Mucosally delivered dendritic cells activate T cells independently of IL-12 and endogenous APCs.

In vitro manipulated dendritic cells (DC) have increasingly been used as a promising vaccine formulation against cancer and infectious disease. However, improved understanding of the immune mechanisms is needed for the development of safe and efficacious mucosal DC immunization. We have developed a murine model of respiratory mucosal immunization by using a genetically manipulated DC vaccine.

Cardiotrophin-1 enhances regeneration of cirrhotic liver remnant after hepatectomy through promotion of angiogenesis and cell proliferation.

Background/aim: Hepatic resection is not applicable to a certain proportion of hepatocellular carcinoma patients owing to an insufficient liver function reserve. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) on improving the function of CCl(4)-induced cirrhotic liver remnant after major hepatectomy.

Methods: CT-1 was administered to rats after hepatectomy according to different protocols.

Identification of local and circulating cancer stem cells in human liver cancer.

Unlabelled: Increasing evidence has revealed the importance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in carcinogenesis. Although liver CSCs have been identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, no data have shown the presence of these cells in human settings. The present study was designed to delineate CSCs serially from HCC cell lines, human liver cancer specimens to blood samples, using CD90 as a potential marker.

Significance of CD90+ cancer stem cells in human liver cancer.

This study characterized cancer stem cells (CSCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, tumor specimens, and blood samples. The CD90+ cells, but not the CD90(-) cells, from HCC cell lines displayed tumorigenic capacity. All the tumor specimens and 91.

Inhibition of Stat3 activity by YC-1 enhances chemo-sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The present study investigated the effect of YC-1, a novel anti-cancer agent, on the chemo-sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). YC-1 was administered with chemo-cytotoxic drug, cisplatin, both in vitro and in vivo. YC-1 alone downregulated the expression of phosphorylated form of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (P-Stat3[705]), a key mediator in chemo-resistance.

Induction of long-term liver allograft survival by delayed immunosuppression is dependent on interleukin-10.

This study aims to investigate the potential role of endogenous interleukin (IL)-10 in long-term liver allograft survival induced by delayed immunosuppression (FK506 days 2-7). Liver transplantation was performed by using Dark Agouti and Lewis rats as donors and recipients, respectively. The delayed immunosuppression protocol induced indefinite allograft survival.

Antiinflammatory properties of IL-10 rescue small-for-size liver grafts.

The present study aims to investigate the potential therapeutic role of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in small-for-size liver transplantation. A syngenic rat orthotopic liver transplantation model was performed using either whole or 40% liver volume of Lewis rats as grafts according to the experimental design. IL-10 was given to the 40% grafts right after reperfusion, and also at 24 and 48 hours after transplantation.

Gamma interferon responses of CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets are quantitatively different and independent of each other during pulmonary Mycobacterium bovis BCG infection.

Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) is a key cytokine in host defense against intracellular mycobacterial infection. It has been believed that both CD4 and CD8 T cells are the primary sources of IFN-gamma. However, the relative contributions of CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets to IFN-gamma production and the relationship between CD4 and CD8 T-cell activation have not been examined.

Intramuscular immunization with a monogenic plasmid DNA tuberculosis vaccine: Enhanced immunogenicity by electroporation and co-expression of GM-CSF transgene.

Plasmid DNA vaccine has been widely explored for tuberculosis immunization but there is a need to develop the ways to improve its immunogenicity. In this study, we have constructed a plasmid DNA vaccine coding for Ag85A alone or for both Ag85A and GM-CSF and investigated the immune adjuvant effects of electroporation and GM-CSF co-expression, alone or in combination, on CD4 and CD8 T cell IFN-gamma responses, CTL activities and immune protection from pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis challenge in a Balb/c mouse model. We have found that use of electroporation allows a single intramuscular (i.

Development of cell-based tuberculosis vaccines: genetically modified dendritic cell vaccine is a much more potent activator of CD4 and CD8 T cells than peptide- or protein-loaded counterparts.

Genetically modified dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccines have not been explored for immunization against tuberculosis. A gene-modified DC vaccine expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) antigen 85A (Ag85A) was developed by using a recombinant replication-deficient adenoviral gene transfer vector (AdAg85A).

Activation of CD8 T cells by mycobacterial vaccination protects against pulmonary tuberculosis in the absence of CD4 T cells.

We have investigated whether both primary CD8 T cell activation and CD8 T cell-mediated protection from Mycobacterium tuberculosis challenge could occur in mycobacterial-vaccinated CD4 T cell-deficient (CD4KO) mice. Different from wild-type C57BL/6 mice, s.c.