Interleukin 18 and IL-18 BP response to Sars-CoV-2 virus infection.

The immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial to the patient outcome. IL-18 is involved in the lymphocyte response to the disease and it is well established its important role in the complex developing of the host response to viral infection. This study aims at the analysis of the concentrations of IL-18, IL-18BP, INF-γ at the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Are ESPGHAN "biopsy-sparing" guidelines for celiac disease also suitable for asymptomatic patients?

Objectives: In 2012, European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition published novel guidelines on celiac disease (CD) diagnosis. Symptomatic children with serum anti-transglutaminase (anti-tTG) antibody levels ≥10 times upper limit of normal (ULN) could avoid duodenal biopsies after positive HLA test and serum anti-endomysial antibodies (EMAs). So far, both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients with anti-tTG titer <10 times ULN should undergo upper endoscopy with duodenal biopsies to confirm diagnosis.

The anti-deamidated gliadin peptide antibodies unmask celiac disease in small children with chronic diarrhoea.

Objectives: To assess the usefulness of a new class of antibodies, the anti-deamidated gliadin peptides, in the diagnostic approach to children less than 2 years with suspected celiac disease.

Patients And Methods: We investigated 40 children (median age: 16.8 months; age range: 4-24 months), with symptoms and signs of chronic enteropathy and high serum levels of conventional anti-gliadin antibodies, but normal values of anti-transglutaminase and anti-endomysial antibodies; all underwent measurement of anti-deamidated gliadin peptides serum levels, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with biopsies and HLA typing; 40 subjects served as controls.

Induction of both CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell-mediated responses in colorectal cancer patients by colon antigen-1.

Purpose: Colon antigen-1 (COA-1) was recently identified as a novel antigen of colorectal cancer encoded by the UBXD5 gene. Here, we evaluated whether a specific T-cell-mediated response directed against this molecule can occur in colorectal cancer patients.

Experimental Design: Antigen- and tumor-specific immunologic responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated in vitro with the MHC class II-associated immunogenic epitope of COA-1 (FSTFPPTLYQDDTLTLQAAG) were analyzed by IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay.