[ study on specific igE against candida albicans in atopic dermatitis patients referred to boali hospital, Sari- Iran]

Candida albicans [C. albicans] as a micro flora of the human could be responsible for a continuous release of allergen and may be responsible for chronic atopic dermatitis [AD] in sensitive patients. Thus, in this study, we analyzed AD patients for total IgE and specific IgE, against C. albicans. A total of 120 AD patients [male 52 and female 68] were introduced in this study. The age range varied from 4 months to 60 years [mean about 12.9 years]. Serum total IgE was assayed by ELISA kit [RADIM]. Solid phase was captured by sandwich ELISA assay, using a micro well format for the determination of serum specific IgE to C. Albicans was used according to the manufacturer's instructions, [ALerCHEK Allergen specific human IgE]. Of the 120 AD patients, 37 subjects [30.8%] had total IgE higher than 100 IU/mL, 44 subjects [63.7%] 20-100IU/mL and 39 subjects [32.5%] less than 20 IU/mL. 9 [7.5%] of the patients had specific IgE against C. albicans. Among the patients who were positive for specific IgE to C. albicans, 6 [66.7%] were women. The result of our study on serum total IgE in AD patients is concordant with other studies from different countries. In comparison to other studies, our AD patients showed less frequency of specific IgE against Candida albicans. The explanations for the variation in the results obtained in various studies could be due to the age of patients, severity of disease, difference in the antigen preparation, different methods for IgE analysis and total IgE level

[Identification of T-cell epitopes on MPB51 antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in BALB/c mice]

Both CD4+ type 1 helper [Th1] cells and CD8+ T cells play effective roles in protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. MPB51, a major mycobacterial secreted protein, induces humeral and cellular immune responses against mycobacterial infection. In addition, DNA vaccine encoding MPB51 can induce cellular immune responses and protective immunity upon challenge with M.tuberculosis. This study address to identify T-cell immunodominant epitopes on MPB51 in BALB/c mice. We cloned DNA encoding MPB51 molecule in pCI plasmid. After constructing MPB51 DNA-covered gold cartridge, BABL/c mice were immunized by using a gene gun system. Two weeks after the last immunization, the immune spleen cells were cultured in response to synthetic overlapping library peptides covering the mature MPB51 sequence or medium alone. Intracellular and cell culture supernatant gamma interferon [IFN-[c]] production was analyzed by using flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. The findings of present study indicate that DNA vaccination can course strong mmune response only against the peptides contain 21-40 aminoacids. Further analysis with a computer - assisted algorithm permitted the identification of nine aminoacids of [P24- 32] as immunodominant CD8+ T cell epitope. This study proved than the MHC class Ipeptide [H2-Dd-P24-32] complex is recognized by [IFN-[c]]-producing CD8+ T cells. We observed by using T-cell subset depletion that CD8+ T cells are the only P24-32-responded T-cells in BABL/c mice. The data obtained are useful for identifying cellular immune responses against TB and for designing a new vaccine against M.tuberculosis infection