Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.69 (APC)
16,337 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The human beta chemokine known as LEC (also called NCC-4, HCC-4, or LMC) displays chemotactic activity for monocytes and dendritic cells. The possibility that its local presence increases tumor immunogenicity is addressed in this paper. TSA parental cells (TSA-pc) are poorly immunogenic adenocarcinoma cells that grow progressively, kill both nu/nu and syngeneic BALB/c mice, and give rise to lung metastases. TSA cells engineered to release LEC (TSA-LEC) are still able to grow in nu/nu mice, but are promptly rejected and display a marginal metastatic phenotype in BALB/c mice. Rejection is associated with a marked T lymphocyte and granulocyte infiltration, along with extensive macrophage and dendritic cell recruitment. NK cells and CD4+ T lymphocytes are uninfluential in TSA-LEC cell rejection, whereas both CD8+ lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes play a major role. An antitumor immune memory is established very quickly after rejection, since 6 days later 75% of BALB/c mice were already resistant to a TSA-pc challenge. Spleen cells from rejecting mice display specific cytotoxic activity against TSA-pc and secrete IFN-gamma and IL-2 when restimulated by TSA-pc. The ability of LEC to markedly improve recognition of poorly immunogenic cells by promoting APC-T cell cross-talk suggests that it could be an effective component of antitumor vaccines.
...
PMID:Tumor rejection and immune memory elicited by locally released LEC chemokine are associated with an impressive recruitment of APCs, lymphocytes, and granulocytes. 1070 11

A retrospective study of 100 patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation from 1993 to 1997 is reported. Forty-five patients were neonates with a mean age of 12.6 days and 55 patients were infants, children and adolescents with a mean age of 6 years and 3 months. Most of them (91.5%) had complicated underlying conditions which included congenital anomalies, prematurity, malignancy, hematological and various diseases. Additionally, every patient had triggering conditions commonly identified as gram-negative septicemia. Bleeding and thromboembolic manifestations were found in 59.4 per cent and 19.8 per cent, respectively. The laboratory findings revealed red blood cell fragmentation, 89.6 per cent and thrombocytopenia, 85.8 per cent. Natural anticoagulants were studied in a few cases and revealed low levels of antithrombin III and protein C. The prompt effective management included treatment of underlying diseases, identification and relief of triggering conditions, correction of thrombocytopenia and coagulopathy, and fully supportive care. The overall case-fatality rate was 41.6 per cent which was not correlated with age, underlying diseases, triggering conditions, manifestation of bleeding, thromboembolism or shock, and exchange transfusion. However, a significant lower case-fatality rate was found in patients with positive culture (25%) as compared to those with sepsis and negative culture (51.7%) (p = 0.044). In addition, the febrile neutropenic patients, who showed good response to the administrated granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), survived from the DIC.
...
PMID:Disseminated intravascular coagulation findings in 100 patients. 1073 May 20

In this study we have re-examined the molecular mechanisms involved in activation of T cells by dendritic cells (DC). Human peripheral blood DC (PBDC) were derived by 2 h adhesion followed by 7 day culture in a combination of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor and IL-4, and depletion of residual T and B cells. These PBDC were used to induce autologous T cell proliferation in a CD3-dependent response, and antibodies against CD11a/18 and CD86 were used as control inhibitors of accessory function. Antibodies against five of the cell surface molecules that we have recently identified on the surface of DC, CD13, CD87, CD98, CD147 and CD148, and an antibody which recognizes a molecule that has not as yet been identified, all inhibited the CD3-induced T cell proliferation. These findings were observed not only when antibodies were present throughout the culture, but also when they were prepulsed on to the surface of the DC, suggesting the inhibition was mediated via the antigen-presenting cells rather than the T cell. The same set of antibodies also inhibited an allospecific mixed lymphocyte reaction, confirming that the inhibitory effect was not dependent on the use of a CD3 antibody as the stimulating agent. All the antibodies of known specificity inhibited both CD4 and CD8 T cells equally. Unlike CD87, CD98 and CD147 antibodies, which inhibited activation of both CD45RA (naive) T cells and CD45RO (memory) T cells, CD13 and CD148 appeared to be involved in activation of naive cells only. The molecules identified in this study have not previously been demonstrated to play a role as accessory molecules on DC, the cells that are pivotal for immune induction. Therefore they may provide new potential targets for modulation of the immune response at the APC level.
...
PMID:Novel molecular mechanisms of dendritic cell-induced T cell activation. 1088 17

Plasmid-encoded GM-CSF (pGM-CSF) is an adjuvant for genetic vaccines; however, little is known about how pGM-CSF enhances immunogenicity. We now report that pGM-CSF injected into mouse muscle leads to a local infiltration of potential APCs. Infiltrates reached maximal size on days 3 to 5 after injection and appeared in several large discrete clusters within the muscle. Immunohistological studies in muscle sections from mice injected with pGM-CSF showed staining of cells with the macrophage markers CD11b, Mac-3, IA(d)/E(d) and to the granulocyte marker GR-1 from day 1 through day 14. Cells staining with the dendritic cell marker CD11c were detected only on days 3 to 5. Muscles injected with control plasmids did not stain for CD11c but did stain for CD11b, Mac-3, IA(d)/E(d), and GR-1. No staining was observed with the APC activation markers, B7.1 or CD40, or with markers for T or B cells. These findings are consistent with the infiltrating cells in the pGM-CSF-injected muscles being a mixture of neutrophils, macrophages, and immature dendritic cells and suggest that the i.m. APCs may be enhancing immune responses to coinjected plasmid Ags. This hypothesis is supported by data showing that 1) separation of injections with pGM-CSF and Ag-expressing plasmid into different sites did not enhance immune responses and 2) immune enhancement was associated with the presence of CD11c+ cells in the infiltrates. Thus, pGM-CSF enhancement may depend on APC recruitment to the i.m. site of injection.
...
PMID:Plasmid vaccine expressing granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor attracts infiltrates including immature dendritic cells into injected muscles. 1103 82

The immune response to polysaccharide (PS) Ags in mice is delayed during ontogeny even when administered in a thymus-dependent (TD) form. In this study, Neisseria meningitidis group C PS-tetanus toxoid conjugate (MCPS-TT) vaccine was used to examine whether the delay in the development of Ab responses to TD PS conjugate vaccines in neonatal mice is due to defective Ag presentation. The results show that B cells and dendritic cells (DC) from 3- and 7-day-old mice were severely defective in presenting TT and MCPS-TT to Ag-specific T cell clones. The ability of these cells to present Ag reaches adult levels by 4 wk. The development of anti-MCPS and anti-TT Abs in neonatal mice parallels the functional ability of their APC to present Ag. DC from neonatal mice expressed very low levels of MHC class II, costimulatory molecules B7.1, B7.2, and CD11c but high levels of monocyte-specific markers F4/80 and CD11b and granulocyte marker, Ly6G. Significant changes in the expression of these markers were observed as the age of the mice increased. MHC class II, B7.1 and B7.2, and CD11c all increased with age, reaching adult levels between 3 and 4 wk, concurrent with the function of APC. These results demonstrate that one reason neonates fail to produce high titers of anti-PS Abs even when immunized in a TD form is that their B cells and DC are not fully functional.
...
PMID:The ability of B cells and dendritic cells to present antigen increases during ontogeny. 1104 3

Several reports including those from this laboratory have demonstrated that bone marrow cells (BMC) downregulate in vitro both mixed leukocyte reaction and cytotoxic T lymphocyte reactions. We consequently hypothesized that a general property of immature cells of hematopoietic organs is their ability to suppress immune reactivity. As one of these suppressive activities, the lack of costimulatory molecules was proposed as a mechanism by which immature antigen presenting cells of the bone marrow might be involved. In the present report, we used two culture environments, each of which would regulate a different maturation pattern of human bone marrow-derived enriched dendritic antigen presenting cells (DC or APC) to determine the respective effects on in vitro immune regulatory function. Human BMC depleted of CD3+ cells were cultured with either: interleukin-4 (IL-4) and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), to maintain DC-enriched populations in an immature state (iAPC); or an interferon-gamma (IFNgamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), GM-CSF, LPS, and IL-6 cocktail to promote the maturation of DC-enriched APC (mAPC). These iAPC and mAPC were, respectively, phenotypically characterized and also tested in vitro for the following: (1) both direct and indirect-antigen presentation functions; (2) immune regulatory functions on the response of autologous and allogeneic peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL); and (3) Western blot analysis determining the levels of both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I related cytoplasmic transporter molecules associated with antigen processing (TAP1) and as well as proteasome activator molecules (PA28alpha). The iAPC population expressed fewer dendritic cell markers (CD83 and DCsign), and costimulator molecules (CD86 and CD40) than the mAPC, such that there was an approximate threefold increase in expression of CD83, 2.5-fold increase in DCsign, and a threefold increase in CD40 and CD86 on mAPC than on iAPC (p=0.005 for CD83; p=0.001 for DCsign; p=0.001 for CD86; and p=0.001 for CD40). In lymphoproliferative assays, indirect and direct alloantigen presentation by iAPC was weaker than by mAPC (p=0.05 and 0.04). In addition, iAPC were able to downregulate allogeneic CTL responses. Also, after pulsing with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) protein antigens, the iAPC were less efficient in their presentation to autologous EBV-specific T-cell lines, and caused an inhibition of EBV-CTL generation. The expression of TAP1 and PA28alpha was reduced in iAPC in comparison to mAPC. These findings support the notion that a maturation state of BMC-derived APC correlates with their capacity to present antigen. The observed in vitro deficiency of this function by immature bone marrow cells may therefore contribute to the immune downregulatory capacity seen in the BMC compartment.
...
PMID:Antigen presentation and immune regulatory capacity of immature and mature-enriched antigen presenting (dendritic) cells derived from human bone marrow. 1496 64

The initiation of graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) after stem cell transplantation is dependent on direct Ag presentation by host APCs, whereas the effect of donor APC populations is unclear. We studied the role of indirect Ag presentation in allogenic T cell responses by adding populations of cytokine-expanded donor APC to hemopoietic grafts that would otherwise induce lethal GVHD. Progenipoietin-1 (a synthetic G-CSF/Flt-3 ligand molecule) and G-CSF expanded myeloid dendritic cells (DC), plasmacytoid DC, and a novel granulocyte-monocyte precursor population (GM) that differentiate into class II+,CD80/CD86+,CD40- APC during GVHD. Whereas addition of plasmacytoid and myeloid donor DC augmented GVHD, GM cells promoted transplant tolerance by MHC class II-restricted generation of IL-10-secreting, Ag-specific regulatory T cells. Importantly, although GM cells abrogated GVHD, graft-vs-leukemia effects were preserved. Thus, a population of cytokine-expanded GM precursors function as regulatory APCs, suggesting that G-CSF derivatives may have application in disorders characterized by a loss of self-tolerance.
...
PMID:Cytokine expanded myeloid precursors function as regulatory antigen-presenting cells and promote tolerance through IL-10-producing regulatory T cells. 1569 10

Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are acute life-threatening forms of hypoxemic respiratory failure. ALI/ARDS patients require intensive care with prolonged mechanical ventilation. Despite advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of ALI/ARDS, mortality rates remain > 30% and survivors suffer significant decrements in their quality of life. The evolving understanding of ALI/ARDS and the complex interactions involved in ALI/ARDS open the door for many potential targets for treatment. The condition is characterised by an acute inflammatory state that leads to increased capillary permeability and accumulation of proteinaceous pulmonary oedema. The changes that occur as a result of this inflammation clinically manifest themselves as hypoxemia, infiltrates on chest radiograph and reduced lung compliance. Many years have been dedicated to analysing the complexities involved in ALI/ARDS in order to improve current and future possibilities for treatment, with the aim of improving patient outcomes. Although some therapies have demonstrated benefits of improved oxygenation, such as surfactant and nitric oxide, these benefits have not translated into reductions in the duration of mechanical ventilation or mortality. Inflammatory mediator-targeted therapies were promising early on; however, larger trials have found therapies such as cytokine modulation, platelet-activating factor inhibition and neutrophil elastase inhibitors to be ineffective in the treatment of ALI/ARDS. Preclinical studies with beta2-agonists and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor have shown promise for restoring alveolar capillary barrier integrity or reducing pulmonary oedema, and further studies are being conducted to test for true clinical benefit. Despite previous therapeutic failures, newer surfactant formulations have shown promise, particularly in patients with direct forms of lung injury, and are currently in Phase III trials. Anticoagulant therapy with activated protein C has been shown to improve survival in sepsis, the most common risk factor for the development of ALI/ARDS, and is now being studied in ALI/ARDS. Until new data emerge, the focus must remain on supportive care, including optimised mechanical ventilation, nutritional support, manipulation of fluid balance and prevention of intervening medical complications.
...
PMID:Evolution of treatments for patients with acute lung injury. 1592 69

Although metallothionein (MT) can be induced by inflammatory mediators, its roles in coagulatory disturbance during inflammation are poorly defined. We determined whether MT protects against coagulatory and fibrinolytic disturbance and systemic inflammation induced by intraperitoneal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in MT-I/II null (-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice. As compared with WT mice, MT (-/-) mice revealed significant prolongation of prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin time, a significant increase in the levels of fibrinogen and fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products, and a significant decrease in activated protein C, after LPS treatment. LPS induced inflammatory organ damages in the lung, kidney, and liver in both genotypes of mice. The damages, including neutrophil infiltration, were more prominent in MT (-/-) mice than in WT mice after LPS treatment. In both genotypes of mice, LPS enhanced protein expression of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha, MIP-2, macrophage chemoattractant protein-1, and keratinocyte chemoattractant in the lung, kidney, and liver and circulatory levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, MIP-2, and KC. In overall trends, however, the levels of these proinflammatory proteins were greater in MT (-/-) mice than in WT mice after LPS challenge. Our results suggest that MT protects against coagulatory and fibrinolytic disturbance and multiple organ damages induced by LPS, at least partly, via the inhibition of the expression of proinflammatory proteins.
...
PMID:Role of metallothionein in coagulatory disturbance and systemic inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide in mice. 1638 80

Thrombocytopenia is a common problem in critically ill patients, which is associated with increased mortality. Recently, Drotrecogin alfa (activated) (recombinant human activated protein C (APC)) was shown to reduce mortality in patients with severe sepsis. Only minimal effect of APC on coagulation markers was demonstrated. Nevertheless, low platelet count was identified as a risk factor for bleeding with use of this drug. We conducted this study to evaluate possible influence of APC on in vitro expression of platelet receptors at therapeutic and supra-therapeutic concentrations. Blood samples of volunteers and patients with severe sepsis were adjusted with APC to final concentrations of 0.045 microg mL(-1) APC (APC-45, therapeutic dose) and 0.225 microg mL(-1) APC (APC-225, five-fold therapeutic dose), respectively. The activation of platelets was mediated by two different agonists. APC had no significant influence on platelet activation, with or without stimulation at both concentrations. In group APC-225, CD62P showed a non-significant decrease. This in vitro study demonstrates that therapeutic plasma concentrations of Drotrecogin alfa (activated) have neither influence on expression of platelet activation markers nor on platelet-granulocyte complexes in blood of volunteers and patients with severe sepsis. Thus, a direct drug-platelet interaction seems unlikely.
...
PMID:Effect of Drotrecogin alfa (activated) on platelet receptor expression in vitro. 1765 7


<< Previous 1 2 3 Next >>