The effects of Staphylococcus aureus protein a (SpA) on the expression of inflammatory cytokines in autoimmune patients and their probable immune response modulation mechanisms.

The recombinant Staphylococcal protein A (SpA) is widely used in biotechnology to purify polyclonal and monoclonal IgG antibodies. At very low concentrations, the highly-purified form of the protein A can down-regulate the activation of human B-lymphocytes and macrophages which are the key cells in determining autoimmune diseases. In the present study, the efficiency of three different forms of protein A, including native full-length SpA, the recombinant full-length SpA, and a recombinant truncated form of SpA on the reduction of 4 inflammatory cytokines, including IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 by peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs) were studied and compared to an anti-rheumatoid arthritis commercial drug, Enbrel.

Unfavorable left ventricular remodeling due to experience of chronic sleep restriction after myocardial infarction: The role of matrix metalloproteinases & oxidative stress.

Disturbed sleep or sleep loss due to vocational or lifestyle changes following MI is a common problem that may affect many physiological processes involved in left ventricle (LV) remodeling. Herein, we proposed that experience of sleep disruption and/or restriction after myocardial infarction (MI) may aggravate cardiac extracellular matrix remodeling and induce apoptosis in the cardiomyocytes. MI was induced in adult male rats by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery.

Serum selenium concentration in healthy children living in Tehran.

Introduction: Selenium is one of the essential trace elements which is more notified in children in recent years. Reliable age-specific reference values for selenium in children in Iran are not clear and are important for the identification of selenium deficiency and some other researches that is the aim of this study.

Methods: Serum samples of 216 healthy children were analyzed by using hydride generation and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy to measured selenium level.

Prevalence of type I allergy to natural rubber latex and type IV allergy to latex and rubber additives in operating room staff with glove-related symptoms.

There is lack of data on the prevalence of latex allergy in the health care setting in Iran. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of type I latex allergy and type IV allergy to latex and rubber additives among the operating room staff with glove-related symptoms in 13 general hospitals in Tehran. Skin-prick tests with commercial latex extract, patch tests with latex and 25 rubber additive series, and total and latex-specific IgE detection were performed on the operating room staff who reported latex glove-related symptoms.

Assessment of in vitro cytokine response in hemophilia A patients with or without factor VIII inhibitory antibody.

Factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitor antibodies are produced in a proportion of hemophilia A patients. Development of anti-FVIII inhibitor antibodies is a T cell-dependent response, mediated by FVIII specific CD4(+) T cells. This study was performed to investigate the contribution of T helper (Th) cell-mediated cytokine response in inhibitor production.