Addressing the key issue: Antigen-specific targeting of B cells in autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune diseases are heterogeneous pathologies characterized by a breakdown of immunological tolerance to self, resulting in a chronic and aberrant immune response to self-antigens. The scope and extent of affected tissues can vary greatly per autoimmune disease and can involve multiple organs and tissue types. The pathogenesis of most autoimmune diseases remains unknown but it is widely accepted that a complex interplay between (autoreactive) B and T cells in the context of breached immunological tolerance drives autoimmune pathology.

Tramadol/paracetamol treatment attenuates the development of collagen antibody-induced arthritis and interferes with prednisolone treatment in mice.

The collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) model is highly effective in inducing arthritis, making it an attractive model for screening therapeutic compounds such as glucocorticoids (GCs). The severity of discomfort in this model makes it desirable to administer analgesics, but it is a prerequisite that these do not interfere with the model or tested therapeutics. In the present study, we studied the effect of 1 mg/mL tramadol and 3.

Absence of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in anti-citrullinated protein antibody-expressing B cells of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the presence of disease-specific autoreactive B cell responses, in particular those generating anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA). For many years, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in disease pathogenesis, possibly by facilitating the development and persistence of autoreactive B cells. To test this hypothesis, the presence of EBV episomes in ACPA-expressing B cells was analyzed.

Immunogenicity and efficacy of one and two doses of Ad26.COV2.S COVID vaccine in adult and aged NHP.

Safe and effective coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccines are urgently needed to control the ongoing pandemic. While single-dose vaccine regimens would provide multiple advantages, two doses may improve the magnitude and durability of immunity and protective efficacy. We assessed one- and two-dose regimens of the Ad26.

Rapid detection of viable Legionella pneumophila in tap water by a qPCR and RT-PCR-based method.

Aims: A molecular method for a rapid detection of viable Legionella pneumophila of all serogroups in tap water samples was developed as an alternative to the reference method (ISO). Legionellae are responsible for Legionnaires' disease, a severe pneumonia in humans with high lethality.

Methods And Results: The developed method is based on a nutritional stimulation and detection of an increase in precursor 16S rRNA as an indicator for viability.