The Chitosan Nanoparticle-based Adjuvant CH-100 Orchestrates Multifaceted Innate Immune Activation via STING-Dependent and -Independent Pathways.

Enhanced Induction of HIV-specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes by Dendritic Cell-targeted Delivery of SOCS-1 siRNA

Early and late cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in HIV infection

Lentiviral Vectors Encoding HIV-1 Polyepitopes Induce Broad CTL Responses In Vivo

HIV/host interactions: new lessons from the Red Queen's country.

Induction of Tumor-specific Immune Response by Gene Transfer of Hsp70-cell-penetrating Peptide Fusion Protein to Tumors in Mice

Biology of Lung Dendritic Cells at the Origin of Asthma

Chronic Ethanol Consumption Impairs Cellular Immune Responses Against HCV NS5 Protein Due to Dendritic Cell Dysfunction

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by accumulation of oxidized lipoproteins, increased cell death and hypertrophic degeneration of the arterial intima. The disease process is associated with local formation of modified self antigens that are targeted by both innate and adaptive immune responses. Although it remains to be firmly established it is likely that these autoimmune responses initially have a beneficial effect facilitating the removal of potentially harmful rest products from oxidized LDL and dying cells. However, studies performed on hypercholesterolaemic mice deficient in different components of the immune system uniformly suggest that the net effect of immune activation is pro-atherogenic and that atherosclerosis, at least to some extent, should be regarded as an autoimmune disease. These observations point to the possibility of developing new treatments for atherosclerosis based on modulation of immune responses against plaque antigens, an approach presently tested clinically for several other chronic inflammatory diseases with autoimmune components. Pilot studies in animals have provided promising results for both parental and oral vaccines based on oxidized LDL antigens. The time when this concept is ready for clinical testing is rapidly approaching but it will be important not to underestimate the difficulties that will be encountered in transferring the promising results from experimental animals into humans.

Dendritic Cells in Fundamental and Clinical Immunology

The role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) protein non-structural (NS) 5A in HCV-associated pathogenesis is still enigmatic. To investigate the in vivo role of NS5A for viral persistence and virus-associated pathogenesis a transgenic (Tg) mouse model was established. Mice with liver-targeted NS5A transgene expression were generated using the albumin promoter. Alterations in the hepatic immune response were determined by Western blot, infection by lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), and using transient NS3/4A Tg mice generated by hydrodynamic injection. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity was investigated by the Cr-release assay. The stable NS5A Tg mice did not reveal signs of spontaneous liver disease. The intrahepatic immunity was disrupted in the NS5A Tg mice as determined by clearance of LCMV infection or transiently NS3/4A Tg hepatocytes in vivo. This impaired immunity was explained by a reduced induction of interferon beta, 2',5'-OAS, and PKR after LCMV infection and an impairment of the CTL-mediated elimination of NS3-expressing hepatocytes. In conclusion, these data indicate that in the present transgenic mouse model, NS5A does not cause spontaneous liver disease. However, we discovered that NS5A could impair both the innate and the adaptive immune response to promote chronic HCV infection.

Natural Killer Cells in Hepatitis C Virus Infection: From Innate Immunity to Adaptive Immunity

Active Uptake of Dendritic Cell-Derived Exovesicles by Epithelial Cells Induces the Release of Inflammatory Mediators through a TNF-α-Mediated Pathway

Liver-Primed Memory T Cells Generated under Noninflammatory Conditions Provide Anti-infectious Immunity

Interactions between innate and adaptive immunity in asthma pathogenesis: New perspectives from studies on acute exacerbations

Selective 5-Lipoxygenase Expression in Langerhans Cells and Impaired Dendritic Cell Migration in 5-LO-Deficient Mice Reveal Leukotriene Action in Skin