Cytokine profiles in highly active antiretroviral treatment non-adherent, adherent and naive HIV-1 infected patients in Western Kenya.

Background: Cytokines play an important role in signaling the immune system to build an adequate immune response against HIV. HIV distorts the balance between pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines causing viral replication. Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) acts by trying to restore pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance.

In Vivo Imaging of Fluorescent Probes Linked to Antibodies Against Human and Rat Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor.

Purpose: Anti-VEGF therapy has improved functional outcome for many patients with neovascular AMD. A particular challenge in routine clinical application is to find the best treatment regimen as a high degree of interindividual variability of disease activity has been noted. The aim of the study was to investigate fluorescent probes linked to antibodies against VEGF for in vivo imaging in an animal model.

Origin of Foxp3(+) cells during pregnancy.

Pregnancy establishment and maintenance represents a challenge for the maternal immune system because it has to be alert against pathogens while tolerating paternal alloantigens expressed in fetal structures. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important for successful implantation and involved in allotolerance towards paternal antigens. The origin and mechanisms leading to Treg generation during pregnancy at different stages remain under discussion.

Blockage of heme oxygenase-1 abrogates the protective effect of regulatory T cells on murine pregnancy and promotes the maturation of dendritic cells.

Regulatory T cells (Treg) play an important role in fetal protection. They expand during normal pregnancy and protect fetal antigens from maternal effector cells. Their effect is associated with the up-regulation of tolerance-associated molecules at the fetal-maternal interface.

Sheep genetic diversity in Bhutan using microsatellite markers.

Genotype data from eight microsatellite markers were used to assess genetic diversity and relationships among five indigenous Bhutanese sheep populations, Sakten, Jakar, Sarpang, Sipsu and Tsirang. Estimates of mean observed and expected heterozygosities, mean number of alleles per locus/population were obtained. The highest observed heterozygosities were found in Jakar (0.