oxidative stress and platelet activation in patients infected with T. gondii

Toxoplasma gondiiis a highly frequent obligate intracellular protozoan parasite; it can cause serious problems to the public health especially pregnant females, however, the pathogenesis of this condition is not clear. Was to evaluate the status and the inter-relationship of the oxidative stress and platelet activation in patients infected with T.gondii. Thirty patients infected with T.gondii [10 acute and 20 chronic cases] and 10 healthy subjects [control group] were included in this study. Serum levels of malondialdehyde [MDA], total glutathione [t GSH], reduced glutathione [GSH], oxidized glutathione [GSSG], redox potential [RP] and soluble P-selectin [sP-selectin] were measured. EDITA blood samples were used for complete blood picture with special emphasis on platelet count and mean platelet volume [MPV]. The mean platelet volume [MPV] in patients was significantly higher than the control group, however, platelet count showed no significant difference. The serum mean values of MDA, GSSG, RP and sP-selectin in patients were significantly higher than the control subjects. On the other hand, the levels of IGSH and GSHin patients were significantly lower than in controls. MPV and platelet count showed significant positive correlations with sP-selectin concentration. Although toxoplasmosis is mostly asymptomatic, the findings of the present study strongly indicate that the occurrence of oxidative stress could be a potential mechanism of subclinical inflammatory pathology and tissue damage in these cases

Cytokine patterns, neutrophil chemotactic activity, complement component-3 and circulating immune complexes relationship to clinical staging and treatment of breast cancer

Breast cancer cell behaviour from growth to spread may be regulated by cytokines. The exact role of these cytokines however is not fully understood. We aimed to study the level of IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, CI, C3 and CIC in premenopausal breast cancer females in relation to different clinical stages before and after 3 and 6 cycles of CMF and CAF. The study included 36 premenopausal females; twenty four were with recently detected breast cancer of clinical stages II, III, IV and twelve were normal healthy control. Breast cancer group was divided into two subgroups. The results revealed a remarkable statistical significant decrease [P<0.001] in the level of cytokines, C1 and C3 in both malignant subgroups before chemotherapy when compared to control group. On the other hand, there was a statistical significant increase [P<0.001] in the level of CIC in both malignant subgroups before chemotherapy when compared to control group. Also, there was a statistical significant increase [P<0.001] in the level of CIC in patients with clinical stage IV when compared with patients of clinical stages II and III before chemotherapy. There was no statistical significant difference in all studied immunological parameters between both malignant subgroups after 3 and 6 cycles of chemotherapy. There was positive correlation between the different immunological parameters after 6 cycles of chemotherapy in both malignant subgroups. In conclusion, the suppressive immune response may have a role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. Chemotherapeutic drugs may improve the immune response in some breast cancer patients while in other cases they may cause more impairment of the immunity. The suppressive immune effect is more pronounced by CAF regimen than CMF and in advanced clinical stage IV than in clinical stages II and III breast cancer patients

Immune modulation in polytrans fused Egyptian children with thalassemia

Fifteen children with beta thalassemia major, with no evidence of infection, were evaluated for their interleukin-2 [IL-2] production, complement [C[3]] level, as well as immune complex formation. Eight healthy children served as control subject. The study revealed a significant decrease in IL-2 production and a significant increase in immune complexes formation in thalassemic children. Regarding C[3] level, it shows marked decrease in children with thalassemia when compared to normal one. from the immunological point of view, the present work shows some interesting findings, that poly transfused beta-thalassemic children are presented by certain functional immune deficiency determined by a defect in T cell response, as denoted by reduction in IL-2 level. Decrease in C[3] level is also observed which is the result of the increase in immune complex formation obtained in children with thalassemia