Farhoodi A, Ahangari Gh, Chavoshzadeh Z, Ramyar A, Movahedi M, Ghareghozlou M, Heydarzadeh M, Fazlolahi M, Bemanian M H, Zandieh F, Mansori M,
Volume 65, Issue 7 (4 2007)
Abstract
Background: Mutations of ELA2, the gene encoding neutrophil elastase (NE) are known to be associated with cyclic neutropenia (CN) and severe congenital neutropenia (SCN). However, high variability of these mutations has been reported. This study was designed to describe the analysis of the ELA2 gene, clinical manifestations and demographic characteristics in patients with CN and SCN.
Methods: A series of 21 patients with CN or SCN were selected, based on SCINR criteria, from the immunology ward of the Pediatric Medicine Center, Tehran, Iran, from March 2004 to August 2005. The ELA2 gene, isolated from blood samples, was analyzed using RT-PCR and automated capillary sequencing. Informed consent was obtained under the tenets of the Helsinki Declaration and the Ethical Committee of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
Results: Kostmann's syndrome and CN was diagnosed in three and 18 patients respectively. Of all the patients, one or two mutations were found in 18 cases (85.7%), including all three patients with SCN and 15 of the patients with CN. Exons two and four had the most mutations (eight and seven cases, respectively). Seven patients had double mutations in two distinct exons. Overall, 16 different mutations were found. At the time of presentation, the mean age of patients was 13.4 ±17.6 months, ranging from one month to seven years. Overall, 61.9% of patients had consanguineous parents. The mean absolute neutrophil count was 830.5 ±419.4 (150-2000)/mm3. On average, each patient had been admitted to the hospital 2.2 ±1.6 times. The neutrophil counts of the SCN patients were significantly higher than those of the CN patients. However, there was no significant difference in the neutrophil counts between patients with mutations and those without mutations. All patients with SCN had two or more infectious complications, although the prevalence of infectious or non-infectious complications did not correlate with ELA2 mutations or the neutropenic disorders.
Conclusion: Mutations in ELA2 appear to play an important role in the phatogenetic mechanisms of CN and SCN. Patients with CN had significantly higher neutrophil counts than SCN patients with CN. Although it possible for the gene encoding neutrophil elastase to have more than one mutation in distinct exons, we found no association between the mutations in ELA2 and their complications in CN and SCN patients.
Ahangari Aa, Ownagh A, Tehrani A, Tukmechi A,
Volume 69, Issue 1 (4 2011)
Abstract
Background: Propolis (bee glue) is a resinous substance obtained from bee hives
living on various plant sources. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) on the experimentally induced Candidial keratitis in rabbits.
Methods: The alcoholic extract of propolis was prepared by 80% ethyl alcohol. After suppressing the immune system of 24 male rabbits, experimental Candida albicans keratitis was induced in the animals under local anesthesia and sterile conditions. The animals were later divided into four groups including the control or glycerin group and a nystatin and two 500 and 1000µg/ml EEP groups. Treatment continued for 21 days and after sacrificing the animals by humane methods, histopathological samples of the rabbits’ eyes were prepared.
Results: Keratitis was developed in the eyes of all rabbits a week after the yeast inoculation. In the control group in which animals received glycerin, keratitis persisted until day 21. Clinical signs of keratitis disappeared in the Nystatin and 1000µg/ml EEP groups after 14 and 21 days, respectively. The clinical signs of keratitis partially ameliorated in the animals receiving 500µg/ml EEP. Histopathological examination revealed no differences between groups receiving nystatin or 1000µg/ml EEP. Conclusion: It is concluded that, ethanol extract of propolis could completely treat Candida albicans keratitis in 1000µg/ml concentrations. This extract can be used as a safe antifungal agent against Candida albicans and it is a good substitute for synthetic antifungal agents like nystatin.
Nazgol Malekzadeh , Faezeh Kabiri , Roghaye Ahangari ,
Volume 76, Issue 11 (February 2019)
Abstract
Background: Papilloma viruses are pathogenic double-strand DNA viruses that genotypes 16 and 18 are the cause of more than 50 percent of cancers as cervical cancer. Although vaccination is one of the best options for the papilloma cancer prevention but that is the most of world healthy problem, it is attempted to evaluate both naloxone (NLX) and alum mixture used as adjuvants together with HPV16 E7d vaccine to change the tumor microenvironment for the benefit of the immune system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of naloxone and alum mixture as adjuvants in HPV16 E7d vaccine on C57BL/6 female mouse in tumor microenvironment.
Methods: This study is a descriptive and cross-sectional study type, which was conducted on 80 case of C57BL/6 female mouse in Pasteur institute of Iran, Tehran over a period of six months in 2016. In this study, mice were vaccinated with dose of vaccine containing naloxone and alum mixture and alum as adjuvants and proper phosphate buffered saline (PBS) as control groups are considered. Tumor bearing mouse vaccinated by vaccine containing naloxone and alum mixture as adjuvants and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) as control group. Tumor model created through surgery and then tumor measurement done, the homogenate was created and protein concentration measured by Bradford system. Finally, assessment of IL-17, IL-4, IFN-γ and TGF-β cytokines concentration were performed by capture ELISA kit (mybiosource company) according to the company manual.
Results: It was observed that utilization of naloxone and alum mixture as adjuvant in the HPV16-E7d vaccine formulation significant reduction in the tumor growth (P≤0.0001) and reinforced meaningfully the cellular immunity reaction in tumor microenvironment.
Conclusion: The results of our study show that vaccine formulated with the naloxone and alum mixture as adjuvant in the HPV16-E7d vaccine increase the cellular immunity reaction on C57BL/6 female mouse in tumor microenvironment compared to phosphate buffered saline (PBS) control group in this new formulation as a papilloma viruses vaccine on C57BL/6 female mouse.
