Derived Bioactive Factors Stimulate Oxalate Transport by Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

Hyperoxaluria is a major risk factor for kidney stones and has no specific therapy, although colonization is associated with reduced stone risk. interacts with colonic epithelium and induces colonic oxalate secretion, thereby reducing urinary oxalate excretion, an unknown secretagogue. The difficulties in sustaining colonization underscore the need to identify the derived factors inducing colonic oxalate secretion.

Dual function of novel pollen coat (surface) proteins: IgE-binding capacity and proteolytic activity disrupting the airway epithelial barrier.

Background: The pollen coat is the first structure of the pollen to encounter the mucosal immune system upon inhalation. Prior characterizations of pollen allergens have focused on water-soluble, cytoplasmic proteins, but have overlooked much of the extracellular pollen coat. Due to washing with organic solvents when prepared, these pollen coat proteins are typically absent from commercial standardized allergenic extracts (i.

S100A12 and the Airway Smooth Muscle: Beyond Inflammation and Constriction.

Airway inflammation, lung remodeling, and Airway Hyperresponsiveness (AHR) are major features of asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The inflammatory response to allergens, air pollutants, and other insults is likely to play a key role in promoting structural changes in the lung including the overabundance of Airway Smooth Muscle (ASM) seen in asthmatics. These alterations or remodeling could, in turn, impact the immunmodulatory actions of the ASM, the ASM's contractile properties, and the development of AHR.