Investigations leading to the detailed identification, expansion, maintenance and function of CD alpha alpha(+) Tregs should result in new therapeutic strategies for human inflammatory diseases.”
“Smokers have a twofold increased risk to develop Crohn’s disease (CD). However, little is known about the mechanisms through which smoking affects CD pathogenesis. Especially Crohn’s ileitis is negatively influenced by smoking. Interestingly, the ileum and, more in particular, the Peyer’s patches in the terminal ileum are also the sites where

the Selleckchem AZD3965 first CD lesions are found. Several chemokines are implicated in the pathogenesis, among which is the CCL20-CCR6 pathway. Here, we studied the gut-associated lymphoid tissue in C57BL/6 wild-type mice and in CCR6-deficient mice after exposure to air or cigarette smoke for 24 weeks. Apoptotic index of the follicle-associated epithelium overlying the Peyer’s Selleckchem AZD1480 patches was evaluated. We found that chronic smoke exposure induced apoptosis in the follicle-associated epithelium. Furthermore, immune cell numbers and differentiation along with chemokine expression were determined in Peyer’s

patches. Important changes in immune cell composition were observed: total dendritic cells, CD4+ T cells (including regulatory T cells) and CD8+ T cells increased significantly after smoke exposure. The CD11b+ dendritic cell subset almost doubled. Interestingly, these changes were accompanied by an upregulated click here mRNA expression of the chemokines CCL9 and CCL20. However, no differences in the increase of dendritic cells were observed between wild-type and CCR6-deficient

mice. Our results show that cigarette smoke exposure increases apoptosis in the follicle-associated epithelium and is associated with immune cell accumulation in Peyer’s patches. Laboratory Investigation (2011) 91, 1056-1067; doi:10.1038/labinvest.2011.74; published online 2 May 2011″
“microRNA (miRNA)-mediated RNA interference has been identified as a novel mechanism that regulates protein expression at the translational level. Recent publications have provided compelling evidence that a range of miRNAs are involved in the regulation of immunity, including the development and differentiation of B and T cells, proliferation of monocytes and neutrophils, antibody switching and the release of inflammatory mediators. In this review, we examine what is presently known of the function and mechanism of action of these miRNAs in the regulation of the innate and acquired immune response.”
“There is evidence that people with schizophrenia show specific deficits in theory of mind (TOM). However, it is a matter of debate whether these are trait or state dependent, and the nature of the relationship between ToM deficits and particular symptoms is controversial.