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Functional differences in airway dendritic cells determine susceptibility to IgE-sensitization

Respiratory IgE-sensitization to innocuous antigens increases the risk for developing diseases such as allergic asthma.

Immunological processes driving IgE sensitisation and disease development in males and females

In this review, we discuss recent mechanistic studies casting further light on how the expression of sex hormones may influence the innate and adaptive immune system

Atopy-dependent and independent immune responses in the heightened severity of atopics to respiratory viral infections: Rat model studies

The co-exposure responses in the Th2high BN incorporated type I interferon/Th1, alternative macrophage activation/Th2 and Th17 signatures

Basophil counts in PBMC populations during childhood acute wheeze/asthma are associated with future exacerbations

Our findings suggest that the proportion of degranulated basophils can also be associated with recurrent exacerbations

Pregnancy Induces a Steady-State Shift in Alveolar Macrophage M1/M2 Phenotype That Is Associated With a Heightened Severity of Influenza Virus Infection

Pregnancy is associated with an alternatively activated phenotype of alveolar macrophage before infection

Progressive increase of FcεRI expression across several PBMC subsets is associated with atopy and atopic asthma within school-aged children

The expression pattern of FcεRI on DC and basophils differentiates asthmatic from non-asthmatic atopic children

Beneficial health effects of ultraviolet radiation: expert review and conference report

Carcinogenic effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) with reference to skin cancer are the basis of widely implemented recommendations to avoid sun exposure. Whether the benefits of "restrictive sun policies" outweigh their potential harms due to diminished beneficial effects of sunlight exposure remain a matter of controversy.

Protection against neonatal respiratory viral infection via maternal treatment during pregnancy with the benign immune training agent OM-85

Incomplete maturation of immune regulatory functions at birth is antecedent to the heightened risk for severe respiratory infections during infancy. Our forerunner animal model studies demonstrated that maternal treatment with the microbial-derived immune training agent OM-85 during pregnancy promotes accelerated postnatal maturation of mechanisms that regulate inflammatory processes in the offspring airways.

Risk Factors for Gut Dysbiosis in Early Life

Dysbiosis refers to a reduction in microbial diversity, combined with a loss of beneficial taxa, and an increase in pathogenic microorganisms. Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota can have a substantial effect on the nervous and immune systems, contributing to the onset of several inflammatory diseases.

The interaction of genetic and environmental contributions to immunological traits and their association with atopic disease remain unclear. Flow cytometry and in vitro cytokine responses were used to characterize immune profiles from 93 school-aged twin pairs. Using an established twin pair analytical strategy, the genetic and environmental influences on immunological traits were evaluated, along with their association with atopy. Our findings suggest strong genetic influence on several traits, particularly B cell abundance. In contrast, cytokine responses from in vitro stimulations appeared mainly shaped by environmental exposures.