2Fertility Clinic, Vilnius, Lithuania Human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) is a non-classical HLA class I molecule which can be expressed in the membrane-bound or soluble form and is well known for its tolerogenic properties. Increasing interest is now being addressed to the soluble forms, because they might have prognostic properties in the implantation and pregnancy process. The aim of our study...

Measles virus infection can result in a variety of immunologic defects. We have begun studies to determine the basis for the lack of immune responsiveness to antigen and mitogen following infection. Here we present data showing that Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B-cell lines infected with measles virus produce a soluble factor that can inhibit antigen-specific T-cell proliferation and inhibit ...

MHC class I-restricted T lymphocyte responses are usually directed to cellular antigenic components resulting from endogenous gene expression. Exogenous, non-replicating antigens, such as soluble proteins, usually fail to enter the class I pathway of antigen processing and presentation. Consistent with this notion, we have recently shown that soluble, exogenous proteins can be efficiently proce...

Delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction measured by skin testing, is an important tool for evaluation of cellular immune response in leishmaniasis and has been used recently as an indication of exposure to infection. Skin testing in leishmania infection needs a standard reagent with high specificity, sen‌sitivity, and potency. In the present work, a soluble leishmanin, and three whole parasite p...

INTRODUCTION Soluble major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related antigen A (soluble MICA) has recently been considered as an inhibitory molecule which is shed from tumors and protects them against natural killers and some subgroups of T cells' cytolysis. In transplantation, soluble MICA is also a foreign antigenic molecule that can induce allospecific responses. This study aimed to c...

Immune responses to cellular antigens placed in the anterior chamber of the eye are deviant: antibodies and cytotoxic T cells are generated, but delayed hypersensitivity is impaired. To determine whether a similar pattern of unusual reactivity would be induced by soluble antigens placed in this privileged site, we have examined the systemic immune responses of mice to anterior chamber injection...

PURPOSE To examine conditions that determine the nature of the blood-borne, ACAID-inducing signal produced after intracameral injection of antigen. METHODS Balb/c mice were splenectomized, rested, and injected in the anterior chamber with various antigens. Two days later the animals were bled, the plasma and white cells were isolated, and these fractions were transferred to naive mice (with s...

1. Active immunity against many lethal doses of Pneumococcus Types I, II, and III may be produced in mice by two or three subcutaneous injections of the homologous type of pneumococcus saline vaccine. 2. Mice may be actively immunized with the protein fraction obtained by treating pneumococci with anhydrous sodium sulfate or by solution of pneumococci in bile salts and precipitation with alcoho...