Mohammad Ali Ghayumi; Zahra Mojtahedi; Mohammad Javad Fattahi
Volume 8, Issue 4 , December 2011, , Pages 195-200
Abstract
Background: The alteration of Th1 and Th2 cytokine levels is the subject of controversy in pleural effusions caused by malignancy, a situation that favors a Th2 immune response. Objective: To examine the different levels of IL-4 and IL-10 (Th2 cytokines), and IL-2 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) ...
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Background: The alteration of Th1 and Th2 cytokine levels is the subject of controversy in pleural effusions caused by malignancy, a situation that favors a Th2 immune response. Objective: To examine the different levels of IL-4 and IL-10 (Th2 cytokines), and IL-2 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) (Th1 cytokines) in malignant and non-malignant pleural effusions. Method: The cytokine levels in pleural fluid of 62 patients with malignant pleural effusion (44 with lung cancer and 18 with extrathoracic tumors), 8 with tuberculous and 8 with congestive heart failure pleural effusion were analysed using enzymelinked immunosorbent assays. Results: IL-2 was below the detectable concentration of the assay. A significant decrease in IFN-γ level was observed in malignant but not in congestive heart failure cases compared to tuberculous cases. IL-10 levels were higher in malignant and tuberculous pleural effusions than in congestive heart failure pleural effusions, however, this difference did not reach the significant level. IL-4 levels were also increased non-significantly in lung cancer pleural effusions compared to the other groups. Conclusion: Our results show a wide variation in IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-γ levels in malignant pleural effusions, a pattern which was not convincing enough to differentiate the cause of effusion.
Mohammad Javad Fattahi; Abdul Mohammad Pezeshki; Maryam Emad; Mohammad Hosein Lohrasb; Azra Shamseddin; Abbas Ghaderi; Mehrnoosh Doroudchi
Volume 2, Issue 2 , June 2005, , Pages 97-102
Abstract
Background: Vitiligo is an acquired skin disorder that selectively destroys melanocytes in epidermis with an unknown etiology. Objective: To investigate the exon 1 A49G polymorphism of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (ctla-4) gene in vitiligo patients. Methods: The A49G polymorphism was ...
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Background: Vitiligo is an acquired skin disorder that selectively destroys melanocytes in epidermis with an unknown etiology. Objective: To investigate the exon 1 A49G polymorphism of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (ctla-4) gene in vitiligo patients. Methods: The A49G polymorphism was detected by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method in 101 patients and 208 normal healthy age/ethnicity matched individuals. Results: The frequencies of heterozygote genotypes in patients and controls were found to be 42 (41.6%) of 101 and 85 (40.9%) of 208, respectively. The frequencies of homozygote A and G genotypes were 49 (48.5%) and 10 (9.9%) in 101 patients, whereas, these frequencies in 208 control individuals were 103 (49.5%) and 20 (9.6%), respectively. There was no significant difference between the genotype (P = 0.98) and allele (P = 0.86) frequencies of A49G polymorphism in patients and normal healthy individuals. Conclusion: Our results indicate that in contrast to several immune mediated disorders, there is no association between ctla-4 A49G gene polymorphism and vitiligo.
