title: Antibody complementarity-determining regions (CDRs): a bridge between adaptive and innate immunity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been documented that, independently from the specificity of the native antibody (Ab) for a given antigen (Ag), complementarity determining regions (CDR)-related peptides may display differential antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study we demonstrate that a synthetic peptide with sequence identical to V(H)CDR3 of a mouse monoclonal Ab (mAb) specific for difucosyl human blood group A is easily taken up by macrophages with subsequent stimulation of: i) proinflammatory cytokine production; ii) PI3K-Akt pathway and iii) TLR-4 expression. Significantly, V(H)CDR3 exerts therapeutic effect against systemic candidiasis without possessing direct candidacidal properties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results open a new scenario about the possibility that, beyond the half life of immunoglobulins, Ab fragments may effectively influence the antiinfective cellular immune response in a way reminiscent of regulatory peptides of innate immunity.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Section, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gabrielli
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pericolini
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cenci
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ortelli
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Magliani
authors.forename: Tecla
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ciociola
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bistoni
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vecchiarelli
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Polonelli
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000276:immunology; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000276:immunology; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000235:genetics; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D010455:Peptides; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt