Assessment of Anti-ß2 glycoprotein1 antibody in Systemic Lupus Erythrematosus Patients.

Secondary anti-phospolipid syndrome (APS) is diagnosed in many patients with systemic lupus erythrematosus (SLE) especially with thromboembolic events and/or pregnancy loss in the presence of persistent laboratory evidence for anti-phospholipid antibody (aPL). In this work, we aimed to detect the prevalence of IgG and IgA anti-ß2 glycoprotein1 (ß2GP1) in SLE patients. Serum samples were collected from 50 female patients with SLE (25 had APS and 25 patients who did not have APS), in addition to 22 apparently healthy females with matched age as a control group. All samples from patients and control were tested for lupus anticoagulant (LA), IgG and IgA isotypes of antiß2GPI, Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), Anti-double strand antibody (Anti-dsDNA). Number of patients positive for Anti-ß2GP1 antibodies were significantly increased in APS patients compared to non-APS patients (P=0.015). Anti-ß2GP1 IgA isotype was significantly higher in APS patients than in non-APS patients (P=0.011) and significantly correlated with deep venous thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity (P=0.004). There was no difference in anti-ß2GPI IgG isotype between APS patients and non-APS patients. We concluded that although anti-ß2GPI IgA is not within Sapparo diagnostic criteria, it seems to contribute to the pathogenesis of thrombotic manifestations of SLE and may represents a useful indicator particularly when standard aPL tests are negative.

Effect of Combined HCV Therapy on Natural Killer Cell Activity.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major health problem all over the world with the highest prevalence reported in Egypt. Various treatment regimens have been developed over the last years. Interferon (IFN) based regimen was the standard of care regimen and then the IFN-free therapies were emerged. Host innate immunity through the activity of natural killer (NK) cell is one of the major players in competing infections and tumors, by producing perforin and granzymes that cause cytolysis of target cells, or by the production of various cytokines such as natural interferon gamma. Natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs), including Nkp30, Nkp44 and Nkp46, are a group of activating receptors that almost have restricted expression on the surface of NK cells and their density correlates with NK cytotoxicity. The role of these cells is not fully elucidated in patients with chronic HCV infection either treatment-naive or treatment experienced. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the change that occurs in NK cell activity and cytotoxicity in response to successful elimination of HCV from blood after triple therapy with PEG-IFN-α, ribavirin and sofosbuvir. A total of 56 (50 male: 6 female) HCV patients with mean age of 41.6± 12.1 years were included in this study. They were divided into two groups: treatment naive group (20 patients) and the sustained virologic response (SVR) group (36 patients). All patients were investigated for their NK cell profile, NCRs, perforin and granzyme B expression by flow cytometry. Data was expressed as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). Results revealed significant increase in MFI of granzyme B (P=0.001) and decrease in MFI of NKp30 (P=0.042) in the SVR group as compared to treatment naïve group. These findings indicated that triple therapy of HCV (IFN, Ribavirin and Sofosbuvir) effected NK activation and cytotoxicity.