Autoimmune encephalitis mediated by B-cell response against N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor.

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a neuropsychiatric disease characterized by an antibody-mediated autoimmune response against NMDAR. Recent studies have shown that anti-NMDAR antibodies are involved in the pathophysiology of the disease. However, the upstream immune and inflammatory processes responsible for this pathogenic response are still poorly understood.

HLA-Class II Artificial Antigen Presenting Cells in CD4 T Cell-Based Immunotherapy.

CD4 T cells differentiate into various T helper subsets characterized by distinct cytokine secreting profiles that confer them effector functions adapted to a variety of infectious or endogenous threats. Regulatory CD4 T cells are another specialized subset that plays a fundamental role in the maintenance of immune tolerance to self-antigens. Manipulating effector or regulatory CD4 T cells responses is a promising immunotherapy strategy for, respectively, chronical viral infections and cancer, or severe autoimmune diseases and transplantation.

Serum levels of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF): a marker of kidney allograft rejection.

Background: Macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) is the principal factor for survival of monocytes and macrophages that play an important role in allograft rejection. We studied M-CSF serum levels during successful renal transplantation and acute graft rejection.

Methods: A total of 114 kidney allograft recipients were assessed for M-CSF levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Mechanisms involved in antithymocyte globulin immunosuppressive activity in a nonhuman primate model.

Background: The mechanisms of action of polyclonal antithymocyte globulins (ATGs) are still poorly understood and the selection of doses used in different clinical applications (prevention or treatment of acute rejection in organ allografts, treatment of graft-versus-host disease, or conditioning for allogeneic stem cell transplantation) remains empirical. Low T-cell counts are usually achieved in peripheral blood during ATG treatment but the extent of T-cell depletion in lymphoid tissues is unknown.

Methods: Experiments were conducted in cynomolgus monkeys using Thymoglobuline at low (1 mg/kg), high (5 mg/kg), and very high (20 mg/kg) doses.

Human natural antibodies to porcine platelets.

The specificity of human natural antibodies directed against blood cells from pigs was investigated by ELISA and immunoblotting. Both IgG and IgM were identified as xenoantibodies reacting with pig platelets adsorbed to microplates. The antibodies could be absorbed on platelets as well as on RBC, suggesting that the corresponding antigens are expressed on the surface of a variety of cells.