The Hygiene Hypothesis, the Naive Immune System and House Dust Mites
Over the past several decades, many countries around the world have experienced rapid industrialization, leading to increased living standards and improved hygienic measures. While these all seem like positive changes for a society, researchers are finding that these trends have been accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of allergies and autoimmune diseases. Researchers propose that one possible explanation for this phenomenon... Read More
Review: Naive CD4+ T-cells in Autoimmunity & Inflammation
Autoimmunity is attributed to a dysregulation of the adaptive immune response that results in targeting of the bodys own healthy tissues by immune cells. The exact origins of autoimmune responses remain elusive, but a combination of genetic1 and environmental factors2 appear to contribute to the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases (ADs). Further adding to this complexity is the various cell types and... Read More
Tools to Study the Pathological Effect of Human Microbiota in Rheumatoid Arthritis
An overview of murine arthritis models ideal for studying the pathological effects of bacteria and bacterial toxins in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Read More
Gut Microbiome Composition Influences Collagen-Induced Arthritis Susceptibility in DBA1 Mice
A review of an article by Liu et al. (doi: 10.1038/srep30594) that investigates the relationship between gut microbiome composition and susceptibility to collagen-induced arthritis in DBA1 mice. Read More
Microbiome LPS Heterogeneity Contributes to Autoimmunity
There has been a drastic increase in the incidence of autoimmune diseases (ADs) in industrialized nations versus non-industrialized nations over the past several decades (1). Industrialization is often associated with several consequences: improved medical care, better hygiene, and higher standards of living. These factors work together to lower the infection rate, and therefore the microbial exposure, within the country's population.... Read More
ChonBlock™: A Solution to False Positive Reactions in ELISA
An overview of non-specific reactions in indirect ELISA that can lead to false positive results. Read More