Interleukin-15 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α in Iraqi Patients with Alopecia Areata.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common form of noncicatricial hair loss of unknown cause, affecting 0.1-0.2% of the general population. Most evidence supports the hypothesis that it is disease of the hair follicle of autoimmune nature mediated by T-cells, with important cytokine role. Objective of the Study. The objective of this study is to study the association and changes in serum levels of interleukin-15 (IL-15) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in patients with AA in relation to the type, activity, and disease duration. Patients and Methods. Thirty-eight patients with AA and 22 individuals without the disease as controls were enrolled in this case-controlled study conducted in the Department of Dermatology in the Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital and Baghdad Medical City, Iraq, during a period from the 1st of April 2021 to the 1st of December 2021. Serum concentrations of IL-15 and TNF-α assessed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The mean serum concentration values for IL-15 and TNF-α were higher significantly in patients with AA than in controls (2.35 versus 0.35 pg/mL and 50.11 versus 20.92 pg/mL, respectively). IL-15 and TNF-α showed no statistically significant differences in level in terms of the type, duration, and activity of the disease, but TNF-α significantly higher in those with totalis-type than in other types. Conclusion: Both IL-15 and TNF-α are markers for alopecia areata. The level for these biomarkers was not affected by duration or disease activity, but it was affected by the type of disease, as the concentrations of IL-15 and TNF-α were higher in patient with Alopecia totalis than in other types of Alopecia.

Effect of HLA on development of asthma.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a disease characterized by a chronic inflammation of the airways caused by the interaction of genetic susceptibility with environmental factors. Inflammation and remodeling are critical components of asthma. It is shown that many genes are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. AIM OF STUDY: To identify/compare the association between HLA-DRB1 alleles and development of asthma in a sample of Iraqi Arab Muslims. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case-control study (forty patients and forty healthy control) was carried out in Medical city Teaching Hospital, Baghdad-Iraq. The study participants were patients with asthma consulted the hospital from September - 2013 to January - 2015. HLA -DRB1genotyping was done using a panel of sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOP) using HLA-DRB1amplification and hybridization kits (SSO HLA type DRB1 plus and Mastermix for HLA type DRB1 Amp plus kits -Innogenetics-Belgium) using automated method by AutoLipa - 48Innogenetics-Belgum. RESULTS: There was an increased frequency of HLADRB1*03:01:01 in control group compared with patients group (P = 0.009, Odds ratio = 0.1228, 95% CI: 0.0254-0.5930). Other allele like HLA-DRB1* 070101was significantly increased in asthmatic patients in compares with control group (P = 0.005, Odds ratio = 6.641, 95% CI: 1.7319-25.4657). CONCLUSIONS: HLA alleles have an effect on development asthma in patients with HLA-DRB1*070101 while HLADRB1* 030101 may have a protective effect in Iraqi Arab Muslims individuals against development of asthma.

Relation between osteoarthritis and HLA-A in Iraqui patients

Relación entre osteoartritis y HLA - A en pacientes iraquíes. (HLA: acrónimo inglés de antcígenos leucocitarios humanos - Human Leucocyte Antigens). La osteoartritis e la afección más común que involucra el aparato osteo-articular. Representa a un grupo heterogéneo de condiciones resultante de cambios comunes histopatológicos y radiológicos. Existen múltiples factores de riesgo para la osteoartritis: edad, obesidad, y el antígeno genético. El leococitario humano (HLA) como parte del sistema inmune, teniendo un rol en el proceso nosológico. Diversos estudios han determinado la diferente asociación entre la clase HLA - I y la II. El objetivo de esta investigación fue el de determinar la eventualidad de una relación entre el HLA-I y el II en la osteocondritis. Los resultados obtenidos se discuten en el artículo.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of joint disease. It represents a heterogeneous group of conditions resulting in common histopathologic and radiologic changes. There are multiples risk factors for osteoarthritis includes the following: Age, Obesity and Genetics. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) as part of immune system has a role in the disease process. Many reported studies have pointted to different HLA classs I and II association. Aim: To investigate whether there is an association between HLA class II and OA. Patients and methods: A cross sectional comparatives study including patient with primary osteoarthritis attending the department of orthopedic in Al-Kindy teaching hospital Baghdad, Iraq between September 2016-September 2017. Patient's selection was done by the orthopaedics. The HLA-A tuping was performed in HLA research unit at Al-Kindy College of Medicine using PCR-SSO according to the manufacturer instruction using both Amplification and Hybridization kit by Automated method using Autolipa - 48Innogenities-Belgium. The results ewre interepted using LIRAS version 5.0 software innogenetics - Belgium, odds ratio were used to test signifcant differences. Results: Thirty five Iraqi Arab Muslims patients with primary osteoarthritis. The control group was comprised from 75 healtht unrelated sex and age matched volunteers among the staff of Al-Kindey college of medicine that didn't have a history of osteoarthritis. There was an increased frequencies of HLA-A*0101,0202,6802 in patients with osteoarthritis compared with healthy controls (P value=0.001,<0.001,<0.001 respectively)

The Effect of HLA-DRB1 on Cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: Cholecystitis is one of the major digestive diseases. Its prevalence is particularly high in some populations. Significant risk factors associated with cholecystitis include age, sex, obesity, diet, parity and type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between HLA-DRB1 and cholecystitis. METHODS: This case-control study included forty Iraqi Arab patients who had cholecystitis with multiple calculi treated by cholecystectomy admitted in the surgical ward at Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital Baghdad between September -2013 to June -2014. The control group consisted of forty healthy volunteers among the staff of Al-Kindy College of Medicine. Control and cholecystitis patients groups were typed for identifying the DRB1* alleles using DNA-based methodology (PCR-SSOP). RESULTS: There was an increased frequency of HLA-DRB1*0301 in patients with cholecystitis compared with healthy controls (p=0.0442, odd ratio=4.1111, 95% CI: 1.0372-16.2949). CONCLUSION: HLA-DRB1*0301, as a genetic factor, seems to have an association with cholecystitis.