The effect of lipopolysaccharide from uropathogenic Escherichia coli on the immune system, testis tissue, and spermatozoa of BALB/c mice / 대한생식의학회지

Objective@#Uropathogenic Escherichia coli is known to cause urinary tract infections, and the endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) of this bacterium may cause deficiencies of sperm quality and morphology. In the present study, the effects of LPS on mouse sperm were studied, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-17A and possible changes in testis tissue were evaluated. @*Methods@#LPS of uropathogenic E. coli was extracted using the methanol-chloroform method, followed confirmation using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Purified LPS (100 µg/kg) or phosphate-buffered saline was injected intraperitoneally into BALB/c mice for 7 days consecutively in the test and control groups, Mice were sacrificed on days 3, 7, and 42 after the first injection. Blood was tested for levels of IL-17A using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Testis tissue and sperm were collected from each mouse and were studied according to standard protocols. @*Results@#The mean sperm count and motility significantly decreased (p=0.03) at 3, 7, and 42 days after the injections. The level of IL-17A in the test groups increased, but not significantly (p=0.8, p=0.11, and p=0.15, respectively). Microscopic studies showed no obvious changes in the morphology of the testis tissue; however, significant changes were observed in the cellular parenchyma on day 42. @*Conclusion@#LPS can stimulate the immune system to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in an immune response in the testis and ultimately leading to deficiency in sperm parameters and testis tissue damage. In addition, the presence of LPS could significantly impair sperm parameters, as shown by the finding of decreased motility.

The effect of lipopolysaccharide from uropathogenic Escherichia coli on the immune system, testis tissue, and spermatozoa of BALB/c mice / 대한생식의학회지

Objective@#Uropathogenic Escherichia coli is known to cause urinary tract infections, and the endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) of this bacterium may cause deficiencies of sperm quality and morphology. In the present study, the effects of LPS on mouse sperm were studied, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-17A and possible changes in testis tissue were evaluated. @*Methods@#LPS of uropathogenic E. coli was extracted using the methanol-chloroform method, followed confirmation using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Purified LPS (100 µg/kg) or phosphate-buffered saline was injected intraperitoneally into BALB/c mice for 7 days consecutively in the test and control groups, Mice were sacrificed on days 3, 7, and 42 after the first injection. Blood was tested for levels of IL-17A using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Testis tissue and sperm were collected from each mouse and were studied according to standard protocols. @*Results@#The mean sperm count and motility significantly decreased (p=0.03) at 3, 7, and 42 days after the injections. The level of IL-17A in the test groups increased, but not significantly (p=0.8, p=0.11, and p=0.15, respectively). Microscopic studies showed no obvious changes in the morphology of the testis tissue; however, significant changes were observed in the cellular parenchyma on day 42. @*Conclusion@#LPS can stimulate the immune system to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in an immune response in the testis and ultimately leading to deficiency in sperm parameters and testis tissue damage. In addition, the presence of LPS could significantly impair sperm parameters, as shown by the finding of decreased motility.

relationship between thyroid hormones, vitamin D and fasting blood glucose level during summer and winter in nondiabetic adults

Background and Aims: 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 is recognized to be an essential element for healthy body; however, its deficiency has been identified as a risk factor for thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus and other autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases. Thyroid disease is common in the general population that its prevalence increases proportional to age. Subjects with poorly controlled diabetes, with or without its complications, may experience some changes in their thyroid function tests. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between thyroid hormones, vitamin D3 and fasting blood glucose [FBS] level during summer and winter in nondiabetic adults

Materials and Methods: A total of 1093 Caucasian adults without diabetes were chosen for study. The serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, thyroxin [T4], thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH] and FBS were measured in these samples and the association of these factors during summer and winter were evaluated

Results: The study results demonstrated a significant association in T4 and TSH with 25-hydroxy vitamin D3. The significantly lower serum level of T4 and no significant difference in TSH level were determined in impaired fasting glucose subjects as compared to normal fasting glucose subjects. No significant association was detected between serum level of 25[OH] D3, TSH, T4 and FBS in winter and summer

Conclusions: 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 may play a role on thyroid hormone regulation. In addition, thyroid hormones can affect FBS level. As a result, lifestyle and diet may have possible effects on thyroid hormones and blood glucose regulation

Serum levels of IL-17A increase in asthma but don't correlate with serum level of IgE and asthma severity

Background and Aims: recent evidence suggests that T helper 17 [Th17] cells are involved in the emergence of asthma. Th17 cells have a key role in inducing inflammation in asthmatic airways. Thus interleukin [IL]-17A, the main cytokine of Th17, contributes to airways inflammation

Materials and Methods: we evaluated the level of IL-17A and total immunoglobulin E [IgE] by ELISA method in sera of 100 asthmatic patients and 81 healthy controls, to determine if serum concentration of IL-17A is associated with asthma severity. We classified patients into three groups; mild [n=28], moderate [n=33] and severe asthma [n=39]

Results: serum IL-17A and IgE concentrations were significantly higher in the asthmatic patients than the control group [p=0.026 and p<0.01, respectively]. Mean serum IL-17A and IgE values were 37.73 pg/ml and 39.02 IU/ml in the control group, but 68.55 pg/ml and 295.87 IU/ml in the patients group, respectively. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences between the three groups of asthmatic patients. Mean serum IL-17A and IgE values were 94.17 pg/ml and 255.07 IU/ml in the mild group, 71.29 pg/ml and 271.27 IU/ml in the moderate group, and 47.85 pg/ml and 345.97 IU/ml in the severe group, respectively. Moreover, there was no correlation between serum levels of IL-17A and IgE

Conclusion: it was found that IL-17A, like IgE, rises in sera of asthmatic patients though in a different manner. IgE increases in serum consistent with disease severity though the increase of IL-17A in serum has an inverse relationship with IgE elevation

Determination of hepatitis B virus genotypes in Yazd, Central Province of Iran

Background and Aims: hepatitis B virus [HBV] infects the liver and causes acute and chronic hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis. HBV has been divided to eight genotypes [A-H] and subgenotypes of A, B, C and F. For the first time, we determined HBV genotypes in infected samples by INNO-LiPA method in Yazd, central province of Iran

Materials and Methods: this study was performed on samples suspected of HBV infection. The sera of fifteen out of ninety-five samples that had shown positive results by RT-PCR were used for HBV genotyping by using INNO-LiPA HBV genotyping assay

Results and Conclusions: seven [46.7%] out of fifteen samples were female. The mean age of the patients was 37.8+/-14.3 years. The average number copy of HBV in infected samples was 1.04×10[6]+/-4.74×10[5] Copies/ml. All fifteen infected samples had genotype D. Our results showed that HBV genotype D was the only detectable genotype in Yazd, central province of Iran. A further study with a larger sample size in different provinces of Iran is needed to identify HBV genotypes in Iran

Economic burden of hepatitis B virus infection in different stages of disease; a report from southern Iran

To estimate the total annual cost due to chronic hepatitis B [CHB]-related diseases imposed on each patient and his/her family in Iran. Economic burden of CHB-related diseases [CHB, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma] were examined. In this retrospective study, 100 Iranian patients were identified to obtain their socioeconomic status, utilization [direct and indirect costs] and costs of treatment, and work days lost due to illness with a structured questionnaire during 2012. Costs of hospital admissions were extracted from databases of Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran. The outpatient expenditure per patient was measured through the rate of outpatient visits and average cost per visit reported by the patients, while the inpatient costs were calculated through annual rate of hospital admissions and average expenditure. Self-medication and direct non-medical costs were also reported. The Human Capital Approach was used to measure the work loss cost. The total annual cost per patient for CHB, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma were US[dollar sign] 3094.5, US[dollar sign]17483, and US[dollar sign] 32958 during 2012, respectively. CHB-related diseases impose a substantial economic burden on patients, families, and the society. This study provides useful information on cost of treatment and work loss for different disease states, which can be further used in cost-effectiveness evaluations