Immunology of complexity

Hakomori S (2001) The Molecular Immunology of complex carbohydrates-2. Kluwer Academ-ic/Plenum Publishers, Amsterdam, p 369... 

Wu, Albert M. The Molecular Immunology of Complex Carbohydrates. Vol. 491 of Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. New York Kluwer, 2001. 

Hansson GC (1988) Structural aspects of blood group glycosphingolipids in the gastrointestinal tract. In Wu AM (ed) The molecular immunology of complex carbohydrates. Plenum, New York, p 465... 

Taken as a whole, these observations show that parasite lines differ in an immune-dependent manner in their infection/expulsion kinetics. Furthermore, there is heritable variation in survival and fecundity in previously exposed hosts and quantitative variation in the immune response that selected parasite lines elicit. Again, taken as a whole, these observations have the necessary corollary that variation in these traits exists not only in laboratory-maintained isolates but also in helminth species in nature. The phenotypes under consideration here (infection/expulsion kinetics, survival, fecundity) are multifactorial life-history traits. Understanding the basis of variation in the components and interplay of these complex, immune-responsive phenotypes must be of crucial relevance to understanding the immunology of infections of parasitic nematodes. This is of particular relevance in view of current attempts to develop immunological methods of nematode control. 

Other contributions to this book have taken a molecular view of parasitic nematodes, yet molecules make only a rather brief appearance here. This chapter has tried to show that parasitic nematodes are fascinatingly and tantalizingly diverse at a phenotypic level. It has focused particularly on diversity in phenotypes that are apparent in response to environmental conditions within or outside a host. The interaction of parasites with within-host factors is a major current research effort. However, helminth immunology is particularly notable for its inattention to diversity, especially when compared with the immunology of parasitic protozoa (Read and Viney, 1996). Observations of the interaction of host immunity with subsequent development in S. ratti show the potential power of such interactions. It is also clear that a principal mechanism of the action of host immune responses is against nematode fecundity (Stear et al., 1997). This is likely to be a molecularly complex interaction. Understanding this interaction, as well as variation in the interaction is interesting, but could also form the basis of control by transmission-reduction rather than eradication per se. 

IV. Immunological Aspects of Complex Fucans 1. Bacterial Antigens... 

Furthermore, the immunologic pathway involved in the pathophysiology of AD is complex (table 2). It presents a degree of complexity which has not been appreciated with allergic rhinitis and asthma. In AD both Thl and Th2 T cell products play a role in chronic inflammation, which is maintained by both IL-5 (Th2) and IFN-y (Thl) [51]. In addition recent studies have demonstrated different cytokine expressions in acute (predominantly IL-16) and in chronic (mainly IL-12 and GM-CSF) lesions [52, 53]. 

With the growing sophistication of molecular immunology techniques, there is more hope for elucidation of complex mechanisms of ocular inflammation. 

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