Biomedical subjects

Mark R McDermott

Publications and source records attributed to Mark R McDermott.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Pemphigus vulgaris induced by electrical injury.

Pemphigus refers to a group of autoimmune blistering diseases that affect the skin and mucous membranes. Pemphigus may be induced following exposure to various exogenous agents, including thermal burns, drugs, infectious agents, and neoplasms, as well as UV, ionizing, and x-ray irradiation. We report a case of a 28-year-old man with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) induced by a severe electrical injury. Approximately one month after the electrical injury, he began to develop recurrent painful oral ulcers; one year later, he began to develop cutaneous bullae. Results of a histopathologic examination and immunofluorescence studies were diagnostic of PV The primary mechanisms of high-voltage electrical injury involve electroporation, electroconformational protein denaturation, and both joule and dielectric heating. Cutaneous electrical injury ultimately results in the destruction of cells with release of their cellular constituents. Through these mechanisms, desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) may be released and become available to the immune system, which potentially leads to an autoantibody response and the subsequent development of PV.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Bronchus- and nasal-associated lymphoid tissues.

The bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) and the nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) constitute organized lymphoid aggregates that are capable of T- and B-cell responses to inhaled antigens. BALT, located mostly at bifurcations of the bronchus in animals and humans, is present in the fetus and develops rapidly following birth, especially in the presence of antigens. Humoral immune responses elicited by BALT are primarily immunoglobulin A secretion both locally and by BALT-derived B cells that have trafficked to distant mucosal sites. Similarly located T-cell responses have been noted. On the basis of these findings, the BALT can be thought of as functionally analogous to mucosal lymphoid aggregates in the intestine and is deemed a member of the common mucosal immunologic system. NALT has been described principally in the rodent nasal passage as two separate lymphoid aggregates. It develops after birth, likely in response to antigen, and B- and T-cell responses parallel those that occur in BALT. It is not known whether NALT cells traffic to distant mucosal sites, although mucosal responses have been detected after nasal immunization. NALT appears from many studies to be a functionally distinct lymphoid aggregate when compared with BALT and Peyer's patches. It may exist, however, in humans as a diffuse collection of isolated lymphoid follicles.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Continuous antigenic stimulation system (CASS) as a new immunization strategy.

Protection against diseases is mediated by a sustained immune response. Here, we describe a new immunization strategy. Mice implanted with encapsulated C2C12 myoblasts secreting human factor IX (hFIX) elicited a strong humoral response against the transgene, as compared to mice immunized with complete Freund's adjuvant (FA). Mice also had increasing IgG2a antibody titer, indicating a switch to a Th1 profile immune response. Mice developed strong hFIX-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) that was detectable 213 days after implantation, demonstrating the sustained immunity elicited by encapsulated cells. Here, we propose continuous antigenic stimulation system (CASS) as a novel immunization strategy with potential application in the design of novel vaccines.

Animals↗