ABSTRACT: The Second International Workshop on CMV & Immunosenescence was held in Cambridge, UK, 2-4th December, 2010. The presentations covered four separate sessions: cytomegalovirus and T... Show moreABSTRACT: The Second International Workshop on CMV & Immunosenescence was held in Cambridge, UK, 2-4th December, 2010. The presentations covered four separate sessions: cytomegalovirus and T cell phenotypes; T cell memory frequency, inflation and immunosenescence; cytomegalovirus in aging, mortality and disease states; and the immunobiology of cytomegalovirus-specific T cells and effects of the virus on vaccination. This commentary summarizes the major findings of these presentations and references subsequently published work from the presenter laboratory where appropriate and draws together major themes that were subsequently discussed along with new areas of interest that were highlighted by this discussion. Show less
Helm-van Mil, A.H.M. van der; Huizinga, T.W.J.; Cessie, S. le 2011
In egg donation (ED) pregnancies the fetus is allogeneic to the gestational carrier. During these ED pregnancies the mother has to cope with a higher degree of antigenic dissimilarity compared with... Show moreIn egg donation (ED) pregnancies the fetus is allogeneic to the gestational carrier. During these ED pregnancies the mother has to cope with a higher degree of antigenic dissimilarity compared with spontaneously conceived pregnancies. At the fetal-maternal interface maternal cells and fetal cells come in close contact. Understanding the immune mechanisms at this fetal-maternal interface gives more insight into the question why the (semi-)allogeneic fetus is accepted and not rejected by the mother. The degree of antigenic dissimilarity in ED pregnancies is comparable with that in solid organ transplantations with HLA mismatched unrelated donors. Therefore, the immunologic interactions between mother and child in successful ED pregnancies may be relevant for the induction of immunological tolerance in solid organ transplantation. Show less
Groot, I.I.B. de; Schipper, K.K.; Dijk, S.S. van; Boog, P.P.J.M. van der; Baranski, A.A.G.; Marang-van de Mheen, P.P.J. 2011
