Immunological and cytokine profile (IL-25 and IL-35) in patients with Entamoeba histolytica infection in Southern Iraq.

Abstract

Amoebiasis is an intestinal disease caused by a unicellular parasite called Entamoeba histolytica. Interleukin-35 (IL-35) is the youngest specific member of the IL-12 family that plays a major role in the inhibitory function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to curb inflammatory responses. IL-25 of the IL-17 family, which is widely released by Th2 cells and epithelial cells, is a warning signal produced upon cell or tissue injury to activate immune cells. The present study aimed to determine the cytokine profile (IL-25 and IL-35) in patients with E. histolytica infection in southern Iraq. This hospital-based study was conducted from August 2022 to May 2023. The study participants were patients with E. histolytica infection admitted to the infection department of general hospitals in Thi-qar province, southern Iraq. Initially, E. histolytica amebiasis was detected in the patients by nested multiplex PCR. All collected sera were tested with the Human Interleukin 35 (Biotech, China, Cat.RD-IL35-Hu) and IL25 (Biotech, China, Cat.RD-IL25-Hu) ELISA kits according to the instructions of the manufacturer. A total of 80 patients, including 50 patients with E. histolytica infection and 30 subjects in the control group without E. histolytica infection, were enrolled in the present study. The results showed a significant difference (p<0.001) in the serum level of IL-25 in patients with E. histolytica infection (4275.19 pg/mL) compared to individuals in the control group without E. histolytica infection (2186 pg/mL). Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the serum levels of IL-35 patients with E. histolytica infection compared with individuals in the control group without E. histolytica infection. The results of the present study show that the level of IL-25 is high in patients with E. histolytica infection. This indicates the important role of IL-25 in the activation of the immune system during intestinal inflammation. Therefore, this cytokine can be used as a diagnostic marker for E. histolytica infection.