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Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation that essentially affects the small intestine and is caused by eating gluten-containing foods. This study sought to determine gene expression of NLRP3 Inflammasome in peripheral blood of Iraqi CD children using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay. Thirty children with CD (12 males and 18 females) were enrolled in the study and their age range was 3-15 years. The diagnosis of the disease was confirmed by serological examinations and intestinal endoscopy. A control sample of 20 age-matched healthy children was also included. The children were stratified for age, gender, body max index (BMI), histological findings, and marsh classification. Further, the sera were examined for IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody, IgA anti-gliadin antibody, and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β). Based on Marsh classification, the results revealed that the majority of patients (70%) had partial villous atrophy (Marsh Ш 3A), while children with subtotal and total villous atrophy (Marsh III: 3B/3C) were presented with a lower frequency (30.0%). Neither Marsh I nor Marsh II has been observed among the patients studied. Serum levels of anti-tTG and anti-gliadin IgA antibodies were significantly higher in CD children than in control children (73.8 and 31.8 vs. 0.8 U//ml, respectively; p < 0.001). Conversely, IL-1β serum level was decreased in CD children but the difference was not significant (35.5vs. 53.4 pg/ml; p = 0.285). In the case of NLRP3 inflammasome, the Relative Fold Change method (2-∆∆Ct) was used to assess the gene expression. The results revealed that the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome was decreased by 0.594 fold in CD children. In conclusion, the NLRP3 inflammasome was down-regulated in the present sample of CD children, and it was accompanied by a decreased serum level of IL-1β.

This study aimed to investigate the role of seminal plasma anti-sperm antibody (ASA) and cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17A and TNF-α) levels in the aetiopathogenesis of male infertility in a sample of Iraqi patients.A group of males with primary infertility attending Kamal Al-Samaraie Hospital, Center of Infertility and in vitro Fertilization (Baghdad) and Baghdad Teaching Hospital (Infertility Clinic) during the period March-August 2010 to October 2010 were enrolled in this study, in addition, 16 fertile males (control). Based on WHO criteria of 2010 for general seminal fluid analysis, the patients were distributed into three groups: azoospermic (AZO), Oligozoospermic (OLI), and asthenozoospermic (24 patients for each group). Anti-sperm antibody (ASAs) and cytokines levels were assessed in seminal plasma fluid by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbant Assay (ELISA).The mean of seminal plasma ASAs in azoospermia and oligospermia patients, as well as, controls showed no significant difference (38.7, 41.2 and 43.8 U/ml, respectively), but the three means were significantly lower than the mean (55.4 U/ml) of these antibodies in asthenospermia.when patients and control were evaluated in terms of their positivity for ASAs, the highest frequency of positive cases was observed in asthenospermia patients (41.7%) followed by controls (25.5%), azoospermia (20,8%) and finally oligozoospermia (16.7%), but these differences were not significant when each group of infertility was compared with controls.The mean of IL-2, IL-10, and IL-17A levels in seminal plasma showed no significant difference between the four investigated groups, while the levels of three cytokines (IL-4, IL-13 and TNF-α) showed deviations in infertile patients, but such deviation was subjected to the type of investigated cytokine and type of infertility. Interleukin-4 and TNF-α were more significant in oligozoospermia patients, while IL-13 was exceptionally increased in asthenozoospermiapatients, and it seemed that the other investigated cytokines had no effect on azoospermia.

Back ground: Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) is the most common chronic liver disease at present, and HCV infection is found with variable prevalence in dialysis populations in different parts of the world.Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of sialic acid and immunoglobulins level in the sera of patients with chronic renal failure whom infected with Hepatitis C virus, and the effect of hemodialysis on them.Patients&Methods: Regarding to this aim, total sialic acid levels (TSA) and immunoglobulins level were studied on the blood samples of 20 patients with chronic renal failure + Hepatitis C virus (positive group) and 20 patients with chronic renal failure (negative group) and 20 healthy volunteers. Serum TSA determinations were carried out by the resorcinol method.Results: In (positive group), the mean of TSA concentration (after hemodialysis treatment) was 68 ± 2.9 mg/dl, and the mean of TSA concentration in (negative group) was 110.7 ±7.5 mg/dl, while the mean TSA level in healthy control group was 58.3 ± 1.7 mg/dl. Also, this study aimed to assess serum concentration of immunoglobulins: IgG, IgM and IgA. Serum IgG was increased in patients of (positive group) and (negative group) with respect to control healthy (6.1, 5.5, 5.4 respectively) (p<0.05).There was no significant difference between the third groups in serum IgM concentration (6.6, 6, 6.2 respectively).Also in serum IgA concentration (5.8, 6, 5.5 respectively).Conclusion: We conclude that the TSA levels in the first groups both were found to be significantly elevated as compared to control levels (p<0.05), and Hepatitis C virus are linked to selective increase of serum IgG.