Review Article
Mahyar Nouri-Shirazi
Volume 4, Issue 1 , March 2007, Pages 1-14
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are a heterogeneous family of professional APCs involved in priming adaptive immune responses. Donor DCs (direct pathway of allorecognition) and recipient DCs presenting processed donor major histocompatibility complex (MHC) as peptides (indirect pathway of allorecognition) participate ...
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Dendritic cells (DCs) are a heterogeneous family of professional APCs involved in priming adaptive immune responses. Donor DCs (direct pathway of allorecognition) and recipient DCs presenting processed donor major histocompatibility complex (MHC) as peptides (indirect pathway of allorecognition) participate actively in graft rejection by stimulating recipient T cell responses following organ transplantation. Recent studies have shown that DCs also play a central role in inducing and maintaining tolerance to self antigens (Ags) through deletion, anergy, and regulation mechanisms. It is easy to see how the remarkable functional plasticity of DCs renders them attractive therapeutic targets for immune modulation. Indeed, in the past few years, successful outcomes in rodent models have built the case that DC-based therapy may provide a novel approach to transplant tolerance. Ongoing research into our understanding of the mechanisms whereby DCs promote tolerance in the steady-state, together with development of biologi-cally, pharmacologically and genetically manipulated ex vivo DCs to mimic/enhance their natural tolerogenicity, should warrant the success of these experimental DCs in establishing long-term allograft survival.
Original Article
Hossein Asgarian Omran; Mahdi Shabani; Tahereh Shahrestani; Abdolfattah Sarafnejad; Jalal Khoshnoodi; Parvaneh Vossough; Mohammad Faranoush; Ramzan A. Sharifian; Mahmood Jeddi-Tehrani; Hodjatallah Rabbani; Fazel Shokri
Volume 4, Issue 1 , March 2007, Pages 15-25
Abstract
Background: Immunophenotypic characterization of the leukemic cells has been widely used as a tool for diagnosis, classification, stratification and prognosis of leukaemia. Objective: To investigate the immunophenotypic subtype profiles of Iranian patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and ...
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Background: Immunophenotypic characterization of the leukemic cells has been widely used as a tool for diagnosis, classification, stratification and prognosis of leukaemia. Objective: To investigate the immunophenotypic subtype profiles of Iranian patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and its association to disease outcome. Methods: In this study, a total of 60 Iranian patients with ALL were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry using a panel of monoclonal antibodies specific for CD2, CD3, CD5, CD10, CD13, CD14, CD19, CD20, CD33, CD34, CD45, HLA-DR and TdT molecules. Results: The samples were initially categorized into T-ALL (n=9), B-ALL (n=50) and mixed lineage (n=1) based on the expression patterns of CD3 and CD19 molecules. B-ALL patients could further be classified into four subtypes, including Pro-B (n=7, 11.7%), Pre-B I (n=28, 46.7%), Pre-B II (n=13, 21.7%) and immature/mature B cells (n=2, 3.3%) on the basis of expression of CD10, CD19, CD20, HLA-DR and TdT. Clinical manifestations and laboratory findings of the patients did not reveal association with immunophenotypic sub-types of ALL, with the exception of mediastinal mass and WBC count at the time of diag-nosis which were found to be significantly higher in patients with T-ALL compared with B-ALL (p=0.001 and 0.014), respectively. Conclusion: Our results indicate that overall the immunophenotypic profile of Iranian ALL patients is similar to previous reports and it might be used for monitoring of minimal residual disease and prognosis.
Original Article
Zahra Amirghofran; Abbas Azadmehr; Katayoun Javidnia
Volume 4, Issue 1 , March 2007, Pages 26-31
Abstract
Background: Plant extracts have been widely investigated for possible immunomodu-latory properties. Objective: To study the immunomodulatory functions of the metha-nol extract of Haussknechtia elymatica (Apioideae), an herb native to south-western Iran. Methods: Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin ...
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Background: Plant extracts have been widely investigated for possible immunomodu-latory properties. Objective: To study the immunomodulatory functions of the metha-nol extract of Haussknechtia elymatica (Apioideae), an herb native to south-western Iran. Methods: Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin test and measurement of an-tibody titer after immunization with Sheep-RBC was performed. [3H]-thymidine incor-poration assay on the human lymphocytes stimulated with PHA and determination of IL-2 production using ELISA method was carried out. Results: Treatment of mice with increasing concentrations of the extract decreased the footpad thickness indicating a dose-related inhibitory effect of H. elymatica on delayed hypersensitivity. The mean antibody titers for all concentrations of the extract at primary and secondary responses were significantly less than the control. Addition of the extract to the culture of human peripheral blood lymphocytes in the presence of mitogen decreased cell proliferation dose-dependently. A dose related decrease in production of IL-2 in extract-treated cells was also observed. Conclusion: The decline of antibody titer and DTH response indi-cates that H. elymatica, by acting on the lymphocyte proliferation and IL-2 secretion, inhibits both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses.
Original Article
Hedieh Matloubi; Mohammad Vodjgani; Abbass Ali Nasehi; Mohammad Hossein Niknam; Anoushirvan Kazemnejad; Eisa Salehi; Tahereh Aboufazeli; Zahra Gheflati
Volume 4, Issue 1 , March 2007, Pages 32-37
Abstract
Background: Apart from genetic and environmental factors, activation of autoreactive mechanisms has been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. In re-cent years, considerable work has been carried out to understand the role and contribution of the immune system in this disease. ...
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Background: Apart from genetic and environmental factors, activation of autoreactive mechanisms has been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. In re-cent years, considerable work has been carried out to understand the role and contribution of the immune system in this disease. Objective: To investigate the T cell response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and determine the serum levels of anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), anti-cytoplasmic antibody (ACA), and circulating immune complexes (CIC) in schizophrenic patients. Methods: A total of 30 drug-free schizophrenic patients and 42 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. T cell proliferation in response to PHA was measured using Methyl Thiazol Tetrazolium test. ANA and ACA were measured by indi-rect immunofluorescence. CIC concentration was determined using poly ethylene glycol precipitation assay. Results: Mean PHA response was 1.96 ± 0.83 in patients and 3.72±1.39 in healthy controls (p < 0.001). ANA and CIC concentrations were not signifi-cantly different between two groups. In addition, ACA was detected only in patients. Conclusion: Increased production of ACA together with lower T cell response to mito-gens in our patients provides evidence for the involvement of autoimmune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
Original Article
Reza Farid Hosseini; Farahzad Jabbari Azad; Ali Talaee; Sara Miri; Naghme Mokhber; Farhad Farid Hosseini; Habibollah Esmaeili; Mahmoud Mahmoudi; Hoshang Rafatpanah; Mohammadreza Mohammadi
Volume 4, Issue 1 , March 2007, Pages 38-43
Abstract
Background: Major Depression Disorder (MDD) is a common disorder with preva-lence of 15% among men and up to 25% among women. In recent years the association of immune system alterations and MDD has been investigated. Assessments of immu-nologic and inflammatory responses in these patients enhance our ...
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Background: Major Depression Disorder (MDD) is a common disorder with preva-lence of 15% among men and up to 25% among women. In recent years the association of immune system alterations and MDD has been investigated. Assessments of immu-nologic and inflammatory responses in these patients enhance our knowledge of the eti-ology and pathogenesis of this disease. Objective: To investigate the changes in immu-noglobulin and cytokine serum levels and lymphocyte subsets in patients with MDD. Methods: We studied 37 adult patients with MDD, diagnosed based on DSM-IV diag-nostic criteria, and 15 healthy controls matched with the patients. Plasma concentration of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10, TNF α, and IFN γ were measured by ELISA and serum immunoglobulins by SRID. Total number of NK cells (CD16 and CD56), B cells (CD19), and T cells (CD8, CD4, and CD3) were determined by flow cytometry. Results: We found no significant differences in plasma concentration of IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and immunoglobulins as well as total number of NK cells, B cells, and T cells between major depressed patients and healthy control subjects. Conclusion: We conclude that in our patients, there were no significant differences in immune system ac-tivity between MDD patients and controls.
Original Article
Ganiyu Arinola; Chris Ezeh
Volume 4, Issue 1 , March 2007, Pages 44-49
Abstract
Background: Sickle cell disease (HbSS) is a major health problem in Nigeria and ma-laria has been implicated as a leading cause of morbidity/mortality in sickle cell disease patients. Few reasons were put forward to explain the observed morbidity/mortality of HbSS subjects due to Plasmodium falciparum ...
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Background: Sickle cell disease (HbSS) is a major health problem in Nigeria and ma-laria has been implicated as a leading cause of morbidity/mortality in sickle cell disease patients. Few reasons were put forward to explain the observed morbidity/mortality of HbSS subjects due to Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria. Objectives: To determine the level of immunoglobulin classes (IgM, IgA, and IgG) and regulators of complement system (C1 inhibitor and C3 activator) in Nigerian HbSS patients with and without P. falciparum parasitemia. Methods: A total of 64 subjects were considered, including 10 HbSS genotypic subjects with P. falciparum parasitemia (HbSS+PfM), 18 HbAA genotypic subjects with P. falciparum parasitemia (HbAA+PfM), 20 HbSS without P. falciparum parasitemia (HbSS-PfM), and 16 HbAA genotypic subjects with-out P. falciparum parasitemia (HbAA-PfM). IgM, IgA, IgG, C1 inhibitor, and C3 acti-vator titers were quantified by single radial immunodiffusion method. Results: The mean levels of IgG in HbSS+PfM (2373.90±1772.81mg/dl) and HbAA+PfM (1868.80±0.00mg/dl) were significantly higher compared with HbSS-PfM (644.55±171.15mg/dl) or HbAA-PfM (659.75±158.01mg/dl) patients. HbAA-PfM sub-jects had the lowest level of IgM (67.27±63.7mg/dl), though no significant difference was observed comparing mean levels of IgM between the four groups. IgA titer was significantly higher in HbSS-PfM patients (249.00±94.8mg/dl) compared with HbAA-PfM (p<0.05), HbAA+PfM (p<0.05), or HbSS+PfM (p<0.05). The mean values of C1 inhibitor were lower in HbSS+PfM and HbAA+PfM compared with HbSS-PfM or HbAA-PfM. However, HbAA+PfM had a significantly lower value of C1 inhibitor compared with HbAA-PfM (p<0.01). C3 activator was highest in HbSS-PfM (17.10±7.35mg/dl) and was significantly higher compared with HbSS+PfM (p<0.05). Conclusion: Increased C1 inhibitor and decreased C3 activator in HbSS+PfM com-pared with HbAA+PfM shows that deranged regulation of complement factors may be responsible for increased susceptibility of HbSS to P. falciparum malaria.
Original Article
Mandana Mohyeddin Bonab; Sepideh Yazdanbakhsh; Jamshid Lotfi; Kamran Alimoghaddom; Fatemeh Talebian; Farnaz Hooshmand; Ardeshir Ghavamzadeh; Behrouz Nikbin
Volume 4, Issue 1 , March 2007, Pages 50-57
Abstract
Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with their potential to differentiate into mesodermal and non-mesodermal lineages have several immunomodulatory characteris-tics. These properties make them promising tools in cell and gene therapy. Objective: To evaluate the potential therapeutic applications ...
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Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with their potential to differentiate into mesodermal and non-mesodermal lineages have several immunomodulatory characteris-tics. These properties make them promising tools in cell and gene therapy. Objective: To evaluate the potential therapeutic applications of autologous MSC in improving clinical manifestations of MS patients. Methods: Ten patients were included in this pi-lot study. All had progressive disease that had not responded to disease modifying agents including Mitoxantrone. Their Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score ranged from 3.5 to 6. Patients were injected intrathecally with culture expanded MSCs. They were followed with monthly neurological assessment and a MRI scan at the end of the first year. Results: During 13 to 26 months of follow up (mean: 19 months), the EDSS of one patient improved from 5 to 2.5 score. Four patients showed no change in EDSS. Five patients’ EDSS increased from 0.5 to 2.5. In the functional system assess-ment, six patients showed some degree of improvement in their sensory, pyramidal, and cerebellar functions. One showed no difference in clinical assessment and three deterio-rated. The result of MRI assessment after 12 months was as following: seven patients with no difference, two showed an extra plaque, and one patient showed decrease in the number of plaques. Conclusion: This preliminary report emphasizes on the feasibility of autologous MSC for treatment of MS patients. However, in order to draw a definitive conclusion a larger sample size is required.
Letter To The Editor
Viroj Wiwanitkit
Volume 4, Issue 1 , March 2007, Pages 58-60
