ABSTRACT
Background: statins, widely used cholesterol-lowering agents, have also been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and immunomdulatory effects
Objective: to evaluate the effects of atorvastatin in combination with Interferon-[beta] in the treatment of multiple sclerosis [MS] in a randomized controlled clinical trial
Methods: multiple sclerosis patients were randomized independently, in a double blind design, into one of two treatment groups. Control group [n=45] received 30 [micro]g/week interferon [beta]-1a via intra-muscular injection. Atorvastatin-treated group [n=50] received interferon [beta]-1a similar to control group in addition to atorvastatin [40 mg/day] for 18-months. All clinical and immunological variables were measured at the baseline and at the end of the study
Results: there was no significant difference between the two groups in the expanded disability status scale scores and the number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions during the 18-month treatment period. After 18 months, the levels of interleukin [IL]-4, IL-10, transforming growth factor-[beta] and serum ferric reducing antioxidant power in the atorvastatin treatment group were significantly higher than the control group. Levels of IL-17, TNF-[alpha] and lymphocyte proliferation in the atorvastatin treatment group were significantly lower than the control group
Conclusion: although combined atorvastatin and interferon-[beta] do not change the clinical course of MS, atorvastatin might have beneficial effects in MS treatment possibly through inducing anti-inflammatory responses
ABSTRACT
The antimicrobial effects of the extracts of different kinds of plants have been demonstrated in several studies. However, no study has been conducted so far on the synergistic effects of two herbal extracts on their germicidal effects. In this study, in addition to antibacterial effects of the aqueous, methanol or ethanol extracts of Tribulus terrestris and bitter almond on some bacteria, the synergistic effects of the extracts of these two plants were also evaluated. In this experimental study, water, methanol and ethanol extracts of seeds were screened against some bacterial strains. Seeds were extracted by percolation method. Aliquots of the extracts at variable concentrations were then incubated with different bacterial strains, and the antimicrobial activities of the extracts from seeds were determined by MIC. Three antibiotics were used as reference compounds for antibacterial activities. Seeds extract inhibited significantly the growth of the tested bacterial strains. The greatest synergistic effect of T. terrestris and bitter almond extracts is detected in methanol and aqueous extracts. Among the bacterial strains tested, Staphylococcus aureus was most susceptibility. The results showed the highest antibacterial effect in the combination of methanol extract of T. terrestris and the aqueous extract of the bitter almond
ABSTRACT
The appendix is considered as part of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue; however, lymphocyte subsets in this tissue are not fully defined. To investigate and compare the function and phenotype of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood and appendix of patients with normal and inflamed appendix tissues. Peripheral blood samples and appendiceal mononuclear cells were obtained from 81 patients [mean age; 23 +/- 10.5 years], clinically suspected of having appendicitis. The phenotypic characteristics of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood [before and 48-72 hrs after appendectomy] and in appendix tissue were analyzed by three color-flow cytometry. The proliferative response of mononuclear cells was assessed by MTT method. The frequency of CD19+DR+, HLA-DR+ and CD19+ cells in the appendix tissue were significantly higher than that of the peripheral blood in all the groups [p<0.001]. The percentage of CD19+ cells and HLA-DR+CD19+ cells significantly decreased after appendectomy in the peripheral blood of the patients with acute appendicitis [p=0.047 and p=0.03, respectively]. CD19 and HLA-DR plus CD19 had better diagnostic efficiency compared with T cell markers [area under the ROC curve [AUC]= 0.76 and 0.73, respectively]. These results indicate a significant difference in CD19+ and HLA-DR+ lymphocytes between peripheral blood and the appendix tissue.
ABSTRACT
Group A, beta hemolytic streptococci are among the major causative agents of otorhinolaryngology infections. Inadequate treatment of disease may lead to serious disorders such as acute rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis. Anti-streptolysin-O [ASO] is commonly used as a marker in the diagnosis of infection. Purification of native streptolysin-O has several difficulties and its industrial production process is time consuming with very low yield and the risk of biological contamination. In this study, we used a recombinant streptolysin-O protein as an antigen to detect ASO antibodies in enzymes-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. We amplified streptolysin-O gene by polymerase chain reaction [PCR] method and subcloned in prokaryotic expression vector PET28a. E.coli. BL21-DE3-plySs strain was transformed with PET28a-streptolysin-O and gene expression was induced by IPTG. ELISA microplates were coated with different concentration of streptolysin-O protein. Level of ASO antibodies were detected by ELISA method. The results obtained from ELISA method were compared with inhibition of hemolysis assay as a standard method. The results showed that there is a positive significant correlation between the ELISA and inhibition of hemolysis method[r=0.97, p=0.0001]. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA for detection of ASO anti bodies were 100% and 83%, respectively. ELISA developed with recombinant streptolysine O showed a good sensitivity for detection of ASO antibodies. It is suggested that this method could be suitable for immunoassays