Self-reactive T cells and degeneracy of T cell recognition: evolving concepts-from sequence homology to shape mimicry an...

Published in Journal of Autoimmunity

Aging predisposes to acute inflammatory induced pathology after tumor immunotherapy.

Published in Journal of Experimental Medicine

Cancer commonly occurs in the elderly and immunotherapy (IT) is being increasingly applied to this population. However, the majority of preclinical mouse tumor models assessing potential efficacy and toxicities of therapeutics use young mice. We assessed the impact of age on responses to systemic immune stimulation. In contrast to young mice, syste...

MEK inhibitors and their potential in the treatment of advanced melanoma: the advantages of combination therapy.

Published in Drug Design Development and Therapy

The treatment of melanoma has improved markedly over the last several years with the advent of more targeted therapies. Unfortunately, complex compensation mechanisms, such as those of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, have limited the clinical benefit of these treatments. Recently, a better understanding of melanoma resistance m...

Recognition and function in a degenerate immune system.

Published in Molecular Immunology

Degeneracy in the immune system not only refers to the recognition by its specific receptors, but also at the level of functional degeneracy of reactivity by its lymphocytes. Features of the immune system such as dominance and competition occur at each of these two levels. Another characteristic of the immune system as a fuzzy system, is its contin...

Geographic variation in utilization of sentinel lymph node biopsy for intermediate thickness cutaneous melanoma.

Published in Journal of Surgical Oncology

Seven surprises in the TCR-centred regulation of immune responsiveness in an autoimmune system.

Published in Novartis Foundation symposium

Self-reactivity is potentially so devastating to the organism that a variety of regulatory devices have evolved to control it. One broadly used strategy is that employing the processed T cell receptor (TCR) as a target for TCR-specific regulatory cells. In several autoimmune models, feedback regulation employing both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells of TCR sp...

Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis.

Published in Dermatology online journal

A 13-year-old boy presented to the dermatology clinic for treatment of a congenital ichthyosis with a history of generalized erythroderma and trauma related blistering at the time of birth. At the time of presentation he was noted to have red corrugated hyperkeratotic plaques involving the joint flexures, dorsal hands, and neck. Epidermolytic hyper...

Glycans in the immune system and The Altered Glycan Theory of Autoimmunity: a critical review.

Published in Journal of Autoimmunity

Herein we will review the role of glycans in the immune system. Specific topics covered include: the glycosylation sites of IgE, IgM, IgD, IgE, IgA, and IgG; how glycans can encode "self" identity by functioning as either danger associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) or self-associated molecular patterns (SAMPs); the role of glycans as markers of pr...

Persistence of Autoreactive IgA-Secreting B Cells Despite Multiple Immunosuppressive Medications Including Rituximab.

Published in JAMA Dermatology

Phytochemicals and Naturally Derived Substances for Wound Healing.

Published in Advances in Wound Care