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.

20 Years from the Establishment of Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

No abstract.

Effect of food intake and ambient air pollution exposure on ankylosing spondylitis disease activity.

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by axial arthritis. The genetic-environmental factors seem to be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease and the disease debilitates patients during the most productive stages of their lives. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between two environmental factors, diet and air pollution with disease activity and functional impairment in AS.

Paediatric asthma prevalence: The first national population-based survey in Iran.

Background: The actual prevalence of paediatric asthma as a worldwide chronic disease has been surveyed in developed countries. However, no sufficient survey has been conducted in most of the eastern developing countries. Herein, we took measures to evaluate the prevalence of paediatric asthma in Iran.

Biological and Immunological Aspects of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Cancer Development: A Narrative Review.

Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) is a universal health problem and a risk factor for the development of cancer. IDA changes the microenvironment of the human body by affecting both the biological and immunological systems. It increases DNA damage and genomic instability by different mechanisms.

Study of the tumor microenvironment during breast cancer progression.

Background: Different cells and mediators in the tumor microenvironment play important roles in the progression of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the composition of the microenvironment during tumor progression in order to discover new related biomarkers and potentials for targeted therapy.

Methods: In this study, breast cancer biopsies from four different stages, and control breast biopsies were collected.

The prevalence of asthma in Iranian adults: The first national survey and the most recent updates.

Background: The worldwide increase in the prevalence of asthma has made it a major public-health concern. We aimed to identify the prevalence of asthma and asthma symptoms in adults living in urban and rural areas of Iran as a populated country with about 80 millions of residents.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of asthma in adults between 20 and 44 years old in all provinces of Iran.

Pain in ankylosing spondylitis: a neuro-immune collaboration.

Clinicians have commonly differentiated chronic back pain into two broad subsets: namely, non-inflammatory (or mechanical) back pain and inflammatory back pain. As the terminology suggests, the latter category, in which ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is prominent, presupposes a close link between pain and inflammation. Advances in research into the genetics and immunology of AS have improved our understanding of the inflammatory processes involved in this disease, and have led to the development of potent anti-inflammatory biologic therapeutic agents.

Frequency and Risk Factors of Penicillin and Amoxicillin Allergy in Suspected Patients with Drug Allergy.

Background: Unconfirmed beta-lactam allergy is a significant public health problem because of the limitations it imposes in drug selection. In this study, we aimed to evaluate patients referred for beta-lactam allergy to determine the frequency of confirmed beta-lactam allergy and identify some risk factors.

Methods: In a prospective cohort study, all referred patients to Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (between 2007 - 2009) who suspected to have beta-lactam allergy were entered into this study based on having the inclusion criteria.

Evaluation of TLR9 expression on PBMCs and CpG ODN-TLR9 ligation on IFN-α production in SLE patients.

Context: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by autoreactive antibodies. Recent findings revealed the importance of innate immune responses, especially Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the pathogenesis of SLE.

Objective: In this study, the level of TLR9 expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was analyzed.

MicroRNAs in rheumatoid arthritis.

The role of genetic and epigenetic factors in the development of rheumatic diseases has been an interesting field of research over the past decades all around the world. Research on the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been active and ongoing, and investigations have attempted to use miRNAs as biomarkers in disease diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. This review focuses on experimental researches in the field of miRNAs and RA to present the data available up to this date and includes researches searched by keywords "microRNA" and "rheumatoid arthritis" in PubMed from 2008 to January 2015.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and childhood asthma.

Asthma is the most common chronic illness in children living in developed countries and the leading cause of childhood hospitalization and school absenteeism. Prevalence rates of asthma are increasing and show disparities across gender, geographic regions, and ethnic/racial groups. Common risk factors for developing childhood asthma include exposure to tobacco smoke, previous allergic reactions, a family history of asthma, allergic rhinitis or eczema, living in an urban environment, obesity and lack of physical exercise, severe lower respiratory tract infections, and male gender.

Effects of probiotic yogurt on fat distribution and gene expression of proinflammatory factors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in overweight and obese people with or without weight-loss diet.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether probiotics had an effect on proinflammatory markers and cytokines in overweight and obese individuals and whether they could have synergistic effects with weight-loss diets.

Methods: A total of 75 healthy overweight and obese individuals completed this randomized doubled-blind controlled clinical trial. Participants were randomly assigned to groups consuming regular yogurt with a low-calorie diet (LCD, RLCD; n = 25) or receiving probiotic yogurt with LCD (PLCD; n = 25) or consuming probiotic yogurt without LCD (PWLCD; n = 25) for 8 weeks.

The effects of high fat, low carbohydrate and low fat, high carbohydrate diets on tumor necrosis factor superfamily proteins and proinflammatory cytokines in C57BL/6 mice.

There has been considerable inconsistency regarding the potential relationship between dyslipidemia and bone metabolism. The inflammatory stimulation through the receptor activator of the nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)/ receptor activator of the nuclear factor kappa-B (RANK)/ osteoprotegerin (OPG) pathway could be the infrastructural mechanism for hypercholesterolemia-induced bone loss.In this study, we investigated the effect of dyslipidemia on RANKL and OPG alongside with pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Effect of estrogen on Th1, Th2 and Th17 cytokines production by proteolipid protein and PHA activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from multiple sclerosis patients.

Background And Aims: A large body of studies has shown that 17-β estradiol (E2) has a protective effect on susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Clinical improvement in multiple sclerosis and its animal model, EAE, during pregnancy, when estrogen levels are high, suggests an immunomodulatory role for estrogens. The immune basis for this protection is poorly understood.

Basophil activation test in the diagnosis and monitoring of mastocytosis patients with wasp venom allergy on immunotherapy.

Background: There is need for an accurate diagnostic test in mastocytosis patients with wasp venom allergy (WVA) and monitoring of these patients during immunotherapy (IT). In this study, we aimed to evaluate sensitivity and specificity of the Basophil Activation Test (BAT) as a diagnostic and monitoring test in patients with mastocytosis and WVA.

Methods: Seventeen patients with mastocytosis and WVA and six mastocytosis patients without WVA were included.

The role of interleukin-23 in stability of in vitro T helper-17 cells.

Interleukin (IL)-17-producing T helper (Th)-17 cells have recently been explained as a distinct population of CD4+ T cells which play an important role in immunity against infectious agents. Establishment of persistent phenotype of Th17 cells and recognition of lineage-deviating factors are of most attractive goals in modern researches in immunology. Although IL-6 and TGF-β are frequently used to differentiate naive T cells to Th17 phenotype in mouse models, the application of IL-23 and its importance in preventing cells from plasticity needs to be more investigated.

Basophil Activation Test in the diagnosis and monitoring of mastocytosis patients with wasp venom allergy.

Background: There is need for an accurate diagnostic test in mastocytosis patients with wasp venom allergy (WVA) and monitoring of these patients during immunotherapy (IT). In this study, we aimed to evaluate sensitivity and specificity of the Basophil Activation Test (BAT) as a diagnostic and monitoring test in patients with mastocytosis and WVA. Methods: Seventeen patients with mastocytosis and WVA and 6 mastocytosis patients without WVA were included.

Clinical characteristics and medical management of Iranian patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objectives: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease with variable clinical expression. Ethnic, racial and geographical factors have been associated with disease occurrence and expression. We intended to describe the clinical characteristics and assess the disease severity and treatment status in Iranian AS patients.

Evaluating the reliability of Persian version of ankylosing spondylitis quality of life (ASQoL) questionnaire and related clinical and demographic parameters in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis quality of life (ASQoL) is an instrument for assessing quality of life (QoL). The aims of this study were to assess the reliability of Persian version of ASQoL questionnaire and evaluation of QoL status and related factors in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). One hundred and sixty-three Iranian patients with AS who fulfilled modified New York criteria were enrolled.

Lactobacillus acidophilus La5, Bifidobacterium BB12, and Lactobacillus casei DN001 modulate gene expression of subset specific transcription factors and cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of obese and overweight people.

Probiotics are believed to have interaction with immune cells through sustained effects on gene expression of different cytokines and transcription factors. The present randomized doubled-blind controlled clinical trial was performed recruiting 75 individuals with BMI 25-35, who were randomly assigned to the following three groups: Group 1 (n = 25) who consumed regular yogurt as part of a low calorie diet [RLCD], group 2 (n = 25) who received probiotic yogurt with a LCD [PLCD] and group 3 (n = 25) who consumed probiotic yogurt without LCD [PWLCD] for 8 week. Participants in PLCD and PWLCD groups received 200 g/day yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus La5, Bifidobacterium Bb12, and lactobacillus casei DN001 10(8) cfu/gr.