This is an RSS newsfeed from BioMed Central It is intended to be used with an RSS reader. For more information about RSS newsfeeds from BioMed Central, visit http://www.biomedcentral.com/info/about/rss/ http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcimmunol/mostviewed/ Most viewed articles in last 30 days from BMC Immunology (ISSN 1471-2172) published by BioMed Central Background: Melioidosis, a lethal tropical infection that is endemic in southeast Asia and northern Australia, is caused by the saprophytic Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Overall mortality approaches 40% yet little is known about mechanisms of host defense. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are host transmembrane receptors that recognize conserved pathogen molecular patterns and induce an inflammatory response. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Gram-negative bacteria is a potent inducer of the host innate immune system. TLR4, in association with MD-2, is the archetype receptor for LPS although B. pseudomallei LPS has been previously identified as a TLR2 agonist. We examined TLR signaling induced by B. pseudomallei, B. pseudomallei LPS, and B. pseudomallei lipid A using gain-of-function transfection assays of NF-κB activation and studies of TLR-deficient macrophages. Results: In HEK293 cells transfected with murine or human TLRs, CD14, and MD-2, heat-killed B. pseudomallei activated TLR2 (in combination with TLR1 or TLR6) and TLR4. B. pseudomallei LPS and lipid A activated TLR4 and this TLR4-mediated signaling required MD-2. In TLR2-/- macrophages, stimulation with heat-killed B. pseudomallei augmented TNF-α and MIP-2 production whereas in TLR4-/- cells, TNF-α, MIP-2, and IL-10 production was reduced. Cytokine production by macrophages stimulated with B. pseudomallei LPS or lipid A was entirely dependent on TLR4 but was increased in the absence of TLR2. TLR adaptor molecule MyD88 strongly regulated TNF-α production in response to heat-killed B. pseudomallei. Conclusion: B. pseudomallei activates TLR2 and TLR4. In the presence of MD-2, B. pseudomallei LPS and lipid A are TLR4 ligands. Although the macrophage cytokine response to B. pseudomallei LPS or lipid A is completely dependent on TLR4, in TLR2-/- macrophages stimulated with B. pseudomallei, B. pseudomallei LPS or lipid A, cytokine production is augmented. Other MyD88-dependent signaling pathways may also be important in the host response to B. pseudomallei infection. These findings provide new insights into critical mechanisms of host defense in melioidosis. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/46 T Eoin West, Robert K Ernst, Malinka J Jansson-Hutson and Shawn J Skerrett BMC Immunology 2008, 9:46 Number of accesses: 591 2008-08-08 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-46 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 46 2008-08-08 Background: Human mast cell (HuMC) maturation occurs in tissues interfacing with the external environment, exposing both mast cell progenitors and mature mast cells, to bacteria and their products. It is unknown, however, whether long- or short-term exposure to bacteria-derived toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or peptidoglycan (PGN), influences HuMC biology. Results: Over 6 wks of culture, LPS had minimal effect on HuMC numbers but increased CD117, tryptase and chymase expression. PGN inhibited HuMC development. For mature mast cells, LPS in the presence of rhSCF (10 ng/ml) increased CD117, tryptase, chymase and carboxypeptidase expression, primarily in CD117low HuMC. LPS decreased FcεRI expression and β-hexosaminidase release; but had no effect on LTC4 and PGD2 production. PGN reduced HuMC numbers; and CD117 and tryptase expression. IL-1β and IL-6 (in addition to IL-8 and IL-12) were detected in short-term culture supernatants of LPS treated cells, and reproduced the increases in CD117, tryptase, chymase, and carboxypeptidase expression observed in the presence of LPS. Comparative studies with mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells from wild type, but not TLR4 knockout mice, showed increases in mRNA of mouse mast cell chymases MMCP-1, MMCP-2 and MMCP-4. Conclusion: PGN inhibits HuMC growth, while LPS exerts its primary effects on mature HuMC by altering cytokine production and protease composition, particularly at low concentrations of SCF. These data demonstrate the ability of bacterial products to alter HuMC mediator production, granular content, and number which may be particularly relevant at mucosal sites where HuMC are exposed to these products. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/45 Arnold S Kirshenbaum, Emily Swindle, Marianna Kulka, Yalin Wu and Dean D Metcalfe BMC Immunology 2008, 9:45 Number of accesses: 581 2008-08-07 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-45 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 45 2008-08-07 Background: Amplification and cloning of naive T cell Receptor (TR) repertoires or antigen-specific TR is crucial to shape immune response and to develop immuno-based therapies. TR variable (V) regions are encoded by several genes that recombine during T cell development. The cloning of expressed genes as large diverse libraries from natural sources relies upon the availability of primers able to amplify as many V genes as possible. Results: Here, we present a list of primers computationally designed on all functional TR V and J genes listed in the ImMunoGeneTics information system(R) (IMGT(R)) database. The list consists of unambiguous or degenerate primers suitable to theoretically amplify and clone the entire TR repertoire. We show that it is possible to selectively amplify and clone expressed TR V genes in one single RT-PCR step and from as little as 1000 cells. Conclusions: This new primer set will facilitate the creation of more diverse TR libraries than has been possible using currently available primer sets. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/50 Ilenia Boria, Diego Cotella, Irma Dianzani, Claudio Santoro and Daniele Sblattero BMC Immunology 2008, 9:50 Number of accesses: 524 2008-08-29 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-50 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 50 2008-08-29 Background: Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) plays an important role in a number of chronic and acute inflammatory diseases. To understand the role of IL-1β in disease processes and develop an in vivo screening system for anti-inflammatory drugs, a transgenic mouse line was generated which incorporated the transgene firefly luciferase gene driven by a 4.5-kb fragment of the human IL-1β gene promoter. Luciferase gene expression was monitored in live mice under anesthesia using bioluminescence imaging in a number of inflammatory disease models. Results: In a LPS-induced sepsis model, dramatic increase in luciferase activity was observed in the mice. This transgene induction was time dependent and correlated with an increase of endogenous IL-1β mRNA and pro-IL-1β protein levels in the mice. In a zymosan-induced arthritis model and an oxazolone-induced skin hypersensitivity reaction model, luciferase expression was locally induced in the zymosan injected knee joint and in the ear with oxazolone application, respectively. Dexamethasone suppressed the expression of luciferase gene both in the acute sepsis model and in the acute arthritis model. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the transgenic mice model could be used to study transcriptional regulation of the IL-1β gene expression in the inflammatory process and evaluation the effect of anti-inflammatory drug in vivo. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/49 Limei Li, Zhaoliang Fei, Jianke Ren, Ruilin Sun, Zhihui Liu, Zhejin Sheng, Long Wang, Xia Sun, Jun Yu, Zhugang Wang and Jian Fei BMC Immunology 2008, 9:49 Number of accesses: 466 2008-08-19 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-49 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 49 2008-08-19 Background: The lung is divided into two major compartments: the alveolar space and the parenchyma. The alveolar macrophages are the first line of leukocytes in the lung taking up incoming microbes or microbial antigens whereas the parenchymal dendritic cells (DCs) are believed to be the sole potent antigen presenting cells (APCs) in the lung. Both resting alveolar macrophages and parenchymal DCs express CD11c. Several important questions remain to be elucidated: 1] to which extent the alveolar space and lung parenchymal CD11c+ APCs differ in their phenotype and ability to activate naïve T cells; 2] whether they differ in their ability to activate antigen-experienced or -primed T cells; and 3] whether these lung CD11c+ APC populations differ from the splenic CD11c+ APCs which have been commonly used for understanding APC biology. Results: CD11c+ APCs from the alveolar space, lung parenchyma, and the spleen display differential co-stimulatory molecule expression and cytokine responsiveness upon stimulation. Alveolar space APCs are weak activators of naïve T cells compared to lung parenchymal and splenic CD11c+ APC populations. However, alveolar space APCs are able to potently activate the in vivo microbial antigen-primed T cells to a similar extent as lung parenchymal and splenic APCs. Conclusion: Together our findings indicate that alveolar CD11c+ APCs have a specialized T cell-activating function, capable of activating antigen-primed, but not naïve, T cells whereas lung CD11c+ APCs are capable of activating both the naïve and antigen-primed T cell populations. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/48 Kapilan Kugathasan, Elizabeth K Roediger, Cherrie-Lee Small, Sarah McCormick, Pingchang Yang and Zhou Xing BMC Immunology 2008, 9:48 Number of accesses: 456 2008-08-13 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-48 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 48 2008-08-13 Background: Interleukin-17 (IL-17)-producing cells are increasingly considered to be the major pathogenic population in various autoimmune disorders. The effects of glucocorticoids, widely used as therapeutics for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, on IL-17 generation have not been thoroughly investigated so far. Therefore, we have explored the influence of methylprednisolone (MP) on IL-17 expression in rat lymphocytes, and compared it to the effect of the drug on interferon (IFN)-γ. Results: Production of IL-17 in mitogen-stimulated lymph node cells (LNC) from non-treated rats, as well as in myelin basic protein (MBP)-stimulated draining LNC from rats immunized with spinal cord homogenate and complete Freund's adjuvant was significantly reduced by MP. The reduction was dose-dependent, sustained through the follow-up period of 48 hours, and was not achieved through anti-proliferative effect. Additionally, MP inhibited IL-17 production in purified T cells as well, but to less extent than in LNC. In its influence on IL-17 production MP inhibited Ror-γT transcription factor expression, as well as Jun phosphorylation, but not ERK or p38 activation in mitogen-stimulated LNC. Importantly, MP collaborated with IFN-γ in inhibiting IL-17 generation in LNC. Conclusion: The observed difference in the effect of MP on IL-17 and IFN-γ could be important for the understanding of the variability in the efficiency of glucocorticoids in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/47 Miljana Momčilović, Željka Miljković, Dušan Popadić, Miloš Marković, Emina Savić, Zorica Ramić, Djordje Miljković and Marija Mostarica-Stojković BMC Immunology 2008, 9:47 Number of accesses: 448 2008-08-12 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-47 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 47 2008-08-12 Background: The role of Mycobacteria in the etiology of Crohn's disease (CD) has been a contentious subject for many years. Recently, our laboratory showed that spontaneous colitis in IL-10-/- mice is driven in part by antigens (Ags) conserved in Mycobacteria. The present study dissects some of the common cellular and molecular mechanism that drive Mycobacteria-mediated and spontaneous colitis in IL-10-/- mice. Results: We show that serum from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients contain significantly higher levels of Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis-specific IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies (Abs), serum amyloid A (SAA) as well as CXCR3 ligands than serum from healthy donors. To study the cellular mechanisms of Mycobacteria-associated colitis, pathogen-free IL-10-/- mice were given heat-killed or live M. avium paratuberculosis. The numbers of mucosal T cells, neutrophils, NK/NKT cells that expressed TNFα, IFN-γ, and/or CXCL10 were significantly higher in mice that received live Mycobacteria than other groups. The numbers of mucosal CXCR3+, CXCL9+, CXCL11+ and/or IFN-γ+ dendritic cells (DCs) were also significantly higher in M. avium paratuberculosis-challenged mice, than compared to control mice. Conclusion: The present study shows that CD and UC patients mount significant Mycobacteria-specific IgG1 > IgG2 and CXCR3 ligand responses. Several cellular mechanisms that drive spontaneous colitis also mediate Mycobacteria-enhanced colitis in IL-10-/- mice. Similar to IL-10-/- mice under conventional housing, we show that Mycobacteria-challenge IL-10-/- mice housed under otherwise pathogen-free conditions develop colitis that is driven by CXCR3- and CXCR3 ligand-expressing leukocytes, which underscores another important hallmark and molecular mechanism of colitis. Together, the data show that Mycobacteria-dependent host responses, namely CXCL10+ T cells and NK cells, assist in the recruitment and activation of CXCR3+ and CXCL11+ leukocytes to enhance colitis of susceptible hosts. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/25 Udai P Singh, Rajesh Singh, Shailesh Singh, Russell K Karls, Frederick D Quinn, Dennis D Taub and James W Lillard BMC Immunology 2008, 9:25 Number of accesses: 362 2008-06-04 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-25 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 25 2008-06-04 Background: Human B cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are the only cells known to express both TLR7 and TLR9. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells are the primary IFN-α producing cells in response to TLR7 and TLR9 agonists. The direct effects of TLR7 stimulation on human B cells is less understood. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of TLR7 and TLR9 stimulation on human B cell function. Results: Gene expression and protein production of cytokines, chemokines, various B cell activation markers, and immunoglobulins were evaluated. Purified human CD19+ B cells (99.9%, containing both naïve and memory populations) from peripheral blood were stimulated with a TLR7-selective agonist (852A), TLR7/8 agonist (3M-003), or TLR9 selective agonist CpG ODN (CpG2006). TLR7 and TLR9 agonists similarly modulated the expression of cytokine and chemokine genes (IL-6, MIP1 alpha, MIP1 beta, TNF alpha and LTA), co-stimulatory molecules (CD80, CD40 and CD58), Fc receptors (CD23, CD32), anti-apoptotic genes (BCL2L1), certain transcription factors (MYC, TCFL5), and genes critical for B cell proliferation and differentiation (CD72, IL21R). Both agonists also induced protein expression of the above cytokines and chemokines. Additionally, TLR7 and TLR9 agonists induced the production of IgM and IgG. A TLR8-selective agonist was comparatively ineffective at stimulating purified human B cells. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that despite their molecular differences, the TLR7 and TLR9 agonists induce similar genes and proteins in purified human B cells. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/39 John A Hanten, John P Vasilakos, Christie L Riter, Lori Neys, Kenneth E Lipson, Sefik S Alkan and Woubalem Birmachu BMC Immunology 2008, 9:39 Number of accesses: 331 2008-07-24 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-39 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 39 2008-07-24 Background: To evaluate the impact of the duration of chronic inflammation on gene expression in skeletal muscle biopsies (MBx) from untreated children with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) and identify genes and biological processes associated with the disease progression, expression profiling data from 16 girls with active symptoms of JDM greater than or equal to 2 months were compared with 3 girls with active symptoms less than 2 months. Results: Seventy-nine genes were differentially expressed between the groups with long or short duration of untreated disease. Genes involved in immune responses and vasculature remodelling were expressed at a higher level in muscle biopsies from children with greater or equal to 2 months of symptoms, while genes involved in stress responses and protein turnover were expressed at a lower level. Among the 79 genes, expression of 9 genes showed a significant linear regression relationship with the duration of untreated disease. Five differentially expressed genes – HLA-DQA1, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, clusterin, plexin D1 and tenomodulin – were verified by quantitative RT-PCR. The chronic inflammation of longer disease duration was also associated with increased DC-LAMP+ and BDCA2+ mature dendritic cells, identified by immunohistochemistry. Conclusion: We conclude that chronic inflammation alters the gene expression patterns in muscle of untreated children with JDM. Symptoms lasting greater or equal to 2 months were associated with dendritic cell maturation and anti-angiogenic vascular remodelling, directly contributing to disease pathophysiology. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/43 Yi-Wen Chen, Rongye Shi, Nicholas Geraci, Sheela Shrestha, Heather Gordish-Dressman and Lauren M Pachman BMC Immunology 2008, 9:43 Number of accesses: 322 2008-07-31 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-43 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 43 2008-07-31 Background: Macrophages (MΦs) utilize macropinocytosis to integrate immune and metabolic signals in order to initiate an effective immune response. Diabetes is characterized by metabolic abnormalities and altered immune function. Here we examine the influence of diabetes on macropinocytosis in primary mouse macrophages and in an in vitro diabetes model. Results: The data demonstrate that peritoneal MΦs from diabetic (db/db) mice had reduced macropinocytosis when compared to MΦs from non-diabetic (db/+) mice. Additionally, MΦs cultured in hyperglycemic conditions were less adept at macropinocytosis than those cultured in low glucose. Notably, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity was decreased in MΦs cultured in hyperglycemic conditions. Activation of AMPK with leptin or 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-riboside (AICAR) increased macropinocytosis and inhibition of AMPK with compound C decreased macropinocytosis. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings indicate that MΦs from diabetic mice have decreased macropinocytosis. This decrease appears dependent on reduced AMPK activity. These results demonstrate a previously unrealized role for AMPK in MΦs and suggest that increasing AMPK activity in diabetic MΦs could improve innate immunity and decrease susceptibility to infection. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/9/42 Christopher B Guest, Kenneth S Chakour and Gregory G Freund BMC Immunology 2008, 9:42 Number of accesses: 314 2008-07-30 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-9-42 BMC Immunology 1471-2172 9 42 2008-07-30