Covid-19 is a respiratory disease similar to pneumonia that results from an infection with SARS-CoV-2, a recently identified virus that became a global pandemic in 2020. The severe cases of the disease show a cytokine storm, which is excessive, uncontrolled production of pro inflammatory cytokines. MicroRNA-155 is an epigenetic microRNA that has the ability to control pro-inflammatory responses in many diseases. We aim to determine the relationship between microRNA-155 expression and some cytokines (interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and interleukin-1β) in severe covid-19 cases. A case-control study of 235 samples was collected from 120 patients with severe covid-19 and 115 of mild covid-19 cases and healthy individuals of different sexes and ages. After RNA extraction and conversion to cDNA, RT-PCR was performed on both studied groups. The levels of studied interleukins were determined for 50 severe covid-19 patients and 40 control individuals (mild and healthy). A substantial elevation in the expression of microRNA-155 was seen in severe COVID-19 patients compared to its expression in the control group consisting of mild cases and healthy individuals. Interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and interleukin-1β also show elevated levels in severe covid-19 serum than control individuals. This investigation revealed a strong and statistically significant correlation between the expression of microRNA-155 and interleukin-6, as well as a substantial correlation between the expression of microRNA-155 and interleukin-1β. MicroRNA-155 might have a role in inducing some pro-inflammatory interleukins that leads to cytokine storm.
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite; it spreads via the circulatory system during infection and causes chronic infection in various organs. Toxoplasmosis affects nearly one third of people worldwide, especially immunocompromised people. This study aimed to determine the effect of toxoplasmosis on renal function in hemodialysis patients. Overall 300 patients referred to the Medical City, Al-Karama General Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq were enrolled from 2021 to 2022. All serum samples were tested for T. gondii immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) antibodies, urea and creatinine levels. In patients undergoing hemodialysis, the results revealed a high positivity percentage for anti-Toxoplasma IgG. In hemodialysis patients infe
... 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 MoreCeliac disease (CD) is an inflammatory small intestinal disorder that can lead to severe villous atrophy, and malabsorption . Since the measurement of α-amylase activity is the most widely used biochemical test for the diagnosis of pancreatic and non pancreatic disease , therefore serum α-amylase were studied in the present study in an attempt to evaluate the usefulness of this enzyme in the diagnosis of celiac disease and its relationship with anti gliadin IgA and IgG and serum glucose . Thirty one patients with celiac disease were studied and compared with twenty four healthy individuals . Significant elevation of α-amylase activity , glucose and anti gliadin IgA and IgG were observed in the sera of patients with celiac diseas
... Show MoreABSTRACT Background: Diabetes and periodontitis are complicated prolonged disorders through a recognized two-way association. There is elongated-conventional mark that hyperglycaemia in diabetes is affected on immune-inflammatory response and disturb the action of osteoclast and in balance bone turnover, which might rise the person vulnerability to the progress of prolonged periodontitis. Osteocalcin is one of the greatest plentiful matrix proteins originate in bones and produced absolutely there. Small osteocalcin crumbles are noticed in regions of bone remodeling and are in fact degradation products of the bone matrix, that is released outside cells into the Gingival Crevicular Fluid (GCF) and saliva after destruction of periodontal tissu
... Show MoreBackground :Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was a widely used marker for skeletal and hepatobiliary disorders, but its activity was also increased in atherosclerosis and peripheral vascular disease. Several study has showed that ALP activity was increased in the sera of diabetic patients. The current study was conducted to evaluate ALP activity in type 2 diabetic patients and optimum conditions for enzyme activity in their sera.Methods: This study was carried out at in AL-Yarmok hospital(diabetic center) between February /2009 and April /2009. Fifty two patients with type 2 diabetes have been enrolled. Besides BMI, WHR, serum fasting blood glucose, ALP, HbA1C,uric acid and lipid profile levels have been performed .The relationship bet
... Show MoreAnemia of chronic disease (ACD) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are the two most important types of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Functional iron deficiency in ACD can be attributed to overexpression of the main iron regulatory hormone hepcidin leading to diversion of iron from the circulation into storage sites resulting in iron-restricted erythropoiesis. The aim is to investigate the role of circulating hepcidin and to uncover the frequency of IDA in RA. The study included 51 patients with RA. Complete blood counts, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, ferritin, and hepcidin- 25 were assessed. ACD was found in 37.3% of patients, IDA in 11.8%, and combined (ACD/IDA) in 17.6%. Serum hepcidin was higher in ACD than in con
... Show MoreThe present study aimed to look for the differences in the oxidative stress status in sera and saliva samples of type 2 diabetic Iraqi patients with and without proliferative diabetic retinopathy. As well as to look for the possibility whether this status can be measured in saliva as an alternative sample to that of serum, hence to achieve that total oxidant status, total antioxidant status and oxidative stress index were measured in both sera and saliva samples of two groups of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the healthy individuals. Upon the comparison between patients without proliferative diabetic retinopathy and the control sample the results showed presence of a significant increase (p < 0.05) of total oxidant st
... Show MoreBackground: Anemia is a common finding in patients with renal failure disease and it is, primarily, due to reduced production of iron and erythropoietin. Therefore, the aim of current study was to evaluate the relationship between serum level of hepcidin 25, on the one hand, and levels of serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, serum erythropoietin and transferrin saturation% in Iraqi male patients undrgoning haemodialysis.. Methods: Serum from75 males in the end stage of hemodialysis, as group one, and 25 Iraqi healthy malecontrols, as group two, were recruited in this study. Results: Data from current study showed significant increase in hepcidin 25 and significant decrease in serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturati
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