24 research outputs found
Multifunctional cytokine production reveals functional superiority of memory CD4 T cells
T cell protective immunity is associated with multifunctional memory cells that produce several different cytokines. Currently, our understanding of when and how these cells are generated is limited. We have used an influenza virus mouse infection model to investigate whether the cytokine profile of memory T cells is reflective of primary responding cells or skewed towards a distinct profile. We found that, in comparison to primary cells, memory T cells tended to make multiple cytokines simultaneously. Analysis of the timings of release of cytokine by influenza virusâspecific T cells, demonstrated that primary responding CD4 T cells from lymphoid organs were unable to produce a sustained cytokine response. In contrast CD8 T cells, memory CD4 T cells, and primary responding CD4 T cells from the lung produced a sustained cytokine response throughout the restimulation period. Moreover, memory CD4 T cells were more resistant than primary responding CD4 T cells to inhibitors that suppress T cell receptor signalling. Together, these data suggest that memory CD4 T cells display superior cytokine responses compared to primary responding cells. These data are key to our ability to identify the cues that drive the generation of protective memory CD4 T cells following infection
Human olfactory mesenchymal stromal cell transplantation ameliorates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis revealing an inhibitory role for IL16 on myelination
One of the therapeutic approaches for the treatment of the autoimmune demyelinating disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) is bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cell (hBM-MSCs) transplantation. However, given their capacity to enhance myelination in vitro, we hypothesised that human olfactory mucosa-derived MSCs (hOM-MSCs) may possess additional properties suitable for CNS repair. Herein, we have examined the efficacy of hOM-MSCs versus hBM-MSCs using the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model. Both MSC types ameliorated disease, if delivered during the initial onset of symptomatic disease. Yet, only hOM-MSCs improved disease outcome if administered during established disease when animals had severe neurological deficits. Histological analysis of spinal cord lesions revealed hOM-MSC transplantation reduced bloodâbrain barrier disruption and inflammatory cell recruitment and enhanced axonal survival. At early time points post-hOM-MSC treatment, animals had reduced levels of circulating IL-16, which was reflected in both the ability of immune cells to secrete IL-16 and the level of IL-16 in spinal cord inflammatory lesions. Further in vitro investigation revealed an inhibitory role for IL-16 on oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination. Moreover, the availability of bioactive IL-16 after demyelination was reduced in the presence of hOM-MSCs. Combined, our data suggests that human hOM-MSCs may have therapeutic benefit in the treatment of MS via an IL-16-mediated pathway, especially if administered during active demyelination and inflammation
Susceptibility of hamsters to clostridium difficile isolates of differing toxinotype
Clostridium difficile is the most commonly associated cause of antibiotic associated disease (AAD), which caused ~21,000 cases of AAD in 2011 in the U.K. alone. The golden Syrian hamster model of CDI is an acute model displaying many of the clinical features of C. difficile disease. Using this model we characterised three clinical strains of C. difficile, all differing in toxinotype; CD1342 (PaLoc negative), M68 (toxinotype VIII) and BI-7 (toxinotype III). The naturally occurring non-toxic strain colonised all hamsters within 1-day post challenge (d.p.c.) with high-levels of spores being shed in the faeces of animals that appeared well throughout the entire experiment. However, some changes including increased neutrophil influx and unclotted red blood cells were observed at early time points despite the fact that the known C. difficile toxins (TcdA, TcdB and CDT) are absent from the genome. In contrast, hamsters challenged with strain M68 resulted in a 45% mortality rate, with those that survived challenge remaining highly colonised. It is currently unclear why some hamsters survive infection, as bacterial and toxin levels and histology scores were similar to those culled at a similar time-point. Hamsters challenged with strain BI-7 resulted in a rapid fatal infection in 100% of the hamsters approximately 26 hr post challenge. Severe caecal pathology, including transmural neutrophil infiltrates and extensive submucosal damage correlated with high levels of toxin measured in gut filtrates ex vivo. These data describes the infection kinetics and disease outcomes of 3 clinical C. difficile isolates differing in toxin carriage and provides additional insights to the role of each toxin in disease progression
An integrated online radioassay data storage and analytics tool for nEXO
Large-scale low-background detectors are increasingly used in rare-event
searches as experimental collaborations push for enhanced sensitivity. However,
building such detectors, in practice, creates an abundance of radioassay data
especially during the conceptual phase of an experiment when hundreds of
materials are screened for radiopurity. A tool is needed to manage and make use
of the radioassay screening data to quantitatively assess detector design
options. We have developed a Materials Database Application for the nEXO
experiment to serve this purpose. This paper describes this database, explains
how it functions, and discusses how it streamlines the design of the
experiment
Performance of novel VUV-sensitive Silicon Photo-Multipliers for nEXO
Liquid xenon time projection chambers are promising detectors to search for
neutrinoless double beta decay (0), due to their response
uniformity, monolithic sensitive volume, scalability to large target masses,
and suitability for extremely low background operations. The nEXO collaboration
has designed a tonne-scale time projection chamber that aims to search for
0 of \ce{^{136}Xe} with projected half-life sensitivity of
~yr. To reach this sensitivity, the design goal for nEXO is
1\% energy resolution at the decay -value (~keV).
Reaching this resolution requires the efficient collection of both the
ionization and scintillation produced in the detector. The nEXO design employs
Silicon Photo-Multipliers (SiPMs) to detect the vacuum ultra-violet, 175 nm
scintillation light of liquid xenon. This paper reports on the characterization
of the newest vacuum ultra-violet sensitive Fondazione Bruno Kessler VUVHD3
SiPMs specifically designed for nEXO, as well as new measurements on new test
samples of previously characterised Hamamatsu VUV4 Multi Pixel Photon Counters
(MPPCs). Various SiPM and MPPC parameters, such as dark noise, gain, direct
crosstalk, correlated avalanches and photon detection efficiency were measured
as a function of the applied over voltage and wavelength at liquid xenon
temperature (163~K). The results from this study are used to provide updated
estimates of the achievable energy resolution at the decay -value for the
nEXO design
Colonisation kinetics of <i>C. difficile</i> CD1342 in hamsters.
<p>To monitor colonisation throughout the infection process hamsters were culled at 1- (A), 3- (B) and 11 (C) days post challenge. <i>C. difficile</i> was recovered from the caecum (CAE) and the colon (COL) either associated with the lumen (LA) or the tissue (TA). Filled bars represent vegetative bacteria whilst empty bars indicate bacteria in spore form. Bacterial recoveries represent the geometric mean plus the standard error of the mean (SEM) of 2 biological replicates, where a total of at least 5 animals were used per time interval.</p
Mean histology scores from hamsters challenged with <i>C. difficile</i> strains.
<p><i>C. difficile</i> CD1342 (filled columns), M68 (open columns) or BI-7 (checked column) at either 1-, 3- & 11-d.p.c (A) or if the hamsters succumbed to infection (B). Caecal pathology was graded by neutrophil margination, haemorrhagic congestion, hyperplasia and percent barrier involvement from at least four animals. Typical caecal histology from hamsters challenged with either CD1342 (at 1-d.p.c. - C), M68 (at 3-d.p.c. - D) or BI-7 (at âŒ26 h - E). Red arrows denotes unclotted red blood cells within the villus structure; black arrows denotes epithelial barrier destruction & green arrows denotes transmural neutrophil infiltrate.</p
Colonisation kinetics of <i>C. difficile</i> M68 in hamsters.
<p>To monitor colonisation throughout the infection process hamsters were culled at 1- (A), 3- (B) and 11 (D) days post challenge and if animals succumbed to infection (C). <i>C. difficile</i> was recovered from the caecum (CAE) and the colon (COL) either associated with the lumen (LA) or the tissue (TA). Filled bars represent vegetative bacteria whilst empty bars indicate bacteria in spore form. Bacterial recoveries represent the geometric mean plus the standard error of the mean (SEM) of 2 biological replicates, where a total of at least 5 animals were used per time interval.</p
Survival of hamsters challenged with <i>C. difficile</i> strains.
<p>(A) Survival graph of hamsters challenged with either <i>C. difficile</i> CD1342 (full line), M68 (long dashed line), BI-7 (dash/dot line) or R20291 [dotted line (R20291 data from 24]. (B) Typical body temperature kinetics of a hamster challenged with CD1342 following the usual diurnal pattern. (C) Body temperature kinetics of a surviving hamster challenged with M68, (D) a hamster that succumbed to M68 challenge & (E) a hamster challenged with BI-7. Top bar represents when symptoms, typically âwet tailâ, manifest. A typical febrile response (maximum temperature of 39.3°C) was seen prior to onset of observed symptoms.</p