Hopkins study shows new target for boosting the immune system to improve cancer vaccines
...ody to a molecule foundon the surface of so-called antigen presenting cells (or APCs) to restore theability of the immune system to respond. "We believe APCs are key to teaching specialized immune system cellscalled T-cells to identify and track down cancer cells. Our strategy seeks toactivate the A...Researchers Discover How The Immune System Shuts Down Faulty T Cells
... thymus then eliminates those cells that bind self antigen tootightly, to prevent autoimmune reactions. At th...lper Tcells carrying the CD 4 coreceptor recognize antigen bound by class 2 MHCmolecules and trigger antibody production upon activation by foreign peptides.Cy...Researcher Awarded Patent For System To Fight Multiple Diseases
...tespatent for his genetically engineered bacterial antigen delivery system March30, 1999. The patent,...g Salmonella: theability to express a diversity of antigen genes from various bacteria, viruses,parasites and fungi in Salmonella; and the importance of the se...Structure Of Fat-Depleting Protein Reveals Important Functional Clues
... the groove first evolved for a purpose other than antigen bindingand MHC molecules have just capitalized on its existence," said Bjorkman. "Butthere's still a lot we don't understand." Determining ZAG's structure, sheadded, is simply the first step towards understanding how the molecule does itsjob....Common Prostate Cancer: A Different Process Altogether?
...ase outcome," says Pasternack. "Prostate specific antigen (PSA), thepresent common screen for prostate cancer, doesn't always tell the completestory or, particularly in older men, doesn't let us make a clear prognosis. Thismight help." The prognostic studies are already underway as part of acongre...Better Binding Through Chemistry
...o interact with theT-cell receptor. "In fact, the antigen by itself has no affinity for the T-cell receptor, butwhen it's held by MHC, it has a very, very high affinity interaction," saidCrabtree. "So, it's the presenting molecule that gives the high affinity. "Similarly, the immune-suppressing drugs cyclo...H Pylori Screening To Reduce The Risk Of Gastric Cancer
...ays a parallel could be drawn to prostate-specific antigen testing(PSA) to detect prostate cancer. "Even though there remains uncertainty whetherdetecting early prostate cancers saves lives, Americans have adopted thisstrategy with unbridled enthusiasm. This decision is based not entirely on thescientific ...Elevated Blood Levels Of Inactive TPA Linked To Increased Stroke Risk In Young Women
...ebody. Blood levels of a protein known as the TPA antigen reflect both freeactive TPA and predominantly boun...us studies have shown that blood levels of the TPA antigen are associatedwith stroke risk in older men, says the study's co-author, Richard F. Macko,M.D., assi...Cells From Mother Can Boost Success Of Sibling-To-Sibling Kidney Transplants
...of cells - matchbetween donor and recipient. Fewer antigen matches mean a greater chance thatthe recipient's ...d promote a long-lasting form oftolerance to later antigen challenge in the adult," Burlingham said. The relationship is complex, however. Burlingham's team fo...Anti-Microbial Agent Kills Influenza Virus
...the virus, BCTP wasthe most potent, reducing viral antigen levels by 99.6 percent. In Reuter's study, different liquids were inserted into the nasal passages offour groups of laboratory mice. Control mice in Group 1 were given ordinarysaltwater. Group 2 received BCTP alone. Group 3 received live influenza...Security Code Helps Immune Cells Attack Foe And Spare Self
...oteins. Those that stickout from the cell read the antigen and prompt inner parts to activate the cell.Scientists have suspected for some time that the activating signal involves theaddition of phosphate groups to two long receptor components called zeta chains.But how this occurs has not been known. ......ficcell-mediated response. All viruses express an antigen unique to their virustype on the surface of the ce...when it infected cells, the cellswould process the antigen in a series of molecular steps that would ultimatelylead it to be bound to the MHC I molecules on th...A New Molecular Marker For Prostate Cancer
...ecade, the widespread use of the prostate specific antigen (PSA)test has allowed the detection of many more cases of early prostate cancer thanpreviously possible. Yet, scientists believe that many of the localized tumorsidentified by the PSA screen are so slow-growing that men are more likely to diefrom oth......he surface of APCs and their recognition by T cell antigen receptors is one of the initiating ev...he processes underlying the specific regulation of antigen presentation in the brain (PNAS, 1998, 95 [10]: 5779-5784). In hippocampal slice cultur...PSA Levels Mean More Extensive Prostate Disease In Older Men
...e than younger men even if their prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels are the same. PSA is a protein made by the prostate; rising blood levels suggest that the prostate is enlarged or even cancerous. "The finding shows that both doctors and older men must be especially vigilant," says H. Ballentine Carter...New Test May Reduce Need For Some Prostate Cancer Biopsies
A new prostate specific antigen (PSA) test that measures the percentageof "free" PSA in the blood not bound to other proteins could spare up to 200,000men a year in the United States the pain, anxiety and inconvenience of asurgical biopsy to detect cancer. Results of multi...Cystic Fibrosis Gene Protects Against Typhoid Fever
...e possible to use this structure to makenon-living antigen delivery vehicles that target antigens to the immune systemfollowing oral ingestion." NIAID supports research on AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectiousdiseases, as well as allergies and immunology. In addition to NIAID, theNational Heart, ...Wistar Research Yields Information About Colorectal Cancer Cell Invasion
Using an antigen in mice, called murine epithelial glycoprotein (mEGP), which isgenetically similar to the GA733 antigen in humans, scientists working in theWistar Institute laboratory of Dorothee Herlyn, D.V.M., are gain......o AIDS can be due to a decreased CD86expression on antigen presenting cells, such as macrophages. If it is, thisinformation could provide a direction for developing a drug to prevent it."...Researchers Discover Ways The Ulcer/Cancer Bug Can Trigger Disease
...uvian patients with gastritis. The Leb blood group antigen is commonly foundin Peruvians, and most H. pylori strains from Peru are able to bind to Leb.Guruge found that both groups of mice -- those with and those without Leb --became infected with H. pylori easily and for long periods of time. The bacteriaat...