The Notch signaling pathway is conserved from Drosophila to mammals and is critically involved in developmental processes. In the immune system, it has been established that Notch signaling regulates multiple steps of T and B cell development in both central and peripheral lymphoid organs. Relative to the well documented role of Notch signaling in lymphocyte development, less is known about its role in regulating myeloid lineage development and function, especially in the context of acute and chronic inflammation. In this review article, we will describe the evidence accumulated during the recent years to support a key regulatory role of the Notch pathway in innate immune and inflammatory responses and discuss the potential implications of such regulation for pathogenesis and therapy of inflammatory disorders.
Animals ; B-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; pathology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; immunology ; pathology ; Receptors, Notch ; immunology ; Signal Transduction ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; pathology

The lung is an important open organ and the primary site of respiration. Many life-threatening diseases develop in the lung, e.g., pneumonia, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs), pulmonary fibrosis, and lung cancer. In the lung, innate immunity serves as the frontline in both anti-irritant response and anti-tumor defense and is also critical for mucosal homeostasis; thus, it plays an important role in containing these pulmonary diseases. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), characterized by their strict tissue residence and distinct function in the mucosa, are attracting increased attention in innate immunity. Upon sensing the danger signals from damaged epithelium, ILCs activate, proliferate, and release numerous cytokines with specific local functions; they also participate in mucosal immune-surveillance, immune-regulation, and homeostasis. However, when their functions become uncontrolled, ILCs can enhance pathological states and induce diseases. In this review, we discuss the physiological and pathological functions of ILC subsets 1 to 3 in the lung, and how the pathogenic environment affects the function and plasticity of ILCs.
Animals ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Lung ; immunology ; pathology ; Lung Diseases ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy ; Lymphocytes ; immunology ; pathology

T cell immunity and phagocytic activity were studied in the blood of patients with IgA nephropathy in order to clarify their roles in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy. The percentages of total T lymphocytes, helper T cell and suppressor T cells were significantly reduced in patients. A significantly elevated helper T cell/suppressor T cell ratio in patients showed a predominant reduction in suppressor T cells. There was a significant relationship between histologic findings and helper T cell/suppressor T cell ratio in patients. Natural Killer (NK) cell activity was significantly reduced but the lymphocyte response after phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation was not in patients. ConA-induced suppressor cell activity was not depressed despite of a decrease in suppressor T cells in patients. Phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) ingesting yeasts was significantly reduced in patients. Also an inverse correlation was found between serum IgA levels and phagocytic activity of PMN. It is concluded that suppressor T cell defects, depressed phagocytic activity and impaired NK cell activity may play a role in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy.
B-Lymphocytes/immunology ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA/*immunology/pathology ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural/immunology ; Neutrophils/immunology ; *Phagocytosis ; T-Lymphocytes/*immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology

Animals ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Humans ; Periodontal Diseases ; immunology ; pathology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th17 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

We describe the characteristic clinical and pathologic findings of three cases of constrictive bronchiolitis. All three patients were middle-aged women with chronic respiratory illness characterized by chronic cough, dyspnea, mild to severe obstructive pulmonary dysfunction, relatively normal chest radiographs with occasional peribronchial infiltration, and lack of response to bronchodilators or prednisolone. The patients also had medical diseases such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and hyperprolactinemia in case 1 and 3, respectively. None of the patients smoked cigarettes and had clinical evidence of recent viral lower respiratory tract infection. Histologic study by open lung biopsy revealed a spectrum of changes ranging from active cellular bronchiolitis to obliterative peribronchiolar fibrosis. The intervening interstitial and alveolar areas showed no remarkable lesion. Immunohistochemically, the bronchiolar or peribronchiolar inflammatory infiltrates mainly comprised of mixed T- and B-lymphocytes. It may be possible that the active form of constrictive bronchiolitis is initiated by attendant lymphocytic inflammation of the airways, which is followed by fibrous obliteration of bronchioles.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Bronchiolitis/immunology/*pathology ; Bronchoconstriction/*immunology ; Female ; Human ; Middle Age ; Pulmonary Fibrosis/immunology/pathology ; T-Lymphocytes/immunology

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is a autoimmune disease that is highly incident year by year. Its clinical manifestations are alternative hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, relatively high Th1, excessively low Th2 and constantly increasing TGAb and TMAB. Currently, the disease is still difficult to be cured, and instable thyroid function makes it harder to be treated. Therefore, this essay makes a summary analysis on domestic and foreign studies on HT's pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and treatment, resulting that pure supplement or immunosuppressive therapy is hard to achieve notable efficacy, while existing traditional Chinese medicines could only mitigate clinical symposiums but did not reduce inflammation. Therefore, to look for methods and drugs for adjusting immunity imbalance by decreasing Th1 cell factors and increasing Th2 cell factors is significant to HT treatment to some extent.
Animals ; Autoantibodies ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; immunology ; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology

Aplastic anemia (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by destruction of hematopoietic tissue resulting in hyperfunction of effector T-lymphocytes. Recent studies indicate that Th17 and Treg cells are functionally antagonistic each other, and the increase of Th17 cells and decrease of Treg cells are closely related with AA. In vivo experiments showed that both anti-IL-17 treatment and Treg cell infusion can protect against immune-mediated bone marrow failure in mouse with AA. This review summarizes the recent progress of study on imbalance of Th17/Treg cells in AA, so as to explore the pathogenesis of AA and provide approach to clinical treatment. The main problems that are discussed in this review include biological characteristics of Th17/Treg cells, the regulation of Th17/Treg cell balance and related cytokines, the relationship between Th17/Treg cells and AA.
Anemia, Aplastic ; immunology ; pathology ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology ; Th17 Cells ; immunology

Both T helper IL-17-producing cells (Th17 cells) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been found to be increased in malignant pleural effusion (MPE). However, the possible imbalance between Th17 cells and Tregs, as well as the association of Th17/Treg and Th1/Th2 cells in MPE remains to be elucidated. The objective of the present study was to investigate the distribution of Th17 cells in relation to Tregs, as well as Th1/Th2 balance in MPE. The number of Th17, Tregs, Th1, and Th2 cells in MPE and peripheral blood was determined by using flow cytometry. The relationship among the number of Th17, Tregs, Th1, and Th2 cells was explored. It was found that the number of Th17, Tregs, Th1, and Th2 cells was all increased in MPE as compared with the corresponding peripheral blood. The number of Th17 cells was correlated negatively with Tregs in MPE, but not in blood. Th17 cells and Th17/Treg ratio were positively, and Tregs were negatively, correlated with Th1 cells, but not with either Th2 cells or Th1/Th2 ratio in MPE. This study supports earlier data that both Th17 cells and Treg are present at higher frequencies in MPE than in the autologous blood. For the first time, we show that Th17/Treg imbalance exists in MPE.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; immunology ; pathology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology ; pathology ; Th17 Cells ; immunology ; pathology

It was long believed that platelets are prematurely destroyed in the reticuloendothelial system by platelet autoantibodies in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. However, humoral mechanisms cannot account for all observations made in this disorder, and it is increasingly evident that cellular mechanisms contribute to platelet destruction. In this review the tolerance of T cell, abnormality of T cell apoptosis, abnormal activation of T cells, T cell subtype and its function changes, and T cell-mediated cytotoxicity were summarized.
Apoptosis ; immunology ; Autoantibodies ; immunology ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance ; Immunity, Cellular ; immunology ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; immunology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; pathology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; immunology

Animals ; Cancer Vaccines ; immunology ; Cell Fusion ; methods ; Cell Line ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Fibrosarcoma ; immunology ; pathology ; Hybrid Cells ; immunology ; Mastocytoma ; immunology ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; pathology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured