Background: Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly-IC) has been used as a viral stimulus to mimic in vivo and in vitro infection induced by some viruses. Objective: To determine whether non-viable Lactobacillus casei CRL431 (LcM) can modulate the immune response induced by Poly I:C in co-culture models of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and A549 cells. Methods: T and NK cell activati...

Respiratory RNA viruses are constantly evolving, thus requiring development of additional prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. Harnessing the innate immune system to non-specifically respond to viral infection has the advantage of being able to circumvent viral mutations that render the virus resistant to a particular therapeutic agent. Viruses are recognized by various cellular receptors, ...

A heparin-modified thermoresponsive surface bound with heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) was designed to allow creation of transferrable and functional hepatocyte sheets. A heparin-modified thermoresponsive surface was prepared by covalently tethering heparin onto poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-2-carboxyisopropylacrylamide)-grafted tissue culture polystyrene sur...

The complex of polyinosinate with polycytidylate (poly IC) has been attached to solid carriers which can be suspended in the medium over the cell monolayer; it has also been attached to surfaces which may be overgrown by the cell monolayer. Interferon production and antivirus protection achieved by these inducer systems were measured and it was found that such anchored poly IC conveyed antiviru...

Inappropriate activation of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, so the negative regulation of TLR3-triggered immune response has received increasing attention. Nonpathogenic immune complex (IC) has been used as treatment for many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However, the role of IC in the regulation of TLR3-triggered immune respon...

Murine natural killer (NK) and natural cytotoxic (NC) cells showed different patterns of augmentation of lytic activity after preincubation for 24 h with either poly-IC, interleukin 2 (IL-2), or interleukin 3 (IL-3): (a) Poly-IC augmented only NK cells, with no effect on NC activity, as we have previously observed (4); (b) IL-2 augmented both NK and NC activity; and (c) IL-3 augmented only NC l...

Abstract Vaccination with tumor epitopes associated MHC-I is an attractive approach directed at inducing tumor-specific CTLs. However, challenges remain in improving the therapeutic efficacy of peptide epitope vaccines, including low immunogenicity and insufficient stimulation innate immune components vivo. Herein, we report innovative strategy to overcome limitations. The essential feature thi...