Evaluation of Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Depressed Episodes in Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder before and after Treatment.

Depression is one of the current dilemmas in both developed and developing societies. Studies show that the severity of psychiatric symptoms is directly related to the degree of inflammation caused by cytokines secreted by the immune system. Hence, evaluating serum cytokine levels in patients with depression can help to understand the pathogenesis of the disease and make the best therapeutic decisions.

Evaluation of immunomodulatory effects of co-culture or supernatant of dexamethasone or IFN-γ-treated adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on spleen mononuclear cells.

Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have exhibited promising immunomodulatory potential in preclinical studies, clinical studies have revealed variable results. These results often depend on environmental cues. Pre-conditioning MSCs with cytokines is one of the methods used to enhance their immunomodulatory effects.

Immunosuppressive Effects of Two Probiotics, Lactobacillus paracasei DSM 13434 and Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 15312, on CD4+ T Cells of Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

T cells play an important role in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. In the present study, the immunomodulatory impacts of two Lactobacillus strains, L paracasei DSM 13434 and L plantarum DSM 15312, on the frequency and cytokine production of CD4+ T cells in MS patients were explored. Thirty MS patients were enrolled in this study.

Th17/Treg cell balance in stable liver transplant recipients.

Background: Immune monitoring of transplanted patients may provide a reliable basis for the individualization of immunosuppressive therapy. In addition, it might be applied for realizing the early and non-invasive diagnosis of acute allograft rejection.

Methods: Percentages of TCD4 + IL-17+ (Th17) and TCD4 + CD25 + CD127 (Treg) cells, as well as serum levels of interleukin (IL)-17 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, were evaluated in 30 stable patients using flow cytometry and ELISA techniques before and six months after liver transplantation.

Comparing IRF-4 Gene Expression Between Acute T cell- Mediated Rejection and Stable Renal Transplant Recipients.

Introduction: Renal transplant rejection is one of the clinical challenges, which usually requires administration of immunosuppressive drugs causing serious side effects. Therefore, invention of effective and specific therapeutics is necessary to control undesired immune responses particularly T-cell reactions to allograft. Interferon Regulatory Factor-4 (IRF-4) due to its implication on T cells differentiation and function might be targeted to treat T cell-mediated cellular rejection (TCMR).