Review Article
Roya Payam Khaja Pasha; Fazel Shokri
Volume 5, Issue 4 , December 2008, Pages 189-200
Abstract
RhD antigen is the most immunogenic and clinically significant antigen of red blood cells after ABO system. It has historically been associated with hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) which is now routinely prevented by the administration of polyclonal anti-D immunoglobulin. This management of HDN ...
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RhD antigen is the most immunogenic and clinically significant antigen of red blood cells after ABO system. It has historically been associated with hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) which is now routinely prevented by the administration of polyclonal anti-D immunoglobulin. This management of HDN has proven to be one of the most successful cases of prophylactic treatment based on antibody mediated immune sup-pression (AMIS). Despite the increasing efficiency of treatment, the mechanism of ac-tion of anti-D is not completely defined. There is a widespread interest in obtaining a reliable therapeutic monoclonal anti-D, due to difficulty of maintaining a pool of high titer volunteer donors for plasma collection and also increasing demand for antenatal prophylaxis and safety issues with plasma derived products. Candidate monoclonal anti-D preparations should demonstrate appropriate functionality in both in vitro and in vivo assays comparable to polyclonal anti-D immunoglobulin. These criteria are reviewed in addition to the factors regulating development of D specific immune response in D negative individuals and its suppression in HDN prophylaxis.
Original Article
Mir Davood Omrani; Mohammad Reza Mokhtari; Ali Tagizadae; Morteza Bagheri; Pedram Ahmad-Poor
Volume 5, Issue 4 , December 2008, Pages 201-206
Abstract
Background: Despite advances in the medical care of renal transplant recipients which have led to an improvement in allograft survival, renal allograft rejection is still a major ob-stacle to successful organ transplantation. Understanding the mechanisms contributing to allograft rejection will be of ...
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Background: Despite advances in the medical care of renal transplant recipients which have led to an improvement in allograft survival, renal allograft rejection is still a major ob-stacle to successful organ transplantation. Understanding the mechanisms contributing to allograft rejection will be of great importance for the development of efficient antirejection strategies. Objective: The aim of current investigation was to study the impact of polymor-phisms of CCR5Δ32, CCR5- 59029 A/G and CCR2-V64I on renal allograft survival. Methods: Using PCR and PCR-RFLP methods in 84 renal transplant recipients, the influ-ence of CCR5Δ32, CCR5- 59029 A/G and CCR2-V64I polymorphisms on renal allograft survival in two rejector and non-rejector groups were examined. Rejector group was de-fined as having rejection before 1 year and non-rejector group had stable graft function at least for 5 years. Results: Significant reductions were found in the risk of renal transplant rejection in recipients possessing the CCR2-64I (A) allele (p=0.03) or 59029-A allele (p=0.03) compared to non-rejector group. There were no significant differences in the fre-quency of CCR5Δ32 polymorphism in rejector group compared to non-rejector group (p>0.05). Conclusion: It was possible to conclude that the chemokine receptors CCR2-V64I (A) and CCR5- 59029 A alleles may influence renal allograft survival.
Original Article
Roghayeh Rahimi; Ahmad Zavaran Hosseini; Fatemeh Yari
Volume 5, Issue 4 , December 2008, Pages 207-211
Abstract
Background: HLA-G gene contains 15 alleles including a null allele, HLA-G*0105N. Previous studies have shown that HLA-G*0105N does not encode the complete HLA-G1 or HLA-G5 isoforms but encodes a functional HLA-G protein with the ability to in-hibit NK cell cytolysis. Thus, although the biological functions ...
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Background: HLA-G gene contains 15 alleles including a null allele, HLA-G*0105N. Previous studies have shown that HLA-G*0105N does not encode the complete HLA-G1 or HLA-G5 isoforms but encodes a functional HLA-G protein with the ability to in-hibit NK cell cytolysis. Thus, although the biological functions of HLA-G1 and HLA-G5 proteins are abrogated, other isoforms such as HLA-G2 can replace their roles. Stud-ies on the null allele of HLA-G gene could be useful in understanding the genetic vari-ants of HLA-G alleles in ethnic groups. Objective: The goal of this research was to de-termine the frequency of HLA-G*0105N null allele in Iranian healthy subjects. Meth-ods: The frequency of HLA-G*0105N null allele was evaluated in Iranian healthy sub-jects by PCR-RFLP method. Genomic DNA was isolated from the whole blood of 100 randomly selected, healthy, unrelated Iranian individuals using salting-out technique followed by PCR amplification of the exon 3 of HLA-G gene. PCR products were di-gested with PpUM-1 and the resulted fragments were analyzed using gel electrophore-sis. Results: In this study the restriction enzyme digestion confirmed homozygous HLA-G*0105N null allele for 9 % of the population. Furthermore obtained results indi-cated that the total frequency of HLA-G*0105N null allele was 20 % in the studied population of Iran. Conclusion: The final data analysis showed that the total frequency of this allele in Iranian people was higher than other ethnic groups that have been stud-ied so far.
Original Article
Mohammad Mahdi Sagheb; Mandana Goodarzi; Jamshid Roozbeh
Volume 5, Issue 4 , December 2008, Pages 212-216
Abstract
Background: The risk of developing tuberculosis is high among chronic hemodialysis patients. The tuberculin skin test (TST) has been in use for diagnosing latent TB, but few data are available on TST in hemodialysis patients. Objective: This study was done to identify the TST reactivity and frequency ...
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Background: The risk of developing tuberculosis is high among chronic hemodialysis patients. The tuberculin skin test (TST) has been in use for diagnosing latent TB, but few data are available on TST in hemodialysis patients. Objective: This study was done to identify the TST reactivity and frequency of booster effect in serial TST among hemodialysis patients. Methods: A total of 100 patients in three hemodialysis centers were prospectively tested. Patients with less than 10mm indurations were given addi-tional TST one and four weeks later to determine the frequency of booster effect. Results: The cumulative prevalence of a positive TST was 7 % for the first test and 16 % for the third test. There was a weak, but significant correlation between TST positiv-ity, serum albumin level, urea reduction ratio and KT/V (p<0.05). There was no influ-ence of age, gender, hemodialysis duration and primary renal disease. Conclusion: This study showed that the TST reactivity and booster effect among our hemodialysis pa-tients in Iran are lower than in other societies. Inadequate hemodialysis and poor nutri-tion may contribute to the lower tuberculin skin test reactivity in our hemodialysis pa-tients.
Original Article
Ali Bagherian; Abdullah Jafarzadeh; Mohsen Rezaeian; Shima Ahmadi; Mohammad Taghi Rezaity
Volume 5, Issue 4 , December 2008, Pages 217-221
Abstract
Background: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is one of the most common chronic child-hood diseases. In spite of the global decrease in dental caries in the past decades, ECC has become a significant problem in many developing countries and also in a few indus-trialized nations. Saliva as a host factor can ...
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Background: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is one of the most common chronic child-hood diseases. In spite of the global decrease in dental caries in the past decades, ECC has become a significant problem in many developing countries and also in a few indus-trialized nations. Saliva as a host factor can play an important role in the process of den-tal caries. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare sIgA and IgG as saliva components between ECC and caries-free groups. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, samples of unstimulated saliva of 90 children (45 in ECC group & 45 in caries-free group) were taken with Scully method. Then the concentration levels of sIgA and IgG were measured with Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Single Radial Im-munodiffusion methods. Results: Mean concentration levels of salivary sIgA and IgG were significantly higher among children with ECC (p<0.05). There was also a weak inverse correlation between sIgA level and DMFT index in ECC group but it was not statistically significant (p=0.056). Conclusion: The high concentration of salivary im-munoglobulin in children with ECC may be associated with an increased antigenic load, leading to high production of antibodies.
Case Report
Abdulrahman Al Rashidi; Atef Ali Marey; Mohammad Osama Hegazi
Volume 5, Issue 4 , December 2008, Pages 222-225
Letter To The Editor
Borros Arneth
Volume 5, Issue 4 , December 2008, Pages 226-228