1,721,285 research outputs found
Immune-mediated mechanisms in atherosclerosis: prevention and treatment of clinical manifestations
No full textEditorial: Antimicrobial Peptides as Mediators of Innate Immunity.
Full text linkAntiimicrobial peptides as fundamental components of the innate immune response, seem to represent important biomarkers for monitoring the clinical status in a broad variety of patients who are unable to restrain exogenous and endogenous pathogens
The Impact of Bacterial Lipolysaccharides on the Endothelial System: Pathological Consequences and Therapeutic Countermeasures.
No full textEndothelial cells (ECs) express on their membrane Toll like receptor (TLR)-4 and, therefore, are able to interact with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or endotoxins, major constituents of the Gram-negative bacteria outer membrane. The impact of LPS on ECs can be either direct or mediated via release of cytokines and/or chemokines originated from monocytes/macrophages. In this review, the effect of the interaction between LPS and ECs on the outcome of various human diseases such as preeclampsia, hereditary haemorrhagic teleangiectasia, atherosclerosis and sepsis will be illustrated. Finally, the major therapeutic attempts aimed at neutralizing LPS and, therefore, their influence on ECs will be discusse
Pathogenesis of the Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction: The Immune System Keeps Playing at the Backstage
No full textLeft ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) with preserved LV systolic function is a cardiac derangement that plays a predominant role in the development of heart failure (HF), with a condition of low-grade inflammation responsible for the main pathogenic mechanism. Such low-grade inflammation causes myocardium remodelling and stiffening. Such myocardial alterations imply abnormalities of the relaxation of the myocytes (the passive relaxation titin driven) but most importantly at the same time increased deposition of myocardial connective tissue by fibroblasts or more rarely, interstitial accumulation of other substances: amyloid fibrils in amyloidosis, eosinophilic cell infiltration with reactive fibrosis in eosinophilic syndrome, Fe++ ion deposition with reactive fibrosis in hemochromatosis, intracellular lipids (like glycosphingolipids) in Fabry disease and finally granulomatous infiltration that can be found in a patchy or multifocal distribution in sarcoidosis. Such myocardial fibrotic derangement causes myocardial stiffness. The abnormal extracellular meshwork that normally works as support for myocyte function now hampers myocardial cell function and increase stiffness of the chamber. As a consequence of increased stiffness of the myocardium, the LV filling process occurs with increasingly higher pressure, which is transmitted back to the pulmonary capillary causing pulmonary congestion and oedema, hypoxemia and finally, secondary pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction
The new era of nutraceuticals: Beneficial effects of polyphenols in various experimental and clinical settings
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The Interleukin-17/Interleukin-22 Innate Axis in the Gut as a New Drug Target in Allergic-Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases. A Working Hypothesis.
No full textThe innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have been grouped into three main categories: ILC1s [T helper (h)1-like cells], ILC2s (Th2-like cells) and ILC3s (Th17-like cells), respectively. In particular, ILC3s are responsible for the secretion of both interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22, which play either protective (antimicrobial and repairing activities) or harmful (inflammation and tumor growth) roles into the host. Here, some putative interventional studies will be hypothesized, taking into account that activation of innate cell receptors, arylhydrocarbon receptor and gut microbiota, respectively, contribute to both differentiation and function of ILC3s. A series of biological and natural compounds may represent putative regulators of these cells in the gut. In this respect, the modulating effects of agonist and antagonists of Toll-like receptors and nucleotide binding oligomerization domain-like receptors, polyphenols and probiotics will be described in detail
Influence of polyphenols on allergic immune reactions: mechanisms of action
Get PDFThe increased incidence of allergic disease seems to rely on many factors. Among them, the association between genetic variations of the immune response and environmental pressure by allergens, infectious agents and pollutants should be taken into consideration. In alternative to conventional treatments with corticosteroids and antihistaminics, nutraceuticals have been shown to act on allergic disease either during allergic sensitisation or on consolidated disease. In this review, special emphasis is placed on the effects of dietary polyphenols on three major allergic diseases, namely atopic eczema, food allergy and asthma. Interference of polyphenols with T-helper 2 activation seems to be the main mechanism of their inhibitory effects on allergy development. Moreover, deficits of T-regulatory cells seem to play a pathogenic role in allergic disease and, therefore, these cells may represent a major target of polyphenol activity
Microbial antigenic pressure and evolution of the immune response: toward a better understanding of the human immune system in health and disease and therapeutic interventions
No full textThe continuous antigenic triggering has greatly contributed to the evolution of the immune system and, therefore, animals have developed cells able to cope with a broad variety of microbial antigens and or their toxins, e.g., endotoxins. At the same time, intestinal commensals have evolved along with human progress and introduction of new foods, thus empowering both regional and systemic immune response. In this review, some important steps in the evolution of the immune system will be analyzed such as organization of lymphoid organs, formation of germinal centers, leukocyte attraction to tissue, function of Toll like receptors and role of antimicrobial peptides. In particular, the major phylogenetic acquisitions of living organisms in the assessment of the immune machinery will be emphasized. Finally, fish will be taken into consideration as animal models of human diseases also in view of drug design strategies. Special attention will be focused on vaccinated salmon and zebrafish model
Saliva secretory IgA antibodies against molds and mycotoxins in patients exposed to toxigenic fungi
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