Fabio Barra; Simone Ferrero
Annamaria Marton; Csongor Kolozsi; Erzsebet Kusz; Zoltan Olah; Tamas Letoha; Csaba Vizler; Laszlo Pecze
Volume 11, Issue 2 , Spring 2014, , Pages 113-122
Abstract
Background : Propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol, PG) is a commonly used solvent for oral, intravenous, as well as topical pharmaceutical preparations. While PG is generally considered to be safe, it has been known that large intravenous doses given over a short period of time can be toxic. Objective: ...
Read More
Background : Propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol, PG) is a commonly used solvent for oral, intravenous, as well as topical pharmaceutical preparations. While PG is generally considered to be safe, it has been known that large intravenous doses given over a short period of time can be toxic. Objective: To evaluate the effect of PG in sepsis induced by the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: Balb/c mice were treated with LPS (1 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) with or without PG (5 g/kg b.w. i.v.). The survival rate and the production of inflammatory cytokines were measured. In RAW264.7 mouse macrophages encoding NF- B-luc reporter gene, the nuclear transcription factor kappa- B (NF- B) activation was measured. Results: We found that intravenous PG increased the mortality rate in sepsis induced by the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice. In accordance with that, PG enhanced LPS -induced production of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF -α) and interleukin-6 (IL -6) in vivo. PG also increased the LPS-induced macrophage activation in vitro as detected by measuring NF- B activation. Conclusion: Our results indicate that drugs containing high doses of PG can pose a risk when administered to patients suffering from or prone to Gram negative bacterial infection.
Nadeem Afzal; Shakeela Zaman; Aneela Asghar; Khursheed Javed; Faheem Shahzad; Abu Zafar; Abdul Hanan Nagi
Volume 11, Issue 1 , Winter 2014, , Pages 40-48
Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a health concern which leads to complications such as retinopathy. Pakistan has 6.9 million people living with DM and this toll will be doubled by 2025. Objective: To determine serum IL-6 and IL-17 of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with retinopathy. Methods: ...
Read More
Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a health concern which leads to complications such as retinopathy. Pakistan has 6.9 million people living with DM and this toll will be doubled by 2025. Objective: To determine serum IL-6 and IL-17 of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with retinopathy. Methods: In this cross-sectional casecontrol study, 212 subjects enrolled which were categorized into 3 groups. Group-I included 30 subjects without diabetes, group-II consisted of 30 subjects with T2DM without retinopathy and group-III consisted of 152 subjects with T2DM and retinopathy. Serum IL-6 and IL-17 levels were determined by ELISA. Data was analysed using SPSS 17.0 and one way ANOVA to observe group mean differences. Results: Longer mean duration of disease was detected in group-III than group-II (p=0.007). Highest IL-6 level was detected in group-II and highest IL-17 level was detected in group-I. For IL-6, significant differences were detected among groups in total, between Group-I and Group-III and between Group-II and Group-III (p<0.0001 each). Regarding IL-17, significant differences were found among groups in total (p=0.002) and between Group-I and Group-III (p=0.001). No significant difference in the percentages of HbA1c observed between groups. Conclusions: Age, gender and duration of diabetes contribute to T2DM retinopathy. Serum IL-6 and IL-17 were inversely associated with T2DM retinopathy.
Alireza Rafiei; Mahoud Abedini; Seyed Hamzeh Hosseini; Zahra HosseiniKhah; Behrouz Bazrafshan; Mohsen Tehrani
Volume 9, Issue 3 , Summer 2012, , Pages 159-167
Abstract
Background: The pathogenesis of migraine involves immune-mediated mechanisms in the vascular endothelium. Toll like receptor 4 (TLR-4) is a signaling receptor of innate immunity which plays a role in various neuropathologies related to neuron inflammation. Objective: This case/control study is aimed ...
Read More
Background: The pathogenesis of migraine involves immune-mediated mechanisms in the vascular endothelium. Toll like receptor 4 (TLR-4) is a signaling receptor of innate immunity which plays a role in various neuropathologies related to neuron inflammation. Objective: This case/control study is aimed to investigate whether TLR- 4 896A/G variation is related to migraine headaches in an Iranian population. Methods: A total of 170 migraine patients (130 females, mean age 33.24 ± 11 years) and 170 age, sex, and ethnicity matched healthy controls (118 females, mean age of 31 ± 10 years) were recruited. Genotyping was carried out using the tetra primer amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR. Results: The frequency of G allele was higher in migraine patients than the controls (15% vs. 4.7%; p<0.0001). Interestingly, the distribution of heterozygous 896A/G genotype statistically differed between migraineurs and controls (25.3% vs. 8.2%, p=0.00002, OR 3.87, 95% CI; 2.02-7.4). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that G allele in affected female migraineurs is an independent factor associated with increased risk of migraine (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.23-8.24, p=0.01). Conclusion: Our results showed TLR-4 polymorphism as a genetic risk factor for migraine. However, further studies in different populations are required to elucidate the precise role of TLR-4 896A/G mutation in susceptibility to migraine.
Bahador Bagheri; Bahram Sohrabi; Aliakbar Movassaghpur; Siminozar Mashayekhi; Afagh Garjani; Mehriar Shokri; Mohammad Noori; Alireza Garjani
Volume 9, Issue 3 , Summer 2012, , Pages 149-158
Abstract
Background: Toll like receptors (TLRs) are well recognized players in inflammatory conditions. Among them TLR-4 is involved in chronic inflammatory processes such as formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Objective: The present study was aimed to examine the effects of percutanoeus coronary intervention ...
Read More
Background: Toll like receptors (TLRs) are well recognized players in inflammatory conditions. Among them TLR-4 is involved in chronic inflammatory processes such as formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Objective: The present study was aimed to examine the effects of percutanoeus coronary intervention (PCI) as a revascularization method on monocyte expression of hTLR-4 and on the serum levels of two proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β). Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 41 patients with stable angina who were candidates for PCI. The samples were collected immediately before and 2h and 4h after PCI. The expression of hTLR-4 on CD14+ monocytes and the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were measured using flowcytometry and ELISA techniques, respectively. Results: By comparing the frequency of circulating hTLR-4+/CD14+ monocytes at different time points, it was observed that PCI procedure up regulates the monocyte expression of hTLR-4 (p<0.05). The increase in expression was associated with the elevation of the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (p<0.05). There was a significant correlation between monocyte expression of hTLR-4 and serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β only before PCI. In spite of parallel increase in the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines and the monocyte expression of hTLR-4, the correlation did not attain a significant level after PCI intervals. Conclusion: PCI is positively associated with an increase in the monocyte expression of hTLR-4. It is also associated with the elevation in the serum levels of proinflmmatory cytokines. These findings suggest that hTLR-4 monocyte expression may be used as a potential prognostic tool in patients with stable angina undergoing PCI.
Mojgan Mohammadi; Mohammad Mahdi Hayatbakhsh; Mohammad Javad Zahedi; Mohammad Reza Jalalpour; Amin Pakgohar
Volume 8, Issue 3 , Summer 2011, , Pages 183-188
Abstract
Background: Patients with ulcerative colitis are at increased risk of inflammation. Interleukin 23 (IL-23) is a newly identified cytokine with increased expression in inflamed biopsies of colon mucosa in patients with Crohn's disease; however, there is inconsistent evidence on its role in ulcerative ...
Read More
Background: Patients with ulcerative colitis are at increased risk of inflammation. Interleukin 23 (IL-23) is a newly identified cytokine with increased expression in inflamed biopsies of colon mucosa in patients with Crohn's disease; however, there is inconsistent evidence on its role in ulcerative colitis. Objective: We aimed to compare serum IL-23 level in patients with ulcerative colitis and normal controls and determine if serum IL-23 level increases with the severity of disease according to endoscopic findings. Methods: We quantified serum IL-23 levels from 60 patients with ulcerative colitis and 20 control individuals. All patients underwent endoscopic procedure to define the severity of disease. Patients were then stratified into 2 groups of "Mild" and "Severe" according to the endoscopic findings. Results: For comparison of serum IL-23 levels, Platelet count, ESR and CRP between the groups, Mann-Whitney U test and independent sample t test were employed, as appropriate. Pearson’s and spearman's correlation tests were employed to test the association of IL-23 with platelet count, CRP and ESR in patients. Our findings showed that serum IL-23 levels were increased in patients with ulcerative colitis compared to normal control. Moreover, patients in "Severe" group had higher serum IL-23 levels and ESR compared with those in "Mild" group. There was no significant sexual dimorphism in any of studied variables. Conclusion: We suggest that IL-23 plays an important role in the p
Alireza Salek Moghaddam; Mohammad Shabani; Farahdokht Fateminasab; Mohammad Reza Khakzad
Volume 2, Issue 2 , Spring 2005, , Pages 103-110
Abstract
Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease with multifactorial and complicated mechanisms. Elevated level of exhaled Nitric Oxide (NO) in asthma and other inflammatory lung diseases has led to many studies examining NO as a potential marker of airway inflammation. Objective: This study was ...
Read More
Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease with multifactorial and complicated mechanisms. Elevated level of exhaled Nitric Oxide (NO) in asthma and other inflammatory lung diseases has led to many studies examining NO as a potential marker of airway inflammation. Objective: This study was designed to determine the level of NO in Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) fluid during early and late stages of asthmatic attack in mouse model. Methods: In this study male BALB/c mice were used. The level of NO was determined in BAL fluid of asthmatic mice five minutes, six and sixteen hours after challenge with methacholine, as irritant and smoke and 5% ovalbumin as allergens, using colorimetric assay. Results: The level of NO increased upon exposure to all three irritants used in this study (52.3 μM for smoke and 49.5 μ Mfor methacholine) as compared to 22.8 μM for the baseline. Our results showed that NO levels were increased during early phase of asthmatic condition and reached to its maximum level after six hours and decreased at the late stage of asthma (16hrs) possibly by activating a feedback regulatory loop. In addition, high level of NO led to the hypertrophy of smooth muscle that can account for the pathological changes associated with asthma. Conclusion: Thus, NO is an inflammatory marker in asthma and its measurement, as a non-invasive method during asthmatic attack is suggested. A careful development of specific inhibitors for iNOS enzyme during asthmatic attack is also necessary.