Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 10 3 2011 09 15 147 154 EN Maryam Adelipour Chemical Injury Research Center (CIRC), Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Abbas Ali Imani Fooladi Applied Microbiology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Samaneh Yazdani Chemical Injury Research Center (CIRC), Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ensieh Vahedi Chemical Injury Research Center (CIRC), Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mostafa Ghanei Chemical Injury Research Center (CIRC), Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Reza Nourani Chemical Injury Research Center (CIRC), Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2015 10 01 Airway remodelling is characterized by the thickening and reorganization of the airways seen in mustard  lung patients. Mustard lung is the  general description  for  the  chronic obstructive  pulmonary  disease induced  by  sulfur  mustard(SM). Pulmonary  disease was diagnosed as the most important  disorder in individuals that had been exposed to sulfur mustard. Sulfur mustard is a chemical warfare agent developed during Wars. Iraqi forces frequently used it against Iranian during Iran –Iraq in the 1980–1988. Peribronchial fibrosis result  from  airway remodeling  that  include  excess  of  collagen of  extracellular matrix deposition  in  the  airway wall. Some of  Smads families in  association with TGF-β  are involved in airway remodeling due to lung fibrosis. In the present study we compared the mRNA expression of Smad2, Smad3, and Smad4 and Smad7 genes in airway wall biopsies of chemical-injured patients with non-injured patients as control. We used airway wall biopsies of ten unexposed patients and fifteen SM-induced patients. Smads expression was evaluated by RT-PCR followed by bands densitometry. Expression levels of Smad3 and Smad4 in SM exposed patients were upregulated but Smad2 and Smad7 was not significantly altered. Our results revealed that Smad3, and 4 may be involved in airway remodeling process in SM induced  patients  by  activation of  TGF-β.  Smad pathway is  the  most  represented signaling mechanism for  airway remodeling and  peribronchial fibrosis. The  complex of Smads in the nucleus affects a series of genes that results in peribronchial fibrosis in SM- induced patients. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/305 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/305/305

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 10 3 2011 09 15 155 161 EN Maryam Mohajeri Department of Cell & Mol. Biology, School of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Ali Farazmand Department of Cell & Mol. Biology, School of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran Mandana Mohyeddin Bonab Molecular Immunology Research Center, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Behrooz Nikbin Molecular Immunology Research Center, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Alireza Minagar Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA 2015 10 01 Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating and neurodegenerative disorder of  the  central  nervous  system (CNS), which mainly affects  young adults. Activated T lymphocytes promote the neuro-inflammatory cascade of MS by secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines and play a significant role in its pathogenesis. T  lymphocytes may trigger the inflammation, which in turn leads to axonal loss and neurodegeneration observed in the course of MS. Currently, there is no cure for MS, however, one of the most promising neuroprotective research tools consists of the use of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). This method promotes immune system regulation and possibly induces neurological repair and re-myelination of the damaged axons. Recent studies have shown that MSC exert an immune regulatory function  and induce T regulatory-cell proliferation, therefore,  it may serve as a potentially useful treatment for immune-mediated diseases such as MS. In this pilot study a group of MS patients underwent MSC therapy and we assayed the expression of an X-linked transcription factor, FoxP3, as a specific marker of T Regulatory cells in peripheral blood, prior to and after the treatment. Using q RT-PCR for measurement of expression of FoxP3 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells, we found that in all subjects, except for one, the expression of FoxP3 at 6 months after intrathecal injection of MSC was significantly higher than the levels prior to treatment. Such significant enhanced expression of FoxP3 associated with clinical stability. Findings from  this  pilot  study further  support  the  potential  of  bone  marrow  derived MSC for treatment of MS patients. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/306 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/306/306

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 10 3 2011 09 15 163 170 EN Ghasem Mosayebi Molecular and Medicine Research Center, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran AND Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Seyed Mohammad Moazzeni Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran 2015 10 01 Dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in induction of cellular immune responses. It seems that DCs that reside in different organs may be distinct in their ability to  induce immune responses. This study was done to address the differences between spleen and liver DCs in induction of immune response and/or tolerance. CD11c+  DCs were separated from the liver and spleen of C57BL/6 mice and pulsed with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide 35-55. 6×105 MOG35-55 pulsed spleen or liver DCs were injected in foot pad of different groups of mice. Control groups received unpulsed DCs. After 5 days, the mononuclear cells (MNCs) of the regional lymph nodes were isolated from immunized mice for cytokine assays and lymphocyte transformation test. To study the immunologic or tolerogenic effects of DCs, three weeks after immunization of mice with MOG  pulsed liver or spleen DCs, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)  was induced in DC-immunized mice by injection of MOG  along with complete Freund’s adjuvant. Our  results showed that spleen DCs were more potent  in stimulating lymph  node  T  cells as  illustrated in  lymphocyte transformation  test.  Moreover  IL-10 production was higher in mice immunized with liver DCs compared with those immunized with splenic DCs (p=0.017). However, no significant difference in IFN-γ  production  was observed  between  two  groups.  We also found  that  liver DCs+MOG  immunized mice displayed a significantly delayed disease onset compared with spleen DCs+MOG immunized mice and the control groups. The disease score was also milder in liver DCs immunized mice compared with other groups. It seems that the higher IL-10 production induced by the liver DCs may be one of the main factors in down regulation of immune responses in this organ. It can be concluded also that the liver DCs may inhibit the progress of EAE by shifting the cytokines profile. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/307 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/307/307

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 10 3 2011 09 15 171 182 EN Yi Liu Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China Gu-yi Wang Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China Shao-kun Liu Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China Mu-yi Yang Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China Li-bing Ma Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China Keng Li Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China Su-bo Gong Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China Li Zhang Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China Ping Chen Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China Xu-dong Xiang Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China 2015 10 01 Allergic asthma is a complex and chronic inflammatory airway disease. Interleukin-17 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine which plays critical role in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. It has been reported that β-arrestin2 regulated the development of allergic asthma at a proximal step in the inflammatory cascade. In this study, the influence of β-arrestin2 on Interleukin-17 production and expression of CD4+  T lymphocytes in a murine asthma model was investigated. Splenic CD4+   T lymphocytes from  wild-type mice and those  from  a murine asthma model were purified. CD4+  T lymphocytes from a murine asthma model were transfected with  siRNAs  targeting the  β-arrestin2  or  were pretreated  with  the  ERK1/2  inhibitor,PD98059.  After  stimulation,  the   protein   expression  of   β-arrestin2、phosphorylated- ERK1/2 and IL-17 were detection by Western blot; the mRNA expression of IL-17 were detected by real-time PCR; the accumulation of IL-17 in supernatants  were detected by ELISA. We found that β-arrestin2、phosphorylated-ERK1/2 and IL-17 expression in CD4+  T lymphocytes from a murine asthma model was increased compared with those from wild- type mice(p<0.01). Treatment of CD4+  T lymphocytes with siRNAs targeting the β-arrestin2 down-regulated phosphorylated-  ERK  1/2  and  IL-17 expression  (p <  0.01). PD98059 decreased IL-17 production  and expression in CD4+   T lymphocytes in a murine asthma model (p < 0.05). We conclude that β-arrestin2 stimulated IL-17 production  and expression of CD4+   T lymphocytes in a murine  asthma  model. The  effect  was partly mediated  by ERK  1/2 activation. Targeting β-arrestin2 biological activity could be a valid therapeutic approach for the treatment of allergic asthma. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/308 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/308/308

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 10 3 2011 09 15 183 188 EN Giorgio Ciprandi Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa, Italy Mara De Amici Pediatric Clinic- University of Pavia-Foundation IRCCS San Matteo, Pavia, Italy Mariangela Tosca Pneumology and Allergy Unit, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy Roberta Alesina Pneumology, Foundation IRCCS San Matteo, Pavia, Italy Gianluigi Marseglia Pediatric Clinic- University of Pavia-Foundation IRCCS San Matteo, Pavia, Italy Dietmar Fuchs Division of Biological Chemistry, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria 2015 10 01 Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a very frequent disease which is not only characterized by nasal symptoms, but also with behavioural changes. This study evaluated the serum serotonin levels in patients with pollen-induced AR during and outside the pollen season. One-hundred-two  (56 females, 46 males, median age: 28.7 years) were included in this study: 56 with seasonal AR (SAR) evaluated outside the pollen season and so without allergic inflammation and symptoms, and 46 with SAR evaluated during the pollen season with symptoms. Blood specimens were collected to assess serum concentrations of serotonin and to compare results to scores of a Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaire which was performed in all subjects. Serotonin serum concentrations were higher in AR patients out of pollen season than in (p<0.01). There was a very strong direct relationship between QoL and serotonin concentrations. This preliminary study demonstrates that SAR influences serotonin concentrations and that serum serotonin could serve as a biomarker in AR patients with behavioural symptoms. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/309 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/309/309

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 10 3 2011 09 15 189 194 EN Tahereh Mousavi Department of Immunology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Microbial Resistance Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Parisa Farnia Mycobacteriology Research Center (NRITLD), Massih Daneshvary Hospital, Tehran, Iran Nader Tajik Department of Immunology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Immunology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mahbubeh Soofi Department of Microbiology, Ghom University of Medical Sciences, Ghom, Iran Farhad shahsavar Department of Immunology, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorram Abad, Iran 2015 10 01 Analysis of  receptor–ligand  interactions  in  the  context  of  diseases  necessitates  to understand how HLA–KIR genotypes function in diseases. Although CD56+  lymphocytes are derived from multiple lineages, they share a functional association with immunosurviellance and antimicrobial responses. The present study aimed to determine whether KIR phenotype in CD56 lymphocytes and corresponding  HLA-class 1 ligands are 3 antibodies. IL-4, IL-25, IL-33, TSLP were quantified in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and OVAspecific IgE levels was measured in serum by standard ELISA protocols. IL-25, IL-33, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific proteases (caspase)-3. Quercetin treatment led to lower epithelial thickness, subepithelial smooth muscle thickness, goblet and mast cell numbers compared to untreated  mice with allergic airway inflammation (p<0.05). However, quercetin treatment was not effective on improving basal membane thickness. Immunohistochemical scores of IL-25, IL-33, TSLP, caspase-3 and TUNEL were lower in quercetin-treated mice  t compared to untreated mice with allergic airway inflammation (p<0.05). IL-4, IL-25, IL-33, TSLP levels in BAL and OVA-specific IgE in serum were lower in quercetin treated mice compared to untreated mice (p<0.05). These findings suggest that quercetin improves chronic histopathological changes except basal membrane thickness in lung tissue and its beneficial effects on inflammation might be related to modulating epithelium derived cytokines and epithelial apoptosis. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/781 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/781/688

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 15 6 2017 12 30 498 507 EN Haleh Vaez Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran AND Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Moslem Najafi Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Negisa Seyed Toutounchi Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Jaleh Barar Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Abolfazl Barzegari Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Alireza Garjani Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran 2016 03 18 2016 06 19 Signaling AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an energy sensing enzyme, has been implicated in controlling inflammation. In this study we investigated whether activation of AMPK by metformin could protect the lung from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute injury by inhibitingng TLR4 pathway. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=6): control group received normal saline (0.5 mL), LPS group received LPS (0.5 mg/kg), and metformin-treated group received LPS and metformin (100 mg/kg). Nine hours later nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), phosphorylated, and non-phosphorylated AMPK using western blot, and the rate of TLR4 mRNA expression using real-time PCR were assessed in the lung tissue. To evaluate neutrophil infiltration, the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was measured. The severity of the lung damage was assessed by histological examinations. It was found that the ratio of p-AMPKα to AMPKα was significantly upregulated by 22% (p<0.05) in the lungs obtained from the metformin group. In LPS-treated rats, we observed a high expression of TLR4 in the tissue along with increased levels of MyD88, NF-κB, and TNFα. Metformin considerably reduced all these parameters. Histological examinations revealed that metformin remarkably attenuated congestion and inflammatory cellular infiltration into the alveolar walls and also decreased MPO activity by 37% (p<0.05). We conclude that metformin could protect the lung tissue against LPS-evoked TLR4 activation and the protective effect can be related to the activation of AMPK. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/847 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/847/680

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 15 6 2017 12 30 508 514 EN Hamideh Khajeh Center of Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran Abbas Bahari Research Institute of Modern Biological Techniques, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran Milad Lagzian Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran Seyed Kazem Sabbagh Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yazd, Yazd, Iran 2016 02 09 2016 08 15 The central role of dendritic cells (DCs) as bridging innate and adaptive immunity leads to the expanding use of these cells in the poultry vaccine studies. The most effective way to produce enough DCs is monocyte transformation by combined induction of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). In this study full length of chicken IL-4 (cIL-4) cDNA was cloned, characterized and expressed in Escherichia coli. Subsequently, the expressed IL-4 was used to induce monocytes- derived DCs (MDDC). Typical features of DCs such as long membrane protrusions, apparently was dominant only four days after cytokine induction. Analyses of selected key genes' expression also confirmed that most of the monocytes shifted to DCs. The findings of the present study strongly suggest that the cloning and expression of cIL-4 in the bacterial host without any codon optimization or other modifications could produce mature MDDC in six to seven days. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/808 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/808/676

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 15 6 2017 12 30 515 524 EN Maryam Farghadan Cancer Resaerch Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran AND Student Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran Hosein Ghafoori Department of Biology, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran Faezeh Vakhshiteh Human and Animal Cell Bank, Iranian Biological Resource Center (IBRC), ACECR, Tehran, Iran Seyed Abolhassan Shahzadeh Fazeli Human and Animal Cell Bank, Iranian Biological Resource Center (IBRC), ACECR, Tehran, Iran Parvaneh Farzaneh Human and Animal Cell Bank, Iranian Biological Resource Center (IBRC), ACECR, Tehran, Iran Parviz Kokhaei Cancer Resaerch Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran 2016 02 08 2016 06 11 The genus Artemisia is estimated to comprise over 800 species with anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Artemisia fragrans (A. fragrans), a species that belongs to genus Artemisia, is rich in monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes derivatives. Due to anti-inflammatory properties of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, we aimed to investigate the effect of A. fragrans essential oil on mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene and nitric oxide (NO) production in Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -stimulated RAW264.7 cell line. NO, which is synthesized by iNOS, is the main macrophage-derived inflammatory mediator. The oil obtained from the A. fragrans was prepared from aerial parts of the plant. Chemical composition of essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS).The cytotoxicity of various concentrations of essential oil was evaluated by mitochondrial reduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test assay. The effect of different doses (1.75-7 mg/mL) of A. fragrans oil on mRNA expression of iNOS gene and NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells was assessed by real-time PCR method and Griess reagent, respectively. In GC/MS analyses of A. fragrans oil, 32 compounds were identified. The main components of the oil were camphor and 1, 8-cineole. The results demonstrated that the essential oil of A. fragrans (1.75- 7 mg/mL), in a dose-dependent manner, inhibits mRNA expression of iNOS induced by LPS in the RAW264.7 cells without cytotoxic effect even at higher doses. The results of iNOS were consistent with the results of NO production. Our preliminary results suggest the possible anti-inflammatory effect of A. fragrans. Further studies are needed to determine the full pharmacokinetics of A. fragrans activity in vivo. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/811 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/811/673

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 15 6 2017 12 30 525 535 EN Alireza Khayatzadeh Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohamad Gharaghozlou Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Motohiro Ebisawa Department of  Department of Allergy, Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology Sagamihara National Hospital, Sagamihara, Japan Raheleh Shokouhi Shoormasti Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Masoud Movahedi Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2016 03 07 2016 06 12 At present the only available management for food allergy is avoidance; however, abstaining from allergic foods can affect the quality of life. Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) is an efficient method for increasing tolerance towards food allergens. The aim of this study was desensitizing patients above five years of age with wheat allergy and evaluating the safety and efficacy of OIT for children with IgE-mediated wheat allergy. The method of Rush Oral Immunotherapy (ROIT) was performed on 8 anaphylactic wheat allergic patients as well as outpatient method on 5 non-anaphylactic ones. In ROIT, build-up phase was performed during several days, but in outpatient, the amount of ingestion gradually increased to 5.2 g wheat protein within several weeks. After that, maintenance doses were prescribed daily for 3 months. Then, if the oral food challenge (OFC) was negative, the patients were considered to be in desensitized state, which meant they had to continue eating same doses without interruption. In ROIT, build-up phase continued for about 4.6 days during which, 21 from 71 doses, showed clinical symptoms (29.6%). On the contrary, outpatient method lasted approximately 72.4 days in which 356 doses were used and symptoms developed in only 9 doses (2.5%). In total –regardless of type of build-up phase– 12 patients could complete the maintenance phase with 1080 doses that 28 of them (2.6%) developed mild symptoms. Our OIT study proved to be safe and effective, although it is utterly evident that further investigation on more patients is necessary. https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/view/831 https://ijaai.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijaai/article/download/831/738

Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 1735-1502 15 6 2017 12 30 536 546 EN