Background: 15% of oocytes collected in ART cycles are immature. These oocytes may be matured following IVM program. It is possible to cryopreserve the immature oocytes for further use in ART after application of IVM. The aim was to determine the maturation rate, morphology and viability of human immature oocytes after fresh IVM and vitrified-IVM program. Materials and Methods: 63 women who und...

Background: During the initial phase of an infection, there is an upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the macrophages for the production of nitric oxide. This is followed by the recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophils) which release arginase. Arginase competes with inducible nitric oxide synthase for a common substrate L-arginine. Objective: To investigate whethe...

Fas ligand expression in certain tumors has been proposed to contribute to immunosuppression and poor prognosis. However, immunotherapeutic approaches may elicit the Fas-mediated elimination of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) within tumors that represent major obstacles for cancer immunotherapy. Previously, we showed that IL-2 and agonis...

OBJECTIVES Host immunity likely plays a role in preventing progression of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Analysis of host immune cells may provide useful information for assessing prognosis or possibly clinical management. METHODS Peripheral blood samples from 77 patients with DLBCL and 30 healthy volunteers were analyzed using flow cytometry immunophenotyping. CBC counts, T-cell subs...

The fetal lung normally contains immature monocytes and very few mature macrophages. The chorioamnionitis frequently associated with preterm birth induces monocyte influx into the fetal lung. Previous studies demonstrated that monocytes in the developing lung can mediate lung injury responses that resemble BPD in humans. We hypothesized that chorioamnionitis would induce maturation of immature ...

A 9-year-old boy was diagnosed with stage III ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with no evidence of bone marrow and central nervous system disease. Seven months later he had a normocytic anemia (hemoglobin 79 g/L), severe thrombocytopenia (platelets 15 109/L), and leukocytosis (white blood cell count 50.8 109/L). The automated differential showed neutrophils 28.5 109/L, monocyt...

Cellular constipation can be deadly, according to a study on page 1587. Wang and colleagues show that cells get clogged with aborted secretory cargo when they lack an enzyme that helps form vesicles. Deletion of this enzyme proved lethal in mice, halting brain, bone and vascular development. The enzyme in question is a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) called MEG2. MEG2 binds lipids and reside...

We have conducted experiments to determine whether alterations in cell surface oligosaccharide residues might be related to altered granulocyte function in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Peripheral blood neutrophils from patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML. patients with benign leukocytosis. and 1 8 normals were tested for leukoagglutination against concanavalin A (Con-A). peanu...

Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS) results from mutations that inactivate cysteine protease cathepsin C (CTSC), which processes a variety of serine proteases considered essential for antimicrobial defense. Despite serine protease-deficient immune cell populations, PLS patients do not exhibit marked immunodeficiency. Here, we characterized a 24-year-old woman who had suffered from severe juvenile p...

We have conducted experiments to determine whether alterations in cell surface oligosaccharide residues might be related to altered granulocyte function in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Peripheral blood neutrophils from patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML. patients with benign leukocytosis. and 1 8 normals were tested for leukoagglutination against concanavalin A (Con-A). peanu...