Journal of internal medicine
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Current vaccines primarily work by inducing protective antibodies. However, in many infections like HIV, malaria and tuberculosis as well as cancers, there remains a need for durable and protective T-cell immunity. Here, we summarize our efforts to develop a safe T-cell-based protein vaccine that exploits the pivotal role of dendritic cells (DC) in initiating adaptive immunity. ⋯ When administered together with synthetic double-stranded RNA, polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidylic acid (poly IC) or its analogue poly IC stabilized with carboxymethylcellulose and poly-L-lysine (poly ICLC), as adjuvant, HIV gag-p24 within anti-DEC-205 mAb is highly immunogenic in mice, rhesus macaques, and in ongoing research, healthy human volunteers. Human subjects form both T- and B-cell responses to DC-targeted protein. Thus, DC-targeted protein vaccines are a potential new vaccine platform, either alone or in combination with highly attenuated viral vectors, to induce integrated immune responses against microbial or cancer antigens, with improved ease of manufacturing and clinical use.
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Multicenter Study
Surveillance of autoimmune conditions following routine use of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine.
An observational safety study of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV4) in women was conducted. This report presents findings from autoimmune surveillance. Design. Subjects were followed for 180days after each HPV4 dose for new diagnoses of 16 prespecified autoimmune conditions. ⋯ No autoimmune safety signal was found in women vaccinated with HPV4.
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Comparative Study
Gene expression alterations at baseline and following moderate exercise in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Syndrome.
To determine mRNA expression differences in genes involved in signalling and modulating sensory fatigue, and muscle pain in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) at baseline, and following moderate exercise. ⋯ At least two subgroups of patients with CFS can be identified by gene expression changes following exercise. The larger subgroup showed increases in mRNA for sensory and adrenergic receptors and a cytokine. The smaller subgroup contained most of the patients with CFS with orthostatic intolerance, showed no postexercise increases in any gene and was defined by decreases in mRNA for α-2A. FM-only patients can be identified by baseline increases in three genes. Postexercise increases for four genes meet published criteria as an objective biomarker for CFS and could be useful in guiding treatment selection for different subgroups.