad en sus cualidades analíticas y padecen problemas técnicos que repercuten sobre la utilidad clínica de esta prueba. Para cuantificar tiroglobulina sérica se emplean 2 tecnologías diferentes: los iniciales radioinmunoensayos competitivos y los más recientes métodos inmunométricos no competitivos. Estos últimos son más propensos a sufrir las interferencias provocadas por la presencia de autoanticuerpos tiroglobulina y anticuerpos heterofílicos, a pesar de brindar los beneficios técnicos relativos al uso de reactivos no isotópicos, menor volumen de muestra, tiempos de incubación más cortos, así como mejor sensibilidad y facilidad de automatización. Resulta esencial que los clínicos conozcan y comprendan las limitaciones técnicas inherentes a la determinación de tiroglobulina sérica y su repercusión sobre la utilidad clínica de esta, con la finalidad de hacer un uso efectivo y eficiente de esta prueba en el seguimiento posoperatorio de pacientes con cáncer diferenciado del tiroides.The serum thyroglobulin assessment is used mainly as tumor marker during the postoperative follow-up of patients presenting with thyroid differentiated cancer. Progressively, the serum thyroglobulin methods have much variability in its analytical qualities and also have technical problems affecting on the technical usefulness of this test. To quantify the serum thyroglobulin we used two different technologies: the initial competitive radioimmunoassays and the most recent non competitive inmunometrical methods. These latter are more prone to have interferences provoked by presence of thyroglobulin antibodies and heterophilic antibodies despite to offer technical beneficial relative to use of non

The Effect of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Surface Charge on Antigen Cross-Presentation

Science.gov (United States)

Mou, Yongbin; Xing, Yun; Ren, Hongyan; Cui, Zhihua; Zhang, Yu; Yu, Guangjie; Urba, Walter J.; Hu, Qingang; Hu, Hongming

2017-01-01

Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) have been explored for different kinds of applications in biomedicine, mechanics, and information. Here, we explored the synthetic SPIO NPs as an adjuvant on antigen cross-presentation ability by enhancing the intracellular delivery of antigens into antigen presenting cells (APCs). Particles with different chemical modifications and surface charges were used to study the mechanism of action of antigen delivery. Specifically, two types of magnetic NPs, γFe2O3/APTS (3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane) NPs and γFe2O3/DMSA (meso-2, 3-Dimercaptosuccinic acid) NPs, with the same crystal structure, magnetic properties, and size distribution were prepared. Then, the promotion of T-cell activation via dendritic cells (DCs) was compared among different charged antigen coated NPs. Moreover, the activation of the autophagy, cytosolic delivery of the antigens, and antigen degradation mediated by the proteasome and lysosome were measured. Our results indicated that positive charged γFe2O3/APTS NPs, but not negative charged γFe2O3/DMSA NPs, enhanced the cross-presentation ability of DCs. Increased cross-presentation ability induced by γFe2O3/APTS NPs was associated with increased cytosolic antigen delivery. On the contrary, γFe2O3/DMSA NPs was associated with rapid autophagy. Overall, our results suggest that antigen delivered in cytoplasm induced by positive charged particles is beneficial for antigen cross-presentation and T-cell activation. NPs modified with different chemistries exhibit diverse biological properties and differ greatly in their adjuvant potentials. Thus, it should be carefully considered many different effects of NPs to design effective and safe adjuvants.

Nature of mutants induced by ionizing radiation in cultured hamster cells. II. Antigenic response and reverse mutation of HPRT-deficient mutants induced by. gamma. -rays or ethyl methanesulphonate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, R; Stretch, A; Thacker, J

1986-04-01

A large series of independent mutants deficient in HPRT enzyme activity, isolated from V79-4 hamster cells, were assessed for properties which reflect the nature of the genetic changes induced. A total of 88 mutants were screened, 43 isolated from ..gamma..-ray-treated cultures and 45 induced by ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS). Firstly, each mutant was assayed for the presence of protein with the antigenic response of HPRT. In a competitive inhibition assay, 31% of EMS-induced mutants were CRM-positive compared to 7% of the ..gamma..-ray series. Secondly, each mutant was tested for ability to revert to HPRT proficiency. All except 2 of the EMS-induced mutants reverted with ethyl nitrosourea ENU, and many reverted spontaneously, under the given conditions. However reversion was not detected in about 80% of ..gamma..-ray-induced mutants, suggesting that the types of forward mutation caused by ionizing radiation differ qualitatively from those caused by EMS. (Auth.). 30 refs.; 6 figs.; 2 tabs.

Vaccination with Brucella abortus recombinant in vivo-induced antigens reduces bacterial load and promotes clearance in a mouse model for infection.

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Jake E Lowry

Full Text Available Current vaccines used for the prevention of brucellosis are ineffective in inducing protective immunity in animals that are chronically infected with Brucella abortus, such as elk. Using a gene discovery approach, in vivo-induced antigen technology (IVIAT on B. abortus, we previously identified ten loci that encode products up-regulated during infection in elk and consequently may play a role in virulence. In our present study, five of the loci (D15, 0187, VirJ, Mdh, AfuA were selected for further characterization and compared with three additional antigens with virulence potential (Hia, PrpA, MltA. All eight genes were PCR-amplified from B. abortus and cloned into E. coli. The recombinant products were then expressed, purified, adjuvanted, and delivered subcutaneously to BALB/c mice. After primary immunization and two boosts, mice were challenged i.p. with 5 x 10⁴ CFU of B. abortus strain 19. Spleens from challenged animals were harvested and bacterial loads determined by colony count at various time points. While vaccination with four of the eight individual proteins appeared to have some effect on clearance kinetics, mice vaccinated with recombinant Mdh displayed the most significant reduction in bacterial colonization. Furthermore, mice immunized with Mdh maintained higher levels of IFN-γ in spleens compared to other treatment groups. Collectively, our in vivo data gathered from the S19 murine colonization model suggest that vaccination with at least three of the IVIAT antigens conferred an enhanced ability of the host to respond to infection, reinforcing the utility of this methodology for the identification of potential vaccine candidates against brucellosis. Mechanisms for immunity to one protein, Mdh, require further in vitro exploration and evaluation against wild-type B. abortus challenge in mice, as well as other hosts. Additional studies are being undertaken to clarify the role of Mdh and other IVI antigens in B. abortus virulence

Carcinoma-associated antigens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartorelli, A.; Accinni, R.

1981-01-01

This invention relates to novel antigens associated with breast carcinoma, anti-sera specific to said antigens, 125 I-labeled forms of said antigens and methods of detecting said antigens in serum or plasma. The invention also relates to a diagnostic kit containing standardised antigens or antisera or marked forms thereof for the detection of said antigens in human blood, serum or plasma. (author)

Lymphocyte-dependent antibody-mediated cytotoxicity in Hashimoto thyroiditis

Science.gov (United States)

Calder, Elizabeth A.; Penhale, W. J.; McLeman, Dena; Barnes, E. W.; Irvine, W. J.

1973-01-01

In the presence of normal human lymphocytes, decomplemented sera from twentynine out of thirty-nine patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis caused significant lysis of thyroglobulin-coated chicken red blood cells, as estimated by the release of 51Cr; the mean% specific 51Cr release being 14·1 ± 1·9 (SEM). Serum from twenty-one control subjects studied concurrently caused no significant lysis of thyroglobulin-coated chicken red blood cells; the mean% specific 51Cr release being −1·6±0·7 (SEM). The degree of cytotoxicity correlated with the titre of thyroglobulin antibodies in the serum, determined by tanned red cell haemagglutination. The active component in the Hashimoto serum was localized in the 19S fraction, was unaffected by pre-absorption with anti-human IgM serum, but was neutralized by pre-absorption with anti-human IgG serum. These findings suggest that the cytotoxic activity of serum from patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis is due to the presence of thyroglobulin antibody of the IgG class in the form of complexes, either alone or with antigen. It is postulated that non-specific lymphocytes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of Hashimoto thyroiditis, being activated by the presence in the gland of thyroglobulin antibody, either alone or in the form of complexes attached to thyroid cells. PMID:4740445

Comparison of Vaccine-Induced Effector CD8 T Cell Responses Directed against Self- and Non-Self-Tumor Antigens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Sara R; Sørensen, Maria R; Buus, Søren

2013-01-01

It is generally accepted that CD8 T cells play a major role in tumor control, yet vaccination aimed at eliciting potent CD8 T cell responses are rarely efficient in clinical trials. To try and understand why this is so, we have generated potent adenoviral vectors encoding the endogenous tumor Ags...... that low avidity of the self-TA-specific CD8 T cells may represent a major obstacle for efficient immunotherapy of cancer....

The distribution of blood group antigens in experimentally produced carcinomas of rat palate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reibel, J; Philipsen, H P; Fisker, A V

1986-01-01

palate induced by a chemical carcinogen (4NQO). The H antigen, normally expressed on spinous cells in rats, was absent in malignant epithelium, whereas staining for the B antigen, normally expressed on basal cells, was variable. These changes are equivalent to those seen in human squamous cell carcinomas....... The blood group antigen staining pattern in experimentally produced verrucous carcinomas showed an almost normal blood group antigen expression. This may have diagnostic significance. Localized areas of hyperplastic palatal epithelium with slight dysplasia revealed loss of H antigen and the presence of B...... antigen in suprabasal strata equivalent to the pattern seen in human premalignant epithelium. We conclude from these findings, that the rat model is well suited to study changes in cell surface carbohydrates during chemical carcinogenesis....

Enhancement of antigen-induced eosinophilic inflammation in the airways of mast-cell deficient mice by diesel exhaust particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichinose, Takamichi; Takano, Hirohisa; Miyabara, Yuichi; Sadakaneo, Kaori; Sagai, Masaru; Shibamoto, Takayuki

2002-01-01

The present study was conducted to clarify the involvement of mast cells in the exacerbating effect of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) toward allergic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Airway inflammation by the infiltration of cosinophils with goblet cell proliferation and AHR, as well as by the production of antigen-specific IgG1 and IgE, in plasma were examined using mast cell-deficient mice (W/W v ) and normal mice (W/W + ). Both groups of mice received ovalbumin (OVA) or OVA+DEP intratracheally. The eosinophilic airway inflammation and goblet cell proliferation promoted by OVA were significantly greater in W/W + than in W/W v . A similar result was observed in AHR, but was not significant among both groups of mice. DEP enhanced OVA induced-allergic airway inflammation, goblet cell proliferation, and development of AHR in W/W v , but not in W/W + . DEP decreased production of antigen-specific IgG1 and IgE in both groups of mice. Mast cells were observed in the submucosal layer of the main bronchus in W/W v . The number of mast cells was significantly decreased by OVA treatment. The results indicate that mast cells are not necessary to enhance airway damage and development of AHR in W/W v by DEP. However, mast cells may be required for the OVA-induced cosinophilic inflammation, airway damage with goblet cell proliferation, and AHR in W/W +

Antigen presentation by small intestinal epithelial cells uniquely enhances IFN-γ secretion from CD4+ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatano, Ryo; Yamada, Kiyoshi; Iwamoto, Taku; Maeda, Nana; Emoto, Tetsuro; Shimizu, Makoto; Totsuka, Mamoru

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Small intestinal epithelial cells (sIECs). •sIECs are able to induce antigen specific proliferation of CD4 + IELs. •sIECs induce markedly enhanced IFN-γ secretion by CD4 + IELs. •Induction of enhanced IFN-γ secretion by sIECs is uniquely observed in CD4 + IELs. -- Abstract: Small intestinal epithelial cells (sIECs) express major histocompatibility complex class II molecules even in a normal condition, and are known to function as antigen presenting cells (APCs) at least in vitro. These findings raised the possibility that sIECs play an important role in inducing immune responses against luminal antigens, especially those of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and lamina propria lymphocytes (LPLs). We herein showed that antigenic stimulation with sIECs induced markedly greater secretion of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) by CD4 + IELs, but not interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-17 although the proliferative response was prominently lower than that with T cell-depleted splenic APCs. In contrast, no enhanced IFN-γ secretion by CD4 + LPLs and primed splenic CD4 + T cells was observed when stimulated with sIECs. Taken together, these results suggest that sIECs uniquely activate CD4 + IELs and induce remarkable IFN-γ secretion upon antigenic stimulation in vivo

A small antigenic determinant of the Chikungunya virus E2 protein is sufficient to induce neutralizing antibodies which are partially protective in mice.

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Christopher Weber

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus (CHIKV causes high fever and severe joint pain in humans. It is expected to spread in the future to Europe and has recently reached the USA due to globalization, climate change and vector switch. Despite this, little is known about the virus life cycle and, so far, there is no specific treatment or vaccination against Chikungunya infections. We aimed here to identify small antigenic determinants of the CHIKV E2 protein able to induce neutralizing immune responses.E2 enables attachment of the virus to target cells and a humoral immune response against E2 should protect from CHIKV infections. Seven recombinant proteins derived from E2 and consisting of linear and/or structural antigens were created, and were expressed in and purified from E. coli. BALB/c mice were vaccinated with these recombinant proteins and the mouse sera were screened for neutralizing antibodies. Whereas a linear N-terminally exposed peptide (L and surface-exposed parts of the E2 domain A (sA alone did not induce neutralizing antibodies, a construct containing domain B and a part of the β-ribbon (called B+ was sufficient to induce neutralizing antibodies. Furthermore, domain sA fused to B+ (sAB+ induced the highest amount of neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, the construct sAB+ was used to generate a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA, MVA-CHIKV-sAB+. Mice were vaccinated with MVA-CHIKV-sAB+ and/or the recombinant protein sAB+ and were subsequently challenged with wild-type CHIKV. Whereas four vaccinations with MVA-CHIKV-sAB+ were not sufficient to protect mice from a CHIKV infection, protein vaccination with sAB+ markedly reduced the viral titers of vaccinated mice.The recombinant protein sAB+ contains important structural antigens for a neutralizing antibody response in mice and its formulation with appropriate adjuvants might lead to a future CHIKV vaccine.

ONCOLYTIC VIRUS-MEDIATED REVERSAL OF IMPAIRED TUMOR ANTIGEN PRESENTATION

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Shashi Ashok Gujar

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Anti-tumor immunity can eliminate existing cancer cells and also maintain a constant surveillance against possible relapse. Such an antigen-specific adaptive response begins when tumor-specific T cells become activated. T cell activation requires two signals on antigen presenting cells (APCs: antigen presentation through MHC molecules and co-stimulation. In the absence of one or both of these signals, T cells remain inactivated or can even become tolerized. Cancer cells and their associated microenvironment strategically hinder the processing and presentation of tumor antigens and consequently prevent the development of anti-tumor immunity. Many studies, however, demonstrate that interventions that overturn tumor-associated immune evasion mechanisms can establish anti-tumor immune responses of therapeutic potential. One such intervention is oncolytic virus (OV-based anti-cancer therapy. Here we discuss how OV-induced immunological events override tumor-associated antigen presentation impairment and promote appropriate T cell:APC interaction. Detailed understanding of this phenomenon is pivotal for devising the strategies that will enhance the efficacy of OV-based anti-cancer therapy by complementing its inherent oncolytic

Effector CD4+ T cells recognize intravascular antigen presented by patrolling monocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Westhorpe, Clare L V; Norman, M Ursula; Hall, Pam; Snelgrove, Sarah L; Finsterbusch, Michaela; Li, Anqi; Lo, Camden; Tan, Zhe Hao; Li, Songhui; Nilsson, Susan K; Kitching, A Richard; Hickey, Michael J

2018-02-21

Although effector CD4 + T cells readily respond to antigen outside the vasculature, how they respond to intravascular antigens is unknown. Here we show the process of intravascular antigen recognition using intravital multiphoton microscopy of glomeruli. CD4 + T cells undergo intravascular migration within uninflamed glomeruli. Similarly, while MHCII is not expressed by intrinsic glomerular cells, intravascular MHCII-expressing immune cells patrol glomerular capillaries, interacting with CD4 + T cells. Following intravascular deposition of antigen in glomeruli, effector CD4 + T-cell responses, including NFAT1 nuclear translocation and decreased migration, are consistent with antigen recognition. Of the MHCII + immune cells adherent in glomerular capillaries, only monocytes are retained for prolonged durations. These cells can also induce T-cell proliferation in vitro. Moreover, monocyte depletion reduces CD4 + T-cell-dependent glomerular inflammation. These findings indicate that MHCII + monocytes patrolling the glomerular microvasculature can present intravascular antigen to CD4 + T cells within glomerular capillaries, leading to antigen-dependent inflammation.

Systemic immunological tolerance to ocular antigens is mediated by TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-expressing CD8+ T cells*

OpenAIRE

Griffith, Thomas S.; Brincks, Erik L.; Gurung, Prajwal; Kucaba, Tamara A.; Ferguson, Thomas A.

2010-01-01

Systemic immunological tolerance to Ag encountered in the eye restricts the formation of potentially damaging immune responses that would otherwise be initiated at other anatomical locations. We previously demonstrated that tolerance to Ag administered via the anterior chamber (AC) of the eye required FasL-mediated apoptotic death of inflammatory cells that enter the eye in response to the antigenic challenge. Moreover, the systemic tolerance induced after AC injection of Ag was mediated by C...

Nasal tolerance induces antigen-specific CD4+CD25- regulatory T cells that can transfer their regulatory capacity to naive CD4+ T cells.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Unger, W.W.J.; Jansen, W.; Wolvers, DA; Halteren, van AG; Kraal, G.; Samsom, J.N.

2003-01-01

The mucosal immune system is uniquely adapted to elicit immune responses against pathogens but also to induce tolerogenic responses to harmless antigens. In mice, nasal application of ovalbumin (OVA) leads to suppression of both T(h)1 and T(h)2 responses. This tolerance can be transferred to naive

The mechanism of thioacetamide-induced apoptosis in the L37 albumin-SV40 T-antigen transgenic rat hepatocyte-derived cell line occurs without DNA fragmentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bulera, S J; Sattler, C A; Gast, W L; Heath, S; Festerling, T A; Pitot, H C

1998-10-01

The hepatotoxicant thioacetamide (TH) has classically been used as a model to study hepatic necrosis; however, recent studies have shown that TH can also induce apoptosis. In this report we demonstrate that 2.68+/-0.54% of the albumin-SV40 T-antigen transgenic rat hepatocytes undergo TH-induced apoptosis, a level comparable to other in vivo models of liver apoptosis. In addition, TH could induce apoptosis and necrosis in the L37 albumin-SV40 T-antigen transgenic rat liver-derived cell line. Examination of dying L37 cells treated with 100 mM TH by electron microscopy revealed distinct morphological characteristics that could be attributed to apoptosis. Quantitation of apoptosis by FACS analysis 24 h after treatment with 100 mM TH revealed that 81.3+/-1.6% of the cells were undergoing apoptosis. In contrast, when L37 cells were treated with 250 mM TH, cells exhibited characteristics consistent with necrotic cell death. DNA fragmentation ladders were produced by growth factor withdrawal-induced apoptosis; however, in 100 mM TH-induced apoptosis, DNA fragmentation ladders were not observed. Analysis of endonuclease activity in L37 cells revealed that the enzymes were not inactivated in the presence of 100 mM TH. The data presented in this report indicate that the L37 cell line could be used to study the mechanism of TH-induced apoptosis that was not mediated through a mechanism requiring DNA fragmentation.

Co-administration of α-GalCer analog and TLR4 agonist induces robust CD8+ T-cell responses to PyCS protein and WT-1 antigen and activates memory-like effector NKT cells

Science.gov (United States)

Coelho-dos-Reis, Jordana G.; Huang, Jing; Tsao, Tiffany; Pereira, Felipe V.; Funakoshi, Ryota; Nakajima, Hiroko; Sugiyama, Haruo; Tsuji, Moriya

2016-01-01

In the present study, the combined adjuvant effect of 7DW8-5, a potent α-GalCer-analog, and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), a TLR4 agonist, on the induction of vaccine-induced CD8+ T-cell responses and protective immunity was evaluated. Mice were immunized with peptides corresponding to the CD8+ T-cell epitopes of a malaria antigen, a circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium yoelii, and a tumor antigen, a Wilms Tumor antigen-1 (WT-1), together with 7DW8-5 and MPLA, as an adjuvant. These immunization regimens were able to induce higher levels of CD8+ T-cell responses and, ultimately, enhanced levels of protection against malaria and tumor challenges compared to the levels induced by immunization with peptides mixed with 7DW8-5 or MPLA alone. Co-administration of 7DW8-5 and MPLA induces activation of memory-like effector natural killer T (NKT) cells, i.e. CD44+CD62L−NKT cells. Our study indicates that 7DW8-5 greatly enhances important synergistic pathways associated to memory immune responses when co-administered with MPLA, thus rendering this combination of adjuvants a novel vaccine adjuvant formulation. PMID:27132023

Lymphocyte cytotoxicity induced by preincubation with serum from patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis

Science.gov (United States)

Calder, Elizabeth A.; McLeman, Dena; Irvine, W. J.

1973-01-01

Lymphocytes from healthy donors were incubated with serum samples from nine patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and subsequently shown to be cytotoxic to chicken red blood cells (Ch. RBC) coated with thyroglobulin. Target cell death was estimated using a standard 51Cr release assay system. Lymphocytes pre-incubated with Hashimoto serum caused a mean% 51Cr release of 13·11±2·83 (SEM) from thyroglobulin-coated Ch. RBC and a mean% 51Cr release of 1·22±0·65 from uncoated Ch. RBC. Untreated lymphocytes caused no significant isotope release from either uncoated or thyroglobulin coated target cells. PMID:4800956

Induction of IgG memory responses with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is antigen dose dependent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lite, H.S.; Braley-Mullen, H.

1981-01-01

Irradiated recipients of spleen cells from mice primed with a very low dose (0.0025 μ/g) of the thymus-independent (TI) antigen polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) produced PVP-specific IgG memory responses after secondary challenge with a T-dependent (TD) form of PVP, PVP-HRBC. The IgG memory responses induced by low doses of PVP were similar in magnitude to those induced by the TD antigen PVP-HRBC. The induction of IgG memory by the TI form of antigen was markedly dependent on the dose of PVP used to prime donor mice. Spleen cells from mice primed with an amount of PVP (0.25 μg) that induces an optimal primary IgM response did not produce significant IgG antibody after challenge with PVP-HRBC. The inability of higher doses of PVP to induce IgG memory may be due, at least in part, to the fact that such doses of PVP were found to induce tolerance in PVP-specific B cells and could suppress the induction of memory induced by PVP-HRBC. Low doses of PVP did not interfere with the induction of memory by PVP-HRBC. Expression of IgG memory responses in recipients of PVP-HRBC or low-dose PVP-primed cells was found to be T cell dependent. Moreover, only primed T cells could reconstitute the respnse of recipients of primed B cells, suggesting that the ability of PVP to induce IgG memory may be related to its ability to prime T helper cells. Expression of the IgG memory response in recipient mice also required the use of a TD antigen for secondary challenge, i.e., mice challenged with PVP did not develop IgG

[F-18-fluordeoxyglucose positron emission tomography on patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who present elevated human serum thyroglobulin levels and negative I-131 whole body scan].

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz Franco-Baux, J V; Borrego Dorado, I; Gómez Camarero, P; Rodríguez Rodríguez, J R; Vázquez Albertino, R J; Navarro González, E; Astorga Jiménez, R

2005-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the role of Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET-FDG) in patients with elevated serum thyroglobulin (hTg) levels where thyroid cancer tissue does not concentrate radioiodine, rendering false-negative results on I-131 scanning. Whole-body PET imaging using FDG was performed in 54 patients (37 female, 17 male) aged 17-88 years: 45 with papillary tumors and 9 with follicular tumors who were suspected of having recurrent thyroid carcinoma due to elevated thyroglobulin levels (hTg > 2 ng/ml) under thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH > or = 30 microIU/ml) in whom the iodine scan was negative. All whole body scans were obtained with diagnostic doses (185 MBq). Whole body PET imaging was performed in fasting patients following i.v. administration of 370 MBq FDG while the patients were receiving full thyroid hormone replacement. Before PET, 99mTc methoxyisobutylisonitrile scintigraphy (99mTc-MIBI) was done in 14 patients and morphologic imaging in 26 by CT scan. Positive PET results confirmed the presence of hypermetabolic foci in 25/54 patients (46.29 %). Positive findings were found for PET-FDG in patients with hTg levels higher than 10 ng/ml receiving full thyroid hormone replacement. 99mTc-MIBI demonstrated lesions in 7/14 patients (50 %). PET-FDG and 99mTc-MIBI had congruent positive results in 4/7 patients. All the lesions found by CT were detected by PET-FDG, while recurrent disease was found in 12/21 patients with previous negative CT. These results suggest that PET-FDG seems to be a promising tool in the follow-up of thyroid cancer and should be considered in patients suffering from differentiated thyroid cancer with suspected recurrence and/or metastases by elevated thyroglobulin levels, and negative I-131 whole body scans. PET-FDG might be more useful at hTg levels > 10 ng/ml.

A self-amplified transistor immunosensor under dual gate operation: highly sensitive detection of hepatitis B surface antigen

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, I.-K.; Jeun, M.; Jang, H.-J.; Cho, W.-J.; Lee, K. H.

2015-10-01

Ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs), although they have attracted considerable attention as effective immunosensors, have still not been adopted for practical applications owing to several problems: (1) the poor sensitivity caused by the short Debye screening length in media with high ion concentration, (2) time-consuming preconditioning processes for achieving the highly-diluted media, and (3) the low durability caused by undesirable ions such as sodium chloride in the media. Here, we propose a highly sensitive immunosensor based on a self-amplified transistor under dual gate operation (immuno-DG ISFET) for the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen. To address the challenges in current ISFET-based immunosensors, we have enhanced the sensitivity of an immunosensor by precisely tailoring the nanostructure of the transistor. In the pH sensing test, the immuno-DG ISFET showed superior sensitivity (2085.53 mV per pH) to both standard ISFET under single gate operation (58.88 mV per pH) and DG ISFET with a non-tailored transistor (381.14 mV per pH). Moreover, concerning the detection of hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg) using the immuno-DG ISFET, we have successfully detected trace amounts of HBsAg (22.5 fg mL-1) in a non-diluted 1× PBS medium with a high sensitivity of 690 mV. Our results demonstrate that the proposed immuno-DG ISFET can be a biosensor platform for practical use in the diagnosis of various diseases.Ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs), although they have attracted considerable attention as effective immunosensors, have still not been adopted for practical applications owing to several problems: (1) the poor sensitivity caused by the short Debye screening length in media with high ion concentration, (2) time-consuming preconditioning processes for achieving the highly-diluted media, and (3) the low durability caused by undesirable ions such as sodium chloride in the media. Here, we propose a highly sensitive immunosensor

Repopulated antigen presenting cells induced an imbalanced differentiation of the helper T cells in whole body gamma irradiated mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hae Ran; Jo, Sung Kee [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Paik, Sang Kee [Chungnam National University, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2004-07-01

Therapeutic irradiation of cancer patients, although it may be protected by several antioxidant agents against free radicals, often induces chronic sequelae such as inflammation (allergic inflammation). This is a limiting factor for radiotherapy. Following radiotherapy, the inflammation or injury can occur in any organ with a high radiosensitivity such as the lung, bladder, kidney, liver, stomach and intestine. The mechanism by which ionizing radiation initiates inflammation is, however, poorly understood. In recent studies, it was suggested that a factor for irradiation-induced inflammation might be the over production of IL-4 that enhances fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis. During the early stages after irradiation, type 2 of the helper T cells might be the major source of IL-4, and later on there seems to be an activation of the other IL-4 producing cell types, e.q. macrophages or mast cells. This is interesting because inflammation is classically seen to be dominated by Th1 cells secreting IFN-{gamma}. In the previous study, we were interested in the enhancement of the IL-4 and the IgE production during the development of immune cells after {gamma}-irradiation. We were able to deduce that IL-4 production was increased because of the shifted differentiation of the naive Th cells by the repopulated antigen presenting cells after irradiation. The aim of the present study was to precisely define whether antigen-presenting cells (APCs) of whole body irradiation-treated mice could influence the shifted differentiation of the Th cells. This view can be demonstrated by confirming that the shifted functional status of the Th cells is induced by the altered function of the repopulated macrophages after whole body irradiation (WBI)

Assessment of cancer and virus antigens for cross-reactivity in human tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaravine, Victor; Raffegerst, Silke; Schendel, Dolores J; Frishman, Dmitrij

2017-01-01

Cross-reactivity (CR) or invocation of autoimmune side effects in various tissues has important safety implications in adoptive immunotherapy directed against selected antigens. The ability to predict CR (on-target and off-target toxicities) may help in the early selection of safer therapeutically relevant target antigens. We developed a methodology for the calculation of quantitative CR for any defined peptide epitope. Using this approach, we performed assessment of 4 groups of 283 currently known human MHC-class-I epitopes including differentiation antigens, overexpressed proteins, cancer-testis antigens and mutations displayed by tumor cells. In addition, 89 epitopes originating from viral sources were investigated. The natural occurrence of these epitopes in human tissues was assessed based on proteomics abundance data, while the probability of their presentation by MHC-class-I molecules was modelled by the method of Keşmir et al. which combines proteasomal cleavage, TAP affinity and MHC-binding predictions. The results of these analyses for many previously defined peptides are presented as CR indices and tissue profiles. The methodology thus allows for quantitative comparisons of epitopes and is suggested to be suited for the assessment of epitopes of candidate antigens in an early stage of development of adoptive immunotherapy. Our method is implemented as a Java program, with curated datasets stored in a MySQL database. It predicts all naturally possible self-antigens for a given sequence of a therapeutic antigen (or epitope) and after filtering for predicted immunogenicity outputs results as an index and profile of CR to the self-antigens in 22 human tissues. The program is implemented as part of the iCrossR webserver, which is publicly available at http://webclu.bio.wzw.tum.de/icrossr/ CONTACT: d.frishman@wzw.tum.deSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press

Intravenous IgA complexed with antigen reduces primary antibody response to the antigen and anaphylaxis upon antigen re-exposure by inhibiting Th1 and Th2 activation in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaki, Kouya; Miyatake, Kenji; Nakashima, Takayuki; Morioka, Ayumi; Yamamoto, Midori; Ishibashi, Yuki; Ito, Ayaka; Kuranishi, Ayu; Yoshino, Shin

2014-10-01

Serum IgG, IgE and IgM have been shown to enhance the primary antibody responses upon exposure to the soluble antigens recognized by those antibodies. However, how IgA affects these responses remains unknown. We investigated the effects of intravenously administered monoclonal IgA on the immune responses in mice. DBA/1J mice were immunized with ovalbumin in the presence or absence of anti-ovalbumin monoclonal IgA. The Th1 and Th2 immune responses to ovalbumin and the anaphylaxis induced by re-exposure to ovalbumin were measured. IgA complexed with antigen attenuated the primary antibody responses to the antigen in mice, in contrast to IgG2b and IgE. The primary antibody responses, i.e. the de novo synthesis of anti-ovalbumin IgG2a, IgG1 and IgE in the serum, and the subsequent anaphylaxis induced with re-exposure to ovalbumin were reduced by the co-injection of anti-ovalbumin monoclonal IgA at ovalbumin immunization. The Th1, Th2 and Tr1 cytokines interferon-γ, interleukin-4 and interleukin-10, respectively, released from ovalbumin-restimulated cultured splenocytes collected from allergic mice were also reduced by the treatment. The induction of interferon-γ and interleukin-4 secretion by splenocytes from ovalbumin-immunized mice stimulated in vitro with ovalbumin was also significantly reduced by the antigen complexed with anti-ovalbumin IgA. These data suggest that the direct inhibition of Th1 and Th2 activation by anti-ovalbumin monoclonal IgA participates in the inhibition of the primary antibody responses. IgA plays important immunosuppressive roles under physiological and pathological conditions and is a promising candidate drug for the treatment of immune disorders.

Value of 201Tl imaging in predicting therapeutic 131I uptake in patients with thyroglobulin-positive but 131I scan-negative differentiated thyroid carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conlu, R.A.O.; Obaldo, J.M.

2004-01-01

Background: Serum thyroglobulin assay and 131Iodine (1311) whole body scan are considered complementary in detecting malignant thyroid tissue or metastases. A large number of patients, however, are encountered presenting with scan-negative, thyroglobulin-positive differentiated thyroid carcinoma posing a dilemma in therapeutic management. One of the first alternative scanning agents to be employed is 201Thallium (201Tl). Recent studies have demonstrated its usefulness in identifying lesions that are not visualized with traditional 131I whole body scan. It is not clear, however, whether 201Tl scan helps in the decision-making for subsequent 131I therapy. This study was conducted to determine if 201Tl scan can predict therapeutic 131I uptake and to define the clinical role of 201Tl scanning in these patients. Methods and results: A total of 12 patients (20-63 y/o), 5 males and 7 females, underwent surgery for differentiated thyroid cancer and all had serum thyroglobulin values above 10 ng/ml and normal TPO autoantibodies. Pre-therapy 131I scan using 111 MBq (3mCi) of 131I were obtained. As required for inclusion, all patients had negative pre-therapy scan and negative TPO autoantibody results and underwent 20lTl scanning within 3 weeks. All patients were given 131I therapy (3.7-5.5 GBq or 100-150 mCi) between one to two months after 201Tl scanning. Within a week after therapy, all patients underwent whole body 1311 scanning. 201Tl imaging demonstrated thyroid remnants in 9 out of 12 patients having positive 201Tl scan but negative pre-therapy 1311 scan. However, only 2 of the positive 201Tl scans showed 131I uptake post-therapy (positive predictive value of 20%). None of the subjects presented with a negative 201Tl scan and a positive post-therapy 131I scan. Conclusion: Our study suggests that evidence of remnants or metastases on 201Tl scanning may be an inappropriate basis for the decision to proceed with 131I therapy. The role of 20lTl imaging in this subset of

An Antigen-Presenting and Apoptosis-Inducing Polymer Microparticle Prolongs Alloskin Graft Survival by Selectively and Markedly Depleting Alloreactive CD8+ T Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Wang

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Selectively depleting the pathogenic T cells is a fundamental strategy for the treatment of allograft rejection and autoimmune disease since it retains the overall immune function of host. The concept of killer artificial antigen-presenting cells (KaAPCs has been developed by co-coupling peptide–major histocompatibility complex (pMHC multimer and anti-Fas monoclonal antibody (mAb onto the polymeric microparticles (MPs to induce the apoptosis of antigen-specific T cells. But little information is available about its in vivo therapeutic potential and mechanism. In this study, polyethylenimine (PEI-coated poly lactic-co-glycolic acid microparticle (PLGA MP was fabricated as a cell-sized scaffold to covalently co-couple H-2Kb-Ig dimer and anti-Fas mAb for the generation of alloantigen-presenting and apoptosis-inducing MPs. Intravenous infusions of the biodegradable KaAPCs prolonged the alloskin graft survival for 43 days in a single MHC-mismatched murine model, depleted the most of H-2Kb-alloreactive CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood, spleen, and alloskin graft in an antigen-specific manner and anti-Fas-dependent fashion. The cell-sized KaAPCs circulated throughout vasculature into liver, kidney, spleen, lymph nodes, lung, and heart, but few ones into local allograft at early stage, with a retention time up to 36 h in vivo. They colocalized with CD8+ T cells in secondary lymphoid organs while few ones contacted with CD4+ T cells, B cells, macrophage, and dendritic cells, or internalized by phagocytes. Importantly, the KaAPC treatment did not significantly impair the native T cell repertoire or non-pathogenic immune cells, did not obviously suppress the overall immune function of host, and did not lead to visible organ toxicity. Our results strongly document the high potential of PLGA MP-based KaAPCs as a novel antigen-specific immunotherapy for allograft rejection and autoimmune disorder. The in vivo mechanism of alloinhibition, tissue

Clinical significance of thyroglobulin autoantibodies enhancement in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer after thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N V Severskaya

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to evaluate the clinical utility of antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb as a tumor marker in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC after thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation. Patients and methods. From 345 consecutive DTC patients after thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation we select ed 148 patients with elevated TgAb level (with distant metastasis n = 93, without distant metastasis n = 55. Serum TgAb concentration was measured before radioiodine ablation and then every time before 131I treatment (RIT or diagnostic 131I whole body scanning (WBS. Results were compared with serum thyroglobulin (Tg concentration, neck echography, lung and bone roentgenography and 131I WBS findings. Results. TgAb level was elevated in 21% DTC patients before 131I ablation. The other 22% with initially normal TgAb displayed their rising during followup. In absence of distant metastasis TgAb declined after 1 st–2 nd cycle of RIT (an average 8.9 months after 131I ablation. Persistance or rising of TgAb in the longer term was associated with detectable thyroid remnant, residual tumor or metastatic lymph nodes. In case of negative TgAb status after sugery an increase of TgAb during first 3–6 months after ablation indicated mostly a response to the rise of Tg antigen secondary to 131I ablation. A rise TgAb in the longer term (after 3rd–5th cycles of RIT indicated to residual or recurrent disease in 86% cases. In patients with distant metastasis there were no correlation between change in TgAb concentration and clinical sta tus, including the rate of regression of metastatic disease. But in case of low or undetectable Tg and permanent high TgAb level only TgAb indicated the presence of disease. Conclusion: persistence or rising TgAb in longer term after 131I ablation can serve as surrogate tumor marker of per sistent or recurrent disease. It is critical to measure TgAb concentration, especially in patients with low or unde tectable Tg, because

The Hsc/Hsp70 co-chaperone network controls antigen aggregation and presentation during maturation of professional antigen presenting cells.

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Nadja Kettern

Full Text Available The maturation of mouse macrophages and dendritic cells involves the transient deposition of ubiquitylated proteins in the form of dendritic cell aggresome-like induced structures (DALIS. Transient DALIS formation was used here as a paradigm to study how mammalian cells influence the formation and disassembly of protein aggregates through alterations of their proteostasis machinery. Co-chaperones that modulate the interplay of Hsc70 and Hsp70 with the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS and the autophagosome-lysosome pathway emerged as key regulators of this process. The chaperone-associated ubiquitin ligase CHIP and the ubiquitin-domain protein BAG-1 are essential for DALIS formation in mouse macrophages and bone-marrow derived dendritic cells (BMDCs. CHIP also cooperates with BAG-3 and the autophagic ubiquitin adaptor p62 in the clearance of DALIS through chaperone-assisted selective autophagy (CASA. On the other hand, the co-chaperone HspBP1 inhibits the activity of CHIP and thereby attenuates antigen sequestration. Through a modulation of DALIS formation CHIP, BAG-1 and HspBP1 alter MHC class I mediated antigen presentation in mouse BMDCs. Our data show that the Hsc/Hsp70 co-chaperone network controls transient protein aggregation during maturation of professional antigen presenting cells and in this way regulates the immune response. Similar mechanisms may modulate the formation of aggresomes and aggresome-like induced structures (ALIS in other mammalian cell types.

Pathophysiologic effects of stable iodine used as a thyroidal blocking agent to reduce thyroid radiation exposure. Progress report, November 1, 1975--October 31, 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, D.V.; Hurley, J.R.

1976-01-01

In an effort to determine whether iodide administration in man can induce injury to thyroid follicular cells similar to that demonstrated in lower animals, this study measures thyroglobulin, thyroxine and triiodothyronine and thyroid autoantibodies in the serum before and after administration of iodine in a variety of patients. In the last eight months primary efforts have been devoted to the development of a high specificity and sensitivity radioimmunoassay of thyroglobulin and its preliminary clinical application. Human thyroglobulin obtained from operative specimens was purified and its identity and purity established. Rabbits were injected with thyroglobulin for 30 weeks with the appearance of significant titres of antibodies within 6 weeks. The antibody developed was examined for immunological purity and used in a radioimmunoassay system with thyroglobulin labeled in this Laboratory with 125 I

Pathophysiologic effects of stable iodine used as a thyroidal blocking agent to reduce thyroid radiation exposure. Progress report, November 1, 1975--October 31, 1976. [/sup 125/I tracer technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, D.V.; Hurley, J.R.

1976-01-01

In an effort to determine whether iodide administration in man can induce injury to thyroid follicular cells similar to that demonstrated in lower animals, this study measures thyroglobulin, thyroxine and triiodothyronine and thyroid autoantibodies in the serum before and after administration of iodine in a variety of patients. In the last eight months primary efforts have been devoted to the development of a high specificity and sensitivity radioimmunoassay of thyroglobulin and its preliminary clinical application. Human thyroglobulin obtained from operative specimens was purified and its identity and purity established. Rabbits were injected with thyroglobulin for 30 weeks with the appearance of significant titres of antibodies within 6 weeks. The antibody developed was examined for immunological purity and used in a radioimmunoassay system with thyroglobulin labeled in this Laboratory with /sup 125/I.

Reduced IFN-γ and IL-10 responses to paternal antigens during and after pregnancy in allergic women.

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, Marie; Ekerfelt, Christina; Ernerudh, Jan; Matthiesen, Leif; Abelius, Martina Sandberg; Jonsson, Yvonne; Berg, Göran; Jenmalm, Maria C

2012-09-01

Normal pregnancy and allergy are both characterized by a T helper (Th) 2 deviation. In the current study, we hypothesized that paternal antigen-induced cytokine responses during pregnancy would be deviated toward Th2 and an anti-inflammatory profile, and that the Th2 deviation would be more pronounced in allergic pregnant women. Blood samples were collected longitudinally on three occasions during pregnancy and two occasions post partum (pp). Of the 86 women initially included, 54 women had a normal pregnancy and completed the sampling procedures. Twelve women fulfilled the criteria for allergy (allergic symptoms and circulating immunoglobulin [Ig] E antibodies to inhalant allergens) and 20 were non-allergic (nonsensitized without symptoms). The levels of Th1- and Th2-associated cytokines and chemokines, the Th17 cytokine IL-17 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 of the groups were compared. Paternal antigen-induced IL-4 and IL-10 responses increased between the first and the third trimester. Allergy was associated with decreased paternal antigen-induced IFN-γ and CXCL10 secretion in the nonpregnant state (one year pp) and also decreased IFN-γ/IL-4 and IFN-γ/IL-13 ratios during pregnancy. We also observed a decreased paternal antigen-induced IL-10 response in allergic compared with non-allergic women during pregnancy, along with a decreased IL-10/IL-13 ratio. In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis of lower Th1 responses toward paternal antigens in allergic than in non-allergic women, but also indicate that allergy is associated with a lower capacity to induce anti-inflammatory IL-10 responses after paternal antigen stimulation during pregnancy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elucidating the mechanisms of protein antigen adsorption to the CAF/NAF liposomal vaccine adjuvant systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hamborg, Mette; Rose, Fabrice; Jorgensen, Lene

2014-01-01

is generally known about how antigens and adjuvants interact at the molecular level. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms of interactions between the equally sized, but oppositely charged model protein antigens α-lactalbumin and lysozyme, and i) the clinically tested cationic liposomal...... antigens are presented to antigen-presenting cells, and may play an important role for the efficacy of the vaccine-induced immune response. These studies thus exemplify the importance of characterizing the molecular interactions between the vaccine antigen and adjuvant along with immunogenicity......The reverse vaccinology approach has recently resulted in the identification of promising protein antigens, which in combination with appropriate adjuvants can stimulate customized, protective immune responses. Although antigen adsorption to adjuvants influences vaccine efficacy and safety, little...

Friction-induced vibrations and self-organization mechanics and non-equilibrium thermodynamics of sliding contact

CERN Document Server

Nosonovsky, Michael

2013-01-01

Many scientists and engineers do not realize that, under certain conditions, friction can lead to the formation of new structures at the interface, including in situ tribofilms and various patterns. In turn, these structures-usually formed by destabilization of the stationary sliding regime-can lead to the reduction of friction and wear. Friction-Induced Vibrations and Self-Organization: Mechanics and Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics of Sliding Contact combines the mechanical and thermodynamic methods in tribology, thus extending the field of mechanical friction-induced vibrations to non-mechanical instabilities and self-organization processes at the frictional interface. The book also relates friction-induced self-organization to novel biomimetic materials, such as self-lubricating, self-cleaning, and self-healing materials. Explore Friction from a Different Angle-as a Fundamental Force of Nature The book begins with an exploration of friction as a fundamental force of nature throughout the history of science....

Induced refolding of a temperature denatured llama heavy-chain antibody fragment by its antigen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dolk, E.; Vliet, C. van; Perez, J.M.J.; Vriend, G.; Darbon, H.; Ferrat, G.; Cambillau, C.; Frenken, L.G.J.; Verrips, T.

2005-01-01

In a previous study we have shown that llama VHH antibody fragments are able to bind their antigen after a heat shock of 90°C, in contrast to the murine monoclonal antibodies. However, the molecular mechanism by which antibody:antigen interaction occurs under these extreme conditions remains

Loss of Roquin induces early death and immune deregulation but not autoimmunity

Science.gov (United States)

Bertossi, Arianna; Aichinger, Martin; Sansonetti, Paola; Lech, Maciej; Neff, Frauke; Pal, Martin; Wunderlich, F. Thomas; Anders, Hans-Joachim; Klein, Ludger

2011-01-01

The substitution of one amino acid in the Roquin protein by the sanroque mutation induces a dramatic autoimmune syndrome in mice. This is believed to occur through ectopic expression of inducible T cell co-stimulator (ICOS) and unrestrained differentiation of follicular T helper cells, which induce spontaneous germinal center reactions to self-antigens. In this study, we demonstrate that tissue-specific ablation of Roquin in T or B cells, in the entire hematopoietic system, or in epithelial cells of transplanted thymi did not cause autoimmunity. Loss of Roquin induced elevated expression of ICOS through T cell–intrinsic and –extrinsic mechanisms, which itself was not sufficient to break self-tolerance. Instead, ablation of Roquin in the hematopoietic system caused defined changes in immune homeostasis, including the expansion of macrophages, eosinophils, and T cell subsets, most dramatically CD8 effector–like T cells, through cell-autonomous and nonautonomous mechanisms. Germline Roquin deficiency led to perinatal lethality, which was partially rescued on the genetic background of an outbred strain. However, not even complete absence of Roquin resulted in overt self-reactivity, suggesting that the sanroque mutation induces autoimmunity through an as yet unknown mechanism. PMID:21844204

Self-Induced Faraday Instability Laser

Science.gov (United States)

Perego, A. M.; Smirnov, S. V.; Staliunas, K.; Churkin, D. V.; Wabnitz, S.

2018-05-01

We predict the onset of self-induced parametric or Faraday instabilities in a laser, spontaneously caused by the presence of pump depletion, which leads to a periodic gain landscape for light propagating in the cavity. As a result of the instability, continuous wave oscillation becomes unstable even in the normal dispersion regime of the cavity, and a periodic train of pulses with ultrahigh repetition rate is generated. Application to the case of Raman fiber lasers is described, in good quantitative agreement between our conceptual analysis and numerical modeling.

Dendritic cells induce specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes against prostate cancer TRAMP-C2 cells loaded with freeze- thaw antigen and PEP-3 peptide.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiao-Qi; Jiang, Rong; Li, Si-Qi; Wang, Jing; Yi, Fa-Ping

2015-01-01

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. In this study, we investigated immune responses of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) against TRAMP-C2 prostate cancer cells after activation by dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with TRAMP-C2 freeze-thaw antigen and/or PEP-3 peptide in vitro. Bone marrow-derived DC from the bone marrow of the C57BL/6 were induced to mature by using the cytokine of rhGM-CSF and rhIL-4, and loaded with either the freeze-thaw antigen or PEP-3 peptide or both of them. Maturation of DCs was detected by flow cytometry. The killing efficiency of the CTLs on TRAMP-C2 cells were detected by flow cytometry, CCK8, colony formation, transwell migration, and wound-healing assay. The levels of the IFN-γ, TNF-β and IL-12 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared with the unloaded DCs, the loaded DCs had significantly increased expression of several phenotypes related to DC maturation. CTLs activated by DCs loaded with freeze-thaw antigen and PEP-3 peptide had more evident cytotoxicity against TRAMP-C2 cells in vitro. The secretion levels of IFN-γ, TNF-β and IL-12, secreted by DCs loaded with antigen and PEP-3 and interaction with T cells, were higher than in the other groups. Our results suggest that the CTLs activated by DCs loaded with TRAMP-C2 freeze-thaw antigen and PEP-3 peptide exert a remarkable killing efficiency against TRAMP-C2 cells in vitro.

Induced helical backbone conformations of self-organizable dendronized polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudick, Jonathan G; Percec, Virgil

2008-12-01

information to rationalize function as retrostructural analysis. Retrostructural analysis validates our hypothesis that the self-assembling dendrons induce a helical backbone conformation in cylindrical self-organizable dendronized polymers. This helical conformation mediates unprecedented functions. Self-organizable dendronized polymers have emerged as powerful building blocks for nanoscience by virtue of their dimensions and ability to self-organize. Discrete cylindrical and spherical structures with well-defined dimensions can be visualized and manipulated individually. More importantly, they provide a robust framework for elucidating functions available only at the nanoscale. This Account will highlight structures and functions generated from self-organizable dendronized polymers that enable integration of the nanoworld with its macroscopic universe. Emphasis is placed on those structures and functions derived from the induced helical backbone conformation of cylindrical self-organizable dendronized polymers.

Human leukocyte antigen genotypes and trial of desensitization in patients with oxcarbazepine-induced skin rash: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Bolyun; Yu, Hee Joon; Kang, Eun-Suk; Lee, Munhyang; Lee, Jeehun

2014-08-01

Skin rash associated with specific antiepileptic drugs occurs not infrequently and it usually necessitates discontinuation of the causative drugs. An alternative strategy is to desensitize the individual to the offending drug. We checked the human leukocyte antigen genotypes and conducted a pilot study to investigate the usefulness and safety of desensitization in pediatric patients with skin rash associated with oxcarbazepine. We enrolled 19 patients with epilepsy who had discontinued oxcarbazepine because of skin rash despite an initial good response and then became refractory to other antiepileptic drugs along with an individual with paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia with a similar situation. High-resolution HLA-A and -B genotyping was performed to investigate the genetic risk. The desensitization began with 0.1 mg daily reaching 120 mg on the thirty-first day. Thereafter, the dose was increased at a rate of 12 mg/day. Nineteen patients completed the desensitization protocol to a target dosage over 2-5 months. Five patients developed itching and erythema during desensitization, but the symptoms disappeared after withholding a dose increment transiently. There were no human leukocyte antigen genotypes relevant to aromatic antiepileptic drug-induced severe hypersensitivity reactions. The seizure frequency was reduced to less than at baseline in 18 individuals. This study demonstrated 95% efficacy, including 42% seizure-free patients and the favorable tolerability of desensitization to oxcarbazepine in patients with intractable epilepsy and one patient with paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia. Screening for sensitive human leukocyte antigen types and exclusion of severe hypersensitivity reactions should precede desensitization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Co-administration of α-GalCer analog and TLR4 agonist induces robust CD8+ T-cell responses to PyCS protein and WT-1 antigen and activates memory-like effector NKT cells

OpenAIRE

Coelho-dos-Reis, Jordana G.; Huang, Jing; Tsao, Tiffany; Pereira, Felipe V.; Funakoshi, Ryota; Nakajima, Hiroko; Sugiyama, Haruo; Tsuji, Moriya

2016-01-01

In the present study, the combined adjuvant effect of 7DW8-5, a potent α-GalCer-analog, and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), a TLR4 agonist, on the induction of vaccine-induced CD8+ T-cell responses and protective immunity was evaluated. Mice were immunized with peptides corresponding to the CD8+ T-cell epitopes of a malaria antigen, a circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium yoelii, and a tumor antigen, a Wilms Tumor antigen-1 (WT-1), together with 7DW8-5 and MPLA, as an adjuvant. These immuniza...

Intracellular antigens released from Balb/c mice kidneys under chemically induced apoptosis and/or necrosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.J. Bollain-y-Goitia

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Apoptosis is a physiologic process that makes certain the cellular exchange; after apoptosis cellular corpses are cleared by phagocytosis. In autoimmunity, some mechanisms of apoptosis are not succeeding and result in autoimmunity; for instance the failure in the Fas pathway in lymphoid ontogeny fosters the autoimmune clone survival. Additionally the insufficient clearance of apoptotic material represents a potential danger that may activate the pre-existent auto-reactive clones, and may trigger the autoantibody production (1. Is now accepted that antigens from apoptotic origin are better targeted by autoantibodies (2-4, and the source of apoptotic remains is broad spread, nevertheless the skin is very important because is an easy target of the UV light, and may induce antibody depositionesulting in skin lesions, this mechanism is important in SCLE (5.

A polyvalent vaccine for high-risk prostate patients: "are more antigens better?"

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Slovin, Susan F; Ragupathi, Govind; Fernandez, Celina

2007-01-01

vaccine of synthetic "self" antigens broke immunologic tolerance against two or more antigens in all 30 vaccinated patients, was safe, but antibody titers against several of the antigens were lower than those seen in individual monovalent trials. No impact on PSA slope was detected. We address......We have shown the immunogenicity and safety of synthetic carbohydrate vaccines when conjugated to the carrier keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and given with the adjuvant, QS-21, in patients with biochemically relapsed prostate cancer. To determine whether immune response could be further enhanced...... and mixed with QS-21. Eight vaccinations were administered over 13 months. All 30 patients had significant elevations in antibody titers to at least two of the six antigens; 22 patients had increased reactivity with FACS. These serologic responses were lower than that seen previously in patients treated...

Antigenic and Genotypic Similarity between Primary Glioblastomas and Their Derived Neurospheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Caldera

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Formation of neurospheres (NS in cultures of glioblastomas (GBMs, with self-renewal, clonogenic capacities, and tumorigenicity following transplantation into immunodeficient mice, may denounce the existence of brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs in vivo. In sixteen cell lines from resected primary glioblastomas, NS showed the same genetic alterations as primary tumors and the expression of stemness antigens. Adherent cells (AC, after adding 10% of fetal bovine serum (FBS to the culture, were genetically different from NS and prevailingly expressed differentiation antigens. NS developed from a highly malignant tumor phenotype with proliferation, circumscribed necrosis, and high vessel density. Beside originating from transformed neural stem cells (NSCs, BTSCs may be contained within or correspond to dedifferentiated cells after mutation accumulation, which reacquire the expression of stemness antigens.

Antigen-Specific Polyclonal Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Induced by Fusions of Dendritic Cells and Tumor Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shigeo Koido

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of cancer vaccines is induction of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs that can reduce the tumor mass. Dendritic cells (DCs are potent antigen-presenting cells and play a central role in the initiation and regulation of primary immune responses. Thus, DCs-based vaccination represents a potentially powerful strategy for induction of antigen-specific CTLs. Fusions of DCs and whole tumor cells represent an alternative approach to deliver, process, and subsequently present a broad spectrum of antigens, including those known and unidentified, in the context of costimulatory molecules. Once DCs/tumor fusions have been infused back into patient, they migrate to secondary lymphoid organs, where the generation of antigen-specific polyclonal CTL responses occurs. We will discuss perspectives for future development of DCs/tumor fusions for CTL induction.

Carnauba wax nanoparticles enhance strong systemic and mucosal cellular and humoral immune responses to HIV-gp140 antigen.

Science.gov (United States)

Arias, Mauricio A; Loxley, Andrew; Eatmon, Christy; Van Roey, Griet; Fairhurst, David; Mitchnick, Mark; Dash, Philip; Cole, Tom; Wegmann, Frank; Sattentau, Quentin; Shattock, Robin

2011-02-01

Induction of humoral responses to HIV at mucosal compartments without inflammation is important for vaccine design. We developed charged wax nanoparticles that efficiently adsorb protein antigens and are internalized by DC in the absence of inflammation. HIV-gp140-adsorbed nanoparticles induced stronger in vitro T-cell proliferation responses than antigen alone. Such responses were greatly enhanced when antigen was co-adsorbed with TLR ligands. Immunogenicity studies in mice showed that intradermal vaccination with HIV-gp140 antigen-adsorbed nanoparticles induced high levels of specific IgG. Importantly, intranasal immunization with HIV-gp140-adsorbed nanoparticles greatly enhanced serum and vaginal IgG and IgA responses. Our results show that HIV-gp140-carrying wax nanoparticles can induce strong cellular/humoral immune responses without inflammation and may be of potential use as effective mucosal adjuvants for HIV vaccine candidates. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Immunogenic Eimeria tenella glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored surface antigens (SAGs induce inflammatory responses in avian macrophages.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yock-Ping Chow

Full Text Available At least 19 glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI-anchored surface antigens (SAGs are expressed specifically by second-generation merozoites of Eimeria tenella, but the ability of these proteins to stimulate immune responses in the chicken is unknown.Ten SAGs, belonging to two previously defined multigene families (A and B, were expressed as soluble recombinant (r fusion proteins in E. coli. Chicken macrophages were treated with purified rSAGs and changes in macrophage nitrite production, and in mRNA expression profiles of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS and of a panel of cytokines were measured. Treatment with rSAGs 4, 5, and 12 induced high levels of macrophage nitric oxide production and IL-1β mRNA transcription that may contribute to the inflammatory response observed during E. tenella infection. Concomitantly, treatment with rSAGs 4, 5 and 12 suppressed the expression of IL-12 and IFN-γ and elevated that of IL-10, suggesting that during infection these molecules may specifically impair the development of cellular mediated immunity.In summary, some E. tenella SAGs appear to differentially modulate chicken innate and humoral immune responses and those derived from multigene family A (especially rSAG 12 may be more strongly linked with E. tenella pathogenicity associated with the endogenous second generation stages.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen binds DNA polymerase-β and mediates 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium-induced neuronal death.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhentao Zhang

Full Text Available The mechanisms leading to dopaminergic neuronal loss in the substantia nigra of patients with Parkinson disease (PD remain poorly understood. We recently reported that aberrant DNA replication mediated by DNA polymerase-β (DNA pol-β plays a causal role in the death of postmitotic neurons in an in vitro model of PD. In the present study, we show that both proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA and DNA pol-β are required for MPP(+-induced neuronal death. PCNA binds to the catalytic domain of DNA pol-β in MPP(+-treated neurons and in post-mortem brain tissues of PD patients. The PCNA-DNA pol-β complex is loaded into DNA replication forks and mediates DNA replication in postmitotic neurons. The aberrant DNA replication mediated by the PCNA-DNA pol-β complex induces p53-dependent neuronal cell death. Our results indicate that the interaction of PCNA and DNA pol-β contributes to neuronal death in PD.

Co-administration of α-GalCer analog and TLR4 agonist induces robust CD8(+) T-cell responses to PyCS protein and WT-1 antigen and activates memory-like effector NKT cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Coelho-Dos-Reis, Jordana G; Huang, Jing; Tsao, Tiffany; Pereira, Felipe V; Funakoshi, Ryota; Nakajima, Hiroko; Sugiyama, Haruo; Tsuji, Moriya

2016-07-01

In the present study, the combined adjuvant effect of 7DW8-5, a potent α-GalCer-analog, and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), a TLR4 agonist, on the induction of vaccine-induced CD8(+) T-cell responses and protective immunity was evaluated. Mice were immunized with peptides corresponding to the CD8(+) T-cell epitopes of a malaria antigen, a circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium yoelii, and a tumor antigen, a Wilms Tumor antigen-1 (WT-1), together with 7DW8-5 and MPLA, as an adjuvant. These immunization regimens were able to induce higher levels of CD8(+) T-cell responses and, ultimately, enhanced levels of protection against malaria and tumor challenges compared to the levels induced by immunization with peptides mixed with 7DW8-5 or MPLA alone. Co-administration of 7DW8-5 and MPLA induces activation of memory-like effector natural killer T (NKT) cells, i.e. CD44(+)CD62L(-)NKT cells. Our study indicates that 7DW8-5 greatly enhances important synergistic pathways associated to memory immune responses when co-administered with MPLA, thus rendering this combination of adjuvants a novel vaccine adjuvant formulation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interleukin-2 (rIL-2)-induced lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and their precursors express the VGO1 antigen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denegri, J.F.; Peterson, J.; Tilley, P.

1989-01-01

Precursor and effector cells of recombinant interleukin-2 (r-IL-2)-induced lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity were investigated for their expression of VGO1. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from normal donors were purified and separated in a FACS 420 into VGO1+- and VGO1- cell fractions before and after culture for 96 hr with 100 U/ml of r-IL-2. Their lytic activity against K 562 and Daudi cells was measured in a 51Cr release assay. The majority, if not all, of the LAK effector and precursor cells was VGO1+ lymphocytes. The expression of VGO1 by LAK precursor cells remained stable under the culture conditions used in our experiments. VGO1- lymphocytes cultured with r-IL-2 demonstrated neither LAK-induced activity nor expression of VGO1 antigen

Role of serum thyroglobulin levels in the assessment of thyroid disease (abstract)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbas, H.G.; Khan, M.S.

1998-01-01

Thyroglobulin (Tg), a glycoprotein, is the principal iodoprotein of the thyroid gland and is the major component of the thyroid mass. As Tg is specific to thyroid gland and thyroid related-cells, its measurement in the circulation is potentially useful to study the pathogenesis, establish the diagnosis and follow the course of thyroid disorders. Serum Tg is a suitable marker for the differentiated thyroid carcinoma after total thyroid ablation by surgery and /sup 131/I treatment. Radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoradiometric (IRMA) methodologies are important to measure hormones for diagnosis of various diseases. In addition to /sup 131/I uptake, /sup 131/I whole body scintigraphy and estimation of T3, T4 and TSH levels, serum Tg levels in euthyroids (n=42), hyper thyroids (n=55) and treated cases (thyroidectomy and /sup 131/I ablation) of carcinoma (CA) thyroid were 9.7 - +9.96, 109.9 - +160.3 and 2.2 - + 4.2 respectively. Serum Tg levels were significantly higher (P < 0.005) in hyper thyroids and significantly lower (P < 0.025) in treated CA thyroids when compared with those of euthyroids. In treated patients (surgery and /sup 131/I ablation) serum Tg assay is an excellent method to assess the treatment and recurrence of disease. (author)

A Safe Bacterial Microsyringe for In Vivo Antigen Delivery and Immunotherapy

Science.gov (United States)

Le Gouëllec, Audrey; Chauchet, Xavier; Laurin, David; Aspord, Caroline; Verove, Julien; Wang, Yan; Genestet, Charlotte; Trocme, Candice; Ahmadi, Mitra; Martin, Sandrine; Broisat, Alexis; Cretin, François; Ghezzi, Catherine; Polack, Benoit; Plumas, Joël; Toussaint, Bertrand

2013-01-01

The industrial development of active immunotherapy based on live-attenuated bacterial vectors has matured. We developed a microsyringe for antigen delivery based on the type III secretion system (T3SS) of P. aeruginosa. We applied the “killed but metabolically active” (KBMA) attenuation strategy to make this bacterial vector suitable for human use. We demonstrate that attenuated P. aeruginosa has the potential to deliver antigens to human antigen-presenting cells in vitro via T3SS with considerable attenuated cytotoxicity as compared with the wild-type vector. In a mouse model of cancer, we demonstrate that this KBMA strain, which cannot replicate in its host, efficiently disseminates into lymphoid organs and delivers its heterologous antigen. The attenuated strain effectively induces a cellular immune response to the cancerous cells while lowering the systemic inflammatory response. Hence, a KBMA P. aeruginosa microsyringe is an efficient and safe tool for in vivo antigen delivery. PMID:23531551

Serum thyroglobulin before and after iodization of salt: an 11-year DanThyr follow-up study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krejbjerg, Anne; Bjergved, Lena; Pedersen, Inge Bülow

2015-01-01

(moderate iodine deficiency (ID)) and Copenhagen (mild ID). Participants were examined at baseline (1997) before the mandatory IF of salt (2000) and again at follow-up (2008) after IF. We examined 2465 adults and a total of 1417 participants with no previous thyroid disease and without Tg......Our objective was to investigate individual serum thyroglobulin (Tg) changes in relation to iodine fortification (IF) and to clarify possible predictors of these changes. We performed a longitudinal population-based study (DanThyr) in two regions with different iodine intake at baseline: Aalborg......-autoantibodies were included in the analyses. Serum Tg was measured by immunoradiometric method. We registered participants with a daily intake of iodine from supplements in addition to IF. Overall, the follow-up period saw no change in median Tg in Copenhagen (9.1/9.1 μg/l, P=0.67) while Tg decreased significantly...

Strategy for eliciting antigen-specific CD8+ T cell-mediated immune response against a cryptic CTL epitope of merkel cell polyomavirus large T antigen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gomez Bianca P

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC is a relatively new addition to the expanding category of oncovirus-induced cancers. Although still comparably rare, the number of cases has risen dramatically in recent years. Further complicating this trend is that MCC is an extremely aggressive neoplasm with poor patient prognosis and limited treatment options for advanced disease. The causative agent of MCC has been identified as the merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV. The MCPyV-encoded large T (LT antigen is an oncoprotein that is theorized to be essential for virus-mediated tumorigenesis and is therefore, an excellent MCC antigen for the generation of antitumor immune responses. As a foreign antigen, the LT oncoprotein avoids the obstacle of immune tolerance, which normally impedes the development of antitumor immunity. Ergo, it is an excellent target for anti-MCC immunotherapy. Since tumor-specific CD8+ T cells lead to better prognosis for MCC and numerous other cancers, we have generated a DNA vaccine that is capable of eliciting LT-specific CD8+ T cells. The DNA vaccine (pcDNA3-CRT/LT encodes the LT antigen linked to a damage-associated molecular pattern, calreticulin (CRT, as it has been demonstrated that the linkage of CRT to antigens promotes the induction of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Results The present study shows that DNA vaccine-induced generation of LT-specific CD8+ T cells is augmented by linking CRT to the LT antigen. This is relevant since the therapeutic effects of the pcDNA3-CRT/LT DNA vaccine is mediated by LT-specific CD8+ T cells. Mice vaccinated with the DNA vaccine produced demonstrably more LT-specific CD8+ T cells. The DNA vaccine was also able to confer LT-specific CD8+ T cell-mediated protective and therapeutic effects to prolong the survival of mice with LT-expressing tumors. In the interest of determining the LT epitope which most MCC-specific CD8+ T cells recognize, we identified the amino acid sequence of the

Antigen presentation by small intestinal epithelial cells uniquely enhances IFN-γ secretion from CD4{sup +} intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hatano, Ryo; Yamada, Kiyoshi; Iwamoto, Taku; Maeda, Nana; Emoto, Tetsuro; Shimizu, Makoto; Totsuka, Mamoru, E-mail: atotuka@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp

2013-06-14

Highlights: •Small intestinal epithelial cells (sIECs). •sIECs are able to induce antigen specific proliferation of CD4{sup +} IELs. •sIECs induce markedly enhanced IFN-γ secretion by CD4{sup +} IELs. •Induction of enhanced IFN-γ secretion by sIECs is uniquely observed in CD4{sup +} IELs. -- Abstract: Small intestinal epithelial cells (sIECs) express major histocompatibility complex class II molecules even in a normal condition, and are known to function as antigen presenting cells (APCs) at least in vitro. These findings raised the possibility that sIECs play an important role in inducing immune responses against luminal antigens, especially those of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and lamina propria lymphocytes (LPLs). We herein showed that antigenic stimulation with sIECs induced markedly greater secretion of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) by CD4{sup +} IELs, but not interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-17 although the proliferative response was prominently lower than that with T cell-depleted splenic APCs. In contrast, no enhanced IFN-γ secretion by CD4{sup +} LPLs and primed splenic CD4{sup +} T cells was observed when stimulated with sIECs. Taken together, these results suggest that sIECs uniquely activate CD4{sup +} IELs and induce remarkable IFN-γ secretion upon antigenic stimulation in vivo.

Immunoregulation by Taenia crassiceps and Its Antigens

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Alberto N. Peón

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Taenia crassiceps is a cestode parasite of rodents (in its larval stage and canids (in its adult stage that can also parasitize immunocompromised humans. We have studied the immune response elicited by this helminth and its antigens in mice and human cells, and have discovered that they have a strong capacity to induce chronic Th2-type responses that are primarily characterized by high levels of Th2 cytokines, low proliferative responses in lymphocytes, an immature and LPS-tolerogenic profile in dendritic cells, the recruitment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and, specially, alternatively activated macrophages. We also have utilized the immunoregulatory capabilities of this helminth to successfully modulate autoimmune responses and the outcome of other infectious diseases. In the present paper, we review the work of others and ourselves with regard to the immune response induced by T. crassiceps and its antigens, and we compare the advances in our understanding of this parasitic infection model with the knowledge that has been obtained from other selected models.

A Lipid Based Antigen Delivery System Efficiently Facilitates MHC Class-I Antigen Presentation in Dendritic Cells to Stimulate CD8+ T Cells

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Maji, Mithun; Mazumder, Saumyabrata; Bhattacharya, Souparno; Choudhury, Somsubhra Thakur; Sabur, Abdus; Shadab, Md.; Bhattacharya, Pradyot; Ali, Nahid

2016-06-01

The most effective strategy for protection against intracellular infections such as Leishmania is vaccination with live parasites. Use of recombinant proteins avoids the risks associated with live vaccines. However, due to low immunogenicity, they fail to trigger T cell responses particularly of CD8+ cells requisite for persistent immunity. Previously we showed the importance of protein entrapment in cationic liposomes and MPL as adjuvant for elicitation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses for long-term protection. In this study we investigated the role of cationic liposomes on maturation and antigen presentation capacity of dendritic cells (DCs). We observed that cationic liposomes were taken up very efficiently by DCs and transported to different cellular sites. DCs activated with liposomal rgp63 led to efficient presentation of antigen to specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, lymphoid CD8+ T cells from liposomal rgp63 immunized mice demonstrated better proliferative ability when co-cultured ex vivo with stimulated DCs. Addition of MPL to vaccine enhanced the antigen presentation by DCs and induced more efficient antigen specific CD8+ T cell responses when compared to free and liposomal antigen. These liposomal formulations presented to CD8+ T cells through TAP-dependent MHC-I pathway offer new possibilities for a safe subunit vaccine.

Role of activatory Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RIII and inhibitory Fc gamma RII in inflammation and cartilage destruction during experimental antigen-induced arthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lent, P.L.E.M. van; Nabbe, K.C.A.M.; Blom, A.B.; Holthuysen, A.E.M.; Sloetjes, A.W.; Putte, L.B.A. van de; Verbeek, S.; Berg, W.B. van den

2001-01-01

IgG-containing immune complexes, which are found in most RA joints, communicate with hematopoietic cells using three classes of Fc receptors(Fc gamma RI, -II, -III). In a previous study we found that if a chronic T-cell-mediated antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) was elicited in knee joints of FcR

Differential expression of the Escherichia coli autoaggregation factor antigen 43

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schembri, Mark; Hjerrild, Louise; Gjermansen, Morten

2003-01-01

Antigen 43 (Ag43) is a self-recognizing surface adhesin found in most Escherichia coli strains. Due to its excellent cell-to-cell aggregation characteristics, Ag43 expression confers clumping and fluffing of cells and promotes biofilm formation. Ag43 expression is repressed by the cellular redox...

Effect of monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to class I and class II HLA antigens on lectin- and MoAb OKT3-induced lymphocyte proliferation.

Science.gov (United States)

Akiyama, Y; Zicht, R; Ferrone, S; Bonnard, G D; Herberman, R B

1985-04-01

We have examined the effect of several monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to monomorphic determinants of class II HLA antigens, and MoAb to monomorphic determinants of class I HLA antigens and to beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2-mu) on lectin- and MoAb OKT3-induced proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) and cultured T cells (CTC). Some, but not all, anti-class II HLA MoAb inhibited the proliferative response of PBMNC to MoAb OKT3 and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). The degree of inhibitory effect varied considerably. This effect was not limited to anti-class II HLA MoAb since anti-class I HLA MoAb and anti-beta 2-mu MoAb also inhibited MoAb OKT3- or PWM-induced proliferative responses. In contrast, the response of PBMNC to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) was not blocked by any anti-class II HLA MoAb. However, some anti-class II HLA MoAb also inhibited the proliferative response of CTC plus allogeneic peripheral blood adherent accessory cells (AC) to PHA or Con A as well as to MoAb OKT3 or PWM. This may be attributable to the substantially greater class II HLA antigen expression by CTC than by fresh lymphocytes. Pretreatment of either CTC or AC with anti-class II HLA MoAb inhibited OKT3-induced proliferation. In contrast, pretreatment of CTC, but not AC, with anti-class I HLA MoAb inhibited the proliferative response of CTC to OKT3. Pretreatment of CTC with anti-class I HLA MoAb inhibited PHA-, Con A and PWM-induced proliferation, to a greater degree than the anti-class II HLA MoAb. It appears as if lymphocyte activation by different mitogens exhibits variable requirements for the presence of cells expressing major histocompatibility determinants. Binding of Ab to membrane markers may interfere with lymphocyte-AC cooperation, perhaps by inhibiting binding of mitogens to their receptors or by interfering with lymphocyte and AC function. We also have examined the role of class II HLA antigens on CTC by depleting class II HLA-positive cells

Interleukin-12 promotes activation of effector cells that induce a severe destructive granulomatous form of murine experimental autoimmune thyroiditis.

OpenAIRE

Braley-Mullen, H.; Sharp, G. C.; Tang, H.; Chen, K.; Kyriakos, M.; Bickel, J. T.

1998-01-01

Granulomatous inflammatory lesions are a major histopathological feature of a wide spectrum of human infectious and autoimmune diseases. Experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) with granulomatous histopathological features can be induced by mouse thyroglobulin (MTg)-sensitized spleen cells activated in vitro with MTg and anti-interleukin-2 receptor (anti-IL-2R), anti-IL-2, or anti-interferon-gamma (anti-IFN-gamma) monoclonal antibody (MAb). These studies suggested that IFN-gamma-producing T...

Human CD3+ T-Cells with the Anti-ERBB2 Chimeric Antigen Receptor Exhibit Efficient Targeting and Induce Apoptosis in ERBB2 Overexpressing Breast Cancer Cells

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Munisvaradass, Rusheni; Kumar, Suresh; Govindasamy, Chandramohan; Alnumair, Khalid S.; Mok, Pooi Ling

2017-01-01

Breast cancer is a common malignancy among women. The innate and adaptive immune responses failed to be activated owing to immune modulation in the tumour microenvironment. Decades of scientific study links the overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ERBB2) antigen with aggressive tumours. The Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) coding for specific tumour-associated antigens could initiate intrinsic T-cell signalling, inducing T-cell activation, and cytotoxic activity without the need for major histocompatibility complex recognition. This renders CAR as a potentially universal immunotherapeutic option. Herein, we aimed to establish CAR in CD3+ T-cells, isolated from human peripheral blood mononucleated cells that could subsequently target and induce apoptosis in the ERBB2 overexpressing human breast cancer cell line, SKBR3. Constructed CAR was inserted into a lentiviral plasmid containing a green fluorescent protein tag and produced as lentiviral particles that were used to transduce activated T-cells. Transduced CAR-T cells were then primed with SKBR3 cells to evaluate their functionality. Results showed increased apoptosis in SKBR3 cells co-cultured with CAR-T cells compared to the control (non–transduced T-cells). This study demonstrates that CAR introduction helps overcome the innate limitations of native T-cells leading to cancer cell apoptosis. We recommend future studies should focus on in vivo cytotoxicity of CAR-T cells against ERBB2 expressing tumours. PMID:28885562

Opposite variations in maternal and neonatal thyroid function induced by iodine supplementation during pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nøhr, S B; Laurberg, P

2000-01-01

pregnancy, and 95 took no artificial iodine supplementation. Iodine supplementation (+I) induced opposite variations in thyroid function in the mother and the fetus. In +I mothers, TSH was 7.6% lower than in mothers with no supplementation (P ... in the +I group (P caused by opposite shifts in TSH frequency distribution in mothers and neonates. The association between iodine supplementation and high serum TSH in the neonates was further substantiated by an inverse correlation between thyroglobulin and TSH in cord blood...

Vaccine adjuvant MF59 promotes the intranodal differentiation of antigen-loaded and activated monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

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Rossella Cioncada

Full Text Available MF59 is an oil-in-water emulsion adjuvant approved for human influenza vaccination in European Union. The mode of action of MF59 is not fully elucidated yet, but results from several years of investigation indicate that MF59 establishes an immunocompetent environment at injection site which promotes recruitment of immune cells, including antigen presenting cells (APCs, that are facilitated to engulf antigen and transport it to draining lymph node (dLN where the antigen is accumulated. In vitro studies showed that MF59 promotes the differentiation of monocytes to dendritic cells (Mo-DCs. Since after immunization with MF59, monocytes are rapidly recruited both at the injection site and in dLN and appear to have a morphological change toward a DC-like phenotype, we asked whether MF59 could play a role in inducing differentiation of Mo-DC in vivo. To address this question we immunized mice with the auto-fluorescent protein Phycoerythrin (PE as model antigen, in presence or absence of MF59. We measured the APC phenotype and their antigen uptake within dLNs, the antigen distribution within the dLN compartments and the humoral response to PE. In addition, using Ovalbumin as model antigen, we measured the capacity of dLN APCs to induce antigen-specific CD4 T cell proliferation. Here, we show, for the first time, that MF59 promotes differentiation of Mo-DCs within dLNs from intranodal recruited monocytes and we suggest that this differentiation could take place in the medullary compartment of the LN. In addition we show that the Mo-DC subset represents the major source of antigen-loaded and activated APCs within the dLN when immunizing with MF59. Interestingly, this finding correlates with the enhanced triggering of antigen-specific CD4 T cell response induced by LN APCs. This study therefore demonstrates that MF59 is able to promote an immunocompetent environment also directly within the dLN, offering a novel insight on the mechanism of action of

Immune Regulation by Self-Recognition

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Andersen, Mads Hald

2015-01-01

Circulating T cells that specifically target normal self-proteins expressed by regulatory immune cells were first described in patients with cancer, but can also be detected in healthy individuals. The adaptive immune system is distinguished for its ability to differentiate between self......-antigens and foreign antigens. Thus, it was remarkable to discover T cells that apparently lacked tolerance to important self-proteins, eg, IDO, PD-L1, and FoxP3, expressed in regulatory immune cells. The ability of self-reactive T cells to react to and eliminate regulatory immune cells can influence general immune...... reactions. This suggests that they may be involved in immune homeostasis. It is here proposed that these T cells should be termed antiregulatory T cells (anti-Tregs). The role of anti-Tregs in immune-regulatory networks may be diverse. For example, pro-inflammatory self-reactive T cells that react...

Macrophage specific MRI imaging for antigen induced arthritides. A potential new strategy for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, G.H.; Rummeny, E.J.; Daldrup-Link, H.E.

2007-01-01

The present work describes the potential of iron oxides for the detection of macrophages in synovitis in experimental, antigen-induced arthritis. The pivotal role of macrophages in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in humans and in antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) in animal models is discussed. The latter appear to be very similar in many aspects to the human RA. We show the potential for iron oxide-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the macrophage content in the arthritic synovial membranes. The results of our own research, as well as those of other research groups, are presented and discussed. MRI after the intravenous (i.v.) administration of iron oxides enables the depiction of macrophage content in arthritic synovial membranes in AIA through the effects of the intracellular compartmentalisation of iron oxide particles. These effects can be demonstrated in 24-h delayed images after i.v. contrast application, on T2-weighted spin-echo or turbo-spin-echo sequences, and especially on T2 * -weighted gradient-echo sequences. The signal effects are not only apparent in high field strength (4.7 Tesla) but also on 1.5 Tesla clinical scanners. The use of iron oxides enables the determination of the macrophage content in synovitis in animals with AIA. This parameter represents a potential marker to determine disease activity, and possibly represents a marker to evaluate the effectiveness of specific therapies in human RA. Current knowledge of iron oxide-enhanced MRI is limited to animal models. The clinical evaluation of this new method in patients with RA has not yet been performed. However, based on the considerations presented here, significant progress in the diagnostic work-up of RA can be expected

Enhanced Expression of Interferon-γ-Induced Antigen-Processing Machinery Components in a Spontaneously Occurring Cancer

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Fulvia Cerruti

2007-11-01

Full Text Available In human tumors, changes in the surface expression and/or function of major histocompatibility complex (MHC class I antigens are frequently found and may provide malignant cells with a mechanism to escape control of the immune system. This altered human lymphocyte antigen (HLA class I phenotype can be caused by either structural alterations or dysregulation of genes encoding subunits of HLA class I antigens and/or components of the MHC class I antigen-processing machinery (APM. Herein we analyze the expression of several proteins involved in the generation of MHC class I epitopes in feline injection site sarcoma, a spontaneously occurring tumor in cats that is an informative model for the study of tumor biology in other species, including humans. Eighteen surgically removed primary fibrosarcoma lesions were analyzed, and an enhanced expression of two catalytic subunits of immunoproteasomes, PA28 and leucine aminopeptidase, was found in tumors compared to matched normal tissues. As a functional counterpart of these changes in protein levels, proteasomal activities were increased in tissue extracts from fibrosarcomas. Taken together, these results suggest that alterations in the APM system may account for reduced processing of selected tumor antigens and may potentially provide neoplastic fibroblasts with a mechanism for escape from T-cell recognition and destruction.

Oxidative stress can alter the antigenicity of immunodominant peptides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weiskopf, Daniela; Schwanninger, Angelika; Weinberger, Birgit

2010-01-01

APCs operate frequently under oxidative stress induced by aging, tissue damage, pathogens, or inflammatory responses. Phagocytic cells produce peroxides and free-radical species that facilitate pathogen clearance and can in the case of APCs, also lead to oxidative modifications of antigenic prote...

Merkel cell polyomavirus in Merkel cell carcinogenesis: small T antigen-mediates c-Jun phosphorylation.

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Wu, Julie H; Simonette, Rebecca A; Nguyen, Harrison P; Rady, Peter L; Tyring, Stephen K

2016-06-01

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a highly aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer associated with the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). The MCPyV genome, which is clonally integrated in the majority of MCCs, encodes the regulatory small T (sT) antigen. Previously, reports have established MCPyV sT antigen as a potent oncogene capable of inducing cell transformation. In the current study, we demonstrate a distinct role for c-Jun hyperactivation in MCPyV sT antigen pathogenesis. As MCPyV sT antigen's association with aggressive cancer growth has been previously established, this finding may represent a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of MCCs.

Activation of nickel-specific CD4+ T lymphocytes in the absence of professional antigen-presenting cells.

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Nasorri, Francesca; Sebastiani, Silvia; Mariani, Valentina; De Pità, Ornella; Puddu, Pietro; Girolomoni, Giampiero; Cavani, Andrea

2002-01-01

Allergic contact dermatitis ensues from exaggerated T cell responses to haptens. Dendritic cells are required for the initiation of hapten sensitization, but they may not be necessary for disease expression. Here we investigated the antigen-presenting cell requirement of nickel-specific CD4+ lymphocytes isolated from the blood of six allergic individuals. A significant proportion (42 out of 121; 35%) of the T cell clones proliferated in vitro to nickel also in the absence of professional antigen-presenting cells, suggesting a direct T-T hapten presentation. Antigen-presenting-cell-independent T cells showed a predominant T helper 1 phenotype. Nickel recognition by these T cells was major histocompatibility complex class II restricted, not influenced by CD28 triggering, independent from their state of activation, and did not require processing. The capacity of this T cell subset to be directly stimulated by nickel was not due to unique antigen-presenting properties, as both antigen-presenting-cell-dependent and antigen-presenting-cell-independent clones displayed comparable levels of HLA-DR, CD80, and CD86, and were equally capable of presenting nickel to antigen-presenting-cell-independent clones. In contrast, neither T cell types activated antigen-presenting-cell-dependent T lymphocytes. T-T presentation induced T cell receptor downregulation, CD25, CD80, CD86, and HLA-DR upregulation, and interferon-gamma release, although to a lesser extent compared to those induced by dendritic cell-T presentation. Following T-T presentation, the clones did not undergo unresponsiveness and maintained the capacity to respond to dendritic cells pulsed with antigen. In aggregate, our data suggest that antigen-presenting-cell-independent T cell activation can effectively amplify hapten- specific immune responses.

Photochemical Internalization of Peptide Antigens Provides a Novel Strategy to Realize Therapeutic Cancer Vaccination

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Markus Haug

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Effective priming and activation of tumor-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs is crucial for realizing the potential of therapeutic cancer vaccination. This requires cytosolic antigens that feed into the MHC class I presentation pathway, which is not efficiently achieved with most current vaccination technologies. Photochemical internalization (PCI provides an emerging technology to route endocytosed material to the cytosol of cells, based on light-induced disruption of endosomal membranes using a photosensitizing compound. Here, we investigated the potential of PCI as a novel, minimally invasive, and well-tolerated vaccination technology to induce priming of cancer-specific CTL responses to peptide antigens. We show that PCI effectively promotes delivery of peptide antigens to the cytosol of antigen-presenting cells (APCs in vitro. This resulted in a 30-fold increase in MHC class I/peptide complex formation and surface presentation, and a subsequent 30- to 100-fold more efficient activation of antigen-specific CTLs compared to using the peptide alone. The effect was found to be highly dependent on the dose of the PCI treatment, where optimal doses promoted maturation of immature dendritic cells, thus also providing an adjuvant effect. The effect of PCI was confirmed in vivo by the successful induction of antigen-specific CTL responses to cancer antigens in C57BL/6 mice following intradermal peptide vaccination using PCI technology. We thus show new and strong evidence that PCI technology holds great potential as a novel strategy for improving the outcome of peptide vaccines aimed at triggering cancer-specific CD8+ CTL responses.

Elucidation of self-induced sloshing occurrence mechanism using numerical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saeki, Soichi; Madarame, Haruki; Okamoto, Koji; Tanaka, Nobukazu.

1995-01-01

In liquid metal-cooled fast breeder reactors, there is free liquid surface in a reactor vessel and others, and by reducing the size of the reactor vessel and others, it is necessary to increase the flow velocity of liquid sodium coolant. In the free liquid surface in which fast circulating flow exists, undesirable phenomena like waving and bubble catching are feared. The self-induced sloshing taken up in this study is one of these phenomena. Since the actual machine has complex three-dimensional structure, in order to forecast the occurrence of sloshing, it is necessary to elucidate the mechanism of vibration occurrence. The mechanism of occurrence of self-induced sloshing due to horizontal and vertical plane jets has been explained a number of times so far. In this study, by applying the model of the occurrence mechanism of Fukaya to horizontal plane jet, the self-induced sloshing due to horizontal plane jet was simulated by numerical analysis. Based on the results, it was attempted to examine the vibration energy supplied to sloshing in a whole flow field and the dependence of sloshing region on water depth and flow velocity. The numerical simulation, the analysis of the occurrence mechanism by using the numerical analysis code and the results are reported. (K.I.)

Human leukemia antigen-A*0201-restricted epitopes of human endogenous retrovirus W family envelope (HERV-W env) induce strong cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses.

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Tu, Xiaoning; Li, Shan; Zhao, Lijuan; Xiao, Ran; Wang, Xiuling; Zhu, Fan

2017-08-01

Human endogenous retrovirus W family (HERV-W) envelope (env) has been reported to be related to several human diseases, including autoimmune disorders, and it could activate innate immunity. However, there are no reports investigating whether human leukemia antigen (HLA)-A*0201 + restriction is involved in the immune response caused by HERV-W env in neuropsychiatric diseases. In the present study, HERV-W env-derived epitopes presented by HLA-A*0201 are described with the potential for use in adoptive immunotherapy. Five peptides displaying HLA-A*0201-binding motifs were predicted using SYFEPITHI and BIMAS, and synthesized. A CCK-8 assay showed peptides W, Q and T promoted lymphocyte proliferation. Stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HLA-A*0201 + donors with each of these peptides induced peptide-specific CD8 + T cells. High numbers of IFN-γ-secreting T cells were also detectable after several weekly stimulations with W, Q and T. Besides lysis of HERV-W env-loaded target cells, specific apoptosis was also observed. These data demonstrate that human T cells can be sensitized toward HERV-W env peptides (W, Q and T) and, moreover, pose a high killing potential toward HERV-W env-expressing U251 cells. In conclusion, peptides W Q and T, which are HERV-W env antigenic epitopes, have both antigenicity and immunogenicity, and can cause strong T cell immune responses. Our data strengthen the view that HERV-W env should be considered as an autoantigen that can induce autoimmunity in neuropsychiatric diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia. These data might provide an experimental foundation for a HERV-W env peptide vaccine and new insight into the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases.

Mendelian and non-mendelian mutations affecting surface antigen expression in Paramecium tetraurelia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Epstein, L.M.; Forney, J.D.

1984-01-01

A screening procedure was devised for the isolation of X-ray-induced mutations affecting the expression of the A immobilization antigen (i-antigen) in Paramecium tetraurelia. Two of the mutations isolated by this procedure proved to be in modifier genes. The two genes are unlinked to each other and unlinked to the structural A i-antigen gene. These are the first modifier genes identified in a Paramecium sp. that affect surface antigen expression. Another mutation was found to be a deletion of sequences just downstream from the A i-antigen gene. In cells carrying this mutation, the A i-antigen gene lies in close proximity to the end of a macronuclear chromosome. The expression of the A i-antigen is not affected in these cells, demonstrating that downstream sequences are not important for the regulation and expression of the A i-antigen gene. A stable cell line was also recovered which shows non-Mendelian inheritance of a macronuclear deletion of the A i-antigen gene. This mutant does not contain the gene in its macronucleus, but contains a complete copy of the gene in its micronucleus. In the cytoplasm of wild-type animals, the micronuclear gene is included in the developing macronucleus; in the cytoplasm of the mutant, the incorporation of the A i-antigen gene into the macronucleus is inhibited. This is the first evidence that a mechanism is available in ciliates to control the expression of a gene by regulating its incorporation into developing macronuclei

Unpolarized release of vaccinia virus and HIV antigen by colchicine treatment enhances intranasal HIV antigen expression and mucosal humoral responses.

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Yan Zhang

Full Text Available The induction of a strong mucosal immune response is essential to building successful HIV vaccines. Highly attenuated recombinant HIV vaccinia virus can be administered mucosally, but even high doses of immunization have been found unable to induce strong mucosal antibody responses. In order to solve this problem, we studied the interactions of recombinant HIV vaccinia virus Tiantan strain (rVTT-gagpol in mucosal epithelial cells (specifically Caco-2 cell layers and in BALB/c mice. We evaluated the impact of this virus on HIV antigen delivery and specific immune responses. The results demonstrated that rVTT-gagpol was able to infect Caco-2 cell layers and both the nasal and lung epithelia in BALB/c mice. The progeny viruses and expressed p24 were released mainly from apical surfaces. In BALB/c mice, the infection was limited to the respiratory system and was not observed in the blood. This showed that polarized distribution limited antigen delivery into the whole body and thus limited immune response. To see if this could be improved upon, we stimulated unpolarized budding of the virus and HIV antigens by treating both Caco-2 cells and BALB/c mice with colchicine. We found that, in BALB/c mice, the degree of infection and antigen expression in the epithelia went up. As a result, specific immune responses increased correspondingly. Together, these data suggest that polarized budding limits antigen delivery and immune responses, but unpolarized distribution can increase antigen expression and delivery and thus enhance specific immune responses. This conclusion can be used to optimize mucosal HIV vaccine strategies.

Recombinant Kunjin virus replicon vaccines induce protective T-cell immunity against human papillomavirus 16 E7-expressing tumour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herd, Karen A.; Harvey, Tracey; Khromykh, Alexander A.; Tindle, Robert W.

2004-01-01

The persistence of the E7 oncoprotein in transformed cells in human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cervical cancer provides a tumour-specific antigen to which immunotherapeutic strategies may be directed. Self-replicating RNA (replicon) vaccine vectors derived from the flavivirus Kunjin (KUN) have recently been reported to induce T-cell immunity. Here, we report that inclusion of a CTL epitope of HPV16 E7 protein into a polyepitope encoded by a KUN vector induced E7-directed T-cell responses and protected mice against challenge with an E7-expressing epithelial tumour. We found replicon RNA packaged into virus-like particles to be more effective than naked replicon RNA or plasmid DNA constructed to allow replicon RNA transcription in vivo. Protective immunity was induced although the E7 CTL epitope was subdominant in the context of other CTL epitopes in the polyepitope. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the KUN replicon vector system for inducing protective immunity directed towards a virally encoded human tumour-specific antigen, and for inducing multi-epitopic CTL responses

An alphavirus vector overcomes the presence of neutralizing antibodies and elevated numbers of Tregs to induce immune responses in humans with advanced cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Morse, Michael A; Hobeika, Amy C; Osada, Takuya; Berglund, Peter; Hubby, Bolyn; Negri, Sarah; Niedzwiecki, Donna; Devi, Gayathri R; Burnett, Bruce K; Clay, Timothy M; Smith, Jonathan; Lyerly, H Kim

2010-09-01

Therapeutic anticancer vaccines are designed to boost patients' immune responses to tumors. One approach is to use a viral vector to deliver antigen to in situ DCs, which then activate tumor-specific T cell and antibody responses. However, vector-specific neutralizing antibodies and suppressive cell populations such as Tregs remain great challenges to the efficacy of this approach. We report here that an alphavirus vector, packaged in virus-like replicon particles (VRP) and capable of efficiently infecting DCs, could be repeatedly administered to patients with metastatic cancer expressing the tumor antigen carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and that it overcame high titers of neutralizing antibodies and elevated Treg levels to induce clinically relevant CEA-specific T cell and antibody responses. The CEA-specific antibodies mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against tumor cells from human colorectal cancer metastases. In addition, patients with CEA-specific T cell responses exhibited longer overall survival. These data suggest that VRP-based vectors can overcome the presence of neutralizing antibodies to break tolerance to self antigen and may be clinically useful for immunotherapy in the setting of tumor-induced immunosuppression.

Numerical simulation of self-induced rainout using a dynamic convective cloud model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molenkamp, C.R.

1980-03-01

The hypothesis that self-induced rainout can occur is supported by observations in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where deposition of weapons debris with precipitation occurred several km downwind of the burst point. This precipitation was initiated either directly by the nuclear weapons or by the ensuing fires. Simulation of the Nagasaki event with a convection cloud precipitation scavenging model, although fraught with many questionable assumptions, agrees surprisingly well with the observations and supports the hypothesis that self-induced rainout can occur

Epigenetic mechanisms regulate MHC and antigen processing molecules in human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells.

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Beatriz Suárez-Alvarez

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs are an attractive resource for new therapeutic approaches that involve tissue regeneration. hESCs have exhibited low immunogenicity due to low levels of Mayor Histocompatibility Complex (MHC class-I and absence of MHC class-II expression. Nevertheless, the mechanisms regulating MHC expression in hESCs had not been explored.We analyzed the expression levels of classical and non-classical MHC class-I, MHC class-II molecules, antigen-processing machinery (APM components and NKG2D ligands (NKG2D-L in hESCs, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs and NTera2 (NT2 teratocarcinoma cell line. Epigenetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of these genes were investigated by bisulfite sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP assays. We showed that low levels of MHC class-I molecules were associated with absent or reduced expression of the transporter associated with antigen processing 1 (TAP-1 and tapasin (TPN components in hESCs and iPSCs, which are involved in the transport and load of peptides. Furthermore, lack of beta2-microglobulin (beta2m light chain in these cells limited the expression of MHC class I trimeric molecule on the cell surface. NKG2D ligands (MICA, MICB were observed in all pluripotent stem cells lines. Epigenetic analysis showed that H3K9me3 repressed the TPN gene in undifferentiated cells whilst HLA-B and beta2m acquired the H3K4me3 modification during the differentiation to embryoid bodies (EBs. Absence of HLA-DR and HLA-G expression was regulated by DNA methylation.Our data provide fundamental evidence for the epigenetic control of MHC in hESCs and iPSCs. Reduced MHC class I and class II expression in hESCs and iPSCs can limit their recognition by the immune response against these cells. The knowledge of these mechanisms will further allow the development of strategies to induce tolerance and improve stem cell allograft acceptance.

Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulate MHC and Antigen Processing Molecules in Human Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Suárez-Álvarez, Beatriz; Rodriguez, Ramón M.; Calvanese, Vincenzo; Blanco-Gelaz, Miguel A.; Suhr, Steve T.; Ortega, Francisco; Otero, Jesus; Cibelli, Jose B.; Moore, Harry; Fraga, Mario F.; López-Larrea, Carlos

2010-01-01

Background Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are an attractive resource for new therapeutic approaches that involve tissue regeneration. hESCs have exhibited low immunogenicity due to low levels of Mayor Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class-I and absence of MHC class-II expression. Nevertheless, the mechanisms regulating MHC expression in hESCs had not been explored. Methodology/Principal Findings We analyzed the expression levels of classical and non-classical MHC class-I, MHC class-II molecules, antigen-processing machinery (APM) components and NKG2D ligands (NKG2D-L) in hESCs, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and NTera2 (NT2) teratocarcinoma cell line. Epigenetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of these genes were investigated by bisulfite sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. We showed that low levels of MHC class-I molecules were associated with absent or reduced expression of the transporter associated with antigen processing 1 (TAP-1) and tapasin (TPN) components in hESCs and iPSCs, which are involved in the transport and load of peptides. Furthermore, lack of β2-microglobulin (β2m) light chain in these cells limited the expression of MHC class I trimeric molecule on the cell surface. NKG2D ligands (MICA, MICB) were observed in all pluripotent stem cells lines. Epigenetic analysis showed that H3K9me3 repressed the TPN gene in undifferentiated cells whilst HLA-B and β2m acquired the H3K4me3 modification during the differentiation to embryoid bodies (EBs). Absence of HLA-DR and HLA-G expression was regulated by DNA methylation. Conclusions/Significance Our data provide fundamental evidence for the epigenetic control of MHC in hESCs and iPSCs. Reduced MHC class I and class II expression in hESCs and iPSCs can limit their recognition by the immune response against these cells. The knowledge of these mechanisms will further allow the development of strategies to induce tolerance and improve stem cell allograft acceptance

Simian virus 40 small t antigen is not required for the maintenance of transformation but may act as a promoter (cocarcinogen) during establishment of transformation in resting rat cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Seif, R; Martin, R G

1979-12-01

Simian virus 40 deletion mutants affecting the 20,000-dalton (20K) t antigen and tsA mutants rendering the 90K T antigen temperature sensitive, as well as double mutants containing both mutations, induced host DNA synthesis in resting rat cells at the restrictive temperature. Nonetheless, the deletion mutants and double mutants did not induce transformation in resting cells even at the permissive temperature. On the other hand, the deletion mutants did induce full transformants when actively growing rat cells were infected; the transformants grew efficiently in agar and to high saturation densities on platic. The double mutants did not induce T-antigen-independent (temperature-insensitive) transformants which were shown previously to arise preferentially from resting cells. Thus, small t antigen was dispensable for the maintenance of the transformed phenotype in T-antigen-dependent rat transformants (transformants derived from growing cells) and may play a role in the establishment of T-antigen-independent transformants. We attempt to establish a parallel between transformation induced by chemical carcinogens and simian virus 40-induced transformation.

Hydroxyapatite induces spontaneous polymerization of model self-etch dental adhesives.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ying; Wu, Ningjing; Bai, Xinyan; Xu, Changqi; Liu, Yi; Wang, Yong

2013-10-01

The objective of this study is to report for the first time the spontaneous polymerization phenomenon of self-etch dental adhesives induced by hydroxylapatite (HAp). Model self-etch adhesives were prepared by using a monomer mixture of bis[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] phosphate (2MP) with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The initiator system consisted of camphorquinone (CQ, 0.022 mmol/g) and ethyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate (4E, 0.022-0.088 mmol/g). HAp (2-8 wt.%) was added to the neat model adhesive. In a dark environment, the polymerization was monitored in-situ using ATR/FT-IR, and the mechanical properties of the polymerized adhesives were evaluated using nanoindentation technique. Results indicated that spontaneous polymerization was not observed in the absence of HAp. However, as different amounts of HAp were incorporated into the adhesives, spontaneous polymerization was induced. Higher HAp content led to higher degree of conversion (DC), higher rate of polymerization (RP) and shorter induction period (IP). In addition, higher 4E content also elevated DC and RP and reduced IP of the adhesives. Nanoindentation result suggested that the Young's modulus of the polymerized adhesives showed similar dependence on HAp and 4E contents. In summary, interaction with HAp could induce spontaneous polymerization of the model self-etch adhesives. This result provides important information for understanding the initiation mechanism of the self-etch adhesives, and may be of clinical significance to strengthen the adhesive/dentin interface based on the finding. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Presenting Influenza A M2e Antigen on Recombinant Spores of Bacillus subtilis.

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Tomasz Łęga

Full Text Available Effective vaccination against influenza virus infection is a serious problem mainly due to antigenic variability of the virus. Among many of investigated antigens, the extracellular domain of the M2 protein (M2e features high homology in all strains of influenza A viruses and antibodies against M2e and is protective in animal models; this makes it a potential candidate for generation of a universal influenza vaccine. However, due to the low immunogenicity of the M2e, formulation of a vaccine based on this antigen requires some modification to induce effective immune responses. In this work we evaluated the possible use of Bacillus subtilis spores as a carrier of the Influenza A M2e antigen in mucosal vaccination. A tandem repeat of 4 consensus sequences coding for human-avian-swine-human M2e (M2eH-A-S-H peptide was fused to spore coat proteins and stably exposed on the spore surface, as demonstrated by the immunostaining of intact, recombinant spores. Oral immunization of mice with recombinant endospores carrying M2eH-A-S-H elicited specific antibody production without the addition of adjuvants. Bacillus subtilis endospores can serve as influenza antigen carriers. Recombinant spores constructed in this work showed low immunogenicity although were able to induce antibody production. The System of influenza antigen administration presented in this work is attractive mainly due to the omitting time-consuming and cost-intensive immunogen production and purification. Therefore modification should be made to increase the immunogenicity of the presented system.

Can walking motions improve visually induced rotational self-motion illusions in virtual reality?

Science.gov (United States)

Riecke, Bernhard E; Freiberg, Jacob B; Grechkin, Timofey Y

2015-02-04

Illusions of self-motion (vection) can provide compelling sensations of moving through virtual environments without the need for complex motion simulators or large tracked physical walking spaces. Here we explore the interaction between biomechanical cues (stepping along a rotating circular treadmill) and visual cues (viewing simulated self-rotation) for providing stationary users a compelling sensation of rotational self-motion (circular vection). When tested individually, biomechanical and visual cues were similarly effective in eliciting self-motion illusions. However, in combination they yielded significantly more intense self-motion illusions. These findings provide the first compelling evidence that walking motions can be used to significantly enhance visually induced rotational self-motion perception in virtual environments (and vice versa) without having to provide for physical self-motion or motion platforms. This is noteworthy, as linear treadmills have been found to actually impair visually induced translational self-motion perception (Ash, Palmisano, Apthorp, & Allison, 2013). Given the predominant focus on linear walking interfaces for virtual-reality locomotion, our findings suggest that investigating circular and curvilinear walking interfaces offers a promising direction for future research and development and can help to enhance self-motion illusions, presence and immersion in virtual-reality systems. © 2015 ARVO.

Current status of multiple antigen-presenting peptide vaccine systems: Application of organic and inorganic nanoparticles

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Taguchi Hiroaki

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Many studies are currently investigating the development of safe and effective vaccines to prevent various infectious diseases. Multiple antigen-presenting peptide vaccine systems have been developed to avoid the adverse effects associated with conventional vaccines (i.e., live-attenuated, killed or inactivated pathogens, carrier proteins and cytotoxic adjuvants. Recently, two main approaches have been used to develop multiple antigen-presenting peptide vaccine systems: (1 the addition of functional components, e.g., T-cell epitopes, cell-penetrating peptides, and lipophilic moieties; and (2 synthetic approaches using size-defined nanomaterials, e.g., self-assembling peptides, non-peptidic dendrimers, and gold nanoparticles, as antigen-displaying platforms. This review summarizes the recent experimental studies directed to the development of multiple antigen-presenting peptide vaccine systems.

Engineering antigen-specific immunological tolerance.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kontos, Stephan; Grimm, Alizee J.; Hubbell, Jeffrey A.

2015-05-01

Unwanted immunity develops in response to many protein drugs, in autoimmunity, in allergy, and in transplantation. Approaches to induce immunological tolerance aim to either prevent these responses or reverse them after they have already taken place. We present here recent developments in approaches, based on engineered peptides, proteins and biomaterials, that harness mechanisms of peripheral tolerance both prophylactically and therapeutically to induce antigenspecific immunological tolerance. These mechanisms are based on responses of B and T lymphocytes to other cells in their immune environment that result in cellular deletion or ignorance to particular antigens, or in development of active immune regulatory responses. Several of these approaches are moving toward clinical development, and some are already in early stages of clinical testing.

Synthetic Self-Adjuvanting Glycopeptide Cancer Vaccines

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Payne, Richard; McDonald, David; Byrne, Scott

2015-10-01

Due to changes in glycosyltransferase expression during tumorigenesis, the glycoproteins of cancer cells often carry highly truncated carbohydrate chains compared to those on healthy cells. These glycans are known as tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens, and are prime targets for use in vaccines for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Herein, we review the state-of-the-art in targeting the immune system towards tumor-associated glycopeptide antigens via synthetic self adjuvanting vaccines, in which the antigenic and adjuvanting moieties of the vaccines are present in the same molecule. The majority of the self-adjuvanting glycopeptide cancer vaccines reported to date employ antigens from mucin 1, a protein which is highly over-expressed and aberrantly glycosylated in many forms of cancer. The adjuvants used in these vaccines predominantly include lipopeptide- or lipoamino acid-based TLR2 agonists, although studies investigating stimulation of TLR9 and TLR4 are also discussed. Most of these adjuvants are highly lipophilic, and, upon conjugation to antigenic peptides, provide amphiphilic vaccine molecules. The amphiphilic nature of these vaccine constructs can lead to the formation of higher-order structures by vaccines in solution, which are likely to be important for their efficacy in vivo.

Clinical laboratory verification of thyroglobulin concentrations in the presence of autoantibodies to thyroglobulin: comparison of EIA, radioimmunoassay and LC MS/MS measurements in an Urban Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeler, Sarah E; Liu, Li; Blair, Harry C; Sivak, Richard; Longo, Nancy; Tischler, Jeffery; Mulvey, Kathryn; Palmer, Octavia M Peck

2017-12-08

Thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements assess recurrence in post-thyroidectomy thyroid cancer patients. Tg measurements by enzyme immunoassays (EIA) can be falsely elevated by interference from Tg autoantibodies (TgAb). Radioimmunoassay (RIA) is less susceptible to TgAb interference and has been the standard-of-care test for TgAb positive patients. Recently developed liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods may eliminate TgAb interference. We assessed the performance of Tg measurements by EIA, RIA and LC-MS/MS to evaluate TgAb interference differences. We measured TgAb and Tg in 50 plasma samples from 40 patients in whom Tg measurement was part of their routine follow-up and 10 healthy volunteers. Discrepancy between EIA and both LC-MS/MS and RIA was observed at low Tg concentrations (≤ 7.55 ng/mL) in TgAb positive specimens (LC-MS/MS = 1.9 * EIA - 0.03, r = 0.68). RIA and LC-MS/MS Tg measurements in TgAb positive specimens with low Tg concentrations had improved correlation but demonstrated bias (LC MS/MS = 0.6 * RIA - 1.4, r = 0.90). Disagreement between methods may be attributed to LC-MS/MS reported Tg concentrations as undetectable compared to RIA. It seems likely that most discrepant cases are falsely elevated in RIA due to TgAb interference, however, some cases appear below the detection limit of LC-MS/MS; implementation of LC-MS/MS by clinicians will require lower detection limits.

Comparison of altered expression of histocompatibility antigens with altered immune function in murine spleen cells treated with ultraviolet radiation and/or TPA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pretell, J.O.; Cone, R.E.

1985-01-01

Previous studies in our laboratory demonstrated that several treatments that inhibited the ability of cells to stimulate the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) also blocked the shedding of histocompatibility antigens and Ia antigens from murine spleen cells. In the present studies, one of these treatments, ultraviolet radiation (UV), was shown to cause an initial loss in the density of H-2K, IA, and IE antigens prior to the block in shedding observed after culture of these cells. Further analysis revealed that the UV-induced loss of antigens could be prevented by the presence of colchicine during irradiation. Biosynthetic analyses revealed the IA antigen synthesis was also inhibited in the UV-irradiated cells. Examination of the effects of a second agent, 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on the turnover of histocompatibility antigens revealed that the biosynthesis and shedding of these antigens were accelerated by this agent. However, addition of TPA to UV-irradiated cells did not result in a reversal of the UV-induced block in biosynthesis of IA antigens. Results of immune function assays correlated with the biochemical studies: UV-irradiation inhibited the generation of the MLR, but TPA enhanced this reaction, and addition of TPA to mixed lymphocyte cultures with UV-irradiated stimulators did not reverse the UV-induced inhibition. These results suggest that, although the turnover of histocompatibility antigens may be affected by TPA and UV in an antagonistic fashion, additional factors other than the expression of histocompatibility antigens are operating in the inhibition of stimulation of an MLR by UV radiation or its enhancement by TPA

Development of a 2-site radioimmunoassay for antithyroglobulin antibodies using 125I-thyroglobulin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonard, J.P.; Taymans, F.; Beckers, C.

1977-01-01

A 2-site radioassay for human antithyroglobulin auto-antibodies has been developed using human thyroglobulin (Tg) labelled with 125 I. The technique is based on (1) the use of polystyrene tubes coated with Tg, (2) the binding of the antibodies to the solid phase Tg, (3) the reaction of the labelled Tg with the insolubilized antibodies. Factors affecting the assay were evaluated including (a) the effect of the temperature, Tg concentration and coating time on the adsorption of Tg, (b) the stability and storage of the solid phase Tg, (c) the variations in temperature, reaction times and incubation volumes, (d) the effect of the serum proteins, (e) the influence of the variations in concentration and specific activity of the labelled Tg. Increasing sensitivity resulted from a prolonged incubation at low temperature, the addition of serum proteins and the use of an appropriate specific activity of 125 I-Tg. Nonspecific radioactive uptake normally averaged 1% or less of the total radioactivity added. The use of Tg coated tubes makes the technique rapid and simple to be operated. The ability of the coated tubes to be stored and the relative insensitivity of the test to fluctuations in the quality of the tracer represent additional advantages in the routine application of the method. (orig.) [de

Poly-ϵ-caprolactone/chitosan nanoparticles provide strong adjuvant effect for hepatitis B antigen.

Science.gov (United States)

Jesus, Sandra; Soares, Edna; Borchard, Gerrit; Borges, Olga

2017-10-01

This work aims to investigate the adjuvant effect of poly-ϵ-caprolactone/chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and the plasmid DNA encoding HBsAg (pRC/CMV-HBs). Both antigens were adsorbed onto preformed NPs. Vaccination studies were performed in C57BL/6 mice. Transfection efficiency was investigated in A549 cell line. HBsAg-adsorbed NPs generated strong anti-HBsAg IgG titers, mainly of IgG1 isotype, and induced antigen-specific IFN-γ and IL-17 secretion by spleen cells. The addition of pRC/CMV-HBs to the HBsAg-adsorbed NPs inhibited IL-17 secretion but had minor effect on IFN-γ levels. Lastly, pRC/CMV-HBs-loaded NPs generated a weak serum antibody response. Poly-ϵ-caprolactone/chitosan NPs provide a strong humoral adjuvant effect for HBsAg and induce a Th1/Th17-mediated cellular immune responses worth explore for hepatitis B virus vaccination.

Dissection and manipulation of antigen-specific T cell responses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schepers, Koen

2006-01-01

T cells recognize pathogen-derived antigens and are crucial for fighting pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. In addition, T cells are able to recognize and attack certain types of tumors, in particular virally induced tumors. In this thesis we aimed 1) to obtain more insight into

Targeting Antigens to Dec-205 on Dendritic Cells Induces Immune Protection in Experimental Colitis in Mice

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Wadwa, Munisch; Klopfleisch, Robert; Buer, Jan; Westendorf, Astrid M.

2016-01-01

The endocytotic c-type lectin receptor DEC-205 is highly expressed on immature dendritic cells. In previous studies, it was shown that antigen-targeting to DEC-205 is a useful tool for the induction of antigen-specific Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and thereby can prevent inflammatory processes. However, whether this approach is sufficient to mediate tolerance in mucosal tissues like the gut is unknown. In this study, we established a new mouse model in which the adoptive transfer of naive hemagglutinin (HA)-specific CD4+Foxp3– T cells into VILLIN-HA transgenic mice leads to severe colitis. To analyze if antigen-targeting to DEC-205 could protect against inflammation of the gut, VILLIN-HA transgenic mice were injected with an antibody–antigen complex consisting of the immunogenic HA110–120 peptide coupled to an α-DEC-205 antibody (DEC-HA) before adoptive T cell transfer. DEC-HA-treated mice showed significantly less signs of intestinal inflammation as was demonstrated by reduced loss of body weight and histopathology in the gut. Strikingly, abrogated intestinal inflammation was mediated via the conversion of naive HA-specific CD4+Foxp3– T cells into HA-specific CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. In this study, we provide evidence that antigen-targeting to DEC-205 can be utilized for the induction of tolerance in mucosal organs that are confronted with large numbers of exogenous antigens. PMID:27141310

Self-reactive T cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Becker, Jürgen C; thor Straten, Per; Andersen, Mads Hald

2014-01-01

-proteins expressed in regulatory immune cells have been reported, especially in patients with cancer. The seemingly lack of tolerance toward such proteins is interesting, as it suggests a regulatory function of self-reactive T (srT) cells, which may be important for the fine tuning of the immune system......The immune system is a tightly regulated and complex system. An important part of this immune regulation is the assurance of tolerance toward self-antigens to maintain immune homeostasis. However, in recent years, antigen-specific cellular immune responses toward several normal self....... In particular, surprising has been the description of cytotoxic srT cells that are able to eliminate normal regulatory immune cells. Such srT cells may be important as effector cells that suppress regulatory suppressor cells. The current knowledge of the nature and function of srT cells is still limited. Still...

Ligation of major histocompatibility complex class I antigens (MHC-I) prevents apoptosis induced by Fas or SAPK/JNK activation in T-lymphoma cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lamberth, K; Claesson, M H

2001-01-01

Early apoptosis in Jurkat T-lymphoma cells was induced by agonistic anti-Fas Ab or by anisomycin which activates the stress kinases SAPK/JNK. Apoptosis was inhibited by ligation of major histocompatibility complex class I antigens (MHC-I). MHC-I ligation induced upregulation of the anti......-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein and stabilized the mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsim). MHC-I ligation also prevented downregulation of Bcl-2 and destabilization of Deltapsim induced by anti-Fas Ab treatment or anisomycin exposure. Studies on three different Jurkat cell mutants deficient for src p56(lck), ZAP......-70 kinase, or TCR/CD3 gamma-chain showed that the cells undergo apoptosis after Fas ligation. Anisomycin exposure induced apoptosis in the src p56(lck)-deficient cell line but not in the two other mutant cell lines. Simultaneous cross-linking of MHC-I and Fas ligation inhibited apoptosis in the ZAP...

Colorectal perforation by self-induced hydrostatic pressure: a report of two cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Pyong Wha

2013-02-01

Most iatrogenic colorectal perforations occur as a result of endoscopic or fluoroscopic studies. Accidents associated with hydrostatic pressure-induced perforation are rarely reported, and self-induced hydrostatic pressure is an extremely rare cause of perforation because the anal sphincter complex may provide a protective barrier against perianal hydrostatic pressure. We present two cases of rectosigmoid colon perforation secondary to self-induced hydrostatic pressure. A 61-year-old man and a 45-year-old man presented with abdominal pain after forceful entry of tap water into the rectum, during rinsing of the anus after defecation in the first case, and during self-administered enema in the second case. Emergency operations were performed with the suspicion of hydrostatic pressure-induced rectal injury, and showed rectosigmoid mesenteric perforation in both cases. Resection of the diseased segment and end colostomy (Hartmann's procedure) was performed in the first case, and primary resection and anastomosis in the second case. The pathologic results showed abrupt loss of the colonic wall in the mesenteric border, without evidence of other inflammatory disease; these findings were consistent with acute mechanical colon injury. The postoperative course in both cases was uneventful. These cases put forth an unusual type of colorectal injury, caused specifically by hydrostatic pressure, thus adding to the available literature on hydrostatic pressure-induced injury. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A booster vaccine expressing a latency-associated antigen augments BCG induced immunity and confers enhanced protection against tuberculosis.

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Bappaditya Dey

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In spite of a consistent protection against tuberculosis (TB in children, Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG fails to provide adequate protection against the disease in adults as well as against reactivation of latent infections or exogenous reinfections. It has been speculated that failure to generate adequate memory T cell response, elicitation of inadequate immune response against latency-associated antigens and inability to impart long-term immunity against M. tuberculosis infections are some of the key factors responsible for the limited efficiency of BCG in controlling TB. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we evaluated the ability of a DNA vaccine expressing α-crystallin--a key latency antigen of M. tuberculosis to boost the BCG induced immunity. 'BCG prime-DNA boost' regimen (B/D confers robust protection in guinea pigs along with a reduced pathology in comparison to BCG vaccination (1.37 log(10 and 1.96 log(10 fewer bacilli in lungs and spleen, respectively; p<0.01. In addition, B/D regimen also confers enhanced protection in mice. Further, we show that B/D immunization in mice results in a heightened frequency of PPD and antigen specific multi-functional CD4 T cells (3(+ simultaneously producing interferon (IFNγ, tumor necrosis factor (TNFα and interleukin (IL2. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results clearly indicate the superiority of α-crystallin based B/D regimen over BCG. Our study, also demonstrates that protection against TB is predictable by an increased frequency of 3(+ Th1 cells with superior effector functions. We anticipate that this study would significantly contribute towards the development of superior booster vaccines for BCG vaccinated individuals. In addition, this regimen can also be expected to reduce the risk of developing active TB due to reactivation of latent infection.

Induction of antigen-specific immunity by pH-sensitive carbonate apatite as a potent vaccine carrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hebishima, Takehisa; Tada, Seiichi; Takeshima, Shin-nosuke; Akaike, Toshihiro; Ito, Yoshihiro; Aida, Yoko

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► To develop effective vaccine, we examined the effects of CO 3 Ap as an antigen carrier. ► OVA contained in CO 3 Ap was taken up by BMDCs more effectively than free OVA. ► OVA-immunized splenocytes was activated by OVA contained in CO 3 Ap effectively. ► OVA contained in CO 3 Ap induced strong OVA-specific immune responses to C57BL/6 mice. ► CO 3 Ap is promising antigen carrier for the achievement of effective vaccine. -- Abstract: The ability of carbonate apatite (CO 3 Ap) to enhance antigen-specific immunity was examined in vitro and in vivo to investigate its utility as a vaccine carrier. Murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells took up ovalbumin (OVA) containing CO 3 Ap more effectively than free OVA. Interestingly, mice immunized with OVA-containing CO 3 Ap produced OVA-specific antibodies more effectively than mice immunized with free OVA. Furthermore, immunization of C57BL/6 mice with OVA-containing CO 3 Ap induced the proliferation and antigen-specific production of IFN-γ by splenocytes more strongly than immunization with free OVA. Moreover, no significant differences were detected in the induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity responses, an immune reaction involving an antigen-specific, cell-mediated immune response between OVA-containing CO 3 Ap and OVA-containing alumina salt (Alum), suggesting that CO 3 Ap induced cell-mediated immune response to the same degree as Alum, which is commonly used for clinical applications. This study is the first to demonstrate the induction of antigen-specific immune responses in vivo by CO 3 Ap.

Macrophage pattern recognition receptors in immunity, homeostasis and self tolerance.

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Mukhopadhyay, Subhankar; Plüddemann, Annette; Gordon, Siamon

2009-01-01

Macrophages, a major component of innate immune defence, express a large repertoire of different classes of pattern recognition receptors and other surface antigens which determine the immunologic and homeostatic potential of these versatile cells. In the light of present knowledge ofmacrophage surface antigens, we discuss self versus nonself recognition, microbicidal effector functions and self tolerance in the innate immune system.

Production of dengue virus envelope protein domain III-based antigens in tobacco chloroplasts using inducible and constitutive expression systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Gottschamel, Johanna; Lössl, Andreas; Ruf, Stephanie; Wang, Yanliang; Skaugen, Morten; Bock, Ralph; Clarke, Jihong Liu

2016-07-01

Dengue fever is a disease in many parts of the tropics and subtropics and about half the world's population is at risk of infection according to the World Health Organization. Dengue is caused by any of the four related dengue virus serotypes DEN-1, -2, -3 and -4, which are transmitted to people by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Currently there is only one vaccine (Dengvaxia(®)) available (limited to a few countries) on the market since 2015 after half a century's intensive efforts. Affordable and accessible vaccines against dengue are hence still urgently needed. The dengue envelop protein domain III (EDIII), which is capable of eliciting serotype-specific neutralizing antibodies, has become the focus for subunit vaccine development. To contribute to the development of an accessible and affordable dengue vaccine, in the current study we have used plant-based vaccine production systems to generate a dengue subunit vaccine candidate in tobacco. Chloroplast genome engineering was applied to express serotype-specific recombinant EDIII proteins in tobacco chloroplasts using both constitutive and ethanol-inducible expression systems. Expression of a tetravalent antigen fusion construct combining EDIII polypeptides from all four serotypes was also attempted. Transplastomic EDIII-expressing tobacco lines were obtained and homoplasmy was verified by Southern blot analysis. Northern blot analyses showed expression of EDIII antigen-encoding genes. EDIII protein accumulation levels varied for the different recombinant EDIII proteins and the different expression systems, and reached between 0.8 and 1.6 % of total cellular protein. Our study demonstrates the suitability of the chloroplast compartment as a production site for an EDIII-based vaccine candidate against dengue fever and presents a Gateway(®) plastid transformation vector for inducible transgene expression.

Power of the Desired Self: Influence of Induced Perceptions of the Self on Reasoning

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Augustinova, Maria; Collange, Julie; Sanitioso, Rasyid Bo; Musca, Serban C.

2011-01-01

This research shows that the motivation to posses a desired characteristic (or to avoid an undesired one) results in self-perceptions that guide people's use of base rate in the Lawyer-Engineer problem (Kahneman & Tversky, 1973). In four studies, participants induced to believe (or recall, Exp. 2) that a rational cognitive style is…

Radiation and chemical effects on viral transformation and tumor antigen expression. Annual progress report, August 1, 1978--May 1, 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coggin, J.H. Jr.

1979-01-01

Studies aimed at the biological, biochemical, and immunologic characterization of fetal antigens (EA) in hamsters and mice and locating and determining the distribution of fetal antigens in tumor tissues and in developing fetuses have been underway for several months. Progress has been made in isolating embryonic or fetal antigens from fetuses and from tumor cells. We have developed and reported a reliable lymphocyte transformation assay (LTA) which meets our needs in routinely assaying cell free tumor associated antigen (TAA) preparations from fetal and tumor cells. The assay correlated with transplantation resistance assays and has appropriate specificity. We have also developed the staph-A protein binding assay utilizing anti-serum derived against embryonic antigens present on SV40 tumor cells. In other studies, we have reported increases and perturbations in thymocytes during viral and chemical oncogenesis in hamsters, have developed a simple technique for preserving functional lymphocytes sensitized against TAA by freezing for use in our model system work, have reported the cross-reactivity of tranplantation resistance antigen on a spectrum of chemically induced tumors previously believed to only contain individually specific TSTAs and have recently reported the cross-reactivity of papovavirus induced transplantation resistance antigen in sarcoma cells induced by different viruses. We have concluded our studies of glycosyltransferases in the membranes of developing fetuses and noted no differences in their levels with advancing days of gestation using whold embryo cell populations

Recognition of Leishmania antigens by T lymphocytes from nonexposed individuals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kemp, M; Hansen, M B; Theander, T G

1992-01-01

Crude antigen preparations of Leishmania promastigote sonicates were found to induce in vitro proliferation and gamma interferon production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from individuals without known exposure to the parasite. The proliferating cells were mainly CD2-positive T cell...

Digestibility and antigenicity of β-lactoglobulin as affected by heat, pH and applied shear.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahaman, Toheder; Vasiljevic, Todor; Ramchandran, Lata

2017-02-15

Processing induced conformational changes can modulate digestibility of food allergens and thereby their antigenicity. Effect of different pH (3, 5, 7), temperature (room temperature, 120°C) and shear (0s(-1), 1000s(-1)) on simulated gastrointestinal digestibility of β-lg and post digestion antigenic characteristics have been studied. At all pH levels unheated β-lg showed resistance to peptic digestion with high antigenic value while it was fairly susceptible to pancreatin with moderate reduction in antigenicity. Heating at 120°C significantly improved both peptic and pancreatic digestion attributed to structural alterations that resulted in much lower antigenicity; the level of reduction being pH dependant. The lowest antigenicity was recorded at pH 5. Shearing (1000s(-1)) had a minor impact reducing digestibility and thereby enhancing antigenicity of unheated β-lg at pH 5 and 7 slightly; however in conjunction with heating (120°C) it reduced antigenicity further irrespective of the pH. Overall, treatment at pH 5, 120°C and 1000s(-1) could potentially reduce post digestion antigenicity of β-lg. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Immune responses of dendritic cells after acquiring antigen from apoptotic hepatocholangioma cells caused by γ-ray

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Gang; Gu Hongguang; Han Benli; Pei Xuetao

2002-01-01

Objective: To investigate the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in antitumor responsiveness and therapeutic effects after dendritic cells (DCs) acquired antigen from apoptotic hepatocholangioma cells. Methods: DCs from blood mononuclear cells that maintain the characteristics of immaturity-anti-gen-capturing and-processing capacity were established in vitro by using granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4. Then, apoptosis in hepatocholangioma cells was induced with γ-radiation. The experimental groups included (1) co-culture of DCs, and apoptotic cancer cells and T cells; (2) co-culture of DCs necrotic cancer cells and T cells; (3) co-culture of DCs-cultured cancer cell and T cells. These cells were co-cultured for 7 days. DCs and T cell were enriched separately. Finally, antitumor response test was carried out. Results: These cells had typical dendritic morphology, expressed high levels of CD1a, B7 and acquired antigen from apoptotic cells caused by γ-rays and induced an increased T cell-stimulatory capacity in MLR. Conclusions: DCs obtained from blood mononuclear cells using GM-CSF and IL-4 and DCs can efficiently present antigen driven from apoptotic cells caused by γ-rays and induce T cells increasing obviously. It can probably become an effective approach of DC transduction with antigen

Approaching Stan Laurel's illusion: the self-induced rubber hand phenomenon.

Science.gov (United States)

Neuf, Hartmut; Hamburger, Kai

2013-01-01

The classical rubber hand illusion is induced by an experimenter (eg stimulation with a brush) and usually realized with some sort of visual occlusion. Here, we demonstrate a new phenomenon: the self-induced rubber hand illusion. It is possible to elicit the feeling of a third hand without any help from an experimenter and under conditions of no occlusion. The findings are discussed within the context of neural plasticity.

Clinical review: improving the measurement of serum thyroglobulin with mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoofnagle, Andrew N; Roth, Mara Y

2013-04-01

Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements are central to the management of patients treated for differentiated thyroid carcinoma. For decades, Tg measurements have relied on methods that are subject to interference by commonly found substances in human serum and plasma, such as Tg autoantibodies. As a result, many patients need additional imaging studies to rule out cancer persistence or recurrence that could be avoided with more sensitive and specific testing methods. The aims of this review are to: 1) briefly review the interferences common to Tg immunoassays; 2) introduce readers to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry as a method for quantifying proteins in human serum/plasma; and 3) discuss the potential benefits and limitations of the method in the quantification of serum Tg. Mass spectrometric methods have traditionally lacked the sensitivity, robustness, and throughput to be useful clinical assays. These methods failed to meet the necessary clinical benchmarks due to the nature of the mass spectrometry workflow and instrumentation. Over the past few years, there have been major advances in reagents, automation, and instrumentation for the quantification of proteins using mass spectrometry. More recently, methods using mass spectrometry to detect and quantify Tg have been developed and are of sufficient quality to be used in the management of patients. Novel serum Tg assays that use mass spectrometry may avoid the issue of autoantibody interference and other problems with currently available immunoassays for Tg. Prospective studies are needed to fully understand the potential benefits of novel Tg assays to patients and care providers.

Targeted Delivery of GP5 Antigen of PRRSV to M Cells Enhances the Antigen-Specific Systemic and Mucosal Immune Responses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luping Du

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Efficient delivery of antigens through oral immunization is a first and critical step for successful induction of mucosal immunity, which can provide protection against pathogens invading the mucosa. Membranous/microfold cells (M cells within the mucosa can transcytose internalized antigen without degradation and thus play an important role in initiating antigen-specific mucosal immune responses through inducing secretory IgA production. In this research, we modified poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA nanoparticles (NPs with Ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 (UEA-1 and successfully prepared an oral vaccine delivery system, UEA-1/PLGA NPs. PLGA NPs were prepared using a standard double emulsion solvent evaporation technique, which can protect the entrapped PRRSV DNA vaccine [pcDNA3.1-SynORF5 (synthetic ORF5] or subunit vaccine ORF5-encoded glycoprotein (GP5 from exposure to the gastrointestinal (GI tract and release the plasmids in a controlled manner. With UEA-1 modification, the UEA-1/PLGA NPs can be effectively transported by M-cells. We investigated immune response induced by UEA-1/PLGA-SynORF5 or UEA-1/PLGA-GP5 following inoculation in mice and piglets. Compared with PLGA-SynORF5 or PLGA-GP5 NPs, UEA-1/PLGA-SynORF5, or UEA-1/PLGA-GP5 NPs stimulated significantly increased serum IgG levels and augmented intestinal IgA levels in mice and piglets (P < 0.05. Our findings indicate UEA-1/PLGA NPs can be applied as a promising and universally robust oral vaccine delivery system.

Targeted Delivery of GP5 Antigen of PRRSV to M Cells Enhances the Antigen-Specific Systemic and Mucosal Immune Responses

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Luping; Yu, Zhengyu; Pang, Fengjiao; Xu, Xiangwei; Mao, Aihua; Yuan, Wanzhe; He, Kongwang; Li, Bin

2018-01-01

Efficient delivery of antigens through oral immunization is a first and critical step for successful induction of mucosal immunity, which can provide protection against pathogens invading the mucosa. Membranous/microfold cells (M cells) within the mucosa can transcytose internalized antigen without degradation and thus play an important role in initiating antigen-specific mucosal immune responses through inducing secretory IgA production. In this research, we modified poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) with Ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 (UEA-1) and successfully prepared an oral vaccine delivery system, UEA-1/PLGA NPs. PLGA NPs were prepared using a standard double emulsion solvent evaporation technique, which can protect the entrapped PRRSV DNA vaccine [pcDNA3.1-SynORF5 (synthetic ORF5)] or subunit vaccine ORF5-encoded glycoprotein (GP5) from exposure to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and release the plasmids in a controlled manner. With UEA-1 modification, the UEA-1/PLGA NPs can be effectively transported by M-cells. We investigated immune response induced by UEA-1/PLGA-SynORF5 or UEA-1/PLGA-GP5 following inoculation in mice and piglets. Compared with PLGA-SynORF5 or PLGA-GP5 NPs, UEA-1/PLGA-SynORF5, or UEA-1/PLGA-GP5 NPs stimulated significantly increased serum IgG levels and augmented intestinal IgA levels in mice and piglets (P < 0.05). Our findings indicate UEA-1/PLGA NPs can be applied as a promising and universally robust oral vaccine delivery system. PMID:29423381

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 specifically induces expression of the B-cell activation antigen CD23

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, F.; Gregory, C.D.; Rowe, M.; Rickinson, A.B.; Wang, D.; Birkenbach, M.; Kikutani, H.; Kishimoto, T.; Kieff, E.

1987-01-01

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection of EBV-negative Burkitt lymphoma (BL) cells includes some changes similar to those seen in normal B lymphocytes that have been growth transformed by EBV. The role of individual EBV genes in this process was evaluated by introducing each of the viral genes that are normally expressed in EBV growth-transformed and latently infected lymphoblasts into an EBV-negative BL cell line, using recombinant retrovirus-mediated transfer. Clones of cells were derived that stably express the EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1), EBNA-2, EBNA-3, EBNA-leader protein, or EBV latent membrane protein (LMP). These were compared with control clones infected with the retrovirus vector. All 10 clones converted to EBNA-2 expression differed from control clones or clones expressing other EBV proteins by growth in tight clumps and by markedly increased expression of one particular surface marker of B-cell activation, CD23. Other activation antigens were unaffected by EBNA-2 expression, as were markers already expressed on the parent BL cell line. The results indicate that EBNA-2 is a specific direct or indirect trans-activator of CD23. This establishes a link between an EBV gene and cell gene expression. Since CD23 has been implicated in the transduction of B-cell growth signals, its specific induction by EBNA-2 could be important in EBV induction of B-lymphocyte transformation

The quantal theory of how the immune system discriminates between "self and non-self"

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kendall A

2004-12-17

In the past 50 years, immunologists have accumulated an amazing amount of information as to how the immune system functions. However, one of the most fundamental aspects of immunity, how the immune system discriminates between self vs. non-self, still remains an enigma. Any attempt to explain this most intriguing and fundamental characteristic must account for this decision at the level of the whole immune system, but as well, at the level of the individual cells making up the immune system. Moreover, it must provide for a molecular explanation as to how and why the cells behave as they do. The "Quantal Theory", proposed herein, is based upon the "Clonal Selection Theory", first proposed by Sir McFarland Burnet in 1955, in which he explained the remarkable specificity as well as diversity of recognition of everything foreign in the environment. The "Quantal Theory" is built upon Burnet's premise that after antigen selection of cell clones, a proliferative expansion of the selected cells ensues. Furthermore, it is derived from experiments which indicate that the proliferation of antigen-selected cell clones is determined by a quantal, "all-or-none", decision promulgated by a critical number of cellular receptors triggered by the T Cell Growth Factor (TCGF), interleukin 2 (IL2). An extraordinary number of experiments reported especially in the past 20 years, and detailed herein, indicate that the T cell Antigen Receptor (TCR) behaves similarly, and also that there are several critical numbers of triggered TCRs that determine different fates of the T cells. Moreover, the fates of the cells appear ultimately to be determined by the TCR triggering of the IL2 and IL2 receptor (IL2R) genes, which are also expressed in a very quantal fashion. The "Quantal Theory" states that the fundamental decisions of the T cell immune system are dependent upon the cells receiving a critical number of triggered TCRs and IL2Rs and that the cells respond in an all-or-none fashion. The

General Syntheses of Nanotubes Induced by Block Copolymer Self-Assembly

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhao, Jianming; Huang, Wei; Si, Pengchao

2018-01-01

Amphiphilic block copolymer templating strategies are extensively used for syntheses of mesoporous materials. However, monodisperse tubular nanostructures are limited. Here, a general method is developed to synthesize monodisperse nanotubes with narrow diameter distribution induced by self...

Delta-like 1/fetal antigen 1(DLK1/FA1) inhibits BMP2 induced osteoblast differentiation through modulation of NFκB signaling pathway

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qiu, Weimin; Abdallah, Basem; Kassem, Moustapha

DLK1/FA1 (delta-like 1/fetal antigen-1) is a negative regulator of bone mass that acts to inhibit osteoblast differentiation and stimulate osteoclast differentiation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are not known. Thus, we studied the effect of DLK1/FA1 on different...... osteogenic factors-induced osteoblast differentiation. We identified DLK1/FA1 as an inhibitor of BMP2-induced osteogenesis in mouse myoblast C2C12 cells. Stable overexpression of DLK1/FA1 in C2C12 cells or the addition of its soluble form protein FA1 significantly inhibited BMP2-induced osteogenesis...... as assessed by reduced Alp activity and osteogenic gene expression including Alp, Col1a1, Runx2 and Bglap. In addition, DLK1/FA1 inhibited BMP signaling as demonstrated by reduced gene expression of BMP-responsive genes: Junb and Id1, reduced BMP2 induced luciferase activity in C2C12 BMP luciferase reporter...

Comparative testing of six antigen-based malaria vaccine candidates directed toward merozoite-stage Plasmodium falciparum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnot, David E; Cavanagh, David R; Remarque, Edmond J

2008-01-01

Immunogenicity testing of Plasmodium falciparum antigens being considered as malaria vaccine candidates was undertaken in rabbits. The antigens compared were recombinant baculovirus MSP-1(19) and five Pichia pastoris candidates, including two versions of MSP-1(19), AMA-1 (domains I and II), AMA-1......G concentrations. The two P. pastoris-produced MSP-1(19)-induced IgGs conferred the lowest growth inhibition. Comparative analysis of immunogenicity of vaccine antigens can be used to prioritize candidates before moving to expensive GMP production and clinical testing. The assays used have given discriminating...

Culture modulates implicit ownership-induced self-bias in memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Sparks, Samuel; Cunningham, Sheila J; Kritikos, Ada

2016-08-01

The relation of incoming stimuli to the self implicitly determines the allocation of cognitive resources. Cultural variations in the self-concept shape cognition, but the extent is unclear because the majority of studies sample only Western participants. We report cultural differences (Asian versus Western) in ownership-induced self-bias in recognition memory for objects. In two experiments, participants allocated a series of images depicting household objects to self-owned or other-owned virtual baskets based on colour cues before completing a surprise recognition memory test for the objects. The 'other' was either a stranger or a close other. In both experiments, Western participants showed greater recognition memory accuracy for self-owned compared with other-owned objects, consistent with an independent self-construal. In Experiment 1, which required minimal attention to the owned objects, Asian participants showed no such ownership-related bias in recognition accuracy. In Experiment 2, which required attention to owned objects to move them along the screen, Asian participants again showed no overall memory advantage for self-owned items and actually exhibited higher recognition accuracy for mother-owned than self-owned objects, reversing the pattern observed for Westerners. This is consistent with an interdependent self-construal which is sensitive to the particular relationship between the self and other. Overall, our results suggest that the self acts as an organising principle for allocating cognitive resources, but that the way it is constructed depends upon cultural experience. Additionally, the manifestation of these cultural differences in self-representation depends on the allocation of attentional resources to self- and other-associated stimuli. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immune responses of B. malayi thioredoxin (TRX) and venom allergen homologue (VAH) chimeric multiple antigen for lymphatic filariasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Anugraha, Gandhirajan; Jeyaprita, Parasurama Jawaharlal; Madhumathi, Jayaprakasam; Sheeba, Tamilvanan; Kaliraj, Perumal

2013-12-01

Although multiple vaccine strategy for lymphatic filariasis has provided tremendous hope, the choice of antigens used in combination has determined its success in the previous studies. Multiple antigens comprising key vaccine candidates from different life cycle stages would provide a promising strategy if the antigenic combination is chosen by careful screening. In order to analyze one such combination, we have used a chimeric construct carrying the well studied B. malayi antigens thioredoxin (BmTRX) and venom allergen homologue (BmVAH) as a fusion protein (TV) and evaluated its immune responses in mice model. The efficacy of fusion protein vaccine was explored in comparison with the single antigen vaccines and their cocktail. In mice, TV induced significantly high antibody titer of 1,28,000 compared to cocktail vaccine TRX+VAH (50,000) and single antigen vaccine TRX (16,000) or VAH (50,000). Furthermore, TV elicited higher level of cellular proliferative response together with elevated levels of IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-5 indicating a Th1/Th2 balanced response. The isotype antibody profile showed significantly high level of IgG1 and IgG2b confirming the balanced response elicited by TV. Immunization with TV antigen induced high levels of both humoral and cellular immune responses compared to either cocktail or antigen given alone. The result suggests that TV is highly immunogenic in mice and hence the combination needs to be evaluated for its prophylactic potential.

Intestinal Epithelial Cells Modulate Antigen-Presenting Cell Responses to Bacterial DNA

Science.gov (United States)

Campeau, J. L.; Salim, S. Y.; Albert, E. J.; Hotte, N.

2012-01-01

Intestinal epithelial cells and antigen-presenting cells orchestrate mucosal innate immunity. This study investigated the role of bacterial DNA in modulating epithelial and bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting cells (BM-APCs) and subsequent T-lymphocyte responses. Murine MODE-K epithelial cells and BM-APCs were treated with DNA from either Bifidobacterium breve or Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin directly and under coculture conditions with CD4+ T cells. Apical stimulation of MODE-K cells with S. Dublin DNA enhanced secretion of cytokines from underlying BM-APCs and induced interleukin-17 (IL-17) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) secretion from CD4+ T cells. Bacterial DNA isolated from either strain induced maturation and increased cytokine secretion from BM-APCs. Conditioned medium from S. Dublin-treated MODE-K cells elicited an increase in cytokine secretion similar to that seen for S. Dublin DNA. Treatment of conditioned medium from MODE-K cells with RNase and protease prevented the S. Dublin-induced increased cytokine secretion. Oral feeding of mice with B. breve DNA resulted in enhanced levels of colonic IL-10 and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) compared with what was seen for mice treated with S. Dublin DNA. In contrast, feeding mice with S. Dublin DNA increased levels of colonic IL-17 and IL-12p70. T cells from S. Dublin DNA-treated mice secreted high levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ compared to controls and B. breve DNA-treated mice. These results demonstrate that intestinal epithelial cells are able to modulate subsequent antigen-presenting and T-cell responses to bacterial DNA with pathogenic but not commensal bacterial DNA inducing effector CD4+ T lymphocytes. PMID:22615241

Similar hormone-rich peptides from thyroglobulins of five vertebrate classes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, P.S.; Dunn, J.T.; Kaiser, D.L.

1984-01-01

Thyroglobulins (Tgs) were purified from five species (rat, chicken, turtle, frog, and goldfish), each representing a different vertebrate class. On reduction with mercaptoethanol, each Tg produced five major iodopeptides, designated A-E, with ranges of estimated molecular mass, in kilodaltons (K), as follows: A, more than 300K; B, 210-280K; C, 30-42K; D, 19-28K; and E, 10-23K. Of these, the two smallest, D and E, had 40-80% of their iodine as iodothyronine, compared with 15-20% for the parent Tgs. They contained 25-63% of Tg's total iodothyronines but only a few percent of its peptide material. Calculations from amino acid analyses and iodine contents showed approximately 1 mol each of D and E/mol 660,000 dalton Tg. In comparisons of amino acid compositions by cluster analysis, iodopeptides D and E resembled each other and their counterparts in other species more than they resembled their parent Tgs. Also, the Tgs from different species were more similar to each other and to iodopeptides D and E than to nonthyroidal proteins randomly selected from the literature. 125 was injected into rats and turtles, and compared its distribution among the iodopeptides to that of 127 I. These dual isotope experiments showed that as Tg was iodinated in vivo, iodopeptide B decreased both in molecular size and in its share of Tg's iodine, while the sum of iodopeptides D and E increased, indicating that B may be the precursor of D and E. In vivo iodination of rat Tg with 125 I for different periods of time suggested that iodopeptide E and its iodothyronines are derived from a larger portion of the Tg molecule, perhaps iodopeptide B. The amount of 125 I in iodopeptide D also increased with time

Evaluation of Antigen-Conjugated Fluorescent Beads to Identify Antigen-Specific B Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Correa

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Selection of single antigen-specific B cells to identify their expressed antibodies is of considerable interest for evaluating human immune responses. Here, we present a method to identify single antibody-expressing cells using antigen-conjugated fluorescent beads. To establish this, we selected Folate Receptor alpha (FRα as a model antigen and a mouse B cell line, expressing both the soluble and the membrane-bound forms of a human/mouse chimeric antibody (MOv18 IgG1 specific for FRα, as test antibody-expressing cells. Beads were conjugated to FRα using streptavidin/avidin-biotin bridges and used to select single cells expressing the membrane-bound form of anti-FRα. Bead-bound cells were single cell-sorted and processed for single cell RNA retrotranscription and PCR to isolate antibody heavy and light chain variable regions. Variable regions were then cloned and expressed as human IgG1/k antibodies. Like the original clone, engineered antibodies from single cells recognized native FRα. To evaluate whether antigen-coated beads could identify specific antibody-expressing cells in mixed immune cell populations, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs were spiked with test antibody-expressing cells. Antigen-specific cells could comprise up to 75% of cells selected with antigen-conjugated beads when the frequency of the antigen-positive cells was 1:100 or higher. In PBMC pools, beads conjugated to recombinant antigens FRα and HER2 bound antigen-specific anti-FRα MOv18 and anti-HER2 Trastuzumab antibody-expressing cells, respectively. From melanoma patient-derived B cells selected with melanoma cell line-derived protein-coated fluorescent beads, we generated a monoclonal antibody that recognized melanoma antigen-coated beads. This approach may be further developed to facilitate analysis of B cells and their antibody profiles at the single cell level and to help unravel humoral immune repertoires.

Evaluation of Antigen-Conjugated Fluorescent Beads to Identify Antigen-Specific B Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Correa, Isabel; Ilieva, Kristina M; Crescioli, Silvia; Lombardi, Sara; Figini, Mariangela; Cheung, Anthony; Spicer, James F; Tutt, Andrew N J; Nestle, Frank O; Karagiannis, Panagiotis; Lacy, Katie E; Karagiannis, Sophia N

2018-01-01

Selection of single antigen-specific B cells to identify their expressed antibodies is of considerable interest for evaluating human immune responses. Here, we present a method to identify single antibody-expressing cells using antigen-conjugated fluorescent beads. To establish this, we selected Folate Receptor alpha (FRα) as a model antigen and a mouse B cell line, expressing both the soluble and the membrane-bound forms of a human/mouse chimeric antibody (MOv18 IgG1) specific for FRα, as test antibody-expressing cells. Beads were conjugated to FRα using streptavidin/avidin-biotin bridges and used to select single cells expressing the membrane-bound form of anti-FRα. Bead-bound cells were single cell-sorted and processed for single cell RNA retrotranscription and PCR to isolate antibody heavy and light chain variable regions. Variable regions were then cloned and expressed as human IgG1/k antibodies. Like the original clone, engineered antibodies from single cells recognized native FRα. To evaluate whether antigen-coated beads could identify specific antibody-expressing cells in mixed immune cell populations, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were spiked with test antibody-expressing cells. Antigen-specific cells could comprise up to 75% of cells selected with antigen-conjugated beads when the frequency of the antigen-positive cells was 1:100 or higher. In PBMC pools, beads conjugated to recombinant antigens FRα and HER2 bound antigen-specific anti-FRα MOv18 and anti-HER2 Trastuzumab antibody-expressing cells, respectively. From melanoma patient-derived B cells selected with melanoma cell line-derived protein-coated fluorescent beads, we generated a monoclonal antibody that recognized melanoma antigen-coated beads. This approach may be further developed to facilitate analysis of B cells and their antibody profiles at the single cell level and to help unravel humoral immune repertoires.

Evaluation of Antigen-Conjugated Fluorescent Beads to Identify Antigen-Specific B Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Correa, Isabel; Ilieva, Kristina M.; Crescioli, Silvia; Lombardi, Sara; Figini, Mariangela; Cheung, Anthony; Spicer, James F.; Tutt, Andrew N. J.; Nestle, Frank O.; Karagiannis, Panagiotis; Lacy, Katie E.; Karagiannis, Sophia N.

2018-01-01

Selection of single antigen-specific B cells to identify their expressed antibodies is of considerable interest for evaluating human immune responses. Here, we present a method to identify single antibody-expressing cells using antigen-conjugated fluorescent beads. To establish this, we selected Folate Receptor alpha (FRα) as a model antigen and a mouse B cell line, expressing both the soluble and the membrane-bound forms of a human/mouse chimeric antibody (MOv18 IgG1) specific for FRα, as test antibody-expressing cells. Beads were conjugated to FRα using streptavidin/avidin-biotin bridges and used to select single cells expressing the membrane-bound form of anti-FRα. Bead-bound cells were single cell-sorted and processed for single cell RNA retrotranscription and PCR to isolate antibody heavy and light chain variable regions. Variable regions were then cloned and expressed as human IgG1/k antibodies. Like the original clone, engineered antibodies from single cells recognized native FRα. To evaluate whether antigen-coated beads could identify specific antibody-expressing cells in mixed immune cell populations, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were spiked with test antibody-expressing cells. Antigen-specific cells could comprise up to 75% of cells selected with antigen-conjugated beads when the frequency of the antigen-positive cells was 1:100 or higher. In PBMC pools, beads conjugated to recombinant antigens FRα and HER2 bound antigen-specific anti-FRα MOv18 and anti-HER2 Trastuzumab antibody-expressing cells, respectively. From melanoma patient-derived B cells selected with melanoma cell line-derived protein-coated fluorescent beads, we generated a monoclonal antibody that recognized melanoma antigen-coated beads. This approach may be further developed to facilitate analysis of B cells and their antibody profiles at the single cell level and to help unravel humoral immune repertoires. PMID:29628923

Comparative immunological evaluation of recombinant Salmonella Typhimurium strains expressing model antigens as live oral vaccines.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Song-yue; Yu, Bin; Zhang, Ke; Chen, Min; Hua, Yan-Hong; Yuan, Shuofeng; Watt, Rory M; Zheng, Bo-Jian; Yuen, Kwok-Yung; Huang, Jian-Dong

2012-09-26

Despite the development of various systems to generate live recombinant Salmonella Typhimurium vaccine strains, little work has been performed to systematically evaluate and compare their relative immunogenicity. Such information would provide invaluable guidance for the future rational design of live recombinant Salmonella oral vaccines. To compare vaccine strains encoded with different antigen delivery and expression strategies, a series of recombinant Salmonella Typhimurium strains were constructed that expressed either the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) or a fragment of the hemagglutinin (HA) protein from the H5N1 influenza virus, as model antigens. The antigens were expressed from the chromosome, from high or low-copy plasmids, or encoded on a eukaryotic expression plasmid. Antigens were targeted for expression in either the cytoplasm or the outer membrane. Combinations of strategies were employed to evaluate the efficacy of combined delivery/expression approaches. After investigating in vitro and in vivo antigen expression, growth and infection abilities; the immunogenicity of the constructed recombinant Salmonella strains was evaluated in mice. Using the soluble model antigen EGFP, our results indicated that vaccine strains with high and stable antigen expression exhibited high B cell responses, whilst eukaryotic expression or colonization with good construct stability was critical for T cell responses. For the insoluble model antigen HA, an outer membrane expression strategy induced better B cell and T cell responses than a cytoplasmic strategy. Most notably, the combination of two different expression strategies did not increase the immune response elicited. Through systematically evaluating and comparing the immunogenicity of the constructed recombinant Salmonella strains in mice, we identified their respective advantages and deleterious or synergistic effects. Different construction strategies were optimally-required for soluble versus

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte recognition of HLA-A/B antigens introduced into EL4 cells by cell-liposome fusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Engelhard, V H; Powers, G A; Moore, L C; Holterman, M J; Correa-Freire, M C

1984-01-01

HLA-A2 and -B7 antigens were introduced into EL4 (H-2b) cells by cell-liposome fusion and were used as targets or stimulators for cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) generated in C57B1/6 (H-2b) mice. It was found that such EL4-HLA cells were not recognized by CTL that had been raised against either a human cell line bearing these HLA antigens or the purified HLA-A2 and -B7 antigens reconstituted into liposomes. In addition, EL4-HLA cells were not capable of inducing CTL that could recognize a human cell line bearing HLA-A2 and -B7 antigens. Instead, EL4-HLA cells induced CTL that specifically lysed EL4-HLA cells and not human cells expressing HLA-A2 and -B7. CTL recognition required the presence of HLA antigens on the EL4 cell surface and was inhibited by antibodies against either H-2b or HLA-A/B. Monoclonal antibody binding studies showed that the expected polymorphic determinants of the HLA-A2 and -B7 antigens were still present on EL4-HLA cells. However, the specificity of CTL or their precursors that are capable of recognizing HLA-A2 or -B7 was altered after these antigens became associated with the EL4 surface. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.

Adoptive cancer immunotherapy using DNA-demethylated T helper cells as antigen-presenting cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkin, Alexei F.; Dzhandzhugazyan, Karine N.; Guldberg, Per

2018-01-01

In cancer cells, cancer/testis (CT) antigens become epigenetically derepressed through DNA demethylation and constitute attractive targets for cancer immunotherapy. Here we report that activated CD4+ T helper cells treated with a DNA-demethylating agent express a broad repertoire of endogenous CT...... antigens and can be used as antigen-presenting cells to generate autologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer cells. In vitro, activated CTLs induce HLA-restricted lysis of tumor cells of different histological types, as well as cells expressing single CT antigens. In a phase 1 trial of 25...... patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme, cytotoxic lymphocytes homed to the tumor, with tumor regression ongoing in three patients for 14, 22, and 27 months, respectively. No treatment-related adverse effects were observed. This proof-of-principle study shows that tumor-reactive effector cells can...

Suppression of adaptive immunity to heterologous antigens during Plasmodium infection through hemozoin-induced failure of dendritic cell function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phillips R

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dendritic cells (DCs are central to the initiation and regulation of the adaptive immune response during infection. Modulation of DC function may therefore allow evasion of the immune system by pathogens. Significant depression of the host's systemic immune response to both concurrent infections and heterologous vaccines has been observed during malaria infection, but the mechanisms underlying this immune hyporesponsiveness are controversial. Results Here, we demonstrate that the blood stages of malaria infection induce a failure of DC function in vitro and in vivo, causing suboptimal activation of T cells involved in heterologous immune responses. This effect on T-cell activation can be transferred to uninfected recipients by DCs isolated from infected mice. Significantly, T cells activated by these DCs subsequently lack effector function, as demonstrated by a failure to migrate to lymphoid-organ follicles, resulting in an absence of B-cell responses to heterologous antigens. Fractionation studies show that hemozoin, rather than infected erythrocyte (red blood cell membranes, reproduces the effect of intact infected red blood cells on DCs. Furthermore, hemozoin-containing DCs could be identified in T-cell areas of the spleen in vivo. Conclusion Plasmodium infection inhibits the induction of adaptive immunity to heterologous antigens by modulating DC function, providing a potential explanation for epidemiological studies linking endemic malaria with secondary infections and reduced vaccine efficacy.

Modification of T-cell antigenic properties of tetanus toxoid by SDS-PAGE separation. Implications for T-cell blotting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, C B; Theander, T G

1997-01-01

Using Tetanus Toxoid (TT) as a model antigen the T-cell Blotting method was evaluated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures were stimulated by blotted nitrocellulose-bound TT or soluble TT. SDS-Poly-Acrylamide-Gel-Electrophoresis separated TT only induced proliferation in 20% of the ......Using Tetanus Toxoid (TT) as a model antigen the T-cell Blotting method was evaluated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures were stimulated by blotted nitrocellulose-bound TT or soluble TT. SDS-Poly-Acrylamide-Gel-Electrophoresis separated TT only induced proliferation in 20......% of the PBMC cultures whereas proliferation was induced in 79% of the same cultures offered similar treated TT (except for the PAGE separation). When T-cell blotting was performed with TT separated in a SDS-agarose matrix, proliferation was induced in 80% of donors responding to soluble TT. The results show...... that SDS-PAGE alters the ability of TT to induce T-cell proliferation, possibly due to unpolymerized acrylamide binding to proteins during SDS-PAGE. The use of SDS-PAGE T-cell blotting in the screening for T-cell antigens must therefore be reconsidered. We suggest the use of SDS-Agarose Gel Electrophoresis...

Bioengineering towards self-assembly of particulate vaccines.

Science.gov (United States)

Rehm, Bernd H A

2017-12-01

There is an unmet demand for safe and efficient vaccines for prevention of various infectious diseases. Subunit vaccines comprise selected pathogen specific antigens are a safe alternative to whole organism vaccines. However they often lack immunogenicity. Natural and synthetic self-assembling polymers and proteins will be reviewed in view their use to encapsulate and/or display antigens to serve as immunogenic antigen carriers for induction of protective immunity. Recent advances made in in vivo assembly of antigen-displaying polyester inclusions will be a focus. Particulate vaccines are inherently immunogenic due to enhanced uptake by antigen presenting cells which process antigens mediating adaptive immune responses. Bioengineering approaches enable the design of tailor-made particulate vaccines to fine tune immune responses towards protective immunity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antigen presenting cells costimulatory signaling during pre-implantation pregnancy 

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Sławek

2012-09-01

Full Text Available  Success of pregnancy depends on many factors. Three phenomena inducing immune tolerance against semi-allogeneic conceptus may play a crucial role in the pre-implantation period of pregnancy: influence of sex hormones in sex cycle, presence of oocyte or embryo and the presence of semen in the female reproductive tract. On the other hand dendritic cells are the most effective antigen-presenting cells in regulation of immune phenomena and also are considered as potent participants in inducing immune tolerance in the pregnancy. They communicate with T cells in cell contact-dependent manner or via cytokines. During cell-cell contacts, costimulatory molecules play a key role and their expression is often dependent on cytokines milieu. Both costimulatory molecules and cytokines influence generation of T regulatory cells. Interactions of these molecules are closely related. In this paper we would like to pay attention to the importance of antigen presenting cells costimulatory potency in immune regulation during a pre-implantation period of pregnancy.

Acquisition of MDMA self-administration: pharmacokinetic factors and MDMA-induced serotonin release.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradbury, Sarah; Bird, Judith; Colussi-Mas, Joyce; Mueller, Melanie; Ricaurte, George; Schenk, Susan

2014-09-01

The current study aimed to elucidate the role of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters and neurotransmitter efflux in explaining variability in (±) 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) self-administration in rats. PK profiles of MDMA and its major metabolites were determined after the administration of 1.0 mg/kg MDMA (iv) prior to, and following, the acquisition of MDMA self-administration. Synaptic levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) and dopamine (DA) in the nucleus accumbens were measured following administration of MDMA (1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg, iv) using in vivo microdialysis and compared for rats that acquired or failed to acquire MDMA self-administration. Effects of the 5HT neurotoxin, 5,7 dihydroxytryptamine (5, 7-DHT), on the acquisition of MDMA and cocaine self-administration were also determined. In keeping with previous findings, approximately 50% of rats failed to meet a criterion for acquisition of MDMA self-administration. The PK profiles of MDMA and its metabolites did not differ between rats that acquired or failed to acquire MDMA self-administration. MDMA produced more overflow of 5HT than DA. The MDMA-induced 5HT overflow was lower in rats that acquired MDMA self-administration compared with those that did not acquire self-administration. In contrast, MDMA-induced DA overflow was comparable for the two groups. Prior 5,7-DHT lesions reduced tissue levels of 5HT and markedly increased the percentage of rats that acquired MDMA self-administration and also decreased the latency to acquisition of cocaine self-administration. These data suggest that 5HT limits the initial sensitivity to the positively reinforcing effects of MDMA and delays the acquisition of reliable self-administration. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Natural autoantibodies and complement promote the uptake of a self antigen, human thyroglobulin, by B cells and the proliferation of thyroglobulin-reactive CD4(+) T cells in healthy individuals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, C H; Leslie, R G; Jepsen, B S

2001-01-01

of complement receptor types 1 (CR1, CD35) and 2 (CR2, CD21). T cell responsiveness to Tg was examined in a preparation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultured in the presence of autologous serum. A subset of CD4(+) T cells exhibited a dose-dependent proliferative response to Tg, which...... cells are prerequisites for the proliferation of Tg-reactive CD4(+) T cells, suggesting a novel role for natural autoantibodies and complement in the regulation of autoreactivity under physiological conditions....... was strongly inhibited by complement inactivation and by immunoabsorption of Tg-reactive antibodies. Furthermore, this T cell response was abrogated by depletion of B cells from the PBMC culture. These data imply that uptake of complement-opsonized Tg / anti-Tg complexes and subsequent presentation of Tg by B...

Induced vibrations increase performance of a winged self-righting robot

Science.gov (United States)

Othayoth, Ratan; Xuan, Qihan; Li, Chen

When upside down, cockroaches can open their wings to dynamically self-right. In this process, an animal often has to perform multiple unsuccessful maneuvers to eventually right, and often flails its legs. Here, we developed a cockroach-inspired winged self-righting robot capable of controlled body vibrations to test the hypothesis that vibrations assist self-righting transitions. Robot body vibrations were induced by an oscillating mass (10% of body mass) and varied by changing oscillation frequency. We discovered that, as the robot's body vibrations increased, righting probability increased, and righting time decreased (P locomotor transitions, but highlights the need for further stochastic modeling to capture the uncertain nature of when righting maneuvers result in successful righting.

Dominant role of antigen dose in CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cell induction and expansion1

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Michael S.; Kane, Lawrence P.; Morel, Penelope A.

2009-01-01

The definitions of tolerogenic vs. immunogenic dendritic cells (DC) remain controversial. Immature DC have been shown to induce T regulatory cells (Treg) specific for foreign and allo-antigens. However, we have previously reported that mature DC (G4DC) prevented the onset of autoimmune diabetes whereas immature DC (GMDC) were therapeutically ineffective. In this study, islet-specific CD4+ T cells from BDC2.5 TCR Tg mice were stimulated, in the absence of exogenous cytokine, with GMDC or G4DC pulsed with high- or low-affinity antigenic peptides and examined for Treg induction. Both GMDC and G4DC presenting low peptide doses induced weak TCR signaling via the Akt/mTOR pathway, resulting in significant expansion of Foxp3+ Treg. Furthermore, unpulsed G4DC, but not GMDC, also induced Treg. High peptide doses induced strong Akt/mTOR signaling and favored the expansion of Foxp3neg Th cells. The inverse correlation of Foxp3 and Akt/mTOR signaling was also observed in DO11.10 and OT-II TCR-Tg T cells and was recapitulated with anti-CD3/CD28 stimulation in the absence of DC. IL-6 production in these cultures correlated positively with antigen dose and inversely with Treg expansion. Studies with T cells or DC from IL-6−/− mice revealed that IL-6 production by T cells was more important in the inhibition of Treg induction at low antigen doses. These studies indicate that strength of Akt/mTOR signaling, a critical T cell intrinsic determinant for Treg vs Th induction, can be controlled by adjusting the dose of antigenic peptide. Furthermore, this operates in a dominant fashion over DC phenotype and cytokine production. PMID:19801514

Two-dimensional nanoparticle self-assembly using plasma-induced Ostwald ripening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, J; Photopoulos, P; Tsoukalas, D; Tserepi, A

2011-01-01

In this work, a novel Ag nanoparticle self-assembly process based on plasma-induced two-dimensional Ostwald ripening is demonstrated. Ag nanoparticles are deposited on p-doped Si substrates using a DC magnetron sputtering process. With the assistance of O 2 /Ar plasma treatment, different sizes and patterns of Ag nanoparticles are formed, due to the Ostwald ripening. The evolution of plasma-induced nanoparticle ripening is studied and a clear increase in particle size and a decrease in particle density are observed with increasing plasma treatment. From the experiments, it is concluded that the initial nanoparticle density and the plasma gas mixture (Ar/O 2 ratio) are important factors that affect the ripening process. The proposed plasma-directed Ag nanoparticle self-assembly provides a rapid method of tailoring the nanoparticle distribution on substrates, with potential applications in the fields of solar cells, biosensors, and catalysis.

Exosomes Derived from Dendritic Cells Treated with Schistosoma japonicum Soluble Egg Antigen Attenuate DSS-Induced Colitis

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Lifu Wang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Exosomes are 30–150 nm small membrane vesicles that are released into the extracellular medium via cells that function as a mode of intercellular communication. Dendritic cell (DC-derived exosomes modulate immune responses and prevent the development of autoimmune diseases. Moreover, Schistosoma japonicum eggs show modulatory effects in a mouse model of colitis. Therefore, we hypothesized that exosomes derived from DCs treated with S. japonicum soluble eggs antigen (SEA; SEA-treated DC exosomes would be useful for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD. Exosomes were purified from the supernatant of DCs treated or untreated with SEA and identified via transmission electron microscopy, western blotting and NanoSight. Acute colitis was induced via the administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS in drinking water (5.0%, wt/vol. Treatment with exosomes was conducted via intraperitoneal injection (i.p.; 50 μg per mouse from day 0 to day 6. Clinical scores were calculated based on weight loss, stool type, and bleeding. Colon length was measured as an indirect marker of inflammation, and colon macroscopic characteristics were determined. Body weight loss and the disease activity index of DSS-induced colitis mice decreased significantly following treatment with SEA-treated DC exosomes. Moreover, the colon lengths of SEA-treated DC exosomes treated colitis mice improved, and their mean colon macroscopic scores decreased. In addition, histologic examinations and histological scores showed that SEA-treated DC exosomes prevented colon damage in acute DSS-induced colitis mice. These results indicate that SEA-treated DC exosomes attenuate the severity of acute DSS-induced colitis mice more effectively than DC exosomes. The current work suggests that SEA-treated DC exosomes may be useful as a new approach to treat IBD.

The cathelicidin protein CRAMP is a potential atherosclerosis self-antigen in ApoE(-/- mice.

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Peter M Mihailovic

Full Text Available Auto-immunity is believed to contribute to inflammation in atherosclerosis. The antimicrobial peptide LL-37, a fragment of the cathelicidin protein precursor hCAP18, was previously identified as an autoantigen in psoriasis. Given the reported link between psoriasis and coronary artery disease, the biological relevance of the autoantigen to atherosclerosis was tested in vitro using a truncated (t form of the mouse homolog of hCAP18, CRAMP, on splenocytes from athero-prone ApoE(-/- mice. Stimulation with tCRAMP resulted in increased CD8+ T cells with Central Memory and Effector Memory phenotypes in ApoE(-/- mice, differentially activated by feeding with normal chow or high fat diet. Immunization of ApoE(-/- with different doses of the shortened peptide (Cramp resulted in differential outcomes with a lower dose reducing atherosclerosis whereas a higher dose exacerbating the disease with increased neutrophil infiltration of the atherosclerotic plaques. Low dose Cramp immunization also resulted in increased splenic CD8+ T cell degranulation and reduced CD11b+CD11c+ conventional dendritic cells (cDCs, whereas high dose increased CD11b+CD11c+ cDCs. Our results identified CRAMP, the mouse homolog of hCAP-18, as a potential self-antigen involved in the immune response to atherosclerosis in the ApoE(-/- mouse model.

Negative self-schema: the effects of induced depressed mood.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutton, L J; Teasdale, J D; Broadbent, D E

1988-05-01

A depth-of-processing incidental recall paradigm, previously used as a measure of negative self-schema in depressed patients (Derry & Kuiper, 1981), was administered to normal subjects in whom depressed or neutral mood had been induced. Subjects in whom depressed mood was induced showed a pattern of recall similar to that previously found for depressed patients, suggesting (1) that at least some of the effects observed in depressed patients were a function of transient mood state, rather than persistent characteristics, and (2) that these effects of depressed mood also occur in individuals who have not been selected for vulnerability to clinical depression.

Immunity against mouse thymus-leukemia antigen (TL) protects against development of lymphomas induced by a chemical carcinogen, N-butyl-N-nitrosourea.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsujimura, Kunio; Obata, Yuichi; Matsudaira, Yasue; Ozeki, Satoshi; Taguchi, Osamu; Nishida, Keiko; Okanami, Yuko; Akatsuka, Yoshiki; Kuzushima, Kiyotaka; Takahashi, Toshitada

2004-11-01

Mouse thymus-leukemia antigens (TL) are aberrantly expressed on T lymphomas in C57BL/6 (B6) and C3H/He (C3H) mice, while they are not expressed on normal T lymphocytes in these strains. When N-butyl-N-nitrosourea (NBU), a chemical carcinogen, was administered orally to B6 and C3H strains, lymphoma development was slower than in T3(b)-TL gene-transduced counterpart strains expressing TL ubiquitously as self-antigens, suggesting that anti-TL immunity may play a protective role. In addition, the development of lymphomas was slightly slower in C3H than in B6, which seems to be in accordance with the results of skin graft experiments indicating that both cellular and humoral immunities against TL were stronger in C3H than B6 mice. The interesting finding that B lymphomas derived from a T3(b)-TL transgenic strain (C3H background) expressing a very high level of TL were rejected in C3H, but not in H-2K(b) transgenic mice (C3H background), raises the possibility that TL-specific effector T cell populations are eliminated and/or energized to a certain extent by interacting with H-2K(b) molecules.

Enhancing blockade of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte invasion: assessing combinations of antibodies against PfRH5 and other merozoite antigens.

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Andrew R Williams

Full Text Available No vaccine has yet proven effective against the blood-stages of Plasmodium falciparum, which cause the symptoms and severe manifestations of malaria. We recently found that PfRH5, a P. falciparum-specific protein expressed in merozoites, is efficiently targeted by broadly-neutralizing, vaccine-induced antibodies. Here we show that antibodies against PfRH5 efficiently inhibit the in vitro growth of short-term-adapted parasite isolates from Cambodia, and that the EC(50 values of antigen-specific antibodies against PfRH5 are lower than those against PfAMA1. Since antibody responses elicited by multiple antigens are speculated to improve the efficacy of blood-stage vaccines, we conducted detailed assessments of parasite growth inhibition by antibodies against PfRH5 in combination with antibodies against seven other merozoite antigens. We found that antibodies against PfRH5 act synergistically with antibodies against certain other merozoite antigens, most notably with antibodies against other erythrocyte-binding antigens such as PfRH4, to inhibit the growth of a homologous P. falciparum clone. A combination of antibodies against PfRH4 and basigin, the erythrocyte receptor for PfRH5, also potently inhibited parasite growth. This methodology provides the first quantitative evidence that polyclonal vaccine-induced antibodies can act synergistically against P. falciparum antigens and should help to guide the rational development of future multi-antigen vaccines.

Induced Kerr effects and self-guided beams in quasi-phase-matched quadratic media [CBC4

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Carl A. Balslev; Bang, Ole; Kivshar, Yuri S.

1997-01-01

We show that quasi-phase-matching of quadratic media induces Kerr effects, such as self- and cross-phase modulation, and leads to the existence of a novel class of solitary waves, QPM-solitons......We show that quasi-phase-matching of quadratic media induces Kerr effects, such as self- and cross-phase modulation, and leads to the existence of a novel class of solitary waves, QPM-solitons...

Studies on antigenic cross-reactivity of Trichuris ovis with host mucosal antigens in goat

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Gautam Patra

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To ascertain whether immunodominant antigens of Trichuris ovis might share and cross react with host molecule. Methods: Two crude protein preparations from anterior and posterior parts of Trichuris ovis were characterized along with host mucosal antigen by double immunodiffusion, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blotting technique. Conventional scanning electron microscopy was performed as per standard procedure. Results: Sharp and distinct bands of three antigens have been found in double immunodiffusion using hyperimmune serum raised in rabbit indicating the presence of specific antibody against each antigen. All three antigens have shown major and minor bands with molecular weight ranging from 15 to 110 kDa during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Conclusions: The antigenic cross-reactivity was thought to result from shared antigens. The existence of paracloacal papillae found in the anterior part of the male was not a unique feature for species differentiation.

Neutral Polymer Micelle Carriers with pH-Responsive, Endosome-Releasing Activity Modulate Antigen Trafficking to Enhance CD8 T-Cell Responses

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Keller, Salka; Wilson, John T; Patilea, Gabriela I; Kern, Hanna B; Convertine, Anthony J; Stayton, Patrick S

2014-01-01

Synthetic subunit vaccines need to induce CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) responses for effective vaccination against intracellular pathogens. Most subunit vaccines primarily generate humoral immune responses, with a weaker than desired CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell response. Here, a neutral, pH-responsive polymer micelle carrier that alters intracellular antigen trafficking was shown to enhance CD8+ T-cell responses with a correlated increase in cytosolic delivery and a decrease in exocytosis. Polymer diblock carriers consisted of a N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide corona block with pendant pyridyl disulfide groups for reversible conjugation of thiolated ovalbumin, and a tercopolymer ampholytic core-forming block composed of propylacrylic acid (PAA), dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and butyl methacrylate (BMA). The diblock copolymers self-assembled into 25–30 nm diameter micellar nanoparticles. Conjugation of ovalbumin to the micelles significantly enhanced antigen cross-presentation in vitro relative to free ovalbumin, an unconjugated physical mixture of ovalbumin and polymer, and a non pH-responsive micelle-ovalbumin control. Mechanistic studies in a murine dendritic cell line (DC2.4) demonstrated micelle-mediated enhancements in intracellular antigen retention and cytosolic antigen accumulation. Approximately 90% of initially internalized ovalbumin-conjugated micelles were retained in cells after 1.5 h, compared to only ~40% for controls. Furthermore, cells dosed with conjugates displayed 67-fold higher cytosolic antigen levels relative to soluble ovalbumin 4 h post uptake. Subcutaneous immunization of mice with ovalbumin-polymer conjugates significantly enhanced antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses (0.4 % IFN-γ+ of CD8+) compared to immunization with soluble protein, ovalbumin and polymer mixture, and the control micelle without endosome-releasing activity. Additionally, pH-responsive carrier facilitated antigen delivery to antigen presenting cells in the

Neutral polymer micelle carriers with pH-responsive, endosome-releasing activity modulate antigen trafficking to enhance CD8(+) T cell responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Salka; Wilson, John T; Patilea, Gabriela I; Kern, Hanna B; Convertine, Anthony J; Stayton, Patrick S

2014-10-10

Synthetic subunit vaccines need to induce CD8(+) cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses for effective vaccination against intracellular pathogens. Most subunit vaccines primarily generate humoral immune responses, with a weaker than desired CD8(+) cytotoxic T cell response. Here, a neutral, pH-responsive polymer micelle carrier that alters intracellular antigen trafficking was shown to enhance CD8(+) T cell responses with a correlated increase in cytosolic delivery and a decrease in exocytosis. Polymer diblock carriers consisted of a N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide corona block with pendent pyridyl disulfide groups for reversible conjugation of thiolated ovalbumin, and a tercopolymer ampholytic core-forming block composed of propylacrylic acid (PAA), dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and butyl methacrylate (BMA). The diblock copolymers self-assembled into 25-30nm diameter micellar nanoparticles. Conjugation of ovalbumin to the micelles significantly enhanced antigen cross-presentation in vitro relative to free ovalbumin, an unconjugated physical mixture of ovalbumin and polymer, and a non-pH-responsive micelle-ovalbumin control. Mechanistic studies in a murine dendritic cell line (DC 2.4) demonstrated micelle-mediated enhancements in intracellular antigen retention and cytosolic antigen accumulation. Approximately 90% of initially internalized ovalbumin-conjugated micelles were retained in cells after 1.5h, compared to only ~40% for controls. Furthermore, cells dosed with conjugates displayed 67-fold higher cytosolic antigen levels relative to soluble ovalbumin 4h post uptake. Subcutaneous immunization of mice with ovalbumin-polymer conjugates significantly enhanced antigen-specific CD8(+) T cell responses (0.4% IFN-γ(+) of CD8(+)) compared to immunization with soluble protein, ovalbumin and polymer mixture, and the control micelle without endosome-releasing activity. Additionally, pH-responsive carrier facilitated antigen delivery to antigen presenting cells

Intra-articular vs. systemic administration of etanercept in antigen-induced arthritis in the temporomandibular point. Part I: histological effects

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Nyengaard Jens R

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Temporomandibular joint (TMJ arthritis in children causes alterations in craniomandibular growth. This abnormal growth may be prevented by an early anti-inflammatory intervention. We have previously shown that intra-articular (IA corticosteroid reduces TMJ inflammation, but causes concurrent mandibular growth inhibition in young rabbits. Blockage of TNF-α has already proven its efficacy in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis not responding to standard therapy. In this paper we evaluate the effect of IA etanercept compared to subcutaneous etanercept in antigen-induced TMJ-arthritis in rabbits on histological changes using histomorphometry and stereology. This article presents the data and discussion on the anti-inflammatory effects of systemic and IA etanercept. In Part II the data on the effects of systemic and IA etanercept on facial growth are presented. Methods Forty-two rabbits (10 weeks old pre-sensitized with ovalbumin and locally induced inflammation in the temporomandibular joints were divided into three groups: a placebo group receiving IA saline injections in both joints one week after arthritis induction (n = 14, an IA etanercept group receiving 0.1 mg/kg etanercept per joint one week after arthritis induction (n = 14 and a systemic etanercept group receiving 0.8 mg/kg etanercept weekly throughout the 12-week study (n = 14. Arthritis was maintained by giving four inductions three weeks apart. Additional IA saline or etanercept injections were also given one week after the re-inductions. Histomorphometric and unbiased stereological methods (optical fractionator were used to assess and estimate the inflammation in the joints. Results The histomorphometry showed synovial proliferation in all groups. The plasma cell count obtained by the optical fractionator was significantly reduced when treating with systemic etanercept but not with IA etanercept. Semi-quantitative assessments of synovial proliferation and

Self-grooming induced by sexual chemical signals in male root voles (Microtus oeconomus Pallas).

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Honghao; Yue, Pengpeng; Sun, Ping; Zhao, Xinquan

2010-03-01

Sniffing is one-way animals collect chemical signals, and many males self-groom when they encounter the odor of opposite-sex conspecifics. We tested the hypothesis that sexual chemical signals from females can induce self-grooming behavior in male root voles (Microtus oeconomus Pallas). Specifically, we investigated the sniffing pattern of male root voles in response to odors from the head, trunk, and tail areas of lactating and non-lactating females. The self-grooming behavior of males in response to female individual odorant stimuli was documented, and the relationship between self-grooming and sniffing of odors from the head, trunk, and tails areas were analyzed. Sniffing pattern results showed that males are most interested in odors from the head area, and more interested in odors from the tail as compared to the trunk area. Males displayed different sniffing and self-grooming behaviors when they were exposed to odors from lactating females as compared to non-lactating females. Males also spent more time sniffing and engaged in more sniffing behaviors in response to odors from the lactating females' tail area as compared to the same odors from non-lactating females. Similarly, males spent more time self-grooming and engaged in more self-grooming behaviors in the presence of individual odors from lactating females as compared to individual odors from non-lactating females. Partial correlation analyses revealed that the frequency of self-grooming was significantly correlated with the frequency of tail area sniffs. Results from this experiment suggest that sexual attractiveness of lactating females is stronger than that of non-lactating females. Furthermore, the partial correlation analysis demonstrated that self-grooming in males is induced by odors from the tail area of females. Collectively, these results support the hypothesis that sexual chemical signals from females can induce self-grooming behavior in male root voles. Self-grooming may also reflect the

High sensitive reflection type long period fiber grating biosensor for real time detection of thyroglobulin, a differentiated thyroid cancer biomarker: the Smart Health project

Science.gov (United States)

Quero, G.; Severino, R.; Vaiano, P.; Consales, M.; Ruvo, M.; Sandomenico, A.; Borriello, A.; Giordano, M.; Zuppolini, S.; Diodato, L.; Cutolo, A.; Cusano, A.

2015-09-01

We report the development of a reflection-type long period fiber grating (LPG) biosensor able to perform the real time detection of thyroid cancer markers in the needle washout of fine-needle aspiration biopsy. A standard LPG is first transformed in a practical probe working in reflection mode, then it is coated by an atactic-polystyrene overlay in order to increase its surrounding refractive index sensitivity and to provide, at the same time, the desired interfacial properties for a stable bioreceptor immobilization. The results provide a clear demonstration of the effectiveness and sensitivity of the developed biosensing platform, allowing the in vitro detection of human Thyroglobulin at sub-nanomolar concentrations.

Rational design of nanoparticles towards targeting antigen-presenting cells and improved T cell priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Zupančič, Eva; Curato, Caterina; Paisana, Maria; Rodrigues, Catarina; Porat, Ziv; Viana, Ana S; Afonso, Carlos A M; Pinto, João; Gaspar, Rogério; Moreira, João N; Satchi-Fainaro, Ronit; Jung, Steffen; Florindo, Helena F

2017-07-28

Vaccination is a promising strategy to trigger and boost immune responses against cancer or infectious disease. We have designed, synthesized and characterized aliphatic-polyester (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NP) to investigate how the nature of protein association (adsorbed versus entrapped) and polymer/surfactant concentrations impact on the generation and modulation of antigen-specific immune responses. The ability of the NP formulations to target dendritic cells (DC), be internalized and activate the T cells was characterized and optimized in vitro and in vivo using markers of DC activation and co-stimulatory molecules. Ovalbumin (OVA) was used as a model antigen in combination with the engraftment of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, carrying a transgenic OVA-responding T cell receptor (TCR), to trace and characterize the activation of antigen-specific CD4 + and CD8 + lymph node T cells upon NP vaccination. Accordingly, the phenotype and frequency of immune cell stimulation induced by the NP loaded with OVA, isolated or in combination with synthetic unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) motifs, were characterized. DC-NP interactions increased with incubation time, presenting internalization values between 50 and 60% and 30-40%, in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Interestingly, animal immunization with antigen-adsorbed NP up-regulated major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II (MHCII), while NP entrapping the antigen up-regulated MHCI, suggesting a more efficient cross-presentation. On the other hand, rather surprisingly, the surfactant used in the NP formulation had a major impact on the activation of antigen presenting cells (APC). In fact, DC collected from lymph nodes of animals immunized with NP prepared using poly(vinil alcohol) (PVA), as a surfactant, expressed significantly higher levels of CD86, MHCI and MHCII. In addition, those NP prepared with PVA and co-entrapping OVA and the toll

ER stress inducer tunicamycin suppresses the self-renewal of glioma-initiating cell partly through inhibiting Sox2 translation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Yang; Ge, Yuqing; Liu, Chanjuan; Zhang, Xiaobiao; Jiang, Jianhai; Wei, Yuanyan

2016-06-14

Glioma-initiating cells possess tumor-initiating potential and are relatively resistant to conventional chemotherapy and irradiation. Therefore, their elimination is an essential factor for the development of efficient therapy. Here, we report that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inducer tunicamycin inhibits glioma-initiating cell self-renewal as determined by neurosphere formation assay. Moreover, tunicamycin decreases the efficiency of glioma-initiating cell to initiate tumor formation. Although tunicamycin induces glioma-initiating cell apoptosis, apoptosis inhibitor z-VAD-fmk only partly abrogates the reduction in glioma-initiating cell self-renewal induced by tunicamycin. Indeed, tunicamycin reduces the expression of self-renewal regulator Sox2 at translation level. Overexpression of Sox2 obviously abrogates the reduction in glioma-initiating cell self-renewal induced by tunicamycin. Taken together, tunicamycin suppresses the self-renewal and tumorigenic potential of glioma-initiating cell partly through reducing Sox2 translation. This finding provides a cue to potential effective treatment of glioblastoma through controlling stem cells.

Pathophysiologic effects of stable iodine used as a thyroidal blocking agent to reduce thyroid radiation exposure. Final progress report, November 1, 1976--December 31, 1977

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, D.V.; Hurley, J.R.

1977-01-01

In order to determine whether acute administration of iodide leads to any undesirable effects in the general population, we studied a group of patients who received iodinated radiographic contrast medium in the course of routine x-ray diagnostic procedures. We were particularly interested in investigating the possibility that administration of iodine could damage thyroid follicular cells leading to release of intrathyroidal antigens such as thyroglobulin into the blood. An increase in serum thyroglobulin might, in turn, either initiate or exacerbate thyroid autoimmunity in susceptible individuals, leading to autoimmune thyroiditis. We looked for undesirable effects due to the administration of iodide in 3 ways: a possible acute toxic effect on thyroid follicular cells was investigated by determining serum thyroglobulin immediately prior to and 24 hours after injection of iodinated contrast medium; an effect on thyroid autoimmunity was investigated by determining thyroid autoantibodies immediately prior to and 3 to 6 months after injection of iodinated contrast medium; and acute and chronic effects on thyroid function were investigated by performing thyroid function tests immediately prior to, 24 hours after and 3 to 6 months after injection of iodinateed contrast medium.

Pathophysiologic effects of stable iodine used as a thyroidal blocking agent to reduce thyroid radiation exposure. Final progress report, November 1, 1976--December 31, 1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, D.V.; Hurley, J.R.

1977-01-01

In order to determine whether acute administration of iodide leads to any undesirable effects in the general population, we studied a group of patients who received iodinated radiographic contrast medium in the course of routine x-ray diagnostic procedures. We were particularly interested in investigating the possibility that administration of iodine could damage thyroid follicular cells leading to release of intrathyroidal antigens such as thyroglobulin into the blood. An increase in serum thyroglobulin might, in turn, either initiate or exacerbate thyroid autoimmunity in susceptible individuals, leading to autoimmune thyroiditis. We looked for undesirable effects due to the administration of iodide in 3 ways: a possible acute toxic effect on thyroid follicular cells was investigated by determining serum thyroglobulin immediately prior to and 24 hours after injection of iodinated contrast medium; an effect on thyroid autoimmunity was investigated by determining thyroid autoantibodies immediately prior to and 3 to 6 months after injection of iodinated contrast medium; and acute and chronic effects on thyroid function were investigated by performing thyroid function tests immediately prior to, 24 hours after and 3 to 6 months after injection of iodinateed contrast medium

A population dynamics analysis of the interaction between adaptive regulatory T cells and antigen presenting cells.

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David Fouchet

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Regulatory T cells are central actors in the maintenance of tolerance of self-antigens or allergens and in the regulation of the intensity of the immune response during infections by pathogens. An understanding of the network of the interaction between regulatory T cells, antigen presenting cells and effector T cells is starting to emerge. Dynamical systems analysis can help to understand the dynamical properties of an interaction network and can shed light on the different tasks that can be accomplished by a network. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used a mathematical model to describe a interaction network of adaptive regulatory T cells, in which mature precursor T cells may differentiate into either adaptive regulatory T cells or effector T cells, depending on the activation state of the cell by which the antigen was presented. Using an equilibrium analysis of the mathematical model we show that, for some parameters, the network has two stable equilibrium states: one in which effector T cells are strongly regulated by regulatory T cells and another in which effector T cells are not regulated because the regulatory T cell population is vanishingly small. We then simulate different types of perturbations, such as the introduction of an antigen into a virgin system, and look at the state into which the system falls. We find that whether or not the interaction network switches from the regulated (tolerant state to the unregulated state depends on the strength of the antigenic stimulus and the state from which the network has been perturbed. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggest that the interaction network studied in this paper plays an essential part in generating and maintaining tolerance against allergens and self-antigens.

Co-delivery of PLGA encapsulated invariant NKT cell agonist with antigenic protein induce strong T cell-mediated antitumor immune responses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dolen, Y.; Kreutz, M.; Gileadi, U.; Tel, J.; Vasaturo, A.; Dinther, E.A.W. van; Hout-Kuijer, M.A. van; Cerundolo, V.; Figdor, C.G.

2016-01-01

Antitumor immunity can be enhanced by the coordinated release and delivery of antigens and immune-stimulating agents to antigen-presenting cells via biodegradable vaccine carriers. So far, encapsulation of TLR ligands and tumor-associated antigens augmented cytotoxic T cell (CTLs) responses. Here,

Chlorphenesin: an antigen-associated immunosuppressant.

Science.gov (United States)

Whang, H Y; Neter, E

1970-07-01

Chlorphenesin (3-p-chlorophenoxy-1,2-propanediol), when injected intravenously together with either of two common bacterial antigens, inhibits the antibody response of the rabbit. The antigens studied are those common to Enterobacteriaceae and to gram-positive bacteria. The immunosuppression is contingent upon incubation of chlorphenesin and antigen in vitro prior to administration, since separate injection of antigen and inhibitor or of mixtures without prior incubation yields undiminished antibody response. Chlorphenesin, as shown by hemagglutination-inhibition tests, does not alter the antigenic determinants, because antibody neutralization occurs in the presence or absence of the drug. The immunosuppressive effect is reversible, since precipitation of chlorphenesin at 4 C substantially restores immunogenicity. Animals immunized with antigen-drug mixtures, which fail to respond with significant antibody production, nonetheless are immunologically primed. It is concluded that chlorphenesin represents another example of antigen-associated immunosuppressants.

Femtosecond self-reconfiguration of laser-induced plasma patterns in dielectrics

Science.gov (United States)

Déziel, Jean-Luc; Dubé, Louis J.; Messaddeq, Sandra H.; Messaddeq, Younès; Varin, Charles

2018-05-01

Laser-induced modification of transparent solids by intense femtosecond laser pulses allows fast integration of nanophotonic and nanofluidic devices with controlled optical properties. Experimental observations suggest that the local and dynamic nature of the interactions between light and the transient plasma plays an important role during fabrication. Current analytical models neglect these aspects and offer limited coverage of nanograting formation on dielectric surfaces. In this paper, we present a self-consistent dynamic treatment of the plasma buildup and its interaction with light within a three-dimensional electromagnetic framework. The main finding of this work is that local light-plasma interactions are responsible for the reorientation of laser-induced periodic plasma patterns with respect to the incident light polarization, when a certain energy density threshold is reached. Plasma reconfiguration occurs within a single laser pulse, on a femtosecond time scale. Moreover, we show that the reconfigured subwavelength plasma structures actually grow into the bulk of the sample, which agrees with the experimental observations of self-organized volume nanogratings. We find that mode coupling of the incident and transversely scattered light with the periodic plasma structures is sufficient to initiate the growth and self-organization of the pattern inside the medium with a characteristic half-wavelength periodicity.

Discrepancy between haemagglutination and radioimmunological techniques for measurement of serum thyroglobulin autoantibodies

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Feldt-Rasmussen, U; Perrild, H; Bech, K; Bliddal, H; Date, J; Hoeier Madsen, M; Nordfang, O; Ryder, L P; Thomsen, M; Kappelgaard, E [Dept. of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Herlev University Hospital, Dept. of Medicine E, Frederiksberg Hospital, Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Odense University Hospital, Autoimmune Lab., Serum Institute, Tissue Typing Laboratory and Medical Dept. TA, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

1983-01-01

Recently, it has been suggested that in some patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases the tanned red cell (TRC) method for detection of thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) is negative where TgAb measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) show positive values. To investigate this further, patients with thyroid diseaes, pernicious anaemia and a control group were studied for serum concentrations of TgAb by TRC and by quantitative RIA, calibrated against MRC Standard A65/93. Antibodies for microsomes (MAb) were measured immunofluoretically. There was in all patient groups Hashimoto's thyroiditis (n=41), Graves' disease (n=50), Idiopathic myxoedemia (n=12), euthyroid Graves' disease (n=7), pernicious anaemia (n=81) a discrepancy between TgAb measured by TRC and RIA, respectively, whereas there was a reasonable correlation between the presence of TgAb by RIA and the presence of MAb. A possible interference from antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factors was ruled out. There was no increased frequency of TgAb measured by RIA in the control group. Fractionation of TRC negative sera revealed macromolecular TRC-activity, whereas TgAb positive sera by both methods had almost exclusively RIA and TRC activiy corresponding to TgG. Based on these results and others it seems that the TRC method for measurement of serum TgAb is of limited diagnostic value. Furthermore, the TRC method is in many cases not sensitive for screening fo TgAb prior to measurement of serum Tg which is of importance as this method shows false values in the presence of TgAb due to methodologial interference.

Discrepancy between haemagglutination and radioimmunological techniques for measurement of serum thyroglobulin autoantibodies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feldt-Rasmussen, U.; Perrild, H.; Bech, K.; Bliddal, H.; Date, J.; Hoeier Madsen, M.; Nordfang, O.; Ryder, L.P.; Thomsen, M.; Kappelgaard, E. (Dept. of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Herlev University Hospital, Dept. of Medicine E, Frederiksberg Hospital, Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, Odense University Hospital, Autoimmune Lab., Serum Institute, Tissue Typing Laboratory and Medical Dept. TA, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark)

1983-01-01

Recently, it has been suggested that in some patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases the tanned red cell (TRC) method for detection of thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) is negative where TgAb measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) show positive values. To investigate this further, patients with thyroid diseaes, pernicious anaemia and a control group were studied for serum concentrations of TgAb by TRC and by quantitative RIA, calibrated against MRC Standard A65/93. Antibodies for microsomes (MAb) were measured immunofluoretically. There was in all patient groups Hashimoto's thyroiditis (n=41), Graves' disease (n=50), Idiopathic myxoedemia (n=12), euthyroid Graves' disease (n=7), pernicious anaemia (n=81) a discrepancy between TgAb measured by TRC and RIA, respectively, whereas there was a reasonable correlation between the presence of TgAb by RIA and the presence of MAb. A possible interference from antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factors was ruled out. There was no increased frequency of TgAb measured by RIA in the control group. Fractionation of TRC negative sera revealed macromolecular TRC-activity, whereas TgAb positive sera by both methods had almost exclusively RIA and TRC activiy corresponding to TgG. Based on these results and others it seems that the TRC method for measurement of serum TgAb is of limited diagnostic value. Furthermore, the TRC method is in many cases not sensitive for screening fo TgAb prior to measurement of serum Tg which is of importance as this method shows false values in the presence of TgAb due to methodologial interference.

Interleukin production by neonatal spleen cells during and as a result of antigen presentation: The effect of ultraviolet light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levin, D.; Gershon, H.

1989-01-01

Antigen presentation by neonatal murine spleen cells and the production of lymphokines and interleukins involved in the stimulation of a T-helper-2 (TH2) cell line (D10-G4.1) were studied as were the effects of ultra violet (UV)-irradiation on this system. Neonatal spleen cells are less capable than adult cells of performing the initial steps of the immune response required for antigen dependent activation of TH2 cells. These steps include soluble antigen processing and presentation and as a result reduced production of IL-4 and IL-1-Inducer Factor (IL-1-IF) by the T-helper cells and reduced production of IL-1 and IL-2 by the antigen presenting cell population. Spontaneous membrane IL-1 activity is low in the neonate, however, when exposed to IL-1-IF they can express adult levels. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of the antigen presenting population has a damaging effect on all the above mentioned processes. Antigen processing and presentation, induction of D10 IL-4 production and proliferation, and IL-2 production demonstrate two different age related patterns of UV-irradiation induced damage: a dose dependent inhibition when adult cells are irradiated and an inverse effect in which low doses of irradiation were more inhibitory than higher doses when neonatal cells are irradiated. However, the secretion and membrane expression of IL-1 by both age groups are directly and totally inhibited by the range of UV-irradiation doses used and cannot be reinduced with a supplement of a crude IL-1-IF. While the capacity to produced IL-1 is totally destroyed by UV-irradiation, the ability to produce IL-2 remains intact and remains responsive to an IL-2-Inducer activity during proper antigen presentation. The low responses of neonatal antigen presenting spleen cell populations and the damaging effect of UV on both neonatal and adult responses are not due to the induction of suppressor factors

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ephraim, K.H.; Cox, P.H.; Hamer, C.J.A. v.d.; Berends, W.; Delhez, H.

1977-01-01

The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a complex of antigen determinants and also the carrier of these determinants. Chemically it is a glycoprotein. Its occurrence in blood serum or urine is correlated with malignant disease. Several radioimmunoassays (RIA) have been developed, one by Hoffmann-Laroche and one by the Rotterdam Radiotherapeutic Institute. Both methods and the Hoffmann assay kit are tested. Specifications are given for isolation of the antigen, preparation of the antiserum, and the execution of the RIA. Biochemical and clinical aspects are discussed

Intranasal immunization with protective antigen of Bacillus anthracis induces a long-term immunological memory response.

Science.gov (United States)

Woo, Sun-Je; Kang, Seok-Seong; Park, Sung-Moo; Yang, Jae Seung; Song, Man Ki; Yun, Cheol-Heui; Han, Seung Hyun

2015-10-01

Although intranasal vaccination has been shown to be effective for the protection against inhalational anthrax, establishment of long-term immunity has yet to be achieved. Here, we investigated whether intranasal immunization with recombinant protective antigen (rPA) of Bacillus anthracis induces immunological memory responses in the mucosal and systemic compartments. Intranasal immunization with rPA plus cholera toxin (CT) sustained PA-specific antibody responses for 6 months in lung, nasal washes, and vaginal washes as well as serum. A significant induction of PA-specific memory B cells was observed in spleen, cervical lymph nodes (CLNs) and lung after booster immunization. Furthermore, intranasal immunization with rPA plus CT remarkably generated effector memory CD4(+) T cells in the lung. PA-specific CD4(+) T cells preferentially increased the expression of Th1- and Th17-type cytokines in lung, but not in spleen or CLNs. Collectively, the intranasal immunization with rPA plus CT promoted immunologic memory responses in the mucosal and systemic compartments, providing long-term immunity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intranasal delivery of cholera toxin induces th17-dominated T-cell response to bystander antigens.

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Jee-Boong Lee

Full Text Available Cholera toxin (CT is a potent vaccine adjuvant, which promotes mucosal immunity to protein antigen given by nasal route. It has been suggested that CT promotes T helper type 2 (Th2 response and suppresses Th1 response. We here report the induction of Th17-dominated responses in mice by intranasal delivery of CT. This dramatic Th17-driving effect of CT, which was dependent on the B subunit, was observed even in Th1 or Th2-favored conditions of respiratory virus infection. These dominating Th17 responses resulted in the significant neutrophil accumulation in the lungs of mice given CT. Both in vitro and in vivo treatment of CT induced strongly augmented IL-6 production, and Th17-driving ability of CT was completely abolished in IL-6 knockout mice, indicating a role of this cytokine in the Th17-dominated T-cell responses by CT. These data demonstrate a novel Th17-driving activity of CT, and help understand the mechanisms of CT adjuvanticity to demarcate T helper responses.

Increase in thyroglobulin antibody and thyroid peroxidase antibody levels, but not preterm birth-rate, in pregnant Danish women upon iodine fortification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bliddal, Sofie; Boas, Malene; Hilsted, Linda

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The presence of thyroid antibodies in pregnancy has been associated with preterm birth. In the non-pregnant population, the implementation of the Danish iodine fortification program has increased the prevalence of thyroid antibodies. This study investigated the prevalence of thyroid...... peroxidase antibodies (TPOAbs) and thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAbs) in pregnant Danish women before, during and after implementation of the iodine fortification program and association with preterm birth. DESIGN: Comparative cohort study of 1368 pregnancies from three cohorts gathered before (1996......-1998), during (2000-2003) and after (2008-2009) the iodine fortification program. METHODS: In cohort 1 (n = 297), TPOAbs were measured (DYNOtest (BRAHMS)). In cohorts 2 (n = 148) and 3 (n = 923), both TPOAbs and TgAbs were measured (Kryptor immunofluorescent assay (BRAHMS)). The prevalence and effect...

Platelet transfusions can induce transplantation tolerance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Claas, F.H.J.; Blankert, J.J.; Ruigrok, R.; Moerel, L.

1982-01-01

Recently it was shown that the induction of antibodies against the H-2 antigens after multiple platelet transfusions is due to leukocyte contamination of the platelet suspensions. Pure platelets are not able to induce a primary antibody response. The present study shows that the platelets, however, can be recognized by the immune system but they induce a suppression of the response. Mice pretreated with donor platelets will not give a primary antibody response upon a subsequent injection of donor leukocytes and the survival of donor skin grafts will be prolonged. Similar results were obtained by pretreatment of the responder mice with heat-treated donor leukocytes. Furthermore, repeated injections of heat-treated leukocytes of the recipient strain to the donor before bone marrow grafting, will graft-versus-host mortality. The recipient mice were irradiated and received spleen cell injections. These data show that cells which have only class I antigens on their surface and no activating class II antigens, induce a suppression of the response against class I antigens. (Auth.)

Immunostimulatory complexes containing Eimeria tenella antigens and low toxicity plant saponins induce antibody response and provide protection from challenge in broiler chickens

Science.gov (United States)

Immunostimulating complexes (ISCOMs) are unique multimolecular structures formed by encapsulating antigens, lipids and triterpene saponins and are one of the most successful antigen delivery systems for microbial antigens. In the current study, both the route of administration and the antigen conce...

Function and Dynamics of Tetraspanins during Antigen Recognition and Immunological Synapse Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vera eRocha-Perugini

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs are specialized membrane platforms driven by protein-protein interactions that integrate membrane receptors and adhesion molecules. Tetraspanins participate in antigen recognition and presentation by antigen presenting cells (APCs through the organization of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs and their downstream induced-signaling, as well as the regulation of MHC-II-peptide trafficking. T lymphocyte activation is triggered upon specific recognition of antigens present on the APC surface during immunological synapse (IS formation. This dynamic process is characterized by a defined spatial organization involving the compartmentalization of receptors and adhesion molecules in specialized membrane domains that are connected to the underlying cytoskeleton and signaling molecules. Tetraspanins contribute to the spatial organization and maturation of the IS by controlling receptor clustering and local accumulation of adhesion receptors and integrins, their downstream signaling and linkage to the actin cytoskeleton. This review offers a perspective on the important role of TEMs in the regulation of antigen recognition and presentation, and in the dynamics of IS architectural organization.

Function and Dynamics of Tetraspanins during Antigen Recognition and Immunological Synapse Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Rocha-Perugini, Vera; Sánchez-Madrid, Francisco; Martínez del Hoyo, Gloria

2016-01-01

Tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs) are specialized membrane platforms driven by protein–protein interactions that integrate membrane receptors and adhesion molecules. Tetraspanins participate in antigen recognition and presentation by antigen-­presenting cells (APCs) through the organization of pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) and their downstream-induced signaling, as well as the regulation of MHC-II–peptide trafficking. T lymphocyte activation is triggered upon specific recognition of antigens present on the APC surface during immunological synapse (IS) formation. This dynamic process is characterized by a defined spatial organization involving the compartmentalization of receptors and adhesion molecules in specialized membrane domains that are connected to the underlying cytoskeleton and signaling molecules. Tetraspanins contribute to the spatial organization and maturation of the IS by controlling receptor clustering and local accumulation of adhesion receptors and integrins, their downstream signaling, and linkage to the actin cytoskeleton. This review offers a perspective on the important role of TEMs in the regulation of antigen recognition and presentation and in the dynamics of IS architectural organization. PMID:26793193

A novel strategy to improve antigen presentation for active immunotherapy in cancer. Fusion of the human papillomavirus type 16 E7 antigen to a cell penetrating peptide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granadillo, Milaid; Torrens, Isis; Guerra, Maribel

2012-01-01

Facilitating the delivery of exogenous antigens to antigen-presenting cells, ensuing processing and presentation via the major histocompatibility complex class I and induction of an effective immune response are fundamental for an effective therapeutic cancer vaccine. In this regard, we propose the use of cell-penetrating peptides fused to a tumor antigen. To demonstrate this concept we designed a fusion protein comprising a novel cell-penetrating and immunostimulatory peptide corresponding to residues 32 to 51 of the Limulus anti-lipopolysaccharide factor protein (LALF 32-51 ) linked to human papillomavirus 16 E7 antigen (LALF 32-51 -E7). In this work, we demonstrated that the immunization with LALF 32-51 -E7 using the TC-1 mouse model induces a potent and long-lasting anti-tumor response supported on an effective E7-specific CD8 +T -cell response. The finding that therapeutic immunization with LALF 32-51 or E7 alone, or an admixture of LALF32-51 and E7, does not induce significant tumor reduction indicates that covalent linkage between LALF 32-51 and E7 is required for the anti-tumor effect. These results support the use of this novel cell-penetrating peptide as an efficient means for delivering therapeutic targets into cellular compartments with the induction of a cytotoxic CD8 +T lymphocyte immune response. This approach is promissory for the treatment of tumors associated with the human papillomavirus 16, which is responsible for the 50% of cervical cancer cases worldwide and other malignancies. Furthermore, protein-based vaccines can circumvent the major histocompatibility complex specificity limitation associated with peptide vaccines providing a greater extent in their application

Antigenic determinants and functional domains in core antigen and e antigen from hepatitis B virus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salfeld, J.; Pfaff, E.; Noah, M.; Schaller, H.

1989-01-01

The precore/core gene of hepatitis B virus directs the synthesis of two polypeptides, the 21-kilodalton subunit (p21c) forming the viral nucleocapsid (serologically defined as core antigen [HBcAg]) and a secreted processed protein (p17e, serologically defined as HBe antigen [HBeAg]). Although most of their primary amino acid sequences are identical, HBcAg and HBeAg display different antigenic properties that are widely used in hepatitis B virus diagnosis. To locate and to characterize the corresponding determinants, segments of the core gene were expressed in Escherichia coli and probed with a panel of polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies in radioimmunoassays or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, Western blots, and competition assays. Three distinct major determinants were characterized. It is postulated that HBcAg and HBeAg share common basic three-dimensional structure exposing the common linear determinant HBe1 but that they differ in the presentation of two conformational determinants that are either introduced (HBc) or masked (HBe2) in the assembled core. The simultaneous presentation of HBe1 and HBc, two distinctly different antigenic determinants with overlapping amino acid sequences, is interpreted to indicate the presence of slightly differently folded, stable conformational states of p21c in the hepatitis virus nucleocapsid

Heterosubtypic protection against pathogenic human and avian influenza viruses via in vivo electroporation of synthetic consensus DNA antigens.

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Dominick J Laddy

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The persistent evolution of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI highlights the need for novel vaccination techniques that can quickly and effectively respond to emerging viral threats. We evaluated the use of optimized consensus influenza antigens to provide broad protection against divergent strains of H5N1 influenza in three animal models of mice, ferrets, and non-human primates. We also evaluated the use of in vivo electroporation to deliver these vaccines to overcome the immunogenicity barrier encountered in larger animal models of vaccination. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Mice, ferrets and non-human primates were immunized with consensus plasmids expressing H5 hemagglutinin (pH5HA, N1 neuraminidase (pN1NA, and nucleoprotein antigen (pNP. Dramatic IFN-gamma-based cellular immune responses to both H5 and NP, largely dependent upon CD8+ T cells were seen in mice. Hemaggutination inhibition titers classically associated with protection (>1:40 were seen in all species. Responses in both ferrets and macaques demonstrate the ability of synthetic consensus antigens to induce antibodies capable of inhibiting divergent strains of the H5N1 subtype, and studies in the mouse and ferret demonstrate the ability of synthetic consensus vaccines to induce protection even in the absence of such neutralizing antibodies. After challenge, protection from morbidity and mortality was seen in mice and ferrets, with significant reductions in viral shedding and disease progression seen in vaccinated animals. CONCLUSIONS: By combining several consensus influenza antigens with in vivo electroporation, we demonstrate that these antigens induce both protective cellular and humoral immune responses in mice, ferrets and non-human primates. We also demonstrate the ability of these antigens to protect from both morbidity and mortality in a ferret model of HPAI, in both the presence and absence of neutralizing antibody, which will be critical in responding to the

A novel and effective cancer immunotherapy mouse model using antigen-specific B cells selected in vitro.

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Tatsuya Moutai

Full Text Available Immunotherapies such as adoptive transfer of T cells or natural killer cells, or monoclonal antibody (MoAb treatment have recently been recognized as effective means to treat cancer patients. However, adoptive transfer of B cells or plasma cells producing tumor-specific antibodies has not been applied as a therapy because long-term culture and selective expansion of antigen-specific B cells has been technically very difficult. Here, we describe a novel cancer immunotherapy that uses B-cell adoptive transfer. We demonstrate that germinal-center-like B cells (iGB cells induced in vitro from mouse naïve B cells become plasma cells and produce IgG antibodies for more than a month in the bone marrow of non-irradiated recipient mice. When transferred into mice, iGB cells producing antibody against a surrogate tumor antigen suppressed lung metastasis and growth of mouse melanoma cells expressing the same antigen and prolonged survival of the recipients. In addition, we have developed a novel culture system called FAIS to selectively expand antigen-specific iGB cells utilizing the fact that iGB cells are sensitive to Fas-induced cell death unless their antigen receptors are ligated by membrane-bound antigens. The selected iGB cells efficiently suppressed lung metastasis of melanoma cells in the adoptive immunotherapy model. As human blood B cells can be propagated as iGB cells using culture conditions similar to the mouse iGB cell cultures, our data suggest that it will be possible to treat cancer-bearing patients by the adoptive transfer of cancer-antigen-specific iGB cells selected in vitro. This new adoptive immunotherapy should be an alternative to the laborious development of MoAb drugs against cancers for which no effective treatments currently exist.

Familial occurrence of subacute thyroiditis associated with human leukocyte antigen-B35

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kramer, AB; Roozendaal, C; Dullaart, RPF

Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is a spontaneously remitting inflammatory disorder of the thyroid, associated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B35, and may be virally induced in genetically predisposed individuals. A 57-year-old Caucasian man presented with symptoms of hyperthyroidism as well as

Dynamics of biosynthesis of thyroglobulin sub-units and their polymerization in rabbit thyroid slices in vitro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sinadinovic, J; Jovanovic, M; Kraincanic, M [Institut za Primeni Nuklearne Energije u Poljoprivedri, Veterinarstvu i Sumarstvu, Zemun (Yugoslavia)

1975-01-01

The dynamics of biosynthesis and aggregation of sub-units into thyroglobulin (TG) was studied i n v i t r o in rabbit thyroid sections incubated for 5 to 300 min in the presence of 1-/sup 14/C-leucine. The incorporation of the labelled amino acid in total soluble and microsome bound proteins and its distribution in soluble protein fractions were investigated. The incorporation of the labelled amino acid in soluble and microsome-bound proteins was found to increase with the time of incubation. The label was incorported very early, this not only into the 3-8S fraction but also into a protein corresponding to the 12S fraction. The maximum incorporation into 12S protein was achieved after 60 min of incubation; the intensity of incorporation then decreased, followed by an increase in the relative and absolute amounts of TG. /sup 14/C-leucine in the TG region was not observed before the 30th min of incubation. The dynamics of incorporation of /sup 14/C-leucine into thyroid proteins indicated a very rapid transformation of the newly synthesized 12S sub-units into TG.

Prognostic value of postoperative stimulated thyroglobulin levels on 131I ablation therapy in papillary thyroid cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zairong; Chang Wei; Cui Kunwei; Chang Guoxiang; Huang Daijuan; Zhang Yongxue

2009-01-01

Objective: Stimulated thyroglobulin (Tg) levels postablation was associated with disease recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of postoperative stimulated Tg level on future Tg positivity after 131 I ablation therapy in PTC. Methods: One hundred and thirty-eight patients (28 men, 110 women; age range 6-70 years, mean age 39.4 years) with PTC were included in this study. All patients underwent total or near-total thyroidectomy, and 102 of these patients had lymphadenectomy. All patients had a documented PTC. 131 I ablation was performed in 3- 4 weeks after thyroidectomy. Sera levels of thyroid hormones (FT 3 , FT 4 ), thyrotropin (TSH), anti-Tg anti-body (TgAb), and Tg were measured before and after 13I ablation. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 13.0 software, and correlation analysis and t-test were used. Results: Postoperative stimulated Tg lev-el had a significantly positive association with postablation stimulated Tg level (r = 0. 960, P 131 I ablation therapy. Total or near-total thyroidectomy simultaneously conjugated with lymphadenectomy might have a better result in lower postablation stimulated Tg positivity in patients with PTC. (authors)

Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Small T Antigen Induces Cancer and Embryonic Merkel Cell Proliferation in a Transgenic Mouse Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Shuda, Masahiro; Guastafierro, Anna; Geng, Xuehui; Shuda, Yoko; Ostrowski, Stephen M; Lukianov, Stefan; Jenkins, Frank J; Honda, Kord; Maricich, Stephen M; Moore, Patrick S; Chang, Yuan

2015-01-01

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) causes the majority of human Merkel cell carcinomas (MCC) and encodes a small T (sT) antigen that transforms immortalized rodent fibroblasts in vitro. To develop a mouse model for MCV sT-induced carcinogenesis, we generated transgenic mice with a flox-stop-flox MCV sT sequence homologously recombined at the ROSA locus (ROSAsT), allowing Cre-mediated, conditional MCV sT expression. Standard tamoxifen (TMX) administration to adult UbcCreERT2; ROSAsT mice, in which Cre is ubiquitously expressed, resulted in MCV sT expression in multiple organs that was uniformly lethal within 5 days. Conversely, most adult UbcCreERT2; ROSAsT mice survived low-dose tamoxifen administration but developed ear lobe dermal hyperkeratosis and hypergranulosis. Simultaneous MCV sT expression and conditional homozygous p53 deletion generated multi-focal, poorly-differentiated, highly anaplastic tumors in the spleens and livers of mice after 60 days of TMX treatment. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts from these mice induced to express MCV sT exhibited anchorage-independent cell growth. To examine Merkel cell pathology, MCV sT expression was also induced during mid-embryogenesis in Merkel cells of Atoh1CreERT2/+; ROSAsT mice, which lead to significantly increased Merkel cell numbers in touch domes at late embryonic ages that normalized postnatally. Tamoxifen administration to adult Atoh1CreERT2/+; ROSAsT and Atoh1CreERT2/+; ROSAsT; p53flox/flox mice had no effects on Merkel cell numbers and did not induce tumor formation. Taken together, these results show that MCV sT stimulates progenitor Merkel cell proliferation in embryonic mice and is a bona fide viral oncoprotein that induces full cancer cell transformation in the p53-null setting.

Correlation between serum thyroglobulin levels and whole body scans in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hristova, N.; Piperkova, E.; Sergieva, S.; Tsingilev, D.; Fanariotov, D.; Kirilova, B.; Dimitrova, M.

1999-01-01

Postoperative follow-up study of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is currently based on periodic whole body scan (WBS) and serum thyroglobulin (Tg) assessment. The correlation between Tg levels measured and WB scans of 84 DTC patients is investigated. WBS are performed on a rotation gamma camera DIACAM (Siemens) at 48 and 72 hours after per os administration of 185-222 MBq 131 I. The levels of Tg are determined by IRMA method and kits of BYK, Germany. Normal Tg values are obtained at a control group of 27 patients free of thyroid disease. Increased Tg levels are found at 2 cases (4%) of the group of 50 patients with total thyroidectomy given 131 I without any evidence of recurrences or metastases. At the third group consisting of 18 patients with total thyroidectomy, following 131 I therapy and recurrences and/or metastases, increased Tg values were obtained in 8 cases or 44.4%. Also increased Tg levels were obtained at 4 from 16 patients (25%) subjected to total thyroidectomy but with a residual thyroid tissue proved by scintigraphy. In conclusion, a combination of both methods should be applied for improving the diagnostic and therapeutic results at the postoperative control of DTC patients

Antigen processing of glycoconjugate vaccines; the polysaccharide portion of the pneumococcal CRM(197) conjugate vaccine co-localizes with MHC II on the antigen processing cell surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Zengzu; Schreiber, John R

2009-05-21

Pneumococcal (Pn) polysaccharides (PS) are T-independent (TI) antigens and do not induce immunological memory or antibodies in infants. Conjugation of PnPS to the carrier protein CRM(197) induces PS-specific antibody in infants, and memory similar to T-dependent (Td) antigens. Conjugates have improved immunogenicity via antigen processing and presentation of carrier protein with MHC II and recruitment of T cell help, but the fate of the PS attached to the carrier is unknown. To determine the location of the PS component of PnPS-CRM(197) in the APC, we separately labeled PS and protein and tracked their location. The PS of types 14-CRM(197) and 19F-CRM(197) was specifically labeled by Alexa Fluor 594 hydrazide (red). The CRM(197) was separately labeled red in a reaction that did not label PS. Labeled antigens were incubated with APC which were fixed, permeabilized and incubated with anti-MHC II antibody labeled green by Alexa Fluor 488, followed by confocal microscopy. Labeled CRM(197) was presented on APC surface and co-localized with MHC II (yellow). Labeled unconjugated 14 or 19F PS did not go to the APC surface, but PS labeled 14-CRM(197) and 19F-CRM(197) was internalized and co-localized with MHC II. Monoclonal antibody to type 14 PS bound to intracellular type 14 PS and PS-CRM(197). Brefeldin A and chloroquine blocked both CRM(197) and PS labeled 14-CRM(197) and 19F-CRM(197) from co-localizing with MHC II. These data suggest that the PS component of the CRM(197) glycoconjugate enters the endosome, travels with CRM(197) peptides to the APC surface and co-localizes with MHC II.

Pellet feed adsorbed with the recombinant Lactococcus lactis BFE920 expressing SiMA antigen induced strong recall vaccine effects against Streptococcus iniae infection in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus).

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Daniel; Beck, Bo Ram; Lee, Sun Min; Jeon, Jongsu; Lee, Dong Wook; Lee, Jae Il; Song, Seong Kyu

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to develop a fish feed vaccine that provides effective disease prevention and convenient application. A lactic acid bacterium (LAB), Lactococcus lactis BFE920, was modified to express the SiMA antigen, a membrane protein of Streptococcus iniae. The antigen was engineered to be expressed under the nisin promoter, which is induced by nisin produced naturally by the host LAB. Various sizes (40 ± 3.5 g, 80 ± 2.1 g, and 221 ± 2.4 g) of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) were vaccinated by feeding the extruded pellet feed, onto which the SiMA-expressing L. lactis BFE920 (1.0 × 10(7) CFU/g) was adsorbed. Vaccine-treated feed was administered twice a day for 1 week, and priming and boosting were performed with a 1-week interval in between. The vaccinated fish had significantly elevated levels of antigen-specific serum antibodies and T cell marker mRNAs: CD4-1, CD4-2, and CD8a. In addition, the feed vaccine significantly induced T cell effector functions, such as the production of IFN-γ and activation of the transcription factor that induces its expression, T-bet. When the flounder were challenged by intraperitoneal infection and bath immersion with S. iniae, the vaccinated fish showed 84% and 82% relative percent survival (RPS), respectively. Furthermore, similar protective effects were confirmed even 3 months after vaccination in a field study (n = 4800), indicating that this feed vaccine elicited prolonged duration of immunopotency. In addition, the vaccinated flounder gained 21% more weight and required 16% less feed to gain a unit of body weight compared to the control group. The data clearly demonstrate that the L. lactis BFE920-SiMA feed vaccine has strong protective effects, induces prolonged vaccine efficacy, and has probiotic effects. In addition, this LAB-based fish feed vaccine can be easily used to target many different pathogens of diverse fish species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of a human antigen specific helper factor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, B.

1986-01-01

While antigen (Ag) specific helper factors have been characterized in mice, similar molecules have not been identified in humans. To characterize human antigen specific helper molecules, an IL-2 dependent tetanus toxoid (T.T.) reactive T cell line was fused with a 6-thioguanine resistant CEM line, and hybrids selected in medium containing hypoxanthine and azaserine. Hybrids were screened by culturing the cells with 35 S-Met then reacting the supernatants with T.T. or hepatitis vaccine immobilized on nitrocellulose. One hybrid, TT6BA-O, was identified which secreted a Met-containing molecule which bound T.T. but not hepatitis vaccine. Supernatants from TT6BA-O, but not the parent CEM line, when added to autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC's) stimulated secretion of T.T. specific antibodies (Abs). Specificity controls demonstrated that TT6BA-O supernatant did not induce antibodies to diphtheria toxoid, hepatitis vaccine or pneumococcal polysaccharide, and total immunoglobulin (lg) synthesis was minimally increased. In contrast, pokeweed mitogen stimulated significant lg synthesis as well as Ab's to pneumococcal polysaccharide and T.T. TT6BA-O supernatant induced anti-T.T.Ab's in autologous PBMC's but not PBMC's from 3 unrelated donors, suggesting that the activity of the helper factor is restricted, possibly by the MHC. The molecular weight of the helper factor was estimated at 100,000-150,000 by Sephacryl S-300 chromatography. Finally, the helper factor could be demonstrated to bind and elute from sephorose-immobilized T.T. and anti-DR antisera, but not anti-lg antisera or the T40/25 monoclonal antibody, which binds a nonpolymorphic determinant on the human T cell receptor. These results demonstrate that human Ag specific helper factors exist, bind antigen and bear class II MHC determinants

Foetal antigen 2 (FA2) in the stromal reaction induced by breast carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, H B; Teisner, B; Andersen, J A

1992-01-01

An indirect immunoperoxidase technique was used to examine the distribution of foetal antigen 2 (FA2), a recently described basement membrane (BM)-associated antigen, in invasive breast carcinoma (n = 34), fibroadenoma (n = 5) and normal breast tissue (n = 5), and to compare its distribution...... with that of laminin and collagen type IV. In normal breast tissue, FA2 was detected in the intralobular stroma as a broad band around acini and ducts, but was not present in the interlobular stroma. In areas of carcinoma in situ, FA2 was present diffusely around and in close contact with the glandular elements......, the staining being more intense than that found around normal glandular structures. Two distinct patterns of FA2 distribution were found in adenocarcinomas of the breast. In the fibroblast reaction type, fibroblast staining dominated, whilst in the stromal reaction type, intense and extensive staining...

Autologous monoclonal antibodies recognize tumour-associated antigens in X-irradiated C57BL/6 mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Artus, A; Guillemain, B; Legrand, E; Astier-Gin, T; Mamoun, R; Duplan, J -F

1986-09-01

X-irradiation of C57BL/6 mice induces thymic lymphosarcomas which sometimes contain retroviruses which upon injection into normal mice mimic the effect of the irradiation. We examined whether specific antigenicities, viral or cellular, were expressed by tumour cells that could be recognized by antibodies from the irradiated animals. We developed monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) using splenocytes of the diseased animal. The reactivity of such MAbs towards thymoma cell lines established in vitro was investigated by means of an ELISA. At least 10 antibody specificities were detected on the 13 tumours investigated, allowing separation of the MAbs into three classes: (i) those recognizing the autologous tumour, heterologous tumours as well as normal thymic tissue, (ii) those specific for the autologous tumour, and (iii) those specific for one tumour, but not ones of autologous origin. The last two classes corresponded to specific tumour-associated antigens. Our panel of MAbs defined each tumour by the particular pattern of antigens harboured. It is striking that most of the antigens were present in the normal thymus and that only two tumours had additional antigenicities. Additionally, quantitative variations were observed in the levels of expression of these antigens.

Neural correlates of visually induced self-motion illusion in depth.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovács, Gyula; Raabe, Markus; Greenlee, Mark W

2008-08-01

Optic-flow fields can induce the conscious illusion of self-motion in a stationary observer. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to reveal the differential processing of self- and object-motion in the human brain. Subjects were presented a constantly expanding optic-flow stimulus, composed of disparate red-blue dots, viewed through red-blue glasses to generate a vivid percept of three-dimensional motion. We compared the activity obtained during periods of illusory self-motion with periods of object-motion percept. We found that the right MT+, precuneus, as well as areas located bilaterally along the dorsal part of the intraparietal sulcus and along the left posterior intraparietal sulcus were more active during self-motion perception than during object-motion. Additional signal increases were located in the depth of the left superior frontal sulcus, over the ventral part of the left anterior cingulate, in the depth of the right central sulcus and in the caudate nucleus/putamen. We found no significant deactivations associated with self-motion perception. Our results suggest that the illusory percept of self-motion is correlated with the activation of a network of areas, ranging from motion-specific areas to regions involved in visuo-vestibular integration, visual imagery, decision making, and introspection.

Antigenic evaluation of a recombinant baculovirus-expressed Sarcocystis neurona SAG1 antigen.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, G D; Lakritz, J; Saville, W J; Livingston, R S; Dubey, J P; Middleton, J R; Marsh, A E

2004-10-01

Sarcocystis neurona is the primary parasite associated with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). This is a commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in the Americas that infects the central nervous system of horses. Current serologic assays utilize culture-derived parasites as antigen. This method requires large numbers of parasites to be grown in culture, which is labor intensive and time consuming. Also, a culture-derived whole-parasite preparation contains conserved antigens that could cross-react with antibodies against other Sarcocystis species and members of Sarcocystidae such as Neospora spp., Hammondia spp., and Toxoplasma gondii. Therefore, there is a need to develop an improved method for the detection of S. neurona-specific antibodies. The sera of infected horses react strongly to surface antigen 1 (SnSAG1), an approximately 29-kDa protein, in immunoblot analysis, suggesting that it is an immunodominant antigen. The SnSAG1 gene of S. neurona was cloned, and recombinant S. neurona SAG1 protein (rSnSAG1-Bac) was expressed with the use of a baculovirus system. By immunoblot analysis, the rSnSAG1-Bac antigen detected antibodies to S. neurona from naturally infected and experimentally inoculated equids, cats, rabbit, mice, and skunk. This is the first report of a baculovirus-expressed recombinant S. neurona antigen being used to detect anti-S. neurona antibodies in a variety of host species.

Potential radioimmunoassay system for detection of Hanganutziu-Deicher type heterophile antigen(s) and antibodies in tissues and fluids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mukuria, J C; Naiki, Masaharu; Hashimoto, Masato; Nishiura, Katsumi; Okabe, Masahiro; Kato, Shiro

1985-06-12

A relatively simple, specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay system has been developed for the detection of heterophile Hanganutziu-Deicher (H-D) antigen(s) and antibodies. The SVI-labeled H-D antigen-active molecule used for the assay is a bovine erythrocyte major glycoprotein previously found to have a strong H-D antigen potency. Different H-D antigen-active molecules were compared for heterophile H-D antigen potency. Eight different lung cancer tissues were assayed for H-D antigen. The sera from the 8 lung cancer patients were also screened by ELISA and RIA in an attmept to correlate expression of H-D antigen on tissues with elevation of H-D antibodies.

Antigen-capturing nanoparticles improve the abscopal effect and cancer immunotherapy

Science.gov (United States)

Min, Yuanzeng; Roche, Kyle C.; Tian, Shaomin; Eblan, Michael J.; McKinnon, Karen P.; Caster, Joseph M.; Chai, Shengjie; Herring, Laura E.; Zhang, Longzhen; Zhang, Tian; Desimone, Joseph M.; Tepper, Joel E.; Vincent, Benjamin G.; Serody, Jonathan S.; Wang, Andrew Z.

2017-09-01

Immunotherapy holds tremendous promise for improving cancer treatment. To administer radiotherapy with immunotherapy has been shown to improve immune responses and can elicit the 'abscopal effect'. Unfortunately, response rates for this strategy remain low. Herein we report an improved cancer immunotherapy approach that utilizes antigen-capturing nanoparticles (AC-NPs). We engineered several AC-NP formulations and demonstrated that the set of protein antigens captured by each AC-NP formulation is dependent on the NP surface properties. We showed that AC-NPs deliver tumour-specific proteins to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and significantly improve the efficacy of αPD-1 (anti-programmed cell death 1) treatment using the B16F10 melanoma model, generating up to a 20% cure rate compared with 0% without AC-NPs. Mechanistic studies revealed that AC-NPs induced an expansion of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and increased both CD4+T/Treg and CD8+T/Treg ratios (Treg, regulatory T cells). Our work presents a novel strategy to improve cancer immunotherapy with nanotechnology.

Numerical and experimental investigation of the self-inducing turbine aeration capacity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Achouri, Ryma; Dhaouadi, Hatem; Mhiri, Hatem; Bournot, Philippe

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Numerical and experimental study of k L a coefficient of a self-inducing turbine. • Validation of experimental results. • Numerical study of k L a variation with the variation of impeller submersion and blade inclination. • Numerical study of the flow field and hydrodynamic parameters. - Abstract: Self-inducing turbines are a model of mixers that ensure the aeration of a fluid field without using a sparger and a surface aerator. Nevertheless, this type of turbines remain quite complicated in terms of behavior of the fluid within the tank, and its actual aeration capacity varies depending on the type of turbine used. The studied turbine is self-inducing and made of three blades and each blade contains five holes. In this work, we evaluated experimentally – using the technique of dynamic oxygenation and deoxygenating – the aeration capacity of our impeller by calculating the volumetric mass transfer coefficient k L a for various submergences and various inclination angles of the blade. This work was then validated by a numerical modeling using the commercial code Fluent, and the flow within the tank as well as the evolution of the hydrodynamic parameters was also studied. The simulation is steady state with a VOF multiphase model and the realizable k–ε turbulence model. We finally concluded that k L a decreases with the increase of the inclination angle and with the increase of the submergence of our turbine. We could also study the hydrodynamic parameters of the flow such as the power number, the aeration number and the shear rate

Digestion of thyroglobulin with purified thyroid lysosomes: preferential release of iodoamino acids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuyama, T.; Yoshinari, M.; Rawitch, A.B.; Taurog, A.

1987-01-01

[ 131 I]Thyroglobulin [( 131 I]Tg), prepared by either enzymatic iodination of human goiter Tg in vitro or isolation from the thyroids of rats previously injected with 131 I, was digested with a solubilized enzyme mixture prepared from purified hog thyroid lysosomes. The digestion was performed at 37 C for 24 h under nitrogen at pH 5.0 in the presence of 4 mM dithiothreitol. Under these conditions the release of free [ 131 I] iodoamino acids (MIT, DIT, T4, and T3) was quantitatively very similar to that observed with a standard pronase digestion procedure. To determine whether other amino acids in Tg were released as quantitatively as the iodoamino acids, free amino acids in the lysosomal digest were measured, and total free amino acid release was compared with a similar analysis performed after digestion of [ 131 I]Tg with 6 N HCl. Total amino acid release was much less complete than iodoamino acid release, indicating preferential release of iodoamino acids from Tg by lysosomal digestion. Analysis of the lysosomal digest by HPLC on a size exclusion column indicated that Tg was degraded to peptides with a mol wt less than 4000. Assuming that the in vitro lysosomal digestion system represents a valid model for the physiological proteolytic system that degrades Tg, the results of the present study suggest that a substantial portion of the Tg in the thyroid is not degraded to free amino acids and that peptide fragments of Tg are normally present in the thyroid. In such a case, the fate and possible physiological activity of these fragments require further elucidation

Characterization of the antigen-specific CD4+ T cell response induced by prime-boost strategies with CAF01 and CpG adjuvants administered by the intranasal and subcutaneous routes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annalisa eCiabattini

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The design of heterologous prime-boost vaccine combinations that optimally shape the immune response is of critical importance for the development of next generation vaccines. Here we tested different prime-boost combinations using the tuberculosis vaccine antigen H56 with CAF01 or CpG ODN 1821 adjuvants, administered by the parenteral and nasal routes. By using peptide-MHC class II tetramers, antigen-specific CD4+ T cells were tracked following primary and booster immunizations. Both parenteral priming with H56 plus CAF01 and nasal priming with H56 plus CpG elicited significant expansion of CD4+ tetramer-positive T cells in the spleen, however only parenterally primed cells responded to booster immunization. Subcutaneous priming with H56 and CAF01 followed by nasal boosting with H56 and CpG showed the greater expansion of CD4+ tetramer-positive T cells in the spleen and lungs compared to all the other homologous and heterologous prime-boost combinations. Nasal boosting exerted a recruitment of primed CD4+ T cells into lungs that was stronger in subcutaneously than nasally primed mice, in accordance with different chemokine receptor expression induced by primary immunization. These data demonstrate that subcutaneous priming is fundamental for eliciting CD4+ T cells that can be efficiently boosted by the nasal route and results in the recruitment of antigen-experienced cells into the lungs. Combination of different vaccine formulations and routes of delivery for priming and boosting is a strategic approach for improving and directing vaccine-induced immune responses.

Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 p24 antigen in U.S. blood donors--an assessment of the efficacy of testing in donor screening. The HIV-Antigen Study Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Alter, H J; Epstein, J S; Swenson, S G; VanRaden, M J; Ward, J W; Kaslow, R A; Menitove, J E; Klein, H G; Sandler, S G; Sayers, M H

1990-11-08

We performed a multicenter study in 1989 to determine whether screening whole-blood donors for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) p24 antigen would improve transfusion safety by identifying carriers of the virus who are seronegative for HIV-1 antibody. More than 500,000 donations were tested at 13 U.S. blood centers with test kits from two manufacturers. Units found repeatedly reactive were retested in a central laboratory; if the results were positive, they were confirmed by a neutralization assay. A subgroup of units was also tested for HIV-1 by the polymerase chain reaction. Selected donors confirmed or not confirmed as having p24 antigen were contacted for follow-up interviews to identify risk factors and undergo retesting for HIV-1 markers. Positive tests for p24 antigen were confirmed by neutralization in five donors (0.001 percent of all donations tested), all of whom were also positive for HIV-1 antibody and HIV-1 by polymerase chain reaction. Three of the antigen-positive donors had other markers of infectious disease that would have resulted in the exclusion of their blood; two had risk factors for HIV-1 that should have led to self-exclusion. Of 220 blood units with repeatedly reactive p24 antigen whose presence could not be confirmed by neutralization (0.04 percent of the donations studied), none were positive for HIV-1 antibody, HIV-1 by polymerase chain reaction (120 units tested), or virus culture (76 units tested)--attesting to the specificity of confirmatory neutralization. The finding that no donation studied was positive for p24 antigen and negative for HIV-1 antibody suggests that screening donors for p24 antigen with tests of the current level of sensitivity would not add substantially to the safety of the U.S. blood supply.

Laser induced self-propagating reduction and exfoliation of graphite oxide as an electrode material for supercapacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Dewei; Min, Yonggang; Yu, Youhai; Peng, Bo

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Few layers graphene was obtained by laser induced self-propagating reduction. • The process is ultrafast without assistance of any high temperate/vacuum environment. • The as-prepared graphene exhibits excellent electrochemical performance. • The superior capacitive behavior is owing to its unique structures. - Abstract: Focused laser beam induced self-propagating reaction has been developed for fabrication of graphene rapidly and efficiently through simultaneous reduction and exfoliation of graphite oxide (GO) process. This chemical-free approach can realize the reduction and exfoliation at room temperature without assistance of any high temperature/vacuum environment. We found that the small sized spot can trigger an ultrafast and highly thermal transferred process by self-propagating reaction at ambient conditions. Benefiting from its high surface area and unique structure, the laser induced self-propagating reaction reduced graphene (LIG) shows excellent capacitive performance. Considering that the cost-effective and feasible process, this facile technique presented here will not only provide a promising method for production of graphene on an industrial scale, but also put forward the application graphene materials in energy storage and conversion