Activation and deactivation of macrophages are of considerable importance during the development of various disease states, atherosclerosis among others. Macrophage activation is achieved by oxidized lipoproteins (oxLDL) and is determined by oxygen radical (ROS) formation. The oxidative burst was measured by flow cytometry and quantitated by oxidation of the redox-sensitive dye dichlorodihydrof...

BACKGROUND The effect of intracellular pH (pHi) on neutrophils has not been clearly defined. METHODS We used pre-dialysis neutrophils from three groups of haemodialysis (HD) patients having different levels of pre-dialysis plasma bicarbonate concentrations (PHCO3) and pH values (pre-dialysis PHCO3 of groups A, B and C were consistentlyor=26 mmol/l [mEq/l], respectively) and ...

The complement system plays an important role in the initial defense against Neisseria meningitidis. In contrast, uncontrolled activation in meningococcal sepsis contributes to the development of tissue damage and shock. In a novel human whole blood model of meningococcal sepsis, we studied the effect of complement inhibition on inflammation and bacterial killing. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) b...

Teucrium polium, a medicinal plant that belongs to the family Labiatae is widely used in folk medicine as antidiabetic, antibactrial and anti-inflammatory agent. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Teucrium polium on the mouse polymorphonuclear neutrophils. The animals were divided into five groups including four test and one control group, which orally received 50 and 100 mg/kg of aqueou...

PURPOSE To investigate the effects of weight reduction as the result of exercise training and energy restriction on neutrophil function. METHODS Eighteen male competitive college judoists participated in the study. In a whole blood assay, oxidative burst activity, phagocytic activity, expressions of Fc gamma receptor 3 (CD16), and complement receptor 3 (CD11b) of neutrophils were measured on ...

β-Glucans possess broad immunomodulatory properties, including activation of innate immune functions such as oxidative burst activity. The differential roles of complement receptor type 3 (CR3) and Dectin-1, the known β-glucan receptors, and their associated signaling pathways in the generation of oxidative burst induced by different physical forms of Saccharomyces cerevisiae-derived β-glucan w...

Trillium govanianum rhizome is used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory remedy in traditional medicine in northern Pakistan. In an attempt to establish its medicinal value, the present research evaluated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential of T. govanianum. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of extract and fractions was investigated in the carrageenan induced paw edema assay. Th...

Manganese plays a central role in cellular detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, manganese acquisition is considered to be important for bacterial pathogenesis by counteracting the oxidative burst of phagocytic cells during host infection. However, detailed analysis of the interplay between bacterial manganese acquisition and phagocytic cells and its impact on bacterial pa...

Monocytes and macrophages may either promote or down-regulate inflammatory reactions depending on their state of activation. The effects of glucocorticoids (GCs), the most widely used immunosuppressive drugs, on monocytes are currently not well defined. By analyzing the GC-induced expression pattern in human monocytes by microarray technology, we identified for the first time GC-dependent regul...