Emerging Concepts about NAIP/NLRC4 Inflammasomes.

Neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP)/NOD-like receptor (NLR) containing a caspase activating and recruitment domain (CARD) 4 (NLRC4) inflammasome complexes are activated in response to proteins from virulent bacteria that reach the cell cytosol. Specific NAIP proteins bind to the agonists and then physically associate with NLRC4 to form an inflammasome complex able to recruit and activate pro-caspase-1. NAIP5 and NAIP6 sense flagellin, component of flagella from motile bacteria, whereas NAIP1 and NAIP2 detect needle and rod components from bacterial type III secretion systems, respectively.

Allogeneic apoptotic thymocyte-stimulated dendritic cells expand functional regulatory T cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in the clearance of apoptotic cells. The removal of apoptotic cells leads to peripheral tolerance, although their role is still not clear. We show that the uptake of apoptotic thymocytes by DCs converts these cells into tolerogenic DCs resistant to maturation by lipopolysaccharide, modulating the production of interleukin-12 and up-regulating the expression of transforming growth factor-β(1) latency associated peptide.

Increased frequency of anti-retina antibodies in asymptomatic patients with chronic t. gondii infection.

Purpose: To search for anti-retina antibodies that serve as markers for eye disease in uveitis.

Materials And Methods: Stored sera from patients with uveitis, ocular toxoplasmosis (n = 30) and non-infectious, immune-mediated uveitis (n = 50) and from asymptomatic individuals who were positive (n = 250) and negative (n = 250) for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were tested. Serum anti-retina IgG was detected by an optimized ELISA using a solid-phase whole human retina extract, bovine S-antigen or interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein.

Expansion of CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ T cells by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most important antigen-presenting cells of the immune system and have a crucial role in T-lymphocyte activation and adaptive immunity initiation. However, DCs have also been implicated in maintaining immunological tolerance. In this study, we evaluated changes in the CD4(+) CD25(+) Foxp3(+) T-cell population after co-culture of lymph node cells from BALB/c mice with syngeneic bone marrow-derived DCs.