Immunology Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Dermatologists are increasingly confronted with patients affected by body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). BDD is characterized by excessive preoccupation with one or more perceived defect(s) or flaw(s) in physical appearance which are not... more

Dermatologists are increasingly confronted with patients affected by body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). BDD is characterized by excessive preoccupation with one or more perceived defect(s) or flaw(s) in physical appearance which are not observable or appear slight to others. So far, there have been only few studies examining the prevalence of BDD in dermatological outpatients. In addition, the need for psychotherapeutic support in dermatological outpatients with body dysmorphic concerns has not yet been systematically examined. The objective of the present study was therefore to investigate the frequency of body dysmorphic concerns as well as social adaptation and the need for psychotherapeutic support in the aforementioned patient group. A total of 252 dermatological outpatients seen at a German university hospital were consecutively enrolled, and examined using the Dysmorphic Concerns Questionnaire, the Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale, and the German version of the University...

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is the major pharmacologically-active component of some propolis types, rich in polyphenols, such as poplar propolis types. CAPE has the potential to be applied as a pharmaceutical as it possesses most... more

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is the major pharmacologically-active component of some propolis types, rich in polyphenols, such as poplar propolis types. CAPE has the potential to be applied as a pharmaceutical as it possesses most of the pharmacological activities of propolis, such as anti-proliferative, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. Its advantage is that it lacks some of the downsides of total propolis extracts, such as inability for unified standardization, which is cornerstone for implementing its therapeutic potential as a drug. The current paper provides an overview on the pharmacodynamic principles of CAPE. We present literature search outcomes form ClinicalTrials.gov database and from scientific publications, available on Scopus and Crossref databases. We take a round view of CAPE’s potential therapeutic implications in light of approved drugs with related modes of action.

T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) and κ-deleting recombination excision circles (KRECs) are recently used for detection of T or B cell lymphopenia in neonates based on region-specific cutoff levels. Here, we report cutoffs for TREC... more

T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) and κ-deleting recombination excision circles (KRECs) are recently used for detection of T or B cell lymphopenia in neonates based on region-specific cutoff levels. Here, we report cutoffs for TREC and KREC copies useful for newborn screening and/or diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency diseases (PID) in Iran. DNA was extracted from a single 3.2 mm punch of dried blood spots collected from 2160 anonymized newborns referred to two major referral health centers between 2014 and 2016. For refinement of the cutoffs, 51 patients with a definite diagnosis of severe combined immunodeficiency, X-linked agammaglobulinaemia and combined immunodeficiency, including ataxia telangiectasia, human phosphoglucomutase 3 and Janus kinase-3 deficiency, as well as 47 healthy controls were included. Samples from patients with an X-linked hyper-IgM-syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and DNA ligase 4 deficiency were considered as disease controls. Triplex-quantitat...

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate whether specific maternal HLA alleles and HLA sharing of couples are associated with the occurrence of recurrent miscarriage (RM). A systematic literature search was performed for studies that... more

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate whether specific maternal HLA alleles and HLA sharing of couples are associated with the occurrence of recurrent miscarriage (RM). A systematic literature search was performed for studies that evaluated the association between HLA alleles, HLA sharing and RM. RM was defined as three or more consecutive unexplained miscarriages and a control group was included of women with at least one live birth and no miscarriages in their history. Meta-analyses were performed and the pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated. We included 41 studies. Selection bias was present in 40 studies and information bias in all studies. Meta-analyses showed an increased risk of RM in mothers carrying a HLA-DRB1*4 (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.05-1.90), HLA-DRB1*15 (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.15-2.14), or a HLA-E*01:01 allele (OR 1.47, 95% CI 0.20-1.81), and a decreased risk with HLA-DRB1*13 (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45-0.89) or HLA-DRB1*14 (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.31-0.94). Pooling results for HLA ...

Background: Our blood is typed, or classified, according to the presence or absence of certain markers (antigens) found on red blood cells and in the plasma that allow your body to recognize blood as its own. If another blood type is... more

Background: Our blood is typed, or classified, according to the presence or absence of certain markers (antigens) found on red blood cells and in the plasma that allow your body to recognize blood as its own. If another blood type is introduced, your immune system recognizes it as foreign and attacks it, resulting in a transfusion reaction.. The two main blood groups are called ABO (with blood types A, B, AB, and O) and Rh (with Rh D-positive or Rh D-negative blood types). The discovery of the ABO blood group system over 100 years ago, caused a great excitement .Until then, all blood had been assumed to be the same, and the often tragic consequences of blood transfusions were not understood. The Rh blood group system is the most second important system which has a clinical significant in medical life, and probably the most complex of all red blood group systems. It was discovered by Landsteiner and Winer in 1940. Objectives: This study was designed to detect the frequency of ABO, and Rh(D) blood groups of non-Saudi population in Makkah city-KSA. Materials and Methods: A total of: 3818 subjects were included in this study. Samples were collected from non-Saudi populations in different blood banks in Makkah city. From each subject blood was collected, ABO and Rh blood grouping were carried out by tile method using commercially prepared anti-sera based on hemagglutination and hemolysis reactions. The frequency of each type was calculated. Results: Blood group "O" was the most predominant in non-Saudi population in Makkah city (43%) in both Rh positive and negative subjects, followed by blood group A, B and AB with frequencies of 28.2%, 23%, and 5.6% respectively. Majority of the subjects were Rh (D) positive (98.0%), when only 2% were Rh negative. Conclusions: The frequency of ABO blood groups in both Rh positive and negative subjects among the non-Saudi ethnic groups in Makah city was similar to that reported from neighboring regions.

There is conflicting evidence on the protective role of breastfeeding in relation to allergic sensitization and disease. The factors in breast milk which influence these processes are still unclear and under investigation. We know that... more

There is conflicting evidence on the protective role of breastfeeding in relation to allergic sensitization and disease. The factors in breast milk which influence these processes are still unclear and under investigation. We know that colostrum and breast milk contain a variety of molecules which can influence immune responses in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue of a neonate. This review summarizes the evidence that variations in colostrum and breast milk composition can influence allergic outcomes in the infant, and the evidence that maternal and environmental factors can modify milk composition. Taken together, the data presented support the possibility that maternal dietary interventions may be an effective way to promote infant health through modification of breast milk composition.

Both normal and diseased cells continuously shed extracellular vesicles (EVs) into extracellular space, and the EVs carry molecular signatures and effectors of both health and disease. EVs reflect dynamic changes that are occurring in... more

Both normal and diseased cells continuously shed extracellular vesicles (EVs) into extracellular space, and the EVs carry molecular signatures and effectors of both health and disease. EVs reflect dynamic changes that are occurring in cells and tissue microenvironment in health and at a different stage of a disease. EVs are capable of altering the function of the recipient cells. Trafficking and reciprocal exchange of molecular information by EVs among different organs and cell types have been shown to contribute to horizontal cellular transformation, cellular reprogramming, functional alterations, and metastasis. EV contents may include tumor suppressors, phosphoproteins, proteases, growth factors, bioactive lipids, mutant oncoproteins, oncogenic transcripts, microRNAs, and DNA sequences. Therefore, the EVs present in biofluids offer unprecedented, remote, and non-invasive access to crucial molecular information about the health status of cells, including their driver mutations, cl...

Bruton&a... more

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) plays a critical role in B cell development and function. We recently described a selective BTK inhibitor, RN486, that blocks B cell receptor (BCR) and Fcγ receptor signaling and is efficacious in animal models of arthritis. The aim of this study was to examine the potential efficacy of BTK in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), using an NZB × NZW mouse model of spontaneous SLE. Mice received RN486 or its vehicle (administered in chow) at a final concentration of 30 mg/kg for 8 weeks, starting at 32 weeks of age. The administration of RN486 completely stopped disease progression, as determined by histologic and functional analyses of glomerular nephritis. The efficacy was associated with striking inhibition of B cell activation, as demonstrated by a significant reduction in CD69 expression in response to BCR crosslinking. RN486 markedly reduced the secretion of IgG anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) secretion, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent and enzyme-linked immunospot assays. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated depletion of CD138(high) B220(low) plasma cells in the spleen. RN486 inhibited secretion of IgG anti-dsDNA but not IgM anti-dsDNA, suggesting that pharmacologic blockade of BTK resembles the reported transgenic expression of low levels of endogenous BTK in B cells. In addition, RN486 may also impact the effector function of autoantibodies, as evidenced by a significant reduction in immune complex-mediated activation of human monocytes in vitro and down-regulation of the expression of macrophage-related and interferon-inducible genes in both the kidneys and spleens of treated mice. Collectively, our data suggest that BTK inhibitors may simultaneously target autoantibody-producing and effector cells in SLE, thus constituting a promising therapeutic alternative for this disease.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is negative sense single stranded RNA belongs to the Avulavirus genus of the Paramyxoviridae family which can be transmitted by inhalation or ingestion. Birds infected shed these viruses in feces as well as... more

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is negative sense single stranded RNA belongs to the Avulavirus genus of the Paramyxoviridae family which can be transmitted by inhalation or ingestion. Birds infected shed these viruses in feces as well as respiratory secretions. The aim of this study is to analyze fusion (F) protein of all virulent Newcastle strains reported in NCBI database using in silico approaches to select all possible epitopes that can be used as a therapeutic peptide vaccine. A total of 56 virulent NDV fusion protein variants retrieved from NCBI database. The conserved regions were introduced into IEDB analysis resource to predict B and T cell epitopes, as well as predicting the binding affinity of the conserved epitopes with BF2 21:01, from the predominantly expressed chicken MHC I molecule. Epitopes with high scores in both B and T cell epitopes predicting tools were suggested. Peptide vaccine against virulent NDV is strongly supersedes the conventional vaccines, as it design...

Mutations in the cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 gene cause a clinical variant of Rett syndrome (CDKL5-RTT). A role for the acute-phase response (APR) is emerging in typical RTT caused by methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene mutations... more

Mutations in the cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 gene cause a clinical variant of Rett syndrome (CDKL5-RTT). A role for the acute-phase response (APR) is emerging in typical RTT caused by methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene mutations (MECP2-RTT). No information is, to date, available on the inflammatory protein response in CDKL5-RTT. We evaluated, for the first time, the APR protein response in CDKL5-RTT. Protein patterns in albumin- and IgG-depleted plasma proteome from CDKL5-RTT patients were evaluated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis/mass spectrometry. The resulting data were related to circulating cytokines and compared to healthy controls or MECP2-RTT patients. The effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) were evaluated. CDKL5-RTT mutations resulted in a subclinical attenuated inflammation, specifically characterized by an overexpression of the complement component C3 and CD5 antigen-like, both strictly related to the inflammatory response. Cytokine dysregu...

ObjectivesOur aim was to evaluate systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and SARS-CoV-2-specific immune responses after BNT162b2 vaccination.MethodsIn this prospective study, disease activity and clinical assessments were... more

ObjectivesOur aim was to evaluate systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and SARS-CoV-2-specific immune responses after BNT162b2 vaccination.MethodsIn this prospective study, disease activity and clinical assessments were recorded from the first dose of vaccine until day 15 after the second dose in 126 patients with SLE. SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses were measured against wild-type spike antigen, while serum-neutralising activity was assessed against the SARS-CoV-2 historical strain and variants of concerns (VOCs). Vaccine-specific T cell responses were quantified by interferon-γ release assay after the second dose.ResultsBNT162b2 was well tolerated and no statistically significant variations of BILAG (British Isles Lupus Assessment Group) and SLEDAI (SLE Disease Activity Index) scores were observed throughout the study in patients with SLE with active and inactive disease at baseline. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and methotrexate (MTX) treatments were associated with dr...

Childhood exposure to microbiological agents may influence the development of allergic and respiratory diseases. Apart from home, children spend most of their time at school, which represents an environment of significant exposure to... more

Childhood exposure to microbiological agents may influence the development of allergic and respiratory diseases. Apart from home, children spend most of their time at school, which represents an environment of significant exposure to indoor air microbes. Therefore, we aimed to assess how the prevalence of allergic sensitization and asthma in schoolchildren is affected by microbiological exposure within classrooms. Spirometry with bronchodilation, exhaled nitric oxide measurements and skin-prick tests data were retrieved from 858 children aged 8 to 10 years old attending 71 classrooms in 20 primary schools. Air samples were collected in all classrooms using a single-stage microbiological air impactor through agar plates. Gram-negative endotoxins were collected using flow control pumps and analysed by limulus amebocyte lysate assay. Diversity scores were established as the number of different fungal species found in each classroom. Classrooms with increased diversity scores showed a s...

Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis have been identified as causative organisms of reactive arthritis in humans. We evaluated a Western blot assay which uses Yersinia outer membrane proteins as antigens for the... more

Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis have been identified as causative organisms of reactive arthritis in humans. We evaluated a Western blot assay which uses Yersinia outer membrane proteins as antigens for the detection of Yersinia antibodies as a replacement for the complement fixation (CF) assay. Clinical agreement, sensitivity, and specificity were determined by testing 19 positive and 21 negative serum samples by the CF assay, Western blot assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The CF assay and ELISA were compared to the Western blot assay, which was the reference method used in this study. Sera with antibodies that could potentially cross-react with Yersinia were also tested by the Western blot assay. The agreement, sensitivity, and specificity of the CF method were 61%, 26%, and 95%, respectively; and those for the ELISA were 89%, 95%, and 82%, respectively. The prevalences of Yersinia antibodies in 50 healthy donors were 6% for immunoglobul...

A 56-year-old lady presented to the hospital with 2-day history of flu like symptoms. These had begun within a few hours after starting Nitrofurantoin for urinary tract infection that was prescribed by her primary care doctor. Blood tests... more

A 56-year-old lady presented to the hospital with 2-day history of flu like symptoms. These had begun within a few hours after starting Nitrofurantoin for urinary tract infection that was prescribed by her primary care doctor. Blood tests upon admission revealed elevated aminotransferase levels with normal bilirubin levels. The medication was stopped, and other causes of hepatitis were investigated. Nitrofurantoin induced idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (IDILI) was confirmed by excluding all other causes. Patient’s symptoms and liver enzymes improved the next day and she was discharged. A follow-up on the laboratory's nine-days later revealed liver enzymes almost back to normal.