Mycobacterium bovis BCG as a delivery system for the RAP-1 antigen from Babesia bovis

Babesia bovis is the causative agent of babesiosis, a tick-borne disease that is a major cause of loss to livestock production in Latin America. Vaccination against Babesia species represents a major challenge against cattle morbidity and mortality in enzootic areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to deliver the rhoptry associated protein (RAP-1) antigen of B. bovis and to stimulate specific cellular and humoral immune responses in mice. Two of five mycobacterial expression vectors efficiently expressed the antigen. These constructs were subsequently studied in vivo following three immunization protocols. The construct with the greatest in vivo stability proved to be the one that induced the strongest immune responses. Our data support the hypothesis that specific T lymphocyte priming by rBCG can be employed as a component of a combined vaccine strategy to induce long-lasting humoral and cellular immune responsiveness towards B. bovis and encourage further work on the application of rBCG to the development of Babesia vaccines.     

Parental Influences on Adolescent Major Depressive Symptoms and Marijuana Use

Adolescent depression is associated with many negative outcomes, including elevated marijuana use. Although parental influences on adolescent depressive symptoms and marijuana use have been examined independently, their interrelation remains understudied. The current research investigates the hypothesis that lower levels of parental monitoring and warmth are inversely associated with adolescent depressive symptoms and marijuana use. A path analytic approach (N = 12,115) on data from a representative US sample indicated depressive symptoms had an indirect effect on the relationship between parental warmth (p < .001), monitoring (p = .013), and adolescent marijuana use. Exploring relationships grouped by respondents’ age (12–14 and 15–17 years, respectively) revealed minor differences. Depressive symptoms had significant indirect effects on parental warmth and marijuana use (both p < .001) and on parental monitoring and marijuana use (both p < .05). Parental influences appear to play an important role in marijuana use among adolescents with depressive symptoms.

     

CCR3 Blockade Attenuates Eosinophilic Ileitis and Associated Remodeling

Intestinal remodeling and stricture formation is a complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that often requires surgical intervention. Although eosinophils are associated with mucosal remodeling in other organs and are increased in IBD tissues, their role in IBD-associated remodeling is unclear. Histological and molecular features of ileitis and remodeling were assessed using immunohistochemical, histomorphometric, flow cytometric, and molecular analysis (real-time RT-PCR) techniques in a murine model of chronic eosinophilic ileitis. Collagen protein was assessed by Sircol assay. Using a spontaneous eosinophilic Crohn's-like mouse model SAMP1/SkuSlc, we demonstrate an association between ileitis progression and remodeling over the course of 40 weeks. Mucosal and submucosal eosinophilia increased over the time course and correlated with increased histological inflammatory indices. Ileitis and remodeling increased over the 40 weeks, as did expression of fibronectin. CCR3-specific antibody-mediated reduction of eosinophils resulted in significant decrease in goblet cell hyperplasia, muscularis propria hypertrophy, villus blunting, and expression of inflammatory and remodeling genes, including fibronectin. Cellularity of local mesenteric lymph nodes, including T- and B-lymphocytes, was also significantly reduced. Thus, eosinophils participate in intestinal remodeling, supporting eosinophils as a novel therapeutic target.     

Factors contributing to adherence to dietary treatment of eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases

The purpose of the present study was to identify barriers to dietary adherence found in the treatment of children with eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs) and food allergy. A prospective study using a self-administered survey to parents of children with EGIDs at a national advocacy meeting was completed. Responses from 45 participants describing children ages 1 to 18 years (69% boys) identified that 63% were adherent to food restrictions. Physicians provided dietary instructions more often than dietitians. Nonadherence was associated with lack of school support (P?相似文献   

Complete rejection of a T-cell lymphoma due to synergism of T-cell receptor costimulatory molecules, CD80, CD40L, and CD40

The equal importance of the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of antigen presentation as well as the set of costimulatory signals provided by antigen presenting cells to T-cells in determining the outcome of T-cell responses at the time of antigen recognition is now clear. Moreover, an important function in innate mechanisms has been recently attributed to costimulatory molecules demonstrating their relevant role in different stages of immune response. In this paper, we demonstrated the ability of CD40L (CD154) and CD80 costimulatory molecules expression in a T-cell lymphoma to induce both T-cell dependent and independent immune responses leading to an important anti-tumor effect. CD40 expression by LBC cells enhanced only T-cell dependent anti-tumor immune response resulting in tumor rejection. Furthermore, this work represents the first report to describe complete tumor rejection after co-inoculation of lymphoma cells transfected with CD40L and CD80 in either presence or absence of CD40 expressing lymphoma cells. In addition, this synergistic effect resulted in long lasting immunity to parental tumor cells. Co-inoculation of tumor cells each genetically modified to express a different costimulatory molecule circumvents the need to co-transfect genetically unstable tumor cells and represents an option for those weakly or non-immunogenic tumors where either treatment alone proved to be inefficient. This strategy represents a promising approach for inducing anti-tumor immunity and provides a new rational design of cancer therapies.     

RANKL expression in a case of follicular lymphoma

The TNF-family molecule, RANKL, is a key regulator of bone remodeling and essential for the development and activation of osteoclasis. Bone involvement signals diesease activity in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and influences the progenesis. The molecular mechanism and soluble factors involved in osteoclastic activation in haematological malignancies remain unclear except for Multiple Myeloma and Adult T-cell Leukemia. The aim of this paper is to report the first case of Follicular Lymphoma with bone involvement displaying an aberrant expression of RANKL in malignant cells. The detection of RANKL in Follicullar Lymphoma may help to prevent bone lesion in patients by determining an appropriate treatment.