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de Roode, Jacobus C.; Lefèvre, Thierry
Parasites can dramatically reduce the fitness of their hosts, and natural selection should favor defense mechanisms that can protect hosts against disease. Much work has focused on understanding genetic and physiological immunity against parasites, but hosts can also use behaviors to avoid infection, reduce parasite growth or alleviate disease symptoms. It is increasingly recognized that such behaviors are common in insects, providing strong protection against parasites and parasitoids. We review the current evidence for behavioral immunity in insects, present a framework for investigating such behavior, and emphasize that behavioral immunity may act through indirect rather than direct fitness benefits. We also discuss the implications for host-parasite co-evolution, local adaptation, and the evolution of non-behavioral physiological immune systems. Finally, we argue that the study of behavioral immunity in insects has much to offer for investigations in vertebrates, in which this topic has traditionally been studied. PMID:26466629
... How Can I Help a Friend Who Cuts? Immune System KidsHealth > For Teens > Immune System Print A A ... could put us out of commission. What the Immune System Does The immune (pronounced: ih-MYOON) system, which ...
A properly functioning immune system is essential to good health. It defends the body against infectious agents and in some cases tumor cells. Individuals with immune deficiencies resulting from genetic defects, diseases (e.g., AIDS, leukemia), or drug therapies are more suscepti...
Biesmans, Steven; Meert, Theo F; Bouwknecht, Jan A; Acton, Paul D; Davoodi, Nima; De Haes, Patrick; Kuijlaars, Jacobine; Langlois, Xavier; Matthews, Liam J R; Ver Donck, Luc; Hellings, Niels; Nuydens, Rony
Substantial evidence indicates an association between clinical depression and altered immune function. Systemic administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is commonly used to study inflammation-associated behavioral changes in rodents. In these experiments, we tested the hypothesis that peripheral immune activation leads to neuroinflammation and depressive-like behavior in mice. We report that systemic administration of LPS induced astrocyte activation in transgenic GFAP-luc mice and increased immunoreactivity against the microglial marker ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 in the dentate gyrus of wild-type mice. Furthermore, LPS treatment caused a strong but transient increase in cytokine levels in the serum and brain. In addition to studying LPS-induced neuroinflammation, we tested whether sickness could be separated from depressive-like behavior by evaluating LPS-treated mice in a panel of behavioral paradigms. Our behavioral data indicate that systemic LPS administration caused sickness and mild depressive-like behavior. However, due to the overlapping time course and mild effects on depression-related behavior per se, it was not possible to separate sickness from depressive-like behavior in the present rodent model. PMID:23935246
Wang, Bo; Zhou, Ping
From evolutionary reasoning, we derived a novel hypothesis that ingroup derogation is an evolved response of behavioral immune system which follows the smoke detector principle and the functional flexibility principle. This hypothesis was tested and supported across three experiments. In Experiment 1, participants’ group membership was manipulated by using a minimal group paradigm. The results indicated that mere social categorization alone — a heuristic cue that implies the differentiation between "us" and "them" — was sufficient to elicit ingroup derogation among Chinese participants, and, such an intergroup bias was positively associated with the perceived vulnerability to diseases, which was also more consistently associated with ingroup attitudes. Experiment 2 extended and partially replicated Experiment 1 by showing that when there were cues of diseases in the immediate physical environment, Chinese participants exaggerated their attitudes of ingroup derogation. The results also showed that this effect was mainly driven by outgroup attraction. Experiment 3 changed the method of disease manipulation, and found that Chinese participants responded more strongly to disease cues originating from ingroup members and that they endorsed more ingroup derogation attitudes even when the ingroup and outgroup members were both displaying cues of diseases. Taken together, these results reveal the previously unexplored effects of infectious diseases on ingroup derogation attitudes, and suggest an interesting linkage between the evolved behavioral immune system and the ingroup derogation. PMID:25816247
Wu, Qi; Tan, Chuan; Wang, Bo; Zhou, Ping
From evolutionary reasoning, we derived a novel hypothesis that ingroup derogation is an evolved response of behavioral immune system which follows the smoke detector principle and the functional flexibility principle. This hypothesis was tested and supported across three experiments. In Experiment 1, participants' group membership was manipulated by using a minimal group paradigm. The results indicated that mere social categorization alone - a heuristic cue that implies the differentiation between "us" and "them" - was sufficient to elicit ingroup derogation among Chinese participants, and, such an intergroup bias was positively associated with the perceived vulnerability to diseases, which was also more consistently associated with ingroup attitudes. Experiment 2 extended and partially replicated Experiment 1 by showing that when there were cues of diseases in the immediate physical environment, Chinese participants exaggerated their attitudes of ingroup derogation. The results also showed that this effect was mainly driven by outgroup attraction. Experiment 3 changed the method of disease manipulation, and found that Chinese participants responded more strongly to disease cues originating from ingroup members and that they endorsed more ingroup derogation attitudes even when the ingroup and outgroup members were both displaying cues of diseases. Taken together, these results reveal the previously unexplored effects of infectious diseases on ingroup derogation attitudes, and suggest an interesting linkage between the evolved behavioral immune system and the ingroup derogation. PMID:25816247
... Tips" to find out more! Email * Zipcode The Immune System and Psoriatic Disease What is an autoimmune disease? ... swollen and painful joints and tendons. Treating the immune system The immune system is not only the key ...
... substances that are usually not harmful Immune deficiency diseases - disorders in which the immune system is missing one or more of its parts Autoimmune diseases - diseases causing your immune system to attack your ...
Our Immune System A story for children with primary immunodeficiency diseases Written by Sara LeBien IMMUNE DEFICIENCY FOUNDATION A note ... who are immune deficient to better understand their immune system. What is a “ B-cell, ” a “ T-cell, ” ...
Your immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend against germs. It ... t, to find and destroy them. If your immune system cannot do its job, the results can be ...
... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000093.htm Pneumonia - weakened immune system To use the sharing features on this page, ... fighting off infection because of problems with the immune system. This type of disease is called "pneumonia in ...
... Homework? Here's Help White House Lunch Recipes Quiz: Immune System KidsHealth > For Kids > Quiz: Immune System Print A A A Text Size How much do you know about your immune system? Find out by taking this quiz! View Survey ...
The immune system protects the body from potentially harmful substances. The inflammatory response (inflammation) is part of innate immunity. It occurs when tissues are injured by bacteria, trauma, toxins, heat or any other cause.
The immune system protects the body from potentially harmful substances. The inflammatory response (inflammation) is part of innate immunity. It occurs when tissues are injured by bacteria, trauma, toxins, heat, or any other cause.
Work, Kirsten A.; Gibbs, Melissa A.; Friedman, Erich J.
We describe a card game that helps introductory biology students understand the basics of the immune response to pathogens. Students simulate the steps of the immune response with cards that represent the pathogens and the cells and molecules mobilized by the immune system. In the process, they learn the similarities and differences between the…
Nautiyal, Katherine M; Ribeiro, Ana C; Pfaff, Donald W; Silver, Rae
Mast cells are resident in the brain and contain numerous mediators, including neurotransmitters, cytokines, and chemokines, that are released in response to a variety of natural and pharmacological triggers. The number of mast cells in the brain fluctuates with stress and various behavioral and endocrine states. These properties suggest that mast cells are poised to influence neural systems underlying behavior. Using genetic and pharmacological loss-of-function models we performed a behavioral screen for arousal responses including emotionality, locomotor, and sensory components. We found that mast cell deficient Kit(W-sh/W-sh) (sash(-/-)) mice had a greater anxiety-like phenotype than WT and heterozygote littermate control animals in the open field arena and elevated plus maze. Second, we show that blockade of brain, but not peripheral, mast cell activation increased anxiety-like behavior. Taken together, the data implicate brain mast cells in the modulation of anxiety-like behavior and provide evidence for the behavioral importance of neuroimmune links. PMID:19004805
Nautiyal, Katherine M.; Ribeiro, Ana C.; Pfaff, Donald W.; Silver, Rae
Mast cells are resident in the brain and contain numerous mediators, including neurotransmitters, cytokines, and chemokines, that are released in response to a variety of natural and pharmacological triggers. The number of mast cells in the brain fluctuates with stress and various behavioral and endocrine states. These properties suggest that mast cells are poised to influence neural systems underlying behavior. Using genetic and pharmacological loss-of-function models we performed a behavioral screen for arousal responses including emotionality, locomotor, and sensory components. We found that mast cell deficient KitW−sh/W−sh (sash−/−) mice had a greater anxiety-like phenotype than WT and heterozygote littermate control animals in the open field arena and elevated plus maze. Second, we show that blockade of brain, but not peripheral, mast cell activation increased anxiety-like behavior. Taken together, the data implicate brain mast cells in the modulation of anxiety-like behavior and provide evidence for the behavioral importance of neuroimmune links. PMID:19004805
Stromberg, Sean P.
The adaptive immune system can be viewed as a complex system, which adapts, over time, to reflect the history of infections experienced by the organism. Understanding its operation requires viewing it in terms of tradeoffs under constraints and evolutionary history. It typically displays "robust, yet fragile" behavior, meaning common tasks are robust to small changes but novel threats or changes in environment can have dire consequences. In this dissertation we use mechanistic models to study several biological processes: the immune response, the homeostasis of cells in the lymphatic system, and the process that normally prevents autoreactive cells from entering the lymphatic system. Using these models we then study the effects of these processes interacting. We show that the mechanisms that regulate the numbers of cells in the immune system, in conjunction with the immune response, can act to suppress autoreactive cells from proliferating, thus showing quantitatively how pathogenic infections can suppress autoimmune disease. We also show that over long periods of time this same effect can thin the repertoire of cells that defend against novel threats, leading to an age correlated vulnerability. This vulnerability is shown to be a consequence of system dynamics, not due to degradation of immune system components with age. Finally, modeling a specific tolerance mechanism that normally prevents autoimmune disease, in conjunction with models of the immune response and homeostasis we look at the consequences of the immune system mistakenly incorporating pathogenic molecules into its tolerizing mechanisms. The signature of this dynamic matches closely that of the dengue virus system.
Probably no area of veterinary medicine has seen a greater explosion in knowledge then the immune system and its implications in disease and vaccination. In this chapter on the Swine Immune System for the 10th Edition of Diseases of Swine we expand on the information provided in past editions by in...
... lock onto them. T cells are like the soldiers, destroying the invaders that the intelligence system has ... can't be prevented, you can help your child's immune system stay stronger and fight illnesses by ...
Izmailian, N. Sh.; Papoyan, Vl. V.; Priezzhev, V. B.; Hu, Chin-Kun
We propose a lattice model for the co-evolution of a virus population and an adaptive immune system. We show that, under some natural assumptions, both probability distribution of the virus population and the distribution of activity of the immune system tend during the evolution to a self-organized critical state.
... your healthy cells. How HIV Affects This Complex Process HIV disrupts this process by directly infecting the helper T-cells. Your ... T-cells are destroyed in the HIV replication process. For more information, see NIAID's The Immune System . ...
Godbout, Jonathan P; Moreau, Maïté; Lestage, Jacques; Chen, Jing; Sparkman, Nathan L; O’Connor, Jason; Castanon, Nathalie; Kelley, Keith W; Dantzer, Robert; Johnson, Rodney W
Exposure to peripheral infections may be permissive to cognitive and behavioral complications in the elderly. We have reported that peripheral stimulation of the innate immune system with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes an exaggerated neuroinflammatory response and prolonged sickness behavior in aged BALB/c mice. Because LPS also causes depressive behavior, the purpose of this study was to determine whether aging is associated with an exacerbated depressive-like response. We confirmed that LPS (0.33 mg/kg intraperitoneal) induced a protracted sickness response in aged mice with reductions in locomotor and feeding activities 24 and 48 h postinjection, when young adults had fully recovered. When submitted to the forced swim test 24 h post-LPS, both young adult and aged mice exhibited an increased duration of immobility. However, when submitted to either the forced swim test or the tail suspension test 72 h post-LPS, an increased duration of immobility was evident only in aged mice. This prolonged depressive-like behavior in aged LPS-treated mice was associated with a more pronounced induction of peripheral and brain indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and a markedly higher turnover rate of brain serotonin (as measured by the ratio of 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid over 5-hydroxyt-tryptamine) compared to young adult mice at 24 post-LPS injection. These results provide the first evidence that age-associated reactivity of the brain cytokine system could play a pathophysiological role in the increased prevalence of depression observed in the elderly. PMID:18075491
Brass, A.; Bancroft, A. J.; Clamp, M. E.; Grencis, R. K.; Else, K. J.
A simple cellular automata model has been constructed to investigate the interactions between the two T-helper subset cell types (TH1 and TH2) in a lymph node during chronic parasitic infection. The model exhibits behavior similar to a phase transition as a function of the antigenic burden placed on the host. At low antigen density the behavior of the model resembles that of a ``paramagnetic'' phase in which both T-helper cell subset cells can coexist. Above a threshold antigen density then one or other of the TH subset cells becomes dominant and forms a single, connected, infinite cluster (equivalent to a ``ferromagnetic'' phase). Much of the phenomenological behavior of the model is seen to be in good agreement with that observed in animal models of parasitic infection.
... Research Matters December 3, 2012 Technique Selectively Represses Immune System Myelin (green) encases and protects nerve fibers (brown). A new technique prevents the immune system from attacking myelin in a mouse model of ...
Stein, M; Keller, S E; Schleifer, S J
The demonstration that behavioral states and CNS processes are associated with immune function suggests that there may be a relationship between anxiety and the immune system. Stress and immunity have been studied extensively, but there have been relatively few studies of anxiety and immunity. Many of the neurobiologic processes associated with stress and with depression have been observed in anxiety and are known to influence the immune system. A review of the immune response to stress and of immune alterations in depression has been presented in an effort to provide further understanding of the biology of anxiety. It appears that a variety of factors such as age; sex; nature, intensity, and chronicity of a stressful life events; and psychologic response to life stress need to be considered in the investigation of behavior and immunity. The biologic effects of stress on immunity are multifaceted, including complex neuroendocrine and neurotransmitter interactions. Further investigation is required of anxiety and immunity in clearly delineated and diagnosed anxiety states and disorders. Such studies may help to elucidate the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders. PMID:3047704
Llewellyn, D; Brown, G P; Thompson, M B; Shine, R
The challenges posed by parasites and pathogens evoke behavioral as well as physiological responses. Such behavioral responses are poorly understood for most ectothermic species, including anuran amphibians. We quantified effects of simulated infection (via injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) on feeding, activity, and thermoregulation of cane toads Bufo marinus within their invasive range in tropical Australia. LPS injection reduced feeding rates in laboratory trials. For toads in outdoor enclosures, LPS injection reduced activity and shifted body temperature profiles. Although previous research has attributed such thermal shifts to behavioral fever (elevated body temperatures may help fight infection), our laboratory studies suggest instead that LPS-injected toads stopped moving. In a thermal gradient, LPS-injected toads thus stayed close to whichever end of the gradient (hot or cold) they were first introduced; the introduction site (rather than behavioral thermoregulation) thus determined body temperature regimes. Shifts in thermal profiles of LPS-injected toads in outdoor enclosures also were a secondary consequence of inactivity. Thus, the primary behavioral effects of an immune response in cane toads are reduced rates of activity and feeding. Thermoregulatory modifications also occur but only as a secondary consequence of inactivity. PMID:21128787
Espinosa, E; Bermúdez-Rattoni, F
There are several phenomena in which the immune and the central nervous systems regulate each other. However, their mechanisms are poorly understood. Since cytokines have a central role in the regulation of the immune response, this review describes their participation in two forms of neuro-immune communication, immunomodulation by psychological stress and behavioral conditioning of immune response. The role of cytokines in the endocrine and behavioral effects of acute phase, where cytokines have an effect in functions of the central nervous system, is also reviewed. The effects of psychological stress are described as both immunosuppressing and immunoenhancing. Among them, a relevant immunosuppressing one is the reduction of IL-1, IL-2, and IFN-gamma levels. In contrast, some of the pro-inflammatory effects of stress are mediated by an increase in the levels of IL-6, IL-1, and TNF mediated by the neurotransmitter Substance P. A possible role for IL-1 and IFN-beta as possible messengers in immune regulation by behavioral conditioning is proposed. Pro-inflammatory cytokines in turn can activate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and induce sickness behavior during the acute phase response, during which the parasympathetic nervous system serves as pathway for their detection by the central nervous system. An account is given about recent findings on the regulation of cytokine expression by neurotransmitters from the sympathetic nervous system (epinephrine and norepinephrine), a key piece in all these mechanisms of brain-immune communication. Possible mechanisms and pathways of communication between the brain and the immune system, as well as the possible participation of other cytokines are discussed. PMID:11496712
Capuron, Lucile; Miller, Andrew H.
There has been an explosion in our knowledge of the pathways and mechanisms by which the immune system can influence the brain and behavior. In the context of inflammation, pro-inflammatory cytokines can access the central nervous system and interact with a cytokine network in the brain to influence virtually every aspect of brain function relevant to behavior including neurotransmitter metabolism, neuroendocrine function, synaptic plasticity, and neurocircuits that regulate mood, motor activity, motivation, anxiety and alarm. Behavioral consequences of these effects of the immune system on the brain include depression, anxiety, fatigue, psychomotor slowing, anorexia, cognitive dysfunction and sleep impairment; symptoms that overlap with those which characterize neuropsychiatric disorders, especially depression. Pathways that appear to be especially important in immune system effects on the brain include the cytokine signaling molecules, p38 mitogen activated protein kinase and nuclear factor kappa B; indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase and its down stream metabolites, kynurenine, quinolinic acid and kynurenic acid; the neurotransmitters, serotonin, dopamine and glutamate; and neurocircuits involving the basal ganglia and anterior cingulate cortex. A series of vulnerability factors including aging and obesity as well as chronic stress also appear to interact with immune to brain signaling to exacerbate immunologic contributions to neuropsychiatric disease. The elucidation of the mechanisms by which the immune system influences behavior yields a host of targets for potential therapeutic development as well as informing strategies for the prevention of neuropsychiatric disease in at risk populations. PMID:21334376
Yuan, Shaochun; Tao, Xin; Huang, Shengfeng; Chen, Shangwu; Xu, Anlong
Animal immune systems can be classified into those of innate immunity and those of adaptive immunity. It is generally thought that the former are universal for all animals and depend on germline-encoded receptors that recognize highly conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), whereas the latter are vertebrate specific and are mediated primarily by lymphocytes bearing a unique antigen receptor. However, novel adaptive or adaptive-like immunities have been found in invertebrates and jawless vertebrates, and extraordinarily complex innate immunities, created through huge expansions of many innate gene families, have recently been found in the cephalochordate amphioxus and the echinoderm sea urchin. These studies not only inspire immunologists to seek novel immune mechanisms in invertebrates but also raise questions about the origin and evolution of vertebrate immunities. PMID:25384142
Gao, Donghong; Miller, Veronica M.; Lawrence, David A.
BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) mice have recently been reported to have behaviors that resemble those of autistic individuals, in that this strain has impairments in social interactions and a restricted repetitive and stereotyped pattern of behaviors. Since immune responses, including autoimmune responses, are known to affect behavior, and individuals with autism have aberrant immune activities, we evaluated the immune system of BTBR mice, and compared their immunity and degree of neuroinflammation with that of C57BL/6 (B6) mice, a highly social control strain, and with F1 offspring. Mice were assessed at postnatal day (pnd) 21 and after behavioral analysis at pnd70. BTBR mice had significantly higher amounts of serum IgG and IgE, of IgG anti-brain antibodies (Abs), and of IgG and IgE deposited in the brain, elevated expression of cytokines, especially IL-33 IL-18, and IL-1β in the brain, and an increased proportion of MHC class II-expressing microglia compared to B6 mice. The F1 mice had intermediate levels of Abs and cytokines as well as social activity. The high Ab levels of BTBR mice are in agreement with their increased numbers of CD40hi/I-Ahi B cells and IgG-secreting B cells. Upon immunization with KLH, the BTBR mice produced 2–3 times more anti-KLH Abs than B6 mice. In contrast to humoral immunity, BTBR mice are significantly more susceptible to listeriosis than B6 or BALB/c mice. The Th2-like immune profile of the BTBR mice and their constitutive neuroinflammation suggests that an autoimmune profile is implicated in their aberrant behaviors, as has been suggested for some humans with autism. PMID:21799730
Zhao, Shutao; Zhu, Weiwei; Xue, Shepu; Han, Daishu
The mammalian testis possesses a special immunological environment because of its properties of remarkable immune privilege and effective local innate immunity. Testicular immune privilege protects immunogenic germ cells from systemic immune attack, and local innate immunity is important in preventing testicular microbial infections. The breakdown of local testicular immune homeostasis may lead to orchitis, an etiological factor of male infertility. The mechanisms underlying testicular immune privilege have been investigated for a long time. Increasing evidence shows that both a local immunosuppressive milieu and systemic immune tolerance are involved in maintaining testicular immune privilege status. The mechanisms underlying testicular innate immunity are emerging based on the investigation of the pattern recognition receptor-mediated innate immune response in testicular cells. This review summarizes our current understanding of testicular defense mechanisms and identifies topics that merit further investigation. PMID:24954222
Zak, Daniel E.; Tam, Vincent C.; Aderem, Alan
Systems-level analysis of biological processes strives to comprehensively and quantitatively evaluate the interactions between the relevant molecular components over time, thereby enabling development of models that can be employed to ultimately predict behavior. Rapid development in measurement technologies (omics), when combined with the accessible nature of the cellular constituents themselves, is allowing the field of innate immunity to take significant strides toward this lofty goal. In this review, we survey exciting results derived from systems biology analyses of the immune system, ranging from gene regulatory networks to influenza pathogenesis and systems vaccinology. PMID:24655298
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are associated with an altered systemic immune response leading to inflammation-mediated damage to the gut and other organs. Oral immune therapy is a method of systemic immune modulation via alteration of the gut immune system. It uses the inherit ability of the innate system of the gut to redirect the systemic innate and adaptive immune responses. Oral immune therapy is an attractive clinical approach to treat autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. It can induce immune modulation without immune suppression, has minimal toxicity and is easily administered. Targeting the systemic immune system via the gut immune system can serve as an attractive novel therapeutic method for IBD. This review summarizes the current data and discusses several examples of oral immune therapeutic methods for using the gut immune system to generate signals to reset systemic immunity as a treatment for IBD. PMID:26900473
Müller, Norbert; Schwarz, Markus J.
Although an immune dysfunction and the involvement of infectious agents in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia are discussed since decades, the field never came into the mainstream of research. In schizophrenia a blunted type-1 immune response seems to be associated with a dysbalance in the activation of the enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and in the tryptophan - kynurenine metabolism resulting in increased production of kynurenic acid in schizophrenia. This is associated with an imbalance in the glutamatergic neurotransmission, leading to an NMDA antagonism in schizophrenia. The immunological effects of antipsychotics rebalance partly the immune imbalance and the overweight of the production of the kynurenic acid. This immunological imbalance results in an inflammatory state combined with increased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production and increased cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. COX-2 inhibitors have been tested in clinical trials, pointing to favourable effects in schizophrenia. PMID:21057585
Pierson, Duane L.; Stowe, Raymond P.; Mishra, Saroj K.
Portable immune-assessment system developed for use in rapidly identifying infections or contaminated environment. System combines few specific fluorescent reagents for identifying immune-cell dysfunction, toxic substances, buildup of microbial antigens or microbial growth, and potential identification of pathogenic microorganisms using fluorescent microplate reader linked to laptop computer. By using few specific dyes for cell metabolism, DNA/RNA conjugation, specific enzyme activity, or cell constituents, one makes immediate, onsite determination of person's health or of contamination of environment.
Carrillo-Vico, Antonio; Lardone, Patricia J.; Álvarez-Sánchez, Nuria; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Ana; Guerrero, Juan M.
Melatonin modulates a wide range of physiological functions with pleiotropic effects on the immune system. Despite the large number of reports implicating melatonin as an immunomodulatory compound, it still remains unclear how melatonin regulates immunity. While some authors argue that melatonin is an immunostimulant, many studies have also described anti-inflammatory properties. The data reviewed in this paper support the idea of melatonin as an immune buffer, acting as a stimulant under basal or immunosuppressive conditions or as an anti-inflammatory compound in the presence of exacerbated immune responses, such as acute inflammation. The clinical relevance of the multiple functions of melatonin under different immune conditions, such as infection, autoimmunity, vaccination and immunosenescence, is also reviewed. PMID:23609496
Spiering, Martin J
The human body regularly encounters and combats many pathogenic organisms and toxic molecules. Its ensuing responses to these disease-causing agents involve two interrelated systems: innate immunity and adaptive (or acquired) immunity. Innate immunity is active at several levels, both at potential points of entry and inside the body (see figure). For example, the skin represents a physical barrier preventing pathogens from invading internal tissues. Digestive enzymes destroy microbes that enter the stomach with food. Macrophages and lymphocytes, equipped with molecular detectors, such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which latch onto foreign structures and activate cellular defenses, patrol the inside of the body. These immune cells sense and devour microbes, damaged cells, and other foreign materials in the body. Certain proteins in the blood (such as proteins of the complement system and those released by natural killer cells, along with antimicrobial host-defense peptides) attach to foreign organisms and toxins to initiate their destruction. PMID:26695756
Subramanian, Naeha; Torabi-Parizi, Parizad; Gottschalk, Rachel A; Germain, Ronald N; Dutta, Bhaskar
The mammalian immune system is a dynamic multiscale system composed of a hierarchically organized set of molecular, cellular, and organismal networks that act in concert to promote effective host defense. These networks range from those involving gene regulatory and protein-protein interactions underlying intracellular signaling pathways and single-cell responses to increasingly complex networks of in vivo cellular interaction, positioning, and migration that determine the overall immune response of an organism. Immunity is thus not the product of simple signaling events but rather nonlinear behaviors arising from dynamic, feedback-regulated interactions among many components. One of the major goals of systems immunology is to quantitatively measure these complex multiscale spatial and temporal interactions, permitting development of computational models that can be used to predict responses to perturbation. Recent technological advances permit collection of comprehensive datasets at multiple molecular and cellular levels, while advances in network biology support representation of the relationships of components at each level as physical or functional interaction networks. The latter facilitate effective visualization of patterns and recognition of emergent properties arising from the many interactions of genes, molecules, and cells of the immune system. We illustrate the power of integrating 'omics' and network modeling approaches for unbiased reconstruction of signaling and transcriptional networks with a focus on applications involving the innate immune system. We further discuss future possibilities for reconstruction of increasingly complex cellular- and organism-level networks and development of sophisticated computational tools for prediction of emergent immune behavior arising from the concerted action of these networks. PMID:25625853
Subramanian, Naeha; Torabi-Parizi, Parizad; Gottschalk, Rachel A.; Germain, Ronald N.; Dutta, Bhaskar
The mammalian immune system is a dynamic multi-scale system composed of a hierarchically organized set of molecular, cellular and organismal networks that act in concert to promote effective host defense. These networks range from those involving gene regulatory and protein-protein interactions underlying intracellular signaling pathways and single cell responses to increasingly complex networks of in vivo cellular interaction, positioning and migration that determine the overall immune response of an organism. Immunity is thus not the product of simple signaling events but rather non-linear behaviors arising from dynamic, feedback-regulated interactions among many components. One of the major goals of systems immunology is to quantitatively measure these complex multi-scale spatial and temporal interactions, permitting development of computational models that can be used to predict responses to perturbation. Recent technological advances permit collection of comprehensive datasets at multiple molecular and cellular levels while advances in network biology support representation of the relationships of components at each level as physical or functional interaction networks. The latter facilitate effective visualization of patterns and recognition of emergent properties arising from the many interactions of genes, molecules, and cells of the immune system. We illustrate the power of integrating ‘omics’ and network modeling approaches for unbiased reconstruction of signaling and transcriptional networks with a focus on applications involving the innate immune system. We further discuss future possibilities for reconstruction of increasingly complex cellular and organism-level networks and development of sophisticated computational tools for prediction of emergent immune behavior arising from the concerted action of these networks. PMID:25625853
Trott, Daniel W.; Harrison, David G.
While hypertension has predominantly been attributed to perturbations of the vasculature, kidney, and central nervous system, research for almost 50 yr has shown that the immune system also contributes to this disease. Inflammatory cells accumulate in the kidneys and vasculature of humans and experimental animals with hypertension and likely…
Horváth, Szatmár; Mirnics, Károly
Epidemiological, genetic, transcriptome, postmortem, peripheral biomarker, and therapeutic studies of schizophrenia all point to a dysregulation of both innate and adaptive immune systems in the disease, and it is likely that these immune changes actively contribute to disease symptoms. Gene expression disturbances in the brain of subjects with schizophrenia show complex, region-specific changes with consistently replicated and potentially interdependent induction of serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade A member 3 (SERPINA3) and interferon inducible transmembrane protein (IFITM) family transcripts in the prefrontal cortex. Recent data suggest that IFITM3 expression is a critical mediator of maternal immune activation. As the IFITM gene family is primarily expressed in the endothelial cells and meninges, and as the meninges play a critical role in interneuron development, we suggest that these two non-neuronal cell populations might play an important role in the disease pathophysiology. Finally, we propose that IFITM3 in particular might be a novel, appealing, knowledge-based drug target for treatment of schizophrenia. Gene*environment interactions play a critical role in the emergence of schizophrenia pathophysiology. Epidemiological, genetic, transcriptome, postmortem, peripheral biomarker, and therapeutic studies of schizophrenia all point to a dysregulation of both innate and adaptive immune systems in the disease (1-3) and it is likely that these immune changes actively contribute to disease symptoms (1, 4, 5). Regardless of the abundance of data obtained to date, our understanding of the mechanism by which the immune system disturbances arise is limited: we do not have a good insight into the origin or sequence of events by which the immune dysregulation develops, and to date we have not taken full advantage of these changes as potential therapeutic targets. PMID:23890736
Butler, Mark J; Behringer, Donald C; Dolan, Thomas W; Moss, Jessica; Shields, Jeffrey D
Sociality has evolved in a wide range of animal taxa but infectious diseases spread rapidly in populations of aggregated individuals, potentially negating the advantages of their social interactions. To disengage from the coevolutionary struggle with pathogens, some hosts have evolved various forms of "behavioral immunity"; yet, the effectiveness of such behaviors in controlling epizootics in the wild is untested. Here we show how one form of behavioral immunity (i.e., the aversion of diseased conspecifics) practiced by Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) when subject to the socially transmitted PaV1 virus, appears to have prevented an epizootic over a large seascape. We capitalized on a "natural experiment" in which a die-off of sponges in the Florida Keys (USA) resulted in a loss of shelters for juvenile lobsters over a ~2500km2 region. Lobsters were thus concentrated in the few remaining shelters, presumably increasing their exposure to the contagious virus. Despite this spatial reorganization of the population, viral prevalence in lobsters remained unchanged after the sponge die-off and for years thereafter. A field experiment in which we introduced either a healthy or PaV1-infected lobster into lobster aggregations in natural dens confirmed that spiny lobsters practice behavioral immunity. Healthy lobsters vacated dens occupied by PaV1-infected lobsters despite the scarcity of alternative shelters and the higher risk of predation they faced when searching for a new den. Simulations from a spatially-explicit, individual-based model confirmed our empirical results, demonstrating the efficacy of behavioral immunity in preventing epizootics in this system. PMID:26061629
Vega, José A; García-Suárez, Olivia; Hannestad, Jonas; Pérez-Pérez, Marta; Germanà, Antonino
The neurotrophins are a family of polypeptide growth factors that are essential for the development and maintenance of the vertebrate nervous system. In recent years, data have emerged indicating that neurotrophins could have a broader role than their name might suggest. In particular, the putative role of NGF and its receptor TrkA in immune system homeostasis has become a much studied topic, whereas information on the other neurotrophins is scarce in this regard. This paper reviews what is known about the expression and possible functions of neurotrophins and their receptors in different immune tissues and cells, as well as recent data obtained from studies of transgenic mice in our laboratory. Results from studies to date support the idea that neurotrophins may regulate some immune functions. They also play an important role in the development of the thymus and in the survival of thymocytes. PMID:12892403
Su, Fei; Patel, Girishchandra B; Hu, Songhua; Chen, Wangxue
Generation of protective immunity at mucosal surfaces can greatly assist the host defense against pathogens which either cause disease at the mucosal epithelial barriers or enter the host through these surfaces. Although mucosal routes of immunization, such as intranasal and oral, are being intensely explored and appear promising for eliciting protective mucosal immunity in mammals, their application in clinical practice has been limited due to technical and safety related challenges. Most of the currently approved human vaccines are administered via systemic (such as intramuscular and subcutaneous) routes. Whereas these routes are acknowledged as being capable to elicit antigen-specific systemic humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, they are generally perceived as incapable of generating IgA responses or protective mucosal immunity. Nevertheless, currently licensed systemic vaccines do provide effective protection against mucosal pathogens such as influenza viruses and Streptococcus pneumoniae. However, whether systemic immunization induces protective mucosal immunity remains a controversial topic. Here we reviewed the current literature and discussed the potential of systemic routes of immunization for the induction of mucosal immunity. PMID:26752023
... Aging Heath and Aging Biology of Aging IMMUNE SYSTEM: Can Your Immune System Still Defend You As You Age? Elementary schools ... protection in older individuals. Organs of the Immune System Adapted from www.niaid.nih.gov The Future ...
Jung, Ho Won; Tschaplinski, Timothy J; Wang, Lin; Glazebrook, Jane; Greenberg, Jean T.
Upon local infection, plants possess inducible systemic defense responses against their natural enemies. Bacterial infection results in the accumulation to high levels of the mobile metabolite C9-dicarboxylic acid azelaic acid in the vascular sap of Arabidopsis. Azelaic acid confers local and systemic resistance against Pseudomonas syringae. The compound primes plants to strongly accumulate salicylic acid (SA), a known defense signal, upon infection. Mutation of a gene induced by azelaic acid (AZI1) results in the specific loss in plants of systemic immunity triggered by pathogen or azelaic acid and of the priming of SA induction. AZI1, a predicted secreted protein, is also important for generating vascular sap that confers disease resistance. Thus, azelaic acid and AZI1 comprise novel components of plant systemic immunity involved in priming defenses.
Reibnegger, G; Fuchs, D; Hausen, A; Werner, E R; Werner-Felmayer, G; Dierich, M P; Wachter, H
A mathematical analysis is presented for several simple dynamical systems that might be considered as crude descriptions for the situation when an immune system retrovirus, immune cells, and normal autonomously replicating pathogens interact. By stability analysis of the steady-state solutions, the destabilizing effect of the immune system retrovirus is described. The qualitative behavior of the solutions depending on the system parameters is analyzed in terms of trajectories moving in a phase space in which the axes are defined by the population numbers of the interacting biological entities. PMID:2522657
Butler, Mark J.; Behringer, Donald C.; Dolan, Thomas W.; Moss, Jessica; Shields, Jeffrey D.
Sociality has evolved in a wide range of animal taxa but infectious diseases spread rapidly in populations of aggregated individuals, potentially negating the advantages of their social interactions. To disengage from the coevolutionary struggle with pathogens, some hosts have evolved various forms of “behavioral immunity”; yet, the effectiveness of such behaviors in controlling epizootics in the wild is untested. Here we show how one form of behavioral immunity (i.e., the aversion of diseased conspecifics) practiced by Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) when subject to the socially transmitted PaV1 virus, appears to have prevented an epizootic over a large seascape. We capitalized on a "natural experiment" in which a die-off of sponges in the Florida Keys (USA) resulted in a loss of shelters for juvenile lobsters over a ~2500km2 region. Lobsters were thus concentrated in the few remaining shelters, presumably increasing their exposure to the contagious virus. Despite this spatial reorganization of the population, viral prevalence in lobsters remained unchanged after the sponge die-off and for years thereafter. A field experiment in which we introduced either a healthy or PaV1-infected lobster into lobster aggregations in natural dens confirmed that spiny lobsters practice behavioral immunity. Healthy lobsters vacated dens occupied by PaV1-infected lobsters despite the scarcity of alternative shelters and the higher risk of predation they faced when searching for a new den. Simulations from a spatially-explicit, individual-based model confirmed our empirical results, demonstrating the efficacy of behavioral immunity in preventing epizootics in this system. PMID:26061629
Muñoz, M; Mazure, R A; Culebras, J M
With an increased prevalence of obesity in developed countries, associated chronic diseases rise in a parallel way. Morbidity secondary to overweight and obesity include type 2 diabetes, dislipemia, hypertension, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, cholelithiasis, osteoarthritis, heart insufficiency, sleep apnoea, menstrual changes, sterility and psychological alterations. There is also a greater susceptibility to suffer some types of cancer, infections, greater risk of bacteremia and a prolonged time of wound healing after surgical operations. All these factors indicate that obesity exerts negative effects upon the immune system. Immune changes found in obesity and their possible interrelations are described in this article. Changes produced during obesity affect both humoral and cellular immunity. It is known that adipose tissue, together with its role as energy reserve in form of triglycerides, has important endocrine functions, producing several hormones and other signal molecules. Immune response can be deeply affected by obesity, playing leptin an important role. Properties of leptin, alterations of leptin levels in different situations and its changes with different medical and surgical therapies for obesity are described in this article. PMID:15672646
Dmitriev, A P
Plants can recognise the penetrating pathogen and respond to the attack with an array of defense reactions. Signal transduction from receptor in plasma membrane to genome is necessary to activate these reactions. Plant cell signaling systems which take part in signal transduction were discovered and identified recently. The obtained results suggest that plant cells have complex and well coordinated signal network which regulates their immune potential. PMID:12187855
Boranić, Milivoj; Sabioncello, Ante; Gabrilovac, Jelka
Innate and acquired immune reactions are controlled by their intrinsic regulatory mechanisms, ie. by an array of cytokines that mediate communication among cells of the immune system itself and with other cells and tissues, e. g. in areas of inflammation. In addition, the immune system is also subjected to systemic regulation by the vegetative and endocrine systems since immune cells express receptors for neurotransmitters and hormones. Neuroendocrine signals may enhance or suppress the immune reaction, accelerate or slow it, but do not affect specificity. Various stressful factors, including the psychosocial ones, affect immunity. In turn, cytokines generated by the immune system influence hormonal secretion and central nervous system, producing specific behavioral changes (the "sickness behavior") accompanying infectious and inflammatory diseases. That includes somnolence, loss of apetite, depression or anxiety and decrease of cognitive abilities, attention and memory. Local immune systems in skin and mucosa are also subjected to systemic neuroendocrine regulation and possess intrinsic neuroregulatory networks as well. These mechanisms render skin and respiratory and digestive tracts responsive to various forms of stress. Examples are neurodermitis, asthma and ulcerative colitis. In children, the immune and the neuroendocrine systems are still developing, particularly in fetal, neonatal and early infant periods, and exposure to stressful experiences at that time may result in late consequences in the form of deficient immunity or greater risks for allergic or autoimmune reactions. Recognition of the participation of neuroendocrine mechanisms in regulation of immunity helps us understand alterations and disturbances of immune reactions under the influence of stressful factors but so far has not produced reliable therapeutic implications. Psychosocial interventions involving the child and its family may be useful. PMID:18592962
Yaméogo, Josias B G; Gèze, Annabelle; Choisnard, Luc; Putaux, Jean-Luc; Mazet, Roseline; Passirani, Catherine; Keramidas, Michelle; Coll, Jean-Luc; Lautram, Nolwenn; Bejaud, Jérôme; Semdé, Rasmané; Wouessidjewe, Denis
In a previous study, we reported on the formulation of Artemisinin-loaded surface-decorated nanoparticles (nanospheres and nanoreservoirs) by co-nanoprecipitation of PEG derivatives (PEG1500 and PEG4000-stearate, polysorbate 80) and biosynthesized γ-CD fatty esters. In the present study, the co-nanoprecipitation was extended to the use of a PEGylated phospholipid, namely DMPE-PEG2000. As our goal was to prepare long-circulating nanocarriers for further systemic delivery of Artemisinin (ART), here, we have investigated, on the one hand, the in vitro behavior of these surface-modified γ-CD-C10 particles toward the immune system (complement activation and macrophage uptake assays) and, on the other hand, their biodistribution features in mice. These experiments showed that the in vitro plasma protein adsorption and phagocytosis by macrophage cells triggered by γ-CD-C10 nanoparticles were significantly reduced when their surface was decorated with amphiphilic PEGylated molecules, in particular PEG1500-stearate, DMPE-mPEG2000 or polysorbate 80. The prolonged blood circulation time assessed by fluorescence imaging was demonstrated for unloaded γ-CD-C10-based nanospheres and nanoreservoir particles containing DMPE-PEG2000 and polysorbate80, respectively. These nanoparticles also proved to be non-hemolytic at the concentration range used in vivo. Within the limits of the conducted experiments, the co-nanoprecipitation technique may be considered as an alternative for surface modification of amphiphilic CD-based drug delivery systems and may be applied to the systemic delivery of ART. PMID:25204521
Ter Wolbeek, Maike; Kavelaars, Annemieke; de Vries, Willem B; Tersteeg-Kamperman, Marijke; Veen, Sylvia; Kornelisse, René F; van Weissenbruch, Mirjam; Baerts, Wim; Liem, Kian D; van Bel, Frank; Heijnen, Cobi J
Neonatal glucocorticoid (GC) treatment is used to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in prematurely born babies. In the 1990s, treatment regimens with relatively high doses of dexamethasone (DEX) were common. As an alternative, hydrocortisone (HC) was used. Earlier, we compared long-term effects of both GCs in children aged 7-10 and detected adverse effects of neonatal DEX treatment, but not of HC, on a range of outcomes. The aim of the current cohort study was to investigate whether long-term effects of neonatal DEX were maintained and whether effects of HC remained absent at adolescent age (14-17years). We compared 71 DEX-treated and 67 HC-treated adolescents. In addition, 71 adolescents who were not neonatally treated with GCs participated. All were born <32weeks of gestation. DEX-treated girls showed increased adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol responses in the Trier Social Stress Test. The cortisol awakening response was lower in HC-treated participants compared to untreated participants. Negative feedback function of the HPA-axis in the dexamethasone suppression test did not differ between groups. In contrast to our observations at the age of 7-10years, we did not observe group differences in mitogen-induced cytokine production at the age of 14-17years. DEX-treated girls showed more social problems and anxious/depressed behavior than HC-treated girls. Untreated girls showed more problem behavior as well. In conclusion, our results suggest that, especially in girls, neonatal DEX has a programming effect on the HPA-axis and on the ability to adjust to the environment. The loss of group differences on immune system measures indicate that potentially negative effects detected at a younger age subsided. PMID:25449580
Exposure to chemicals may alter immune system health, increasing the risk of infections, allergy and autoimmune diseases. The chapter provides a concise overview of the immune system, host factors that affect immune system heal, and the effects that xenobiotic exposure may have ...
Walker, Melissa A.; Sims, Katherine B.; Walter, Jolan E.; Traggiai, Elisabetta
Mitochondria are critical subcellular organelles that are required for several metabolic processes, including oxidative phosphorylation, as well as signaling and tissue-specific processes. Current understanding of the role of mitochondria in both the innate and adaptive immune systems is expanding. Concurrently, immunodeficiencies arising from perturbation of mitochondrial elements are increasingly recognized. Recent observations of immune dysfunction and increased incidence of infection in patients with primary mitochondrial disorders further support an important role for mitochondria in the proper function of the immune system. Here we review current findings. PMID:25309931
Sun, Joseph C; Ugolini, Sophie; Vivier, Eric
Immune memory has traditionally been the domain of the adaptive immune system, present only in antigen-specific T and B cells. The purpose of this review is to summarize the evidence for immunological memory in lower organisms (which are not thought to possess adaptive immunity) and within specific cell subsets of the innate immune system. A special focus will be given to recent findings in both mouse and humans for specificity and memory in natural killer (NK) cells, which have resided under the umbrella of innate immunity for decades. The surprising longevity and enhanced responses of previously primed NK cells will be discussed in the context of several immunization settings. PMID:24674969
Dasgupta, D.; KrishnaKumar, K.; Wong, D.; Berry, M.
In the study reported in this paper, we have developed and applied an Artificial Immune System (AIS) algorithm for aircraft fault detection, as an extension to a previous work on intelligent flight control (IFC). Though the prior studies had established the benefits of IFC, one area of weakness that needed to be strengthened was the control dead band induced by commanding a failed surface. Since the IFC approach uses fault accommodation with no detection, the dead band, although it reduces over time due to learning, is present and causes degradation in handling qualities. If the failure can be identified, this dead band can be further A ed to ensure rapid fault accommodation and better handling qualities. The paper describes the application of an immunity-based approach that can detect a broad spectrum of known and unforeseen failures. The approach incorporates the knowledge of the normal operational behavior of the aircraft from sensory data, and probabilistically generates a set of pattern detectors that can detect any abnormalities (including faults) in the behavior pattern indicating unsafe in-flight operation. We developed a tool called MILD (Multi-level Immune Learning Detection) based on a real-valued negative selection algorithm that can generate a small number of specialized detectors (as signatures of known failure conditions) and a larger set of generalized detectors for unknown (or possible) fault conditions. Once the fault is detected and identified, an adaptive control system would use this detection information to stabilize the aircraft by utilizing available resources (control surfaces). We experimented with data sets collected under normal and various simulated failure conditions using a piloted motion-base simulation facility. The reported results are from a collection of test cases that reflect the performance of the proposed immunity-based fault detection algorithm.
... Immune System & Its Link to Rheumatic Disease The Immune System and Its Link to Rheumatic Disease Fast Facts ... of a vessel of the body). What’s the immune system? The immune system allows us to identify and ...
Baum, M; Liesen, H
Acute exercise is followed by a mobilization of white blood cells, mainly induced by increased levels of catecholamines and cortisol. NK-cells react the most intensive, they can increase fivefold after intensive exercise. Additionally a weak acute-phase reaction occurs. Most of these changes normalize during twenty-four hours. Parameters of the humoral immune system may be different from the pre-exercise levels up to seventy-two hours. Repeated physical exercise, which is typical for sports, is followed only by small changes of immunologic parameters under conditions of rest. Epidemiological studies give clues that the rate of upper respiratory tract infections in athletes can be described by a j-shaped curve. Moderately active subjects have the lowest rate of infection. For this influence of exercise on health mainly functional changes seem to be important. Especially after excentric exercise immunological cells can be seen in the muscle tissue, which remove destructed tissue. Not very much is known about the role of the immune system in the regeneration of tendons and other bradytrophic tissues. PMID:9490433
Marin, Ioana; Kipnis, Jonathan
The nervous system and the immune system are two main regulators of homeostasis in the body. Communication between them ensures normal functioning of the organism. Immune cells and molecules are required for sculpting the circuitry and determining the activity of the nervous system. Within the parenchyma of the central nervous system (CNS),…
Salmonella infections are a serious public health problem in developing countries and represent a constant concern for the food industry. The severity and the outcome of a systemic Salmonella infection depends on the "virulence" of the bacteria, on the infectious dose as well as on the genetic makeup and immunological status of the host. The control of bacterial growth in the reticuloendothelial system (RES) in the early phases of a Salmonella infection relies on the NADPH oxidase-dependent anti-microbial functions of resident phagocytes and is controlled by the innate resistance gene Nramp1. This early phase is followed by the suppression of Salmonella growth in the RES due to the onset of an adaptive host response. This response relies on the concerted action of a number of cytokines (TNFalpha, IFNgamma, IL12, IL18, and IL15), on the recruitment of inflammatory phagocytes in the tissues and on the activation of the recruited cells. Phagocytes control bacterial growth in this phase of the infection by producing reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI) generated via the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Clearance of the bacteria from the RES at a later stage of the infection requires the CD28-dependent activation of CD4+ TCR-alphabeta T-cells and is controlled by MHC class II genes. Resistance to re-infection with virulent Salmonella micro-organisms requires the presence of Th1 type immunological memory and anti-Salmonella antibodies. Thus, the development of protective immunity to Salmonella infections relies on the cross-talk between the humoral and cellular branches of the immune system. PMID:12108950
A method of recognizing or classifying patterns is based on an artificial immune system (AIS), which includes an algorithm and a computational model of nonlinear dynamics inspired by the behavior of a biological immune system. The method has been proposed as the theoretical basis of the computational portion of a star-tracking system aboard a spacecraft. In that system, a newly acquired star image would be treated as an antigen that would be matched by an appropriate antibody (an entry in a star catalog). The method would enable rapid convergence, would afford robustness in the face of noise in the star sensors, would enable recognition of star images acquired in any sensor or spacecraft orientation, and would not make an excessive demand on the computational resources of a typical spacecraft. Going beyond the star-tracking application, the AIS-based pattern-recognition method is potentially applicable to pattern- recognition and -classification processes for diverse purposes -- for example, reconnaissance, detecting intruders, and mining data.
This paper proposes that an organism's integrated repertoire of operant behavior has the status of a biological system, similar to other biological systems, like the nervous, cardiovascular, or immune systems. Evidence from a number of sources indicates that the distinctions between biological and behavioral events is often misleading, engendering…
Bose, Sayantan; Panda, Abir Kumar; Mukherjee, Shravanti; Sa, Gaurisankar
Curcumin has long been known to posses medicinal properties and recent scientific studies have shown its efficacy in treating cancer. Curcumin is now considered to be a promising anti-cancer agent and studies continue on its molecular mechanism of action. Curcumin has been shown to act in a multi-faceted manner by targeting the classical hallmarks of cancer like sustained proliferation, evasion of apoptosis, sustained angiogenesis, insensitivity to growth inhibitors, tissue invasion and metastasis etc. However, one of the emerging hallmarks of cancer is the avoidance of immune system by tumors. Growing tumors adopt several strategies to escape immune surveillance and successfully develop in the body. In this review we highlight the recent studies that show that curcumin also targets this process and helps restore the immune activity against cancer. Curcumin mediates several processes like restoration of CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cell populations, reversal of type-2 cytokine bias, reduction of Treg cell population and suppression of T cell apoptosis; all these help to resurrect tumor immune surveillance that leads to tumor regression. Thus interaction of curcumin with the immune system is also an important feature of its multi-faceted modes of action against cancer. Finally, we also point out the drawbacks of and difficulties in curcumin administration and indicate the use of nano-formulations of curcumin for better therapeutic efficacy. PMID:26464579
Nellore, Anoma; Fishman, Jay A
Diverse effects of the microbiome on solid organ transplantation are beginning to be recognized. In allograft recipients, microbial networks are disrupted by immunosuppression, nosocomial and community-based infectious exposures, antimicrobial therapies, surgery, and immune processes. Shifting microbial patterns, including acute infectious exposures, have dynamic and reciprocal interactions with local and systemic immune systems. Both individual microbial species and microbial networks have central roles in the induction and control of innate and adaptive immune responses, in graft rejection, and in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Understanding the diverse interactions between the microbiome and the immune system of allograft recipients may facilitate clinical management in the future. PMID:26656674
Discusses the psychological states associated with enhanced immune system functioning and those associated with suppressed immune functioning. Reviews studies of psychological and behavioral interventions to boost the immune systems of people who are HIV positive. Suggests that group interventions can enhance psychological states associated with…
Wolowczuk, Isabelle; Verwaerde, Claudie; Viltart, Odile; Delanoye, Anne; Delacre, Myriam; Pot, Bruno; Grangette, Corinne
Endogenous intestinal microflora and environmental factors, such as diet, play a central role in immune homeostasis and reactivity. In addition, microflora and diet both influence body weight and insulin-resistance, notably through an action on adipose cells. Moreover, it is known since a long time that any disturbance in metabolism, like obesity, is associated with immune alteration, for example, inflammation. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on how nutrients-derived factors (mostly focusing on fatty acids and glucose) impact the innate and acquired immune systems, including the gut immune system and its associated bacterial flora. We will try to show the reader how the highly energy-demanding immune cells use glucose as a main source of fuel in a way similar to that of insulin-responsive adipose tissue and how Toll-like receptors (TLRs) of the innate immune system, which are found on immune cells, intestinal cells, and adipocytes, are presently viewed as essential actors in the complex balance ensuring bodily immune and metabolic health. Understanding more about these links will surely help to study and understand in a more fundamental way the common observation that eating healthy will keep you and your immune system healthy. PMID:18350123
Oberbarnscheidt, Martin H.; Zecher, Daniel; Lakkis, Fadi G.
The vertebrate innate immune system consists of inflammatory cells and soluble mediators that comprise the first line of defense against microbial infection and, importantly, trigger antigen-specific T and B cell responses that lead to lasting immunity. The molecular mechanisms responsible for microbial non-self recognition by the innate immune system have been elucidated for a large number of pathogens. How the innate immune system recognizes non-microbial non-self, such as organ transplants, is less clear. In this review, we approach this question by describing the principal mechanisms of non-self, or ‘damaged’ self, recognition by the innate immune system (pattern recognition receptors, the missing self theory, and the danger hypothesis) and discussing whether and how these mechanisms apply to allograft rejection. PMID:21723740
Puertollano, M A; Puertollano, E; Alvarez de Cienfuegos, G; de Pablo Martínez, Manuel Antonio
Polyunsaturated fatty acids contribute to the suppression of immune system functions. For this reason, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been applied in the resolution of inflammatory disorders. Although the inhibition of several immune functions promotes beneficial effects on the human health, this state may lead to a significant reduction of immune protection against infectious microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites). Nevertheless, less attention has been paid to the action of olive oil in immunonutrition. Olive oil, a main constituent of the Mediterranean diet, is capable of modulating several immune functions, but it does not reduce host immune resistance to infectious microorganisms. Based on these criteria, we corroborate that olive oil administration may exert beneficial effects on the human health and especially on immune system, because it contributes to the reduction of typical inflammatory activity observed in patients suffering from autoimmune disorders, but without exacerbating the susceptibility to pathogen agents. The administration of olive oil in lipid emulsions may exert beneficial effects on the health and particularly on the immune system of immunocompromised patients. Therefore, this fact acquires a crucial importance in clinical nutrition. This review contributes to clarify the interaction between the administration of diets containing olive oil and immune system, as well as to determine the effect promoted by this essential component of Mediterranean diet in the immunomodulation against an infectious agent. PMID:20204249
Mavroudis, P D; Scheff, J D; Calvano, S E; Androulakis, I P
There is increasing evidence that the immune system is regulated by circadian rhythms. A wide range of immune parameters, such as the number of red blood cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as the level of critical immune mediators, such as cytokines, undergo daily fluctuations. Current experimental data indicate that circadian information reaches immune tissues mainly through diurnal patterns of autonomic and endocrine rhythms. In addition, immune factors such as cytokines can also influence the phase of the circadian clock, providing bidirectional flow of circadian information between the neuroendocrine and immune systems. This network of neuroendocrine-immune interactions consists of complexly integrated molecular feedback and feedforward loops that function in synchrony in order to optimize immune response. Chronic stress can disrupt this intrinsic orchestration, as several endocrine signals of chronically stressed patients present blunted rhythmic characteristics. Reprogramming of biological rhythms has recently gained much attention as a potent method to leverage homeostatic circadian controls to ultimately improve clinical outcomes. Elucidation of the intrinsic properties of such complex systems and optimization of intervention strategies require not only an accurate identification of the signaling pathways that mediate host responses, but also a system-level description and evaluation. PMID:23006670
The immune system includes the most diverse proteins known because they are encoded by hundreds of scattered gene fragments which can be combined in millions or billions of ways. Events of immune response, binding of antigens, antibody structure, T-cell receptors, and other immunologically-oriented topics are discussed. (DH)
I will discuss to theories of the immune system and describe a theory of the immune response to vaccines. I will illustrate this theory by application to design of the annual influenza vaccine. I will use this theory to explain limitations in the vaccine for dengue fever and to suggest a transport-inspired amelioration of these limitations.
Mavroudis, P.D.; Scheff, J.D.; Calvano, S.E.; Androulakis, I.P.
There is increasing evidence that immune system is regulated by circadian rhythms. A wide range of immune parameters, such as the number of red blood cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as the level of critical immune mediators such as cytokines, undergo daily fluctuations. Current experimental data indicates that circadian information reaches immune tissues mainly through diurnal patterns of autonomic and endocrine rhythms. In addition, immune factors such as cytokines can also influence the phase of the circadian clock, providing bidirectional flow of circadian information between the neuroendocrine and immune system. This network of neuroendocrine-immune interactions consists of complexly integrated molecular feedback and feedforward loops that function in synchrony in order to optimize immune response. Chronic stress can disrupt this intrinsic orchestration, as several endocrine signals of chronically stressed patients present blunted rhythmic characteristics. Reprogramming of biological rhythms has recently gained much attention as a potent method to leverage homeostatic circadian controls to ultimately improve clinical outcomes. Elucidation of the intrinsic properties of such complex systems and optimization of intervention strategies requires not only an accurate identification of the signaling pathways that mediate host’s response, but also a systems-level description and evaluation. PMID:23006670
KrishnaKumar, Kalmanje; Koga, Dennis (Technical Monitor)
Artificial Immune Systems (AIS) combine a priori knowledge with the adapting capabilities of biological immune system to provide a powerful alternative to currently available techniques for pattern recognition, modeling, design, and control. Immunology is the science of built-in defense mechanisms that are present in all living beings to protect against external attacks. A biological immune system can be thought of as a robust, adaptive system that is capable of dealing with an enormous variety of disturbances and uncertainties. Biological immune systems use a finite number of discrete "building blocks" to achieve this adaptiveness. These building blocks can be thought of as pieces of a puzzle which must be put together in a specific way-to neutralize, remove, or destroy each unique disturbance the system encounters. In this paper, we outline AIS models that are immediately applicable to aerospace problems and identify application areas that need further investigation.
Neural reflexes support homeostasis by modulating the function of organ systems. Recent advances in neuroscience and immunology have revealed that neural reflexes also regulate the immune system. Activation of the vagus nerve modulates leukocyte cytokine production and alleviates experimental shock and autoimmune disease, and recent data have suggested that vagus nerve stimulation can improve symptoms in human rheumatoid arthritis. These discoveries have generated an increased interest in bioelectronic medicine, i.e., therapeutic delivery of electrical impulses that activate nerves to regulate immune system function. Here, we discuss the physiology and potential therapeutic implications of neural immune control. PMID:25039084
The immune system is a complex group of cells, tissues and organs that recognize and attack foreign substances, pathogenic organisms and cancer cells. It also responds to injury by producing inflammation. The immune system has peripheral components that include skin-associated lymphoid tissues (SALT) and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT), located where pathogens and other harmful substances gain access to the body. Phototherapy, delivered at appropriate treatment parameters, exerts direct actions on the cellular elements of the peripheral part of the immune system since it is readily accessible to photons.
Yatim, Karim M.
This review serves as an introduction to an Immunology Series for the Nephrologist published in CJASN. It provides a brief overview of the immune system, how it works, and why it matters to kidneys. This review describes in broad terms the main divisions of the immune system (innate and adaptive), their cellular and tissue components, and the ways by which they function and are regulated. The story is told through the prism of evolution in order to relay to the reader why the immune system does what it does and why imperfections in the system can lead to renal disease. Detailed descriptions of cell types, molecules, and other immunologic curiosities are avoided as much as possible in an effort to not detract from the importance of the broader concepts that define the immune system and its relationship to the kidney. PMID:25845377
Cohen, Megan A; Gargano, Lisa M; Thacker, Naveen; Choudhury, Panna; Weiss, Paul S; Arora, Manisha; Orenstein, Walter A; Omer, Saad B; Hughes, James M
Progress has been made toward improving routine immunization coverage in India, but universal coverage has not been achieved. Little is known about how providers' vaccination behaviors affect coverage rates. The purpose of this study was to identify provider behaviors that served as barriers to vaccination that could lead to missed opportunities to vaccinate. We conducted a study of health-care providers' vaccination behaviors during clinic visits for children <3 years of age. Information on provider behaviors was collected through parent report and direct observation. Compared with illness visits, parents were eight times more likely to report vaccination status was verified (p < 0.001) and three times more likely to report receiving counseling on immunization (p = 0.022) during vaccination visits. Training of all vaccination practitioners should focus on behaviors such as the necessity of verifying vaccination status regardless of visit type, stressing the importance of counseling parents on immunization and emphasizing what is a valid contraindication to vaccination. PMID:25833096
... for Healthcare Professionals Weakened Immune System and Adult Vaccination Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Vaccines are ... up to age 26 years Learn about adult vaccination and other health conditions Asplenia Diabetes Type 1 ...
Sugiyama, Kenji; Yaji, Yasuhito; Ootsuki, John Takuya; Fujimoto, Yasutaka; Sekiguchi, Takashi
This paper presents an immune system derived approach for planning transportation of materials between manufacturing processes in the factory. Transportation operations are modeled by Petri Net, and divided into submodels. Transportation orders are derived from the firing sequences of those submodels through convergence calculation by the immune system derived excitation and suppression operations. Basic evaluation of this approach is conducted by simulation-based investigation.
Shavit, Y; Terman, G W; Martin, F C; Lewis, J W; Liebeskind, J C; Gale, R P
Our results indicate that a particular form of footshock stress can suppress immune function in rats and decrease their resistance to tumor challenge. These effects appear to be mediated by opioid peptides released by stress, and they can be mimicked by high doses of morphine given systemically or by a vastly smaller dose delivered intracerebroventricularly. Such findings fit well into the emerging field of behavioral neuroimmunology and reinforce continuing efforts to elucidate the neural and neurohumoral mechanisms by which the environment can affect the organism's immune system. PMID:2989372
Space flight and models that created conditions similar to those that occur during space flight have been shown to affect a variety of immunological responses. These have primarily been cell-mediated immune responses including leukocyte proliferation, cytokine production, and leukocyte subset distribution. The mechanisms and biomedical consequences of these changes remain to be established. Among the possible causes of space flight-induced alterations in immune responses are exposure to microgravity, exposure to stress, exposure to radiation, and many more as yet undetermined causes. This review chronicles the known effects of space flight on the immune system and explores the possible role of stress in contributing to these changes.
Castelo-Branco, Camil; Soveral, Iris
Abstract The concept of immunosenescence reflects age-related changes in immune responses, both cellular and serological, affecting the process of generating specific responses to foreign and self-antigens. The decline of the immune system with age is reflected in the increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, poorer response to vaccination, increased prevalence of cancer, autoimmune and other chronic diseases. Both innate and adaptive immune responses are affected by the aging process; however, the adaptive response seems to be more affected by the age-related changes in the immune system. Additionally, aged individuals tend to present a chronic low-grade inflammatory state that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many age-related diseases (atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis and diabetes). However, some individuals arrive to advanced ages without any major health problems, referred to as healthy aging. The immune system dysfunction seems to be somehow mitigated in this population, probably due to genetic and environmental factors yet to be described. In this review, an attempt is made to summarize the current knowledge on how the immune system is affected by the aging process. PMID:24219599
Zhang, Weiwei; Yen, Gary G; He, Zhongshi
An artificial immune system inspired by the fundamental principle of the vertebrate immune system, for solving constrained optimization problems, is proposed. The analogy between the mechanism of biological immune response and constrained optimization formulation is drawn. Individuals in population are classified into feasible and infeasible groups according to their constraint violations that closely match with the two states, inactivated and activated, of B-cells in the immune response. Feasible group focuses on exploitation in the feasible areas through clonal selection, recombination, and hypermutation, while infeasible group facilitates exploration along the feasibility boundary via location update. Direction information is extracted to promote the interactions between these two groups. This approach is validated by the benchmark functions proposed most recently and compared with those of the state of the art from various branches of evolutionary computation paradigms. The performance achieved is considered fairly competitive and promising. PMID:23757542
Sandoz, Charles J.
Using a construction building analogy, this guide provides a plan for building a system of behavior strategies. These strategies are designed to assist behavior analysts of contracted provider agencies in the construction and maintenance of procedures which will help monitor and reduce the frequency of problematic behaviors in individuals with…
It is argued that by studying some design principles of the immune system, e.g. nonlinearity and being a complex adaptive system, one can easily find some explanations of basic properties of the system e.g. memory and tolerance. PMID:19519897
One of the major differences that set apart vertebrates from non-vertebrates is the presence of a complex immune system. Over the past 400-500 million years, many novel immune genes and gene families have emerged and their products form sophisticated pathways providing protection against most pathogens. The Human Genome Project has laid the foundation to study these genes and pathways in unprecedented detail. Members of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily alone were found to make up over 2% of human genes possibly constituting the largest gene family in the human genome. A subgroup of these human immune genes, those (among others) involved in antigen processing and presentation, are encoded in a single region, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on the short arm of chromosome 6. My laboratory has a long-standing interest in understanding the molecular organization and evolution of the MHC. To this end, we have been generating a range of MHC genomic resources that we make available in the form of maps and databases. Much of the complex data of the immune system can be reduced to binary (on/off) information that can easily be made available and analysed by bioinformatics approaches, thus contributing to better understand immune function via a 'digital immune system'. PMID:14712940
Ashraf, Rabia; Shah, Nagendra P
Probiotic organisms are claimed to offer several functional properties including stimulation of immune system. This review is presented to provide detailed informations about how probiotics stimulate our immune system. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus casei Shirota, Bifidobacterium animalis Bb-12, Lactobacillus johnsonii La1, Bifidobacterium lactis DR10, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii are the most investigated probiotic cultures for their immunomodulation properties. Probiotics can enhance nonspecific cellular immune response characterized by activation of macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, and the release of various cytokines in strain-specific and dose-dependent manner. Mixture and type (gram-positive and gram-negative) of probiotic organisms may induce different cytokine responses. Supplementation of probiotic organisms in infancy could help prevent immune-mediated diseases in childhood, whereas their intervention in pregnancy could affect fetal immune parameters, such as cord blood interferon (IFN)-γ levels, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 levels, and breast milk immunoglobulin (Ig)A. Probiotics that can be delivered via fermented milk or yogurt could improve the gut mucosal immune system by increasing the number of IgA(+) cells and cytokine-producing cells in the effector site of the intestine. PMID:24499072
Raj, Renju S.; Bonney, Elizabeth A.
Influenza is a major health problem worldwide. Both seasonal influenza and pandemics take a major toll on the health and economy of our country. The present review focuses on the virology and complex immunology of this RNA virus in general and in relation to pregnancy. The goal is to attempt to explain the increased morbidity and mortality seen in infection during pregnancy. We discuss elements of innate and adaptive immunity as well as placental cellular responses to infection. In addition, we delineate findings in animal models as well as human disease. Increased knowledge of maternal and fetal immunologic responses to influenza is needed. However, enhanced understanding of nonimmune, pregnancy-specific factors influencing direct interaction of the virus with host cells is also important for the development of more effective prevention and treatment options in the future. PMID:24899469
Barragan, A; Weidner, J M; Jin, Z; Korpi, E R; Birnir, B
The GABAergic system is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter system in the central nervous system (CNS) of vertebrates. Signalling of the transmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) via GABA type A receptor channels or G-protein-coupled type B receptors is implicated in multiple CNS functions. Recent findings have implicated the GABAergic system in immune cell functions, inflammatory conditions and diseases in peripheral tissues. Interestingly, the specific effects may vary between immune cell types, with stage of activation and be altered by infectious agents. GABA/GABA-A receptor-mediated immunomodulatory functions have been unveiled in immune cells, being present in T lymphocytes and regulating the migration of Toxoplasma-infected dendritic cells. The GABAergic system may also play a role in the regulation of brain resident immune cells, the microglial cells. Activation of microglia appears to regulate the function of GABAergic neurotransmission in neighbouring neurones through changes induced by secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The neurotransmitter-driven immunomodulation is a new but rapidly growing field of science. Herein, we review the present knowledge of the GABA signalling in immune cells of the periphery and the CNS and raise questions for future research. PMID:25677654
Sundman, Eva; Olofsson, Peder S.
Neural reflexes support homeostasis by modulating the function of organ systems. Recent advances in neuroscience and immunology have revealed that neural reflexes also regulate the immune system. Activation of the vagus nerve modulates leukocyte cytokine production and alleviates experimental shock and autoimmune disease, and recent data have…
Sonnenfeld, Gerald; Taylor, Gerald R.
Changes in resistance to bacterial and viral infections in Apollo crew members has stimulated interest in the study of immunity and space flight. Results of studies from several laboratories in both humans and rodents have indicated alterations after space flight that include the following immunological parameters: thymus size, lymphocyte blastogenesis, interferon and interleukin production, natural killer cell activity, cytotoxic T-cell activity, leukocyte subset population distribution, response of bone marrow cells to colony stimulating factors, and delayed hypersensitivity skin test reactivity. The interactions of the immune system with other physiological systems, including muscle, bone, and the nervous system, may play a major role in the development of these immunological parameters during and after flight. There may also be direct effects of space flight on immune responses.
Bianca, Carlo; Pennisi, Marzio; Motta, Santo; Ragusa, Maria Alessandra
This paper deals with the mathematical modelling of the immune system response to cancer disease, and specifically with the treatment of the mammary carcinoma in presence of an immunoprevenction vaccine. The innate action of the immune system network, the external stimulus represented by repeated vaccine administrations and the competition with cancer are described by an ordinary differential equations-based model. The mathematical model is able to depict preclinical experiments on transgenic mice. The results are of great interest both in the applied and theoretical sciences.
Lamichhane, Aayam; Azegamia, Tatsuhiko; Kiyonoa, Hiroshi
Mucosal surfaces are continuously exposed to the external environment and therefore represent the largest lymphoid organ of the body. In the mucosal immune system, gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALTs), including Peyer's patches and isolated lymphoid follicles, play an important role in the induction of antigen-specific immune responses in the gut. GALTs have unique organogenesis characteristics and interact with the network of dendritic cells and T cells for the simultaneous induction and regulation of IgA responses and oral tolerance. In these lymphoid tissues, antigens are up taken by M cells in the epithelial layer, and antigen-specific immune responses are subsequently initiated by GALT cells. Nasopharynx- and tear-duct-associated lymphoid tissues (NALTs and TALTs) are key organized lymphoid structures in the respiratory tract and ocular cavities, respectively, and have been shown to interact with each other. Mucosal surfaces are also characterized by host-microbe interactions that affect the genesis and maturation of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues and the induction and regulation of innate and acquired mucosal immune responses. Because most harmful pathogens enter the body through mucosal surfaces by ingestion, inhalation, or sexual contact, the mucosa is a candidate site for vaccination. Mucosal vaccination has some physiological and practical advantages, such as decreased costs and reduced risk of needle-stick injuries and transmission of bloodborne diseases, and it is painless. Recently, the application of modern bioengineering and biochemical engineering technologies, including gene transformation and manipulation systems, resulted in the development of systems to express vaccine antigens in transgenic plants and nanogels, which will usher in a new era of delivery systems for mucosal vaccine antigens. In this review, based on some of our research group's thirty seven years of progress and effort, we highlight the unique features of mucosal immune
Hovden, H; Frederiksen, J L; Pedersen, S W
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a disease of which the underlying cause and pathogenesis are unknown. Cumulatative data clearly indicates an active participation by the immune system in the disease. An increasingly recognized theory suggests a non-cell autonomous mechanism, meaning that multiple cells working together are necessary for the pathogenesis of the disease. Observed immune system alterations could indicate an active participation in this mechanism. Damaged motor neurons are able to activate microglia, astrocytes and the complement system, which further can influence each other and contribute to neurodegeneration. Infiltrating peripheral immune cells appears to correlate with disease progression, but their significance and composition is unclear. The deleterious effects of this collaborating system of cells appear to outweigh the protective aspects, and revealing this interplay might give more insight into the disease. Markers from the classical complement pathway are elevated where its initiator C1q appears to derive primarily from motor neurons. Activated microglia and astrocytes are found in close proximity to dying motor neurons. Their activation status and proliferation seemingly increases with disease progression. Infiltrating monocytes, macrophages and T cells are associated with these areas, although with mixed reports regarding T cell composition. This literature review will provide evidence supporting the immune system as an important part of ALS disease mechanism and present a hypothesis to direct the way for further studies. PMID:23550891
There is no standardized laboratory animal testing approach to assess the potential toxicity of chemicals to the developing immune system. The goal of this research is to apply a panel of in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro assays to determine whether the developing (i.e., prenatal, n...
Zak, Daniel E; Aderem, Alan
The pathogens causing AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis have proven too complex to be overcome by classical approaches to vaccination. The complexities of human immunology and pathogen-induced modulation of the immune system mandate new approaches to vaccine discovery and design. A new field, systems vaccinology, weds holistic analysis of innate and adaptive immunity within a quantitative framework to enable rational design of new vaccines that elicit tailored protective immune responses. A key step in the approach is to discover relationships between the earliest innate inflammatory responses to vaccination and the subsequent vaccine-induced adaptive immune responses and efficacy. Analysis of these responses in clinical studies is complicated by the inaccessibility of relevant tissue compartments (such as the lymph node), necessitating reliance upon peripheral blood responses as surrogates. Blood transcriptomes, although indirect to vaccine mechanisms, have proven very informative in systems vaccinology studies. The approach is most powerful when innate and adaptive immune responses are integrated with vaccine efficacy, which is possible for malaria with the advent of a robust human challenge model. This is more difficult for AIDS and tuberculosis, given that human challenge models are lacking and efficacy observed in clinical trials has been low or highly variable. This challenge can be met by appropriate clinical trial design for partially efficacious vaccines and by analysis of natural infection cohorts. Ultimately, systems vaccinology is an iterative approach in which mechanistic hypotheses-derived from analysis of clinical studies-are evaluated in model systems, and then used to guide the development of new vaccine strategies. In this review, we will illustrate the above facets of the systems vaccinology approach with case studies. PMID:26102534
The liver is known to be the metabolic centre of the organism and is under the control of the central nervous system. It has a peculiar tissue structure and its anatomic localisation defines it as part of the immune system having an individual role in the defence of the organism. The determinant of its particular tissue build-up is the sinusoid system. In addition to hepatocytes, one cell row "endothelium", stellate cells close to the external surface, Kupffer cells tightly to its inner surface, as well as dendritic cells and other cell types (T and B lymphocytes, natural killer and natural killer T-cells, mast cells, granulocytes) are present. The multitudes and variety of cells make it possible to carry out the tasks according to the assignment of the organism. The liver is a member of the immune system having immune cells largely in an activated state. Its principal tasks are the assurance of the peripheral immune tolerance of the organism with the help of the haemopoetic cells and transforming growth factor-β. The liver takes part in the determination of the manner of the non-specific immune response of the organism. In addition to acute phase reaction of the organism, the liver has a role in the adaptive/specific immune response. These functions include retardation of the T and B lymphocytes and the defence against harmful pathogens. With the collaboration of transforming growth factor-β, immunoglobulins and their subclasses are inhibited just as the response of the T lymphocytes. The only exception is the undisturbed immunoglobulin A production. Particularly important is the intensive participation of the liver in the acute phase reaction of the organism, which is organised and guided by the coordinated functions of the cortico-hypothalamo-hypophysis-adrenal axis. Beside cellular elements, hormones, adhesion molecules, chemokines and cytokines are also involved in the cooperation with the organs. Acute phase reactants play a central role in these processes
Pino-Lagos, Karina; Benson, Micah J.; Noelle, Randolph J.
On occasion, emerging scientific fields intersect and great discoveries result. In the last decade, the discovery of regulatory T cells (Treg) in immunity has revolutionized our understanding of how the immune system is controlled. Intersecting the rapidly emerging field of Treg function, has been the discovery that retinoic acid (RA) controls both the homing and differentiation of Treg. Instantly, the wealth and breadth of knowledge of the molecular basis for RA action, its receptors, and how it controls cellular differentiation can and will be exploited to understand its profound effects on Treg. Historically, vitamin A deprivation and repletion and RA agonists have been shown to profoundly affect immunity. Now these findings can be interpreted in light of the revelations that RA controls leukocyte homing and Treg function. PMID:19076350
Demas, Gregory E; Carlton, Elizabeth D
The study of immunity has become an important area of investigation for researchers in a wide range of areas outside the traditional discipline of immunology. For the last several decades, psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) has strived to identify key interactions among the nervous, endocrine and immune systems and behavior. More recently, the field of ecological immunology (ecoimmunology) has been established within the perspectives of ecology and evolutionary biology, sharing with PNI an appreciation of the environmental influences on immune function. The primary goal of ecoimmunology is to understand immune function within a broadly integrative, organismal context, typically from an ultimate, evolutionary perspective. To accomplish this ecoimmunology, like PNI, has become a broadly integrative field of investigation, combining diverse approaches from evolution and ecology to endocrinology and neurobiology. The disciplines of PNI and ecoimmunology, with their unique yet complementary perspectives and methodologies, have much to offer one another. Researchers in both fields, however, remain largely unaware of each other's findings despite attempts at integration. The goal of this review is to share with psychoneuroimmunologists and other mechanistically-oriented researchers some of the core concepts and principles, as well as relevant recent findings, within ecoimmunology with the hope that this information will prove relevant to their own research programs. More broadly, our goal is to attempt to integrate both the proximate and ultimate perspectives offered by PNI and ecoimmunology respectively into a common theoretical framework for understanding neuro-endocrine-immune interactions and behavior in a larger ecological, evolutionary context. PMID:25218837
Demas, Gregory E.; Carlton, Elizabeth D.
The study of immunity has become an important area of investigation for researchers in a wide range of areas outside the traditional discipline of immunology. For the last several decades, psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) has strived to identify key interactions among the nervous, endocrine and immune systems and behavior. More recently, the field of ecological immunology (ecoimmunology) has been established within the perspectives of ecology and evolutionary biology, sharing with PNI an appreciation of the environmental influences on immune function. The primary goal of ecoimmunology is to understand immune function within a broadly integrative, organismal context, typically from an ultimate, evolutionary perspective. To accomplish this ecoimmunology, like PNI, has become a broadly integrative field of investigation, combining diverse approaches from evolution and ecology to endocrinology and neurobiology. The disciplines of PNI and ecoimmunology, with their unique yet complementary perspectives and methodologies, have much to offer one another. Researchers in both fields, however, remain largely unaware of each other's findings despite attempts at integration. The goal of this review is to share with psychoneuroimmunologists and other mechanistically-oriented researchers some of the core concepts and principles, as well as relevant recent findings, within ecoimmunology with the hope that this information will prove relevant to their own research programs. More broadly, our goal is to attempt to integrate both the proximate and ultimate perspectives offered by PNI and ecoimmunology respectively into a common theoretical framework for understanding neuro-endocrine-immune interactions and behavior in a larger ecological, evolutionary context. PMID:25218837
Sunyer, J Oriol
Recent years have witnessed a renaissance in the study of fish immune systems. Such studies have greatly expanded the knowledge of the evolution and diversification of vertebrate immune systems. Several findings in those studies have overturned old paradigms about the immune system and led to the discovery of novel aspects of mammalian immunity. Here I focus on how findings pertaining to immunity in teleost (bony) fish have led to major new insights about mammalian B cell function in innate and adaptive immunity. Additionally, I illustrate how the discovery of the most ancient mucosal immunoglobulin described thus far will help resolve unsettled paradigms of mammalian mucosal immunity. PMID:23507645
Teleost fish possess an adaptive immune system associated with each of their mucosal body surfaces. Evidence obtained from mucosal vaccination and mucosal infection studies reveal that adaptive immune responses take place at the different mucosal surfaces of teleost. The main mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT) of teleosts are the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), skin-associated lymphoid tissue (SALT), the gill-associated lymphoid tissue (GIALT) and the recently discovered nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT). Teleost MALT includes diffuse B cells and T cells with specific phenotypes different from their systemic counterparts that have co-evolved to defend the microbe-rich mucosal environment. Both B and T cells respond to mucosal infection or vaccination. Specific antibody responses can be measured in the gills, gut and skin mucosal secretions of teleost fish following mucosal infection or vaccination. Rainbow trout studies have shown that IgT antibodies and IgT+ B cells are the predominant B cell subset in all MALT and respond in a compartmentalized manner to mucosal infection. Our current knowledge on adaptive immunity in teleosts is limited compared to the mammalian literature. New research tools and in vivo models are currently being developed in order to help reveal the great intricacy of teleost mucosal adaptive immunity and help improve mucosal vaccination protocols for use in aquaculture. PMID:26274978
Karr, Charles L.
The objective of this project, as stated in the original proposal, was to develop an immunized aircraft maneuver selection (IAMS) system. The IAMS system was to be composed of computational and informational building blocks that resemble structures in natural immune systems. The ultimate goal of the project was to develop a software package that could be flight tested on aircraft models. This report describes the work performed in the first year of what was to have been a two year project. This report also describes efforts that would have been made in the final year to have completed the project, had it been continued for the final year. After introductory material is provided in Section 2, the end-of-year-one status of the effort is discussed in Section 3. The remainder of the report provides an accounting of first year efforts. Section 4 provides background information on natural immune systems while Section 5 describes a generic ar&itecture developed for use in the IAMS. Section 6 describes the application of the architecture to a system identification problem. Finally, Section 7 describes steps necessary for completing the project.
Kuhry, E; Jeekel, J; Bonjer, H J
Surgery induces alterations in local and systemic immune responses. These changes appear to be associated with an increase in postoperative morbidity. Minimally invasive techniques are considered to improve the preservation of immune function compared with open surgery and may therefore be beneficial for patient recovery. As laparoscopic techniques are increasingly used in abdominal surgery, more research has focussed on the immunologic consequences of these techniques. Nevertheless, the changes that occur in response to trauma are still not completely understood. The immunologic benefits of laparoscopic surgery are the most obvious for minor surgical procedures such as cholecystectomy and antireflux surgery. For more complex procedures such as colorectal surgery for cancer, the benefits are not immediately obvious. Although laparoscopic surgery for colorectal malignancies may be associated with higher survival rates and lower recurrence rates because of improved immune function, it has also been related to high incidences of port-site metastases. Reviews in the literature have now shown that incidences of port-site metastases are comparable to incidences of wound metastases after open surgery. However, it will be necessary to wait for the long-term results of randomized, clinical trials to provide further clarification of how immune function is altered after laparoscopic and open surgery for colorectal cancer. PMID:15094977
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Cooper, Edwin L.
This review will examine the evolution of immune mechanisms by emphasizing information from animal groups exclusive of all vertebrates. There will be a focus on concepts that propelled the immune system into prominent discourse in the life sciences. The self/not self hypothesis was crucial and so was the concern for immunologic memory or anamnesia, development of cancer, autoimmunity, and clonal selection. Now we may be able to deconstruct clonal selection since it is not applicable in the sense that it is not applicable to invertebrate mechanisms. Clonal selection seems to be purely as all evidence indicates a vertebrate strategy and therefore irrelevant to invertebrates. Some views may insist that anthropocentric mammalian immunologists utilized a tool to propel: the universal innate immune system of ubiquitous and plentiful invertebrates as an essential system for vertebrates. This was advantageous for all immunology; moreover innate immunity acquired an extended raison d'être. Innate immunity should help if there would be a failure of the adaptive immune system. Still to be answered are questions concerning immunologic surveillance that includes clonal selection. We can then ask does immunologic surveillance play a role in the survival of invertebrates that most universally seem to not develop cancer of vertebrates especially mammals; invertebrates only develop benign tumor. A recent proposal concerns an alternative explanation that is all embracing. Danger hypothesis operates in striking contrast to the self/not self hypothesis. This view holds that the immune system is adapted to intervene not because self is threatened but because of the system's sense of danger. This perception occurs by means of signals other than recognition of microbial pattern recognition molecules characteristic of invertebrates. Response to danger may be another way of analyzing innate immunity that does not trigger the production of clones and therefore does not rely entirely on the
Ren, Ke; Dubner, Ronald
Immune cells and glia interact with neurons to alter pain sensitivity and to mediate the transition from acute to chronic pain. In response to injury, resident immune cells are activated and blood-borne immune cells are recruited to the site of injury. Immune cells not only contribute to immune protection but also initiate the sensitization of peripheral nociceptors. Through the synthesis and release of inflammatory mediators and interactions with neurotransmitters and their receptors, the immune cells, glia and neurons form an integrated network that coordinates immune responses and modulates the excitability of pain pathways. The immune system also reduces sensitization by producing immune-derived analgesic and anti-inflammatory or proresolution agents. A greater understanding of the role of the immune system in pain processing and modulation reveals potential targets for analgesic drug development and new therapeutic opportunities for managing chronic pain. PMID:20948535
Marques, Rafael Elias; Marques, Pedro Elias; Guabiraba, Rodrigo; Teixeira, Mauro Martins
Immunology developed under the notion of the immune system exists to fight pathogens. Recently, the discovery of interactions with commensal microbiota that are essential to human health initiated a change in this old paradigm. Here, we argue that the immune system has major physiological roles extending far beyond defending the host. Immune and inflammatory responses share the core property of sensing, defining the immune system also as a sensory system. The inference with the immune system collects, interprets, and stores information, while creating an identity of self, places it in close relationship to the nervous system, which suggests that these systems may have a profound evolutionary connection. PMID:27065209
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Greenplate, Allison R; Johnson, Douglas B; Ferrell, P Brent; Irish, Jonathan M
Treatments that successfully modulate anti-cancer immunity have significantly improved outcomes for advanced stage malignancies and sparked intense study of the cellular mechanisms governing therapy response and resistance. These responses are governed by an evolving milieu of cancer and immune cell subpopulations that can be a rich source of biomarkers and biological insight, but it is only recently that research tools have developed to comprehensively characterize this level of cellular complexity. Mass cytometry is particularly well suited to tracking cells in complex tissues because >35 measurements can be made on each of hundreds of thousands of cells per sample, allowing all cells detected in a sample to be characterized for cell type, signalling activity, and functional outcome. This review focuses on mass cytometry as an example of systems level characterization of cancer and immune cells in human tissues, including blood, bone marrow, lymph nodes, and primary tumours. This review also discusses the state of the art in single cell tumour immunology, including tissue collection, technical and biological quality controls, computational analysis, and integration of different experimental and clinical data types. Ex vivo analysis of human tumour cells complements both in vivo monitoring, which generally measures far fewer features or lacks single cell resolution, and laboratory models, which incur cell type losses, signalling alterations, and genomic changes during establishment. Mass cytometry is on the leading edge of a new generation of cytomic tools that work with small tissue samples, such as a fine needle aspirates or blood draws, to monitor changes in rare or unexpected cell subsets during cancer therapy. This approach holds great promise for dissecting cellular microenvironments, monitoring how treatments affect tissues, revealing cellular biomarkers and effector mechanisms, and creating new treatments that productively engage the immune system to
Luchicchi, Antonio; Lecca, Salvatore; Melis, Miriam; De Felice, Marta; Cadeddu, Francesca; Frau, Roberto; Muntoni, Anna Lisa; Fadda, Paola; Devoto, Paola
Background: In utero exposure to maternal viral infections is associated with a higher incidence of psychiatric disorders with a supposed neurodevelopmental origin, including schizophrenia. Hence, immune response factors exert a negative impact on brain maturation that predisposes the offspring to the emergence of pathological phenotypes later in life. Although ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons and their target regions play essential roles in the pathophysiology of psychoses, it remains to be fully elucidated how dopamine activity and functionality are disrupted in maternal immune activation models of schizophrenia. Methods: Here, we used an immune-mediated neurodevelopmental disruption model based on prenatal administration of the polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid in rats, which mimics a viral infection and recapitulates behavioral abnormalities relevant to psychiatric disorders in the offspring. Extracellular dopamine levels were measured by brain microdialysis in both the nucleus accumbens shell and the medial prefrontal cortex, whereas dopamine neurons in ventral tegmental area were studied by in vivo electrophysiology. Results: Polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid-treated animals, at adulthood, displayed deficits in sensorimotor gating, memory, and social interaction and increased baseline extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens, but not in the prefrontal cortex. In polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid rats, dopamine neurons showed reduced spontaneously firing rate and population activity. Conclusions: These results confirm that maternal immune activation severely impairs dopamine system and that the polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid model can be considered a proper animal model of a psychiatric condition that fulfills a multidimensional set of validity criteria predictive of a human pathology. PMID:26819283
Hamilton, Alastair; Sibson, Nicola R
Metastatic disease in the central nervous system (CNS) is a cause of increasing mortality amongst cancer patients. As with other types of cancer, cells of the systemic immune system play a range of important roles in the development of metastatic lesions in the CNS, both repressing and promoting tumour growth. Recent advances in immunotherapy have changed the emphasis in cancer treatment away from conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy for certain tumour types. Despite this, our understanding of systemic immune system involvement in CNS metastases remains poor. The blood-brain barrier prevents the majority of diagnostic and therapeutic agents from crossing into the brain parenchyma until the late stages of metastatic disease. Thus, the development of immunotherapy for CNS pathologies is particularly desirable. This review draws together our current understanding in the relationships between CNS metastases and circulating systemic immune cells. We discuss the roles that circulating systemic immune cells may play in the homing of metastatic cells to the perivascular space, and the pro-metastatic and antagonistic roles that infiltrating systemic immune cells may play at sites of metastasis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Neuroinflammation in neurodegeneration and neurodysfunction'. PMID:23073146
Walton, James C.; Weil, Zachary M.; Nelson, Randy J.
Photoperiodism is the ability of plants and animals to measure environmental day length to ascertain time of year. Central to the evolution of photoperiodism in animals is the adaptive distribution of energetically challenging activities across the year to optimize reproductive fitness while balancing the energetic tradeoffs necessary for seasonally- appropriate survival strategies. The ability to accurately predict future events requires endogenous mechanisms to permit physiological anticipation of annual conditions. Day length provides a virtually noise free environmental signal to monitor and accurately predict time of the year. In mammals, melatonin provides the hormonal signal transducing day length. Duration of pineal melatonin is inversely related to day length and its secretion drives enduring changes in many physiological systems, including the HPA, HPG, and brain-gut axes, the autonomic nervous system, and the immune system. Thus, melatonin is the fulcrum mediating redistribution of energetic investment among physiological processes to maximize fitness and survival. PMID:21156187
Bailey, Mick; Christoforidou, Zoe; Lewis, Marie
Multicellularity evolved well before 600 million years ago, and all multicellular animals have evolved since then with the need to protect against pathogens. There is no reason to expect their immune systems to be any less sophisticated than ours. The vertebrate system, based on rearranging immunoglobulin-superfamily domains, appears to have evolved partly as a result of chance insertion of RAG genes by horizontal transfer. Remarkably sophisticated systems for expansion of immunological repertoire have evolved in parallel in many groups of organisms. Vaccination of invertebrates against commercially important pathogens has been empirically successful, and suggests that the definition of an adaptive and innate immune system should no longer depend on the presence of memory and specificity, since these terms are hard to define in themselves. The evolution of randomly-created immunological repertoire also carries with it the potential for generating autoreactive specificities and consequent autoimmune damage. While invertebrates may use systems analogous to ours to control autoreactive specificities, they may have evolved alternative mechanisms which operate either at the level of individuals-within-populations rather than cells-within-individuals, by linking self-reactive specificities to regulatory pathways and non-self-reactive to effector pathways. PMID:23201916
Friese, M A; Steinle, A; Weller, M
The innate immune system encompasses natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages and granulocytes, the complement system and antimicrobial peptides. Recognition pathways of the innate immune system include microbial non-self recognition, missing-self recognition and induced- self recognition. The central nervous system (CNS) participates in responses of the innate immune system. However, immune inhibitory and anti-inflammatory mechanisms physiologically outbalance and counteract immune activity and thereby limit immune-mediated tissue damage in the brain. Human gliomas appear to take advantage of this immunosuppressive milieu. Moreover, glioma cells themselves interfere with anti-tumor immune responses by expressing immune inhibitory cell surface molecules, such as HLA-G, or by releasing soluble immunosuppressants such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta. Yet, although glioma cells exhibit all cellular features of malignancy, these tumors very rarely metastasize outside the brain, raising the possibility of immune-mediated control of these cells outside, but not inside, the brain. Accordingly, activating the innate immune system by forcing glioma cells to express danger signals such as NKG2D ligands is a promising strategy of immunotherapy for these tumors. PMID:15585981
This paper proposes that an organism's integrated repertoire of operant behavior has the status of a biological system, similar to other biological systems, like the nervous, cardiovascular, or immune systems. Evidence from a number of sources indicates that the distinctions between biological and behavioral events is often misleading, engendering counterproductive explanatory controversy. A good deal of what is viewed as biological (often thought to be inaccessible or hypothetical) can become publicly measurable variables using currently available and developing technologies. Moreover, such endogenous variables can serve as establishing operations, discriminative stimuli, conjoint mediating events, and maintaining consequences within a functional analysis of behavior and need not lead to reductionistic explanation. I suggest that explanatory misunderstandings often arise from conflating different levels of analysis and that behavior analysis can extend its reach by identifying variables operating within a functional analysis that also serve functions in other biological systems. PMID:17575907
Merle, Nicolas S.; Noe, Remi; Halbwachs-Mecarelli, Lise; Fremeaux-Bacchi, Veronique; Roumenina, Lubka T.
The complement system has been considered for a long time as a simple lytic cascade, aimed to kill bacteria infecting the host organism. Nowadays, this vision has changed and it is well accepted that complement is a complex innate immune surveillance system, playing a key role in host homeostasis, inflammation, and in the defense against pathogens. This review discusses recent advances in the understanding of the role of complement in physiology and pathology. It starts with a description of complement contribution to the normal physiology (homeostasis) of a healthy organism, including the silent clearance of apoptotic cells and maintenance of cell survival. In pathology, complement can be a friend or a foe. It acts as a friend in the defense against pathogens, by inducing opsonization and a direct killing by C5b–9 membrane attack complex and by triggering inflammatory responses with the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a. Opsonization plays also a major role in the mounting of an adaptive immune response, involving antigen presenting cells, T-, and B-lymphocytes. Nevertheless, it can be also an enemy, when pathogens hijack complement regulators to protect themselves from the immune system. Inadequate complement activation becomes a disease cause, as in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, C3 glomerulopathies, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Age-related macular degeneration and cancer will be described as examples showing that complement contributes to a large variety of conditions, far exceeding the classical examples of diseases associated with complement deficiencies. Finally, we discuss complement as a therapeutic target. PMID:26074922
It is well established that human diseases associated with abnormal immune function, including some common infectious diseases and asthma, are considerably more prevalent at younger ages. The immune system continues to mature after birth, and functional immaturity accounts for m...
Carter, Paul D.; Barnes, Frank
Recent studies on the effects of hypo-gravity on astronauts have shown depressed response of the immune system component cells (e.g. T-lymphocytes activity) and associated bone-mass loss due to demineralization. The widespread use of various electrical stimulation techniques in fracture repair and bone growth make use of the inherent piezoelectric and streaming potentials in Ca(2++) depositation. In-vitro and in-vivo experiments were designed to determine if these potentials, absent or greatly reduced in space, could be artificially enhanced to advantageously effect the bone marrow and, consequently, immune system cells. The bone marrow plays an extremely important role in the development and maturation of all blood cells and, specifically, T- and B-lymphocytes. It is our belief that simulated E-fields will enhance this development when 'ambient' physiological fields are absent during spaceflight or extended bedrest. Our investigation began with a look at the component immune system cells and their growth patterns in vitro. The first chamber will induce E-fields by current densities produced from an agar-bridge electrode arrangement. The cells are immersed in a nutrient agar and isolated from the electrodes by an agar bridge to prevent electrolytic contamination. The second chamber induces current densities by mutual induction from a magnetic field produced by a solenoid coil. Cells are isolated in a small radial area to reduce (1/r) effects and for accurate field calculations. We anticipate inducing currents in the nano- and microampere range as indicated by our calculations of physiological fields.
Innate immunity; Humoral immunity; Cellular immunity; Immunity; Inflammatory response; Acquired (adaptive) immunity ... and usually does not react against them. INNATE IMMUNITY Innate, or nonspecific, immunity is the defense system ...
Gauthier, Theresa W.
Evidence from research in humans and animals suggest that ingesting alcohol during pregnancy can disrupt the fetal immune system and result in an increased risk of infections and disease in newborns that may persist throughout life. Alcohol may have indirect effects on the immune system by increasing the risk of premature birth, which itself is a risk factor for immune-related problems. Animal studies suggest that alcohol exposure directly disrupts the developing immune system. A comprehensive knowledge of the mechanisms underlying alcohol’s effects on the developing immune system only will become clear once researchers establish improved methods for identifying newborns exposed to alcohol in utero. PMID:26695750
Brenchley, JM; Douek, DC
There has recently been a resurgence of interest in the gastrointestinal pathology observed in patients infected with HIV. The gastrointestinal tract is a major site of HIV replication, which results in massive depletion of lamina propria CD4 T cells during acute infection. Highly active antiretroviral therapy leads to incomplete suppression of viral replication and substantially delayed and only partial restoration of gastrointestinal CD4 T cells. The gastrointestinal pathology associated with HIV infection comprises significant enteropathy with increased levels of inflammation and decreased levels of mucosal repair and regeneration. Assessment of gut mucosal immune system has provided novel directions for therapeutic interventions that modify the consequences of acute HIV infection. PMID:19079157
Liang, Xuan; Liu, Renyu; Chen, Chunhua; Ji, Fang; Li, Tianzuo
Opioid receptors and their ligands produce powerful analgesia that is effective in perioperative period and chronic pain managements accompanied with various side effects including respiratory depression, constipation and addiction etc. Opioids can also interfere with the immune system, not only participating in the function of the immune cells, but also modulating innate and acquired immune responses. The traditional notion of opioids is immunosuppressive. Recent studies indicate that the role of opioid receptors on immune function is complicated, working through various different mechanisms. Different opioids or opioids administrations show various effects on the immune system: immunosuppressive, immunostimulatory, or dual effect. It is important to elucidate the relationship between opioids and immune function, since immune system plays critical role in various physiological and pathophysiological processes, including the inflammation, tumor growth and metastasis, drug abuse, and so on. This review article tends to have an overview of the recent work and perspectives on opioids and the immune function. PMID:26985446
Bajgar, Adam; Kucerova, Katerina; Jonatova, Lucie; Tomcala, Ales; Schneedorferova, Ivana; Okrouhlik, Jan; Dolezal, Tomas
Immune defense is energetically costly, and thus an effective response requires metabolic adaptation of the organism to reallocate energy from storage, growth, and development towards the immune system. We employ the natural infection of Drosophila with a parasitoid wasp to study energy regulation during immune response. To combat the invasion, the host must produce specialized immune cells (lamellocytes) that destroy the parasitoid egg. We show that a significant portion of nutrients are allocated to differentiating lamellocytes when they would otherwise be used for development. This systemic metabolic switch is mediated by extracellular adenosine released from immune cells. The switch is crucial for an effective immune response. Preventing adenosine transport from immune cells or blocking adenosine receptor precludes the metabolic switch and the deceleration of development, dramatically reducing host resistance. Adenosine thus serves as a signal that the “selfish” immune cells send during infection to secure more energy at the expense of other tissues. PMID:25915062
Maynard, Craig L.; Elson, Charles O.; Hatton, Robin D.; Weaver, Casey T.
Preface Emergence of the adaptive immune system in vertebrates set the stage for evolution of an advanced symbiotic relationship with the intestinal microbiota. The defining features of specificity and memory that characterize adaptive immunity have afforded vertebrates mechanisms for efficiently tailoring immune responses to diverse types of microbes, whether to promote mutualism or host defense. These same attributes carry risk for immune-mediated diseases that are increasingly linked to the intestinal microbiota. Understanding how the adaptive immune system copes with the remarkable number and diversity of microbes that colonize the digestive tract, and how it integrates with more primitive innate immune mechanisms to maintain immune homeostasis, holds considerable promise for new approaches to modulate immune networks in order to treat and prevent disease. PMID:22972296
Mabbott, Neil; Turner, Marc
Prion diseases take a number of forms in animals and humans. They are caused by conformational change in widely expressed prion protein leading to the formation of intracellular aggregates. Although the main focus of disease is the central nervous system, it is known that involvement of the immune system occurs in peripherally transmitted disease in particular. Animal experiments suggest that in some prion diseases follicular dendritic cells in the germinal centers are a major site of initial accumulation, and that abnormal prion protein and infectivity are detectable in peripheral lymphoid tissue from the earliest phase of disease. This raises the possibility that in a human peripherally transmitted prion disease like variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, further transmission could occur through blood or tissue products or contamination of surgical instrumentation. Indeed two recent reports confirm that this disease has been transmitted by blood, raising significant public health concerns. PMID:15820951
Higher organisms, like humans, have an adaptive immune system that can respond to pathogens that have not been encountered before. T lymphocytes (T cells) are the orchestrators of the adaptive immune response. They interact with cells, called antigen presenting cells (APC), that display molecular signatures of pathogens. Recently, video microscopy experiments have revealed that when T cells detect antigen on APC surfaces, a spatially patterned supramolecular assembly of different types of molecules forms in the junction between cell membranes. This recognition motif is implicated in information transfer between APC and T cells, and so, is labeled the immunological synapse. The observation of synapse formation sparked two broad questions: How does the synapse form? Why does the synapse form? I will describe progress made in answering these fundamental questions in biology by synergistic use of statistical mechanical theory/computation, chemical engineering principles, and genetic and biochemical experiments. The talk will also touch upon mechanisms that may underlie the extreme sensitivity with which T cells discriminate between self and non-self.
Ewing, P. D.; Korsah, K.; Antonescu, C.
This paper discusses the development of the technical basis for acceptance criteria applicable to the immunization of digital systems against electromagnetic interference (EMI). The work is sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and stems from the safety-related issues that need to be addressed as a result of the application of digital instrumentation and control systems in nuclear power plants. Designers of digital circuits are incorporating increasingly higher clock frequencies and lower logic level voltages, thereby leading to potentially greater susceptibility of spurious interference being misinterpreted as legitimate logic. Development of the technical basis for acceptance criteria to apply to these digital systems centers around establishing good engineering practices to ensure that sufficient levels of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) are maintained between the nuclear power plant's electronic and electromechanical systems. First, good EMC design and installation practices are needed to control the emissions from interference sources and thereby their impact on other nearby circuits and systems. Secondly, a test and evaluation program is needed to outline the EMI tests to be performed, the associated test methods to be followed, and adequate test limits to ensure that the circuit or system under test meets the recommended guidelines. Test and evaluation should be followed by periodic maintenance to assess whether the recommended EMI control practices continue to be adhered to as part of the routine operation of the nuclear power plant. By following these steps, the probability of encountering safety-related instrumentation problems associated with EMI will be greatly reduced.
Forrest, S.; Miller, J.H.
This paper discusses some examples of emergent behavior in classifier systems, describes some recently developed methods for studying them based on dynamical systems theory, and presents some initial results produced by the methodology. The goal of this work is to find techniques for noticing when interesting emergent behaviors of classifier systems emerge, to study how such behaviors might emerge over time, and make suggestions for designing classifier systems that exhibit preferred behaviors. 20 refs., 1 fig.
Misra, Durga Prasanna; Agarwal, Vikas
Innate immune system forms the first line of defense against foreign substances. Neutrophils, eosinophils, erythrocytes, platelets, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, γδ T cells, natural killer and natural killer T cells comprise the innate immune system. Genetic polymorphisms influencing the activation of innate immune cells predispose to development of vasculitis and influence its severity. Abnormally activated innate immune cells cross-talk with other cells of the innate immune system, present antigens more efficiently and activate T and B lymphocytes and cause tissue destruction via cell-mediated cytotoxicity and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These secreted cytokines further recruit other cells to the sites of vascular injury. They are involved in both the initiation as well as the perpetuation of vasculitis. Evidences suggest reversal of aberrant activation of immune cells in response to therapy. Understanding the role of innate immune cells in vasculitis helps understand the potential of therapeutic modulation of their activation to treat vasculitis. PMID:26403285
Grindstaff, Jennifer L.; Hunsaker, Veronica R.; Cox, Shelby N.
Stimulation of the offspring immune response during development is known to influence growth and behavioral phenotype. However, the potential for maternal antibodies to block the behavioral effects of immune activation during the neonatal period has not been assessed. We challenged female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) prior to egg laying and then challenged offspring during the nestling and juvenile periods with one of two antigens (keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)). We then tested the effects of maternal and neonatal immune challenges on offspring growth rates and neophobia and learning ability of offspring during adulthood. Neonatal immune challenge depressed growth rates. Neophobia of adult offspring was influenced by a combination of maternal treatment, offspring treatment, and offspring sex. Males challenged with LPS during the nestling and juvenile periods had reduced learning performance in a novel foraging task; however, female learning was not impacted. Offspring challenged with the same antigen as mothers exhibited similar growth suppression and behavioral changes as offspring challenged with a novel antigen. Thus, developmental immune challenges have long-term effects on the growth and behavioral phenotype of offspring. We found limited evidence that matching of maternal and offspring challenges reduces the effects of immune challenge in the altricial zebra finch. This may be a result of rapid catabolism of maternal antibodies in altricial birds. Our results emphasize the need to address sex differences in the long-term effects of developmental immune challenge and suggest neonatal immune activation may be one proximate mechanism underlying differences in adult behavior. PMID:22522078
Tipton, C M; Greenleaf, J E; Jackson, C G
Despite the fact that the first human was in space during 1961 and individuals have existed in a microgravity environment for more than a year, there are limited spaceflight data available on the responses of the neuroendocrine and immune systems. Because of mutual interactions between these respective integrative systems, it is inappropriate to assume that the responses of one have no impact on functions of the other. Blood and plasma volume consistently decrease with spaceflight; hence, blood endocrine and immune constituents will be modified by both gravitational and measurement influences. The majority of the in-flight data relates to endocrine responses that influence fluids and electrolytes during the first month in space. Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), aldosterone, and anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) appear to be elevated with little change in the atrial natriuretic peptides (ANP). Flight results longer than 60 d show increased ADH variability with elevations in angiotensin and cortisol. Although post-flight results are influenced by reentry and recovery events, ACTH and ADH appear to be consistently elevated with variable results being reported for the other hormones. Limited in-flight data on insulin and growth hormone levels suggest they are not elevated to counteract the loss in muscle mass. Post-flight results from short- and long-term flights indicate that thyroxine and insulin are increased while growth hormone exhibits minimal change. In-flight parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels are variable for several weeks after which they remain elevated. Post-flight PTH was increased on missions that lasted either 7 or 237 d, whereas calcitonin concentrations were increased after 1 wk but decreased after longer flights. Leukocytes are elevated in flights of various durations because of an increase in neutrophils. The majority of post-flights data indicates immunoglobulin concentrations are not significantly changed from pre-flight measurements. However, the numbers of T
Tipton, Charles M.; Greenleaf, John E.; Jackson, Catherine G. R.
Despite the fact that the first human was in space during 1961 and individuals have existed in a microgravity environment for more than a year, there are limited spaceflight data available on the responses of the neuroendocrine and immune systems. Because of mutual interactions between these respective integrative systems, it is inappropriate to assume that the responses of one have no impact on functions of the other. Blood and plasma volume consistently decrease with spaceflight; hence, blood endocrine and immune constituents will be modified by both gravitational and measurement influences. The majority of the in-flight data relates to endocrine responses that influence fluids and electrolytes during the first month in space. Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), aldo-sterone. and anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) appear to be elevated with little change in the atrial natriuretic peptides (ANP). Flight results longer than 60 d show increased ADH variability with elevations in angiotensin and cortisol. Although post-flight results are influenced by reentry and recovery events, ACTH and ADH appear to be consistently elevated with variable results being reported for the other hormones. Limited in-flight data on insulin and growth hormone levels suggest they are not elevated to counteract the loss in muscle mass. Post-flight results from short- and long-term flights indicate that thyroxine and insulin are increased while growth hormone exhibits minimal change. In-flight parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels are variable for several weeks after which they remain elevated. Post-flight PTH was increased on missions that lasted either 7 or 237 d, whereas calcitonin concentrations were increased after 1 wk but decreased after longer flights. Leukocytes are elevated in flights of various durations because of an increase in neutrophils. The majority of post-flight data indicates immunoglobulin concentrations are not significantly changed from pre-flight measurements. However, the numbers of T
Stoecklein, Veit M.; Osuka, Akinori; Lederer, James A.
Traumatic injuries induce a complex host response that disrupts immune system homeostasis and predisposes patients to opportunistic infections and inflammatory complications. The response to injuries varies considerably by type and severity, as well as by individual variables, such as age, sex, and genetics. These variables make studying the impact of trauma on the immune system challenging. Nevertheless, advances have been made in understanding how injuries influence immune system function as well as the immune cells and pathways involved in regulating the response to injuries. This review provides an overview of current knowledge about how traumatic injuries affect immune system phenotype and function. We discuss the current ideas that traumatic injuries induce a unique type of a response that may be triggered by a combination of endogenous danger signals, including alarmins, DAMPs, self-antigens, and cytokines. Additionally, we review and propose strategies for redirecting injury responses to help restore immune system homeostasis. PMID:22654121
Avitsur, Ronit; Levy, Sigal; Grinshpahet, Rachel; Goren, Naama; Hirsh, Ofer; Zalko, Assaf
Fluoxetine (FLX), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is a commonly prescribed antidepressant drug in pregnant women. FLX readily crosses the placenta, consequently altering serotonergic neurotransmission in the fetus and causing physiological and behavioral disturbances in the newborn. Studies have shown that serotonin plays a role in modulating immune signaling. Thus, the goal of this study was to assess the effects of prenatal exposure to FLX on the response to an immune challenge in offspring mice. Male and female mice were prenatally exposed to FLX and later injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at different stages of development. Results indicated that prenatal FLX modulated aspects of the response to the endotoxin challenge. Prenatal FLX diminished the secretion of interleukin (IL)-6 in adult male and female mice. Prenatal exposure to FLX further suppressed TNFα and augmented IL-1β secretion in adult males. Early effects of LPS (within 24h of administration) on body weight and food consumption were diminished by prenatal exposure to FLX in adult mice. Delayed effects of LPS (within 60h of administration) were modulated by prenatal FLX in young animals. These results provide an indication that prenatal modulations of the serotonergic system had lasting implications for host response to an immune challenge. These findings may contribute to the understanding of the effects of prenatal environment on the development of physiological systems that are important to coping with infectious challenges, and assist in understanding the limitations and precautions that should be taken in the use of SSRIs during pregnancy. PMID:26025058
Witek Janusek, Linda; Tell, Dina; Albuquerque, Kevin; Mathews, Herbert L.
Women respond differentially to the stress-associated with breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, with some women experiencing more intense and/or sustained behavioral symptoms and immune dysregulation than others. Childhood adversity has been identified to produce long-term dysregulation of stress response systems, increasing reactivity to stressors encountered during adulthood. This study determined whether childhood adversity increased vulnerability for more intense and sustained behavioral symptoms (fatigue, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms), poorer quality of life, and greater immune dysregulation in women (N=40) with breast cancer. Evaluation was after breast surgery and through early survivorship. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine intra-individual and inter-individual differences with respect to initial status and to the pattern of change (i.e. trajectory) of outcomes. At initial assessment, women exposed to childhood emotional neglect/abuse had greater perceived stress, fatigue, depressive symptoms and poorer quality of life, as well as lower natural killer cell activity (NKCA). Although these outcomes improved over time, women with greater childhood emotional neglect/abuse exhibited worse outcomes through early survivorship. No effect was observed on the trajectory for these outcomes. In contrast, childhood physical neglect predicted sustained trajectories of greater perceived stress, worse quality of life, and elevated plasma IL-6; with no effect observed at initial assessment. Thus, childhood adversity leaves an enduring imprint, increasing vulnerability for behavioral symptoms, poor quality of life, and elevations in IL-6 in women with breast cancer. Further, childhood adversity predisposes to lower NKCA at a critical time when this immune-effector mechanism is most effective at halting nascent tumor seeding. PMID:22659062
Ng, Tze Hann; Hung, Hsin-Yi; Chiang, Yi-An; Lin, Jia-Hung; Chen, Yi-Ning; Chuang, Ya-Chu; Wang, Han-Ching
One of the major gaps in our understanding of arthropod specific immune priming concerns the mechanism[s] by which the observed long-term (>2 weeks) protective effects might be mediated. Hypervariable Dscam (Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule) might support arthropod innate immunity with specificity for more extended periods. We show here that, in the relatively long-lived arthropod Cherax quadricarinatus, CqDscam does not behave like a typical, immediately-acting, short-lived innate immune factor: CqDscam was not induced within hours after challenge with a lethal virus, but instead was only up-regulated after 2-5 days. This initial response faded within ∼ 2 weeks, but another maximum was reached ∼ 1 month later. At around 2 months after the initial challenge, the virus-induced CqDscam bound to the virus virion and acted to neutralize the virus However, although CqDscam helped crayfish to survive during persistent infection, it nevertheless failed to provide any enhanced protection against a subsequent WSSV challenge. Thus, CqDscam is capable of supporting extended anti-virus immune memory in arthropods. Also, during a persistent virus infection, the balance of "immune firepower" in crayfish appears to be altered such that the general immune factors become depleted while CqDscam becomes relatively predominant. PMID:24973514
Kidd, Brian A; Wroblewska, Aleksandra; Boland, Mary R; Agudo, Judith; Merad, Miriam; Tatonetti, Nicholas P; Brown, Brian D; Dudley, Joel T
Understanding how drugs affect the immune system has consequences for treating disease and minimizing unwanted side effects. Here we present an integrative computational approach for predicting interactions between drugs and immune cells in a system-wide manner. The approach matches gene sets between transcriptional signatures to determine their similarity. We apply the method to model the interactions between 1,309 drugs and 221 immune cell types and predict 69,995 known and novel interactions. The resulting immune-cell pharmacology map is used to predict how 5 drugs influence 4 immune cell types in humans and mice. To validate the predictions, we analyzed patient records and examined cell population changes from in vivo experiments. Our method offers a tool for screening thousands of interactions to identify relationships between drugs and the immune system. PMID:26619012
McMullan, Rachel; Anderson, Alexandra; Nurrish, Stephen
Following pathogen infection the hosts' nervous and immune systems react with coordinated responses to the danger. A key question is how the neuronal and immune responses to pathogens are coordinated, are there common signaling pathways used by both responses? Using C. elegans we show that infection by pathogenic strains of M. nematophilum, but not exposure to avirulent strains, triggers behavioral and immune responses both of which require a conserved Gαq-RhoGEF Trio-Rho signaling pathway. Upon infection signaling by the Gαq pathway within cholinergic motorneurons is necessary and sufficient to increase release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and increase locomotion rates and these behavioral changes result in C. elegans leaving lawns of M. nematophilum. In the immune response to infection signaling by the Gαq pathway within rectal epithelial cells is necessary and sufficient to cause changes in cell morphology resulting in tail swelling that limits the infection. These Gαq mediated behavioral and immune responses to infection are separate, act in a cell autonomous fashion and activation of this pathway in the appropriate cells can trigger these responses in the absence of infection. Within the rectal epithelium the Gαq signaling pathway cooperates with a Ras signaling pathway to activate a Raf-ERK-MAPK pathway to trigger the cell morphology changes, whereas in motorneurons Gαq signaling triggers behavioral responses independent of Ras signaling. Thus, a conserved Gαq pathway cooperates with cell specific factors in the nervous and immune systems to produce appropriate responses to pathogen. Thus, our data suggests that ligands for Gq coupled receptors are likely to be part of the signals generated in response to M. nematophilum infection. PMID:22359503
Adaptive vertebrate immune system is a wonder of modern evolution. Under most circumstances, the dynamics of the immune system is well-matched to the dynamics of pathogen growth during a typical infection. Some pathogens, however, have evolved escape mechanisms that interact in subtle ways with the immune system dynamics. In addition, negative interactions the immune system, which has evolved over 400 000 000 years, and vaccination,which has been practiced for only 200 years, are possible. For example,vaccination against the flu can actually increase susceptibility to the flu in the next year. As another example, vaccination against one of the four strains of dengue fever typically increases susceptibility against the other three strains. Immunodominance also arises in the immune system control of nascent tumors--the immune system recognizes only a small subset of the tumor specific antigens, and the rest are free to grow and cause tumor growth. In this talk, I present a physical theory of original antigenic sin and immunodominance. How localization in the immune system leads to the observed phenomena is discussed. 1) M. W. Deem and H. Y. Lee, ``Sequence Space Localization in the Immune System Response to Vaccination and Disease,'' Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 (2003) 068101
Gilley, Ann; Godek, Marisha; Gilley, Jerry W.
A university, similar to any other organization, has an immune system that erects a powerful barrier against change. This article discusses the university immune system and what can be done to counteract its negative effects and thereby allow change to occur.
A brief overview of the fish immune system and the emerging or re-emerging bacterial, viral, parasitic and fungal diseases considered to currently have a negative impact on aquaculture is presented. The fish immune system has evolved with both innate (natural resistance) and adaptive (acquired) immu...
Qin, Ling; Jing, Xie; Qiu, Zhifeng; Cao, Wei; Jiao, Yang; Routy, Jean-Pierre; Li, Taisheng
Aging is a major risk factor for several conditions including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Functional impairments in cellular pathways controlling genomic stability, and immune control have been identified. Biomarker of immune senescence is needed to improve vaccine response and to develop therapy to improve immune control. To identify phenotypic signature of circulating immune cells with aging, we enrolled 1068 Chinese healthy volunteers ranging from 18 to 80 years old. The decreased naïve CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, increased memory CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, loss of CD28 expression on T cells and reverse trend of CD38 and HLA-DR, were significant for aging of immune system. Conversely, the absolute counts and percentage of NK cells and CD19+B cells maintained stable in aging individuals. The Chinese reference ranges of absolute counts and percentage of peripheral lymphocyte in this study might be useful for future clinical evaluation. PMID:26886066
... How Can I Help a Friend Who Cuts? Immunizations KidsHealth > For Teens > Immunizations Print A A A ... That Shot? en español Las vacunas Why Are Vaccinations Important? Measles, mumps, and whooping cough may seem ...
... a lot worse. Some are even life-threatening. Immunization shots, or vaccinations, are essential. They protect against things like measles, ... B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Immunizations are important for adults as well as children. ...
... a lot worse. Some are even life-threatening. Immunization shots, or vaccinations, are essential. They protect against ... B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Immunizations are important for adults as well as children. ...
Boulware, David R.; Marais, Suzaan; Scriven, James; Wilkinson, Robert J.; Meintjes, Graeme
Central nervous system immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (CNS-IRIS) develops in 9 %–47 % of persons with HIV infection and a CNS opportunistic infection who start antiretroviral therapy and is associated with a mortality rate of 13 %–75 %. These rates vary according to the causative pathogen. Common CNS-IRIS events occur in relation to Cryptococcus, tuberculosis (TB), and JC virus, but several other mycobacteria, fungi, and viruses have been associated with IRIS. IRIS symptoms often mimic the original infection, and diagnosis necessitates consideration of treatment failure, microbial resistance, and an additional neurological infection. These diagnostic challenges often delay IRIS diagnosis and treatment. Corticosteroids have been used to treat CNS-IRIS, with variable responses; the best supportive evidence exists for the treatment of TB-IRIS. Pathogenic mechanisms vary: Cryptococcal IRIS is characterized by a paucity of cerebrospinal inflammation prior to antiretroviral therapy, whereas higher levels of inflammatory markers at baseline predispose to TB meningitis IRIS. This review focuses on advances in the understanding of CNS-IRIS over the past 2 years. PMID:24173584
Schwartzer, J J; Careaga, M; Onore, C E; Rushakoff, J A; Berman, R F; Ashwood, P
It is becoming increasingly apparent that the causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are due to both genetic and environmental factors. Animal studies provide important translational models for elucidating specific genetic or environmental factors that contribute to ASD-related behavioral deficits. For example, mouse research has demonstrated a link between maternal immune activation and the expression of ASD-like behaviors. Although these studies have provided insights into the potential causes of ASD, they are limited in their ability to model the important interactions between genetic variability and environmental insults. This is of particular concern given the broad spectrum of severity observed in the human population, suggesting that subpopulations may be more susceptible to the adverse effects of particular environmental insults. It is hypothesized that the severity of effects of maternal immune activation on ASD-like phenotypes is influenced by the genetic background in mice. To test this, pregnant dams of two inbred strains (that is, C57BL/6J and BTBR T+tf/J) were exposed to the viral mimic polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyI:C), and their offspring were tested for the presence and severity of ASD-like behaviors. To identify differences in immune system regulation, spleens were processed and measured for alterations in induced cytokine responses. Strain-treatment interactions were observed in social approach, ultrasonic vocalization, repetitive grooming and marble burying behaviors. Interestingly, persistent dysregulation of adaptive immune system function was only observed in BTBR mice. Data suggest that behavioral and immunological effects of maternal immune activation are strain-dependent in mice. PMID:23481627
In this review, we summarize and discuss some key findings from the study of naturally occurring autoantibodies. The B-cell compartment of the immune system appears to recognize almost all endogenous and environmental antigens. This ability is accomplished principally through autopolyreactive humoral and cellular immune receptors. This extended autopolyreactivity (1) along immunoglobulin gene recombination contributes to the immune system's ability to recognize a very large number of self and non-self constituents; and (2) generates a vast immune network that creates communication channels between the organism's interior and exterior. Thus, the immune system continuously evolves depending on the internal and external stimuli it encounters. Furthermore, this far-reaching network's existence implies activities resembling those of classical biological factors or activities that modulate the function of other classical biological factors. A few such antibodies have already been found. Another important concept is that natural autoantibodies are highly dependent on the presence or absence of commensal microbes in the organism. These results are in line with past and recent findings showing the fundamental influence of the microbiota on proper immune system development, and necessitate the existence of a host-microbe homeostasis. This homeostasis requires that the participating humoral and cellular receptors are able to recognize self-antigens and commensal microbes without damaging them. Autopolyreactive immune receptors expressing low affinity for both types of antigens fulfil this role. The immune system appears to play a holistic role similar to that of the nervous system. PMID:26808310
Esmaeil, Nafiseh; Gharagozloo, Marjan; Rezaei, Abbas; Grunig, Gabriele
Incidences of sand storms have increased in recent years and there is evidence that these dusts can move across long distances. Sand dusts have different adverse effects on health, but one of the most important of them is pulmonary disease. After inhalation of dust, many dust particles are moved to the airways. Dust particles can be sensed by airways epithelial cells, activate macrophages, dendritic cells and innate immune cells and then initiate responses in various populations of specific immune cells such as T helper cells subsets (Th1, Th2, Th17), T cytotoxic cells and B cells. Initiation of inflammatory immune responses, activation of immune cells and releases of many cytokines, chemokines and other inflammatory molecules, have variable pathologic affects on lung in different respiratory diseases. Unfortunately control of desert dusts is more difficult than control of air pollution. For prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases that are caused by desert dusts, researchers need well-designed epidemiological studies, combined with analysis of the precise composition of sand dusts, and the precise mechanisms of the immune responses. Recognizing the exact cellular and molecular immune mechanisms would be very useful to find new approaches for treatment of desert dust associated pulmonary diseases. PMID:24660118
Symons, Frank J
Self-injurious behavior (SIB) among individuals with intellectual and related neurodevelopmental disorders (IDD) is a clinical challenge and scientific puzzle. The physiological mechanisms regulating the sensory components of SIB remain a mystery with no clear understanding of the underlying pathophysiology. The central dogma regarding sensory processing in general and pain in particular among individuals with IDD and chronic SIB is that sensory processing is reduced and pain is absent or blunted. In this paper, recent findings challenging some of the conventional wisdom regarding pain and sensory function among individuals with IDD and SIB are reviewed. It seems that at least a subgroup of individuals with IDD and chronic SIB may be in a physiological state similar to neuropathic pain in which hyperalgesia is mediated by plasticity mechanisms regulating inflammatory, immune, and nociceptive systems. In response to repeated tissue damage associated with chronic self-injury, innate immune cells may be producing pro-inflammatory and pro-nociceptive cytokines that act on the brain to cause sickness-like behavior and sensitize primary sensory nerve afferents contributing to pain hypersensitivity (i.e., hyperalgesia). PMID:21237197
Jiang, Xinguo; Shapiro, David J.
During different stages of tumor development the immune system can either identify and destroy tumors, or promote their growth. Therapies targeting the immune system have emerged as a promising treatment modality for breast cancer, and immunotherapeutic strategies are being examined in preclinical and clinical models. However, our understanding of the complex interplay between cells of the immune system and breast cancer cells is incomplete. In this article, we review recent findings showing how the immune system plays dual host-protective and tumor-promoting roles in breast cancer initiation and progression. We then discuss estrogen receptor α (ERα)-dependent and ERα-independent mechanisms that shield breast cancers from immunosurveillance and enable breast cancer cells to evade immune cell induced apoptosis and produce an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Finally, we discuss protumorigenic inflammation that is induced during tumor progression and therapy, and how inflammation promotes more aggressive phenotypes in ERα positive breast cancers. PMID:23791814
Liu, Heng; Patil, Harshad P.; de Vries-Idema, Jacqueline; Wilschut, Jan; Huckriede, Anke
Vaccines for protection against respiratory infections should optimally induce a mucosal immune response in the respiratory tract in addition to a systemic immune response. However, current parenteral immunization modalities generally fail to induce mucosal immunity, while mucosal vaccine delivery often results in poor systemic immunity. In order to find an immunization strategy which satisfies the need for induction of both mucosal and systemic immunity, we compared local and systemic immune responses elicited by two mucosal immunizations, given either by the intranasal (IN) or the intrapulmonary (IPL) route, with responses elicited by a mucosal prime followed by a systemic boost immunization. The study was conducted in BALB/c mice and the vaccine formulation was an influenza subunit vaccine supplemented with GPI-0100, a saponin-derived adjuvant. While optimal mucosal antibody titers were obtained after two intrapulmonary vaccinations, optimal systemic antibody responses were achieved by intranasal prime followed by intramuscular boost. The latter strategy also resulted in the best T cell response, yet, it was ineffective in inducing nose or lung IgA. Successful induction of secretory IgA, IgG and T cell responses was only achieved with prime-boost strategies involving intrapulmonary immunization and was optimal when both immunizations were given via the intrapulmonary route. Our results underline that immunization via the lungs is particularly effective for priming as well as boosting of local and systemic immune responses. PMID:23936066
Neuropsychiatric disorders have long been linked to both immune system activation and alterations in serotonin (5-HT) signaling. In the CNS, the contributions of 5-HT modulate a broad range of targets, most notably, hypothalamic, limbic and cortical circuits linked to the control of mood and mood disorders. In the periphery, many are aware of the production and actions of 5-HT in the gut but are unaware that the molecule and its receptors are also present in the immune system where evidence suggests they contribute to the both innate and adaptive responses. In addition, there is clear evidence that the immune system communicates to the brain via both humoral and neuronal mechanisms, and that CNS 5-HT neurons are a direct or indirect target for these actions. Following a brief primer on the immune system, we describe our current understanding of the synthesis, release, and actions of 5-HT in modulating immune function, including the expression of 5-HT biosynthetic enzymes, receptors, and transporters that are typically studied with respect to the roles in the CNS. We then orient our presentation to recent findings that pro-inflammatory cytokines can modulate CNS 5-HT signaling, leading to a conceptualization that among the many roles of 5-HT in the body is an integrated physiological and behavioral response to inflammatory events and pathogens. From this perspective, altered 5-HT/immune conversations are likely to contribute to risk for neurobehavioral disorders historically linked to compromised 5-HT function or ameliorated by 5-HT targeted medications, including depression and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and autism. Our review raises the question as to whether genetic variation impacting 5-HT signaling genes may contribute to maladaptive behavior as much through perturbed immune system modulation as through altered brain mechanisms. Conversely, targeting the immune system for therapeutic development may provide an important opportunity
Mowat, A M; Maloy, K J; Donachie, A M
Orally active synthetic vaccines containing purified antigens would have many benefits for immunizing against systemic and mucosal diseases. However, several factors have limited the development of such vaccines, including the poor immunogenicity of purified proteins and their usual ability to induce tolerance when given orally. Here, we show that incorporation of ovalbumin (OVA) into immune-stimulating complexes (ISCOMS) containing saponin prevents the induction of oral tolerance in mice. In parallel, the spleen and mesenteric lymph node of mice fed OVA ISCOMS are primed for class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted cytotoxic T-cell activity which recognizes physiologically processed epitopes on OVA. Oral immunization with OVA ISCOMS also stimulates high secretory IgA antibody responses in the intestine itself, as well as serum IgG antibodies. None of these active immune responses are detectable in mice fed OVA alone. Despite the potent priming of mucosal priming by OVA ISCOMS, re-exposure to antigen does not induce the intestinal immunopathology found in other systems after the breakdown of oral tolerance. Thus, ISCOMS have several unique properties as vectors for oral immunization and could provide a basis for future mucosal vaccines. PMID:7508416
Muenst, S; Läubli, H; Soysal, S D; Zippelius, A; Tzankov, A; Hoeller, S
The complicated interplay between cancer and the host immune system has been studied for decades. New insights into the human immune system as well as the mechanisms by which tumours evade immune control have led to the new and innovative therapeutic strategies that are considered amongst the medical breakthroughs of the last few years. Here, we will review the current understanding of cancer immunology in general, including immune surveillance and immunoediting, with a detailed look at immune cells (T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, macrophages and dendritic cells), immune checkpoints and regulators, sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs) and other mechanisms. We will also present examples of new immune therapies able to reverse immune evasion strategies of tumour cells. Finally, we will focus on therapies that are already used in daily oncological practice such as the blockade of immune checkpoints cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-1 (PD-1) in patients with metastatic melanoma or advanced lung cancer, or therapies currently being tested in clinical trials such as adoptive T-cell transfer. PMID:26748421
Abdo Abd Al-Hady, Mohamed; Badr, Amr Ahmed; Mostafa, Mostafa Abd Al-Azim
The immune system has a cognitive ability to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy cells. The immune system response (ISR) is stimulated by a disorder in the temporary fuzzy state that is oscillating between the healthy and unhealthy states. However, modeling the immune system is an enormous challenge; the paper introduces an extensive summary of how the immune system response functions, as an overview of a complex topic, to present the immune system as a cognitive intelligent agent. The homogeneity and perfection of the natural immune system have been always standing out as the sought-after model we attempted to imitate while building our proposed model of cognitive architecture. The paper divides the ISR into four logical phases: setting a computational architectural diagram for each phase, proceeding from functional perspectives (input, process, and output), and their consequences. The proposed architecture components are defined by matching biological operations with computational functions and hence with the framework of the paper. On the other hand, the architecture focuses on the interoperability of main theoretical immunological perspectives (classic, cognitive, and danger theory), as related to computer science terminologies. The paper presents a descriptive model of immune system, to figure out the nature of response, deemed to be intrinsic for building a hybrid computational model based on a cognitive intelligent agent perspective and inspired by the natural biology. To that end, this paper highlights the ISR phases as applied to a case study on hepatitis C virus, meanwhile illustrating our proposed architecture perspective. PMID:25003131
McMurran, Christopher E.; Jones, Clare A.; Fitzgerald, Denise C.; Franklin, Robin J. M.
A misguided inflammatory response is frequently implicated in myelin damage. Particularly prominent among myelin diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition, with immune–mediated damage central to its etiology. Nevertheless, a robust inflammatory response is also essential for the efficient regeneration of myelin sheaths after such injury. Here, we discuss the functions of inflammation that promote remyelination, and how these have been experimentally disentangled from the pathological facets of the immune response. We focus on the contributions that resident microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages make to remyelination and compare the roles of these two populations of innate immune cells. Finally, the current literature is framed in the context of developing therapies that manipulate the innate immune response to promote remyelination in clinical myelin disease. PMID:27200350
Fraser, Cara K; Brown, Michael P; Diener, Kerrilyn R; Hayball, John D
The immune system has an intricate and complex relationship with tumorigenesis; while it has the capacity to identify and eliminate cancerous cells, the emergence of a tumor signifies its failure to do this. Thus, the immune-tumor interplay is paradoxical as through initial suppression of tumor growth, an immunologically silent or even suppressive tumor evolves. Furthermore, certain immune processes, such as chronic inflammation and immunosuppression, can facilitate malignant progression. Nevertheless, immunotherapeutic approaches can manipulate the immune milieu to improve the therapeutic outcomes of cancer treatments. Furthermore, particular conventional cancer therapies also have immunostimulatory properties in their own right. An in-depth understanding of the intimate involvement of the immune system in tumorigenesis and the potential to manipulate this interaction to improve disease outcomes will enable the development of new and broadly effective cancer therapies. PMID:20553215
Kaneshige, John; Krishnakumar, Kalmanje
Since future air combat missions will involve both manned and unmanned aircraft, the primary motivation for this research is to enable unmanned aircraft with intelligent maneuvering capabilities. During air combat maneuvering, pilots use their knowledge and experience of maneuvering strategies and tactics to determine the best course of action. As a result, we try to capture these aspects using an artificial immune system approach. The biological immune system protects the body against intruders by recognizing and destroying harmful cells or molecules. It can be thought of as a robust adaptive system that is capable of dealing with an enormous variety of disturbances and uncertainties. However, another critical aspect of the immune system is that it can remember how previous encounters were successfully defeated. As a result, it can respond faster to similar encounters in the future. This paper describes how an artificial immune system is used to select and construct air combat maneuvers. These maneuvers are composed of autopilot mode and target commands, which represent the low-level building blocks of the parameterized system. The resulting command sequences are sent to a tactical autopilot system, which has been enhanced with additional modes and an aggressiveness factor for enabling high performance maneuvers. Just as vaccinations train the biological immune system how to combat intruders, training sets are used to teach the maneuvering system how to respond to different enemy aircraft situations. Simulation results are presented, which demonstrate the potential of using immunized maneuver selection for the purposes of air combat maneuvering.
The last two decades has seen a rapid increase in the application of AIS (Artificial Immune Systems) modeled after the human immune system to a wide range of areas including network intrusion detection, job shop scheduling, classification, pattern recognition, and robot control. JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) has developed an integrated pattern recognition/classification system called AISLE (Artificial Immune System for Learning and Exploration) based on biologically inspired models of B-cell dynamics in the immune system. When used for unsupervised or supervised classification, the method scales linearly with the number of dimensions, has performance that is relatively independent of the total size of the dataset, and has been shown to perform as well as traditional clustering methods. When used for pattern recognition, the method efficiently isolates the appropriate matches in the data set. The paper presents the underlying structure of AISLE and the results from a number of experimental studies.
Smith, L C; Davidson, E H
In summary, the characters of the echinoderm immune system that we review here can be considered to illuminate the baseline nonadaptive immune systems that were our original deuterostome heritage. We still retain--and greatly rely upon--similarly functioning, nonadaptive cellular defense systems. It is worth stressing that sea urchins are long lived, normally healthy animals that display remarkable abilities to heal wounds and combat major infections. From an external point of view, their immune systems obviously work very well. Thus, their cellular defense systems are extremely sensitive, and they respond rapidly to minor perturbations, all without any specific adaptive capabilities. These systems probably function through the transduction of signals conveying information on injury and infection, just as do the equivalent systems that underlie and back up our own adaptive immune systems, and that provide the initial series of defenses against pathogenic invasions. Many extremely interesting questions remain regarding the evolution of the deuterostome immune response. Are the echinoderm and tunicate systems the same, or have the protochordates augmented the basic phagocyte system with an as yet unidentified chordate-like character? Do the jawless fishes produce Igs that would make them similar to the sharks, or are they vertebrates without an Ig system that essentially rely on an invertebrate-like, nonspecific, activated phagocyte type of immune system? How do sharks regulate their immune system without T cells and MHC class I? How do they avoid producing autoantibodies? Future research will not only answer these questions, but those answers will also be enlightening with regard to the origins of the mammalian immune system in which ancient functions and subsystems remain. PMID:8192333
Devoino, L; Alperina, E; Kudryavtseva, N; Popova, N
Immune responses in two strains of male mice with aggressive and submissive behavior patterns was studied. In aggressive CBA males immunized on the 10th day of agonistic confrontations with submissive partners, greater numbers of plaque-forming cells (PFC) and rosette-forming cells (RFC) were noted compared to control mice. Unlike the CBA strain, both PFC and RFC levels in aggressive C57BL males did not increase, but both PFC and RFC numbers decreased in submissive animals. PMID:8471801
Tung, K S; DeHoratius, R J; Williams, R C
The molecular size of circulating immune complexes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus was determined by the C1q solid-phase assay after the sera were fractionated by sucrose-gradient ultracentrifugation. Circulating immune complexes in patients with membranous glomerulonephritis were uniformly large, sedimenting exclusively above 19S, whereas the immune complexes in patients with cerebritis were small, at or just above 7S. In lupus patients with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis and patients without renal involvement, immune complexes of both large and small sizes were found. Of patients without renal involvement, more circulating immune complexes were associated with active disease (n = 22, prevalence = 82%, mean level = 24 standard deviations) than with inactive disease (n = 17, prevalence = 41%, mean level = 41%, mean level = 6 . 5 standard deviations). In patients with clinical evidence for renal involvement, circulating immune complexes were detected in all of five patients with membranous glomerulonephritis, in 88% of 17 patients with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis and in one of four patients with mesangial nephritis. Thus, in addition to the finding of an overall positive correlation between disease activity and circulating immune complex levels, circulating immune complexes of certain general molecular size ranges appear to be associated with different clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 PMID:7285395
Saleh, Maria-Carla; Tassetto, Michel; van Rij, Ronald P.; Goic, Bertsy; Gausson, Valérie; Berry, Bassam; Jacquier, Caroline; Antoniewski, Christophe; Andino, Raul
Multicellular organisms evolved sophisticated defense systems to confer protection against pathogens. An important characteristic of these immune systems is their ability to act both locally at the site of infection and at distal uninfected locations1-4. In insects, such as Drosophila melanogaster, RNA interference (RNAi) mediates antiviral immunity5-7. However, the antiviral RNAi defense in flies is thought to be a local, cell-autonomous process, since flies are considered unable to generate a systemic RNAi response8. Here we show that a recently defined double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) uptake pathway9 is essential for effective antiviral RNAi immunity in adult flies. Mutant flies defective in this dsRNA uptake pathway were hypersensitive to infection with Drosophila C virus (DCV) and Sindbis virus. Mortality in dsRNA-uptake defective flies was accompanied by 100-to 105-fold increases in viral titers and higher levels of viral RNA. Furthermore, inoculating naked dsRNA into flies elicited a sequence specific antiviral immune response that required an intact dsRNA uptake pathway. These findings suggest that spread of dsRNA to uninfected sites is essential for effective antiviral immunity. Strikingly, infection with Sindbis-GFP suppressed expression of host-encoded GFP at a distal site. Thus, similar to protein-based immunity in vertebrates, the antiviral RNAi-response in flies also relies on the systemic spread of a virus-specific immunity signal. PMID:19204732
KIYONO, Hiroshi; AZEGAMI, Tatsuhiko
The oral cavity is the beginning of the aero-digestive tract, which is covered by mucosal epithelium continuously under the threat of invasion of pathogens, it is thus protected by the mucosal immune system. In the early phase of our scientific efforts for the demonstration of mucosal immune system, dental science was one of major driving forces due to their foreseeability to use oral immunity for the control of oral diseases. The mucosal immune system is divided functionally into, but interconnected inductive and effector sites. Intestinal Peyer’s patches (PPs) are an inductive site containing antigen-sampling M cells and immunocompetent cells required to initiate antigen-specific immune responses. At effector sites, PP-originated antigen-specific IgA B cells become plasma cells to produce polymeric IgA and form secretory IgA by binding to poly-Ig receptor expressed on epithelial cells for protective immunity. The development of new-generation mucosal vaccines, including the rice-based oral vaccine MucoRice, on the basis of the coordinated mucosal immune system is a promising strategy for the control of mucosal infectious diseases. PMID:26460320
Huang, Jing; Li, Xiangming; Coelho-dos-Reis, Jordana G A; Zhang, Min; Mitchell, Robert; Nogueira, Raquel Tayar; Tsao, Tiffany; Noe, Amy R; Ayala, Ramses; Sahi, Vincent; Gutierrez, Gabriel M; Nussenzweig, Victor; Wilson, James M; Nardin, Elizabeth H; Nussenzweig, Ruth S; Tsuji, Moriya
In this study, we developed human immune system (HIS) mice that possess functional human CD4+ T cells and B cells, named HIS-CD4/B mice. HIS-CD4/B mice were generated by first introducing HLA class II genes, including DR1 and DR4, along with genes encoding various human cytokines and human B cell activation factor (BAFF) to NSG mice by adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) vectors, followed by engrafting human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). HIS-CD4/B mice, in which the reconstitution of human CD4+ T and B cells resembles to that of humans, produced a significant level of human IgG against Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite (PfCS) protein upon immunization. CD4+ T cells in HIS-CD4/B mice, which possess central and effector memory phenotypes like those in humans, are functional, since PfCS protein-specific human CD4+ T cells secreting IFN-γ and IL-2 were detected in immunized HIS-CD4/B mice. Lastly, PfCS protein-immunized HIS-CD4/B mice were protected from in vivo challenge with transgenic P. berghei sporozoites expressing the PfCS protein. The immune sera collected from protected HIS-CD4/B mice reacted against transgenic P. berghei sporozoites expressing the PfCS protein and also inhibited the parasite invasion into hepatocytes in vitro. Taken together, these studies show that our HIS-CD4/B mice could mount protective human anti-malaria immunity, consisting of human IgG and human CD4+ T cell responses both specific for a human malaria antigen. PMID:26410104
Ashley-Martin, Jillian; Dodds, Linda; Arbuckle, Tye E; Marshall, Jean
Triclosan is widely used as an antimicrobial agent and preservative that has been hypothesized to play a role in asthma and allergic disease. The limited body of literature regarding the allergenicity of triclosan has not evaluated prenatal exposure and subsequent potential effects on the developing immune system. The objective of the present study was to determine the association between prenatal urinary triclosan concentrations and cord blood immune system biomarker concentrations. Umbilical cord blood samples were obtained from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Biobank and were tested for three immune system biomarkers: immunoglobulin E (IgE), thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), and interleukin-33 (IL-33). Triclosan concentrations were measured in urine at 6-13 weeks gestation. No statistically significant associations were observed between prenatal triclosan concentrations and elevated concentrations of any immune system biomarker (n=1219 participants). Longitudinal studies are necessary to determine how the observed findings at birth translate into childhood. PMID:27167448
NASA Public Affairs Officer Kelly Humphries interviews Brian Crucian, NASA immunologist, about the issues with space flight and the immune system. Questions? Ask us on Twitter @NASA_Johnson and inc...
Khalil, Sarah; Jacobson, Eliana; Chambers, Moria C.; Lazzaro, Brian P.
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is one of the premier model organisms for studying the function and evolution of immune defense. Many aspects of innate immunity are conserved between insects and mammals, and since Drosophila can readily be genetically and experimentally manipulated, they are powerful for studying immune system function and the physiological consequences of disease. The procedure demonstrated here allows infection of flies by introduction of bacteria directly into the body cavity, bypassing epithelial barriers and more passive forms of defense and allowing focus on systemic infection. The procedure includes protocols for the measuring rates of host mortality, systemic pathogen load, and degree of induction of the host immune system. This infection procedure is inexpensive, robust and quantitatively repeatable, and can be used in studies of functional genetics, evolutionary life history, and physiology. PMID:25992475
Imeri, Luca; Opp, Mark R.
Good sleep is necessary for physical and mental health. For example, sleep loss impairs immune function, and sleep is altered during infection. Immune signalling molecules are present in the healthy brain, where they interact with neurochemical systems to contribute to the regulation of normal sleep. Animal studies have shown that interactions between immune signalling molecules (such as the cytokine interleukin 1) and brain neurochemical systems (such as the serotonin system) are amplified during infection, indicating that these interactions might underlie the changes in sleep that occur during infection. Why should the immune system cause us to sleep differently when we are sick? We propose that the alterations in sleep architecture during infection are exquisitely tailored to support the generation of fever, which in turn imparts survival value. PMID:19209176
Rationale: The predisposition towards atopic disease begins early in life, and that the risk of developing asthma is heightened following prenatal exposure to some compounds. Nonetheless, the effect of gestational aeroallergen exposure on the developing immune system is unclear....
Shultz, Leonard D.; Brehm, Michael A.; Garcia, J. Victor; Greiner, Dale L.
Preface Significant advances in our understanding of the in vivo functions of human cells, tissues and immune systems have resulted from the development of mouse strains that are based on severely immunodeficient mice expressing mutations in the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor common γ-chain locus. These mouse strains support the engraftment of a functional human immune system and permit detailed analysis of human immune biology, development and functions. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in the development of humanized mice, the lessons learned, the remaining challenges and the promise of using humanized mice for the in vivo study of human immunology. PMID:23059428
Salome, N; Tasiemski, A; Dutriez, I; Wigger, A; Landgraf, R; Viltart, O
Disturbances in mood such as anxiety and depression are often associated with altered hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity, but also with changes in cytokine production, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), an essential immune factor produced by macrophages and lymphocytes during inflammatory processes. The reciprocal relationship between the HPA axis and the immune system is now well established. In order to understand better the endocrine reactivity of anxious individuals faced with an immune challenge, a model of innate anxiety-related behavior, HAB and LAB rats (HABs, high and LABs, low anxiety-related behavior) was used in this study. We sought to determine whether injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced a differential HPA axis reactivity and plasma IL-6 release in HABs and LABs. After LPS injection, the plasma adrenal corticotrophic hormone increase did not differ between HABs and LABs, whereas a larger increase in plasma corticosterone levels occurred in HABs than in LABs at 2 h after injection. Moreover, basal IL-6 levels were lower in HABs than in LABs, leading to a higher IL-6 2 h/basal ratio in HABs. In conclusion, we propose for the first time a link between the endocrine and immune systems of HABs and LABs and suggest that IL-6 could be a neuroendocrine correlate of trait anxiety in HABs. PMID:18207648
Leung, Kevin; Cheong, France; Cheong, Christopher
Current artificial immune system (AIS) classifiers have two major problems: 1) their populations of B-cells can grow to huge proportions, and 2) optimizing one B-cell (part of the classifier) at a time does not necessarily guarantee that the B-cell pool (the whole classifier) will be optimized. In this paper, the design of a new AIS algorithm and classifier system called simple AIS is described. It is different from traditional AIS classifiers in that it takes only one B-cell, instead of a B-cell pool, to represent the classifier. This approach ensures global optimization of the whole system, and in addition, no population control mechanism is needed. The classifier was tested on seven benchmark data sets using different classification techniques and was found to be very competitive when compared to other classifiers. PMID:17926714
French, Susannah S; Chester, Emily M; Demas, Gregory E
It is increasingly evident that influences other than genetics can contribute to offspring phenotype. In particular, maternal influences are an important contributing factor to offspring survival, development, physiology and behavior. Common environmental pathogens such as viral or bacterial microorganisms can induce maternal immune responses, which have the potential to alter the prenatal environment via multiple independent pathways. The effects of maternal immune activation on endocrine responses and behavior are less well studied and provide the basis for the current study. Our approach in the current study was two-pronged: 1) quantify sickness responses during pregnancy in adult female hamsters experiencing varying severity of immune responsiveness (i.e., differing doses of lipopolysaccharide [LPS]), and 2) assess the effects of maternal immune activation on offspring development, immunocompetence, hormone profiles, and social behavior during adulthood. Pregnancy success decreased with increasing doses of LPS, and litter size was reduced in LPS dams that managed to successfully reproduce. Unexpectedly, pregnant females treated with LPS showed a hypothermic response in addition to the more typical anorexic and body mass changes associated with sickness. Significant endocrine changes related to behavior were observed in the offspring of LPS-treated dams; these effects were apparent in adulthood. Specifically, offspring from LPS treated dams showed significantly greater cortisol responses to stressful resident-intruder encounters compared with offspring from control dams. Post-behavior cortisol was elevated in male LPS offspring relative to the offspring of control dams, and was positively correlated with the frequency of bites during agonistic interactions, and cortisol levels in both sexes were related to defensive behaviors, suggesting that changes in hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis responsiveness may play a regulatory role in the observed behavioral
Babalola, Stella; Lawan, Umar
This study examines the predictors of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunization status among infants in northern Nigeria using a behavioral-ecological model. The findings show only 37.3 percent of the children had received BCG vaccine, and reveal that BCG immunization status in northern Nigeria is influenced by multiple layers of factors, including child's characteristics, parental or household factors, community characteristics, vaccine supply and the policy environment. At the child's level, place of birth and ownership of an immunization card are the two most significant predictors. The parental and household predictors of BCG immunization status include maternal use of antenatal care, maternal knowledge about immunization, maternal exposure to child health information, social influence and paternal approval of immunization. Both the regularity of vaccine supply to the health facility and the state of residence are associated independently with BCG immunization status. These findings stress the need for interventions at multiple levels in order to increase BCG immunization status. PMID:19240190
Gold, R; Archelos, J J; Hartung, H P
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is a target for heterogenous immune attacks mediated by different components of the systemic immune compartment. T cells, B cells, and macrophages can interact with endogenous, partially immune-competent glial cells and contribute to local inflammation. Cellular and humoral immune functions of Schwann cells have been well characterized in vitro. In addition, the interaction of the humoral and cellular immune system with the cellular and extracellular components in the PNS may determine the extent of tissue inflammation and repair processes such as remyelination and neuronal outgrowth. The animal model experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) allows direct monitoring of these immune responses in vivo. In EAN contributions to regulate autoimmunity in the PNS are made by adhesion molecules and by cytokines that orchestrate cellular interactions. The PNS has a significant potential to eliminate T cell inflammation via apoptosis, which is almost lacking in other tissues such as muscle and skin. In vitro experiments suggest different scenarios how specific cellular and humoral elements in the PNS may sensitize autoreactive T cells for apoptosis in vivo. Interestingly several conventional and novel immunotherapeutic approaches like glucocorticosteroids and high-dose antigen therapy induce T cell apoptosis in situ in EAN. A better understanding of immune regulation and its failure in the PNS may help to develop improved, more specific immunotherapies. PMID:10219750
Weiser, Michael J; Mucha, Brittany; Denheyer, Heather; Atkinson, Devon; Schanz, Norman; Vassiliou, Evros; Benno, Robert H
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders over the last several decades has risen at an alarming rate. Factors such as broadened clinical definitions and increased parental age only partially account for this precipitous increase, suggesting that recent changes in environmental factors may also be responsible. One such factor could be the dramatic decrease in consumption of anti-inflammatory dietary omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) relative to the amount of pro-inflammatory omega-6 (n-6) PUFAs and saturated fats in the Western diet. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the principle n-3 PUFA found in neural tissue and is important for optimal brain development, especially during late gestation when DHA rapidly and preferentially accumulates in the brain. In this study, we tested whether supplementation of a low n-3 PUFA diet with DHA throughout development could improve measures related to autism in a mouse model of maternal immune activation. We found that dietary DHA protected offspring from the deleterious effects of gestational exposure to the viral mimetic polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidilic acid on behavioral measures of autism and subsequent adulthood immune system reactivity. These data suggest that elevated dietary levels of DHA, especially during pregnancy and nursing, may help protect normal neurodevelopment from the potentially adverse consequences of environmental insults like maternal infection. PMID:26703213
Kabat, Agnieszka M.; Pott, Johanna; Maloy, Kevin J.
The gastrointestinal tract presents a unique challenge to the mucosal immune system, which has to constantly monitor the vast surface for the presence of pathogens, while at the same time maintaining tolerance to beneficial or innocuous antigens. In the intestinal mucosa, specialized innate and adaptive immune components participate in directing appropriate immune responses toward these diverse challenges. Recent studies provide compelling evidence that the process of autophagy influences several aspects of mucosal immune responses. Initially described as a “self-eating” survival pathway that enables nutrient recycling during starvation, autophagy has now been connected to multiple cellular responses, including several aspects of immunity. Initial links between autophagy and host immunity came from the observations that autophagy can target intracellular bacteria for degradation. However, subsequent studies indicated that autophagy plays a much broader role in immune responses, as it can impact antigen processing, thymic selection, lymphocyte homeostasis, and the regulation of immunoglobulin and cytokine secretion. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of mucosal immune cells and discuss how autophagy influences many aspects of their physiology and function. We focus on cell type-specific roles of autophagy in the gut, with a particular emphasis on the effects of autophagy on the intestinal T cell compartment. We also provide a perspective on how manipulation of autophagy may potentially be used to treat mucosal inflammatory disorders. PMID:27446072
Dobrovolskaia, Marina A; Shurin, Michael; Shvedova, Anna A
The delivery of drugs, antigens, and imaging agents benefits from using nanotechnology-based carriers. The successful translation of nanoformulations to the clinic involves thorough assessment of their safety profiles, which, among other end-points, includes evaluation of immunotoxicity. The past decade of research focusing on nanoparticle interaction with the immune system has been fruitful in terms of understanding the basics of nanoparticle immunocompatibility, developing a bioanalytical infrastructure to screen for nanoparticle-mediated immune reactions, beginning to uncover the mechanisms of nanoparticle immunotoxicity, and utilizing current knowledge about the structure-activity relationship between nanoparticles' physicochemical properties and their effects on the immune system to guide safe drug delivery. In the present review, we focus on the most prominent pieces of the nanoparticle-immune system puzzle and discuss the achievements, disappointments, and lessons learned over the past 15years of research on the immunotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials. PMID:26739622
Fang, Ronnie H; Zhang, Liangfang
The immune system is an incredibly complex biological network that plays a significant role in almost all disease pathogenesis. With an increased understanding of how this vital system operates, there has been a great emphasis on leveraging, manipulating, and/or supplementing endogenous immunity to better prevent or treat different disease states. More recently, the advent of nanotechnology has ushered in a plethora of new nanoparticle-based platforms that can be used to improve existing immunomodulation modalities. As the ability to engineer at the nanoscale becomes increasingly sophisticated, nanoparticles can be finely tuned to effect the desired immune responses, leading to exciting new avenues for addressing pressing issues in public health. In this review, we give an overview of the different areas in which nanoparticle technology has been applied toward modulating the immune system and highlight the recent advances within each. PMID:27146556
Neuroimmunologists seek to understand the interactions between the central nervous system (CNS) and the immune system, both under homeostatic conditions and in diseases. Unanswered questions include those relating to the diversity and specificity of the meningeal T cell repertoire; the routes taken by immune cells that patrol the meninges under healthy conditions and invade the parenchyma during pathology; the opposing effects (beneficial or detrimental) of these cells on CNS function; the role of immune cells after CNS injury; and the evolutionary link between the two systems, resulting in their tight interaction and interdependence. This Review summarizes the current standing of and challenging questions related to interactions between adaptive immunity and the CNS and considers the possible directions in which these aspects of neuroimmunology will be heading over the next decade. PMID:27540163
Levy, Maayan; Thaiss, Christoph A; Elinav, Eran
The mammalian intestine harbors one of the largest microbial densities on Earth, necessitating the implementation of control mechanisms by which the host evaluates the state of microbial colonization and reacts to deviations from homeostasis. While microbial recognition by the innate immune system has been firmly established as an efficient means by which the host evaluates microbial presence, recent work has uncovered a central role for bacterial metabolites in the orchestration of the host immune response. In this review, we highlight examples of how microbiota-modulated metabolites control the development, differentiation, and activity of the immune system and classify them into functional categories that illustrate the spectrum of ways by which microbial metabolites influence host physiology. A comprehensive understanding of how microbiota-derived metabolites shape the human immune system is critical for the rational design of therapies for microbiota-driven diseases. PMID:27474437
Romeo, Javier; Wärnberg, Julia; Nova, Esther; Díaz, Ligia E; Gómez-Martinez, Sonia; Marcos, Ascensión
Increasing evidence suggests that light to moderate amounts of polyphenol-rich alcoholic beverages like wine or beer could have health benefits. Scientists have long debated the effects of alcohol on immune function, showing on the one hand, that high doses of alcohol consumption can directly suppress a wide range of immune responses, and that alcohol abuse is associated with an increased incidence of a number of infectious diseases. On the other hand, moderate alcohol consumption seems to have a beneficial impact on the immune system compared to alcohol abuse or abstinence. Therefore, the link between alcohol consumption, immune response, as well as infectious and inflammatory processes remains not completely understood. With this in mind, it is important to realise that other factors, unrelated or indirectly related to immune function, like drinking patterns, beverage type, amount of alcohol, or gender differences, will affect the influence that alcohol consumption may have on the immune system. This review summarises published data describing the effects that light to moderate amounts of polyphenol-rich beverages like wine or beer seem to have on immunity in healthy adults. PMID:17922947
Thakar, Juilee; Pilione, Mylisa; Kirimanjeswara, Girish; Harvill, Eric T; Albert, Réka
Many pathogens are able to manipulate the signaling pathways responsible for the generation of host immune responses. Here we examine and model a respiratory infection system in which disruption of host immune functions or of bacterial factors changes the dynamics of the infection. We synthesize the network of interactions between host immune components and two closely related bacteria in the genus Bordetellae. We incorporate existing experimental information on the timing of immune regulatory events into a discrete dynamic model, and verify the model by comparing the effects of simulated disruptions to the experimental outcome of knockout mutations. Our model indicates that the infection time course of both Bordetellae can be separated into three distinct phases based on the most active immune processes. We compare and discuss the effect of the species-specific virulence factors on disrupting the immune response during their infection of naive, antibody-treated, diseased, or convalescent hosts. Our model offers predictions regarding cytokine regulation, key immune components, and clearance of secondary infections; we experimentally validate two of these predictions. This type of modeling provides new insights into the virulence, pathogenesis, and host adaptation of disease-causing microorganisms and allows systems-level analysis that is not always possible using traditional methods. PMID:17559300
Ronveaux, O.; Rickert, D.; Hadler, S.; Groom, H.; Lloyd, J.; Bchir, A.; Birmingham, M.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the consistency and quality of immunization monitoring systems in 27 countries during 2002-03 using standardized data quality audits (DQAs) that had been launched within the framework of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization. METHODS: The consistency of reporting systems was estimated by determining the proportion of third doses of diphtheria-tetanuspertussis (DTP-3) vaccine reported as being administered that could be verified by written documentation at health facilities and districts. The quality of monitoring systems was measured using quality indices for different components of the monitoring systems. These indices were applied to each level of the health service (health unit, district and national). FINDINGS: The proportion of verified DTP-3 doses was lower than 85% in 16 countries. Difficulties in verifying the doses administered often arose at the peripheral level of the health service, usually as the result of discrepancies in information between health units and their corresponding districts or because completed recording forms were not available from health units. All countries had weaknesses in their monitoring systems; these included the inconsistent use of monitoring charts; inadequate monitoring of vaccine stocks, injection supplies and adverse events; unsafe computer practices; and poor monitoring of completeness and timeliness of reporting. CONCLUSION: Inconsistencies in immunization data occur in many countries, hampering their ability to manage their immunization programmes. Countries should use these findings to strengthen monitoring systems so that data can reliably guide programme activities. The DQA is an innovative tool that provides a way to independently assess the quality of immunization monitoring systems at all levels of a health service and serves as a point of entry to make improvements. It provides a useful example for other global health initiatives. PMID:16175824
Karachaliou, Niki; Pilotto, Sara; Teixidó, Cristina; Viteri, Santiago; González-Cao, María; Riso, Aldo; Morales-Espinosa, Daniela; Molina, Miguel Angel; Chaib, Imane; Santarpia, Mariacarmela; Richardet, Eduardo; Bria, Emilio
Advances and in-depth understanding of the biology of melanoma over the past 30 years have contributed to a change in the consideration of melanoma as one of the most therapy-resistant malignancies. The finding that oncogenic BRAF mutations drive tumor growth in up to 50% of melanomas led to a molecular therapy revolution for unresectable and metastatic disease. Moving beyond BRAF, inactivation of immune regulatory checkpoints that limit T cell responses to melanoma has provided targets for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the molecular biology of melanoma and we focus on the recent advances of molecularly targeted and immunotherapeutic approaches. PMID:26605311
Cekic, Caglar; Linden, Joel
Cellular stress or apoptosis triggers the release of ATP, ADP and other nucleotides into the extracellular space. Extracellular nucleotides function as autocrine and paracrine signalling molecules by activating cell-surface P2 purinergic receptors that elicit pro-inflammatory immune responses. Over time, extracellular nucleotides are metabolized to adenosine, leading to reduced P2 signalling and increased signalling through anti-inflammatory adenosine (P1 purinergic) receptors. Here, we review how local purinergic signalling changes over time during tissue responses to injury or disease, and we discuss the potential of targeting purinergic signalling pathways for the immunotherapeutic treatment of ischaemia, organ transplantation, autoimmunity or cancer. PMID:26922909
Xie, Ting; Liang, Jiurong
Summary β-arrestins regulate G protein (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs) through receptor desensitization while also acting as signaling scaffolds to facilitate numerous effector pathways. Recent studies have provided evidence that β-arrestins play a key role in inflammatory responses. We here summarize these advances on the roles of β-arrestins in immune regulation and inflammatory responses under physiological and pathological conditions, with an emphasis on translational implications of β-arrestins on human diseases. PMID:23764061
Gupta, Sudhir; And Others
Children (ages 3-12) with autism (n=25) were given intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) treatments at 4-week intervals for at least 6 months. Marked abnormality of immune parameters was observed in subjects, compared to age-matched controls. IVIG treatment resulted in improved eye contact, speech, behavior, echolalia, and other autistic features.…
Weiss, Brian L.; Maltz, Michele; Aksoy, Serap
Many insects rely on the presence of symbiotic bacteria for proper immune system function. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie this phenomenon are poorly understood. Adult tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) house 3 symbiotic bacteria that are vertically transmitted from mother to offspring during this insect's unique viviparous mode of reproduction. Larval tsetse that undergo intrauterine development in the absence of their obligate mutualist, Wigglesworthia, exhibit a compromised immune system during adulthood. In this study we characterize the immune phenotype of tsetse that develop in the absence of all of their endogenous symbiotic microbes. Aposymbiotic tsetse (GmmApo) present a severely compromised immune system that is characterized by the absence of phagocytic hemocytes and atypical expression of immunity-related genes. Correspondingly, these flies quickly succumb to infection with normally non-pathogenic E. coli. The susceptible phenotype exhibited by GmmApo adults can be reversed when they receive hemocytes transplanted from wild-type donor flies prior to infection. Furthermore, the process of immune system development can be restored in intrauterine GmmApo larvae when their moms are fed a diet supplemented with Wigglesworthia cell extracts. Our finding that molecular components of Wigglesworthia exhibit immunostimulatory activity within tsetse is representative of a novel evolutionary adaptation that steadfastly links an obligate symbiont with it's host. PMID:22368278
Background Evaluating the features and performance of health information systems can serve to strengthen the systems themselves as well as to guide other organizations in the process of designing and implementing surveillance tools. We adapted an evaluation framework in order to assess electronic immunization data collection systems, and applied it in two Ontario public health units. Methods The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Guidelines for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems are broad in nature and serve as an organizational tool to guide the development of comprehensive evaluation materials. Based on these Guidelines, and informed by other evaluation resources and input from stakeholders in the public health community, we applied an evaluation framework to two examples of immunization data collection and examined several system attributes: simplicity, flexibility, data quality, timeliness, and acceptability. Data collection approaches included key informant interviews, logic and completeness assessments, client surveys, and on-site observations. Results Both evaluated systems allow high-quality immunization data to be collected, analyzed, and applied in a rapid fashion. However, neither system is currently able to link to other providers’ immunization data or provincial data sources, limiting the comprehensiveness of coverage assessments. We recommended that both organizations explore possibilities for external data linkage and collaborate with other jurisdictions to promote a provincial immunization repository or data sharing platform. Conclusions Electronic systems such as the ones described in this paper allow immunization data to be collected, analyzed, and applied in a rapid fashion, and represent the infostructure required to establish a population-based immunization registry, critical for comprehensively assessing vaccine coverage. PMID:24423014
Barrangou, Rodolphe; Marraffini, Luciano A
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), and associated proteins (Cas) comprise the CRISPR-Cas system, which confers adaptive immunity against exogenic elements in many bacteria and most archaea. CRISPR-mediated immunization occurs through the uptake of DNA from invasive genetic elements such as plasmids and viruses, followed by its integration into CRISPR loci. These loci are subsequently transcribed and processed into small interfering RNAs that guide nucleases for specific cleavage of complementary sequences. Conceptually, CRISPR-Cas shares functional features with the mammalian adaptive immune system, while also exhibiting characteristics of Lamarckian evolution. Because immune markers spliced from exogenous agents are integrated iteratively in CRISPR loci, they constitute a genetic record of vaccination events and reflect environmental conditions and changes over time. Cas endonucleases, which can be reprogrammed by small guide RNAs have shown unprecedented potential and flexibility for genome editing and can be repurposed for numerous DNA targeting applications including transcriptional control. PMID:24766887
Barrangou, Rodolphe; Marraffini, Luciano A.
Summary Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR), and associated proteins (Cas) comprise the CRISPR-Cas system, which confers adaptive immunity against exogenic elements in many bacteria and most archaea. CRISPR-mediated immunization occurs through the uptake of DNA from invasive genetic elements such as plasmids and viruses, followed by its integration into CRISPR loci. These loci are subsequently transcribed and processed into small interfering RNAs that guide nucleases for specific cleavage of complementary sequences. Conceptually, CRISPR-Cas shares functional features with the mammalian adaptive immune system, while also exhibiting characteristics of Lamarckian evolution. Because immune markers spliced from exogenous agents are integrated iteratively in CRISPR loci, they constitute a genetic record of vaccination events and reflect environmental conditions and changes over time. Cas endonucleases, which can be reprogrammed by small guide RNAs have shown unprecedented potential and flexibility for genome editing, and can be repurposed for numerous DNA targeting applications including transcriptional control. PMID:24766887
Mahbub, Shegufta; Brubaker, Aleah L.; Kovacs, Elizabeth J.
The relationship between advanced age and immunologic deficits is becoming an area of rapidly advancing research. Many of the clinical hurdles in the elderly population result from dysregulation of the immune system leading to the inability of the elderly to swiftly combat infection and to the increased incidence of chronic disease states and autoimmune conditions. Herein, we address the crucial alterations in the innate immune system that occur with advancing age. Specifically, we discuss how the effects of advanced age may lead to functional changes in the neutrophil, macrophage, dendritic cell, natural killer cell, and natural killer T cell populations in human and murine models that translate into aberrant innate immune responses. Furthermore, we elucidate how these changes may contribute to documented deficits in adaptive immunity as well as the pathological conditions and the increased morbidity and mortality seen in the elderly population. PMID:21461315
Spitzer, Matthew H.; Gherardini, Pier Federico; Fragiadakis, Gabriela K.; Bhattacharya, Nupur; Yuan, Robert T.; Hotson, Andrew N.; Finck, Rachel; Carmi, Yaron; Zunder, Eli R.; Fantl, Wendy J.; Bendall, Sean C.; Engleman, Edgar G.; Nolan, Garry P.
Immune cells function in an interacting hierarchy that coordinates activities of various cell types according to genetic and environmental contexts. We developed graphical approaches to construct an extensible immune reference map from mass cytometry data of cells from different organs, incorporating landmark cell populations as flags on the map to compare cells from distinct samples. The maps recapitulated canonical cellular phenotypes and revealed reproducible, tissue-specific deviations. The approach revealed influences of genetic variation and circadian rhythms on immune system structure, enabled direct comparisons of murine and human blood cell phenotypes, and even enabled archival fluorescence-based flow cytometry data to be mapped onto the reference framework. This foundational reference map provides a working definition of systemic immune organization to which new data can be integrated to reveal deviations driven by genetics, environment, or pathology. PMID:26160952
Rus, Horea; Cudrici, Cornelia; Niculescu, Florin
Complement is a major component of innate immune system involved in defending against all the foreign pathogens through complement fragments that participate in opsonization, chemotaxis, and activation of leukocytes and through cytolysis by C5b-9 membrane attack complex. Bacterias and viruses have adapted in various ways to escape the complement activation, and they take advantage of the complement system by using the host complement receptors to infect various cells. Complement activation also participates in clearance of apoptotic cells and immune complexes. Moreover, at sublytic dose, C5b-9 was shown to promote cell survival. Recently it was also recognized that complement plays a key role in adaptive immunity by modulating and modifying the T cell responses. All these data suggest that complement activation constitutes a critical link between the innate and acquired immune responses. PMID:16234578
Kulkarni, A. D.; Yamauchi, K.; Sundaresan, A.; Ramesh, G. T.; Pellis, N. R.
Microgravity and its environment have adverse effects on the immune system. Abnormal immune responses observed in microgravity may pose serious consequences, especially for the recent directions of NASA for long-term space missions to Moon, Mars and deep Space exploration. The study of space flight immunology is limited due to relative inaccessibility, difficulty of performing experiments in space, and inadequate provisions in this area in the United States and Russian space programs (Taylor 1993). Microgravity and stress experienced during space flights results in immune system aberration (Taylor 1993). In ground-based mouse models for some of the microgravity effects on the human body, hindlimb unloading (HU) has been reported to cause abnormal cell proliferation and cytokine production (Armstrong et al., 1993, Chapes et al. 1993). In this report, we document that a nutritional nucleotide supplementation as studied in ground-based microgravity analogs, has potential to serve as a countermeasure for the immune dysfunction observed in space travel.
Racine, Christopher; Billick, Stephen
Stalking is a complex behavioral phenomenon that is unique in that it necessarily involves a prolonged dyadic relationship between both a perpetrator and a victim. Since criminalization of stalking behavior in the 1990s, different conceptual typologies have attempted to classify this behavior to assess risk and aid in management decisions. The authors reviewed the current literature regarding the most recent and accepted stalking classification systems. The three predominant stalker typologies currently in use include Zona's stalker-victim types, Mullen's stalker typology, and the RECON stalker typology. Of these, the RECON classification system alone was developed in an attempt to separate stalkers into groups based on previously known risk factors for behaviorally based phenomenon such as propensity for violence. Understanding and simplifying these classification systems may enhance the potential that new research will lead to evidence-based management and treatment strategies in the stalking situation. PMID:23980606
Song, Kaimei; Bolton, Diane L; Wei, Chih-Jen; Wilson, Robert L; Camp, Jeremy V; Bao, Saran; Mattapallil, Joseph J; Herzenberg, Leonore A; Herzenberg, Leonard A; Andrews, Charla A; Sadoff, Jerald C; Goudsmit, Jaap; Pau, Maria Grazia; Seder, Robert A; Kozlowski, Pamela A; Nabel, Gary J; Roederer, Mario; Rao, Srinivas S
Successful vaccination against respiratory infections requires elicitation of high levels of potent and durable humoral and cellular responses in the lower airways. To accomplish this goal, we used a fine aerosol that targets the entire lung surface through normal respiration to deliver replication-incompetent recombinant adenoviral vectors expressing gene products from several infectious pathogens. We show that this regimen induced remarkably high and stable lung T-cell responses in nonhuman primates and that it also generated systemic and respiratory tract humoral responses of both IgA and IgG isotypes. Moreover, strong immunogenicity was achieved even in animals with preexisting antiadenoviral immunity, overcoming a critical hurdle to the use of these vectors in humans, who commonly are immune to adenoviruses. The immunogenicity profile elicited with this regimen, which is distinct from either intramuscular or intranasal delivery, has highly desirable properties for protection against respiratory pathogens. We show that it can be used repeatedly to generate mucosal humoral, CD4, and CD8 T-cell responses and as such may be applicable to other mucosally transmitted pathogens such as HIV. Indeed, in a lethal challenge model, we show that aerosolized recombinant adenoviral immunization completely protects ferrets against H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Thus, genetic immunization in the lung offers a powerful platform approach to generating protective immune responses against respiratory pathogens. PMID:21135247
Reibnegger, G; Fuchs, D; Hausen, A; Werner, E R; Dierich, M P; Wachter, H
The breakdown of the immune system induced by the human immunodeficiency virus might be due to the active immune destruction of human immunodeficiency virus-infected helper T lymphocytes expressing viral antigens. By numerical simulation, we have studied possible consequences that a hypothetical immunodeficiency virus (IDV) may have on the cellular immune response by using a mathematical model. In this model, IDV infects CD4+ (helper) T cells and is actively synthesized by the immunologically activated helper T cells. Infected helper T cells synthesizing IDV express antigenic determinants specific for IDV and trigger a cellular immune response against themselves that is mediated by cytotoxic T cells and cytotoxic macrophages. The dynamic evolution of the model in the case of mixed-type infections with IDV and with another pathogen that evokes a cell-mediated immune response shows strong interactions between both simultaneous infections. The model might be of value to elucidate the dynamics leading to opportunistic infections. Furthermore, a pivotal role for immunological stimulation in the progressive exacerbation of the disease can be demonstrated. PMID:2959958
Sun, Jun; Earl, David J.; Deem, Michael W.
We discuss use of the generalized NK model to examine evolutionary dynamics within the immune system. We describe how randomness and diversity play key roles in the immune response and how their effects are captured by this hierarchical spin glass model. We discuss analytical aspects of the model as well as practical applications to design of the annual influenza vaccine. We discuss the subtle role that the glassy evolutionary dynamics plays in suppressing autoimmune disease.
French, Susannah S; Chester, Emily M; Demas, Gregory E
Maternal influences are an important contributing factor to offspring survival, development, and behavior. Common environmental pathogens can induce maternal immune responses and affect subsequent development of offspring. There are likely sensitive periods during pregnancy when animals are particularly vulnerable to environmental disruption. Here we characterize the effects of maternal immunization across pregnancy and postpartum on offspring physiology and behavior in Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). Hamsters were injected with the antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) (1) prior to pairing with a male (premating), (2) at separation (postmating), (3) at midpregnancy, or (4) after birth (lactation). Maternal food intake, body mass, and immunity were monitored throughout gestation, and litters were measured weekly for growth until adulthood when social behavior, hormone concentrations, and immune responses were determined. We found that immunizations altered maternal immunity throughout pregnancy and lactation. The effects of maternal treatment differed between male and female offspring. Aggressive behavior was enhanced in offspring of both sexes born to mothers treated postmating and thus early in pregnancy relative to other stages. In contrast, maternal treatment and maternal stage differentially affected innate immunity in males and females. Offspring cortisol, however, was unaffected by maternal treatment. Collectively, these data demonstrate that maternal immunization affects offspring physiology and behavior in a time-dependent and sex-specific manner. More broadly, these findings contribute to our understanding of the effects of maternal immune activation, whether it be from environmental exposure or immunization, on immunological and behavioral responses of offspring. PMID:27320639
Fullard, Nicola; O'Reilly, Steven
Recognition of microbial or viral compounds is crucial to elicit an immune response and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) form the first line of defence. An important family of PRRs are the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) with numerous evidences indicating their crucial role in identifying microbial or viral compounds. However, the danger theory, where the innate immune system responds to danger signals such as proteins released during damage or necrosis rather than only non-self is gaining ground. Indeed, TLRs are able to recognise endogenous molecules and have been implicated as key players in numerous autoimmune diseases including systemic sclerosis (SSc). TLR2 is known to be upregulated in SSc and has been shown to respond to the endogenous ligand amyloid A resulting in increased IL-6 secretion. TLR4 is now known to respond to a variety of endogenous ligands including fibronectin, containing alternatively spliced exons encoding type III repeat extra domain (EDA). EDA is only expressed upon tissue damage, and elevated levels can be found in SSc patients, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and cardiac allograft fibrosis, while deletion of EDA or TLR4 in mice reduces their fibrotic response. Further, stimulation of TLR8 with single-stranded RNA leads to increased expression of TIMP-1. This has been shown to require both IRAK4 and NF-κB with evidence suggesting autoantibodies bind to RNA to stimulate TIMP-1 production in monocytes. Therefore, TLR-mediated signalling provides numerous potential therapeutic targets for development of therapies for the treatment of multi-systemic autoimmune diseases. PMID:26159672
Ruiz, Mayté; French, Susannah S; Demas, Gregory E; Martins, Emília P
The energetic resources in an organism's environment are essential for executing a wide range of life-history functions, including immunity and reproduction. Most energetic budgets, however, are limited, which can lead to trade-offs among competing functions. Increasing reproductive effort tends to decrease immunity in many cases, and increasing total energy via supplemental feedings can eliminate this effect. Testosterone (T), an important regulator of reproduction, and food availability are thus both potential factors regulating life-history processes, yet they are often tested in isolation of each other. In this study, we considered the effect of both food availability and elevated T on immune function and reproductive behavior in sagebrush lizards, Sceloporus graciosus, to assess how T and energy availability affect these trade-offs. We experimentally manipulated diet (via supplemental feedings) and T (via dermal patches) in males from a natural population. We determined innate immune response by calculating the bacterial killing capability of collected plasma exposed to Escherichia coli ex vivo. We measured reproductive behavior by counting the number of courtship displays produced in a 20-min sampling period. We observed an interactive effect of food availability and T-patch on immune function, with food supplementation increasing immunity in T-patch lizards. Additionally, T increased courtship displays in control food lizards. Lizards with supplemental food had higher circulating T than controls. Collectively, this study shows that the energetic state of the animal plays a critical role in modulating the interactions among T, behavior and immunity in sagebrush lizards and likely other species. PMID:19800885
Application of the Kutta-Joukowski theorem to the relationship between airfoil lift and circulation is described. A number of formulas concerning the conduct of vortex systems derived from the theorem are presented. The application of this line of reasoning to several problems of airfoil theory and the observed relations are discussed.
Dairy calf hutches are often bedded with straw (STR), but sand (SND) and wood shavings (SHV) are becoming more common. The objective was to compare 3 beddings for presence of flies and measures of innate immunity and behavior of calves. Hutches were blocked by location and each of 3 hutches in a blo...
Dairy calf hutches are often bedded with straw (STR), but sand (SND) and wood shavings (SHV) are becoming more common. The objective was to compare 3 beddings for presence of flies and measures of innate immunity and behavior of calves. Hutches were blocked by location and each of 3 hutches in a blo...
Palmer, Amanda C.
A growing body of evidence highlights the importance of a mother’s nutrition from preconception through lactation in programming the emerging organ systems and homeostatic pathways of her offspring. The developing immune system may be particularly vulnerable. Indeed, examples of nutrition-mediated immune programming can be found in the literature on intra-uterine growth retardation, maternal micronutrient deficiencies, and infant feeding. Current models of immune ontogeny depict a “layered” expansion of increasingly complex defenses, which may be permanently altered by maternal malnutrition. One programming mechanism involves activation of the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to nutritional stress. Fetal or neonatal exposure to elevated stress hormones is linked in animal studies to permanent changes in neuroendocrine-immune interactions, with diverse manifestations such as an attenuated inflammatory response or reduced resistance to tumor colonization. Maternal malnutrition may also have a direct influence, as evidenced by nutrient-driven epigenetic changes to developing T regulatory cells and subsequent risk of allergy or asthma. A 3rd programming pathway involves placental or breast milk transfer of maternal immune factors with immunomodulatory functions (e.g. cytokines). Maternal malnutrition can directly affect transfer mechanisms or influence the quality or quantity of transferred factors. The public health implications of nutrition-mediated immune programming are of particular importance in the developing world, where prevalent maternal undernutrition is coupled with persistent infectious challenges. However, early alterations to the immune system, resulting from either nutritional deficiencies or excesses, have broad relevance for immune-mediated diseases, such as asthma, and chronic inflammatory conditions like cardiovascular disease. PMID:22332080
Depression of lymphocyte response to mitogens in cosmonauts after space flight was reported for the first time in the early 1970s by Soviet immunologists. Today we know that depression of lymphocyte function affects at least 50% of space crew members. Investigations on the ground on subjects undergoing physical and psychological stress indicate that stress is a major factor in immune depression of astronauts. This is despite the fact that weightlessness per se has a strong inhibitory effect on lymphocyte activation in vitro. Although the changes observed never harmed the health of astronauts, immunological changes must be seriously investigated and understood in view of long-duration flight on space stations in an Earth orbit, to other planets such as Mars and to the Moon.
Depression of lymphocyte response to mitogens in cosmonauts after space flight was reported for the first time in the early 1970s by Soviet immunologists. Today we know that depression of lymphocyte function affects at least 50% of space crew members. Investigations on the ground on subjects undergoing physical and psychological stress indicate that stress is a major factor in immune depression of astronauts. This is despite the fact that weightlessness per se has a strong inhibitory effect on lymphocyte activation in vitro. Although the changes observed never harmed the health of astronauts, immunological changes must be seriously investigated and understood in view of long-duration flight on space stations in an Earth orbit, to other planets such as Mars and to the Moon. PMID:8488698
Progressive application of the Kutta-Joukowsky theorem to the relationship between airfoil lift and circulation affords a number of formulas concerning the conduct of vortex systems. The application of this line of reasoning to several problems of airfoil theory yields an insight into many hitherto little observed relations. This report is confined to plane flow, hence all vortex filaments are straight and mutually parallel (perpendicular to the plane of flow).
Coll, N S; Epple, P; Dangl, J L
Cell death has a central role in innate immune responses in both plants and animals. Besides sharing striking convergences and similarities in the overall evolutionary organization of their innate immune systems, both plants and animals can respond to infection and pathogen recognition with programmed cell death. The fact that plant and animal pathogens have evolved strategies to subvert specific cell death modalities emphasizes the essential role of cell death during immune responses. The hypersensitive response (HR) cell death in plants displays morphological features, molecular architectures and mechanisms reminiscent of different inflammatory cell death types in animals (pyroptosis and necroptosis). In this review, we describe the molecular pathways leading to cell death during innate immune responses. Additionally, we present recently discovered caspase and caspase-like networks regulating cell death that have revealed fascinating analogies between cell death control across both kingdoms. PMID:21475301
Geuking, Markus B; Köller, Yasmin; Rupp, Sandra; McCoy, Kathy D
The impact of the gut microbiota on immune homeostasis within the gut and, importantly, also at systemic sites has gained tremendous research interest over the last few years. The intestinal microbiota is an integral component of a fascinating ecosystem that interacts with and benefits its host on several complex levels to achieve a mutualistic relationship. Host-microbial homeostasis involves appropriate immune regulation within the gut mucosa to maintain a healthy gut while preventing uncontrolled immune responses against the beneficial commensal microbiota potentially leading to chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Furthermore, recent studies suggest that the microbiota composition might impact on the susceptibility to immune-mediated disorders such as autoimmunity and allergy. Understanding how the microbiota modulates susceptibility to these diseases is an important step toward better prevention or treatment options for such diseases. PMID:24922519
Ben-Shaanan, Tamar L; Azulay-Debby, Hilla; Dubovik, Tania; Starosvetsky, Elina; Korin, Ben; Schiller, Maya; Green, Nathaniel L; Admon, Yasmin; Hakim, Fahed; Shen-Orr, Shai S; Rolls, Asya
Positive expectations contribute to the clinical benefits of the placebo effect. Such positive expectations are mediated by the brain's reward system; however, it remains unknown whether and how reward system activation affects the body's physiology and, specifically, immunity. Here we show that activation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a key component of the reward system, strengthens immunological host defense. We used 'designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs' (DREADDs) to directly activate dopaminergic neurons in the mouse VTA and characterized the subsequent immune response after exposure to bacteria (Escherichia coli), using time-of-flight mass cytometry (CyTOF) and functional assays. We found an increase in innate and adaptive immune responses that were manifested by enhanced antibacterial activity of monocytes and macrophages, reduced in vivo bacterial load and a heightened T cell response in the mouse model of delayed-type hypersensitivity. By chemically ablating the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), we showed that the reward system's effects on immunity are, at least partly, mediated by the SNS. Thus, our findings establish a causal relationship between the activity of the VTA and the immune response to bacterial infection. PMID:27376577
Immunization programs are one of the most well-recognized and successful public health programs across the world. The immunization programs have achieved significant successes in a number of countries; however, the coverage with available vaccines remains sub-optimal in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This article, based upon extensive review of literature and using universal immunization program (UIP) in India as a case study, summarizes the latest developments and initiatives in the area of vaccination and immunization in the last few years. The article analyzes initiatives under UIP in India from the "health system approach" and argues that it is possible to increase coverage with available vaccines and overall program performance by focused attention on various functions of health systems. It also discusses the emerging evidence that health systems could be strengthened prior to the introduction of new interventions (vaccines included) and the introduction of new interventions (including vaccines) could be planned in a way to strengthen the health systems. It concludes that immunization programs could be one of the entry points for strengthening health systems in the countries and lessons from vaccine introduction could pave pathway for scaling up other health interventions and therefore, could contribute to advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC). PMID:26985404
Immunization programs are one of the most well-recognized and successful public health programs across the world. The immunization programs have achieved significant successes in a number of countries; however, the coverage with available vaccines remains sub-optimal in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This article, based upon extensive review of literature and using universal immunization program (UIP) in India as a case study, summarizes the latest developments and initiatives in the area of vaccination and immunization in the last few years. The article analyzes initiatives under UIP in India from the “health system approach” and argues that it is possible to increase coverage with available vaccines and overall program performance by focused attention on various functions of health systems. It also discusses the emerging evidence that health systems could be strengthened prior to the introduction of new interventions (vaccines included) and the introduction of new interventions (including vaccines) could be planned in a way to strengthen the health systems. It concludes that immunization programs could be one of the entry points for strengthening health systems in the countries and lessons from vaccine introduction could pave pathway for scaling up other health interventions and therefore, could contribute to advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC). PMID:26985404
The immune system may seem incredibly complex. Researchers in immunology are amassing enormous amounts of detailed information without gaining proportional insights. Why might this be? So asks Peter Bretscher near the start of his book Rediscovering the Immune System as an Integrated Organ. He argues that contemporary immunology fails to provide understanding at the level of the system because it is dominated by molecular and cellular considerations. He reminds us of a famous quotation: Not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts, before stating the ambitious aim of his book: to make plausible an integrated and readily accessible view of how the immune system functions. By Peter Bretscher. FriesenPress, 2016. 288 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4602-7406-4. PMID:27099207
Sanford, Christopher A; Jong, Elaine C
Vaccinations are a cornerstone of the pretravel consultation. The pretravel provider should assess a traveler's past medical history, planned itinerary, activities, mode of travel, and duration of stay and make appropriate vaccine recommendations. Given that domestic vaccine-preventable illnesses are more common in international travelers than are exotic or low-income nation-associated vaccine-preventable illnesses, clinicians should first ensure that travelers are current regarding routine immunizations. Additional immunizations may be indicated in some travelers. Familiarity with geographic distribution and seasonality of infectious diseases is essential. Clinicians should be cognizant of which vaccines are live, as there exist contraindications for live vaccines. PMID:26900111
Morris, Gerwyn; Berk, Michael; Galecki, Piotr; Walder, Ken; Maes, Michael
Many patients with systemic immune-inflammatory and neuro-inflammatory disorders, including depression, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's disease, cancer, cardiovascular disorder, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, endure pathological levels of fatigue. The aim of this narrative review is to delineate the wide array of pathways that may underpin the incapacitating fatigue occurring in systemic and neuro-inflammatory disorders. A wide array of immune, inflammatory, oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS), bioenergetic, and neurophysiological abnormalities are involved in the etiopathology of these disease states and may underpin the incapacitating fatigue that accompanies these disorders. This range of abnormalities comprises: increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, e.g., interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α and interferon (IFN) α; O&NS-induced muscle fatigue; activation of the Toll-Like Receptor Cycle through pathogen-associated (PAMPs) and damage-associated (DAMPs) molecular patterns, including heat shock proteins; altered glutaminergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission; mitochondrial dysfunctions; and O&NS-induced defects in the sodium-potassium pump. Fatigue is also associated with altered activities in specific brain regions and muscle pathology, such as reductions in maximum voluntary muscle force, downregulation of the mitochondrial biogenesis master gene peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, a shift to glycolysis and buildup of toxic metabolites within myocytes. As such, both mental and physical fatigue, which frequently accompany immune-inflammatory and neuro-inflammatory disorders, are the consequence of interactions between multiple systemic and central pathways. PMID:25598355
Internet technology is becoming the infrastructure of the future for any information that can be transmitted digitally, including voice, audio, video and data services of all kinds. The trend to integrate voice and data traffic observed in the Internet is expected to continue until the full integration of all media types is achieved. At the same time it is obvious that the business model employed for current Internet usage is not sustainable for the creation of an infrastructure suitable to support a diverse and ever-increasing range of application services. Currently the Internet provides only a single class of best-effort service and prices are mainly built on flat-fee, access based schemes. We propose the use of pricing mechanisms for controlling demand for scarce resources, in order to improve the economic efficiency of the system. Standard results in economic theory suggest that increasing the value of the network services to the users is beneficial to both the users and the network operator (since he can charge them more and get back a bigger percentage of their surplus). Using pricing mechanisms helps in that respect. When demand is high, prices are being raised and hence deter the users with low valuation for the service to use it. This leaves resources to be available for the users that value them more, and hence are ready to pay more.
Sonnenfeld, Gerald; Butel, Janet S.; Shearer, William T.
Space flight conditions have a dramatic effect on a variety of physiologic functions of mammals, including muscle, bone, and neurovestibular function. Among the physiological functions that are affected when humans or animals are exposed to space flight conditions is the immune response. The focus of this review is on the function of the immune system in space flight conditions during actual space flights, as well as in models of space flight conditions on the earth. The experiments were carried out in tissue culture systems, in animal models, and in human subjects. The results indicate that space flight conditions alter cell-mediated immune responses, including lymphocyte proliferation and subset distribution, and cytokine production. The mechanism(s) of space flight-induced alterations in immune system function remain(s) to be established. It is likely, however, that multiple factors, including microgravity, stress, neuroendocrine factors, sleep disruption, and nutritional factors, are involved in altering certain functions of the immune system. Such alterations could lead to compromised defenses against infections and tumors.
Luster, M.I.; Wierda, D.; Rosenthal, G.J. )
From observations in rodents and, to a lesser extent, in humans inadvertently or occupationally exposed, it appears that a number of xenobiotics adversely affect immune homeostatic systems, either through acting as a hapten and resulting in hypersensitivity reactions or through altering hematopoietic or immune functions. At present, however, there is no evidence that the immune or hematopoietic systems of the general population have been compromised by xenobiotics via environmental exposure. Nonetheless, these examples and our current knowledge about the pathogenesis of disease support the possibility that chemical-induced damage to the immune system may be associated with potential pathological conditions, some of which may become detectable only after a long latency. Likewise, exposure to immunotoxic xenobiotics might represent additional risk to individuals with already fragile immune systems (e.g., in malnutrition, infancy, old age). However, it is important to be cautious when attempting to extrapolate meaningful conclusions from experimental data or isolated epidemiologic studies to risk assessment for low-level human exposure.65 references.
Guerin, Nicole; And Others
Contents of this double journal issue concern immunization and primary health care of children. The issue decribes vaccine storage and sterilization techniques, giving particular emphasis to the role of the cold chain, i.e., the maintenance of a specific temperature range to assure potency of vaccines as they are moved from a national storage…
Taylor, Mark F.; Jackson, Sally W.
Describes a board game, ImmunoScenarios, which was developed to reinforce the ideas about the immune system discussed in lecture classes. Emphasizes important characteristics of the body's specific defense system including specificity, cooperation among various cells, and memory. Includes directions for playing, student handouts, and scenarios.…
Impairments of the immune system play an important role in all immun-mediated rheumatic diseases. Recently, the following news were reported: · Early aging of the immune system with thymus insufficiency has now been reported for both patients with rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis, without prethymic lack of progenitors at least in rheumatoid arthritis.. · For giant cell arteritis, the most frequent vasculitis in the elderly, an increased expression of IL-17A in temporal artery biopsies coincides with good prognosis and reponse to glucocorticoids.. · Concerning immunosenescence in systemic lupus erythematosus, BAFF appears to have an important role for relapses after B-cell depletion.. For the future it can be anticipated that the use of unified classification criteria for rheumatic diseases (as with the new 2012 EULAR / ACR classification criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica) will ensure better comparability of immunological studies also in the elderly. PMID:27254630
Mitochondria play a central role in many facets of cellular function including energy production, control of cell death and immune signaling. Breakdown of any of these pathways because of mitochondrial deficits or excessive reactive oxygen species production has detrimental consequences for immune system function and cell viability. Maintaining the functional integrity of mitochondria is therefore a critical challenge for the cell. Surveillance systems that monitor mitochondrial status enable the cell to identify and either repair or eliminate dysfunctional mitochondria. Mitophagy is a selective form of autophagy that eliminates dysfunctional mitochondria from the population to maintain overall mitochondrial health. This review covers the major players involved in mitophagy and explores the role mitophagy plays to support the immune system. PMID:25267485
Barr, Tasha; Helms, Christa; Grant, Kathleen; Messaoudi, Ilhem
Several studies have described a dose-dependent effect of alcohol on human health with light to moderate drinkers having a lower risk of all-cause mortality than abstainers, while heavy drinkers are at the highest risk. In the case of the immune system, moderate alcohol consumption is associated with reduced inflammation and improved responses to vaccination, while chronic heavy drinking is associated with a decreased frequency of lymphocytes and increased risk of both bacterial and viral infections. However, the mechanisms by which alcohol exerts a dose-dependent effect on the immune system remain poorly understood due to a lack of systematic studies that examine the effect of multiple doses and different time courses. This review will summarize our current understanding of the impact of moderate versus excessive alcohol consumption on the innate and adaptive branches of the immune system derived from both in vitro as well as in vivo studies carried out in humans and animal model studies. PMID:26375241
Klein, John R
It has been known for decades that the neuroendocrine system can both directly and indirectly influence the developmental and functional activity of the immune system. In contrast, far less is known about the extent to which the immune system collaborates in the regulation of endocrine activity. This is particularly true for immune-endocrine interactions of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis. Although thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) can be produced by many types of extra-pituitary cells--including T cells, B cells, splenic dendritic cells, bone marrow hematopoietic cells, intestinal epithelial cells, and lymphocytes--the functional significance of those TSH pathways remains elusive and historically has been largely ignored from a research perspective. There is now, however, evidence linking cells of the immune system to the regulation of thyroid hormone activity in normal physiological conditions as well as during times of immunological stress. Although the mechanisms behind this are poorly understood, they appear to reflect a process of local intrathyroidal synthesis of TSH mediated by a population of bone marrow cells that traffic to the thyroid. This hitherto undescribed cell population has the potential to microregulate thyroid hormone secretion leading to critical alterations in metabolic activity independent of pituitary TSH output, and it has expansive implications for understanding mechanisms by which the immune system may act to modulate neuroendocrine function during times of host stress. In this article, the basic underpinnings of the hematopoietic-thyroid connection are described, and a model is presented in which the immune system participates in the regulation of thyroid hormone activity during acute infection. PMID:16514168
Markman, Janet L.
The development of cancer is a multi-step process involving the gradual loss of regulation over the growth and functional capabilities of normal cells. Much research has been focused on the numerous cell intrinsic factors that govern this process; however, recent attention has turned to understanding the cell extrinsic factors in the tumor microenvironment that appear equally critical to the progression and treatment of cancer. One critical component of the tumor microenvironment is the immune system and it has become increasingly evident that the immune system plays an integral role in preventing and promoting the development of cancer. Understanding the immune cell types and pathways involved in this process has enabled the development of novel biomarkers for prognosis and accelerated the development of immune-based therapeutics, both of which have the potential to forever change the treatment paradigms for colorectal cancer (CRC). In this review, we discuss the impact of the immune system on the initiation, progression and treatment of cancer, specifically focusing on CRC. PMID:25830040
Although vertebrate immune systems have been commonly conceived as exquisitely developed to combat pervasiveness by pathogens, they are not infallible. The enigmatic expression of histocompatibility in vertebrates, the manifestation of natural chimerism, autoimmunity, malignancy, and other puzzling outcomes hint that immunity did not arise in evolution to fight infections and that this capacity is a late evolutionary appendage, owing its appearance to the redeployment of a system developed for other reasons. Allorecognition in the colonial tunicate Botryllus schlosseri serves here as a platform for a contending paradigm, advocating that immunity has developed as a surveillance machinery against and for purging of nascent selfish cells (stemmed from a kin organism or from transformed cells within the organism of origin). Defense against pathogens (always representing xenogeneic aliens) appeared later, revealing the multiplicity of newly developed phenomena. Allorecognition events characteristic of the Botryllus primitive immune system, such as fusion versus rejection, the morphological resorption with its expressed hierarchy, and the somatic/germ-cell parasitic outcomes, provide clues to the evolutionary basis of allorecognition. Recent work on Botryllus immunity that highlights the cost of littering individuality by somatic variants/allogeneic cells is discussed. PMID:15199952
Caren, L. D.; Mandel, A. D.; Nunes, J. A.
Rats suspended in a model system designed to simulate many aspects of weightlessness were immunized with sheep red blood cells. Parameters measured on these and control rats included titers of anti-sheep red blood cell antibodies, serum immunoglobulin levels, spleen and thymus weights, hematocrits, and leukocyte differential counts on peripheral blood. No significant differences were found between test and weight-bearing, harnessed controls; however, the thymuses of animals in both these groups were significantly smaller than untreated cage controls. The lack of an effect of simulated weightlessness on the immune system is an interesting result, and its significance is discussed.
Hightower, R.; Forrest, S.; Perelson, A.S.
A binary model of the immune system is used to study the effects of evolution on the genetic encoding for antibody molecules. We report experiments which show that the evolution of immune system genes, simulated by the genetic algorithm, can induce a high degree of genetic organization even though that organization is not explicitly required by the fitness function. This secondary organization is related to the true fitness of an individual, in contrast to the sampled fitness which is the explicit fitness measure used to drive the process of evolution.
Hightower, R.; Forrest, S. . Dept. of Computer Science); Perelson, A.S. )
A binary model of the immune system is used to study the effects of evolution on the genetic encoding for antibody molecules. We report experiments which show that the evolution of immune system genes, simulated by the genetic algorithm, can induce a high degree of genetic organization even though that organization is not explicitly required by the fitness function. This secondary organization is related to the true fitness of an individual, in contrast to the sampled fitness which is the explicit fitness measure used to drive the process of evolution.
Guzman-Bautista, Edgar R; Garcia-Ruiz, Carlos E; Gama-Espinosa, Alicia L; Ramirez-Estudillo, Carmen; Rojas-Gomez, Oscar I; Vega-Lopez, Marco A
Newborn mammals are highly susceptible to respiratory infections. Although maternal antibodies (MatAb) offer them some protection, they may also interfere with their systemic immune response to vaccination. However, the impact of MatAb on the neonatal mucosal immune response remains incompletely described. This study was performed to determine the effect of ovalbumin (OVA)-specific MatAb on the anti-OVA antibody response in sera, nasal secretions and saliva from specific pathogen-free Vietnamese miniature piglets immunized at 7 or 14 days of age. Our results demonstrated that MatAb increased antigen-specific IgA and IgG responses in sera, and transiently enhanced an early secretory IgA response in nasal secretions of piglets immunized at 7 days of age. In contrast, we detected a lower mucosal (nasal secretion and saliva) anti-OVA IgG response in piglets with MatAb immunized at 14 days of age, compared with piglets with no MatAb, suggesting a modulatory effect of antigen-specific maternal factors on the isotype transfer to the mucosal immune exclusion system. In our porcine model, we demonstrated that passive maternal immunity positively modulated the systemic and nasal immune responses of animals immunized early in life. Our results, therefore, open the possibility of inducing systemic and respiratory mucosal immunity in the presence of MatAb through early vaccination. PMID:24754050
Scott, R M; Dudding, B A; Romano, S V; Russell, P K
Studies of the immunologic responses following administration of a live, enteric-coated adenovirus (ADV) type 21 vaccine showed that nine of ten vaccinees and none of five controls developed neutralizing antibody. Antibody activity of serum and secretory immunoglobulins was assayed by using a (14)C-labeled ADV-21 antigen in a radioimmunodiffusion system. Increases in immunoglobulin M, A and G (IgM, IgA, IgG) activity were detected in sera from vaccinees but not in those from controls. IgA copro antibody activity was also shown in vaccinees but not in controls. Nasal secretions showed no detectable IgA antibody responses by this method. These studies show marked differences in serum and local IgA antibody activity in induced enteric ADV infection compared to previously reported responses after natural infection. The protective role of secretory IgA in adenovirus infections is obscure. However, absence of nasal IgA responses may indicate that protection against disease with enteric ADV vaccines depends primarily upon humoral antibody. PMID:4629075
Ricklin, Daniel; Hajishengallis, George; Yang, Kun; Lambris, John D.
Nearly a century after the significance of the human complement system was recognized we have come to realize that its versatile functions extend far beyond the elimination of microbes. Indeed, complement acts as a rapid and efficient immune surveillance system that has distinct effects on healthy and altered host cells and foreign intruders. By eliminating cellular debris and infectious microbes, orchestrating immune responses, and sending `danger' signals, complement contributes substantially to homeostasis, but it may also take action against healthy cells if not properly controlled. This review describes our updated view of the function, structure, and dynamics of the complement network, highlights its interconnection with immunity at large and with other endogenous pathways, and illustrates its dual role in homeostasis and disease. PMID:20720586
Odegaard, Justin I.; Chawla, Ajay
Mammals possess a remarkable ability to maintain and defend a constant internal milieu against diverse environmental threats. Unsurprisingly, the two systems tasked with these duties, metabolism and immunity, have evolved to share a common modular architecture that allows extensive bidirectional communication and coordination. Indeed, recent observations have highlighted numerous, functionally critical immune regulatory modules located within diverse metabolic circuits. In this Review, we discuss the architectural commonality between immunity and metabolism, and highlight how these two primordially disparate systems leverage shared regulatory axes to coordinate metabolic physiology under conditions of normality and chronic overnutrition. Such an integrated perspective both advances our understanding of basic physiology and highlights potential opportunities for therapeutic intervention in metabolic dysfunction. PMID:23601683
MacLeod, Amanda S.; Mansbridge, Jonathan N.
Significance: This review article provides an overview of the critical roles of the innate immune system to wound healing. It explores aspects of dysregulation of individual innate immune elements known to compromise wound repair and promote nonhealing wounds. Understanding the key mechanisms whereby wound healing fails will provide seed concepts for the development of new therapeutic approaches. Recent Advances: Our understanding of the complex interactions of the innate immune system in wound healing has significantly improved, particularly in our understanding of the role of antimicrobials and peptides and the nature of the switch from inflammatory to reparative processes. This takes place against an emerging understanding of the relationship between human cells and commensal bacteria in the skin. Critical Issues: It is well established and accepted that early local inflammatory mediators in the wound bed function as an immunological vehicle to facilitate immune cell infiltration and microbial clearance upon injury to the skin barrier. Both impaired and excessive innate immune responses can promote nonhealing wounds. It appears that the switch from the inflammatory to the proliferative phase is tightly regulated and mediated, at least in part, by a change in macrophages. Defining the factors that initiate the switch in such macrophage phenotypes and functions is the subject of multiple investigations. Future Directions: The review highlights processes that may be useful targets for further investigation, particularly the switch from M1 to M2 macrophages that appears to be critical as dysregulation of this switch occurs during defective wound healing. PMID:26862464
Honda, Tetsuya; Otsuka, Atsushi; Kabashima, Kenji
In vivo imaging is a novel experimental approach for biological research. Multiphoton microscopy (MPM), a type of fluorescence microscopy, is a new tool for in vivo imaging analysis. MPM allows observation of both tissue structures and cell behaviors or cell-cell interactions in living animals in real time. Skin is an ideal tissue for MPM analysis as it is directly accessible to the microscope. In the skin, immune cells cooperate to maintain skin homeostasis or to exert immune responses against foreign antigens. In vivo imaging by MPM analysis provides precise information on cell dynamics in the skin, and has significantly expanded our knowledge of the cutaneous immune system. In this review, we will discuss recent insights related to the mechanisms of allergic skin inflammation that have been revealed by MPM analysis. PMID:27021658
Wang, Kaifa; Wang, Wendi; Pang, Haiyan; Liu, Xianning
The rich dynamics of a viral infection model is studied under the assumption that the immune response is retarded. It is shown that if the basic reproductive ratio of the virus is less than one, the infection-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable. Analytical and numerical results show that if the basic reproductive ratio of the virus is greater than one, the combined effect of the strength of the lytic component, the time delay of the immune response and the birth rate of susceptible host cells is to create a rich dynamics, which includes the occurrence of stable periodic solutions and chaotic dynamical behavior. The route from periodic oscillations to chaos is investigated. These results can be used to explain irregular real time series data on the immune state of patients.
Sastry, Jagannadha K.
We conducted a series of experiments using mouse immune-precursor cells, and observed that bioreactor culturing results in the loss of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) function. The reason for the abrogation of CTL function is microgravity conditions in the bioreactor, but not the antigen per se or its MHC restriction. Similarly, we observed that allostimulation of human PBMC in the bioreactor, but not in the T flask, resulted in the blunting of both allo-CTL function and the NK activity, indicating that the microgravity-associated functional defects are not unique to the mouse system. These results provide further confirmation to the microgravity-associated immune dysfunction, and constitute ground-based confirmatory data for those related to space-travel.
Landauer, F. P.
Horizontal jitter in the video presentation in television systems is prevented by using an additional sync level. This circuitry uses simultaneous signals at both sync and porch frequencies, providing a sync identification from which a coincidence circuit can generate pulses having the required stability and noise immunity.
Lee, Jeong-Jun; Shim, Aeri; Lee, Song Yi; Kwon, Bo-Eun; Kim, Seong Ryeol; Ko, Hyun-Jeong; Cho, Hyun-Jong
Adjuvant systems based on oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsions (MEs) for vaccination via intranasal administration were prepared and evaluated. A ready-to-use blank ME system composed of mineral oil (oil), Labrasol (surfactant), Tween 80 (cosurfactant), and water was prepared and blended with antigen (Ag) solution prior to use. The o/w ME system developed exhibited nano-size droplets within the tested range of Ag concentrations and dilution factors. The maintenance of primary, secondary, and tertiary structural stability of ovalbumin (OVA) in ME, compared with OVA in solution, was demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence intensity measurements, respectively. The uptake efficiency in RAW 264.7 cells, evaluated by flow cytometry, of OVA in the ME group was significantly higher than that of the OVA solution group (p<0.05). In an intranasal immunization study with OVA ME in mice, elevated adjuvant effects in terms of mucosal immunization and Th1-dominant cell-mediated immune responses were identified. Given the convenience of use (simply mixing with Ag solution prior to use) and the adjuvant effects after intranasal immunization, the new o/w ME may be a practical and efficient adjuvant system for intranasal vaccination. PMID:26775242
From all biological constituents of complex organisms, two are highly sophisticated: the nervous and the immune systems. Interestingly, their goals and processes appear to be distant from each other; however, their physiological mechanisms keep notorious similarities. Both construct intelligence, learn from experience, and keep memory. Their precise responses to innumerable stimuli are delicately modulated, and the exposure of the individual to thousands of potential challenges integrates their functionality; they use a large part of their constituents not in excitatory activities but in the maintenance of inhibitory mechanisms to keep silent vast intrinsic potentialities. The nervous and immune systems are integrated by a basic cell lineage (neurons and lymphocytes, respectively) but each embodies countless cell subgroups with different and specialized deeds which, in contrast with cells from other organs, labyrinthine molecular arrangements conduct to "one cell, one function". Also, nervous and immune actions confer identity that differentiates every individual from countless others in the same species. Both systems regulate and potentiate their responses aided by countless biological resources of variable intensity: hormones, peptides, cytokines, pro-inflammatory molecules, etc. How the immune and the nervous systems buildup memory, learning capability, and exquisite control of excitatory/inhibitory mechanisms constitute major intellectual challenges for contemporary research. PMID:25398574
Zhang, Husen; Luo, Xin M
The symbiotic relationship between the mammalian host and gut microbes has fascinated many researchers in recent years. Use of germ-free animals has contributed to our understanding of how commensal microbes affect the host. Immunodeficiency animals lacking specific components of the mammalian immune system, on the other hand, enable studying of the reciprocal function-how the host controls which microbes to allow for symbiosis. Here we review the recent advances and discuss our perspectives of how to better understand the latter, with an emphasis on the effects of adaptive immunity on the composition and diversity of gut commensal bacteria. PMID:25901893

domain: literature