Association of increased risk of asthma with elevated arginase & interleukin-13 levels in serum & rs2781666 G/T genotype of arginase I.

Background & Objectives: High expression of arginase gene and its elevated level in serum and bronchial lavage reported in animal models indicated an association with the pathogenesis of asthma. This study was undertaken to assess the serum arginase activity in symptomatic asthma patients and healthy controls and to correlate it with cytokine levels [interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13] and arginase I (ARG1) gene polymorphism.

Methods: Asthma was confirmed by lung function test according to the GINA guidelines in patients attending Allergy and Pulmonology Clinic, Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital and Research Centre, Hyderabad, India, a tertiary care centre, during 2013-2015.

The use of BirA-BAP system to study the effect of US2 and US11 on MHC class I heavy chain in cells.

Biotinylation has been extensively used for antibody tagging, affinity-based purification, and in protein/DNA-protein interaction studies. Here we describe the use of biotinylation to study the turn-over of proteins in cells. We use the prokaryotic biotin ligase (BirA) to biotinylate the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 (A2) heavy chain (HC), which was engineered to contain a biotin acceptor peptide (BAP).

Insights from the analysis of predicted Rv0679c protein peptide from Mycobacterium tuberculosis with Toll like Receptors in host.

Peptides of Rv0679c a membrane protein of the cell envelope (16.6 KDa) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), inhibited entry of live bacilli into epithelial (A549) and macrophage (U937) cell lines in vitro, suggesting a possible role in invasion.

Molecular analysis of Rv0679c and Rv0180c genes of from clinical isolates of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Context: Two novel proteins/genes Rv0679c and Rv0180c of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv were classified as a hypothetical membrane and transmembrane proteins which might have a role in the invasion. Molecular analysis of these genes in human clinical isolates of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients was not well characterised.

Aims: To assess the molecular diversity of Rv0679c and Rv0180c genes of MTB from clinical isolates of PTB patients.

Influence of Intron II microsatellite polymorphism in human toll-like receptor 2 gene in leprosy.

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by the obligate intracellular organism Mycobacterium leprae. TLR2 plays a key role when activated by M. leprae lipoproteins initiating protective responses which induce bacterial killing and therefore control of disease spread.

Indirect allorecognition of mismatched donor HLA class II peptides in lung transplant recipients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.

A correlation between indirect allorecognition of mismatched donor HLA class I peptides and development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) after lung transplantation has been previously observed. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a correlation between indirect allorecognition of mismatched donor HLA class II peptides and development of BOS after lung transplantation. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nine BOS+ and nine BOS-lung transplant recipients were cultured with synthetic peptides corresponding to the beta-chain hypervariable region of a mismatched donor HLA-DR molecule.

Indirect recognition and antibody production against a single mismatched HLA-A2-transgenic molecule precede the development of obliterative airway disease in murine heterotopic tracheal allografts.

Background: Previous studies have implicated the allogeneic immune response in the development of obliterative bronchiolitis after lung transplantation. However, the progression of specific pathogenic events leading to this form of chronic allograft dysfunction have not been well characterized. We used a murine tracheal transplantation model in which a single mismatched HLA-A2-transgenic molecule is indirectly recognized by the recipient CD4(+) T cells to show that obliterative airway disease (OAD) that developed in these allografts was preceded by indirect recognition of the HLA-A2 molecule and subsequent development of anti-HLA-A2 antibodies.

Increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules by alveolar macrophages of human lung allograft recipients with acute rejection: decline with resolution of rejection.

Background: Alveolar macrophages (AM) are the major population in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells; we assessed their role in human lung allograft recipients by correlating the expression of adhesion molecules and inflammatory cytokines with clinical outcome of allograft.

Methods: We obtained BAL samples from patients and enriched them for AM in plastic petri dish for 2 hours at 37 degrees C in 5% CO(2). Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, CD54), platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1, CD31), and CD11c was assessed by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies.

Chimerism in peripheral blood of sensitized patients waiting for renal transplantation: clinical implications.

Background: Potential renal transplant recipients with preformed antibodies to HLA resulting from previous transplants, pregnancy, and/or transfusions are unlikely to receive an allograft. The factors contributing to the long-term maintenance of antibody titers in these individuals are still unknown. In the present study, we sought to determine whether chimerism in the blood correlates with maintenance of HLA sensitization in highly sensitized patients.

Cytomegalovirus immune globulin intravenous (human) administration modulates immune response to alloantigens in sensitized renal transplant candidates.

One of the important parameters for prolonged waiting time for potential renal transplant recipients is the presence of preformed antibodies to human leucocyte antigen (HLA) antigens, which is often caused by previous transplants, pregnancy or transfusions. In vivo administration of specific and unselected polyclonal intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIGs) preparations have been shown to inhibit anti-HLA alloantibodies in highly sensitized patients. We sought to determine whether Cytogam (Medimmune Inc.

Development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome despite blood chimerism in human lung transplant recipients.

Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) remains the overwhelming obstacle to the success of lung transplantations (LTx). The presence of donor-specific microchimerism (DSM) and its association with lung allograft function is not well defined. To investigate the relationship between chimerism and BOS, blood was obtained from 21 LTx recipients.

Indirect recognition of donor HLA class I peptides in lung transplant recipients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.

Background: The presentation of donor MHC class II-derived peptides by host antigen-presenting cells in the context of self-MHC class II molecules has been suggested as a mechanism for the chronic rejection of kidney and heart allografts. The aim of this study was to determine whether indirect allorecognition of HLA class I-derived peptides occurred in lung transplant (LTx) recipients and whether it correlated with the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS).

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from LTx recipients were cultured with synthetic peptides corresponding to the hypervariable regions of the mismatched HLA class I antigens of the donor.

Peripheral blood microchimerism in human liver and renal transplant recipients: rejection despite donor-specific chimerism.

Background: Development of donor-specific microchimerism (DSM) has been proposed as one of the possible mechanisms for induction and maintenance of allograft tolerance. The aim of this study was to determine: (1) the state of DSM in liver transplant (LTx) and renal transplant (RTx) recipients, (2) whether the persistent presence of an allograft is a requirement for maintenance of chimerism, and (3) whether donor-specific blood transfusions (DST) facilitate chimerism development in RTx recipients and whether this correlates with allograft function.

Methods: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of DSM in peripheral blood of LTx and RTx recipients was assessed by polymerase chain reaction and competitive polymerase chain reaction using HLA-DR probes for mismatched antigens between the donor and recipient.

Evidence that pediatric liver transplant recipients may undergo late rejection episodes in spite of donor-specific microchimerism.

Lymphocytes of donor origin can be demonstrated in the blood of many liver transplant recipients. It has been proposed that this chimerism may imply graft tolerance and permit withdrawal of immunosuppression. We report two children with liver transplants who had lymphocyte chimerism demonstrated at the time of late rejection episodes.

Effect of recombinant interferon gamma administration on lesional monocytes/macrophages in lepromatous leprosy patients.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anion (O2-) were estimated in lesional cells from 10 lepromatous leprosy patients injected intralesionally with recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma). Clinically similar contralateral lesions injected with excipient served as controls. Lesional esterase-positive cells (suggestive of monocytes/macrophages) from rIFN-gamma-injected sites of many subjects showed net increments in the H2O2 and O2 levels compared to controls.