Studying the correlation of inflammatory cytokines to COVID-19 disease.

Extreme response of the immune system develops cytokine storm which might be crucial in the pathology of COVID-19. The research aims to evaluate the serum level of IL-6, TNF-α, and IP-10 in severe, mild, and pre-vaccinated one-dose COVID-19 patients and investigate their clinical value and effect in the disease development among different groups of patients. A total of 72 samples were collected 18 as healthy control and 54 from confirmed COVID-19 patients including 18 mild, 18 severe, and 18 pre-vaccinated (one dose). It was confirmed that the severe group of COVID-19 patients had the highest circulating IL-6, TNF- α, and IP-10. IL-6 level in mild and pre-vaccinated (one dose) was significantly lower than in severe. In conclusion, IL-6, TNF-α, and IP-10 are associated with the pathogenicity of COVID-19, furthermore, vaccination could help to control severity of the disease.

Role of CD27 and SAMHD1 and their genetic susceptibility to COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2, which initiated the worldwide COVID-19 epidemic in 2019, has rapidly emerged and spread, resulting in significant public health challenges worldwide. The COVID-19 severity signs and their association with specific genes have been investigated to better comprehend this phenomenon. In this study, several genes were investigated to see whether they correspond with COVID-19 sickness severity. This research aims to determine and evaluate certain gene expression levels associated with the immune system, as these genes were reported to play important roles in immune control during the COVID-19 outbreak. We analyzed two immunity-linked genes: CD27 and SAMHD1 in COVID-19 patients' samples using RT-PCR, compared them to the samples from recovered, immunized, and healthy individuals. These data were examined to determine the potential relationships between clinical patterns, illness severity, and progression, and SARS-CoV-2 infection immunology. We observed that CD27 gene expression was higher in COVID-19 vaccinated and control groups, but lower in active and recovered COVID-19 patients. On the other hand, SAMHD1 gene expression was elevated in infected and recovered COVID-19 groups. According to our study, the proteins CD27 and SAMHD1 are essential for controlling the immunological response to COVID-19. Changes in their expression levels could increase the susceptibility of patients to severe complications associated with the disease. Therefore, the gene expression level of these proteins could serve as viable prognostic markers for COVID-19.

T Cells Immunophenotyping and CD38 Overexpression as Hallmarks of the Severity of COVID-19 and Predictors of Patients' Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: By the end of 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic spread all around the world with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations ranging from mild to moderate to severe or critical cases. T cell subtype dysregulation is mostly involved in the immunopathogenic mechanism. The present study aimed to highlight the role of monitoring T cell subtypes and their activation (expression of CD38) in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy subjects and their role in predicting severity and patients' outcomes. MATERIALS: The study involved 70 adult COVID-19 confirmed cases stratified into three groups: a mild/asymptomatic group, a clinically moderate group, and a clinically severe/critical group. Flow cytometry analysis was used for the assessment of CD3+ cells for total T cell count, CD4+ cells for helper T cells (Th), CD8+ cells for cytotoxic T cells (Tc), CD4+CD25+ cells for regulatory T cells (T reg), and CD38 expression in CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells for T cell activation. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was found between COVID-19 cases and healthy controls as regards low counts of all the targeted T cell subtypes, with the lowest counts detected among patients of the severe/critical group. Furthermore, CD38 overexpression was observed in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. CONCLUSION: Decreased T cell count, specifically CD8+ T cell (Tc), with T cell overactivation which was indicated by CD38 overexpression on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells had a substantial prognostic role in predicting severity and mortality among COVID-19 patients. These findings can provide a preliminary tool for clinicians to identify high-risk patients requiring vigilant monitoring, customized supportive therapy, or ICU admission. Studies on larger patient groups are needed.

Thymoquinone Effect on Monocyte-Derived Macrophages, Cell-Surface Molecule Expression, and Phagocytosis.

Macrophages are one of the most important cells in the immune system. They act as links between innate and adaptive immunities. In this study, the aim was to examine thymoquinone effects on the immunological properties of different macrophages. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from blood from healthy volunteers by negative selection of monocytes that had been cultured for seven days to differentiate into macrophages. Cells were cultured with or without the presence of thymoquinone (TQ), which was used in two different concentrations (50 µg/mL and 100 µg/mL. Cluster of differentiation 80 (CD80), cluster of differentiation 86 (CD86), and human leukocyte antigen DR isotype (HLA-DR) were measured by flow cytometry, and the secretion of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was measured. Cells were also tested for their E. coli phagocytosis abilities. The data showed that the expression of HLA-DR was significantly higher in cells treated with 100 µL/mL TQ. In addition, IFN-γ concentration increased in the 100 µg/mL TQ-treated cells. The macrophage phagocytosis results showed a significant difference in 50 µg/mL TQ-treated cells compared to the controls. TQ may enhance the immunological properties of macrophages during the early stages of innate immunity by activating phagocytosis ability and by increasing the expression of HLA-DR and the secretion of IFN-γ, which may enhance the antigen-presentation capabilities of macrophages.

VALUE OF CEREBROSPINAL FLUID TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA (TN-ALPHA) FOR RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF BACTERIAL MENINGITIS.

Meningitis is common in tropical areas and also in Egypt and has a world-wide distribution. This study evaluated the potential role of CSF TNF alpha in diagnosis and differenfial diagnosis of acute meningitis (bacterial versus asepic meningitis). This case-control study was conducted between Ain Shams University Tropical Medicine Department and Embaba Fever Hospital. Fifty patients with suspected meningitis were recruited during from January 2014 to June 2014. They were divided according to culture results into 2 groups: GI: 40 patients with acute bacteria men ingitis (proved by CSF culture), G2: 10 patients matched according to age and sex with clinical sings of CNS infection but without laboratory evidence of bacterial origin, (Suspected cases, and negative culture). Both groups were subjected to thorough history taking, full clinical examination, and laboratory invistigations including CSF analysis & CS TNF was measured by ELISA. The results showed a highly significantdifference between cases and control reading CSF TNF (P=0.00). The criteria's of diagnostic validity test as 100% for all at cutoff > or = 275 ng/ml and < or = 700 ng/ml with 100% specificity and sensitivity. A significant correlation between CSF-TNF and each of ESR (P=003) & CSF cells (P=0.015), without significant correlation regarding other parameters (P>0.05).

Evaluation of salivary and serum anti-Helicobacter pylori in Egyptian patients with H. pylori related gastric disorders.

Helicobacter pylori is a common and important transmissible bacterial human pathogen. Although several diagnostic tests are available for the detection of H. pylori infection, all of them have both advantages and disadvantages, and none can be considered as a single gold standard. Serological methods analyzing (serum and saliva) by using enzyme immunoassays, which are simple, reproducible and inexpensive, can detect either antigen or antibody. This study evaluated the frequency of anti- H. pylori serum and salivary antibodies positivity among Egyptian patients with gastric disorders and the validity of salivary, serum serological tests for diagnosis of H. pylori, comparing this with gold standard tests performed on endoscopy biopsy. This prospective, case-controlled study included 45 Egyptian patients who attended Ain Shams University Hospitals Cairo, Egypt between January 2013 and June 2013. There were 29 males &16 females their mean age was 51.78 +/- 7 (range 18-60). Among the ulcerogenic drugs, Aspirin was the most common drug (46.7%). The evidence revealed the sensitivity of Rapid Urease Test (RUT) was 100%, specificity was 71.4%, Positive Predictive value (PPV) was 88.6% and Negative Predictive value (NPV) was 100%. The sensitivity of serum IgG was 68.97% and specificity was 42.86%; while the sensitivity of serum IgA was 89.6% and the specificity was 50%. Correlating the salivary IgG results with H. pylori status diagnosed by culture, salivary IgG succeeded to diagnose 19 cases from the 31 positive H. pylori patients with a sensitivity of 63.33% & specificity of 92.86% whereas the results of salivary IgA showed a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 92.86%.