The term innate immunity has been described as ‘. . . the surveillance system that detects the presence and nature of the infection and provides the first line of host defense . . .’ (Medzhitov, 2001; Nat Rev Immunol 1: 135–145). The strategy of innate immunity is based on the recognition of constitutive and conserved molecules from pathogens by specific receptors, triggering defence responses ...

Ficolins are innate immune components that bind to PAMPs and structures on apoptotic cells. Humans produce two serum forms (L- and H-ficolin) and a leukocyte-associated form (M-ficolin), whereas rodents and most other mammals produce ficolins-A and -B, orthologues of L- and M-ficolin, respectively. All three human ficolins, together with mouse and rat ficolin-A, associate with mannan-binding le...

Nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) are pattern-recognition receptors similar to toll-like receptors (TLRs). While TLRs are transmembrane receptors, NLRs are cytoplasmic receptors that play a crucial role in the innate immune response by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Based on the...

Perception of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) constitutes the first layer of plant innate immunity and is referred to as PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). For a long time, part of the plant community was sceptical about the importance of PAMP perception in plants. Genetic and biochemical studies have recently identified pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) involved in the perception...

Diblock copolymers consisting of a hydrophilic poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) block and either a cationic or anionic block were prepared from (3-(methacrylamido)propyl)trimethylammonium chloride (MAPTAC) or sodium 2-(acrylamido)-2methylpropanesulfonate (AMPS). Polymers were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization us...

Biliary innate immunity is involved in the pathogenesis of cholangiopathies in patients with various biliary diseases. Biliary epithelial cells possess an innate immune system consisting of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family and recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Recently, regulatory mechanisms by intracellular negative regulators including peroxisome proliferator-activa...

BACKGROUND An important layer of active defense in plant immunity is the detection of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) mediated by cell-surface receptors. For the establishment of disease, pathogens depend on the ability to overcome PAMP perception and disable plant signaling pathways activated in response to PAMPs. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are therefore prime targets ...

Light scattering and pH titration were used to examine the binding of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), poly(acrylamidomethylpropyl sulfonate) (PAMPS), poly(methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride) (PMAPTAC), and an AMPS-acrylamide random copolymer (PAMPS80AAm20). The critical protein charge required to induce protein-polyelectrolyte complexa...

In a classical dogma, pathogens are sensed (via recognition of Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs)) by innate immune cells that in turn activate adaptive immune cells. However, recent data showed that TLRs (Toll Like Receptors), the most characterized class of Pattern Recognition Receptors, are also expressed by adaptive immune B cells. B cells play an important role in protective im...

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are essential for patients with hematological disorders and bone marrow failure syndromes. Despite ABO matching, RBC transfusions can lead to production of alloantibodies against "minor" blood group antigens. Non-ABO alloimmunization is a leading cause of transfusion-associated mortality in the U.S. Despite its clinical importance, little is known about the imm...