Background: Natural-killer group 2 (NKG2), a characteristic receptor of natural killer (NK) cell family, assumes a vital role in modulating NK cytotoxic function. We aimed to detect mRNA expression of both NKG2A and NKG2D in serum NK cells obtained from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Methods: We enrolled 36 patients with newly diagnosed CRC, as well as 15 group matched healthy individuals. The patients were further classified into: 23 non-metastatic CRC (group 1) and 13 metastatic CRC (group 2). We detected the expression of NKG2A and NKG2D serum levels for all participants utilizing real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: NKG2D and NKG2A mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were significantly elevated in patients with CRC compared to controls (P<0.01). NKG2D or NKG2A showed sensitivity (77.8, 83.33%) and specificity (73.33, 100%) respectively using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for discrimination between patients and controls, whereas group 1 and group 2 showed no statistical significant difference in NKG2D and NKG2A levels (P>0.05). Conclusions: Our work is one of the first research that could detect an increase in NKG2D in CRC. In spite of their defensive role in tumor immune surveillance, NKG2D and NKG2A and their ligands could have misused as tumor survival tool, empowering immune avoidance and suppression.
Background: Hepatitis C virus is considered to be one of the most important devastating causes of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatic cellular carcinoma. Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is a pathogen-recognition receptor that is expressed on innate immune cells. It recognizes viral RNA which induces its activation with a subsequent increase in IFN-a transcription. It has been postulated that HCV may cause down regulation of these receptors as one of immune evading mechanisms that participate in viral persistence.The aim of the work: Was to investigate the expression of TLR7 in peripheral blood of patients with chronic HCV infections and patients with HCC, comparing it with normal individuals, and correlating it with both serum levels of IFN-a and viral load.Results: The results of this study showed a significant decrease in TLR7 expression in patients with chronic HCV and no detection at all in patients with HCC, in addition a significant negative correlation was observed between levels of TLR7expression and interferon a when compared to viral load.Conclusion: Down regulation of TLR7 expression in HCV and HCC patients may contribute to the decrease of IFN-a and increase in viral load. These results raise the possibility that by targeting TLR7 with high affinity pharmacological stimulants may be able to control HCV infection by induction of IFN-a and direct activation of antiviral mechanisms in hepatocytes. Additionally, they provide insight about the potential use of TLR7 as a new set of molecular markers for prognosis and outcomes of chronic HCV infection and HCC.Ó 2014 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Ain Shams University.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important cause of healthcare associated infections globally. New mecA homologue (mecC), was first reported in the UK and Denmark. The mecC mediated MRSA is resistant only to Β-lactams antibiotics and is sensitive to other antibiotics. Detecting the prevalence of mecC MRSA provides more options in treatment of MRSA infections. The aim of this study was to prevalence of mecC gene in clinical isolates of MRSA in Ain-Shams university hospitals & to correlate Minimal Inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Oxacillin with the mecC gene expression in MRSA isolates. Fifty MRSA isolates were collected from different intensive care units (ICUs) of Ain-Shams university hospital from April-December 2018. Methicillin resistance was detected by Cefoxitin disc, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done for all isolates and its results were interpreted according to Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines 2018. Minimal Inhibitory Concentration of Oxacillin was detected using Oxacillin E-test and the results were interpreted according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then Polymerase Chain Reaction was done to detect mecA and mecC genes among MRSA isolates. Fifty isolates were identified as MRSA by Cefoxitin disc out of 163 samples. Twelve isolates were sensitive to Oxacillin while 38 isolates were resistant to Oxacillin. All isolates were positive to mecA gene while only 3 isolates were positive to both mecA and mecC genes. MecC is a new emerging gene responsible for methicillin resistance in staphylococci and was detected in 6 % of the isolates in this study.
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