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Prothymosin a and a prothymosin α-derived peptide enhance TH1-type immune responses against defined HER-2/neu epitopes
Get PDFBackground:
Active cancer immunotherapies are beginning to yield clinical benefit, especially those using peptide-pulsed dendritic cells (DCs). Different adjuvants, including Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, commonly co-administered to cancer patients as part of a DC-based vaccine, are being widely tested in the clinical setting. However, endogenous DCs in tumor-bearing individuals are often dysfunctional, suggesting that ex vivo educated DCs might be superior inducers of anti-tumor immune responses. We have previously shown that prothymosin alpha (proTα) and its immunoreactive decapeptide proTα(100–109) induce the maturation of human DCs in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate whether proTα- or proTα(100–109)-matured DCs are functionally competent and to provide preliminary evidence for the mode of action of these agents.
Results:
Monocyte-derived DCs matured in vitro with proTα or proTα(100–109) express co-stimulatory molecules and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines. ProTα- and proTα(100–109)-matured DCs pulsed with HER-2/neu peptides induce TH1-type immune responses, prime autologous naïve CD8-positive (+) T cells to lyse targets expressing the HER-2/neu epitopes and to express a polyfunctional profile, and stimulate CD4+ T cell proliferation in an HER-2/neu peptide-dependent manner. DC maturation induced by proTα and proTα(100–109) is likely mediated via TLR-4, as
25 shown by assessing TLR-4 surface expression and the levels of the intracellular adaptor molecules TIRAP, MyD88 and TRIF.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that proTα and proTα(100–109) induce both the maturation and the T cell stimulatory capacity of DCs. Although further studies are needed, evidence for a possible proTα and proTα(100–109) interaction with TLR-4 is provided. The initial hypothesis that proTα and the proTα-derived immunoactive decapeptide act as “alarmins”, provides a rationale for their eventual use as adjuvants in DC-based anti-cancer immunotherapy
Investigation of urban microclimate parameters in an urban center
No full textThe local climate of an urban area can be greatly affected by the urban thermo-physical and geometrical characteristics, anthropogenic activities and heat sources present in the area. A growing interest in microclimate issues has been raised as they represent important factors in achieving energy conservation and sustainability inside the cities, where a big amount of the population lives.
This paper presents the analysis of microclimatic conditions in urban street canyons in a city of Northern Greece, Serres. A number of field measurements were carried out during summer 2011 aiming at investigation of the microclimate parameters that affect thermal conditions in the city's streets. The present study focused on the experimental investigation of wind characteristics (speed and direction) and thermal profile (air temperature distribution) of an area consisted by several building blocks in the city center.
The data analysis concentrated at the differences that were observed inside the canyons, along different streets and the comparison between the microclimatic parameters in the urban center and the suburban area. Estimation of the cooling degree days for the area shows the increased energy needs of the surrounding buildings during the summer period
Occurrence of secondary metabolites in tepals of Asphodelus ramosus L.
Get PDFMajor processes contributing to subtleties of ephemeral flowers of Asphodelus ramosus are related to chemical constituents detected in tepals which expand during cold and wet seasons in the eastern Mediterranean. Luteolin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic, and p-hydroxy-benzoic acids are the main constituents, whereas νalkanes, ketones, and fatty acids appear in low amounts
Adaptation of immigrant middle school students: The role of perceived discrimination against the self and against the group, and of acculturation
Get PDFThe purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between two different aspects of perceived discrimination, discrimination against the self and against the group, and three acculturation resources (host national & ethnic orientation, and sense of belonging) on four different adaptation outcomes
AF-MSCs fate can be regulated by culture conditions
Get PDFHuman mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) represent a population of multipotent adherent cells able to differentiate into many lineages. In our previous studies, we isolated and expanded fetal MSCs from second-trimester amniotic fluid (AF) and characterized them based on their phenotype, pluripotency and proteomic profile. In the present study, we investigated the plasticity of these cells based on their differentiation, dedifferentiation and transdifferentiation potential in vitro. To this end, adipocyte-like cells (AL cells) derived from AF-MSCs can regain, under certain culture conditions, a more primitive phenotype through the process of dedifferentiation. Dedifferentiated AL cells derived from AF-MSCs (DAF-MSCs), gradually lost the expression of adipogenic markers and obtained similar morphology and differentiation potential to AF-MSCs, together with regaining the pluripotency marker expression. Moreover, a comparative proteomic analysis of AF-MSCs, AL cells and DAF-MSCs revealed 31 differentially expressed proteins among the three cell populations. Proteins, such as vimentin, galectin-1 and prohibitin that have a significant role in stem cell regulatory mechanisms, were expressed in higher levels in AF-MSCs and DAF-MSCs compared with AL cells. We next investigated whether AL cells could transdifferentiate into hepatocyte-like cells (HL cells) directly or through a dedifferentiation step. AL cells were cultured in hepatogenic medium and 4 days later they obtained a phenotype similar to AF-MSCs, and were termed as transdifferentiated AF-MSCs (TRAF-MSCs). This finding, together with the increase in pluripotency marker expression, indicated the adaption of a more primitive phenotype before transdifferentiation. Additionally, we observed that AF-, DAF- and TRAF-MSCs displayed similar clonogenic potential, secretome and proteome profile. Considering the easy access to this fetal cell source, the plasticity of AF-MSCs and their potential to dedifferentiate and transdifferentiate, AF may provide a valuable tool for cell therapy and tissue engineering applications
[Ερωτηματολόγια (39) στο πλαίσιο της «Μελέτης για την αποτύπωση κτιριακών υποδομών της Τριτοβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης σε όλη την Ελλάδα και αποτίμηση του βαθμού αξιοποίησής τους» ]
No full textΠρογράμματα σπουδών ενηλίκων: 4ος κύκλος Εκπαιδευτικών Προγραμμάτων: Σεπτέμβριος 2013 – Δεκέμβριος 2013
Get PDFΠεριλαμβάνονται τα πακέτα εργασίας:
ΠΕ 1.1 - Σχεδιασμός και προγραμματισμός εκπαιδευτικών
προγραμμάτων
ΠΕ 1.2 - Οργάνωση εκπαιδευτικών προγραμμάτων
ΠΕ 1.3 - Υλοποίηση εκπαιδευτικών προγραμμάτων
ΠΕ 1.4 - Αξιολόγηση εκπαιδευτικών προγραμμάτω
Ανάπτυξη μηχανισμού παρακολούθησης της απορρόφησης αποφοίτων Α.Σ.ΠΑΙ.Τ.Ε.
No full textΑντικείμενο του υπό ανάθεση έργου αποτελεί η ανάπτυξη μηχανισμού παρακολούθησης της απορρόφησης των αποφοίτων της Α.Σ.ΠΑΙ.Τ.Ε., συγκεκριμένα ο προσδιορισμός της διαδικασίας που θα πρέπει να ακολουθείται για τη διαρκή καταγραφή της εργασιακής
κατάστασης των αποφοίτων. Η παρακολούθηση της απορρόφησης των αποφοίτων στην αγορά εργασίας αποτελεί μία διαδικασία που πρέπει να ακολουθείται από όλα τα εκπαιδευτικά ιδρύματα της ανώτατης εκπαίδευσης. Κεντρικό στόχο του μηχανισμού παρακολούθησης αποτελεί η αξιόπιστη καταγραφή της επαγγελματικής κατάστασης των
αποφοίτων σε τακτά χρονικά διαστήματα
