Gnotobiotic (GN) animals with defined microbiota allow us to study host-microbiota and microbiota-microbiota interferences. Preterm germ-free (GF) piglets were mono-associated with probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 (BB12) to ameliorate/prevent the consequences of infection with the Salmonella Typhimurium strain LT2 (LT2). Goblet cell density; expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2, 4, and 9; high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1); interleukin (IL)-6; and IL-12/23p40 were analyzed to evaluate the possible modulatory effect of BB12. BB12 prevented an LT2-induced decrease of goblet cell density in the colon. TLRs signaling modified by LT2 was not influenced by the previous association with BB12. The expression of HMGB1, IL-6, and IL12/23p40 in the jejunum, ileum, and colon and their levels in plasma were all decreased by BB12, but these changes were not statistically significant. In the colon, differences in HMGB1 distribution between the GF and LT2 piglet groups were observed. In conclusion, the mono-association of GF piglets with BB12 prior to LT2 infection partially ameliorated the inflammatory response to LT2 infection.

• Klíčová slova
• Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12, Salmonella Typhimurium, Toll-like receptors, high mobility group box 1, immunodeficient host, inflammatory cytokines, intestinal barrier, mucin, tight junction proteins,
• MeSH
• Bifidobacterium animalis * MeSH
• gnotobiologické modely MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec nedonošený MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• prasata MeSH
• probiotika * farmakologie   MeSH
• protein HMGB1 * MeSH
• Salmonella typhimurium MeSH
• toll-like receptory metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• protein HMGB1 * MeSH
• toll-like receptory MeSH

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Infected individuals display a wide spectrum of disease severity, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). One of the main factors underlying this heterogeneity is the host immune response, with severe COVID-19 often associated with a hyperinflammatory state. AIM: Our current study aimed to pinpoint the specific genes and pathways underlying differences in the disease spectrum and outcomes observed, through in-depth analyses of whole blood transcriptomics in a large cohort of COVID-19 participants. RESULTS: All WHO severity levels were well represented and mild and severe disease displaying distinct gene expression profiles. WHO severity levels 1-4 were grouped as mild disease, and signatures from these participants were different from those with WHO severity levels 6-9 classified as severe disease. Severity level 5 (moderate cases) presented a unique transitional gene signature between severity levels 2-4 (mild/moderate) and 6-9 (severe) and hence might represent the turning point for better or worse disease outcome. Gene expression changes are very distinct when comparing mild/moderate or severe cases to healthy controls. In particular, we demonstrated the hallmark down-regulation of adaptive immune response pathways and activation of neutrophil pathways in severe compared to mild/moderate cases, as well as activation of blood coagulation pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Our data revealed discrete gene signatures associated with mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19 identifying valuable candidates for future biomarker discovery.

• Klíčová slova
• RNA sequencing, SARS-CoV-2, WGCNA, deconvolution, host immune response,
• MeSH
• COVID-19 * genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• neutrofily MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
• stanovení celkové genové exprese MeSH
• transkriptom MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Therapeutic options for metastatic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PHEO/PGL) are limited. Here, we tested an immunotherapeutic approach based on intratumoral injections of mannan-BAM with toll-like receptor ligands into subcutaneous PHEO in a mouse model. This therapy elicited a strong innate immunity-mediated antitumor response and resulted in a significantly lower PHEO volume compared to the phosphate buffered saline (PBS)-treated group and in a significant improvement in mice survival. The cytotoxic effect of neutrophils, as innate immune cells predominantly infiltrating treated tumors, was verified in vitro. Moreover, the combination of mannan-BAM and toll-like receptor ligands with agonistic anti-CD40 was associated with increased mice survival. Subsequent tumor re-challenge also supported adaptive immunity activation, reflected primarily by long-term tumor-specific memory. These results were further verified in metastatic PHEO, where the intratumoral injections of mannan-BAM, toll-like receptor ligands, and anti-CD40 into subcutaneous tumors resulted in significantly less intense bioluminescence signals of liver metastatic lesions induced by tail vein injection compared to the PBS-treated group. Subsequent experiments focusing on the depletion of T cell subpopulations confirmed the crucial role of CD8+ T cells in inhibition of bioluminescence signal intensity of liver metastatic lesions. These data call for a new therapeutic approach in patients with metastatic PHEO/PGL using immunotherapy that initially activates innate immunity followed by an adaptive immune response.

• Klíčová slova
• T cell, adaptive immunity, immunotherapy, innate immunity, metastatic, neutrophil, paraganglioma, pathogen-associated molecular patterns, pheochromocytoma, toll-like receptor,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Salmonella enteritidis infection occurs in enterogenous diseases, such as gastroenteritis and parenteral focal infection, which often involve inflammation of intestinal epithelial cells. The nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway participates in the innate immune response to many gram-negative pathogenic bacteria and initiates inflammation in epithelial cells. KH-type splicing regulatory protein (KSRP) is a multi-domain RNA-binding protein that recruits the exosome-containing mRNA degradation complex to mRNAs coding for inflammatory response factors. However, it remains unclear whether KSRP is regulated by NF-κB signaling pathway in response to S. enteritidis infection and affects the development of inflammation. Accordingly, in this study, we investigated the role of KSRP in mediating the response to S. enteritidis in Caco-2 cells. The data revealed that S. enteritidis infection decreased KSRP expression, which was suppressed by blocking the NF-κB pathway. Additionally, S. enteritidis infection significantly increased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. Overexpression of KSRP reduced the expression levels of inflammatory factors in Caco-2 cells. KSRP was regulated by the NF-κB signaling pathway and participated in mediating the innate immune response to S. enteritidis infection in Caco-2 cells, and KSRP acted as a negative regulator of inflammatory gene expression.

• MeSH
• biologické markery MeSH
• biologické modely MeSH
• Caco-2 buňky MeSH
• exprese genu MeSH
• kultivované buňky MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mediátory zánětu MeSH
• NF-kappa B metabolismus   MeSH
• přirozená imunita * MeSH
• proteiny vázající RNA genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese MeSH
• Salmonella enteritidis fyziologie   MeSH
• salmonelóza genetika   imunologie   metabolismus   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• signální transdukce * MeSH
• trans-aktivátory genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biologické markery MeSH
• KHSRP protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• mediátory zánětu MeSH
• NF-kappa B MeSH
• proteiny vázající RNA MeSH
• trans-aktivátory MeSH

Detailed investigation of variation in genes involved in pathogen recognition is crucial for understanding co-evolutionary processes between parasites and their hosts. Triggering immediate innate response to invading microbes, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) belong presently among the best-studied receptors of vertebrate immunity. TLRs exhibit remarkable interspecific variation and also intraspecific polymorphism is well documented. In humans and laboratory mice, several studies have recently shown that single amino acid substitution may significantly alter receptor function. Unfortunately, data concerning polymorphism in free-living species are still surprisingly scarce. In this study, we analyzed the polymorphism of Toll-like receptor 4 (Tlr4) over the Palearctic range of house mouse (Mus musculus). Our results reveal contrasting evolutionary patterns between the two recently (0.5 million years ago) diverged house mouse subspecies: M. m. domesticus (Mmd) and M. m. musculus (Mmm). Comparison with cytochrome b indicates strong directional selection in Mmd Tlr4. Throughout the whole Mmd western Palaearctic region, a single variant of the ligand-binding region is spread, encoded mainly by one dominant haplotype (71% of Mmd). In contrast, Tlr4 in Mmm is much more polymorphic with several haplotypes at intermediate frequencies. Moreover, we also found clear signals of recombination between two principal haplogroups in Mmm, and we identified eight sites under positive selection in our dataset. Our results suggest that observed differences in Tlr4 diversity may be attributed to contrasting parasite-mediated selection acting in the two subspecies.

• Klíčová slova
• Adaptive evolution, MAMPs, Mus musculus, arms race, directional selection, host–pathogen interaction, parasite-mediated selection, pattern-recognition receptors,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The aim of this study was to examine the role of TLR2 molecule in pleural space during thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis period in patients with malignant pleural effusion. We analyzed TLR2 molecule in soluble form as well as on membrane of granulocytes in pleural fluid. Pleural fluid examination was done at three intervals during pleurodesis procedure: 1st-before the thoracoscopic procedure, 2nd-2 hours after the terminating thoracoscopic procedure with talc insufflation, 3rd-24 hours after the thoracoscopic procedure. We reported significant increase of soluble TLR2 molecule in pleural fluid effusion during talc pleurodesis from preoperative value. This increase was approximately 8-fold in the interval of 24 hours. The changes on granulocyte population were quite different. The mean fluorescent intensity of membrane TLR2 molecule examined by flow cytometry on granulocyte population significantly decreased after talc exposure with comparison to prethoracoscopic density. To estimate the prognostic value of TLR2 expression in pleural fluid patients were retrospectively classified into either prognostically favourable or unfavourable groups. Our results proved that patients with favourable prognosis had more than 3-fold higher soluble TLR2 level in pleural fluid early, 2 hours after talc pleurodesis intervention.

• MeSH
• granulocyty účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• insuflace metody   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• maligní pleurální výpotek metabolismus   terapie   MeSH
• mastek aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• pleura účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• pleurodéza metody   MeSH
• prognóza MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• toll-like receptor 2 metabolismus   MeSH
• torakoskopie metody   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• klinické zkoušky MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• mastek MeSH
• TLR2 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• toll-like receptor 2 MeSH

Inflammation is a key component of the immune system. It has important functions in both defense and pathophysiological events maintaining the dynamic homeostasis of a host organism including its tissues, organs and individual cells. On the cellular level it is controlled by more than 400 currently known genes. Their polymorphisms and environmental conditions give rise to different genotypes in human population. Pro-inflammatory genotype, which dominates in the present population, may be advantageous in childhood but not in elderly people because it is characterized by an increased vulnerability to, and intensity of, inflammatory reactions. These reactions may be the possible reasons of chronic inflammatory diseases, especially in old age. Better understanding of complex molecular and cellular inflammatory mechanisms is indispensable for detailed knowledge of pathogenesis of many diseases, their prevention and directed drug therapy. Here we summarize the basic current knowledge on these mechanisms.

• MeSH
• Alzheimerova nemoc etiologie   MeSH
• ateroskleróza etiologie   MeSH
• diabetes mellitus 2. typu etiologie   MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• infekční nemoci imunologie   MeSH
• kardiovaskulární nemoci etiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory etiologie   MeSH
• obezita imunologie   MeSH
• přirozená imunita MeSH
• signální transdukce MeSH
• stárnutí imunologie   MeSH
• zánět * komplikace   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH