T cell-T cell Ag presentation is increasingly attracting attention. We previously showed that the in vitro OVA-pulsed dendritic cell (DC(OVA))-activated CD4(+) Th cells acquired OVA peptide/MHC (pMHC) class I and costimulatory molecules such as CD54 and CD80 from DC(OVA) and acted as CD4(+) Th-APC capable of stimulating OVA-specific CD8(+) CTL responses. In this study, we further applied the OV...

Acute stressor exposure alters immune function. Rats exposed to inescapable tail shock stress (IS) generate less antibody to a benign, antigenic protein, keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The following studies examined the effect of IS on peritoneal cavity, spleen, and mesenteric lymph node cell number, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production, and nitrite production. Rats were injected intraperitoneally...

Our understanding of the pathogenesis in human periodontal diseases is limited by the lack of specific and sensitive tools or models to study the complex microbial challenges and their interactions with the host's immune system. Recent advances in cellular and molecular biology research have demonstrated the importance of the acquired immune system not only in fighting the virulent periodontal ...

1 Department of Science, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy 2 Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathology, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy 3 Department of Experimental and Clinic Medicine, University of Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy 4 Department of Microbiology Cell and Tumorbiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden *Correspondence: en...

Evidence suggests that many Ebola infections are asymptomatic, a factor overlooked by recent outbreak summaries and projections. Particularly, results from one post-Ebola outbreak serosurvey showed that 71% of seropositive individuals did not have the disease; another study reported that 46% of asymptomatic close contacts of patients with Ebola were seropositive. Although asymptomatic infection...

The first attempts in this laboratory to effect active immunization of mice against a B. enteritidis infection with a 60° heat-killed vaccine met with complete failure. Eighteen months later the work was resumed using several types of killed vaccines, each of which produced some degree of immunity, including the 600 vaccine which had given negative results previously. The cause of this discrepa...

In the first part of this review, we described the relevant roles of endogenous IL-33 for accumulation of ILC2 and eosinophils even in the lungs of Rag2(-/-) mice. Type II alveolar epithelial (ATII) cells express IL-33 in their nucleus and infection with Strongyloides venezuelensis induces IL-33 production by increasing the number of ATII cells possibly by the action of chitin. IL-33 from ATII ...

Adjuvants play an essential role in the induction of acquired immunity upon vaccination with protein antigen. In this issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, a classical type of adjuvant made of DNA oligonucleotide containing CpG motifs, which has already been used in humans, is shown to boost humoral immunity primarily by acting on monocyte-derived dendritic cells. This study provides novel insight ...