Seroprevalence of Cystic Echinococcosis Using Recombinant Antigen B-ELISA in North Khorasan Province, Northeast of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is one of the most important helminthic parasitic diseases in Iran. The current study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of CE in North Khorasan Province, Northeast of Iran in 2018. METHODS: The study was carried out in seven cities of North Khorasan Province. Venous blood samples were collected from 932 individuals referring to health centers of those seven cities. A questionnaire was used to obtain the data regarding the subject's gender, age, residence and risk factors linked to the hydatid cyst. Sera samples were evaluated for anti-hydatid cyst antibodies in an ELISA system, using a recombinant B8/1 antigen of E. granulosus. RESULTS: Of the 932 recruited subjects, 496 (53.2%) were male and 436 (46.8%) were female. The range of participants' age was between 11 to 83 yr old and the mean age of the subjects was 35.4 (±12.7) years. Anti-hydatid cyst antibodies were detected in the sera of 37 out of 932 subjects, corresponding to a seroprevalence rate of 3.96%. From these, 20 (54.05%) were male and 17 (45.95%) were female. There were no associations between seropositivity to hydatid cyst and age, the gender of the participants, residential areas and having contact with dogs (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: CE is relatively prevalent throughout the North Khorasan Province in the Northeast of Iran. Rate of CE infection in this Province is somewhat similar to the rate of infection in other parts of the country.

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of KW-2449 on Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis: An Experimental Study on Mice.

BACKGROUND: The KW-2449 is a novel multikinase inhibitor that inhibits FLT3, ABL, ABL-T315I, and Aurora A. FLT3 and Aurora A kinases play an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). KW-2449 could modulate immune cells, but the immunomodulatory effects of KW-2449 on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) have not been investigated yet. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of KW-2449 on EAE mouse model. METHODS: In this study, C57BL/6 EAE mice were orally treated with (10 mg/kg/day) KW-2449 solution and compared with EAE and control mice. Following the treatment, histological analyses were performed on the brain and cerebellum to evaluate the pathological score. The gene expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) were measured using qRT-PCR. The serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6, CCL-2 and MMP-2 were determined by using quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The results indicated that the clinical score, the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the demyelination in EAE mice treated with KW-2449 decreased significantly compared to control groups. KW-2449 also decreased TNF-α, IL-6, CCL-2 inflammatory cytokines, and MMP-2 in both brain mRNA expressions and serum levels of EAE mice. CONCLUSION: The KW-2449, aging as a multi-kinase inhibitor, modulates the inflammatory responses of cytokine cascades either in the brain or in plasma and reduces EAE pathogenesis manifestation.

The Effects of D-aspartate on Neurosteroids, Neurosteroid Receptors, and Inflammatory Mediators in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

OBJECTIVE: Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a widely used model for multiple sclerosis. The present study has been designed to compare the efficiencies of oral and intraperitoneal (IP) administration of D-aspartate (D-Asp) on the onset and severity of EAE, the production of neurosteroids, and the expression of neurosteroid receptors and inflammatory mediators in the brain of EAE mice. METHODS: In this study, EAE was induced in C57BL/6 mice treated with D-Asp orally (D-Asp-Oral) or by IP injection (D-Asp-IP). On the 20th day, brains (cerebrums) and cerebellums of mice were evaluated by histological analyses. The brains of mice were analyzed for: 1) Neurosteroid (Progesterone, Testosterone, 17ß-estradiol) concentrations; 2) gene expressions of cytokines and neurosteroid receptors by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and 3) quantitative determination of D-Asp using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Further, some inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) were identified in the mouse serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. RESULTS: Our findings demonstrated that after D-Asp was administered, it was taken up and accumulated within the brain. Further, IP injection of D-Asp had more beneficial effects on EAE severity than oral gavage. The concentration of the testosterone and 17ß-estradiol in D-Asp-IP group was significantly higher than that of the control group. There were no significant differences in the gene expression of cytokine and neurosteroid receptors between control, D-Asp-IP, and D-Asp-Oral groups. However, IP treatment with D-Asp significantly reduced C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 and MMP-2 serum levels compared to control mice. CONCLUSION: IP injection of D-Asp had more beneficial effects on EAE severity, neurosteroid induction and reduction of inflammatory mediators than oral gavage.