Ghabaae M, Qelichnia Omrani H, Roostaeizadeh M,
Volume 65, Issue 5 (8-2007)
Abstract
Background: Multiple sclerosis is the most common demyelinating disease of central nervous system. We prepared this study to find its epidemiologic pattern in the Iranian society.
Methods: This case-series study involved 70 patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis according to the McDonald criteria and admitted to the Iranian Center of Neurological Research at Imam Khomeini Hospital from 2002 to 2004. Informed consent was obtained prior to patients completing a questionnaire, which included age, gender, age of onset of clinical symptoms, home location, familial history, education level, smoking habits and the season during which the disease occurred, was exacerbated or relapsed. SPSS 11 statistical software was used to analyze the data.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 32.6 years. Approximately one-third of our patients were male, 92.9% resided in urban areas, 14.3% had an academic education, and 14.3% were cigarette smokers. The average age of onset of disease was 27.55±10.42 years, and 8.6% had positive a familial history for multiple sclerosis. The symptoms most commonly started in the spring (31.4%).
Conclusion: The alternation of temperature and sunlight may be one reason for the high
incidence of multiple sclerosis in spring and autumn. It seems that multiple sclerosis epidemiologic patterns in Iran are the same as those of other countries. Thus, applying the common diagnostic and treatment methods in used in other countries may raise our patients' quality of life.
Loghmanni A, Delirezha N, Ownagh A, Mohebalianc H,
Volume 70, Issue 12 (3-2013)
Abstract
Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease with impairment in function of central nervous system. Macrophages and dendritic cells play important roles in alleviating or progression of the disease. These cells can cause inflammation and damage to the myelin of nerve cells by realizing of harmful substances when these cells get matured. We studied the effect of Alternaria alternata extract on maturation of monocyte- derived dendritic cell (modc) and T-cell responses in the presence of Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) as a laboratory model of multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of this study is suitable dendritic cells production for usage in MS immunotherapy.
Methods: For this study plastic adherent monocytes were cultured with granulocyte/ macrophage- colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin -4 for converting these cells to modc and pulsed with MBP and matured in the presence of monocyte-conditioned medium (MCM) in control group and MCM + Alternaria alternata extract in treatment groups. Anti-CD14, anti-CD83, anti-human leukocyte antigen-DR (anti HLA-DR) monoclonal antibody were carried out for phenotyping. Autologos T cell responses and cytokine production were evaluated.
Results: The results showed that the expression of CD14 decreased and CD83, HLA-DR increased in treatment groups in comparison with control groups. The production amount of IL-10 overcame IL-12 and in T cell the production of cytokines, IL-17 and Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) decreased and IL-4 was increased (P<0.05). These effects escalated with increasing of dosage from 50 to 100 (mg/ml) (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Alternaria alternata extract can cause maturation of MBP-pulsed modc and skewing of T- lymphocyte toward Th2 and thereby can evolve into a new strategy in immunotherapy of MS.
Sallahadin Feizollah , Shiva Khezri ,
Volume 73, Issue 8 (11-2015)
Abstract
Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The hippocampus is a vital center for learning and memory it is extremely vulnerable to neurodegenerative diseases. The male hormones could be neuroprotective for the CNS. The current study is an attempt to investigate the effect of testosterone on learning and spatial memory following the demyelination of CA1 area by the injection of ethidium bromide in the rats' hippocampus. Methods: This experimental study has been conducted on healthy rats in the faculty of science of the Urmia University from September 2013 to February 2015. For demyelination in all previously gonadectomized healthy rats, 3µl ethidium bromide was injected into the CA1 area of rats by stereotaxic surgery. In addition, the treatment groups received 1µl testosterone (6µg/µl) during a 20-day timeframe on a daily basis after demyelination by the ethidium bromide. The control groups had no drug injection. The process of the learning and spatial memory of the rats were closely monitored by the radial Maze. The demyelination and remyelination in the hippocampus were checked by the myelin-specific coloring (Luxol fast blue and Cresyl violet). Results: The histological results suggest that the testosterone is capable of minimizing the destructive impacts of ethidium bromide in the treatment group as well as enhancing the remyelination process. In the group treated by testosterone, the percentage of the pyknotic cells 20 days after demyelination induction, represented a significant reduction compared to that of ethidium bromide group (P=0.008). The behavioral studies analyses show that the amount of the food finding time in those groups received ethidium bromide was significantly longer than those of the control groups (P=0.001). Furthermore, the application of the testosterone in the treatment groups reduced the extent of demyelination while the memory impairment induced by the ethidium bromide was significantly improved (P=0.001). Conclusion: Testosterone can act as a neuroprotective factor that reduces the extent of demyelination and the number of pyknotic cells. It also may improve the learning and memory impairment induced by ethidium bromide.
