CD44, CD90 and CD96 expression in immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) patients.

Studying the expression of hematopoietic stem cell markers from different sources might be useful in understanding stem cell biology in different niche conditions. The study aimed to assess the difference in cell surface markers (CD44, CD90, CD96) on hematopoietic stem cells in three different niche conditions; umbilical cord blood (UCB), normal bone marrow (NBM) and bone marrow samples from idiopathic (immune) thrombocytopenic purpura (IBM). This study was conducted on 300 cases divided into three study groups; 100 umbilical cord blood units collected from mothers undergoing cesarian section in gynecology and obstetrics department, 100 bone marrow samples from idiopathic (immune) thrombocytopenic purpura patients collected from university children hospital and 100 normal bone marrow samples with no evidence of disease in bone marrow tissue.

The Potentiality of Human Umbilical Cord Isolated Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells for Cardiomyocyte Generation.

Background: The new therapeutic strategy of managing cardiac diseases is based on cell therapy; it highly suggests the use of multipotent mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). MSCs widely used in researches are known to be isolated from bone marrow. However, this research seeks to use a human umbilical cord (HUC) as an alternative source of MSCs.

The Mechanical Autophagy as a Part of Cellular Immunity; Facts and Features in Treating the Medical Disorders.

Autophagy is a cellular housekeeping process that incorporates lysosomal-degradation to maintain cell survival and energy sources. In recent decades, the role of autophagy has implicated in the initiation and development of many diseases that affect humanity. Among these diseases are autoimmune diseases and neurodegenerative diseases, which connected with the lacking autophagy.

Age dependent association of inbreeding with risk for schizophrenia in Egypt.

Background: Self-reported consanguinity is associated with risk for schizophrenia (SZ) in several inbred populations, but estimates using DNA-based coefficients of inbreeding are unavailable. Further, it is not known whether recessively inherited risk mutations can be identified through homozygosity by descent (HBD) mapping.

Methods: We studied self-reported and DNA-based estimates of inbreeding among Egyptian patients with SZ (n = 421, DSM IV criteria) and adult controls without psychosis (n = 301), who were evaluated using semi-structured diagnostic interview schedules and genotyped using the Illumina Infinium PsychArray.

Randomized controlled trial of adjunctive Valproate for cognitive remediation in early course schizophrenia.

Background: Schizophrenia (SZ) is associated with cognitive impairment that contributes to disability, but the cognitive dysfunction is relatively refractory to pharmacologic intervention. Though Valproate augmentation is reported to improve psychopathology among patients with SZ, its effects on cognitive functions have not been investigated systematically.

Methods: Using a randomized double blind placebo controlled design, the effects of Valproate or placebo as adjuncts to risperidone (RISP) treatment were evaluated among patients with early course SZ (N = 109).

Rapidly mutating Y-STRs in rapidly expanding populations: Discrimination power of the Yfiler Plus multiplex in northern Africa.

The male-specific northern African genetic pool is characterised by a high frequency of the E-M81 haplogroup, which expanded in very recent times (2-3 kiloyears ago). As a consequence of their recent coalescence, E-M81 chromosomes often cannot be completely distinguished on the basis of their Y-STR profiles, unless rapidly-mutating Y-STRs (RM Y-STRs) are analysed. In this study, we used the Yfiler® Plus kit, which includes 7 RM Y-STRs and 20 standard Y-STR, to analyse 477 unrelated males coming from 11 northern African populations sampled from Morocco, Algeria, Libya and Egypt.

Comparison of the percentages of CD4 CD25 FOXP3 , CD4 CD25 FOXP3 , and CD4 FOXP3 Tregs, in the umbilical cord blood of babies born to mothers with and without preeclampsia.

Problem: Little is known about how preeclampsia affects regulatory T-cell count and functions in umbilical cord blood of babies born to preeclamptic mothers. Here, we analyze the percentage of CD4  CD25  FOXP3 , CD4  CD25  FOXP3 , and CD4  FOXP3 Tregs, in the umbilical cord blood of babies born to mothers with and without preeclampsia.

Method Of Study: The percentage of umbilical cord blood CD4  CD25  FOXP3 , CD4  CD25  FOXP3 , and CD4  FOXP3 Tregs were analyzed by flow cytometry.

IRF5, PTPN22, CD28, IL2RA, KIF5A, BLK and TNFAIP3 genes polymorphisms and lupus susceptibility in a cohort from the Egypt Delta; relation to other ethnic groups.

Objective: To replicate a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of known genes for lupus (IRF5 rs10488631, PTPN22 rs2476601, BLK rs2736340 and TNFAIP3 rs5029939) and other autoimmune diseases (CD28 rs1980422, IL2RA rs2104286 and KIF5A rs1678542) on a newly studied Egyptian cohort to investigate the genetic disparity with different studied ethnic groups in relation to lupus susceptibility.

Methods: 170 Egyptian patients from Egypt Delta with SLE and 241 matched healthy controls were genotyped by Taqman real time PCR for the selected SNPs.

Results: The results revealed significant association with IRF5 (p<0.

HLA-DQB1* alleles and genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Aim: To determine human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQB1 allele association with susceptibility to type 1 diabetes (T1D) and to clinical and laboratory findings.

Methods: This study was conducted on 85 unrelated Egyptian children with T1D recruited consecutively from the Pediatric Diabetes Endocrinology outpatients Clinic; Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Egypt. Patient mean follow up period was 2.

Does telomere length mediate associations between inbreeding and increased risk for bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia?

We have recently found that consanguinity is a risk factor for bipolar I disorder (BP1) and schizophrenia (SZ) in Egypt. Inbreeding has been associated with increased cellular stress and impaired physiological function in plants and animals. Previous studies have reported that telomere length (TL), an index of oxidative stress and cellular senescence is significantly reduced among patients with SZ or mood disorders compared with control individuals.

Interleukin-12 and peripheral blood invariant natural killer T cells as an axis in childhood asthma pathogenesis.

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a key cytokine involved in regulating the balance between TH1 and TH2 cells by promoting TH1 response. A reduced capacity to produce this cytokine could lead to aberrant TH2 development. On the same aspect significant impact of IL-12 on invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells was reported.

Consanguinity and increased risk for schizophrenia in Egypt.

Background: Consanguinity has been suggested as a risk factor for psychoses in some Middle Eastern countries, but adequate control data are unavailable. Our recent studies in Egypt have shown elevated parental consanguinity rates among patients with bipolar I disorder (BP1), compared with controls. We have now extended our analyses to schizophrenia (SZ) in the same population.

HLA class I and class II HLA DRB profiles in Egyptian children with rheumatic valvular disease.

Poststreptococcal sequelae, especially acute rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease continues to occur in significant proportions in many parts of the world, especially in less developed countries. An important factor in the study of rheumatic heart disease is the human genetic susceptibility to the disease. The aim of the present study was to detect the most prevalent HLA class I and class II types associated with risk of rheumatic heart disease in Egyptian children.

Comparative study of antinuclear antibody detection by indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme immunoassay in lupus patients.

To evaluate the value of immunofluorescent and ELISA techniques in early diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to find out whether there is a correlation between Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) pattern and prognosis by observing clinical score changes using British Isles Lupus Assessment Group score. The study included 75 SLE patients, 11 disease control group, and 18 healthy control group. ANA and ds-DNA antibodies detection were done by ELISA and Immunofluorescence for all groups.

Vascular endothelial growth factor, p53, and the H-ras oncogene in Egyptian patients with bladder cancer.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), p53, and the H-ras oncogene and different clinicopathological parameters in Egyptian patients with Schistosoma-associated transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Methods: The study included 50 patients with transitional cell carcinoma for whom radical cystectomy and urinary diversions were carried out. VEGF and p53 protein expressions were evaluated with an immunohistochemical staining method, and H-ras oncogene mutations were analyzed with a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique.

Consanguinity associated with increased risk for bipolar I disorder in Egypt.

We aimed to contrast rates of consanguinity among patients with bipolar I disorder (BP1) and controls in a population with customary consanguineous marriages (i.e., marriage between related individuals).

HLA-class II alleles in Egyptian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Unlabelled: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is linked to environmental, dietary, and life style factors. Its incidence and distribution vary widely among ethnic groups, sex, and geographic regions. HBV and HCV Infection, liver cirrhosis, male gender, and old age are important risk factors of HCC.

Immune reconstitution during maintenance therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, relation to co-existing infection.

Immunosuppression is a major side effect of cancer chemotherapy. The process of immune reconstitution can be dissimilar according to the nature of the disease, type and doses of drugs, and age of the patients. Recently, several studies have examined immune reconstitution in children and young adults after intensive chemotherapy for solid tumours or stem cell transplantation.

Impact of CD31 mismatches on the outcome of hematopoeitic stem cell transplant of HLA-identical sibling.

Graft-versus host disease (GVHD) complicating allogeneic hematopoeitic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is often attributed to mismatching of minor histocompatibility antigens (mHags), which are poorly defined in humans. CD31 is a candidate human mHag relevant to acute GVHD (aGVHD), but reports disagree about its level of significance. Therefore, we examined the impact of CD31-matching on the outcome of HSCT in different hematological and immunological diseases.

Expression of HLA-G in cancer bladder.

This study comprised 42 patients with cancer bladder, who underwent radical cystectomy. The aim of work is to determine if HLA-G is expressed on tumor cells, derived from cancer bladder. We studied HLA-G-mRNA expression using RT-PCR and HLA-G cell surface expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining technique.

IL-13 gene expression in patients with atopic dermatitis: relation to IgE level and to disease severity.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease frequently associated with an increased serum IgE level. T helper cells are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD. It is commonly believed that allergens activate Th2 cells, and it is likely that the cytokines produced by Th2 cells are crucial factors in the induction and maintenance of the disease.

Allele frequencies of 15 short tandem repeats (STRs) in three Egyptian populations of different ethnic groups.

DNA typing of 15 short tandem repeat (STR) loci included in the AmpFlSTR Identifiler PCR amplification kit (Applied Biosystems), was carried out in three Egyptian populations of different ethnic groups: the Berbers from the Siwa oasis (in the North-Western Egyptian desert), the Muslims and the Copts from Adaima (Upper Egypt). A total of 297 individuals were typed. After Bonferroni's correction, no deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were observed for all samples at the 15 STR loci.

Androgen receptor CAG and GGC polymorphisms in Mediterraneans: repeat dynamics and population relationships.

Microsatellite variation (CAG and GGC repeats) of the androgen receptor (AR) gene shows remarkable differences among African and non-African populations. In vitro studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between the length of both microsatellites and AR activity. This fact may explain the observed association of the AR gene with prostate cancer and the strong ethnic differences in the incidence of this cancer.

Proinflammatory cytokines (IL-12 and IL-18) in immune rheumatic diseases: relation with disease activity and autoantibodies production.

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) and its inducer IL-12 have multiple biological activities that are important in generating Th1 responses and inflammatory tissue damage. We investigated serum concentration of the novel proinflammatory Th1 cytokine; IL-18, and its inducer IL-12 in patients with immune rheumatic diseases. Group I comprised32 patients of systemic lupus erythmatosus (SLE), Group II comprised 36 patients of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).