↓ Direkt till sidans innehåll
↓ Direkt till sidans sekundära innehåll (sidomenyn)

Träfflista för sökning "WFRF:(Mincheva Nilsson Lucia) "

Search: WFRF:(Mincheva Nilsson Lucia)

Result 1-50 of 86

Sort/group result

Sort by: Hits per page:

Enumeration	Reference	Cover	Find
1.	Andersen, Grethe Neumann, et al. (author) Bronchoalveolar matrix metalloproteinase 9 relates to restrictive lung function impairment in systemic sclerosis. 2007 In: Respiratory Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0954-6111 .- 1532-3064. ; 101:10, s. 2199-2206 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is frequently associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) often leading to lung fibrosis. In this study we investigated whether matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and its natural inhibitor; the tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), would be associated with remodelling in ILD in SSc. Levels of total MMP-9, pro-MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from nine SSc patients with ILD, seven SSc patients without ILD and 16 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Total MMP-9 and pro-MMP-9 levels were significantly elevated in SSc patients with ILD, compared to levels in SSc patients without ILD and healthy controls. In SSc patients with ILD calculated active MMP-9 levels were significantly higher than in SSc patients without ILD and tended to be higher than in healthy controls. TIMP-1 levels were elevated in both patient groups compared to healthy controls. Total-, pro- and active MMP-9 levels as well as pro-MMP-TIMP-1 and active MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios were inversely associated with total lung capacity. The present study suggests that MMP-9 plays a pathophysiological role in the remodelling in ILD and lung fibrosis associated with SSc, and may represent a new therapeutic target in this condition.
2.	Andersen, Grethe N., et al. (author) Cytokine mRNA profile of alveolar T lymphocytes and macrophages in patients with systemic sclerosis suggests a local Tr1 response 2011 In: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - Oslo : Univ.forl.. - 0300-9475 .- 1365-3083. ; 74:3, s. 272-81 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract The development of an autoimmune disease like systemic sclerosis (SSc) is suspected to be driven by an activated T lymphocyte subset, expressing a cytokine profile specific to the disease. To further characterize the type of immune reaction in SSc, we searched for a broad panel of cytokine messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) in T lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages from paired samples of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and peripheral blood in 18 patients and 16 age- and sex-matched controls. RNA from CD3(+) T lymphocytes and CD14(+) monocytes/macrophages was examined by means of the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. SSc alveolar T lymphocytes expressed a cytokine profile suggestive of a mixed Th1/Th2 reaction, showing an increased frequency of mRNA for interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6 and interferon (IFN)γ, while IL-1β, IFNγ and tumour necrosis factor β were expressed in blood T lymphocytes in a higher percentage of patients with SSc than controls. SSc alveolar T cells expressed IL-10 mRNA more often than peripheral T cells, a phenomenon not found in controls and which may point at local IL-10 activation/response in SSc lung. Transforming growth factor β mRNA was present in all alveolar as well as peripheral blood T cell samples in patients and controls. The cytokine mRNA profile in SSc with interstitial lung disease (ILD) was similar to the profile found in SSc without ILD. Our findings point at a mixed Th1/Th2 reaction in SSc and may indicate regulatory T 1 cell activation/response in the lungs of patients with SSc.
3.	Andersen, Grethe Neumann, et al. (author) Cytokine mRNA profile of alveolar T lymphocytes and macrophages in systemic sclerosis patients suggests Th1 and Th2 response Other publication (pop. science, debate, etc.)
4.	Nilsson, Jonas, et al. (author) Prostate cancer-derived urine exosomes : a novel approach to biomarkers for prostate cancer. 2009 In: British journal of cancer. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1532-1827 .- 0007-0920. ; 100:10, s. 1603-1607 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Herein, we describe a novel approach in the search for prostate cancer biomarkers, which relies on the transcriptome within tumour exosomes. As a proof-of-concept, we show the presence of two known prostate cancer biomarkers, PCA-3 and TMPRSS2:ERG the in exosomes isolated from urine of patients, showing the potential for diagnosis and monitoring cancer patients status.
5.	Rolandsson, O, et al. (author) Prediction of diabetes with body mass index, oral glucose tolerance test and islet cell autoantibodies in a regional population. 2001 In: Journal of Internal Medicine. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 249:4, s. 279-88 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to test the hypothesis that a combination of markers for Type 1 diabetes (glutamate decarboxylase and IA-2 autoantibodies) and for Type 2 diabetes [oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and body mass index (BMI)], would predict clinical diabetes in a regional population. DESIGN: A population-based follow-up cohort study. SETTING: Participants visited the primary health care centre in Lycksele, Sweden in 1988-92. PARTICIPANTS: A cohort of 2278 subjects (M/F 1149/1129) who were studied at follow-up in 1998. At base line there were 2314 subjects (M/F 1167/1147) who participated in the Västerbotten Intervention Program on their birthday when turning either 30, 40, 50 or 60 years of age. Main outcome measurements. A clinically diagnosed diabetes at follow-up when the medical records were reviewed for diagnosis of diabetes. At base line, the participants were subjected to a standard OGTT and their BMI determined along with the autoantibodies. RESULTS: At follow-up, 42/2278 (1.8%, 95% CI 1.2-2.3) (M/F 23/19) had developed diabetes: 41 subjects were clinically classified with Type 2 and one with Type 1 diabetes. There was no significant relation between autoantibody levels at base line and diabetes at follow-up. Stepwise multiple logistic regression showed that the odds ratio for developing diabetes was 10.8 (95% CI 6.3-18.9) in subjects in the fourth quartile of BMI (BMI > 27) compared with 7.8 (95% CI 4.8-12.6) in the fourth quartile of 2-h plasma glucose (>7.5 mmol L(-1)) and 7.2 (95% CI 4.8-11.4) in the fourth quartile of the fasting plasma glucose (>5.6 mmol L(-1)). CONCLUSION: Islet cell autoantibodies did not predict diabetes at follow-up. BMI measured at base line was as effective as 2-h plasma glucose and fasting plasma glucose to predict diabetes in this adult population.
6.	Sehlstedt, Maria, 1979-, et al. (author) Suppressed signal transduction in the bronchial epithelium of patients with systemic sclerosis 2009 In: Respiratory Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0954-6111 .- 1532-3064. ; 103:2, s. 301-308 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract INTRODUCTION: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disorder, which frequently affects the lungs, with manifestations of interstitial lung disease (ILD) with lung fibrosis and of pulmonary hypertension. The pathogenesis remains largely unrecognised. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the inflammation in the bronchial mucosa in patients with SSc. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three subjects diagnosed with SSc participated. Twelve of the SSc patients showed signs of ILD, four were smokers and seven were treated with oral corticosteroids. Seventeen non-smoking, age- and sex-matched healthy subjects served as controls. Bronchoscopy was performed to sample endobronchial mucosal biopsies, which were immunohistochemically stained using a panel of antibodies against inflammatory markers. RESULTS: The number of neutrophils was significantly elevated in the submucosa of SSc patients, regardless of ILD, or whether the subject was smoking or using oral corticosteroids. No up-regulation of neutrophil chemoattractants or cytokines was seen in the bronchial epithelium. The signal transduction pathways and adhesion molecule expression tended to be suppressed or unchanged in SSc patients compared with controls. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that SSc is associated with a chronic neutrophilic inflammation in the bronchial mucosal, with signs of suppressed signal transduction, regardless of the presence of interstitial lung disease.
7.	Andersen, Grethe Neumann, et al. (author) Assessment of vascular function in systemic sclerosis : indications of the development of nitrate tolerance as a result of enhanced endothelial nitric oxide production 2002 In: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - : Wiley. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 46:5, s. 1324-1332 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent functions and the stiffness of conduit arteries as well as levels of endothelial activation markers in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Endothelium-dependent (i.e., flow-mediated) and endothelium-independent (i.e., nitroglycerin-induced) dilation of the brachial artery was measured as the percentage of change from baseline (FMD% and NTG%, respectively) in 24 SSc patients and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls by high-resolution ultrasound imaging. The maximum increase in systolic pressure per unit of time (dP/dt(max)), as a measure of arterial wall stiffness, was assessed in the radial artery by pulse applanation tonometry. Plasma nitrate, the most important metabolite of nitric oxide, and 24-hour urinary excretion of nitrate were measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Soluble E-selectin and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Brachial artery FMD% and NTG% did not differ between SSc patients and controls. Radial artery dP/dt(max) was significantly increased in the patients and correlated significantly with elevated levels of plasma nitrate and sVCAM-1. Twenty-four-hour urinary nitrate excretion tended to be elevated. Brachial artery NTG% was significantly inversely correlated with levels of plasma nitrate and soluble endothelial adhesion molecules. CONCLUSION: The ability of the brachial arteries to dilate in response to hyperemia and nitroglycerin challenge is preserved in SSc. Stiffness of the radial artery is increased, however. Endothelial activation seems to determine the extent of the brachial artery NTG% and the radial artery dP/dt(max). The data are compatible with the hypothesis that nitrate tolerance is present in the vascular smooth muscle cells of the brachial artery wall in SSc.
8.	Andersen, Grethe Neumann, et al. (author) Correlation between increased nitric oxide production and markers of endothelial activation in systemic sclerosis : findings with the soluble adhesion molecules E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and vascular adhesion molecule 1 2000 In: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 43:5, s. 1085-1093 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Objective To determine the relationship between vascular function and the inflammatory response in systemic sclerosis (SSc), and to investigate whether production of endothelial-derived nitric oxide (NO) is disturbed in this disease. Methods We measured plasma nitrate, urinary excretion of both nitrate and cGMP, and soluble adhesion molecules of endothelial origin in patients with SSc and in age- and sex-matched controls and compared these levels between groups. Additionally, we performed correlation analysis to determine how these variables were related to one another. Plasma nitrate and 24-hour-urinary excretion of nitrate in patients and controls were measured after a 72-hour nitrate-free-diet, using a gas chromatography/mass spectrometric method. Soluble adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1), and E-selectin and cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of E-selectin was further investigated in skin biopsy specimens by immunoperoxidase staining, and the presence of inducible NO synthase by immunoblotting. Results Plasma nitrate and 24-hour-urinary-excretion of cGMP were significantly elevated in patients compared with controls, while 24-hour-urinary-excretion of nitrate tended to be elevated in SSc patients. Levels of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-selectin were significantly elevated in the patients. Levels of plasma nitrate in the patients correlated significantly with levels of sVCAM-1 (P = 0.020) and sE-selectin (P = 0.018) and approached a significant correlation with sICAM-1 (P = 0.055), suggesting that activated endothelial cells may produce plasma nitrate. Conclusion NO synthesis is elevated in SSc patients, and the activated endothelial cell is a likely site of its production.
9.	Andersen, Grethe N., et al. (author) The Melanocortin System : A New and Important Actor on the Scene of Systemic Sclerosis 2011 In: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - Malden : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 63:10, s. S908-S908 Journal article (peer-reviewed)
10.	Andersen, Grethe, et al. (author) Quantitative measurement of the levels of melanocortin receptor subtype 1, 2, 3 and 5 and pro-opio-melanocortin peptide gene expression in subsets of human peripheral blood leucocytes 2005 In: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - Oxford : Wiley. - 0300-9475 .- 1365-3083. ; 61:3, s. 279-284 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Levels of the melanocortin receptor (MCR) 1, 2, 3 and 5 subtypes and pro-opio-melanocortin (POMC) protein mRNA were measured by the real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction method in CD4+ T helper (Th) cells, CD8+ T cytotoxic cells, CD19+ B cells, CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells, CD14+ monocytes and CD15+ granulocytes from healthy donors. We found high levels of all of the MC1, 2, 3 and 5R subtype mRNA in Th cells and moderate levels in NK cells, monocytes and granulocytes. POMC peptide mRNA was found in all examined leucocyte subsets, but only low levels were present in granulocytes. Our findings suggest a co-ordinating role for MCR subtypes and their naturally occurring ligands in the co-operation between innate and adaptive immunity. Moreover, our findings are compatible with earlier finding of MCR-mediated tolerance induction in Th cells.
11.	Andersen, M., et al. (author) Adalimumab (Humira (R)) normalizes melanocortin receptor subtype 2, 3, and 4 expression in CD8+, CD14+, and CD19+leucocyte subsets in rheumatoid arthritis 2014 In: Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology. - : Informa Healthcare. - 0300-9742 .- 1502-7732. ; 43:Suppl. 127, s. 25-26 Meeting Abstr. PP119 Journal article (other academic/artistic)
12.	Andersen, M., et al. (author) Melanocortin 2, 3 and 4 Receptor Gene Expressions are Downregulated in CD8(+) T Cytotoxic Lymphocytes and CD19(+) B Lymphocytes in Rheumatoid Arthritis Responding to TNF- Inhibition 2017 In: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0300-9475 .- 1365-3083. ; 86:1, s. 31-39 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Melanocortin signalling in leucocyte subsets elicits anti-inflammatory and immune tolerance inducing effects in animal experimental inflammation. In man, however, the effects of melanocortin signalling in inflammatory conditions have scarcely been examined. We explored the differential reactions of melanocortin 1-5 receptors (MC1-5R) gene expressions in pathogenetic leucocyte subsets in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to treatment with TNF- inhibitor adalimumab. Seven patients with active RA donated blood at start and at 3-month treatment. CD4(+) T helper (h) lymphocytes (ly), CD8(+) T cytotoxic (c) ly, CD19(+) B ly and CD14(+) monocytes were isolated, using immunomagnetic beads, total RNA extracted and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) performed. Fold changes in MC1-5R, Th1-, inflammatory- and regulatory cytokine gene expressions were assessed for correlation. Six patients responded to adalimumab treatment, while one patient was non-responder. In all lymphocyte subtypes, MC1-5R gene expressions decreased in responders and increased in the non-responder. In responders, decrease in MC2R, MC3R and MC4R gene expressions in CD8(+) Tc and CD19(+) B ly was significant. Fold change in MC1-5R and IFN gene expressions correlated significantly in CD8(+) Tc ly, while fold change in MC1R, MC3R and MC5R and IL-1 gene expressions correlated significantly in CD4(+) Th ly. Our results show regulation of MC2R, MC3R and MC4R gene expressions in CD8(+) Tc ly and CD19(+) B ly. The correlations between fold change in different MCRs and disease driving cytokine gene expressions in CD8(+) Tc ly and CD4(+) Th ly point at a central immune modulating function of the melanocortin system in RA.
13.	Bachmayer, Nora, 0061- (author) The role of natural killer cells and inflammatory mediators in preeclamptic pregnancies 2008 Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract The maternal immune system must be able to adjust during pregnancy and accept the foetus that expresses paternal antigens. These changes are found both in placenta and circulation, including a mild inflammatory response. NK cells are abundant during the early part of pregnancy in placenta and are thought to be important for placental development. During preeclampsia the placenta is poorly developed, together with an escalated pro-inflammatory profile noticed in both placenta and circulation. We wanted to study NK cells in placenta and circulation from preeclamptic cases as well as levels of cytokines. HMGB1, an alarmin involved in inflammation, was also measured in preeclamptic placentae.When studying preeclamptic placentae in third trimester we found higher numbers of NK cells as well as a higher expression of CD94+ NK cells. We also found slightly elevated levels of HMGB1 together with significantly lower expression of IL-12 in preeclamptic placentae. Further, the NK cell activating cytokines IL-12/IL-23p40 and IL-15 in sera from preeclamptic women were increased compared to healthy pregnancies. The elevated levels of NK cell activating IL-12/IL-23p40 and IL-15 found in preeclamptic sera, made us investigate the circulating NK cells in preeclampsia. However, no differences were seen between healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies.The main immunological alterations in third trimester preeclamptic pregnancies with regard to NK cells were found in placenta. Altered maternal cytokine levels in placenta could influence decidual NK cells in preeclampsia, noticed by their higher numbers and altered receptor expression. If these alterations also exist during early pregnancy it could result in a poorly developed and dysfunctional placenta.
14.	Baranov, Vladimir, et al. (author) Lipids are a constitutive component of cytolytic granules. 2000 In: Histochemistry and Cell Biology. - 0948-6143 .- 1432-119X. ; 114:2, s. 167-71 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Cytolytic granules are specific organelles of activated cytotoxic lymphocytes mediating storage and regulated excretion of lytic molecules for killing of target cells. A variety of the other granule components may also participate in granule-mediated cytotoxicity. In this study, the subcellular localization of lipids in the granules of human decidual CD56+ natural killer-like cells was determined by staining with malachite green aldehyde and imidazole-buffered osmium tetroxide. Lipids were shown, for the first time, to be a constitutive component of cytolytic granules. Lipids formed an additional structural microdomain, located between the granule-limiting membrane and the granule core. Images of the granules on serial sections suggested that intragranular lipids wrap the core. We speculate that granule lipids participate in packing of lytic molecules inside the granules, in autocrine signaling ending granule secretion, and in the killing process.
15.	Björk, Emma, et al. (author) Enhanced CD56 expression and increased numbers of CD56+bright cells in the peripheral blood of untreated endometriosis patients Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract Problem: Endometriosis is characterized by ectopic implantation of endometrial-like tissue and impaired immuneresponses such as the cytotoxic function of NK cells. NK cells can be divided into two subpopulations where theCD56+bright cells produce more cytokines and have low natural cytotoxicity compared to CD56+dim cells. Themajority (>90%) of circulating NK cells are CD56+dim whereas very few (0-10 %) are CD56+bright.Method of Study: Using flow cytometry, NK cell subpopulations were analyzed in peripheral blood from 21individuals with endometriosis and 12 healthy controls. Furthermore, the NKG2D receptor expression on PBMCswas analyzed in untreated and treated endometriosis patients and controls.Results: We found an increased level of CD56+bright cells in 8 of 21 endometriosis patients. After surgery andhormonal treatment, the levels were normalized to that of controls. In a new cohort, the NKG2D receptorexpression on PBMCs was analyzed, with a lower expression in untreated patients compared to controls andpatients treated by surgery and hormones.Conclusions: Our findings of a dominant CD56+bright NK cell subpopulation in peripheral blood, anddownregulated levels of the NKG2D receptor on PBMCs, may explain the impaired cytotoxic immune functioncausing the persistence of ectopic endometrium in untreated endometriosis patients.
16.	Björk, Emma, et al. (author) Enhanced local and systemic inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression in women with endometriosis evokes compensatory adaptive regulatory mRNA response that mediates immune suppression and impairs cytotoxicity 2020 In: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1046-7408 .- 1600-0897. ; 84:4 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Problem: Endometriosis is a disease characterized by ectopic implantation of endometrium and impaired immune responses. To explore its pathogenic mechanisms, we studied the local and systemic cytokine mRNA profiles and their role in the immunity of patients with endometriosis and healthy controls.Method of Study: mRNA for eleven cytokines defining cytotoxic Th1, humoral Th2, regulatory Tr1/Th3, and inflammatory cytokine profiles was characterized locally in endometriotic tissue and endometrium, and systemically in PBMCs from women with endometriosis and healthy controls, using real‐time qRT‐PCR. In addition, immunohistochemical stainings with monoclonal antibodies were performed looking for T regulatory cells in endometriotic lesions.Results: We found a downregulation of mRNA for cytokines mediating cytotoxicity and antibody response and an upregulation of inflammatory and T‐regulatory cytokines in the endometriotic tissues and endometrium from the patients with endometriosis, suggesting enhanced local inflammation and priming of an adaptive regulatory response. Consistent with those findings, there was an abundancy of T regulatory cells in the endometriotic lesions.Conclusions: The ectopic implantation seen in endometriosis could be possible as a consequence of increased inflammation and priming of adaptive T regulatory cells, resulting in impaired cytotoxicity and enhanced immune suppression.
17.	Björk, Emma, 1977- (author) Immunosuppressive mechanisms in endometriosis : a focus on the role of exosomes 2024 Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract Endometriosis is defined as the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. It has been suggested that the aberrant immunological mechanisms that cause dysfunction of immune cells and mediators are involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. There is substantial evidence of downregulated NK cell cytotoxicity and changes in inflammatory mediators such as cytokines in endometriosis. This research aimed to elucidate the immunosuppressive mechanisms in endometriosis, focusing on NK cells, the role of cytokines, and exosomes derived from endometriotic tissue.Cytokines are small peptides/proteins used for intercellular communication, and regulate immune-effector functions in health and disease. In Paper I, real-time RT-qPCR and a set of primers and probes for 11 cytokines were used defining cytotoxic Th1, humoral Th2, regulatory Tr1/Th3, and inflammatory cytokine profiles. Cytokine mRNA expression in endometriotic tissue was compared with endometrium, and systemically with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from women with endometriosis and healthy controls. In addition, immunohistochemical staining with monoclonal antibodies was performed to investigate T-regulatory cells in endometriotic lesions. A downregulation of mRNA for cytokines that mediate cytotoxicity and antibody response was found in the endometriotic lesions. At the same time, there was an upregulation of inflammatory and T-regulatory cytokines in the endometriotic lesions, suggesting enhanced local inflammation and priming of an adaptive regulatory response. Consistent with these findings, T-regulatory cells were abundant in the endometriotic lesions. These findings suggest that the ectopic implantation seen in endometriosis may be a consequence of increased inflammation and priming of adaptive T regulatory cells, resulting in impaired cytotoxicity and enhanced immune suppression. Exosomes are nanometer-sized extracellular vesicles of endosomal origin; they are produced by most cells in the body, convey intercellular communication and participate in both normal and pathological processes. Paper II show that endometriotic lesions produce high amounts of exosomes. The exosomes expressed on their surfaces the NKG2D ligands MICA/B and ULBP1-3 and the proapoptotic molecules FasL and TRAIL. These molecules are known as immunosuppressive signatures. Functional experiments were performed to show that these exosomes can downregulate the main activating NK receptor NKG2D on CTL and NK cells, reduce the killing ability of PBMC from healthy donors, and induce apoptosis of activated lymphocytes through the FasL/Fas pathway. The production and secretion of exosomes from the endometriotic tissue may be further enhanced by the vigorous local inflammation at ectopic sites. The results show that endometriotic lesions secrete immunosuppressive exosomes that inhibit cytotoxicity and promote apoptosis of activated immune cells. The exosomes form a “protective shield” around the endometriotic tissue thus promoting their survival.NK cells are cytotoxic cells of the innate immune system. Human NK cells can be divided into two subsets: CD56+bright and CD56+dim. The CD56+dim subset is more naturally cytotoxic, whereas the CD56+bright subset produces more cytokines, but has low natural cytotoxicity. The majority (>90%) of circulating NK cells are CD56+dim, whereas very few (0-10 %) are CD56+bright. In Paper III a higher amount of CD56+bright cells in serum was observed in one third of endometriosis patients compared to healthy controls. The amount of these cells was normalized after treatment with surgery, with or without medical treatment. Untreated patients had a lower expression of NKG2D receptors on their NK cells and CTLs compared to treated patients and healthy controls, which could be due to endometriotic exosomes carrying the NKG2D ligands that downregulate the receptor. Thus, surgery might have a beneficial effect on cytotoxic NK-cell function in endometriosis.Endometriosis is considered a benign disease; however it has many features in common with tumors, and shares multiple microenvironmental hallmarks with cancer, including angiogenesis, immune dysregulation, inflammation, invasion, and metastasis. Paper II shows that endometriotic tissue secretes immunosuppressive exosomes. In Paper IV, exosomes in the peripheral blood of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients, and the impairment of the NKG2D receptor-ligand system in vivo before and after surgery, were studied. The serum exosomes isolated from the EOC patients carried the NKG2D ligands MICA/B and ULBP1-3. In functional experiments, the EOC exosomes downregulated the expression of the NKG2D receptor, and subdued NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity in NK cells from healthy donors in a similar manner to the endometriotic exosomes studied in Paper II. In Paper IV, surgery of the primary EOC tumor had a beneficial effect, alleviating the exosome-mediated suppression of NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity. Thus, exosome-mediated immunosuppression is revealed as a common mechanism of action for immune escape in endometriosis and cancer. The results presented in this thesis provide novel and important insights into the function of the immune system in endometriosis, and give new explanations for why ectopic endometrial tissue persists and proliferates outside the uterine cavity. Furthermore, the immunosuppression in the microenvironment of endometriosis, which has many similarities with the local tumor microenvironment (TME), was investigated with a focus on the role of endometriotic exosomes. Taken together, this thesis contributes to understanding of the pathogenesis of endometriosis, and might be useful in identifying biomarkers for endometriosis and developing new immunomodulatory therapies.
18.	Daka, Bledar, 1976, et al. (author) Low agreement between radio binding assays in analyzing glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65Ab) autoantibodies in patients classified with type 2 diabetes. 2009 In: Autoimmunity. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1607-842X .- 0891-6934. ; 42:6, s. 507-14 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65Ab) are used in the classification of diabetes in adults. We assessed the concordance in GAD65 autoantibody levels within subjects between three different GAD65Ab radio binding assays (RBA). Plasma samples from 112 diabetes patients (median age 50 years) initially classified with type 2 diabetes was randomly selected from a local diabetes registry. Coded samples were analyzed with two RBA employing (35)S-labeled GAD65. The first used the pEx9 plasmid (pEx9 RBA), the second employed the pThGAD65 plasmid (pThGAD65 RBA) to label GAD65 by in vitro transcription translation. We also used a commercial kit employing plasmid pGAD17 labelled with (125)I (pGAD17 RBA). Subsequent analyses followed standard procedures. Two different cut-offs for GAD65Ab positivity were used in all three assays. We calculated the correlation, concordance, and agreement between the assays. The proportion of GAD65Ab positivity differed between assays when low cut-offs were used (pEx9 RBA 25%, pThGAD65 RBA 17.9%, and pGAD17 RBA 12.5%, respectively). When high cut-offs were applied, the concordance between the pEx9 RBA and the pThGAD65 RBA was 97.3 while their concordance to the pGAD17 RBA was lower (88.4 and 87.4, respectively). There was a low agreement between both pEx9 RBA and pGAD17 RBA (0.45, 95% CI 0.20-0.70) and between pThGAD65 RBA and pGAD17 RBA (0.43, 95% CI 0.18-0.68). We found discrepancies in determining the GAD65Ab positivity, which constitutes a problem when GAD65Ab are used clinically. Further methodological GAD65Ab assays studies are warranted.
19.	Dalin, Frida, 1984- (author) Model diseases for studies of autoimmunity. 2015 Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract The events triggering autoimmune diseases are to large extent unknown and model diseases are an important tool in studies aiming to elucidate molecular mechanisms in autoimmunity. Autoimmune Addison’s disease (AAD) is a rare disease characterized by autoimmune destruction of adrenal glands and most patients with AAD have autoantibodies against the enzyme 21‑hydroxylase in the adrenal cortex. The autoimmune destruction in AAD is however suspected to be initiated by T cells. One of the most important investigations in this thesis was to characterize the T cell response in AAD. It could be concluded the T cells in AAD patients respond to three immunodominant epitopes on the 21-hydroxylase.In addition, this thesis aims to gain updated data on comorbidities, replacement therapy, autoantibody profiles, and metabolic factors in AAD. A cohort of 660 AAD patients was studied and it was found that AAD patients are prone to develop other autoimmune conditions. AAD is one of three main disease components Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndrome type 1 (APS-1), a rare disorder caused by mutations in the AutoImmune REgulator gene (AIRE) that can be potentially fatal without timely diagnosis. Screening for autoantibodies against interferon-ω, interferon-α4, and interleukin-22 revealed four new APS-1 patients among the AAD cohort, confirmed by the presence of disease causing mutations in the AIRE gene.Cancer Associated Retinopathy (CAR) is a paraneoplastic phenomenon arising as a consequence to an autoimmune response triggered by a malignant neoplasm present in the body. This disease is devastating and it is valuable to identify new biomarkers associated with CAR, not least from a tumor diagnostic perspective. In this thesis, a patient with osteosarcoma and CAR was studied and by screening of a proteom array, and the novel CAR autoantigen Aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein-like 1 (AIPL1) was identified.In conclusion, this thesis covers studies on T cell and B cell responses in AAD. Moreover, it includes an update on clinical and immunological characterisation of AAD patients. Finally, a novel autoantigen in CAR was identified and proposed as a diagnostic marker for the paraneoplastic syndrome.
20.	Dimova, Tanya, et al. (author) Maternal Foxp3 expressing CD4+ CD25+ and CD4+ CD25- regulatory T-cell populations are enriched in human early normal pregnancy decidua : a phenotypic study of paired decidual and peripheral blood samples. 2011 In: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology and Microbiology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 8755-8920 .- 1046-7408. ; 66:Suppl 1, s. 44-56 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract PROBLEM: Regulatory T cells (Treg cells), a small subset of CD4(+) T cells maintaining tolerance by immunosuppression, are proposed contributors to the survival of the fetal semiallograft. We investigated Treg cells in paired decidual and peripheral blood (PB) samples from healthy women in early pregnancy and PB samples from non-pregnant women.METHOD OF STUDY: Distribution, location, cytokine mRNA, and phenotype were assessed in CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells from paired samples using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and real-time quantitative RT-PCR.RESULTS: The presence and in situ distribution of CD4(+) Foxp3(+) Treg cells in decidua are hereby demonstrated for the first time. Three Foxp3(+) cell populations, CD4(+) CD25(++) Foxp3(+), CD4(+) CD25(+) Foxp3(+), and CD4(+) CD25(-) Foxp3(+), were enriched locally in decidua. In contrast, no statistically significant difference in numbers of circulating Treg cells between pregnant and non-pregnant women was found. The Foxp3(+) cells expressed the surface molecules CD45RO, CTLA-4, CD103, Neuropilin-1, LAG-3, CD62L, and TGFβ1 mRNA consistent with Treg phenotype. The population of CD4(+) CD25(-) Foxp3(+) cells, not described in human decidua before, was enriched 10-fold compared with PB in paired samples. Their cytokine expression was often similar to Th3 profile, and the Foxp3 mRNA expression level in CD4(+) CD25(-) cells was stable and comparable to that of CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells implying that the majority of CD4(+) CD25(-) Foxp3(+) cells might be naïve Treg cells.CONCLUSION: (i) There is a local enrichment of Treg cells in decidua (ii) The exclusive accumulation of decidual CD4(+) CD25(-) Foxp3(+) cells suggests an additional reservoir of Foxp3(+) naïve Treg cells that can be converted to 'classical' Treg cells in uterus.
21.	Dubois, Louise (author) Prostasomes as Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Vesicles 2019 Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract This thesis explores prostasomes and their ability to be used as a new diagnostic tool for prostate cancer. Alongside diagnosis, this thesis also suggests prostasomes as a tool for prognosis and therapeutic treatment in patients with prostate cancer. By further characterizing prostasomes we can identify a biomarker and also a method of visualizing and interpreting the information provided in order to conduct a correct and fast diagnosis for prostate cancer.In Paper I, we show that the prostasomal bilayered membrane consists of lipid rafts, clusters that holds cholesterol, sphingolipids and gives receptors a rigid platform upon which to work. We compare the proteomic content of prostasome lipid rafts with the entire prostasome membrane in the search for a specific biomarker. In Paper II, we show that purified lipid rafts from the prostasome membrane can re-vesiculate and create new bioengineered vesicles. These new vesicles can carry different agents inside them and we find that the method is also applicable to blood cells. This suggests a new method for cell-specific delivery of drugs and cancer therapy. In Paper III, we further characterize the prostasome membrane, this time mapping purinergic receptors. This could be used in the development of prostate cancer treatment and to gain better understanding of how prostasomes interact with surrounding cells in their ambient environment.In Paper IV, we investigate the difference in thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) enzyme activity between prostasomes and malignant exosomes. TK1 is considered to be a biomarker of cell proliferation and could therefore be used as a biomarker for prostate cancer diagnosis and progression.In summary, this thesis contributes to the puzzle of how to better diagnose, prognose and treat prostate cancer. Although it is mainly pre-clinical research it opens up new possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
22.	Farouk, Salah E, et al. (author) Gamma delta T cells inhibit in vitro growth of the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum by a granule exocytosis-dependent cytotoxic pathway that requires granulysin. 2004 In: European Journal of Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0014-2980 .- 1521-4141. ; 34:8, s. 2248-56 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Several reports have stated the ability of gamma delta T cells to inhibit the growth of the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. However, little information is available about the mechanisms involved. In this study, in vitro systems were used to study the role of the granule exocytosis-dependent cytotoxic pathway in the growth inhibition/killing of P. falciparum by human gamma delta T cells. Our results show that the inhibition requires cell-to-cell contact and that gamma delta T cells kill the asexual blood stages of P. falciparum through a granule exocytosis-dependent cytotoxic pathway after recognition of certain ligands or molecules expressed on the surface of infected erythrocytes or merozoites. The in vitro inhibitory capacity of gamma delta T cells was strongly correlated with the expression of granulysin in the cytotoxic granules, while non-inhibitory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressed very little, implicating a role for granulysin in parasite inhibition. This was further suggested by the addition of neutralizing anti-granulysin antibodies, which abrogated the parasite inhibitory capacity of the gamma delta T cells. Taken together, our results suggest that the capacity of gamma delta T cells for inhibition/killing of P. falciparum is based on the granule exocytosis-dependent cytotoxic pathway and that the presence of granulysin is essential to maintain efficient killing.
23.	Farouk, Salah E., et al. (author) γδT cells inhibit the in vitro growth of the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum by a granule exocytosis-dependent cytotoxic pathway that requires granulysin 2004 In: Eur J Immunol. - 0014-2980. ; 34:8, s. 2248-2256 Journal article (peer-reviewed)
24.	Freitag, Nancy, et al. (author) The chimera-type galectin-3 is a positive modulator of trophoblast functions with dysregulated expression in gestational diabetes mellitus 2020 In: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1046-7408 .- 1600-0897. ; 84:6 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Problem: From conception, a delicate regulation of galectins, a family of carbohydrate‐binding proteins, is established to ensure maternal immune tolerance in pregnancy. Though galectin‐3 (gal‐3), the only chimera‐type galectin, is abundantly expressed at the feto‐maternal interface; the physiological role of this lectin during pregnancy remains to be fully elucidated and requires further investigation.Method of study: In this study, we analyzed serum gal‐3 levels during the course of healthy gestation. Trophoblast functions were evaluated upon gal‐3 exogenous stimulation using trophoblastic cell lines (e.g. , HIPEC65, SGHPL‐4, and BeWo cells). Finally, we investigated variations in peripheral gal‐3 levels associated with the development of spontaneous abortion and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Results: Gal‐3 circulating levels increased as normal pregnancy progressed. In vitro experiments showed that exogenous gal‐3 positively regulated trophoblast functions inducing invasion, tube formation, and fusion. Compared with normal pregnant women, circulating gal‐3 levels were significantly decreased in patients who developed GDM.Conclusion: Our results reveal a physiological role for gal‐3 during pregnancy, promoting proper trophoblast functions associated with healthy gestation. GDM is associated with a failure to increase circulating gal‐3 levels late in gestation. Thus, dysregulation of gal‐3 may indicate a contribution of the chimera‐type lectin to this adverse pregnancy outcome.
25.	Frängsmyr, Lars, et al. (author) Cytoplasmic microvesicular form of Fas ligand in human early placenta: switching the tissue immune privilege hypothesis from cellular to vesicular level 2004 In: Mol Hum Reprod. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1360-9947. ; 11:1, s. 35-41 Journal article (peer-reviewed)
26.	Gunnar, Ronquist, et al. (author) Exosomen-intercellulär signalbärare med framtidspotential 2013 In: Läkartidningen. - 0023-7205. ; 110:46 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Exosomer frisätts från kroppens alla celler. De utgör ett nyupptäckt intercellulärt signalsystem. Välstuderade områden är immunologi, inflammation och allergi med applikation inom bla cancervård, urologi och kardiologi. Man kan förvänta sig att exosomer kommer att kunna användas inom både diagnostik och terapi.
27.	Hedlund, Malin, 1981- (author) Exosomes and the NKG2D receptor-ligand system in pregnancy and cancer : using stress for survival 2010 Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract Although not obvious at first sight, several parallels can be drawn between pregnancy andcancer. Many proliferative, invasive and immune tolerance mechanisms that supportnormal pregnancy are also exploited by malignancies to establish a nutrient supply andevade or edit the immune response of the host. The human placenta, of crucial importancefor pregnancy success, and its main cells, the trophoblast, share several features withmalignant cells such as high cell proliferation rate, lack of cell-contact inhibition andinvasiveness. Both in cancer and in pregnancy, the immune defense mechanisms,potentially threatening the survival of the tumor or the fetus, are progressively blunted oreven turned into tumor- or pregnancy-promoting players. Amongst immune mechanisms that are meant to protect the host from cancer and can be apotential threat to the fetus, the NKG2D receptor-ligand system stands out as the mostpowerful, stress-inducible “danger detector” system that comprises the activating NK cellreceptor NKG2D and its ligands, the MIC (MHC class I Chain-related proteins A and B)and ULBP (UL-16 Binding Proteins) families. It is the major cytotoxic mechanism in thebody promoting surveillance and homeostasis. In the present thesis we investigate theNKG2D receptor-ligand system in human early normal pregnancy and in theleukemia/lymphoma cell lines Jurkat and Raji and ask the questions “How is the NKG2Dreceptor-ligand system functioning in pregnancy and tumor? How is the danger of cytotoxicattack of the fetus avoided? Why is the immunosurveillance function compromised incancer patients?” We developed a method to isolate and culture villous trophoblast from early human normalplacenta and used it to study the NKG2D receptor-ligand system. We discovered that theNKG2D ligand families of molecules MICA/B and ULBP1-5 are constitutively expressedby the syncytiotrophoblast of the chorionic villi. Using immnunoelectron microscopy, westudied the expression of these molecules at the subcellular level and could show for thefirst time that they are preferably expressed on microvesicles in multivesicular bodies(MVB) of the late endosomal compartment and are secreted as exosomes. Exosomes arenanometer sized microvesicles of endosomal origin, produced and secreted by a great7variety of normal and tumor cells. The exosomes are packages of proteins and ribonucleicacids that function as “mail” or “messengers” between cells conveying different biologicalinformation. We isolated and studied exosomes from placental explant cultures. We foundthat they carry NKG2D ligands on their surface and are able to bind and down-regulate thecognate receptor on NK-, CD8+ and T cells. The down-regulation selectively causedimpairment of the cytotoxic response of the cells but did not affect their lytic ability asmeasured by perforin content and gene transcription. Thus, the NKG2D ligand-bearingexosomes suppress the cytotoxic activity of the cells in the vicinity of the placenta, leavingtheir cytolytic machinery intact, ready to function when the cognate receptor isrestored/recycled. These findings highlight the role of placental exosomes in the fetalmaternalimmune escape and support the view of placenta as an unique immunomodulatoryorgan. Next, we studied the expression and exosomal release of NKG2D ligands by tumor cellsusing the leukemia cell lines Jurkat and Raji as a tumor model. We found that NKG2Dligand-bearing exosomes with similar immunosuppressive properties as placental exosomesare constitutively secreted by the tumor cells, as a mechanism to blunt the cytotoxicresponse of the immune cells and thus protect themselves from cytotoxic attack by the host.Interestingly, we found that thermal- and oxidative stress up-regulates the exosomesecretion and the amount of exosome-secreted NKG2D ligands. Our results imply thattumor therapies that cause stress-induced damage, such as thermotherapy and stripping ofoxygen supply to the tumor, might have a previously unrecognized side effect causingenhanced exosome production and secretion, which in turn suppresses the natural antitumorimmune response and thus should be taken into account when designing an optimaltherapy of cancer patients. In conclusion, we describe a novel stress-inducible mechanism shared by placenta andtumors as an immune escape strategy. We found that placenta- and tumor-derived NKG2Dligand-bearing exosomes can suppress immune responses to promote the survival and wellbeing of the fetus or the tumor. Our work comprises an important contribution to theelucidation of the NKG2D ligand-receptor system and its mode of operation in the humanbody and opens new perspectives for designing novel therapies for infertility and cancer.
28.	Hedlund, Malin, 1981-, et al. (author) Human placenta expresses and secretes NKG2D ligands via exosomes that down-modulate the cognate receptor expression : evidence for immunosuppressive function 2009 In: Journal of Immunology. - : The American Association of Immunologists. - 0022-1767 .- 1550-6606. ; 183:1, s. 340-351 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract During mammalian pregnancy maternal-fetal tolerance involves a number of immunosuppressive factors produced by placenta. Recently, placenta-derived exosomes have emerged as new immune regulators in the maternal immune tolerance. Exosomes are membrane nanovesicles with defined morphology, which are secreted from endosomal multivesicular bodies (MVB) upon fusion with the plasma membrane. Previously, we reported that the MHC class I chain-related (MIC) proteins A and B, human ligands of the activating NK cell receptor NKG2D, are expressed by placenta, sorted to MVB of syncytiotrophoblast and probably released via MIC-bearing exosomes. In this report, we show that the second family of human NKG2D ligands, the UL-16 binding proteins (ULBP), is also expressed by placenta. Importantly, this expression was not due to placental CMV infection. Immunoelectron microscopy disclosed that ULBP1-5 are produced and retained in MVB of the syncytiotrophoblast on microvesicles/exosomes. Using human placenta explant cultures and different assays, we demonstrate that exosomes bearing NKG2D ligands are released by human placenta. Isolated placental exosomes carried ULBP1-5 and MIC on their surface and induced down-regulation of the NKG2D receptor on NK, CD8(+), and gammadelta T cells, leading to reduction of their in vitro cytotoxicity without affecting the perforin-mediated lytic pathway. Release of placental NKG2D ligands via exosomes is an alternative mechanism for generation of bioactive soluble form of these ligands. These findings highlight a role for NKG2D ligand-bearing placental exosomes in the fetal immune escape and support the view of placenta as a unique immunosuppressive organ.
29.	Hedlund, Malin, 1981-, et al. (author) Thermal- and oxidative stress causes enhanced release of NKG2D ligand-bearing immunosuppressive exosomes in leukemia/lymphoma T and B cells 2011 In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 6:2 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Immune evasion from NK surveillance related to inadequate NK-cell function has been suggested as an explanation of the high incidence of relapse and fatal outcome of many blood malignancies. In this report we have used Jurkat and Raji cell lines as a model for studies of the NKG2D receptor-ligand system in T-and B cell leukemia/lymphoma. Using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunoflow cytometry we show that Jurkat and Raji cells constitutively express mRNA and protein for the stress-inducible NKG2D ligands MICA/B and ULBP1 and 2, and up-regulate the expression in a cell-line specific and stress-specific manner. Furthermore, we revealed by electron microscopy, immunoflow cytometry and western blot that these ligands were expressed and secreted on exosomes, nanometer-sized microvesicles of endosomal origin. Acting as a decoy, the NKG2D ligand-bearing exosomes downregulate the in vitro NKG2D receptor-mediated cytotoxicity and thus impair NK-cell function. Interestingly, thermal and oxidative stress enhanced the exosome secretion generating more soluble NKG2D ligands that aggravated the impairment of the cytotoxic response. Taken together, our results might partly explain the clinically observed NK-cell dysfunction in patients suffering from leukemia/lymphoma. The adverse effect of thermal and oxidative stress, enhancing the release of immunosuppressive exosomes, should be considered when cytostatic and hyperthermal anti-cancer therapies are designed.
30.	Hedman, M H, et al. (author) Association between insulin resistance and GAD65-autoantibody levels--a pilot study in an adult non-diabetic population. 2004 In: Autoimmunity. - 0891-6934. ; 37:1, s. 33-6 Journal article (peer-reviewed)
31.	Holm, Anna, et al. (author) Lymphocyte profile and cytokine mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis suggest dysregulated cytokine mRNA response and impaired cytotoxic capacity 2017 In: Immunity, Inflammation and Disease. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 2050-4527. ; 5:4, s. 541-550 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract OBJECTIVES: Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a relatively rare, chronic disease caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) 6 and 11, and characterized by wart-like lesions in the airway affecting voice and respiratory function. The majority of HPV infections are asymptomatic and resolve spontaneously, however, some individuals are afflicted with persistent HPV infections. Failure to eliminate HPV 6 and 11 due to a defect immune responsiveness to these specific genotypes is proposed to play a major role in the development of RRP.METHODS: We performed a phenotypic characterization of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) collected from 16 RRP patients and 12 age-matched healthy controls, using immunoflow cytometry, and monoclonal antibodies against differentiation and activation markers. The cytokine mRNA profile of monocytes, T helper-, T cytotoxic-, and NK cells was assessed using RT-qPCR cytokine analysis, differentiating between Th1-, Th2-, Th3/regulatory-, and inflammatory immune responses.RESULTS: We found a dominance of cytotoxic T cells, activated NK cells, and high numbers of stressed MIC A/B expressing lymphocytes. There was an overall suppression of cytokine mRNA production and an aberrant cytokine mRNA profile in the activated NK cells.CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate an immune dysregulation with inverted CD4(+) /CD8(+) ratio and aberrant cytokine mRNA production in RRP patients, compared to healthy controls.
32.	Israelsson, Pernilla, et al. (author) Assessment of cytokine mRNA expression profiles in tumor microenvironment and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with high-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary 2017 In: Journal of Cancer Science & Therapy. - : OMICS Publishing Group. - 1948-5956. ; 9:5, s. 422-429 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Objective: Tumor establishment, metastatic spreading and poor survival in ovarian cancer is strongly associated with progressive derangement of the patient’s immune system. Accumulating evidence suggests that immune impairment is influenced by the production and presence of cytokines in the tumor microenvironment. Methods: Cytokine mRNA profiles in tumor tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were analyzed in patients with high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) of the ovary and compared it to patients with benign ovarian conditions and controls with normal ovaries. Cytokine assessment was done by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and specific primers and probes for 12 cytokines-IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-15, TNF-α, TNF-β/LTA, TGF-β1, and GM-CSF chosen to distinguish between cytotoxic Th1, humoral Th2, regulatory Th3/Tr1 and inflammatory responses. Results: The cytokine mRNA response in the HGSC patients was significantly up regulated compared to patients with benign ovarian conditions and normal ovary controls confirming the immunogenicity of HGSC and implying immune recognition and reaction locally in the tumor microenvironment and systemically in the peripheral blood.There was an up-regulation of inflammatory and inhibitory cytokine mRNA promoting tumor progression, T-regulatory cell priming and T-regulatory cell-mediated immune suppression. In contrast, there was an inability to mount the crucially important IFN gamma response needed for upregulation of the cytotoxic anti-tumor response in the local microenvironment. In addition, systemic IL-4- mediated Th2 response prevailed in the peripheral blood deviating the systemic defense towards humoral immunity. Conclusions: Taken together, these results suggest local and systemic cytokine cooperation promoting tumor survival, progression and immune escape. Our study confirms and extends previous investigations and contributes to the evaluation of potential cytokine candidates for diagnostic cytokine mRNA profiles and for future therapeutic interventions based on cytokine inhibition.
33.	Israelsson, Pernilla, et al. (author) Assessment of cytokine mRNA expression profiles in tumor microenvironment and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with high-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary 2019 In: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 1048-891X .- 1525-1438. ; 29, s. A138-A138 Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract Introduction/Background Tumor establishment, metastatic spreading and poor survival in ovarian cancer is strongly associated with progressive derangement of the patient‘s immune system. Accumulating evidence suggests that immune impairment is influenced by the production and presence of cytokines in the tumor microenvironment.Methodology Cytokine mRNA profiles in tumor tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were analyzed in patients with high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) of the ovary and compared it to patients with benign ovarian conditions and controls with normal ovaries. Cytokine assessment was done by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and specific primers and probes for 12 cytokines-IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-15, TNF-α, TNF-β/LTA, TGF-β1, and GM-CSF chosen to distinguish between cytotoxic Th1, humoral Th2, regulatory Th3/Tr1 and inflammatory responses.Results The cytokine mRNA response in the HGSC patients was significantly up regulated compared to patients with benign ovarian conditions and normal ovary controls confirming the immunogenicity of HGSC and implying immune recognition and reaction locally in the tumor microenvironment and systemically in the peripheral blood.There was an up-regulation of inflammatory and inhibitory cytokine mRNA promoting tumor progression, T-regulatory cell priming and T-regulatory cell-mediated immune suppression. In contrast, there was an inability to mount the crucially important IFN gamma response needed for upregulation of the cytotoxic anti-tumor response in the local microenvironment. In addition, systemic IL-4- mediated Th2 response prevailed in the peripheral blood deviating the systemic defense towards humoral immunity.Conclusion Taken together, these results suggest local and systemic cytokine cooperation promoting tumor survival, progression and immune escape. Our study confirms and extends previous investigations and contributes to the evaluation of potential cytokine candidates for diagnostic cytokine mRNA profiles and for future therapeutic interventions based on cytokine inhibition.
34.	Israelsson, Pernilla, et al. (author) Cytokine mRNA and protein expression by cell cultures of epithelial ovarian cancer : Methodological considerations on the choice of analytical method for cytokine analyses 2020 In: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1046-7408 .- 1600-0897. ; 84:1 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Problem: To get a comprehensive picture of cytokine expression in health and disease is difficult, cytokines are transiently and locally expressed, and protein analyses are burdened by biological modifications, technical issues, and sensitivity to handling of samples. Thus, alternative methods, based on molecular techniques for cytokine mRNA analyses, are often used. We compared cytokine mRNA and protein expression to evaluate whether cytokine mRNA profiles can be used instead of protein analyses.Method of study: In kinetic experiments, cytokine mRNA and protein expression of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, and TNF-beta/LTA were studied using real-time RT-qPCR and Luminex(R) microarrays in the ovarian cancer cell lines OVCAR-3, SKOV-3 and the T-cell line Jurkat, after activation of transcription by thermal stress. In addition, we analyzed IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA and protein in a small number of ovarian cancer patients.Results: Ovarian cancer cells can express cytokines on both mRNA and protein level, with 1-4 hours' time delay between the mRNA and protein peak and a negative Spearman correlation. The mRNA and protein expression in patient samples was poorly correlated, reflecting previous studies.Conclusion: Cytokine mRNA and protein expression levels show diverging results, depending on the material analyzed and the method used. Considering the high sensitivity and reproducibility of real-time RT-qPCR, we suggest that cytokine mRNA profiles could be used as a proxy for protein expression for some specific purposes, such as comparisons between different patient groups, and in defining mechanistic pathways involved in the pathogenesis of cancer and other pathological conditions.
35.	Israelsson, Pernilla, 1984- (author) Mechanisms for immune escape in epithelial ovarian cancer 2021 Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract Tumors develop mechanisms to subvert the immune system, constituting immune escape. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), the deadliest of all gynecological malignancies, uses a variety of mechanisms to undermine immune surveillance, aiding its establishment and metastatic spreading. Despite progress in oncoimmunology, a lot remains unknown about the cancer-immune system interplay. The aim of this thesis was to study tumor-mediated mechanisms for immune escape in EOC patients, focusing on the role of cytokines and EOC- derived exosomes. Cytokines are key molecules regulating immune effector functions in health and disease. We used real-time RT-qPCR and a set of primers and probes for 12 cytokines, discriminating between different immune responses and compared the cytokine mRNA expression profiles locally in the TME and systemically in peripheral blood immune cells of EOC patients, to women with benign ovarian conditions and women with normal ovaries. The cytokine mRNA expression was in general most prominent in EOC patients, confirming the immunogenicity of EOC. We found significant dominance of inflammatory and immunosuppressive/ regulatory cytokines, known to promote tumor progression by priming and activating T regulatory cell-mediated immune suppression. In contrast, IFN-γ, crucially important for evoking a cytotoxic anti-tumor response, was not upregulated. Instead, a systemic increase of IL-4 prevailed, deviating the immune defense towards humoral immunity. With regard to our cytokine study, we performed comparative analyses of cytokine mRNA versus protein expression in the EOC cell lines OVCAR-3 and SKOV-3. We found that cytokine mRNA signals were universally detected, and in some instances translated into proteins, but the protein expression levels depended on the material analyzed and the method used. Due to the high sensitivity of real-time RT-qPCR, we suggest that cytokine mRNA expression profiles can be used for some instances, such as in studies of mechanistic pathways and in comparisons between patient groups, but cannot replace expression at the protein level. Exosomes are nanometer-sized vesicles of endosomal origin, released by virtually all cells, participating in normal and pathological processes. Like many tumors, EOC is a great exosome producer. We isolated exosomes from EOC ascitic fluid and supernatant from tumor explant cultures to study their effect on the NK cell receptors NKG2D and DNAM-1, involved in tumor killing. We found that EOC exosomes constitutively expressed NKG2D ligands on their surface while DNAM-1 ligand expression was rare and not associated with the exosomal membrane. Consistently, the major cytotoxic pathway of NKG2D-mediated killing was dysregulated by EOC exosomes while the accessory DNAM-1- mediated pathway remained unchanged. Our results provide a mechanistic explanation to the previously made observation that in EOC patients, tumor killing is only dependent on the accessory DNAM-1 pathway. Following these iii iv results, we studied NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity in vivo in EOC patients before and after surgery. We found that the serum exosomes isolated from EOC patients were able to downregulate the NKG2D receptor and suppress NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity in NK cells from healthy donors, in a similar way as exosomes from EOC ascites. We also found that surgery of the primary EOC tumor has a beneficial effect on the patients’ anti-tumor cytotoxic immune response. One mechanistic explanation could be a decrease in circulating NKG2D ligand- expressing exosomes, thus improving the cytotoxic NK cell function. In conclusion, our results contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms responsible for tumor immune escape in general, and in EOC patients in particular, and might be useful in developing novel antitumor therapies. Our studies highlight the prevailing immunosuppression in the local TME and the immunosuppressive role of EOC exosomes. Furthermore, they support the notion that cancer surgery is also a way of removing exosome-producing cells and reducing the serum concentration of immunosuppressive exosomes, thus boosting the patients’ cytotoxic anti-tumor response.
36.	Israelsson, Pernilla, et al. (author) NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity improves after primary surgery for high-grade serous ovarian cancer 2023 In: American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1046-7408 .- 1600-0897. ; 89:1 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Problem: Tumors compromise the patients’ immune system to promote their own survival. We have previously reported that HGSC exosomes play a central role, downregulating NKG2D cytotoxicity. Primary surgery's effect on tumor exosomes and NKG2D cytotoxicity in HGSC patients has not been studied before. The overall objective of this study was to explore the effect of surgery on the exosome-induced impairment of NKG2D cytotoxicity in HGSC.Method of study: Paired pre- and post-operative blood samples were subjected to cell and exosome analyses regarding the NKG2D receptor and ligands, and NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity. Lymphocytes were phenotyped by immunoflow cytometry. Exosomes, isolated by ultracentrifugation, and characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis, transmission and immune electron microscopy and western blot were used in functional cytotoxic experiments. HGSC explant culture-derived exosomes, previously studied by us, were used for comparison.Results: HGSC exosomes from patients’ sera downregulated NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity in NK cells of healthy donors. In a subgroup of subjects, NKG2D expression on CTLs and NK cells was upregulated after surgery, correlating to a decrease in the concentration of exosomes in postoperative sera. An overall significantly improved NKG2D-mediated cytotoxic response of the HGSC patients’ own NK cells in postoperative compared to preoperative samples was noted.Conclusions: Surgical removal of the primary tumor has a beneficial effect, relieving the exosome-mediated suppression of NKG2D cytotoxicity in HGSC patients, thus boostering their ability to combat cancer.
37.	Israelsson, Pernilla, et al. (author) The influence of surgery on circulating ovarian cancer exosomes and the NKG2D‐mediated cytotoxicity Other publication (other academic/artistic)
38.	Jonsson, Yvonne, 1974- (author) Cytokines and immune balance in preeclampsia : a survey of some immunological variables and methods in the study of preeclampsia 2005 Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract Preeclampsia is one of the most feared pregnancy complications, with a risk of maternal and fetal death and with no ideal therapy readily available. The cause of this strictly pregnancyrelated disease is still unknown and is therefore a great challenge to all researchers in the field of pregnancy-related pathophysiology.Today, the dominating theory of the origin of preeclampsia is defective initial placentation with insufficient penetration of the trophoblasts, leading to impaired maternal blood flow through narrow spiral arteries. However, the cause of this defective trophoblast behavior is not known. The maternal immune system has been proposed to have an influence on both the placentation and the subsequent systemic reactions. Therefore, it is very interesting to study the maternal immune system during preeclampsia, in hope of achieving a better understanding of this puzzling disease.Earlier studies have suggested that normal pregnancy requires a shift to a Th2/antiinflammatory type of immunity, at least directed towards the fetus and placenta, while some pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, could be due to a skewed Th1/proinflammatory type of immunity. However, the results from earlier studies designed to test the Th1/Th2 hypothesis in preeclampsia have not been consistent. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to examine if established preeclampsia is associated with increased innate inflammatory responses and a deviation of adaptive responses towards Th1 when compared with normal pregnancy.Enumerations of cytokine-producing cells from peripheral blood did not show any difference in the production of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12 between women with preeclampsia and normal pregnancies. However, a decrease in the spontaneously produced levels of IL-5 was detected in cell cultures on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in women with preeclampsia. Furthermore, a decreased production of IL-10 in response to paternal antigens, believed to represent the fetus, was also detected for the preeclamptic women.Serum analysis showed increased levels of the pro-inflammatory mediators IL-6 and IL-8 during preeclampsia. Also, preeclamptic women displayed increased serum levels of the soluble IL-4 receptor, but no difference in the levels of IL-4 compared to normal pregnant women. This was an elusive finding, since the receptor was originally thought to reflect the levels of IL-4, but has recently been shown to have both agonistic and antagonistic properties on the IL-4 levels. Further studies of the local immune responses in the placenta showed no difference in the immunohistochemical staining of IL-4 and TNF-α between women with preeclampsia and women with normal pregnancies. In general, there were no hallmarks of abnormal morphology in the placental sections examined, regardless of diagnosis.In conclusion, the decreased levels of IL-10 in response to paternal antigens and the systemically increased levels of IL-6 and IL-8 suggest a specific decrease in antiinflammatory responses towards fetal antigens, together with a systemic activation of proinflammatory mediators during preeclampsia. Furthermore, the decreased production of IL-5 also indicates, at least partly, decreased Th2 responses in the established preeclampsia.
39.	Kalra, Hina, et al. (author) Vesiclepedia : a compendium for extracellular vesicles with continuous community annotation 2012 In: PLoS biology. - : Public library of science. - 1544-9173 .- 1545-7885. ; 10:12, s. e1001450- Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membraneous vesicles released by a variety of cells into their microenvironment. Recent studies have elucidated the role of EVs in intercellular communication, pathogenesis, drug, vaccine and gene-vector delivery, and as possible reservoirs of biomarkers. These findings have generated immense interest, along with an exponential increase in molecular data pertaining to EVs. Here, we describe Vesiclepedia, a manually curated compendium of molecular data (lipid, RNA, and protein) identified in different classes of EVs from more than 300 independent studies published over the past several years. Even though databases are indispensable resources for the scientific community, recent studies have shown that more than 50% of the databases are not regularly updated. In addition, more than 20% of the database links are inactive. To prevent such database and link decay, we have initiated a continuous community annotation project with the active involvement of EV researchers. The EV research community can set a gold standard in data sharing with Vesiclepedia, which could evolve as a primary resource for the field.
40.	Labani-Motlagh, Alireza, et al. (author) Differential expression of ligands for NKG2D and DNAM-1 receptors by epithelial ovarian cancer-derived exosomes and its influence on NK cell cytotoxicity 2016 In: Tumor Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1010-4283 .- 1423-0380. ; 37:4, s. 5455-5466 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Cancers constitutively produce and secrete into the blood and other biofluids 30-150 nm-sized endosomal vehicles called exosomes. Cancer-derived exosomes exhibit powerful influence on a variety of biological mechanisms to the benefit of the tumors that produce them. We studied the immunosuppressive ability of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) exosomes on two cytotoxic pathways of importance for anticancer immunity-the NKG2D receptor-ligand pathway and the DNAM-1-PVR/nectin-2 pathway. Using exosomes, isolated from EOC tumor explant and EOC cell-line culture supernatants, and ascitic fluid from EOC patients, we studied the expression of NKG2D and DNAM-1 ligands on EOC exosomes and their ability to downregulate the cognate receptors. Our results show that EOC exosomes differentially and constitutively express NKG2D ligands from both MICA/B and ULBP families on their surface, while DNAM-1 ligands are more seldom expressed and not associated with the exosomal membrane surface. Consequently, the NKG2D ligand-bearing EOC exosomes significantly downregulated the NKG2D receptor expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) while the DNAM-1 receptor was unaffected. The downregulation of NKG2D receptor expression was coupled to inhibition of NKG2D receptor-ligand-mediated degranulation and cytotoxicity measured in vitro with OVCAR-3 and K562 cells as targets. The EOC exosomes acted as a decoy impairing the NKG2D mediated cytotoxicity while the DNAM-1 receptor-ligand system remained unchanged. Taken together, our results support and explain the mechanism behind the recently reported finding that in EOC, NK-cell recognition and killing of tumor cells was mainly dependent on DNAM-1 signaling while the contribution of the NKG2D receptor-ligand pathway was complementary and uncertain.
41.	Labani Motlagh, Alireza, 1970- (author) Immune modulation in serous epithelial ovarian cancer : focus on the role of tumor-derived exosomes 2017 Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract Serous epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a potent suppressor of the immune defense. Here, we studied interactions between EOC and the immune system that lead to escape from tumor immune surveillance. We explored: 1) tumor escape from cytotoxicity by exosome-mediated modulation of the NK-cell receptors NKG2D and DNAM-1; 2) cytokine mRNA profiles in the EOC microenvironment and peripheral blood and their role in the suppression of the anti-tumor immune responses; 3) expression of long non-coding (lnc) RNAs in EOC tumors and exosomes.We found that EOC-secreted exosomes carried MICA/B and ULBP1-3, ligands of NKG2D, and could downregulate the NKG2D receptor and impair NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity. In contrast, the DNAM-1 receptor ligands PVR and nectin-2 were seldom found in exosomes and were not associated with the exosomal membrane leaving the DNAM-1 receptor-mediated cytotoxicity intact. We compared cytokine mRNA expression in the tumor microenvironment and in immune cells of peripheral blood in EOC patients and patients with benign ovarian conditions. EOC patients were unable to mount an IFN-gamma mRNA response needed for tumor cell elimination. Instead, there was a significant up-regulation of inflammation and immune suppression i.e. responses promoting tumorigenesis and T-regulatory cell priming that suppress anti-tumor immunity. In addition, we studied lncRNAs in tissues and sera exosomes from EOC and benign ovarian conditions aiming to assess the lncRNA(s) expression profile and look for lncRNA(s) as possible marker(s) for early diagnosis. We found a deregulated lncRNAs expression in EOC tissues that correlated well with the lncRNAs expression in exosomes. Candidate lncRNAs with the highest expression and abundance were suggested for evaluation as EOC diagnostic markers in a future large cohort study.Our studies of EOC tissue and EOC exosomes highlight the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and the complex tumor exosome-mediated network of immunosuppressive mechanisms, and provide a mechanistic explanation of the observation that NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity does not function in EOC patients and is partially replaced by the accessory DNAM-1 dependent cytotoxic pathway. The deregulated lncRNAs expression in EOC tissues and exosomes might serve for diagnostic purposes but could also be a potential risk of spreading tumor-derived lncRNAs in EOC exosomes to recipient cells throughout the body.
42.	Lundholm, Marie, et al. (author) Prostate Tumor-Derived Exosomes Down-Regulate NKG2D Expression on Natural Killer Cells and CD8(+) T Cells : Mechanism of Immune Evasion 2014 In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:9, s. e108925- Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Tumor-derived exosomes, which are nanometer-sized extracellular vesicles of endosomal origin, have emerged as promoters of tumor immune evasion but their role in prostate cancer (PC) progression is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the ability of prostate tumor-derived exosomes to downregulate NKG2D expression on natural killer (NK) and CD8(+) T cells. NKG2D is an activating cytotoxicity receptor whose aberrant loss in cancer plays an important role in immune suppression. Using flow cytometry, we found that exosomes produced by human PC cells express ligands for NKG2D on their surface. The NKG2D ligand-expressing prostate tumor-derived exosomes selectively induced downregulation of NKG2D on NK and CD8(+) T cells in a dose-dependent manner, leading to impaired cytotoxic function in vitro. Consistent with these findings, patients with castration-resistant PC (CRPC) showed a significant decrease in surface NKG2D expression on circulating NK and CD8(+) T cells compared to healthy individuals. Tumor-derived exosomes are likely involved in this NKG2D downregulation, since incubation of healthy lymphocytes with exosomes isolated from serum or plasma of CRPC patients triggered downregulation of NKG2D expression in effector lymphocytes. These data suggest prostate tumor-derived exosomes as down-regulators of the NKG2D-mediated cytotoxic response in PC patients, thus promoting immune suppression and tumor escape.
43.	Maguire, Casey A., et al. (author) Microvesicle-associated AAV Vector as a Novel Gene Delivery System 2012 In: Molecular Therapy. - New York : Nature Publishing Group. - 1525-0016 .- 1525-0024. ; 20:5, s. 960-971 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have shown remarkable efficiency for gene delivery to cultured cells and in animal models of human disease. However, limitations to AAV vectored gene transfer exist after intravenous transfer, including off-target gene delivery (e.g., liver) and low transduction of target tissue. Here, we show that during production, a fraction of AAV vectors are associated with microvesicles/exosomes, termed vexosomes (vector-exosomes). AAV capsids associated with the surface and in the interior of microvesicles were visualized using electron microscopy. In cultured cells, vexosomes outperformed conventionally purified AAV vectors in transduction efficiency. We found that purified vexosomes were more resistant to a neutralizing anti-AAV antibody compared to conventionally purified AAV. Finally, we show that vexosomes bound to magnetic beads can be attracted to a magnetized area in cultured cells. Vexosomes represent a unique entity which offers a promising strategy to improve gene delivery.
44.	Manouchehri Doulabi, Ehsan, 1986- (author) Molecular Tools for Detection and Characterization of Proteins and Extracellular Vesicles in Health and Disease 2023 Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract Detecting molecules involved in cancer is critical for cancer research and diagnostics. To achieve this goal, sensitive protein detection is essential to improving the chances of finding, verifying, validating and developing valuable biomarkers. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed nanometer-size structures that can transport macromolecular information between cells. While they play an essential role in cell-to-cell communication, they may also prove important as biomarkers for minimally invasive detection of cancer. In this doctoral thesis the aim was to establish protocols for proteome analysis of EVs, specifically to identify combinations of surface proteins on the EVs by labeling surface proteins followed by protein identification via mass spectrometry. Also, using the proximity ligation and extension assays the challenges have been met of discovering and validating proteomics biomarkers with very low amounts of EVs. In paper I the aim was to develop a detection method and protocol combining high-resolution mass spectrometry with solid-phase- and Exo PLAs for identifying surface proteins on EVs with relevance in prostate cancer. The protocol allowed identification of more than 1,000 surface proteins, many not previously reported to be carried by EVs. In Paper II we used five protein assay panels consisting of more than 400 proteins to assess and analyze the proteomics profiles of EVs isolated from four different gastric cancer cell lines. The data identified 39 proteins with medium or high expression levels in EVs from gastric cancer cell lines, which were not expressed or are only present at low concentrations in control EVs from seminal fluid. In Paper III we analyzed and measured thymidine kinase 1 enzyme activity in EVs purified from seminal fluids from healthy individuals and from normal and prostate cancer cell lines. Thymidine kinase 1 is a cell cycle-dependent enzyme and a biomarker for cell proliferation. The results indicate a correlation of TK1 enzyme activates with the aggressiveness of the tumor cell lines and higher enzyme activity was recorded for EVs isolated from p53 null and mutated cell lines compared to cells with wild-type p53. Paper IV describes a high-throughput approach using in situ proximity ligation assays (in situ PLA) to investigate protein interactions and post-translational modifications in the HaCAT cell line. In situ PLA was combined with automated microscopy and computerized analysis to evaluate phosphorylation and protein interaction along with subcellular features in response to drug treatment. In summary, the focus of this Ph.D. thesis has been to adopt a variety of proteomic techniques for investigating EVs as biomarkers in health and disease.
45.	Mincheva-Nilsson, Lucia, et al. (author) Activated human gamma delta T lymphocytes express functional lactoferrin receptors. 1997 In: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - 0300-9475 .- 1365-3083. ; 46:6, s. 609-18 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Lactoferrin (Lf), an iron-binding protein in milk, mucosal secretions and neutrophil granules has bactericidal properties and is a source of iron for breast-fed infants. In this paper the authors show that most in vivo activated lymphocytes, i.e. freshly isolated lymphocytes from first trimester human decidua, and most in vitro activated human blood lymphocytes, express lactoferrin receptors (Lf-R), while unstimulated blood lymphocytes do not. All major lymphocyte subsets, i.e. alpha beta T cells, gamma delta T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, B cells and NK cells, express Lf-R after activation. The proportion of Lf-R expressing activated gamma delta T cells is significantly larger than that of activated alpha beta T cells. Lf-R and transferrin receptors (Tr-R/CD71) show the same kinetics of appearance on activated blood lymphocytes and are, to a large extent, expressed on the same cells. However, 35% of decidual lymphocytes and 15% of activated blood lymphocytes express Lf-R only. Addition of Lf to cultures containing an optimal concentration of Tr augments the proliferative response to polyclonal T cell activators and alloantigens, suggesting that presently used standard culture conditions for in vitro activation are suboptimal in particular for gamma delta T cells. Lf-R on decidual lymphocytes contain bound Lf, which probably is produced locally. The results suggest that Lf is a growth-supporting factor, especially important in local immune responses in the mucosa.
46.	Mincheva-Nilsson, Lucia, et al. (author) Cancer exosomes and NKG2D receptor-ligand interactions : impairing NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity and anti-tumour immune surveillance 2014 In: Seminars in Cancer Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1044-579X .- 1096-3650. ; 28, s. 24-30 Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract Human cancers constitutively produce and release endosome-derived nanometer-sized vesicles called exosomes that carry biologically active proteins, messenger and micro RNAs and serve as vehicles of intercellular communication. The tumour exosomes are present in the blood, urine and various malignant effusions such as peritoneal and pleural fluid of cancer patients and can modulate immune cells and responses thus deranging the immune system of cancer patients and giving advantage to the cancer to establish and spread itself. Here, the role of exosomes in the NKG2D receptor ligand system's interactions is discussed. The activating NK cell receptor NKG2D and its multiple ligands, the MHC class I-related chain (MIC) A/B and the retinoic acid transcript-1/UL-16 binding proteins (RAET1/ULBP) 1-6 comprise a powerful stress-inducible danger detector system that targets infected, inflamed and malignantly transformed cells and plays a decisive role in anti-tumour immune surveillance. Mounting evidence reveals that the MIC- and RAET1/ULBP ligand family members are enriched in the endosomal compartment of various tumour cells and expressed and released into the intercellular space and bodily fluids on exosomes thus preserving their entire molecule, three-dimensional protein structure and biologic activity. The NKG2D ligand-expressing exosomes serve as decoys with a powerful ability to down regulate the cognate receptor and impair the cytotoxic function of NK-, NKT-, gamma/delta- and cytotoxic T cells. This review summarizes recent findings concerning the role of NKG2D receptor ligand system in cancer with emphasis on regulation of NKG2D ligand expression and the immunosuppressive role of exosomally expressed NKG2D ligands.
47.	Mincheva-Nilsson, Lucia, et al. (author) Gamma delta T cells of human early pregnancy decidua : evidence for local proliferation, phenotypic heterogeneity, and extrathymic differentiation. 1997 In: Journal of Immunology. - 0022-1767 .- 1550-6606. ; 159:7, s. 3266-77 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract The uterine mucosa in pregnancy, the decidua, allows placenta formation and survival of the fetus despite the fact that it is semiallogeneic. Decidua contains large numbers of lymphocytes, of which CD56+ cells dominate, followed by T cells expressing either alpha beta or gamma delta TCR. We have investigated the developmental relationship between the CD56- and TCR gamma delta-expressing cells in early pregnancy decidua using dual labeling immunoelectron microscopy, immunoflow cytometry, and cell fractionation. Lymphocyte subpopulations were, in addition, analyzed for expression of the cytokine receptor for IL-7 and c-kit and for mRNA expression of recombinase-activating genes 1 and 2. Four different cell populations could be distinguished: CD56+bright, CD56+dim/TCR gamma delta+low, CD56+dim/TCR gamma delta+high, and TCR gamma delta+low. Recombinase-activating genes 1 and 2 were expressed in the CD56+bright cells and to a limited degree in CD56+dim/TCR gamma delta+low cells. c-kit was preferentially expressed on the CD56+bright cells, while IL-7R was preferentially expressed on CD56+dim/TCR gamma delta+low and CD56+dim/TCR gamma delta+high cells. The CD56+dim TCR gamma delta+low and CD56+dim/TCR gamma delta+high cells displayed the characteristic morphology of large granular lymphocytes, while single positive TCR gamma delta+low cells were usually smaller and did not contain cytoplasmic granules. The gamma delta 1 gene segment was almost exclusively used in the TCR. Gamma delta T cells in mitosis were seen. We suggest that human early pregnancy decidua is a transient site for extrathymic maturation and that the progenitors of TCR gamma delta+ cells are bone marrow-derived immature cells expressing the CD56 (neural cell adhesion molecule) homing receptor.
48.	Mincheva-Nilsson, Lucia, et al. (author) gammadelta T cells of human early pregnancy decidua : evidence for cytotoxic potency. 2000 In: International Immunology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0953-8178 .- 1460-2377. ; 12:5, s. 585-96 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract The immune compromise in decidua allows a semiallogeneic fetus to survive without impairing the ability of the maternal immune system to fight infections. Cytotoxic mechanisms are likely to be important in this compromise. Using RT-PCR, immunoflow cytometry and immunoelectron microscopy, the cytotoxic potential of isolated human decidual gammadelta T cells was studied. mRNA for perforin (Pf), granzymes A and B, granulysin and Fas ligand (FasL) was simultaneously expressed in decidual gammadelta T cells. Pf and FasL were not expressed on the cell surface. However, the cells constitutively synthesized Pf and stored it in cytolytic granules. Within the granules Pf mainly resided in the granule core formed by Pf-containing microvesicles. Ultrastructurally, three groups of Pf-containing granules were distinguished. They probably represent different stages of granule maturation in a process where Pf-containing microvesicles first attach to the core cortex and then are translocated across the cortex into the core. Presynthesized FasL was also stored in the core and microvesicles of the cytolytic granules. Upon degranulation by ionomycin/Ca(2+) treatment, FasL was rapidly translocated to the cell surface, demonstrating that its surface expression was not controlled by de novo biosynthesis. Thus decidual gammadelta T cells appear to perform Pf- and FasL-mediated cytotoxicity utilizing a common secretory mechanism based on cytolytic granule exocytosis. The first cytochemical visualization of lipids in the cytolytic granules is provided. These intragranular lipids probably wrap up the core and participate in packaging of the cytotoxic proteins as well as in the killing process. An ultrastructural model of a cytolytic granule is presented.
49.	Mincheva-Nilsson, Lucia, et al. (author) Human decidual leukocytes from early pregnancy contain high numbers of gamma delta+ cells and show selective down-regulation of alloreactivity. 1992 In: Journal of Immunology. - 0022-1767 .- 1550-6606. ; 149:6, s. 2203-11 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract The mononuclear lymphoid cell population in human pregnant uterus mucosa, decidua, from early normal pregnancies was studied phenotypically and functionally. The phenotype was determined in situ by immunohistochemistry, and in isolated decidual mononuclear cell preparations by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. A mild isolation procedure of gentle mechanical disruption followed by density gradient centrifugation was used. Leukocytes comprised a large part of the decidual tissue. They were present in aggregates mainly situated adjacent to the glandular epithelium. In addition, individual leukocytes were present intraepithelially, as well as scattered between the stromal cells and around vessels and lacunes. Four lymphocyte populations of approximately the same size were identified: TCR gamma delta+/CD56+ cells, TCR gamma delta+/CD56- cells, TCR gamma delta-/CD56+ cells, and TCR alpha beta+/CD8+ cells. TCR gamma delta- expressing cells comprised about 60% of the T cells. They were CD4-/CD8-, and about half of the TCR gamma delta+ cells expressed the memory/activation marker CD45RO. The Kp 43 Ag, earlier described on activated CD56+ and TCR gamma delta+ cells in peripheral blood, was essentially only expressed on the TCR gamma delta-/CD56+ cell population in decidua. At least 50% of the TCR alpha beta+ cells were CD8+. The function(s) of either one of these populations might be to prevent immunologic reactions against the fetus, to protect the uterus from unwanted extensive invasion of trophoblasts, or to protect the uteroplacental unit from infection. Decidual T cells did not respond to stimulation by alloantigens or mitogenic anti-CD3 mAb but responded to the same extent as PBMC to mitogenic lectins. The surface density of the TCR/CD3 complex was low on freshly isolated decidual lymphocytes, but could be up-regulated upon stimulation with PMA/Ionomycin. Local selective down-regulation of surface expression of the TCR/CD3 complex and of activation involving this complex might be one of the mechanisms by which a maternal immunologic reaction against the semiallogeneic fetus is prevented.
50.	Mincheva-Nilsson, Lucia, et al. (author) Human milk contains proteins that stimulate and suppress T lymphocyte proliferation 1990 In: Clinical and Experimental Immunology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0009-9104 .- 1365-2249. ; 79:3, s. 463-469 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract The modulatory effect of human milk proteins from colostrum and late milk on the proliferative response of human T lymphocytes activated by mitogens (OKT3 and leucoagglutinin from Phaseolus vulgaris) and alloantigens was studied. High concentrations (10-100 micrograms/ml) of crude colostral milk proteins had an inhibitory effect on T cell growth while low concentrations (0.1-1 microgram/ml) enhanced T cells growth. In contrast, proteins from late milk did not inhibit T lymphocyte proliferation while the enhancing effect was retained. Colostrum was fractionated by ammonium sulphate precipitation and gel filtration on sepharose 6B. The inhibitory activity was recovered in a protein fraction containing lactoferrin as its major component. Lactoferrin was, however, not responsible for the observed inhibition. On the contrary, lactoferrin in most cases augmented the proliferative response induced by polyclonal activators. The inhibitory activity was found to bind concanavalin A-sepharose suggesting an association with glycoprotein. Inhibitory fractions contained glycoproteins of the following molecular sizes 26, 74/76 (doublet), 84, 145 and 160 kD under reducing conditions. The inhibitory effect appeared to be lymphocyte specific since the active fraction did not inhibit the growth of tissue culture cells (HeLa cells and human fibroblasts) or bacteria. Furthermore, the fraction was not toxic for lymphocytes. The inhibitory colostrum factor may prevent the newborn from overreacting immunologically against the environmental antigens encountered at birth.

Skapa referenser, mejla, bekava och länka

Permalink

Result 1-50 of 86

Refine your search

Type of publication: journal article (63); doctoral thesis (13); other publication (5); research review (5)

Type of content: peer-reviewed (65); other academic/artistic (20); pop. science, debate, etc. (1)

Author/Editor: Mincheva-Nilsson, Lu ... (66); Nagaeva, Olga (22); Baranov, Vladimir (15); Nagaev, Ivan (13); Ottander, Ulrika (9); Hammarström, Marie-L ... (8); show more...; Hammarström, Sten (8); Waldenström, Anders (8); Nagaeva, Olga, 1958- (8); Lundin, Eva (7); Israelsson, Pernilla (7); Rantapää-Dahlqvist, ... (6); Gabrielsson, Susanne (5); Andersen, Grethe Neu ... (5); Björk, Emma (5); Kjellberg, Lennart (5); Sandström, Thomas (4); Nilsson, Kenneth (4); Troye-Blomberg, Mari ... (4); Andersen, M (3); Kazzam, Elsadig (3); Telemo, Esbjörn, 195 ... (3); Lötvall, Jan, 1956 (3); Ronquist, Gunnar (3); Wikberg, Jarl E. S. (3); Mincheva-Nilsson, Lu ... (3); Rolandsson, Olov (2); Evander, Magnus (2); Jenmalm, Maria, Prof ... (2); Laurell, Göran (2); Widmark, Anders (2); Stendahl, Ulf (2); Caidahl, Kenneth (2); Farouk, Salah E. (2); Bremme, Katarina (2); Petersson, Ann-Sofi (2); Blomberg, Anders (2); Andersen, Grethe N. (2); Nagaeva, O (2); Frängsmyr, Lars (2); Petrovska, R (2); Andersen, G. N. (2); Lundin, Eva, Profess ... (2); Strand, Magnus (2); Lötvall, Jan (2); Vinnars, Marie-There ... (2); Skog, Johan (2); Svanvik, Joar (2); Ottander, Ulrika, Do ... (2); Chen, Ting (2); show less...

University: Umeå University (75); Uppsala University (11); Karolinska Institutet (6); University of Gothenburg (5); Linköping University (5); Stockholm University (3); show more...; Lund University (2); Örebro University (1); The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (1); show less...

Language: English (79); Swedish (6); Undefined language (1)

Research subject (UKÄ/SCB): Medical and Health Sciences (54); Natural sciences (15)

Year

Kungliga biblioteket hanterar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med EU:s dataskyddsförordning (2018), GDPR. Läs mer om hur det funkar här.
Så här hanterar KB dina uppgifter vid användning av denna tjänst.

LIBRIS.kb.se

Copy and save the link in order to return to this view