Publications by authors named "Alexandra Wallimann"

Article Synopsis
  • Rifampicin is an important antibiotic used to treat infections caused by staphylococci that form biofilms, especially in patients with orthopedic devices.
  • A pilot study showed that patients treated with rifampicin for these infections developed staphylococci strains resistant to rifampicin during treatment.
  • This antibiotic resistance persisted in patients for up to 2 months after they stopped taking rifampicin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Since the 1960 s, our health has been compromised by exposure to over 350,000 newly introduced toxic substances, contributing to the current pandemic in allergic, autoimmune and metabolic diseases. The "Epithelial Barrier Theory" postulates that these diseases are exacerbated by persistent periepithelial inflammation (epithelitis) triggered by exposure to a wide range of epithelial barrier-damaging substances as well as genetic susceptibility. The epithelial barrier serves as the body's primary physical, chemical, and immunological barrier against external stimuli.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

IL-32 is a recently described cytokine that performs a variety of functions under inflammatory conditions. Serum IL-32 has been shown to be elevated in several diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, systemic lupus erythematosus, HIV infection, and atopic diseases including atopic dermatitis. There are nine different isoforms of IL-32, with IL-32γ being the most biologically active one.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by the gut microbiota have previously been demonstrated to play a role in numerous chronic inflammatory diseases and to be key mediators in the gut-bone signaling axis. However, the role of SCFAs in bone fracture healing and its impact on systemic inflammation during the regeneration process has not been extensively investigated yet. The aim of this study was to first determine the effects of the SCFA butyrate on key cells involved in fracture healing , namely, osteoclasts and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), and second, to assess if butyrate supplementation or antibiotic therapy impacts bone healing, systemic immune status, and inflammation levels in a murine osteotomy model.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • There's been a rise in allergic diseases globally, driven by a type 2 immune response involving various immune cells, leading to significant medical and economic impacts.
  • Biomarkers play a crucial role in precision medicine by aiding in disease classification, diagnosis, therapy targeting, and treatment evaluation, with advancements in omics technologies enhancing their identification.
  • Recent research has focused on potential biomarkers for allergic diseases like asthma and atopic dermatitis, including sputum eosinophils and serum periostin, while also considering the implications of COVID-19 on managing these conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Allergy is a global disease with overall frequencies of >20%. Symptoms vary from irritating local itching to life-threatening systemic anaphylaxis. Even though allergies are allergen-specific, there is a wide range of cross-reactivities (eg apple and latex) that remain largely unexplained.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

is the predominant pathogen causing osteomyelitis. Unfortunately, no immunotherapy exists to treat these very challenging and costly infections despite decades of research, and numerous vaccine failures in clinical trials. This lack of success can partially be attributed to an overreliance on murine models where the immune correlates of protection often diverge from that of humans.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The probiotic Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum 35624® (B. longum 35624®), with its surface exopolysaccharide (EPS624), has previously been demonstrated to induce immunoregulatory responses in the host and may, therefore, be a novel approach to prevent bone loss in inflammatory conditions such as post-menopausal osteoporosis (PMO).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - B cells play a key role in immune responses by producing antibodies, presenting antigens, and releasing cytokines, with various subsets having unique functions.
  • - This study discovered a specific subset of IgG4 B cells that produce proangiogenic cytokines and can enhance endothelial cell growth, identified through transcriptomics.
  • - The presence of CD49b and CD73 surface markers distinguishes these proangiogenic B cells, which are more common in patients with angiogenesis-related diseases like melanoma and eosinophilic esophagitis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

spp., the causative agent of malaria, have a complex life cycle. The exponential growth of the parasites during the blood stage is responsible for almost all malaria-associated morbidity and mortality.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF