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Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are an integral part of the mammalian genome. The role of immune control of ERVs in general is poorly defined as is their role as anti-cancer immune targets or drivers of autoimmune disease. Here, we generated mouse-strains where Moloney-Murine Leukemia Virus tagged with GFP (ERV-GFP) infected the murine germline. This enabled us to analyze the role of genetic, epigenetic and cell intrinsic restriction factors in ERV activation and control. We identified an autoreactive B cell response against the neo-self/ERV antigen GFP as a key mechanism of ERV control. Hallmarks of this response are spontaneous ERV-GFP+ germinal center formation, elevated serum IFN-γ levels and a dependency on T-bet+ B cells. Impairment of IgM B cell receptor-signal in nucleic-acid sensing TLR-deficient mice contributes to defective ERV control. Although ERVs are a part of the genome they break immune tolerance, induce immune surveillance against ERV-derived self-antigens and shape the hosts immune response.

Purpose of reviewEpigenetic mechanisms are known to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and other allergic disorders, especially through mediating the effects of the environmental factors, well recognized allergy-risk modifiers. The

Epigenetic mechanisms are known to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and other allergic disorders, especially through mediating the effects of the environmental factors, well recognized allergy-risk modifiers. The aim of this work was to provide a concise but comprehensive review of the recent progress in the epigenetics of allergic diseases.Recent few years have substantially expanded our knowledge on the role of epigenetics in the pathogenesis and clinical picture of allergies. Specifically, it has been shown that epigenetic marks, especially DNA methylation, possess a diagnostic potential for atopic sensitization, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and food allergy. DNA methylation can be a predictor of clinical responses in controlled allergen challenges, including oral food challenges. Furthermore, direct or indirect targeting epigenetic mechanisms, this time especially histone modifications, was able to favorably affect expression of the genes underlying allergies and generally improve airway biology in allergic diseases or their animal models.Further studies are needed to explore the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of epigenetic modifications in allergies and to develop respective clinical tools.

Highly fluorinated liquid crystals with unprecedented polarity were obtained by introducing a tetrahydropyran moiety into their mesogenic core structure. The new materials exhibit an unusually favourable combination of mesophase properties, excellent solubility and low rotational viscosity, which renders them highly attractive for application in fast-switching active matrix LCDs.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)

A dramatic increase of the clearing temperatures of liquid crystals based on bis(cyclohexyl)ethane 1 by 50 to 70 K can be achieved by the perfluorination of the central ethylene link. Conformational analysis indicates that this effect is due to the increased rigidity of the mesogenic core structure and to the suppression of conformers with a bent shape. Materials based on bis(cylohexyl)tetrafluoroethane 2 might play a crucial role as materials for the next generation of active matrix LCDs with reduced power consumption.

A dramatic increase of the clearing temperatures of liquid crystals based on bis(cyclohexyl)ethane 1 by 50 to 70 K can be achieved by the perfluorination of the central ethylene link. Conformational analysis indicates that this effect is due to the increased rigidity of the mesogenic core structure and to the suppression of conformers with a bent shape. Materials based on bis(cylohexyl)tetrafluoroethane 2 might play a crucial role as materials for the next generation of active matrix LCDs with reduced power consumption.

The reductive dimerization of dithianylium ions, followed by oxidative fluorodesulfuration, opens a convenient access to a variety of 1,2-disubstituted tetrafluoroethylene derivatives. A similar method leads to hexafluorodiacetyl, a potential building block for fluorinated heterocycles.