Circulating cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells as potential predictors for antidepressant response in melancholic depression. Restoration of T regulatory cell populations after antidepressant therapy

2015 ◽  
Vol 233 (9) ◽  
pp. 1679-1688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Grosse ◽  
Livia A. Carvalho ◽  
Tom K. Birkenhager ◽  
Witte J. Hoogendijk ◽  
Steven A. Kushner ◽  
...  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pratya Phetkate ◽  
Tanawan Kummalue ◽  
Yaowalak U-pratya ◽  
Somboon Kietinun

Background. Searching for drugs or herbal formulations to improve the immunity of HIV/AIDS positive people is an important issue for researchers in this field. Triphala, a Thai herbal formulation, is reported to have immunomodulatory effects in mice. However, it has not yet been investigated for immunostimulatory and side effects in healthy human volunteers.Objective. To evaluate the immunostimulatory and side effects of Triphala in a clinical phase I study.Materials and Methods. All volunteers took Triphala, 3 capsules per day for 2 weeks. Complete physical examination, routine laboratory analysis, and immunological studies were performed before ingestion and after initial meeting for 4 consecutive weeks.Results. We found that Triphala demonstrated significant immunostimulatory effects on cytotoxic T cells (CD3−CD8+) and natural killer cells (CD16+CD56+). Both of them increased significantly when compared with those of the control samples. However, no significant change in cytokine secretion was detected. All volunteers were healthy and showed no adverse effects throughout the duration of the study.Conclusion. Triphala has significant immunostimulatory effects on cellular immune response, especially cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells. Increases in the absolute number of these cells may provide a novel adjuvant therapy for HIV/AIDS positive people in terms of immunological improvement.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaoyao Shi ◽  
Katarzyna Tomczak ◽  
June Li ◽  
Joshua K. Ochieng ◽  
Younghee Lee ◽  
...  

Checkpoint inhibitors are widely used immunotherapies for advanced cancer. Nonetheless, checkpoint inhibitors have a relatively low response rate, work in a limited range of cancers, and have some unignorable side effects. Checkpoint inhibitors aim to reinvigorate exhausted or suppressed T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the TME contains various other immune cell subsets that interact to determine the fate of cytotoxic T cells. Activation of cytotoxic T cells is initiated by antigen cross-presentation of dendritic cells. Dendritic cells could also release chemokines and cytokines to recruit and foster T cells. B cells, another type of antigen-presenting cell, also foster T cells and can produce tumor-specific antibodies. Neutrophils, a granulocyte cell subset in the TME, impede the proliferation and activation of T cells. The TME also consists of cytotoxic innate natural killer cells, which kill tumor cells efficiently. Natural killer cells can eradicate major histocompatibility complex I-negative tumor cells, which escape cytotoxic T cell–mediated destruction. A thorough understanding of the immune mechanism of the TME, as reviewed here, will lead to further development of more powerful therapeutic strategies. We have also reviewed the clinical outcomes of patients treated with drugs targeting these immune cells to identify strategies for improvement and possible immunotherapy combinations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 565-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Júlia Vallvé-Juanico ◽  
Sahar Houshdaran ◽  
Linda C Giudice

Abstract BACKGROUND Endometriosis, a common oestrogen-dependent inflammatory disorder in women of reproductive age, is characterized by endometrial-like tissue outside its normal location in the uterus, which causes pelvic scarring, pain and infertility. While its pathogenesis is poorly understood, the immune system (systemically and locally in endometrium, pelvic endometriotic lesions and peritoneal fluid) is believed to play a central role in its aetiology, pathophysiology and associated morbidities of pain, infertility and poor pregnancy outcomes. However, immune cell populations within the endometrium of women with the disease have had incomplete phenotyping, thereby limiting insight into their roles in this disorder. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The objective herein was to determine reproducible and consistent findings regarding specific immune cell populations and their abundance, steroid hormone responsiveness, functionality, activation states, and markers, locally and systemically in women with and without endometriosis. SEARCH METHODS A comprehensive English language PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar search was conducted with key search terms that included endometriosis, inflammation, human eutopic/ectopic endometrium, immune cells, immune population, immune system, macrophages, dendritic cells (DC), natural killer cells, mast cells, eosinophils, neutrophils, B cells and T cells. OUTCOMES In women with endometriosis compared to those without endometriosis, some endometrial immune cells display similar cycle-phase variation, whereas macrophages (Mø), immature DC and regulatory T cells behave differently. A pro-inflammatory Mø1 phenotype versus anti-inflammatory Mø2 phenotype predominates and natural killer cells display abnormal activity in endometrium of women with the disease. Conflicting data largely derive from small studies, variably defined hormonal milieu and different experimental approaches and technologies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Phenotyping immune cell subtypes is essential to determine the role of the endometrial immune niche in pregnancy and endometrial homeostasis normally and in women with poor reproductive history and can facilitate development of innovative diagnostics and therapeutics for associated symptoms and compromised reproductive outcomes.


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