Human Antibodies - Volume 31, issue 3

Authors: Goto, Takeyuki | Sasaki, Tomoki | Chong, Yong | Taniguchi, Masahiro | Lee, Jae Man | Masuda, Akitsu | Ebihara, Takeru | Shiraishi, Kenichiro | Tani, Naoki | Yonekawa, Akiko | Gondo, Kei | Kuwano, Hiroyuki | Shimono, Nobuyuki | Ikematsu, Hideyuki | Akashi, Koichi | Kusakabe, Takahiro

Article Type: Brief Report

Abstract: BACKGROUND: A cost-effective and eco-friendly method is needed for the assessment of humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in large populations. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the performance of an ELISA that uses silkworm-produced proteins to quantify the strain-specific anti-Spike IgG (anti-S IgG) titer. METHODS: The OD values for the anti-His-tag antibody, a standard material of ELISA quantification, were measured. Correlations between the ELISA for each strain and the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant assay for the wild type were evaluated with serum samples from nine participants with various infection and vaccination statuses. RESULTS: …Linear dose-responses were confirmed by high coefficients of determination: 0.994, 0.994, and 0.996 for the wild-type, Delta, and Omicron (BA.1) strain assays, respectively. The coefficient of determination for the wild-type and Delta strain assays was high at 0.959 and 0.892, respectively, while the Omicron strain assay had a relatively low value of 0.563. Booster vaccinees showed similar or higher titers against all strains compared to infected persons without vaccination. The Omicron-infected persons without vaccination had lower antibody titers against wild type than did the vaccinated persons. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data indicating that the ELISA with silkworm-produced proteins makes it possible to discriminate and quantify the strain-specific anti-S IgG antibody induced by vaccination or infection. Show more

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, antibody, ELISA, silkworm, omicron

DOI: 10.3233/HAB-230006

Citation: Human Antibodies, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 27-33, 2023

Authors: Khalaf, Qusay Abdulwahab | Rasool, Khetam Habeeb | Naji, Eman Natiq

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: In patients with COVID-19, diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) increases the risk of hospitalization and death. Patients who have IL-6 and IL-17A single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are more likely to have severe COVID-19. This study aims to determine whether SNPs of the IL-6 gene at rs1800795 (G > C) and the IL-17A gene at rs2275913 (G > A) are associated with COVID-19 and T2DM in the Iraqi population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-four people were divided into 4 groups as follows: six patients with severe COVID-19 …and T2DM were placed in Group 1 as “G1”, six patients with COVID-19 but no T2DM were placed in Group 2 as “G2”, and six patients with T2DM were placed in Group 3 as “G3”. There were also six healthy controls included in each group. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify the target genes after genomic DNA from the blood samples was extracted. Sanger sequencing was used to find the SNPs in both the forward and reverse directions for each sample. RESULTS: In the case of IL-6 SNP at rs1800795, the GG genotype was more common in “G3”, the CC genotype was less common in all patient groups than in controls, and the GC allele was more common in “G2” than in the control group. In comparison to the controls, the three patient groups showed lower frequencies of the C allele and higher frequencies of the G allele. Regarding IL-17A gene polymorphism, the AA and GA genotypes were more prevalent in “G2” and “G3”, respectively. The GG genotype and G allele frequency dropped in all patient groups compared to the control group, whereas the A allele frequency increased in all patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: The IL-6 gene at rs1800795 (G/C) and the IL-17A gene at rs2275913 (G/A) loci were associated with COVID-19 and T2DM in Iraqi population. Show more

Keywords: COVID-19, T2DM, Polymorphism, IL-6 gene, IL-17A gene

DOI: 10.3233/HAB-230007

Citation: Human Antibodies, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 35-44, 2023

Authors: Hachim, Sadeq K. | Ali, Aesha Saber | Arif, Khalid B.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: SARS Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is combined with a high death rate and morbidity in different regions across the world. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine secreted in response to tissue injury, primarily produced by macrophages. C-reactive protein (CRP) is considered a part of innate immunity and is elevated in response to infection and cancer. METHODS: This study includes one hundred patients infected with the viral pathogen known as SARS-CoV-2 and fifty healthy individuals attending Al-Salam Hospital in Baghdad. Approximately 5 ml of samples were collected from each virus-infected patient and healthy control, then separated by …centrifuge and stored in a refrigerator until testing. The study timeline was from October 1st, 2020, to January 15th, 2021. The SARS-CoV-2 (IgM, IgG) antibody was measured using the immunofluorescent technique with the Afias instrument. The IL-6 was measured using the ELISA technique with a human Elisa reader. The CRP titer was measured using the immunofluorescent technique with the Afias instrument. The level of SARS-CoV-2 (IgM, IgG) antibody was 0.01 ± 0.004, 0.02 ± 0.004, respectively, in healthy controls, while in COVID-19 patients, the level of SARS-CoV-2 IgM antibody was 2.45 ± 1.87, and the level of IgG antibody was 5.16 ± 2.63 in COVID-19 patients. The IL-6 level was 0.88 ± 0.28, 5.82 ± 3.28 in healthy controls and COVID-19 patients, respectively. The CRP titer in healthy controls was 1.25 ± 0.36, while in COVID-19 patients, it was 13.8 ± 4.85. The aim of the research is to focus on the association between IL-6 level and CRP titer, with a concentration on COVID-19 patients, and to determine if IL-6 possesses the potential to serve as a biomarker for prognosticating the extent of COVID-19 infection. Show more

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, anti IgM and IgG SARS-COV-2, IL-6, CRP titer, inflammation, immune response

DOI: 10.3233/HAB-230001

Citation: Human Antibodies, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 45-49, 2023

Authors: Mokhtari, Majid | Gholipour, Mahdi | Eslami, Solat | Abak, Atefe | Hussen, Bashdar Mahmud | Rakhshan, Azadeh | Ghafouri-Fard, Soudeh

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Breast cancer has been found to be associated with deregulation of several non-coding genes and mRNA coding genes. OBJECTIVE: To assess expressions of CYTOR and CDKN2B in breast cancer and adjacent samples and find their relevance with clinical data. METHODS: We enumerated expression level of CDKN2B and CYTOR in 43 newly diagnosed breast cancer samples and their adjacent specimens using real-time PCR method Expression data was judged using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test. RESULTS: CYTOR level was higher in tumors compared with adjacent tissues. Nevertheless, …there was no difference in expression of CDKN2B between these two sets of tissues. ROC curve analysis showed that CYTOR levels can differentiate between tumoral and adjacent tissues with AUC, specificity and sensitivity values of 0.65, 37% and 92% (P = 0.017). There was a positive correlation between expression levels of CYTOR and CDKN2B genes in breast cancer tissues (r = 0.5 and P = 0.0008) as well as adjacent tissues (r = 0.79 and P < 0.0001). Relative expression level of CDKN2B in normal tissues was associated with clinical stage (P = 0.014). Moreover, relative expression level of CDKN2B in tumor tissues was associated with the body weight. There was no other association between expressions of CYTOR and CDKN2B and clinical or pathological variables. CONCLUSIONS: Cumulatively, this study offers evidence for involvement of these genes in the pathoetiology of breast cancer. Show more

Keywords: Breast cancer, CYTOR, CDKN2B

DOI: 10.3233/HAB-220015

Citation: Human Antibodies, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 51-57, 2023

Authors: El Fakihi, Sara | El Allam, Aicha | Tahoune, Hicham | Najimi, Nouhaila | Kadi, Chaimae | Ibrahimi, Azeddine | Bourkadi, Jamal-Eddine | Seghrouchni, Fouad

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease that mostly affects the lungs. Advanced tissue injury caused by this disease can progress to pulmonary fibrosis with similar characteristics shared with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The initial presentations of both sarcoidosis and IPF may be shared with other interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). Two populations of macrophages have been described in the alveolar space: small alveolar macrophages (AMs) and large alveolar macrophages. Despite their protective function, these cells may also play a role in the initiation and maintenance of inflammation leading to fibrosis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was …the functional characterization of small and large AM subpopulations in sarcoidosis and IPF as a pathology with respectively mild and advanced tissue injury causing fibrosis, in comparison with non-fibrosis ILDs. METHODS: Activation and adhesion surface markers as well as functions of small and large AMs isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were assessed by Flow Cytometry within patients with confirmed sarcoidosis (n = 14), IPF (n = 6), and non-fibrosis ILDs (n = 9). RESULTS: Our results showed that small AMs are immunologically more active, which may be important for airway inflammation. They are also proportionally more abundant in IPF, and therefore they may be more involved in a fibrosis process associated with the down-regulation of HLA-DR, LeuCAM, and CD62L expression. In Sarcoidosis, the inflammatory process appears to be associated with up-regulation of CD38 expression and oxidative burst activity. CONCLUSION: A relevant potential of the activation and adhesion markers as well as oxidative burst activity expressed on small and large AMs, in the perspective of differential diagnosis of sarcoidosis and IPF. Show more

Keywords: Sarcoidosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, non-fibrosis ILDs, small alveolar macrophages, large alveolar macrophages

DOI: 10.3233/HAB-230005

Citation: Human Antibodies, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 59-69, 2023