ILA, a gene induced by lymphocyte activation, is a member of the human nerve growth factor tumor necrosis factor receptor family and the human homologue of murine 4-1BB. The present study analyzed the role of ILA in the regulation of human peripheral blood T-lymphocyte function. Antibodies raised against different fusion proteins recognized ILA on activated lymphocytes. These antibodies signifi...

Screening for disease-associated genetic markers may provide new tools for prevention of occupational diseases (22). So far in CBD, blood and lung lymphocyte testing for Be-specific proliferation have been used to identify individuals with Be allergy and disease (23). However, because lymphocyte tests do not predict disease or risk, genetic testing may have a role, in association with lymphocyt...

The clinical efficacy of retinoids in benign and malignant skin diseases involving immune mechanisms suggests that they affect the immunologic functions of the epidermis. However, these effects have yet to be demonstrated. The action of vitamin A (retinol) and the synthetic retinoids, isotretinoin, etretinate, acitretin, and arotinoid-free acid have been studied on the lymphocyte proliferation ...

Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) provides a human disorder in which to study the delayed type IV hypersensitivity response to persistent Ag that leads to noncaseating pulmonary granuloma formation. We hypothesized that, in CBD, failure of IL-10 to modulate the beryllium-specific, cell-mediated immune response would result in persistent, maximal cytokine production and T lymphocyte proliferation,...

A purification procedure of pertussis toxin (PT) from submerged culture of Bordetella pertussis (B.pertussis) strain 134 using adsorption and affinity chromatography was discussed. The yield of the resulting PT was approximately 37.5mg/l of concentrated culture supernatant. The polypeptide pattern of the purified PT was investigated by SDS-PAGE and showed five bands between 11 to 26 KDa using l...

In Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus), short days suppress reproductive function and lymphocyte proliferation. To determine whether melatonin influences cell-mediated immunity through a direct action on lymphocyte proliferation, in vitro responsiveness to mitogens and melatonin was assessed in systemic and splenic lymphocytes from adult female Siberian hamsters housed in either long or short...