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The protective impacts of physical activity against inflammatory and oxidative stress conditions have been demonstrated. In this study, the impacts of moderate-intensity exercise on oxidative stress-associated factors and proinflammatory cytokines levels as well as the count of white blood cells (WBC) were assessed in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-triggered model of inflammation. Wistar rats were randomized into these groups (8 rats in each): (1) control; (2) LPS; (3) moderate exercise (EX); and (4) moderate exercise + LPS (EX+LPS). Exercise groups were trained for 8 weeks (30 min, 6 days/week) at 15 m/min speed. During the final week of the experiment, 1 mg/kg/day of intraperitoneal LPS was administered for 5 days. On day 56, from the rats' hearts, peripheral blood was taken for biochemical evaluation. LPS enhanced serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)- 1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), metabolites of nitric oxide, and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as the counts of total WBC, monocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils, but decreased serum levels of thiol as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity versus the control rats. Moderate exercise reduced the levels of thiol, CAT, and SOD, but increased TNF-α level, and total WBC, neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes counts versus the control group. In the EX+LPS group, moderate exercise decreased cell counts and diminished MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β, and CRP levels, while increasing thiol level, CAT, and SOD versus the LPS group. In our study, exercise preconditioning reduced inflammation induced by LPS by ameliorating inflammatory cytokine levels, WBC counts, and oxidative damage, while improving antioxidant defenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophrenia is one of the most severely debilitating mental disorders that affects 1.1% of the world's population. The exact cause of the disease is not known, but genetics, environmental factors (such as infectious agents, season and region of birth, exposure to viruses, low birth weight, advanced paternal age, and tobacco), and immune system dysfunction can all contribute to the development of schizophrenia. Recently, the role of the immune system in schizophrenia has received much attention. Both acquired and innate immune systems are involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and facilitate the disease's progression. Almost all cells of the immune system including microglia, B cells, and T cells play an important role in the blood-brain barrier damage, inflammation, and in the progression of this disease. In schizophrenia, the integrity of the blood-brain barrier is reduced and then the immune cells are recruited into the endothelium following an increase in the expression of cell adhesion molecules. The entry of immune cells and cytokines leads to inflammation and antibody production in the brain. Accordingly, the results of this study strengthen the hypothesis that the innate and acquired immune systems are involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High production of lactic acid is a common feature of various tumors. Lactic acid is an immunosuppressive molecule with crucial roles in tumor cells' immune escape, which could largely be attributed to its negative effects on the T cells present in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Strategies that decrease the glycolysis rate of tumor cells could enhance immunosurveillance and limit tumor growth. Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is a key enzyme in the glycolysis pathway, and it plays a vital role in lactic acid buildup in the TME. MicroRNA (miR)-124 has been shown to be able to decrease tumor cell lactic acid synthesis indirectly by reducing PKM2 levels. In this study, we first overexpressed miR-124 in the tumor cells and evaluated its effects on the PKM2 expression and lactic acid production of the tumor cells using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and spectrophotometry, respectively. Then, we cocultured miR-124–treated tumor cells with T cells to investigate the effects of miR-124 overexpression on T cell proliferation, cytokine production, and apoptosis. Our results demonstrated that miR-124 overexpression could significantly reduce the amount of lactic acid produced by tumor cells by manipulating their glucose metabolism, which led to the augmented proliferation and IFN-γ production of T cells. Moreover, it rescued T cells from lactic acid-induced apoptosis. Our data suggest that lactic acid is a hindering factor for T-cell–based immunotherapies; however, manipulating tumor cells' metabolism via miR-124 could be a promising way to improve antitumor responses of T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meniere's disease (MD) is known as a rare chronic disorder of the inner ear with elevated serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, Interleukin (IL)-1, and IL-6. This study aims to evaluate genes polymorphism in some pro-inflammatory cytokines in a group of Iranian MD patients compared to the healthy controls. In this case-control study, 25 MD patients and 139 healthy controls were enrolled. DNA was extracted from blood samples, and single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected using polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers assay. MD patients and controls were examined in terms of allele, genotype, and haplotype frequency of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes. Only the frequencies of alleles A/G at position -238 in the promoter of the TNF-α gene differed significantly between MD patients and healthy controls. G to A allele ratio was 23 and 3.6 in MD and controls, respectively. In individuals with MD, genotype GG was found to be significantly more prevalent at position -238 of the TNF-α gene promoter sequence. In addition, the heterozygote AG variant of -238 A/G TNF-α gene polymorphism was lower in MD patients than controls. Compared to the control group, the haplotype TNF- (-308, -238) AG was higher in MD patients, although not statistically significant. This is the first study that we know of that evaluates the frequencies of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes in an Iranian MD sample. This study shows the association between TNF-α and susceptibility to MD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune reconstitution after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with a conditioning regimen has appeared to be a promising treatment for autoimmune diseases and hematologic malignancies. This study aimed to assess the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire diversity in CD4+ cells of patients with hematological malignancies who received allogeneic or autologous HSCT. The diversity of the TCR repertoire was evaluated in 13 patients with hematologic malignancies before and four months after HSCT. Amino acid changes in the 25 Vβ families were evaluated using Spectratyping and data were presented as Hamming distance (HD). HD more than 20% was considered a change in TCR repertoire after HSCT. The mean HD was significantly changed after transplantation in all Vβ gene families, with most amino acid changes in p4 and p22 families. There was a strong negative correlation between the HD as the index of TCR repertoire and age (r = -0.62,). The results revealed no association between HD mean and parameters such as sex, disease, conditioning regimen, and type of transplantation. Our data revealed that commonly used conditioning regimens in Iran could successfully cause TCR repertoire diversity in patients with hematologic malignancies in the short term. The amount of change in TCR repertoire was inversely correlated with the increasing age of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a debilitating mental disorder with various causes involving complex interactions between genetic factors and environmental agents. The immune system plays a vital role in the pathology and function of the nervous system. Interleukin 35 (IL-35) is a regulatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine that can prevent autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to investigate the role of autoantibodies against some central nervous system (CNS) antigens and IL-35 serum levels in patients with Schizophrenia. This case-control study involved 80 participants. The serum levels of IL-35 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the autoantibodies in the CNS by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The serum levels of IL-35 were decreased in patient groups compared to healthy subjects. Autoantibodies against N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) were positive in 15% (6/40) and 7.5% (3/40), respectively; however, no antibodies against myelin, aquaporin-4 (AQP4), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPAR), γ-butyric acid receptor type B1 γ-butyric acid receptor type B1 (GABABR), antidipeptidyl peptidase-like protein-6 (DPPX), immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecule 5 (IgLON5), Glycine receptor (R) and acetylcholine receptor (Ach R) were detected (No statistics were computed).  We found that decreased serum IL-35 levels and the existence autoantibodies against NMDAR antigen may contribute to the pathogenesis of SCZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutropenia congenita grave (SCN) is a rare disease with a genetically and clinically heterogeneous nature, usually diagnosed in childhood, with an elevated risk of infections such as otitis, skin infections, pneumonia, deep abscesses, and septicemia. Patients with SCN also have an increased risk of leukemia, and mutations in the ELANE and the HAX1 genes have been observed in those patients. This study was conducted to genetically screen six Iranian families with SCN who have at least one affected person. In the first step, all exons and intron boundaries of ELANE and HAX1 genes were sequenced in probands. Cases with no pathogenic mutations were tested through whole-exome sequencing (WES). Analysis showed five different variants in ELANE (c.377 C>T), HAX1 (c.130_131 insA), HYOU1 (c.69 G>C and c.2744 G>A) and SHOC2 (c.4 A>G) genes in four families. We found that two out of six families had mutations in ELANE and HAX1 genes. Moreover, we found two novel mutations at the HYOU1 gene that had not previously been reported, as well as a pathogenic mutation at SHOC2 with multiple phenotypes, that will contribute to determining the genetic basis for SCN. Our study revealed that WES could help diagnose SCN, improve the classification of neutropenia, and rule out other immunodeficiencies such as autoimmune neutropenia, primary immunodeficiency diseases, and inherited bone marrow failure syndromes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the increasing prevalence and burden of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease and false-negative results in routine reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) tests, additional diagnostic methods are needed to diagnose active cases of this disease. This prospective study was conducted on patients, in whom clinical and radiological symptoms/signs were in favor of COVID-19 while their first PCR test was negative. Later on, a second RT-PCR was performed and serological evaluation was carried out and results were compared with each other. Out of 707 patients who had been referred to the hospital and were clinically and radiologically suspicious of disease, 137 patients with negative RT-PCR tests entered the study. RT-PCR assay became positive for the second time in 45 (32.8%). Anti-COVID-19 IgM and IgG antibodies were positive in 83 (60.6%) and 86 (62.8%) patients, respectively. Finally, it was determined that serological test was diagnostic in 73% of patients and the diagnostic yield of serology was significantly higher after the first week of illness (54.8% in the first week and 88% after that). Taking advantage of both serological tests and RT-PCR helps in diagnosing 83.9% of cases. Based on the present study, the serology may be useful as a complementary test and in parallel to RT-PCR assay for diagnosis of COVID-19 among admitted symptomatic cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) have been introduced in recent years as a key player in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the exact mechanisms of their transformation and intracellular pathways have not yet been determined. This study aimed to investigate the role of fibroblast activation protein-alpha (FAP-α) in the regulation of genes involved in the transformation and pathogenic activity of RA FLSs. Synovial FLSs were isolated from RA patients and non-arthritic individuals (n=10 in both groups) and characterized; using immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry analysis. FLSs were divided into un-treated and Talabostat-treated groups to evaluate the FAP-α effect on the selected genes involved in cell cycle regulation (p21, p53, CCND1), apoptosis (Bcl-2, PUMA), and inflammatory and destructive behavior of FLSs (IL-6, TGF-β1, MMP-2, MMP-9, P2RX7). Gene expression analysis was performed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and immunoblotting was carried out to evaluate FAP-α protein levels. The basal level of FAP-α protein in RA patients was significantly higher than non-arthritic control individuals. However, no differences were observed between RA and non-arthritic FLSs, at the baseline mRNA levels of all the genes. Talabostat treatment significantly reduced FAP-α protein levels in both RA and non-arthritic FLSs, however, had no effect on mRNA expressions except an upregulated TGF-β1 expression in non-arthritic FLSs. A significantly higher protein level of FAP-α in FLSs of RA patients compared with that of healthy individuals may point to the pathogenic role of this protein in RA FLSs. However, more investigations are necessary to address the mechanisms mediating the FAP-α pathogenic role in RA FLSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exact mechanisms of Adenoid hypertrophy (AHT) pathogenesis and otitis media with effusion (OME) are unclear but there is increasing evidence that allergies may play a role. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of atopy and the effect of anti-allergic drugs in patients with AHT and OME. In a non-randomized, prospective cross-sectional study, 122 patients younger than 18 years of age with AHT or OME were included. Atopic patients based on clinical symptoms of allergic disorders and/or elevated levels of total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) were referred to allergists and tested for allergen sensitization by skin prick test (SPT). Atopic patients were treated with nasal corticosteroids and antihistamines. Response to treatment was evaluated by comparing symptoms score before and after the treatment. In this study 122 patients were evaluated, 116 of them had AHT and 30 patients had OME. The mean age of participants was 6.7±2.4 years old and 68 of them (55.7%) were male. Allergic symptoms were observed in 38 patients with AHT (32.7%) and nine patients with OME (30%). Among the total cases, 34 patients (28%) were considered atopic. SPT was performed on 25 (73%) cases of atopic patients, with 11 (44%) positive results. The mean symptom score of AHT and OME decreased significantly after treatment respectively, (p=0.001, p=0.007). According to this study, atopy was relatively common in patients with AHT and OME. Treatment with nasal corticosteroid and antihistamines were effective in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease of beta cells in the islets of Langerhans, which are responsible for making insulin. Even with insulin therapy, inflammatory complications will develop in the long term. The present study examines changes in serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a, interferon (IFN)-?, C-peptide, Insulin as well as fasting blood sugar (FBS) in control, diabetic and diabetic treated with curcumin groups. Thirty inbred C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups of 10 mice: group A consisted of healthy mice receiving citrate buffer, group B included a group of diabetic mice, and group C was a group of diabetic mice treated with curcumin. The cytokine levels were measured in the supernatant of stimulated splenocytes using enzyme -linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Radioimmunoassay was used to measure insulin and c-peptide levels. The FBS was measured by an automatic glucometer device. The levels of IL-6, IL-17, and IFN-?, as well as FBS, was significantly decreased in the treated group with curcumin compared to the diabetic group mice (p<0.05). TNF-a levels were also low, but the difference was not significant. IL-10, plasma C-peptide, and insulin significantly increased in the supernatant of stimulated splenocytes of treated diabetic group than in the diabetic group (p<0/05). According to the results, this study supports the anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin; however, more studies are needed to investigate theeffects of curcumin and the dose-response relationship in this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that toll-like receptors (TLRs) play some important roles in reproductive processes such as ovulation, spermatogenesis, sperm capacitation, fertilization, and pregnancy to the best of our knowledge, no study has evaluated the expression and role of these molecules and their impairment in spermatozoa; accompanied by pregnancy complications such as recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Therefore, this study investigates the alteration of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and tolllike receptor 4 (TLR4) expression in spermatozoa in men whose spouse have unexplained RSA. Fifteen fertile couples and fifteen couples with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) were included in this study. The level of TLR2 and TLR4 expression in untreated and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or PAM3CYS in treated spermatozoa were examined by flow cytometry. The results showed reduced expression of TLR4 in untreated spermatozoa and decreased LPS or PAM3CYS levels in treated spermatozoa in the URSA group compared to the control group. No significant differences were found in TLR2 expression of untreated spermatozoa in RSA and control groups. After the treatment of spermatozoa with LPS, the TLR2 expression was decreased in both groups. After the treatment of spermatozoa with PAM3CYS, the level of TLR2 expression was significantly increased in the URSA group; while no significant differences were shown in the control group in comparison to untreated spermatozoa. We have concluded that decreased TLR4 expression and a differently increased TLR2 expression in response to ligand treatment in spermatozoa is associated with URSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenesis of Bipolar I Disorder (BP-I) involves immune-mediated mechanisms, especially an imbalance in pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines in plasma or cerebrospinal fluid. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) gene cluster, coding some of these pro-inflammatory cytokines, might play a role in various neuropathologies related to neuron inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible role of IL-1 gene cluster polymorphisms in determining the susceptibility to BP-I in Iranian population. 48 patients with BP-I in Mashhad (in north-eastern Iran), diagnosed by two psychiatrists using SCID (structured clinical interview for DSM disorders) were selected through convenient sampling and were compared with 47 healthy controls, voluntarily enrolled in the study. Patients with non-Persian ethnicity, history of immunoallergic disorders, endocrinopathies, neurologic disorders, and substance-induced mood disorders were excluded from both case and control groups. Genotyping of IL-1 gene cluster polymorphisms, including IL-1a-889, IL-1b +3954, IL-1b-511, and IL-1RN (VNTR) were carried out using Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and compared by SPSS using Fisher's exact and chi-square tests. The frequency of IL-1b-511 CC genotype and C/T allelic frequency were significantly different between BMD patients and healthy controls (p=0.04 and p=0.02, respectively). Among patients, -511 T allele was significantly more frequent in those with a positive history of major depression. Moreover, +3954 T allele was significantly more frequent in early onset BMD patients. The results suggest a positive association between IL-1 gene cluster variation and BP-I. This polymorphism may contribute to genetic vulnerability through its possible role in neuron inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (SCID) is a life-threatening condition leading to early infant death as a result of severe infection, due to impaired cellular and humoral immune systems. Various forms of SCID are classified based on the presence or absence of T cells, B cells and natural killer cells. Patients usually present with recurrent infections and failure to thrive. Definitive treatment is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. To achieve the best outcome, it should be performed prior to the development of severe infection. In This study, we described 10 patients (6 male and 4 female) with SCID who were admitted to Mofid Children Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from 2006 to 2013. We reviewed patients' clinical manifestation, laboratory data, family history and outcome. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 131.8 days. One patient had non-consanguineous parents. Seven patients received BCG vaccine before the diagnosis of SCID, three of them showed disseminated BCG infection. One patient presented with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Flow cytometric analysis showed T⁻B⁺NK⁻ in three patients, T⁻B⁻NK⁺ in five patients, T⁻B⁻NK⁻ in one patient, and T⁻B⁺NK⁺ in one patient. This study highlights the importance of early diagnosis and patient referral before the occurrence of serious infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most common clinical primary antibody deficiency, characterized by increased susceptibility to recurrent bacterial infections. Since Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the maturation and differentiation of B-cells, TLRs' defect can be involved in the pathogenesis of CVID. Therefore, we evaluated the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 and their signaling pathway; also their association with autoimmunity, B-cell subtypes and response to pneumovax-23 were assessed in CVID patients. Sixteen CVID patients were enrolled in the study. Flow cytometry was used for assessing the protein expression of TLR2 and TLR4, and real-time PCR was used for gene expression of myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) and toll interacting protein (Tollip). We found a higher protein expression of TLR2 in CVID patients which was associated with lower number of end stage B-cells and hyporesponse to pneumovax-23 vaccination. We showed a lower mRNA expression of MyD88 and an almost equal Tollip mRNA expression in CVID patients compared with controls. There was a profound association between MyD88 gene expression and autoimmunity in CVID patients. According to the presence of the lower number of end stage B-cells and poor vaccine response in CVID patients and their correlation with the higher expression of TLR2, we hypothesized that there is a functional defect in this receptor and/or its downstream in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of CVID patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important components of the immune system that modulate responses of other cells. These cells are involved in peripheral tolerance mechanisms, so defect in development and function of these cells can result in autoimmune disease. Increasing evidence supports the role of microRNAs-21 (miR-21) in the regulation of forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) expression in Tregs. We aimed to determine whether miR-21 transfection to naive CD4+ T cells can be useful in generation of iTregs in-vitro. We investigated in-vitro differentiation of miR-21-transfected naive CD4+ T cells to iTregs and compared these iTregs to cytokine-differentiated iTregs and control group. We showed that expression of Foxp3, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) are increased in iTregs generated after miR-21 transfection in comparison with cytokine-differentiated iTregs and control group. Our findings demonstrate that miR-21 has positive role in in-vitro generation of induced regulatory T-cells (iTregs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inhibition of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-xB) production are research targets of attract in the field of antiinflammatory drug development. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of novel thiazolidinone derivatives using a cellular model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine macrophage RAW 264.7. In the present study, five new derivatives (A to E) of thiazolidinone were synthesized and screened for anti-inflammatory activities. Cell viability of LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages clearly decreased in>55 μg/mL of synthesized A-E compounds especially in the presence of C; therefore, up to 50 μg/mL of compounds were selected for the subsequent analysis. A majority of these compounds showed significant inhibition on the production of NO in LPS-stimulated macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. Compounds B and D (10-50 μg/mL) significantly inhibited LPSinduced NF-xB (p65) production in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of B and D on iNOS and COX-2 mRNA and protein expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells were detected by real time-PCR and western blot. B derivative significantly suppressed the iNOS and COX-2 mRNA level and as well as protein expression. Taken together, these results reveal that compound B as new thiazolidinone derivative decreased expression of the inflammatory-related signals (NO, iNOS and COX-2) through regulation of NF-xB; hence, this compound could be suggested as a novel therapeutic strategy for inflammation-associated disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of central nervous system. Since different types of immune cells are involved in MS pathogenesis, in this study we aimed to evaluate serum levels of several immunological components including soluble CD4 (sCD4), sCD8, sCD163, and immunoglobulins as markers of activity of T-cells, macrophages, and B-cells in different types of MS. Serum levels of sCD4, sCD8, and sCD163 of patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS, n=61), primary progressive MS (PRMS, n=31), secondary progressive MS (SPMS, n=31), clinical isolated syndrome (CIS, n=31) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO, n=31), and healthy controls (n=49) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum levels of Ig-G, Ig-M, and Ig-A were determined using nephelometric technique. Serum levels of sCD4, sCD8, sCD163, Ig-G, Ig-M, and Ig-A were significantly different in five groups of cases (p<0.05). Furthermore, application of stepwise method of discriminant analysis yielded 4 significant discriminant functions of classification due to the presence of six levels of categorical variables in the analysis. The most important function explained 85.5% of the total variance with the correlation value of 0.79. Taken together, our preliminary analysis suggests that although we found some functions to discriminate most of the patients, further studies will be required to individuate immunological markers characterizing the different type of MS including RRMS, PPMS, SPMS, CIS and NMO as proved by the data on sCD4, sCD163, Ig-M, and Ig-G in blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fumonisins, a family of mycotoxins, are mainly toxic and carcinogenic. The present study was carried out to evaluate fumonisin B1 (FB1) effects on the production of inflammatory cytokines by gastric and colon cell lines. The study was performed on two cell lines under in vitro condition, including gastric epithelial cell line (AGS) and human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (SW742). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used for inflammatory cytokine induction. The culture medium was supplemented with 4.5-72 mg/l of FB1 for 72 h before cell induction. The supernatants were harvested 24 h after the induction and measured for cytokines by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.FB1 induced a dose-dependent increase in the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β in both AGS and SW742 cell lines. This increase was statistically significant with concentration of FB1 between 9 and 72 mg/l (P < 0.05). FB1 also induced a dose-dependent decrease in interleukin-8 production. This decrease was seen in both cell lines and showed a statistical significance with FB1 concentration (P < 0.05).The results show that FB1 increases inflammatory cytokines production by various gastric and intestinal cells. This effect in the long run can possibly be the basis for the occurrence or development of inflammation and subsequent atrophy in the above-mentioned tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food allergy is a common disorder especially in the first years of life. Strict avoidance of the responsible food is the most effective therapeutic measure so far. But this continuous vigilance could be stressful for the patient and family and decreases their quality of life (QOL). This survey was designed to evaluate the impact of IgE-mediated food allergy on parental QOL in Iranian patients and to develop a valid Persian version of "Food Allergy Quality Of Life- Parental Burden (FAQL-PB) questionnaire". 90 patients (28 females, 62 males) and their parents who were referred to the clinic of Allergy in Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran were enrolled. The questionnaire was translated with scientific method and its reliability was approved in a pilot study (ICC=0.75, cronbach-α=0.90). Among all patients the most common allergens were wheat (60%) and cow's milk (42%). The patient's age (p=0.02), parent's gender (p=0.004), mother's age (p=0.02), duration of the disease (p=0.048), and allergen multiplicity (p=0.004) were found to have the most significant correlation with family and social activity (FSA) domain. The most meaningful associations were achieved between parent's gender (p<0.001) and emotional issues (EM); as well as meal preparation (MP) with patient's age (p=0.02), parent's gender (p<0.0001) and also allergen multiplicity (p= 0.003); likewise nutrition and health concern (NH) domain with parent's gender (p<0.001). Anaphylaxis's history did not place any burden on each domain. It was concluded that presence of food allergic patients in families could considerably affect all domains of QOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is known as the most common chronic disease of the oral cavity, which affects a range of 5-25% of the population. RAS appears to be associated with some human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles and haplotypes. This study attempts to survey the distribution of HLA-DRB and -DQB alleles among Iranian RAS patients and healthy controls. In order to evaluate the association of HLA-DR and DQ alleles and haplotypes, 54 patients with RAS and 100 unrelated healthy subjects as control group were investigated. Our data indicated that DRB1*13:17, DRB1*15:01, and DRB5*01 were significantly more frequent in RAS patients in comparison to controls. However, DRB3:01allele frequency was higher in the controls compared to the patients. The significantly frequent allele in the patients compared with the healthy subjects was HLA-DQB1*03:02. However, both HLA-DQB1*02:01 and HLA-DQB1*03:01 alleles were most frequent in the healthy individuals rather than the patients. The DRB*04/DQB1*03:01 and DRB*01:01/DQB1*02:01 haplotypes were significantly distributed in healthy subjects compared with patients. However, DRB*07:01/DQB1*03:02 haplotype was found to be significantly frequent in patients than controls. In respect of HLA genes, factors are involved in the incidence of RAS; various HLA-DRB and HLA-DQB1 alleles and the related haplotypes are suggested to be the three main RAS susceptibility factors in our population study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have shown that cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) gene variants are associated with several autoimmune diseases particularly type 1 diabetes. Due to the lack of consistent data for this association with type 2 diabetes (T2D), this study explored the possible influence of CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms at -1722 (T/C), -318 (C/T), and +49 (G/A) positions for susceptibility to T2D in relation with neuropathy. One hundred and eleven unrelated patients with T2D [49 patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and 62 patients without PDN] and 100 healthy ethnic- and gender-matched controls were included in this study. The dimorphisms at -1722 (C/T), -318 (C/T) and +49 (A/G) for CTLA-4 gene were determined using ARMS-PCR. The CTLA-4 (+49 G/G) and (+49 A/A) genotypes were found to be positively and negatively associated with T2D, respectively (p=0.03). The -318 C/T and T/T genotypes were more frequent in patients than controls and -318 C/C genotype was shown to be protective for T2D (p=0.003). ACT and GTT Haplotypes were less and more frequent in controls and patients, respectively (p=3.86×10-7 and p=2.29×10-5). Genotypes distribution among T2D patients with and without DPN compared to healthy controls showed significantly lower frequencies for -318 C/C and +49 A/A genotypes and significantly higher frequencies for -318 C/T and T/T genotypes as well. Our findings indicate that CTLA-4 (+49 A/G) and (-318 C/T) genotypes could be considered as genetic risk factors associated with susceptibility or protection for T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with variable phenotypic presentations, while Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is the prototypic acute inflammatory disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a T cell dependent and antibody mediated autoimmune disease. Although it has been shown that complement plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of MS, GBS, and MG, the role of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) as a biomarker of immunopathogensis of these diseases and also its association with the severity of them have been poorly investigated. Therefore, in this study we aimed to measure plasma levels of MBL in patients with MS, GBS, and MG. In a case-control study, plasma was obtained from healthy controls (n=100) and also patients with MS (n=120), GBS (n=30), and MG (n=30). Plasma level measurement of MBL was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mean serum level of MBL was significantly different between groups of patients and healthy controls (p<0.001). We also found a positive correlation between plasma levels of MBL and severity scores of MS, MG, and GBS patients including: expanded disability status scale (EDSS) (r=+0.60 and p=<0.001), quantitative myasthenia gravis score (QMGS) (r=+0.56 and p=0.01), and GBS disability scale (GDS) (r=+0.37 and p=0.04). Taken together, our findings suggest that complement activation mediated by MBL contributes to the pathogenesis and also severity of MS, MG, and GBS. However, because the lectin pathway can be involved in several phases of the immune response, further evidence will be required to elucidate the underlying mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic urticaria is the most common skin disease, characterized by chronic cutaneous lesions which severely debilitates patients in several aspects of their everyday life. Vitamin D is known to exert several actions in the immune system and to influence function and differentiation of mast cells, central role players in the pathogenesis of chronic idiopathic urticaria. This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D levels and susceptibility to chronic idiopathic urticaria. One hundred and fourteen patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria were recruited in this study along with one hundred and eighty seven sex-matched and age-matched healthy volunteers as the control group. For each patient, urticaria activity score was calculated and autologous serum skin test was done. Vitamin D metabolic statue was measured in serum as 25 hydroxyvitamin D using enzyme immunoassay method. Patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria significantly showed lower levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with increased susceptibility to chronic idiopathic urticaria. There was a significant positive correlation between vitamin D levels and urticaria activity score. This study showed that patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria had reduced levels of vitamin D, while vitamin D deficiency could increase susceptibility to chronic idiopathic urticaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic urticaria (CU) also known as chronic idiopathic urticaria results in a lowered quality of life (QoL). Disease specific questionnaires are necessary to assess QoL in CU patients. Chronic Urticaria Quality of Life Questionnaire (CU-Q2oL) is the only available and validated disease specific questionnaire in the assessment of QoL in CU patients originally developed in Italian language. The aim of the current study was to develop the Persian version of the CU-Q2oL with an acceptable reliability and validity. Using the standard methods provided by guidelines, CU-Q2oL was translated into Persian. A total number of 110 patients with confirmed diagnosis of CU were asked to fill the questionnaire. Determination of scales was performed in addition to checking the data for internal consistency and known group validity. Urticaria activity score 7 (UAS-7) was used to assess the severity of the CU in the population study. The 6 dimensional scale of Persian CU-Q2oL was determined using the Exploratory Factor Analysis. About 68% of the variance was explained by these 6 factor structure higher than 59.9% of the original Italian version. All 6 factors showed acceptable internal consistency as measured by Cronbach α coefficient. There was a significant correlation between UAS-7 and total CU-Q2oL score. UAS7 and the presence of angioedema were predictors of CU-Q2oL score. The Persian version of CU-Q2oL was shown to be a valid and reliable tool to be used in the future clinical studies. Cultural considerations must be kept in mind in adoption of CU-Q2oL to other languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asthma is one of the fastest growing syndromes in many countries and is adding a huge cost to the health care system. Increasing reports have linked airway infectious diseases to asthma. Influenza is one of the most serious airway infectious diseases and in recent years there have been some serious influenza virus pandemics which caused increased fatality in numerous different populations. Diverse host response pathways during virus infection have been identified, including different cell death and survival pathways. These pathways include 1) programmed cell death I (apoptosis), 2) programmed cell death II (autophagy), and 3) endoplasmic reticulum stress with subsequent unfolded protein response (UPR). There has been extensive research on the regulatory roles of these pathways during the influenza virus life cycle. These studies address the benefits of enhancing or inhibiting these pathways on viral replication. Here we review the most recent and significant knowledge in this area for possible benefits to clinicians and basic scientist researchers in different areas of the respiratory and virology sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asthma is one of the fastest growing syndromes in many countries and is adding a huge cost to the health care system. Increasing reports have linked airway infectious diseases to asthma. Influenza is one of the most serious airway infectious diseases and in recent years there have been some serious influenza virus pandemics which caused increased fatality in numerous different populations. Diverse host response pathways during virus infection have been identified, including different cell death and survival pathways. These pathways include 1) programmed cell death I (apoptosis), 2) programmed cell death II (autophagy), and 3) endoplasmic reticulum stress with subsequent unfolded protein response (UPR). There has been extensive research on the regulatory roles of these pathways during the influenza virus life cycle. These studies address the benefits of enhancing or inhibiting these pathways on viral replication. Here we review the most recent and significant knowledge in this area for possible benefits to clinicians and basic scientist researchers in different areas of the respiratory and virology sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with primary antibody deficiencies (PAD) are susceptible to recurrent and chronic infections and a variety of complications. This study was performed to assess quality of life (QoL) of PAD patients who were under long term treatment and regular follow-up. Thirty six adults with proved diagnosis of PAD, who had received regular intravenous immunoglobulin replacement therapy, were enrolled in this study. The QoL of selected PAD patients was measured by Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form (SF-36) Health Survey questionnaire. The patients with PAD showed significantly reduced scores in physical component in comparison with healthy age-sex matched control subjects (60.2±20.1 vs. 85.5±4.7, P<0.001). Mental component score was also significantly decreased in the patient's group (59.8±19.5 vs. 72.3±3.4, P=0.002). There was a reverse association between SF-36 scores and number of infections episodes (r=-0.73 P=0.003). The patients with long delay diagnosis showed significantly lower SF-36 scores (r=-0.62, P=0.003). The patients with PAD who were diagnosed timely and managed appropriately seem to have lower complications and better QoL. However, the patients with severe phenotypes and long delay in diagnosis showed lower QoL, even in medical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall characterized by innate and adaptive immune responses to a variety of microbial and self-antigens. Given the crucial role of adaptive immunity in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, this study was performed to investigate the proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and interleukin (IL)-2 production in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study, 25 patients with chronic stable CAD and 25 healthy individuals were investigated. The PBMCs were separated and stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). MTT assay was performed to measure cell viability and proliferation. IL-2 concentrations in cell culture supernatants were determined by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. PHA-stimulated cells revealed a significantly increased optical density (OD) in both groups of patients (p=0.004) and controls (p<0.001). However, the patient group showed a significantly lower Stimulation index (SI) (p=0.001). Upon in vitro stimulation with PHA, IL-2 levels were significantly increased in both groups of patients and controls (p<0.001). However, IL-2 concentrations were significantly lower in the patient group (p=0.018). Six patients showed defective IL-2 production, whereas similar finding was not observed in the normal control subjects (p=0.022). PBMCs from patients with coronary artery disease showed defective PHA-induced mitogenesis and IL-2 production. Considering the autoimmune nature of atherosclerosis, decreased IL-2 production may potentially enhance the atherogenic process, leading to spontaneous activation of autoreactive T lymphocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic CD4+ Lymphocytopenia is a rare combined immunodeficiency disease, characterized by low CD4+ T-cell count and increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections, autoimmunity and malignancies after exclusion of secondary forms of CD4 lymphocytopenia. Here we present a 13-year old boy who was referred to our center because of destructive ulceration of soft and hard palates with extension to nose and maxillary sinus starting at 6 months of age. He had a history of recurrent otitis media, chronic diarrhea, arthritis and herpetic lesions of eyes and mouth since the age of 5 years. Laboratory studies revealed very low number of CD4+ T-cells (<100 cells/mm3). Secondary causes of CD4 lymphocytopenia, including HIV infection, were ruled out. Immunohistological studies of destructive lesions in oral and nasal cavity revealed angiocentric T-cell lymphoma. Unfortunately, the patient died in spite of treatment with a combination of irradiation and chemotherapy. This patient is the first reported case of lethal midline granuloma with origin T-cell lymphoma in idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant disorder of lymphoid precursor cells, which could be classified according to morphological and cytochemical methods as well as immunophenotyping. Twenty patients with ALL, who had been referred to the Children's Medical Center Hospital, during the year 2007, were enrolled in this study in order to evaluate the morphologic and immunophenotypic profile of these patients. Cytologic analysis of blood and bone marrow samples revealed that the frequency of ALL-L1 was 70%, followed by ALL-L2 and ALL-L3. The onset age of the patients with ALL-L1 was significantly lower than the patients with L2/L3. Severe anemia was significantly detected more in L1 group. Flow cytometic study of bone marrow showed that 10 cases had Pre-B1 ALL and 7 cases had Pre-B2 ALL, while three cases had Pro-B ALL. Comparisons of the characteristics and clinical manifestations among these groups did not show any appreciable difference. There were an increase percentage of CD20+ cells and a decrease CD10+ cells in pre-B2 group in comparison with pre-B1 group. Fifteen patients were in standard risk and five were in high risk. Although standard risk patients were more common in the group of pre-B1, this was not significant. Our results confirm the previous reports indicating heterogeneity of ALL. Immunophenotyping is not the only diagnostic test of importance, while morphological assessment still can be used in the diagnosis and classification of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-linked Agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is a hereditary immunodeficiency, characterized by an early onset of recurrent bacterial infections, hypogammaglobulinemia and markedly reduced B lymphocytes number. In order to determine the association of neutropenia among Iranian patients with XLA, hospital records of 30 patients with confirmed XLA in Children Medical Center Hospital, were reviewed. Eight out of 30 XLA patients (26.7%) developed neutropenia during the course of the disease. In two patients, episodes of neutropenia were identified before or at the time of diagnosis of XLA. Other six patients whom were not visited regularly and did not receive periodical immunoglobulin replacement therapy experienced neutropenia after diagnosis of XLA. Neutropenia in XLA is mainly associated with infection and is resolved with intravenous immunoglobulin replacement and antibiotics therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]