Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of IL-18 (Rs 1946519) in Recurrent Aborted Iraqi Women and Its Association with Toxoplasmosis.

Background: We aimed to shed light on the risks of elevated levels of IL-18 in aborted women with toxoplasmosis by evaluating the risk or protective function of alleles or genotypes for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of IL-18 (rs 1946519), which might be related to the susceptibility to toxoplasmosis.

Methods: IL-18 levels in patient and control blood samples were determined using ELISA, and the SNP IL-18 (ra 1946519) was subjected to the high-resolution method.

Results: Compared to healthy pregnant women (HP), the IL-18 serum levels of recurrent abortion with toxoplasmosis (RAWT), recurrent abortion without toxoplasmosis (RAWOT), and healthy non-pregnant (HNP) women decreased with significant differences.

Relationship between the serum level, polymorphism and gene expression of IL-33 in samples of recurrent miscarriage Iraqi women infected with toxoplasmosis.

One of the many warm-blooded hosts that toxoplasmosis-causing intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii can infect is humans. Cytokines are crucial to stimulate an effective immune response against T. gondii.

The effect of toxoplasmosis on renal function in hemodialysis patients.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite; it spreads via the circulatory system during infection and causes chronic infection in various organs. Toxoplasmosis affects nearly one third of people worldwide, especially immunocompromised people. This study aimed to determine the effect of toxoplasmosis on renal function in hemodialysis patients.

Serum levels of C-reactive protein and ferritin in COVID-19 patients infected with Toxoplasma gondii.

During infection, T. gondii disseminates by the circulatory system and establishes chronic infection in several organs. Almost third of humans, immunosuppressed individuals such as HIV/AIDS patients, cancer patients, and organ transplant recipients are exposed to toxoplasmosis.

The association of IL-3, IL-17A, and IL 27 serum levels with susceptibility to toxoplasmosis in recurrent abortion of Iraqi women.

Cytokines are a group of immunomodulatory proteins leading to a variety of immune reactions in the human; these cytokines play a significant role in the development of appropriate immune responses against T. gondii. This study aims to reveal the association of toxoplasmosis with serum levels of IL-3, IL-17A, and IL-27 in aborted women.

Association between genetic polymorphism of IL-27 (rs153109) and toxoplasmosis in Iraqi women with recurrent abortion.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are predictive markers for diseases, also cytokines are undergoing genetic controls and their genetic polymorphisms have a functional role in regulating the levels of cytokine gene expression. This study aims to reveal the association of toxoplasmosis with serum levels and SNP of IL-27 in aborted women. Total, 200 blood samples of patients and controls were collected from Al-Alawiya Maternity Teaching Hospital/Baghdad/Iraq from 2019–2020 for detecting the level of IL-27 by ELISA while the allelic discrimination method was used for SNP IL-27 (rs153109).

Serum Levels of Il-12 and Il-23 in Breast Cancer Patients Infected with : A Case-Control Study.

Background: The possible risk factor of infection and its possible correlation with Interleukin-12 (IL-12) and Interleukin-23 (IL-23) in breast cancer patients was investigated.

Methods: Overall, 190 female patients referred to the Oncology Teaching Hospital in the Medical City Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq were enrolled from 2017-2018. All serum samples were tested for immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM (antibodies and IL-12, IL-23 levels.

The Effect of Overexpressed DdRabS on Development, Cell Death, Vesicular Trafficking, and the Secretion of Lysosomal Glycosidase Enzymes.

Rab GTPases are essential regulators of many cellular processes and play an important role in downstream signaling vital to proper cell function. We sought to elucidate the role of novel GTPase RabS. Cell lines over-expressing DdRabS and expressing DdRabS N137I (dominant negative (DN)) proteins were generated, and it was determined that DdRabS localized to endosomes, ER-Golgi membranes, and the contractile vacuole system.

Dictyostelium discoideum RabS and Rab2 colocalize with the Golgi and contractile vacuole system and regulate osmoregulation.

Small-molecular-weight GTPase Rab2 has been shown to be a resident of pre-Golgi intermediates and is required for protein transport from the ER to the Golgi complex; however, Rab2 has yet to be characterized in Dictyostelium discoideum. DdRabS is a Dictyostelium Rab that is 80 percent homologous to DdRab1 which is required for protein transport between the ER and Golgi. Expression of GFP-tagged DdRab2 and DdRabS proteins showed localization to Golgi membranes and to the contractile vacuole system (CV) in Dictyostelium.

Abnormalities of Endocytosis, Phagocytosis, and Development Process in Dictyostelium Cells That Over-Express Acanthamoeba castellanii Metacaspase Protein.

Background: Acanthamoeba castellanii forms a resistant cyst that protects the parasite against the host's immune response. Acanthamoeba Type-I metacaspase (Acmcp) is a caspase-like protein that has been found to be expressed during the encystations. Dictyostelium discoideum is an organism closely related to Acanthamoeba useful for studying the molecular function of this protozoan caspase-like protein.

Caspase-like proteins: Acanthamoeba castellanii metacaspase and Dictyostelium discoideum paracaspase, what are their functions?

Caspases are cysteine proteases that are important regulators of programmed cell death in animals. Two novel relatives to members of the caspase families metacaspases and paracaspase have been discovered. Metacaspase type-1 was identified in Acanthamoeba castellanii, an opportunistic protozoan parasite that causes severe diseases in humans.

Vesicular Trafficking Defects, Developmental Abnormalities, and Alterations in the Cellular Death Process Occur in Cell Lines that Over-Express Dictyostelium GTPase, Rab2, and Rab2 Mutants.

Small molecular weight GTPase Rab2 has been shown to be a resident of pre-Golgi intermediates and required for protein transport from the ER to the Golgi complex, however, the function of Rab2 in Dictyostelium has yet to be fully characterized. Using cell lines that over-express DdRab2, as well as cell lines over-expressing constitutively active (CA), and dominant negative (DN) forms of the GTPase, we report a functional role in vesicular transport specifically phagocytosis, and endocytosis. Furthermore, Rab2 like other GTPases cycles between an active GTP-bound and an inactive GDP-bound state.

A functional connection of Dictyostelium paracaspase with the contractile vacuole and a possible partner of the vacuolar proton ATPase.

Dictyostelium discoideum possesses only one caspase family member, paracaspase (pcp). Two separate mutant cell lines were first analysed: one cell line was an over-expressed GFP-tagged Pcp (GFP-Pcp), while the other cell line was a pcp-null (pcp-). Microscopic analysis of cells expressing GFP-Pcp revealed that Pcp was associated with the contractile vacuole membrane consisting of bladder-like vacuoles.

An Acanthamoeba castellanii metacaspase associates with the contractile vacuole and functions in osmoregulation.

Acanthamoeba castellanii is a free-living protozoan. Some strains are opportunistic pathogens. A type-I metacaspase was identified in A.