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Highlights • Few paper investigates the role of CD8+CD28+ T cells in patients with AMI. • The frequency of CD8+CD28+ T cells in patients with AMI were significant increased. • In patients with AMI, frequency of CD8+CD28+ T cells was positively correlated with TNI and negatively associated with LVEF. • The CD8+ CD28+ T cell might participate in the process of myocardial damage. Abstract CD8+ T cells accumulate in the necrotic myocardium of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is unclear whether CD8+CD28+ T cells, a specific subset of CD8+ T cells, contribute to myocardial injury. In this study, 92 consecutive patients with AMI and 28 healthy control subjects were enrolled. The frequency of CD8+CD28+ T cells in peripheral blood samples was assayed by flow cytometry. Plasma cardiac troponin I (TNI) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were determined. Long-term prognosis of the patients was evaluated by major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) over a 12-month follow-up period. Our findings indicated that patients with AMI who presented with high numbers of CD8+CD28+ T cells had an increased infarction size and aggravated ventricular function. We proposed that cytotoxic CD8+CD28+ T cell-mediated myocardial necrosis may act as a novel and alternative pathway of AMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is characterized by the extensive release of cytokines and other mediators. It results in a dysregulated immune response and can lead to organ damage and death. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties and immunoregulation functions in various disorders such as sepsis, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, lung fibrosis, gallstone formation, and diabetes. This paper investigates the effects of curcumin on immune status and inflammatory response in mice subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Inflammatory tissue injury was evaluated by histological observation. Magnetic microbeads were used to isolate splenic CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells (Tregs), and phenotypes were then analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of Foxp3 were detected by Western blot and real-time PCR and cytokine levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We found that the administration of curcumin significantly alleviated inflammatory injury of the lung and kidney in septic mice. The suppressive function of Treg cells was enhanced and the plasma levels of IL-10 increased after treatment with curcumin. Furthermore, the secretion of plasma TNF-α and IL-6 was notably inhibited in septic mice treated with curcumin and administration with curcumin could improve survival after CLP. These data suggest that curcumin could be used as a potential therapeutic agent for sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • SARS-CoV-2 promotes an inflammatory phenotype in human monocytes. • In SARS-CoV-2 stimulated PBMC Tα1 mitigates monocyte and myeloid DC activation. • Tα1 dampens SARS-CoV-2 mediated induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines. • Tα1 promotes release of the anti-inflammatory factors IL-10 from SARS-CoV- 2-stimulated PBMC. The peculiar property of Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) to act as master regulator of immune homeostasis has been successfully defined in different physiological and pathological contexts ranging from cancer to infection. Interestingly, recent papers also demonstrated its mitigating effect on the "cytokine storm" as well as on the T-cell exhaustion/activation in SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. Nevertheless, in spite of the increasing knowledge on Tα1-induced effects on T cell response confirming the distinctive features of this multifaceted peptide, little is known on its effects on innate immunity during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we interrogated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures stimulated with SARS-CoV-2 to disclose Tα1 properties on the main cell players of early response to infection, namely monocytes and myeloid dendritic cells (mDC). Moving from ex vivo data showing an enhancement in the frequency of inflammatory monocytes and activated mDC in COVID-19 patients, a PBMC-based experimental setting reproduced in vitro a similar profile with an increased percentage of CD16+ inflammatory monocytes and mDC expressing CD86 and HLA-DR activation markers in response to SARS-CoV-2 stimulation. Interestingly, the treatment of SARS-CoV-2-stimulated PBMC with Tα1 dampened the inflammatory/activation status of both monocytes and mDC by reducing the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, including TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8, while promoting the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. This study further clarifies the working hypothesis on Tα1 mitigating action on COVID-19 inflammatory condition. Moreover, these evidence shed light on inflammatory pathways and cell types involved in acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and likely targetable by newly immune-regulating therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B7-H3, a recently discovered B7 family member, is documented as a regulator in the inflammatory response as well as T cell-mediated immune responses. In this paper, we find that patients with acute pancreatitis revealed overwhelming levels of serum soluble B7-H3 (sB7-H3) associated with the clinical outcomes. Furthermore, B7-H3 protein was marked increased in l -arginine-induced acute experimental pancreatitis. Anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibody treatment attenuated the proinflammatory cytokine production, downregulated the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, and ameliorated the pancreas disruption in l -arginine-induced pancreatitis. In addition, although l -arginine alone failed to induce the production of proinflammatory cytokine and anti-B7-H3 mAb had no effect on the proinflammatory cytokine production of acinar cells, administration of anti-B7-H3 mAb in the coculture model of acinar cells and macrophages stimulated by l -arginine displayed the similar effects. On the whole, B7-H3 participates in the development of acute pancreatitis, and anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibody ameliorates severity of acute experimental pancreatitis via attenuation of the inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inflammation theory of depression, proposed over 20 years ago, was influenced by early studies on T cell responses and since then has been a stimulus for numerous research projects aimed at understanding the relationship between immune function and depression. Observational studies have shown that indicators of immunity, especially C reactive protein and proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 6, are associated with an increased risk of depressive disorders, although the evidence from randomized trials remains limited and only few studies have assessed the interplay between innate and adaptive immunity in depression. In this paper, we review current knowledge on the interactions between central and peripheral innate and adaptive immune molecules and the potential role of immune-related activation of microglia, inflammasomes and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase in the development of depressive symptoms. We highlight how combining basic immune methods with more advanced ‘omics’ technologies would help us to make progress in unravelling the complex associations between altered immune function and depressive disorders, in the identification of depression-specific biomarkers and in developing immunotherapeutic treatment strategies that take individual variability into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Context: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases associated with the aging process in men, particularly men aged >50 yr, yet only a few predictive factors have been identified. In recent years, attention has focused on the role of prostatic inflammation in the pathogenesis and progression of BPH. Objective: This article reviews recent findings related to the potential link between local and systemic inflammation and BPH. Evidence acquisition: In March 2013, at the annual meeting of the European Association of Urology in Milan, Italy, a satellite symposium entitled “Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH) and Inflammation, from Lab to Clinic,” was held with the goal of reviewing the latest data relating to the link between inflammation and BPH. This paper is based on one of the presentations at this symposium. A structured PubMed literature search was performed, and emphasis was placed on results from the past 10 yr. Evidence synthesis: BPH is characterized by progressive hyperplasia of stromal and glandular cells, and clinically it is defined by lower urinary tract symptoms. In recent years, there has been accumulating evidence linking prostatic inflammation with BPH. The inflammatory infiltrates observed in patients with BPH are composed primarily of chronically activated T-lymphocytes. Cytokines and growth factors released from inflammatory cells create a proinflammatory environment that may support the fibromuscular growth seen in BPH and may also be responsible for inducing a state of relative hypoxia as a result of the increased oxygen demand of the proliferating cells. A number of clinical studies have confirmed the presence of inflammatory infiltrate in men with BPH, and this infiltrate has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis, clinical appearance, and progression of this disorder. There is evidence emerging that systemic inflammation may also play a role in BPH, since in men with metabolic syndrome there was a significant correlation between prostate diameter/volume and the number of metabolic syndrome components. Conclusions: It is clear that a number of different mechanisms are involved in the development and progression of BPH. Prostatic inflammation is an important feature, since it appears to be involved in the pathogenesis, symptomatology, and progression of the disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports the cloning and sequencing of interleukin (IL)-23 p19 subunit for the first time within a non-mammalian species, the zebrafish (Danio rerio), which was discovered using a synteny approach. In addition, amino acid sequences were for IL-23 p19 subunits were also predicted from the stickleback, Fugu and Tetraodon genomes and included in this investigation. The zebrafish IL-23 p19 cDNA consisted of a 66bp 5′ UTR, a 249bp 3′ UTR and a single open reading frame of 567bp giving a predicted 188 aa IL-23 p19 molecule. Multiple alignment of zebrafish IL-23 p19, with other known IL-23 p19 and IL-12 p35 amino acid sequences revealed areas of amino acid conservation, such as the presence of four predicted α-helixes, cysteines important for disulphide bond formation and the conservation of a tryptophan known to interact with the receptor. Amino acid homologies and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the relationship of the fish IL-23 p19 subunits with their mammalian homologues. All the teleost fish IL-23 p19 subunits were found to have 4 exons and 3 introns similar to that of human and mouse IL-23 p19 and a limited degree of synteny was found between the organisms for the regions containing the IL-23 p19 genes with only PAB-dependent poly(A)-specific ribonuclease subunit 2 (PAN2) and IL-23 p19 found in the same order on human chromosome 12 and all the fish genomes looked at. Lastly using real-time PCR, constitutive expression of IL-12 p40 and IL-23 p19 was observed in the kidney, liver, gut and muscle with IL-12 p40 expression higher than IL-23 p19. As soon as an hour after stimulation with LPS, there was an increase of IL-23 p19 in zebrafish leukocytes and an increase of IL-1β, IL-12 p40 and IL-23 p19 expression was found after infection of zebrafish for 1 or 6 days with Mycobaterium marinum strain E11. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-VPAC1 and VPAC2 G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) systems are autocrine and paracrine regulators of diverse T cell functions. It has been recognized that VIP evokes two types of T cell responses. The first are rapid in onset and brief in duration, such as altered traffic in blood, lymphoid corridors, and tissues. The second are slow in onset and sustained in duration, such as enhanced helper T cell (Th) differentiation in the thymus and increased survival in lymphoid tissues with biases favoring the Th2-type effector and memory subsets. Investigations of some other sets of GPCRs for peptide and lipid mediators have demonstrated expression both in nuclear membranes and plasma membranes with respective linkages to responses that are slow in onset and sustained, and those that are rapid in onset and brief in duration. The hypothesis presented in this paper suggests that plasma membrane VPAC receptors transduce short-term effects of exogenous VIP on T cell effector functions, whereas nuclear VPAC receptors mediate endogenous VIP alterations in differentiation, proliferation, and survival. The types of substantial additional proof needed to support this hypothesis are described, as are its advantages for more selective VIP-directed therapies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper discusses some consequences of the discovery that antigen receptors are degenerate: Immune specificity, in contrast to the tenets of the clonal selection paradigm, must be generated by the immune response down-stream of initial antigen recognition; and specificity is a property of a collective of cells and not of single clones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective It has been suggested that the development of uterine leiomyomas is positively influenced by an immune system in a chronically inflammatory state and that a lower level of regulating T cell (Treg cells) would play a central role. Since it has been suggested that the W620 variant of protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22) decreases the number of Treg cells, we investigated a possible relationship between PTPN22 polymorphism and uterine leiomyomas. Study design We studied 203 white women from Rome who were hospitalized for symptomatic leiomyomas requiring surgical intervention. These women were considered in a previous paper regarding the relationship between ACP1 and dimension of leiomyomas. As controls we studied 355 healthy women from the same population with comparable age and without clinical evidence of leiomyomas. All women gave written informed consent to participate to the study. Chi square test of independence and T -test for difference between means were performed by SPSS package. Results Considering the whole sample, a borderline association between PTPN22 and leiomyomas was observed: the *C/*T genotype is more frequent in cases than in controls. This association is marked and statistically significant in younger women only. The main diameter of tumor is significantly greater in *C/*T than in *C/*C women. This effect is present in younger women only. The *C/*T genotype also shows a higher tendency to intramural localization, but no effect of age is observed upon this association. Conclusions The data suggest a positive effect of *C/*T genotype on susceptibility to leiomyomas in younger women. In these women a *C/*T genotype favors the growth of leiomyomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD8+ memory T cells are critical for immunity against intracellular pathogens. Epidemiological evidence demonstrates that bystander infection can impact immune responses to co-infection or vaccination. A recent paper in Immunity demonstrates that persistent bystander inflammation can negatively impact CD8+ T cell effector to memory transition and protection from subsequent infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]