Decidual vascularization and the expression of angiogenic growth factors and proteases in first trimester spontaneous abortions

BACKGROUND : Decidual vascular development is important for implantation. This study analysed decidual vascular adaptation to implantation in correlation with miscarriage in decidual secretory endometrium (DSE), decidua parietalis (DP) and decidua basalis (DB) of miscarriage patients and matched controls. METHODS : Decidua was obtained during...

Pericellular-acting proteases in human first trimester decidua

Proteolysis is essential for decidual development during embryonic implantation, but little is known regarding the expression and functions of membrane-type matrix metalloproteinases (MT-MMPs) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor uPAR in decidua. Therefore, their protein and mRNA levels were analysed in three first...

Proteolytic shedding of the macrophage scavenger receptor CD163 in multiple sclerosis

The scavenger receptor CD163 is selectively expressed on tissue macrophages and human monocytes. CD163 has been implicated to play a role in the clearance of hemoglobin and in the regulation of cytokine production by macrophages. Membrane CD163 can be cleaved by matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) resulting in soluble CD163 (sCD163). In the present...

The CD28/CTLA-4-B7 signaling pathway is involved in both allergic sensitization and tolerance induction to orally administered peanut proteins

Dendritic cells are believed to play an essential role in regulating the balance between immunogenic and tolerogenic responses to mucosal Ags by controlling T cell differentiation and activation via costimulatory and coinhibitory signals. The CD28/CTLA-4-CD80/CD86 signaling pathway appears to be one of the most important regulators of T cell...

CTLA-4 signaling regulates the intensity of hypersensitivity responses to food antigens, but is not decisive in the induction of sensitization

Although food allergy has emerged as a major health problem, the mechanisms that are decisive in the development of sensitization to dietary Ag remain largely unknown. CTLA-4 signaling negatively regulates immune activation, and may play a crucial role in preventing induction and/or progression of sensitization to food Ag. To elucidate the role...

Localization in situ of costimulatory molecules and cytokines in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Costimulatory molecules are essential in cognate interactions between T and B lymphocytes. To study the prerequisites of functional interactions between malignant B cells and intermingled T cells in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (B-NHL), we examined the expression of CD40, CD80 and CD86 and their ligands CD40 ligand (CD40L, CD154), CD28 and...

Functions of CD40 and its ligand, gp39 (CD40L)

Initially, a role for the interaction between CD40, expressed on B cells, and gp39 (CD40L), expressed on activated T cells, has been defined in humoral immunity. CD40-CD40L interaction is an essential signal for B cell proliferation, expression of activation markers, immunoglobulin production, and isotype switching. CD40-CD40L interaction is...