Life Sciences Commons^™

Gene Signature Of Stromal Cells Which Support Dendritic Cell Development., Geneviève Despars, Pravin Periasamy, Jonathan Tan, Janice Abbey, Terence O'Neill, Helen O'Neill

Jonathan Tan

Spleen stromal cells are critical determinants of dendritic cell (DC) development in spleen. The spleen stromal line, namely STX3, supports DC differentiation in vitro from overlaid bone marrow cells while the lymph node stromal line, namely 2RL22, does not. Here we have characterised the hematopoietic support capacity of each stroma, and analyzed lineage origin of the stromal cell lines by gene profiling using microarrays. Stromal co-culture experiments were performed using bone marrow cells as a source of hematopoietic progenitors. A characteristic immature myeloid-like CD11c+CD11b+CD86+MHC-II−/loB220−CD8α− DC is produced after 14 days in STX3 cocultures, while 2RL22 cocultures produce only monocyte/macrophage-like cells. …

Effects Of Oral Consumption Of The Green Tea Polyphenol Egcg In A Murine Model For Human Sjogren's Syndrome, An Autoimmune Disease., K. Gillespie, I. Kodani, D. Dickinson, K. Ogbureke, A. Camba, M. Wu, S. Looney, Tin-Chun Chu, H. Qin, F. Bisch, M. Sharawy, G. Schuster, S. Hsu

Tin-Chun Chu, Ph.D.

No abstract provided.

Soluble Factors From Plasmodium Falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes Induce Apoptosis In Human Brain Vascular Endothelial And Neuroglia Cells, Winston A. Anderson

Winston Anderson

Stage Independent Chloroquine Resistance And Chloroquine Toxicity Revealed Via Spinning Disk Confocal Microscopy, Bojana Gligorijevic, Kyle Purdy, David A. Elliott, Roland A. Cooper, Paul D. Roepe

Roland A. Cooper

Influenza Genetic Sequence Patents: Where Intellectual Property Clashes With Public Health Needs, Lori B. Andrews, Laura A. Shackelton

Lori B. Andrews

Synthesis And Processing Of The Alpha Heavy Chains Of Secreted And Membrane-Bound Iga, H. Kikutani, R. Sitia, R. A. Good, Janet Stavnezer

Janet M. Stavnezer

We have compared the synthesis and processing of immunoglobulin alpha chains in two murine cell lines, a B cell lymphoma that expresses membrane-bound IgA and a hybridoma that secretes IgA. Results of biosynthetic labeling experiments demonstrated that membrane-bound and secreted alpha chains have two distinct intracellular precursors, of different molecular weights and isoelectric points. RNAs from both of these cell lines direct the synthesis in vitro of two alpha polypeptides of Mr 59,000 and 62,000, the larger one being the precursor for membrane-bound alpha chain and the smaller one being the precursor for secreted alpha chain. These cell lines each …

Dendritic Cells As Immune Regulators: The Mouse Model, Kristin Griffiths, Helen O'Neill

Helen O'Neill

Dendritic cells (DC) are central to the immune system because of their role in antigen presentation leading to either tolerance or immunity among cells of the adaptive immune response. It is becoming increasingly evident that DC show extensive plasticity in terms of their origin and function, giving rise to a number of subsets represented differentially in all lymphoid organs. This article considers the tolerogenic capacity of murine DC and draws a distinction between DC that induce tolerance in the immature state and immunity in an inflammatory context, and those that act as regulatory cells inducing immunosuppression in the presence of …

Gene Signature Of Stromal Cells Which Support Dendritic Cell Development., Geneviève Despars, Pravin Periasamy, Jonathan Tan, Janice Abbey, Terence O'Neill, Helen O'Neill

Helen O'Neill

Spleen stromal cells are critical determinants of dendritic cell (DC) development in spleen. The spleen stromal line, namely STX3, supports DC differentiation in vitro from overlaid bone marrow cells while the lymph node stromal line, namely 2RL22, does not. Here we have characterised the hematopoietic support capacity of each stroma, and analyzed lineage origin of the stromal cell lines by gene profiling using microarrays. Stromal co-culture experiments were performed using bone marrow cells as a source of hematopoietic progenitors. A characteristic immature myeloid-like CD11c+CD11b+CD86+MHC-II−/loB220−CD8α− DC is produced after 14 days in STX3 cocultures, while 2RL22 cocultures produce only monocyte/macrophage-like cells. …

Detection Of Spliced And Unspliced Forms Of Germline Tcr-Vβ Transcripts In Extrathymic Lymphoid Sites, Janice Abbey, Helen O'Neill

Helen O'Neill

Germline TCR-Vβ transcription is commonly considered an event coupled with rearrangement of TCR genes in T cells. The extent of germline Vβ transcription is studied here in a range of cell types and in several mouse strains. A sensitive semi-quantitative RT-PCR method was developed to specifically detect germline and not rearranged transcripts. Germline transcription of a range of different Vβ genes was detected along with rearranged transcripts in bone marrow, thymus, mesenteric lymph node and spleen. Some transcripts were also detected in low level in non-lymphoid tissues including heart, liver and brain. Expression was also studied in the C57BL/6J-β2microglobulin−/− (C57BL/6J-β2M−/−) …

Expression Of T-Cell Receptor Genes During Early T-Cell Development, Janice Abbey, Helen O'Neill

Helen O'Neill

Lymphoid cell development is an ordered process that begins in the embryo in specific sites and progresses through multiple differentiative steps to production of T- and B-cells. Lymphoid cell production is marked by the rearrangement process, which gives rise to mature cells expressing antigen-specific T-cell receptors (TCR) and immunoglobulins (Ig). While most transcripts arising from TCR or Ig loci reflect fully rearranged genes, germline transcripts have been identified, but these have always been thought to have no specific purpose. Germline transcription from either unrearranged TCR or unrearranged Ig loci was commonly associated with an open chromatin configuration during VDJ recombination. …

Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterisation Of Blastocystis Hominis Isolates Implicates Subtype 3 As A Subtype With Pathogenic Potential, Tan Tian Chye

Tan Tian Chye

Despite frequent reports on the presence of Blastocystis hominis in human intestinal tract, its pathogenicity remains a matter of intense debate. These discrepancies may be due to the varying pathogenic potential or virulence of the isolates studied. The present study represents the first to investigate both phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of B. hominis obtained from symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Symptomatic isolates had a significantly greater size range and lower growth rate in Jones' medium than asymptomatic isolates. The parasite cells of symptomatic isolates exhibited rougher surface topography and greater binding affinity to Canavalia ensiformis (ConA) and Helix pomatia (HPA). The …