Introduction: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is considered a parasitic contagion resulting from the flagellated parasite belonging to the genus of Leishmania. Also, cutaneous leishmaniasis is a zoonotic ailment transmitted through the bloodsucking sand-flies bite (belonging to the Phlebotomus genus). The disease's reservoirs included wild or semi-domesticated animals, in general rodents and dogs. Tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) is one of the extracellular matrix proteins that have a role in vessel wall degeneration and aneurysm development. In addition, it belongs to the zinc-dependent endopeptidases family that are involved in the degradation of connective tissues proteins which are included in vascular integrity maintenance. The Genetic deviations in the TIMP-1 genes might impact their expression at the transcription level or the enzyme activity. Therefore, the present study aimed to detect the impact of TIMP-1 serum level and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs41454248 and rs1043428 among the cutaneous leishmaniasis patients’ group compared to the control group. Subjects: Seventy-five cutaneous leishmaniasis patients (39 males and 36 females) with the age mean 23.91 ± 13.14 years participated in this study, compared to the matched number, age, and gender of a healthy control group (75: 38 males and 37 females) with the age mean 22.84 ± 4.35 years. In the current study, the serum level of TIM-1 and rs41454248 and rs1043428 SNPs were studied among the cutaneous leishmaniasis patients’ group compared to the control group. Results: The findings of the TIMP-1 level referred to a significant decrease among the cutaneous leishmaniasis patients’ group compared to the healthy control group (26339.67 ± 900.79 vs. 33480.25 ± 1098.63). Such, the rs41454248 SNPs findings referred that the GG genotype and G allele were non-significantly increased frequency percentage in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients group compared to the healthy control group (29.33 vs. 18.67%, OR: 1.81, p = 0.180; 55.0 vs. 47.0%, OR: 1.38, p = 0.204 respectively). Also, the high OR value of GG genotype and G allele referred to this genotype and allele might be a risk factor for cutaneous leishmaniasis. Likewise, the findings of rs1043428 SNPs appeared that the CC genotype and C allele were significantly increased frequency percentage in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients' group compared to the control group (37.33 vs. 4.0%, OR: 14.30, p = 3.6 × 10−7; 57.0 vs. 21.33, OR: 4.82, p = 4.5 × 10−10). Also, the high OR value of CC genotype and C allele referred to this genotype and allele might be risk factors for cutaneous leishmaniasis. In addition, the CG genotype appeared a non-significant increased frequency percentage in the patients' group compared to the control group and the value of OR referred to might be a risk factor for cutaneous leishmaniasis (33.33 vs. 25.33, OR: 1.47, p = 0.370). In addition, the serum level of TIMP-1 with the rs41454248 was significantly decreased in GA and AA genotypes of the patients’ group compared to the control. While the level was non-significantly decreased in the GG genotype of the patients' group compared to the control group. Likewise, the level of TIMP-1 with the rs1043428 was non-significantly decreased in all genotypes (except TT genotype) of the patients' group compared to the control. Whereas, a significant decrease level was appeared in the TT genotype of the patients' group compared to the healthy control group. Conclusion: The current findings demonstrated a significant association between TIMP-1 serum level and genetic polymorphisms (rs1043428 and rs41454248) among cutaneous leishmaniasis patients.
Abstract Objective: The underlying molecular basis of ischemic heart diseases (IHDs) has not yet been studied among Iraqi people. This study determined the frequency and types of some cardiovascular genetic risk factors among Iraqi patients with IHDs. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study recruiting 56 patients with acute IHD during a 2-month period excluding patients >50 years and patients with documented hyperlipidemia. Their ages ranged between 18 and 50 years; males were 54 and females were only 2. Peripheral blood samples were aspirated from all patients for troponin I and DNA testing. Molecular analysis to detect 12 common cardiovascular genetic risk factors using CVD StripAssay® (ViennaLab Diagnostics GmbH, Austria) was performed
... Show MoreThis study included the estimation of growth rate, viability and morphological changes in different culture media (NNN, P-Y, RPMI- 1640, and Panmed). Promastigotes cultured in RPMI-1640 showed maximal growth rate after (2, 4, 6) days of cultivation (27.26 ± 0.05), (172.20 ± 0.1) and (343.81 ± 1.48) million parasites / ml for each day respectively, while P-Y media gave the highest mean of growth rat after (8 and 10) days of cultivation (307.16 ± 1.67) and (303.5 ± 4.96) million parasites / ml for each day respectively. P-Y medium showed the maximal percentage of viability after (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10) days of cultivation (99.76 ± 0.5) %, (98.30 ± 0.17) %, (96.1 ± 0.1) %, (92.5 ± 0.52) % and (87.26 ± 0.05) % for each day respectively.
... Show MoreSphingolipids are key components of eukaryotic membranes, particularly the plasma membrane. The biosynthetic pathway for the formation of these lipid species is largely conserved. However, in contrast to mammals, which produce sphingomyelin, organisms such as the pathogenic fungi and protozoa synthesize inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) as the primary phosphosphingolipid. The key step involves the reaction of ceramide and phosphatidylinositol catalysed by IPC synthase, an essential enzyme with no mammalian equivalent encoded by the AUR1 gene in yeast and recently identified functional orthologues in the pathogenic kinetoplastid protozoa. As such this enzyme represents a promising target for novel anti-fungal and anti-protozoal drugs. Given
... Show MoreBackground: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune illness, which is consider by three main features: Sclerotic changes in the skin and internal organs, Vasculopathy of small blood vessels, Particular autoantibodies (1). The most important autoantibodies appeared significantly in SSc patients are anti-topoisomerase I autoantibody (Scl-70), anti-centromere autoantibody (ACA), and anti-RNA polymerase III autoantibody (RNAP3) (2). Anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) are infrequent in rheumatic conditions and in healthy persons but occur commonly in limited systemic sclerosis (CREST syndrome), and rarely appeared in the diffuse form of systemic sclerosis (3). Anti-Ro/SSA and antiLa/SSB, antibodies directed against Ro/La ribonucleoprot
... Show MoreThe interleukin-1 family has multifaceted roles in men٫s reproductive syste. Out of these is interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN) which exists in men gonads, and in case of infection and inflammatory process, its activity is increased. The current study aims to verify a possible linkage of Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of the IL-1RN gene with human men infertility. The study groups enrolled included 100 infertile men and 100 fertile and healthy men. Their seminal fluids were subjected to analysis. Also peripheral blood samples were collected for the assessment or detection of polymorphic Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR) polymorphism of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL-1RN). Two a
... Show MoreObjectives: To study the prevalence of rs1799964 (-1031 T/C) and rs361525 (- 238 G/A) SNPs and their effect on the disease activity, severity, and cytokines production in newly diagnosed Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Patients and Methods: sixty-three patients were diagnosed by a specialist physician while attending the rheumatology unit and twenty control participated. The inflammatory markers were measured and PCR amplification and sequencing were performed to demonstrate TNF-α SNPs. Results: Regarding (-1031 C/T) SNP, the TT genotype and allele C were significantly present in the controls, and the CT genotype was distributed significantly in the patients. The TT genotype was mostly distributed in the mild-moder
... Show MoreVocational stresses and their relation with the level of ambition among the lecturers of the university In general , vocational stresses affect the attention and the process of focusing making individual busy with solving of his daily problems instead of his job. The vocational stresses , anxiety and tension are factors effecting the physical and psychological ability of the individual. This study aims to measure the vocational stresses among the lecturers of the university , to measure the level of ambition among them, to identify the statistical differences significant among them according to sex variable, to identify the differences significant in level of ambition among them according to sex variable and to identify the correlation r
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