Increased IL-17A but decreased IL-27 serum levels in patients with multiple sclerosis

Effector CD4[+] T cell subsets play an important role in Multiple Sclerosis [MS]. Interleukin-27 [IL-27] suppresses Th [Th1, Th2 and Th17] cells and dampens autoimmunity and tissue inflammation by promoting the generation of Type 1 regulatory T cells [Tr1]. To identify the relative levels of IL-27 and IL-17A in MS disease. In a case-control study, venous blood was collected from forty MS patients and forty-three healthy subjects as control group. Serum levels of IL-27 and IL- 17A were measured by ELISA method. A significant difference between serum IL-17A concentration in patients [120.68 +/- 209.85 pg/ml] and control group [67.26 +/- 117.76 pg/ml, p=0.016] was found. Serum IL-27 levels of the MS patients [159.7 +/- 581.4 pg/ml] were significantly lower than control subjects [180.35 +/- 507.84 pg/ml, p=0.001]. Our findings show decreased levels of IL-27 against increasing IL-17A levels in patients group which may suggest the suppressive role of IL-27 on inflammatory process of MS

Elevated levels of interleukin-23 in sera of patients with pemphigus vulgaris

Pemphigus vulgaris, a chronic mucocutaneous disease, is the most prevalent type of pemphigus which manifests with development of bullae and erosions on skin and mucosal membranes. To investigate the potential role of IL-23 in pemphigus vulgaris. In this study, 30 patients with pemphigus vulgaris and 30 healthy individuals were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Measurement of IL-23 serum levels in blood samples was conducted by ELISA. Data was analyzed using Student's t-test for comparison of IL-23 levels between the two groups. Mean serum levels of IL-23 in patients with pemphigus and healthy controls were 25.1 +/- 4.2 and 17.9 +/- 4.7 pg/ml, respectively [p<0.05]. Based on the findings of this study, serum levels of IL-23 were higher in patients with pemphigus in comparison to healthy individuals with no clinical significance

Detection of H.pylori infection and cagA strains seropositivity in adult dyspeptic patients in east Azerbaijan, northwest of Iran

Helicobacter pylori [H.pylori] bacteria colonize human stomach mucosa and may establish acute or chronic gastric inflammation. Cytotoxic-associated gene A [cag A] is associated with higher grades of gastric inflammation and carcinoma. in the present study we determine cag A seropositive strain in dyspeptic patients with H. pylori infection. Six hundred adult dyspeptic patients examined for anti H. Pylori and anti-cag A antibodies by enzyme-linked immunoassay [ELISA] method. All cases resided in east Azarbijan in northwest of Iran and were enrolled in a 5-year period [2003-2008]. A total of 85.5% of dyspeptic patients were positive for H. pylori infection. Anti-cag A antibody was detected in 35.6% of patients with H. pylori infection. Screening of H.pylori infection by ELISA method revealed that the vast majority of [85.5%] dyspeptic patients are seropositive for H. pylori. Determining of photogenic strains of H. pylori by anti-cag A antibody could be diagnostic in severe gastric infections

Interleukin-17A and interleukin-17F mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis [MS] is a CD4[+] T cell-mediated autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system [CNS]. It was previously believed that Th1 cells were pathogenic T cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis [EAE]. However, the functional role of Th1 cells in EAE has been reconsidered upon the discovery of IL-17-producing T cells which are consider as dominant effectors for inducing autoimmune tissue inflammation. The objective of this study was to assess the role of IL-17A and IL-17F in MS pathogenesis. We evaluated mRNA expression of IL-17A and IL-17F in thirty-five Iranian patients with relapsing-remitting MS [RRMS] and twenty-five healthy controls by Quantitative Real Time PCR. The results of this study showed a twenty-fold increase in the expression of IL-17A mRNA in MS patients compared to the control group [p < 0.0001]. IL-17F mRNA expression in MS patients was thirty three-times greater than control group [p = 0.0008]. IL-17A mRNA expression in periphery was positively correlated with expression of IL-17F transcripts in MS patients and controls [p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively]. These results indicate the critical role of Th17- mediated cytokines in development of MS which classically has been considered as a Th1-mediated disorder. The results of this study showed, for the first time, the importance of IL-17F in MS immunopathogenesis