Immunology

Secretory granule-mediated cell death is one of the the key mechanisms for elimination of virus-infected and transformed target cells by cytotoxic lymphocytes.

MyD88, also called myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88, encodes a cytosolic adapter protein that plays an essential role in innate and adaptive immune responses. The innate immune system recognizes the presence of bacterial pathogens through the expression of a family known as Toll-like receptors (TLRs).

Cells of the human body defend themselves against viral infection, but faults in this system could make some people susceptible to suffering particularly bad flu. IFITM3 (interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3) is an antiviral protein that has recently appeared in the news because a defective variant has been associated with an increased risk of severe influenza, with particular significance within the Chinese population.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease affects 3% of the United Kingdom's population and 7.5 million people in the United States are affected. This disease causes plaque formation on the skin due to an increased rate of skin cell growth. Psoriasis is triggered by environmental factors such as alcohol and stress, throat infections, injuries and other immune disorders.

Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) is a protein encoded by TLR9 gene in humans. It is also known as cluster of differentiation 289 (CD289) and is a member of TLR family.

Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is a protein encoded by the TLR7 gene in humans and is a member of TLR family. TLRs controls host immune response against pathogens (e.g. viruses, bacteria and fungi) through recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) which are specific to the microorganisms.

Pathogenic microorganisms utilize a variety of cell surface receptors to gain entry into host cells and to bypass the natural defense mechanisms. One of the most prominent receptors used in this fashion is the leukocyte adhesion receptor CD11b/c.

MCP1, also known as CCL2, is a small chemokine factor belonging to the CC chemokine family. It is predominantly produced by endothelial cells and macrophages, and specifically is a chemoattractant for monocytes and basophils. It is produced by a wide range of cell types in reaction to diverse inflammatory stimuli including tissue injury, infection, and inflammation.

Over the years muscular dystrophies have become a popular area of research. These are a group of inherited disorders that involve an increase in muscle weakness over time. These disorders greatly decrease the quality of life and there are no known cures. Research in this area appears to have excelled in the past two years with findings related to the genes NCoR and EZH2.

Nuclear Factor kappa B (NFkB) binds to the kappa-beta site of the immunoglobulin kappa light chain gene enhancer. Thus NFkB has become one of the widely studied transcription factors in innate and adaptive immune responses.