Journal of clinical immunology
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In view of the numerous clinical observations and laboratory studies that suggest a critical role for the spleen in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) pathophysiology, we aimed to characterize Th1-associated chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCR5 and Th2-associated chemokine receptor CCR3 in spleens of ITP patients and assess the significance of their differential expression in the clinical setting. ⋯ The data suggested that the abnormal expression of Th1/Th2 chemokine receptors may participate in splenic immune disorder in patients with ITP. Using corresponding inhibitors may inhibit Th1-dominant expression and mitigate the progress of the disease.
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IL-17-producing CD8(+) T lymphocytes (Tc17 cells) have recently been detected in many cancers and autoimmune diseases. However, the possible implication of Tc17 cells in tuberculous pleural effusion remains unclarified. In this study, distribution and phenotypic features of Tc17 cells in both tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) and peripheral blood from patients with tuberculosis were determined. ⋯ Thus this study demonstrates that Tc17 cells marks a subset of non-cytotoxic, CCR6(+) CD8(+) T lymphocytes with low proliferative capacity. The overrepresentation of Tc17 cells in TPE may be due to Tc17 cell expansion stimulated by pleural proinflammatory cytokines and to recruitment of Tc17 cells from peripheral blood. Additionally, PMCs may promote the production of IL-17 by CD8(+) T cells at sites of TPE via cell-cell interactions.
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To study the role of Th2-attracting chemokines in opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS), a serious neurological paraneoplastic disorder in need of better immunological understanding and therapy. ⋯ These data reveal an elevated serum concentration of Th2-attracting chemokines CCL22 and CCL17 in OMS. Marked and rapid reduction in CCL22, not CCL17, with either ACTH or steroid therapy suggests differential regulation and cellular sources of CCR4 ligands, and CCL22 as a potential candidate biomarker for ACTH or corticosteroid effect.
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Post-flight data suggests immunity is dysregulated immediately following spaceflight, however this data may be influenced by the stress effects of high-G entry and readaptation to terrestrial gravity. It is unknown if immunity is altered during spaceflight. ⋯ This study indicates that specific parameters among leukocyte distribution, T cell function and cytokine production profiles are altered during flight. These findings distinguish in-flight dysregulation from stress-related alterations observed immediately following landing.
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Autoantibodies to cytoplasmic structures called rods and rings (RR) are primarily specific to patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection treated with pegylated interferon-alpha/ribavirin (IFN/R). Our aim is to examine anti-RR antibodies specificity and correlation with the response to IFN/R therapy in two independent cohorts (US and Italy) of HCV patients. ⋯ In the two cohorts analyzed, the anti-IMPDH2 response as a component of the anti-RR response is much more prominent in the Italian cohort. The reason for the difference between the US and Italian cohorts is unclear but it possibly illustrates the heterogeneity in response and the overall negative correlation between the production of these autoantibodies and response to IFN/R therapy. Patients with high titer anti-RR antibodies are either relapsers (Italian) or non-responders/relapsers (US).