You're using an outdated browser. Please upgrade to a modern browser for the best experience.
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 by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Macrophages as Key Players in Intestinal Fibrogenesis
Intestinal fibrosis is a common complication in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) without specific treatment. Macrophages are the key actors in inflammatory responses and the wound healing process. By their exceptional ability to integrate diverse stimuli in their surrounding environment, macrophages display a multitude of phenotypes to underpin a broad spectrum of functions, from the initiation to the resolution of inflammation following injury. The hypothesis that distinct macrophage subtypes could be involved in fibrogenesis and wound healing is emerging and could open up new therapeutic perspectives in the treatment of intestinal fibrosis. 
  • 1.4K
  • 11 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Flow Cytometry and Spermatogenesis
Flow cytometry has become an invaluable tool for the analysis of testicular heterogeneity, and for the purification of stage-specific spermatogenic cell populations, both for basic research and for clinical applications.
  • 1.4K
  • 08 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Tumor Microenvironment
In the relatively short history of anti-tumor treatment, numerous medications have been developed against a variety of targets. Intriguingly, although many anti-tumor strategies have failed in their clinical trials, metformin, an anti-diabetic medication, demonstrated anti-tumor effects in observational studies and even showed its synergistic potential with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in subsequent clinical studies. Looking back from bedside-to-bench, it may not be surprising that the anti-tumor effect of metformin derives largely from its ability to rewire aberrant metabolic pathways within the tumor microenvironment. As one of the most promising breakthroughs in oncology, ICIs were also found to exert their immune-stimulatory effects at least partly via rewiring metabolic pathways. These findings underscore the importance of correcting metabolic pathways to achieve sufficient anti-tumor immunity. Herein, we start by introducing the tumor microenvironment, and then we review the implications of metabolic syndrome and treatments for targeting metabolic pathways in anti-tumor therapies. We further summarize the close associations of certain aberrant metabolic pathways with impaired anti-tumor immunity and introduce the therapeutic effects of targeting these routes. Lastly, we go through the metabolic effects of ICIs and conclude an overall direction to manipulate metabolic pathways in favor of anti-tumor responses.
  • 1.4K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Serum lipidomics in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a highly debilitating chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease most prevalent in women. The true etiology of this disease is complex, multifactorial, and is yet to be completely elucidated. Changes in the lipid profile at a molecular level in RA are still poorly understood. Studies on the variation of lipid profile in RA using lipidomics showed that fatty acid and phospholipid profile, especially in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, are affected in this disease. These promising results could lead to the discovery of new diagnostic lipid biomarkers for early diagnosis of RA and targets for personalized medicine.
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Exosome-Mediated Immunosuppression in Tumor Microenvironments
Exosomes are membranous structures secreted by nearly all cell types. As critical messengers for intercellular communication, exosomes deliver bioactive cargoes to recipient cells and are involved in multiple physiopathological processes, including immunoregulation. This pioneering research revealed that cancer cells release programmed death-ligand 1-positive exosomes into the circulation to counter antitumor immunity systemically via T cells. Tumor cell-derived exosomes (TDEs) also play an immunosuppressive role in other immunocytes, including dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Moreover, exosomes secreted by nontumor cells in the tumor microenvironments (TMEs) also exert immunosuppressive effects.
  • 1.4K
  • 29 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Mutant p53
The p53 tumor suppressor plays a pivotal role in cancer and infectious disease. Many oncology treatments are now calling on immunotherapy approaches, and scores of studies have investigated the role of p53 antibodies in cancer diagnosis and therapy. This review summarizes the current knowledge from the preliminary evidence that suggests a potential role of p53 as an antigen in the adaptive immune response and a monitoring key role of the innate immune system, thereby speculating on the idea that mutant p53 antigens serve as a druggable target in immunotherapy. Except in a few cases, the vast majority of published work on p53 antibodies in cancer patients use wild-type p53 as the antigen to detect these antibodies and it is unclear that they can recognize p53 mutants carried by cancer patients at all. We envision that an antibody targeting a specific mutant p53 will be effective therapeutically against the cancer carrying the exact mutant p53. Thus, novel antibodies targeting mutant p53, but not the wild-type isoform, should be pursued in preclincial and clinical studies.
  • 1.4K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Nipah Virus Disease
Nipah virus (NiV) infection is a viral disease caused by a Henipavirus, belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family, responsible for a zoonosis. The course of the disease can be very serious and lead to death. NiV natural hosts are fruit bats (also known as megabats) belonging to the Pteropodidae family, especially those of the Pteropus genus. Natural infection in domestic animals has been described in farming pigs, horses, domestic and feral dogs and cats. Natural NiV transmission is possible intra-species (pig-to-pig, human-to-human) and inter-species (flying bat-to-human, pig-to-human, horse-to-human).
  • 1.4K
  • 11 Jan 2023
Topic Review
CD4 T-Cell in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for the chronic immune-mediated idiopathic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, manifesting as Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC). IBD is characterized by exacerbated innate and adaptive immunity in the gut in association with microbiota dysbiosis and the disruption of the intestinal barrier, resulting in increased bacterial exposure. In response to signals from microorganisms and damaged tissue, innate immune cells produce inflammatory cytokines and factors that stimulate T and B cells of the adaptive immune system, and a prominent characteristic of IBD patients is the accumulation of inflammatory T-cells and their proinflammatory-associated cytokines in intestinal tissue. Upon antigen recognition and activation, CD4 T-cells differentiate towards a range of distinct phenotypes: T helper(h)1, Th2, Th9, Th17, Th22, T follicular helper (Tfh), and several types of T-regulatory cells (Treg). T-cells are generated according to and adapt to microenvironmental conditions and participate in a complex network of interactions among other immune cells that modulate the further progression of IBD. 
  • 1.4K
  • 09 Feb 2023
Topic Review
T regulatory cell (Treg)
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a subset of CD4+ T lymphocytes that possesses the capacity to suppress immune responses to ensure that the immune system’s response to foreign antigens and its response to self-antigens remains adequately balanced. This homeostatic balance ensures the immune system is inflammatory enough to respond sufficiently to foreign antigens, as well as neoantigens from cancer, and sufficiently counter-balanced or anti-inflammatory that inflammation does not get out of hand, leading to tissue damage or death. The immune-suppressive effects of Tregs regulate tumor immunity, antimicrobial resistance, allergy and transplantation. Tregs also play a central role in maintaining self-tolerance. Treg involvement in this mechanism is pivotal for protection from autoimmune diseases.
  • 1.4K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Cyclic Dinucleotide Vaccine Adjuvants
Cyclic dinucleotides(CDNs) are a class of bacterial and mammalian second messengers with potent immunomodulatory and immunostimulatory properties. CDNs mediate a potent systemic as well as a mucosal vaccine response and induces a balanced memory Th1/Th2/Th17 and CD8+ T cell response. CDNs do not cause acute toxicity in mice and have been reported safe in humans from the recent clinical trials (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02675439, NCT03010176, NCT03172936, NCT03937141, and NCT0414414). As therapeutic cancer vaccine adjuvants, CDNs induce potent anti-tumor immunity,including cytotoxic T cells and NK cell activation that achieve durable regression in multiple mice models of tumor. In this entry, we review the status of CDN vaccine adjuvant research, including their superior adjuvant activities, in vivo mode of action, and confounding factors that affect their efficacy in humans.
  • 1.4K
  • 02 Nov 2020
Topic Review
NK Cells in Viral Infections
NK cells are usually defined as immune cells that belong to the innate immune response. They were described as cells capable of killing several tumour cell lines without previous antigen presentation. It was shown then that NK cells lack the TCR and BCR receptors capable of binding specific antigens, and consequently, it was assumed that these cells lack antigen recognition.
  • 1.4K
  • 12 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Antibodies and T Cells in Viral Infections
The vertebrate immune system functions to eliminate foreign nucleic acids that invade from infectious pathogens and malignant tumors. DNA/RNA motifs characteristic to microbes and cancer cells are recognized as "non-self" by the host innate immune system, represented by pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), thereby being classified into microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). MAMPs participate in immune enhancement, which is a host strategy to eliminate invading cells. That is, a variety of PRRs recognize nucleic acid MAMPs. Of the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), TLR3 recognizes RNA double-stranded (ds) motifs such as viral dsRNA. TLR3 is particular in that 1. It is preferentially expressed in endosomes of antigen-presenting dendritic cells (CD141+ DCs), 2. It can be an exclusive target to induce cross-antigen presentation, 3. Several structured RNAs successfully attain endosomal TLR3 in antigen-presenting (CD141+) DCs. Here the researchers summarize the current status of TLR3 adjuvants designed to enter cells without transfection, minimize inflammatory side effects, and provide optimal immune enhancement.
  • 1.4K
  • 09 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Current Regulation of Anti-COVID-19 mRNAs
COVID-19 vaccines were developed and approved rapidly in response to the urgency created by the pandemic. No specific regulations existed at the time they were marketed. The regulatory agencies therefore adapted them as a matter of urgency. Now that the pandemic emergency has passed, it is time to consider the safety issues associated with this rapid approval. The mode of action of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines should classify them as gene therapy products (GTPs), but they have been excluded by regulatory agencies.
  • 1.4K
  • 27 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Anti-Cancer Effects of Atrial Natriuretic Peptides
The atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a cardiovascular hormone, plays a pivotal role in the homeostatic control of blood pressure, electrolytes, and water balance and is approved to treat congestive heart failure. In addition, there is a growing realization that ANPs might be related to immune response and tumor growth. The anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory effects of ANPs in the tissue microenvironment are mediated through autocrine or paracrine mechanisms, which further suppress tumorigenesis. In cancers, ANPs show anti-proliferative effects through several molecular pathways. Furthermore, ANPs attenuate the side effects of cancer therapy. Therefore, ANPs act on several hallmarks of cancer, such as inflammation, angiogenesis, sustained tumor growth, and metastasis. 
  • 1.4K
  • 12 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Correlates of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine-Induced Protection
Vaccine candidates against COVID-19 have been developed at an unprecedented speed, with more than 200 vaccine candidates currently under investigation. Among those, 20 candidates have entered the clinical Phase 3 to evaluate efficacy, and three have been approved by the European Medicines Agency. The aim of immunization is to act against infection, disease and/or transmission. However, the measurement of vaccine efficacy is challenging, as efficacy trials need to include large cohorts with verum and placebo cohorts. In the future, this will be even more challenging as further vaccine candidates will receive approval, an increasing number of humans will receive vaccinations and incidence might decrease. To evaluate novel and second-generation vaccine candidates, randomized placebo-controlled trials might not be appropriate anymore. Correlates of protection (CoP) could be an important tool to evaluate novel vaccine candidates, but vaccine-induced CoP have not been clearly defined for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. 
  • 1.4K
  • 04 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Vascular Calcification
A variety of actively regulated processes on cellular and systemic level with various contributing and inhibiting factors can result in vascular calcification (VC). Currently, treatment is limited to management of risk factors including regulation of the calcium-phosphate metabolism. Due to the complex pathophysiology, the mechanisms underlying ectopic calcification are studied in various, distinctly different research models. Beside in vitro models using cells of different origin, ex vivo settings using aortic tissue are available. In addition, various in vivo disease-induced animal models are currently used in research. All of these experimental settings depict (patho)physiologic mechanisms within the vascular calcification process.
  • 1.3K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Macrophages and Cancer Development
Macrophages are innate immune cells pivotal for tissue homeostasis, removal of superfluous cells, and inflammatory responses to infections. Macrophages also play diverse roles in cancer development, ranging from antitumor activity in early progression stages to, most commonly, tumor-promoting roles in established cancer. Notably, macrophages are highly plastic cells and, depending on the microenvironmental cues in the Tumor Microenvironment (TME), can undergo marked changes in their function. In established cancers, high macrophage infiltration often strongly associates with poor prognosis or tumor progression in many types of solid tumors, including breast, bladder, head and neck, glioma, melanoma, and prostate cancer. Conversely, in colorectal and gastric cancers, high macrophage infiltration correlates with a better prognosis. These apparently opposite effects are likely related to macrophage plasticity and resultant heterogeneity of phenotype and functions in various cancers.
  • 1.3K
  • 14 May 2021
Topic Review Video
Transgenerational-Epigenetic Inheritance and Immune System
Epigenetic modifications cause heritable changes in gene expression which are not due to alterations in underlying DNA sequence. Inside the eukaryotic nucleus, there is condense packing of DNA around histone proteins to constitute chromatin structure. Epigenetic modifications are caused by factors that alter chromatin structure. Some epigenetic factors are enzymes that regulate DNA methylation and histone modifications, non-coding RNA, and prions. An offspring inherits parental epigenetic modifications but most of them are deleted and reset during early developmental stages. Some epigenetic modifications are retained and persist across multiple generations. If any epigenetic modification is the result of a stimulus or immune response in one generation, such that the modification continues to be inherited in subsequent generations which are not subjected to the stimulus; and the inheritance continues beyond the 3rd generation in the female germline and 2nd generation in male, then the phenomenon is called transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (TGEI). This entry is focused on a review which discusses some examples of TGEI that are reported in association with  immune system development and disorders.
  • 1.3K
  • 22 May 2021
Topic Review
Effects of Oxysterols on Immune Cells
Oxysterols are the products of cholesterol oxidation. They have a wide range of effects on several cells, organs, and systems in the body. Oxysterols also have an influence on the physiology of the immune system, from immune cell maturation and migration to innate and humoral immune responses. 
  • 1.3K
  • 21 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Antimicrobial Property of Spices
Antimicrobial resistance increases day by day around the world. To overcome this situation new antimicrobial agents are needed. Spices such as clove, ginger, coriander, garlic, and turmeric have the potential to fight resistant microbes.
  • 1.3K
  • 04 May 2023
  • Page
  • of
  • 39
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Books

>>
Encyclopedia of COVID-19
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Academic Video Service
Feedback