We investigated the

role of T cells in atherosclerosis regression. Methods and results LDL receptor-deficient mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet for 8 weeks to form atherosclerotic lesions and were then changed to a standard diet, and atherosclerosis was assessed 4 weekslater. Just before changing the diet, the mice received an iv injection of anti-CD3 antibody (CD3-Ab) or control immunoglobulin G for 5 consecutive days. CD3-Ab treatment regressed atherosclerosis and decreased the accumulation of macrophages and CD4(+) T cells in the plaques. CD3-Ab treatment also dramatically 5-Fluoracil cost reduced CD4(+) T cells and increased the proportion of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Depletion of Tregs by anti-CD25 antibody injection abolished the regression of atherosclerosis seen in CD3-Ab-treated mice, indicating the essential role for Tregs in this process. Conclusion CD3-Ab treatment induced rapid regression of established atherosclerosis via reducing CD4(+) T cells and increasing the proportion of selleck Tregs.

These findings suggest that therapeutic intervention for T-cell-mediated immune responses may represent a novel strategy to induce atherosclerosis regression in combination with lipid-lowering therapy.”
“Background: Adhesiveness to intestinal epithelium, beneficial immunomodulating effects and the production of pathogen-inhibitory compounds are generally considered as beneficial characteristics of probiotic organisms. We showed the potential health-promoting properties and the mechanisms of probiotic

action of seven swine intestinal Lactobacillus amylovorus isolates plus the type strain (DSM 20531(T)) by investigating their adherence to porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-1) and mucus as well as the capacities of the strains to i) inhibit the adherence of Escherichia coli to IPEC-1 cells, ii) to produce soluble inhibitors against intestinal pathogens and iii) to induce immune signaling in dendritic cells (DCs). Moreover, the role of the L. amylovorus surface (S) -layers – symmetric, porous arrays of identical protein subunits present as the outermost layer of the cell envelope – in adherence to IPEC-1 cells was assessed using a novel approach which utilized purified Panobinostat datasheet cell wall fragments of the strains as carriers for the recombinantly produced S-layer proteins. Results: Three of the L. amylovorus strains studied adhered to IPEC-1 cells, while four strains inhibited the adherence of E. coli, indicating additional mechanisms other than competition for binding sites being involved in the inhibition. None of the strains bound to porcine mucus. The culture supernatants of all of the strains exerted inhibitory effects on the growth of E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and Yersinia, and a variable, strain-dependent induction was observed of both pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines in human DCs. L. amylovorus DSM 16698 was shown to carry two S-layer-like proteins on its surface in addition to the major S-layer protein SlpA.