Immune evasion by Lyme spirochetes is a multifactorial process involving numerous mechanisms. The OspE protein family undergoes antigenic variation during infection and binds factor H (fH) and possibly FHL-1/reconectin. In Borrelia burgdorferi B31MI, the OspE family consists of three paralogs: BBL39 (ErpA), BBP38, and BBN38 (ErpP). BBL39 and BBP38 are identical and therefore are referred to her...

Multiple cutaneous and uterine leiomyomatosis (MCUL: OMIM 150800), which is also known as Reed syndrome, is an autosomal dominant disorder in which benign skin tumors arising from the arrector pili muscle and uterine fibroids typically develop in the third and fourth decades [1, 2]. Reed et al first reported on two families in which members of successive generations demonstrated cutaneous leiom...

The diagnosis of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia in three rural South African communities in which hypercholesterolaemia is very prevalent could be confirmed by the measurement of low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity in circulating lymphocytes. A nominal cut off point could be proposed which separated the LDL receptor activity of 24 clinically diagnosed heterozygous FH pa...

UNLABELLED The identification of "factor H binding protein (fHbp)-null" invasive meningococcal isolates and the realization that widespread use of fHbp-based vaccines could herald selection of such strains prompted us to characterize novel mechanisms of alternative pathway (AP) inhibition on meningococci. Of seven strains engineered to lack four known AP-inhibiting molecules, capsular polysacch...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Streptococcus pneumoniae has acquired virulence factors such as the polysaccharide capsule and various surface proteins, which prevent opsonization mediated by the complement system. PspC is one of the multi-functional pneumococcal surface proteins capable of eliciting an antibody response in mice. Our study further explores the role of pneumococcal surface proteins in r...

Inadequate control of the complement system is the underlying or aggravating factor in many human diseases. Whereas treatment options that specifically target the alternative pathway (AP) of complement activation are considered highly desirable, no such option is available in the clinic. In this study, we present a successful example of protein engineering, guided by structural insight on the c...

There is enough evidence, that children and adolescents with Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) should be treated in order to reduce elevated Total chol LDL-c levels therefore avoid the risk of early cardiovascular diseases. are many papers published last years dealing drug treatment, several publications describe guidelines for therapy, however most without any data on effect recommended measu...

Batch experiments were conducted to study the adsorption behaviors of lead ion (Pb2+) onto ferrihydrites prepared using three different procedures which were characterized  by textural analysis (BET). The adsorption removal of Pb2+ by the three ferrihydrites (called FH-1, FH-2 and FH-3, respectively) were compared, and FH-3 shows fast adsorption kinetics as well as hig...

BACKGROUND Glomerular damage in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is mediated by complement activation via the alternative and lectin pathways. Therefore, we focused on molecules stabilizing and regulating the alternative pathway C3 convertase in urine which might be associated with IgAN pathogenesis. METHODS Membrane attack complex (MAC), properdin (P), factor H (fH) and Complement receptor type 1 (CR1...

CD4 T cell help is critical for the generation and maintenance of germinal centers (GCs), and T follicular helper (T(FH)) cells are the CD4 T cell subset required for this process. Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM)-associated protein (SAP [SH2D1A]) expression in CD4 T cells is essential for GC development. However, SAP-deficient mice have only a moderate defect in T(FH) different...