A positive association between CTLA-4 TACG haplotype and gastric and colorectal cancers was found in an Iranian population. A protective role for TACA haplotype is postulated.

Cytokines are considered important factors in the modulation of various immune responses. Among them, interleukin (IL)-21 is one of the major immune modulators, adjusting various immune responses by affecting various immune cells. It has been suggested that IL-21 may enhance autoimmunity through different mechanisms, such as development and activation of helper T (TH)-17 and follicular helper T (TFH) cells, activation of natural killer (NK) cells, enhancing B-cell differentiation and antibody secretion and suppression of regulatory T (Treg) cells. Moreover, IL-21 has also been suggested to be an inducer of autoimmunity when following treatment of MS patients with some therapeutics such as alemtuzumab. This review will seek to clarify the precise role of IL-21/IL-21R in the pathogenesis of MS and, in its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).

The mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is considered to be an atypical protein kinase that plays a critical role in integrating different cellular and environmental inputs in the form of growth factors, nutrients and energy and, subsequently, in regulating different cellular events, including cell metabolism, survival, homeostasis, growth and cellular differentiation. Immunologically, mTOR is a critical regulator of immune function through integrating numerous signals from the immune microenvironment, which coordinates the functions of immune cells and T cell fate decisions. The crucial role of mTOR in immune responses has been lately even more appreciated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, small, noncoding single-stranded RNAs that act as molecular regulators involved in multiple processes during immune cells development, homeostasis, activation and effector polarization. Several studies have recently indicated that a range of miRNAs are involved in regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mTOR (PI3K/AKT/ mTOR) signaling pathway by targeting multiple components of this signaling pathway and modulating the expression and function of these targets. Current evidence has revealed the interplay between miRNAs and the mTOR pathway circuits in various immune cell types. The expression of individual miRNA can affect the function of mTOR signaling to determine the cell fate decisions in immune responses through coordinating immune signaling and cell metabolism. Dysregulation of the mTOR pathway/miRNAs crosstalk has been reported in cancers and various immune-related diseases. Thus, expression profiles of dysregulated miRNAs could influence the mTOR pathway, resulting in the promotion of aberrant immunity. This review summarizes the latest information regarding the reciprocal role of the mTOR signaling pathway and miRNAs in orchestrating immune responses.

Little is known regarding the precise role of different subsets of natural killer T (NKT) cells in the immunopathogenesis of cancer diseases, particularly hematopoietic malignancies. Although it is well known that NKT cells counteract tumor immunity, conflicting reports on the role of NKT cells in hematopoietic malignancies support more investigations to clarify the interactions between NKT cells and the tumor. Among the hematopoietic malignancies, B cell malignancies derive from different stages of B cell maturation in which T cells play a pivotal role. There is evidence which implies the protective role of some subsets of NKT cells in solid cancers as well as B cell malignancies. In this review, we will discuss recent advances about the immunobiology of NKT cells and their precise role in the immunopathogenesis and treatment of different B cell malignancies.

Background: Due to their poor immune system, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and hemodialysis patients are more at risk for toxoplasmosis and its complications than the healthy people. The current study aimed to determine prevalence of toxoplasmosis in these patients and comparing it with healthy subjects in southwest Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on sera and buffy coat of 100 cancer patients, 47 hemodialysis patients, and 170 healthy subjects. IgG and IgM anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in serum were measured by ELISA method. Molecular diagnosis was conducted by PCR method on buffy coat of the seropositive samples. Results: The seroprevalence of T. gondii in cancer, hemodialysis patients and healthy subjects were 13%, 27.7% and 15.9% respectively. Moreover, seropositivity for IgM antibody was 2.1% in hemodialysis, 2% in cancer patients and 0.6% in healthy individuals. Our results were showed there was no significant difference between prevalence toxoplasmosis in case and control group. In molecular survey, only one case (cancer patient) was positive for Toxoplasma DNA. Contact with cats and consumption of undercooked meat were two studied risk factors which had significant associations with T. gondii seropositivity in the hemodialysis patients (odds ratio [OR] = 14.667; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.453-148.045) and control (odds ratio [OR] = 3.07; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.093-8.639) respectively. Conclusion: Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in hemodialysis patients was higher than Healthy Individuals; however, the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in cancer patients was similar to the Healthy Individuals.