CCL17 (TARC) function can be completely abolished by mAbs that block either one of two distinct sites required for CCR4 signaling. This chemokine is elevated in sera of asthma patients and is responsible for establishing inflammatory sites through CCR4-mediated recruitment of immune cells. CCL17 shares the GPCR CCR4, with CCL22 (MDC) but these two chemokines differentially affect the immune res...

Molecular mimicry of cytokines and cytokine receptors is a strategy used by poxviruses and herpesviruses to modulate host immunity. The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL144 gene, situated in the UL/b0 region of the viral genome, has amino-acid sequence similarity to members of the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily. We report that UL144 is a potent activator of NFjB-induced transcription...

Pulmonary fibrosis is caused by various known and unknown aetiologies, but the key pathogenic mechanisms are still ill-defined. Chemokines are a large family of chemotactic cytokines that play pivotal roles in various inflammatory diseases. In the present study, the roles of chemokines in a rat model of radiation pneumonitis/ pulmonary fibrosis were examined. Accumulation of inflammatory cells ...

Background Unmethylated CpG-DNA is a potent ligand for the endosomal Toll-like-receptor-9, important immune activation to pathogen-associated molecules. 1 CpG and other TLR-ligands show effective immunotherapeutic capacities in cancer treatment by inducing an antitumorigenic immunity. 2 They are able reduce tumor progression reduction of intratumoral secretion immunoregulating chemokine CCL22 3...

BACKGROUND Sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SSCC) and nasal inverted papilloma (NIP) represent the predominant type of malignant and benign tumors in sinonasal tract, respectively. CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ natural regulatory T (Treg) cells might play critical role(s) in the suppression of anti-tumor immune response and thus shed light on tumor progression from benign to malignant. OBJECTIVE This s...

The negative role of the activated stimulator of IFN genes (STING) has been uncovered in autoinflammatory disease and cancer. However, the role of STING in virus-related carcinogenesis is not well known. Herein, HPV(+) tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) (n=25) and HPV(-) TSCC samples (n=25) were randomly collected and were verified by in situ hybridization (ISH) and p16 immunohistochemistry ...

BACKGROUND Early-life immune deviation is suspected in the inception of atopic disease. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between cord blood chemokines and the subsequent development of atopic biomarkers and clinical end-points during the first 6 years of life. METHODS The Th1-associated chemokines CXCL10 and CXCL11 and the Th2-associated chemokines CCL17 and CCL22 were assessed in c...

Preferential activation of regulatory T (Treg) cells limits autoimmune tissue damage during chronic immune responses but can also facilitate tumor growth. Here, we show that tissue-produced inflammatory mediators prime maturing dendritic cells (DC) for the differential ability of attracting anti-inflammatory Treg cells. Our data show that prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), a factor overproduced in ch...

To define cytokine concentrations and detectability in children with noninflammatory neurological disorders (NIND). The multiplex bead assay technology was used for simultaneous measurement of 34 soluble cytokines/chemokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 73 NIND. Sera from 36 healthy children and 37 NIND also were analyzed. In CSF, CXCL10 had the highest concentration; CCL2, CXCL10, and int...

In vitiligo, gradual cutaneous depigmentation and cytotoxic T-cell activity against melanocytes are accompanied by a paucity of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in vitiligo patient skin, indicating that autoimmune responses are not adequately held in check. Thus, we sought a means to repopulate patient skin with Tregs. We hypothesized that enhanced expression of CCL22 can promote Treg skin homing to ...