ABSTRACT
According to the World Health Organization, Hepatitis B virus [HBV] is considered a major global public health problem. The genetic background may be a crucial etiologic factor in HBV infection and its complications. Interleukin-27 [IL-27] is a newly discovered cytokine encoded by 2 genes [EBI3 and p28]. Mutations in the IL-27 gene may lead to altered cytokine production and/or activity and thus modulate individual's susceptibility to HVB infection. This work was designed to study the association of IL-27p28 [964A/G, 2905T/G and 4730T/C] gene promoter single nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] with the risk of Hepatitis B virus [HBV] in Egyptians. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first one that examines IL-27p28 promoter polymorphism in Egyptian patients. One hundred and sixteen patients with HBV infection and 101 healthy controls were genotyped by using polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism [PCR/RFLP] in Egyptian population. There were no significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of IL-27p28 gene polymorphisms between patients and controls. Furthermore, no association was found between the distributions of the haplotypes and HBV risk. Our data suggested that polymorphisms in the IL-27 gene may not contribute to HBV susceptibility. Further studies with large sample size should be conducted to validate these results in Egyptian population
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Interleukin-27/genetics , Hepatitis B virus , Polymorphism, Genetic , GenotypeABSTRACT
Chemokine receptors [CCR1 and CCR5], have been implicated in hepatic inflammation and hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]. The present study aimed to investigate the expressions of CCR1, CCR5 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs] of Egyptian patients with liver cirrhosis [LC] and HCC and their correlation to the severity of liver disease and the clinical features of HCC. Isolated PBMCs from 25 patients with HCC, 10 LC patients and 9 adult healthy controls were stained with monoclonal antibodies against CD4, CD8, CCR1 and CCR5, then detected by using a flow cytometry technique. Patients were diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound [US] and computed tomography [CT] scan findings, biochemical liver function tests, serum alpha-fetoprotein [AFP]. Our data revealed that CCR1 and CCR5 expressions in liver cirrhosis patients were significantly higher than healthy controls [P=0.008 and 0.053 respectively], as well as in HCC patients but the increment were not significant [P= 0.120 and 0.216 respectively]. The expressions of CCR1 and CCR5 were increased in liver cirrhosis than in HCC patients, but the increment were not significant [P=0.120 and 0.216 respectively]. However, both CCR1 and CCR5 were decreased with increasing number of liver tumor in a negative linear regression correlation. Patients with liver cirrhosis or HCC showed lower CD4 and CD8 T cells count compared with healthy controls. In Conclusion The up-regulations of CCR1 and CCR5 in patients with hepatic cirrhosis confirmed the activation of the CC chemokine system in human fibrogenesis and may play a role in recruitment of lymphocytes to the injured liver
ABSTRACT
Samir A. El Masry, Mohamed M. Ebeed, Ibrahim H. El Sayed, Mohamed Y. Nasr and Khalil A. El Halafawy. Protective effect of Balanites aegyptiaca on antioxidant defense system against Adriamycin-induced cardiac toxicity in experimental mice. Adriamycin is an anthracycline antibiotic that is widely used as a chemotherapeutic agent. However, usefulness of this agent is limited due to its cardiotoxic effects. Increased oxidative stress and antioxidant deficit have been suggested to play a major role in adriamycin induced cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure due to multiple treatments with adriamycin. The rationale of the present study was to evaluate the potential protective effect of Balanites aegyptiaca [B. aegyptiaca] as a source of the natural antioxidants against adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity in experimental mice. In present study, four groups [ten animals in each group] of experimental mice were used as follows: Group 1, mice not received both Adriamycin drug and B. aegyptiaca extract and served as a negative control group; Group 2, mice received Adriamycin intraperitoneally [2.5 mg/kg BW] in six equal injections over a period of two weeks for a cumulative dose of 15 mg/kg BW; Group 3, mice orally administered with B. aegyptiaca extract [400 mg/kg BW], through an intragastric feeding tube over a period of three weeks; Group 4, mice treated orally with B. aegyptiaca extract plus intraperitoneally adriamycin administration [2.5 mg/kg BW]. Serum Lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], Creatine phosphokinase [CPK], Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase [GOT], Glutamate pyruvate transaminase [GPT], Lipid peroxide [LPO], total Nitric oxide [NO]. erythrocyte lysate Superoxide dismutase [SOD], Glutathion peroxidase [GPx] and plasma Catalase [CAT] were measured in all tested groups. The results showed that, Adriamycin elevated the activities of LDH, CPK, GOT, GPT, LPO and total NO content in the mice heart tissue. Also, Adriamycin drug reduced the activities of SOD, GPx and CAT. Pretreatment with B. aegyptiaca extract significantly [p<0.05] prevented these alterations and restored the enzyme activities to near normal levels. Application of B. aegyptiaca extract with Adriamycin drug either reduced or completely prevented its toxic effects. So, these findings demonstrate the cardio protective effect of B. aegyptiaca on antioxidant tissue defense system during Adriamycin induced cardiac damage in mice. Therefore it could be recommended for further investigation in this potentially new indication for clinical application