Influence of Sulfonylurea and Insulin on Immunological Profile of Type 2 diabetic Egyptian Patients

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, inflammatory disease caused by long-term imbalance in immune system, metabolic syndrome, or nutrient excess associated with obesity .Sulfonylurea and exogenous insulin have been used in the treatment of T2DM, and they have hypoglycemic and anti-inflammatory effects .The aim of this study to demonstrate the effect of sulfonylurea and exogenous insulin on some immunological parameters in Egyptian patients with T2DM and determine whether diabetes or the type of treatment would influence the levels of these parameters. Materials Methods: This study was performed on 150 outpatients with type 2 diabetes matched with age and gender with 40 healthy subjects was selected from the outpatient’s clinics of National Institute for Diabetes and Endocrinology. All studied patients and control were subjected to estimate Fasting blood glucose (FBG), Glycosylated heamoglobulin (HBA1c), White blood cells (WBCs), Interleukin-6(IL-6), Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin A (IgA). Results: The levels of FBG, HBA1c, WBCs, IL-6, IgG and IgA showed highly significant increase in the diabetic patient groups compared to controls. (P˂0.001).Treatment of T2DM patients with sulfonylurea and insulin caused highly significant decrease in the levels of FBG, HBA1c as compared to corresponding non -treated group (P˂0.001). Also, the level of IL-6 revealed a highly significant decrease in insulin treated patients  as compared to corresponding non -treated group(p0.001).While, non-significant change (p0.05) in the levels of WBCs, IgG and IgA was observed in treated patient groups with sulfonylureas and insulin as compared to corresponding non -treated group.Conclusion: Both sulfonylurea and insulin are immune- safe therapeutic agent in T2DM at dose achieve good glycemic control. 

Nailfold capillaroscopy in Egyptian systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients: correlation with demographic features and serum levels of IL 17A and IFNs I

Abstract Background In SLE patients, cytokines are linked to endothelial cell damage. Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) is a simple method for evaluating micro-vascular abnormalities in different connective tissue diseases (CTDs). The study aimed to detect the levels of interleukin 17A (IL 17A), type I interferons (IFNs I) in the serum, and NFC changes in Egyptian SLE patients compared to a control group and to correlate NFC findings with patients’ demographic features and serum levels of IL 17A and IFNs I. Results Serum levels of IL 17A, IFN α, and IFN β were significantly higher in SLE patients than in control group (P < 0.0001). About thirty nine patients (73.6%) of the 53 SLE patients showed abnormal NFC changes. Egyptian SLE patients had a high prevalence of the NFC non-specific pattern, with 32 (60.4%) patients showing non-specific changes and 7 (13.2%) patients showing scleroderma pattern, including 3 (5.6%) patients with active scleroderma pattern and 4 (7.55%) patients with late scleroderma pattern. Furthermore, Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) was observed in 8 (15.1%) SLE patients, with 3 (5.6%) having normal NFC pattern and 5 (9.4%) having scleroderma pattern. All controls (n = 20) showed normal hairpin shape capillaries. Except for SLEDAI (P = 0.03) and the presence of RP (P < 0.0001), there were no significant differences in demographic and laboratory parameters between the three NFC patterns (normal, non-specific, and scleroderma); additionally, NFC score correlated significantly with SLEDAI (P = 0.021). Conclusion As a result of the high disease activity, Egyptian SLE patients had elevated serum levels of IL 17A and IFNs I. The most common NFC pattern in Egyptian SLE patients was a non-specific pattern. NFC abnormalities in Egyptian SLE patients were correlated with disease activity but not with patients’ ages, disease duration, or serum levels of IL 17A and IFNs I. SLE patients with scleroderma NFC pattern and RP should be closely followed for the possibility of appearance of anti-U1 RNP antibodies and MCTDS

Effect of artemether on cytokine profile and egg induced pathology in murine schistosomiasis mansoni

Artemether (ART), the methylated derivative of artemisinin, is an efficacious antimalarial drug that also displays antischistosomal properties. This study was designed to evaluate the immunomodulatory action of a single intramuscular dose (50 mg/kg body weight) of ART in comparison with PZQ treatment (42 days PI). ART administration was 7, 14, 21 and 45 days PI. ART effect was studied parasitologically, histopathologically and immunologically. It was found that maximum effect was reached when ART treatment interfered with 14 or 21 days old schistosomula. ART treatment 14 or 21 days PI was associated with shift from Th2 to Th1 predominancy (decrease in IL-4 and upgrading of serum IFN-γ levels). In conclusion, ART is a promising drug in control of schistosomiasis mansoni due to its reductive effect on worm burden and its role in improvement of hepatic granulomatous lesions

Encapsulation of Low Metronidazole Dose in Poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) Nanoparticies Improves Giardia intestinalis Treatment

Background: The present study was designed to investigate the antigiardial efficacy of low metronidazole dose loaded-D, L-lactide-co-glycolide (LMD-PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) and to compare it with the standard high dose of metronidazole either free (HMD) or loaded on PLGA (HMD-PLGA)

Genistein Loaded Nanofibers Protect Spinal Cord Tissue Following Experimental Injury in Rats

Innovative drug-delivery systems offer a unique approach to effectively provide therapeutic drug dose over the needed time to achieve better tissue protection and enhanced recovery. The hypothesis of the current study was to test the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of genistein and nanofibers on the spinal cord tissue following experimental spinal cord injury (SCI). Rats were treated post SCI with genistein that is loaded on chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA) nanofibers as an implantable drug-delivery system. SCI caused marked oxidative damage and inflammation, as is evident by the reduction in the super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the level of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in injured spinal cord tissue, as well as the significant increase in the levels of nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-&alpha;). Treatment of rats post SCI with genistein and CS/PVA nanofibers improved most of the above-mentioned biochemical parameters and shifted them toward the control group values. Genistein induced an increase in the activity of SOD and the level of IL-10, while causing a decrease in NO, MDA, and TNF-&alpha; in injured spinal cord tissue. Genistein and CS/PVA nanofibers provide a novel combination for treating inflammatory nervous tissue conditions, especially when combined as an implantable drug-delivery system

The relationship between coping self-efficacy and B cells in breast cancer patients

Abstract Background Breast cancer is the most common tumor among women throughout the world. Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are associated with stress and depression. Self-efficacy is one of the most important personal characteristics, studied in cancer, and is correlated with depression and immunity. The aim of the study is as follows: 1. Examining the correlation between coping self-efficacy with depression, DHEA levels, and immunity 2. Examining the correlation between depression and DHEA levels 3. Studying the effect of depression and DHEA levels on immunity 4. Examining the intermediate effect of DHEA levels on the correlation between coping self-efficacy and immunity Methods Thirty newly diagnosed breast cancer patients recruited from the Oncology Department, Kasr EL-Aini, Cairo University (ages 51.40 + 8.24 years) responded to two questionnaires: Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); blood samples were collected to measure the phenotype of patients’ cellular immunity and DHEA levels by flowcytometry and ELISA technique. Results There was a significant negative correlation between CSES and PHQ-9, a significant positive correlation between PHQ-9 and B-cell count, and there is a significant negative correlation between CSES and B-cell count. The presence of DHEA has no mediatory role on correlation between CSES and B-cell count. Conclusion This paper presents a new model of psychoneuroimmunology by suggesting an effect of coping self-efficacy on immunity against breast cancer patients

Malarial Infection of Female BWF1 Lupus Mice Alters the Redox State in Kidney and Liver Tissues and Confers Protection against Lupus Nephritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease characterized by an imbalanced redox state and increased apoptosis. Tropical infections, particularly malaria, may confer protection against SLE. Oxidative stress is a hallmark of SLE. We have measured changes in the levels of nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced glutathione (GSH) in both kidney and liver tissues of female BWF1 lupus mice, an experimental model of SLE, after infection with either live or gamma-irradiated malaria. We observed a decrease in NO, H2O2, and MDA levels in kidney tissues after infection of lupus mice with live malaria. Similarly, the levels of NO and H2O2 were significantly decreased in the liver tissues of lupus mice after infection with live malaria. Conversely, GSH levels were obviously increased in both kidney and liver tissues after infection of lupus mice with either live or gamma-irradiated malaria. Liver and kidney functions were significantly altered after infection of lupus mice with live malaria. We further investigated the ultrastructural changes and detected the number of apoptotic cells in kidney and liver tissues in situ by electron microscopy and TUNEL assays. Our data reveal that infection of lupus mice with malaria confers protection against lupus nephritis

Altered renal immune complexes deposition in female BWF1 lupus mice following Plasmodium chabaudi infection

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease that has a mysterious relationship with malaria infection. The current study was designated to compare between the effect of the live and the gamma irradiated Plasmodium chabaudi infection on BWF1 lupus murine model. A total of 30 female BWF1 mice were randomly divided into three groups (10 mice/group) as follows: group (I) lupus group (lupus non infected); group (II) live malaria infected group (lupus + live malaria infection); and group (III) irradiated malaria-infected group (lupus + gamma irradiated malaria infection). Live P. chabaudi infection was accompanied with a decrease in survival rate and food consumption in comparison to the control group of mice while gamma irradiated P. chabaudi -infection was unable to do this effect. Additionally, live P. chabaudi infection was accompanied with an increased level of proteinuria and increased rate of immune complexes deposition in kidney. Moreover, infection with live, but not gamma-irradiated P. chabaudi was accompanied with an increase in nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plasma of lupus mice. The levels of both total cholesterol and triglycerides in plasma of lupus mice after live P. chabaudi infection were obviously decreased in comparison to the control group. On the other hand, gamma-irradiated P. chabaudi infection resembled the control group. Our data revealed that infection of lupus mice with live but not gamma-irradiated P. chabaudi has several histological and biochemical effects. Keywords: Lipid peroxidation, Oxidative stress, Plasmodium chabaudi, Redox imbalance, SL