1,721,204 research outputs found
Helicobacter pylori, the story so far [Helicobacter pylori, la storia]
No full textHelicobacter pylori is a bacterial pathogen infecting the gastric antrum of half the population worldwide. H. pylori has been discovered in 1982 by J. Robin Warren and Barry J. Marshall as the major cause of gastroduodenal pathologies, including gastric and duodenal ulcer, gastric cancer and gastric B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. For this great discovery Warren and Marshall deserved the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology in 2005
Atherosclerosis, an historical approach [Aterosclerosi: ieri, oggi, domani]
No full textThe history of atherosclerosis represents a very interesting and intriguing charter of the history of medicine. Atherosclerosis was present even in the old age, as demonstrated by paleopathological studies. Starting from these observations, recent evidences highlighted the crucial role of inflammation in the genesis of atherosclerosis
What is recent in pancreatic cancer immunotherapy?
Full text linkPancreatic cancer (PC) represents an unresolved therapeutic challenge, due to the poor prognosis and the reduced response to currently available treatments. Pancreatic cancer is the most lethal type of digestive cancers, with a median survival of 4-6 months. Only a small proportion of PC patients is curative by surgical resection, whilst standard chemotherapy for patients in advanced disease generates only modest effects with considerable toxic damages. Thus, new therapeutic approaches, specially specific treatments such as immunotherapy, are needed. In this paper we analyze recent preclinical and clinical efforts towards immunotherapy of pancreatic cancer, including passive and active immunotherapy approaches, designed to target pancreatic-cancer-associated antigens and to elicit an antitumor response in vivo
Inflammation, Immunity, and Vaccines
No full textHelicobacter pylori infects almost 50% of the world population and is the major cause of gastroduodenal diseases. H. pylori colonizes the gastric mucosa, activates Toll-like and Nod-like receptors, and usually elicits a T helper 1 (Th1) type of immune response, fully polarized in peptic ulcer patients. Among several bacterial factors, the neutrophil-activating protein represents a key factor driving Th1 inflammation. A complex and fascinating balance between H. pylori and host factors takes part in the gastric niche and allows the majority of infected individuals to be without any symptom during their entire life. Novel insights into the innate and adaptive responses against H. pylori, dealing with regulatory T cells and cytokines, CTLA-4 molecule, cholesterol glucosylation, and immune evasion have been elucidated during the past year and are discussed for the development of an effective vaccine
Multiple Sclerosis: The Role of Cytokines in Pathogenesis and in Therapies
Full text linkMultiple sclerosis, the clinical features and pathological correlate for which were first described by Charcot, is a chronic neuroinflammatory disease with unknown etiology and variable clinical evolution. Although neuroinflammation is a descriptive denominator in multiple sclerosis based on histopathological observations, namely the penetration of leukocytes into the central nervous system, the clinical symptoms of relapses, remissions and progressive paralysis are the result of losses of myelin and neurons. In the absence of etiological factors as targets for prevention and therapy, the definition of molecular mechanisms that form the basis of inflammation, demyelination and toxicity for neurons have led to a number of treatments that slow down disease progression in specific patient cohorts, but that do not cure the disease. Current therapies are directed to block the immune processes, both innate and adaptive, that are associated with multiple sclerosis. In this review, we analyze the role of cytokines in the multiple sclerosis pathogenesis and current/future use of them in treatments of multiple sclerosis
HP-NAP of Helicobacter pylori: The Power of the Immunomodulation
Full text linkThe miniferritin HP-NAP of Helicobacter pylori was originally described as a neutrophil-activating protein because of the capacity to activate neutrophils to generate oxygen radicals and adhere to endothelia. Currently, the main feature for which HP-NAP is known is the ability to promote Th1 responses and revert the immune suppressive profile of macrophages. In this review, we discuss the immune modulating properties of the protein regarding the H. pylori infection and the evidence that support the potential clinical application of HP-NAP in allergy and cancer immunotherapy
New frontiers in cell-based immunotherapy of cancer
No full textBackground: Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death. Over the past decade, discovery of tumor antigens, as well as new findings in basic immunology, have led to novel opportunities for developing active immunotherapeutical approaches for prevention and treatment of cancer. Objective/methods: This is a review of the literature and patents on the therapeutic potential of immune-based cell cancer therapies. Results/conclusion: In this article, we discuss the different approaches at present used for immune-based cell cancer therapies, and the results obtained both in preclinical models and in clinical trials of hematological malignancies and solid tumors
Role of immune response in Yersinia pestis infection
Full text linkYersinia pestis (Y. Pestis) is an infamous pathogen causing plague pandemics throughout history and is a selected agent of bioterrorism threatening public health. Y. pestis was first isolated by Alexandre Yersin in 1894 in Hong Kong and in the years to follow from all continents. Plague is enzootic in different rodents and their fleas in Africa, North and South America, and Asia such as Middle/Far East and ex-USSR countries.
Comprehending the multifaceted interaction between Y. pestis and the host immune system will enable us design more effective vaccines.
Innate immune response and both component (humoral and cellular) of adaptive immune response contribute to host defense against Y.pestis infection, but the bacterium possess different mechanisms to counteract the immune response.
The aims of this review are to analyze the role of immune response versus Yersinia pestis infection and to highlight the various stratagems adopted by Y. pestis to escape the immunological defenses.</jats:p
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