Tumor-Extrinsic Axl Expression Shapes an Inflammatory Microenvironment Independent of Tumor Cell Promoting Axl Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl by Gas6 is a major driver of tumorigenesis. Despite recent insights, tumor cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic Axl functions are poorly understood in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, we analyzed the cell-specific aspects of Axl in liver cancer cells and in the tumor microenvironment.

A functional role for alpha-synuclein in neuroimmune responses.

Alpha-synuclein is a neuronal protein with unclear function but is associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. In this review, we discuss the emerging functional role of alpha-synuclein in support of the unique immune responses in the nervous system. Recent data now show that alpha-synuclein functions to support interferon signaling within neurons and is released from neurons to support chemoattraction and activation of local glial cells and infiltrating immune cells.

Autoimmunity in motion: Mechanisms of immune regulation and destruction revealed by in vivo imaging.

Autoimmunity arises when mechanisms of immune tolerance fail. Here we discuss mechanisms of T cell activation and tolerance and the dynamics of the autoimmune response at the site of disease. Live imaging of autoimmunity provides the ability to analyze immune cell dynamics at the single-cell level within the complex intact environment where disease occurs.

Combinatorial liposomal peptide vaccine induces IgA and confers protection against influenza virus and bacterial super-infection.

Objectives: The upper respiratory tract is the major entry site for and influenza virus. Vaccine strategies that activate mucosal immunity could significantly reduce morbidity and mortality because of these pathogens. The severity of influenza is significantly greater if a streptococcal infection occurs during the viraemic period and generally viral infections complicated by a subsequent bacterial infection are known as super-infections.

Are bis(pyridine)iodine(I) complexes applicable for asymmetric halogenation?

Enantiopure halogenated molecules are of tremendous importance as synthetic intermediates in the construction of pharmaceuticals, fragrances, flavours, natural products, pesticides, and functional materials. Enantioselective halofunctionalizations remain poorly understood and generally applicable procedures are lacking. The applicability of chiral -chelating bis(pyridine)iodine(I) complexes in the development of substrate independent, catalytic enantioselective halofunctionalization has been explored herein.

The Influence of Secondary Interactions on the [N-I-N] Halogen Bond.

[Bis(pyridine)iodine(I)] complexes offer controlled access to halonium ions under mild conditions. The reactivity of such stabilized halonium ions is primarily determined by their three-center, four-electron [N-I-N] halogen bond. We studied the importance of chelation, strain, steric hindrance and electrostatic interaction for the structure and reactivity of halogen bonded halonium ions by acquiring their N NMR coordination shifts and measuring their iodenium release rates, and interpreted the data with the support of DFT computations.

Probing Halogen Bonds by Scalar Couplings.

As halogen bonding is a weak, transient interaction, its description in solution is challenging. We demonstrate that scalar coupling constants () are modulated by halogen bonding. The binding-induced magnitude change of one-bond couplings, even up to five bonds from the interaction site, correlates to the interaction strength.

Asymmetric [N-I-N] halonium complexes in solution?

Assessment of the solution equilibria of [bis(pyridine)iodine(i)]+ complexes by ESI-MS and NMR reveals the preference of iodine(i) to form complexes with a more basic pyridine. Mixtures of symmetric [bis(pyridine)iodine(i)]+ complexes undergo statistical ligand exchange, with a predominant entropic driving force favoring asymmetric systems. The influence of ligand basicity, concentration, temperature, and ligand composition is evaluated.

A chimeric influenza hemagglutinin delivered by parainfluenza virus 5 vector induces broadly protective immunity against genetically divergent influenza a H1 viruses in swine.

Pigs are an important reservoir for human influenza viruses, and influenza causes significant economic loss to the swine industry. As demonstrated during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, control of swine influenza virus infection is a critical step toward blocking emergence of human influenza virus. An effective vaccine that can induce broadly protective immunity against heterologous influenza virus strains is critically needed.

Secoiridoids and Iridoids from .

The new 2,3-secoiridoids morisecoiridoic acids A () and B (), the new iridoid 8-acetoxyepishanzilactone (), and four additional known iridoids (-) were isolated from the leaf and stem bark methanol extracts of using chromatographic methods. The structure of shanzilactone () was revised. The purified metabolites were identified using NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric techniques, with the absolute configuration of having been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Bilateral Placoid Choroiditis in an HIV-Positive Patient With Meningitis and Disseminated Cryptococcal Disease.

Purpose: We report a presumptive case of bilateral placoid choroiditis secondary to disseminated infection and review the literature on choroidal involvement of .

Methods: A case report is presented.

Results: A 35-year-old HIV-positive man presented with disseminated cryptococcal infection.

Contralateral Eye Involvement and Retinal Detachment in Patients with Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Treated with Intravitreous Ganciclovir.

: To determine the incidence of contralateral eye involvement and retinal detachment in HIV-infected patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis treated with repeated intravitreous ganciclovir.: In a prospective cohort study in Northern Thailand, HIV-infected patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis were treated with antiretroviral therapy and intravitreous ganciclovir injections and followed for 3 months for contralateral cytomegalovirus retinitis and retinal detachment.: Of 49 participants with unilateral cytomegalovirus retinitis at enrollment, 7 developed contralateral eye involvement (4.

Plasma Levels of the Bioactive Sphingolipid Metabolite S1P in Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients: Potential Target for Immunonutrition?

Recent research has linked sphingolipid (SL) metabolism with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) activity, affecting bioactive lipid mediator sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). We hypothesize that loss of CFTR function in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients influenced plasma S1P levels. Total and unbound plasma S1P levels were measured in 20 lung-transplanted adult CF patients and 20 healthy controls by mass spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Immune Effects of the Nitrated Food Allergen Beta-Lactoglobulin in an Experimental Food Allergy Model.

Food proteins may get nitrated by various exogenous or endogenous mechanisms. As individuals might get recurrently exposed to nitrated proteins via daily diet, we aimed to investigate the effect of repeatedly ingested nitrated food proteins on the subsequent immune response in non-allergic and allergic mice using the milk allergen beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) as model food protein in a mouse model. Evaluating the presence of nitrated proteins in food, we could detect 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) in extracts of different foods and in stomach content extracts of non-allergic mice under physiological conditions.

Routine Immediate Eye Examination at the Point of Care for Diagnosis of AIDS-Related Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Among Patients With a CD4 Count <100 in Myanmar.

A retrospective review of diagnosis of cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) before and after introduction of routine immediate eye examination among AIDS patients in Myanmar with an absolute CD4 T-cell count <100 cells/μL demonstrated an increased detection of CMVR from 1.1% (14/1233) to 10.7% (65/608), an improvement of ~10-fold.

Mouse Chow Composition Influences Immune Responses and Food Allergy Development in a Mouse Model.

Our diet is known to substantially influence the immune response not only by support of mucosal barriers but also via direct impact on immune cells. Thus, it was of great interest to compare the immunological effect of two mouse chows with substantial differences regarding micro-, macronutrient, lipid and vitamin content on the food allergic response in our previously established mouse model. As the two mouse chows of interest, we used a soy containing feed with lower fatty acid (FA) amount (soy-containing feed) and compared it to a soy free mouse chow (soy-free feed) in an established protocol of oral immunizations with Ovalbumin (OVA) under gastric acid suppression.

Visual acuity outcomes in cytomegalovirus retinitis: early versus late diagnosis.

Aims: To determine if early dilated fundus examination for cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis leads to better visual outcomes in areas with limited HIV care, where patients may have long-standing retinitis before they are diagnosed with HIV.

Methods: Twenty-four eyes of 17 patients with CMV retinitis who were seen at an urban HIV clinic in Chiang Mai, Thailand, were included in this retrospective cohort study. Participants were divided into two groups based on the amount of time from the first documented CD4 count below 100 cells/mm to the first eye examination for CMV retinitis.

Active cytomegalovirus retinitis after the start of antiretroviral therapy.

Patients with AIDS-related cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis receiving combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), but not specific anti-CMV therapy, consistently showed active retinitis for several months. Delayed diagnosis and treatment of CMV retinitis may have severe consequences. Patients first entering care with advanced HIV infection and vulnerability to reactivation of latent CMV infection should be screened immediately for CMV retinitis by dilated indirect ophthalmoscopy and treated with specific anti-CMV therapy without delay, in addition to cART.

Characterization of Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase as an immunomodulator for novel formulation of oral allergy immunotherapy.

To improve current mucosal allergen immunotherapy Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase (NA) was evaluated as a novel epithelial targeting molecule for functionalization of allergen-loaded, poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microparticles (MPs) and compared to the previously described epithelial targeting lectins wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL). All targeters revealed binding to Caco-2 cells, but only NA had high binding specificity to α-L fucose and monosialoganglioside-1. An increased transepithelial uptake was found for NA-MPs in a M-cell co-culture model.

Mechanisms in Iodine Catalysis.

Molecular iodine has been used for more than 100 years as a remarkable catalyst for many organic transformations such as cycloadditions, Michael and aldol reactions, or esterifications. Different explanations for the origin of its catalytic effect have been proposed in the last decades including a "hidden" Brønsted acid catalysis by HI, a Lewis-acid (or halogen-bond) activation, or catalysis by an iodonium(I) species. Recently, iodine catalysis again gained more interest due to the latest developments in halogen-bond catalysis.

Fundus findings in a series of patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Thailand.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of fundus abnormalities among patients who are undergoing or have recently completed treatment for extrapulmonary tuberculosis (eTB).

Methods: This is a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in a TB clinic of a tertiary hospital in northern Thailand. All patients who had eTB between January 2014 and August 2015 were invited by telephone to return to the clinic for fundus photography.

Reaction Mechanism of Iodine-Catalyzed Michael Additions.

Molecular iodine, an easy to handle solid, has been successfully employed as a catalyst in different organic transformations for more than 100 years. Despite being active even in very small amounts, the origin of this remarkable catalytic effect is still unknown. Both a halogen bond mechanism as well as hidden Brønsted acid catalysis are frequently discussed as possible explanations.