quercinecans. A DNA-DNA hybridization

study was performed with DNA from strain NUM 1720T and G. quercinecans. DNA-DNA hybridization value of strain NUM 1720T with the type strain of G. quercinecans was 63.8%. The DNA G + C content of strain NUM 1720T was 55.0 mol%. This value is slightly lower than those of the genus Gibbsiella (56.0–56.4 mol%) (1), S. ficaria (59.6 mol%) (13) and K. ascorbata (56.1 mol%) (14), and slightly higher than that of P. rwandensis (51.2 mol%) (15). Phenotypic characteristics distinguishing NUM 1720T from G. quercinecans, Pantoea rwandensis, Serratia ficaria and Kluyvera ascorbata are shown in Table 1. Strain NUM 1720T was distinguished from the strains which are highly similar on 16S rRNA gene sequencing by the ability to hydrolyze EX 527 chemical structure citrate (differentiating it from P. rwandensis) and acetoin (differentiating it from G. quercinecans and K. ascorbata), the inability to produce indole, lysine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase (differentiating it from K. ascorbata) or gelatinase selleck products (differentiating it from S. ficaria), a positive reaction to L-sorbose

(differentiating it from P. rwandensis, S. ficaria and K. ascorbata), D-sorbitol, D-maltose, D-saccharose potassium gluconate (differentiating it from P. rwandensis) and D-turanose (differentiating it from P. rwandensis and K. ascorbata), a negative reaction to inositol (differentiating it from G. quercinecans and S. ficaria), D-arabinose (differentiating it from G. quercinecans and P. rwandensis) or D-fucose (differentiating it from P.

rwandensis). The predominant fatty acids of strain NUM 1720T and G. quercinecans when cultured on NG agar were C16:0, cyclo-C17:0 and C14:0. The predominant fatty acid of NUM 1720T were C16:0 (43.28%), cyclo-C17:0 (18.90%) and C14:0 (11.53%). Cellular fatty acid analysis of strain ID-8 NUM 1720T is in agreement with the profiles of genus Gibbsiella as shown in Table 2. The major menaquinone and ubiquinone was Q-8 and MK-8, respectively(data not shown), which is consistent with that reported previously for the type strain of G. quercinecans (1). The strain NUM 1720T was isolated from bear oral cavity and produces sucrose-derived exopolysaccharides as S. mutans does. However, the strain NUM 1720T is a Gram negative rod and genus Gibbsiella like. The genus Gibbsiella, which was recently proposed by Brady et al. (1), consists of one species, which is designated Gibbsiella quercinecans. Like NUM 1720T, G. quercinecans is also able to produce sucrose-derived exopolysaccharides (data not shown). The genus Gibbsiella was first isolated from symptomatic oak trees in Britain. Acorns are the most important autumn foods of bears, as described by Hashimoto et al. (16) Strain NUM 1720T may colonize bear oral cavities when they eat acorns. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed this strain to be highly related to G. quercinecans, P. rwandensis, S. ficaria and K. ascorbata.

74,75,77In vitro studies of superficial and invasive buy Fulvestrant clinical Malassezia isolates consistently demonstrate susceptibility to amphotericin B and antifungal triazoles, whereas flucytosine and echinocandins appear to be inactive.11,65,71,90–92 Thus, in the absence of experimental and comparative clinical data and the large clinical experience with invasive Candida infections, fluconazole or voriconazole may be rational

first-line options for antifungal chemotherapy with an amphotericin B product as back-up for refractory or life-threatening infections (Table 1). While the duration of treatment has not been defined, we would advocate a course of 14 days of effective antifungal selleck chemical therapy after the last positive blood culture and catheter removal as recommended for invasive Candida infections and optional switch from initial intravenous to oral therapy depending on the individual patient’s clinical response.79 Very little is known about the detailed morbidity

and mortality of invasive Malassezia infections. While Malassezia can cause severe disease and fatal cases have been reported in untreated patients, available series of catheter-associated fungaemia in premature neonates and in immunocompromised non-neonatal patients suggest low attributable mortality with appropriate management.12,21,56,80,93,94 Anidulafungin (LY303366) “
“The amino acid derivative 2-hydroxyisocaproic

acid (HICA) is a nutritional additive used to increase muscle mass. Low levels can be detected in human plasma as a result of leucine metabolism. It has broad antibacterial activity but its efficacy against pathogenic fungi is not known. The aim was to test the efficacy of HICA against Candida and Aspergillus species. Efficacy of HICA against 19 clinical and reference isolates representing five Candida and three Aspergillus species with variable azole antifungal sensitivity profiles was tested using a microdilution method. The concentrations were 18, 36 and 72 mg ml−1. Growth was determined spectrophotometrically for Candida isolates and by visual inspection for Aspergillus isolates, viability was tested by culture and impact on morphology by microscopy. HICA of 72 mg ml−1 was fungicidal against all Candida and Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus terreus isolates. Lower concentrations were fungistatic. Aspergillus flavus was not inhibited by HICA. HICA inhibited hyphal formation in susceptible Candida albicans and A. fumigatus isolates and affected cell wall integrity. In conclusion, HICA has broad antifungal activity against Candida and Aspergillus at concentrations relevant for topical therapy.

[80] Protein–DNA this website cross-linking studies have suggested that cRAG1/cRAG2 may form specific contacts with the heptamer of RSS.[81, 82] In addition, binding assays have shown that cRAG1, even in the absence of RAG2, could bind to RSS in a manner that was specific to both heptamer and nonamer.[38, 82] RAG1 and RAG2 can interact and exist as a complex.[83] Modification interference and direct footprinting studies indicated that RAG1 alone could make extensive contacts with the nonamer,

whereas RAG2 is needed for the heptamer occupancy.[81] Direct interaction between RAG2 and DNA in the RAG1/RAG2/RSS complex has also been reported.[77] Fluorescence anisotropy and gel mobility shift assays indicate that RAG1 exhibits sequence specific binding character. It has been suggested that this property is masked by its non-specific DNA interactions and addition of RAG2 effectively rescues RAG1 from this non-specific binding.[84] Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, it was shown that in vivo RAG binding was focused at the ‘recombination centres’ involving a small region encompassing J (and where present, J-proximal D) subexons

in the IgH, IgK, TCRB and TCRA loci.[85, 86] The study showed that RAG2 binds throughout the genome at sites with substantial levels of H3K4me3. RAG1 binding was shown to be restricted to highly active chromatin in the presence of arrays of RSSs.[85, 86] Expression of RAG in early B cells occurs in two waves, the former is responsible for V(D)J rearrangement of IgH genes in pro-B and pre-B-I cells and the latter for DAPT datasheet VJ recombination of the IgL genes

in small pre-B-II cells.[87] There are also reports of a third wave of RAG expression, induced in activated mature B cells in vitro and in vivo.[88] Spleen B cells from mice activated with lipopolysaccharide Histamine H2 receptor or interleukin-4 showed expression of RAGs.[88] Mice immunized with the antigen trinitrophenyl-keyhole limpet haemocyanin also showed expression of RAG1 and RAG2 in the inguinal and popliteal cells of draining lymph nodes.[88] In addition, immature B cells carrying self-reactive receptors exhibited up-regulated RAG expression. Following B-cell antigen receptor cross-linking, an increased level of RAG mRNA was reported in cultures of developing B cells.[89, 90] The sustained RAG expression allowed secondary V(D)J recombination that involves the replacement of self-reactive antibody V region genes by the V(D)J recombination. During this process, B cells with a non-self-reactive receptor are allowed to exit from prolonged V(D)J recombination, whereas the self-reactive cells are retained for further editing, until they produce a non-self-reactive receptor.[91] ‘Receptor editing’ refers to the secondary rearrangement that occurs in immature B and T cells, which plays a role in mediating tolerance.

The intestinal microbiome in type 1 diabetes. Clinical and Experimental Immunology 2014, 177: 30–7. Helminths in the hygiene hypothesis: sooner or later?

Clinical and Experimental Immunology 2014, 177: 38–46. HSP inhibitor The recent epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in western societies have challenged researchers to investigate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms [1]. Although genetic factors and lifestyle contribute significantly to the susceptibility of these metabolic disorders, the role of intestinal microbiota as potential partaker in the development of obesity and subsequent insulin resistance has only recently gained momentum [2]. Trillions of bacteria are present in the human gastrointestinal tract containing at least 1 × 1014 bacteria made up of from 2000 to 4000 different species of (an)aerobic bacteria. Among these indigenous bacterial populations (major phyla: Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria

and Proteobacteria), commensal anaerobic species also are thought to have a significant influence in host structure and function. In adults, the commensal microbial communities are https://www.selleckchem.com/products/abc294640.html relatively stable, but can undergo dynamic changes as a result of its interactions with diet, genotype/epigenetic composition and immunometabolic function. Moreover, differences in intestinal microbiota composition in the distal gastrointestinal tract appear to distinguish lean Oxymatrine versus obese individuals, suggesting that intestinal dysbiosis contributes to the development of obesity and its consequences [3, 4]. In line with this, Cani et al. demonstrated that a lower abundance of Gram-positive, short chain fatty acid butyrate-producing anaerobic bacteria was associated with endotoxaemia, chronic inflammation and development of insulin resistance in mice [5]. However, the question remains as to whether these changes in intestinal microbiota composition are the cause or consequence of human obesity. In this respect, faecal bacteriotherapy or faecal transplantation has been proved to be a highly effective and successful treatment for patients with

several diseases [6]. The hypothesis behind the faecal bacteriotherapy rests on the concept of bacterial interference, in which pathogenic microbes are replaced by beneficial communities. We subsequently used this faecal transplantation model in a randomized control trial to test whether gut microbiota are related causally with human metabolism. Male insulin-resistant subjects with metabolic syndrome received solutions of stool from lean donors, and a significant improvement in peripheral insulin resistance was observed in conjunction with altered (small) intestinal microbiota composition [7]. These include an increase in short chain fatty acid (SCFA) butyrate-producing intestinal bacteria, including Roseburia and Faecalibacterium spp. in faeces as well as small intestinal Eubacterium halli.

We measured participants’ own QOL and that of two hypothetical colorectal cancer health states using a rating scale, and a utility-based QOL measure, the time trade-off, with extremes of 0 (death) and 1 (full health). Results:  Recipients of kidney transplants (n = 79) had the highest mean QOL weights of 0.79 (standard deviation (SD) = 0.34) compared with participants with CKD 3–5 (n = 53) with mean QOL weights of 0.70 (SD = 0.39), and those on dialysis (n = 89), who had the lowest mean QOL weights of 0.62 (SD = 0.41) (P = 0.02). Having early and advanced stage colorectal cancers were valued at mean QOL weights of 0.44 (SD = 0.41) check details and 0.12 (SD = 0.25) among people with moderate stage

CKD; 0.45 (SD = 0.39) and 0.11 (SD = 0.24) among dialysis patients; 0.62 (SD = 0.36) and 0.18 (SD = 0.29) among kidney transplant recipients. Conclusions:  People with CKD have poor

QOL. Having coexistent illnesses such as cancer further reduces the overall well-being of individuals with kidney disease. In addition to the development of effective screening and treatment programs to improve cancer outcomes in people with CKD, our study also highlights the need for effective interventions to improve the QOL in people with Crizotinib nmr CKD, particularly those with major comorbidities like cancer. “
“Background:  Haemodialysis (HD) circuits are known to produce microemboli. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) may be important in HD patients by allowing right to left intracardiac shunting of microemboli (blood clots or microbubbles), which may pass into the cerebral circulation. Methods:  We undertook bubble contrast transthoracic echocardiography to identify PFO in HD patients and in a control population of peritoneal dialysis patients. We interrogated draining arteriovenous fistulae to confirm that microemboli are created during HD. We then

undertook transcranial Doppler scanning of the middle cerebral artery before Adenosine triphosphate and during dialysis, with and without Valsalva augmentation, to detect cerebral microemboli in HD patients and in the control group. Results:  Eighty patients (age 60.4 ± 15.0 years) were recruited to the study. In 12 of 51 HD patients and five of 29 peritoneal dialysis patients a PFO was found (21.3%). Ultrasound scanning of draining arteriovenous fistulae showed a significant difference in the number of microemboli before (1.63 ± 3.47 hits per 5 min) and during (31.6 ± 28.9 hits per 5 min) HD (P = 0.012). However, there was no evidence of microembolization to the middle cerebral artery before or during HD in the study or control groups. Conclusions:  Although microemboli are detectable in the draining arteriovenous fistulae of patients undergoing HD, there was no evidence of cerebral microembolization in the middle cerebral artery during HD in those with or without a PFO. The results contrast with previous reports demonstrating microemboli in the carotid circulation during HD.

We isolated splenic naive CD4 T cells from C57BL/6 mice and stimulated them in vitro in either Th1 or High Content Screening Th2 polarizing conditions. Cells were cross-linked and sonicated, and the chromatin was immunoprecipitated with either an anti-GATA-3 or anti-MTA-2 antibody. GATA-3

bound to Th2 LCR (RHS4, RHS5, RHS6, and RHS7), the promoters of il4, il5 and il13 genes, and enhancers (CNS-1 and CNS-2/HSV) in a Th2-specific manner (Fig. 2). This result shows that GATA-3 binds to the Th2 cytokine locus globally and to Th2 specifically. The MTA-2 also bound to Th2 LCR (RHS4, RHS5, RHS6, and RHS7) and promoters of Th2 cytokine genes, and enhancers (CNS-1/HSS, CNS-2/HSV) (Fig. 2). However, in contrast to GATA-3, MTA-2 bound to these regions in a Th1-specific manner (Fig. 2). Therefore, the overall binding of MTA-2 and GATA-3 on the Th2 cytokine this website locus was mutually exclusive (Fig. 2). Interestingly, both GATA-3 and MTA-2 bound to the promoter of the ifng gene in Th2 cells (Fig. 2). The simultaneous binding of GATA-3 and MTA-2 on the ifng promoter was confirmed by a double-chromatin immunoprecipitation experiment. Chromatin from Th1 or Th2 cells was first immunoprecipitated with an anti-GATA-3 antibody, and the bound antibody was detached from the chromatin by treating with DTT. The eluted chromatin was then immunoprecipitated with the anti-MTA-2 antibody. The result confirms that GATA-3 and MTA-2 bound to the ifng promoter simultaneously

in Th2 cells (Fig. 3). Next, we examined whether the binding of MTA-2 to ifng promoter is dependent on GATA-3. For this purpose, we used siRNA-mediated reduction (knockdown) of GATA-3 protein in EL4 cells. We transfected gata3 siRNA into EL4 cells and measured the protein level of GATA-3 by immunoblotting (Fig. 4a).

Treatment with gata3 siRNA led to a significant reduction of GATA-3 protein level in EL4 cells (Fig. 4a). The expression of ifng gene was increased by treatment with gata3 siRNA (Fig. 4b), consistent with the previous reports.13,14 Interestingly, the binding of MTA-2 to ifng promoter was abolished by gata3 siRNA (Fig. 4c). However, the binding of MTA-2 to myc promoter, which has been shown previously24,25 but has not been 4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase shown to have any relevance to GATA-3, was not affected by gata3 siRNA (Fig. 4c). These results strongly suggest that the binding of MTA-2 to ifng promoter is specifically dependent on GATA-3. We also examined whether MTA-2 affects the functional activity of GATA-3. The GATA-3 expression vector was transfected with reporter constructs that contain IL4P-luciferase (IL4P) or RHS7-IL4P-luciferase (IL4P-RHS7).9 Introduction of GATA-3 transactivated the transcription of the reporter gene about two-fold in IL4P and about three-fold in RHS7-IL4P constructs after treatment with PMA + ionomycin (Fig. 5). These results suggest that the il4 promoter and RHS7 are GATA-3 responsible elements, and are consistent with the ChIP data indicating that GATA-3 bound to these regions (Fig. 2).

Obviously, it will

not only be the targeted gene that is investigated, but the entire linked fragment, containing thousands of polymorphic nucleotides affecting protein structure and expression. The optimal solution is, of course, to use a mouse that is genetically identical to the used ES cell. There are now ES cells available from different strains, derived from substrains of 129, Balb/c, DBA/1 or C57Bl6/N, although the most commonly used strain is still 129. Remarkably, it has not been possible to make ES cells from the most commonly used standard strain, i.e. C57Bl6/J, instead the existing ES cells said to be from B6 are contaminated with other strains. For example, the commonly used Bruce ES cell BMN 673 in vitro 9, believed to be derived from B6, differs from C57Bl6/J by 6.4% of 10 000 investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (Holmdahl et al., unpublished data). Recently, ES cells from the C57Bl6/N background 10 have been established but it must be remembered that the C57Bl6/N mouse differs significantly both genetically Selleck Trametinib and phenotypically from, for example, the C57Bl6/J strain

10, possibly due to contaminating genes from the Swiss mouse. In most cases, however, it is not possible to use mice with ES cell identity. Such experiments will not be conclusive but are nonetheless valuable if supporting functional evidence is provided or if the phenotype is qualitative rather than quantitative; however, it is reasonable to expect that in such cases the borders of

the linked fragment are reported to provide the reader sufficient information to judge the results. Genotyping the fragment is standard technology today, and it is possible to have this done as a service. However, there are additional pitfalls. A major problem in many publications concerns the genetic background of the proband mice compared with that of control mice, a problem that is occasionally exposed by way of a debated controversy 11, 12. Backcrossing a targeted gene to the control mouse background even with ten generations of backcrossing, which seem to be the informal standard of today, does not necessarily clean up the genetic background. Small fragments may still remain due, for example, to selection of breeding performance or just by chance. AMP deaminase We have screened more than twenty 10n backcrossed strains with a specifically designed 10k SNP chip 13 and found that almost half of these strains still contained detectable fragments originating from the donor. Even more disturbing is that the control strain used in many published papers is not in fact identical to that used for the backcrossing. In these cases, the control strain is selected from a parental colony in the same animal house or, worse, from another animal house or from a commercial supplier; the selected strain may only share the genealogic name of the strain.

She mainly presented with optic and spinal symptoms and was initially diagnosed as multiple sclerosis (MS). Her bilateral eyesight decreased, which led to light perception only in the right eye. She became

unable to walk without a wheelchair. In spite of steroid pulse therapy, plasma exchange therapy and immunosuppressive therapy, her symptoms gradually worsened. After 33 years of a relapsing–remitting course, she died of septic urinary this website tract infection at the age of 69 years. Autopsy revealed prominent demyelination in the optic tract and the spinal cord. The optic nerve showed extensive demyelination accompanied by axon depletion. The spinal cord lesions were found in C8 to L2 level (contiguous 15 segments), especially Th5 to Th11 level. The thoracic spinal cord showed extensive remyelination Lenvatinib mouse spreading from the entry zone of peripheral nerves to the central portion. Regenerative myelin showed immunopositivity for Schwann/2E, a marker of Schwann cells and myelin of the peripheral nervous system. Expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) were weakened in the area of Schwann cell remyelination, suggesting that the essential pathogenesis of this case was disturbance of astrocytes. Inhibition

of gliosis probably led to cystic cavities, and destruction of basal lamina may have permitted Schwann cells of peripheral nerves to enter the spinal cord and proliferate within empty spaces. Compared with the optic tract and the spinal cord lesions,

a large part of the brain plaques was vague and inactive. We pathologically diagnosed this case as NMO for optic neuritis, myelitis, a contiguous spinal cord lesion and loss or decrease of AQP4 expression. “
“Chordoid meningioma is an uncommon variant of meningioma, and is very rarely found in the pineal region. We report a case of pineal region chordoid meningioma occurring in a young woman complicated by repetitive hemorrhages in the setting of pregnancy. A 23-year-old woman, 28 weeks pregnant, was transferred to our hospital for further management of a multi-septated, hemorrhagic pineal region mass and hydrocephalus. MRI revealed a heterogeneous T2-hyperintense lesion measuring 1.7 × 1.7 cm in the Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase pineal gland. Resection of the tumor through an occipital transtentorial approach was performed. Histopathologic examination of the lesion confirmed the diagnosis of chordoid meningioma demonstrating cords and clusters of eosinophilic cells with rare cytoplasmic vacuolation arranged in a mucinous stroma. Additionally, there was abundant lymphoplasmacytic infiltration within the tumor. The details of this case are presented with a review of the literature. “
“N. A. Renner, R. K. Redmann, T. Moroney-Rasmussen, H. A. Sansing, P. P. Aye, P. J. Didier, A. A. Lackner and A. G.

2e). No staining for surface HLA-DR4 was observed in untransduced Danon B cells (data not shown). The similar click here HLA-DR4 surface expression on DB.DR4 and 7C3.DR4 cells was by comparison approximately twofold lower than that detected on B-LCL expressing endogenous HLA-DR4.

Yet as demonstrated in Fig. 1, only DB.DR4 cells displayed a deficiency in exogenous antigen presentation. Lastly, we examined whether the expression of two other MHC-encoded gene products, HLA-DM and HLA-DO, was altered in the LAMP-2-deficient Danon B-LCL. HLA-DM facilitates the removal of CLIP and the capture of antigenic peptides by MHC class II proteins7–9 whereas HLA-DO associates with HLA-DM and serves as a negative regulator of this complex.34 The levels of intracellular HLA-DM and HLA-DO were determined in a panel of wild-type and Danon B-LCL after permeabilization using flow cytometry. Both LAMP-2-deficient cell lines DB and DB.DR4 express LDE225 cell line equivalent levels of HLA-DM as compared with Frev (Fig. 2f, top) even though human B cells have been shown to express varying levels of HLA-DM.35,36 Variation in the intracellular levels of HLA-DO was also evident in the panel of wild-type and Danon B-LCL although the expression

of HLA-DO in the LAMP-2-deficient and wild-type cells was almost equivalent (Fig. 2f, bottom). Taken together, these results suggest that Phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase the absence of LAMP-2 in the Danon B-LCL did not substantially alter the levels of intracellular MHC class II HLA-DR dimers, HLA-DM, and HLA-DO nor the steady-state levels of MHC class II complexes that ultimately reach the cell surface. While LAMP-2 deficiency in the Danon B-LCL did not affect the overall

expression of MHC class II, we sought to determine if differences in endocytosis or the distribution of class II within the endocytic network might account for the defects in exogenous antigen presentation observed in the LAMP-2-deficient B-LCL. We first examined the ability of the LAMP-2-deficient DB.DR4 and wild-type 7C3.DR4 to endocytose a model exogenous antigen, FITC-albumin and observed that uptake of the FITC-albumin after 120 min was not substantially different between DB.DR4 and 7C3.DR4 cells (Fig. 3a). In data not shown, we also observed the persistence of the FITC-albumin at 8 hr in both DB.DR4 and 7C3.DR4 cells while a small amount of this labelled protein was detected in some of the LAMP-2-deficient DB.DR4 cells even at 24 hr, suggesting a slight reduction in the degradation of this molecule in some LAMP-2-negative cells. These results suggest that the absence of LAMP-2 in the Danon B-LCL does not substantially affect the internalization of exogenous proteins or their trafficking along the endocytic pathway.

After FK506 30 min of incubation at room temperature, the cells were washed and IL-10 secretion was assessed by flow cytometry. The PBMC isolated from 20 ml heparinized blood were resuspended in 2 ml RPMI-1640 and 800 μl of this suspension were then depleted for monocytes in two steps, involving the addition of 25 μl anti-CD14-coated Dynabeads (Dynal A/S, Oslo, Norway) at 4°, placement in a magnetic particle concentrator (at 4°) for 1 min (Dynal A/S), removal of the free cell suspension

in cold RPMI-1640 and repetition of the whole procedure. T-cell depletion of a further 800 μl of the cell suspension was performed in a similar manner, but with only a single depletion step using 50 μl anti-CD3-coated Dynabeads (Dynal A/S). A 25-μl sample of each preparation, as well as of the remaining untreated cells, was transferred to TruCount tubes (BD Bioscience) and labelled with PE-anti-CD4 and PerCP-anti-CD14 for quantification of the individual cell populations by flow cytometry. Following the depletion procedures, the cell preparations were plated out in microtitre plates,

at 2.5 × 105 cells per well, in RPMI-1640 containing 30% autologous serum. For testing the significance of the normally distributed proliferative response to the various antigens the Student’s paired t-test was applied. The donors exhibited heterogeneous cytokine responses to TG so non-parametric statistics were used selleck screening library for presentation of the data displayed in Fig. 2. However, division of the donor panel into high-TG and low-TG responders rendered the data normally distributed, so non-paired two-sample

t-tests were applied when comparing the effect of antigen stimulation on the Epothilone B (EPO906, Patupilone) cytokine production by different antigens (as depicted in Fig. 3). P-values of < 0·05 were considered significant. The software employed was prism® (GraphPad, San Diego, CA). First, we wished to establish whether the proliferation kinetics of TG-reactive CD4+ T cells resembled those of a primary, or a secondary, immune response. Using the internal marker CFSE to track cell division, CD4+ T-cell proliferation, upon challenge with KLH, was first observed at day 7 (mean ± SEM = 7 ± 4% dividing cells) rising to a level of 27 ± 5% dividing cells at day 9 (Fig. 1). The TT induced more rapid proliferation, being first observable on day 5 (11 ± 3%), peaking at day 7 (26 ± 5%) and subsequently declining (19 ± 7% at day 9), presumably as the result of activation-induced apoptosis.14 The TG-elicited CD4+ T-cell proliferation resembled the TT-induced response, in that cell division was observed at day 5 (15 ± 3%), peaked at day 7 (49 ± 6%), and subsequently declined to 39 ± 6% by day 9 (Fig. 1). The number of dividing T cells in the non-stimulated cell samples never exceeded 4%.