Current topics in innate immunity : [proceedings from the 4th International Conference on Innate Immunity held in Corfu, Greece, June 4-9, 2006

Innate Immunity has long been regarded as the non-specific arm of immune response, acting immediately and in a generic way, to defend the host from infections. In the post genomic era, our knowledge of the innate immune system is enriched by findings on the specificity of innate immune reactions as well as to novel functions that do not strictly correlate with immunological defense and surveillance, immune modulation or inflammation. Several studies indicate that molecules involved in innate immunity exert functions that are either more complex than previously thought, or go well beyond the innate immune character of the system. The advent of high-throughput platforms for genome and proteome-wide profiling, together with the enormous amount of raw genetic information that has accumulated in the databases, have stirred new expectations in biomedical research. They have led scientists to revisit established biological systems from a global and integrative perspective. Innate Immunity research is now faced with the challenge of trying to integrate isolated biochemical pathways into complex gene and protein regulatory circuits. In this respect, scientists from around the world convened at the 4th International Conference on Innate Immunity (June 4 - 9, 2006), in Corfu, Greece to discuss recent advances in this fast evolving field. This volume represents a collection of topics on natural killer cells, mast cells, phagocytes, toll like receptors, complement, host defense in plants and invertebrates, evasion strategies of microorganisms, pathophysiology, protein structures, design of therapeutics, and experimental approaches discussed during the conference. Toll-like receptors, natural killer cells and innate immunity / Nicole M. Lauzon, Firoz Mian, and Ali A. Ashkar In the thick of the fray : NK cells in inflamed tissues / Emanuela Marcenaro ... [et al.] Structural insight into natural killer T cell receptor recognition of CD1d / Natalie A. Borg ... [et al.] The journey of toll-like receptors in the cell / Øyvind Halaas, Harald Husebye and Terje Espevik Differential regulation of key signaling molecules in innate immmunity and human diseases / Liwu Li, Jianmin Su, and Qifa Xie Systems biology of macrophages / Mano Ram Maurya ... [et al.] The alternative pathway of complement : a pattern recognition system / Peter F. Zipfel, Michael Mihlan, and Christine Skerka Role of MBL-associated serine protease (MASP) on activation of the lectin complement pathway / Minoru Takahashi ... [et al] Viral heparin-binding complement inhibitors : a recurring theme / Anna M. Blom, Linda Mark, and O. Brad Spiller C3a receptors signaling in mast cells / Asifa K. Zaidi and Hydar Ali Antimicrobial C3a : biology, biophysics, and evolution / Martin Malmsten and Artur Schmidtchen C5L2 : an anti-inflammatory molecule or a receptor for acylation stimulating protein (C3a desArg)? / Kay Johswich and Andreas Klos The exosporium of B. cereus contains a binding site for gC1qR/p33 : implication in spore attachment and/or entry / Berhane Ghebrehiwet ... [et al.] Immunity in borreliosis with special emphasis on the role of complement / Kristina Nilsson Ekdahl ... [et al.] Murine CR1/2 targeted antigenized single-chain antibody fragments induce transient low affinity antibodies and negatively influence an ongoing immune response / József Prechl ... [et al.] The thrid complement component as modulator of platelet production / Marcin Wysoczynski ... [et al.] In vivo biological responses in the presence or absence of C3 / J. Vidya Sarma and Peter A. Ward Complement activation of drusen in primate model (Macaca fascicularis) for age-related macular degeneration / Takeshi Iwata Exploring the complement interaction network using surface plasmon resonance / Daniel Ricklin and John D. Lambris Glycosylation as a target for recognition of influenza viruses by the innate immune system / Patrick C. Reading ... [et al.] Immune effects of autoantigen-associated RNA / Eric L. Greidinger Induction and evasion of the type1 interferon response by cytomegaloviruses / Victor R. DeFilippis Pore formers of the immune system / Eckhard R. Podack, Vadim Deyev, and Motaki Shiratsuchi Pathogen-specific innate immune response / Ahmet Zeytun ... [et al.] Flagellin signalling in plant immunity / Delphine Chinchilla, Thomas Boller, and Silke Robatzek Ancient origin of the complement system : emerging invertebrate models / Maria Rosaria Pinto ... [et al.] Biological roles of lectins in innate immunity : molecular and structural basis for diversity in self/non-self recognition / Gerardo R. Vasta ... [et al.] Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry : potential for investigating innate immunity proteins / Michael C. Schuster, Hui Chen, and John D. Lambris. Front Matter....Pages I-XXV Toll-like Receptors, Natural Killer Cells and Innate Immunity....Pages 1-11 In the Thick of the Fray: NK Cells in Inflamed Tissues....Pages 12-19 Structural Insight into Natural Killer T Cell Receptor Recognition of CD1d....Pages 20-34 The Journey of Toll-like Receptors in the Cell....Pages 35-48 Differential Regulation of Key Signaling Molecules in Innate Immunity and Human Diseases....Pages 49-61 Systems Biology of Macrophages....Pages 62-79 The Alternative Pathway of Complement: a Pattern Recognition System....Pages 80-92 Role of MBL-associated Serine Protease (MASP) On Activation of the Lectin Complement Pathway....Pages 93-104 Viral Heparin-Binding Complement Inhibitors – A Recurring Theme....Pages 105-125 C3a Receptors Signaling in Mast Cells....Pages 126-140 Antimicrobial C3a –Biology, Biophysics, and Evolution....Pages 141-158 C5L2 – an Anti-inflammatory Molecule or a Receptor for Acylation Stimulating Protein (C3a-desArg)?....Pages 159-180 The Exosporium of B. cereus Contains a Binding Site for gC1qR/p33: Implication in Spore Attachment and/or Entry....Pages 181-197 Immunity in Borreliosis with Special Emphasis on the Role of Complement....Pages 198-213 Murine CR1/2 Targeted Antigenized Single-Chain Antibody Fragments Induce Transient Low Affinity Antibodies and Negatively Influence an Ongoing Immune Response....Pages 214-225 The Third Complement Component as Modulator of Platelet Production....Pages 226-239 In Vivo Biological Responses in the Presence or Absence of C3....Pages 240-250 Complement Activation of Drusen in Primate Model ( Macaca fascicularis ) for Age-Related Macular Degeneration....Pages 251-259 Exploring the Complement Interaction Network Using Surface Plasmon Resonance....Pages 260-278 Glycosylation as a Target for Recognition of Influenza Viruses by the Innate Immune System....Pages 279-292 Immune Effects of Autoantigen-Associated RNA....Pages 293-308 Induction and Evasion of the Type I Interferon Response by Cytomegaloviruses....Pages 309-324 Pore Formers of the Immune System....Pages 325-341 Pathogen-Specific Innate Immune Response....Pages 342-357 Flagellin Signalling in Plant Immunity....Pages 358-371 Ancient Origin of the Complement System: Emerging Invertebrate Models....Pages 372-388 Biological Roles of Lectins in Innate Immunity: Molecular and Structural Basis for Diversity in Self/Non-Self Recognition....Pages 389-406 Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry:Potential for Investigating Innate Immunity Proteins....Pages 407-417 Back Matter....Pages 419-432

Innate Immunity has long been regarded as the non-specific arm of immune response, acting immediately and in a generic way, to defend the host from infections. In the post genomic era, our knowledge of the innate immune system is enriched by findings on the specificity of innate immune reactions as well as to novel functions that do not strictly correlate with immunological defense and surveillance, immune modulation or inflammation. Several studies indicate that molecules involved in innate immunity exert functions that are either more complex than previously thought, or go well beyond the innate immune character of the system.

The advent of high-throughput platforms for genome and proteome-wide profiling, together with the enormous amount of raw genetic information that has accumulated in the databases, have stirred new expectations in biomedical research. They have led scientists to revisit established biological systems from a global and integrative perspective. Innate Immunity research is now faced with the challenge of trying to integrate isolated biochemical pathways into complex gene and protein regulatory circuits. In this respect, scientists from around the world convened at the 4th International Conference on Innate Immunity (June 4 - 9, 2006), in Corfu, Greece to discuss recent advances in this fast evolving field.

This volume represents a collection of topics on natural killer cells, mast cells, phagocytes, toll like receptors, complement, host defense in plants and invertebrates, evasion strategies of microorganisms, pathophysiology, protein structures, design of therapeutics, and experimental approaches discussed during the conference.

In the post genomic era, understanding of the innate immune system is enriched by findings on the specificity of innate immune reactions as well as to novel functions that do not strictly correlate with immunological defense and surveillance, immune modulation or inflammation. This volume covers natural killer cells, mast cells, phagocytes, toll-like receptors, complement, host defense in plants and invertebrates, evasion strategies of microorganisms, pathophysiology, protein structures, design of therapeutics, and experimental approaches.