We have previously shown that a higher burden of CD14+HLA-DR cells in the peripheral blood of cancer patients is associated with systemic immune suppression and a poor outcome. We have also reported that CD14+ cells isolated from healthy donors are converted to the immunosuppressive CD14+HLA-DR phenotype when cocultured with tumor cell lines or primary tumor cultures. Therefore, one potential m...

We have recently shown that more than 90% of long-term culture initiating cells (LTC-IC) mobilized in the peripheral blood (PB) of normal individuals express HLA-DR and CD38 antigens and can sustain hematopoiesis for only 5 weeks. However, 10% of LTC-IC in mobilized PB are CD34+ HLA-DR- and CD34+ CD38- and can sustain hematopoiesis for at least 8 weeks. We now examine the ex vivo expansion pote...

OBJECTIVE The identification of a vitamin D-responsive (VDRE) motif within the HLA-DRB1*15:01 promoter region provides an attractive explanation for the combined effects of HLA-DR inheritance and vitamin D exposure on multiple sclerosis (MS) risk. We therefore sought to incorporate HLA-DRB1 promoter variation, including the VDRE motif, in an assessment of HLA-DRB1-associated MS risk. METHODS ...

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II deficiency is an inherited autosomal recessive combined immunodeficiency. The disease is known as bare lymphocyte syndrome (BLS). BLS is characterized by a lack of constitutive MHC class II expression on macrophages and B cells as well as a lack of induced MHC class II expression on cells other than professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) due...

Background: A common Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class II allele, DQβ1*03:01, seems to be associated with Bullous pemphigoid (BP) in Caucasians whereas previous studies in other ethnic groups showed other HLA class II alleles as genetic predisposing factors for BP. Objective: To investigate the association of HLA class II alleles and haplotypes with BP in Iranian population. Methods: Fifty pa...

Expression of HLA-DR surface antigens by granulocyte/monocyte colony-forming cells (CFU-GM) may be important in the regulation of proliferation of these cells. Using immunological techniques to enrich for progenitor cells, we investigated the expression of HLA-DR in subsets of CFU-GM. "Early" (day 14) CFU-GM express higher levels of HLA-DR than do "late" (day 7) CFU-GM. Among late CFU-GM, cells...

The human Ia antigens are encoded within the HLA complex on chromosome six and are borne on molecules composed of two noncovalently associated glycoproteins o f 3 4 , 0 0 0 daltons (a chains) and ~28,000 daltons (/3 chains). Ia antigens are important in the effective collaboration between immunocompetent cells in the generation of immune responses; they have also been associated with putative i...

MOTIVATION Accurate identification of peptides binding to specific Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II (MHC-II) molecules is of great importance for elucidating the underlying mechanism of immune recognition, as well as for developing effective epitope-based vaccines and promising immunotherapies for many severe diseases. Due to extreme polymorphism of MHC-II alleles and the high cost of ...

PURPOSE Over the past two decades, there has been significant interest in targeting HER-2/neu in immune-based approaches for the treatment of HER-2/neu+ cancers. For example, peptide vaccination using a CD8 T cell-activating HER-2/neu epitope (amino acids 369-377) is an approach that is being considered in advanced phase clinical trials. Studies have suggested that the persistence of HER-2/neu-...

The human Ia antigens are encoded within the HLA complex on chromosome six and are borne on molecules composed of two noncovalently associated glycoproteins o f 3 4 , 0 0 0 daltons (a chains) and ~28,000 daltons (/3 chains). Ia antigens are important in the effective collaboration between immunocompetent cells in the generation of immune responses; they have also been associated with putative i...