Association between BCL11A, HSB1L-MYB, and XmnI γG-158 (C/T) gene polymorphism and hemoglobin F level in Egyptian sickle cell disease patients.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a monogenic disease characterized by multisystem morbidity and highly variable clinical course. Inter-individual variability in hemoglobin F (HbF) levels is one of the main modifiers that account for the clinical heterogeneity in SCD. HbF levels are affected by, among other factors, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the BCL11A gene and the HBS1L-MYB intergenic region and Xmn1 gene.

Visualizing CD4 T-cell migration into inflamed skin and its inhibition by CCR4/CCR10 blockades using in vivo imaging model.

Background: Chemokines are critical mediators of T-cell homing into inflamed skin. The complex nature of this multicellular response makes it difficult to analyse mechanisms mediating the early responses in vivo.

Objectives: To visualize directly T-cell homing into inflamed skin and its inhibition by blockades using a unique noninvasive confocal microscopy.

SARS-CoV proteins decrease levels and activity of human ENaC via activation of distinct PKC isoforms.

Among the multiple organ disorders caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), acute lung failure following atypical pneumonia is the most serious and often fatal event. We hypothesized that two of the hydrophilic structural coronoviral proteins (S and E) would regulate alveolar fluid clearance by decreasing the cell surface expression and activity of amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium (Na(+)) channels (ENaC), the rate-limiting protein in transepithelial Na(+) vectorial transport across distal lung epithelial cells. Coexpression of either S or E protein with human alpha-, beta-, and gamma-ENaC in Xenopus oocytes led to significant decreases of both amiloride-sensitive Na(+) currents and gamma-ENaC protein levels at their plasma membranes.

mrtl-A translation/localization regulatory protein encoded within the human c-myc locus and distributed throughout the endoplasmic and nucleoplasmic reticular network.

mrtl (myc-related translation/localization regulatory factor) is a previously uncharacterized protein synthesized from the first open reading frame contained within the human c-myc P0 transcript, approximately 800 nucleotides upstream of the Myc coding sequence. The mrtl protein, 114 amino acids in length, is projected to contain an N-terminal transmembrane domain and a highly charged C-terminal interaction domain with homology to numerous RNA-binding proteins. Using monoclonal antibodies raised against the hydrophilic C-terminal domain, endogenous mrtl was visualized in human breast tumor cell lines and primary mammary epithelial cells at the nuclear envelope and contiguous endoplasmic/nucleoplasmic reticulum.

Interleukin 17-producing T helper cells and interleukin 17 orchestrate autoreactive germinal center development in autoimmune BXD2 mice.

Interleukin 17 (IL-17) is a cytokine associated with inflammation, autoimmunity and defense against some bacteria. Here we show that IL-17 can promote autoimmune disease through a mechanism distinct from its proinflammatory effects. As compared with wild-type mice, autoimmune BXD2 mice express more IL-17 and show spontaneous development of germinal centers (GCs) before they increase production of pathogenic autoantibodies.