This book will address the growing roles of epigenetics in disease pathogenesis, and review the contribution of epigenetic modifications to disease onset and progression. The roles that epigenetics plays in facilitating effects of the environment on allergy and immunologic diseases will be reviewed. The book is divided into three parts - the first is an introduction to epigenetics and the methods that have been developed to study epigenetics, the second addresses epigenetics in allergic diseases and the third part will cover epigenetics in autoimmune diseases. With the rapid expansion of knowledge of how genes are regulated and how this regulation affects disease phenotypes, this book will be attractive to experienced researchers as well as those just launching an epigenetics research program. It will also be of interest to allergist, immunologists, rheumatologists and dermatologist who are engaged in clinical practice as a resource for understanding the basis for personalized and precision medicine. For example, the role that epigenetics plays in the pathogenesis in various allergic and autoimmune disorders and how this determines disease phenotypes will be covered extensively in this book. This book will thus help fill the gap in available resources on epigenetics in allergy and autoimmune diseases.

This book sheds new light on "inducible" lymphoid organs (ILOs): antigen presentation sites that are generated de novo in peripheral tissues under various pathogenic conditions. Accomplished immunologists demonstrate that the physiological role of these ILOs is completely different from that of central lymphoid organs, i.e., the lymph nodes or spleen. In addition to the central organs, the ILOs are considered essential structures for the efficient elicitation of adaptive immune responses in lesions. The respective chapters highlight examples from multiple sites, e.g. the skin, lung, intestinal tract, genital tract, the synovial membrane of the joints and artificial lymph nodes. Accordingly, readers will learn that ILO structure and function can vary substantially, depending on the context. Presenting the results of the latest immunological research, the book offers a fascinating and insightful read for both scientists and clinicians in the areas of infectious and immune-associated diseases.

This work provides rapid access to focused information on topics of Immunotoxicology not only for scientists and those dealing with laboratory aspects but also for lecturers and advanced students. Over 200 contributing authors - including many of the world's top specialists - have contributed full essays on all relevant topics, supplemented by keyword definitions of related terms. Full essays are structured uniformly to provide reader-friendly information on all aspects of Immunotoxicology, including methods of testing and analysis, characteristics of substances, the regulatory environment and the relevance of these to humans.

This book describes modern biophysical techniques that enable us to understand and examine dynamic processes of infection at the molecular level. Cutting-edge research articles, laboratory protocols, case studies and up-to-date reviews cover topics such as single-molecule observation of DNA replication repair pathways in E. coli; evolution of drug resistance in bacteria; restriction enzymes as barriers to horizontal gene transfer in Staphylococcus aureus; infectious and bacterial pathogen biofilms; killing infectious pathogens through DNA damage; bacterial surfaces in host-pathogen interactions; bacterial gene regulation by riboswitches; transcription regulation in enterobacterial pathogens; the bacterial flagellar motor; initial surface colonization by bacteria; Salmonella Typhi host restrictions; as well as monitoring proton motive force in bacteria; microbial pathogens using digital holography; mathematical modelling of microbial pathogen motility; neutron reflectivity in studying bacterial membranes; force spectroscopy in studying infection and 4D multi-photon imaging to investigate immune responses. The focus is on the development and application of complex techniques and protocols at the interface of life sciences and physics, which increase the physiological relevance of biophysical investigations.

This book highlights information derived primarily from clinical samples, with particular reference to theoretical and scientific aspects of the human immune system. This text will focus on topics that range from host-pathogen interactions in infectious disease to host immune response in cancer, allergic diseases, neuroinflammatory diseases, and autoimmune disorders. The reader will also have a well-rounded understanding of the behavior of the immune system with particular emphasis on the role of immunoproteomics in immunotherapy, neuroprotective immunity for neurodegenerative and neuroinfectious disease, leukemia-associated dendritic cell induction of adaptive immunity dysregulation, and the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer, infection, as well as neuroinflammation. Taken together, the contents of this book are intended for both clinicians and researchers in academia and industry.

Mechanism of Action and Rationale for the Use of Biological Response Modifiers, Differentiating Agents and Nucleoside Analogues in Combination: Cytokine Synergy in Immunotherapy (J.W. Hadden et al.). Monitoring Combination Therapy Trials (J.L. Rossio et al.). Combination Chemotherapy and BRM Therapy in the Treatment of Cancer: Cancer Immunochemotherapy (G. Graziani et al.). Combination of Chronic Indomethacin and Intermittent IL2 Therapy in the Treatment of Disseminated Cancer (P.K. Lala et al.). Biological Response Modifiers and Differentiating Agents in Myelodisplastic Syndromes (A. Venditti et al.). Single and Combination Therapy with BRM's in the Treatment of Infectious Diseases, AIDS, and Autoimmunity: AntiCytokine Therapy of Murine Candidiasis (L. Romani et al.). The Basic Research and Clinical Application of Thymopeptidin (C.X. Zheng et al.). Combination AntiHIV Therapy (T.C. Merigan). 22 additional articles. Index.

This volume provides all the essential protocols that are currently used to study the immune synapse. Chapters in The Immune Synapse: Methods and Protocols cover methods for the study of the dynamics of immune synapse assembly, traffic at the immune synapse, new high resolution imaging, biophysical and computational methods for the study of the immune synapse, effector immune synapses, B cell, NK and mast cell immune synapses, and immune interactions in vivo. 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. Authoritative and practical, The Immune Synapse: Methods and Protocols will be of interest to immunologists and, at a more general level, to cell biologists, biophysicists and computational biologists.

This third edition volume expands on the previous editions with new protocols and up-to-date techniques to help researchers excel in this field. The chapters in this book cover topics such as ELISpot's sibling (FluoroSpot); ELISpot for influenza, Dengue virus, and tuberculosis; and vaccine research, essentials control, and assay evaluation in ELISpot. 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. Cutting-edge and comprehensive, Handbook of ELISPOT: Methods and Protocols, Third Edition is a valuable resource for both novice researchers and experienced ELISpot users."

This volume provides an overview of the field and practical hints for vaccinologists in academia and industry. Chapters provide protocols on self-replicating RNA vectors, non-replication mRNA vectors, adjuvantation and delivery, and preclinical and clinical development. 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. Authoritative and cutting-edge, RNA Vaccines: Methods and Protocols aims to increased collaboration on RNA vaccines between basic and applied scientists in academia, government, and industry to develop future solutions for today's challenges.

In the current edition, Selenium: Its Molecular Biology and Role in Human Health expands extensively on the previous editions providing readers with the most significant advances in the rapidly developing selenium field. Evidence from epidemiology and veterinary science supports the essential role of selenium in (human) health, but its split personality in both preventing and supporting cancer and also in promoting insulin resistance has become more clearly defined. The pivotal role of glutathione peroxidase 4 in a new process of programmed cell death, ferroptosis, brings new impetus to the field. Recently defined mutations in selenoprotein and biosynthesis factor genes have been identified in patients, and the resulting disorders further emphasize the significance of selenoproteins in human health. The mechanism of selenoprotein biosynthesis, the functions of selenoproteins, and the roles of dietary selenium have been further elucidated, and new regulatory mechanisms involving selenoproteins discovered. The book, therefore, covers the breadth of current selenium research. With up-to-date chapters written by leaders in their fields, it serves as an invaluable resource for novices as well as specialists.

This text provides a practical guide providing step-by-step protocol to design and develop vaccines. Chapters detail protocols for developing novel vaccines against infectious bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites for humans and animals. Volume 1: Vaccines for Human Diseases has an introductory section on how vaccines impacted diseases, the immunological mechanism of vaccines, future challenges for vaccinologists, and current trends in vaccinology. The design of human vaccines for viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic and prion diseases as well as vaccines for drug abuse, allergy, and tumor vaccines are also described in this volume. As a volume in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Vaccine Design: Methods and Protocols, Volume 1: Vaccines for Human Diseases aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

This book is a comprehensive resource on vaccines and immunizations for primary care physicians, advanced practice providers, and trainees. We are now seeing a rise in measles and the potential for rises in other previously rare infectious diseases, significantly due to public and physician misconceptions and misinformation about vaccines. The text addresses this issue by consolidating historical and current advances in vaccine science from how vaccines are developed to CDC recommendations on how and when to administer them. Expert authors also address barriers to improving vaccination rates in the U.S. and offer evidence-based recommendations on overcoming those barriers. This is an essential guide for primary care physicians, family physicians, pediatricians, internists, residents, medical students, mid-level providers, and learners for understanding vaccines and improving preventative care for their patients.

Advances in Immunology 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 future research.

This book describes the newest developments in antibody drug conjugates and immunotoxins, paving their way to clinical application. Lessons learned from the current state of the art are used to further improve our understanding of their mechanisms of action and off target activities. The book introduces scientists to all of the prerequisites that must be properly addressed, including identification of the right target, specific traits of target binding antibodies, proper selection of the toxic payload, internalization induced by binding, and next generation conjugation and linker technologies. These knowledge-based, revolutionary new drug principles will form the cornerstone of the future standard of care and will lead to major advances in application, as well as improved quality of life and patient survival rates. This book will be of interest to biotech companies and researchers working in the fields of immunology, pharmacology, and oncology.

The type I interferon (IFN) signaling pathway is well recognized as a pathway activated by viral infections. It is activated by a variety of microbial pattern recognition receptors including the Toll-like receptors, NOD-like receptors and several cytosolic receptors. Activation of the type I IFN pathway leads to the production of both antiviral factors and products that influence immune cell function. More recently it has been shown that bacteria are also capable of activating this pathway. Bacterial Activation of Type I Interferons reviews both the current understanding of how different bacterial species are able to activate this pathway as well as the influence type I IFNs have on the outcome to infection. Several different bacterial species are covered, spanning Gram positive and Gram negative, intracellular, extracellular, and different host infection sites. An introduction to the pathogenesis of each organism is provided, and the signaling molecules involved in the activation of the type I IFN pathway and the role it plays in animal infection models are also covered.

Twenty years ago, the idea that Alzheimer's disease (AD) involved any sort of inflammatory or immune component seemed implausible. Now, there are hundreds of laboratories world-wide that are pursuing basic research in this area, and multi-site clinical trials are underway. How this dramatic sea-change came about is made clear in this book, both through overviews of the field and through focused papers on specific topics of recent interest. Complement, cytokines and the complex host of other acute phase reactants are covered, as are summaries of many epidemiologic and clinical-pathological findings. Written by established investigators who have led neuroinflammatory research for two decades, this volume particularly emphasizes correlations between inflammatory phenomena in the brains of AD patients with findings of the "classic" approach, such as pathophysiologic effects of amyloid b peptide. The book documents and synthesizes earlier and recent findings in AD to help a broad range of scientists in gaining a broader and more comprehensive knowledge of the complexities AD presents. In addition, many of the concepts and results that have emerged from AD inflammation research may have implications for other neurologic disorders that involve inflammatory components, including multiple sclerosis and stroke.

Allergy is developing into one of the most prevalent diseases affecting individuals in the very early days of life. While the cause of this epidemic is still unclear, it appears that the westernized life style is playing an important role, which includes nutrition, possibly air pollution as well as hygienic conditions. While epidemiologic studies were able to narrow down these factors, basic research discovered novel mechanisms that control the organisms tolerance against allergens. Particularly interesting is the role of microorganisms that colonize or infect a host and thereby cause damage and immunological activation followed by sensitization or exacerbation of already existing sensitizations. However at the same time microbial activation of the immune system can help to generate a protective immunity that prevents allergen sensitization. The current book is collecting these evidences and connects epidemiologic and clinical mechanistic knowledge. Only the synthesis of this knowledge will help to find solutions to the ongoing allergy epidemic in terms of public health activities, prevention and therapy.

Food Allergy and Gluten-Free Weight Loss gives definitive answers to the question, "Why is it so hard to lose weight?" It is because we have missed or ignored the most important pieces in the puzzle of how our bodies determine whether to store or burn fat. Those puzzle pieces are hormones such as insulin, cortisol, leptin, and others. Individuals with food allergies or gluten intolerance face additional weight-loss challenges such as inflammation due to allergies or a diet too high in rice. This book explains how to put your body chemistry and hormones to work for you rather than against you, reduce inflammation which inhibits the action of your master weight control hormone, leptin, and flip your fat switch from "store" to "burn." It includes a flexible healthy eating plan that eliminates hunger, promotes the burning of fat, and reduces inflammation and tells how to customize the plan so it fits you, your allergies or intolerances, and your need for pleasure in what you eat. Information about cooking for special diets, 175 recipes, a list of sources for special foods, and extensive appendix and reference sections are also included.

This volume contains collection of Natural Killer Cell methodologies relevant for both basic and translational research. These methodologies present new developments in the natural killer (NK) cell field, such as understanding the influence of NK cells metabolism on its function, identifying complexity of NK cell subsets through mass cytometry, and determining the emergence of memory NK cells in murine model of MCMV infection. Methods that study NK cell migration and cytotoxicity through endpoint analysis or live single cell imaging are also discussed. Chapters also describe methods pertaining to translational application of NK cells, such as ex vivo expansion of NK cells on K562 cell lines genetically modified to express either membrane bound IL-15 or membrane bound IL-21, large scale NK cell culture, current techniques for engineering NK cells to express chimeric antigen receptors or chemokine receptors using retroviral vectors, electroporation of mRNA, and the natural phenomenon of trogocytosis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, these 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. Cutting edge and thorough, Natural Killer Cells: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers who not only want to understand mechanisms that govern NK cell behavior and diversity, but also for those who want to understand how to systematically evaluate NK cells for adoptive immunotherapy applications.

Advances in Immunology 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 future research.

Immunobiology is the premier text for immunology at the advanced undergraduate, graduate and medical school levels. Beginning students appreciate the book's clear writing and informative illustrations, while advanced students and working immunologists value its comprehensive scope. Every chapter is reviewed with experts to ensure accuracy, authority, currency and depth. The Tenth Edition is supported by InQuizitive, Norton's award-winning, easy-to-use adaptive learning tool that helps students learn immunological terms and apply them conceptually.

This volume aims to bring together a variety of protocols useful for DNA-based typing of blood cell antigens. Protocols range from simple approaches with low technical complexity to highly sophisticated modern developments. Written for the Methods in Molecular Biology series, 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. Authoritative and practical, Molecular Typing of Blood Cell Antigens summarizes contributions from leading scientist in the field DNA typing for blood cell antigens.