Auto-antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease unclassified

Inflammatory bowel disease unclassified [IBDU] is considered to be an aberrant immune response with loss of tolerance to many antigens. This paper tries to address whether there is any value to test for auto-antibodies in such patients. 60 patients with inflammatory bowel disease unclassified participated in the study. Auto-antibodies to nuclear antigen, intestinal goblet cell, exocrine part of pancreatic acinar cells, perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic, cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were tested and compared to 20 ulcerative colitis [UC] patients and 30 healthy controls matched for age and sex. There was a significant difference [p=0.000] between patients and control group in anti-exocrine part of pancreatic acinar cells, perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic and Saccharomyces cerevisiae auto-antibodies. There was also a significant difference between IBDU and UC patients in the auto-antibodies directed against intestinal goblet cells, [p=0.000] exocrine part of pancreas [p=0.000] and anti Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody [p=0.000]. Due to the autoimmune nature of indeterminate colitis, involvement of some antigens from gastrointestinal tract or the bile system in the initiation of this disease is likely

Frequency of antisperm antibodies in infertile women

Infertility is one of the common problems seen in couples of reproductive age. Presence of antisperm antibodies in semen and serum are amongst the causes of immunoinfertility. This study was performed to determine antisperm antibodies in cervicovaginal secretions and serum of infertile women and also measure serum levels of immunoglobulins [IgG, IgM and IgA]. The study consisted of 45 infertile women consulting the Kammal ElSammrari Hospital for infertility from 2008 to 2009 and the control group consisted of 30 fertile women. Serum levels of immunoglobulins [IgG, IgA and IgM] were measured in the participants using single radial immune diffusion. Antisperm antibodies [ASAs] were detected in the serum of both infertile and control groups using indirect immune fluorescence test. ASAs were also detected in cervicovaginal secretion using direct sperm agglutination test in both infertile and control groups. Antisperm antibodies were found in the cervicovaginal secretions [62.2%] and sera [64.4%] of infertile women which were significantly higher [p <0.001] than those of the control group [3.3% and 3.3% respectively]. There was a significant increase [p <0.001] in serum levels of IgG and IgA of infertile women [16.2 and 3.25 g/L respectively] compared with the healthy control group [7 and 1.2 g/L]. Humoral immune response and antisperm antibodies may contribute to reproductive failure in couples of reproductive age

Estimation of some interleukins with C reactive protein and possible etiology of indeterminate colitis in Baghdad province

To determine levels of some interleukins with C reactive protein [CRP] and proportion of Helicobacter pylori [HP] and Cytomegalovirus [CMV] infection in Indeterminate Colitis [IC] in Baghdad. This cross-sectional stud was done in Al-Kindi Teaching Hospital in Baghdad. Cases group consisted of 60 patients aged between 19 and 84 years who were consulted the hospital between January 2008 and January 20 10. Control group consisted of 30 healthy volunteers who were frequency matched to cases by age and sex. Serum samples were studied for IL-10, TNF-alpha, CRP and H. pylori IgG antibodies. Patients were evaluated for CMV by using serology [IgM and IgG antibodies]. Mean level of IL-10 in 1C cases was [39.3 +/- 15.2 pg/ml] which is significantly higher than control group [p-value=0.024, 95% confidence interval for the difference 7.57, 21.87]. The level of another cytokine [TNF-alpha] was [22.36 +/- 9.04 pg/ml] in indeterminate colitis cases which is significantly lower than the level in control group [33.31 +/- 0.796 pg/ml], [p-value=0.000, 95% confidence interval for difference -13.3, -8.6]. Proportions of CRP, H. pylori IgG and CMV IgM were not significantly different from control group. These results indicate that IL-10 and TNF- alpha could be of value in monitoring inflammation along with CRP. H. pylori and CMV infection might not have a role in maintaining inflammation in human intestine

Cellular immune responses before and during S2 - complex immunotherapy in head and neck cancer patients

Host immune response especially cell mediated immunity play an important role in the origin and progression of head and neck cancer. A total of 63 terminal unbeatable stage IV head and neck cancer patients were investigated for cellular immune response before and during S2- complex [synthetic -2] immunotherapy from 1992-1994 in Iraqi Medical Collage - Al-Nahrain University. Cellular immunity were investigated including leukocytes, lymphocytes, T and B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes subsets CD4+, CD8+ and HLA-DR + cells using monoclonal antibodies by indirect immunoflourescense test. Their results were compared with twenty normal apparently healthy individuals. The mean total leukocytes and neutrophil numbers were significantly higher in head and neck cancer [HNC] patients while lymphocytes numbers [T and B] were significantly low. Lymphocytes subsets showed significantly decreased in CD4% and CD8% not affected. CD4/CD8 ratio was lower than normal. HLA-DR + cells were higher in HNC patients. S2-complex administration showed increased in T and B cells on individual basis, increased CD4, CDS, HLA-DR+ cells and CD4/CD8 ratio. Immunotherapy acts as an adjuvant to other modalities of treatment without affecting normal human cells. S2-complex induced normalization of peripheral lymphocytes and cause immunorestoration of i mm u no logic function in vivo

Epstein-BARR virus in Iraqi patients with nasopharangeal carcinoma

Epstein-Barr virus [EBV] was ubiquitous Herpes virus that had a role in the development of undifferentiated carcinoma of the nasopharynx, Burkett's lymphoma, acute infectious mononucleosis and other lymphoprolifrative disorders. Thirty Iraqi patients with nasopharangeal carcinoma were referred to Oncology Unit in Al-Kadhemia Teaching Hospital from 1992-1994. Sera of those patients were tested for the presence of antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus nuclear and early antigens using indirect immunoflourescence test. Cellular immunity for those patients was tested for the CD4+, CD8+, CD4/CD8 ratio, T-cells% and B-cells%. Their results were compared with twenty-two normal apparently normal individuals. Antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus nuclear and early antigens were detected in nasopharangeal carcinoma Iraqi patients and not in the control group. There was significant difference between two groups in CD8+cells, T-cells% and B-cells% and there was no significant differences between two groups in CD4+cells, CD4/CD8 ratio. EBV infection was stopped by T-cells immune response that was capable of eliminating virus infected cells and virus neutralizing antibodies against nuclear and early antigens which prevent the spread of infection. Lymphocytes were predominantly CD8+cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which recognize and destroy EBV infected cells. Other antibodies to viral capsid antigens [IgG, IgA and IgM]. Other methods must be used other than indirect immunoflourescense test like western blot method and enzyme linked immune sorbent assay [ELISA]