Plasma levels of ficolin-2 and ficolin-3

were measured by

Plasma levels of ficolin-2 and ficolin-3

were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Hycult Biotech, Uden, the Netherlands; cat. no. HK336 and HK340, respectively) on an automated ELISA analyser (Elisys UNO; Human GmBH, Wiesbaden, Germany), according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Levels of C4d, C3a and SC5b9 in maternal plasma were assessed with Quidel ELISA kits (San Diego, CA, USA; cat. no. A008, Ivacaftor order A015 and A029, respectively). Serum total soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and biologically active placental growth factor (PlGF) levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Elecsys; Roche; cat. no. 05109523 and 05144671, respectively) on a Cobas e 411 analyser (Roche). Plasma von Willebrand factor antigen (VWF:antigen) levels were quantified by ELISA (Dakopatts, Glostrup, Denmark), while plasma fibronectin

concentration was measured by nephelometry (Dade Behring, Marburg, Germany), according to the manufacturer’s protocol. After extracting DNA with the silica adsorption method, the amount of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma was determined in patients with male newborns by quantitative real-time Idasanutlin purchase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the sex-determining region Y (SRY) gene, as we have described previously [8]. The normality of continuous variables was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk’s W-test. As the continuous variables were not distributed normally, non-parametric statistical methods were used. To compare continuous variables between two groups, the Mann–Whitney U-test was applied; to compare them among multiple groups, the Kruskal–Wallis analysis of variance by

rank test was performed. Multiple comparisons of mean ranks for all groups were carried out as post-hoc tests. Fisher’s exact and Pearson’s χ2 tests were used to compare categorical variables between groups. Spearman’s rank order correlation was applied to calculate correlation Montelukast Sodium coefficients. Multiple linear regression analyses were undertaken, as a non-parametric method, with logarithmically transformed values of the dependent variable. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by logistic regression analyses. Statistical analyses were performed using the following software: statistica (version 8·0; StatSoft, Inc., Tulsa, OK, USA) and spss (version 18·0 for Windows; SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). For all statistical analyses, P < 0·05 was considered statistically significant. In this paper, data are reported as median (25–75 percentile) for continuous variables and as number (percentage) for categorical variables. The clinical characteristics of the study participants are described in Table 1. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of age among the study groups.

4a), we also tested these alleles CatG digested I-Ag7, but not I

4a), we also tested these alleles. CatG digested I-Ag7, but not I-Ek (Fig. 4c), indicating that the Q to E change in I-Ek influences CT99021 nmr the ability of CatG to cleave at that site. Published sequences suggest that HLA-DR, -DQ and -DP alleles are susceptible to CatG (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/imgt/hla/)35 and I-A, but not I-E, alleles are susceptible to CatG. The sequence

of DMβ predicted that this protein would be resistant to CatG cleavage on the fx1/fx2 loop. Insect cell-derived soluble DM (sDM) was resistant to proteolysis by CatG, at both pH 5 and pH 7, but was cleaved by the lysosomal cysteine proteases CatL and CatB at pH 5 (Fig. 4d). We concluded that CatG is capable of initiating proteolysis of many MHC II alleles (but not sDM) at a specific β chain cleavage site in vitro. Given the evidence that DM is able to preserve MHC II binding sites and is thought to rescue MHC II molecules from degradation,36,37 we hypothesized that DM/MHC II complexes might be resistant to CatG. Stable, covalent complexes of HLA-DR and DM are not available, Obeticholic Acid concentration and sDR molecules in reversible complexes formed by engineering DM and HLA-DR with complementary leucine-zippers28 remain CatG susceptible (not shown). To address whether DM and CatG interaction sites might overlap, we tested the CatG susceptibility of a series of purified,

full-length mutant HLA-DR molecules, carrying substitutions that had previously been shown to disrupt DM interaction. Two mutations related to the DM interface on HLA-DR conferred some resistance to CatG (Fig. 5a). The mutation in one resistant mutant (DR βD152N) results in addition of an aberrant glycan on the DM interaction face of HLA-DR. The second resistant mutant introduces a positively charged lysine for a glutamic acid (βE187K). Although the amount of input DR was somewhat variable, this is unlikely to have confounded our results, because the resistant mutant DR molecules were not present in excessive amounts (thus the lack of inhibition was not a result of substrate inhibition),

nor in quantities too small to allow detection of β-chain degradation (as confirmed by overexposure of the blots shown). The positions of the mutations and the CatG cleavage site are indicated in Fig. 5b on the crystal Digestive enzyme structure of HLA-DR1. The former mutation probably sterically inhibits CatG access to its cleavage site, while the latter may introduce charge repulsion of the highly cationic CatG at a region of HLA-DR involved in CatG binding. HLA-DR molecules with mutations in other regions remained susceptible (Fig. 5a and data not shown). Together these results implicate the membrane-proximal portion of the DM interface on HLA-DR in CatG binding and suggest, but do not prove, that DM binding may protect MHC II molecules from CatG digestion.

[98] demonstrates the successful

[98] demonstrates the successful Selleck I BET 762 use of caspofungin in the treatment of invasive candidiasis in neonates. The study suggests that caspofungin may be an effective alternative treatment with fewer adverse effects than amphotericin B. However, amphotericin B is still the drug of choice in the treatment of systemic candidiasis in children,

as observed by Pappas et al. [99]. A more detailed investigation of the mechanisms of pathogenicity of Candida spp. and their relationship with resistance to antifungal agents has become indispensable due to the rise in resistant isolates.[100] The ability of a microorganism to adapt depends on its skills and varies according to exposure conditions, such as the presence or absence of drugs that can stimulate the expression Selleckchem Afatinib of its virulence attributes.[101] Prophylactic treatment, which is very common in immunocompromised individuals, promotes exposure of Candida spp. to low concentrations of systemic antifungals, such as azoles, over long periods of time. This may lead to the selection of isolates resistant to these drugs.[102] When exposed to subinhibitory antifungal concentrations, yeast like Candida spp. are able to promote their pathogenic potential through the stimulation of virulence factors,[103, 104] therefore increasing the production and secretion of hydrolytic enzymes to improve adherence to tissues and ensuring their survival.[76, 105] Therefore,

the reaction of the pathogen to the stimulus can result in an increase in tissue destruction, which may lead to death in animal models.[105, 106] Patients infected by fluconazole-resistant C. albicans, who are undergoing therapy with clinical doses of fluconazole, may develop a persistent infection due to the increased production of Sap among other virulence–related factors.[100] According to Wu et al. [100], the increased production of Sap by isolates cultivated in subinhibitory

concentrations of fluconazole corresponds to the development of increased resistance to this drug. In this study, a dose-dependent reduction of Sap activity in isolates susceptible to fluconazole was observed, whereas resistant isolates showed increased Sap activity depending on the dose of fluconazole to which they were subjected. tuclazepam According to Graybill et al. [101], isolates that were exposed to fluconazole over a prolonged period of time and which developed resistance were initially more virulent (MIC values higher) but then developed treatable infections, while less virulent isolates (MIC values lower) were refractory to treatment. According to Costa et al. [107], isolates resistant to azoles presented increased Sap activity in the presence of the drug, which did not occur with susceptible isolates. However, in all susceptible and resistant isolates, the presence of SAP1–SAP7 genes was detected thanks to methods with improved specificity.[107] Kumar et al. [108] indicate that the proteolytic activity of Sap is more intense in Candida spp.

These sperm exhibit altered

motility as well and an impai

These sperm exhibit altered

motility as well and an impairment in their ability to adhere to both the zona pellucida and to the oolemma proper in vitro, associated with impaired fertilization. Alteration in the sperm tail beating was noted, and fewer sperm were found within the oviducts of wild-type females mated with nectin-2 knockout males than wild-type males. Subsequent studies have shown that nectin-2 is expressed by Sertoli cells and nectin-3, its counter receptor, is present on spermatozoa.21 Knockout of either of these molecules is associated with alteration of sperm shape, motility, and male fertility. During sexual relations, semen is deposited in the vagina after ejaculation. Although the vaginal pH 5-Fluoracil mw is approximately 4.5, due to the production of lactic acid by resident lactobacilli, during female sexual excitement, the vaginal pH rises toward neutral. Seminal fluid is slightly alkaline (pH 7.2 – 7.8) and has significant buffering capacity.22 In addition, the normal pH of cervical mucus in the absence of semen is approximately 7.0, in the late follicular

phase of the menstrual cycle. The characteristics of cervical mucus change at this time, allowing the entry of spermatozoa into the uterus and Fallopian tubes. Recent studies by Ceballo et al.23 suggest that HIV binds to human spermatozoa via heparin sulfate on the sperm surface, most likely involving syndecans 3 and 4, rather a mannose receptor. In addition, they showed Opaganib in vivo that spermatozoa were internalized and promoted the uptake of HIV by DC in culture, which subsequently

exhibited a marked increase in the expression of HLA-DR, CD40, CD83, and CCR7. The authors speculated that spermatozoa transmit the virus to mucosal DC’s within the reproductive tract and might alter the immune response against HIV by modulating their function. As sperm are foreign cells that enter the female reproductive tract at coitus, why DCLK1 is an immune response against them not mounted, as it is against microbes such as chlamydia and yeast.22,23 The female reproductive tract is capable of mounting an immune response to pathogens.24,25 There is increasing evidence that seminal plasma, which had conventionally been viewed solely as a transport medium for sperm, plays additional roles beyond this within the female reproductive tract (Table I). Seminal plasma has potent immunosuppressive activity, which can principally be attributed to its high content of TGF-beta26,27 and PGE prostaglandins.28 Emami et al.29 have provided evidence for the involvement of members of the seminal kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK) cascade in activation of latent TGF-beta in seminal plasma. Skibinski et al30 have shown that seminal plasma inhibits the function of both NK cell and T lymphocytes, and that the E series prostaglandins are responsible for the major portion of this suppression.

Traditional indications at ARRT initiation was associated with in

Traditional indications at ARRT initiation was associated with increased in-hospital mortality [adjusted OR (95% CI), 6.48 (1.54, 27.29)]. In absence of traditional indications, earlier ARRT initiation, as defined by those with AKIN Stages 1 or 2, did not decrease ICU deaths (30.0% vs. 18.8%, p=0.30) or in-hospital mortality (50.0% vs. 34.2%, p=0.15) compared to those who were started on ARRT for AKIN Stage 3. Presence of traditional indications at ARRT initiation was associated with greater mortality. Initiating dialysis Selleck LY294002 at earlier AKIN stage did not improve survival in patients without traditional indications. “
“Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined according to a decrease

in the glomerular filtration rate and kidney damage buy R788 such as proteinuria or albuminuria. Dip-stick proteinuria is only sensitive to albumin and correlates poorly with quantitative 24 h proteinuria, the most commonly used measure in renoprotective randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT). The amount of proteinuria correlates with the efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in non-diabetics in RCT. Random urine protein to creatinine ratio (PCR) or albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) correlates

with 24 h urinary excretion. Dip-stick proteinuria correlates poorly with ACR, while PCR correlates reasonably well with ACR. Because of a high analytical variability, efforts are in progress to standardize ACR (but not PCR) measurement. There have been no studies on the direct comparison between proteinuria and albuminuria in terms of utilities (biomarker, surrogate end-point and cost-effectiveness). In

this regard, both proteinuria and albuminuria are good biomarkers for cardiovascular events, renal events or mortality. However, there are limitations in RCT regarding the validity of proteinuria or albuminuria as a surrogate end-point. In contrast, measuring proteinuria or albuminuria followed by treatment with angiotensin inhibitors is cost-effective for diabetics, hypertension and aging. CKD guidelines differ in their opinions regarding the choice between ACR and PCR. Based on the current evidence, ACR might be recommended for the diabetics and PCR for the non-diabetics. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined according to a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and kidney ifenprodil damage such as proteinuria (>200 mg/day or protein to creatinine ratio (PCR) >200 mg/g creatinine) or albuminuria (urinary albumin excretion (UAE) ≥30 mg/day or albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) ≥30 mg/g creatinine).1–4 Albuminuria will be used as a specific term hereafter, although albuminuria is often used interchangeably with proteinuria. Dip-stick proteinuria is the most common method for measuring proteinuria, and it is used as a universal screening method for CKD in Japan.5,6 It predicts end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and mortality in the general population in observational studies.

CD4+CD25hi Tregs were isolated from a third-party UCB graft and e

CD4+CD25hi Tregs were isolated from a third-party UCB graft and expanded by anti-CD3/CD28-coated beads and recombinant IL-2

over a period of 18 days. Patients received expanded Tregs at doses ranging from 1 × 105 to 30 × 105/kg. Of note, the targeted Treg dose was achieved only in 74% of cases. Compared with the 108 historical controls, there was a reduced incidence of grades II–IV acute GVHD (from 61 to 43%; P = 0·05), although the overall incidence of GVHD was not significantly different. In a third trial (Phase I/II), conducted by Di Selleckchem 3-MA Ianni et al. [109], 28 patients were enrolled who underwent haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for haematological malignancies. Patients received donor Treg without ex-vivo expansion and donor conventional T cells (Tcons) without any other adjuvant immunosuppression. Different dose regimens were used, ranging from 5 × 105/kg Tcons with 2 × 106/kg Tregs to 2 × 106/kg Tcons with 4 × 106/kg Tregs. As two patients

receiving the latter regimen developed acute GVHD, compared with none of the other patients, the authors concluded that a dose of 1 × 106/kg Tcons with 2 × 106/kg Tregs is safe. Moreover, patients receiving Tregs demonstrated accelerated immune reconstitution, reduced cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation and a lower incidence of tumour relapse and GVHD when compared selleck products to historical controls. However, it is also important to note the disappointing patient survival, with only 13 of the 26 patients surviving, but this may have been because of pre-existing fungal infections and the harsh conditioning regimens that were used. With the results from stem cell-treated patients showing that Treg therapy is well tolerated, it is now time to initiate trials in solid organ transplantation. Histone demethylase In this regard, the ONE Study, a multicentre Phase I/II study funded by the European Union FP7 programme, will investigate the safety of infusing ex-vivo-expanded

Treg cells (among other regulatory cells) into kidney transplant recipients. Moreover, clinical trials to test the safety and tolerability of polyclonally expanded or donor alloantigen-specific Treg cell therapy in combination with depletion of alloreactive T cells and short-term immunosuppression in liver transplant patients are currently being planned. The first results of clinical trials applying Tregs in stem cell transplantation are very encouraging, and provide a basis for future trials in solid organ transplantation. Such trials should involve a small number of patients, aiming at evaluating the safety of increasing doses of Tregs. In addition, the clinical protocol for such trials should be based on a ‘Treg-supportive’ immunosuppressive regimen, not only to protect against rejection, but also to create the tolerogenic milieu to maximize the potential efficacy of the exogenously administered Tregs.

Aliquots (10 μl) were then inoculated in parallel onto six agar p

Aliquots (10 μl) were then inoculated in parallel onto six agar plates. The following conventional and semi-selective media were used: chromogenic medium (CHROMAgar®Candida; Becton-Dickinson, Oxford, UK), SGA containing chloramphenicol and gentamicin (Becton-Dickinson), in-house prepared yeast extract-peptone-dextrose-agar supplemented with chloramphenicol (0.5 g l−1) and cycloheximide (0.5 g l−1) (YPDA-cycloheximide), in-house prepared dichloran-rose bengal chloramphenicol agar supplemented with chloramphenicol (final concentration 0.5 g l−1) and with 0.008 g l−1 benomyl (DRBC-benomyl agar), and in-house prepared Erythritol agar, also

supplemented with 0.5 g l−1 chloramphenicol (ECA). Plates were incubated for 2 weeks either at 37 °C (CHROMAgar Candida, www.selleckchem.com/products/VX-770.html YPDA-cycloheximide and DRBC-benomyl, and one ECA plate) Selleckchem CX-4945 or 25 °C (SGA and another ECA plate). All plates were examined every 2 days. Yeast were identified according to colony colour on CHROMAgar Candida for green colonies or to their auxanographic profile on ID32C test strips (Becton-Dickinson). Moulds were identified morphologically by their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics.21 For isolates with atypical morphology, identification was confirmed by amplification and sequencing of the ITS1-ITS2 regions of the nuclear ribosomal repeat region and of the fragment BT2 of the β-tubulin gene. For each species isolated, the fungal load was

expressed in colony-forming units (CFU) per microlitre of sample. The DNA extractions Rucaparib were carried out using the manual High Pure PCR Template Preparation Kit (Roche, France) according to the manufacturer’s instructions with one modification: proteinase K digestion was performed at 70 °C for 1 h instead of 10 min. The quality of extraction was verified using water as a control. PCR amplification and RLB were performed as mentioned earlier.17 Duplex PCR amplification of BT2 was performed consisting of

1× GoTaq Green Master Mix (Promega, Fitchburg, WI, USA), 400 nmol l−1 of primers (Table 1) and 2 μl template at 94 °C for 5 min, followed by 35 cycles of 94 °C 45 s, 56 °C 45 s, 72 °C 90 s and post-elongation step at 72 °C 7 min. A second PCR was performed with the same conditions. A group-specific primer PS_F specific for S. aurantiacum, P. apiosperma, P. boydii, S. dehoogii, P. minutispora, Pseudallescheria desertorum and Pro_F specific for Scedosporium prolificans were designed as forward primers with 5′-biotin-labelled T2_Bas reverse primer. Six species-specific probes and a group specific probe PS_P specific for S. aurantiacum, P. apiosperma, P. boydii, S. dehoogii, P. minutispora and P. desertorum were labelled with C6-amino linker at the 5′ end. Careful precautions against cross-contamination were taken during sample collection and preparation by using separate rooms and filtered tips. Culture-negative and PCR-negative sputum samples were used as negative controls.

However there are technical problems

However there are technical problems PD-1 antibody and immugenicity

risks associated with implanted intrathecal devices or repeated intrathecal injections. Implanted intrathecal pumps have been shown to induce gliosis and scar formation at the catheter tip, impeding drug infusion and in some cases directly damaging the spinal cord [274,275]. Alternative delivery approaches for ChABC treatment have therefore been explored. A gene therapy approach may circumvent the technical difficulties and infection risks of repeated intrathecal injections, whereby host cells would be transduced to secrete ChABC following a single intraspinal administration of a viral vector. Gene therapy has been used to deliver neurotrophic factors to the injured CNS [276] and represents a clinically relevant method for long-term gene expression. The bacterial ChABC gene encodes N-X-Ser/Thr at some positions that, if expressed in mammalian cells, are post-translationally N-glycosylated in the endoplasmic reticulum. This impacts upon protein folding and passage through the secretory pathway, resulting in poor enzyme release or inactivity. Six glycosylation sites mapping to regions of the protein that proved structurally important, or were associated with substrate binding, were replaced conservatively

BI 6727 nmr by site-directed mutagenesis to produce an optimized plasmid construct for secretion by transfected mammalian cells; featuring a eukaryotic MMP2 signal sequence [277]. This plasmid, when delivered via lentiviral vector (LV), was shown to efficiently transduce cells in the CNS and promote anatomical sprouting after spinal cord dorsal column crush [278]. Recent work has applied this ChABC gene therapy approach to a more clinically relevant model and has shown that LV-ChABC, delivered intraspinally following a moderate severity thoracic contusion resulted in stable and widespread delivery of the active enzyme and promoted neuroprotection, improvements in sensorimotor Buspirone HCl function, increased conduction through the lesion and plasticity of spinal reflexes [279]. A Tet-On adenoviral vector encoding chondroitinase

AC has also been engineered, featuring an immunoglobulin signal sequence, shown to result in successful enzyme secretion from mammalian cells in vitro [280] and LVs have also been generated encoding this ChAC which also demonstrate sustained expression of the chondroitinase enzyme in vivo [281]. Its use remains to be reported in any injury paradigm. Another approach is to increase the thermostability of the ChABC enzyme. Cosolvents represent a well-established method of stabilizing proteins and trehalose-thermostabilized ChABC delivered by a hydrogel-microtubule scaffold system resulted in decreased in vivo levels of CS-GAG for up to 6 weeks, alongside enhanced anatomical and functional recovery following a thoracic dorsal over-hemisection [282]. Efficacy in a more clinically relevant injury model remains to be documented.

Of note here, one recent murine study has shown that IL-1 signall

Of note here, one recent murine study has shown that IL-1 signalling is also essential for Th17 lineage differentiation in mice, and that

IL-6 induces IL-1R expression on T cells. In this report, IL-1r1−/− animals had higher percentages of FoxP3+ T cells compared to wild-type counterparts, and in an EAE model wild-type, but not IL-1r1−/−, FoxP3+ T cells produced IL-17 in the central nervous system (CNS), suggesting a greater similarity in Th17 differentiation and Treg to Th17 conversion between humans and mice than thought previously [79]. Murine Tregs can Selleck Linsitinib be directed towards the Th17 lineage through receptor–ligand interactions on DC that activate them to produce the appropriate cytokine environment, including (Curdlan-induced) Dectin-1 activation [72] and B7 cross-linking on DC [78]. Conversely, murine Tregs can be protected from IL-6-driven Th17 conversion following exposure to TGF-β and IL-2, as these cytokines in concert reduce surface expression of the IL-6 receptor [75]. As a result, it has been proposed that TGF-β iTregs are more resistant to Th17 conversion in mice than nTregs[75]. This is the only publication that demonstrates a potential difference between nTregs and iTregs in the propensity

to convert to the Th17 lineage and should be accepted only with the caveats that the observed effect cannot be said categorically to be due to inherent differences between nTregs and iTregs and not the result of TGF-β and IL-2 signalling www.selleckchem.com/products/iwr-1-endo.html per se, and that the concentrations of TGF-β and IL-2 used in iTreg generation in vitro are orders of magnitude higher than those seen in vivo.

Some of these reports have demonstrated that Th17 cells derived from Tregs share common features with Th17 cells generated from naive precursors, Sclareol including expression of the chemokine receptor CCR6 [73,76,80]. CCR6 is a chemokine receptor expressed on the surface of Th17 cells, under the control of the Th17 transcription factor receptor-related orphan receptors (ROR)α and RORγt, which directs their migration into sites of inflammation [81]. Interestingly, although ‘converted’ Tregs also express CCR6 (as well as other chemokine receptors in common with Th17 cells [82]), in contrast to Th17 cells they do not express CCL20 [macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-3α][81], which is the only known ligand for CCR6 [83]. Th17 cells therefore recruit other Th17 cells and Tregs into sites of inflammation through secretion of CCL20 [81]. Indeed, chronically inflamed tissues in human diseases are characterized by the presence of infiltrating Th17 cells expressing CCR6 [84], and mice are protected from developing EAE if the CCR6–CCL20 interaction is neutralized [81].

Cell preparation   Pleural fluid mononuclear cells (PFMC) were is

Cell preparation.  Pleural fluid mononuclear cells (PFMC) were isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque (Tianjin Haoyang Biological Manufacture, Tianjin, China) density click here gradient centrifugation. The pleural fluid supernatants were cryopreserved at −80 °C until assay. Cells were collected and washed twice with Hank’s balanced salt solution. Viability was tested using trypan blue exclusion dye. Finally, cells were suspended at 2 × 106 cells/ml in RPMI 1640 medium (Gibco, Grand Island, NY, USA) supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated foetal calf

serum (Sijiqing, Hangzhou, China), 100 U/ml penicillin, 100 μg/ml streptomycin, 2 mm l-glutamine and 50 μm 2-mercaptoethanol (Gibco). In all cases, the following stimuli were used: single peptide at a final concentration 1 μg/ml, BCG at 20 μg/ml, anti-CD28 at 1 μg/ml and check details anti-CD49d at

1 μg/ml. Antigens and antibodies.  Bacille Calmette–Guerin was purchased from Chengdu Institute of Biological Products, Chengdu, China and peptides from Sangon Biotech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China. The purity of all synthetic immune-dominant peptides of ESAT-6 and CFP-10 was >90%. Lyophilized peptides were reconstituted in ultrapure water and stored at −80 °C. The amino acid sequences of the peptides used in the present study are shown in Table 1. Anti-CD28 and anti-CD49d (BD Biosciences Pharmingen, San Diego, CA, USA) were used as costimulatory molecules. The following antibodies were used for flow cytometry: CD4-PerCP, IFN-γ-FITC, CD45RA-FITC, CD45RA-PE, CD62L-APC, CCR7-APC, CD27-APC and IFN-γ-APC (BD Biosciences Pharmingen). IL-17-PE was purchased from eBioscience, San Diego, CA, USA and IL-22-PE and IL-22-APC from R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA. RT-PCR.  PFMC were stimulated with immune-dominant peptides of ESAT-6, CFP-10 or with BCG plus anti-CD28 and anti-CD49d. After stimulation, total RNA was extracted by TRIzol (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA). Reverse transcription of total RNA was performed at 37 °C using Reaction

Ready™ First Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (Invitrogen). Amplification of cDNA was conducted in a DNA thermal cycler (Biometra, Goettingen, Germany) at the following conditions: 94 °C, 45 s, 62 °C, 45 s and 72 °C, 1 min, for 30 Afatinib price cycles. The following primers for each molecule were used: IFN-γ sense, 5′-TGG CTT TTC AGC TCT GCA TCG T-3′, antisense, 5′-TCC ACA CTC TTT TGG ATG CTC TGG T-3′; IL-22 sense, 5′-CTC TTG GCC CTC TTG GTA CAG-3′, antisense, 5′-CGC TCA CTC ATA CTG ACT CCG-3′; IL-17 sense, 5′-GGA CTG TGA TGG TCA ACC TGA-3′, antisense, 5′-TCA TGT GGT AGT CCA CGT TCC-3′; GAPDH sense, 5′-GCA TGG CCT TCC GTG TCC-3′, antisense, 5′-TGA GTG TGG CAG GGA CTC-3′. ELISA.  PFMC were stimulated with immune-dominant peptides of ESAT-6, CFP-10 or with BCG in the presence of anti-CD28 and anti-CD49d for 72 h at 37 °C in a 5% CO2 incubator.