Publications
L. plantarum WCFS1 enhances Treg frequencies by activating DCs even in absence of sampling of bacteria in the Peyer Patches Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Bacterial CD1d-restricted glycolipids induce IL-10 production by human regulatory T cells upon cross-talk with invariant NKT cells Vrije Universiteit Brussel Ghent University
Invariant NKT (iNKT) cells and CD4(+)CD25(+)FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important immune regulatory T cells with Ag reactivity to glycolipids and peptides, respectively. However, the functional interplay between these cells in humans is poorly understood. We show that Tregs suppress iNKT cell proliferation induced by CD1d-restricted glycolipids, including bacterial-derived diacylglycerols, as well as by innate-like activation. ...
Anti-inflammatory capacity of selected lactobacilli in experimental colitis is driven by NOD2-mediated recognition of a specific peptidoglycan-derived muropeptide Vrije Universiteit Brussel
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been linked to a loss of tolerance towards the resident microflora. Therapeutic use of probiotics is known to be strain specific, but precise mechanisms remain unclear. The role of NOD2 signalling and the protective effect of Lactobacillus peptidoglycan (PGN) and derived muropeptides in experimental colitis were evaluated.
METHODS: The anti-inflammatory capacity of lactobacilli ...
Neonatal colonization of mice with Lactobacillus plantarum producing the aeroallergen Bet v 1 biases towards Th1 and T-regulatory responses upon systemic sensitization Vrije Universiteit Brussel
BACKGROUND: The use of recombinant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as vehicles for mucosal delivery of recombinant allergens is an attractive concept for antigen-defined allergy prevention/treatment. Interventions with LAB are of increasing interest early in life when immune programming is initiated. Here, we investigated the effect of neonatal colonization with a recombinant LAB producing the major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 in a murine model ...
A Novel Platform for Immune Tolerance Induction in Hemophilia A Mice Vrije Universiteit Brussel KU Leuven
Hemophilia A (HA) is an X-linked bleeding disease caused by factor VIII (FVIII) deficiency. We previously demonstrated that FVIII is produced specifically in liver sinusoid endothelial cells (LSECs) and to some degree in myeloid cells, and thus, in the present work, we seek to restrict the expression of FVIII transgene to these cells using cell-specific promoters. With this approach, we aim to limit immune response in a mouse model by ...
Changes in immunological profile as a function of urbanization and lifestyle Institute of Tropical Medicine
Differences in lifestyle and break with natural environment appear to be associated with changes in the immune system resulting in various adverse health effects. Although genetics can have a major impact on the immune system and disease susceptibility, the contribution of environmental factors is thought to be substantial. Here, we investigated the immunological profile of healthy volunteers living in a rural and an urban area of a ...
Both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lymphocytes participate in the IFN-γ response to filamentous hemagglutinin from Bordetella pertussis in infants, children, and adults. Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Thalidomide maintenance therapy maturates the T cell compartment and compromises antigen-specific antitumor immunity in patients with multiple myeloma Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Interferon (INF)-α was the maintenance treatment of choice after autologous stem cell transplantation in multiple myeloma in the past, but currently Thalidomide is commonly used. In this prospective study, the implications of the various types of maintenance therapy on the patients T cell pattern and activation status were assessed. T cells were analyzed for expression of surface molecules, cytokine secretion, the presence of regulatory T ...
IL-7 Mediated Homeostatic Expansion of Human CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Regulatory T Cells After Depletion With Anti-CD25 Monoclonal Antibody Vrije Universiteit Brussel
BACKGROUND: The maintenance or expansion of regulatory T (Treg) cells has a fundamental role in the achievement of immunological tolerance after transplantation. Here we aimed to determine mechanisms of human Treg cell depletion and reconstitution after anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment.
METHODS: Seventeen patients with type 1 diabetes who received pancreatic islet transplantation and anti-CD25 mAb as induction therapy were ...