فهرست مطالب fahimeh hosseininasab

Increased NK cells or their cytokine activity in endometrium and peripheral blood of mothers with pre-eclampsia have been reported. NKG2D is a cell surface receptor that can be used to detect NK cell and lymphocytic activity. Plant flavonoids such as silymarin has immunomodulatory effects and potentially inhibit the disease progression. Therefore, an in vitro experiment was designed to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of silymarin in pre-eclampsia.

Blood samples from preeclamptic and pregnant and non-pregnant women were analyzed by Isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using Ficoll-Paque. Flow cytometry was used for marker assay including NKG2D expression on CD56+CD3- and CD3+ cells. Also, different concentrations of silymarin were applied, andNKG2D expression on the cells were considered, and IFNγ production in the cell culture medium were evaluated using ELISA.

CD3-CD56+ cells and NKG2D receptor expression were augmented in PBMCs in the pre-eclampsia group (P = 0.03). However, treatment of PBMCs with silymarin solutions decrease NKG2D markers on the lymphocytes. PBMCs treated cells by silymarin in culture medium indicates reduce IFNɣ production even in the presence of IL-2 stimulation by 2-3 folds (P = 0.0001).

Increase in NK cell population, NKG2D receptor expression and IFNɣ production play a crucial role in the samples of preeclamptic patients, and well express involvement of immunological factors of the disease. The effectiveness of silymarin in cell culture medium and modulation of inflammatory factors necessitate the design of clinical model for using silymarin in patients by risk of increased NK activity in pre-eclampsia patients.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the chronic inflammation of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and autoimmune disease. MS is most widely considered to be mediated by the activation of myelin-specific T CD4+ cells as well as TH1 and TH17 cells. TH17 cells are involved in the pathogenesis of MS in various manners. HIF-1α and RORC are required for the natural differentiation of TH17; they are essential transcription factors for the evolution of TH17 cells. Numerous studies indicated that Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) presents immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated the effects of EGCG on normoxic HIF-1α and RORC2 expression in PBMCs among MS patients.

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) were isolated from the whole blood of new cases of MS. The cells were cultured in the presence of a different concentration of EGCG (25, 50,100μM) for 18 and 48 hours. Next, HIF-1α and RORC2 level expressions were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Real-Time PCR, respectively. 

The results showed that EGCG significantly decreased RORC2 gene expression. EGCG did not affect the level of HIF-1α. 

However, EGCG did not influence the level of HIF-1α. Our present data has led us to conclude that EGCG could be considered as an anti-inflammatory agent may serve as an achievable therapeutic agent for MS.

It is hypothesized that increased inflammatory markers in keratoconus (KC) may be one of the causes of corneal damage. The aim of our study was to the measurement of tumor necrosis factor‑alpha (TNF‑α) and interleukin‑6 (IL)‑6 in tear of patients with KC and investigate their relationship with the severity of KC.

The current study was performed on KC patients and healthy controls with a case‑control setting. Tear levels of TNF‑α and IL‑6 were measured after collecting the tears from the tear lake using a filter paper via Schirmer I method without anesthesia.

Eighty‑one KC patients (mean age 29.45 ± 5.06 years) and 85 controls (mean age 28.01 ± 5.14 years) were enrolled. The mean levels of IL‑6 and TNF‑α were 26.77 ± 8.16, and 34.58 ± 9.82 pg/ml in the healthy group and 103.22 ± 51.94, and 183.76 ± 54.61 pg/ml in the KC group, respectively (P < 0.001). There was a significant relationship between the severity of the KC and the mean levels of IL‑6 TNF‑α in the case group (P < 0.001).

Our results indicated that the mean levels of IL‑6 and TNF‑α are significantly higher in KC than the healthy group, and the disease severity was significantly associated with TNF‑α and IL‑6.

To evaluate the multiple pretreatment characteristics and topographic factors of keratoconus (KC) patients and their relationship to clinical outcomes of corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL).

In this prospective study, 61 patients (106 eyes) with KC as candidates for CXL were included. Demographic data including age, sex, place of birth and residence, atopic constitution, family history, rubbing history, sleep apnea, and blood group were collected via a structured checklist. Complete ophthalmologic examination and tear collection to assess tear interleukin 6 (IL‑6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‑α) level were performed. Topometric parameters were evaluated using a rotating Scheimpflug topography device. Changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and maximum keratometry (K-max) were considered the main predicted variables. Predictive variables were analyzed by univariate and multivariate regression.

The use of multivariate analysis changes in K‑max was significantly associated with rubbing frequency (coefficient = 0.94, P = 0.02), blood group (coefficient = 4.52, P = 0.005), pretreatment corneal asphericity (coefficient = −3.99, P ≤ 0.001), and pretreatment central keratoconus index (CKI) (coefficient = −55.38, P = 0.001). Regarding the changes in BCVA, the multivariate analysis showed a significant association with place of birth (coefficient = −0.08, P = 0.03), pretreatment BCVA (coefficient = −0.67, P < 0.001), pretreatment central corneal thickness (CCT) (coefficient = −0.005, P = 0.04), and pretreatment keratoconus index (KI) (coefficient = 0.53, P = 0.04). Other parameters assessed in the multivariable analysis did not appear to have an individual effect on treatment outcomes.

Our results demonstrated that blood group, rubbing of eye, place of birth, corneal asphericity, pretreatment BCVA, CKI, KI, and CCT were statistically associated with the outcome of KC following CXL.