Prevalence of Sensu Lato in Ticks Collected from Kaylaka Park in Pleven, Bulgaria.

We aimed to determine the presence and distribution of sensu lato (s.l.) in ticks collected from urbanized and wild areas in Kaylaka Park (Bulgaria).

Association between TNFA, IL10 and IL18 promoter gene variants and cognitive functions in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between TNFA-308G > A, IL10-1082A > G, IL18-607C > A, and cognitive functioning in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Results: In the patients' group: AG genotype of TNFA-308G > A was associated with higher serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) than GG genotype, and higher TNF-alpha levels correlated with poorer results on Symbol Digit Modalities Test; CC genotype of IL18-607C > A was related to lower score on Isaacs test, compared to AC variant; AA genotype of IL10-1082A > G was associated with abnormally low results on Paced Auditory Series Addition Test.

Conclusions: TNFA-308G > A, IL10-1082A > G and IL18-607C > A gene variants may be associated with impaired cognitive functions in RRMS patients.

Alterations in serum levels of IL-17 in contrast to TNF-alpha correspond to disease-modifying treatment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Cytokines of different types play an important role in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis as mediators and regulators of the immune processes in the central nervous system. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of interferon-beta and glatiramer acetate on serum concentrations of TNF-alpha and IL-17 A and their correlation with the degree of disability in clinically stable patients with relapsing-remitting MS. A cross-sectional, case-control study of 220 patients (68 treatment naïve; 152 treated with interferon-beta or glatiramer acetate) and 99 clinically healthy age-gender-body mass index-matched subjects were performed.

ACE serum level and I/D gene polymorphism in children with obstructive uropathies and other congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene with serum ACE level in relation to the type and severity of malformations from congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) spectrum.

Methods: A group of 134 Bulgarian children with CAKUT divided into four subgroups according to the leading malformation and 109 controls were genotyped by classical polymerase chain reaction. The quantitative determination of serum ACE was performed by ELISA method.

The influence of JNK and P38 MAPK inhibition on IL-12P40 and IL-23 production depending on IL12B promoter polymorphism.

The interleukin-12p40 gene (IL12B) encodes the p40 polypeptide chain, which, together with p19, composes IL-23. A bi-allelic promoter polymorphism (IL12Bpro) located at -2703 bp of the transcription initiation site has been reported to show associations with IL-12p40 production. To elucidate the dependence of IL-12p40 and IL-23 production on IL12Bpro polymorphism in relation to MAPK signal transduction pathways, we examined the effect of JNK and p38 inhibition on the secretion of these cytokines by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy donors with 1.

The inhibition of JNK and p38 MAPKs downregulates IL-10 and differentially affects c-Jun gene expression in human monocytes.

Interleukin-10 is the most important anti-inflammatory cytokine that controls the progress of the immune response. The molecular mechanisms driving the IL10 gene regulation are not well understood. To gain insight into this process we studied the IL-10 expression on mRNA and protein levels, together with c-Jun, FOXP3 and RelA transcription factors gene expression in human monocytes.

Differences in the inducible gene expression and protein production of IL-12p40, IL-12p70 and IL-23: involvement of p38 and JNK kinase pathways.

The proper balance between IL-12p40-related cytokines controls the appearance of normal and pathological Th1 immune responses. In this study, we examined the inducible IL-12p40, IL-12p35 and IL-23p19 mRNA expression and protein production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and purified monocytes, isolated from healthy donors. We investigated how JNK and p38 MAPKs inhibitors influenced IL-12p40, IL-12p70 and IL-23 production.