Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by anti-nuclear antibodies in humans and genetically susceptible NZB/W mice that can cause immune complex glomerulonephritis. T cells contribute to lupus pathogenesis by secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-17, and by interacting with B cells and secreting helper factors such as IL-21 that promote production of IgG autoantibodies. ...

Results Both the CVID and controls showed similar induction of flu-specific IgM-secreting memory B cells after vaccination. Before vaccination, CVID subjects had significantly lower frequencies of flu-specific IgG and IgA memory B cells. Half of the CVID subjects (4/8) showed an increase in flu-specific IgG-secreting memory B cells post vaccination, whereas the other half showed none. 8/8 contr...

AIMS To determine the prevalence of cells secreting interleukin-4 (IL-4) in the gut mucosa of children with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS Mononuclear cells were isolated from intestinal biopsy specimens from control children (n = 10) and children with active inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease n = 15, ulcerative colitis n = 9, indeterminate colitis n = 3). Spontaneous IL...

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is strongly associated with antibodies to acetylcholine receptor (AChR), whereas the extent of T cell involvement is not settled. The number of cells secreting interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in response to AChR during 48 h culture of blood mononuclear cells (PBL) may reflect AChR-reactive T cells. Using an immunospot assay, we detected such cells in 23 of 30 patients with M...

The islet of Langerhans is a unique micro-organ within the exocrine pancreas, which is composed of insulin-secreting beta-cells, glucagon-secreting alpha-cells, somatostatin-secreting delta-cells, pancreatic polypeptide-secreting PP cells and ghrelin-secreting epsilon-cells. Islets also contain non-endocrine cell types such as endothelial cells. However, the mechanism(s) of islet formation is p...