scholarly journals The Role of the Immune System in Huntington’s Disease

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisa Ellrichmann ◽  
Christiane Reick ◽  
Carsten Saft ◽  
Ralf A. Linker

Huntington’s disease (HD) is characterized by a progressive course of disease until death 15–20 years after the first symptoms occur and is caused by a mutation with expanded CAG repeats in the huntingtin (htt) protein. Mutant htt (mhtt) in the striatum is assumed to be the main reason for neurodegeneration. Knowledge about pathophysiology has rapidly improved discussing influences of excitotoxicity, mitochondrial damage, free radicals, and inflammatory mechanisms. Both innate and adaptive immune systems may play an important role in HD. Activation of microglia with expression of proinflammatory cytokines, impaired migration of macrophages, and deposition of complement factors in the striatum indicate an activation of the innate immune system. As part of the adaptive immune system, dendritic cells (DCs) prime T-cell responses secreting inflammatory mediators. In HD, DCs may contain mhtt which brings the adaptive immune system into the focus of interest. These data underline an increasing interest in the peripheral immune system for pathomechanisms of HD. It is still unclear if neuroinflammation is a reactive process or if there is an active influence on disease progression. Further understanding the influence of inflammation in HD using mouse models may open various avenues for promising therapeutic approaches aiming at slowing disease progression or forestalling onset of disease.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alecia M. Blaszczak ◽  
Anahita Jalilvand ◽  
Willa A. Hsueh

The role of adipose tissue (AT) inflammation in obesity and its multiple related-complications is a rapidly expanding area of scientific interest. Within the last 30 years, the role of the adipocyte as an endocrine and immunologic cell has been progressively established. Like the macrophage, the adipocyte is capable of linking the innate and adaptive immune system through the secretion of adipokines and cytokines; exosome release of lipids, hormones, and microRNAs; and contact interaction with other immune cells. Key innate immune cells in AT include adipocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and innate lymphoid cells type 2 (ILC2s). The role of the innate immune system in promoting adipose tissue inflammation in obesity will be highlighted in this review. T cells and B cells also play important roles in contributing to AT inflammation and are discussed in this series in the chapter on adaptive immunity.


2019 ◽  
pp. 2-20
Author(s):  
Bibiana Bielekova

The chapter begins with a short introduction to the components of the immune system, outlining both the innate and adaptive components. It discusses the role of the immune system in protecting against infections and abnormal tissues. It describes the concepts of self-antigens, antigen presentation, and immune synapse. It then examines immune tolerance and the differing functions and capacities of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Finally, the chapter considers infections and autoimmune phenomena and how the immune system responds to these challenges.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 251584141986812
Author(s):  
Tanima Bose

Pemphigoid disease is classified according to the phenotypical location of the disease and the presence of different types of antibodies. The ocular distribution of pemphigoid mainly occurs in patients with bullous pemphigoid and mucous membrane pemphigoid. Several immune cells, including the cells of the innate immune system (neutrophils and γδ T cells) and the adaptive immune system (T and B cells), are involved in pemphigoid disease. The treatment of pemphigoid is still wide-ranging, and the most utilized treatment is the use of immunosuppressants and corticosteroids. In this scenario, it is absolutely important to screen the immune cells that are involved in this group of diseases and to determine if a targeted treatment approach is plausible. In conclusion, this review will identify some newer treatment possibilities for the whole spectrum of pemphigoid diseases.


2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G Harrison ◽  
Antony Vinh ◽  
Heinrich Lob ◽  
Meena S Madhur

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang Xia ◽  
Xiaoquan Rao ◽  
Jixin Zhong

Although a critical role of adaptive immune system has been confirmed in driving local and systemic inflammation in type 2 diabetes and promoting insulin resistance, the underlying mechanism is not completely understood. Inflammatory regulation has been focused on innate immunity especially macrophage for a long time, while increasing evidence suggests T cells are crucial for the development of metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance since 2009. There was growing evidence supporting the critical implication of T cells in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. We will discuss the available effect of T cells subsets in adaptive immune system associated with the procession of T2DM, which may unveil several potential strategies that could provide successful therapies in the future.


2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 412-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Bauer ◽  
Annamaria Vezzani ◽  
Christian G. Bien

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. III.S12145
Author(s):  
Darren R. Flower

The immune system is perhaps the largest yet most diffuse and distributed somatic system in vertebrates. It plays vital roles in fighting infection and in the homeostatic control of chronic disease. As such, the immune system in both pathological and healthy states is a prime target for therapeutic interventions by drugs–-both small-molecule and biologic. Comprising both the innate and adaptive immune systems, human immunity is awash with potential unexploited molecular targets. Key examples include the pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune system and the major histocompatibility complex of the adaptive immune system. Moreover, the immune system is also the source of many current and, hopefully, future drugs, of which the prime example is the monoclonal antibody, the most exciting and profitable type of present-day drug moiety. This brief review explores the identity and synergies of the hierarchy of drug targets represented by the human immune system, with particular emphasis on the emerging paradigm of systems pharmacology.


2016 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina M. Høyland-Kroghsbo ◽  
Jon Paczkowski ◽  
Sampriti Mukherjee ◽  
Jenny Broniewski ◽  
Edze Westra ◽  
...  

CRISPR-Cas are prokaryotic adaptive immune systems that provide protection against bacteriophage (phage) and other parasites. Little is known about how CRISPR-Cas systems are regulated, preventing prediction of phage dynamics in nature and manipulation of phage resistance in clinical settings. Here, we show that the bacteriumPseudomonas aeruginosaPA14 uses the cell–cell communication process, called quorum sensing, to activatecasgene expression, to increase CRISPR-Cas targeting of foreign DNA, and to promote CRISPR adaptation, all at high cell density. This regulatory mechanism ensures maximum CRISPR-Cas function when bacterial populations are at highest risk for phage infection. We demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas activity and acquisition of resistance can be modulated by administration of pro- and antiquorum-sensing compounds. We propose that quorum-sensing inhibitors could be used to suppress the CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune system to enhance medical applications, including phage therapies.


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