Molecular Pathology
Armin Attar; Mohsen Khosravi Maharlooei; Mohammad Nazarnia; Ahmad Hosseini; Zohre Bajalli; Yalda Sadat Moeini; Ahmad Monabati; Fatemeh Amirmoezi; Mansooreh Jaberipour; Mojtaba Habibagahi
Abstract
Background & Objective: It is not clear whether activated lymphocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are more proliferative or less apoptotic. We aimed to delineate potential differences between B and T cells of SLE patients compared to healthy controls regarding the telomerase ...
Read More
Background & Objective: It is not clear whether activated lymphocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are more proliferative or less apoptotic. We aimed to delineate potential differences between B and T cells of SLE patients compared to healthy controls regarding the telomerase activity and apoptosis status. Methods: In this cross-sectional case control study, Blood samples were taken from 10 SLE patients and 10 healthy controls. B and T cells were separated using magnetic cell sorting system. Telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay and real-time PCR were used to determine the telomerase activity and the expression of alternatively spliced variants. Result: Four patients under treatment showed significant telomerase activity in their T cells. Four of the newly diagnosed patients showed telomerase activity in their B cells (20% of all patients and 40% of new onset patients). There was no specific pattern of human telomerase reverse transcriptase variant expression within the patients’ lymphocytes. A significantly reduced expression of Bcl-2 was detected in B cells (P=0.018) and a trend toward lower Bcl-2 expression in T cells was seen in SLE patients compared to healthy controls. Conclusion: Although not definitive, our results may suggest that B cells may have more active roles during the earlier phases of the disease attack, while T cells take over when the disease reaches its chronic stages.
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 ...
Read More
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.
Shamsa Shariatpanahi; Shahryar Pourfarzam; Mohammad hosein Gheini
Volume 11, Issue 3 , July 2016, , Pages 265-271
Abstract
Macrophage Activating Syndrome (MAS) is a life-threatening disease seen in autoimmune diseases including lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Still's disease, polyarteritis nodosa. It is characterized by fever, pancytopenia, liver failure, coagulopathy, and neurologic symptoms and high serum ferritin. ...
Read More
Macrophage Activating Syndrome (MAS) is a life-threatening disease seen in autoimmune diseases including lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Still's disease, polyarteritis nodosa. It is characterized by fever, pancytopenia, liver failure, coagulopathy, and neurologic symptoms and high serum ferritin. A 27 yr. old female patient was admitted in shahid Mostafa Khomeini Hospital (Tehran-Iran) in May 2011 because of lower extremities edema and ascites and fever from 1.5 month ago. In physical examinations she had generalized lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and pleural effusion. In laboratory tests she had pancytopenia, positive ANA and Anti DNA (ds), hypocomplementemia, hypertriglyceridemia and high ferritin level. Gradually she had signs of RPGN and ARDS. The patient had no skin and musculoskeletal signs of SLE and no liver failure nor coagulopathy of MAS. Her lymph node biopsy was reported as Castleman syndrome. Unlike other studies, the patient showed MAS before treatment with cytotoxic for lupus nephritis.
Ezat Rahimi; Ali Eishi; Behrooz Ilkhanizade
Volume 4, Issue 1 , January 2009, , Pages 38-43
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Bone marrow necrosis (BMN) is a rare and ominous complication of wide variety of diseases including hematologic malignancy. This study was performed to identify frequency and the underlying associated diseases of marrow necrosis. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: Bone marrow necrosis (BMN) is a rare and ominous complication of wide variety of diseases including hematologic malignancy. This study was performed to identify frequency and the underlying associated diseases of marrow necrosis. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, totally 850 bone marrow trephine biopsies related to living patients at the Pathology Department of Urmia Imam Hospital from March 1998 to January 2008, were retrospectively reviewed. The reviews included clinical and laboratory findings from files of the patients. Results: Eight cases of bone marrow necrosis were found. Frequency was 0.94 percent. Ages of the patients were between 18 and 85 years, and four of them were female. Prominent symptoms of the patients were bone pain, fever, fatigue, and jaundice. The most common laboratory findings were anemia, cytopenia, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Underlying diseases of bone marrow necrosis in our patients includes systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple myeloma, metastatic gastric cancer, acute myeloid leukemia (M4), hairy cell leukemia, lymphoma, chronic myeloid leukemia and sepsis. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the conditions associated with BMN are varied and malignancy remains common. In cases presented with pyrexia, bone pain, pancytopenia, elevated LDH and ALK, marrow necrosis must be thought. Although prognosis is very bad, supplementary therapy, in addition to the underlying disease must be performed.
Nakysa Hooman; Seyed Taher Esfehani; Abas Madani; Esfandiar Bodagi; Parvin Mohseni
Volume 1, Issue 2 , April 2006, , Pages 69-74
Abstract
Background and Objectives: This research study was conducted to determine the correlation between the clinicopathologic features and the outcome of membranous nephropathy. Materials and Methods: Data were retrospectively reviewed from all patients with a diagnosis of membranous nephropathy. Demographic, ...
Read More
Background and Objectives: This research study was conducted to determine the correlation between the clinicopathologic features and the outcome of membranous nephropathy. Materials and Methods: Data were retrospectively reviewed from all patients with a diagnosis of membranous nephropathy. Demographic, initial laboratory, and clinical findings were collected and the biopsy specimens were reviewed to classify them. To compare means, frequency, and to find correlation, student t-test, non-parametric x2 and Kendall-tau statistical tests were used respectively. A p value less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: It was found out that during the years 1972-1996, 72 out of 2118 kidney biopsies had been diagnosed as membranous nephropathy. In this respect, male/female ratio was 2:1 (with a range of 1.5-14 years). Meanwhile, 45 out of 72 cases were idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). Furthermore, 27 out of 72 had a secondary cause of the disease due to systemic lupus erythematosus (11 cases) and HBsAg positive (12 patients). The most common features in both groups were nephrotic syndrome and hematuria. In idiopathic and in chronic renal failure groups, remission occurred in 20.9% and 20.9 % of the cases respectively during an averaged 2.13 years of follow up. The statistical test Kendall-tau was used to determine the correlation between initial findings and outcome in IMN. In this regard, a significant direct correlation was found between progression to renal failure and proteinuria (p = 0.009) and/or age (p = 0.01) at the time of admission. For secondary membranous nephropathy, the outcomes were variable depending on the etiology.Conclusion: Proteinuria, age, and underlying etiology are the most important factors determining the renal outcome in membranous nephropathy.