Evaluation of Gene Expression Profiling by QuantiGene™ 2.0 RNA Assay.

QuantiGene™ 2.0 technique could be used to investigate the gene expression signature of the immune system senescence and thus to understand the molecular mechanism involved in the defects of the immune response during aging.QuantiGene™ 2.

At Embryo Implantation Site IL-35 Secreted by Trophoblast, Polarizing T Cells towards IL-35+ IL-10+ IL-4+ Th2-Type Cells, Could Favour Fetal Allograft Tolerance and Pregnancy Success.

We investigated the role of rhIL-35, at low concentrations compatible with those produced by human trophoblast cells (less than 1 ng/mL), on human T helper (Th) cell functions and the presence of decidual IL-35-producing Th cells in human pregnancy. We found that human trophoblast cells produced IL-35 but not IL-4 or IL-10. RhIL-35, at concentrations produced by human trophoblasts, polarized T cells towards IL-35+, IL-10+, IL-4+ Th2-type cells and to Foxp3+ EBI3+ p35+ T reg cells producing IL-35 but not IL-10 and IL-4.

Uterine fluid cytokine/chemokine levels of women undergoing ART with and without oral Vitamin D supplementation.

Study Question: Is oral Vitamin D supplementation able to modify the intrauterine milieu in terms of cytokine/chemokine pattern?

Summary Answer: No significant differences were detected in cytokine and chemokine levels in endometrial secretions between patients undergoing ART with or without Vitamin D supplementation.

What Is Known Already: Cytokines and chemokines secreted into the intrauterine environment are fundamental for the molecular crosstalk between the endometrium and the preimplantation embryo. Whether Vitamin D can regulate these mediators in the endometrial environment is still unclear.

Macrophage MerTK promotes profibrogenic cross-talk with hepatic stellate cells via soluble mediators.

Background & Aims: Activation of Kupffer cells and recruitment of monocytes are key events in fibrogenesis. These cells release soluble mediators which induce the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main fibrogenic cell type within the liver. Mer tyrosine kinase (MerTK) signaling regulates multiple processes in macrophages and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-related fibrosis.

Prediction of 28-day mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19: Development and internal validation of a clinical prediction model.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly required a high demand of hospitalization and an increased number of intensive care units (ICUs) admission. Therefore, it became mandatory to develop prognostic models to evaluate critical COVID-19 patients.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively evaluate a cohort of consecutive COVID-19 critically ill patients admitted to ICU with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

Evaluation of Secreted Cytokines by Multiplex Bead-Based Assay (X MAP Technology, Luminex).

The Luminex XMAP technology permits the simultaneous evaluation of numerous cytokines in several types of biological fluids (plasma, serum, liquor, follicular fluids, etc.) and in cell supernatants. Thus, multiplexing allows to achieve a time/cost economy and ensures that all the measurements are performed in the same conditions.

Description of the Follicular Fluid Cytokine and Hormone Profiles in Human Physiological Natural Cycles.

Purpose: Exogenous gonadotrophins administration during in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles could significantly alter the endogenous follicular regulation system and could influence oocyte quality. The analysis of the follicular fluid (FF) cytokine and hormone profiles in physiological natural cycles is crucial to appreciate the role of FF milieu on follicle development. So far, the FF cytokine profile has been analyzed only in controlled ovarian stimulation cycles and in modified natural cycles.

Anti-inflammatory effects of androgens in the human vagina.

Chronic inflammation is involved in the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and beneficial effects of androgens in the vagina have been described. We investigated the potential involvement of human vagina smooth muscle cells (hvSMCs) in the inflammatory response and the immunomodulatory effect of androgen receptor (AR) agonist dihydrotestosterone (DHT). HvSMCs isolated from menopausal women were evaluated for sex steroids receptors and toll-like receptors mRNA expression, and left untreated or treated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or IFNγ, in the presence or absence of DHT.

Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Decreases Th1, Th17, and Increases Th22 Responses via AHR Signaling Which Could Affect Susceptibility to Infections and Inflammatory Disease.

A synthetic progestin, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), was used in a novel study to determine progestin effects on human purified macrophages and Th1, Th2, Th17, Th22 cells. MPA concentrations were equivalent to those in the serum of women after 6 and 9 months of progestin use. MPA has no effect on the proliferation of PBMCs and CD4+ T cell clones induced by immobilized anti-CD3 antibodies or by antigen (streptokinase).

Transcriptomics and Immunological Analyses Reveal a Pro-Angiogenic and Anti-Inflammatory Phenotype for Decidual Endothelial Cells.

Background: In pregnancy, excessive inflammation and break down of immunologic tolerance can contribute to miscarriage. Endothelial cells (ECs) are able to orchestrate the inflammatory processes by secreting pro-inflammatory mediators and bactericidal factors by modulating leakiness and leukocyte trafficking, via the expression of adhesion molecules and chemokines. The aim of this study was to analyse the differences in the phenotype between microvascular ECs isolated from decidua (DECs) and ECs isolated from human skin (ADMECs).

Decidual Interleukin-22-Producing CD4+ T Cells (Th17/Th0/IL-22+ and Th17/Th2/IL-22+, Th2/IL-22+, Th0/IL-22+), Which Also Produce IL-4, Are Involved in the Success of Pregnancy.

Trophoblast expressing paternal HLA-C resembles a semiallograft, and could be rejected by maternal T cells. IL-22 seems to be involved in allograft rejection and thus could be responsible for miscarriages. We examined the role of decidual IL-22-producing CD4+ T on human pregnancy.

Crohn's Colitis: Development of a multiplex gene expression assay comparing mRNA levels of susceptibility genes.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a multifactorial immunologically mediated disease. In this study we explored, for the first time, the efficacy of the Multiplex Gene Assay technology for detecting mRNA expression profile of 24 selected CD related genes in endoscopic biopsies and surgical specimens from CD patients with colonic localization of the disease. The polymorphisms of genes most frequently associated with CD were also analysed in DNA samples from the same patients.

How pregnancy can affect autoimmune diseases progression?

Autoimmune disorders are characterized by tissue damage, caused by self-reactivity of different effectors mechanisms of the immune system, namely antibodies and T cells. Their occurrence may be associated with genetic and/or environmental predisposition and to some extent, have implications for fertility and obstetrics. The relationship between autoimmunity and reproduction is bidirectional.

Interleukin-17-producing decidual CD4+ T cells are not deleterious for human pregnancy when they also produce interleukin-4.

Background: Trophoblast expressing paternal HLA-C antigens resemble a semiallograft, and could be rejected by maternal CD4+ T lymphocytes. We examined the possible role in human pregnancy of Th17 cells, known to be involved in allograft rejection and reported for this reason to be responsible for miscarriages. We also studied Th17/Th1 and Th17/Th2 cells never investigated before.

HLA-G5 induces IL-4 secretion critical for successful pregnancy through differential expression of ILT2 receptor on decidual CD4⁺ T cells and macrophages.

Successful pregnancy in humans has been associated with production of IL-4 by T cells at the feto-maternal interface. Soluble HLA-G5 produced by trophoblasts potentially controls the decidual T cell cytokine profile. We studied the effect of HLA-G5 on the cytokine profile of purified human macrophages and Ag-specific T cells in vitro.

Potential pathogenetic role of Th17, Th0, and Th2 cells in erosive and reticular oral lichen planus.

Objectives: The role of Th17 cells and associated cytokines was investigated in oral lichen planus.

Material And Methods: 14 consecutive patients with oral lichen planus were investigated. For biological studies, tissues were taken from reticular or erosive lesions and from normal oral mucosa (controls) of the same patient.

Antiinflammatory effect of androgen receptor activation in human benign prostatic hyperplasia cells.

Progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) involves chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that prostate inflammation and tissue remodeling are exacerbated by hypogonadism and prevented by testosterone supplementation. We now investigated whether, in humans, hypogonadism was associated with more severe BPH inflammation and the in vitro effect of the selective androgen receptor agonist dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on cultures of stromal cells derived from BPH patients (hBPH).

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation of an allograft renal cell carcinoma: a case report.

Background: Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) are rarely described in transplanted kidneys. Available therapeutic strategies range from allograft nephrectomy to nephron-sparing procedures such as partial nephrectomy or image-guided thermal ablation. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive technique which provides promising oncologic outcomes in small allograft RCCs while preserving allograft function.

Performance evaluation of microbead and ELISA assays for follicular G-CSF: a non-invasive biomarker of oocyte developmental competence for embryo implantation.

G-CSF in individual follicular fluids correlates with the potential of the corresponding embryo to result in a live birth after transfer in IVF. To evaluate the requirements for routine follicular fluid G-CSF quantification, we compared follicular fluid G-CSF measurements made with two multiplexed microbead assays purchased from Bio-Rad Laboratories and R&D Systems, and a commercial G-CSF ELISA (R&D Systems). Individual follicular fluids (n=139) associated with transferred embryos were analysed to determine cytokine profile and the fate of each transferred embryo was recorded.

Levels of follicular G-CSF and interleukin-15 appear as noninvasive biomarkers of subsequent successful birth in modified natural in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles.

Objective: To explore oocyte competence for subsequent birth. The modified natural IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle was used as an experimental model by measuring levels of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in individual follicular fluids (FF).

Design: A retrospective blinded study.

Critical and differential roles of NKp46- and NKp30-activating receptors expressed by uterine NK cells in early pregnancy.

In early human pregnancy, uterine decidual NK cells (dNK) are abundant and considered as cytokine producers but poorly cytotoxic despite their cytolytic granule content, suggesting a negative control of this latter effector function. To investigate the basis of this control, we examined the relative contribution to the cytotoxic function of different activating receptors expressed by dNK. Using a multicolor flow cytometry analysis, we found that freshly isolated dNK exhibit a unique repertoire of activating and inhibitory receptors, identical among all the donors tested.

Cytokines and chemokines in follicular fluids and potential of the corresponding embryo: the role of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

Background: The cytokine/chemokine levels of individual follicular fluids (FFs) were measured to determine whether a biomarker could be linked to the developmental potential of the derived embryo.

Methods: Fluid was collected from 132 individual FFs that were the source of oocytes subsequently fertilized and transferred. In each, a bead-based multiplex sandwich immunoassay (Luminex) was used to measure 28 cytokines and chemokines simultaneously.

T cells specific for Candida albicans antigens and producing type 2 cytokines in lesional mucosa of untreated HIV-infected patients with pseudomembranous oropharyngeal candidiasis.

Factors influencing the susceptibility to mucosal candidiasis in HIV-infected patients are not clearly understood. Since in animal models of candidiasis the T helper (Th)1- or Th2-responses are protective or non-protective, respectively, this study was aimed to evaluate the cytokine profile of T-cell response to Candida albicans in the blood and lesional tissues of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals, suffering, or not, from pseudomembranous oropharyngeal candidiasis (POPC), of HIV-negative women suffering from recurrent vaginal candidiasis (RVC) and of healthy controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-infected and RVC patients proliferated to C.