In silico prediction of B-cell epitopes for twenty-five mite allergens: The therapeutic potentials for immunotherapy.

Mite allergens are one of the major allergens; however, their structures and epitopes have not been thoroughly studied. In the present study, we predicted the tertiary structures of several mite allergens and also identified the B-cell epitopes, which can be suggested as potential epitopes for allergen immunotherapy. Twenty-five mite allergens, from six mite allergen groups, were investigated; homology modeling and structure refinement were performed for seventeen allergens with unknown structures. Furthermore, various servers were employed to predict linear and conformational B-cell epitopes and consensus B-cell epitopes were identified (172 linear and 64 conformational epitopes). Conservation and epitope identity were also determined among the allergens of the same group and some conserved epitopes were identified. Some regions of the predicted epitopes were identified as novel epitope regions. The predicted consensus epitopes can be applied as suitable candidates to design immunotherapeutic vaccines.

Exploring the potential and safety of quantum dots in allergy diagnostics.

Biomedical investigations in nanotherapeutics and nanomedicine have recently intensified in pursuit of new therapies with improved efficacy. Quantum dots (QDs) are promising nanomaterials that possess a wide array of advantageous properties, including electronic properties, optical properties, and engineered biocompatibility under physiological conditions. Due to these characteristics, QDs are mainly used for biomedical labeling and theranostic (therapeutic-diagnostic) agents. QDs can be functionalized with ligands to facilitate their interaction with the immune system, specific IgE, and effector cell receptors. However, undesirable side effects such as hypersensitivity and toxicity may occur, requiring further assessment. This review systematically summarizes the potential uses of QDs in the allergy field. An overview of the definition and development of QDs is provided, along with the applications of QDs in allergy studies, including the detection of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE), food allergens, and sIgE in cellular tests. The potential treatment of allergies with QDs is also described, highlighting the toxicity and biocompatibility of these nanodevices. Finally, we discuss the current findings on the immunotoxicity of QDs. Several favorable points regarding the use of QDs for allergy diagnosis and treatment are noted.

In Silico Evaluation of Nonsynonymous SNPs in Human ADAM33: The Most Common Form of Genetic Association to Asthma Susceptibility.

ADAM33 is a zinc-dependent metalloprotease of the ADAM family, which plays a vital biological role as an activator of Th2 cytokines and growth factors. Moreover, this protein is crucial for the normal development of the lung in the fetus two months after gestation leading to determining lung functions all over life. In this regard, mutations in ADAM33 have been linked with asthma risk factors. Consequently, identifying ADAM33 pathogenic nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) can be very important in asthma treatment. In the present study, 1055 nsSNPs of human ADAM33 were analyzed using biocomputational software, 31 of which were found to be detrimental mutations. Precise structural and stability analysis revealed D219V, C669G, and C606S as the most destabilizing SNPs. Furthermore, MD simulations disclosed higher overall fluctuation and alteration in intramolecular interactions compared with the wild-type structure. Overall, the results suggest D219V, C669G, and C606S detrimental mutations as a starting point for further case-control studies on the ADAM33 protein as well as an essential source for future targeted mechanisms.

Can eosinophilia and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio predict hospitalization in asthma exacerbation?

OBJECTIVE: Asthma is one of the most common diseases amongst children. Blood eosinophil count and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are known as markers for phenotyping asthma. This study was performed to investigate blood eosinophil count and NLR as predictors of hospitalization in pediatric asthma exacerbations. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTIONS: In this cross-sectional study, children admitted to hospital ward for more severe asthma exacerbation were compared with non-hospitalized children with moderate to severe asthma exacerbation whose asthma exacerbation was managed in emergency department or outpatient clinic. We investigated patients' characteristic and factors associated with hospitalization. RESULTS: A total of 211 children with moderate to severe asthma exacerbation (mean age [Formula: see text] years old) were enrolled in the study including 91 hospitalized patients and 120 non-hospitalized patients. For the prediction of hospitalization, an ROC Curve analysis was performed and revealed a cut-off of 298 cells/µL and 2.52 of blood eosinophil count and NLR, respectively. In multivariate analysis, not using an asthma action plan (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.09-4.49; P = 0.027), a blood eosinophil count [Formula: see text] 298 (OR 8.79, 95% CI 4.44-17.4; P < 0.001) and an NLR [Formula: see text] 2.52 (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.09-4.14; P = 0.027) were associated with hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Blood eosinophil count and NLR were found to be higher in hospitalized children with more severe asthma exacerbation compared to non-hospitalized patients. These markers can be indicators for asthma exacerbation severity.

Clinical Presentation of Ataxia-Telangiectasia.

BACKGROUND: Ataxia-telangiectasia is a multi-system disorder in which neurologic impairment and immune deficiency are observed. In the present study, patients with ataxia-telangiectasia were followed to provide information regarding clinical and immunological features. METHODS: We report a case series of 18 patients diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia, who were referred to a tertiary center of clinical immunology from 2008-2018. Clinical presentations, medical records and lab data were observed during this period with a mean follow-up time of 4.57 ± 2.66 years. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 10.92 ± 3.24 years (11 females and 7 males). Thirteen patients (72.22%) were from families with consanguinity. Ataxia was the most common clinical feature, observed in 18 (100%) patients. The predominant clinical presentations were tremor and oculocutaneous telangiectasia, observed in 14 (77.8%) patients; dysarthria and oculomotor apraxia, observed in 13 (72.2%) patients. Infections were recorded in 12 (70.6%) patients. Decreased IgG level and IgA levels were observed in 5 (33.3%) and 6 (40.0%) patients, respectively. Decreased B-cell number and T-cell number were noted in 7 (46.67%) and 11 (73.33%) patients, respectively. Three (16.7%) patients were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and two of them expired subsequently. CONCLUSION: Ataxia-telangiectasia is a progressive disease with no established therapy; so, it necessitates early diagnosis and follow-up of the patients. The presented clinical and immunological data in this study may help with diagnosis and management of the disease complications.