Two new azaphilone pigments from and their anti-inflammatory activity.

Two new azaphilone pigments, talaralbols A and B ( and ), along with five known azaphilone metabolites (, , and -), were isolated from the culture of associated with the isopod . Their structures were elucidated by a combination of 1 D and 2 D NMR data, ECD calculations, chemical transformations, and NMR data analogy with model compounds. Talaralbol A () showed a moderate inhibition on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.

Vitamin D-deficiency induces eosinophil spontaneous activation.

Eosinophils (Eo) play a critical role in immunity and immune inflammation. The maintenance of Eo homeostasis is not fully understood yet. Vitamin D (VitD) is involved in the regulation of a large number of biochemical reactions.

Micro RNA-19a interferes with IL-10 expression in peripheral dendritic cells of patients with nasal polyposis.

The pathogenesis of nasal polyp is to be further investigated. Micro RNA (miR) plays a role in the development of allergic inflammation. Interleukin (IL)-10-producing dendritic cells (DC) have immune tolerogenic properties.

Micro RNA-19a suppresses thrombospondin-1 in CD35 B cells in the intestine of mice with food allergy.

Disruption of immune tolerance is associated in the pathogenesis of allergy. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) plays a role in the maintenance of immune tolerance, which is compromised in allergic disorders. Micro RNA (miR) is involved in the regulation of immune responses.

Induction of colitis in mice with food allergen-specific immune response.

The pathogenesis of intestinal chronic inflammation is unclear. Food allergy plays an important role in the induction of intestinal inflammation. This study aims to test a hypothesis that food allergy initiates colitis.

Specific immunotherapy ameliorates ulcerative colitis.

Background: Hypersensitivity reaction to certain allergens plays a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aims to observe the effect of specific immunotherapy in a group of IBD patients.

Methods: Patients with both ulcerative colitis (UC) and food allergy were recruited into this study.

Flagellin modulates IgE expression in B cells to initiate food allergy in mice.

The initiation mechanism of IgE expression has not been fully understood. Flagellin (FGN) is an important microbial factor in the regulation of immune responses in the intestine. This study tests a hypothesis that FGN plays a crucial role in the isotype switching of IgE in B cells and the initiation of food allergy.

Histone acetyltransferease p300 modulates TIM4 expression in dendritic cells.

TIM4 (T cell immunoglobulin mucin domain molecule-4) plays a critical role in the initiation of skewed T helper (Th) 2 polarization. The factors regulating TIM4 expression are unclear. This study tests a hypothesis that p300 and STAT6 (signal transducer and activator transcription-6) regulates TIM4 expression in dendritic cells (DC).

Inhibition of squamous cancer growth in a mouse model by Staphylococcal enterotoxin B-triggered Th9 cell expansion.

Currently, therapy for squamous cancer (SqC) is unsatisfactory. Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) has strong immune regulatory activity. This study tests the hypothesis that SEB enforces the effect of immunotherapy on SqC growth in a mouse model.

Correlation analysis of gene polymorphisms and β-lactam allergy.

A total of 64 patients with β-lactam allergy and 30 control subjects were enrolled in a case-control study. This study is aimed to analyze the relationship between β-lactam allergy and 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-13, IL-4Rα, high-affinity immunoglobulin E-receptor β chain (FcεRIβ), interferon γ receptor 2 (IFNGR2), and CYP3A4, and within the Han Chinese population of Northwest China. Genotyping for the SNPs was conducted using the Sequenom MassARRAY(®) platform.

Role of interleukin-22 in inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease thought to be mediated by the microbiota of the intestinal lumen and inappropriate immune responses. Aberrant immune responses can cause secretion of harmful cytokines that destroy the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to further inflammation. Interleukin (IL)-22 is a member of the IL-10 family of cytokines that was recently discovered to be mainly produced by both adaptive and innate immune cells.

Ebb-and-flow of macroautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy in Raji cells induced by starvation and arsenic trioxide.

Autophagy is crucial in the maintenance of homeostasis and regenerated energy of mammalian cells. Macroautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy(CMA) are the two best-identified pathways. Recent research has found that in normal cells, decline of macroautophagy is appropriately parallel with activation of CMA.

Insulin resistance reduces sensitivity to Cis-platinum and promotes adhesion, migration and invasion in HepG2 cells.

The liver is normally the major site of glucose metabolism in intact organisms and the most important target organ for the action of insulin. It has been widely accepted that insulin resistance (IR) is closely associated with postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the relationship between IR and drug resistance in liver cancer cells is unclear.

Ghrelin antagonizes MPTP-induced neurotoxicity to the dopaminergic neurons in mouse substantia nigra.

Ghrelin, a stomach-derived hormone which induces growth hormone release and promotes positive energy balance, has been reported to inhibit cell apoptosis in endotheliocytes, osteoblasts and cardiocytes. Recent evidence has shown that ghrelin can also inhibit neuronal apoptosis of the hypothalamus and the hippocampus. However, little is known about the effects of ghrelin on the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) neurons in which ghrelin's receptor, growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR)-1a, is highly expressed.