A Mathematical Modelling of Initiation of Dendritic Cells-Induced T Cell Immune Response.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent specialized antigen-presenting cells as now known, which play a crucial role in initiating and amplifying both the innate and adaptive immune responses. Immunologically, the motilities and T cell activation capabilities of DCs are closely related to the resulting immune responses. However, due to the complexity of the immune system, the dynamic changes in the number of cells during the peripheral tissue (e.g. skin and mucosa) immune response induced by DCs are still poorly understood. Therefore, this study simulated dynamic number changes of DCs and T cells in this process by constructing several ordinary differential equations and setting the initial conditions of the functions and parameters. The results showed that these equations could simulate dynamic numerical changes of DCs and T cells in peripheral tissue and lymph node, which was in accordance with the physiological conditions such as the duration of immune response, the proliferation rates and the motilities of DCs and T cells. This model provided a theoretical reference for studying the immunologic functions of DCs and practical guidance for the clinical DCs-based therapy against immune-related diseases.

[Effects of exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress on red blood cell deformability].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to explore the effects of exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress on the antioxidant capacity and diformability of rat red blood cells. METHODS: Rats were divided into three group (n = 10): sedentary control (C), exhaustive running exercise (ERE) and moderate running exercise (MRE) groups. Animals in the ERE group started treadmill running at a speed of 20 m/min speed with a 5% gradient, and reached a speed of 25 m/min with gradient 15% in 20 min. Running was continued until exhaustion. MRE group rats running at a speed of 20 m/min with a 5% gradient for 40 min. The levels of free thiol in erythrocyte membrane protein, lipidperoxidation levels and membrane protein components were analyzed. The red blood cell deformability of different groups was also observed. RESULTS: The results showed that red blood cells were damaged by severe oxidative stress and the anti-oxidative capacity decreased significantly under exhaustive exercise conditions. Besides, lipid peroxidation and protein sulfhydryl cross-link based clustering of membrane were found after exhaustive exercise, and polymers high molecular weight (HMW) was formed. The elongation index (EI) was found to decline significantly in the ERE group compared with the C and MRE groups under shear stress (control group, 0.41 +/- 0.01 at 3 Pa and 0.571 +/- 0.008 at 30 Pa; ERE group, 0.314 +/- 0.013 at 3 Pa and 0.534 +/- 0.009 at 30 Pa; P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: These exercise-induced oxidative injure result in a significant decrease in deformability of rat erythrocytes, which in turn leads to dysfunction in the microcirculatory.