Relationship of TGF-β1 and Smad7 expression with decreased dendritic cell infiltration in liver gastrointestinal cancer metastasis.

Immune responses and their modulation within the liver are critical to the outcome of liver malignancies. In late-stage tumors, secreted TGF-β promotes oncogenic functions and can confer tolerogenicity to some immune cells like DCs. The TGF-β signaling pathway is involved in the control of several biological processes, including immunosurveillance.

Decrease in intrahepatic CD56+ lymphocytes in gastric and colorectal cancer patients with liver metastases.

The aim of the study was to examine the main intrahepatic lymphocyte subpopulations, namely CD3(+) lymphocytes, natural killer (NK)-like T lymphocytes (NKT) expressing the CD3(+) CD56(+) phenotype, CD56(+) NK cells, CD4(+), and CD8(+) T cells in livers of patients with gastric and colorectal cancer with and without hepatic metastases. The proportion of each lymphocyte subset was determined in 34 patients with gastric or colorectal cancer (18 with and 16 without liver metastasis) by two-color flow cytometry after extraction of hepatic mononuclear cell fraction. The distribution of lymphocyte subpopulations in selected areas of liver metastases and adjacent liver tissue was evaluated using immunohistochemistry for CD4, CD8, and CD56.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells are more potent suppressors of dendritic cells differentiation compared to bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Both mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and dendritic cells (DCs) are engaged in the regulation of the immune response parallel to their numerous functions. The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from human adipose tissue or human bone marrow on the expression of specific cell surface markers as well as the secretion of some cytokines by monocyte-derived dendritic cells. The set of methods used includes cell cultures, magnetic beads isolation of cells, flow cytometry, ELISA and proteome profiler kit assays.

Intravenous immunoglobulin G in the treatment of patients with chronic glomerulonephritis: clinical experience lasting 15 years.

In our study, we collected data on 116 patients with biopsy-proven idiopathic or lupus glomerulonephritis who were treated with high doses of intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) (Veinoglobuline or Immunovenin-intact). In all patients a severe nephrotic syndrome (edema, proteinuria >6 g/24 h, serum albumin <22 g/24 h) had been observed. 34 patients had renal failure (serum creatinine up to 504 micromol/l) and 96 hypertension.

[Cellular immune deficiency in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis].

In our previous work we found quantitative changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations (decrease in total T lymphocytes, increase in T suppressor cells and monocytes) in patients with idiopathic chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN). The aim of this study was the functional state of the immune response (lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine secretion in vitro) in order to characterize the cellular immune defects and their changes under immunomodulatory therapy. We studied 34 patients with active CGN, divided in groups treated by IVIG or combined corticosteroid and immunosuppressive therapy.