Human cytomegalovirus regulates surface expression of the viral protein UL18 by means of two motifs present in the cytoplasmic tail.

UL18 is a trans-membrane viral protein expressed on human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-infected cells, and its surface expression determines the interaction of infected cells with lymphocytes expressing the CD85j (LIR-1/ILT2) receptor. We previously showed that the UL18-CD85j interaction elicits activation of T lymphocytes. However, in in vitro cell models UL18 displays mostly undetectable surface expression.

Dissecting the structural determinants of the interaction between the human cytomegalovirus UL18 protein and the CD85j immune receptor.

UL18 is a glycoprotein encoded by the human cytomegalovirus genome and is thought to play a pivotal role during human cytomegalovirus infection, although its exact function is still a matter of debate. UL18 shares structural similarity with MHC class I and binds the receptor CD85j on immune cells. Besides UL18, CD85j binds MHC class I molecules.

Detection of neuroblastoma cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood by different techniques: accuracy and relationship with clinical features of patients.

Purpose: Detection of metastatic tumor cells in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) of children with neuroblastoma is crucial for prognosis and planning of therapy. Aims of this large descriptive repeated survey were to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of different techniques in diagnostic samples obtained at several disease course time points and to correlate positive results with patient clinical features and outcome.

Experimental Design: BM aspirates, trephine biopsies, PB, and peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) samples from Italian children with neuroblastoma were analyzed by morphological and histologic techniques, as well as by immunocytochemistry (IC) for disialoganglioside GD(2) and reverse transcription-PCRs (RT-PCRs) for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and pgp9.

Generation and characterization of dimeric small immunoproteins specific for neuroblastoma associated antigen GD2.

GD2 is a disialoganglioside expressed at high density on the surface of malignant cells of neuroectodermal origin, especially in neuroblastoma (NB) and melanoma. Since its expression in normal tissues is very restricted, GD2 represents an excellent target for neuroectodermal tumor targeting. Mini-antibody technology allows the production of dimeric single-chain antibodies, also called small immunoproteins (SIPs), which are composed of a scFv fused to a dimerizing domain of immunoglobulin heavy chains.