Leigh Jones

Oxford University Clinical Research Unit · Training

Although IKK-β has previously been shown as a negative regulator of IL-1β secretion in mice, this role has not been demonstrated in humans. Genetic studies of NF-κB signalling in humans with inherited diseases of the immune system have not demonstrated the relevance of the NF-κB pathway in suppression of IL-1β expression. Here, we report an infant...

Cell mediated immunity plays a vital role in defense against influenza infection in humans. Less is known about the role of vaccine-induced cell mediated immunity and the cytokine responses elicited. We measured CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell reactivity in human subjects following vaccination with licensed trivalent influenza vaccine and a novel virus-like p...

闪亮、浓密、柔顺、有弹性、亮泽;每个人都想拥有一头健康靓丽的头发。讽刺的是,您的那头所谓健康有活力的头发实际上已经干枯死亡了!随着活跃细胞忙碌地移动、分裂和制造各种分子以维持活力,头发细胞被唤活,头发开始生长。但是,要想变成真正的“头发”,它们需要被纤维(被称为“角蛋白”)完全包覆住,从而变强韧。为了给“角蛋白”腾出空间,首先,细胞必须完成全面净化,排出大脑(细胞核)和肺部(线粒体)等内含物质。本研究旨在深入了解该神秘过程。我们从健康受试者身上进行了毛囊(头发和周围头皮组织)取样,该过程类似于取出苹果的果核。然后使用特殊化学品对这些样本进行染色,以便使用高倍率显微镜观察头发细胞。这些研究发现,头发细胞的全面净化过程以一种异常有序的方式进行,而且整个过程都在头皮深处刚生长出1 mm头发的毛囊内...

Shiny, thick, smooth, bouncy, bright; everyone wants healthy looking hair. Ironically this vivacious, healthy hair is actually dead! The building blocks of hair begin life as active cells busily moving, dividing and making all sorts of molecules in order to stay alive. However, to turn into “hair” they need to pack themselves full of fibres known a...

Background: Transition of hair shaft keratinocytes from actively respiring, nucleated cells to structural cells devoid of nucleus and cytoplasm, is key to hair production. This form of cell "death", or cornification, requires cellular organelle removal to allow the cytoplasm to become packed with keratin filament bundles that further require cross...

Scientific Reports 6 : Article number: 30784; 10.1038/srep30784 published online: 08 August 2016 ; updated: 10 October 2016 . In the Supplementary Information file originally published with this Article there was an error in Supplementary Figure 1b, where the y-axis “GFP” and x-axis “CD4” were inverted.

Inflammasome complexes function as key innate immune effectors that trigger inflammation in response to pathogen- and danger-associated signals. Here, we report that germline mutations in the inflammasome sensor NLRP1 cause two overlapping skin disorders: multiple self-healing palmoplantar carcinoma (MSPC) and familial keratosis lichenoides chronic...

The production of IL-21 by T follicular helper (Tfh) cells is vital in driving the germinal centre reaction and high affinity antibody formation. However, the degree of Tfh cell heterogeneity and function is not fully understood. We used a novel IL-21eGFP reporter mouse strain to analyze the diversity and role of Tfh cells. Through the analysis of...

Effective influenza vaccination is currently assessed by the induction of antibodies directed against the influenza virus envelope glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA; HAI test) otherwise known as seroconversion. However, protective antibody responses are sub-optimal in some vaccinated populations, particularly in the elderly. Furthermore, many clinical...

IL-21 is the signature cytokine produced by T follicular helper (Tfh) cells and is vital in driving both the germinal centre (GC) reaction and formation of high affinity antibodies. However, the degree of Tfh cell heterogeneity and function is not fully understood. By utilising a novel IL-21eGFP reporter mouse carrying a diphtheria toxin receptor (...

Significance Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disease where genetic and environmental factors play equally important roles. Recent research has identified that upregulation of the innate immune Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is fundamental for the development of severe disease. In our Sle1 Tg7 model system, we show that increased e...

Basophils, a rare leukocyte population in peripheral circulation, are conventionally identified as CD45(int) CD49b(+) FcεRI(+) cells. Here, we show that basophils from blood and several organs of naïve wildtype mice express CD41, the α subunit of αIIb β3 integrin. CD41 expression on basophils is upregulated after in vivo IL-3 treatment and during i...

The mechanisms involved in the maintenance of memory IgE responses are poorly understood, and the role played by germinal center (GC) IgE(+) cells in memory responses is particularly unclear. IgE(+) B cell differentiation is characterized by a transient GC phase, a bias toward the plasma cell (PC) fate, and dependence on sequential switching for th...

IgE antibodies are key players in allergic diseases and can be generated by direct switching of IgM/IgD cells, or by sequential switching of IgG1 cells to IgE. The characteristics of the IgG1 cells involved in the switching to IgE and the nature of IL-4 producing T cells involved in direct and sequential switching are not known. The goal of this wo...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by the production of antinuclear autoantibodies. Antinuclear autoantibody development is recognized as one of the initial stages of disease that often results in systemic inflammation, kidney disease, and death. The etiology is complex, but it is clear that in...

The degree of periparturient relaxation of immunity to gastrointestinal parasites has a nutritional basis, as overcoming protein scarcity through increased protein supply improves lactational performance, enhances local immune responses and reduces worm burdens. Herein lactating rats, re-infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, are used to test...

Lactating rats reinfected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis fed low-crude protein (CP) foods show reduced lactational performance and less resistance to parasites compared with their high-CP counterparts. Here, we hypothesised that feeding high-CP foods deficient in specific essential amino acids (AA) would result in similar penalties. Second-parit...

Genes differentially expressed as a consequence of the interaction between protein supplementation and a secondary N.brasiliensis challenge in lactating rats (P<0.05, FC>1, No MTC). (DOCX)

Extended list of significantly differentially regulated by secondary challenge with N.brasiliensis in lactating rats (P<0.05, FC>1.5, MTC 0.05). (DOCX)

Background: Gastrointestinal nematode infection is a major challenge to the health and welfare of mammals. Although mammals eventually acquire immunity to nematodes, this breaks down around parturition, which renders periparturient mammals susceptible to re-infection and an infection source for their offspring. Nutrient supplementation reduces the...

Periparturient relaxation of immunity (PPRI) to parasites in mammals results in higher worm burden and worm egg excretion and may have a nutritional basis. Nippostrongylus brasiliensis re-infected lactating rats fed low-crude protein (CP) diets show an augmented degree of PPRI compared with their high CP-fed counterparts. However, such effects of C...

Many mammals exhibit a periparturient relaxation of previously established immune responses (PPRI) to gastrointestinal nematodes culminating in increased worm burdens. It has been suggested that the extent of PPRI may have a nutritional basis as it is considerably augmented when protein supply is scarce. Subsequent studies have shown that increased...

The role of progesterone in modulating dendritic cell (DC) function following stimulation of different TLRs is relatively unknown. We compared the ability of progesterone to modulate murine bone marrow-derived DC cytokine production (IL-6 and IL-12) and costimulatory molecule expression (CD40, CD80, and CD86) induced by either TLR3 or TLR4 ligation...

Effect of maternal exposure to nematode parasites in ewes on performance and parasite resistance in their lambs - Volume 1 Issue 1 - J G M Houdijk, L A Jones, B J Tolkamp, S Athanasiadou, M R Hutchings

T1/ST2 is an immunoregulatory protein of the IL-1 receptor family that has recently been reported as being a component of the IL-33 receptor. IL-33 is a newly described cytokine known to amplify the Th2 response and reduce production of Th1 cytokines. The function of T1/ST2 during Toxoplasma gondii infection is as yet undescribed. Given the require...

Transcriptomic analysis of host intestinal tissue to assess the consequences of dietary protein and secondary infection on immunity to nematodes - Volume 69 Issue OCE8 - S. Athanasiadou, L. A. Jones, S. T. G. Burgess, A. D. Pemberton, I. Kyriazakis, J. F. Huntley, J. G. M. Houdijk

Periparturient relaxation of immunity (PPRI) to secondary infection with nematodes is believed to have a nutritional basis due to differential partitioning of scarce nutrient resources, particularly protein, to reproductive rather than immune functions. At times of protein scarcity, an increase in protein supply has been reported to assuage this ph...

Periparturient relaxation of immunity (PPRI) to parasites in mammals results in increased worm burdens and worm egg excretion and may have a nutritional basis (1). It has indeed been shown that Nippostrongylus brasiliensis re-infected lactating rats fed low-crude protein (N · 6.25; CP) diets showed an augmented extent of PPRI compared with their hi...

Macrophage function has been demonstrated to be subject to modulation by progesterone. However, as this steroid hormone can act through the glucocorticoid receptor as well as the progesterone receptor, the mechanism of action has not been precisely characterized. To determine the mode of action, we compared the ability of progesterone, norgestrel (...

Ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) can occur in the children of mothers infected with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy. It is not limited to the congenitally infected, but can also occur following adult-acquired infection or as a result of disease reactivation in immune-compromised and pregnant individuals. Many aspects of immune privilege in the eye, inc...