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Interleukin-1 Inhibitors and Their Significance in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Published in Thomas F. Kresina, Monoclonal Antibodies, Cytokines, and Arthritis, 2020
Gloria C. Higgins, Arnold E. Postlethwaite
The assay most commonly used to detect IL-1 inhibitors has been the thymocyte costimulation or comitogenesis assay (85,86). The basis for this assay is the ability of IL-1α or β to enhance the in vitro proliferation of mouse thymocytes stimulated with a suboptimal dose of plant lectin. Proliferation is measured by incorporation of tritiated thymidine into DNA. The lectins concanavalin A (ConA) and phytohemagglutinin are usually employed. These mitogens, which have binding specificity for oligosaccharides, are presumed to bind glycosylated moieties on the cell surface and signal activation and proliferation (87). The specific binding sites and signal transduction mechanisms are not well understood, but cross-linking of T cell receptors is probably involved (72,75,88). With large (mitogenic) doses, binding of lectin is sufficient to cause activation, proliferation, and concomitant production of and/or responsiveness to lymphokines (89). With small (sub-mitogenic) doses of lectin, exogenous IL-1 must be supplied to give comparable proliferation.
The Transfer of Passive and Active Immunity
Published in Gérard Chaouat, The Immunology of the Fetus, 2020
C. H. F. Nevard, M. Gaunt, C.D. Ockleford
Although direct investigation is not acceptable in the human case, in vitro studies and circumstantial evidence suggests there is a sophisticated potential for cellular immune reactions in fetal life. First, the responsiveness to allogeneic cells in the mixed lymphocyte reaction represents the earliest detectable T-cell response, being detectable by 7 weeks of gestation.72 This is possibly the mechanism by which maternal cells crossing the placental barrier are destroyed. Second, the phytohemagglutinin (T-cell mitogen) response has been demonstrated in thymic lymphocytes by 10 weeks of gestation.72
Neuroendocrine Peptide Hormones and Receptors in the Immune Response and Infectious Diseases
Published in Herman Friedman, Thomas W. Klein, Andrea L. Friedman, Psychoneuroimmunology, Stress, and Infection, 2020
Douglas A. Weigent, J. Edwin Blalock
Very little work has been done examining gonadotropic hormones (LH and FSH) and immunity. As discussed earlier, LH receptors have been documented on lymphoid T cells128 and LH has been shown to modulate cytokine and gamma globulin secretion in mice.129 In addition, LH at various concentrations increased the proliferative response to mitogens. Overall, it appears that LH modulates both humoral and cellular immunity. It has been shown that inhibin and activin, whose major function is the control of FSH release from the pituitary, can modulate lymphocyte function.34 A significant dose-related increase in monocyte chemotaxis was induced by inhibin. While activin increased the migrational activity of monocytes, inhibin significantly decreased interferon-γ production, and its effect was reversed by activin. Inhibin and/or activin had no significant effect on either phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocyte proliferation or lymphocyte cytotoxic capability. The present findings show that inhibin and activin may affect some immune parameters and suggest a possible involvement of these hormones along with LH and possibly FSH in regulating cell-mediated immune function.
Evaluation of toxicological and antimicrobial activity of lavender and immortelle essential oils
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2021
Aner Mesic, Irma Mahmutović-Dizdarević, Emina Tahirović, Irma Durmišević, Izet Eminovic, Anesa Jerković-Mujkić, Renata Bešta-Gajević
Evaluation of the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes is a sensitive cytogenetic test in the detection of effects of mutagens (Bonassi 2008). The selection criteria for the blood donors was based on a questionnaire intended to obtain information on the age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and health condition. Subjects selected for participation were nonsmokers and non-alcohol consumers who had not been exposed to x/gamma rays (medical radiation) during previous year, nor had a viral infection. All participants gave their informed consent. The blood samples from two healthy donors were collected into sterile vials containing 68 IU of sodium heparin (BD Vacutainer®), as an anti-coagulant, per milliliter of blood. Whole blood cultures were established within 4 h after the sampling. Peripheral lymphocytes were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO), supplemented with 200 mM L-glutamine and 20% fetal calf serum (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO). To stimulate cell division, phytohemagglutinin PHA-P (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) was added to cell culture (20 µg/ml). Phytohemagglutinin was dissolved in GibcoTM sterile distilled water (ThermoFisher Scinetific, Waltham, MA, USA).
Galectin-3: is this member of a large family of multifunctional lectins (already) a therapeutic target?
Published in Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets, 2019
Antonio Romero, Hans-Joachim Gabius
Molecular selectivity underlies first the detection and then the characterization of the activity profile of a large superfamily of (glyco)proteins that are called lectins. This term originates from work on blood group typing. Precisely knowing the blood group status is essential to predict and to preclude incompatibility of transfusions, thus fatal outcomes. The observations that components of plant seed extracts agglutinated erythrocytes depending on the type of blood group of the donor, exactly as natural serum antibodies do, not only prompted to coin the technical name ‘phytohemagglutinin’ but also ‘the word lectin from Latin lectus, the past principle of legere meaning to pick, choose or select’ [1]. It highlights that proteins different from immunoglobulins can distinguish between cell surface epitopes, selecting their binding partners.
Correlation between cytogenetic biomarkers obtained from DC and CBMN assays caused by low dose radon exposure in smokers
Published in International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2019
Cultures were initiated by addition of 5 μg/ml phytohemagglutinin (Gibco) using the Fluorescence plus giemsa (FPG) staining method. Bromo deoxy uridine was added to a final concentration of 10 µM to differentiate first division cells. Cultures were incubated for 48 hours in 5% CO2 atmosphere. At the 45th hour, colchicine (Sigma) was added to a final concentration of 0.04 μg/ml to arrest cells at metaphase. Cultures were harvested at 48 hours and subjected to a hypotonic treatment of 0.56% KCl. Cells were washed and suspended in Carnoy’s fixative, cast on microscope slides, air-dried, stained with giemsa and scored for aberrations in first division metaphases. All slides were coded and scored without bias. A minimum of 500 cells per individual was scored.