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By Ciara Coleman PhD General Introduction Coeliac Disease (CD) is defined as a common, chronic inflammatory disease of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed individuals and is triggered by exposure to the storage protein of wheat – gluten – and similar proteins in related grains (Schuppan et al., 2009). The word coeliac, meaning “hollow” in Greek, was first described by the Greek p …

By Charlotte O’Donnell PhD Cancer Carcinogenesis is a multi-step process that develops through epigenetic changes and mutation of multiple genes, including loss of function of tumour suppressor genes and gain of function of oncogenes. These genetic changes in normal cells can each contribute a growth advantage, leading to the transformation of cells into cancer cells [1]. In 2000, Hanahan and Weinberg described a series of 6 b …

By Charlotte O’Donnell PhD Inflammation and Cancer The link between inflammation and cancer is well established, with inflammation highlighted as one of the enabling characteristics in cancer development [1]. As early as 1863, Virchow indicated that cancer tended to occur at sites of chronic inflammation. Indeed many cancers are associated with chronic inflammation. Patients with chronic hepatitis caused by Hepatitis B and C i …

ST2, a member of the IL-1R Subfamily ST2 is a member of the IL-1R subfamily and was identified in 1989 [1]. The ST2 gene is located on chromosome 2q12 in humans and contains 13 introns and spans 40 kilobases (kb). In humans three splice variants exist, ST2L, sST2 and ST2V (Figure 1a). ST2L is a transmembrane bound receptor and as such specifically belongs to the Toll/IL-1R (TIR) superfamily and shows homology to the intracellular domain of IL-1R1 [2]. sST …

Biomarkers and triggers of Atherosclerosis As atherosclerosis is a complex inflammatory disease, there are many influential biomarkers that contribute to the disease’s progression as well as biomarkers from atherosclerosis related diseases such as periodontal disease and autoimmune diseases i.e. Diabetes, RA, SLE. Biomarkers can be proteins, DNA and mRNA which are measured to asses biological, pathological processes and pharmacological responses. Bio …