Iranian journal of allergy, asthma, and immunology最新文献

Celiac disease is a gluten-induced immune-mediated enteropathy. Recent studies suggest an increasing association between celiac disease and atopic conditions such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis, although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this matched case-control study, the prevalence of asthma, atopic dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis was evaluated among 173 children with celiac disease and 173 age- and sex-matched healthy controls in Zahedan, Iran, in 2023. The diagnosis of celiac disease was based on European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition guidelines. Allergic conditions were assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire and confirmed through clinical evaluation. Children with celiac disease had a significantly higher prevalence of asthma (12.1% versus 5.8%; odds ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.15 to 4.05) and allergic rhinitis (29.5% versus 14.5%; odds ratio, 2.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 4.26) compared to controls. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of atopic dermatitis between the two groups (12.1% versus 9.2%; odds ratio, 1.35). These results indicate that children with celiac disease are at increased risk for certain respiratory allergic diseases, particularly asthma and allergic rhinitis. This highlights the need for integrated care between gastroenterology and allergy specialists. Further research is needed to clarify the shared immunological pathways involved.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with high-risk cases showing increased aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Recent studies suggest that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) such as C6orf223 may play crucial roles in CRC progression. This study investigated the expression and regulatory role of C6orf223 in high-risk versus low-risk CRC patients, focusing on its potential as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis. We conducted differential expression analysis using RNA-seq data to identify key genes in high-risk CRC, followed by correlation and pathway enrichment analyses to understand C6orf223. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves assessed the prognostic and diagnostic potential of C6orf223. RNA methylation and mutation patterns were analyzed to explore post-transcriptional regulation and genetic alterations in high-risk CRC. C6orf223 was significantly upregulated in high-risk CRC. High C6orf223 expression was associated with poor overall survival, and a biomarker panel that includes C6orf223 and microRNAs showed strong potential for accurate diagnosis. Methylation and mutation analyses revealed potential mechanisms enhancing C6orf223's stability and oncogenic activity. Our findings indicate that C6orf223 acts as a binder to and inhibits tumor-suppressive microRNAs, reducing their availability to regulate cancer-promoting genes and may serve as a valuable biomarker for CRC diagnosis and prognosis. Further research on lncRNA-microRNA interactions could provide insights for novel CRC therapies.

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It can sometimes be very difficult to control the manifestations of autoimmunity and lymphoproliferation in patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases, and there is no adequate response to first-line treatments. Rituximab (RTX), as a second-line treatment, is efficacious and well-tolerated for the management of these clinical manifestations. This retrospective study was conducted to analyze the clinical, immunological, and genetic findings together with the response rate to RTX therapy in subjects with inborn errors of immunity (IEI) and autoimmune or autoinflammatory manifestations. In this study, 23 individuals with IEI and autoimmune or lymphoproliferation manifestations who received RTX between April 2008 and 2021 were evaluated. Fifteen out of the 23 patients were female. The median age of cases was 12 years.  The moderate and severe adverse reactions, including fever, diarrhea, and anaphylaxis shock, were manifested during RTX infusion in 5 patients. In total, 86.9% of patients responded to rituximab (complete response: n=14, partial response: n=6) while three failed to respond. The median response time to RTX treatment was 50 days. All patients were given monthly intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. Pneumonia and candidiasis occurred in one patient a week after receiving the second injection of RTX. Eight patients expired during follow-up. In conclusion, the response rate of RTX could be improved through administering monthly IVIG for hypogammaglobulinemia treatment following RTX infusion. Early use of rituximab leads to a better response rate in comparison with late use of rituximab in multitreated refractory patients. The efficient cumulative dose of rituximab remains undefined.

Occupational exposure in hairdressing is associated with significant respiratory health risks, including impaired lung function and respiratory symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate and compare respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function across subgroups of hairdressers categorized by their specific exposure profiles. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted involving 152 female hairdressers in Tehran, Iran, who were stratified into four subgroups: (1) individuals with direct exposure to hair dyes, dechlorinating agents, and keratinizing substances; (2) individuals exposed to varnish, acetone, and nail implant materials; (3) individuals exposed to adhesives for hair and eyelash extensions; and (4) individuals with minimal or no direct chemical exposure. Respiratory and nasal symptoms were assessed using the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) III questionnaire. spirometry measurements, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, and forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of FVC (FEF25-75), were performed to evaluate pulmonary function. Overall, 42.1% of participants reported respiratory symptoms, with subgroup 1 exhibiting the highest prevalence. Cough (64.3%), wheezing (35.7%), and dyspnea (64.3%) were the most commonly reported symptoms, while 22.4% reported nasal symptoms. Subgroup 1 demonstrated significantly lower pulmonary function indices and a higher prevalence of obstructive lung patterns (40.5%). Bronchodilator responsiveness indicative of asthma was observed in 34.2% of participants. In conclusion, direct occupational exposure to hairdressing chemicals, particularly hair dyes and bleaching agents, is associated with substantial respiratory impairment. Implementation of regular health surveillance, personal protective equipment, and enhanced workplace ventilation is strongly recommended.

To explore the relationship between thioredoxins (Trx) -2, systemic-immune inflammatory index (SII), and short-term major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in septic cardiomyopathy (SCM). A retrospective study was conducted on 98 SCM patients admitted to Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University Emergency Intensive Care Unit (EICU) from July 2022 to June 2024. Patients underwent routine blood tests and data assessment upon admission. Based on the occurrence of MACE by day 28, patients were divided into the MACE group and the non-MACE (N-MACE) group. Clinical data were collected, and logistic regression, along with restricted cubic spline models, analyzed the relationships between SII, Trx-2, and MACE risk in SCM patients. Among the 98 SCM patients included, there were 35 (35.71%) in the MACE group and 63 (64.29%) in the N-MACE group. Logistic regression analysis showed that elevated SII and serum Trx-2 levels correlated with an increased risk of MACE within 28 days post-admission for SCM patients. Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a linear dose-response relationship between both SII and Trx-2 levels with short-term MACE risk in SCM. The ROC curve showed AUC values of 0.869 for LVEF, 0.881 for SII, while combining SII + Trx-2 yielded 0.926 (95% CI: 0.862-0.989), with specificity at 83.98 % and sensitivity at 98.80%. The abnormal increase of serum SII and Trx-2 levels in SCM patients is related to the occurrence of MACE within 28 days after admission. The risk of MACE increases with the increase of serum SII and Trx-2 levels.

Peripheral blood follicular helper T cells (Tfh) are essential in humoral immunity; however, their prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is not well understood. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of Tfh cells for short-term prognosis in 200 HCC patients undergoing ICIs. A retrospective analysis categorized patients based on their clinical outcomes at six months post-treatment: those demonstrating improvement were classified as having a favorable prognosis (n=86), while those with no remission, deterioration, or death were classified as having a poor prognosis (n=114). Key prognostic factors assessed included C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tfh cell counts, and combination therapy. Significant associations were identified between prognosis and CRP, IL-6, Tfh cell counts, and combination therapy. Multivariate analysis revealed these factors as independent predictors of short-term prognosis, explaining 78.3% of the variance. The area under the curve (AUC) for Tfh cells was 0.902 (95% CI: 0.8567-0.9477), with 100% sensitivity and 80.70% specificity at a cut-off of 1.995. Patients with elevated Tfh levels (≥1.995, n=93) had a median overall survival (OS) of 5 months, significantly earlier than those with lower levels (<1.995, n=107), whose median OS was not reached. Tfh cells are independent predictors of short-term prognosis in HCC patients receiving ICIs. Reduced Tfh levels correlate with improved outcomes, providing crucial insights for clinical decision-making.

Despite great efforts in developing peptide-based therapeutic vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced cervical cancers, they have failed to elicit strong and sustainable immune responses. Here, we evaluated the vaccine potential of an HPV16 three mutant of E7 (E7GGG) (D21G/C24G/E26G) protein combined with Aldara (topical imiquimod) adjuvant in a TC-1 mouse tumor model. The HPV16-E7GGG, with eliminated transforming properties but retained antigenicity, and E7 wild-type were inserted into pET28, expressed in the E coli system, and purified using Ni-NTA chromatography. The E7GGG and E7 wild-type proteins were combined with Aldara adjuvant and injected into C57BL mice. We determined the ability of HPV16-E7GGG in combination with Aldara adjuvant to induce robust immune responses by IgG total development, IL-4, IL-17, and IFN-γ induction, CTL activity, and inhibit tumor growth in the murine TC-1 model in different immunized groups. The generated recombinant HPV16-E7GGG induced humoral and cellular immune responses in a TH1-mediated pathway, specifically with the (E7GGG) (D21G/C24G/E26G) antigen combined with Aldara, which could be a suitable therapeutic vaccine candidate against HPV.

Immune response is a significant mechanism in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The interleukin-17 receptor (IL-17R) is crucial for immune response. A DCM model was created using doxorubicin, and IL-17R was knocked down. We assessed cardiac function, histopathological changes, fibrosis proteins, myocardial injury, and inflammation levels through echocardiography, pathological staining, immunofluorescence, and Western blot, respectively. The proportions of T cell subsets in mouse spleen tissue were identified through flow cytometry. Following these steps, we detached fibroblasts from the mouse heart and knocked down IL-17R. Angiotensin II was employed to induce cell fibrosis and co-cultured with T Helper 17 (TH17) cells. We measured inflammation, collagen deposits, and fibrosis protein expression using Sirius red staining, immunofluorescence, and Western blot. IL-17R exhibited significant expression in DCM mice. The systolic function of DCM mice significantly decreased. Myocardial fibrosis and collagen deposition in the left ventricle were markedly elevated. The levels of fibrosis proteins and pro-inflammatory factors were notably enhanced (p < 0.01). The proportion of effector CD4+ T and TH17 cells in spleen tissue noticeably increased, while the Treg cell proportion notably decreased. These indicators were significantly reversed after IL-17R knockdown. In the co-culture system, pro-inflammatory cytokines, collagen formation, and fibrosis-related protein levels increased significantly after fibrosis induction. However, the level of fibrosis and TH17/Treg cell imbalance decreased significantly after IL-17R knockdown. The knockdown of IL-17R can reduce immune reaction, which in turn improves myocardial fibrosis and alleviates DCM cardiac function.