Iranian Journal of Immunology : IJI

BACKGROUND: Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with pulmonary infections face higher morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To investigate mononuclear cell membrane CD14 as a prognostic marker for their outcome. METHODS: A total of 311 participants were included: 122 in the coinfection group, 127 in the severe COPD group, and 62 in the control group. The patients in the coinfection group were categorized into survival (n=106) and death (n=16) groups based on hospitalization prognosis...

BACKGROUND: CD8+ T cells play a crucial role in immune responses, and have significant potential in tumor immunotherapy. The JAK/STAT pathway is essential for cytokine signal transduction and is linked to immune escape. However, its role in mediating CD8+ T cell anti-tumor immunity in renal cancer is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanisms underlying CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity and propose new possibilities for immunotherapy in patients with renal cancer...

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease worldwide. Routine treatment options are limited, and total knee replacement surgeries often come with complications. In recent years, the use of biologics, such as Wharton's jelly (Wj) derived from the umbilical cord (UC), has gained popularity. While mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from Wj show promise in restoring articular cartilage, they also have some limitations. Recent studies have indicated that exosomes isolated from acellular Wj may offer advantages under certain conditions...

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a multi-organ inflammatory immune-mediated illness caused by IgG4-secreting plasma cells infiltrating the tissue. This condition usually affects elderly men. A 90-year-old Chinese male was diagnosed with IgG4-RD based on the new 2019 ACR/EULAR classification criteria, as he had multiple organ involvement. After receiving treatment with glucocorticoids, leflunomide, and gamma-globulin, the patient's clinical symptoms significantly improved, confirming the accuracy of the diagnosis...

BACKGROUND: miR-196b-5p was found to be significantly reduced in endometriosis, but its function and the mechanisms involved remained unclear. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of miR-196b-5p on manipulating macrophage phenotype and the underlying mechanisms in endometriosis. METHODS: The endometriosis mice and End1/E6E7 cells were used for in vivo and in vitro experiments, respectively. QRT-PCR was used to detect miR-196b-5p, suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), high mobility group AT-Hook 1 (HMGA1), and CCL2 expressions...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Investigating the impacts of plant-based substances on the regulation of pro-inflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 cytokines could have significant implications for immune-related health conditions. Seven Persicaria plant species from sub-Saharan Africa were specifically selected for analysis, based on their traditional use in treating inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibitory effects of methanol leaf extracts from selected plants on enzymes involved in chronic inflammation...

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative therapy for β-thalassemia major in children. However, it often induces graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), which is associated with complications. In the present study, we used cyclophosphamide (Cy) to treat a thalassemia patient post-HSCT to reduce the adverse effects of GVHD. We monitored the numbers and phenotype of granulocytes. In this case study, an 11-year-old female patient, diagnosed with β-thalassemia major (Pesaro class II), was treated with Cy before and after HSCT with mobilized CD34+ cells...

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized not only by fibrosis and vasculopathy but also by inflammation. Previous studies have demonstrated monocyte involvement in SSc development, suggesting a role for immune dysfunction in SSc pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between SSc's clinical manifestations and altered levels of monocyte subpopulations. METHODS: Twenty-six patients meeting the ACR/EULAR SSc criteria along with twenty healthy individuals as the control group, were enrolled in the study...

BACKGROUND: The development of a cytokine storm in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection can make the disease fatal. We hypothesize that this excessive cytokine production impairs mucosal healing. IL-17 and IL-22 are cytokines that play a key role in protecting and regenerating mucosal tissues.IL-17 and IL-22 support each other and the imbalance between them plays a role in the pathogenesis of many rheumatologic diseases. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether COVID-19 severity is related to IL17, IL-22, and the IL-17/IL-22 ratio...

BACKGROUND: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by the fusion of vertebral joints and axial arthritis. The programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitory receptor has a pivotal role in controlling T cell function and may have a significant impact on the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as AS pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate PD-1 gene expression and its epigenetic regulation by detecting methylated CpG islands in the regulatory sites of the gene...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: It is well-known that TH1 and Treg cells exert anti- and pro-tumorigenic activity, respectively. Thus, TH1 cell suppression together with Treg cell hyperactivation contribute to tumor development. Glycyrrhiza glabra (G. glabra) has various immunomodulatory and anti-tumorigenic properties. OBJECTIVE: To explore the impacts of G. glabra extract on different parameters related to TH1 and Treg cells using a breast cancer (BC) model. METHODS: Four groups of Balb/C mice bearing 4T1 cell-induced BC were treated intraperitoneally with either saline or G...

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes a wide range of treatments that are gaining acceptance among the public. It is increasingly being recognized as a viable option for treating various diseases with minimal side effects. Common avenues of this therapy include herbal medicine, acupuncture, physical exercise, aromatherapy, dietary therapy, and homeopathy etc. Macrophages are highly heterogeneous cells that play multiple regulatory roles. Practices such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, physical exercise, aromatherapy and dietary therapy exert curative effects by modulating the polarization status and the secretory phenotype of macrophages directly...

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms of the function of interferon beta (IFN-β) and natalizumab (NTZ) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have not yet been fully understood. Over the past decades, many studies have been conducted to evaluate gene expression changes especially regulatory non-coding RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) following therapy in MS patients. OBJECTIVE: To assess the changes in the expression of miR-20b in MS patients treated with IFN-β or NTZ...

BACKGROUND: Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial innate components in anti-tumor immunity. However, the clinical impacts and their phenotypes in bladder cancer (BC) remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical significance of NK cell subsets in tumor-draining lymph nodes of patients with BC. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, pelvic lymph nodes were obtained from 49 untreated patients with BC. Mononuclear cells were isolated and immunophenotyped using CD3, CD56, CD16, CD27, and CD11b markers...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary neutrophils may play a crucial role in the development of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) following measles virus infection. IL-27 could potentially have a negative regulatory effect on the release of reactive oxygen species and cytotoxic granules in neutrophils. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the levels of IL-27 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of children with post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) and analyze the relationship between IL-27 levels and neutrophil proportions...

BACKGROUND: Since the outbreak of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), several vaccine candidates have been developed within a short period of time. Although the potency of these vaccines was evaluated individually, their comparative potency was not comprehensively evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To compare the immunogenicity and neutralization efficacy of four approved COVID-19 vaccines in Iran, including: PastoCovac Plus, Sinopharm, SpikoGen, and Noora in BALB/c mice...

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a medical condition that can cause infertility in women. Women with endometriosis experience a decrease in NK cell cytotoxic activity against endometrial cells, ultimately contributing to the spread of these cells. OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of NK cells and the expression of the NKP46 receptor in endometrial tissue from patients with endometriosis using immunohistochemistry. METHODS: 30 endometrial tissue specimens were collected from three groups of cases with mild (n=11), moderate (n=10), and severe endometriosis (n=9), respectively...