Immunology and Serology
Shokoh Abotorabi; Zohreh Rasooli; Hamideh Pakniat; Fahimeh Baloo
Abstract
Background & Objective: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of serotypes, virulence-associated genes, and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus agalactiae in pregnant volunteers attending a major maternity hospital in Iran.Methods: The virulence determinants and antimicrobial ...
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Background & Objective: This study was designed to determine the prevalence of serotypes, virulence-associated genes, and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus agalactiae in pregnant volunteers attending a major maternity hospital in Iran.Methods: The virulence determinants and antimicrobial resistance profiles of 270 Group B streptococcus (GBS) samples were assessed in the adult participants. The prevalence of GBS serotypes, virulence-associated genes, and antimicrobial resistance of the isolates was determined.Results: The GBS prevalence in the vaginal, rectal, and urinal carrier rates were 8.9%, 4.44%, and 4.44%, respectively, with no concomitant colonization. The serotypes Ia, Ib, and II were at a 1:2:1 ratio. The rectal isolates, harboring CylE, lmb, and bca genes, were of serotype Ia, susceptible to vancomycin. The serotype Ib from urine samples carrying three distinct virulence genes was susceptible to Ampicillin. In comparison, the same serotype with two virulence genes of CylE and lmb exhibited sensitivity to both Ampicillin and Ceftriaxone. The vaginal isolates belonged to serotype II with the CylE gene or serotype Ib with CylE and lmb genes. These isolates harboring the CylE gene were resistant to Cefotaxime. The overall antibiotic susceptibility range was 12.5-56.25%.Conclusion: The findings broaden our understanding of the pathogenicity of the prevailing GBS colonization and predict different clinical outcomes.
Immunology and Serology
Elaheh Gholami Parizad; Abbas Ali Imani Fooladi; Hamid Sedighian; Elham Behzadi; Azar valizadeh; Afra Khosravi
Abstract
Background & Objective: The vaccine available to prevent Hepatitis B virus disease is ineffective in 5% of people due to the use of HBsAg as a weak immunogen. In the present study, PreS2/S fused to C18-27 peptide fragment as an effective antigen and is proposed as a promising vaccine candidate compared ...
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Background & Objective: The vaccine available to prevent Hepatitis B virus disease is ineffective in 5% of people due to the use of HBsAg as a weak immunogen. In the present study, PreS2/S fused to C18-27 peptide fragment as an effective antigen and is proposed as a promising vaccine candidate compared with the conventional vaccine prescribed in the vaccination program.Methods: After the synthesis of PreS2/S genes and C18-27 peptide fragment in pET28a, the recombinant protein was confirmed by Western blotting. The efficacy of the PreS2/S-C18-27 protein was compared with the conventional vaccine injected into five groups of rats. Finally, the cytokine level of IF-r, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, TNF-a, IgG1, and IgG2a were measured using the ELISA method.Results: This study showed no significant difference between the recombinant vaccine group and PBS control group in the IF-r test, but there was a significant difference between groups testing IL-2 and IL-10. In addition, the group receiving the recombinant vaccine with CPG adjuvant at a dilution of 1/10 in the IgG total test on days 14 and 45 after the first injection showed a significant difference in comparison with other groups.Conclusion: This study showed no statistically significant difference between the recombinant protein vaccine group and the conventional vaccine group. The Th1- mediated immune responses obtained from recombinant proteins with and without CPG performed better than conventional vaccines, possibly due to the functional deficiency of the available vaccines.
Immunology and Serology
Nasrin Sereshki; Alireza Andalib; Ataollah Ghahiri; Ferdos Mehrabian; Roya Sherkat; Abbas Rezaei
Abstract
Background & Objective:Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) is defined as an unknown cause of occurrence of three or more clinically detectable pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestation, but it occurs presumably as a result of the immune system dysfunctions. We supposed that the ...
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Background & Objective:Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) is defined as an unknown cause of occurrence of three or more clinically detectable pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestation, but it occurs presumably as a result of the immune system dysfunctions. We supposed that the disruption of semen or spermatozoa might be responsible for the dysfunction of the immune system in women with URSA. Semen and spermatozoa (as antigens) induce female reproductive tract (FRT) immunity. This stimulated immunity is necessary for pregnancy occurrence. The disruption of semen or spermatozoa can be a result of altering a variety of surface molecules on spermatozoa, especially polymorphic human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules or antigens. Despite the importance of HLA antigens in reproduction, to the best of our knowledge, no one has studied the relation of HLA expression between spermatozoa and URSA. Therefore, this paper aims to assess this relation.Methods:Semen samples were collected from 15 URSA couples and 20 normal couples. After purification of normal spermatozoa, the HLA class I and II expressions were evaluated by flow cytometry methods.Results:Results showed that the expression of both HLA class I and II by spermatozoa, in URSA couples, was significantly less than the control couples.Conclusion:The decreased expression of polymorphic HLA class Ⅰ and Ⅱ by spermatozoa can be related to URSA occurrence.
Immunology and Serology
Saeed Mohammadi; Sima Sedighi; Ali Memarian
Abstract
Background & Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with chronic inflammatory immune response. Current therapies mostly rely on glucocorticoids which are accompanied by side-effects and mostly fail to achieve a favorable remission. Th17 subpopulation of T cells is ...
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Background & Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with chronic inflammatory immune response. Current therapies mostly rely on glucocorticoids which are accompanied by side-effects and mostly fail to achieve a favorable remission. Th17 subpopulation of T cells is increased in exacerbated SLE as IL-17 cytokine is overexpressed. However, IL-17 is reported to be resistant to glucocorticoids in various disorders. Here, we evaluated the plasma level of IL-17 among newly diagnosed and under-treatment SLE patients to understand the effect of glucocorticoids on Th17 response. Methods: A total of 40 female SLE patients and 20 age- and sex- matched normal subjects were enrolled. IL-17 plasma level was evaluated using ELISA cytokine assay and analyzed with previously obtained IL-10, IFN-γ, and GILZ levels. Results: Our findings revealed that IL-17 was overexpressed among under-treatment SLE patients. There was a significant correlation between IL-17 and IFN-γ and significant reverse correlations between IL-17, IL-10, and GILZ levels. IL-17 was not significantly correlated with the disease activity. Conclusion: According to the role of IL-17 in tissue injury and the fact that glucocorticoids are not successful in preventing organ damages in SLE, the overexpressed IL-17 in response to therapies could be introduced as an underlying reason.
Immunology and Serology
Parvin Mahzouni; Fatemeh Taheri
Abstract
Background & Objective: Glioblastoma-multiforme is the high grade form of astrocytic tumors with a short survival time, which are the most common type of brain tumors. Therefore, finding new therapeutic options is essential. Cyclin D1 is expressed in some human malignancies and can be a potential ...
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Background & Objective: Glioblastoma-multiforme is the high grade form of astrocytic tumors with a short survival time, which are the most common type of brain tumors. Therefore, finding new therapeutic options is essential. Cyclin D1 is expressed in some human malignancies and can be a potential target for therapeutic intervention. The aim of the present study was to determine this relationship. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the pathology department of Al-Zahra Hospital in Isfahan, Iran. In this study, 100 samples diagnosed with astrocytic tumors between 2011 and 2015 that met the study’s requirements were studied and immunohistochemical staining for cyclin D1 was performed for each specimen. At the end, the relationship between the expression of cyclin D1 and various variables including tumor grades, tumor subtypes and patient demographic features were examined using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Of the 100 samples, cyclin D1 was positive in 60 samples and negative in 40 samples. Moreover, in 26 samples, the amount of the marker was low, while in 34 samples it was high. Following the results of the study, there was a significant difference (P =0.038) in the expression of the cyclin D1 marker among the four different grades of astrocytic tumors. Conclusion: The results showed that the expression of cyclin D1 was associated with different tumor grades, especially the high level of expression in grade 4, and the amount of cyclin D1 increased as the level of grade glioma increased.
