Ebstein's anomaly in adults: Modified cone reconstruction of the tricuspid valve is associated with promising outcomes.

Background: Ebstein's anomaly is a complex malformation. Justification of a procedure in mildly symptomatic adults is debatable: repair techniques are demanding and valve replacement is associated with poorer outcome.

Objectives: We report our initial experience with the cone procedure versus medical follow-up.

[Depressive symptoms during anorexia nervosa: State of the art and consequences for an appropriate use of antidepressants].

Objective: Depressive comorbidity is often associated with anorexia nervosa (AN), and antidepressant medication is widely used although it does not rely on any convincing data in the scientific literature. Our objectives were: to summarize the epidemiological, physiological, psychopathological literature about the relation between AN and manifestations of depression, and to focus on the clinical trial data assessing the use of antidepressant medication in AN in order to clarify the strategy for the use of antidepressant in AN during adolescence.

Method: A manual computerised search (Medline) was performed for relevant published studies assessing the association between depressive signs or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and AN.

Critical and differential roles of NKp46- and NKp30-activating receptors expressed by uterine NK cells in early pregnancy.

In early human pregnancy, uterine decidual NK cells (dNK) are abundant and considered as cytokine producers but poorly cytotoxic despite their cytolytic granule content, suggesting a negative control of this latter effector function. To investigate the basis of this control, we examined the relative contribution to the cytotoxic function of different activating receptors expressed by dNK. Using a multicolor flow cytometry analysis, we found that freshly isolated dNK exhibit a unique repertoire of activating and inhibitory receptors, identical among all the donors tested.

CD160-activating NK cell effector functions depend on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase recruitment.

CD160 NK cell-activating receptor is a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored molecule that, upon specific engagement, triggers both cytotoxicity and a unique cytokine production [IFN-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and IL-6] through an undefined signaling pathway. In the current study, we have identified several signaling molecules recruited after mAb-specific CD160 engagement in freshly isolated human circulating NK cells. Using confocal microscopy, we found that CD160 engagement induces the recruitment and co-localization of phosphorylated molecules with redistributed, capped CD160 at the cell surface.

Engagement of the CD160 activating NK cell receptor leads to its association with CD2 in circulating human NK cells.

CD160 activating NK cell receptor is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored molecule. Upon specific engagement by its HLA class I physiological ligand, CD160 NK cell receptor triggers cytotoxicity and release of different cytokines, including IL-6. How CD160 intracellular signaling is mediated following its specific ligation is unknown.

Human decidual NK cells: unique phenotype and functional properties -- a review.

Human decidual NK cells are massively recruited at the site of embryonic implantation (decidua basalis). They differ in many ways from their peripheral blood NK cell counterparts in terms of gene expression, phenotype and functionality. The major subpopulation of decidual NK cells is CD56(bright) whereas the minor subset is CD56(dim), contrasting with the peripheral blood NK cells whose major subpopulation is CD56(dim).

HLA class I/NK cell receptor interaction in early human decidua basalis: possible functional consequences.

Human decidual NK (dNK) cells differ from their peripheral blood (PB)-NK counterparts. The major subset of PB-NK is CD56dim, CD16+, CD160+ (highly cytolytic), whereas the major subpopulation of dNK is CD56bright, CD16- and CD160- (high cytokine producer). Extravillous cytotrophoblast invading the decidua basalis in early pregnancy expresses the polymorphic HLA-C, and nonpolymorphic HLA-E and HLA-G molecules that can interact with specific HLA class I-dependent dNK receptors, including the immunoglobulin-like KIRs, the lectin-like CD94/NKG2 and the CD160 receptors.

Cutting edge: engagement of CD160 by its HLA-C physiological ligand triggers a unique cytokine profile secretion in the cytotoxic peripheral blood NK cell subset.

CD160 is an Ig-like activating NK cell receptor expressed on the majority of circulating NK cells. This population corresponds to the nonproliferating, highly cytolytic, CD56dimCD16+ subset. CD160 engagement by HLA-C molecules mediates cytotoxic function.

Engagement of CD160 receptor by HLA-C is a triggering mechanism used by circulating natural killer (NK) cells to mediate cytotoxicity.

Circulating human natural killer (NK) lymphocytes have been functionally defined by their ability to exert cytotoxic activity against MHC class I-negative target cell lines, including K562. Therefore, it was proposed that NK cells recognized the "missing self." We show here that the Ig-like CD160 receptor expressed by circulating CD56(dim+) NK cells or IL-2-deprived NK cell lines is mainly involved in their cytotoxic activity against K562 target cells.

[Severe Aspergillus keratomycosis treated with itraconazole per os].

A case of deep traumatic keratomycosis due to Aspergillus fumigatus with anterior chamber involvement is reported. Corneal perforation was threatening because of the large deep and long standing ulcer. This case emphasizes the difficulties of etiological diagnosis and treatment of keratomycosis.