Lupus is characterized by a loss of B cell tolerance leading to autoantibody production. In this study, we explored the mechanisms underlying this loss of tolerance using B6 congenic mice with an interval from New Zealand Black chromosome 1 (denoted c1(96-100)) sufficient for anti-nuclear antibody production. Transgenes for soluble hen egg white lysozyme (sHEL) and anti-HEL immunoglobulin were ...

Background: Varicocele (VCL) impacts the testicular tissue partly by down-regulating the antioxidant status accomplished with reducing the intra-testicular endocrine potential. It has been reported that the HSP70 families play a critical role in spermiogenesis. Therefore, current study was aimed to evaluate the protective effect of exogenous testosterone and vitamin E administration on VCL-indu...

The goal of immunization is to produce both a flood of antibodies to neutralize antigen and memory cells to accelerate the secondary response. To enhance the generation of memory B cells, we examined the effect of co-engaging BCR and toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 receptors by immunizing mice with a hapten-protein antigen, NP-CGG, and a ligand, R837 (imiquimod). During the early and late primary re...

The mouse IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) K21 recognizes a 230-kD molecule (K21-Ag) on Hassall's corpuscles in the human thymus. This mAb also stains cultured thymic epithelial cells as well as other epithelial cell lines, revealing a predominant intracellular localization. Further analysis with mAb K21 on other lymphoid tissues showed that it also stains cells within the germinal centers of hum...

The generation of long-lived plasma cells and memory B cells producing high-affinity antibodies depends on the maturation of B cell responses in germinal centers. These processes are essential for long-lasting antibody-mediated protection against infections. IgE antibodies are important for defense against parasites and toxins and can also mediate anti-tumor immunity. However, high-affinity IgE...

B cells are the center of humoral immunity and produce Abs to protect against foreign Ags. B cell defects lead to diseases such as leukemia and lymphomas. Histone arginine methylation is important for regulating gene activation and silencing in cells. Although the process commonly exists in mammalian cells, its roles in B cells are unknown. To explore the effects of aberrant histone arginine me...

Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) are unique nonlymphoid cells found only in germinal centers. FDC can be distinguished from other accessory cells based on a characteristic set of cell surface markers. It is known that FDC are able to rescue germinal center B cells from apoptosis. To investigate the role of FDC in the process of selection and maturation of B cells during germinal center reaction...

Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) represent a major reservoir of HIV, and active infection occurs surrounding these cells, suggesting that this microenvironment is highly conducive to virus transmission. Because CD4 T cells around FDCs in germinal centers express the HIV coreceptor, CXCR4, whereas CD4 lymphocytes in many other sites do not, it prompted the hypothesis that FDCs may increase CXCR...

Abstract T follicular helper (Tfh) cells were discovered as CD4 +T in the B cell follicles that express CXCR5 and help germinal center (GC) responses. However, it is not clear which PD-1 +CXCR5 +Bcl6 +CD4 will differentiate into hiCXCR5 hiBcl6 hiGC-Tfh while others have a different fate, nor how GC-Tfh differentiation regulated. Here we report sustained Tigit expression marked precursor Tfh (pr...

Oocyte maturation and embryo development are controlled by intra-ovarian factors such as steroid hormones. Progesterone (P4) exists in the follicular fluid that contributes to normal mammalian ovarian function and has several critical functions during embryo development and implantation, including endometrial receptivity, embryonic survival during gestation and transformation of the endometrial...