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Research
Basophil counts in PBMC populations during childhood acute wheeze/asthma are associated with future exacerbationsOur findings suggest that the proportion of degranulated basophils can also be associated with recurrent exacerbations
Research
Immunological processes driving IgE sensitisation and disease development in males and femalesIn this review, we discuss recent mechanistic studies casting further light on how the expression of sex hormones may influence the innate and adaptive immune system
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Functional differences in airway dendritic cells determine susceptibility to IgE-sensitizationRespiratory IgE-sensitization to innocuous antigens increases the risk for developing diseases such as allergic asthma.
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Atopy-related immune profiles are subject to genetic influence as evaluated using school-aged twin pairsThe interaction of genetic and environmental contributions to immunological traits and their association with atopic disease remain unclear. Flow cytometry and in vitro cytokine responses were used to characterize immune profiles from 93 school-aged twin pairs. Using an established twin pair analytical strategy, the genetic and environmental influences on immunological traits were evaluated, along with their association with atopy. Our findings suggest strong genetic influence on several traits, particularly B cell abundance. In contrast, cytokine responses from in vitro stimulations appeared mainly shaped by environmental exposures.
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Beneficial health effects of ultraviolet radiation: expert review and conference reportCarcinogenic effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) with reference to skin cancer are the basis of widely implemented recommendations to avoid sun exposure. Whether the benefits of "restrictive sun policies" outweigh their potential harms due to diminished beneficial effects of sunlight exposure remain a matter of controversy.
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Reduced Type-I Interferon by Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells and Asthma in School-Aged ChildrenAllergic sensitization and reduced ability to respond to viral infections may contribute to virus-induced wheeze and asthma development in young children. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are rare immune cells that produce type I interferons (IFN-I) and play a key role in orchestrating immune responses against viruses.
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Nasal Delivery of Haemophilus haemolyticus Is Safe, Reduces Influenza Severity, and Prevents Development of Otitis Media in MiceDespite vaccination, influenza and otitis media (OM) remain leading causes of illness. We previously found that the human respiratory commensal Haemophilus haemolyticus prevents bacterial infection in vitro and that the related murine commensal Muribacter muris delays OM development in mice. The observation that M muris pretreatment reduced lung influenza titer and inflammation suggests that these bacteria could be exploited for protection against influenza/OM.
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Boosting airway T-regulatory cells by gastrointestinal stimulation as a strategy for asthma controlThe hallmark of atopic asthma is transient airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR) preceded by aeroallergen-induced Th-cell activation.
The Pregnancy and Early Life Immunology team's overall research vision is targeted towards understanding immunological development during early life.
Research
Epigenetic changes underpinning allergen sensitization: a twin-based studyWe are studying immune cells from identical twins of which one suffers and one does not suffer from allergic disease to identify specific mechanisms that may play important roles in disease development.