Standard Abbreviations (do not define)
Three-letter codes can be used for amino acids in the text.
DNA/RNA bases (A, G, C, T, U) need not be defined.
For the general terms, “immunoglobulins”, “interferons”, “interleukins” and “helper T cells”
should be used; whereas the abbreviations can be used, but do not need to be defined, for
specific molecules/subsets, e.g. “IgA”, “IFN-α”, “IL-1” and “Th1 cells”.
In figures/tables, the following need not be defined: aa (amino acid); Ab (antibody); Ag
(antigen); i.m. (intramuscular / intramuscularly); i.n. (intranasal / intranasally); i.p.
(intraperitoneal / intraperitoneally); i.v. (intravenous / intravenously); nt (nucleotide); s.c.
(subcutaneous / subcutaneously).
3D
3-dimensional
AIDS
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
ANOVA
analysis of variance
ATCC
American Type Tissue Collection, Rockville, MD
AMP (cAMP, ATP, etc.)
adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP, adenosine
triphosphate, etc.)
BALT
bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue
BCG
bacillus Calmette–Guérin
BCR
B cell receptor
BrdU
5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine
BSA
bovine serum albumin
C region
constant region of immunoglobulins/TCR
CC chemokine
C–C-motif chemokine
CD
Cluster of differentiation (e.g. CD4, CD8)
cDNA
complementary DNA
CFA
complete Freund’s adjuvant
CFSE
carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester
CHAPS
3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulphonate
ChIP
chromatin immunoprecipitation
CHO cell
Chinese hamster ovary cell
CIITA
class II transactivator
CLIP
class II-associated invariant chain-associated peptide
CNS
central nervous system
CoA
coenzyme A
Con A
concanavalin A
CpG
cytosine–phosphate–guanine
cpm
counts per minute
CTL
cytotoxic T lymphocyte
CTLA4
CTL-associated antigen 4
CXC chemokine
C–X–C-motif chemokine
D region
diversity region of immunoglobulins/TCR
DMEM
Dulbecco’s minimal essential medium
DMSO
dimethyl sulphoxide
DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid
ds
double-stranded
DTH
delayed-type hypersensitivity
EBV
Epstein–Barr virus
EC50 50% effective concentration
ED50 50% effective dose
EDTA ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid
EGTA ethylene glycoltetra-acetic acid
ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
ELIspot
enzyme-linked immunospot
EMSA electrophoretic mobility shift assay
ERK extracellular signal-regulated kinase
FAb
antigen-binding fragment of immunoglobulins
FACS
fluorescence-activated cell sorter
Fc
crystallizable fragment of immunoglobulins
FCS
foetal calf serum
FITC
fluorescein isothiocyanate
FOXP3
forkhead box P3
GALT gut-associated lymphoid tissue
GFP green fluorescent protein
G(M)-CSF
granulocyte (–macrophage) colony-stimulating factor
GMP (cGMP, GTP, etc.)
guanosine monophosphate (cyclic GMP, guanosine
triphosphate, etc.)
GvH graft-versus-host
H chain
heavy chain of immunoglobulins
H&E haematoxylin and eosin
HBSS
Hanks’ balanced salt solution
HEPES
N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulphonic acid
HIV human immunodeficiency virus
HLA human leukocyte antigen
HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography
HRP horseradish peroxidase
HSV herpes simplex virus
IC50 inhibitory concentration 50%
ID50 inhibitory dose 50%
IFN-α, etc.
interferon α, etc. (but “interferons” not “IFNs” for the general term)
IgA, etc.
immunoglobulin A, etc. (but “immunoglobulins” not “Igs” for the general
term)
IB
inhibitor of NF-B
IL-1, etc.
interleukin 1, etc. (but “interleukins” not “ILs” for the general term)
IMDM Iscove’s modified Dulbecco’s medium
IMEM Iscove’s minimal essential medium
ITAM immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif
ITIM immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif
J region
joining region of immunoglobulins/TCR
JAK Janus kinase
JNK c-Jun amino-terminal kinase
Ka
association constant
Kd
dissociation constant
L chain
light chain of immunoglobulins
LD50 50% lethal dose
LPS
lipopolysaccharide
LTR
long terminal repeat
mAb
monoclonal antibody
MALT
mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue
MAPK
mitogen-activated protein kinase
MCP-1
monocyte chemotactic protein 1
MEK
mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase
MHC
major histocompatibility complex
mRNA
messenger RNA
MyD88
myeloid differentiation factor 88
n
number
NAD (NADH, NADP) nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced NAD, NAD phosphate)
NF-B
nuclear factor B
NK cell
natural killer cell
NKT cell
natural killer T cell
OD
optical density
PAGE
polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
PBMC
peripheral blood mononuclear cell
PBS
phosphate-buffered saline
PCR
polymerase chain reaction
PE
phycoerythrin
PHA
phytohaemagglutinin
PI3K
phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase
PKC
protein kinase C
PMA
phorbol myristate acetate
PMN
polymorphonuclear leukocyte
RAG
recombination-activating gene
RANTES
regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted
RBC
red blood cell
RNA
ribonucleic acid
rpm
revolutions per minute
RPMI 1640
Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium 1640
RT–PCR
reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction
SCID
severe combined immunodeficiency
SDS
sodium dodecylsulphate
SHIP
Src homology 2 domain-containing inositol 5 phosphate
SHP
Src-homology 2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase
SOCS
suppressor of cytokine signaling
ss
single-stranded
STAT
signal transducer and activator of transcription
TAP
transporter associated with antigen processing
TCR
T cell receptor (N.B. TCR not TCR-)
TGF-
transforming growth factor 
Th1cell
helper T cell subset 1 (but “helper T cells”, not “Th cells” for the
general term)
TLR
Toll-like receptor
TNF
tumour necrosis factor
Treg cell
regulatory T cell
UV
ultraviolet
V region
variable region of immunoglobulins/TCR
XID
X-linked immunodeficiency