Disease Markers - Volume 27, issue 3-4

Authors: Siawaya, Joel Fleury Djoba

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2009-0664

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 27, no. 3-4, pp. 103-103, 2009

Authors: Mothe, Beatriz | Ibarrondo, Javier | Llano, Anuska | Brander, Christian

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: HIV infection, if left untreated, leads in most cases to the development of wide immune deterioration, opportunistic infections and eventually AIDS and death. The identification of individuals who despite persisting infection show no or few signs of HIV disease progression has spurred hopes that an effective HIV vaccine could be attainable. The design of such a vaccine will greatly depend on the precise definition of disease markers, host genetic and immune characteristics that mediate relative in …vivo control of this virus. Accordingly, a number of viral factors and host genetic characteristics have been shown to play a crucial role in the control of HIV disease by delaying progression to AIDS or even preventing infection. There is also an improved understanding of humoral and cellular immune responses in terms of specificity, functional repertoire, longevity and tissue distribution and their ability to contain HIV replication. However, the definition of good immune correlates unequivocally and causally associated with protection or disease progression remains elusive. Here we review work on viral factors, host genetic markers and immunological determinants that have been identified in individuals with superior control of HIV infection or in subjects who remain uninfected despite frequent exposure to the viral pathogen. Show more

Keywords: HIV-1, long-term non-progressors (LTNP), Elite Controllers (EC), Highly exposed persistently seronegatives (HEPS), CCR5, CTL, Innate immunity, HIV control, immune correlates, HLA allele frequency

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2009-0655

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 27, no. 3-4, pp. 105-120, 2009

Authors: Cavarelli, Mariangela | Scarlatti, Gabriella

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) infects target cells through interaction with the CD4 molecule and chemokine receptors, mainly CCR5 and CXCR4. Viral isolates can be phenotypically classified based on the co-receptor they utilize to infect target cells. Thus, R5 and X4 virus use respectively CCR5 and CXCR4, whereas R5X4 virus can use either CCR5 or CXCR4. This review describes the central role played by co-receptor expression and usage for HIV-1 cell tropism, transmission and pathogenesis. …We discuss various hypotheses proposed to explain the preferential transmission of R5 viruses and the mechanisms driving the change of HIV-1 co-receptor usage in the course of infection. Recent insights in the intrinsic variability of R5 viruses and their role in influencing disease progression in both adults and children are also discussed. Show more

Keywords: HIV-1, co-receptor usage, tropism, transmission, disease progression

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2009-0656

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 27, no. 3-4, pp. 121-136, 2009

Authors: Mascellino, M.T. | Margani, M. | Oliva, A.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In this review, we examine the main virulence determinants in Helicobacter pylori (Hp) strains and the correlation between these and the different diseases following Hp infections. We also discuss the host response to Hp and the implications and advantages of the development of non-invasive pre-endoscopy screening of molecular and serological markers associated with Hp virulence and disease progression putting an emphasis on new screening techniques such as the Luminex – X multi analytes profiling …technology and the multiplex PCR. Show more

Keywords: Virulence determinants, Helicobacter pylori-associated infections, immune response and immunopathology, serological markers, multiplex PCR

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2009-0658

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 27, no. 3-4, pp. 137-156, 2009

Authors: Thunø, Maria | Macho, Betina | Eugen-Olsen, Jesper

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: soluble urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR) levels reflect inflammation and elevated suPAR levels are found in several infectious diseases and cancer. suPAR exists in three forms; suPAR_{I-III} , suPAR_{II-III} and suPAR_{I} which show different properties due to structural differences. Studies suggest that full-length suPAR is a regulator of uPAR/uPA by acting as uPA-scavenger, whereas the cleaved suPAR_{II-III} act as a chemotactic agent promoting the immune response via the …SRSRY sequence in the linker-region. This review focus on the various suPAR fragments and their involvement in inflammation and pathogenic processes. We focus on the molecular mechanisms of the suPAR fragments and the link to the inflammatory process, as this could lead to medical applications in infectious and pathological conditions. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2009-0657

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 27, no. 3-4, pp. 157-172, 2009

Authors: Pacheco, Antonio G. | Moraes, Milton O.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In the past decade, genetic epidemiological analyses in infectious diseases have increased drastically since the publication of human genome and all the subsequent projects analyzing human diversity at molecular level. The great majority of studies use classical epidemiological designs applied to genetic data, and more than 80% of published studies use population-based case-control designs with widely spread genetic markers in human genome, like short tandem repeats (STR) or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), in genes chosen by …their physiological association with the disease (candidate genes). Even though genetic data is less prone to several bias issues inherent to case-control studies, some care has to be taken when designing, performing, analyzing and interpreting results from such studies. Here we discuss some basic concepts of genetics and epidemiology as a departure to evaluate and review every step that should be followed to design, conduct, analyze, interpret and present data from those studies, using particularities of infectious diseases, especially leprosy and tuberculosis as models. Show more

Keywords: Population, SNPs, cytokines, tuberculosis, leprosy, TNF, IL-10

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2009-0654

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 27, no. 3-4, pp. 173-186, 2009