scholarly journals The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis: immune function and autoimmunity

2003 ◽  
Vol 176 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Tanriverdi ◽  
LF Silveira ◽  
GS MacColl ◽  
PM Bouloux
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Sex Steroids ◽  
Hormone Replacement ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Cell Activity ◽  
Gnrh Analogues ◽  
The Impact

GnRH and sex steroids play an important role in immune system modulation and development. GnRH and the GnRH receptor are produced locally by immune cells, suggesting an autocrine role for GnRH. Experimental studies show a stimulatory action of exogenous GnRH on the immune response. The immune actions of GnRH in vivo are, however, less well established. Oestrogen and androgen receptors are expressed in primary lymphoid organs and peripheral immune cells. Experimental data have established that oestrogens enhance the humoral immune response and may have an activating role in autoimmune disorders. Testosterone enhances suppressor T cell activity. Although there are some clinical studies consistent with these findings, the impact of sex steroids in autoimmune disease pathogenesis and the risk or benefits of their usage in normal and autoimmune-disordered patients remain to be elucidated. There are neither experimental nor clinical data evaluating functional GnRH-sex steroid interactions within the human immune system, and there is a paucity of data relating to GnRH analogues, hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptive and androgen action in autoimmune diseases. However, a growing body of experimental evidence suggests that an extra-pituitary GnRH immune mechanism plays a role in the programming of the immune system. The implications of these findings in understanding immune function are discussed.

scholarly journals The immune response of T cells and therapeutic targets related to regulating the levels of T helper cells after ischaemic stroke

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tian-Yu Lei ◽  
Ying-Ze Ye ◽  
Xi-Qun Zhu ◽  
Daniel Smerin ◽  
Li-Juan Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Ischaemic Stroke ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Tissue Injury ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Vital Functions ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

AbstractThrough considerable effort in research and clinical studies, the immune system has been identified as a participant in the onset and progression of brain injury after ischaemic stroke. Due to the involvement of all types of immune cells, the roles of the immune system in stroke pathology and associated effects are complicated. Past research concentrated on the functions of monocytes and neutrophils in the pathogenesis of ischaemic stroke and tried to demonstrate the mechanisms of tissue injury and protection involving these immune cells. Within the past several years, an increasing number of studies have elucidated the vital functions of T cells in the innate and adaptive immune responses in both the acute and chronic phases of ischaemic stroke. Recently, the phenotypes of T cells with proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory function have been demonstrated in detail. T cells with distinctive phenotypes can also influence cerebral inflammation through various pathways, such as regulating the immune response, interacting with brain-resident immune cells and modulating neurogenesis and angiogenesis during different phases following stroke. In view of the limited treatment options available following stroke other than tissue plasminogen activator therapy, understanding the function of immune responses, especially T cell responses, in the post-stroke recovery period can provide a new therapeutic direction. Here, we discuss the different functions and temporal evolution of T cells with different phenotypes during the acute and chronic phases of ischaemic stroke. We suggest that modulating the balance between the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory functions of T cells with distinct phenotypes may become a potential therapeutic approach that reduces the mortality and improves the functional outcomes and prognosis of patients suffering from ischaemic stroke.

Effect of Hypertonic Saline Infusion on Postoperative Cellular Immune Function

2004 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 1108-1118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens A. Kølsen-Petersen ◽  
Jens-Ole D. Nielsen ◽  
Else M. Tonnesen
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Hypertonic Saline ◽  
Cellular Immune Response ◽  
Killer Cell ◽  
Cell Activity ◽  
Abdominal Hysterectomy ◽  
Delayed Type Hypersensitivity ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Cellular Immune

Background Previous studies found hypertonicity to affect immune responses in intact laboratory animals and in human blood cell cultures. In this study, the authors investigated the cellular immune response to surgery after preoperative infusion of hypertonic saline in humans. Methods Sixty-two women scheduled to undergo abdominal hysterectomy were randomly assigned to single-blinded infusion of 4 ml/kg NaCl, 7.5%; 4 ml/kg NaCl, 0.9%; or 32 ml/kg NaCl, 0.9%, over 20 min. Blood was collected at baseline, during surgery, and 1, 24, and 48 h after surgery for the determination of leukocyte and differential counts, flow cytometric phenotyping of mononuclear cells, and natural killer cell activity against K 562 tumor cells. Phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocyte proliferation, plasma elastase, and neutrophil chemotaxis were measured at the same time points except during surgery. The authors tested cell-mediated immune function in vivo by delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in the skin. Results Surgery induced well-known changes in the cellular immune response, which were unrelated to the tonicity or volume of the infused fluids. Conclusion Infusion of a clinically relevant dose of hypertonic saline did not seem to modify the postoperative cellular immune response after elective abdominal hysterectomy.

scholarly journals The Role of Micronutrients in Support of the Immune Response against Viral Infections

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 3198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Pecora ◽  
Federica Persico ◽  
Alberto Argentiero ◽  
Cosimo Neglia ◽  
Susanna Esposito
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Omega 3 Fatty Acids ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Optimal Function ◽  
The Impact

Viral infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the importance of public health practices including handwashing and vaccinations in reducing their spread is well established. Furthermore, it is well known that proper nutrition can help support optimal immune function, reducing the impact of infections. Several vitamins and trace elements play an important role in supporting the cells of the immune system, thus increasing the resistance to infections. Other nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, help sustain optimal function of the immune system. The main aim of this manuscript is to discuss of the potential role of micronutrients supplementation in supporting immunity, particularly against respiratory virus infections. Literature analysis showed that in vitro and observational studies, and clinical trials, highlight the important role of vitamins A, C, and D, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc in modulating the immune response. Supplementation with vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids and zinc appears to be a safe and low-cost way to support optimal function of the immune system, with the potential to reduce the risk and consequences of infection, including viral respiratory infections. Supplementation should be in addition to a healthy diet and fall within recommended upper safety limits set by scientific expert bodies. Therefore, implementing an optimal nutrition, with micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids supplementation, might be a cost-effective, underestimated strategy to help reduce the burden of infectious diseases worldwide, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

scholarly journals The Impact of Biomaterial Cell Contact on the Immunopeptidome

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Ghosh ◽  
Hanna Hartmann ◽  
Meike Jakobi ◽  
Léo März ◽  
Leon Bichmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Cellular Stress ◽  
Test System ◽  
Surrounding Tissue ◽  
Cell Contact ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
The Impact

Biomaterials play an increasing role in clinical applications and regenerative medicine. A perfectly designed biomaterial should restore the function of damaged tissue without triggering an undesirable immune response, initiate self-regeneration of the surrounding tissue and gradually degrade after implantation. The immune system is well recognized to play a major role in influencing the biocompatibility of implanted medical devices. To obtain a better understanding of the effects of biomaterials on the immune response, we have developed a highly sensitive novel test system capable of examining changes in the immune system by biomaterial. Here, we evaluated for the first time the immunopeptidome, a highly sensitive system that reflects cancer transformation, virus or drug influences and passes these cellular changes directly to T cells, as a test system to examine the effects of contact with materials. Since monocytes are one of the first immune cells reacting to biomaterials, we have tested the influence of different materials on the immunopeptidome of the monocytic THP-1 cell line. The tested materials included stainless steel, aluminum, zinc, high-density polyethylene, polyurethane films containing zinc diethyldithiocarbamate, copper, and zinc sulfate. The incubation with all material types resulted in significantly modulated peptides in the immunopeptidome, which were material-associated. The magnitude of induced changes in the immunopeptidome after the stimulation appeared comparable to that of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The source proteins of many detected peptides are associated with cytotoxicity, fibrosis, autoimmunity, inflammation, and cellular stress. Considering all tested materials, it was found that the LPS-induced cytotoxicity-, inflammation- and cellular stress-associated HLA class I peptides were mainly induced by aluminum, whereas HLA class II peptides were mainly induced by stainless steel. These findings provide the first insights into the effects of biomaterials on the immunopeptidome. A more thorough understanding of these effects may enable the design of more biocompatible implant materials using in vitro models in future. Such efforts will provide a deeper understanding of possible immune responses induced by biomaterials such as fibrosis, inflammation, cytotoxicity, and autoimmune reactions.

scholarly journals Nutritional immunity: the impact of metals on lung immune cells and the airway microbiome during chronic respiratory disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Healy ◽  
Natalia Munoz-Wolf ◽  
Janné Strydom ◽  
Lynne Faherty ◽  
Niamh C. Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Trace Metals ◽  
Lung Disease ◽  
Chronic Lung Disease ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Redox Activity ◽  
Nutritional Immunity ◽  
Airway Microbiome ◽  
The Impact

AbstractNutritional immunity is the sequestration of bioavailable trace metals such as iron, zinc and copper by the host to limit pathogenicity by invading microorganisms. As one of the most conserved activities of the innate immune system, limiting the availability of free trace metals by cells of the immune system serves not only to conceal these vital nutrients from invading bacteria but also operates to tightly regulate host immune cell responses and function. In the setting of chronic lung disease, the regulation of trace metals by the host is often disrupted, leading to the altered availability of these nutrients to commensal and invading opportunistic pathogenic microbes. Similarly, alterations in the uptake, secretion, turnover and redox activity of these vitally important metals has significant repercussions for immune cell function including the response to and resolution of infection. This review will discuss the intricate role of nutritional immunity in host immune cells of the lung and how changes in this fundamental process as a result of chronic lung disease may alter the airway microbiome, disease progression and the response to infection.

scholarly journals Suppression of the Peripheral Immune System Limits the Central Immune Response Following Cuprizone-Feeding: Relevance to Modelling Multiple Sclerosis

Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sen ◽  
Almuslehi ◽  
Gyengesi ◽  
Myers ◽  
Shortland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Adaptive Immune System ◽  
Synaptic Function ◽  
Adaptive Immune ◽  
Splenic Atrophy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Inside Out

Cuprizone (CPZ) preferentially affects oligodendrocytes (OLG), resulting in demyelination. To investigate whether central oligodendrocytosis and gliosis triggered an adaptive immune response, the impact of combining a standard (0.2%) or low (0.1%) dose of ingested CPZ with disruption of the blood brain barrier (BBB), using pertussis toxin (PT), was assessed in mice. 0.2% CPZ(±PT) for 5 weeks produced oligodendrocytosis, demyelination and gliosis plus marked splenic atrophy (37%) and reduced levels of CD4 (44%) and CD8 (61%). Conversely, 0.1% CPZ(±PT) produced a similar oligodendrocytosis, demyelination and gliosis but a smaller reduction in splenic CD4 (11%) and CD8 (14%) levels and no splenic atrophy. Long-term feeding of 0.1% CPZ(±PT) for 12 weeks produced similar reductions in CD4 (27%) and CD8 (43%), as well as splenic atrophy (33%), as seen with 0.2% CPZ(±PT) for 5 weeks. Collectively, these results suggest that 0.1% CPZ for 5 weeks may be a more promising model to study the ‘inside-out’ theory of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, neither CD4 nor CD8 were detected in the brain in CPZ±PT groups, indicating that CPZ-mediated suppression of peripheral immune organs is a major impediment to studying the ‘inside-out’ role of the adaptive immune system in this model over long time periods. Notably, CPZ(±PT)-feeding induced changes in the brain proteome related to the suppression of immune function, cellular metabolism, synaptic function and cellular structure/organization, indicating that demyelinating conditions, such as MS, can be initiated in the absence of adaptive immune system involvement.

scholarly journals Impact of Binge Alcohol Intoxication on the Humoral Immune Response during Burkholderia spp. Infections

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Ryan M. Moreno ◽  
Victor Jimenez ◽  
Fernando P. Monroy
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Humoral Immune Response ◽  
Opportunistic Infections ◽  
Alcohol Intoxication ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Adaptive Immune System ◽  
Humoral Response ◽  
Humoral Immune ◽  
Healthy Humans ◽  
The Impact

Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis can occur in healthy humans, yet binge alcohol use is progressively being recognized as a major risk factor. Currently, no experimental studies have investigated the effects of binge alcohol on the adaptive immune system during an active infection. In this study, we used B. thailandensis and B. vietnamiensis, to investigate the impact of a single binge alcohol episode on the humoral response during infection. Eight-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were administered alcohol comparable to human binge drinking (4.4 g/kg) or PBS intraperitoneally 30 min before intranasal infection. Mice infected with B. thailandensis had a 100% survival rate, while those infected with B. vietnamiensis had a 33% survivability rate when a binge alcohol dose was administered. B. thailandensis was detected in blood of mice administered alcohol at only 7 days post infection (PI), while those infected with B. vietnamiensis and receiving alcohol were found throughout the 28-day infection as well as in tissues at day 28 PI. Binge alcohol elevated IgM and delayed IgG specific to the whole cell lysate (WCL) of B. vietnamiensis but not B. thailandensis infections. Differences in immunogenicity of B. pseudomallei near-neighbors provide a framework for novel insights into the effects of binge alcohol’s suppression of the humoral immune response that can cause opportunistic infections in otherwise healthy hosts.

Elucidating the interaction dynamics between microswimmer body and immune system for medical microrobots

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (43) ◽  
pp. eaaz3867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Immihan Ceren Yasa ◽  
Hakan Ceylan ◽  
Ugur Bozuyuk ◽  
Anna-Maria Wild ◽  
Metin Sitti
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Structural Design ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Mouse Macrophage ◽  
Macrophage Cell ◽  
Interaction Dynamics ◽  
Physical Interactions ◽  
Surface Chemistries

The structural design parameters of a medical microrobot, such as the morphology and surface chemistry, should aim to minimize any physical interactions with the cells of the immune system. However, the same surface-borne design parameters are also critical for the locomotion performance of the microrobots. Understanding the interplay of such parameters targeting high locomotion performance and low immunogenicity at the same time is of paramount importance yet has so far been overlooked. Here, we investigated the interactions of magnetically steerable double-helical microswimmers with mouse macrophage cell lines and splenocytes, freshly harvested from mouse spleens, by systematically changing their helical morphology. We found that the macrophages and splenocytes can recognize and differentially elicit an immune response to helix turn numbers of the microswimmers that otherwise have the same size, bulk physical properties, and surface chemistries. Our findings suggest that the structural optimization of medical microrobots for the locomotion performance and interactions with the immune cells should be considered simultaneously because they are highly entangled and can demand a substantial design compromise from one another. Furthermore, we show that morphology-dependent interactions between macrophages and microswimmers can further present engineering opportunities for biohybrid microrobot designs. We demonstrate immunobots that can combine the steerable mobility of synthetic microswimmers and the immunoregulatory capability of macrophages for potential targeted immunotherapeutic applications.

scholarly journals Crosstalk between Red Blood Cells and the Immune System and Its Impact on Atherosclerosis

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigitta Buttari ◽  
Elisabetta Profumo ◽  
Rachele Riganò
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Red Blood Cells ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Blood Cells ◽  
Atherosclerotic Disease ◽  
Intraplaque Hemorrhage ◽  
Immune System Activation ◽  
Adaptive Immune Cells ◽  
The Impact

Atherosclerosis is a chronic multifactorial disease of the arterial wall characterized by inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune system activation. Evidence exists on a pathogenic role of oxidized red blood cells (RBCs) accumulated in the lesion after intraplaque hemorrhage. This review reports current knowledge on the impact of oxidative stress in RBC modifications with the surface appearance of senescent signals characterized by reduced expression of CD47 and glycophorin A and higher externalization of phosphatidylserine. The review summarizes findings indicating that oxidized, senescent, or stored RBCs, due to surface antigen modification and release of prooxidant and proinflammatory molecules, exert an impaired modulatory activity on innate and adaptive immune cells and how this activity contributes to atherosclerotic disease. In particular RBCs from patients with atherosclerosis, unlike those from healthy subjects, fail to control lipopolysaccharide-induced DC maturation and T lymphocyte apoptosis. Stored RBCs, accompanied by shedding of extracellular vesicles, stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cells to release proinflammatory cytokines, augment mitogen-driven T cell proliferation, and polarize macrophages toward the proinflammatory M1 activation pathway. Collectively, literature data suggest that the crosstalk between RBCs with immune cells represents a novel mechanism by which oxidative stress can contribute to atherosclerotic disease progression and may be exploited for therapeutic interventions.

scholarly journals In ovo administration of CpG ODN induces expression of immune response genes in neonatal chicken spleen

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Sajewicz-Krukowska ◽  
Monika Olszewska-Tomczyk ◽  
Katarzyna Domańska-Blicharz
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Cpg Odn ◽  
In Ovo ◽  
Chicken Spleen ◽  
Class B ◽  
Synthetic Ligand ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

AbstractIntroduction:Due to their immunostimulatory properties TLR ligands are used prophylactically to protect against a variety of viral and bacterial pathogens in mammals. Knowledge of the molecular and functional aspects of TLRs is essential for a better understanding of the immune system and resistance to diseases in birds. For that reason, this study attempted to determine the impact of TLR21 stimulation by its synthetic ligand (CpG ODN, class B) on the chicken immune system.Material and Methods:Sixty embryonated chicken eggs were randomly allocated into three groups (control and two experimental groups). On day 18 of embryonic development, chickens in one experimental group were administeredin ovoa low dose of CpG ODN and the birds of the second experimental group were given a high dose of the ligand. Spleens were collected at 1, 2, 5, and 10 days post-hatching (dph) for analysis of IFN-α, IFN-β, IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-10 expression using qRT-PCR.Results:Significant differences were observed in mRNA expression levels of all the measured cytokines associated with the modulation and regulation of the immune response at different time points.Conclusion:The obtained data clearly demonstrate that immune response induction takes place afterin ovoadministration of class B CpG ODN, and that the ligand has the ability to induce cytokine responses in neonatal chicken spleen.

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