Calcium-dependent HLA-DQ epitope revealed by EDTA mediated inhibition of antibody reactions in the Luminex single antigen bead assay.

Complement mediated interference with the detection of antibodies targeting HLA is a known limitation of the single antigen bead (SAB) Luminex assay. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is currently the serum treatment of choice in most histocompatibility laboratories to block complement activation by chelating calcium. The purpose of this study was to investigate a serum with an antibody reactivity to HLA-DQ6, 7, 8 and 9 molecules, in the Luminex SAB assay, that was inhibited by treatment with EDTA.

Extracellular vesicles derived from head and neck squamous cells carcinoma inhibit NLRP3 inflammasomes.

The content of tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) can regulate the tumor microenvironment and functionally acts in favor of cancer aggressiveness. To better elucidate the role of EVs in the interplay between immune system and tumor microenvironment, the purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of head and neck squamous cells carcinoma (HNSCC)-derived EVs on the modulation of inflammasomes - mediators of pyroptosis and secretion of inflammatory factors by macrophages. Our results showed that macrophages treated with the Vesicular Secretome Fraction (VSF) isolated from patient-derived HNSCC presented a reduction in the secretion of mature IL-1β and caspase-1 without affecting cell viability.

Concomitant Isolation of Primary Astrocytes and Microglia for Protozoa Parasite Infection.

Astrocytes and microglia are the most abundant glial cells. They are responsible for physiological support and homeostasis maintenance in the central nervous system (CNS). The increasing evidences of their involvement in the control of infectious diseases justify the emerging interest in the improvement of methodologies to isolate primary astrocytes and microglia in order to evaluate their responses to infections that affect the CNS.