Phenotype and oxidative burst of low-density neutrophil subpopulations are altered in common variable immunodeficiency patients.

Common variable immunodeficiency disorder (CVID) is the most common form of primary antibody immunodeficiency. Due to low antibody levels, CVID patients receive intravenous or subcutaneous immunoglobulin replacement therapy as treatment. CVID is associated with the chronic activation of granulocytes, including an increased percentage of low-density neutrophils (LDNs).

Hepcidin and ferritin levels as markers of immune cell activation during septic shock, severe COVID-19 and sterile inflammation.

Introduction: Major clinically relevant inflammatory events such as septic shock and severe COVID-19 trigger dynamic changes in the host immune system, presenting promising candidates for new biomarkers to improve precision diagnostics and patient stratification. Hepcidin, a master regulator of iron metabolism, has been intensively studied in many pathologies associated with immune system activation, however these data have never been compared to other clinical settings. Thus, we aimed to reveal the dynamics of iron regulation in various clinical settings and to determine the suitability of hepcidin and/or ferritin levels as biomarkers of inflammatory disease severity.

Influence of protein corona on the interaction of glycogen-siRNA constructs with ex vivo human blood immune cells.

Glycogen-nucleic acid constructs i.e., glycoplexes are emerging promising platforms for the alteration of gene expression and transcription.

Immunosenescence in Childhood Cancer Survivors and in Elderly: A Comparison and Implication for Risk Stratification.

The population of childhood cancer survivors (CCS) has grown rapidly in recent decades. Although cured of their original malignancy, these individuals are at increased risk of serious late effects, including age-associated complications. An impaired immune system has been linked to the emergence of these conditions in the elderly and CCS, likely due to senescent immune cell phenotypes accompanied by low-grade inflammation, which in the elderly is known as "inflammaging.

Triggering the nanophase separation of albumin through multivalent binding to glycogen for drug delivery in 2D and 3D multicellular constructs.

Engineered nanoparticles for the encapsulation of bioactive agents hold promise to improve disease diagnosis, prevention and therapy. To advance this field and enable clinical translation, the rational design of nanoparticles with controlled functionalities and a robust understanding of nanoparticle-cell interactions in the complex biological milieu are of paramount importance. Herein, a simple platform obtained through the nanocomplexation of glycogen nanoparticles and albumin is introduced for the delivery of chemotherapeutics in complex multicellular 2D and 3D systems.

Polymorphonuclear Cells Show Features of Dysfunctional Activation During Fatal Sepsis.

Sepsis and septic shock remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality for patients in the intensive care unit. During the early phase, immune cells produce various cytokines leading to prompt activation of the immune system. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) respond to different signals producing inflammatory factors and executing their antimicrobial mechanisms, resulting in the engulfment and elimination of invading pathogens.

High CD4-to-CD8 ratio identifies an at-risk population susceptible to lethal COVID-19.

Around half of people with severe COVID-19 requiring intensive care unit (ICU) treatment will survive, but it is unclear how the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 differs between ICU patients that recover and those that do not. We conducted whole-blood immunophenotyping of COVID-19 patients upon admission to ICU and during their treatment and uncovered marked differences in their circulating immune cell subsets. At admission, patients who later succumbed to COVID-19 had significantly lower frequencies of all memory CD8+ T cell subsets, resulting in increased CD4-to-CD8 T cell and neutrophil-to-CD8 T cell ratios.

How immune-cell fate and function are determined by metabolic pathway choice: The bioenergetics underlying the immune response.

Immune cells are highly dynamic in their response to the tissue environment. Most immune cells rapidly change their metabolic profile to obtain sufficient energy to engage in defensive or homeostatic processes. Such "immunometabolism" is governed through intermediate metabolites, and has a vital role in regulating immune-cell function.

Differences in monocyte subsets are associated with short-term survival in patients with septic shock.

Sepsis is characterized by dynamic changes of the immune system resulting in deregulated inflammation and failure of homoeostasis and can escalate to septic shock. Circulating monocytes and other innate immune cells are among the first ones to recognize and clear pathogens. Monocytes have an important role in sepsis and septic shock and have been studied as potential diagnostic markers.

The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Depression, Cognition, and Immunity in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Feasibility Study.

Background: Mindfulness-based programs have shown a promising effect on several health factors associated with increased risk of dementia and the conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia such as depression, stress, cognitive decline, immune system and brain structural and functional changes. Studies on mindfulness in MCI subjects are sparse and frequently lack control intervention groups.

Objective: To determine the feasibility and the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) practice on depression, cognition and immunity in MCI compared to cognitive training.