Serum IgG Research Articles

Association between serum antibodies to oral microorganisms and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adults

BackgroundAlterations in the bacteria, such as the periodontal bacteria, might be considered potential risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Most studies analyzing this association have focused mainly on a specific periodontal bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis) and have involved relatively small study populations (tens or hundreds of individuals). To address this gap, a sizable, nationally representative adult population was utilized to investigate the association between the incidence of NAFLD and high serum IgG antibodies for 19 periodontal bacteria.MethodsTo explore this association, data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III)—which provides a cross-sectional representation of the noninstitutionalized U.S. population, encompassing 33,994 individuals—were analyzed. Participants aged 40 years and above with data on NAFLD—determined by the gold standard of ultrasound examination (USON)—as well as comprehensive records of serum IgG antibodies against periodontal bacteria, were included, resulting in a final analysis subset of 6,330 individuals.ResultsUsing a cluster analysis based on the Socransky classification scheme for oral microorganisms, antibody titers for the 19 bacteria were grouped into four clusters—Red-Green, Orange-Blue, Yellow-Orange, and Orange-Red. When these clusters, as well as individual antibody relationships with NAFLD, were examined, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) ranged from 0.958 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.916, 1.003] to 1.021 [95% CI: 0.987, 1.055]. This indicated that no statistically significant associations were found (P > 0.05), underscoring the absence of a meaningful link.ConclusionsIn summary, it was discovered that there is currently no evidence to correlate serum antibodies to periodontal pathogens with NAFLD in the nationally representative NHANES III.Clinical trial numberNot applicable.

Serum IgG Antibody against Helicobacter pylori and the CagA-VacA s1 Genotype as a Predictor of Gastric Cancer Development: A Case-control Study

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced inflammation increases the risk of developing various upper gastrointestinal conditions which may progress to gastric cancer (CA). Early prediction and detection of infection are crucial for reducing cancer-induced mortality rates. The present case-control study aimed to investigate the combination of serum and molecular markers and H. pylori-associated gastro-duodenal conditions as risk factors for predicting CA development in dyspeptic patients. Consecutive gastric biopsies and blood samples were collected from 100 adult dyspeptic patients. Serum IgG antibody levels against H. pylori were determined, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed. The expression of the virulence genes cagA and vacA was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A significant association was reported between the disease condition and the status of several risk factors, such as family history, serum IgG antibody concentration, and the virulence genes cagA and vacA. Among the 71 H. pylori-positive patients, 35.2% (25/71) had CA. Both cagA and vacA genes were found in 46 out of 71 (64.7%) patients, and 92% (23/25) of CA patients carried the cagA+vacA s1 gene. ROC analysis of the serum IgG concentrations revealed AUC values of 0.81 and 0.78 for differentiating patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia from those with ulceration/inflammation and CA, respectively. The concordance between the IgG-positive and PCR-positive patients was 84% (k value=0.41). Patients who had a family history of CA with an increased serum IgG concentration and the presence of H. pylori cagA-vacA s1 genotypes may be considered strong predictors of future development of gastric pathologies, including CA.

The immune responses elicited by six recombinant antigens of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in mice

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) is the causative agent of swine enzootic pneumonia, resulting in substantial economic losses in global pig farming. Although vaccination is the primary strategy for controlling M. hyopneumoniae infection, current vaccines fall short in preventing transmission of this pathogen or protecting the body from secondary infection. This study aimed to assess the immunogenicity of six recombinant antigens (P97R1, P46, GAPDH, PdhA, DnaK, and EF-Tu) of M. hyopneumoniae through intramuscular immunization in mice. The results showed that the six antigens elicited high levels of serum IgG. Among them, P97R1, P46, PdhA, and DnaK stimulated robust antigen-specific IgA mucosal immune responses. CCK-8 assays revealed that both P97R1 and DnaK significantly increased the proliferation of mononuclear cells from spleen and lung, and DnaK also promoted the proliferation of blood mononuclear cells. Additionally, PdhA induced Th17-type immune response with a high level of IL-17 level in serum. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that P97R1 and PdhA increased the ratio of CD8+/CD4+ T lymphocyte, favoring cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) immune responses. Notably, P97R1 immunization significantly decreased the percentages of CD4+ T cells while increased the percentages of CD8+ T cells. The present findings demonstrate that the candidate antigens P97R1, PdhA, and DnaK of M. hyopneumoniae induce specific humoral and mucosal immunity; P97R1 and DnaK also stimulated intense cellular immunity, and PdhA induced CTL and Th17-type immune responses. In conclusion, P97R1, PdhA, and DnaK emerge as potential candidate antigens for the future development of a more effective subunit vaccine against M. hyopneumoniae.

Differences in IgG afucosylation between groups with and without carotid atherosclerosis

BackgroundA previous study demonstrated that N-glycosylation profiles of IgG are associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in a British population. However, the generalisability of this finding to other ethnic groups remains to be investigated, and it has yet to account for additional traditional atherosclerotic risk factors. The present study, thus, aims to explore IgG N-glycosylation profiles in Han Chinese with atherosclerosis, and their potential role in atherosclerosis, while controlling for traditional atherosclerotic risk factors.MethodsData of this case-control study were obtained from an established umbrella Health Examination Cohort Study (registration number: ChiCTR2100048740). The investigation was conducted at the Health Care Centre of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College in China, from August 1, 2021, to July 31, 2022. A sample of 69 carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) cases was recruited from the umbrella cohort, along with 69 controls without carotid atherosclerosis, matched by traditional atherosclerosis-related risk factors, including gender, age, smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and obesity. Subsequently, serum IgG N-glycosylation was profiled using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography.ResultsAfter propensity score matching, the relative abundance of IgG fucosylation in CAS cases was significantly lower than that in controls [95.32 (92.96, 95.99) vs. 95.96 (94.70, 96.58), P = 0.022]. The traditional atherosclerosis-related risk factors showed no statistically significant difference between CAS cases and controls (P > 0.05).ConclusionsThe reduced fucosylation of IgG in CAS cases underscores the pivotal role of afucosylation in CAS. Enhancing the inflammatory capability of IgG via initiating antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity could be the potential mechanism behind this, which should be further verified by functional studies.

T. Muris Infection Dynamics of a Fresh, Wild Isolate: Is the Established E Isolate Still Relevant?

For decades, parasitic worms such as Trichuris muris have been maintained in laboratory animals, providing insights into host-parasite interactions and host immune responses. The most used T. muris isolate is the E isolate, established in the laboratory in 1954. However, one concern with these model systems is the potential for laboratory-induced selection and therefore changes in host-parasite interactions. To address these concerns, we compare the E isolate with a recently isolated T. muris isolate (M isolate), established from wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus, Isle of May, UK), in their capacity to infect laboratory mice. High dose infection of C57BL/6 mice revealed that significantly more parasites of the M isolate survived to the adult stage compared to the E isolate. Worm persistence was associated with heightened TNF-α and IL-10 secretion upon parasite-specific re-stimulation, and higher serum IgG1 and IgG2c levels, concomitant with an increase in T-bet+ and ICOS+ CD4+ T effector-memory cells. Differences in host response to the isolates were not as pronounced during low dose infection. Our study highlights the need for regular evaluation of lab-maintained parasite isolates against freshly isolated parasites to understand whether the established lab strains remain relevant model systems for our understanding of parasitic infections.

The Degree of Branching of Serum IgG N-glycans as a Marker of Advanced Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease for which the diagnostics are difficult and often invasive; therefore, non-invasive diagnostic methods using sensitive and specific parameters present in easily available body fluid such as blood serum are needed for the detection of this disease. Our study aimed to answer the question of whether there are any differences between women with advanced endometriosis (AE), patients with gynecological diseases other than endometriosis (NE), and healthy women (control) in terms of the number of antennas of N-glycans from serum IgG. The degree of branching of IgG N-glycans was determined by a modified lectin ELISA with biotinylated lectin Con A (Canavalia ensiformis agglutinin) recognizing α-linked mannose, specifically reacting with biantennary N-glycans. The PHA-L/Con A ratio was calculated from the obtained N-glycan reactivities with Con A and PHA-L (Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin, specific to tri- and/or tetra-antennary N-linked glycans). The expression of Con A-reactive biantennary N-glycans in serum IgG was significantly lower in the control group than in the NE group (p = 0.045). The values of the PHA-L/Con A ratio were significantly higher in the NE group than in the AE and control groups (p = 0.019 and p = 0.022, respectively). The PHA-L/Con A ratio could be taken into account as a parameter helpful in the non-invasive diagnosis of advanced endometriosis, thus differentiating this disease from other gynecological diseases with an inflammatory background.

Clinical characteristics, imaging diagnostic accuracy, and prognosis of autoimmune pancreatitis: A real-world study in China.

In this study we aimed to comprehensively evaluate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of Chinese patients with autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) through a single-center real-world study. Patients diagnosed with AIP in Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University from January 2014 to December 2021 were included. Baseline characteristics, laboratory test results, cross-sectional imaging and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) findings, and long-term follow-up data were obtained. The differences in these characteristics between type 1 and type 2 AIP patients were analyzed. Among all 320 patients, 271 (84.7%) and 49 (15.3%) had type 1 and type 2 AIP, respectively. The most common initial symptom was abdominal discomfort (58.1%), followed by obstructive jaundice (32.5%). Extrapancreatic organ involvement was identified in 126 (39.4%) patients, with the biliary system being the most commonly involved (36.6%). Elevated serum IgG4 level was rare in type 2 AIP patients. The diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and EUS for definitive and probable AIP were 78.0%, 68.7%, and 80.5%, respectively. EUS-guided tissue acquisition with immunohistochemical staining helped establish a final diagnosis in 39.7% of patients. During the follow-up period of 60 months, 18.6% of patients experienced relapse. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year relapse rates were higher in type 1 AIP patients, with an accumulated rate of 8.0%, 12.6%, and 15.1%, when compared with those with type 2 AIP. Type 2 AIP is not uncommon in Chinese population. The diagnostic accuracy of CT and EUS for AIP might be superior to that of MRI.

Enhanced Broad-Spectrum Efficacy of an L2-Based mRNA Vaccine Targeting HPV Types 6, 11, 16, 18, with Cross-Protection Against Multiple Additional High-Risk Types

Background: Current L1-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines provide type-specific protection but offer limited cross-protection against non-vaccine HPV types. Therefore, developing a broad-spectrum HPV vaccine is highly desirable. Methods: In this study, we optimized mRNA constructs and developed a multivalent L2-based mRNA vaccine encoding L2 aa 2-130, which includes all known neutralizing epitopes from four prevalent HPV types (HPV-6, -11, -16, and -18). We evaluated its immunogenicity in a mouse model and compared the efficacy of a commercially available mRNA delivery reagent with a custom-synthesized lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation. Results: We identified that a construct containing E01 (a 5′-untranslated region) and SL2.7 (a poly(A) polymerase recruitment sequence) significantly increased protein expression. The L2-based mRNA vaccine induced robust and long-lasting humoral immune responses, with significant titers of cross-reactive serum IgG antibodies against L2 epitopes. Notably, the vaccine elicited cross-neutralizing antibodies and conferred cross-protective immunity not only against vaccine-targeted HPV types but also against non-vaccine HPV types, following intravaginal challenge in mice. We also found that LNP delivered mRNA more effectively in vivo. Conclusions: The L2-based mRNA vaccine developed in this study shows significant potential for broad-spectrum protection against multiple HPV types. This approach offers a promising strategy for reducing the global burden of HPV-associated cancers.

Protection of Rabbits Against Colonization and Morbidity Associated With Toxigenic Pasteurella multocida by Immunization With Inactivated Heat-labile Toxin.

Pasteurella multocida is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in rabbits, as well as other species. Some isolates elaborate a heat-labile toxin (PMT) that has been shown to be an important virulence factor. Though previous studies have demonstrated protective immunity can be conferred via immunization of rabbits with heat-inactivated PMT (IPMT), we investigated the ability of immunization to impact colonization of P. multocida. Rabbits were immunized at days 0, 7 and 14 with either phosphate buffered saline (PBS), the mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin (CT), IMPT or IPMT + CT. Male New Zealand white rabbits were used and confirmed to be free of P. multocida prior to experimentation. Serum IgG and nasal lavage fluid IgA responses directed against PMT were found in rabbits immunized with IPMT, with or without CT, but not in those immunized with only PBS or CT; and the addition of CT to IPMT enhanced the response. Significantly more P. multocida CFUs (p≤0.05) were cultured from the lungs of rabbits immunized with IPMT, with or without CT, compared to those administered only PBS or CT, although no differences were observed in nasal lavage fluid samples. Further, immunization IPMT, with or without CT, conferred protection against pleuritis and pneumonia. PMT, in addition to its role as a virulence factor, may serve as a colonization factor for P. multocida in the lungs of rabbits.

Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of immunoglobulin-G4 related ophthalmic disease (2024 edition)

Immunoglobulin-G4 related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD) is an immune-mediated fibroin flammatory condition characterized by ocular mass lesions and elevated plasma IgG4 level. Since all the ocular tissues can be involved, and it can be accompanied by multiple organ and systemic diseases, the diagnosis and treatment require multidisciplinary collaboration. The Oculoplastic and Orbital Disease Group of Chinese Ophthalmological Society of Chinese Medical Association and the Chinese Rheumatology Association convened experts in ophthalmology, and rheumatology and immunology, and formulated "Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of immunoglobulin-G4 related ophthalmic disease (2024 edition)" for the diagnosis and treatment of IgG4-ROD based on domestic and international studies and experience. The consensus mainly standardized the diagnostic criteria of IgG4-ROD from the aspects of ocular imaging, serum IgG4 level and ocular histopathology, and recommended the methods and indications of drug therapy (glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and biologics) and surgical treatment.

Intrathecal IgG and IgM synthesis correlates with neurodegeneration markers and corresponds to meningeal B cell presence in MS

Intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulins (Igs) is a key hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS). B cells are known to accumulate in the leptomeninges of MS patients and associate with pathology in the underlying cortex and a more severe disease course. However, the role of locally produced antibodies in MS brain pathology is poorly understood. Here, we quantified the protein levels of IgA, IgM, IgG and albumin in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of 80 MS patients and 28 neurological controls to calculate Ig indices. In addition, we quantified presence of meningeal IgA+, IgM+ and IgG+ B cells in post-mortem brain tissue of 20 MS patients and 6 controls using immunostainings. IgM and IgG, but not IgA, indices were increased in CSF of MS patients compared to controls, with no observed differences between MS disease types. Both IgM and IgG indices correlated significantly with neurofilament light (NfL) levels in CSF, but not with clinical or radiological parameters of disease. Similarly, IgG+ and IgM+ B cells were increased in MS meninges compared to controls, whereas IgA+ B cells were not. Neuronal loss did not differ between sections with low or high IgA+, IgM+ and IgG+ B cells, but was increased in sections with high numbers of all CD19+ meningeal B cells. Similarly, high presence of CD19+ meningeal B cells and IgG+ meningeal B cells associated with increased microglial density in the underlying cortex. Taken together, intrathecal synthesis of IgG and IgM is elevated in MS, which corresponds to an increased number of IgG+ and IgM+ B cells in MS meninges. The significant correlation between intrathecal IgG and IgM production and NfL levels, and increased microglial activation in cortical areas adjacent to meningeal infiltrates with high levels of IgG+ B cells indicate a role for intrathecal IgM- and IgG-producing B cells in neuroinflammatory and degenerative processes in MS.

Endometriosis specific vaginal microbiota links to urine and serum N-glycome

Endometriosis is a chronic systemic disease, which results in endometrial-type tissue growing outside the uterus, and affects approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women worldwide. Its aetiology is poorly understood, and there is currently no long-term cure. Development and persistence of the disease depend on several coexisting factors including the vaginal microbiome. However, the role played by this important entity in endometriosis and its systemic involvement is not fully understood. Here, we investigated the vaginal microbiota, the serum and urine glycome, and antibody glycosylation in endometriosis patients. We reveal an endometriosis-specific vaginal microbiota in patients, being distinct from that present in a control group. Endometriosis patients were typified by a loss of the dominant Lactobacillus species, i.e. Lactobacillus iners, increased bacterial diversity and the presence of species such as Anaerococcus senegalensis, Prevotella jejuni, Porphyromonas bennonis and Anaerococcus octavius. The presence of trigalactosylated and triantennary serum glycans and urine core fucosylated mono-antennary glycans from IgG correlated with the vaginal presence of the bacterium A. senegalensis in endometriosis patients. Urine glycans did not differ in endometriosis, but urine IgG identified four novel sulfated glycans differing from serum IgG indicating functional relevance. Our findings contribute to understanding the relationships between the vaginal microbiota and the serum and urine glycome on the one hand, and endometriosis on the other. Further functional studies are warranted.

CpG-adjuvanted virus-like particle vaccine induces protective immunity against Leishmania donovani infection.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) poses a significant public health challenge due to the lack of an approved human vaccine. We attempted to enhance the efficacy of virus-like particle vaccines expressing the Leishmania donovani promastigote surface antigen (LdPSA-VLP) by adjuvanting with CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN). Here, adjuvanted vaccine-induced immune responses and their efficacies in mice challenged with mCherry-expressing L. donovani promastigotes were evaluated. Adjuvanted LdPSA-VLP vaccination significantly elevated parasite-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b serum antibody levels. Additionally, vaccinated mice exhibited enhanced germinal center B cells and splenic T cell activities, compared to unimmunized mice. Importantly, adjuvanted LdPSA-VLPs reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-6 in visceral organs, leading to decreased total parasite burden and protection against L. donovani challenge. Our findings indicate that CpG-ODN enhanced the protection conferred by LdPSA-VLPs, offering a promising step toward effective VL vaccine development.

Recombinant Lactiplantibacilllus plantarum modulate gut microbial diversity and function

BackgroundGut microbes are important regulators of host health and can also function as disease indicators. Lactiplantibacilllus plantarum(L. plantarum)used as express and delivery vaccines for mucosal immunity have been shown to activate specific immune responses in numerous studies.ResultsThe interaction between recombinant L. plantarum and the gut microbiota was investigated in this study. The results indicated a change in the amount of gut OTU by recombinant L. plantarum. Recombinant L. plantarum dramatically boosted the species diversity of gut bacteria based on the Shannon-Wiener index. Beta diversity analysis showed that microbial structure was changed by recombinant L. plantarum. Furthermore, recombinant NC8 L. plantarum expressing a fusion between the P14.5 protein of the African swine fever virus and IL-33 enhanced the functions of gut bacteria in metabolism and immune regulation. Increased levels of IgG and IgG1 in serum and sIgA in feces, as well as enrichment of CD4+ T cells and IgA+ B cells, indicated that the gut microbiota exerted an immunomodulatory role when mediated by recombinant L. plantarum.ConclusionsThese results revealed that recombinant L. plantarum exerted its potential role in the gut microbiota and gut immunity.These fndings contribute to a broader understanding and utilization of L. plantarum bacteria in various therapeutic applications.

Effects of Bacterial Lysates on TLRs/NF-κB Pathway, Immune Function, and Prognosis in Children with Pulmonary Infection Caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae

Background: Bacterial lysates, as immunomodulators, may play a role in regulating the host immune response. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of bacterial lysates OM85-BV in treating pulmonary infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in children. Methods: A total of 120 children with S. pneumoniae pulmonary infection were divided into two groups: The control group and the OM85-BV group, with a 1: 1 ratio. The control group received intravenous mezlocillin at 100 mL/kg/d, while the OM85-BV group, in addition to mezlocillin, received OM85-BV orally at 3.5 mg per dose. The improvement of clinical symptoms and pulmonary function indexes—including respiratory rate, tidal volume, volume to peak expiratory flow as a proportion of exhaled volume, and time to peak tidal expiratory flow as a proportion of expiratory time—were compared. Additionally, levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), T lymphocyte subsets, and immunoglobulins in serum were analyzed. Results: Compared to the control group, the OM85-BV group showed a significant decrease in respiratory rate and an increase in tidal volume, volume to peak expiratory flow, and time to peak tidal expiratory flow (P < 0.05 for all). The OM85-BV group also had significantly lower levels of serum inflammatory factors such as CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and sIL-2R. In terms of immune function, the OM85-BV group showed increased levels of T lymphocyte subsets CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ ratios, with a decrease in CD8+, as well as elevated serum IgA and IgG levels. The total effective rate of treatment in the OM85-BV group was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of OM85-BV to the treatment of S. pneumoniae pulmonary infection in children significantly improves clinical symptoms, lung function, and immune function, while reducing the inflammatory response. OM85-BV appears to inhibit the activation of the toll-like receptors (TLRs) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway.

Assessment of the Impact of Dietary Supplementation with Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) on Antioxidant Status, Immune Response, and Intestinal Microbiota in Post-Weaning Rabbits.

This study was conducted to investigate the impact of EGCG on antioxidant stress, immune response, and intestinal microbiota flora in post-weaning rabbits. A total of 144 40 d Ira rabbits (equally divided by sex), were randomly allocated to six treatments. with five groups receiving doses of 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mg/kg of EGCG, while one group served as a control without EGCG. Over 48 days, this study the assessed growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune system, intestinal morphology, and cecal microbiota in the rabbits. The results showed that EGCG did not affect growth performance; however, significant linear and quadratic correlations were observed between the MDA, T-AOC, and GSH-Px activities in the liver and jejunum (p < 0.05). Quadratic effects were observed for the spleen and thymus indexes and serum IgG levels with increasing EGCG dosages (p < 0.05). Additionally, positive linear and quadratic effects were found on the ileal villus height and the villus height/crypt depth ratio. The relative abundances of Euryarchaeota, Patescibacteria, and Synergistota were significantly enriched in rabbits fed with high dosages (600-1000 mg/kg) of EGCG. Conclusively, the addition of large doses of EGCG (400-800 mg/kg) can effectively suppress oxidative stress and alleviate weaning stress, thereby contributing to the protection of post-weaning rabbits.

Qualification of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for quantification of anti-Vi IgG in human sera.

Effective vaccines against Salmonella Typhi, targeting the Vi capsular polysaccharide, have been developed and are being introduced into routine immunization in endemic countries. Vi conjugated vaccines are also being tested in new multi-component vaccine formulations. Simple, high-throughput and cost-effective assays to quantify Vi-specific IgG in clinical sera are needed. In this study we present the development and qualification of a new anti-Vi ELISA with continuous readout, which expresses results as ELISA Unit/mL (EU/mL). We have qualified the assay in terms of precision, linearity and specificity, demonstrating performance in line with a commercially available anti-Vi ELISA. We have also calibrated the assay against the 16/138 anti-Vi international standard and established conversion factor between EU/mL and international units/mL, to allow comparability of results across studies. In summary, this new assay met all the suitability criteria and is being used to evaluate anti-Vi responses in clinical studies.

Advanced chelate technology-based trace minerals reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in Eimeria-infected broilers by modulating NF-kB and Nrf2 pathways

This study investigated the effects of substituting inorganic trace minerals (ITM) with advanced chelate technology-based TM (ACTM) in broiler chicken feed on productive performance, metabolic profile, humoral immunity, antioxidant status, and modulation of NF-kB and Nrf2 signaling pathways in mixed Eimeria species exposure. The study involved 480 newly hatched male broiler chickens, which were divided into 5 treatment groups, each with 6 replicate cages and 16 chickens per replicate. The experimental treatments included an uninfected negative control group fed a basal diet with recommended inorganic TM levels (NC), an infected positive control group fed the same diet (PC), a PC group supplemented with salinomycin (SAL), and two PC groups in which the basal diet was replaced with 50% and 100% ACTM instead of inorganic TM (ACTM50 and ACTM100, respectively). All groups, except for the NC group, were orally challenged with mixed Eimeria species oocysts on day 14. According to the results, the PC group showed lower feed intake, breast yield, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration, lactobacillus spp. counts, and serum IgG levels, but higher jejunal TGF-β expression versus the NC group. The broilers in the NC, SAL, and ACTM100 groups showed higher body weight gain, carcass yield, and TGF-β expression, but lower serum alkaline phosphatase activity, ileal E. coli count, and jejunal expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, Nrf2, and SOD1 compared to the PC group, with the NC group having the highest body weight gain and lowest IL-1β and Nrf2 expression levels. Furthermore, the administration of ACTM100 treatment improved feed efficiency, increased serum iron, zinc, manganese, and copper levels, enhanced total antioxidant capacity and different antioxidant enzyme activities, and reduced malondialdehyde concentration. In conclusion, complete replacement of ITM with ACTM effectively protects broilers from Eimeria infection, with similar positive effects to SAL treatment in terms of productive performance and anti-inflammatory responses and better antioxidant responses and mineral availability.

Association of regular plasmapheresis donation with serum protein and electrolyte levels: a multicentre cross-sectional study in China

BackgroundChina’s plasmapheresis donation policy differs from that of Western countries. The association between regular plasmapheresis donation and donor health in China is still unknown.ObjectivesTo investigate the association of regular plasmapheresis...

Association of Celiac Disease and H. pylori Infection with ATG5 Polymorphism and Interleukin-33

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is an inflammatory small intestine autoimmune disease. The study aims to investigate the association and the detection of ATG5 polymorphism between celiac disease (CD) and H. pylori infection, and the association with Interleukin-33 (IL-33).Methods: The study groups included patients from Iraq, ages 4 to 35. Two primary patient groups were created: sixteen had positive H. pylori and celiac disease, and thirty had positive CD and negative H. pylori disease. The levels of tissue transglutaminase IgA (TTG IgA), H. pylori IgG, and IL-33 were measured using the ELISA method. The primers were amplified using PCR.Results: With celiac disease, the patient group's TTG IgA levels increased dramatically. The test also showed significant variations (P=0.054) in the H. pylori IgG levels between the patient and control groups. The H. pylori seropositivity test showed a statistically significant difference (p ≤0.033) between seropositive and seronegative individuals, while the patient group's IL-33 levels did not significantly differ (P ≤0.299) from the control group.Conclusions: Our results showed that CD is more common in women and occurs in the age range of 24-35 years. It also showed that the mutant variant of ATG5 is associated with CD, and the significance of H. pylori IgG serum levels in the patient group may indicate that the bacteria involved in CD. Furthermore, H. pylori infection is more strongly linked to serum IL-33 levels than CD.Keywords: Celiac disease; H. pylori; PCR; IL-33; ATG5 polymorphism