Tumor-associated myeloid cells are the major type of inflammatory cells involved in the regulation of antitumor immune responses. One key characteristic of these cells is the generation of reactive oxygen (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in the tumor microenvironment. Recent studies have shown the important role of ROS and RNS, especially peroxynitrite, in immune suppression in cancer....

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide, yet more men die from atherosclerosis than women, and at a younger age. Women, on the other hand, mainly develop atherosclerosis following menopause, and particularly if they have one or more autoimmune diseases, suggesting that the immune mechanisms that increase disease in men are different from those in women. ...

Clinical results indicate improved survival in poorly differentiated prostate cancer patients following a treatment schedule that maximizes hormone therapy prior to radiation. This may be because of a systemic immune response, called an abscopal effect. A literature review showed an association between acute infection and abscopal cancer remission. This led to the theory that, in the presence o...

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) has a major impact on the profitability of the cattle industries in North America, resulting in substantial economic losses. Effective transfer of maternal antibodies in conjunction with appropriate biosecurity measures and vaccination programs are essential to prevent and control BRD. Trace minerals (TM) are crucial for the development of an adequate immune res...

Management of invasive aspergillosis in high-risk patients remains challenging. There is an increasing demand for novel therapeutic strategies aimed at enhancing or restoring antifungal immunity in immunocompromised patients. In this regard, modulation of specific innate immune functions and vaccination are promising immunotherapeutic strategies. Recent findings have also provided a compelling ...

Emerging data is suggesting that the process of dendritic cell (DC) tolerization is an important step in tumorigenesis. Our understanding of the networks within the tumor microenvironment that functionally tolerize DC function is evolving while methods for genetically manipulating DC populations in situ continue to develop. A more intimate understanding of the paracrine signaling pathways which...

Severe infection and the patient response constitute sepsis. Here, we review the meta-genome (patient genetics, pathogen communities and host response) and its impact upon the outcome of severe sepsis. Patient genetics, both predisposition for infection and the subsequent response to infection are reviewed. The pathogen is discussed with particular emphasis upon the modern era of microbiome ana...