The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists最新文献

{"title":"Assessment of serum levels of vitamin D and tumor necrosis factor alpha in ulcerative colitis patients at Egyptian Military Hospitals: Cross-sectional observational study.","authors":"Wedad Eldahan, Mohamed Z H Hassan, Ahmed M Asaad, Mohamed Salaheldin, Mostafa Elnakib","doi":"10.55133/eji.330410","DOIUrl":"10.55133/eji.330410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder confined to the colonic and rectal mucosa. The disease is marked by infiltration of immune cells, leading to excessive production of inflammatory mediators. A key pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a vital role in the pathophysiology of ulcerative colitis is tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with several autoimmune disorders. This study aimed to assess vitamin D serum levels in UC patients as regard TNF-alpha serum levels and the Severity of UC (UCDAI). This cross-sectional observational research was carried out at Military healthcare facilities in Cairo, Egypt, over six months, from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2025. Utilizing a convenience sample of 50 adults aged 15 to 70 years with a confirmed diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, newly diagnosed. They were divided into two groups according to disease severity (UCDAI or Mayo score): 26 patients in the mild group & 24 patients in the moderate/severe group. Demographic data were collected from patients' interviews. Colonoscopy for ulcerative colitis disease activity index (UCDAI) score, CBC, ESR, CRP, and Fecal calprotectin (FC) were investigated at Egyptian Military hospitals. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (using CLIA) and TNF-alpha (using ELISA) were measured at central laboratories of the armed forces and blood bank. Correlation analysis showed Serum Vitamin D had a moderate negative correlation with UCDAI (r = -0.466, p-value= 0.001), and a strong negative correlation with serum TNF-alpha (r = -0.669, p-value <0.001). Serum TNF-alpha showed a moderate positive correlation with UCDAI (r = 0.472, p-value= 0.001). Fecal calprotectin had a strong positive correlation with UCDAI (r = 0.704, p-value <0.001) and a weak positive correlation with serum TNF-alpha (r = 0.388, p-value= 0.005). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis had pronounced mucosal and systemic inflammation, reflected by markedly elevated fecal calprotectin and TNF-alpha levels, concomitant with significantly lower vitamin D concentrations compared with those in mild disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"108-119"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immunometabolic dysregulation in gastric ulcer: Association of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, trace elements, and atherogenic lipid profile.","authors":"Furqan M Auda, Basim M Ali, Haider F S Al-Zubaidy","doi":"10.55133/eji.330409","DOIUrl":"10.55133/eji.330409","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gastric ulcer remains a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder characterized by disruption of the gastric mucosal barrier due to an imbalance between injurious and protective factors. Recent attention has focused on the role of inflammatory mediators, micronutrient status, and metabolic alterations in the progression of this condition. Cytokines are known to promote inflammatory cascades and mucosal damage and modulates immune responses during gastric injury. Also, trace elements including zinc and copper are essential for maintaining antioxidant defense, immune function, and tissue repair. This case control study included 60 patients diagnosed with gastric ulcer and 60 apparently healthy individuals as normal controls. All participants were recruited from the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Hospital in Al-Najaf. The two groups were matched in terms of age and body mass index to minimize potential confounding effects. Serum levels of IL-10, IL-1beta, zinc, copper, and lipid profile parameters were assessed using standard laboratory methods. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 26. Due to non-normal distribution of variables, median values were used for data representation. Spearman's rank correlation test was applied to evaluate associations among variables, and the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic performance of the studied parameters. The findings revealed a significant elevation in both IL-1beta and IL-10 levels among gastric ulcer patients compared to controls, indicating activation of inflammatory and regulatory immune pathways. Zinc levels were significantly reduced in patients, suggesting a possible link between micronutrient depletion and impaired mucosal defense. The present study demonstrated a combined pattern of inflammatory activation, zinc deficiency, and lipid profile disturbance in gastric ulcer patients. These alterations may collectively contribute to disease pathogenesis and could serve as useful indicators for disease assessment and monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"98-107"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of probiotic supplementation on serum klotho levels and inflammatory status in patients with diabetic kidney disease.","authors":"Abd El-Mohsen Mohamed, Walid A Abdel Mohsen, Hoda A Abdelsattar, Hussein A Hussein, Maha A Behairy, Saeed A Saeed","doi":"10.55133/eji.330404","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.330404","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) involves complex metabolic and inflammatory pathways, where gut dysbiosis via the gut-kidney axis plays a critical pathophysiological role. Probiotics may resolve renal decline and modulate aging biomarkers, but clinical evidence in DKD remains limited. This study evaluated the effects of Lactobacillus supplementation on serum alpha-Klotho levels, systemic inflammation, and renal biomarkers DKD patients. In an open-label, parallel-group controlled clinical trial, conducted at the Nephrology Department of Eldakhla General Hospital, New Valley Governorate, Egypt on 80 adult DKD patients (stages G1A1 to G4A3) between August 2023 and January 2024 (recruitment: August 2023 - October 2023; intervention & follow-up: October 2023 - January 2024). Participants were assigned to an intervention group (n=40) receiving daily oral enteric-coated capsules containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and L. delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus, (5 billion CFU) /day for 12 weeks alongside standard care, a control group (n=40) receiving standard care alone. Primary outcomes were changes in serum alpha-Klotho (ELISA) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Secondary outcomes included serum creatinine, eGFR (CKD-EPI equation), and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). Following intervention, serum alpha-Klotho levels significantly increased in the probiotic group compared to controls (adjusted post-treatment median: 114.15 ng/mL vs. 80.0 ng/mL; adjusted between-group p=0.003). Systemic inflammation markedly declined in the probiotic group relative to controls (hs-CRP post-treatment median: 2.1 mg/L vs. 6.9 mg/L; adjusted p = 0.000). Probiotic supplementation yielded significant relative decline in serum creatinine (0.97±0.1 vs.1.08±0.23 mg/dl, p=0.008) and median UACR (24.4 vs. 69.05 mg/g p = 0.000). In addition, probiotic supplementation showed higher post treatment eGFR (81.35±11.98 vs.73.30±18.07 ml/min/1.73 m² p=0.021). Reduction in HDL within-group was observed in both groups with no statistical significance between groups p = 0.419. No serious adverse events occurred. In conclusion, daily Lactobacillus supplementation for 12 weeks upregulates circulating serum alpha-Klotho, attenuates systemic hs-CRP, and improves clinical biomarkers of renal function in patients with diabetic kidney disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"43-53"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149185009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elevated serum soluble PD-L1 is associated with adverse outcomes after autologous stem cell transplantation in transplant-eligible multiple myeloma patients.","authors":"Mary G Naguib, Merna Fathy, Haydi S Mohamed, M M Moussa, Inas A M Eid","doi":"10.55133/eji.330412","DOIUrl":"10.55133/eji.330412","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma-cell malignancy in which immune-evasion mechanisms may contribute to disease progression. Soluble programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) has been associated with adverse outcomes in MM, but its prognostic significance before and after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) remains incompletely defined. To evaluate serum PD-L1 concentrations before and six months after ASCT and to assess their associations with clinical outcomes, including overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), relapse, and graft failure. This prospective observational study included 40 transplant-eligible patients with MM treated at the Ain Shams University Bone Marrow Center. Serum PD-L1 was measured by ELISA before ASCT and six months after transplantation. Clinical outcomes were assessed during follow-up through 180 days, and associations with survival and adverse outcomes were evaluated using correlation analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Pre- and post-transplant PD-L1 levels were negatively correlated with OS (pre: r = -0.44, p = 0.004; post: r = -0.48, p = 0.002). Patients with relapse had higher pre- and post-transplant PD-L1 levels than those without relapse (119.2 vs. 74.6 pg/mL, p = 0.01; and 184.4 vs. 63.4 pg/mL, p = 0.01, respectively). Post-transplant PD-L1 was higher in patients with graft failure than in those without graft failure (178.7 vs. 87.5 pg/mL, p = 0.008). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed poorer OS and DFS among patients with higher PD-L1 according to the study cutoffs. In conclusion, higher serum PD-L1 levels before and after ASCT were associated with adverse clinical outcomes in this cohort. Given the small sample size, limited follow-up, single-center design, and multiple unadjusted comparisons, these findings should be considered exploratory and require validation in larger studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"131-143"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative assessment of the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio, platelet-to-albumin ratio, and prognostic nutritional index in rheumatoid arthritis.","authors":"Nada M Gamal, Eman R Badawy","doi":"10.55133/eji.330407","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.330407","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that requires regular disease activity assessment to guide treatment and improve outcomes. Composite inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers are promising adjunctive tools for monitoring disease activity. This comparative study aimed to evaluate the levels of C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR), platelet-to-albumin ratio (PAR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in RA patients and healthy controls, and to compare their diagnostic performance and utility for disease activity assessment. The study included 165 RA patients and 167 age- and sex-matched controls. Disease activity of RA was assessed using the Disease Activity Score-28 based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) and classified into high (DAS28-ESR ˃5.1) and non-high (DAS28-ESR ≤5.1) disease activity groups. Complete blood count, serum albumin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured to calculate CAR, PAR, and PNI. Rheumatoid arthritis patients had higher CAR and PAR, but lower PNI compared with controls (all p < 0.001). Patients with high disease activity had higher CAR and PAR, but lower PNI than those with non-high disease activity (p < 0.001, p=0.001, p=0.018 respectively). CAR and PAR correlated positively with DAS28-ESR, ESR and CRP, whereas PNI correlated negatively with these inflammatory measures. CAR showed the highest diagnostic performance for identifying RA patients (AUC=0.873), followed by PNI and PAR. CAR showed significantly superior performance, with no significant difference between PAR and PNI. CAR also showed the highest discriminatory performance for high disease activity (AUC=0.676) followed by PAR and PNI, although differences among them were not statistically significant. Higher CAR and PAR, whereas lower PNI were significantly associated with increased odds of high disease activity. Only CAR remained an independent predictor (p=0.005) in multivariate analysis. In conclusion, CAR, PAR, and PNI are available composite biomarkers that provide complementary information regarding inflammatory burden and nutritional status in RA patients, with CAR showing the greatest utility.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"74-89"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149185006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of serum chitotriosidase enzyme levels with 24-base pair duplication variant and autoimmune thyroid disease.","authors":"Mona Nasser, Rania E Sheir, Nourhan M Selim, Khaled E El Hadidy, Hany S Ahmed","doi":"10.55133/eji.330414","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.330414","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Emerging research increasingly highlights the role of chitotriosidase (CHIT1) in mediating inflammatory cascades and autoimmune dysfunction. This study sought to evaluate the association between serum chitotriosidase levels, the 24-base-pair duplication (24-bp dup) variant in exon 10 of the CHIT1 gene, and the two main subtypes of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). The study cohort comprised 45 treatment-naive AITD patients (categorized into Graves disease and Hashimoto s thyroiditis subgroups) alongside 45 healthy euthyroid control subjects. Clinical evaluation, thyroid imaging, and complete hormone profiling (TSH, FT3, FT4), alongside serological biomarkers thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO Ab) and thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TRAb) were used to diagnose AITD and its subtypes. Serum CHIT1 concentrations were determined via sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while the CHIT1 gene was assessed for the 24-base pair duplication (24-bp dup) polymorphism using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum CHIT1 concentrations were significantly elevated in the AITD group compared to controls (p < 0.001), with significant elevations observed in both Graves (p < 0.001) and Hashimoto s (p = 0.015) subtypes. However, no significant difference was observed in CHIT1 concentration between the two AITD subtypes (p = 0.994). Participants heterozygous for the CHIT1 24-base pair duplication exhibited significantly lower serum CHIT1 concentrations than the wild-type homozygotes across all the study population (p < 0.001). In conclusion, serum chitotriosidase levels are significantly associated with both autoimmune thyroid disease and the allelic distribution of the CHIT1 exon 10 24-bp dup variant. It should be emphasized that prospective studies with larger cohorts, expanded genotyping studies and appropriate diagnostic performance analyses are needed to establish clinical applicability.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"151-162"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149274545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of survivin mRNA expression level and its serum level in patients with diabetic retinopathy.","authors":"Shaymaa A Abdelhady, Mohamed Greash, Mohamed M Karrar, Heba M Moustafa, Doha A AbdelHamid, Mona Salama","doi":"10.55133/eji.330411","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.330411","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Diabetic patients may suffer from diabetic retinopathy (DR) which may result in vision loss. Apoptosis is essential in vascular remodeling. Survivin inhibits endothelial cell apoptosis and enhances angiogenesis. Diabetic vasculopathy can increase survivin expression. Our aim is to measure the clinical significance of survivin mRNA expression and its serum level with DR as predictors for disease prognosis. Thirty patients with DR; thirty without DR and thirty healthy persons were included as controls (employees and attendants for checkup with normal HA1c level). Ophthalmic examination, best corrected visual acuity assessment (BCVA), slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and fundoscopy, were done for all patients. DR was diagnosed by biomicroscopic fundus examination. Serum survivin level was estimated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique and survivin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) as potential biomarkers of DR. Serum survivin was significantly increased in DR patients than those without DR (p < 0.01). Serum survivin and its mRNA expression correlated significantly and positively with HbA1c in DM patients (r = 0.808 and 0.618, p < 0.001). Serum survivin has an AUC of 0.985 (95% CI: 0.955 - 1.000, p < 0.001) with a sensitivity of 96.67% and specificity of 93.33% at a cutoff value of >360 pg/mL. For survivin mRNA expression, the AUC was 0.907 (95% CI: 0.820 - 0.995, p < 0.001) with a sensitivity of 86.67 % and specificity of 83.33 % at a cutoff value of >1.7. In conclusion, survivin mRNA expression and its serum level are elevated in patients with DR than those without DR. They showed strong positive correlation with HbA1c level. Both survivin mRNA expression and its serum level might have a marked role in the diagnosis of DR.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"120-130"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating hepatitis C viremia and antiviral treatment barriers in hemodialysis patients in the post-HCV elimination era: Experience from Ain Shams University Hospitals.","authors":"Abd El-Mohsen Mohamed, Iman I Sarhan, Maha M Gaafary, Mohanad Abdelnasser, Ahmed M Tawfik","doi":"10.55133/eji.330406","DOIUrl":"10.55133/eji.330406","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Egypt historically maintained a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, with maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients facing increased risk due to frequent invasive procedures. Following the 2014 launch of Egypt's National HCV Elimination initiative, overall population prevalence declined substantially. However, contemporary data evaluating active viremia and treatment barriers among prevalent HD patients remain limited. To assess the seroprevalence (anti-HCV antibodies) and active viremia (HCV RNA by PCR) among prevalent HD patients after implementation of the National Eradication Initiative, and to identify the barriers to antiviral treatment despite free therapy. A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and April 2024 across three affiliated hemodialysis units at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. A total of 410 adult patients (aged ≥ 18 years) on regular maintenance HD for >6 months were recruited using consecutive sampling. Anti HCV antibodies were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and active infection was confirmed via quantitative real-time HCV RNA PCR testing. Sociodemographic features, dialysis vintage, treatment history, and self-reported reasons for non-treatment were evaluated. The mean age of participants was 47.1 ± 18.2 years, with a male predominance (62.4%, n= 256). Anti-HCV antibody positivity was identified in 113 of 410 patients (27.6%). Among anti-HCV-positive patients, active viremia (HCV PCR positive) was confirmed in only 14/113 cases (12.4% of seropositive patients; overall study population prevalence of active viremia: 14/410; 3.4%). Of the 113 anti-HCV-positive patients, 95/113 (84.1%) had received antiviral therapy, with 93/95 (97.8%) achieving viral clearance (sustained virological response, SVR). Un-treated patients were (15.9%, n=18). Treatment barriers included lack of awareness regarding free treatment availability (27.8%), fear of side effects (22.2%), treatment refusal (11.1%), and incomplete paperwork (11.1%). HCV PCR positivity was significantly associated with a lack of prior DAA treatment (85.7% vs 6.1%}, p < 0.001) and longer dialysis vintage (5.08 ± 1.1 vs 2.96 ± 1.13 years, p=0.018). In conclusion, the relatively reduced prevalence of HCV in this study reflects the success of the national eradication initiative. Nevertheless, gaps remain in awareness and accessibility, which may hinder complete eradication in high-risk groups such as hemodialysis patients. Enhanced patient education, strict infection-control measures and targeted patient support is crucial to address residual gaps in high-risk dialysis units.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"64-73"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149185011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical significance of circulating regulatory T Cells, soluble CD25, and CXCL9 in assessing disease activity of vitiligo.","authors":"Dalia T Kamal, Wafaa T El-Sherif, Eman R M Hofny, Jian Hashim, Mohammed A Fayek Ameen, Tarek T H ElMelegy","doi":"10.55133/eji.330403","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.330403","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disorder characterized by T-cell-mediated melanocyte destruction and loss of immune tolerance. Dysregulation of regulatory T cells and altered chemokine signaling have been implicated; however, their relationship with disease activity remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate peripheral immune cell subsets, particularly Tregs, sCD25, and CXCL9 biomarkers in patients with vitiligo and their relationship with disease activity. This study included 44 patients with non-segmental vitiligo and 44 matched healthy controls. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and regulatory T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Serum CXCL9 and sCD25 were measured by ELISA. Patients were diagnosed with non-segmental vitiligo based on clinical evaluation. Disease severity and activity were assessed using the VASI and VIDA scores. Peripheral lymphocyte subsets were generally preserved; however, CD4⁺ T cells were reduced in patients compared with healthy controls, with a lower CD4/CD8 ratio. Regulatory T cells (CD4⁺CD25⁺FOXP3⁺) were significantly decreased in percentage of patients compared with healthy controls. Treg frequency correlated positively with the VIDA score. Serum CXCL9 and soluble CD25 showed no significant differences between study groups; however, they both correlated inversely with disease activity. Neither marker correlated with the VASI score. Vitiligo is associated with selective immune dysregulation characterized by reduced CD4⁺ T-cell levels and a decreased Treg proportion. Although CXCL9 and sCD25 do not distinguish vitiligo patients from healthy controls, their correlation with disease activity suggests potential utility as dynamic biomarkers.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"28-42"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Circulating regulatory B-cell subsets in type 2 diabetic nephropathy.","authors":"Manar F Mohamed, Ashraf M OKba, Mariam M Amin, Omar M Sabry, Khaled E Tawfik, Ahmed A Ibrahim, Ghada K Sayed","doi":"10.55133/eji.330401","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.330401","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) driven by immune activation and chronic inflammatory cascades. Human regulatory B (Breg) cells modulate immune homeostasis and are downregulated in glomerulonephritis. We aim to evaluate B cell subsets counts in type 2 DM patients with and without nephropathy in comparison to normal control individuals. Sixty participants comprising twenty-four patients with type 2 DM without kidney injury, twenty-four patients with DN diagnosed via KDIGO guidelines, and twelve matched healthy controls underwent clinical, biochemical, and flow cytometric evaluations. CD19+ B cell subsets count, including Breg cells (CD19+CD24hiCD38hi) and memory B cell counts (CD19+CD24+CD38-) were quantified using multi-parametric flow cytometry. B cell count was significantly lower in patients with DN compared to DM and healthy control groups. Moreover, Breg and memory B cell counts were significantly lower in the DN group compared to the DM group. However, no significant difference was observed regarding B cell subsets between the DM and healthy control groups. Breg cells could predict DN (AUC = 0.720, p = 0.017) at a cut-off of ≤13.5% with 95% sensitivity and 95% specificity. In conclusion, Breg cells serve a vital role in suppressing aberrant immune reactivity, meaning that their insufficiency can trigger heightened autoimmune processes. Ultimately, the Breg subpopulation holds substantial promise as a significant biomarker for predicting both the onset and progression of DN with no correlation with the severity of DN.</p>","PeriodicalId":39724,"journal":{"name":"The Egyptian journal of immunology / Egyptian Association of Immunologists","volume":"33 4","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}