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BackgroundDuring bacterial infections of the airways, a Th1-profiled inflammation promotes the production of several host defense proteins and peptides with antibacterial activities including -defensins, ELR-negative CXC chemokines, and the cathelicidin LL-37. These are downregulated by Th2 cytokines of the allergic response. Instead, the eosinophil-recruiting chemokines eotaxin-1/CCL11, eotaxin-2
Long-term tobacco smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or chronic bronchitis display an excessive accumulation of neutrophils in the airways; an inflammation that responds poorly to established therapy. Thus, there is a need to identify new molecular targets for the development of effective therapy. Here, we hypothesized that the neutrophil-mobilizing cytokine interleukin (IL)
Hemicellulose is next to cellulose the most abundant polysaccharide on earth and as such an important renewable resource. Mannans are the major hemicellulose in so:ftwodd and are found as storage polysaccharide in various plants. -mannanases are the main mannan degrading enzymes. In this work the -1,4-mannanase from the soilliving bacteria Cellulosamas Jimi was studied and special focus was put on
Background: Influenza infection increases the risk of pneumonia and respiratory failure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and mucins play an important role in pulmonary host defense. Methods: Lower airway mucins were obtained from long-term smokers with and without COPD, pneumonia patients, and healthy never-smokers; oral MUC5B was obtained from a healthy never-smoker, and the abilit
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of an estradiol (E2)–progesterone substitution protocol on the endometrial expression of estrogen-sensitive genes during the peri-implantation period. METHODS: Peripheral blood and endometrial biopsies were obtained from 13 infertile women both in a natural cycle (NC), on days 5 and 7 after ovulation (NC5, NC7), and in an artificial (sub
