Antibodies are central to vaccines and it is becoming increasingly apparent that understanding how antibodies combat viruses could be crucial in a new era of vaccine development. This book describes the state of the art in explaining the anti-viral activity of antibodies at the molecular level, with chapters from many of the leaders in the field.
Antibodies are central to vaccines and it is becoming increasingly apparent that understanding how antibodies combat viruses could be crucial in a new...
Microbes are in our midst soon after birth. Thankfully, the number of harmless (and often beneficial) microbes far out number those that would do us harm. Our ability to ward-off pathogens in our environment, including those that can colonize our exterior and/or interior surfaces, depends on the integrative action of the innate and adaptive immunity systems. This volume of CTMI, entitled Antimicrobial Peptides and Human Disease, is dedicated to the role of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in the innate host defense system of homo sapiens.
Microbes are in our midst soon after birth. Thankfully, the number of harmless (and often beneficial) microbes far out number those that would do u...
Natural Killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes of the innate immune system. They are widespread throughout the body, being present in both lymphoid organs and non-lymphoid peripheral tissues. NK cells are involved in direct innate immune reactions against viruses, bacteria, parasites and other triggers of pathology, such as malignant transformation, all of which cause stress in affected cells. Importantly, NK cells also link the innate and adaptive immune responses, contributing to the initiation of adaptive immune responses and executing adaptive responses using the CD16...
Natural Killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes of the innate immune system. They are widespread throughout the body, being present in bot...
The group B coxsackieviruses have a long and colorful history, dating to the early days of virology as we now know it. In the late 1940s, ultracentrifugation and electron microscopy were new, high-tech tools and suckling mice were suppla- ing monkeys as the virus isolation vessel of choice. Viruses were, often as not, still referred to as "filterable agents. " The rampage of paralytic poliomyelitis epid- ics in the previous 20 or so years had spurred national investment in infectious disease research, resulting in an unprecedented period of virus discovery, eclipsed only a few years later...
The group B coxsackieviruses have a long and colorful history, dating to the early days of virology as we now know it. In the late 1940s, ultracentrif...
This monograph deals with the impact of classical genetics in immunology, prov- ing examples of how large immunological questions were solved, and new fields opened to analysis through the study of phenotypes, either spontaneous or induced. As broad as biology has become, there are those who do not fully understand what the genetic approach is, and how it differs fundamentally from most of the methods available to natural scientists. They may hold the opinion that genetics has run its course since Mendel read his paper on peas in 1865. "Why bother with classical genetics," they may ask....
This monograph deals with the impact of classical genetics in immunology, prov- ing examples of how large immunological questions were solved, and new...
The importance of specific antibodies for the clearance of and long-term resistance to many infectious pathogens has long been appreciated. Moreover, the role in these processes of the different antibody heavy chain isotypes, each tailored to induce diverse effector pathways such as those mediated by complement and Fc receptors and to promote antibody localization in distinct regions of the body, is well established. Insights into the molecular mechanism of isotype class switching showed that during an immune response B cells could change the heavy chain of the antibody they produced, without...
The importance of specific antibodies for the clearance of and long-term resistance to many infectious pathogens has long been appreciated. Moreover, ...
Although the utility of human antibodies as medical therapeutics for cancer and immune diseases has been well-established, it is only beginning to be realized for the treatment of viral infectious diseases. Polyclonal immunoglobulins have long been used for some viral diseases, but they have limited potency and disease scope. It should theoretically be possible to create monoclonal or oligoclonal antibody preparations that capture the essential curative functions of the humoral immune response to viral pathogens, yet only a single humanized monoclonal antibody (pavilizumab) has been...
Although the utility of human antibodies as medical therapeutics for cancer and immune diseases has been well-established, it is only beginning to ...
Several large dsDNA-containing viruses such as poxviruses (smallpox) and herpes viruses are well known among the scientific community, as well as the general populace, because they cause human diseases. The large dsDNA insect-infecting baculoviruses are also well known in the scientific community because they are used both as biological control agents and as protein expression systems. However, there are other large dsDNA-containing viruses, including the giant 1.2 Mb mimivirus, which are less well known despite the fact that all of them play important roles in every day life. Seven of...
Several large dsDNA-containing viruses such as poxviruses (smallpox) and herpes viruses are well known among the scientific community, as well as t...
It has been recognized that viruses can induce neuronal damage by a variety of mechanisms. This volume summarizes, for the first time, the various ways that neurons can degenerate under the influence of viral infection, ranging from acute necrosis and virus-induced apoptosis to chronic damage in persistent infections. The mechanisms of neuronal latency are dealt with as well. The volume also includes chapters that review the chronic damage caused by viral proteins that interfere with differentiated functions of the neuron, including signaling by neurotransmitters and signal transduction by...
It has been recognized that viruses can induce neuronal damage by a variety of mechanisms. This volume summarizes, for the first time, the various way...
Corepressors are newly discovered assemblies of proteins that play essential roles in eukaryotic gene regulation. Recent discoveries about corepressors have provided new insights into the molecular basis of gene regulation, and have established surprising connections between the mechanisms of action of a wide variety of transcriptional regulators. The reviews in this volume critically discuss the nature, mechanisms of action, and physiological roles of corepressors in a diverse assortment of biological systems. Both basic and clinical investigators will be able to find relevant information....
Corepressors are newly discovered assemblies of proteins that play essential roles in eukaryotic gene regulation. Recent discoveries about corepressor...
