Biological Sciences and Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad&nbsp;(IIT Palakkad or IIT PKD) is a public autonomous&nbsp;engineering&nbsp;and&nbsp;research&nbsp;institute located in&nbsp;Palakkad,&nbsp;Kerala. It was&nbsp;one of the five new&nbsp;IITs&nbsp;proposed in the&nbsp;2014 Union budget of India. The campus was inaugurated on 3 August 2015. The institute has 94 faculty, 978 students, and 63 non-teaching staffs.

IT Palakkad currently offers four-year Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) and two years MS programmes in 8 different engineering disciplines including&nbsp;Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil among others.

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IIT Palakkad

Variations in intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) products are a common feature. In this report, we compared the effect of different IVIg products on IL-17 production by human Th17 cells. We found that irrespective of products, IgGs of all IVIg preparations were equally effective in inhibiting the production of IL-17A from Th17 cells. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

World University root node

Autoimmunity Reviews

Comparison of different IVIg preparations on IL-17 production by human Th17 cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) as sentinels of the immune system are important for eliciting both primary and secondary immune responses to a plethora of microbial pathogens. Cooperative stimulation of a complex set of pattern-recognition receptors, including TLR2 and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors on DCs, acts as a rate-limiting factor in determining the initiation and mounting of the robust immune response. It underscores the need for "decoding"these multiple receptor interactions. In this study, we demonstrate that TLR2 and NOD receptors cooperatively regulate functional maturation of human DCs. Intriguingly, synergistic stimulation of TLR2 and NOD receptors renders enhanced refractoriness to TGF-β- or CTLA-4-mediated impairment of human DC maturation. Signaling perturbation data suggest that NOTCH1-PI3K signaling dynamics assume critical importance in TLR2- and NOD receptor-mediated surmounting of CTLA-4- and TGF-β-suppressed maturation of human DCs. Interestingly, the NOTCH1-PI3K signaling axis holds the capacity to regulate DC functions by virtue of PKCδ-MAPK-dependent activation of NF-κB. This study provides mechanistic and functional insights into TLR2- and NOD receptor-mediated regulation of DC functions and unravels NOTCH1-PI3K as a signaling cohort for TLR2 and NOD receptors. These findings serve in building a conceptual foundation for the design of improved strategies for adjuvants and immunotherapies against infectious diseases. © 2011 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Fulltext

Journal of Biological Chemistry

Cooperative regulation of NOTCH1 protein-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling by NOD1, NOD2, and TLR2 receptors renders enhanced refractoriness to Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β)- or Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA-4)-mediated impairment of human dendritic cell maturation

Journal of Rheumatology

Enhancement of the affinity of glucocorticoid receptors as a mechanism underlying the steroid-sparing effect of intravenous immunoglobulin

New England Journal of Medicine

Desensitization of HLA-incompatible kidney recipients [4]

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are known to inhibit immune responses to antigens. Since, the process of antigen uptake by dendritic cells (DC) is central to induction of immune responses, we analyzed the effect of Tregs on the expression of endocytic receptors on DC and its repercussion on antigen uptake. Our results demonstrate that Tregs down-regulate the expression and uptake of antigens via C-type lectin-like receptors CD206 and DC-SIGN, restrain the pinocytosis process of DC and augment the expression of FcγRIIB, an inhibitory Fcγ receptor the engagement of which by IgG-bound antigens leads to inhibition of DC activation. Our results thus provide an additional insight on the pertinence of strategies aimed at blocking Treg functions towards improved vaccination protocols. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

Vaccine

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell-mediated changes in the expression of endocytic receptors and endocytosis process of human dendritic cells

Background: TH17 cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune and allergic diseases. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), a therapeutic preparation of polyclonal IgG that is increasingly used in the treatment of diverse autoimmune and allergic diseases, might target T H17 cells to exert therapeutic effects. Objective: We sought to examine whether IVIg interferes with the development and function of human TH17 cells. Methods: TH17 cells were differentiated from naive human CD4+ T cells in the presence of TGF-β and IL-21. TH17 cells were amplified by stimulating memory CD4+ T cells in the presence of IL-1β and IL-6. The effect of IVIg was examined on the differentiation and amplification of TH17 cells, expression of the TH17 lineage-specific transcription factor retinoic acid-related orphan receptor C, secretion of TH17 effector cytokines, and phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, a transcription factor that plays an important role in TH17 cell development and function. Results: IVIg inhibits the differentiation and amplification of human TH17 cells, as well as the production of their effector cytokines IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, and CCL20. The inhibitory effects of IVIg on TH17 cells are F(ab′)2 dependent and involve interference with the expression of retinoic acid-related orphan receptor C and activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. Also, IVIg significantly enhanced forkhead box protein 3-positive regulatory T cells among the memory CD4+ T cells. Conclusion: These results reveal a novel mechanism of action of IVIg in achieving a therapeutic effect in autoimmune and allergic diseases, in which TH17 cells play a key modulatory role in sustaining the chronic inflammatory response. Our results also suggest a reciprocal regulation of TH17 and regulatory T-cell populations by IVIg. © 2010 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Inhibition of differentiation, amplification, and function of human T H17 cells by intravenous immunoglobulin

Trends in Molecular Medicine

New horizons in natural TNF-α antagonist research

Viscum album (VA) preparations are extensively used as complementary therapy in cancer and are shown to exert anti-tumor activities which involve the cytotoxic properties, induction of apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis and several other immunomodulatory mechanisms. In addition to their application in cancer therapy, VA preparations have also been successfully utilized in the treatment of several inflammatory pathologies. Owing to the intricate association of inflammation and cancer and in view of the fact that several anti-tumor phytotherapeutics also exert a potent anti-inflammatory effect, we hypothesized that VA exerts an anti-inflammatory effect that is responsible for its therapeutic benefit. Since, inflammatory cytokine-induced cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of VA on regulation of cyclo-oxygenase expression and PGE2 biosynthesis by using human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549 cells) as a model. A549 cells were stimulated with IL-1β and treated with VA preparation (VA Qu Spez) for 18 hours. PGE2 was analysed in the culture supernatants by enzyme immunoassay. Expression of COX-2 and COX-1 proteins was analyzed by immunoblotting and the expression of COX-2 mRNA was assessed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. We found that VA Qu Spez inhibit the secretion of IL-1β-induced PGE2 in a dose-dependent manner. Further, we also show that this inhibitory action was associated with a reduced expression of COX-2 without modulating the COX-1 expression. Together these results demonstrate a novel anti-inflammatory mechanism of action of VA preparations wherein VA exerts an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting cytokine-induced PGE2 via selective inhibition of COX-2. © 2011 Hegde et al.

PLoS ONE

Viscum album exerts anti-inflammatory effect by selectively inhibiting cytokine-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2

Background:Replacement therapy with exogenous factor VIII to treat hemorrhages induces inhibitory anti-FVIII antibodies in up to 30% of patients with hemophilia A. Current approaches to eradicate FVIII inhibitors using high-dose FVIII injection protocols (immune tolerance induction) or anti-CD20 depleting antibodies (Rituximab) demonstrate limited efficacy; they are extremely expensive and/or require stringent compliance from the patients. Objectives:To investigate whether the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, which depletes plasmocytes, modulates the anti-FVIII immune response in FVIII-deficient mice. Methods and results:Preventive 4-week treatment of naïve mice with bortezomib at the time of FVIII administration delayed the development of inhibitory anti-FVIII IgG, and depleted plasma cells as well as different lymphoid cell subsets. Conversely, curative treatment of inhibitor-positive mice for 10 weeks, along with FVIII administration, failed to eradicate FVIII inhibitors to extents that would be clinically relevant if achieved in patients. Accordingly, bortezomib did not eradicate anti-FVIII IgG-secreting plasmocytes that had homed to survival niches in the bone marrow, despite significant elimination of total plasma cells. Conclusions:The data suggest that strategies for the efficient reduction of anti-FVIII IgG titers in patients with hemophilia A should rely on competition for survival niches for plasmocytes in the bone marrow rather than the mere use of proteasome inhibitors. © 2011 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis

Bortezomib delays the onset of factor VIII inhibitors in experimental hemophilia A, but fails to eliminate established anti-factor VIII IgG-producing cells

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is associated with low serum immunoglobulin concentrations and an increased susceptibility to infections and autoimmune diseases. The treatment of choice for CVID patients is replacement intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy. IVIg has been beneficial in preventing or alleviating the severity of infections and autoimmune and inflammatory process in majority of CVID patients. Although the mechanisms of action of IVIg given as 'therapeutic high dose' in patients with autoimmune diseases are well studied, the underlying mechanisms of beneficial effects of IVIg in primary immunodeficiencies are not completely understood. Therefore we investigated the effect of 'replacement dose' of IVIg by probing its action on B cells from CVID patients. We demonstrate that IVIg at low doses induces proliferation and immunoglobulin synthesis from B cells of CVID patients. Interestingly, B cell stimulation by IVIg is not associated with induction of B cell effector cytokine IFN-γ and of transcription factor T-bet. Together, our results indicate that in some CVID patients, IVIg rectifies the defective signaling of B cells normally provided by T cells and delivers T-independent signaling for B cells to proliferate. IVIg 'replacement therapy' in primary immunodeficiencies is therefore not a merepassive transfer of antibodies to prevent exclusively the recurrent infections; rather it has an active role in regulating autoimmune and inflammatory responses through modulating B cell functions and thus imposing dynamic equilibrium of the immune system.

JOURNAL OF AUTOIMMUNITY

Intravenous immunoglobulin induces proliferation and immunoglobulin synthesis from B cells of patients with common variable immunodeficiency: a mechanism underlying the beneficial effect of IVIg in primary immunodeficiencies