The ability of mature T lymphocytes to develop effector capacity after encounter with cognate Ag is generally dependent upon inflammatory signals associated with infection that induce dendritic cell activation/maturation. These inflammatory signals can derive directly from pathogens or can be expressed by host cells in response to infection. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a class of host-derive...

Immunotherapy with gp96 was highly effective in mice bearing methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcomas (Meth A tumors) when treatment began 7 days or less after tumor challenge, but significantly less effective if the treatment began 9 days after challenge. Immunotherapy of pre-existing tumors showed all the hallmarks of specificity of gp96 and dose-restriction observed previously with prophylac...

The platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX-V complex (GPIb-IX-IV) is the receptor for VWF and is responsible for VWF-mediated platelet activation and aggregation. Loss of the GPIb-IX-V complex is pathogenic for Bernard-soulier Syndrome (BSS), which is characterized by macrothrombocytopenia and impaired platelet function. It remains unclear how the GPIb-IX-V complex is assembled and whether there is a role...

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) respond to multiple stresses and have been implicated as essential immune chaperones that regulate innate and adaptive immunity. The exposure of HSPs containing tumour peptide complex to immune surveillance elements may elicit a specific anti-tumour response. The present study examined the potential of anticancer drugs to induce apoptosis of HepG2 cells and elicit the...

Vaccination of mice with heat shock proteins isolated from tumor cells induces immunity to subsequent challenge with those tumor cells the heat shock protein was isolated from but not with other tumor cells (Udono, H., and P. K. Srivastava. 1994. J. Immunol. 152:5398-5403). The spedficity of this immune response is caused by tumor-derived peptides bound to the heat shock proteins (Udono., H., a...

TLR4 is the receptor for the Gram-negative bacterial cell wall component LPS. TLR4 signaling is controlled by both positive and negative regulators to balance optimal immune response and potential sepsis. Unchecked TLR4 activation might result in autoimmune diseases, a hypothesis that has not been formally resolved. In this study, we found that TLR4 signaling to LPS can be positively enforced b...

A tumor-specific antigen (TSA) expressed on the chemically induced BALB/c Meth A sarcoma and one of 22 other BALB/c sarcomas tested, CMS13, was detected in in vitro cellular and humoral assays. The distribution pattern of the TSA defined in a complement-dependent microcytoxicity assay by cytotoxic antibodies present in CMS13 antisera was similar to that detected by a cytotoxic T-cell clone, des...