Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a protein crosslinking enzyme with many additional biological functions. We have previously shown that in TG2(-/-) mice the in vivo clearance of apoptotic cells is defective leading to autoimmunity. TG2 contributes to the formation of phagocytic portals by binding to both integrin beta(3), a known phagocytic receptor, and its bridging molecule, MFG-E8. In TG2 null ma...

In chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), the mature granulocytes originate from a stem cell line harboring an abnormal chromosome, therefore it is possible that metabolic-functional abnormalities occur in the morphologically mature cells. In the present study, the phagocytic activity including intracellular killing, nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction, and phagocytosis were studied in 37 CML p...

Despite recognition of acute respiratory distress syndrome in both falciparum and vivax malaria, disease-related changes in pulmonary function have not been defined, and underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function, pulmonary phagocytic cell activity, and longitudinal changes were examined in 26 adults with uncomplicated falciparum, vivax, and ovale ma...

Clinical manifestations of hereditary spherocytosis (HS), the most common red blood cell (RBC) membrane disorder, can be abrogated or markedly reduced by splenectomy. However, concerns regarding risks from overwhelming infections after splenectomy have restricted its use, especially in children. This study was designed to determine if partial splenectomy can decrease the hemolytic rate while ma...

BACKGROUND Herbal medicines have been used since ancient times as drugs for treatment of a range of diseases and have represented stimulatory effects on the function of innate immunity. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of Zataria multiflora (Z. multiflora) on the function of innate immunity including phagocytic activity and TNF-alpha secretion in animal model. METHODS BALB/c mice were divi...

ATANASOVA, R. and L. HADJINIKOLOVA, 2008. Cellular and humoral (non-specific) immunity of carp stocking material (Cyprinus carpio L.) before and after wintering. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci.,14: 251-255 A biochemical characteristic of carp fish stocking material (Cyprinus carpio L.) has been done according to the indices bactericide activity of blood serum (BA); lysozyme activity of blood serum (LA), p...

Galectin-3 is a member of a large family of animal lectins. This protein is expressed abundantly by macrophages, but its function in this cell type is not well understood. We have studied the effect of galectin-3 gene targeting on phagocytosis, a major function of macrophages. Compared with wild-type macrophages, galectin-3-deficient (gal3-/-) cells exhibited reduced phagocytosis of IgG-opsoniz...

There are several sources of reactive oxygen in the human body. Production of superoxide in mitochondria is a by-product of the function of the respiratory chain [1]. The first known example of regulated generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mammalian cells was through the respiratory burst of phagocytic cells by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. This enzyme ...

The introduction of long-circulating liposomes sterically stabilized by surface coating with polyethylene glycol has expanded the potential for drug targeting to tumors. In recent clinical studies, evidence of significant antitumor activity has been obtained with the industrially prepared formulation of long-circulating polyethylene glycol-coated liposomes containing doxorubicin, referred to as...

INTRODUCTION We previously reported that alveolar macrophages from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are defective in their ability to phagocytose apoptotic cells, with a similar defect in response to cigarette smoke. The exact mechanisms for this defect are unknown. Sphingolipids including ceramide, sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) are involved in diverse ...