Paolo Ruggiero^1,*, Silvio Flati², Vito Di Cioccio¹, Giovanni Maurizi², Giovanni Macchia¹, Alberto Facchin¹, Roberto Anacardio¹, Antonio Maras³, Marilena Lucarelli⁴, Diana Boraschi⁴

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.2, pp. 91-96, 2003

Abstract The human chemokine CCL2 gene was expressed in the yeast P.pastoris and gave rise to a mixture of differently glycosylated recombinant proteins. In comparison to non-glycosylated E.coli-derived CCL2, glycosylated yeast CCL2L was 4-20 times less active in a chemotactic assay in vitro. However, CCL2L could maintain full activity upon prolonged incubation at 37°C, whereas the non-glycosylated chemokine readily lost activity. It could be hypothesized that glycosylation is a mechanism used by the organism to modulate CCL2 stability. The partial loss of specific activity due to glycosylation is balanced by the advantage of prolonging the effectiveness of More >

Caroline Diveu, Anne-Hélène Lagrue Lak-Hal, Hugues Gascan

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 195-197, 2003

Abstract Auteur(s) : Caroline Diveu, Anne-Hélène Lagrue Lak-Hal and Hugues Gascan INSERM U564, CHU, 4, rue Larrey, 49033 Angers Cedex 01, France In May of this year, the annual cytokine meeting, organized by the French Society of Immunology, was held for the third time, in Le Croisic on the coast of Brittany. Current events involving cytokines, relationships between cytokines and tumors, cytokines in immune deficiency, IRFs and STATs in the signal transduction and cytokines in TH1/TH2 responses were [...] More >

Dariusz P. Olszyna^1,2, Annelies Verbon², John P. Pribble³, Terence Turner³, Tim Axtelle³, Sander J. H. van Deventer¹, Tom van der Poll^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 158-162, 2003

Abstract To determine the role of CD14 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced release of chemokines, 16 humans were injected with LPS (4 ng/kg) preceded (– 2 h) by intravenous IC14, an anti-human CD14 monoclonal antibody, or placebo. LPS elicited increases in interleukin (IL)-8 concentrations in plasma and in lysates of red blood cell (RBC), polymorphonuclear cell and mononuclear cell fractions, which were all reduced by IC14. LPS also induced rises in the plasma and RBC levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, which were diminished by IC14. Macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1a and MIP-1β, chemokines that in contrast to IL-8 More >

A. Veronica Araya¹, Violeta Pavez², Claudio Perez³, Fermin Gonzalez³, Alicia Colombo³, Adam Aguirre³, Irene Schiattino⁴, Juan C. Aguillón³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 128-133, 2003

Abstract Several studies have demonstrated that diabetes is a risk factor for developing periodontal disease, increasing its prevalence and severity. Furthermore, periodontitis may impair the metabolic control and adequate treatment of diabetic patients. LPS from Gram-negative bacteria penetrates the periodontal tissues and subsequently recruits and activates immune cells. Progression to severe periodontitis with loss of supporting structures is mediated by several factors, including secretion of a broad spectrum of inflammatory and destructive mediators such as cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6), chemokines (IL-8) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂).
The aim of this work is to investigate differences in the… More >

Saadou Issifou¹, Elie Mavoungou^1,2, Steffen Borrmann^1,2, Marielle K. Bouyou-Akotet¹, Pierre-Blaise Matsiegui^1,2, Peter G. Kremsner^1,2, Francine Ntoumi^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.4, pp. 238-241, 2003

Abstract To investigate if severe malarial anemia is associated with specific cytokine overproduction, we evaluated serum levels of soluble Fas ligand (sFasL), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) from three groups of young children with Plasmodium falciparum infection (asymptomatic cases, uncomplicated malaria cases and severe malarial anemia cases), in a hyperendemic area of Gabon. In uncomplicated cases, only TNF levels were significantly (p < 0.001) increased in comparison to asymptomatic cases with P. falciparum infection. High levels of sFasL, TNF-α and IL-10 were associated with low hemoglobin concentrations, sFasL levels were significantly higher in children with severe More >

Michael Heesen¹, Brunhilde Bloemeke², Dagmar Kunz³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.4, pp. 234-237, 2003

Abstract Previous studies have found that heterozygosity for the A896G mutation of the endotoxin receptor TLR4 confers susceptibility to Gram-negative infections and septic shock. To evaluate the underlying mecha-nisms, we studied the association of the TLR4 polymorphism with endotoxin-induced cytokine synthesis in human whole blood. Monocyte CD14 density and monocyte count were also determined. Healthy individuals were genotyped by means of a real-time polymerase chain reaction. Plasma concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 were measured by chemiluminescence. No significant differences in cytokine synthesis were observed between heterozygous individuals and homozygous carriers of the wild type allele. More >

Mahmoud Huleihel^1,4, Amash Alaa^1,3, Sapir Olga^2,3, Maor E⁵, Sharon Levy^1,3, Miriam Katz^2,3, Lesly Myatt⁶, Holcberg Gershon^2,3

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.4, pp. 229-233, 2003

Abstract IL-10 is anti-inflammatory cytokine that is involved in the regulation of the pregnancy process. We examined the capacity of fetal and maternal placental tissues from human term placentas, to produce IL-10, in the presence and absence of LPS. The levels of IL-10 were examined (by ELISA and immunohistochemical staining) in the fetal and maternal tissues of human placentas after 10 hours of perfusion, in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 µg/k”g perfused tissue). We could detect IL-10 in amnion (A; 13.91 ± 11.35 pg/ml) and chorion (CH; 7.85 ± 6.38 pg/ml) tissue homogenates,… More >

Hamida Hammad¹, Hermelijn H. Smits², Céline Ratajczak¹, Asokananthan Nithiananthan³, Eddy A. Wierenga², Geoffrey A. Stewart³, Alain Jacquet⁴, André-Bernard Tonnel¹, Joël Pestel¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.4, pp. 219-228, 2003

Abstract Dendritic cells (DC) are potent antigen-presenting cells that can orientate the immune response towards a Th1 or a Th2 type. DC produce chemokines that are involved in the recruitment of either Th1 cells, such as IP10 (CXCL10), Th2 cells such as TARC (CCL17) and MDC (CCL22), or non-polarized T cells such as RANTES (CCL5) and MIP-1α (CCL3). We investigated whether monocyte-derived DC (MD-DC) generated from healthy donors or from patients sensitive to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dpt) and exposed to the cysteine-protease Der p 1 (allergen of Dpt), could upregulate the expression of chemokines involved in type… More >

Bernhard Moser

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.4, pp. 204-210, 2003

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >

Daniel J. Caruso, Murali K. Ankem, John Riordan, Joseph G. Barone

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.10, No.3, pp. 1910-1911, 2003

Abstract Prune Belly Syndrome developed urinary ascites secondary to forniceal rupture. Treatment consisted of bilateral cutaneous pyelostomies. Even though most children with Prune Belly Syndrome respond to lower urinary tract drainage, a cutaneous pyelostomy may be necessary when the ureters are tortuous and do not drain adequately following bladder decompression. More >