The immunomodulatory role of zinc in asthmatic patients.

Background: Zinc deficiency may play an important role in the development of atopic asthma.

The Aim Of The Work: To assess serum zinc levels in adult atopic, non-atopic asthmatic patients, and in healthy controls and to investigate its modulatory effect on production of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in vitro.

Methods: Sixty asthmatics and 30 apparently healthy volunteers were included in this study.

Serum indolamine 2,3 dioxygenase as a marker in the evaluation of allergic rhinitis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis occurs on exposure to a known allergen and is correlated with a positive skin test and physical examination results. Tryptophan is a substrate of many important proteins, e.g.

Vitamin D level among Egyptian patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria and its relation to severity of the disease.

Vitamin D has an important role in the immune system. Decreased serum vitamin D level is known to be associated with autoimmune and atopic diseases. This study aimed to assess vitamin D status in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and its relation with severity of the disease.

Association of FOXP3 regulatory gene expression with systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity among Egyptian patients.

The concept that regulatory T cells (Treg) play a key role in both development and maintenance of autoimmune response in rheumatological diseases is well accepted. In recent years, several studies analyzed Treg cell phenotype and function in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the prototypical systemic autoimmune disorder in humans. The forkhead family transcription factor FOXP3 currently represents the most specific marker molecule for T cells with suppressive/regulatory capacity (Treg).