IFNγ-IL12 axis regulates intercellular crosstalk in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Obesity is a major cause of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and is characterized by inflammation and insulin resistance. Interferon-γ (IFNγ) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine elevated in obesity and modulating macrophage functions. Here, we show that male mice with loss of IFNγ signaling in myeloid cells (Lyz-IFNγR2) are protected from diet-induced insulin resistance despite fatty liver.

Strain-specific variation of the decorin-binding adhesin DbpA influences the tissue tropism of the lyme disease spirochete.

Lyme disease spirochetes demonstrate strain- and species-specific differences in tissue tropism. For example, the three major Lyme disease spirochete species, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii, and B.

RAGE regulates the metabolic and inflammatory response to high-fat feeding in mice.

In mammals, changes in the metabolic state, including obesity, fasting, cold challenge, and high-fat diets (HFDs), activate complex immune responses. In many strains of rodents, HFDs induce a rapid systemic inflammatory response and lead to obesity. Little is known about the molecular signals required for HFD-induced phenotypes.

GRP78 plays an essential role in adipogenesis and postnatal growth in mice.

To investigate the role of GRP78 in adipogenesis and metabolic homeostasis, we knocked down GRP78 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes induced to undergo differentiation into adipocytes. We also created an adipose Grp78-knockout mouse utilizing the aP2 (fatty acid binding protein 4) promoter-driven Cre-recombinase. Adipogenesis was monitored by molecular markers and histology.

Allelic variation of the Lyme disease spirochete adhesin DbpA influences spirochetal binding to decorin, dermatan sulfate, and mammalian cells.

After transmission by an infected tick, the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, colonizes the mammalian skin and may disseminate systemically. The three major species of Lyme disease spirochete--B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B.

Genetic control of the innate immune response to Borrelia hermsii influences the course of relapsing fever in inbred strains of mice.

Host susceptibility to infection is controlled in large measure by the genetic makeup of the host. Spirochetes of the genus Borrelia include nearly 40 species of vector-borne spirochetes that are capable of infecting a wide range of mammalian hosts, causing Lyme disease and relapsing fever. Relapsing fever is associated with high-level bacteremia, as well as hematologic manifestations, such as thrombocytopenia (i.

In vitro CpG methylation increases the transformation efficiency of Borrelia burgdorferi strains harboring the endogenous linear plasmid lp56.

Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne illness in the Northern hemisphere. Low-passage-number infectious strains of B. burgdorferi exhibit extremely low transformation efficiencies-so low, in fact, as to hinder the genetic study of putative virulence factors.

Patients with inflammatory arthritic diseases harbor elevated serum and synovial fluid levels of free and immune-complexed glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (G6PI).

In K/BxN mice, anti-glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (G6PI) IgG antibodies (Abs) cause joint-specific inflammation and destruction. Anti-G6PI Abs are also present in humans with inflammatory arthritis, especially among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A contributing factor to the induction of such autoantibodies may be upregulated expression of the corresponding antigen G6PI in affected tissues and/or increased levels of G6PI in the circulation.

Identification of genes with altered expression in medullary breast cancer vs. ductal breast cancer and normal breast epithelia.

Medullary breast cancer (MCB) is a morphologically and biologically distinct subtype that, despite cytologically highly malignant characteristics, has a favorable prognosis compared to the more common infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma. MCB metastasizes less frequently, which has been attributed to both immunological and endogenous cellular factors, although little is known about the distinct biology of MCB that may contribute to the improved outcome of MCB patients. To identify candidate genes, we performed gene array expression analysis of cell lines of MCB, ductal breast cancer and normal breast epithelia, and the differential expression of a panel of candidate genes was further validated by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical analysis of cell lines and tumor biopsies.

Late-onset group B streptococcal infection in identical twins: insight to disease pathogenesis.

Late-onset group B streptococcal (GBS) infection affecting identical twins is described. Although exhibiting similar signs and symptoms at presentation, twin A suffered fulminant fatal meningitis while twin B recovered completely. The GBS isolates proved to be genetically identical and possessed equivalent abilities to invade and injure cells of the human blood-brain barrier in vitro.

Group B streptococcal beta-hemolysin/cytolysin promotes invasion of human lung epithelial cells and the release of interleukin-8.

Pneumonia and lung injury are hallmarks of early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) infections. Production of a beta-hemolysin/cytolysin (beta-h/c) encoded by the cylE gene is associated with GBS virulence in vivo. To elucidate the contribution of the beta-h/c toxin to lung injury, the interactions of GBS wild-type strains and isogenic cylE mutants with A549 lung epithelial cells were examined.

The glomerular epithelial cell anti-adhesin podocalyxin associates with the actin cytoskeleton through interactions with ezrin.

During development, renal glomerular epithelial cells (podocytes) undergo extensive morphologic changes necessary for creation of the glomerular filtration apparatus. These changes include formation of interdigitating foot processes, replacement of tight junctions with slit diaphragms, and the concomitant opening of intercellular urinary spaces. It was postulated previously and confirmed recently that podocalyxin, a sialomucin, plays a major role in maintaining the urinary space open by virtue of the physicochemical properties of its highly negatively charged ectodomain.