DNA vaccination strategy targets epidermal dendritic cells, initiating their migration and induction of a host immune response.

The immunocompetence and clinical accessibility of dermal tissue offers an appropriate and attractive target for vaccination. We previously demonstrated that pDNA injection into the skin in combination with surface electroporation (SEP), results in rapid and robust expression of the encoded antigen in the epidermis. Here, we demonstrate that intradermally EP-enhanced pDNA vaccination results in the rapid induction of a host humoral immune response.

Homeostatic proliferation of mature T cells.

Under normal circumstances, the secondary lymphoid tissues contain a predictable number of T cells with a diverse T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire. Such a T cell pool must be of sufficient size to confer maximum protection of the host from infectious pathogens and cancer, but small enough not to overburden the host. The T cell pool is maintained by a combination of de novo T cell production by the thymus and by the long-term survival and gradual turnover of mature T cells in the periphery.

Interleukin-2/anti-interleukin-2 monoclonal antibody immune complex suppresses collagen-induced arthritis in mice by fortifying interleukin-2/STAT5 signalling pathways.

In this study, we investigated the effects of administration of interleukin-2 (IL-2)/JES6-1 (anti-IL-2 monoclonal antibody) immune complexes on the expansion and activation of regulatory T (Treg) cells, the down-regulation of T helper type 17 (Th17) cells, and the control of the severity of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Wild-type and CIA-induced wild-type mice were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.

In vivo accumulation of T cells in response to IL-2/anti-IL-2 mAb complexes is dependent in part on the TNF family ligand 4-1BBL.

Immune complexes combining IL-2 with particular anti-IL-2 antibodies can be used to selectively expand regulatory T cells or memory T cells. Combining IL-2 with anti-IL-2 (Clone S4B6) greatly enhances the biological potency of IL-2 in vivo leading to selective expansion of CD8 memory T cells and NK cells compared with regulatory T cells. Here we show that in vivo administration of IL-2/anti-IL-2 mAb (IL-2/mAb) complexes induces 4-1BB expression on both adoptively transferred antigen-specific memory CD8 T cells as well as on endogenous memory phenotype cells.

Air-bubble method of locking central-vein catheters for prevention of hub colonization: a pilot study.

Background: The major source of catheter-associated bacteremia is contamination of the catheter hub during connection-disconnection procedures. A new method of catheter locking has been developed wherein anticoagulant is injected first, followed by a 0.1-mL air bubble and 0.