Category: Immunology

Inhibiting the PD-1/PD-L1 Interaction as an Intratumoral Immunotherapeutic Approach for Melanoma

July 19, 2018 Ronnie Youssef
Ronnie Youssef Introduction. Melanoma is the subset of skin cancer that has the highest mortality rate. Distant-stage melanoma, in which tumors have metastasized, has a 5-year survival rate of 20%1. Research has shown that the interaction between the immune checkpoint programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1 has hindered T-cell…
Cancer Featured Abstracts Immunology

IL-6 In Cytokine Release Syndrome during CAR-T Cell Therapy

July 19, 2018 Tan Luu
Tan Luu Introduction. A new promising immunotherapy treatment utilizing Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) on genetically modified host T cells has a major auto immune side effect known as Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), a non-antigen specific toxicity that occurs as a result of high-level immune reaction that clinically manifests when large…
Immunology Inflammation

The Controversial Theories of the Unfolded Protein Response and Autophagy as Underlying Mechanisms for the Increase in the Proinflammatory Cytokine IL-23 in Ankylosing Spondylitis.

July 19, 2018 Brett Johnson
Brett Johnson Introduction: Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), the most severe form of Spondyloarthritis (SpA), causes chronic inflammation most commonly found in the vertebral and sacroiliac joints. AS can be a debilitating disease causing severe back pain, stiffness and new bone growth1. Although AS can affect either sex, any race, and all…
Featured Abstracts Immunology Inflammation

The Role of Immunity in Maintaining the Muscle Satellite Cell Niche Necessary for Satellite Cell Function in Health and in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

July 11, 2018 Carolina Orsi
Carolina Orsi Introduction Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic condition resulting from a mutation in dystrophin, which is an essential protein needed to anchor striated myofibrils to the extracellular matrix (ECM)1,3. With decreased structural stability, extensive damage results during myofibril contraction and induces vast immune and inflammatory responses within…
Featured Abstracts Immunology Inflammation Neuroscience

Epigenetic Modification at the FOXP3 Locus and IL-2 Signaling to Induce Regulatory T Cells in Type I Diabetes Immunotherapy

July 11, 2018 Reshma George
Reshma George Introduction: Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a chronic disease characterized by autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells with lymphocyte infiltration that leads to decreased insulin production. Over 1.25 million Americans currently have the disease, and 40,000 new diagnoses are made every year1. Individuals with T1D present with increased…
Endocrinology Immunology

Using Pro-Insulin Peptide Immunotherapy to Elicit a Foxp3 T-regulatory Response and Suppress Autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

July 11, 2018 Laure Cundiff
Laure Cundiff Introduction.  Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease characterized by T-cell destruction of host pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells, resulting in chronic hyperglycemia and long-term vascular complications.1,2  HLA-DQ-restricted CD4 T-cells are found in the pancreatic islets of these patients, causing IFN-γ mediated destruction of insulin producing cells.4,5,6  Further,…
Endocrinology Featured Abstracts Immunology Inflammation

The role of genetics, proteinases, and interleukins in Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha unresponsiveness in Crohn’s Disease

July 11, 2018 Nam Nguyen
Nam Nguyen Introduction: Crohn’s Disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel condition that involves any part of the gastrointestinal tract.1, 2 Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) plays a role in Crohn’s as it is a cytokine tasked for regulation of immune cells but may cause increased inflammation in high concentrations.2 Current…
Immunology Inflammation

Inhibition of Toll-like Receptor 4 and the NLPR3 Inflammasome as Potential Treatments for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

July 9, 2018 Jessica Domitrovic
Jessica Domitrovic Introduction.  Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) results in nearly 75,000 deaths annually in the US,1 with pneumonia, sepsis, and mechanical ventilation frequent causes. Damaged epithelial cells induce inflammation, diffuse alveolar injury, pulmonary infiltrates, and severe hypoxemia. There are no statistically effective pharmacological treatments. Both bacterial and ventilator-induced ARDS…
Immunology Inflammation