2017 Keystone Symposia at the Fairmont Banff Springs: Exploring new concepts in innate immunity and interferon signaling at the haunted castle
At the 2017 Keystone Symposia meeting, new research was presented in the fields of innate immunity and type I interferon regulation. Gathering experts from these research communities offered a unique opportunity to discuss new concepts and formulate novel approaches to modulate pathological mechanisms in human inflammatory diseases. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - May 20, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Camilla Gunderstofte, Christian K. Holm, David Olagnier Source Type: research
Amino-acid sensing and degrading pathways in immune regulation
(Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - May 17, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Ursula Grohmann, Giada Mondanelli, Maria L. Belladonna, Ciriana Orabona, Maria T. Pallotta, Alberta Iacono, Paolo Puccetti, Claudia Volpi Source Type: research
MicroRNA-driven deregulation of cytokine expression helps development of drug resistance in metastatic melanoma
microRNAs (miRNAs) are short regulatory RNAs of 19 –24 long nucleotides generated by a complex and tightly regulated biogenesis process, constituting the most expressed class of non-coding RNAs in eukaryotic cells, whose main function is the post-transcriptional modulation of gene expression [1,2]. miRNAs are able to affect mRNAs through a perfect or near-perfect binding to their 3′UTR, causing mRNA degradation or block of translation, respectively (Fig. 1A) [3]. In particular, the “seed region” of each miRNA, which is the portion on its 5′end (from position 2 to 8), is responsible for recognizing the target mRNA...
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - May 16, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Luigi Fattore, Andrea Sacconi, Rita Mancini, Gennaro Ciliberto Tags: Short survey Source Type: research
Cytokine expression levels in ALS: A potential link between inflammation and BMAA-triggered protein misfolding
Recently, it has been shown that proinflammatory cytokines play a complex and important role in the pathogenesis of many neurological disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To help facilitate future discoveries and more effective treatment strategies, we highlight the role that both innate and adaptive immune systems play in ALS and summarize the main observations that relate to cytokine expression levels in this disease. Furthermore, we propose a mechanism by which a known neurotoxin, β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA), may trigger this cytokine expression profile through motor neuron protein misfolding ...
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - May 9, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Nara Michaelson, Dominic Facciponte, Walter Bradley, Elijah Stommel Source Type: research
Metabolic regulation of suppressive myeloid cells in cancer
Malignant transformation of cells leads to enhanced glucose uptake and the conversion of a larger fraction of pyruvate into lactate, even under normoxic conditions (aerobic glycolysis). This phenomenon is known as the Warburg effect and serves to generate biosynthetic precursors, thus facilitating the survival of rapidly proliferating malignant cells. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - May 3, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Antonio Sica, Laura Strauss, Francesca Maria Consonni, Cristina Travelli, Armando Genazzani, Chiara Porta Tags: Mini review Source Type: research
Impairment of the type I interferon response by HIV-1: Potential targets for HIV eradication
Interferon (IFN) was first described in 1957 by Isaac and Lindenmann, who, following the incubation of chicken chorioallantoic membrane with heat-inactivated influenza A virus, noted the release of a soluble factor that interfered with viral replication upon subsequent challenge [1]. In the time since then, our understanding of the IFN system and its implications for innate antiviral signalling has increased appreciably, including the description of three main IFN classifications (type I, II, and III), their subtypes, and their respective biological activities. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - April 24, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Teslin S. Sandstrom, Nischal Ranganath, Jonathan B. Angel Source Type: research
Dysfunctional T cell metabolism in the tumor microenvironment
A longstanding goal in cancer therapy has been to enlist the immune system to eradicate tumors. Beyond virally-induced tumors, however, cancer vaccines have historically shown limited durable results [1]. It is now apparent that aspects of the tumor microenvironment both directly and indirectly impair immune cell functions [2]. Most notably, tumor cells and tumor-associated stromal cells express inhibitory immune checkpoint ligands that suppress T cell function. Therapeutic targeting of immune checkpoint inhibitors including programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), as well as monoclonal antibodies blo...
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - April 23, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Kathryn E. Beckermann, Stephanie O. Dudzinski, Jeffrey C. Rathmell Source Type: research
Glucocorticoid resistance as a major drive in sepsis pathology
Since the first application of hydrocortisone in the suppression of rheumatoid arthritis in 1948 [1], multiple other compounds with glucocorticoid (GC) activity have been applied, in numerous formulations, for the treatment of inflammatory disorders, such as asthma, allergy, septic shock, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease [2 –5]. GCs belong to the most prescribed drugs in the world. The fraction of the population in the USA using GCs is estimated to be 1.2% [6]. GC act via binding to their intracellular receptor, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - April 22, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Karen Dendoncker, Claude Libert Tags: Mini review Source Type: research
Regulatory T cells as suppressors of anti-tumor immunity: Role of metabolism
A strong proof that a cancer immunosurveillance process exists in humans comes from a growing body of evidence showing that the presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in a cancer patient ’s tumor is correlated with prolonged patient survival [1]. However, the immune system can not only protect the host against tumor development but also has the capacity to favor tumors that are either poorly recognized by the immune system or that have acquired mechanisms that suppress immune effe ctor functions. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - April 11, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Veronica De Rosa, Francesca Di Rella, Antonio Di Giacomo, Giuseppe Matarese Tags: Mini review Source Type: research
Editorial Board and Publication information
(Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - April 1, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Cytokines and cytokine networks target neurons to modulate long-term potentiation
Brain plasticity underlies our ability to learn and modify our behavior, and can be compromised in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Brain plasticity relies on synaptic plasticity, which strengthens or weakens synapses. One of the most widely used models for studying molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity is long-term potentiation (LTP), a cellular correlate of memory characterized by a rapid and remarkably persistent increase in synaptic transmission elicited by brief patterns of afferent activity [1]. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - March 29, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: G. Aleph Prieto, Carl W. Cotman Tags: Short survey Source Type: research
The role of interleukin 10 in human papilloma virus infection and progression to cervical carcinoma
Several viruses are capable of transforming infected cells into benign or malignant tumor cells, stimulating cell growth and survival by a wide range of mechanisms. Different oncogenic DNA viruses present this ability, including Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is a well-established cause of squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) and cervical cancer [1,2]. Some HPV early oncoproteins are strictly correlated with cervical cancer initiation and progression, showing tumor-promoting activities [3]. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - March 23, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Fernanda Costa Brand ão Berti, Ana Paula Lombardi Pereira, Guilherme César Martelossi Cebinelli, Kleber Paiva Trugilo, Karen Brajão de Oliveira Tags: Survey Source Type: research
IL-6 signaling in diabetic nephropathy: From pathophysiology to therapeutic perspectives
Diabetes is among the leading causes of end-stage renal failure, contributing to more than one third of all end stage renal disease (ESRD) based on the 2016 report of United States Renal Data System (USRDS) (http://www.usrds.org/adr.aspx, consulted on 25th February 2017). Chronic inflammation has been shown to participate in pathogenesis as well as progression of kidney disease in patients with diabetes [1]. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is marked by increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF- α [2,3]. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - March 23, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Eva Feigerlov á, Shyue-Fang Battaglia-Hsu Tags: Short survey Source Type: research
MYC and HIF in shaping immune response and immune metabolism
The hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric protein composed of a constitutively expressed β subunit (HIF-1β) and the corresponding regulatory α subunit (HIF-1α as opposed to HIF-2α or HIF-3α), where the α subunit is often degraded in the presence of physiological level of oxygen. At physiological level of O2 a pair of proline residues is hydroxylated by prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) [1,2]. The hydroxylated proline residues are then recognized by von hippel lindau gene (VHL), which in complex with other proteins acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase, to target HIF-1α for degradation in the proteasome [1,3–5]....
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - March 23, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: J.N. Rashida Gnanaprakasam, John William Sherman, Ruoning Wang Tags: Mini review Source Type: research
Role of leptin as a link between metabolism and the immune system
A link between body weight, adipose tissue, and immunity has been hypothesized for a long time, but the precise molecular mediators were unknown until the discovery of leptin in 1994, an adipocyte-derived hormone. Leptin is a non-glycosylated hormone of 146 aminoacids [1] with a tertiary structure resembling that of members of the long-chain helical cytokine family (that includes IL-6, IL-11, IL-12, LIF, G-CSF, CNTF, and oncostatin M) [2]. Leptin is synthesized mainly in adipose cells [3] to regulate weight control in a central manner [2]. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - March 3, 2017 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Antonio P érez-Pérez, Teresa Vilariño-García, Patricia Fernández-Riejos, Jenifer Martín-González, Juan José Segura-Egea, Víctor Sánchez-Margalet Tags: Mini review Source Type: research
