Partial long-term clinical improvement after a BCG challenge in systemic lupus erythematosus-prone mice.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that causes a breakdown of immune tolerance. Current treatments mainly involve general immunosuppression, increasing the risk of infections. On the other hand, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been investigated as a potential therapy for autoimmune diseases in recent years, prompting an ongoing investigation.

S100A8 alarmin supports IL-6 and metalloproteinase-9 production by fibroblasts in the synovial microenvironment of peripheral spondyloarthritis.

Introduction: Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a common autoinflammatory disease. S100A8/ S100A9 alarmin is strongly expressed in the synovial sublining layers of psoriatic arthritis. S100A8/ S100A9 is the most abundant protein in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluid (SF) and has a key role in promoting IL-6 expression in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS).

Assessing the long-stand antibody response induced by COVID-19 vaccines: A study in an educational cohort in San Luis, Argentina.

Background: Although there has developed an increased interest in the vaccines BNT1622b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech), mRNA-1273 (Moderna/NIAID), and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca/University of Oxford), there are still few reports describing the immune response induced by different vaccine platforms in real-world settings of low-income countries. Here, we proposed to analyse the humoral immune response elicited by the primary vaccines used in Argentina from July-December 2021.

Methods: Anti-SARS-CoV-2-Spike-RBD IgG and neutralising antibodies were assayed by ELISA in a total of 871 serum samples obtained from 376 volunteers from an educational staff.

Female offspring gestated in hypothyroxinemia and infected with human Metapneumovirus (hMPV) suffer a more severe infection and have a higher number of activated CD8 T lymphocytes.

Maternal thyroid hormones (THs) are essential for the appropriate development of the fetus and especially for the brain. Recently, some studies have shown that THs deficiency can also alter the immune system development of the progeny and their ability to mount an appropriate response against infectious agents. In this study, we evaluated whether adult mice gestated under hypothyroxinemia (Hpx) showed an altered immune response against infection with human metapneumovirus (hMPV).

Trained Immunity Contribution to Autoimmune and Inflammatory Disorders.

A dysregulated immune response toward self-antigens characterizes autoimmune and autoinflammatory (AIF) disorders. Autoantibodies or autoreactive T cells contribute to autoimmune diseases, while autoinflammation results from a hyper-functional innate immune system. Aside from their differences, many studies suggest that monocytes and macrophages (Mo/Ma) significantly contribute to the development of both types of disease.

Contribution of Dysregulated DNA Methylation to Autoimmunity.

Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs are known regulators of gene expression and genomic stability in cell growth, development, and differentiation. Because epigenetic mechanisms can regulate several immune system elements, epigenetic alterations have been found in several autoimmune diseases. The purpose of this review is to discuss the epigenetic modifications, mainly DNA methylation, involved in autoimmune diseases in which T cells play a significant role.

Immune Modulation by Inhibitors of the HO System.

The heme oxygenase (HO) system involves three isoforms of this enzyme, HO-1, HO-2, and HO-3. The three of them display the same catalytic activity, oxidating the heme group to produce biliverdin, ferrous iron, and carbon monoxide (CO). HO-1 is the isoform most widely studied in proinflammatory diseases because treatments that overexpress this enzyme promote the generation of anti-inflammatory products.

Naturally Derived Heme-Oxygenase 1 Inducers and Their Therapeutic Application to Immune-Mediated Diseases.

Heme oxygenase (HO) is the primary antioxidant enzyme involved in heme group degradation. A variety of stimuli triggers the expression of the inducible HO-1 isoform, which is modulated by its substrate and cellular stressors. A major anti-inflammatory role has been assigned to the HO-1 activity.

Tolerogenic dendritic cell transfer ameliorates systemic lupus erythematosus in mice.

Current treatments for systemic autoimmune diseases partially improve the health of patients displaying low pharmacological efficacy and systemic immunosuppression. Here, the therapeutic potential of transferring tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDCs) generated with heme-oxygenase inductor cobalt (III) protoporphyrin IX (CoPP), dexamethasone and rosiglitazone for the treatment of systemic autoimmunity was evaluated in two murine models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), MRL-Fas and NZM2410 mice. Dendritic cells treated ex vivo with these drugs showed a stable tolerogenic profile after lipopolysaccharide stimulation.

Immune checkpoints and the regulation of tolerogenicity in dendritic cells: Implications for autoimmunity and immunotherapy.

The immune system is responsible for defending the host from a large variety of potential pathogens, while simultaneously avoiding immune reactivity towards self-components. Self-tolerance has to be tightly maintained throughout several central and peripheral processes; immune checkpoints are imperative for regulating the immunity/tolerance balance. Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized cells that capture antigens, and either activate or inhibit antigen-specific T cells.

Role of Regulatory T Cells in Infection and Vaccination During Early Infancy.

Reducing infant mortality due to infectious diseases is one of the most important public health goals worldwide. Several approaches have been implemented to reach this goal and vaccination has been an effective strategy for reducing infant and newborn mortality. However, the immunological features of neonates and infants represent a significant barrier to the effectiveness of vaccination.

Implications of macrophage polarization in autoimmunity.

Macrophages are extremely heterogeneous and plastic cells with an important role not only in physiological conditions, but also during inflammation (both for initiation and resolution). In the early 1990s, two different phenotypes of macrophages were described: one of them called classically activated (or inflammatory) macrophages (M1) and the other alternatively activated (or wound-healing) macrophages (M2). Currently, it is known that functional polarization of macrophages into only two groups is an over-simplified description of macrophage heterogeneity and plasticity; indeed, it is necessary to consider a continuum of functional states.

Experimental Guillain-Barre syndrome induced by immunization with gangliosides: Keyhole limpet hemocyanin is required for disease triggering.

An experimental model of Guillain-Barré Syndrome has been established in recent years. Rabbits develop disease upon immunization with a single dose of an emulsion containing bovine brain gangliosides, KLH and complete Freund's adjuvant. Within a period of four to ten weeks after immunization, they began to produce anti-ganglioside IgG-antibodies first, and to show clinical signs of neuropathy afterwards.

Effect of fasting in the digestive system: histological study of the small intestine in house sparrows.

In birds and mammals the metabolic response to fasting has been studied and can be characterized by three consecutive phases reflecting metabolic and physiological adjustments. An effective way to minimize energy expenditure during food scarcity is to decrease the mass of the organs. As the digestive system is metabolically expensive to maintain, the small intestine and the liver are the most affected organs.

Novel antibodies reacting with two neighboring gangliosides are induced in rabbits immunized with bovine brain gangliosides.

Immunization of rabbits with bovine brain gangliosides induced an experimental neuropathy, with clinical signs resembling Guillain-Barré syndrome. All the immunized animals developed immunoglobulin G immunoreactivity to GM1 ganglioside. In a few (4 of 27) animals, an additional anti-ganglioside antibody population showing an unusual binding behavior was detected.

Effect of fasting on the structure and function of the gastrointestinal tract of house sparrows (Passer domesticus).

Starvation is a condition that often affects animals in nature. The gastrointestinal tract is the organ system displaying the most rapid and dramatic changes in response to nutrient deprivation. To date, little is known about starvation phases and effects on the organ morphology and digestive function in small passerine birds.