This is a review of clinical adverse effects on the human immune system that may occur following drug treatments and chemcical exposures. Current and prospective models and assays that can be used to predict these adverse effects in animal toxicity studies or in human beings are described.

This book systemically presents the latest research on lectins, covering all the major topics in the field, including the heterocomplex of lectins and Toll-like receptors, protective versus pathogenic functions in connection with microbial infections, and novel strategies for enhancing host immunity against infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Lectins are a large group of glycan-binding proteins that recognize diverse glycan and non-glycan structures expressed on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and are vital to cell-cell interactions, the attachment of microbes to host cells, and the recognition and activation of immune responses to exogenous and endogenous danger signals. The composition and structure of microbes are complex and include numerous 'pathogen-associated molecular patterns' or 'damage-associated molecular patterns'. As such, microbes' interactions with immune cells activate multiple innate immunity receptors and produce distinct inflammatory reactions, which can be protective to contain microbial invasion, or pathogenic to cause tissue damage and shock syndrome in the host. The book shares lessons learned from state-of-the art research in this field, highlights the latest discoveries, and provides insightful discussions on lectin-mediated inflammatory reactions, while also outlining future research directions.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome in Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Second Edition provides an overview of our current understanding of this major disease. It includes the latest information on the new pathogenetic mechanisms involved, along with clinical manifestations in both the thrombotic and non-thrombotic manifestations of this important disease. Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune disease that causes abnormal blood clots. It is now recognized as a major cause of common conditions, including stroke, heart attack, miscarriage, epilepsy, and memory loss, and as such is gaining recognition in all branches of medicine, from obstetrics to cardiology, and from psychiatry to orthopedics.

Advances in Immunology, a long-established and highly respected publication, presents current developments as well as comprehensive reviews in immunology. Articles address the wide range of topics that comprise immunology, including molecular and cellular activation mechanisms, phylogeny and molecular evolution, and clinical modalities. Edited and authored by the foremost scientists in the field, each volume provides up-to-date information and directions for the future. This volume focuses on tumor immunology.

This book updates in detail the microbial pathogenesis of various important pathogens, including HIV-1, MERS, SARS-CoV-2, Mycobacterium and Plasmodium. There is also a general discussion of the innate and adaptive immune responses against primary and opportunistic infections. The overall purpose of the book is to aid in the development of anti-viral and anti-microbial targets.

Androgens are critical regulators of prostate differentiation and function, as well as prostate cancer growth and survival. Therefore, androgen ablation is the preferred systemic treatment for disseminated prostate cancer. Androgen action is exerted in target tissues via binding the androgen receptor (AR), a nuclear receptor transcription factor.

Historically, the gene expression program mediated by the AR has been poorly understood. However, recent gene expression profiling and more traditional single-gene characterization studies have revealed many androgen-regulated genes that are important mediators of androgen action in both normal and malignant prostate tissue. This book will focus on the androgen-regulated gene expression program, and examine how recently identified androgen-regulated genes are likely to contribute to the development and progression of prostate cancer. Recent studies that have attempted to unravel how these genes are deregulated in androgen depletion independent prostate cancer will be included

Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a herpesvirus which causes a lymphoproliferative disorder of the domestic chicken worldwide. This serious economical problem caused by MDV was mostly solved by development of an effective vaccine against MDV. The development of live vaccines against the disease is remarkable as it has led to the first example of a commercially available vaccine against cancer as well as against diseases caused by herpesviruses.This volume gives an overview on many aspects of MDV research and summarizes recent advances in the field. The topics include the history, biology,and molecular biology of MDV, pathogenesis, vaccinal immunity, immune response, genetic resistance and development of recombinant polyvalent vaccines. It is hoped that this volume will make an important contribution towards the control of infectious diseases.

This book provides researchers the opportunity to investigate type-2-associated diseases in their laboratories. Beginning with chapters describing various models of type-2 immunity, the volume then continues by detailing cellular protocols designed to identify, characterize, and assess the function of key adaptive and innate immune cells involved in type-2 inflammation; approaches to isolate and evaluate specific cellular subsets at the genetic, epigenetic, and molecular level; protocols to assess type-2 immunity and its relationship to organismal and metabolic systems (ex. Microbiome). This book concludes with a section that explores the use of primary human cells in evaluating relevance to the clinic. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Vital and authoritative, Type 2 Immunity: Methods and Protocols aims to provide a broad network of methods that can be used to develop a hypothesis and investigate its potential from bench to beside.

The main aim of this book is to collect a series of research articles and reviews from a diverse group of scientists to share their research work on the role of free radical research and environmental toxicity. This book presents various state-of-the-art chapters of recent progress in the field of cellular toxicology and clinical manifestations of various disorders. Topics include cell signaling, various risk factors, the pathophysiology of disease instigation and distribution, mechanistic insights into metal and nanoparticle toxicity, neural toxicity, nongenotoxic carcinogenicity, immune and idiosyncratic toxicity, prevention, biomarkers related to disease progression and therapeutic strategies. In particular, this book provides valuable insight for researchers, pathologists, and clinicians with an interest in toxicological research and cellular impairments with special emphasis on therapeutic advancement.

Various "omics" methods have recently revolutionized molecular diagnostics. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) makes it possible to sequence a human genome in just one day. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) greatly improves the ability to investigate the outbreaks of numerous pathogens. Metagenomics helps to analyze the microbiome, which aids greatly in identifying the pathogenesis of infectious diseases. Proteomic-based methods, namely matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), have a promising role in identifying myctobacteria and fungi, and predicting antimicrobial resistance. While there are numerous scientific publications on "omics" applications for microbiology, there are relatively few books that review this topic from a clinical diagnostics perspective. This book looks at this field from a holistic viewpoint, instead of limiting by type of "omics" technology, in order to cover the body of knowledge needed for practitioners and academics interested in clinical and public health microbiology. Additionally, it addresses the management, economical, regulatory and operational aspects of integrating these technologies into routine diagnostics.

Neuropsychiatric manifestation in systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is one of the most recalcitrant complications of the disease. According to the 1999 ACR nomenclature and case definitions, diffuse psychiatric/neuropsychological syndromes in NPSLE (anxiety disorder, acute confusional state, cognitive dysfunction, mood disorder, psychosis) (diffuse NPSLE) present psychiatric manifestations unlike neurologic syndromes (focal NPSLE) originating from focal CNS lesions, such as cerebrovascular disease, demyelinating syndrome, headache, aseptic meningitis, chorea, seizures and myelopathy. A number of studies have reported that diffuse NPSLE is usually associated with the presence of autoantibodies against neuronal cells in serum as well as in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Moreover, IL-6 has been shown to be elevated in CSF of patients with diffuse NPSLE. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the severity of blood-brain barrier damages plays a crucial role in the development of acute confusional state, the severest form of diffuse NPSLE through the accelerated entry of larger amounts of autoantibodies to NMDA receptor subunit NR2 into the CNS. Since the importance of autoantibodies in the NPSLE has been now evident, such an aggressive treatment, especially B cell depleting therapy, would make sense in that it would reduce the levels of pathogenic autoantibodies, leading to a better prognosis of NPSLE. As far as we know, no single book specifically dedicated to NPSLE alone has been published as yet. As mentioned above, NPSLE constitutes a vastly expanding field of research with increasing numbers of papers published annually. Therefore, we believe that an effort to collect and critically review these publications is invaluable. Such an effort will provide an important contribution to basic researchers as well as clinicians working in the field of neurology, rheumatology, psychiatry and internal medicine fields.

Over the last several years the field of humanized mice has matured and developed into an essential component of translational research for HIV/AIDS. Humanized mice serve both as vehicles for discovery and as highly sophisticated platforms for biomedical research. In addition, humanized mice have demonstrated outstanding potential for the investigation of critical aspects of the infection and pathogenesis of the hepatitis and herpes viruses, as well as highly relevant microbial infections such as tuberculosis and malaria. Humanized Mice for HIV Research provides a comprehensive presentation of the history, evolution, applications, and current state of the art of this unique animal model. An expansion of twelve review articles that were published in Humanized Mice by Springer in 2008 (Eds: Nomura T, Watanabe T, Habu S), this book expertly captures the outstanding progress that has been made in the development, improvement, implementation, and validation of humanized mouse models. The first two parts of this book cover the basics of human-to-mouse xenotransplantation biology, and provide critical information about human immune cell development and function based on individual models created from different immunodeficient strains of mice. The third and fourth parts investigate HIV-1 biology, including different routes of transmission, prevention, treatment, pathogenesis, and the development of adaptive immunity in humanized mice. The fifth part shows the broad applicability of humanized mice for therapeutic development, from long-acting antiretroviral combinations to genetic manipulations with human cells and cell-based approaches. The sixth part includes liver tissue engineering and the expansion of humanized mice for many other human cell-tropic pathogens.

This book, written by members of the European network PROTEOSTASIS, provides an up-to-date review of the research regarding protein homeostasis in health and disease. With new discoveries contributing to the increasing complexity of this topic, the book offers a detailed overview of the pathways regulating protein homeostasis, including autophagy and the ubiquitin protein family. Following a basic introduction, it explains how defects in protein homeostasis contribute to numerous pathologies, including cancer, neurodegeneration, inflammation and a number of rare diseases. In addition, it discusses, the role of protein homeostasis in cellular development and physiology. Highlighting the latest research in the field of protein homeostasis and its implications for various clinically relevant diseases, the book appeals to researchers and clinicians, while also offering a reference guide for scholars who are new to the field.

This work has broad applications in clinical medicine, ranging from prevention and treatment of organ and bone marrow transplant rejection, management of various autoimmune disorders (for example, rheumatoid arthritis), skin disease and asthma. Whereas traditionally only a small repertoire of immunosuppressive agents was available for clinical use, recent discoveries have significantly increased the number of approved agents, resulting in numerous trials to further evaluate their potential. There is also considerable interest in the potential of cell-based therapies (particularly hematopoietic stem and dendritic cell therapy) of allo- and autoimmunity. Important recent advances in the immunotherapy of allergic diseases are also covered in this book. This volume is intended both for practising physicians and surgeons and for biomedical scientists at the graduate/postdoctoral levels, and is designed to provide the theory behind these various approaches to immunosuppression, and to provide state-of-the-art reviews of current developments in each area.

This book systematically reviews the most important findings on cancer immune checkpoints, sharing essential insights into this rapidly evolving yet largely unexplored research topic. The past decade has seen major advances in cancer immune checkpoint therapy, which has demonstrated impressive clinical benefits. The family of checkpoints for mediating cancer immune evasion now includes CTLA-4, PD-1/PD-L1, CD27/CD70, FGL-1/LAG-3, Siglec-15, VISTA (PD-1L)/VSIG3, CD47/SIRPA, APOE/LILRB4, TIGIT, and many others. Despite these strides, most patients do not show lasting remission, and some cancers have been completely resistant to the therapy. The potentially lethal adverse effects of checkpoint blockade represent another major challenge, the mechanisms of which remain poorly understood. Compared to the cancer signaling pathways, such as p53 and Ras, mechanistic studies on immune checkpoint pathways are still in their infancy. To improve the responses to checkpoint blockade therapy and limit the adverse effects, it is essential to understand the molecular regulation of checkpoint molecules in both malignant and healthy cells/tissues. This book begins with an introduction to immune checkpoint therapy and its challenges, and subsequently describes the regulation of checkpoints at different levels. In closing, it discusses recent therapeutic developments based on mechanistic findings, and outlines goals for future translational studies. The book offers a valuable resource for researchers in the cancer immunotherapy field, helping to form a roadmap for checkpoint regulation and develop safer and more effective immunotherapies.

This book highlights the potential advantages of using marine invertebrates like tunicates, echinoderms, sponges and cephalopods as models in both biological and medical research. Bioactive compounds found in marine organisms possess antibacterial, antifungal, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties, and can affect the immune and nervous systems. Despite substantial research on the medicinal attributes of various marine invertebrates, they are still very much underrepresented in scientific literature: the majority of cell, developmental and evolutionary scientific journals only publish research conducted on a few well-known model systems like Drosophila melanogaster or Xenopus laevis. Addressing that gap, this book introduces readers to new model organisms like starfish or nemertera. By showing their benefits with regard to regeneration, stem cell research and Evo-Devo, the authors provide a cross-sectional view encompassing various disciplines of biological research. As such, this book will not only appeal to scientists currently working on marine organisms, but will also inspire future generations to pursue research of their own.

This book highlights the current state of the art in single cell analysis, an area that involves many fields of science - from clinical hematology, functional analysis and drug screening, to platelet and microparticle analysis, marine biology and fundamental cancer research. This book brings together an eclectic group of current applications, all of which have a significant impact on our current state of knowledge. The authors of these chapters are all pioneering researchers in the field of single cell analysis. The book will not only appeal to those readers more focused on clinical applications, but also those interested in highly technical aspects of the technologies. All of the technologies identified utilize unique applications of photon detection systems.

This edited volume discusses the application of very diverse human organotypic models in major areas of biomedical research. The authors lay a main focus on infectious diseases, cancer, allergies, as well as drug/vaccine discovery and toxicology studies. Representing a valid alternative to laboratory animals, these models are relevant for most areas of translational research. As the contemporary research shows, many human tissues can today be cultivated in vitro and used for several research objectives. This book provides an unprecedented overview of recent developments in an exciting field of research methodology. It is a reference guide for scientists in both academia and industry. Readers can update their knowledge and get hands-on recommendations on how to set up an organotypic model in their lab. Chapters 'Progress on Reconstructed Human Skin Models for Allergy Research and Identifying Contact Sensitizers' and 'Human Organotypic Models for Anti-infective Research' of this book are available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com.

This book reviews the development, characterization and applications of aptamers in different areas of biotechnology ranging from therapeutics to diagnostics and protein purification. Hailed as chemical antibodies, these single-stranded nucleic acid receptors were predicted to supersede antibodies in traditional assays, such as ELISA, within a short time. While this has yet to happen, readers will find in this book a deep insight into the progress of aptamer technology and a critical discussion about the limitations that need to be overcome in order to find wider acceptance and use outside of the still relatively small aptamer-community. This book covers all aspects of aptamer generation and application for the aptamer-experienced reader and curious novice alike, with the addition of an industry perspective on the future of aptamer-use in biotechnology.