The helminth Schistosoma mansoni modulates the infected host's immune system to facilitate its own survival, by producing excretory/secretory molecules that interact with a variety of the host's cell types including those of the immune system. Herein, we characterise the S. mansoni adult male worm secretome and identify 111 proteins, including 7 vaccine candidates and several molecules with pot...

Mitochondrial dysfunction occurs early in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Amyloid-β peptide has deleterious effects on mitochondrial function and contributes to energy failure, respiratory chain impairment, neuronal apoptosis, and generation of reactive oxygen species in Alzheimer's disease. The mechanisms underlying amyloid-β induced mitochondrial stress remain unclear. Emerging eviden...

We have studied Ags recognized by HLA class I-restricted CTLs established from tumor site to better understand the molecular basis of tumor immunology. HLA-A24-restricted and tumor-specific CTLs established from T cells infiltrating into lung adenocarcinoma recognized the two antigenic peptides encoded by a cyclophilin B gene, a family of genes for cyclophilins involved in T cell activation. Th...

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) describes an inducible activity that regulates solute exchange between mitochondrial matrix contents and the surrounding cytoplasm, which acutely leads to loss of mitochondrial inner membrane potential but eventually organelle swelling and rupture. Mitochondrial rupture due to prolonged MPTP engagement, which is often the result of ischemic ...

T he B H 3-only B C L -2 protein B ID is thought, in som e cases, to be responsib le fo r the initiation o f cytochrom e c release from m itochondria during apoptosis. In o rder to study this process in an in vitro system , the ra t B id gene w as cloned, recom binant B ID purified , and truncated B ID (tB ID ) produced. A dditionally , reliable p rocedures w ere developed fo r the isolation o ...

BACKGROUND The appropriate choice of an internal reference is critical for quantitative RNA analysis. However, no comparison of frequently used "housekeeping" genes is available for renal biopsy studies. METHODS Microdissected biopsies from 165 patients, including a wide range of histopathologic diagnoses, were analyzed [immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephritis, membranous glomerulopathy, rapid progr...

BACKGROUND Allergy is a clinical disorder affecting the human population with wide geographical distribution. Platanus orientalis (P. orientalis) trees are planted in many countries and their pollen causes allergic reactions. Cyclophilin has recently been identified as one of the most important allergens of P. orientalis pollen. We aimed to clone and purify this allergen in Escherichia coli for...

Malaria represents a global health, economic and social burden of enormous magnitude. Chemotherapy is at the moment a largely effective weapon against the disease, but the appearance of drug-resistant parasites is reducing the effectiveness of most drugs. Finding new drug-target candidates is one approach to the development of new drugs. The family of cyclophilins may represent a group of poten...

abstract castleman disease or giant node hyperplasia is a rare disorder of the lymphoid tissue most often involving the mediastinal lymph nodes. we report a case of localized retroperitoneal hyaline-vascular type of castleman disease. a 35-year old woman presented with mild epigastric pain with radiation to the back. amild anemia was the only abnormal associated finding. abdominal ultrasound an...