comparison of the level of serum concentration of Gro-A chemokine in diabetic type-2 patients and healthy people: a short communication

Type-2 diabetes mellitus is the most common type of diabetes, but the main cause of which is yet to be identified. One of the symptoms of diabetes is delay in healing of the wounds. Chemokines play key roles in both the regulation of immune system functions and regeneration of the damaged tissues. Growth-regulatory oncogen [Gro] is an angiogenesis chemokine. Therefore, we dicided to compare the serum level of Gro-alpha chemokine in diabetic patients and healthy people. In this descriptive study respondents were 45 diabetic and 45 healthy people referred to Ali Ibn Abitaleb hospital in Rafsanjan. The level of Gro-alpha was detected by ELISA. Data were analysed using SPSS version 12. T-test was used to compare continuous data. Although there were differences between diabetic and healthy people based on the serum level of Gro-alpha chemokine, this difference was not significant. Based on our results, it can be concluded that diabetic patients are unable to produce enough Gro-alpha and this can be the reason for the delay in healing of the wounds. Furthermore, to assess the role of this chemokine more number of samples are needed for examination

[Evaluation of relation between polymorphisms in -590 region of IL-4 and occult HBV infection]

Occult Hepatitis B Infection [OBI] is a form of hepatitis in which despite of absence of detectable HBsAg, HBV-DNA is presented in patients peripheral blood. Responsible mechanisms of progression of OBI are unknown yet, but some investigators believed that the genetic and immunological parameters may be different. Cytokine network system could be leading alteration in viral immune response. IL-4 as an anti-inflammatory cytokines causes decreased immune function. Thus, regulatory factors which influences expression and function of IL-4 can be effective on immune system functions. As polymorphic variation in cytokine genes has regulatory effects on their expression and functions, this study investigates the association of-590 region polymorphisms of IL-4 with OBI. Determination of association between IL-4 polymorphisms with OBI. In this study, the plasma samples [FFP] of 3700 blood donors were tested for HBsAg and anti-HBs by ELISA. The HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive samples were selected and screened for HBV-DNA by PCR. HBV-DNA positive samples assigned as OBI cases while HBV-DNA negative samples were used as control and PCR-RFLP was performed to examine the presence of polymorphisms in -590 regions of IL-4 genes of patients with OBI. 352 [9.51%] Out of 3700 blood samples were negative for HBsAg and positive for anti-HBc antibody. HBV-DNA was detected in 57[16.1%] of HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive samples. Our results showed that none of the alleles had significant difference between patients and control group. Our results demonstrated that there is no significant difference between patients with OBI and control cases. Therefore, it seems that there is not any relation between these alleles and OBI and more study should be done on polymorphisms in other to cytokine genes in patients with OBI

[Antagonistic effects of lactobacillus against helicobacter pylori in a gel stabilized glucose - gradient system]

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacterium inhabits the gastric mucosa and may remains there for a long period. It causes gastritis and ulcer. Recently, antibiotics are widely used to treat the infections caused by Helicobacter pylori but other means of treatment such as Probiotic [using live organisms such as Lactobacilli] can be considered. Therefore in this study antagonistic effects of two species of Lactobacillusagainst Helicobacter pylori under the laboratory condition are investigated. In this study a gel stabilized system was used. This system consisted of two phases solid layer [10 ml peptone yeast extract salt solution plus 1.5% agar and 2% glucose] at the bottom and a semi layer [10 ml PYES plus 0.75% agar and 1.5 x 10[7] washed bacterial cell /ml] at the top in 30 ml screw test tubes. Lactobacilli and Helicobacter pylori were used as pure and mixed in the upper phase of the above system. After incubation at 37[degree]C for different time intervals, samples were withdrawn from the semisolid layer using sterilized steel corkscrew and sectioned. The bacterial population, optical density, pH and glucose concentration of the medium were measured at the various depths. All bacteria had a condensed band of growth in the special places of semisolid. Growth appearance [growth band] viable count, optical density, pH in the mixed culture of Lactobacillus plantarum and Helicobacter pyloriwere like the pure culture of Lactobacillus plantarum. However, mixed culture of Lactobacillus casei and Helicobacter pylori was similar to that of pure culture of Helicobacter pylori. Regarding the results of this study Lactobacillus plantarum inhibited the growth of Helicobacter pylori in the mixed culture. This may be due to possible production of organic acids like lactic acid and bacteriocins, but Lactobacillus casei could not inhibit the Helicobacter pylori's growth. Therefore, Lactobacillus plantarum has antagonistic effect against Helicobacter pylori under in vitro condition and it can be a good choice for the probiotic purposes against Helicobacter pylori infections for in vivo investigations