PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS C AMONG EGYPTIAN CHILDREN WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE AND THE ROLE OF IL28B GENE POLYMORPHISMS IN SPONTANEOUS VIRAL CLEARANCE

Background and objectives: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major health problem in Egypt with its prevalence estimated to be 14.7% among general population in 2008. Patients receiving frequent blood transfusions like sickle cell disease (SCD) are more exposed to the risk of acquiring HCV. IL28B gene polymorphisms have been associated with spontaneous HCV clearance. This study aims to determine the prevalence of HCV infection among children with SCD and to study the relation between IL28B gene polymorphisms and spontaneous HCV clearance. Methods: Seventy SCD patients were screened for HCV antibody. HCV positive patients were tested for the level of HCV RNA using quantitative real time PCR. IL28B polymorphisms (rs 12979860 SNP and rs 12980275 SNP) were detected using Taqman QRT-PCR and sequence specific primers PCR respectively. Results: Sixteen patients (23%) were HCV antibody positive, 9 of them (56.3%) had undetectable HCV RNA in serum and 7 (43.7%) had persistent viremia. Genotypes CC/CT/TT of rs12979860 were found in 30 (42.9%), 29 (41.4%) and 11 (15.7%) and rs12980275 AA/AG/GG were found in 8 (11.4%), 59 (84.3%) and 3 (4.3%).  There was no significant difference in the frequency of IL28B (rs 12979860 and rs12980275) genotypes among HCV patients who cleared the virus and those with persistent viremia (p=0.308 and 0.724 respectively).  Conclusion: Egyptian SCD patients have high prevalence of HCV. Muti-transfused patients still exposed to a risk of transmission of HCV. IL28B gene polymorphisms are not associated with spontaneous clearance of HCV in this cohort of Egyptian children with SCD

In vitro transdifferentiation of umbilical cord stem cells into cardiac myocytes: Role of growth factors

Recently, stem cell based cell therapy has become a realistic option to replace damaged cardiomyocytes. Most studies on stem cell transplantation therapy have focused on the use of undifferentiated stem cells. There is a strong possibility that some cardiogenic differentiation of the stem cell in vitro prior to transplantation would result in higher engraftment efficiency, as well as enhanced myocardial regeneration and recovery of heart function. In this study we aimed to define the conditions for ex-vivo differentiation of cord blood stem cells to cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. These conditions include the combination of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF); basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) and platelet derived growth factor AB (PDGF-AB). Forty cord blood samples were included in this work. In this work, the percentage of CD34+ cells, CD31+ cells and CD34/31+ cells in mononuclear cells (MNC) suspension was counted prior to culture (day zero), and day 10 in the different growth factor cocktails used as well as the control tube, from which the fold increase of CD34+ cells, CD31+ cells and CD34/31+ cells was calculated. Detection of cardiac troponin I in the cultured cells to confirm cardiac differentiation was done at day 10 using Mouse anti-troponin I monoclonal antibody. From the present study, it was concluded that the growth factor cocktail in protocol 2 (FGF2+VEGF+PDGF-AB) gives better in vitro trans-differentiation of stem/progenitor cells in umbilical cord blood into cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells than the cytokines cocktail in protocol 1 (FGF2+VEGF) alone

Association of Interleukin-2-330T/G and Interleukin-10-1082A/G Genetic Polymorphisms with B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in a Cohort of Egyptians

Objective: Polymorphisms in the interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 genes are known to be associated with susceptibility to different immunedysregulated disorders and cancers such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). To explore the possible association between IL-2-330T/G and IL- 10-1082A/G single-nucleotide polymorphisms and the susceptibility to B-cell NHL (B-NHL) in Egyptians, we conducted a case-control study. Materials and Methods: Genotyping of the studied genetic variations was done for 100 B-NHL patients as well as 100 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: The IL-2 variant allele occurred at a significantly higher rate in patients than controls and was associated with susceptibility to B-NHL [odds ratio (OR): 1.91, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28-2.85]. It was also associated with advanced performance status score. IL-2 polymorphism conferred an almost threefold increased risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (OR: 2.64, 95% CI: 1.35-5.15) and a fourfold increased risk of indolent subtypes (OR: 4.34, 95% CI: 1.20-15.7). The distribution of IL-10-1082A/G genotypes in our patients was close to that of the controls. Co-inheritance of the variant genotypes of IL-2 and the common genotype of IL-10 conferred an almost sixfold increased risk (OR: 5.75, 95% CI: 1.39-23.72), while co-inheritance of the variant genotypes of IL-2 and IL-10 conferred fivefold increased risk of B-NHL (OR: 5.43, 95% CI: 1.44-20.45). The variant genotypes of IL-2-330T/G and IL-10-1082A/G had no effect on the disease-free survival of B-NHL patients. Conclusion: The present study highlights the possible involvement of the IL-2-330T/G genetic polymorphism in the susceptibility to B-NHL in Egypt, especially indolent subtypes. Moreover, IL-10-1082A/G is not a molecular susceptibility marker for B-NHL in Egyptians

Association of Interleukin-2-330T/G and Interleukin-10-1082A/G Genetic Polymorphisms with B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in a Cohort of Egyptians

Objective: Polymorphisms in the interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 genes are known to be associated with susceptibility to different immunedysregulated disorders and cancers such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). To explore the possible association between IL-2-330T/G and IL- 10-1082A/G single-nucleotide polymorphisms and the susceptibility to B-cell NHL (B-NHL) in Egyptians, we conducted a case-control study. Materials and Methods: Genotyping of the studied genetic variations was done for 100 B-NHL patients as well as 100 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: The IL-2 variant allele occurred at a significantly higher rate in patients than controls and was associated with susceptibility to B-NHL [odds ratio (OR): 1.91, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28-2.85]. It was also associated with advanced performance status score. IL-2 polymorphism conferred an almost threefold increased risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (OR: 2.64, 95% CI: 1.35-5.15) and a fourfold increased risk of indolent subtypes (OR: 4.34, 95% CI: 1.20-15.7). The distribution of IL-10-1082A/G genotypes in our patients was close to that of the controls. Co-inheritance of the variant genotypes of IL-2 and the common genotype of IL-10 conferred an almost sixfold increased risk (OR: 5.75, 95% CI: 1.39-23.72), while co-inheritance of the variant genotypes of IL-2 and IL-10 conferred fivefold increased risk of B-NHL (OR: 5.43, 95% CI: 1.44-20.45). The variant genotypes of IL-2-330T/G and IL-10-1082A/G had no effect on the disease-free survival of B-NHL patients. Conclusion: The present study highlights the possible involvement of the IL-2-330T/G genetic polymorphism in the susceptibility to B-NHL in Egypt, especially indolent subtypes. Moreover, IL-10-1082A/G is not a molecular susceptibility marker for B-NHL in Egyptians