TLRs are known to be important in innate host defense against a variety of microbial infections. In particular, TLR9 has been associated with immune defense against different foreign organisms by recognition of unmethylated DNA sequences. In this report, we provide evidence that leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) has the capacity to modulate TLR9 expression on human neutrophils. The effect of LTB(4) was...

INTRODUCTION The diagnosis of latent tuberculosis (LTB) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has become important with the introduction of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF-α) agents and the appearance of active tuberculosis cases in these patients. The tuberculin skin test (TST) has limited value in patients with RA. Tests based on the release of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) are being stu...

Itching of ocular allergy is alleviated but not completely relieved by H(1) histamine receptor antagonists, suggesting that histamine is not the sole itch mediator in ocular allergy. We investigated whether leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)), a mediator of cutaneous itch, is involved in the itch of ocular allergy in mice. Mice were immunized by the repeated subcutaneous injections of ragweed pollen and ...

LY 255283 [(1-(5-ethyl-2-hydroxy-4-(6-methyl-6-)1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-heptyloxy) phenyl)ethanone], a specific leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) receptor antagonist, inhibited the production of LTB(4) in human peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) and in monocytes activated by calcium ionophore A23187. In human monocytes activated by ionophore it inhibited also the production of thromboxane B...

The B subunit of the heat labile toxin of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (LTB) was used as a model immunogen for production in soybean seed. LTB expression was directed to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of seed storage parenchyma cells for sequestration in de novo synthesized inert protein accretions derived from the ER. Pentameric LTB accumulated to 2.4% of the total seed protein at maturity...

In this study, we demonstrated that the 40-kDa outer membrane protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis (40-kDa OMP) nasally administered with a nontoxic chimeric adjuvant that combines the A subunit of mutant cholera toxin E112K with the pentameric B subunit of heat-labile enterotoxin from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (mCTA/LTB) elicited a long-term protective immune response. Immunization with ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The lymphotoxin beta (LTB) gene, localized to the major histocompatibility complex region on chromosome 6p21.3, has an important role in the formation of germinal center reactions and regulation of immune response and apoptosis. Our aim was to determine LTB gene expression in different hematologic neoplasias. DESIGN AND METHODS We determined the expression of LTB usi...

We investigated whether leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) and its signaling pathway play an important role in the progression of human colon cancer via a direct stimulation of cancer cell proliferation. Remarkable expression of LTB(4) receptor 1 (BLT1) in human colon cancer tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis revealed the BLT1 expression in cultured human colon cance...

Systemic hypoxia produces a rapid microvascular inflammatory response characterized by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, leukocyte-endothelial adherence and emigration, and increased vascular permeability. The lipid inflammatory mediator leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) is involved in the early hypoxia-induced responses (ROS generation and leukocyte adherence). Whether other lipid inflam...

Malnutrition, as defined by low body mass index (BMI), is a major risk factor for the development of active tuberculosis (TB), although the biological basis underlying this susceptibility remains poorly characterized. To verify whether malnutrition affects the systemic and antigen-specific cytokine levels in individuals with latent TB (LTB), we examined circulating and TB antigen-stimulated lev...