Immunospecific Responses to Bacterial Elongation Factor Tu during Burkholderia Infection and Immunization

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the etiological agent of melioidosis, a disease endemic in parts of Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. Currently there is no licensed vaccine against infection with this biological threat agent. In this study, we employed an immunoproteomic approach and identified bacterial Elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu) as a potential vaccine antigen. EF-Tu is membrane-associated, secreted in outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), and immunogenic during Burkholderia infection in the murine model of melioidosis. Active immunization with EF-Tu induced antigen-specific antibody and cell-mediated immune responses in mice. Mucosal immunization with EF-Tu also reduced lung bacterial loads in mice challenged with aerosolized B. thailandensis. Our data support the utility of EF-Tu as a novel vaccine immunogen against bacterial infection

Chronic Ocular Complications of Stevens–Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: The Role of Systemic Immunomodulatory Therapy

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare, but potentially blinding diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes. Although the cutaneous manifestations tend to be self-limited and resolve without sequelae, the chronic ocular complications associated with SJS/TEN can persist despite local therapy. Poor understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and lack of a standardized clinical approach have resulted in a paucity of data in regards to suitable treatment options. Inflammatory cellular infiltration and elevated levels of ocular surface cytokines in the conjunctival specimens of affected patients give credence to an underlying immunogenic etiology. Furthermore, the presence of ongoing ocular surface inflammation and progressive conjunctival fibrosis in the absence of exogenous aggravating factors suggest a possible role for systemic immunomodulatory therapy (IMT). We review in detail the proposed immunogenesis underlying chronic ocular SJS/TEN and the possible utility of systemic IMT

Current evidence that exercise can increase the number of adult stem cells

The number of adult stem cells (ASCs) is very small, limiting the regenerative potential of tissues. One of the most studied ASCs in humans is the satellite cell (SC), which proliferates and increases pool size under exercise stress and muscle damage. This review examines the growth factor response to specific types of exercise to show the potential of exercise to stimulate not only SC self-renewal, but also other ASCs. We postulate that the same factors that stimulate a high proliferation of SCs in skeletal muscle after physical exercise should also stimulate the proliferation of ASCs in the tissue in which they reside, such as heart, bone, liver and etc. Regular exercise should be promoted, not only for disease prevention, but to maintain a high ASCs reserve and progenitor cell potential for rapid activation in response to future stressors and damage. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V