Are single nucleotide polymorphisms in the IL-2 gene biomarkers for Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

Background and aims: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disorder that can lead to hypothyroidism. The pathophysiology of HT involves the production of antithyroid antibodies that attack the thyroid tissue, causing inflammation and progressive fibrosis. Recent studies demonstrated a strong correlation between Interleukin-2 (IL-2) levels and the development of autoimmune diseases, suggesting that this cytokine may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of HT. Methods: In this study, we determined the presence of the point mutation +114T/G in the IL-2 gene in patients with HT compared with a control group, and also the serum level of anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPOAbs) and anti-thyroglobulin (TgAbs) antibodies in HT patients with vs. without the mutation. The sequences of the IL-2 gene obtained from subjects were determined by the Sanger sequencing method. Results: Our study did not reveal that the +114T/G polymorphism of the IL-2 gene is a susceptibility or protective factor for HT. No significant correlations were observed between the reference genotype, hetero- and homozygous +114T/G polymorphism and TPOAbs, respectively TgAbs serum levels in HT patients. Conclusions: Further studies of more cases are needed to identify more polymorphisms in the IL-2 gene and study their correlations with HT.

The C55A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in CTLA-4 Gene, a New Possible Biomarker in Thyroid Autoimmune Pathology Such as Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by the production of autoantibodies against the thyroid gland. Different studies have shown that several genes may be associated with HT, which explains why patients often have family members with thyroiditis or other autoimmune diseases. The aim of this case-control study was to evaluate the correlation between polymorphisms at the level of exon 1 from the CTLA-4 gene and the susceptibility to developing HT. In this study, we found that there is no statistically significant association between the polymorphism rs231775 (A22G in exon 1) of the CTLA-4 gene and a genetic predisposition to HT. In contrast, a strong association was discovered for the first time between C55A in exon 1 of the CTLA-4 gene and HT. Our findings suggest that there is a genetic relationship between the CTLA-4 (+55A/C) genotype and the seropositivity against thyroid autoantigens, such as anti-thyroid peroxidase (ATPO) and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (ATG).

Prevalence of ESBL, AmpC and Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales Isolated from Raw Vegetables Retailed in Romania.

(1) Background: As ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales are no longer exclusively associated with the health care system, investigating the potential risk they pose to the integrity of the environment and food safety has become of utmost importance. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL), AmpC, and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales isolates from retailed raw vegetables and to determine if household washing is an effective method of lowering bacterial load; (2) Methods: Seasonal vegetables (n = 165) were acquired from supermarkets (n = 2) and farmer markets (n = 2) in Romania. Following sample processing and isolation, identification of Enterobacterales was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) multiplex was used to ascertain the presence of the main ESBL, AmpC, and Carbapenemase genes. Phenotypic antibiotic resistance profiles of isolates were determined by extended antibiograms. Enterobacteriaceae colony-forming units (CFU) counts were compared between vegetable types; (3) Results: Beta-lactamase producing bacteria were observed on 7.9% of vegetables, with 5.5% displaying ESBL/AmpC phenotype and 2.4% identified as Carbapenemase producers. The most frequently detected ß-lactamase genes were blaSHV (n = 4), followed by blaCTX-M and blaTEM (each with n = 3). Phenotypic antibiotic resistance analysis showed that 46% of isolates were multiple drug resistant, with aminoglycosides (38.5%) the most prevalent non-ß-lactam resistance, followed by first-generation quinolones (38.5%). (4) Conclusions: The present study has described for the first time the presence of ß-lactamase producing Enterobacterales in fresh produce retailed in Romania.

Correlated quantification using microbiological and electrochemical assays for roxithromycin determination in biological and pharmaceutical samples.

Microbiological and electrochemical assays, applying the cylinder-plate and differential pulse voltammetry as techniques, are reported for the quantitative determination of roxithromycin in serum and solid pharmaceutical form. The microbiological assay is based upon the inhibitory effect of this drug on the strain Bacillus subtilis ATCC 9372 used as the test microorganism. Linearity of the calibration curve was observed over the concentration range of 8.37-83.70 µg mL-1, with relative standard deviation values less than 5.0%. The electrochemical behavior of roxithromycin was studied at a graphite screen-printed electrode modified with graphene by using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The current value of the oxidative peak obtained for roxithromycin at 0.65 V vs. Ag/AgCl in 0.03 mol L-1 phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0) with a scan rate of 0.1 V-1 is a linear function of the concentration in a range of 4.19-83.70 µg mL-1 (5-100 µmol L-1). A comparative study was carried out and both methods were applied for the determination of roxithromycin in solid dosage forms and spiked serum. The bioassay results of human serum samples were in accordance with the electrochemical ones (R2 = 0.988, P < 0.001), and the Bland-Altman method also showed good agreement between the values obtained by both procedures. Moreover, the statistical comparison indicated that there was no significant difference between the proposed techniques regarding both accuracy and precision.

Influence of Toxoplasma gondii Infection on Male Fertility: A Pilot Study on Immunocompetent Human Volunteers.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate the influence of Toxoplasma gondii infection on spermatic and hormonal parameters in a pilot sample of immunocompetent human male subjects. METHODS: This cross sectional, observational pilot study on 60 immunocompetent human male subjects aged between 18 and 60 yr old was conducted between 2012 -2013. Blind evaluation of serological markers of past T. gondii infection (TOX-IgG, TOX-IgM) was performed, along with individual spermiograms and determinations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone serum levels. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of past T. gondii infection in the investigated immunocompetent male subjects was 25%. No statistically significant influence of T. gondii infection on sperm characteristics (ejaculate quantity, sperm count, motility, morphology) and serum levels of FSH or testosterone were found. Among possible predictors of a modified spermiogram studied by multiple logistic regression along with the T. gondii infection (age, smoking, alcohol consumption, fertility influencing malformations, infections, trauma or medication), only the presence of varicocele in the medical history of the studied subjects was found to significantly participate in the prediction of a modified spermiogram (P=0.0154). A necessary sample size of 994 subjects was computed in order to achieve a test power of 0.8 (80%) to discriminate an effect size of 8.89% estimated by our pilot study. CONCLUSIONS: Although our investigation did not demonstrate an influence of latent T. gondii infection on spermatic and hormonal parameters of immunocompetent male humans, the absence of such an influence cannot be affirmed, due to the limited sample size of our pilot study.