Our data confirmed the earlier tree topology including the para-and polyphyletic relationships of most baboon species; divergence

time estimates are slightly younger and credibility intervals narrowed substantially, thus making the estimates more precise. However, the most basal relationships could not be resolved and it remains open whether (1) the most southern population of baboons diverged first or (2) a major split occurred between southern and northern clades. Our study shows that complete mitochondrial genome sequences are more effective to reconstruct robust phylogenies and to narrow down estimated divergence time intervals than only short portions of the mitochondrial genome, although there are also limitations in resolving phylogenetic relationships. selleck chemicals llc selleckchem Am J Phys Anthropol 150:133-140, 2013. (C)2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.”
“Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) Abs stimulate NK cell effector functions and play a role in protecting from and controlling viral infections. We characterized ADCC Abs in a cross-sectional cohort of 80 HIV-infected subjects not on antiretroviral therapy. We analyzed ADCC response by killing fluorescently labeled target cells, as well as expression of IFN-gamma and the degranulation

marker CD107a from activated NK cells as measured by a novel intracellular cytokine assay. HIV-specific ADCC directed toward Envelope proteins were present in the majority of 80 untreated HIV-infected individuals measured by killing function. Similarly, most subjects had HIV-specific Abs that mediated degranulation or cytokine expression by NK cells. Interestingly, there was a poor correlation between ADCC-mediated killing of fluorescently labeled whole Envelope protein-pulsed cell lines and Ab-mediated expression of IFN-gamma by

NK cells. However, in contrast to healthy donor NK cells, autologous patient NK cells more effectively degranulated granzyme B in response to ADCC activation. Activation of NK cells in response to stimulation by HIV-specific Abs occurs at least as rapidly as activation of Gag-specific CTLs. Our studies highlight the complexity of ab-mediated NK cell activation in HIV infection, and suggest new avenues toward studying the see more utility of ADCC in controlling HIV infection. The Journal of Immunology, 2009, 182: 1202-1210.”
“Cystatins are thiol proteinase inhibitors ubiquitously present in mammalian body and serve various important physiological functions. In the present study, a novel cystatin molecule (AcCystatin) was cloned from a cDNA library of Angiostrongylus cantonensis fourth-stage larvae. The putative 14-kDa protein contained 120 residues with cystatin-conserved motifs known to interact with the active site of cysteine peptidases and showed high identities with cystatins from other nematodes.