He visited our hospital due to fever lasting for 7 days with cloudy dialysate. He was on no immunosuppressive therapy, was known to be human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative, and had no previous episodes of peritonitis. Physical examination found no signs other than pyrexia (37.3°C). The white blood cell count of the CAPD fluid was 3,500/μL, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were elevated. We performed Gram staining

using centrifuged sediment of the peritoneal effluent, and identified yeast cells with large Gram-positive budding by microscopy. Based on these findings, we started administration of intravenous micafungin and oral fluconazole. The peritoneal catheter was removed on day 7 after admission. Cryptococcus sp. was isolated on day 10 of hospitalization, Selleck Dabrafenib and the antibiotic regimen was altered. Based on the results of antifungal susceptibility testing, voriconazole was administered. A search for disseminated disease was also performed, including microbiological studies of blood and sputum; however, both were negative. CRP levels improved and the patient was discharged on day 18. He has been

in good condition for 1 year after completing 3 months of antibiotic therapy. Later, genetic Torin 1 testing revealed the pathogen as Cryptococcus laurentii (C. laurentii). Discussion: Fungal peritonitis is serious and leads to death in approximately 25% or more of episodes. Cryptococcus peritonitis is an unusual form of PD-related peritonitis. To the best of our knowledge, only 2 cases of peritonitis caused by C. laurentii have been reported in PD patients. Both were adolescent females, and were not on immunosuppressive therapy. It is reported that the presence Carbohydrate of an invasive device is a significant risk factor for C. laurentii infection. In the present patient, as well as in the two previous cases in the literature, we could not determine any risk factors other than a PD catheter with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The PD catheter was removed in all cases, and all patients survived. Conclusion: C. laurentii infection can occur in

young people who have no risk factors other than PD catheter with ESRD. Prompt catheter removal and anti-fungal therapy effectively treat the infection. JUNG HEE-YEON, KWON EUGENE, KIM HYUN-JI, KWON OWEN, CHOI JI-YOUNG, CHO JANG-HEE, PARK SUN-HEE, KIM CHAN-DUCK, KIM YONG-LIM Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital Introduction: Previous studies have suggested the association between thyroid hormones and mortality in dialysis patients. However, little is known regarding the association of free thyroxine and mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This study assesses the association between basal and annual variation of free thyroxine and mortality in PD patients.

The structures of CD1d-β-linked self-antigen–iNKT TCR complexes show how the headgroup is flattened so that the complex resembles that formed with αGalCer.[55] The energetic penalty incurred in this squashing explains the lower affinity of the iNKT TCR for endogenous ligands. The bulky headgroup of iGb3, rather than hindering binding, contributes TCR contacts from its flattened position to compensate.[69] The iNKT TCR affinity for an antigen in

complex with CD1d is not always sufficient to predict Selleck Regorafenib the nature of the cytokine response (Th1 or Th2 biased) it elicits. Evidence now suggests that the strength of interaction between antigen and CD1d, the longevity of this complex on the cell surface, and antigen-presenting cell (APC) type determines the cytokine

polarization seen in an iNKT-cell response (Fig. 1). Invariant NKT antigens with Th2 cytokine-biasing effects are characterized by shortened unsaturated tails, increased overall polarity and reduced hydrophobicity. Shortening of either acyl or sphingosine chains can polarize responses towards Th2.[70] For example, OCH, an αGalCer analogue with a shortened sphingosine chain, elicits a Th2 response,[8, 71, 72] as does an acyl buy VX-809 truncated and di-unsaturated αGalCer (C20 : 2).[73] Intracellular staining for cytokines produced by iNKT cells after a short (2 hr) exposure to agonists reported as Th1 or Th2 polarizing fails to reveal a Th1 or Th2 bias.[73] Cytokine measurements from culture supernatants include IFN-γ from trans-activated NK cells as well

as from iNKT cells. For a Th1 bias to be measured, the activation of iNKT cells must be sustained enough to activate NK cells, requiring a strong interaction between CD1d and antigen. CD1d ligands characterized as Th1-biasing include Plakoside A analogues (structurally similar to αGalCer, and also derived from sea sponge) and analogues of αGalCer with a carbon-based glycosidic linkage (α-C-GalCer and other C-glycosides). Plakoside A analogues bind deeply inside the groove of CD1d. Similarly, C-glycoside binds CD1d very tightly, facilitating a sustained (though weak) OSBPL9 interaction with the iNKT TCR and a Th1-biased response.[74] α-C-GalCer also elicits sustained iNKT TCR interaction and a Th1 response.[66] Inclusion of aromatic rings on the acyl chain of αGalCer creates a Th1 bias by enhancing the stability of a TCR–antigen–CD1d complex.[75, 76] Sub-cellular location of antigen loading into CD1d controls persistence of antigen–CD1d complexes, influencing the Th1 versus Th2 bias of a response. Presentation of iNKT antigens was tracked using antibody specific for the complex formed between αGalCer and CD1d.[77] The Th2-biasing ligands show an ability to directly load on to CD1d at the cell surface. When CD1d trafficking through the endosome was ablated by removal of its cytoplasmic tail, Th1-biasing αGalCer analogues lost much of their activity.

40; P = 0.05). On the other hand, the mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme glutathione reductase decreased with severe agonal state (P = 0.003), while the

activity of glutathione-S-transferase declined with increased storage time (P = 0.005) and severe agonal state (P = 0.02). Conclusion: Our data highlight the influence of pre- and post mortem factors on preservation of mitochondrial function with implications for studies on brain pathology employing stored human TSA HDAC molecular weight samples. “
“Hypothermia has been shown to have neuroprotective effects in various models of neurological damage. However, its effects on pediatric status epilepticus (SE) are relatively unknown. In order to understand the effects of hypothermia on pediatric SE, we conducted experiments to determine the neuroprotective effects of mild hypothermic pretreatment in a model of pediatric SE. Juvenile (21-day-old) rats were subjected to mild hypothermic or normothermic conditions prior buy Sorafenib to intraperitoneal injections of pilocarpine. We

analyzed the seizure response of these animals via electroencephalogram and conducted ex-vivo analysis for apoptotic cells in the hippocampus via a TUNEL assay. We found that mild hypothermia increased both seizure latency and time to SE onset. It also reduced the overall average spike frequency and spike area compared to normothermia controls. Furthermore, the number of apoptotic cells was reduced in the hippocampus. In conclusion, these data indicate that mild hypothermia reduces both seizure activity and neurotoxicity in a pilocarpine model of pediatric SSR128129E SE. This expands previous findings examining the neuroprotective effect of hypothermia by showing neuroprotection in a pediatric model of SE. We believe these findings will help researchers find better preventative treatments for

pediatric SE in the future. “
“R. H. Xia, N. Yosef and E. E. Ubogu (2010) Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology36, 388–398 Selective expression and cellular localization of pro-inflammatory chemokine ligand/receptor pairs in the sciatic nerves of a severe murine experimental autoimmune neuritis model of Guillain–Barré syndrome Aims: To determine if specific pro-inflammatory chemokine ligand/receptor pairs expressed in the peripheral nerves of Guillain–Barré syndrome patients are expressed in a severe murine experimental autoimmune neuritis (sm-EAN) model and to determine their cellular localization as a prerequisite to designing potentially therapeutic interventions in vivo. Methods: Sm-EAN was induced in 8–12-week-old female SJL/J mice using bovine peripheral nerve myelin emulsified in complete Freund adjuvant with pertussis toxin and recombinant mouse interleukin-12 acting as co-adjuvants, with appropriate controls. Mice were evaluated for neuromuscular weakness and weighed daily. Dorsal caudal tail and sciatic nerve motor electrophysiological studies were performed at expected maximal severity.

Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy-edited or typeset. They are made available as submitted by HIF activation the authors. “
“Cohn M. Meanderings into the regulation of effector class by the immune system: derivation of the trauma model. Scand J Immunol 2012;76:77–88 delves into the discussion of how the immune system might regulate the decision

between the immune response effector classes, and in particular identifies some key questions that need to be asked to understand how different classes of immune response occurring at the same time might be able to remain coherent and discrete. This is a needed discussion that advances the field, and the experiments proposed will go a long way to https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ly2606368.html increasing our understanding of effector class regulation. However, in my opinion, the author makes some strong statements requiring substantiation regarding the impossibility of the involvement of germline-selected recognitive events as participating in self/non-self discrimination. Furthermore, the present discussion ignores a large body of contemporary

literature describing the function and specificity of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) and formulates a theory that specifically excludes a role for Treg in maintaining self-tolerance without placing the contemporary evidence in the context of that theory. Thus in my opinion, these shortcomings should be addressed by the author. 1. A self and non-self selection process mediated by a somatic historical process is clearly involved in the sorting of the T cell repertoire into anti-self (which are eliminated or converted to natural Treg) or anti-non-self. However it is not clear to me how one can use this to validly exclude germline-selected recognitive events, as proposed by the danger model for example, from also playing a complementary Cyclin-dependent kinase 3 role in S and NS discrimination in the periphery. Evolutionarily speaking, some

level of self-reactivity escaping ‘Module 2’ into the peripheral T cell repertoire may have conferred a fitness advantage through the enhancement of, for example, anti-tumour immunity. Thymic negative selection clearly does not eliminate all self-reactive immature Th cells from the repertoire, as one can find such cells in normal individuals without concomitant pathology [1, 2]. This fact also implies that there is some threshold number of self-reactive Th cells below which no adverse effect occurs, and thus, we must consider quantitative as well as qualitative aspects when considering what makes up the T cell repertoire. Instead of viewing the T cell ‘repertoire’ as just the set of individual T cell clones that are present in an individual, if one adds the dimension of how many of each of a specific T cell clone there are, then the control of expansion of a particular T cell clone becomes a way to shape the ‘effective repertoire’.

Furthermore, the efficiency whereby Treg cells silence immune activation coupled with the plasticity in Foxp3+ cell activity suggest that overriding Treg-mediated suppression represents a prerequisite ‘signal zero’ that together with other stimulation signals [T-cell receptor

(signal 1), co-stimulation (signal 2), inflammatory cytokines (signal 3)] are essential for T-cell activation in vivo. Herein, the importance of Foxp3+ Treg cells in host defence against infection, and the significance of infection-induced shifts in Treg-cell suppression are summarized. The fluid balance between immune activation required for optimal host defence against Dabrafenib mouse infection and immune suppression that maintains tolerance by averting autoimmunity is stringently regulated. This allows immune effectors with Olaparib price the potential to cause catastrophic damage to host tissues to be actively silenced during homeostasis, but also rapidly unleashed in response to infection. Accordingly, the cell-associated and cytokine signals that stimulate the activation of immune effectors have been intensely investigated for developing new therapeutic strategies

for boosting desired immune responses during infection or immunization. On the other hand, understanding how ubiquitous immune suppression signals are selectively silenced during immune activation, and the extent to which they limit optimal host defence against infection has lagged behind. This bottleneck has been overcome with the identification of a distinct

CD4+ T-cell subset with immune suppressive properties called regulatory T (Treg) cells.1–3 Although Treg cells were initially identified as the CD4+ T-cell subset that constitutively express the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor, CD25, subsequent landmark studies have since established that the lineage-defining and master regulator for Treg cells is dictated by expression of the forkhead box P3 transcription factor, Foxp3.4–6 Infants who develop Guanylate cyclase 2C a fatal rare constellation of clinical features that includes refractory eczema, diabetes, thyroiditis, colitis, infection susceptibility and generalized wasting called the immunodysregulation polyendocrinopathy enteropathy X-linked (IPEX) syndrome have mutations in either the foxp3 promoter or coding sequence resulting in defective Treg cells.7–9 Similarly, mice with naturally occurring or targeted defects in foxp3 develop similar clinical features (lymphoproliferation, colitis, weight loss, diabetes and ruffled hair) associated with systemic autoimmunity, and become moribund within 20–25 days of birth.6,8,10 Accordingly, Foxp3+ Treg cells are essential for maintaining peripheral immune tolerance in humans and mice, and these parallels in clinical features with Treg deficiency illustrate the usefulness of mouse models to investigate how Treg cells may control other facets of the immune response.

“
“Aim:  Extracts of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. have been used to treat glomerulonephritis for more than 30 years in China. Most of the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities of these extracts can be attributed to triptolide (Trip). The present study was

to investigate the effect of Trip on renal interstitial fibrosis in a model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Methods:  UUO or sham-operated rats were randomly assigned to receive mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), Trip or vehicle and were killed on days 7 and 14 after UUO or sham operation. Kidney specimens were fixed for immunohistochemistry for myofibroblasts (α-smooth muscle actin, α-SMA), macrophages (ED-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and osteopontin. Interstitial collagen deposition

and selleck amounts of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were determined by Sirius red staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The mRNA expression of TGF-β1, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), MCP-1 and osteopontin were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Results:  The scores for the density click here of α-SMA- and ED-1-positive cells, the staining of MCP-1 and osteopontin, interstitial collagen deposition and amounts of TGF-β1 were significantly reduced by MMF or Trip. MMF or Trip significantly reduced the mRNA expression of TGF-β1, CTGF, MCP-1 and osteopontin. Conclusion:  Trip significantly attenuated tubulointerstitial fibrosis in a rat UUO model and the effect of Trip on renal Palbociclib mw fibrosis was similar to that of MMF. Trip may be useful as a potential candidate in the treatment

of renal fibrosis. “
“The sulfonamide group is widely used for bacterial diseases including kidney and urinary tract infections. The present study investigates the effect of a sulfa drug on kidney function and renography studies by using a radionuclide. Renography studies were performed on New Zealand white rabbits. Each rabbit was injected with 48.1 MBq technetium-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine (99mTc-MAG-3). Dynamic images were acquired using a gamma camera. Radioactivity time curves were generated from the regions of interest, time to peak activity (Tmax) and time from peak to 50% activity (T1/2). Each rabbit served as its own control. The sulfa drug was given to these rabbits for 7 days (i.v injection 130 mg/kg daily in two divided doses; i.e. the single dose is 65 mg/kg), then dynamic images were acquired. Treatment with sulfa shifted the experimental curves to the right of the control curves. This result showed that there was a delayed renal uptake of 99mTc-MAG-3 and its clearance. Calculated averages of Tmax were 2.2 ± 0.3 and 5.9 ± 0.5 min; while for T1/2 were 3.1 ± 0.3 and 8.4 ± 0.6 min for control and sulfa-treated rabbits, respectively (n = 20; P < 0.05).

Recent work revealed that Dar is an enlargement of rectal epithelial cells K/K′, F, U and B [42]. Genetic analysis has shown that host-encoded sugar transporters and acyltransferases are required for microbial attachment to the anus and induction of the Dar phenotype [43]. In addition, the swelling response requires an extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathway, as does inflammation in mammalian cells [43,44]. These results provided a cellular explanation

for the Dar phenotype, and revealed for the first time a role for the rectal epithelium in the host response to infection. Interestingly, forward genetic screens for mutants defective in the swelling response to M. nematophilum identified the HOX gene egl-5. EGL-5 is required in the rectal epithelial cells for the transcription of the ERK homologous MI-503 gene mpk-1[45]. S. aureus infection also causes a swelling response in the anal region, although in this case the involvement

of the rectal epithelial cells is still conjecture. Despite having a defective transcriptional host response to S. aureus infection, egl-5 mutants are not defective in the swelling response to S. aureus[9]. In contrast, the β-catenin gene bar-1, Antifection chemical which acts upstream of egl-5 during Wnt signal transduction, is required both for the swelling response and the transcriptional host response to S. aureus infection (J. E. Irazoqui and F. M. Ausubel, unpublished). Thus, even if the same cells were involved in the responses to M. nematophilum Phosphoglycerate kinase and S. aureus, the signalling pathways required for cell swelling are distinct. Further work is required to identify the components of each different pathway. Several genes induced during infection with S. aureus or P. aeruginosa are expressed in the rectal gland, a group of cells directly apposed to the rectum that are thought to secrete molecules into the rectal lumen [9,10] (J. E. Irazoqui and F. M. Ausubel, unpublished). This is consistent with a potential role for rectal gland cells in secretion of immune defence molecules into the rectal lumen. Further study is required to test this hypothesis. Although it is clear that C.

elegans lacks a bona fide circulatory system with sessile professional phagocytes, C. elegans does have phagocytes that reside in its body cavity, the pseudocoelom. Three pairs of static coelomocytes are located in ventral anterior, ventral posterior and dorsal posterior locations, where they constitutively endocytose pseudocoelomic fluid [46]. The coelomocytes have been proposed to function in immune surveillance, although direct experimental evidence is lacking [46]. The collagenous cuticle that encases the C. elegans body provides a highly impermeable physical barrier with the environment. However, some bacteria have learned to exploit this surface to their advantage. Forward genetic analysis has identified components of the cuticle required for M. nematophilum binding and for Yersinia biofilm formation [47,48].

Genetic families of M. tuberculosis are monophyletic clusters of genetically related strains; their evolutionary scenario is unidirectional and phylogenies are hierarchic. Apparently, these families or genotypes originated in well-delimited geographic areas and were usually named according to the geographic, historical or cultural name related to the region/country of their first isolation. Some of them remained circumscribed to their regions of origin, for example, Carabobo cluster in Venezuela (Abadia et al., 2009). Other families have become omnipresent as a result of a likely increased virulence, transmissibility, etc. A natural

consequence of clonal divergence might be the acquisition of differential pathogenic characteristics among different lineages. Specific genotypes of M. tuberculosis have been shown GPCR & G Protein inhibitor to dominate in patients, suggesting that these are more successful pathogens. Strains of M. tuberculosis responsible for outbreaks Kinase Inhibitor high throughput screening have been shown to vary in virulence in animal models, which in turn has been related to their ability to inhibit innate immune responses. However, there is no clear evidence that this

variability manifests as differences in human disease (Nicol & Wilkinson, 2008). The Beijing genotype is an example of the most-studied M. tuberculosis genotype marked with numerous waves of dissemination out of its possible area of origin, northern China (van Soolingen et al., 1995; Mokrousov, 2008). Some other globally spread M. tuberculosis lineages, such as CAS, EAI, Haarlem and Latin-American-Mediterranean (LAM), have attracted interest increasingly due to their worldwide presence and, at the same time, involvement in local outbreaks, for example, the Haarlem strain in Tunisia (Mardassi et al., 2005). It has been suggested that locally prevalent clones may have adapted to the local human populations, for example, particular Beijing variants in South Africa (Hanekom et al., 2007). It has been speculated that mass and long-term BCG vaccination may have influenced changes in the local population

structure of M. tuberculosis in Vietnam (Kremer et al., 2009) and Tunisia (Namouchi et al., 2008) by concurrently favoring the selection of particular genotypes. Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units (MIRU) are polymorphic variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) loci scattered throughout the bacterial either chromosome and increasingly used as a digital and portable approach to M. tuberculosis strain typing (Supply et al., 2001, 2006). The number of repeat copies per locus may vary among strains, and the use of several such loci allows sufficient interstrain differentiation. The MIRU-VNTR profiles are presented as multidigit numerical codes (complex haplotypes), each digit representing the copy number in a locus. In fact, these MIRU loci present multiple independent genetic markers and therefore are ideally suited for phylogeographic analysis.

Data were analysed using the FlowJo Software (Tree Star). Cell culture supernatant was saved after DC treatment with chemokines (Day 1) and subsequent LPS (Day 2). Culture supernatant was analysed for TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12p70 (all from Peprotech) and IL-23 (R&D systems, Minneapolis, MN) using standard ELISA kits. All

ELISAs followed the manufacturer’s protocol, with small modifications; Acalabrutinib research buy for colour development following a detection antibody incubation, the original combination of avidin–horseradish peroxidase and 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) liquid substrate was replaced with a combination of streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase and tetramethylbenzidine substrate. At the time of supernatant collection, cell numbers were quantified using the CyQuant NF Cell Proliferation Assay Kit (Invitrogen) as per the manufacturer’s protocol, using a TECAN Safire™ fluorimeter (MTX Lab Systems, Vienna, VA). ELISA data in pg/ml were normalized to a total cell number per unit sample volume. Statistical analysis of all data was performed by comparison of each cell treatment with control

iDCs or mDCs (LPS only) per experiment. A one-tail paired t-test was used GDC-0973 mw when data were normalized to iDCs (= 1) (all data except the cytokine release results), whereas

Mann–Whitney U-test was used when data were not normalized to the control (the cytokine release results). Amino acid For both statistical methods, the GraphPad Prism (Version 5·04, La Jolla, CA) was used. If not indicated, P value ≤ 0·05 was considered to be significant. The sequential treatment of iDCs with chemokines then LPS was carried out over a total of 4 days with cells and their surrounding medium analysed on the last 2 days. To clarify, one series of cells and their supernatant were analysed 24 hr after chemokine treatment (Day 1) and a second series of cells and their medium were analysed 24 hr after subsequent LPS treatment (Day 2) (Fig. 1). Briefly, cells were plated at 5 × 105 cells/ml (2 ml/well) in 12-well plates (Corning, NY) and then, after 24 hr, spent medium was replaced with fresh medium. After addition of the new medium, one set of cells was left untreated (iDC); one set of cells was treated with murine CCL3 (at 30, 50 or 70 ng/ml); one set of cells was treated with murine CCL19 (by 30, 50 or 70 ng/ml); and finally one set of cells received either a combination of CCL3 (50 ng/ml) and CCL19 (50 ng/ml) (ratio of 5 : 5), a combination of CCL3 (30 ng/ml) and CCL19 (70 ng/ml) (ratio of 3 : 7), or a combination of CCL3 (70 ng/ml) and CCL19 (30 ng/ml) (ratio of 7 : 3) (Peprotech).

falciparum infection, and our observations disclose clear differences associated with progression and regression of malaria tropica. This work was conducted at the Centre Hospitalier Regional (CHR) in Sokodé in the Central Region of Togo. The study was approved by the Comite de Bioethique pour la Recherche en Sante (CBRS) in Togo, and by the Ethikkommission at University Clinics of Tübingen,

Germany. Informed written consent was obtained from all parents for the participation of their children selleck screening library in this study. Infants of less than 5 years of age were recruited, and classification of malaria was performed according to previously published criteria [14], with severe malaria (SM) characterized by parasitaemia of higher than 250 000parasites/µl and/or the presence of severe anaemia with haemoglobin concentrations of lower than 5 g/dl. Matched uncomplicated malaria (MM) patients were defined by parasitaemia of lower than 250 000 parasites/µl and haemoglobin concentrations equal to or higher than 5 g/dl and the absence of any signs or symptoms of severe malaria [13]. P. falciparum-exposed infants negative for parasites in thick selleck chemical blood film, and negative in rapid detection test kits for P. falciparum (Paracheck-Pf, Orchid, Biomedical Systems, Goa, India; OptiMAL-IT; Biorad, Marnes la Coquette, France),

were defined as participants with previous malaria episode(s) and the actual absence of illness due to malaria within the last 2 weeks. Blood samples were obtained prior to treatment with anti-malarials and/or anti-pyretics, and immediately following primary diagnosis all P. falciparum-positive infants received anti-malarial and appropriate supportive therapy as required and recommended by the Guidelines for Malaria Treatment indicated by the Ministry of Health in Togo. Infants with MM were treated with Coartem and Artemeter or Artesunate, and for SM, quinine perfusion or injectable Artemeter

were applied as recommended. All hospitalized uncomplicated as well as severe malaria cases were followed until discharge from the hospital paediatric ward. Quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed with commercially available assays to determine Amobarbital plasma levels of the cytokines IL-10, IL-13, IL-17F, IL-27, IL-31 and IL-33, as well as of the chemokines MIP3-α/CCL20, monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG)/CXCL19, 6Ckine/CCL21 and CXCL16 (Duo-Set; R&D Minneapolis, MN, USA). Sample concentrations of each cytokine and chemokine were quantified from standard curves generated with recombinant chemokines/cytokines, and the lower limit for their detection was 50 pg/ml. For data analyses the statistical package jmp version 5·0.1·2 was used. For the cytokine and chemokine analyses, differences between groups were determined after logarithmic transformation to stabilize the variance of data [log (pg/ml + 1)].