Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are the most prevalent pathogens to induce mastitis. The pathogenesis of infections induced by E. coli is sophisticatedly modulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS binding protein, membrane CD14 (mCD14), and soluble CD14 (sCD14). In the first study, administration of recombinant bovine sCD14 (rbosCDl4) significantly reduced the fatality of LPS challenged mice and the severity of mouse mastitis in terms of clinical signs, bacterial load, and TNF-alpha production. Before investigating the potential of this strategy in dairy cows, endogenous sCD14 in milk was characterized. Based on the data of 396 quarters, the milk concentration of sCD14 was 6.67 +/- 0.44 mug/ml. The stages of lactation affected the concentration of sCD14 in milk, which was higher in transitional milk (0--4 days postpartum). Milk sCD14 also increased during an intramammary LPS challenge, which paralleled with SCC increase. The protective effect of sCD14 on bovine E. coli mastitis was then investigated. It was shown that rbosCDl4 sensitized the mammary gland to recruit leukocytes in response to LPS. To prove that the early recruitment of leukocytes plays a role in preventing intramammary E. coli infections, E. coli mastitis was induced in 9 dairy cows with or without 100 mug rbosCD14. Quarters challenged with E. coli plus rbosCD14 had a more rapid recruitment of neutrophils, a faster clearance of bacteria, reduced concentrations of TNF-alpha and IL-8 in milk, and reduced clinical symptoms than quarters injected with saline. / For S. aureus mastitis, a newly designed trivalent whole-cell vaccine being composed of the most dominant serotypes (T5, T8, and T336) was evaluated. The vaccine was immunized with or without either one of the two adjuvants, aluminum hydroxide (ALUM) and Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FICA). The vaccine, with or without the presence of adjuvants, increased antigen-specific IgG1, IgG2, but not IgM, in serum. However, all formulations only had limited effects on lymphocyte subsets, interferon (IFN)-gamma mRNA expression, and neutrophil phagocytosis in comparison with the control. / Taken together, the results indicated that increasing the concentration of sCD14 in milk might be a potential strategy to prevent or reduce severity of E. coli mastitis. On the other hand, both ALUM and FICA did not augment the immune responses when formulated with trivalent vaccine. A more immunostimulatory adjuvant will be required to improve the efficacy of the novel trivalent vaccine against S. aureus mastitis.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Florida, 2004. / Typescript. Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 49 pages. Includes Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Wong, Yun Sze. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-162). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract (in English) --- p.ii / Abstract (in Chinese) --- p.vi / Acknowledgement --- p.ix / Statement of Work --- p.x / Table of Contents --- p.xi / List of Tables --- p.xiv / List of Figures --- p.xvi / Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations --- p.xviii / Chapter Section I: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 1: --- General Overview of Asthma --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1 --- Asthma definition and its phenotype --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Asthma epidemiology and its prevalence in past decades --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Hygiene hypothesis and asthma development --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4 --- Asthma pathogenesis and innate immunity --- p.12 / Chapter 1.5 --- The environmental factors and genetic makeup in relation with asthma --- p.17 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Study Plan and Obj ective --- p.21 / Chapter Section II: --- Literature Review --- p.24 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Indoor Environmental factors of Asthma --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1 --- Overview of the indoor environmental factors --- p.25 / Chapter 3.2 --- House dust endotoxin --- p.27 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Determinants of endotoxin exposure in home environment --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Protective role of endotoxin in allergy and asthma development --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Deleterious effect of endotoxin exposure in asthma: the dark side --- p.31 / Chapter 3.3 --- Allergen --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Allergens: an update --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Determinants of allergens in home environment --- p.35 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Allergens avoidance: environmental intervention --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4 --- Nitrogen dioxide --- p.40 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Determinants of indoor nitrogen dioxide and its relation with gas cooking --- p.40 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- The adverse effects of nitrogen dioxide on respiratory symptoms --- p.41 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Reactive nitrogen species and nitrosative stress in asthma --- p.42 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- CD14 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Asthma --- p.45 / Chapter 4.1 --- Overview of CD14 receptor --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2 --- Action of CD14 receptor in endotoxin response --- p.47 / Chapter 4.3 --- Relation of CD14 with asthma --- p.48 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Associations between CD14 polymorphisms and asthma phenotypes --- p.48 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Endotoxin switch concept: from gene to gene - environment --- p.52 / Chapter Section III: --- Study Core --- p.55 / Chapter Chapter 5: --- Methodology in indoor environment investigation and its result --- p.57 / Chapter 5.1 --- Study Population --- p.57 / Chapter 5.2 --- Home Visiting Protocol --- p.60 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) --- p.60 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- ISAAC questionnaire --- p.61 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- House dust collection procedures --- p.62 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Indoor nitrogen dioxide measurements --- p.65 / Chapter 5.2.4.1 --- Ogawa passive sampler --- p.65 / Chapter 5.2.4.2 --- Preparation and measurement procedures --- p.66 / Chapter 5.2.4.3 --- Indoor nitrogen dioxide quantification --- p.67 / Chapter 5.3 --- House dust extraction --- p.69 / Chapter 5.4 --- House dust endotoxin measurement --- p.70 / Chapter 5.5 --- Allergen measurement --- p.72 / Chapter 5.6 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.75 / Chapter 5.7 --- Results --- p.77 / Chapter 5.7.1 --- Demographic data and subjects characteristics --- p.77 / Chapter 5.7.2 --- "Dust weight, endotoxin and allergen levels and their determinants in household" --- p.82 / Chapter 5.7.3 --- Indoor NO〕2levels and its determinant in household --- p.95 / Chapter 5.7.4 --- Associations between indoor environmental factors and respiratory health --- p.96 / Chapter 5.7.4.1 --- Clinical symptoms --- p.96 / Chapter 5.7.4.2 --- Exhaled NO levels --- p.101 / Chapter 5.7.4.3 --- Spirometric indices --- p.103 / Chapter Chapter 6： --- Methodology in genotyping CD14 polymorphisms and its result --- p.105 / Chapter 6.1 --- Study population --- p.105 / Chapter 6.2 --- Serum Total and allergen-specific IgE measurement --- p.106 / Chapter 6.3 --- CD14 Genotyping s --- p.107 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Genotyping promoter SNPs ofCD14/-159 and -1359 --- p.107 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Genotyping promoter SNP of CD14/-1619 --- p.109 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- Validation of genotyping by sequencing --- p.111 / Chapter 6.4 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.112 / Chapter 6.5 --- Results --- p.113 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Subjects characteristics and clinical features. --- p.113 / Chapter 6.5.2 --- Associations between CD14 SNPs and asthma phenotypes --- p.114 / Chapter Chapter 7: --- Discussion --- p.120 / Chapter 7.1 --- Influence of indoor factors on asthmatic children --- p.120 / Chapter 7.2 --- CD14 polymorphisms in modifying asthma phenotypes --- p.135 / Chapter Chapter 8: --- Conclusion and Further Works --- p.138 / References --- p.141 / Appendix 1 Questionnaire / Appendix 2 Publications

A doença de Behçet tem sua fisiopatologia caracterizada por hiperatividade neutrofílica, particularmente em relação à quimiotaxia, e períodos de atividade da doença podem ser desencadeados por exposição a estreptococos. Uma vez que células do sistema imune inato são ativadas pelo ácido lipoteicoico (LTA) de bactérias gram-positivas via receptor toll-like (TLR) 2 e CD14, cujas expressões são reguladas pelos fatores estimulantes de colônias de granulócitos (G-CSF) e granulócitos-macrófagos (GM-CSF), o objetivo principal deste estudo foi determinar se há hiperexpressão de TLR2 em neutrófilos de DB ativa e se a quimiotaxia de polimorfonucleares (PMN) neutrófilos na DB poderia ser hiperestimulada pelo LTA. Além do TLR2, foram medidas as expressões de TLR4, CD14, CD114 (receptor de G-CSF) e CD116 (receptor de GM-CSF) nos neutrófilos e nos monócitos de pacientes com doença de Behçet (DB), as concentrações séricas de CD14 solúvel (CD14s) e as respostas quimiotáxicas dos PMNs de DB sob diferentes estímulos. A expressão dos receptores foi medida pela citometria de fluxo, as concentrações séricas por ELISA e as respostas quimiotáxicas foram avaliadas em câmara de Boyden. Nos PMNs, os receptores foram igualmente expressos nos dois grupos e, estimulados com LTA, suas respostas quimiotáxicas também foram similares. Somente à incubação com plasma os PMNs de DB desenvolveram hiperquimiotaxia em relação aos PMNs controles. A expressão do TLR2 foi maior em monócitos de DB em relação aos controles, e a concentração de CD14s sérica, de origem monocitária, foi maior nos pacientes com DB ativa. Em conjunto, os resultados demonstram que PMNs de DB, isoladamente, não reagem exacerbadamente ao LTA, e suas respostas migratórias são estritamente dependentes de fatores estimulantes solúveis. / Expressions of toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, TLR4, CD14, CD114 and CD116 were assessed on polymorphonuclear (PMN) neutrophils and monocytes of patients with Behçets disease (BD). PMN chemotactic responses under different stimulations were also measured. The objective was to determine if BD PMN chemotaxis may be overstimulated by lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from gram-positive bacteria. Receptor expressions were measured by flow cytometry and PMN chemotaxis was assessed in a Boyden chamber. Only TLR2 expression was higher on monocytes of the BD group than in control group. On PMNs, however, TLR2 expression was similar in both groups and, when stimulated with LTA, BD PMN cells showed chemotactic responses similar to the controls. These cells only exhibited increased chemotaxis when incubated with plasma. In conclusion, isolated BD PMN did not overreact to LTA, and its hyperchemotaxis is strictly dependent on soluble stimulating factors

A doença de Behçet tem sua fisiopatologia caracterizada por hiperatividade neutrofílica, particularmente em relação à quimiotaxia, e períodos de atividade da doença podem ser desencadeados por exposição a estreptococos. Uma vez que células do sistema imune inato são ativadas pelo ácido lipoteicoico (LTA) de bactérias gram-positivas via receptor toll-like (TLR) 2 e CD14, cujas expressões são reguladas pelos fatores estimulantes de colônias de granulócitos (G-CSF) e granulócitos-macrófagos (GM-CSF), o objetivo principal deste estudo foi determinar se há hiperexpressão de TLR2 em neutrófilos de DB ativa e se a quimiotaxia de polimorfonucleares (PMN) neutrófilos na DB poderia ser hiperestimulada pelo LTA. Além do TLR2, foram medidas as expressões de TLR4, CD14, CD114 (receptor de G-CSF) e CD116 (receptor de GM-CSF) nos neutrófilos e nos monócitos de pacientes com doença de Behçet (DB), as concentrações séricas de CD14 solúvel (CD14s) e as respostas quimiotáxicas dos PMNs de DB sob diferentes estímulos. A expressão dos receptores foi medida pela citometria de fluxo, as concentrações séricas por ELISA e as respostas quimiotáxicas foram avaliadas em câmara de Boyden. Nos PMNs, os receptores foram igualmente expressos nos dois grupos e, estimulados com LTA, suas respostas quimiotáxicas também foram similares. Somente à incubação com plasma os PMNs de DB desenvolveram hiperquimiotaxia em relação aos PMNs controles. A expressão do TLR2 foi maior em monócitos de DB em relação aos controles, e a concentração de CD14s sérica, de origem monocitária, foi maior nos pacientes com DB ativa. Em conjunto, os resultados demonstram que PMNs de DB, isoladamente, não reagem exacerbadamente ao LTA, e suas respostas migratórias são estritamente dependentes de fatores estimulantes solúveis. / Expressions of toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, TLR4, CD14, CD114 and CD116 were assessed on polymorphonuclear (PMN) neutrophils and monocytes of patients with Behçets disease (BD). PMN chemotactic responses under different stimulations were also measured. The objective was to determine if BD PMN chemotaxis may be overstimulated by lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from gram-positive bacteria. Receptor expressions were measured by flow cytometry and PMN chemotaxis was assessed in a Boyden chamber. Only TLR2 expression was higher on monocytes of the BD group than in control group. On PMNs, however, TLR2 expression was similar in both groups and, when stimulated with LTA, BD PMN cells showed chemotactic responses similar to the controls. These cells only exhibited increased chemotaxis when incubated with plasma. In conclusion, isolated BD PMN did not overreact to LTA, and its hyperchemotaxis is strictly dependent on soluble stimulating factors