Anti-IL-13Rα2 therapy promotes recovery in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease.

There continues to be a major need for more effective inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) therapies. IL-13Rα2 is a decoy receptor that binds the cytokine IL-13 with high affinity and diminishes its STAT6-mediated effector functions. Previously, we found that IL-13Rα2 was necessary for IBD in mice deficient in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.

Properly folded and functional PorB from inhibits dendritic cell stimulation of CD4 T cell proliferation.

is an exclusive human pathogen that evades the host immune system through multiple mechanisms. We have shown that suppresses the capacity of antigen-presenting cells to induce CD4 T cell proliferation. In this study, we sought to determine the gonococcal factors involved in this adaptive immune suppression.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae Lytic Transglycosylases LtgA and LtgD Reduce Host Innate Immune Signaling through TLR2 and NOD2.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae releases anhydro peptidoglycan monomers during growth through the action of two lytic transglycosylases encoded in the N. gonorrhoeae genome, LtgA and LtgD. Because peptidoglycan and peptidoglycan components activate innate immune signaling, we hypothesized that the activity of LtgA and LtgD would influence the host responses to gonococcal infection.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae suppresses dendritic cell-induced, antigen-dependent CD4 T cell proliferation.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the second most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen worldwide. Diseases associated with N. gonorrhoeae cause localized inflammation of the urethra and cervix.

Combination antifungal therapy involving amphotericin B, rapamycin and 5-fluorocytosine using PEG-phospholipid micelles.

Purpose: Rapamycin and 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) are antifungal agents with unique mechanisms of activity, with potential for cooperative interaction with AmB. Combination antifungal therapy involving conventional AmB has been restricted by poor physical stability and compatibility with antifungal drugs and vehicles.

Methods: AmB and rapamycin were encapsulated in 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-DSPE) micelles using a solvent evaporation method.