Serological assay for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies improves sensitivity of diagnosis of COVID-19 patients.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2, responsible for coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), has become a major global health problem. The molecular testing is the accepted assay in SARS-CoV-2 detection. However, there are several reasons for low sensitivity by RNA detection, causing challenges in SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis.

Decreased serum levels of IL-27and IL-35 in patients with Graves disease.

Objective: Graves' disease (GD) is an autoimmune disease causing the overproduction of the thyroid hormone from thyroid gland. This disease is mainly the result of the production of antibodies against TSH receptors. Cytokines play an important role in orchestrating the pathophysiology in autoimmune thyroid disease.

The emerging role of microRNA in regulating the mTOR signaling pathway in immune and inflammatory responses.

The mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is considered to be an atypical protein kinase that plays a critical role in integrating different cellular and environmental inputs in the form of growth factors, nutrients and energy and, subsequently, in regulating different cellular events, including cell metabolism, survival, homeostasis, growth and cellular differentiation. Immunologically, mTOR is a critical regulator of immune function through integrating numerous signals from the immune microenvironment, which coordinates the functions of immune cells and T cell fate decisions. The crucial role of mTOR in immune responses has been lately even more appreciated.

Prevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Specific Antibodies in Health-Care Workers Compared to General Population during an Early Phase of the Pandemic, Tehran-Iran.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) rapidly transmits in general population, mainly between health-care workers (HCWs) who are in close contact with patients.

Objective: To study the seropositivity of HCWs as a high-risk group compared to general population.

Methods: 72 samples were obtained from HCWs working in Masih Daneshvari hospital as one of the main COVID-19 admission centers in Tehran, during April 4 to 6, 2020.

Osteosarcoma: A comprehensive review of management and treatment strategies.

Osteosarcoma, a bone cancer usually seen in children and young adults, is generally a high-grade malignancy presented by extreme metastases to the lungs. Osteosarcoma has a tendency for appearing in bones with rapid growth rate. The etiology of osteosarcoma is multifaceted and poorly understood.

The role of epigenetic changes in preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a disorder affecting 2-10% of pregnancies and has a major role for perinatal and maternal mortality and morbidity. PE can be occurred by initiation of new hypertension combined with proteinuria after 20 weeks gestation, as well as various reasons such as inflammatory cytokines, poor trophoblast invasion can be related with PE disease. Environmental factors can cause epigenetic changes including DNA methylation, microRNAs (miRNAs), and histone modification that may be related to different diseases such as PE.

mTOR Signaling pathway as a master regulator of memory CD8 T-cells, Th17, and NK cells development and their functional properties.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a member of the evolutionary phosphatidylinositol kinase-related kinases (PIKKs). mTOR plays a pivotal role in the regulation of diverse aspects of cellular physiology such as body metabolism, cell growth, protein synthesis, cell size, autophagy, and cell differentiation. Immunologically, mTOR has a fundamental part in controlling and shaping diverse functions of innate and adaptive immune cells, in particular, T-cell subsets differentiation, survival, and metabolic reprogramming to ultimately regulate the fate of diverse immune cell types.

Nanocurcumin improves regulatory T-cell frequency and function in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis is a chronic incapacitating disease of the central nervous system, it has been reported that the disturbance in the development and function of Treg subpopulations is associated with the disability status in the RRMS. Accordingly, in the current study, the objective was to specify nanocurcumin effects on Treg cells frequency, and function in patients with RRMS.

Methods And Materials: 50 patients with RRMS were enrolled in this study in which 25 were treated for at least six months with nanocurcumin capsules while the other half received placebo capsules as the control group.

Altered frequency of CD8 CD11c T cells and expression of immunosuppressive molecules in lymphoid organs of mouse model of colorectal cancer.

CD11c is a member of the β2-integrin family typically used to define myeloid dendritic cells (DCs). Recent reports identify CD11c-expressing CD8 T cells as a new subset of CD8 regulatory T cells (Treg). Evidence exists that CD11c CD8 T cells may exert their effector or regulatory functions under different conditions.

The Importance of Checking Leishmania Promastigotes Viability in the Proteomics Analysis of Secretions.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of checking the viability of Leishmania promastigote by flow cytometry using propidium iodide (PI) and microscopic method using trypan blue (TB) before proteomics analysis of the secretions.

Methods: The promastigotes (6×109) of Leishmania infantum in the exponential growth phase were transferred to serum-free media. Then, the viability of promastigotes was checked and compared with flow cytometry and microscopic method at 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 72 h.

Disturbed Th17/Treg balance, cytokines, and miRNAs in peripheral blood of patients with Behcet's disease.

Impaired inflammatory immune cells have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Behcet's disease (BD). In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the frequency of T helper (Th) 17 and regulatory T (Treg) cells, cytokine secretion, the expression of transcription factors related to Th17 and Treg cells, and microRNAs (miRNAs) targeting these transcription factors in BD patients. Blood samples from 47 BD patients and 58 healthy subjects were drawn, and the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were separated and isolated.

Update on Fc receptor-like (FCRL) family: new immunoregulatory players in health and diseases.

Fc receptor-like (FCRL) molecules, as recently identified members of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF), are preferentially expressed by B-cells. They have variable number of extracellular immunoglobulin-like domains and cytoplasmic activating ITAMs and/or inhibitory ITIMs. FCRL1-5 are dominantly expressed in different stages of B-cells development.

Epigenetic modifications and epigenetic based medication implementations of autoimmune diseases.

Recent genome-wide association studies have documented a number of genetic variants to explain mechanisms underlying autoimmune diseases. However, the precise etiology of autoimmune diseases remains largely unknown. Epigenetic mechanisms like alterations in the post-translational modification of histones and DNA methylation may potentially cause a breakdown of immune tolerance and the perpetuation of autoreactive responses.

Application of nanoparticle technology in the treatment of Systemic lupus erythematous.

Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a chronic heterogeneous multisystem autoimmune disease characterized by loss of tolerance to self-antigens and production of numerous autoantibodies. Current therapeutic approaches used to treat inflammatory autoimmune diseases are associated with debilitating side effects. In spite of significant advances in therapeutic options and increased understanding of the pathogenesis, novel therapeutic approaches are needed for treatment of SLE.