Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Volume:9 Issue: 1, Mar 2010

Some of the genotypes of cytokines are associated with acute graft versus host diseaseafter bone marrow transplantation. The purpose of the present investigation was to find out the possible association between transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) codon 25 polymorphism (rs:1800471) and acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) after bone marrow transplantation from the sibling with the similar HLA among the Iranian population.In this retrospective case-control investigation, 172 subjects including 86 Iranian patientsand their siblings with the similar HLA as donor/recipient pairs were recruited. All of thepatients were diagnosed with one group of blood disorder consisting of Acute MyeloidLeukemia (AML)=40, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)=25 and Chronic MyeloidLeukemia (CML)=21. PCR-SSP method was carried out to ascertain TGF- β1 codon 25G/C polymorphism genotypes.The frequency of TGF- β1 codon 25 GG, GC and CC genotypes among all cases were77.3%, 21.5% and 1.2%, respectively. Recipients with the GG genotype developed severe aGVHD significantly more than those with CC or GC genotypes (Odds Ratio =12.133, P=0.015).Genetic background of TGF-β1 may be involved in aGVHD development and/orseverity in the patients who received Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) from their siblings with the similar HLA among the Iranian population.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been defined by the Global Initiativefor Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), as a disease state characterized by airflowlimitation which is not fully reversible. COPD consists of emphysema which is thedestruction and inflammation of the lung alveoli. Adenosine deaminase (ADA, E.C.3.5.4.4)converts adenosine to inosine. There are two isoenzymes of ADA in serum; ADA1 andADA2. It has been established that in COPD patients the adenosine levels increase, whichcan contribute to decrease of ADA activity. In this research we studied the ADA and itsisoenzyme activity in COPD patients.This descriptive analytical case-control study was performed on thirty patients who werehospitalized in the pulmonary wards with an acute exacerbation of COPD. ADA activity wasdetermined in 30 COPD patients, 30 nonsmokers and 30 smokers controls. All subjects were male. We used colorimetric (Giusti) method for measuring of ADA activity. The data were analyzed using SPSS 13 software and Kruskall-Wallis and two-way ANOVA tests.Total ADA activity in the COPD and smoker control groups was significantly lower thanin non smoker group (18.99 ± 7, 19.03 ± 9.1 and 22.95 ± 6.7 U/L, respectively). There was a significant difference for ADA2 between the three groups. Whereas the ADA1 activity in the three groups had no significant difference.Based on the obtained data, decrease of ADA activity may play an important role in theformation of pulmonary injury in COPD patients.

Clinical asthma and airway responsiveness appear to be less severe when diabetes issuperimposed. The aim of the present study was to determine the possible role of NitricOxide (NO) in the airway reactivity under diabetic and diabetic-allergic conditions.Twenty-five male guinea-pigs were divided into five groups of five each as follows:diabetic, antigen sensitized, diabetic- antigen sensitized, insulin-treated diabetic- antigenovalbumin sensitized and control animals. Tracheal rings of all groups were mounted in anorgan bath system for isometric contraction measurements. Tissues were pre-incubated with either of the following chemicals: L-NAME, L-arginine or methylene blue. Cumulativeconcentration response curve was made with histamine.Decrease in the airway reactivity in diabetic and diabetic- antigen sensitized animals wereshown compared to the antigen sensitized animals. pEC50 values of histamine in the presence of L-Arg showed increase in diabetic and diabetic- antigen sensitized animals compared to the controls. In the presence of methylene blue, these values showed an increase in diabetic and diabetic- antigen sensitized animals compared to the controls. However, incubation with L-NAME did not change the airway responsiveness to histamine in diabetic and diabeticantigen sensitized animals compared to the controls.Experimental diabetes causes were found to decrease the responsiveness of tracheal ringsin the presence or absence of allergy.Findings of this research work showed that NO had no role in hypo-responsiveness ofairway in diabetic and diabetic- antigen sensitized animals.

The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of rhinitis in asthmatic infants.A cross-sectional study was conducted using clinical data obtained from a standardizedallergy work-up form that includes specific questions on common allergic diseases.Asthmatic patients were seen at the first visit to the Pediatric Allergy Unit, from January2001 to January 2006, were selected for analysis. Diagnosis of allergic rhinitis was based onthe presence of two or more nasal symptoms (sneezing, itching, congestion and rhinorrhea).Allergic sensitization was assessed by skin prick test for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Blomia tropicalis, Blattella germanica, Lolium perenne, dog and cat danders.Four hundred and ninety-three infants (under 2 years of age) were selected from a total of 1543 asthmatics aged 0-14 years, 58% males. Physician diagnosis of rhinitis in infants was registered in 367 (74%) and 131 (36%) had positive skin prick test to at least one allergen.Infants were more frequently sensitized to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (43%) and Blomia tropicalis (27%). Among asthmatic children ≥2 years old, 890 (84%) also had rhinitis, 773 (87%) were atopic. Among those children with rhinitis, one hundred and eighty six were fully skin prick tested with a standard panel of common aeroallergens. There was no difference between sensitization in asthmatic infants and older asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis.Thus the frequency of rhinitis in asthmatic infants as well as atopic sensitization weresimilar to older children.

Peanut allergy is the major leading cause of fatal or life-threatening anaphylactic reactionsto foods. At present, there is no remedy for this condition. The applied pharmaceutical cares are merely palliative, while their deleterious side effects have already been established. Hence, many sufferers search for complementary and alternative medicines. A versatile-, "flavonol" subgroup-member of the flavonoid family, quercetin, is of paramount interest to investigators. In this study the effects of quercetin on peanut-induced anaphylactic reactions were investigated in a rat model of peanut allergy. Wistar rats were sensitized with crude peanut extract in the presence of Cholera toxin and Aluminium hydroxide. Sensitized rats were then allotted into three groups; Positive control, Quercetin-treatment and Sham, (n=7, each). Naive rats (n=7) served as negative controls.One week post-sensitization period, the rats in treatment group were treated withquercetin at a dose of 50 mg/kg(Body Weight)/mL Di-methyl-sulfoxide 5%/rat, over aperiod of four weeks. Subsequently, rats were challenged, and anaphylactic reactionparameters including variations in plasma histamine levels, vascular permeability, systemicanaphylaxis scores, and total serum Immunoglobulin E levels were measured.After daily-gavaging for four weeks, quercetin completely abrogated peanut-inducedanaphylactic reactions following challenges, so that the mean of plasma histamine levels inthe quercetin-treated rats, were lower significantly (p=0.004) as compared with positivecontrol group. Our findings suggest that the flavonoid quercetin is potent enough tosuppress the on-going Immunoglobulin E responses against peanut proteins, and can bepropounded as an alternative medicine to protect against Immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergies.

Inadequate attention given to the management of asthma and ways of improvingtreatment could be a significant factor for the increase morbidity and mortality from asthma despite major advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. There seems to be paucity of data concerning the management pattern and burden of asthma in Africa. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence, management pattern and the burden of asthma.This study was a cross sectional design involving clinical and lung function assessment.The diagnosis of asthma was made using the clinical features of asthma and lung functionparameters (Forced expiratory volume in one second, Peak expiratory flow rate, Reversibility tests). Totally, 120 asthma patients participated in this study. All subjects completed the clinical asthma control questionnaires. All items were rated with the calculation of their mean and percentages. Student t-test was used to calculate the difference between the mean of the lung function tests for subjects and control.The prevalence of asthma among respiratory unit patients was 6.6% and higher in thefirst three decades of life with female preponderance (F:M=1.5-1).There is a strong familyhistory of asthma(81.7%). Associated allergies include rhinitis (75%), pharyngitis (54%),conjunctivitis (54%) and dermatitis (30%). Percentage of asthma patients treated withbronchodilators alone (70%), combined inhaled bronchodilators and steroid (28.3%).Impaired daily activities include sports (84%), Job career (60%), Physical activity (55%),Social activity (54%), Household chores (61%), Disturbed sleep (53%), Daytime symptoms (51%), Hospitalized(50%). Subjects had significant low lung function values when compared with control (P < 0.05). The burden of asthma is very high despite the advanced knowledge of the pathophysiology and management of asthma.

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a key cytokine involved in regulating the balance between TH1 and TH2 cells by promoting TH1 response. A reduced capacity to produce this cytokine could lead to aberrant TH2 development. On the same aspect significant impact of IL-12 on invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells was reported. Therefore, we examined the serum levels of IL-12 and the absolute number of peripheral blood iNKT cells from 37 children with controlled asthma and 11 normal controls (age-matched) and correlating these two parameters with clinical asthma severity and Pulmonary function tests (PFTs).A significant decrease of serum levels of IL-12 and peripheral iNKT cells was found in total asthmatic cases compared with normal controls. This significant decrease of IL-12 levels was observed in severe asthmatic patients compared with mild and moderate cases.Serum levels of IL-12 and the numbers of peripheral iNKT cells were positively correlated with PFTs in both total asthmatic groups and in children with severe persistent asthma.Inverse correlation was found between serum level of IL-12 and different degrees of asthma. Whereas the numbers of peripheral blood iNKT cells showed no significant difference between clinical asthma severities.Impaired IL-12 production in asthmatic children beside decreasing the number of peripheral blood iNKT cells could be considered as a key component in asthma pathogenesis and hence their therapeutic manipulation may be of help in asthma management.

Difficult to treat asthma is an asthma syndrome that brings in our mind other differentials. Mediastinal masses are not common findings, but are important variables.Bronchogenic cyst is a congenital anomaly of the foregut that is typically found in themediastinum and diagnosed accidentally. We present a 4-year-old girl with allergic asthmathat began at 8-months of age and finally a bronchogenic cyst was detected in this patient.The patient had history of asthma since she was eight months old. She had a history ofseveral asthma attacks which had partly responded to asthma management.During the last episodes of asthma attacks, she was hospitalized in Pediatric IntensiveCare Unit. Imaging studies showed a 4×3 cm mass in the posterior part of the thoracic cavity that had led to tracheal narrowing was found for which the patient underwent thoracotomy and in surgical exploration a cyst that had compressed the thoracic trachea. Pathological examination of the cyst revealed a bronchogenic cyst. Bronchogenic cyst is an uncommon developmental abnormality but in a patient with obstructive pattern of airways it should be considered in differential diagnosis of asthma, especially if the asthma management is not successful.