Review Article
Magdy Mohamed Zedan; Amal Mohamed Osman; Wafaa Nabil Laimon; Mohamed Magdy Zedan; Nermin Youssef Abo-elkheir; Ahmed Zaki
Volume 13, Issue 2 , June 2016, Pages 70-88
Abstract
Asthma is a heterogeneous disease, in which asthmatic patients present with different clinical phenotypes, variable endotypes, and different response to asthma medicines. Thus, we are faced with an asthma paradox; asthma is diagnosed subjectively by clinical history and treated with biologically active ...
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Asthma is a heterogeneous disease, in which asthmatic patients present with different clinical phenotypes, variable endotypes, and different response to asthma medicines. Thus, we are faced with an asthma paradox; asthma is diagnosed subjectively by clinical history and treated with biologically active drugs. To solve this paradox, we need objective airway biomarkers to tailor the proper medications to the proper patient. Biomarkers should have one or more of the following characteristics: 1) could differentiate poor symptoms perceivers from over-perceivers, 2) could predict disease activity and hence disease outcome, 3) could clarify asthma phenotype responders from non-responders, and finally 4) could characterize different clinical asthma phenotypes. Therefore, we have conducted a review of literature trying to apply those four parameters to different airway inflammatory biomarkers. We found that FeNO fulfilled the four proposed clinical parameters of airway inflammatory biomarkers whereas; serum periostin was the single best systemic biomarker of airway luminal and tissue eosinophilia in severe uncontrolled TH2 asthma phenotype. Thus, this may be considered a trial towards tailoring the proper medication to the proper patient. However, application of biomarkers in clinical practice requires easier and cheaper techniques together with standardized methods for sample collection and analysis.
Original Article
Yongan Liu; Wei Nie; Yu Jin; Anshan Zhuo; Yuansheng Zang; Qingyu Xiu
Volume 13, Issue 2 , June 2016, Pages 89-99
Abstract
Background: MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) is upregulated during T cell activation, but the exact mechanisms by which it influences CD4+ T cell activation remain unclear. Objective: To examine whether the B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) is a target of miR-155 during naïve CD4+ T cell activation. Methods: ...
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Background: MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) is upregulated during T cell activation, but the exact mechanisms by which it influences CD4+ T cell activation remain unclear. Objective: To examine whether the B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) is a target of miR-155 during naïve CD4+ T cell activation. Methods: Firefly luciferase reporter plasmids pEZX-MT01-wild-type-BTLA and pEZX-MT01-mutant-BTLA were constructed. Lymphocytes were nucleofected with miR-155 inhibitor or negative control (NC). Then, naïve CD4+ CD62L+ helper T cells purified from lymphocytes were stimulated with immobilized antibody to CD3 and soluble antibody to CD28. miR-155 and BTLA expression were examined by real-time RT-PCR. Cell surface CD69 expression and IL-2 secretion were measured by ELISA and flowcytometry, respectively. Results: Luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-155 targeted the BTLA 3’UTR region. Compared with non-stimulated condition, both miR-155 and BTLA mRNA expression were upregulated after T cell activation. Similar results were observed for BLTA protein expression. Compared with NC, the miR-155 inhibitor decreased miR-155 by about 45%, but did not influence BTLA mRNA expression. Compared with NC, the miR-155 inhibitor decreased the surface BTLA expression by about 60%. Upregulation of BTLA in miR-155 knockdown CD4+ T cells did not influence the cell surface expression of CD69, an early activation marker (p=0.523). Similarly, IL-2 production was not changed. Conclusion: miR-155 is involved in the inhibition of BTLA during CD4+ T cell activation. These results might serve as a basis for an eventual therapeutic manipulation of this pathway to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Original Article
Mahdi Sajedi Khania; Alireza Abdi Ardekan; Shahdad Khosropana; Mehrnoosh Doroudchi
Volume 13, Issue 2 , June 2016, Pages 100-113
Abstract
Background: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of disability and death in Iran and many other countries. Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of CCL5 and CCL18 in patients with acute myocardial ischemia. Methods: In this cohort study we recruited and followed 50 patients ...
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Background: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of disability and death in Iran and many other countries. Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of CCL5 and CCL18 in patients with acute myocardial ischemia. Methods: In this cohort study we recruited and followed 50 patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction (AAMI) for developing cardiovascular accidents in a 6-month period. CCL5 and CCL18 levels were measured on admission, at day 5 and at day 180 posthospitalization. Results: CCL18 and CCL5 levels at day 180 were higher in patients with late (day 180) and early (day 5) LVEF less than 35% compared to those with higher LVEF (p=0.05 and p=0.042, respectively). There was a negative correlation between early and late LVEF and regional wall motion abnormalities (p=0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). There was also a trend of negative correlation between CCL18 levels at day 5 and LVEF levels at day 180 post-hospitalization (p=0.06). Conclusion: CCL18 has a correlation with cardiac function in patients with AAMI and it might be considered as an indicator of poor LVEF in patients with AAMI.
Original Article
Mohammed Said Al-Balushi; Elias Anthony Said; Sidgi Syed Hasson; Juma Zaid Al-Busaidi; Iman Al-Reesi; Mohammed Idris; Wadha Al-Ghafri; Moza Al-Kalbani; Ali Abdullah Al-Jabri
Volume 13, Issue 2 , June 2016, Pages 114-123
Abstract
Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), is a common infection in pregnant women accompanied by variations in the levels of the IgM, IgA and IgG antibody isotypes. The variations of anti-H. pylori antibodies during and after pregnancy, and the extent of protection they provide to the mother and the ...
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Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), is a common infection in pregnant women accompanied by variations in the levels of the IgM, IgA and IgG antibody isotypes. The variations of anti-H. pylori antibodies during and after pregnancy, and the extent of protection they provide to the mother and the fetus are not completely understood. Objectives: To investigate the changes of the anti-H. pylori IgM, IgA and IgG levels in healthy Omani pregnant women during pregnancy and 3 months after delivery. Methods: Serum samples obtained from 70 Omani healthy pregnant women, with no history of autoimmune diseases, were tested for anti-H. pylori IgM, IgA and IgG in the first trimester of pregnancy and 3 months after delivery. In parallel and as a control group, sera obtained from a group of 70 healthy non-pregnant Omani women were tested. The levels of anti-H. pylori IgM, IgA and IgG were measured using standard Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs). Results: Anti-H. pylori IgA levels were found to be significantly higher during pregnancy (p=0.046) and after delivery (p=0.02) when compared to the control group. Moreover, a significant increase in the levels of anti-H. pylori IgM, IgA and IgG was detected after delivery (p=0.002) when compared to the levels during pregnancy. Conclusion: Pregnancy is associated with an increase in the levels of anti-H. pylori IgA antibodies. In addition, anti-H. pylori IgM, IgG and IgA antibody levels increase after delivery.
Original Article
Henu Kumar Verma; Aditya Nath Jha; Prafulla Kumar khodiar; Pradeep Kumar Patra; Lakkakula Venkata Kameswara Subrahmanya Bhaskar
Volume 13, Issue 2 , June 2016, Pages 124-131
Abstract
Background: Cytokines are cell signaling molecules which upon release by cells facilitate the recruitment of immune-modulatory cells towards the sites of inflammation. Genetic variations in cytokine genes are shown to regulate their production and affect the risk of infectious as well as autoimmune diseases. ...
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Background: Cytokines are cell signaling molecules which upon release by cells facilitate the recruitment of immune-modulatory cells towards the sites of inflammation. Genetic variations in cytokine genes are shown to regulate their production and affect the risk of infectious as well as autoimmune diseases. Intron-3 of interleukin-4 gene (IL-4) harbors 70-bp variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) that may alter the expression level of IL-4 gene. Objective: To determine the distribution of IL-4 70-bp VNTR polymorphism in seven genetically heterogeneous populations of Chhattisgarh, India and their comparison with the finding of other Indian and world populations. Methods: A total of 371 healthy unrelated individuals from 5 caste and 2 tribal populations were included in the present study. The IL-4 70-bp VNTR genotyping was carried out using PCR and electrophoresis. Results: Overall, 3 alleles of IL-4 70-bp VNTR (a2, a3 and a4) were detected. The results demonstrated the variability of the IL-4 70-bp VNTR polymorphism in Chhattisgarh populations. Allele a3 was the most common allele at the 70-bp VNTR locus in all populations followed by a2 allele. This study reports the presence four repeat allele a4 at a low frequency in the majority of the Chhattisgarh populations studied. Further, the frequency of the minor allele (a2) in Chhattisgarh populations showed similarity with the frequencies of European populations but not with the East Asian populations where the a2 allele is a major allele. Conclusions: Our study provides a baseline for future research into the role of the IL-4 locus in diseases linked to inflammation in Indian populations.
Short Paper
Marek Fol; Magdalena Kowalewicz-Kulbat; El ż bieta Ograczyk; Marcin W ł odarczyk; Krzysztof Krawczyk
Volume 13, Issue 2 , June 2016, Pages 132-140
Abstract
Background: The immunomagnetic separation technique is the basis of monocyte isolation and further generation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Objective: To compare the efficiency of monocyte positive and negative separation, concentration of beads, and their impact on generated dendritic cells. ...
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Background: The immunomagnetic separation technique is the basis of monocyte isolation and further generation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Objective: To compare the efficiency of monocyte positive and negative separation, concentration of beads, and their impact on generated dendritic cells. Methods: Monocytes were obtained using monoclonal antibody-coated magnetic beads followed the Ficoll-Paque gradient separation of mononuclear cell fraction from the peripheral blood of 6 healthy volunteers. CD14 expression was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: The percentage of MDDCs generated from monocytes obtained by positive and negative selection was comparable (51.8 ± 15.0 and 46.7 ± 3.4, respectively; p=0.885). The median values for the number of MDDCs obtained from monocytes after positive selection (3.9 × 106) and for MDDCs obtained from monocytes after negative selection (3.1 × 106) were comparable (p=0.194). The use of the recommended or half of the amount of beads for both types of separation had no significant influence on the percentage of isolated cells. Conclusions: Both types of magnetic separation including recommended and reduced concentrations of beads did not affect the yield and the purity of monocytes and their surface CD14 expression. However, DCs originated from the “positively” separated monocytes had noticeable higher expression of CD80.
Short Paper
Mansour Salehi; Bahram Bagherpour; Vahid Shayghannejad; Farzaneh Mohebi; Rasool Jafari
Volume 13, Issue 2 , June 2016, Pages 141-147
Abstract
Background: Management of multiple sclerosis (MS) is based on the usage of immunosuppressive and immune-modulating medications. Cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of MS. Objective: To evaluate the effects of rapamycin on the concentrations of Th1/Th2/Th17 serum cytokines in patients ...
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Background: Management of multiple sclerosis (MS) is based on the usage of immunosuppressive and immune-modulating medications. Cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of MS. Objective: To evaluate the effects of rapamycin on the concentrations of Th1/Th2/Th17 serum cytokines in patients with MS. Methods: Six patients with relapsing remitting MS as a case group and 6 healthy individuals as a control group were enrolled. The patients have been receiving 2 mg rapamycin daily for 6 months. The individuals in control group received nothing during 6 months of the experiment. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (Simultaneous Multi-Analyte ELISA) technique was used for determination of serum concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, IFN-γ, TNF-α, G-CSF and TGF-β before and after therapy with rapamycin. Results: The mean absorbance of 10 out of the 12 studied cytokines showed reduction after the therapy with rapamycin including IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, IFN-γ and TNF-α. The only statistically significant reduction was observed in the absorbance of IFN-γ (p=0.028). Two cytokines illustrated increase in the patients sera after the therapy, including G-CSF and TGF-β, but only increase in TGF-β was statistically significant (p=0.046). None of the studied cytokines in the control group varied significantly after 6 months. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, rapamycin has some immunosuppressive effects, such as decreasing IFN-γ, which can improve the quality of life of the patients with multiple sclerosis. Also the increased level of TGF-β may also have benefits on the disease, which needs further clinical studies.
