Bactericidal/Permeability-Increasing Protein (BPI), a Novel Antimicrobial Molecule in Human Breast Milk with Immune Potential.

Breast milk is a fluid of vital importance during the first stages of life of the newborn since, in addition to providing nutrients, it also contains cells and molecules of the immune system, which protect the neonate from infection and, at the same time, modulate the establishment of the microbiota. Bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) is relevant in preventing disease and sepsis in neonates. Therefore, the following work aimed to demonstrate the presence of BPI in the different stages of breast milk and its possible immune functions.

Exosomes as Regulators of Macrophages in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Macrophages in atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction have diverse functions, such as foam cell formation and the induction of an inflammatory response that promotes ventricular dysfunction in the heart. Exosomes are small vesicles released by many different types of cells, such as macrophages, dendritic cells, platelets and other immunoregulatory cells, that facilitate communication with other cells, modulating the biological functions of recipient cells. Exosomes offer a novel therapeutic approach for the polarization of macrophages involved in cardiovascular diseases.

IFN-γ-Preconditioned Human Gingival-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Inhibit Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells via Adenosine.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are vital players in antiviral immune responses because of their high levels of IFN-α secretion. However, this attribute has also implicated them as critical factors behind the immunopathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, and no currently available therapy can efficiently inhibit pDCs' aberrant activation. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) possess stromal immunomodulatory functionality, regulating immune cell activation through several mechanisms, including the adenosinergic (CD39/CD73/adenosine) pathway.