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| 2. |
- Mottahedin, Amin
(författare)
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Developing brain and systemic inflammation: a "Toll-like" link with consequences
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The developing brain is vulnerable to external insults, and perinatal brain injury (PBI) is a major cause of life-long neurological syndromes such as cerebral palsy. Currently, no pharmaceutical intervention is available. Hypoxia/ischemia (HI), infections and inflammation are implicated in the pathogenesis of PBI. However, the crosstalk between these etiologies is not fully understood. Toll-like receptors (TLR) 3 and TLR2 are responsible for sensing viral and bacterial infections and initiating the inflammatory response. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effect of systemic inflammation induced by activation of these TLRs on neonatal HI brain injury. We demonstrate that intraperitoneal administration of TLR3 and TLR2 ligands (PolyI:C and P3C, respectively) prior to HI increases the brain injury in neonatal mice. PolyI:C and P3C induced neuroinflammation and altered microglial phenotype as assessed by RT-qPCR, multiplex cytokine assay or flow cytometry. PolyI:C also upregulated the pro-apoptotic gene, Fasl, expression and reduced activation of pro-survival signaling molecule Akt. On the other hand, P3C suppressed mitochondrial respiration, a major mechanism of cellular energy production. P3C, unlike other TLR agonists, induced marked infiltration of leukocytes to the cerebral spinal fluid and brain of neonatal mice and rats. Confocal microscopy, Cre recombinase-mediated gene targeting and in vitro cell transmigra-tion assay revealed the choroid plexus as a site of leukocyte entry. RNA sequencing of the choroid plexus followed by transcriptome cluster analysis and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed potential mechanisms of leukocyte infiltration, including a specific chemotaxis signature and cytoskeleton-related pathways. Finally, we show that N-acetylcysteine treatment inhibits TLR2-mediated leukocyte trafficking in vivo and in vitro. To conclude, this thesis describe a TLR-mediated link between systemic inflammation and developing brain with detrimental consequences on HI brain injury, suggesting potential novel therapeutic strategies.
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| 3. |
- Roos, Åse, et al.
(författare)
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Protocol for Providing Additional Pseudo-Pregnant Recipient Mice for Embryo Transfer and Intra-Uterine Insemination by Plugging in the Middle of the Day
- 2008
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science. - 0901-3393. ; 35:4, s. 305-310
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The fact that 10% of female mice enter oestrus and allow mating in the middle of the day is an old observation that has been more or less forgotten. We here show that this old knowledge can be used to improve the efficacy of both embryo transfer and insemination protocols. The present technical paper shows that rapid re-arrangements of mating cages, to achieve pseudo-pregnant recipients in the middle of the day, can be of great advantage in emergency situations. Such emergency situations occur repeatedly, i.e. when a scientist has forgotten to re-arrange her/his mating cages, and the last important male suddenly has become ill and may die within a few hours. A rapid technique for uterine artificial insemination in mice in such situations is extremely valuable. An artificial intra-uterine insemination requires only a minimum of planning, a minimum of instrumentation and a minimum of surgical training. The artificial insemination must be performed shortly after mating due to rapid constriction of the utero-tubual junction (UTJ). This means that the timing of the insemination is very important. We here show that the success rate for embryo transfers, when using recipients plugged in the middle of the day, was the same as for ordinary overnight mating protocols. In addition, it: should be noted that the success rate (frequency of pregnancies) for uterine inseminations was 55% if using F1 recipients of C57BL/6J (considerable lower if using recipients of inbred C57BL/6J), which is amazingly high, since inseminations in mice is known to be tricky to perform in a reproducible manner.
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| 4. |
- Wold, Agnes E, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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Breast feeding and the intestinal microflora of the infant--implications for protection against infectious diseases.
- 2000
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Ingår i: Advances in experimental medicine and biology. - Boston : Kluwer Academic Publishers. - 0065-2598. ; 478, s. 77-93
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human breast milk contains an array of factors with anti-infectious potential, such as immunoglobulins (especially secretory IgA), oligosaccharides and glycoproteins with anti-adhesive capacity, and cytokines. Breast-feeding is associated with protection from the following infections or infection-related conditions: gastroenteritis, upper and lower respiratory tract infection, acute otitis media, urinary tract infection, neonatal septicaemia and necrotizing enterocolitis. Some of the protective effects may derive from an altered mucosal colonization pattern in the breast-fed infant. In other instances breast-fed infants develop less symptoms to the same microbe which causes disease in the bottle-fed infant. An example of an altered colonization pattern is that breast-fed infants have less P-fimbriated, but more type 1-fimbriated E. coli. This may protect against urinary tract infection in the breast-fed infant since P. fimbriae are the major virulence factor for urinary tract infection. An example of changed consequences of the same microbial colonization is that secretory IgA in the breast-milk protects very efficiently from translocation of intestinal bacteria across the gut mucosa by coating intestinal bacteria and blocking their interaction with the epithelium. This mechanism may protect the infant from septicaemia of gut origin and, possibly, necrotizing enterocolitis. Breast-milk is also highly anti-inflammatogenic and contains hormone like factors which counteract diarrhea. Thus, breast-fed infants may be colonized by recognized diarrheal pathogens and still remain healthy. Due to a less virulent intestinal microflora and decreased translocation breast-fed infants will obtain less stimuli for the gut immune system, resulting, in e.g., lower salivary IgA antibody titres.
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| 5. |
- Gustafson, Elisabet, et al.
(författare)
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Control of IBMIR Induced by Fresh and Cryopreserved Hepatocytes by Low Molecular Weight Dextran Sulfate Versus Heparin
- 2017
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Ingår i: Cell Transplantation. - : Sage Publications. - 0963-6897 .- 1555-3892. ; 26:1, s. 71-81
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rapid destruction of hepatocytes after hepatocyte transplantation has hampered the application of this procedure clinically. The instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR) is a plausible underlying cause for this cell loss. The present study was designed to evaluate the capacity of low molecular weight dextran sulfate (LMW-DS) to control these initial reactions from the innate immune system. Fresh and cryopreserved hepatocytes were tested in an in vitro whole-blood model using ABO-compatible blood. The ability to elicit IBMIR and the capacity of LMW-DS (100 mu g/ml) to attenuate the degree of activation of the cascade systems were monitored. The effect was also compared to conventional anticoagulant therapy using unfractionated heparin (1 IU/ml). Both fresh and freeze thawed hepatocytes elicited IBMIR to the same extent. LMW-DS reduced the platelet loss and maintained the cell counts at the same degree as unfractionated heparin, but controlled the coagulation and complement systems significantly more efficiently than heparin. LMW-DS also attenuated the IBMIR elicited by freeze thawed cells. Therefore, LMW-DS inhibits the cascade systems and maintains the cell counts in blood triggered by both fresh and cryopreserved hepatocytes in direct contact with ABO-matched blood. LMW-DS at a previously used and clinically applicable concentration (100 mu g/ml) inhibits IBMIR in vitro and is therefore a potential IBMIR inhibitor in hepatocyte transplantation.
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| 6. |
- Lundberg, A. M., et al.
(författare)
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Toll-like receptor 3 and 4 signalling through the TRIF and TRAM adaptors in haematopoietic cells promotes atherosclerosis
- 2013
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Ingår i: Cardiovascular Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0008-6363 .- 1755-3245. ; 99:2, s. 364-373
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS: Members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family initiate innate immune responses and were recently shown to play a role in atherosclerosis. However, the mechanisms that link TLR ligation to vascular inflammation and atherogenesis remain unclear. To identify which signalling pathways downstream of TLRs in immune cells are pro-atherogenic, we analysed the role of the TLR-specific adaptors MyD88 adaptor-like (MAL), TRIF-related adaptor molecule (TRAM), and TIR-domain-containing adaptor-inducing interferon-beta (TRIF) in atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a bone-marrow transplantation strategy into low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr-/-) mice, we could specifically study the absence of the TLR adaptors in immune cells. We showed that haematopoietic deficiency of TRAM and TRIF, but not MAL, reduces atherosclerosis without affecting cholesterol metabolism. This was mediated by decreased aortic inflammation, indicated by lower aortic levels of pro-inflammatory mediators, and reduced influx of macrophages and T cells. Furthermore, by studying Tlr3-/- chimeric Ldlr-/- mice, we found that deleting TLR3 in immune cells significantly reduced both aortic inflammation and atherosclerotic burden. CONCLUSIONS: By studying hypercholesterolaemic mice with defects in TLR-signalling adaptors, we demonstrated that deleting either TRAM or TRIF in immune cells is sufficient to attenuate vessel inflammation and protect against atherosclerosis. In addition, these adaptors elicit partly different sets of inflammatory mediators and can independently inhibit the disease process. Furthermore, we identify TLR3 as a pro-atherogenic receptor in haematopoietic immune cells. The identification of these pro-atherogenic pathways downstream of TLR3 and TLR4 contributes to a better understanding of TLRs and their signalling pathways in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
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| 7. |
- Amaral, A. F. S., et al.
(författare)
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Changes in IgE sensitization and total IgE levels over 20 years of follow-up
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0091-6749 .- 1097-6825. ; 137:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Cross-sectional studies have reported a lower prevalence of sensitization in older adults, but few longitudinal studies have examined whether this is an aging or a year-of-birth cohort effect. Objective We sought to assess changes in sensitization and total IgE levels in a cohort of European adults as they aged over a 20-year period. Methods Levels of serum specific IgE to common aeroallergens (house dust mite, cat, and grass) and total IgE levels were measured in 3206 adults from 25 centers in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey on 3 occasions over 20 years. Changes in sensitization and total IgE levels were analyzed by using regression analysis corrected for potential differences in laboratory equipment and by using inverse sampling probability weights to account for nonresponse. Results Over the 20-year follow-up, the prevalence of sensitization to at least 1 of the 3 allergens decreased from 29.4% to 24.8% (-4.6%; 95% CI, -7.0% to -2.1%). The prevalence of sensitization to house dust mite (-4.3%; 95% CI, -6.0% to -2.6%) and cat (-2.1%; 95% CI, -3.6% to -0.7%) decreased more than sensitization to grass (-0.6%; 95% CI, -2.5% to 1.3%). Age-specific prevalence of sensitization to house dust mite and cat did not differ between year-of-birth cohorts, but sensitization to grass was most prevalent in the most recent ones. Overall, total IgE levels decreased significantly (geometric mean ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.58-0.68) at all ages in all year-of-birth cohorts. Conclusion Aging was associated with lower levels of sensitization, especially to house dust mite and cat, after the age of 20 years. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier, Inc. on behalf ofthe American Academy of Allergy, Asthma&Immunology. This is an open access article under the CC BY license.
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| 8. |
- Aanaes, K, et al.
(författare)
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Extensive Endoscopic Image-Guided Sinus Surgery Decreases BPI-ANCA in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis
- 2012
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 0300-9475 .- 1365-3083. ; 76:6, s. 573-579
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Antineutrophil cytoplasm autoantibodies (ANCA) directed against bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) are common in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and serum levels are correlated with lung colonization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the severity of lung damage. The production of BPI-ANCA may be due to the costimulation of BPI when mounting an immune response against P. aeruginosa. The effect of surgery aiming to eradicate bacteria and infected tissue on BPI-ANCA levels is sparsely described. A cohort of patients with CF were included: 53 patients having extensive image-guided sinus surgery (EIGSS) with topical postoperative antibiotic treatment, 131 non-operated controls and 36 who had double lung transplantation (LTX). In all 219 patients, serum samples before and after surgery or at similar intervals were analysed for IgG and IgA BPI-ANCA. The EIGSS group showed a highly significant decrease in both IgA and IgG BPI-ANCA levels compared with their own preoperative values and control group values (P andlt; 0.0010.02). The LTX patients also showed a highly significant decrease in both IgA and IgG BPI-ANCA levels (P andlt; 0.001). EIGSS and LTX decrease IgA and IgG BPI-ANCA levels in patients with CF, indicating that extensive removal of infected tissue influences the pathogenic process of autoantibody production. The results shown herein are in favour of applying EIGSS in selected patients with CF and for using BPI-ANCA as a surrogate marker for guiding further therapeutic interventions.
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| 9. |
- Abdel-Motal, Ussama M., et al.
(författare)
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Major histocompatibility complex class I binding glycopeptides for the estimation of 'empty' class I molecules
- 1995
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Ingår i: Journal of Immunological Methods. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-1759. ; 188:1, s. 21-31
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Different forms of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I heavy chains are known to be expressed on the cell surface, including molecules which are functionally 'empty'. Direct peptide binding to cells is obvious during sensitization of target cells in vitro for cytotoxic T lymphocyte killing and 'empty' MHC-I molecules are comparatively abundant on TAP- 1 2 peptide transporter mutant cells. In the present work we have estimated the fraction of 'empty' MHC class I molecules using glycosylated peptides and cellular staining with carbohydrate specific monoclonal antibodies. Synthetic Db and Kb binding peptides were coupled at different positions with different di- or trisaccharides, using different spacing between the carbohydrate and the peptide backbone. Binding of sugar specific mAbs was compared in ELISA and cellular assays. An optimal Db binding glycopeptide was used for comparative staining with anti-Db and anti-carbohydrate monoclonal antibodies to estimate fractions of 'empty' molecules on different T lymphoid cells. On activated normal T cells, a large fraction of Db molecules were found to be 'empty'. The functional cole of such 'empty' MHC class I molecules on T cells is presently unclear. However, on antigen presenting cells they might participate in the antigen presentation process.
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| 10. |
- Abdeldaim, Guma, et al.
(författare)
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Duplex detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and medically important non-tuberculosis mycobacteria by real-time PCR based on the rnpB gene
- 2016
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 124:11, s. 991-995
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A duplex real-time PCR based on the rnpB gene was developed for Mycobacterium spp. The assay was specific for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) and also detected all 19 tested species of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The assay was evaluated on 404 clinical samples: 290 respiratory samples and 114 from tissue and other nonrespiratory body sites. M. tuberculosis was detected by culture in 40 samples and in 30 samples by the assay. The MTB assay showed a sensitivity similar to Roche Cobas Amplicor MTB-PCR (Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA, USA). There were only nine samples with non-tuberculous mycobacteria detected by culture. Six of them were detected by the PCR assay.
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