A -436C>A polymorphism in the human FAS gene promoter associated with severe childhood malaria.

Human genetics and immune responses are considered to critically influence the outcome of malaria infections including life-threatening syndromes caused by Plasmodium falciparum. An important role in immune regulation is assigned to the apoptosis-signaling cell surface receptor CD95 (Fas, APO-1), encoded by the gene FAS. Here, a candidate-gene association study including variant discovery at the FAS gene locus was carried out in a case-control group comprising 1,195 pediatric cases of severe falciparum malaria and 769 unaffected controls from a region highly endemic for malaria in Ghana, West Africa.

Interleukin-2 inhibits FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 receptor ligand (flt3L)-dependent development and function of conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells.

Steady-state development of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) requires the ligand for FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 receptor (flt3L), but little is known about how other cytokines may also control this process. In this study, we show that IL-2 inhibits the development of both pDCs and cDCs from bone marrow cells under flt3L stimulation, by acting on lineage(-) flt3(+) precursors. This inhibition of DC development by IL-2 requires IL-2Rα and IL2Rβ.

Increased expression of guanylate binding protein-1 in lesional skin of patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

The large GTPase human guanylate binding protein-1 (GBP-1) is a key mediator of angiostatic effects of inflammation and is induced by interferon (IFN)-α and IFN-γ in endothelial cells (ECs). The aim of this study was to investigate whether GBP-1 is a marker of skin lesions in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). Western blotting revealed that GBP-1 was in vitro induced by IFN-α and -γ in primary keratinocytes obtained from healthy controls.

Activation-induced internalization differs for the tetraspanins CD9 and Tspan8: Impact on tumor cell motility.

Exosomes are most important intercellular communicators and tetraspanins/tetraspanin-complexes have been suggested to play an important role in exosomal target cell selection. We have shown that only exosomes expressing a Tspan8-CD49d complex preferentially bind endothelial cells, which initiates angiogenesis. This finding was unexpected as in the exosome donor cell Tspan8 is associated with CD49c and the tetraspanins CD9 and CD151.

Anti-annexin 1 antibodies: a new diagnostic marker in the serum of patients with discoid lupus erythematosus.

Annexin 1 is an anti-inflammatory molecule and has also been described to be a common target of autoantibodies. In this study, we determined whether antibodies against annexin 1 can be detected in sera of patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). Levels of anti-annexin 1 antibodies were evaluated by a new established enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and found to be significantly higher in sera of patients with CLE when compared to normal healthy donors (NHD).

CD127(low/-) and FoxP3(+) expression levels characterize different regulatory T-cell populations in human peripheral blood.

It has recently been suggested that a lack of CD127 expression can be used to identify human CD4(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs), especially when combined with CD25. Therefore, we analyzed CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low/-) cells and compared their frequency and expression pattern with those of FoxP3(+) Tregs using multiparameter flow cytometry analysis. We obtained human peripheral blood cells from 20 normal healthy donors and determined the number of CD25(+)CD127(low/-) cells as a percentage of CD4(+) T cells in the same panel used for CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) cells.