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- Impact of cardiac resynchronization therapy on circulating IL-17 producing cells in patients with advanced heart failurePublication . Martins, Sílvia; Carvalheiro, Tiago; Laranjeira, Paula; Martinho, António; Elvas, Luís; Gonçalves, Lino; Tomaz, C. T.; António, Natália; Paiva, ArturIL-17-producing T cells have been implicated in the inflammatory milieu of chronic heart failure (CHF), which implies a dismal prognosis in affected patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on the frequency and functional activity of Th17 and Tc17 cells, as well as, on IL-17 mRNA expression in patients with CHF.
- HLA‐A23/HLA‐A24 serotypes and dementia interaction in the elderly: Association with increased soluble HLA class I molecules in plasmaPublication . Cardoso, Elsa M.; Gomes, Vânia Lourenço; Esgalhado, André J.; Ferreira, Débora Reste; Oliveira, Nádia; Amaral, Ana Saraiva; Martinho, António; Gama, Jorge; Verde, Ignacio; Lourenço, Olga; Fonseca, Ana C.; Buchli, Rico; Arosa, Fernando A.MHC class I molecules regulate brain development and plasticity in mice and HLA class I molecules are associated with brain disorders in humans. We investigated the relationship between plasma-derived soluble human HLA class I molecules (sHLA class I), HLA class I serotypes and dementia. A cohort of HLA class I serotyped elderly subjects with no dementia/predementia (NpD, n = 28), or with dementia (D, n = 28) was studied. Multivariate analysis was used to examine the influence of dementia and HLA class I serotype on sHLA class I levels, and to compare sHLA class I within four groups according to the presence or absence of HLA-A23/A24 and dementia. HLA-A23/A24 and dementia, but not age, significantly influenced the level of sHLA class I. Importantly, the concurrent presence of HLA-A23/A24 and dementia was associated with higher levels of sHLA class I (p < 0.001). This study has shown that the simultaneous presence of HLA-A23/HLA-A24 and dementia is associated with high levels of serum sHLA class I molecules. Thus, sHLA class I could be considered a biomarker of neurodegeneration in certain HLA class I carriers.
- CD45RA, CD8β, and IFNγ Are Potential Immune Biomarkers of Human Cognitive FunctionPublication . Esgalhado, AJ; Reste-Ferreira, Débora; Albino, Stephanie; Sousa, Adriana; Amaral, Ana Paula; Martinho, António; Oliveira, Isabel Tomás; Verde, Ignacio; Lourenço, Olga; Fonseca, Ana M; Cardoso, Elsa M.; Arosa, FAThere is increasing evidence that in humans the adaptive immunological system can influence cognitive functions of the brain. We have undertaken a comprehensive immunological analysis of lymphocyte and monocyte populations as well as of HLA molecules expression in a cohort of elderly volunteers (age range, 64-101) differing in their cognitive status. Hereby, we report on the identification of a novel signature in cognitively impaired elderly characterized by: (1) elevated percentages of CD8+ T effector-memory cells expressing high levels of the CD45RA phosphate receptor (Temra hi); (2) high percentages of CD8+ T cells expressing high levels of the CD8β chain (CD8βhi); (3) augmented production of IFNγ by in vitro activated CD4+ T cells. Noteworthy, CD3+CD8+ Temra hi and CD3+CD8βhi cells were associated with impaired cognition. Cytomegalovirus seroprevalence showed that all volunteers studied but one were CMV positive. Finally, we show that some of these phenotypic and functional features are associated with an increased frequency of the HLA-B8 serotype, which belongs to the ancestral haplotype HLA-A1, Cw7, B8, DR3, DQ2, among cognitively impaired volunteers. To our knowledge, this is the first proof in humans linking the amount of cell surface CD45RA and CD8β chain expressed by CD8+ Temra cells, and the amount of IFNγ produced by in vitro activated CD4+ T cells, with impaired cognitive function in the elderly.