Immunological characterization of the American cockroach allergen Per a 9 expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells.

American cockroach (CR) allergy has been recognized as important IgE-mediated type I hypersensitivity. Per a 9 is an arginine kinase, reacting with IgE in sera of all CR allergic Thai patients. Per a 9 gene was cloned and expressed in eukaryotic systems (baculovirus-infected insect cells).

[Expression of LRG-1 in clinical specimens and Tca8113 cell line of tongue carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the expression of LRG-1 in clinical specimens and Tca8113 cell line of tongue carcinoma and analyze the relationship between LRG-1 expression and the clinicopathological parameters.

Methods: LRG-1 expression was detected in 40 tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) tissues and paired normal adjacent tissues, 20 atypical hyperplasia tissues of the tongue, and 20 tissues of tongue cancer in situ using immunohistochemical method. The expression of LRG-1 in Tca8113 cell line was detected using flow cytometry.

Mast cells and basophils are essential for allergies: mechanisms of allergic inflammation and a proposed procedure for diagnosis.

The current definition of allergy is a group of IgE-mediated diseases. However, a large portion of patients with clinical manifestations of allergies do not exhibit elevated serum levels of IgE (sIgEs). In this article, three key factors, ie soluble allergens, sIgEs and mast cells or basophils, representing the causative factors, messengers and primary effector cells in allergic inflammation, respectively, were discussed.

IFN-λ inhibits HIV-1 integration and post-transcriptional events in vitro, but there is only limited in vivo repression of viral production.

The lambda interferons (IL-28a, 28b, and IL-29) inhibit the replication of many viruses, but their role in the inhibition of HIV-1 infection remains unclear. During this study, we monitored IL-29 production in HIV-1 infected individuals and analyzed the in vitro and in vivo inhibition of HIV-1 production. Prior treatment with IL-28a or IL-29 induced an antiviral state in cultured primary T-cells, which suppressed HIV-1 integration and post-transcriptional events.

Eosinophil-derived interferon-lambda contributes to initiation of allergen-related inflammation in the intestine.

Background And Aims: Epithelial barrier dysfunction plays a critical role in the initiation of a number of immune diseases; the causative factors are not fully understood. The present study aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which the eosinophil-derived interferon (IFN)-lambda induced the gut epithelial barrier dysfunction.

Methods: The duodenal biopsies were obtained from patients with or without food allergies.

[Signal transduction pathway for TNF-induced IL-6 release from mast cells].

Aim: To investigate the effect of TNF on release of IL-6, IL-10 and histamine from mast cells and to explore its potential signal transduction pathway.

Methods: After stimulation of various concentrations of TNF, the P815 cells were analyzed by cellular activation of signal ELISA(CASE) to detect phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and STAT3, and the supernatants were collected and analyzed by ELISA to quantify release of IL-6, IL-10 and histamine from the cells.

Results: Compared with the untreated control, increased IL-6 release was detected in TNF-stimulated P815 cells (P<0.

Interferon-λ mediates oral tolerance and inhibits antigen-specific, T-helper 2 cell-mediated inflammation in mouse intestine.

Background & Aims: Oral tolerance is an important component of gastrointestinal homeostasis, but mechanisms of its development are not fully understood. Loss of oral tolerance occurs during food allergen-related inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Interferon (IFN)-λ regulates immunity, but its role in oral tolerance is not clear.

[Induction of monocyte-derived dendritic cell differentiation by asthmatic serum in a transendothelial trafficking model].

Objective: To explore the effect of asthmatic and healthy serum on differentiation and function of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC) in a transendothelial trafficking model.

Methods: The sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were separated from 12 asthmatic patients and 12 healthy volunteers, and monocytes were selected from PBMC using magnetic beads. The trypsin-digested human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) at passage 2 from 5 healthy lying-in women were used to construct the transendothelial trafficking model under asthmatic or healthy serum, wherein MDDC were identified by silver nitrate staining and scanning electron microscopy.

Unusual life-threatening Rosai-Dorfman disease of the trachea: role of NF-κB.

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare non-neoplastic histioproliferative disorder characterised by painless lymphadenopathy, low fever, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leucocytosis and hypergammaglobulinaemia. Overactivity of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is linked with inflammatory, cancerous and autoimmune diseases. The first case is described of an unusual life-threatening RDD of the trachea with no lymphadenopathy at risk of suffocation in a 39-year-old Chinese woman.

Induction of inflammatory cell accumulation by TM-N49 and promutoxin, two novel phospholipase A(2).

Local inflammation is a prominent characteristic of snakebite wound. Snake venom phospholipase A(2)s (PLA(2)s) are one of the main components which contribute to accumulation of inflammatory cells. We have isolated TM-N49 and promutoxin from Protobothrops mucrosquamatus venom and investigated their ability in induction of cell accumulation by using an in vivo mouse model.

Glucuronoxylomannan promotes the generation of antigen-specific T regulatory cell that suppresses the antigen-specific Th2 response upon activation.

T regulatory cells (Treg) have the capability to suppress the skewed immune response, but the generation of antigen (Ag)-specific Treg for therapeutic purpose is a challenge; the mechanism of Ag-specific Treg activation remains obscure. Here, we report that glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) is capable of promoting the development of human tolerogenic dendritic cells (DC). GXM-pulsed DCs increased the expression of forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) in naïve human CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells via activating Fc gamma receptor IIb and activator protein-1 and promoting the expression of transforming growth factor beta in dendritic cells.

Induction of microvascular leakage and histamine release by promutoxin, an Arg49 phospholipase A2.

It has been recognized that phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) is a crucial factor of snake venom induced inflammation. Recently, promutoxin, a novel member of minor subgroup of snake venom PLA(2) (R49 PLA(2)) has been characterized in our laboratory, but its roles in induction of inflammation remain uninvestigated. Using highly purified promutoxin, we found this enzymatically inactive PLA(2) provoked a dose-dependent increase in microvascular leakage in the skin of rats.

Expression of integrin alphavbeta6 in the intestinal epithelial cells of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background And Aims: The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is about 0.05% in industrialized countries. The pathogenesis of IBD remains to be further understood.

Targeted NF-kappaB inhibition of asthmatic serum-mediated human monocyte-derived dendritic cell differentiation in a transendothelial trafficking model.

Transendothelial trafficking model mimics in vivo differentiation of monocytes into dendritic cells (DC). The serum from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus promotes the differentiation of monocytes into mature DC. We have shown that selective inhibition of NF-kappaB by adenoviral gene transfer of a novel mutated IkappaBalpha (AdIkappaBalphaM) in DC contributes to T cell tolerance.

Induction of mast cell accumulation, histamine release and skin edema by N49 phospholipase A2.

Background: It has been recognized that phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a crucial component of snake venom, which contributes greatly to snake venom induced inflammation in man. However, the mechanisms through which N49 PLA2 provoke inflammation remain unclear. Recently, a N49 PLA2, TM-N49 from Protobothrops mucrosquamatus crude venom was characterized in our laboratory.

Purification, characterization and biological activities of the L-amino acid oxidase from Bungarus fasciatus snake venom.

L-amino acid oxidases (LAAOs) are widely distributed in snake venoms, which contribute to the toxicity of venoms. However, LAAO from Bungarus fasciatus (B. fasciatus) snake venom has not been isolated previously.

Disruption of T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain molecule (TIM)-1/TIM4 interaction as a therapeutic strategy in a dendritic cell-induced peanut allergy model.

Background: Recent reports indicate that dendritic cell (DC)-derived T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain molecule (TIM)-4 plays an important role in the initiation of T(H)2 polarization. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms of peanut allergy mediated by microbial products and DCs and the relationship between peanut allergy and TIM4.

Methods: Mouse bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) were generated and exposed to cholera toxin (CT) or/and peanut extract (PE) for 24 hours and then adoptively transferred to naive mice.

Induction of inflammatory cytokine release from human umbilical vein endothelial cells by agonists of proteinase-activated receptor-2.

1. Human endothelial cells express proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), inflammatory cytokines and trypsin (EC 3.4.

[Prokaryotic expression of human mast cell chymase gene and preparation of its polyclonal antibody].

Aim: To express the human mast cell chymase cDNA in E.coli and prepare the antibody against human mast cell chymase with recombinant chymase.

Methods: The human mast cell chymase cDNA was cloned by RT-PCR.

Evaluation of FORS-D analysis: a comparison with the statistically significant stem-loop potential.

The stem-loop potential of a nucleic acid segment (expressed as a FONS value), decomposes into base composition-dependent and base order-dependent components. The latter, expressed as a FORS-D value, is derived by subtracting the value of the base composition-dependent component (FORS-M) from the FONS value. FORS-D analysis is the use of FORS-D values to estimate the potential of local base order to contribute to a stem-loop structure, and it has been used to investigate the relationship between stem-loop structure and other selective pressures on genomes.

Investigation into the signal transduction pathway via which heat stress impairs intestinal epithelial barrier function.

Background And Aims: Intact protein absorption is thought to be a causative factor in several intestinal diseases, such as food allergy, celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. However, the mechanism remains unclear. The aim of this study was to characterize a novel signal transduction pathway via which heat stress compromises intestinal epithelial barrier function.

Purification, characterization and potent lung lesion activity of an L-amino acid oxidase from Agkistrodon blomhoffii ussurensis snake venom.

L-amino acid oxidases (LAOs) are one of the major components of snake venoms, which possess numerous biological functions. However, little is known of the influence of LAOs on organ lesions. In the present study, a unique LAO from Agkistrodon blomhoffii ussurensis snake venom named ABU-LAO was purified by Heparin-Sepharose FF chromatography followed by an ion-exchange chromatography procedure.

[Preparation and characterization of rabbit antibody against human mast cell carboxypeptidase].

Aim: To prepare antibody against human mast cell carboxypeptidase (hMC-CP) by using recombinant hMC-CP expressed in E.coli, and to characterize the antibody.

Methods: hMC-CP was expressed in E.

Mast cells play a crucial role in Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan-induced diarrhea.

Bacterium-induced diarrhea results in 2 to 2.5 million deaths in the world each year. The mechanism needs to be further understood.