Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is multifactorial, with both genetic as well as environmental factors working in concert to develop the autistic phenotype. Immunological disturbances in autistic individuals have been reported and a role for food allergy has been suggested in ASD. Single gene mutations in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway are associated with the development o...

OBJECTIVE To characterise the severity and progression of cardiac allograft vascular disease (CAVD) in a large patient cohort, and to evaluate possible immunological and non-immunological risk factors for progression. DESIGN A prospective observational study using intravascular ultrasound. SETTING Two university hospitals. PATIENTS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Changes in focal plaque, lumen,...

Background: The pathogenic mechanisms of atopic dermatitis (AD) and recurrent wheezing (RW) during infancy are not fully understood. Objective: We evaluated immunological markers associated with AD and RW during infancy. Methods: We followed a cohort (n=314) from birth to 14 months of age. Some of the participants underwent a physical examination and blood test at 6 and 14 months of age. Univar...

objective: pulp and periodontal tissues are well-known sources of mesenchymal stem cells (mscs) that provide a promising place in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. the molecular mechanisms underlying commitment and differentiation of dental stem cells that originate from different dental tissues are not fully understood. in this study, we have compared the expression levels of pluri...

The immunological synapse is a specialized cell-cell junction that is defined by large-scale spatial patterns of receptors and signaling molecules yet remains largely enigmatic in terms of formation and function. We used supported bilayer membranes and nanometer-scale structures fabricated onto the underlying substrate to impose geometric constraints on immunological synapse formation. Analysis...

The formation of supramolecular activation clusters within the immunological synapse, crucial for sustained signaling and T lymphocyte activation, requires costimulation-dependent reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. Here we have identified the actin-remodeling protein cofilin as a key player in this process. Cell-permeable peptides that block costimulation-induced cofilin/F-actin interact...