In-vitro effects of Mycobacterium bovis BCG-lysate and its derived heat shock proteins on cytokines secretion by blood mononuclear cells of rheumatoid arthritis patients in comparison with healthy controls

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that heat shock protein (HSP)-reactive T cells have an immunoregulatory phenotype indicating that HSPs are able to trigger immunoregulatory pathways, which can suppress immune responses that occur in human inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Mycobacterium bovis strain Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is rich of HSPs which could be good resources of these regulatory proteins for modulation of immune response. PURPOSES: To study the effects of BCG-lysate and BCG-derived HSPs on secretion of T regulatory cytokines by PBMCs of RA patients in comparison with healthy controls. METHODS: BCG was heat killed and sonicated to have BCG-lysate. BCG-derived HSP65/HSP70 were detected by immunoblotting and purified by preparative SDS-PAGE. PBMCs of 18 RA patients/16 controls collected by Ficoll-paque were stimulated with BCG-lysate/BCG-derived HSP-65/HSP-70. Supernatant of stimulated PBMCs was aspirated for measuring TGF-beta, IL-10, IL-4 and IFN-gamma with sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: BCG-lysate augmented the amounts of all the mentioned cytokines as dose dependent significantly. The level of TGF-beta in controls was higher than patients (P<0.05). HSP65 and HSP70 increased TGF-beta, IL-10 as dose dependent significantly. HSP65, but not HSP70, increased IL-4. HSP65 did not increase IFN-gamma but HSP70 augmented IFN-gamma significantly. BCG-lysate increased IFN-gamma and IL-4 in RA patients more than healthy controls (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Although BCG is able to provoke T helper 1 cell mediated immunity, its HSP proteins are able to trigger T regulatory cytokines. Healthy controls were under stronger immune regulations.     

Collaborative practice agreement in solid organ transplantation

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy - Background Given the complexity of solid organ transplant recipients, a multidisciplinary approach is required. To promote medication safety and enable...     

The effect of anterior inclined plane treatment on the dentoskeletal of Class II division 1 patients

Most of Class II malocclusions are due to underdeveloped mandible with increased overjet and overbite. Lack of incisal contact results in the extrusion of the upper and lower anterior dentoalveolar complex, which helps to lock the mandible and prevent its normal growth and development, and this abnormality is exaggerated by soft tissue imbalance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the skeletal and dental changes in patients treated with anterior inclined plane appliance in growing patients with moderate Class II Division 1 having deep overbite. In this study, 25 patients, including 15 girls and 10 boys, with a mean age of 9 +/-1.2 years were selected; all of them presented with moderate Class II deep bite with increased overjet and normal or horizontal growth pattern. Pre- and post-treatment X-rays and photos for an average of 8 months were taken. The statistical assessment of the data suggested that there were no significant changes in the vertical skeletal parameters. The mandibular incisors were protruded, whereas the maxillary incisors were retruded. Overbite and overjet were also reduced. There was significant increase in the mandibular length. The results revealed that in mixed dentition patients, the inclined plane corrected Class II discrepancies mostly through dentoskeletal changes.     

Recombinant λ Bacteriophage Displaying Nanobody towards Third Domain of HER-2 Epitope Inhibits Proliferation of Breast Carcinoma SKBR-3 Cell Line

Phage display of many nanobodies via filamentous phage in combination with helper phage has been reported by many scientists. The aim of this study was to produce lambda (λ) bacteriophage displaying high-affinity nanobody against HER-2 expressing breast carcinoma cells. Bacteriophage λ is a temperate phage with inherent biological safety in mammalian cells. Here we report the construction of a recombinant λ phage that efficiently expresses specific nanobody towards third domain of HER-2 target on SKBR-3 and MCF-7 cell lines in vitro. We constructed recombinant λ phage particles containing a mammalian expression cassette, C-Myc tagged, encoding VHH gene of camelid anti HER-2 third domain epitope using λ ZAP-cytomegalic virus (CMV) vector. The SKBR-3, MCF-7 and human endometrial stem cells were treated by the nanobody displayed recombinant λ phage. The cell growth inhibition assay was performed by MTT Cell Viability Assay Kit. After the fourth round of biopanning there was a significant enrichment in the phage specifically binding to the antigen. The ratio of targeted phage increased approximately 1,000-fold in the fifth round. The nanobody expressed by λ ZAP-CMV-VHH phagemid cloned in λ bioparticles significantly inhibited the proliferation of HER-2 positive SKBR-3 and MCF-7 cells. Recombinant bacteriophage λ ZAP-CMV-VHH-cDNA could be used efficiently for construction of nanobodies to mortify HER-2 positive breast carcinoma cells as a nanomedical therapeutic.     

A novel approach for treatment of mandibular deficiency with vertical growth pattern

This case illustrates the treatment of a 10.5-year-old girl with Class II Division I malocclusion and mandibular deficiency combined with vertical growth pattern. The patient was treated by a modified R-Appliance and extraction of upper and lower first bicuspids. Modified R-Appliance was used for 18 months followed by 17 months of Posterior bite plate, after which favorable correction of the malocclusion was observed. The SNB angle increased by 5 degrees and the IMPA decreased by 11 degrees. This case demonstrates that modified R-Appliance can be a suitable method for treatment of mandibular deficient cases with verticalgrowth pattern.     

Laparoscopic resection of a retroperitoneal schwannoma

Schwannomas or neurilemomas are rare, benign tumors that originate from the neural sheath. A 54-year-old man presented with left flank discomfort and lumbar pain for 6 months. A computed tomographic scan confirmed the existence of a 12 × 9 cm heterogeneous retroperitoneal mass adherent to the left psoas muscle that displaced the left kidney anteriorly. Total laparoscopic removal of the tumor was performed and pathologic examination revealed a benign schwannoma.     

β-Thalassemia mutations found during 1 year of prenatal diagnoses in Fars Province, Iran

We report the spectrum of β-thalassemia (β-thal) mutations observed in a cohort of at-risk couples, who presented for prenatal diagnosis at the Thalassemia, Hemophilia and Prenatal Diagnosis Genetic Research Center, Shiraz Medical University, Fars, Iran, from March 2001 to April 2002. Using polymerase chain reaction-amplification refractory mutation system (PCR-ARMS), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and direct sequencing technologies, in different combinations, we were able to provide preventive medical abortions to 55 couples at-risk of having an affected fetus. Fetal samples of chorionic villus (63.6%) or amniocentesis (37.6%) were collected according to the gestational age. The average presentation age was 11.6 ± 2.6 weeks. The expected prevalent mutations were IVS-II-1 (G>A, 23.6%) and IVS-I-110 (G>A, 10.0%) followed by IVS-I-5 (G>C, 6.4%) and IVS-I, 25 bp deletion (8.2%).