| 1. |
- Herland, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Electrochemical Control of Growth Factor Presentation To Steer Neural Stem Cell Differentiation
- 2011
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In: Angewandte Chemie International Edition. - Weinheim : Wiley-VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. - 1433-7851 .- 1521-3773. ; 50:52, s. 12529-12533
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Graphical Abstract Let it grow: The conjugated polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was synthesized with heparin as the counterion to form a cell culture substrate. The surface of PEDOT:heparin in the neutral state associated biologically active growth factors (see picture). Electrochemical in situ oxidation of PEDOT during live cell culture decreased the bioavailability of the growth factor and created an exact onset of neural stem cell differentiation.
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| 2. |
- Lugaajju, Allan, et al.
(author)
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Development of Plasmodium falciparum specific naïve, atypical, memory and plasma B cells during infancy and in adults in an endemic area
- 2017
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In: Malaria Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1475-2875. ; 16:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: B-cells are essential in immunity against malaria, but which sub-sets of B-cells specifically recognize Plasmodium falciparum and when they appear is still largely unknown. Results: Using the flow cytometry technique for detection of P. falciparum specific (Pf+) B-cells, this study for the first time measured the development of Pf+ B cell (CD19+) phenotypes in Ugandan babies from birth up to nine months, and in their mothers. The babies showed increases in Pf+ IgG memory B-cells (MBCs), atypical MBCs, and plasma cells/blasts over time, but the proportion of these cells were still lower than in the mothers who displayed stable levels (5, 18, and 3%, respectively). Pf+ non-IgG+ MBCs and naïve B-cells binding to P. falciparum antigens were higher in the babies compared to the mothers (12 and 50%). In ELISA there was an increase in IgG and IgM antibodies over time in babies, and stable levels in mothers. At baby delivery, multigravidae mothers had a higher proportion of Pf+ IgG MBCs and less Pf+ naïve B-cells than primigravidae mothers. Conclusions: In newborns, naïve B-cells are a major player in recognizing P. falciparum. In adults, the high proportion of Pf+ atypical MBCs suggests a major role for these cells. Both in infants and adults, non-IgG+ MBCs were higher than IgG MBCs, indicating that these cells deserve more focus in future.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Reddy, Sreenivasulu B., et al.
(author)
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Direct contact between Plasmodium falciparum and human B-cells in a novel co-culture increases parasite growth and affects B-cell growth
- 2021
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In: Malaria Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1475-2875. ; 20:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Plasmodium falciparum parasites cause malaria and co-exist in humans together with B-cells for long periods of time. Immunity is only achieved after repeated exposure. There has been a lack of methods to mimic the in vivo co-occurrence, where cells and parasites can be grown together for many days, and it has been difficult with long time in vitro studies. Methods and results: A new method for growing P. falciparum in 5% CO2 with a specially formulated culture medium is described. This knowledge was used to establish the co-culture of live P. falciparum together with human B-cells in vitro for 10 days. The presence of B-cells clearly enhanced parasite growth, but less so when Transwell inserts were used (not allowing passage of cells or merozoites), showing that direct contact is advantageous. B-cells also proliferated more in presence of parasites. Symbiotic parasitic growth was verified using CESS cell-line and it showed similar results, indicating that B-cells are indeed the cells responsible for the effect. In malaria endemic areas, people often have increased levels of atypical memory B-cells in the blood, and in this assay it was demonstrated that when parasites were present there was an increase in the proportion of CD19 + CD20 + CD27 − FCRL4 + B-cells, and a contraction of classical memory B-cells. This effect was most clearly seen when direct contact between B-cells and parasites was allowed. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that P. falciparum and B-cells undoubtedly can affect each other when allowed to multiply together, which is valuable information for future vaccine studies.
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| 5. |
- Ribacke, Ulf, et al.
(author)
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Improved in vitro culture of plasmodium falciparum permits establishment of clinical isolates with preserved multiplication, invasion and rosetting phenotypes
- 2013
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 8:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To be able to robustly propagate P. falciparum at optimal conditions in vitro is of fundamental importance for genotypic and phenotypic studies of both established and fresh clinical isolates. Cryo-preserved P. falciparum isolates from Ugandan children with severe or uncomplicated malaria were investigated for parasite phenotypes under different in vitro growth conditions or studied directly from the peripheral blood. The parasite cultures showed a minimal loss of parasite-mass and preserved percentage of multiple infected pRBCs to that in peripheral blood, maintained adhesive phenotypes and good outgrowth and multiplication rates when grown in suspension and supplemented with gas. In contrast, abnormal and greatly fluctuating levels of multiple infections were observed during static growth conditions and outgrowth and multiplication rates were inferior. Serum, as compared to Albumax, was found necessary for optimal presentation of PfEMP1 at the pRBC surface and/or for binding of serum proteins (immunoglobulins). Optimal in vitro growth conditions of P. falciparum therefore include orbital shaking (50 rev/min), human serum (10%) and a fixed gas composition (5% O2, 5% CO2, 90% N2). We subsequently established 100% of 76 frozen patient isolates and found rosetting with schizont pRBCs in every isolate (>26% schizont rosetting rate). Rosetting during schizogony was often followed by invasion of the bound RBC as seen by regular and time-lapse microscopy as well as transmission electron microscopy. The peripheral parasitemia, the level of rosetting and the rate of multiplication correlated positively to one another for individual isolates. Rosetting was also more frequent with trophozoite and schizont pRBCs of children with severe versus uncomplicated malaria (p<0.002; p<0.004). The associations suggest that rosetting enhances the ability of the parasite to multiply within the human host.
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| 6. |
- Tijani, Muyideen K., et al.
(author)
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Acquisition, maintenance and adaptation of invasion inhibitory antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum invasion ligands involved in immune evasion
- 2017
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In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 12:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Erythrocyte-binding antigens (EBAs) and P. falciparum reticulocyte-binding homologue proteins (PfRhs) are two important protein families that can vary in expression and utilization by P. falciparum to evade inhibitory antibodies. We evaluated antibodies at repeated time-points among individuals living in an endemic region in Nigeria over almost one year against these vaccine candidates. Antibody levels against EBA140, EBA175, EBA181, PfRh2, PfRh4, and MSP2, were measured by ELISA. We also used parasites with disrupted EBA140, EBA175 and EBA181 genes to show that all these were targets of invasion inhibitory antibodies. However, antigenic targets of inhibitory antibodies were not stable and changed substantially over time in most individuals, independent of age. Antibodies levels measured by ELISA also varied within and between individuals over time and the antibodies against EBA181, PfRh2 and MSP2 declined more rapidly in younger individuals (15 years) compared with older (>15). The breadth of high antibody responses over time was more influenced by age than by the frequency of infection. High antibody levels were associated with a more stable invasion inhibitory response, which could indicate that during the long process of formation of immunity, many changes not only in levels but also in functional responses are needed. This is an important finding in understanding natural immunity against malaria, which is essential for making an efficacious vaccine.
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| 7. |
- Wingbrant, Helena, et al.
(author)
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Co-sputtered metal and SiO2 layers for use in thick-film MISiC NH3 sensors
- 2006
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In: IEEE Sensors Journal. - 1530-437X. ; 6:4, s. 887-897
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High-temperature metal-insulator-silicon-carbide (MISiC) sensors are currently under development for use as NH3 sensors in selective-catalytic-reduction (SCR) systems in diesel engines or non-SCR (NSCR) systems in boilers. The detection of NH3 by these sensors requires the presence of triple points where the gas, the metal, and the insulator meet. These triple points have traditionally been located at the interface between the insulator and a porous metal. However, to facilitate the long-term stability of the devices when used in a harsh environment, a nonporous gate material would be preferred. Here, the behavior of the samples where such triple points have been introduced in a dense film through cosputtering of the insulator (SiO 2), and either Pt or Ir is studied. The NH3 sensitivity of the materials was found to be in accordance with the earlier investigations on Si-based samples with cosputtered gate materials. Several metal-to-insulator ratios for each of the metals Pt and Ir were studied. The sensitivity of the layers as well as their selectivity to different concentrations of NH3 at temperatures ranging from 150 degC to 450 degC was investigated. The films containing 60%-70% Pt or Ir were found to give a high sensitivity toward NH3. These samples were shown to be sensitive also to propylene and H2 but were rather insensitive to NO and CO.
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