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Topic Review
M.tb PE_PGRS Acts as an Immunological Decoy
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) is a successful pathogen that can reside within the alveolar macrophages of the host and can survive in a latent stage. The pathogen has evolved and developed multiple strategies to resist the host immune responses. M.tb escapes from host macrophage through evasion or subversion of immune effector functions. M.tb genome codes for PE/PPE/PE_PGRS proteins, which are intrinsically disordered, redundant and antigenic in nature. These proteins perform multiple functions that intensify the virulence competence of M.tb majorly by modulating immune responses, thereby affecting immune mediated clearance of the pathogen. The highly repetitive, redundant and antigenic nature of PE/PPE/PE_PGRS proteins provide a critical edge over other M.tb proteins in terms of imparting a higher level of virulence and also as a decoy molecule that masks the effect of effector molecules, thereby modulating immuno-surveillance. An understanding of how these proteins subvert the host immunological machinery may add to the current knowledge about M.tb virulence and pathogenesis. This can help in redirecting our strategies for tackling M.tb infections.
  • 687
  • 18 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Natural Killer Cells in Liver Fibrosis
Natural killer (NK) cells are a key component of innate immunity and have miscellaneous roles in liver health and disease. Accumulating evidence shows that NK cells play dual roles in the development and progression of liver fibrosis, including profibrotic and anti-fibrotic functions.
  • 686
  • 18 May 2023
Topic Review
Description of CC Chemokine Receptor 6
The CC chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) involved in a wide range of biological processes. When CCR6 binds to its sole ligand CCL20, a signaling network is produced. This pathway is implicated in mechanisms related to many diseases, such as cancer, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, HIV infection or rheumatoid arthritis. 
  • 685
  • 10 May 2023
Topic Review
RKIP Pleiotropic Activities in Cancer and Inflammatory Diseases
Several gene products play pivotal roles in the induction of inflammation and the progression of cancer. The Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP) is a cytosolic protein that exerts pleiotropic activities in such conditions, and thus regulates oncogenesis and immune-mediated diseases through its deregulation.
  • 684
  • 22 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Outer Membrane Vesicles as Biomedical Tools
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are lipid-membrane-bounded nanoparticles that are released from Gram-negative bacteria via vesiculation of the outer membrane. OMVs have several characteristics that enable them to be promising candidates for immune modulation against pathogens, such as their ability to induce the host immune responses given their resemblance to the parental bacterial cell.
  • 684
  • 22 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Cancer-Related Fatigue
Cancer treatments can cause adverse effects such as cancer-related fatigue. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a relatively new therapy for some cancers and have shown great promise in helping people. Physical activity has been shown to aid many cancer patients to overcome adverse effects in traditional chemotherapy, but along with ICIs, it hasn’t been fully examined.
  • 683
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Pathogenesis of Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common inflammatory skin disorder worldwide, with a prevalence of 1–20% in both children and adults. It is believed to be the first step of the so-called ‘atopic march’ in which AD is followed by allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, allergic bronchial asthma, and food allergies. 
  • 681
  • 03 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Immunogenic Cell Death by Radiation
Ionizing radiation (IR) is used to treat 50% of cancers. While the cytotoxic effects related to DNA damage with IR have been known since the early 20th century, the role of the immune system in the treatment response is still yet to be fully determined. IR can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD), which activates innate and adaptive immunity against the cancer.
  • 680
  • 06 May 2023
Topic Review
Comparison of HMGB1 in Asthma and in COPD
The airway epithelium, through pattern recognition receptors expressed transmembrane or intracellularly, acts as a first line of defense for the lungs against many environmental triggers. It is involved in the release of alarmin cytokines, which are important mediators of inflammation, with receptors widely expressed in structural cells as well as innate and adaptive immune cells. Knowledge of the role of epithelial cells in orchestrating the immune response and mediating the clearance of invading pathogens and dead/damaged cells to facilitate resolution of inflammation is necessary to understand how, in many chronic lung diseases, there is a persistent inflammatory response that becomes the basis of underlying pathogenesis, in particular thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), as key mediators in driving the inflammation of chronic lung diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), evaluating the similarities and differences.
  • 680
  • 09 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Gut Reaction to SIV&SHIV Infection
SIV and SHIV-infected NHPs exhibit a range of viral burdens, pathologies, and responses to combinatorial antiretroviral therapy (cART) regimens and the choice of the NHP model for AIDS could influence outcomes in studies investigating interventions. Previously, in rhesus macaques (RMs) we showed that maintenance of mucosal Th17/Treg homeostasis during SIV infection correlated with a better virological response to cART. Here, in RMs we compared viral kinetics and dysregulation of gut homeostasis, defined by T cell subset disruption, during highly pathogenic SIVΔB670 compared to SHIV-1157ipd3N4 infection.SHIV infection resulted in lower acute viremia and less disruption to gut CD4 T-cell homeostasis. Additionally, 24/24 SHIV-infected versus 10/19 SIV-infected animals had sustained viral suppression <100 copies/mL of plasma after 5 months of cART. Significantly, the more profound viral suppression during cART in a subset of SIV and all SHIV-infected RMs corresponded with less gut immune dysregulation during acute SIV/SHIV infection, defined by maintenance of the Th17/Treg ratio. These results highlight significant differences in viral control during cART and gut dysregulation in NHP AIDS models and suggest that selection of a model may impact the evaluation of candidate therapeutic interventions for HIV treatment and cure strategies. 
  • 679
  • 26 Aug 2021
Topic Review
The Role of Hydrogen Sulfide in Macrophage Biology
Macrophages are cells in the innate immune system that provide the first line of defense against invading pathogens. Macrophages are classified broadly within two types of polarization states: classically activated (M1) and alternatively activated (M2). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been increasingly recognized as a crucial inflammatory mediator in immune cells, particularly macrophages, due to its direct and indirect effects on cellular signaling, redox homeostasis, and energy metabolism. The intricate regulation of endogenous H2S production and metabolism involves the coordination of transsulfuration pathway (TSP) enzymes and sulfide oxidizing enzymes, with TSP’s role at the intersection of the methionine pathway and glutathione synthesis reactions.
  • 678
  • 08 May 2023
Topic Review
Inflammatory Factors Involved in Cancer Transformation
Inflammation, when it became chronic, settles down the body’s normal inflammatory process, creating a favorable environment for the development of cancerous cells. There are numerous signaling pathways that are key contributors to generating epigenetic changes outside and inside the cell.
  • 678
  • 12 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Repertoire for the Treatment of Malignant Melanoma
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been used for the treatment of various types of cancers, including malignant melanoma. Mechanistic exploration of tumor immune responses is essential to improve the therapeutic efficacy of ICIs. Since tumor immune responses are based on antigen-specific immune responses, investigators have focused on T cell receptors (TCRs) and have analyzed changes in the TCR repertoire. The proliferation of T cell clones against tumor antigens is detected in patients who respond to treatment with ICIs. The proliferation of these T cell clones is observed within tumors as well as in the peripheral blood. Clonal proliferation has been detected not only in CD8-positive T cells but also in CD4-positive T cells, resident memory T cells, and B cells. Moreover, changes in the repertoire at an early stage of treatment seem to be useful for predicting the therapeutic efficacy of ICIs. Further analyses of the repertoire of immune cells are desirable to improve and predict the therapeutic efficacy of ICIs. 
  • 675
  • 10 Nov 2022
Topic Review
COVID-19 in Solid Organ Transplant Recipient
It is still uncertain whether recipients of solid organ transplant (SOT) are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or poor outcomes due to COVID-19 in comparison to the general population. In this study, we report the cumulative incidence and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cohort of 291 SOT recipients. The COVID-19 cumulative incidence in SOT recipients resulted slightly higher compared to that of age-matched population during the study period. Moreover, the SARS-CoV-2 antibody frequency was around 2.6-fold higher than the incidence of cases who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR, suggesting that the number of SOT recipients infected with SARS-CoV-2 is likely higher than described. In symptomatic recipients, kidney transplant was associated with a higher risk of developing moderate/critical disease, while common risk factors, including age and comorbidities, resulted less relevant for COVID-19 severity. Due to the high estimated crude mortality, symptomatic SOT recipients should be considered at high risk in case of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • 674
  • 19 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Natural Killer Cells in Brief
Natural Killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells that play a multifaceted role in immune surveillance, host defense, and immune regulation. This research explores the fascinating world of NK cells, encompassing their discovery, classification, mechanisms of recognition, activation, and effector functions. 
  • 669
  • 08 Oct 2023
Topic Review
CAR NK Cell Therapy for Metastatic Melanoma
Melanoma is among the most lethal forms of cancer, accounting for 80% of deaths despite comprising just 5% of skin cancer cases. Treatment options remain limited due to the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms associated with melanoma heterogeneity that underlie the rapid development of secondary drug resistance. For this reason, the development of novel treatments remains paramount to the improvement of patient outcomes. Although the advent of chimeric antigen receptor-expressing T (CAR-T) cell immunotherapies has led to many clinical successes for hematological malignancies, these treatments are limited in their utility by their immune-induced side effects and a high risk of systemic toxicities. CAR natural killer (CAR-NK) cell immunotherapies are a particularly promising alternative to CAR-T cell immunotherapies, as they offer a more favorable safety profile and have the capacity for fine-tuned cytotoxic activity. 
  • 668
  • 06 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Pathogens, Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Granulomatous Disease
Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency caused by a defect in the phagocytic function of the innate immune system owing to mutations in genes encoding the five subunits of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphatase (NADPH) oxidase enzyme complex. The most common microorganisms observed in the patients with CGD are Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus spp., Candida spp., Nocardia spp., Burkholderia spp., Serratia spp., and Salmonella spp. Antibacterial prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, antifungal prophylaxis usually with itraconazole, and interferon gamma immunotherapy have been successfully used in reducing infection in CGD. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) have been successfully proven to be the treatment of choice in patients with CGD.
  • 667
  • 07 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy in AML
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy that is often associated with relapse and drug resistance after standard chemotherapy or targeted therapy, particularly in older patients. Hematopoietic stem cell transplants are looked upon as the ultimate salvage option with curative intent. Adoptive cell therapy using chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) has shown promise in B cell malignancies and is being investigated in AML.
  • 666
  • 19 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Oncolytic Adenoviruses for Cancer Therapy
Human adenoviruses (hAds) are non-enveloped viruses with a diameter of 70 to 100 nm.
  • 665
  • 29 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Mast Cells against Fungal Host Defense
Mast cells take part in host defense against various microorganisms as they are numerous at the portal of infection, exert several essential mechanisms of pathogen destruction, and they express pattern recognition receptors. MCs can support immune responses to fungi and their specific constituents through initiated degranulation, synthesis and release of cytokines, chemokines, mediators, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as immune cells' recruitment, phagocytosis, or formation of extracellular DNA traps. 
  • 663
  • 06 Dec 2021
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