Immune mechanism of biliary epithelial cell injury in the small intrahepatic bile ducts in primary biliary cholangitis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune liver disease caused by the combined effect of genetic and environmental factors and characterized by the apoptotic necrosis of biliary epithelial cells (BEC) in the small intrahepatic bile ducts. This article describes the effect of B cells, macrophages, natural killer cells, NKT, and T cells on the immune injury of BEC during PBC, so as to provide some guidance for the targeted immune therapy for PBC.

Effect of high fluxes of hemodialysis combined with Niaoduqing granuleson on cell-mediated immunity in old patients / 实用医学杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of high fluxes of hemodialysis combined with Niaoduqing granuleson in the cell-mediated immunity of elderly hemodialysis patients. Methods Fourty cases of elderly main-tenance hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal disease were randomly divided into control group and treatment group,low flux dialysis was used in both groups before the experiment,in the experiment control group adopts high flux hemodialysis,the treatment group in the control group on the basis of daily oral Niaoduqing granules 5 g, 3 times/d,observation for 3 months,compare the serum IL-2,IL-10,CD3+,CD4+,CD8+,CD4+/CD8+change of the two groups in 3 months.Results After 3 months high flux dialysis treatment,the level of IL-2 was significant-ly increased before the treatment of low flux dialysis,and the level of IL-10 was significantly reduced.The levels of IL-2 and IL-10 were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group after 3 months(P <0.01);The CD3+,CD4+and CD4+/CD8+levels of the two groups of high flux dialysis were significantly higher than that in the previous three months(P<0.05).The levels of IL-2,IL-10,CD3+,CD4+,CD4+/CD8+were significantly higher in the treatment group after 3 months than the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion High fluxes of hemo-dialysis can improve the immune function of elderly hemodialysis patients,while combined with Niaoduqing gran-ules is more obvious.

Revisiting the Efficacy of Immunomodulatory Effect of Hydroxychloroquine in Oral Lichen Planus: A Case Series

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common inflammatory, autoimmune disorder that affects stratified squamous epithelium. The exact etiopathogenesis of this mucocutaneous disease is still uncertain. Although OLP has been associated with altered Quality of Life and considerable morbidity, with important note for erosive type of OLP, its treatment is often disappointing and controversial. Though corticosteroids remained the first line of treatment for OLP, the associated adverse effects of corticosteroids are not acceptable. Hence, there is a need of drugs with steroid sparing effect. Use of immunomodulators is systemic pathologies is widely encountered. However, their use in oral lesions is not frequently seen. Use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), an age-old disease-modifyinganti-rheumatic-drug, has been widely used in various autoimmune diseases; however, it received little attention in treatment of OLP. This article presents a case series of three patients with erosive OLP which were managed with HCQ. The results presented allow the authors to consider systemic HCQ as a newer therapy for atrophicerosive lichen planus.

Comparison of the Commercial QuantiFERON-CMV and Overlapping Peptide-based ELISPOT Assays for Predicting CMV Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most important opportunistic infections in transplant recipients. Tests for CMV-specific T cell responses have been proposed to change the current risk stratification strategy using CMV assays. We evaluated the usefulness of pre-transplant CMV-specific T cell assays in kidney transplant (KT) candidates for predicting the development of CMV infection after transplantation comparing the results of the overlapping peptides (OLPs)-based enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay and the commercial QuantiFERON-CMV assay. We prospectively enrolled all cases of KT over a 5-month period, except donor CMV-seropositive and recipient seronegative transplants that are at highest risk of CMV infection. All the patients underwent QuantiFERON-CMV, CMV OLPs-based pp65, and immediate-early 1 (IE-1)-specific ELISPOT assays before transplantation. The primary outcome was the incidence of CMV infection at 6 months after transplant. The total of 47 KT recipients consisted of 45 living-donor KTs and 2 deceased-donor KTs. There was no association between positive QuantiFERON-CMV results and CMV infection. However, 10 of 34 patients with phosphoprotein 65 (pp65)- or IE-1-specific ELISPOT results higher than cut-off value developed CMV infections compared with none of 13 patients with results lower than cut-off value developed CMV. The OLPs-based ELISPOT assays are more useful than the QuantiFERON-CMV assay for predicting CMV infection. Patients with higher CMV-specific T cell immunity at baseline appear to be more likely to develop CMV infections after KT, suggesting that the abrupt decline in CMV-specific T cell responses after immunosuppression, or high CMV-specific T cell responses due to frequent CMV activation before KT, may promote CMV infection.

Comparison of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in three different C57BL/6N mouse substrains / 한국실험동물학회지

Adaptive immunity is a type of immune response mediated by T and B cells, and is important response for immune response amplification and memory. In this study, the adaptive immunologic properties of C57BL/6NKorl substrain were compared with those of two other C57BL/6N substrains. There were no significant differences between the C57BL/6NKorl and the two other C57BL/6N substrains in the histological structures of the thymus and spleen, which are immunologic organs containing T cell and B cells. In addition, flow cytometric analysis did not reveal any significant differences in the distribution of T and B cell populations of the three substrains. To evaluate cell-mediated immunity of T cells in the three different substrains, we treated isolated T cells from spleen with Con A. The T cells of C57BL/6NKorl showed Con A-dependent proliferation of T cells at lower cell number than those in T cells from the other two C57BL/6N substrains. B cell-mediated humoral immune responses were not significant different among the three substrains. Thus, the results of this study provide evidence that C57BL/6NKorl mice are similar to those two other C57BL/6N substrains in humoral immunity, but C57BL/6NKorl has stronger response in cell mediated immunity.

Immunological Prediction of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Replication Risk in Solid Organ Transplantation Recipients: Approaches for Regulating the Targeted Anti-CMV Prevention Strategies

The current cytomegalovirus (CMV) prevention strategies in solid organ transplantation (SOT) recipients have contributed towards overcoming the detrimental effects caused by CMV lytic infection, and improving the long-term success rate of graft survival. Although the quantification of CMV in peripheral blood is the standard method, and an excellent end-point for diagnosing CMV replication and modulating the anti-CMV prevention strategies in SOT recipients, a novel biomarker mimicking the CMV control mechanism is required. CMV-specific immune monitoring can be employed as a basic tool predicting CMV infection or disease after SOT, since uncontrolled CMV replication mostly originates from the impairment of immune responses against CMV under immunosuppressive conditions in SOT recipients. Several studies conducted during the past few decades have indicated the possibility of measuring the CMV-specific cell-mediated immune response in clinical situations. Among several analytical assays, the most advancing standardized tool is the QuantiFERON®-CMV assay. The T-Track® CMV kit that uses the standardized enzyme-linked immunospot assay is also widely employed. In addition to these assays, immunophenotyping and intracellular cytokine analysis using flow cytometry (with fluorescence-labeled monoclonal antibodies or peptide-major histocompatibility complex multimers) needs to be adequately standardized and validated for potential clinical applications.

Local antimicrobial, protease and cytokine defense systems in psoriatic skin.

Background: Psoriasis vulgaris is an infl ammatory skin condition characterized by dramatic biochemical and immunological changes. Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate antimicrobial response, tissue degeneration reactions and distribution of infl ammatory cytokines in untreated psoriatic skin as well as the correlations between these factors and infl uence on the course of the disease. Methods: We evaluated skin samples obtained from routine punch biopsies in 40 patients with psoriasis vulgaris. All tissue specimens were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry for human beta defensin 2 (HBD-2), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-8. The staining intensity was semi-quantitatively graded. Results: Numerous keratinocytes, fibroblasts and macrophages expressed HBD-2 while the number of MMP-2-positive macrophages, fi broblasts and epitheliocytes varied. TNF-alpha-positive cells varied from a few to numerous in each microscopic fi eld. IL-6-positive cells varied from a few to abundant and IL-8-positive cells from numerous to abundant in each fi eld. Limitations: This study had a rather small patient number. Conclusions: Psoriatic skin shows a strong correlative increase in skin antimicrobial proteins and enzymes mediating tissue degeneration suggesting that the skin maintains compensatory mechanisms during persistent remodeling. While individual notable decrease in antimicrobial proteins was observed in some tissue samples, generally the increased human beta defensin associated with psoriasis is likely to be due to an altered immune status. TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 are common cytokines expressed in psoriatic skin plaques to maintain the infl ammatory cycle. HBD-2, MMP-2 and TNF-alpha positively correlate with the severity of psoriasis. Meanwhile, the expression of IL-8 signifi cantly decreases with clinically more severe psoriasis, perhaps making these factors candidate prognostic factors for psoriatic inflammation.

Efficacy of Shenqi Fuzheng Injection combined with chemotherapy in treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and its effect on body's immune function / 中草药

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI) combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the effect on body's immune function, and to explore the function and mechanism of adjuvant chemotherapy with SFI. Methods: One hundred and twelve patients were divided into two groups: the treatment group (n = 54) treated with DA protocol plus SFI and the control group (n = 58) treated with DA protocol alone. We observed the remission rate, mortality, the time of myelosuppression, the changes of T lymphocyte subsets; and the side-effects of chemotherapy for the patients in the two groups. Results: Comparing the remission rate and mortality rate of the patients between the two groups, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). The side-effects of the patients in the treatment group were more significantly reduced than those of the patients in the control group (P +/CD4+ cells, and higher cell rates of CD4+/CD8+ (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The SFI could shorten the time of myelosuppression induced by the chemotherapy in the treatment of AML, regulate the level of T lymphocyte subsets, enhance the active immune function of body, and reduce the relative side-effects of chemotherapy.

Evaluation of Immunomodulatory activity of the flavanoid from Kigelia africana.

Modulation of the immune responses to alleviate the diseases has been of interest for many years. Thus a real need exists to protect our immune systems and lead healthier lives. Hence the present study is aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of Flavanoid of Kigelia africana. The effect of flavanoid of Kigelia africana on the immune system of rats and mice was evaluated by using different experimental models such asmice lethality test, Serum immunoglobulin level, Haemagglutination reaction, hypersensitivity reaction, and delayed type hypersensitivity reaction test. Flavanoid of Kigelia africana was administered orally at low dose and high dose of 100mg/kg/day, poand 200 mg/kg/day, po respectively and Levamisole (2.5 mg/kg/day, po) was used as standard drug. Flavanoid of Kigelia africanain both doses increased the levels of serum immunoglobulin and prevented the mortality induced by bovine Pasteurella multocida in mice. Exhibits a dose related increase in the early hypersensitivity reaction and Delayed type hypersensitivity reaction to the SRBC antigen. It also resulted in a significant increase in the antibody titer value, to SRBC, in experimental animals. Hence, it was concluded that flavanoid of Kigelia africana increases both humoral immunity and cell mediated immunity.

Immune Responses and Vaccine Development for Cytomegalovirus Infections.

Aims: (1) To review the published literature on immune biology of host- Cytomegavovirus (CMV) interactions and to discuss the host immune responses against viral infection, providing insights into the complex interplay between the host and the virus that facilitates viral persistence. (2) To report on the status of CMV vaccines that are currently in preclinical and clinical development, outlining important questions about the nature of protective immune responses that will be required of potential CMV immunization strategies. Methodology: A Pub Med search of original articles and reviews in English language only between the years 1974-2013 was conducted using “CMV infection”, “CMV vaccines”, “CMV immune responses” and “CMV clinical trials” as keywords. Inclusion criteria were a description of the CMV disease in immune compromised patients and in individuals affected by the virus through congenital transmission, clinical observations in the course of CMV infection, the overview of the host immune responses and CMV factors in the outcome of CMV infection, the current status of therapeutic strategies and vaccine development. Results: CMV is found throughout the world in all geographic and socioeconomic groups, but, in general, it is more widespread in developing countries and in areas of lower socioeconomic conditions. CMV still remains a major human pathogen causing significant morbidity and mortality in immune suppressed or immune compromised individuals. Between 50% and 80% of adults in the United States are infected with CMV by 40 years of age. CMV is the most common congenitally transmitted virus, resulting in approximately 1 in 150 children born with congenital CMV infection, and in about 1 in 750 children developing permanent disabilities due to CMV. Thus, development of vaccines against CMV infections has been a major biomedical research priority. Conclusion: There is a need for an effective CMV vaccine that will protect immune compromised transplant patients as well as newborns, although the key requirements for protection of these two populations (and the optimal vaccine strategy to provide this protection) may differ. To date, only the Towne vaccine – a live, attenuated CMV vaccine – has undergone efficacy evaluation. Application of molecular biological techniques, coupled with an improved understanding of the CMV genome, should allow design of safer, more immunogenic, live, attenuated vaccines.

Application of immune cell functional assay in monitoring immune status in renal transplant recipients / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective To evaluate the value of immune cell functional assay (ImmuKnow CD4+ T cell ATP assay) in monitoring immune status in renal recipients.Methods A total of 131 adult renal transplant recipients who received transplantation for the first time were under investigation.According to the dynamic monitoring ATP concentration before operation,2 week,1,3,6 months after operation and during infect or rejection,samples were divided into the following groups:health control group (HC),pretransplant (Pre-Tx) group,stable (Tx) group,infect group,acute rejection (AR) group,acute kidney injury (AKI) group.Immune cell functions were detected by ImmuKnow CD4+ T cell ATP assay.Lymphocyte subsets (CD4+/CD8+) were analysed and serum concentrations of FK506 were tested.Mixed lymphocyte reaction(MLR) was analysed.Results The ATP concentration was no significant difference between Pre-Tx and HC group.The ATP concentration of 2 weeks,1 months after operation were significantly higher than Pre-Tx group (P ＜ 0.01).After 3 months,6 months follow-up,the ATP concentration stabilized with time.The ATP concentration of AR group was significantly higher than other three groups (Tx,infect and AKI group,all P ＜ 0.05).The correlation coefficient between the ATP concentration and MLR,CD4+/CD8+,FK506 level were R2=0.0072,R2=10-6,R2=0.004 respectively (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The cell-mediated immunity of recipients is relatively strongger during the first month after transplantation.The ATP concentration is not related to the levels of MLR,CD4+/CD8+,FK506.ImmuKnow ATP assay is a valuable predictor in acute rejection diagnosis.

Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Adenosine Deaminase Activity in Leprosy.

Serum Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) acts as marker of cellular immunity and its activity is found to be altered in various diseases in which there is a cell mediated immune response (CMI) including leprosy. The role of zinc is well established in the development and maintainence of immunocompetence and its supplementation activates the immune response in particular Tlymphocytes and monocytes in several ways. The aim of the study was planned to evaluate the effect of nutritional zinc supplementation on cell mediated immune response by investigating the pre and post intervention serum ADA levels after oral zinc sulphate supplementation in leprosy patients. A total of 49 cases, 30 Tuberculoid Leprosy (TT) and 19 Lepromatous Leprosy (LL) patients, within the age group of 25-60 years were enrolled in the study along with 30 age matched healthy controls. Serum ADA was estimated in all the subjects before and after (2 months and 4 months) oral zinc supplementation. Pre intervention serum ADA level was observed to be significantly increased in both the TT and LL (p<0.001) groups as compared to controls, revealing raised immunological activity in the patients. After oral zinc sulphate supplementation serum ADA re-evaluation was done in 38 cases. A highly significant (p < 0.001 ) rise in ADA level was registered in the post intervention period (4 months supplementation) in TT cases with a moderately significant (p< 0.05) increase in LL cases, indicating the ability of oral zinc therapy to affectively alter the cell mediated immune response in leprosy.

Evasión molecular de la activación del macrófago bovino por Mycobacterium avium subespecie paratuberculosis / Molecular evasion of bovine macrophage activation by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis

El Mycobacterium avium subespecie paratuberculosis (MAP) es el agente causal de una enfermedad granulomatosica crónica, que afecta el tracto gastrointestinal de rumiantes domesticos y salvajes, conocida como la enfermedad de Johne o paratuberculosis. MAP es un microorganismo de crecimiento lento en cultivo, no obstante sobrevive in vivo en células fagocíticas mononucleares de los rumiantes, bajo condiciones de susceptibilidad individual, virulencia de la cepa infectante y estado inmune del individuo afectado. Una vez MAP es fagocitado por el macrófago bovino, tanto el macrófago como MAP activan: el uno para tratar de destruir a MAP y luego sufrir apoptosis y el otro para evadir su destrucción dentro del fagolisosoma del macrófago. El balance de dicha confrontación molecular determina el curso inicial de la infección hacia la eliminación eficiente del microorganismo o hacia el establecimiento de la infección, que culminará en los estadios III (clínico intermitente) y IV (clínica terminal) de la enfermedad de Johne. En la presente revisión se discuten los diferentes mecanismos moleculares por los cuales MAP evade la respuesta inmune, con énfasis en su comportamiento dentro de la vacuola fagocítica y como el agente establece mecanismos de sobrevivencia intracelular y altera la activación de los macrófagos del hospedero y de la respuesta inmune específica.

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causing agent of a chronic granulomatous disease affecting intestinal tract of domestic and wild ruminants known as Johne's disease or paratuberculosis. MAP behaves as low growing mycobacteria in vitro. However, it can survive into the phagocytic vacuole of macrophages of a susceptible in vivo host. The infective capability of MAP depends on host susceptibility and they immune status at the time of infection and strain virulence of the mycobacteria. Once MAP is phagocytized by the bovine macrophage, specific profiles of gene transcription are produced into the bacteria, as well as within the macrophage genomes: MAP expresses genes related to survival into the phagolysosome that avoids its intracellular destruction and controls apoptosis of the infected macrophage, whereas macrophage expresses genes related to microbial processing and destruction within the phagocytic vacuole. The molecular events elicited by this encounter could drive the immune response of the host towards an efficient control of mycobacterial infection or towards the progression of the infection until establishment of Stages III (clinical intermittent) and IV (clinical terminal) of the disease. In this review we provide the reader with the basic concepts on the molecular mechanisms by which MAP can evade the host immune response, particularly on those processes related to its survival into the phagocytic vacuole that results in bacterial dissemination into the lymphoid system of a susceptible host.

Evaluation of antigenicity and cell mediated immunity of Hepatitis E virus patients: Using non radioactive MTT assay.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important cause of hepatitis in developing nations. Disease spans from asymptomatic infection to acute viral hepatitis (AVH) and acute liver failure (ALF). Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) is less studied. Studies document CMI in HEV patients using [ 3 H]-thymidine incorporation (radioactive in nature). The aim of this study was to evaluate the antigenicity of recombinant HEV ORF 2 peptide (452-617 a.a) (pORF2) by non-radioactive MTT assay and detecting the proliferation indices of primary PBMC culture. A total of 27 laboratory confirmed HEV patients (16 AVH and 11 ALF) and 20 apparently healthy individuals (HC) were included. PBMCs were isolated, plated and stimulated with pORF2. After an incubation of 4 days, cells were looked for blastogenic transformation and subjected to MTT assay. PI of AVH, ALF and healthy controls were found to be 3.249 ± 0.219, 1.748 ± 0.076 and 0.226 ± 0.017, respectively. PI of AVH Vs HC, ALF Vs HC and AVH Vs ALF were found to be significantly higher ( P < 0.0001). This study demonstrates MTT to be an adaptable technique to evaluate CMI in HEV patients. Recombinant pORF2 was found to be antigenic in nature and PBMCs from AVH patients were immunologically more reactive than ALF patients.

Expression of interleukin-17 and interleukin-22 in supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cell and tear in dry eye patient / 中华实验眼科杂志

Background T helper cell 17 (Th17),a newly discovered subset of CD4+ T cells,have been found to play an important role in dry eye disease in animal model.Further investigation should be done on the immunopathogenesis of Th17 cells in dry eye patients.Objective This study was to analyze the expression status of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and IL-22 in tear and supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of dry eye patients and their correlation with clinical symptom and sign.Methods Twenty Sj(o)gren syndrome (SS)patients,twenty non-Sj(o)gren syndrome (NSS) patients were included in Wuxi Second Hospital from 2010 to 2011,and twenty healthy volunteers were recruited at the same period.All of subjects understood the purpose and procedure of research and written informed consent was obtained form each subject initial of this study.Dry eye symptom questionnairs were self-answered and multiple dry eye disease-related clinical tests,including the breakup time of tear film (BUT),Schirmer Ⅰ test (S Ⅰ t) and corneal fluorescein staining were performed.The periphery blood of 3 ml and tear were collected in all the subjects,and IL-17 and IL-22 levels in supernatant of PBMCs and tear were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The correlations between levels of IL-17 and IL-22 with BUT,S Ⅰ t,corneal fluorescein staining and dry eye scores were analyzed.Results The dry eye scores reduced,BUT prolonged,S Ⅰ t increased and corneal fluorescein dye decreased from SS group,NSS group to normal control group,with significant differences among the three groups (dry eye scores:H =40.81,P＜0.01 ; BUT:H =40.15,P＜0.01 ;S Ⅰ t..H=50.07,P＜0.01 ;corneal dye scores:H=40.52,P＜0.01).The concentration of IL-17 in the supernatant of PBMCs in the SS patients,NSS patients and normal controls were (964.92±124.83)ng/L,(718.85± 115.89)ng/L and (341.95±85.08) ng/L,showing a statistically significant difference among them (F=162.95,P＜0.01).The levels of IL-17 in the tear were (440.69±126.09) ng/L,(364.33±126.85) ng/L and (61.16±11.60) ng/L in the SS group,NSS group and normal control group respectively,exhibiting an elevated level in the SS group and NSS group compared with the control group (F=75.27,P＜0.01).In addition,the levels of IL-22 in the supernatant of PBMCs in the SS patients,NSS patients and normal controls were (98.77± 11.27) ng/L,(79.65 ± 11.01) ng/L and (32.78±9.34) ng/L,and those in the tear were (22.22 ± 8.96) ng/L,(14.92 ±4.35) ng/L and (10.47 ± 2.67) ng/L,with significant differences among the three groups (F =206.27,P＜0.01 ;F =19.87,P＜0.01).The significant correlations were found between the IL-17 and IL-22 concentration in the supernatant of PBMCs and tear with corneal fluorescein staining scores and S Ⅰ t.Conclusions The contents of IL-17 and IL-22 in PBMCs and tear upregulate in the SS and NSS patients,indicating that Th17 plays a key role in the immunity mechanism of dry eye.

Disseminated Herpes Zoster in an Immunocompetent Elderly Patient

Herpes zoster is a cutaneous infection that is characterized by an acute vesicobullous rash with ipsilateral one or two dermatomal distribution and painful allodynia, while predominantly being found in the elderly. Extensive cutaneous dissemination has been reported in immune-compromised patients, such as those who suffer from HIV infections, cancer, chemotherapy, and corticosteroid therapy patients. However, we report a case of disseminated herpes zoster infection in an immuno-competent elderly individual.

Immunohistochemical Observation of Plasma Cell Granuloma in Intraoral Chronic Inflammatory Lesions

Modulation of Immune Parameters by Aging Process

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aging process on the immunity in human subjects. In this investigation, nineteen families of three generations (daughters on college age, their mothers, and grandmothers) participated to avoid genetic variation among individuals. Dietary food records, anthropometric measurements and biochemical assessments of serum nutrients were used to evaluate the nutritional status of subjects. The immune parameters of subjects were assessed by the total and differential WBC count. Total B and T lymphocytes, and T cell subsets were quantified by flowcytometer. Serum immunoglobulin G, A, M concentrations were also measured as an index of humoral immunity. The result of this study can be summarized as follows: 1. Along with the aging process, body fat was found to be increased whereas lean body mass and total body water were diminished. Since there were no significant difference in serum vitamin E levels in all age groups, serum retinal concentrations tended to decrease as one gets old. 2. Although total number of T lymphocytes seemed to be unchanged, B lymphocytes and NK cell numbers were increased by aging. The Percentage of CD8 + lymphocytes was lower in the elderly subjects compared with the younger, resulting in higher ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + lymphocytes in the elderly. Serum Ig G and Ig A levels remained unchanged, but IgM levels were significantly decreased as the age processes continue. Taking all together, it could be suggested that the alteration of immune cell population by aging is selective and possibly non-age factors such as nutrition may be attributable to the change of immunity in the elderly. The nutritional status and aging process may selectively affect both the cell-mediated (CD8 +, CD4 +: CD8 + ratio, NK cell) and humoral (B lymphocyte, Immunoglobulin M, G) immune parameters in human subjects.

EB virus infection and the immune response / 国际儿科学杂志

Epstein-Barr virus infects widely, and has a powerful ability to transfrom into a number of malignant diseases. The infection is mostly latent, without any obvious clinical symptoms. At present, more and more researches have found that cell-mediated immunity,especially T lymphocyte response plays an important role in the control of Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Immune responses to human papilloma viruses.

HPV infection in the genital tract is common in young sexually active individuals, the majority of whom clear the infection without overt clinical disease. However most of those who develop benign lesions eventually mount an effective cell mediated immune response and the lesions regress. Regression of ano-genital warts is accompanied histologically by a CD4+ T cell dominated Th1 response; animal models support this and provide evidence that the response is modulated by CD4+ T cell dependent mechanisms. Failure to develop effective CMI to clear or control infection results in persistent infection and, in the case of the oncogenic HPVs, an increased probability of progression to CIN3 and invasive carcinoma. The central importance of the CD4+ T cell population in the control of HPV infection is shown by the increased prevalence of HPV infections and HGSIL in individuals immunosuppressed as a consequence of HIV infection. The prolonged duration of infection associated with HPV seems to be associated with effective evasion of innate immunity as reflected in the absence of inflammation during virus replication, assembly and release, and down regulation of interferon secretion and response thus delaying the activation of adaptive immunity. Serum neutralising antibody to the major capsid protein L1 usually develops after the induction of successful cell mediated immunity and these antibody and cell mediated responses are protective against subsequent viral challenge in natural infections in animals. Prophylactic vaccines consisting of HPV L1 VLPs generate high anti L1 serum neutralizing antibody concentrations and in clinical trials have shown greater than 95 per cent efficacy against both benign and neoplastic genital HPV associated disease. These vaccines are delivered intramuscularly and therefore circumvent the immune evasion strategies of the virus.