SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant infection elicits potent lineage-specific and cross-reactive antibodies.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Beta variant of concern (VOC) resists neutralization by major classes of antibodies from COVID-19 patients and vaccinated individuals. In this study, serum of Beta-infected patients revealed reduced cross-neutralization of wild-type virus. From these patients, we isolated Beta-specific and cross-reactive receptor-binding domain (RBD) antibodies.

Recent Advancements in the Assessment of Renal Transplant Dysfunction with an Emphasis on Microarray Molecular Diagnostics.

Conventional assessment of renal transplant rejection and injury through use of histology, C4d staining, and HLA antibody testing, has been the standard approach to transplant management. By many measures, these methods of conventional assessment may be considered flawed, particularly with the subjective nature of histologic diagnoses. The Alberta Transplant Applied Genomics Center has developed the Molecular Microscope diagnostic system, which uses microarrays to measure gene expression.

EGFR pathway biomarkers in erlotinib-treated patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: translational results from the randomised, crossover phase 3 trial AIO-PK0104.

Background: We aimed to identify molecular epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tissue biomarkers in pancreatic cancer (PC) patients treated with the anti-EGFR agent erlotinib within the phase 3 randomised AIO-PK0104 study.

Methods: AIO-PK0104 was a multicenter trial comparing gemcitabine/erlotinib followed by capecitabine with capecitabine/erlotinib followed by gemcitabine in advanced PC; primary study end point was the time-to-treatment failure after first- and second-line therapy (TTF2). Translational analyses were performed for KRAS exon 2 mutations, EGFR expression, PTEN expression, the EGFR intron 1 and exon 13 R497K polymorphism (PM).

Who owns the long term? Perspectives from global business leaders.

Day-to-day management is challenging enough for CEOs. How do they manage for the long term as well? We posed that question to four top executives of global companies. According to Maurice Levy, chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, building the future is really about building the present and keeping close to the front line--those who deal with your customers and markets.

Inducible costimulator protein (ICOS) controls T helper cell subset polarization after virus and parasite infection.

It has been shown that certain pathogens can trigger efficient T cell responses in the absence of CD28, a key costimulatory receptor expressed on resting T cells. Inducible costimulator protein (ICOS) is an inducible costimulator structurally and functionally related to CD28. Here, we show that in the absence of CD28 both T helper cell type 1 (Th1) and Th2 responses were impaired but not abrogated after infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), and the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis.

IL-4 and IL-10 antagonize IL-12-mediated protection against acute vaccinia virus infection with a limited role of IFN-gamma and nitric oxide synthetase 2.

Resistance or susceptibility to most infectious diseases is strongly determined by the balance of type 1 vs type 2 cytokines produced during infection. However, for viruses, this scheme may be applicable only to infections with some cytopathic viruses, where IFN-gamma is considered as mandatory for host defense with little if any participation of type 2 responses. We studied the role of signature Th1 (IL-12, IFN-gamma) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-10) cytokines for immune responses against vaccinia virus (VV).

CD2 sets quantitative thresholds in T cell activation.

It has been proposed that CD2, which is highly expressed on T cells, serves to enhance T cell-antigen presenting cell (APC) adhesion and costimulate T cell activation. Here we analyzed the role of CD2 using CD2-deficient mice crossed with transgenic mice expressing a T cell receptor specific for lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)-derived peptide p33. We found that absence of CD2 on T cells shifted the p33-specific dose-response curve in vitro by a factor of 3-10.

Phenylbutyrate induces cell differentiation and modulates Epstein-Barr virus gene expression in Burkitt's lymphoma cells.

Although Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is a readily treated malignancy, recurrences, as well as disease arising in immunosuppressed patients, are notoriously resistant to conventional therapeutic approaches. The EBV is associated with a significant proportion of these lymphomas that evade immune surveillance through decreased expression of both viral and cellular antigens. Increasing the immunogenicity of BL cells may, therefore, represent a potentially beneficial therapeutic maneuver.

Distinct kinetics of cytokine production and cytolysis in effector and memory T cells after viral infection.

In the present study, naive T cells were compared with in vivo generated effector and memory T cells expressing the same TCR specific for lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Upon restimulation in vitro, the same minimal concentrations of the full agonist peptide p33 and also of weak and partial agonist peptides were required for proliferation of naive, effector and memory T cells, indicating no difference in threshold of activation. However, activation kinetics were distinct.

Differences between IL-4R alpha-deficient and IL-4-deficient mice reveal a role for IL-13 in the regulation of Th2 responses.

Allergens and infections with parasitic helminths preferentially induced Th2 immune responses associated with elevated levels of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and expansion of eosinophils and mast cells. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a key cytokine in the differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells into Th2 cells, which produce a panel of cytokines including IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, and IL-13 [1] and have been shown to trigger recovery from gastrointestinal nematodes [2]. Nonetheless, mice deficient for IL-4 have been shown to develop residual Th2 responses [3-5] and can expel the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis [6], suggesting that there is a functional equivalent of IL-4 in these processes.

The tyrosine activation motif as a target of protein tyrosine kinases and SH2 domains.

The signaling subunits of antigen receptor and Fc receptor complexes carry a tyrosin-based activation motif (ITAM). Work of the recent years showed that this motif is required for the activation of protein tyrosine kinases (PTK) via these receptors. We discuss here two models of how ITAM either in its phosphorylated or unphosphorylated state may interact with PTKs.

Regulation of murine Max (Myn) parallels the regulation of c-Myc in differentiating murine erythroleukemia cells.

Max is a basic region-helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper protein that consists of two major isoforms, p22 (long form, Max-L) and p21 (short form, Max-S). These proteins are encoded by two [the 1.9- and the predominant 2.

Processing O-glycan core 1, Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha-R. Specificities of core 2, UDP-GlcNAc: Gal beta 1-3 GalNAc-R(GlcNAc to GalNAc) beta 6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase and CMP-sialic acid: Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-R alpha 3-sialyltransferase.

To elucidate control mechanisms of O-glycan biosynthesis in leukemia and to develop biosynthetic inhibitors we have characterized core 2 UDP-GlcNAc:Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-R(GlcNAc to GalNAc) beta 6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.

Transfected wild-type and mutant max regulate cell growth and differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells.

Max protein forms specific DNA-binding dimeric complexes with itself and with proteins of the c-myc gene family. A large volume of data has accumulated on the role of the c-myc proto-oncogene in cell proliferation, differentiation and tumorigenesis. To elucidate the role of max in regulating c-myc functions and the effect of both proteins on cell proliferation and differentiation, we transfected murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells with a full-length wild-type (wt) human max gene and a mutant containing a double point mutation in the basic region (bm), which abolishes specific DNA binding.

Inhibition of murine erythroleukemia cell differentiation by normal and partially deleted c-myc genes.

In our study of normal and partially deleted myc genes we found that N-myc, similarly to L-myc, can substitute for c-myc and inhibit MEL cell differentiation. All of the known putative functional domains of c-myc seem to be required for this inhibition. It is conceivable that c-myc inhibits differentiation by a mechanism that is related to its normal role in the cell, possibly by regulating transcription of genes involved in growth promotion.

Subcellular localization of heparanase in human neutrophils.

The subcellular localization of a heparan sulfate degrading endoglycosidase, heparanase, was studied in human neutrophils. Unstimulated cells were disrupted by nitrogen cavitation and fractionated on a Percoll density gradient into three components, separating the plasma membranes, specific granules, and azurophilic granules. Heparanase activity was measured by gel filtration analysis of 35S-labeled degradation fragments released from subendothelial extracellular matrix (ECM) or produced during incubation with soluble, ECM-derived, heparan sulfate proteoglycans.

Regions within the c-Myc protein that are necessary for transformation are also required for inhibition of differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells.

The c-, L-, and N-Myc nuclear phosphoproteins share several highly conserved regions that partially overlap putative functional domains of the c-Myc protein. All three myc oncogenes can cooperate with an activated ras gene to transform primary rat embryo cells (REC), and deregulated expression of c- and L-myc can block differentiation of murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that N-myc also can block MEL cell differentiation, and we identify regions within the c-Myc protein that are necessary for inhibition of MEL differentiation.

[The effect of a calcium carbonate-bismuth subsalicylate combination on intragastric acidity over the course of 24 hours. A randomized study of healthy probands].

Bismuth salts are successfully used for the treatment of campylobacter-pylori-associated gastritis. It cannot be excluded, however, that calcium carbonate, which is present in one of the recommended preparations (calcium carbonate/bismuth subsalicylate, Jatrox), may have an additional therapeutic effect due to an increase of intragastric pH. Therefore, the in-vitro H+ buffering capacity of Jatrox was determined in comparison to other antacids using the pH-stat technique, and its effect on intragastric acidity was tested in 15 healthy volunteers using ambulatory 24-hour pH-metry (combined glass electrode in gastric corpus, solid state memory recorder, sampling rate 30/min).

Involvement of heparanase in tumor metastasis and angiogenesis.

The capacity of various blood-borne cells, whether normal or malignant, to extravasate was found to correlate with heparanase-mediated degradation of HS in subendothelial ECM. This degradation was stimulated by proteases or plasminogen and inhibited by native heparin and by various modified nonanticoagulant species of heparin. These heparins also induced a marked reduction in tumor cell metastasis and autoimmune diseases in experimental animals.

Role of heparanase in platelet and tumor cell interactions with the subendothelial extracellular matrix.

Dissemination of neoplastic cells within the body involves invasion of blood vessels by tumor cells. Since platelets have been shown to contribute to this process, we studied the interaction in vitro of platelets and malignant cells with the vascular endothelium and its underlying basement membrane-like ECM. A metastatic subline (ESb) of the methylcholanthrene-induced DBA/2 T-lymphoma invaded the vascular endothelium at a higher rate than its parental nonmetastatic (Eb) subline.

Inhibition of heparanase-mediated degradation of extracellular matrix heparan sulfate by non-anticoagulant heparin species.

Incubation of human platelets, human neutrophils, or highly metastatic mouse lymphoma cells with sulfate-labeled extracellular matrix (ECM) results in heparanase-mediated release of labeled heparan sulfate cleavage fragments (0.5 less than Kav less than 0.85 on Sepharose 6B).

Involvement of both heparanase and plasminogen activator in lymphoma cell-mediated degradation of heparan sulfate in the subendothelial extracellular matrix.

The effect of plasminogen on the ability of highly metastatic ESb mouse lymphoma cells to degrade heparan sulfate (HS) in the subendothelial extracellular matrix (ECM) was studied. A metabolically sulfate-labeled ECM was incubated with the lymphoma cells, and labeled degradation products were analyzed by gel filtration on Sepharose 6B. Heparanase-mediated release of low-Mr (0.