Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Peripheral Blood-Based Biomarkers
As cancer immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is rapidly evolving in clinical practice, it is necessary to identify biomarkers that will allow the selection of cancer patients who will benefit most or least from ICIs and to longitudinally monitor patients’ immune responses during treatment. Various peripheral blood-based immune biomarkers are being identified with recent advances in high-throughput multiplexed analytical technologies. The identification of these biomarkers, which can be easily detected in blood samples using non-invasive and repeatable methods, will contribute to overcoming the limitations of previously used tissue-based biomarkers. Here, we discuss the potential of circulating immune cells, soluble immune and inflammatory molecules, circulating tumor cells and DNA, exosomes, and the blood-based tumor mutational burden, as biomarkers for the prediction of immune responses and clinical benefit from ICI treatment in patients with advanced cancer. 
  • 550
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Mast Cells in Immune-Mediated Cholangitis
Mast cells (MCs) are a cell lineage produced in the bone marrow from myeloid precursors which express and retain c-kit expression throughout their developmental stages [1]. Cholestasis, which is impaired bile flow from the liver into the intestine, can be caused by cholangitis and/or bile duct obstruction. Cholangitis can arise from bacterial infections and cholelithiasis, however, immune-mediated cholangitis in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is characterized by a strong immune response targeting the biliary epithelial cells (BECs). Persistent biliary inflammation further represents a risk for biliary neoplasia, cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) by driving chronic cellular stress in the BECs. Currently, immune-mediated cholangitis is considered a Th1-Th17-dominant disease, however, the presence of Th2-related mast cells (MCs) in tissue samples from PBC, PSC and CCA patients has been described, showing that these MCs are active players in these diseases.
  • 550
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Zoonotic Visceral Leishmaniasis: Blood Macrophages and Kupffer Cells
Leishmania infantum is a parasite that causes zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis, a disease that affects humans, wild and domestic animals, mainly domestic dogs. Macrophages are cells of the immune system, existing in the peripheral blood and associated with different tissues in the mammal body, having the task to protect against microbiological threats. Interestingly, Leishmania can manipulate the macrophages into a non-active ghost-like state, allowing the parasite to stay in the host. The liver, which is a vital organ and a target for the parasite, has a resident population of macrophages designated as Kupfer cells. Therefore, a better understanding of the immune mechanisms exhibited by the macrophages when facing Leishmania parasite is needed to improve control strategies.
  • 548
  • 13 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Doublecortin-Like Kinase 1
Microtubule-associated doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is an accepted marker of tuft cells (TCs) and several kinds of cancer stem cells (CSCs), and emerging evidence suggests that DCLK1-positive TCs participate in the initiation and formation of inflammation-associated cancer. DCLK1-expressing CSCs regulate multiple biological processes in cancer, enhance resistance to host anti-tumor immunity, promote resistance to therapy, and are associated with metastasis. 
  • 547
  • 05 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Advances in Immunotherapy for Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a hepatotropic virus with the potential to cause chronic infection, and it is one of the common causes of liver disease worldwide. Chronic HBV infection leads to liver cirrhosis and, ultimately, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Progress in Hepatitis-B-Specific Immunotherapy is discussed. 
  • 547
  • 17 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Redox Biology and Immune Response in SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Reactive species and redox imbalance may dysregulate the immune response and account for disease progression in SARS-CoV-2 infection. This aspect suggests treatment options that could hinder disease progression and prevent multiple features of severe illness, which include clotting predisposition, cytokine storm and organ damage.
  • 546
  • 03 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Clinical Phenotypes of AOSD
Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a non-familial, polygenic systemic autoinflammatory disorder. It is traditionally characterized by four cardinal manifestations—spiking fever, an evanescent salmon-pink maculopapular rash, arthralgia or arthritis and a white-blood-cell count (WBC) ≥ 10,000/mm3, mainly neutrophilic polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs)—but many other manifestations and complications can be associated, making clinical expression very heterogeneous and diagnosis sometimes difficult. The AOSD course can be diverse and is currently impossible to predict. Several clinical phenotypes have been described, either on the basis of the evolution of symptoms over time (monocyclic, polycyclic and chronic evolution) or according to dominant clinical evolution (systemic and arthritis subtypes). However, these patterns are mainly based on case series and not on robust epidemiological studies. Furthermore, they have mainly been established a long time ago, before the era of the biological treatments.
  • 545
  • 08 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Breast Cancer Tumor Microenvironment
Immune therapy is designed to stimulate tumoricidal effects in a variety of solid tumors including breast carcinomas. However, the emergence of resistant clones leads to treatment failure. Understanding the molecular, cellular, and microenvironmental aberrations is crucial to uncovering underlying mechanisms and developing advanced strategies for preventing or combating these resistant malignancies.
  • 544
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
TNF Axis in Therapies of COVID-19
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is one of the most critical pro-inflammatory cytokines of the innate immune response and mediates pleiotropic effects, which implies action on diverse cells subpopulations to mediate a wide range of activities such as the production of inflammatory mediators, cell proliferation, and cell death. TNF is produced by macrophages, T-, B- NK-, dendritic cells, and fibroblasts. TNF is a versatile cytokine that acts as an alarm system in host defense, appearing in the first few minutes of damage.
  • 544
  • 01 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Natural Killer T and Natural Killer Cell-Based Immunotherapy
Both natural killer T (NKT) and natural killer (NK) cells are innate cytotoxic lymphoid cells that produce inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and their role in the innate immune response to tumors and microorganisms has been investigated. Especially, emerging evidence has revealed their status and function in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of tumor cells. As a recent strategy in cancer immunotherapy, the mobilization or restoration of endogenous NKT or NK cells by novel vaccines or therapies has become a focus of research. Several new modalities based on the characteristics of NKT and NK cells, including artificial adjuvant vector cells, chimeric antigen receptor-expressing NK or NKT cell therapy, or their combination with immune checkpoint blockade have been developed. This research examines challenges and future directions for improving these therapies.
  • 544
  • 21 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Biomarkers in urothelial cancer
The prognosis and responsiveness to chemotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors differs substantially among patients with bladder cancer (BC). There is an unmet need for biomarkers that can accurately predict prognosis and treatment outcome. Here, we describe the available literature on the prognostic and predictive value of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in BC. Current evidence indicates that a high density of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells is a favorable prognostic factor, whereas PD-L1 expression and tumor-associated macrophages are unfavorable prognostic features. While PD-L1 expression appears unsuccessful as biomarker for response to checkpoint inhibitors, there are some indications that high CD8+ T cell infiltration, low transforming growth factor-beta signaling and low densities of myeloid-derived suppressor cells are associated with response. Future studies should focus on combinations of biomarkers to accurately predict survival and response to treatment.
  • 542
  • 12 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Trypanosoma cruzi Infection; liver involvement
Currently, in Chagas disease, hepatomegaly is cited in most papers published which either study acutely infected patients or experimental models, and we know that the Trypanosoma cruzi can infect multiple cell types in the liver, especially Kupffer cells and dendritic cells. Moreover, liver damage is more pronounced in cases of oral infection, which is mainly found in the Amazon region. However, the importance of liver involvement, including the hepatic immune response, in disease progression does not receive much attention.
  • 540
  • 03 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Mining the Immunopeptidome for Antigenic Peptides in Cancer
Harnessing the immune system for cancer therapy has shown success, however the response to immunotherapy has been limited. Deciphering the immunopeptidome repertoire of cancer cells is crucial for identifying neoantigens. To date the emphasis has been on mutations. However, there is more to neoantigens than mutations. Thus, there is a need to identify other types of neoantigens that are commonly expressed in a cancer type that are presented by MHC class I and class II, to induce a cytotoxic CD8+ T and CD4+ T response, respectively. The immunopeptidome encompasses protein post-translation modifications (PTMs), which are overlooked by genome or transcriptome profiling. This entry covers how the immunopeptidome can yield novel cancer-specific antigens, focusing on PTMs and their applications.
  • 540
  • 26 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Richter Syndrome
Richter syndrome (RS) represents the occurrence of an aggressive lymphoma, most commonly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
  • 540
  • 03 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Manipulating EVs for Therapeutic Applications
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) receive special attention from clinicians due to their assumed usefulness as prognostic markers, immune modulators and physiological delivery tools. The latter application, that supports the reduction of side effects of treatment, is still fraught with many challenges, including established methods for loading EVs with selected cargo and directing them towards target cells. EVs could be loaded with selected cargo either in vitro using several physicochemical techniques, or in vivo by modification of parental cell. Otherwise, EVs may be passively supplemented with selected cargo, such as miRNAs or siRNA. Furthermore, recent findings imply that antigen-specific antibody light chains could coat the surface of EVs to increase the specificity of cell targeting. In addition, the route of EVs’ administration also determines their bioavailability and eventually induced therapeutic effect.
  • 539
  • 03 Jul 2020
Topic Review
Endothelial Dysfunction in Diabetes
Diabetes and its vascular complications affect an increasing number of people. This disease of epidemic proportion nowadays involves abnormalities of large and small blood vessels, all commencing with alterations of the endothelial cell (EC) functions. 
  • 539
  • 15 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Diseases in Chronic Urticaria
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is defined as the almost daily occurrence of widespread wheals, angioedema, or both, for more than 6 weeks. It affects 1–2% of the general population, with a higher prevalence in female patients, and is more frequent patients over 20 years of age. More than half of all cases of chronic idiopathic urticaria are thought to occur due to an autoimmune mechanism, specifically the production of autoantibodies against the high-affinity immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor (FcεRI). The quality of life in these patients is often greatly compromised, also due to the onset of comorbidities represented by other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren’s syndrome, celiac disease, and type 1 diabetes, among others.
  • 538
  • 10 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Glucocorticoid Receptor and Its Importance in (Patho)physiology
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a very versatile protein that comes in several forms, interacts with many proteins and has multiple functions. Numerous therapies are based on GRs’ actions but the occurrence of side effects and reduced responses to glucocorticoids have motivated scientists to study GRs in great detail. The notion that GRs can perform functions as a monomeric protein, but also as a homodimer has raised questions about the underlying mechanisms, structural aspects of dimerization, influencing factors and biological functions
  • 537
  • 15 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Non-Receptor 2 in the Immunity
PTPN2 (protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 2), also called TCPTP (T cell protein tyrosine phosphatase), is a member of the PTP family signaling proteins. Phosphotyrosine-based signaling of this non-transmembrane protein is essential for regulating cell growth, development, differentiation, survival, and migration. 
  • 536
  • 08 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Mechanisms of Immunotoxicity
The immune system orchestrates the body’s main defense against invading biologic agents including but not limited to bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and foreign tissues. Lymphocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, eosinophils, and basophils are the main players. These cells are produced at an increased rate during childhood, where such a blood draw in a child would reveal an average number of 3000/mm3 compared to 4500–11,000/mm3 in adults, and the development of the human immune system begins in the fetal period and reaches its maximum capacity around puberty.
  • 534
  • 04 Aug 2021
  • Page
  • of
  • 39
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Books

>>
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of COVID-19
Encyclopedia of Fungi
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
ScholarVision Creations
Feedback