Form and magnetic birefringence in undulated Permalloy/PET films.

We report the measurement of form and magnetic birefringence in Permalloy (Ni80Fe20) films grown on rippled Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate), PET, substrates. Prior to Permalloy deposition, Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) were generated on the polymeric substrate by a nanosecond laser beam, developing an ordered rippled nanostructure. Due to their high transparency factor, we could investigate the behavior of linear polarized light transmitting at normal incidence on Permalloy/PET sample.

Distinct Cellular Pathways for Induction of CD4+ T Cell-Dependent Antibody Responses to Antigen Expressed by Intact Bacteria Versus Isolated Soluble Antigen.

Uptake of intact bacteria and soluble Ags by APCs is mediated by phagocytosis and endocytosis or pinocytosis, respectively. Thus, we predicted that injection of clodronate-containing liposomes (CLs), which selectively deplete cells efficient in phagocytosis, would inhibit murine CD4(+) T cell-dependent IgG responses to Ags expressed by intact bacteria but not isolated soluble Ags. Surprisingly, injection of CLs markedly inhibited protein-specific IgG responses to intact, heat-killed Streptococcus pneumoniae, as well as a soluble OVA-polysaccharide conjugate or OVA alone.

Pneumococcal Surface Protein A Plays a Major Role in Streptococcus pneumoniae-Induced Immunosuppression.

Intact, inactivated Streptococcus pneumoniae [including the unencapsulated S. pneumoniae, serotype 2 strain (R36A)] markedly inhibits the humoral immune response to coimmunized heterologous proteins, a property not observed with several other intact Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we determined the nature of this immunosuppressive property.

Autologous albumin enhances the humoral immune response to capsular polysaccharide covalently coattached to bacteria-sized latex beads.

Abundant autologous proteins, like serum albumin, should be immunologically inert. However, individuals with no apparent predisposition to autoimmune disease can develop immune responses to autologous therapeutic proteins. Protein aggregation is a potential major trigger of these responses.

Noncovalent association of protein and capsular polysaccharide on bacteria-sized latex beads as a model for polysaccharide-specific humoral immunity to intact gram-positive extracellular bacteria.

Intact Streptococcus pneumoniae expressing type 14 capsular polysaccharide (PPS14) and type III S. agalactiae containing a PPS14 core capsule identical to PPS14 exhibit noncovalent associations of PPS14 and bacterial protein, in contrast to soluble covalent conjugates of these respective Ags. Both bacteria and conjugates induce murine PPS14-specific IgG responses dependent on CD4⁺ T cells.