Article
Immunology
Akira Hasegawa, Daichi Utsumi, Kaare Lund, Mitsuhiro Okano, Katsuyo Ohashi-Doi, Kimihiro Okubo
Summary: In Japanese HDM allergic rhinitis patients without asthma, there is a high prevalence of allergic sensitization to the HDM major allergens Der p 1, Der p 2, and Der p 23, with a significantly higher prevalence of Der p 23 sensitization in the younger age group. However, there was no significant correlation found between AR symptom scores and concentration of s-IgE towards Der p extract and any of the three HDM major allergens in this population.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hazel Dunbar, Ian J. Hawthorne, Courteney Tunstead, Michelle E. Armstrong, Seamas C. Donnelly, Karen English
Summary: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) expression is affected by a functional promoter polymorphism, with the number of CATT repeats correlating to MIF expression level. In a pre-clinical model of allergic asthma, mice with increasing CATT repeats (CATT(5) and CATT(7)) showed varying degrees of airway inflammation. The potent MIF inhibitor SCD-19 was able to mitigate the pathophysiology observed in CATT(7) mice, indicating the important role of endogenous human MIF expression in airway inflammation severity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hazel Dunbar, Ian J. Hawthorne, Courteney Tunstead, Michelle E. Armstrong, Seamas C. Donnelly, Karen English
Summary: The expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is controlled by a functional promoter polymorphism, where the number of tetranucleotide repeats (CATTn) corresponds to the level of MIF expression. Using a pre-clinical model of allergic asthma, novel humanized MIF mice with increasing CATT repeats (CATT5 and CATT7) were employed to study airway inflammation. The results showed that high expression of human MIF in CATT7 mice led to a severe asthma phenotype, which could be mitigated by the MIF inhibitor SCD-19. This study provides a reproducible model for studying asthma airway remodeling and suggests a potential role of MIF in driving this process.
Article
Physiology
Tracy S. Mann, Alexander N. Larcombe, Kimberley C. W. Wang, Danial Shamsuddin, Katherine R. Landwehr, Peter B. Noble, Peter J. Henry
Summary: Azithromycin inhibits ATP-induced mucus secretion and airway inflammation in mice exposed to house dust mite, which contributes to the suppression of airway hyperresponsiveness.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LUNG CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Allergy
Saliha Ait Yahia, Camille Audousset, Daniel Alvarez-Simon, Han Vorng, Dieudonnee Togbe, Philippe Marquillies, Myriam Delacre, Stephanie Rose, Helene Bouscayrol, Aline Rifflet, Valerie Quesniaux, Ivo Gomperts Boneca, Mathias Chamaillard, Anne Tsicopoulos
Summary: The study found that NOD1-dependent sensing of gram-negative bacteria associated with HDM exacerbates the severity of experimental asthma, suggesting that inhibiting the NOD1 signaling pathway may be a therapeutic approach to treating asthma.
JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Matheus Fonseca Aarestrup, Paula Fonseca Aarestrup, Mariana Senff de Andrade, Beatriz Juliao Aarestrup, Akinori Cardozo Nagato, Fernando Monteiro Aarestrup
Summary: Research has shown that allergic patients undergoing house dust mite SLIT generally have a high perception of satisfaction regarding treatment effectiveness, improvement in daily activities, cost-benefit balance, and overall satisfaction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMMUNOPATHOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Allergy
Mariana Farraia, Ines Paciencia, Francisca Castro Mendes, Joao Cavaleiro Rufo, Mohamed H. Shamji, Ioana Agache, Andre Moreira
Summary: This study compared the cost-effectiveness of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) to standard treatment in children with allergic asthma. The results showed that AIT, especially when administered subcutaneously, was cost effective in reducing asthma exacerbations and medication use.
Article
Immunology
Verena M. Merk, Truong San Phan, Alice Wiedmann, Rowan S. Hardy, Gareth G. Lavery, Thomas Brunner
Summary: The local synthesis of glucocorticoids in the lung plays an important role in the regulation of allergic airway inflammation, particularly in HDM-induced airway hypersensitivity, by controlling Toll-like receptor 4 signaling and cytokine/chemokine secretion to influence Th17-type immune response.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mark D. Ihrie, Katherine S. Duke, Kelly A. Shipkowski, Dorothy J. You, Ho Young Lee, Alexia J. Taylor-Just, James C. Bonner
Summary: The study shows that inhaled multi-walled carbon nanotubes can exacerbate allergic respiratory disease, particularly in individuals with asthma, and the knockout of the STAT6 gene in mice demonstrates a protective effect against the exacerbation of these endpoints.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katie M. Lebold, Matthew G. Drake, Alexandra B. Pincus, Aubrey B. Pierce, Allison D. Fryer, David B. Jacoby
Summary: Asthma is an inflammatory airway disease that develops due to a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental exposures. Maternal asthma during pregnancy has been found to affect the phenotype of childhood asthma. This study shows that maternal allergen exposure alters fetal lung development, leading to increased airway hyperreactivity and inflammation in offspring. It also influences the cytokine response and increases airway epithelial sensory nerve density.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ludovic de Gabory, Sabine Amet, Annelore Le Maux, Jean-Pierre Meunier, Antoine Chartier, Cecile Chenivesse
Summary: The study aimed to quantify and describe flare-ups of house dust mite allergic rhinitis (HDM-AR) that occurred during the last 12 months in a population of candidates for Allergen ImmunoTherapy (AIT), and to identify associated clinical features. The results showed that AR flare-ups are common and have an impact on the quality of life of patients.
Article
Pediatrics
A. Brzozowska, K. Woicka-Kolejwa, J. Jerzynska, P. Majak, I Stelmach
Summary: The objective of this study was to identify the clinical and immunological parameters associated with the development or regression of persistent asthma. The results showed that allergic rhinitis and sensitization to house dust mite were closely related to the persistence of childhood asthma.
INDIAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Patricia Macchiaverni, Ulrike Gehring, Akila Rekima, Alet H. Wijga, Valerie Verhasselt
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between exposure to house dust mite Der p 1 allergen from different sources during infancy and IgE levels and asthma outcomes in children. The findings suggest that exposure to Der p 1 through human milk is associated with high levels of serum IgE in childhood, while exposure from mattress dust is not.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Wenbing Hu, Wenwei Lu, Lingzhi Li, Hao Zhang, Yuan-kun Lee, Wei Chen, Jianxin Zhao
Summary: The study found that Faecalibacterium prausnitzii has potential as a probiotic agent for allergic asthma prevention by modulating gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid production.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hye-Min Kim, Bo-Ram Jin, Jin-Sil Lee, Eun Heui Jo, Min Cheol Park, Hyo-Jin An
Summary: Fish collagen has anti-atopic dermatitis effects by reducing inflammation and restoring skin barrier protein. It can be administered through multiple routes to alleviate AD symptoms.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Filipa Ribeiro, Esperanza Perucha, Luis Graca
Summary: This article reviews the development and biology of T follicular cell subsets, with a special emphasis on the metabolic regulation of Tfh cells, contributing to a better understanding of GC responses.
IMMUNOLOGY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Tania Carmenate, Galia Montalvo, Sum Lai Lozada, Yaretnis Rodriguez, Yaquelin Ortiz, Claudia Diaz, Janet Avellanet, Juhee Kim, Charles D. Surh, Luis Graca, Kalet Leon
Summary: High doses of IL-2 have limited efficacy in the treatment of melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, but a small percentage of patients experience complete or long-lasting responses. Expansion of regulatory T cells, specifically ICOS+ highly suppressive Tregs, is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Efforts to improve the cytokine properties of IL-2 are currently under study. A mutein of IL-2 has been developed with higher antitumor activity and less toxicity, and it induces a strong antitumor effect in primary tumor models. The mutein can also change the balance between Tregs and activated CD8(+) memory cells towards immune activation, which explains its efficacy in vivo.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Rita C. Acurcio, Sabina Pozzi, Barbara Carreira, Marta Pojo, Nuria Gomez-Cebrian, Sandra Casimiro, Adelaide Fernandes, Andreia Barateiro, Vitor Farricha, Joaquim Brito, Ana Paula Leandro, Jorge A. R. Salvador, Luis Graca, Leonor Puchades-Carrasco, Luis Costa, Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, Rita C. Guedes, Helena F. Florindo
Summary: This study identifies a new class of small molecule candidates that can regulate the PD-L1/PD-1 signaling pathway, promoting the infiltration of effector CD8 T cells in the tumor microenvironment.
JOURNAL FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nuno Sepulveda, Joao Malato, Franziska Sotzny, Anna D. Grabowska, Andre Fonseca, Clara Cordeiro, Luis Graca, Przemyslaw Biecek, Uta Behrends, Josef Mautner, Francisco Westermeier, Eliana M. Lacerda, Carmen Scheibenbogen
Summary: Infections by Epstein-Barr virus are associated with patients suffering from ME/CFS. This study re-analyzed microarray data and identified two antigens that may serve as biomarkers for disease diagnosis in this patient subgroup. Further research will be conducted to confirm this finding in a separate cohort of patients.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Joao Malato, Ruy M. Ribeiro, Pedro P. Leite, Pedro Casaca, Eugenia Fernandes, Carlos Antunes, Valter R. Fonseca, Manuel C. Gomes, Luis Graca
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Filipa Ribeiro, Vasco C. Romao, Sara Rosa, Katia Jesus, Ana Agua-Doce, Sofia C. Barreira, Patricia Martins, Susana Lopes da Silva, Ema Nobre, Maria Joao Bugalho, Valter R. Fonseca, Joao Eurico Fonseca, Luis Graca
Summary: This study compared circulating Tfr and Tfh subsets in patients with different autoimmune diseases and found that dysregulation of germinal centers (GC) in human autoimmunity is not uniform. Specific patterns of dysregulation may become potential biomarkers for disease and patient stratification.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Joao Malato, Luis Graca, Nuno Sepulveda
Summary: Misdiagnosis of ME/CFS can be caused by different case definitions or failure to diagnose other diseases, leading to difficulties in reproducing research findings. Simulated data showed that studies with over 500 individuals per group have a minimum power of 80% to detect a genuine association. However, in studies where the potential causal factor is not perfectly determined, such as serological association studies, a minimum power of 80% can only be achieved with over 1000 individuals per group.
Editorial Material
Immunology
Luis Graca, Ana Caetano Faria, Ruy M. Ribeiro
Editorial Material
Immunology
Luis Graca, Johanne Jacobsen, Saumya Kumar
SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Gertrudis Rojas, Ernesto Relova-Hernandez, Annia Perez-Riveron, Camila Castro-Martinez, Osmany Diaz-Bravo, Yanelys Cabrera Infante, Tania Gomez, Joaquin Solozabal, Ana Beatriz DiazBravo, Maren Schubert, Marlies Becker, Beatriz Perez-Masson, Dayana Perez-Martinez, Rydell Alvarez-Arzola, Osmany Guirola, Glay Chinea, Luis Graca, Stefan Dubel, Kalet Leon, Tania Carmenate
Summary: Engineered interleukin-2 (IL-2) variants with improved electrostatic complementarity to the IL-2 receptor beta chain and faster association kinetics enhance immune effector responses and anti-tumor effects in vivo. These variants have an accumulation of negatively charged residues at the interface, providing better electrostatic complementarity and faster association kinetics. These findings differentiate them from previously reported superkines.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tiago Dias Domingues, Joao Malato, Anna D. Grabowska, Ji-Sook Lee, Jose Ameijeiras-Alonso, Przemyslaw Biecek, Luis Graca, Helena Mourin, Carmen Scheibenbogen, Francisco Westermeier, Luis Nacul, Jacqueline M. Cliff, Eliana Lacerda, Nuno Sepulveda
Summary: In this study, the researchers re-analyzed data from ME/CFS and MS patients and found that IgG antibody data is more informative in explaining the symptoms of MS patients than ME/CFS patients. However, the clinical implications of these findings in ME/CFS patients remain to be determined due to the fluctuating nature of their symptoms.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ana I. I. Matos, Carina Peres, Barbara Carreira, Liane I. F. Moura, Rita C. C. Acurcio, Theresa Vogel, Erik Wegener, Filipa Ribeiro, Marta B. B. Afonso, Fabio M. F. Santos, Agueda Martinez-Barriocanal, Diego Arango, Ana S. S. Viana, Pedro M. P. Gois, Liana C. C. Silva, Cecilia M. P. Rodrigues, Luis Graca, Rainer Jordan, Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, Helena F. F. Florindo
Summary: Activation of host immunity by using a POx-PLGA nanovaccine to modulate TAM function and block PD-1, combined with the delivery of peptide antigens, adjuvants, and regulators of TGF-β expression, provides an alternative approach for cancer immunotherapy.
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Information Systems
Joao Malato, Luis Graca, Nuno Sepulveda
Summary: The diagnosis of ME/CFS is problematic due to the lack of a specific biomarker, resulting in uncertainties and potential misdiagnosis. This study investigates the impact of misdiagnosis rates on case-control association studies and extends the analysis to include the possibility of misclassification in a binary factor related to previous exposure. The simulation study focuses on serological testing of SARS-CoV-2 in relation to ME/CFS using data from seroepidemiological studies in Portugal, Spain, and Iran.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN STATISTICS AND DATA SCIENCE, SPE2021
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
C. Peres, A. I. Matos, L. I. F. Moura, B. Carreira, M. Verdial, J. Conniot, M. B. Afonso, R. Acurcio, S. Mensurado, L. Graca, R. Satchi-Fainaro, H. Florindo
Article
Clinical Neurology
Catarina Barros, Andreia Barateiro, Alexandre Neto, Beatriz Soromenho, Afonso P. Bastos, Joana M. Mateus, Sara Xapelli, Ana M. Sebastiao, Dora Brites, Luis Graca, Adelaide Fernandes
Summary: Studies have shown a correlation between excessive S100B and demyelination in multiple sclerosis. This research highlights the potential of using S100B-neutralizing small-molecule pentamidine as a therapeutic target to reduce damage and promote recovery in chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
BRAIN COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)