Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) is traditionally viewed as a simple serine protease whose main function is to convert plasminogen into biologically active plasmin. As a protease, tPA plays a crucial role in regulating blood fibrinolysis, in maintaining the homeostasis of extracellular matrix and in modulating the post-translational activation of growth factors. However, emerging evidenc...

The adaptive arm of the immune system has been suggested as an important factor in brain function. However, given the fact that interactions of neurons or glial cells with T lymphocytes rarely occur within the healthy CNS parenchyma, the underlying mechanism is still a mystery. Here we found that at the interface between the brain and blood circulation, the epithelial layers of the choroid plex...

Amla (Phyllanthus emblica L.), apart from its food value, can be used as a gastroprotective agent in non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced gastropathy. It has been suggested that the antioxidative property of amla is the key to its therapeutic effect. Hence, on the basis of in vitro antioxidative potential, the ethanolic extract of amla (eAE) was selected for in vivo study in NSA...

Advances in free radical research show that reactive oxygen and nitrogen oxide species, for example superoxide, nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite, play an important role in the pathogenesis of different viral infections, including dengue virus. The pathogenic mechanism of dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is complicated and is not clearly understood. The hallmarks of the dengue disease, the ant...

The roles of cytokines in the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated disease are controversial. The patterns of innate cytokine production have been postulated to shift from TH1- to TH2-type cytokines with the progression of HIV-associated disease. Although there have been studies of cytokines in children and adults, no data are available on cytokine production in healthy ...

BACKGROUND The glycoprotein CD30 is expressed and released by T lymphocytes that secrete type 2 helper cytokines of (T(H)2). These molecules play a role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. Venom immunotherapy has proven to be very effective in hymenoptera venom allergy through a shift in cytokine production from T(H)2-type cytokines to T(H)1-type cytokines. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the rel...

Ab's to the alpha-chain of the IL-2 receptor (anti-CD25) are used clinically to achieve immunosuppression. Here we investigated the effects of DNA vaccination with the whole CD25 gene on the induction of rat adjuvant arthritis. The DNA vaccine protected the rats and led to a shift in the cytokine profile of T cells responding to disease target antigens from Th1 to Th2. The mechanism of protecti...

BACKGROUND The main control strategy for visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil has been based on the elimination of seropositive dogs, although this is not widely accepted. In this context, the use of a long-lasting protective vaccine against canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) has been highly expected. The aim of this work was to determine the timeline kinetics of the cytokine microenvironment deri...

introduction: in modern societies, shift work is an essential component of daily life. since the beginning of research in shift work, researchers have been engaged in the identification of factors predicting adjustment and adaptation to shift work. the concept of adaptation and tolerance refers mainly to the biological response in terms of circadian rhythms and performance efficiency as well as...

BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest that acute sleep deprivation disrupts cellular immune responses by shifting T helper (Th) cell activity towards a Th2 cytokine profile. Since little is known about more long-term effects, we investigated how five days of sleep restriction would affect pro-inflammatory, chemotactic, Th1- and Th2 cytokine secretion. METHODS Nine healthy males participated in an...