This observation, together with the presence of numerous CD4+ T l

This observation, together with the presence of numerous CD4+ T lymphocytes PARP inhibitor expressing

IL-17 in the active lesions, may validate the biological relevance of the in vitro data and suggest that monocyte-derived DCs may polarize cytokine secretion toward a Th1 or Th17 phenotype. Collectively, the observations noted in the sections Th2-type immunity, Th1-type immunity, and Th17-type immunity indicate that inflammatory DCs have the capacity to trigger the development of distinct Th-cell subsets. It is likely that the inflammatory stimulus (nature of the infection, adjuvant, presence of TLR ligands, or activators of inflammasomes) and the tissue microenvironment (regulatory mechanism) may determine their function RGFP966 molecular weight in situ (Fig. 3). Cross-presentation is critical for the induction of immunity or tolerance to antigens not expressed by DCs, that is, for tumor antigens, some viral antigens, and some autoantigens. One

report has investigated the role of the cross-presentation pathway in monocyte-derived DCs, as compared with that of the classical cross-presenters CD8α+ DCs [39]. The authors used a murine model of GM-CSF-dependent inflammatory peritonitis, and the spleens of the diseased mice were found to contain a population of CD11cint MHC IIhi Ly6C+ CD11b+ cells. These cells, when isolated and injected intravenously with soluble OVA into OT-I mice, were able to activate OT-I T cells. Of note, the cross-presentation of soluble OVA was impaired in MR−/− and IRAP−/− mice, indicating that the endosomal pathway was critical; interestingly, distinct pathways seem to mediate cross-presentation by CD8α+ DCs and by inflammatory DCs, as MR and IRAP were dispensable for cross-presentation by splenic CD8α+ DCs. The relative role of conventional versus inflammatory DCs is still unclear but may differ quantitatively and/or qualitatively. First, inflammatory DCs may act as safeguards in the case of uncontrolled infection and be recruited to reinforce the function

of conventional DCs. This sequence of events would ensure that the intensity of the immune response would be adapted to the level of infection. In favor of this hypothesis, it was shown that, in the case Thymidylate synthase of infection with the highly pathogenic influenza A, excessive recruitment of inflammatory DCs promoted immune-induced pathology [40]. However, the complete elimination of these cells was also detrimental as influenza-specific CD8+ T cell numbers were significantly reduced in the lungs (but not the LNs) of CCR2−/− animals, an observation in-line with the capacity of these inflammatory DCs to serve as APCs for CD8+ T cells in the lung of mice infected with influenza A viruses. The authors showed that reducing inflammatory DC accumulation resulted in reduced mortality.

3) Disease development in IPF is thought to result

3). Disease development in IPF is thought to result Crizotinib from repetitive injury to epithelial cells and an abnormal fibrotic response. Proinflammatory mediators, such as IL-1β, are known to promote fibrosis, but can be regulated by the receptor antagonist IL-1Ra. In the present study, we found that the ratio between IL-1Ra and IL-1β was decreased in both serum and BALF of IPF patients compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, we showed that one SNP in IL1RN, rs2637988, associated with susceptibility

to IPF and with the IL-1Ra/IL-1β ratio in BALF. A predisposing effect of genetic variation in IL1RN was described previously by Whyte et al., who found an increased risk of fibrosing alveolitis in an Italian and a British population [6]. They investigated the IL1RN + 2018 SNP, which in the Caucasian Hapmap panel is in complete linkage Akt inhibitor disequilibrium with our tag rs408392 (r2 = 1). In our study, rs408392 was not the most significantly associated SNP, although carriership of allele 2 of rs408392 was more common in patients with IPF (P = 0·07). In other studies the variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in intron 2 of IL1RN was investigated and found to be in linkage disequilibrium with the IL1RN + 2018 SNP. However, both a small Australian [7] and an independent Czech cohort [12] did not reveal any association between the VNTR and

IPF susceptibility [13]. Functional effects of IL1RN + 2018 alleles have been demonstrated by Carter et al. They showed that IL1RN + 2018 allele 2 not only correlated with Ixazomib the susceptibility to ulcerative colitis, but also to a significantly decreased ratio between the protein and mRNA content of IL-1Ra and total IL-1 in the colonic mucosa [14]. Although we found the same trend as reported in the Italian and British cohorts, our data suggest that carriership

of the G allele of IL1RN rs2637988 is associated more strongly with IPF. Carriership of the G-allele is higher in IPF patients (75%) compared to controls (61%), P = 0·02. In addition, we showed that IPF patients carrying the rs2637988 G-allele had a significantly lower IL-1Ra/IL-1β ratio in BALF, suggesting a relative shortage of IL-1Ra compared to IL-1β. This implies that presence of the G allele has a pathogenic role in IPF. The balance between IL-1 and IL-1Ra seems crucial in inflammatory diseases [15–18]. Although IPF is not primarily an inflammatory disease, IPF is characterized by high levels of inflammatory parameters. The balance between IL-1 and IL-1Ra has rarely been studied in IPF, but extensively in inflammatory diseases. In inflammatory bowel disease, changes in the IL-1Ra/IL-1β ratio have also been studied. Protein levels in the colonic mucosa of IL-1Ra, IL-1α and IL-1β were higher than in controls, but the ratio between IL-1Ra and total IL-1 was decreased significantly [14,19].

Objective:  We examined the

Objective:  We examined the BMS-777607 in vitro impact of estradiol and progesterone on skin LH and RH in 25 healthy women. Methods: 

Subjects were studied three times over 10–12 days. Endogenous sex hormones were suppressed with a GnRHa. Subjects were studied on day 4 of suppression (study day 1), three to four days later following treatment with either 17β-estradiol or progesterone (study day 2), and another three to four days later, following treatment with both estradiol and progesterone (study day 3). Subjects underwent identical LH and RH protocols on all study days. LH is characterized by an initial peak in blood flow, followed by a prolonged plateau. A brief nadir is seen between the phases. Results:  Blood flow values are expressed as percent maximum CVC. Estradiol alone increased initial peak CVC from 71 ± 2% to 79 ± 2% (p = 0.001). Progesterone alone increased initial peak CVC from 72 ± 2% to 78 ± 2% (p = 0.046). Neither estradiol nor progesterone increased plateau CVC. No significant changes were seen between study days 2 and 3 for either group. No differences were observed in RH. Conclusions:  Both estradiol and progesterone increased initial peak CVC during LH, without altering plateau CVC. There was no additive effect of estradiol and progesterone. “
“Astrocytes are thought to play an important role in neurovascular coupling, a process that allows the brain

to locally control blood flow in response JQ1 clinical trial to changes in activity. However there is ongoing debate as to when, and under what conditions astrocyte activity is required. In the following review we set forth the hypotheses that astrocytes: 1) act to modulate but not initiate functional hyperemia, and 2) help set the basal tone state of the brain microvasculature by the tonic release of vaso-active messengers. Through these actions astrocytes could help match metabolic demand with supply over a spectrum of activity timescales. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. “
“We studied the effects of S1P on the

diameter and spontaneous contraction of murine iliac collecting lymph vessels. The isolated lymph vessel was cannulated with two glass micropipettes and then pressurized to 4 cmH2O at the intraluminal heptaminol pressure. The changes in lymph vessel diameter were measured using a custom-made diameter-detection device. Immunohistochemical studies were also performed to confirm S1P receptors on the lymph vessels. S1P (10−7 M) had no significant effect on the frequency or amplitude of the lymph vessels’ spontaneous contractions. In contrast, S1P (10−8–10−6 M) produced a concentration-related reduction in lymph vessel diameter (tonic contraction). Pretreatment with 10−4 M l–NAME or 10−5 M aspirin had no significant effect on the S1P-induced tonic contraction of the lymph vessels.

A mutant of sCD14 (sCD14d57-64) lacking

a region essentia

A mutant of sCD14 (sCD14d57-64) lacking

a region essential for LPS binding did not inhibit the growth this website of E. coli, whereas this mutant did inhibit the growth of B. subtilis. Addition of excess PG to the bacterial culture reversed the inhibitory effect of sMD-2 on the growth of B. subtilis, but not on the growth of E. coli. Furthermore, when evaluated by ELISA, both sMD-2 and sCD14 bound specifically to PG. Taken together, these results indicate that sMD-2 and sCD14 inhibit the growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and further suggest that binding to PG and LPS is involved in the inhibitory effect of sMD-2 on Gram-positive bacteria and of sCD14 on Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. The innate immune system aids the host in recognizing foreign pathogens, and the proteins MD-2 and CD14 play important roles in the recognition of LPS, an amphipathic component of the outer membranes of Gram-negative

Dasatinib mw bacteria. These proteins exist in both membrane-bound and soluble forms (1–7). The roles of membrane-anchored CD14 (mCD14) and cell surface-associated MD-2 (mMD-2) have been well-studied. Both mMD-2 and mCD14 form a receptor complex with TLR4 for recognition of LPS (8, 9). mCD14 receives LPS from LPS-binding protein, and the LPS-mCD14-TLR4-mMD-2 complex transmits an activation signal to the cytosol via the intracellular domain of TLR4, leading to proinflammatory out cellular responses (8, 9). In addition to the membrane-associated forms, soluble forms of MD-2 (sMD-2) and CD14 (sCD14) exist in plasma (10, 11). The soluble forms of these proteins appear to be able to substitute for the membrane forms in the recognition of LPS on a cell surface (7, 9, 10, 12, 13). Therefore, it is suggested that cells which do not express either mMD-2 or mCD14 utilize the soluble forms of these proteins in LPS recognition. It has been reported that both sCD14 and sMD-2 are acute phase proteins (10, 11) which are considered to play a protective role against bacterial infections (14, 15). Another acute phase

protein, BPI, has bactericidal activity. BPI binds to the cell surface of Gram-negative bacteria (15) leading to permeabilization of outer membranes, hydrolysis of phospholipids and PG by selective activation of bacterial enzymes (15), and, ultimately, bacterial death. Like BPI, sMD-2 and sCD14 also defend against infection (16–19). Recently, it has been reported that phagocytosis of sMD-2-coated bacteria is enhanced via a TLR4-dependent mechanism (17, 18). sCD14 appeared to protect a cow from E. coli infection by inducing recruitment of neutrophils (16). In addition, sCD14 in human breast milk may protect newborns from gastrointestinal infections by enabling both LPS- and Gram-negative bacteria-induced production of IL-8 in intestinal endothelial cells, which do not express mCD14 (19).

We next investigated whether the phenomena displayed in Th17 cell

We next investigated whether the phenomena displayed in Th17 cells occurred in other types of T cells. Th0 cells purified from healthy donors were used as controls to determine their phenotypic changes, following the same protocol used to expand Th17 cells (Supporting Information Fig. Selleck Gefitinib 2). As expected, Th0 cells significantly induced IFN-γ and IL-4-producing cell populations after TCR stimulation and

expansion, suggesting partial differentiation into Th1 and Th2 subsets. However, these expanded Th0 cells induced no or only minor FOXP3 expression and IL-17 production with the multiple expansions (Supporting Information Fig. 2). To further confirm the phenotypic changes of Th17 clones induced by stimulation with OKT3 and allogeneic PBMCs, as determined by FACS analyses, we determined cytokine levels in culture supernatants released by Th17 clones following each round of expansion. As shown in Fig. 2B,

IL-17 levels in the supernatants from Th17-cell cultures decreased with the progressive expansion cycles. In contrast, IFN-γ and TGF-β levels were significantly increased in the culture supernatants following the second and third expansions. Expanded Th17 clones also secreted large amounts of IL-8 and TNF-α, moderate amounts of IL-10, and small or minimal amounts of IL-6 and IL-2, but we did not observe significant Selleck YAP-TEAD Inhibitor 1 alteration next of their production during the clonal expansion 27. In addition, no IL-4 production by Th17 clones was observed either before or after expansion, as determined by ELISA (data not shown). Notably, the high elaboration of IL-10 and TGF-β by the expanded Th17 cells suggests that these expanded Th17 cells possessed some features of Tregs that may perform negative regulatory functions. We next investigated

whether the expression of other phenotypic markers, such as chemokine receptors, was altered on Th17 cells after further TCR stimulation and expansion. As shown in Fig. 2C, primary (E0) and early expansion (E1) Th17 clones expressed high levels of chemokine receptors, including CCR5, CCR6 and CXCR3, but low levels of CD25, PD-1 and CTLA-4. However, after three rounds of TCR stimulation and expansion (E3) in vitro, the expression of these chemokine receptors was markedly reduced, whereas the expression of CD25 was dramatically elevated; PD-1 and CTLA-4 expression did not change significantly. Collectively, these results suggest that Th17 cells have an unstable lineage phenotype and display differentiation plasticity after TCR stimulation and expansion. FOXP3 is the most specific molecular marker for Tregs, but it is also transiently expressed in activated conventional T cells 41, 42. Thus, we next investigated the stability of FOXP3 expression on expanded Th17 cells.

Here, the leaky severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) phenotype

Here, the leaky severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) phenotype and relative loss of AIRE expression permits the survival of a few T cells with autoimmune

potential. However, some self-reactive T cells escape thymic selection and must be removed in the periphery. The mechanisms for removal of these cells are different than for central tolerance, and probably involve a number of different pathways, including the development of regulatory T cells (Tregs), among others. Here, the study of mutations in the X-chromosome gene for the forkheard box P3 (FoxP3) transcription factor has led to a clearer understanding of the essential role of Tregs in www.selleckchem.com/screening/anti-infection-compound-library.html tolerance. FoxP3 is essential for the development of CD25+ Tregs. Its loss leads to the clinical condition called immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy

and enteropathy, X-linked (IPEX) manifested by early-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus, severe enteropathy, eczema, anaemia, thrombocytopenia, hypothyroidism and other organ-specific click here tissue damage [3–5]. The lack of Tregs in this syndrome explains many facets of the immune-mediated tissue destruction which occurs. Normal B cell development also includes stages in which potentially autoimmune

B cell clones can be eliminated; these steps include the bone marrow and peripheral tissues. B cell receptors of naive B cells do not contain somatic hypermutations, and any diversity that is present is due to random immunoglobulin (Ig) V(D)J gene recombination events. However, early immature B cells in the bone marrow are often both autoreactive and polyreactive, having the capacity to bind to many antigens. Thus random recombination normally leads to the production of numerous deleterious B cells, unless before these are eliminated. As autoreactive cells are much less common in the peripheral blood, it is clear that mechanisms for their removal are generally successful [6]. However, with regard to T cell clonal elimination, both central and peripheral checkpoints appear to be operative to remove autoimmune B cells in blood. If new emigrant B cells in peripheral blood do express autoimmune potential, a failure of central tolerance is suggested; if mature naive B cells in this compartment contain autoimmune potential, peripheral checkpoints have failed. Again, using selected defects in primary immune deficiency, it has been possible to analyse the molecular requirements for these checkpoints in humans.

2e,f) As an organ-specific autoimmune disease, lymphoid infiltra

2e,f). As an organ-specific autoimmune disease, lymphoid infiltration is a significant feature of HT. To determine whether leptin, IL-17 and RORγt mRNA expression were also expressed in local thyroid tissue, we detected significantly up-regulated levels of leptin, IL-17 and RORγt transcripts in the thyroid tissue selleckchem of six HT patients by PCR analysis (Fig. 3). To investigate a potential role of leptin in the development of Th17 cells in vitro, we treated CD4+ T cells from

HT patients with neutralizing leptin monoclonal antibody in the presence of anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 mAb. As shown in Fig. 4, we detected a substantially decreased frequency of CD4+ Th17 cells and RORγt mRNA expression among naive CD4+ T cells cultured in the presence of anti-leptin mAb. Accumulating data indicate that leptin acts as a proinflammatory cytokine in autoimmune disease animal model, such as EAE [17], non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice [18]and experimental arthritis [19]. In human autoimmune thyroid diseases, the role of leptin seems to be more complicated. It has selleck chemical been reported

that high levels of plasma leptin in women developed postpartum thyroiditis, suggesting a relationship between leptin and postpartum thyroid disease [16]. However, Sieminska and colleagues showed that concentrations of leptin were not altered in postmenopausal women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis [20]. The differences between these reported findings may be due to patient age and different disease stages. In the present study, our group showed a modest increased level of plasma leptin in HT patients compared to healthy controls, with a positive correlation between plasma leptin and BMI. Previous studies report that activated T lymphocytes could synthesize and produce leptin as an autocrine/paracrine cytokine [14, 21, 22]. Interestingly, the data presented here provide evidence that CD4+ T cell-derived leptin is increased in HT patients. Our results are consistent with a previous study on second MS patients showing

that activated T cells from relapsing–remitting MS patients secreted consistent amounts of leptin in the culture medium [15]. Extensive investigations have elucidated an important role of the T cell-mediated autoimmune response in enhancing autoimmune thyroid disease. A large amount of intrathyroidal lymphocytes in patients are CD4+ T cells, which have been proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of HT diseases. The previous report showed that Th1/Th2 skew led to inflammatory factor and infiltrated Th1 cells destroy the thyroid gland in HT patients [1]. However, increasing evidence supports that the Th17 cell (IL-23/IL-17) pathway, rather than the Th1 cell [IL-12/interferon (IFN)-γ) pathway, is critical for the development of autoimmune inflammatory diseases [23, 24].

We do not know at the moment whether OX40 signaling induces direc

We do not know at the moment whether OX40 signaling induces directly or indirectly CD40L upregulation

in Tem cells. Along T-cell activation, CD40L expression is induced by TCR ligation, and further enhanced by CD28 costimulation 60. Less clear are the signals sustaining constitutive CD40L expression in memory T cells. Of note, OX40 ligation can assemble a TCR-related signalosome also in the absence of an antigen, providing a sustained level of NF-κB activity necessary for effector memory responses 61. However, CD40L modulation may be also an indirect consequence of OX40 stimulation in Tem cells. For instance, OX40 may induce a complete molecular reprogramming in Tem cells, resulting in

an enhanced responsiveness to activatory stimuli or an increased expression of costimulatory molecules and cytokines fostering CD40L expression in an autocrine/paracrine fashion, learn more thus amplifying the initial trigger. We could not detect any change Nutlin-3a ic50 in IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-17 or IL-6 secretion by Tem cells; however, we cannot exclude that other cytokines or surface molecules may mediate the OX40–CD40L link. In an experimental model of immune activation, Tem cells licensed DCs in vivo via CD40L when recruited into reactive LNs 17. In that setting, Tem-cell induction and recruitment bypassed the need for any immunization adjuvant 17. Conversely, in our tumor model, Tem cells were abundant at the tumor site but seemed unable to license DCs unless stimulated via OX40. Moreover, Tem-cell adjuvanticity likely occurred at the tumor site, rather than at the dLNs, since OX86 administration increased first of all

DC migration from the tumor to the dLNs in a CD40-dependent fashion. Apparently, tumor-infiltrating Tem cells are held in a dysfunctional Sulfite dehydrogenase state, recalling T-cell exhaustion. This condition of poor T-cell responsiveness may be generated by chronic immune stimulation and may also contribute to immune tolerance in cancer 29. In our tumor model, Tem cells highly expressed Pd1, a feature revealing their exhausted phenotype. Even if Pd1 expression was not affected by OX40 stimulation, the CD40L-dependent adjuvanticity was clearly restored in Tem cells. This may suggest that Pd1 blockade might work additively to OX40 triggering toward a full reactivation of tumor-associated Tem cells. Of note, tumor-infiltrating, but not immunization-elicited 17, Tem cells expressed OX40, possibly as a consequence of chronic stimulation. A huge body of data supports the notion that CD40 signal releases DCs from paralysis in the tumor microenvironment. DC-restricted CD40 proficiency is necessary and sufficient to induce protective Th1 immunity, through IL-12 production, in a tumor vaccination setting 18.

A 1 μm ACh stimulus evoked Ca2+ responses (9 8 ± 0 8/min, F/F0 = 

A 1 μm ACh stimulus evoked Ca2+ responses (9.8 ± 0.8/min, F/F0 = 3.11 ± 0.2) which pseudo-line-scan analysis revealed as composed of Ca2+ waves and spatially restricted Ca2+ release events. A 100 nm ACh stimulus induced Ca2+ responses of lower frequency (4.5 ± 0.7/min) and amplitude (F/F0 = 1.95 ± 0.11) composed primarily of spatially restricted events. The time interval between Ca2+ waves in adjacent cells (0.79 ± 0.12 s) was shorter (p < 0.05) than that between nonadjacent cells (1.56 ± 0.25 s). Spatially restricted Ca2+ Selleckchem Vincristine release events had similar frequencies and latencies between adjacent and nonadjacent cells. Inhibiting intracellular Ca2+ release

with 2-APB, Xestospongin C or thapsigargin eliminated Ca2+ responses. With moderate GPCR see more stimulation, localized Ca2+ release events

predominate among cells. Greater GPCR stimulation evokes coordinated intercellular Ca2+ waves via the ER. Calcium signaling during GPCR activation is complex among cells, varying with stimulus intensity and proximity to actively signaling cells. “
“Insulin-induced capillary recruitment is considered a significant regulator of overall insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Insulin’s action to recruit capillaries has been hypothesized to involve insulin-induced changes in vasomotion. Data directly linking vasomotion to capillary perfusion, however, are presently lacking. We, therefore, investigated whether insulin’s Chloroambucil actions on capillary recruitment

and vasomotion were interrelated in a group of healthy individuals. We further assessed the role of capillary recruitment in the association between vasomotion and insulin-mediated glucose uptake. Changes in vasomotion and capillary density were determined by LDF and capillary videomicroscopy in skin, respectively, before and during a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp in 19 healthy volunteers. Insulin-induced increase in the neurogenic vasomotion domain was positively related to insulin-augmented capillary recruitment (r = 0.51, p = 0.04), and both parameters were related to insulin-mediated glucose uptake (r = 0.47, p = 0.06 and r = 0.73, p = 0.001, respectively). The change in insulin-augmented capillary recruitment could, at least statistically, largely explain the association between the neurogenic domain and insulin-mediated glucose uptake. Insulin-induced changes in vasomotion and capillary recruitment are associated in healthy volunteers. These data suggest that insulin’s action to recruit capillaries may in part involve action on the neurogenic vasomotion domain, thereby enhancing capillary perfusion and glucose uptake. “
“Small arterioles (40–150 μm) contribute to the majority of vascular resistance within organs and tissues. Under resting conditions, the basal tone of these vessels is determined by a delicate balance between vasodilator and vasoconstrictor influences.

004 and P = 0 001, respectively) The cell proliferation assay of

004 and P = 0.001, respectively). The cell proliferation assay of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes performed in stimulated samples did not show a trend from the shortest hyperoxia exposure on,

RG7420 while we observed a decrease in proliferation with hyperoxia exposure longer than 16 h (P = 0.001, 88 h hyperoxia data compared to shorter exposures). Furthermore, we found increasing prevalence of naïve CDR45RA+CD4+ cells with duration of hyperoxia in stimulated samples (P = 0.001). The proportion of regulatory T cells (CD4+Foxp3+) in unstimulated samples did not change systematically after hyperoxia, nor did the other investigated population with regulatory properties – the NK T cells. We did not find any association between hyperoxia exposure and frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ populations in the culture. The activation molecules (CD25, CD69, HLA-DR) and T helper (Th) 1 and Th2 chemokine receptor expressions (CXCR3, CCR4, respectively) of CD4+ T helper cells were not altered during hyperoxia. We found a decrease in prevalence of CXCR3 expressing CD4+ T (Th1) cells and increased prevalence of CCR4 expressing cells (Th2) at all time points after stimulation compared to resting cultures that was

not influenced by hyperoxia. Along with activation markers, we observed a marked increase in Foxp3 expressing CD4+ cells after stimulation in all cultures but the one with the 88-h hyperoxia exposure. Similar to proliferation assay, the escalating hyperoxia trend analysis did not show any association from the shortest hyperoxia exposure on, but we noted the very low Foxp3 expression after 88-h hyperoxia (P = 0.001, 88-h hyperoxia see more data compared to shorter exposures). The prevalence of NK cells was similar in all experimental arms. In view of experimental evidence that hyperoxia may suppress autoimmunity [8–10, 13], alloreactivity [2] or modify response to infection [12], we aimed to examine the influence of hyperoxia on prevalence of naturally Resveratrol occurring Tregs and basic T cell subsets important in adaptive immune response. In unstimulated cells exposed to normobaric hyperoxia of different

duration, we found no change in relative frequency of Tregs and their cellular environment including CD4+, CD8+, the Th1, Th2 populations, naïve/memory T cells or NK T cells. This finding suggests that these cell types are similarly resistant to normobaric hyperoxia while not stimulated. This in vitro finding concerning major CD4+ and CD8+ subtypes is in line with the results of other clinical studies [19, 20] which also confirmed stable numbers of circulating CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD25+ and HLA-DR+ expressing lymphocytes in patients undergoing repeated hyperbaric hyperoxia therapy. While some authors reported changes of circulating CD4+/CD8+ lymphocyte absolute counts and ratio [5, 6] after a single hyperbaric hyperoxia challenge, this is likely transient as 24 h after exposure they found a partial reversal to normal values.