Human mesenchymal stem cells license adult CD34+ hemopoietic progenitor cells to differentiate into regulatory dendritic cells through activation of the Notch pathway.

The mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory functions of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on dendritic cells (DC) have been shown to involve soluble factors, such as IL-6 or TGF-beta, or cell-cell contact, or both depending on the report referenced. In this study, we intend to clarify these mechanisms by examining the immunosuppressive effect of human adult MSC on adult DC differentiated from CD34(+) hemopoietic progenitor cells (HPC). MSC have been shown to inhibit interstitial DC differentiation from monocytes and umbilical CD34(+) HPC.

Soluble transferrin receptor in hemochromatosis patients during phlebotomy therapy.

Background: The monitoring of phlebotomies in hemochromatosis patients depends on iron status measured by ferritin and transferrin saturation (TS). However, in the presence of inflammation or liver injury, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) determination was proposed to replace ferritin for diagnosing iron deficiency (ID). The present study evaluated performances of sTfR for the prediction of iron deficiency in a large number of hemochromatosis patients under phlebotomy therapy.

Case study: effectiveness of plasma exchange in an adolescent with systemic lupus erythematosus and catatonia.

Catatonia is a rare but severe condition in adolescents that can be associated with both psychiatric and organic causes. The present report notes that systemic lupus erythematosus should be considered among possible causes of catatonia and shows that plasma exchange could be an efficient treatment option for such neuropsychiatric manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus, to avoid the use of electroconvulsive therapy in young patients.