Conventional MHC class Ia-restricted CD8(+) T cells play a dominant role in the host response to virus infections, but recent studies indicate that T cells with specificity for nonclassical MHC class Ib molecules may also participate in host defense. To investigate the potential role of class Ib molecules in anti-viral immune responses, K(b-/-)D(b-/-)CIITA(-/-) mice lacking expression of MHC cl...

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a leading cause of both community-acquired and nosocomial gram-negative bacterial pneumonia. A significant clinical complication of Klebsiella pulmonary infections is peripheral blood dissemination, resulting in a systemic infection concurrent with the localized pulmonary infection. We report here on the critical importance of 2-microglobulin expression during murine K....

Incubation of purified human 82-microglobulin (B2-m) with tissue transglutaminase (Tgase) resulted in the formation of high molecular weight polymers revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the presence of 30 mM ['4C]methylamine, the polymer formation was prevented, but incorporation of methylamine into ,8 2-m (equal to 1 methylamine per 1 molecule) could be ob...

A patient receiving haemodialysis for 15 years developed systemic amyloidosis of I2 microglobulin type. Noticeable deposits of amyloid were present in the myocardium, intervertebral discs, joint cartilages and tendons. Less conspicuous amounts were present in blood vessel walls in the lungs, liver, adrenal glands and brain, and within the stroma of the prostate, testis and kidney, often with fo...

Beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) is an immune system protein that found on the surface of all nucleated human cells. B2M naturally shed from cell surfaces into plasma, followed by renal excretion. In patients with impaired function, will accumulate in organs and tissues leading to significantly reduced life expectancy quality life. While current hemodialysis methods have been successful managing elec...

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for urinary retinol-binding protein (RBP) has been developed and compared with urinary beta 2-microglobulin for the detection of tubular proteinuria. The assay has a working range of 10 to 250 micrograms of RBP per liter of urine. The within-assay CV was 3.2-7.1%, the between-assay CV 12.5%. A control population of 118 male subjects gave a geometric ...