Our previous studies revealed that lactoferrin (LF) reconstitutes the cellular and humoral immune response in cyclophosphamide-treated mice. The aim of this investigation was to establish whether the suppressory effects of methotrexate (MTX) on the cellular and humoral immune response can be modulated by LF. We found that MTX, given intraperitoneally (i.p.) at a dose of 200 mg/kg b.w., 48 h fol...

objective: the immunomodulatory effect of geranial, geranial acetate, gingerol, and eugenol essential oils were evaluated by studying humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. materials and method: the essential oils were evaluated for immunomodulatory activity in in vivo studies, using rats as the animal model. the essential oils were tested for hypersensitivity and hemagglutination reaction...

Previous studies have compared the immune systems of wild and of laboratory rodents in an effort to determine how laboratory rodents differ from their naturally occurring relatives. This comparison serves as an indicator of what sorts of changes might exist between modern humans living in Western culture compared to our hunter-gatherer ancestors. However, immunological experiments on wild-caugh...

The identification of the antitoxic property of serum in 1890 by Emil von Behring and the introduction of the term "Antikörper" by Paul Ehrlich in 1891 referring to one of the most relevant mechanisms of defense of the adaptive immune system, i.e., the humoral immune response mediators, mark the beginning of modern immunology. The "Y" structure was described 50 years ago by Gerald M. Edelman an...

There is mounting evidence that as the immune system ages, a progressive deterioration in normal function occurs. Termed immunosenescence, aging impacts both the innate and adaptive immune responses. This review discusses the age-related alterations in the innate immune system, with a specific focus on macrophages. The downstream effect of altered macrophage function on aberrant angiogenesis in...

IgM is the first antibody produced during the humoral immune response. Despite its fundamental role in the immune system, IgM is structurally only poorly described. In this work we used X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy to determine the atomic structures of the constant IgM Fc domains (Cµ2, Cµ3, and Cµ4) and to address their roles in IgM oligomerization. Although the isolated domains s...

Antibody responses to tumor antigens play an important role in initiating a cellular antitumor response with respect to antigen cross-presentation and T cell cross-priming. Successful vaccination strategies rely on an optimally timed activation of the humoral and cellular immune system by using appropriate adjuvant stimulation. The LUD99-008 trial used the cancer testis antigen NY-ESO-1 formula...