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Cureus Sep 2022Asthma is a non-communicable and long-term condition affecting children and adults. The air passages in the lungs become narrow due to inflammation and tightening of the... (Review)
Review
Asthma is a non-communicable and long-term condition affecting children and adults. The air passages in the lungs become narrow due to inflammation and tightening of the muscles around the small airways. Symptoms of asthma are intermittent and include cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Asthma is very often underdiagnosed and under-treated in many regions, especially in developing countries. While many studies show that viral infections can precipitate asthmatic attacks, very few studies have been conducted to see if history or current asthmatic attack increases the risk of viral infections. Our study aims to determine the predisposition of asthmatics to develop various viral infections and susceptibility toward certain viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections. We performed a literature review of both published and unpublished articles. We included case reports, case series, reviews, clinical trials, cohort, and case-control studies, written only in English. Commentaries, letters to editors, and book chapters were excluded. Our initial search yielded 948 articles, of which 826 were rejected either because they were irrelevant or because they did not meet our inclusion criteria. We finally screened 122 abstracts and identified 24 relevant articles. People with a history of asthma have an abnormal innate immune response, making them potentially slower in clearing the infection and susceptible to both infections and virus-induced cell cytotoxicity. Also, in these studies, deficiencies in the interferon alpha response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells have been observed in asthmatics, both adults and children. Asthmatics with a viral infection usually present with an acute exacerbation of asthma, represented by dyspnea and cough, with other prodromal symptoms including vomiting and general malaise. The review includes an update on the relevance of dysregulated immune pathways in causing viral infections in asthmatic populations. It focuses on the evidence to suggest that people with asthma are at increased risk of viral infection, and viral infections in turn are known to precipitate and worsen the asthmatic status, making this a vicious cycle. The authors also suggest that further studies be undertaken to elucidate the pathophysiology and identify the critical therapeutic steps to break this vicious cycle and improve the quality of life for people with asthma.
PubMed: 36225449
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.28839 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2022Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an important advancement in the field of cancer treatment, significantly improving the survival of patients with a series of... (Review)
Review
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an important advancement in the field of cancer treatment, significantly improving the survival of patients with a series of advanced malignancies, like melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and Hodgkin lymphoma. ICIs act upon T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells, targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1), programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), breaking the immune tolerance of the T cells against malignant cells and enhancing the body's own immune response. A variety of cardiac-adverse effects are associated with ICI-based treatment, including pericarditis, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, and acute coronary syndrome, with myocarditis being the most studied due to its often-unexpected onset and severity. Overall, Myocarditis is rare but presents an immune-related adverse event (irAE) that has a high fatality rate. Considering the rising number of oncological patients treated with ICIs and the severity of their potential adverse effects, a good understanding and continuous investigation of cardiac irAEs is of the utmost importance. This systematic review aimed to revise recent publications (between 2016-2022) on ICI-induced cardiac toxicities and highlight the therapeutical approach and evolution in the selected cases.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; B7-H1 Antigen; CTLA-4 Antigen; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Cardiotoxicity; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Humans; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Ligands; Liver Neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms; Myocarditis; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
PubMed: 36142866
DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810948 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2022Sepsis is a series of life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an impaired host response to infection. A large number of molecular studies of sepsis have revealed... (Review)
Review
Sepsis is a series of life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an impaired host response to infection. A large number of molecular studies of sepsis have revealed complex interactions between infectious agents and hosts that result in heterogeneous manifestations of sepsis. Sepsis can cause immunosuppression and increase the expression of checkpoint inhibitor molecules, including programmed death protein (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and thus PD-1 and PD-L1 are thought to be useful as diagnostic and prognostic tools for sepsis. PD-1 is an inhibitor of both adaptive and innate immune responses, and is expressed on activated T lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, B lymphocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), and monocytes, whereas PD-L1 is expressed on macrophages, some activated T and B cells, and mesenchymal stem cells as well as various non-hematopoietic cells. This systematic review aims to assess the PD-1 and PD-L1 protein expression levels and concentrations in septic and other infectious patients.
PubMed: 36010357
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12082004 -
Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews Oct 2022In the last decade, immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has changed the therapeutic algorithm of cancer patients. ICIs combined with other therapeutic...
In the last decade, immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has changed the therapeutic algorithm of cancer patients. ICIs combined with other therapeutic options, such as chemo- and targeted therapies, generate impressive results in cancer patients. Locoregional treatments (LRTs) play an important role in the management of various solid tumors (e.g., hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), neuroendocrine tumors, etc.), and this therapeutic approach may enhance the activity of the immune response to tumor cells destroying primary tumors and leading to the release of several soluble molecules. This systematic review was performed to identify studies reporting objective response rate (ORR) and survival information in patients with solid tumors treated with ICIs plus LRTs. In the present work, fourteen studies were included, and the majority of them (five studies) enrolled patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), whereas the others included patients with different diseases. The highest ORRs were seen in HCC (67%, Y-90 RE plus ipilimumab and nivolumab) and melanoma (38%, dendritic cells with mRNA plus ipilimumab) patients. ORRs were not observed in liver metastases from melanoma and colorectal cancer. These data suggest that combination of ICIs and LRTs is feasible and more active in primary tumors (particularly HCC) than metastases with a synergistic effect on antitumor immunity. However, further studies are needed to better select patients, schedules, and setting of treatments.
Topics: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Humans; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Ipilimumab; Liver Neoplasms; Melanoma; Yttrium Radioisotopes
PubMed: 35945096
DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2022.07.009 -
Diagnostic Pathology Aug 2022Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare neoplasm of mesenchymal origin. FDCS of gastrointestinal tract (GI) are exceedingly uncommon.
BACKGROUND
Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare neoplasm of mesenchymal origin. FDCS of gastrointestinal tract (GI) are exceedingly uncommon.
CASE PRESENTATION
We report the first case of classic type FDCS in a 34-year-old male with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, which presented as a mass at the ileo-cecal junction. He received no further treatment after resection and remained disease free for 3.5 years. We further analyze and review the clinical and pathologic findings of 33 cases of GI tract FDCS reported in the literature.
CONCLUSIONS
There are two distinct subtypes of FDCS in the GI tract: the classic type occurs in relatively younger patients (mean = 45.3 years) without Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) association, and behaves more aggressively; the inflammatory subtype presents as colonic polypoid tumor in older patients (mean = 60.7 years) and is EBV positive. The clinical outcome in the latter group appears favorable although mortality rate is not necessarily low.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Humans; Male; Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Follicular; Disease-Free Survival; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; Gastrointestinal Tract; Herpesvirus 4, Human
PubMed: 35941667
DOI: 10.1186/s13000-022-01246-z -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022Pulmonary diseases represent four out of ten most common causes for worldwide mortality. Thus, pulmonary infections with subsequent inflammatory responses represent a...
Pulmonary diseases represent four out of ten most common causes for worldwide mortality. Thus, pulmonary infections with subsequent inflammatory responses represent a major public health concern. The pulmonary barrier is a vulnerable entry site for several stress factors, including pathogens such as viruses, and bacteria, but also environmental factors e.g. toxins, air pollutants, as well as allergens. These pathogens or pathogen-associated molecular pattern and inflammatory agents e.g. damage-associated molecular pattern cause significant disturbances in the pulmonary barrier. The physiological and biological functions, as well as the architecture and homeostatic maintenance of the pulmonary barrier are highly complex. The airway epithelium, denoting the first pulmonary barrier, encompasses cells releasing a plethora of chemokines and cytokines, and is further covered with a mucus layer containing antimicrobial peptides, which are responsible for the pathogen clearance. Submucosal antigen-presenting cells and neutrophilic granulocytes are also involved in the defense mechanisms and counterregulation of pulmonary infections, and thus may directly affect the pulmonary barrier function. The detailed understanding of the pulmonary barrier including its architecture and functions is crucial for the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic treatment strategies of pulmonary diseases. Thus, considering multiple side effects and limited efficacy of current therapeutic treatment strategies in patients with inflammatory diseases make experimental and models necessary to improving clinical therapy options. This review describes existing models for studyying the pulmonary barrier function under acute inflammatory conditions, which are meant to improve the translational approaches for outcome predictions, patient monitoring, and treatment decision-making.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Antigen-Presenting Cells; Antimicrobial Peptides; Chemokines; Cytokines; Granulocytes; Humans; Lung; Mucus; Pneumonia
PubMed: 35874776
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.895100 -
Journal of Reproductive Immunology Aug 2022The fallopian tubes (FT) play a key role in fertility by facilitating the movement of gametes to promote fertilisation and, subsequently, passage of the zygote for... (Review)
Review
The fallopian tubes (FT) play a key role in fertility by facilitating the movement of gametes to promote fertilisation and, subsequently, passage of the zygote for implantation. Histologically, the FT mucosa consists of three main cell types: secretory, ciliated and peg cells. In addition, several studies have reported the presence of immune cells. This systematic review aims to present a comprehensive analysis of the immune cell populations in the human FT, both in health and benign pathology, to promote a better understanding of tubal pathologies and their influence on infertility. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across five databases and augmented with manual citation chaining. Forty-two eligible studies were selected in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Following screening, risk of bias assessments were conducted, data extracted and the findings presented thematically. T lymphocytes, predominantly CD8 T cells, represent the most abundant immune cell population within the healthy FT, with B lymphocytes, macrophages, NK cells and dendritic cells also localised to the tubal mucosa. There is evidence to suggest that lymphocyte and macrophage populations are susceptible to changes in the concentration of reproductive hormones. Tubal ectopic pregnancy, salpingitis, hydrosalpinx and endometriosis are all characterised by an increased population of macrophages in comparison to healthy FT. However, given the inconsistent evidence presented between studies, and the lack of studies examining all immune cell subtypes in tubal pathologies, only limited conclusions can be formulated on pathology-specific immune cell populations, and further research is required for validation.
Topics: CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Fallopian Tubes; Female; Humans; Mucous Membrane; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Tubal; Salpingitis
PubMed: 35644062
DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2022.103646 -
Cancers May 2022Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer worldwide. Over 75% of non-muscle invasive cancer patients require conservative local treatment, while the remaining 25%... (Review)
Review
Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer worldwide. Over 75% of non-muscle invasive cancer patients require conservative local treatment, while the remaining 25% of patients undergo radical cystectomy or radiotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors represent a novel class of immunotherapy drugs that restore natural antitumoral immune activity via the blockage of inhibitory receptors and ligands expressed on antigen-presenting cells, T lymphocytes and tumour cells. The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in bladder cancer has been expanded from the neoadjuvant setting, i.e., after radical cystectomy, to the adjuvant setting, i.e., before the operative time or chemotherapy, in order to improve the overall survival and to reduce the morbidity and mortality of both the disease and its treatment. However, some patients do not respond to checkpoint inhibitors. As result, the capability for identifying patients that are eligible for this immunotherapy represent one of the efforts of ongoing studies. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the most recent evidence regarding the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, in a neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting, in the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
PubMed: 35626149
DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102545 -
International Journal of Laboratory... Aug 2022An indolent T-lymphoblastic proliferation (iT-LBP) is a rare benign disorder characterized by an abnormal expansion of immature T-cells, which morphologically can mimic... (Review)
Review
An indolent T-lymphoblastic proliferation (iT-LBP) is a rare benign disorder characterized by an abnormal expansion of immature T-cells, which morphologically can mimic malignancy. Since the first case was described in 1999, dozens more have been reported in the literature. However, the epidemiologic, clinical, pathologic, and biologic features of this disease have not been well described. Here, we retrospectively reviewed all known cases reported in the literature to better understand this entity. A PubMed search up to January 2022 highlighted 25 papers describing cases/case series of iT-LBP, one of which was a case presentation in a slide workshop. Except for 9 of the cases in one of the papers, where it was evident that the number of CD3+/TdT+ cells were too few to conform with a diagnosis of iT-LBP, all papers and all the cases reported were included in the study amounting to a total of 45 cases. Clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequencies. Our analysis highlighted the previously known association with Castleman disease and Castleman-like features and underlined its association with dendritic cell proliferations in general, as well as uncovering high frequency of concurrence with hepatocellular carcinoma and autoimmune diseases, most notably myasthenia gravis, paraneoplastic pemphigus and paraneoplastic autoimmune multiorgan syndrome. Furthermore, the co-expression of CD4 and CD8 and high prevalence of extranodal disease and recurrences were other less well described features that were revealed.
Topics: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Cell Proliferation; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Lymphoproliferative Disorders; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35577551
DOI: 10.1111/ijlh.13873 -
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences 2022Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergies are increasing in prevalence, with IgE-mediated food allergies currently affecting up to 10% of children and 6% of adults...
Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergies are increasing in prevalence, with IgE-mediated food allergies currently affecting up to 10% of children and 6% of adults worldwide. The mechanisms underpinning the first phase of IgE-mediated allergy, allergic sensitization, are still not clear. Recently, the potential involvement of lipids in allergic sensitization has been proposed, with reports that they can bind allergenic proteins and act on immune cells to skew to a T helper type 2 (Th2) response. The objective of this systematic review is to determine if there is strong evidence for the role of lipids in allergic sensitization. Nineteen studies were reviewed, ten of which were relevant to lipids in allergic sensitization to food allergens, nine relevant to lipids in aeroallergen sensitization. The results provide strong evidence for the role of lipids in allergies. Intrinsic lipids from allergen sources can interact with allergenic proteins to predominantly enhance but also inhibit allergic sensitization through various mechanisms. Proposed mechanisms included reducing the gastrointestinal degradation of allergenic proteins by altering protein structure, reducing dendritic cell (DC) uptake of allergenic proteins to reduce immune tolerance, regulating Th2 cytokines, activating invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells through CD1d presentation, and directly acting upon toll-like receptors (TLRs), epithelial cells, keratinocytes, and DCs. The current literature suggests intrinsic lipids are key influencers of allergic sensitization. Further research utilising human relevant models and clinical studies are needed to give a reliable account of the role of lipids in allergic sensitization.
PubMed: 35495627
DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.832330