Genetics at the Cell Level
Carlos Simón, Carmen Rubio in Handbook of Genetic Diagnostic Technologies in Reproductive Medicine, 2022
Several projects within the HCA have led to the discovery of new cell subtypes that play an important role during human development (Vento-Tormo et al., 2018; Popescu et al., 2019; Park et al., 2020). A recent study profiling the uterine-placental interface at single-cell resolution identified three distinct subsets of decidual natural killer cells (dNK) and decidual stromal cells with potential roles in early pregnancy in humans (Vento-Tormo et al., 2018). The novel dNK subsets found in the tissue are thought to be key to maintaining the immunomodulatory environment during early pregnancy, helping in the establishment of placentation through invasion of the placental trophoblast. This study has advanced our understanding of the uterine environment during the early stages of pregnancy and will have a direct impact on pregnancy-related pathologies, such as preeclampsia or fetal growth restriction (Figure 2.2).
Neuro–Endocrine–Immune Dysfunction in the Chronic Pain Patient
Sahar Swidan, Matthew Bennett in Advanced Therapeutics in Pain Medicine, 2020
Leptin is typically considered to play a role in metabolism, being produced by adipocytes in a fed state. However, leptin levels have been noted to increase during acute infection, and acute and chronic inflammatory processes. Leptin also appears to be a potent immunomodulatory hormone and may play a role in several autoimmune pathways.83 Leptin increases phagocytic activity and cytokine secretion. It can stimulate neutrophil chemotaxis and oxidative burst. It can increase the activity of natural killer cells.8 Leptin promotes the switch toward Th1 activity.84 Leptin promotes pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and may play a role in enhancing autoimmune disorders.85 It is interesting to note that women show increased serum leptin levels compared to age- and BMI-matched men.86
Chronic Exercise and Immunity
James M. Rippe in Lifestyle Medicine, 2019
Natural killer cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes and a major constituent of the innate immune system. They protect against certain tumors and virally infected cells by releasing granules containing proteases and porins that induce apoptosis in the target cell. Yan et al. reported that the proportion of NK cells (CD16+CD56+) in isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells was higher in older subjects who exercised regularly than those who did not,26 but the NK activity against K562 target cells was not different between these subject groups. Further, there were no differences in either NK cell number or activity between exercisers and non-exercisers in the young and middle-aged groups. In another study, there were no differences in the expression of NKG2D or NKG2A receptors, but young athletes had a greater NK cell activation and degranulation in response to cells from the K562 and .221 cell lines, though not .221-AEH, when compared with young non-athletes.27
Sleep disruption induces activation of inflammation and heightens risk for infectious disease: Role of impairments in thermoregulation and elevated ambient temperature
Published in Temperature, 2023
The mediating path linking sleep disturbance, increases in sympathetic activity, and subsequent increases of inflammatory outcomes is not yet fully established, although correlative findings suggest that nocturnal elevations in sympathetic activity are temporally associated with increases in circulating markers of inflammation during the day. For example, when sympathetic activity is estimated by measures of heart rate variability during NREM and REM sleep, higher sympathetic tone correlates with higher levels of IL-6 in the morning [236]. Moreover, experimentally induced sleep deprivation leads to increases in sympathetic activity, which corresponds to decreases in natural killer cell activity. Similar relationships between increases in sympathetic tone during the night and decreases in NK activity are found in patients with insomnia. Because the effects of sleep deprivation to reduce NK activity was abrogated by pretreatment with a β-adrenergic antagonist, propranolol [237], it appears that SNS activation is causally mediating these effects.
Recalcitrant Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus in a Patient Discovered to Have Underlying Functional Natural Killer Cell Deficiency
Published in Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, 2022
Brent J. Deibert, Kurtis C. Johnson, Luke W. Desilet, Andrew C. Rorie
Natural killer cells are a vital part of the innate immune response. These cells are especially important in the body’s protection from viral infections. Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is essentially ubiquitous in the aging population. In those who experienced a childhood infection with VZV, known as chicken pox, the virus typically reactivates as the immune system wanes with age and is unable to keep the dormant virus contained. The re-activation of this virus causes the disease shingles, which presents as painful, dermatomal, vesicular lesion. This disease can affect almost every part of the body and is especially problematic when the eye is affected. In cases of immunodeficiency the course of the disease can be altered regarding age of onset or re-occurrence of the disease. Despite appropriate response from the adaptive immune system, deficiencies in cells of the innate response that preform viral surveillance can have a large impact on the disease course that would normally be self-limited.
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis due to pembrolizumab therapy for adenocarcinoma of the lung
Published in Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 2021
James J. Doyle, James A. Hall, Kelsey Reely, Jyothi Dodlapati
The patient became pancytopenic, with platelets reaching a nadir just under 100,000/µL. Vitamin B12 was near low, and he was started on supplementation but remained transfusion dependent. Peripheral smear was unremarkable for hemolysis, though low-density lipoprotein was elevated and haptoglobin was low. His reticulocyte count was depressed, and human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis panel, parvovirus, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus serologies were negative for an acute infection. Direct antiglobulin testing was negative for an autoimmune source, ferritin peaked at 1303 ng/mL, and triglycerides were 288 mg/dL. He was on chronic warfarin therapy for an atrial arrhythmia, but this was held due to the ongoing anemia. Bone marrow biopsy had variable cellularity without hemophagocytosis. Levels of soluble IL-2 receptor (CD25) and hemoglobin-haptoglobin receptor (CD163) were elevated at 2721 pg/mL and 2425 pg/mL, respectively. Natural killer cell function was normal.