Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 22 6 2023 12 28 510 511 Maryam Nourizadeh IAARI, TUMS Mostafa Moin Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2023 11 20 2023 11 20 No Abstract No Abstract No Abstract https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3951 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3951/2003

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 22 6 2023 12 28 512 526 EN Reza Dabbaghipour Department of Medical Genetics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Elham Ahmadi Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Mona Entezam Department of Medical Genetics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Omid Rahbar Farzam Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Amir Baghbanzadeh Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Ali Saber Sichani 3 Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA Nazila Jalilzadeh Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Mahdi Jafarlou Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Behzad Baradaran Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran AND Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 2023 04 05 2023 09 18 Scientific research over the past decades has proven the pivotal role of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) in regulating gene expression. The immune responses are controlled through the interaction of pro-inflammatory (predominance of T helper 17 cells (Th17)) and anti-inflammatory cytokines excretion (predominance of Regulatory T cells (Treg)). Recent studies have marked the impact of many diverse LncRNAs on Treg/Th17 imbalances. Moreover, some of the roots and causes of human diseases can be associated with the alterations in the Th17/Treg ratio. In this review study, we overviewed the association between LncRNAs and Th17/Treg, with the potential of providing novel prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets in various diseases, particularly cancer.  https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3806 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3806/2005

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 22 6 2023 12 28 527 535 Mansour Sadeghzadeh Department of Pediatrics, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Parisa Khoshnevisasl Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Akefeh Ahmadiafshar Department of Pediatrics, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran AND Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Nima Motamed Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Azadeh Pourmarjani Department of Pediatrics, Ayatollah Moussavi Hospital, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran 2022 09 25 2023 10 15 The aim of asthma treatment is to reduce airway inflammation by avoiding environmental triggers and using daily anti-inflammatory medications. This study aimed to compare the effects of fluticasone propionate (FP) and budesonide (Bud) on the clinical symptoms and control of asthma in children with moderate to severe asthma. In this open-label study, children with moderate to severe asthma were randomly selected to receive either FP 250 mcg or Bud 400 mcg for 3 months. Asthma control test scores were measured in both groups monthly. The clinical symptoms, drug adherence, and rescue medication were also evaluated. A total of 50 patients with ages between 4 and 7 years old were included in the study (25 cases received Bud and 25 cases received FP). Asthma control test scores, daily and nocturnal symptoms, and cough rates were significantly improved in both groups. The average asthma control scores for the fluticasone group were 21.68±3.32 in the second month and 24.84±2.67 in the third month, whereas the budesonide group had scores of 18.52±3.32 and 22.48±4.12 during the same periods. These variances were statistically significant. Additionally, the requirement for salbutamol use was notably reduced in the fluticasone group compared to the budesonide group throughout all three months. The efficacy of fluticasone propionate in decreasing the need for rescue medication and enhancing asthma control test scores was markedly superior to that of budesonide. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3661 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3661/2004

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 22 6 2023 12 28 536 550 Sepideh Ghodoosifar Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran Gholamreza Dehghan Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran Reza Safaralizadeh Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran Behzad Baradaran Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Mehrzad Hajialiloo Connective Tissue Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 2023 06 27 2023 12 03 MicroRNAs (miRs) play a role in several diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The purpose of this study was to discover new microRNAs and investigate their involvement in RA, examining their connections with inflammation and metabolic markers. New microRNAs related to RA were predicted using Mirbase and TargetScan databases based on RA target genes. The relationships between miRNAs and targets were visualized with Cytoscape software. Real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed detectable miRNAs and metabolic factors were assessed using immunoassay and spectrometry methods in RA patients and healthy subjects. Four microRNAs (hsa-miR-153-5p, hsa-miR-4270, hsa-miR-4441, and hsa-miR-6754-5p) showed the highest correlation with RA target genes among millions of microRNAs. The expression of miR-146b (fold change=1.8) and miR-4441 (fold change=1.7) was notably reduced, while miR-4270 showed upregulation (fold change=1.8) in plasma from RA patients compared to healthy individuals. MiR-6754 exhibited a decrease (fold change=1.3) but was statistically insignificant. MiR-153-5p expression was undetectable in plasma. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that miR-4441, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.7728, and miR-4270 (AUC=0.7353) were promising biomarkers for RA. The expression of these studied miRNAs significantly correlated with essential clinical characteristics, including liver enzymes, cholesterol, phosphorus, and vitamin D3. Our findings suggest that miR-4270 and miR-4441, present in the circulation, exhibit distinct expression patterns in RA. These microRNAs may serve as links between inflammation and metabolism and represent promising new biomarkers for this disease. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3866 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3866/2006

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 22 6 2023 12 28 551 560 Liangfeng Lin Department of Pediatrics, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China Xiaohao Hu Department of Pediatrics, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China Qiaoyu Li Department of Pediatrics, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China Linlin Huang Department of Respiratory Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China 2023 07 18 2023 08 19 Asthma, a prevalent chronic airway inflammatory condition, poses a significant health challenge. In this study, we delved into the regulatory mechanisms governing asthma, focusing on Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3). Through an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mouse model and interleukin-13 (IL-13)-induced cell model, we mimicked the in vivo and in vitro functions of METTL3 in asthma. Our research revealed that METTL3 expression significantly decreased in asthma-induced mice and IL-13-stimulated cells compared to the control group. Moreover, METTL3 overexpression enhanced bronchial epithelial cell viability and proliferation. Mechanistically, we observed elevated levels of total iron, Fe2+, malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS), alongside reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in IL-13-stimulated cells. Remarkably, METTL3 overexpression counteracted these effects, suggesting a pivotal role in mitigating asthma-related oxidative stress. Furthermore, our study highlighted the involvement of N6-methyladenosine methylation (m6A) modification, where METTL3 regulated the m6A modification of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) RNA, impacting RNA stability. Knockdown of METTL3 suppressed m6A modification on GPX4 RNA, impairing its stability and contributing to IL-13-induced ferroptosis. Interestingly, METTL3 overexpression not only inhibited cell ferroptosis but also alleviated asthma symptoms. Our findings shed light on the epigenetic regulation of asthma through METTL3-mediated m6A modification, offering potential therapeutic avenues for this prevalent inflammatory disease. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3876 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3876/2007

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 22 6 2023 12 28 561 574 Sajad Dehnavi Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran AND Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Infectious Diseases Research Center, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Maryam Dadmanesh Infectious Diseases Research Center, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Negin Hosseini Rouzbahani Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Infectious Diseases Research Center, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mahmood Karimi Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ali Asadirad Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran AND Cancer Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Mohammad Gholami Infectious Diseases Research Center, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Khodayar Ghorban Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2023 02 07 2023 11 05 Increasing the efficacy of allergen-specific intranasal immunotherapy (INIT) has recently been the main goal of several studies to establish this route as a safe delivery method through mucosal pathways. In this case, the present study evaluated the potential of INIT using ovalbumin (OVA)-loaded mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes (Exo-OVA) in an allergic asthma mouse model. Together with control groups, sensitized Balb/c mice underwent intranasal immunotherapy with Exo-OVA (10 μg OVA per dose) for three consecutive weeks. Serum-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), interleukin (IL)-4, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production by cultured spleen cells, lung histopathologic analysis, and nasopharyngeal lavage fluid cellular examinations were then conducted. The results showed that INIT using Exo-OVA significantly increased IFN-γ and TGF-β secretion, while allergen-specific IgE and IL-4 production were dramatically decreased compared to the control group receiving phosphate-buffered saline. In addition, the eosinophil and total cell counts in the nasopharyngeal lavage fluid were reduced, and inflammatory conditions and cell accumulation in lung tissue were ameliorated. In conclusion, the Exo-OVA improved the INIT efficacy compared to free OVA. Therefore, this formulation could be introduced as an effective approach for immunomodulatory purposes with a shorter treatment duration and reduced side effects. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3767 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3767/2001

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 22 6 2023 12 28 575 587 Saeid Khosropour Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Elahe Shahvarooghi Departement of Biology, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran Hossein Rezaeizadeh Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Maryai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3628 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3628/1901

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 21 6 2022 12 24 657 669 EN Morteza Motallebnezhad Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Shirin Taghizadeh Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences. Shahroud, Iran Tayebe Aghaie Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Maryam Azimi Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ali-Akbar Salari Salari Institute of Cognitive and Behavioral Disorders (SICBD), Karaj, Alborz, Iran Mahmoud Bozorgmehr Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran Elahe Safari Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Reza Falak Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mir-Hadi Jazayeri Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2022 07 01 2022 09 12 Placental extract (PE) and exosomes from pregnant mice appear to have immunomodulatory and neuroprotective effects. In this study, we assessed the potential therapeutic effects of PE and exosomes obtained from pregnant mice in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse models. C57BL/6 mice, 8 to 12 weeks of age, were prepared and administered PE, exosomes, and glatiramer acetate (GA), as an FDA-approved treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS), after EAE induction. Thereafter, the therapeutic effects of treatment were evaluated by measuring the clinical courses of the mice as well as determining the number of regulatory T (Treg) cells using flow cytometry, cytokine levels, and microRNA-326 expression via real-time PCR. GA, PE, and exosomes reduced clinical severity, the extent of spinal cord demyelination, and the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the spinal cord. The frequency of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg cells increased after treatment of EAE mice with GA, PE, and exosomes. The mRNA expression of the inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-17  and interferon-gamma), as well as miR-326 expression, decreased significantly in the EAE mice after treatment with GA and exosomes. PE and exosomes from pregnant mice are involved in the modulation of Treg/Th17 balance and provide a therapeutic approach for MS. Further clinical studies will hopefully confirm the safety and efficacy of such treatments in MS patients. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3592 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3592/1898

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 21 6 2022 12 24 670 676 Shaghayegh Pezeshki Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mir Hadi Jazayeri Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Bahram Chahardouli Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Nader Tajik Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Seyyed Massood Nabavi Department of Regenerative Medicine, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran Mahdi Akbarzadeh School of Nursing, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran 2022 08 06 2022 09 04 Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the clonal expansion of mature CD5+ B cells and the most common lymphoproliferative disease in adults (B1-CLL). B1 cells' anti-inflammatory effects include the production of natural IgM (nIgM) by the spleen and bone marrow, decreased inflammatory cytokines as a primary response to maintaining tissue homeostasis, and enhanced release of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ). We used the flow cytometry technique in peripheral blood from patients with CLL and multiple sclerosis (MS) to immunophenotype B cells and their subpopulations. Whole blood from CLL and MS patients, as well as healthy controls, was used to detect nIgM using the VH4-34 gene copy number and real-time RT-PCR. We found that the proportion of CD5+ B cells was significantly lower in MS patients than in the control group and that CD5+ B lymphocytes were significantly higher in CLL patients than in the control group. Compared to the control group, CLL patients had significantly higher levels of the VH4-34 gene copy number. On the contrary, MS patients had significantly lower VH4-34 gene copy number levels compared to the control group. As the number of antibodies in CLL patients increases due to the high number of B1 cells, we propose a new way to treat MS by extracting this natural antibody from the sera of CLL patients and injecting it into MS patients. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3620 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3620/1889

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 21 6 2022 12 24 677 686 Behrouz Robat-Jazi Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Khodayar Ghorban Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Infectious Diseases Research Center, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Gholami Infectious Diseases Research Center, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Esmaeil Samizadeh Department of Pathology, Imam Reza Hospital, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Zahra Aghazadeh Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Amin Shahrbaf Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Maryam Dadmanesh Infectious Diseases Research Center, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Negin Hosseini Rouzbahani Department of Medical Immunology, School of Medicine, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Infectious Diseases Research Center, Aja University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Abbas Mirshafiey Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2022 08 15 2022 11 27 coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) can be complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and may be associated with cytokine storm and multiorgan failure. Anti-inflammatory agents, such as systemic corticosteroids, monoclonal antibodies, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be used for this purpose. In this study, we evaluated the immunomodulatory effect of mannuronic acid (M2000), which is a novel NSAID, on COVID-19-related cytokine storms. This study was conducted in vitro on blood samples of 30 COVID-19 patients who presented with ARDS to a referral center. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from blood samples and incubated with phorbol myristate acetate for 24 hours. M2000 was administered with the dosages of 25 µg/well and 50 µg/well after 4 hours of incubation at 37°C. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted to assess mRNA gene expression. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to evaluate the supernatant PBMC levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ. Both mRNA expression and the supernatant PBMC levels of IL-17, TNF-α, IL‑6, and IFN‑γ were decreased in PBMCs of COVID-19 patients treated with M2000 compared with the control  group. For the first time, it was observed that M2000 could be effective in alleviating the inflammatory cascade of COVID-19 patients based on an in vitro model. After further studies in vitro and in animal models, M2000 could be considered a novel NSAID drug in COVID-19 patients. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/3627 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/3627/1895

Tehran Un