Exploring fatty acid effects in celiac disease: potential therapeutic avenues Sajjad Bakhtiari, Nastaran Asri, Abdolrahim Nikzamir, Shokoufeh Ahmadipour, Mohammad Rostami-Nejad, et al. Tissue Barriers, 2025 BACKGROUND Fatty acids (FAs) play pivotal roles in modulating inflammatory pathways in celiac disease (CD). The present study explored the relationship between serum FAs levels and the expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in adult and pediatric patients with CD. METHODS Serum FA levels in 20 treated CD patients (11 children, 9 adults) and 20 healthy controls (10 children, 10 adults) were analyzed using gas chromatography. Cytokine gene expression (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-12, TGFβ, NF-κB) was assessed through quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS Myristoleic acid levels decreased in children with CD (p = 0.03) but increased in adults (p = 0.04). Elevated IL-6 mRNA expression was found in both pediatric (p = 0.01) and adult (p = 0.04) groups. TNF-α expression was significantly higher in adults (p = 0.01). In children, IL-10 mRNA levels positively correlated with palmitic acid (p = 0.01, r = 0.73), and TGF-β correlated with myristoleic acid (p = 0.03, r = 0.63). In adults, IL-10 positively correlated with dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (p = 0.04, r = 0.68) and negatively with linoleic acid (p = 0.02, r = -0.72). These age-related differences may reflect variations in disease duration, metabolic and developmental factors, dietary intake, and gut microbiota composition. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that FAs could be therapeutic targets for improving CD management across different age groups.
The role of tryptophan metabolism and tolerogenic dendritic cells in maintaining immune tolerance: Insights into celiac disease pathogenesis Fatemeh Asgari, Mahdi Khodadoust, Abdolrahim Nikzamir, Somayeh Jahani‐Sherafat, Mostafa Rezaei Tavirani, et al. Immunity Inflammation and Disease, 2024 BackgroundIn mammals, amino acid metabolism has evolved to control immune responses. Tryptophan (Trp) is the rarest essential amino acid found in food and its metabolism has evolved to be a primary regulatory node in the control of immune responses. Celiac disease (CeD) is a developed immunological condition caused by gluten intolerance and is linked to chronic small intestine enteropathy in genetically predisposed individuals. Dendritic cells (DCs), serving as the bridge between innate and adaptive immunities, can influence immunological responses in CeD through phenotypic alterations.ObjectiveThis review aims to highlight the connection between Trp metabolism and tolerogenic DCs, and the significance of this interaction in the pathogenesis of CeD.ResultsIt is been recognized that various DC subtypes contribute to the pathogenesis of CeD. Tolerogenic DCs, in particular, are instrumental in inducing immune tolerance, leading to T‐reg differentiation that helps maintain intestinal immune tolerance against inflammatory responses in CeD patients and those with other autoimmune disorders. T‐regs, a subset of T‐cells, play a crucial role in maintaining intestinal immunological homeostasis by regulating the activities of other immune cells. Notably, Trp metabolism, essential for T‐reg function, facilitates T‐reg differentiation through microbiota‐mediated degradation and the kynurenine pathway.ConclusionTherefore, alterations in Trp metabolism could potentially influence the immune response in CeD, affecting both the development of the disease and the persistence of symptoms despite adherence to a gluten‐free diet.
Correlation of IDH1 gene expression error in breast tumor biopsy in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma Behzad Rostami, Sepehr Kahrizi, Batool Ghorbani Yekta, Rezvan Ghadyani, Aliasghar Keramatinia, et al. Cellular and Molecular Biology, 2024 One of the most important cancers in terms of worldwide prevalence is breast tumors, which have been less investigated in correlation with the enzyme Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) gene. The aim of this study was that expression of this gene could have significant effects on the progression of metastasis and invasive disease in breast cancer patients. We used the molecular method of RT-PCR with SYBR-Green to analyze breast tumor tissue from patients with metastasis and non-metastasis, the latter confirmed by the pathology department of Shohada-e Tajrish Hospital (serving as a control group). Also, patients population and its relationship with the degree of tumor in the IDH1 gene was investigated. The IDH1 gene has shown high expression in patients with metastatic breast cancer rather than in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. The metastatic samples were compared with non-metastatic samples for IDH1 mRNA expression. In this research work, 72.5% (29 samples) were up-regulated in comparison to 27.5% of samples (11 samples) that did not exhibit high expression (P=0.000). This study examined the IDH1 gene expression, suggesting that changes in this gene's expression could impact the prognosis of breast cancer. However, further research is needed to draw definitive conclusions.
Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients Shayan Fallah, Nastaran Asri, Abdolrahim Nikzamir, Shokoufeh Ahmadipour, Amir Sadeghi, et al. Diseases, 2024 Amino acids (AAs) and vitamin imbalances are observed in celiac disease (CD). This study evaluated the plasma profile of vitamin A and AAs and the expression level of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and TGFβ in CD patients. A total of 60 children and adults with CD and 40 healthy controls (HCs) were included. The plasma profile of Vitamin A and AAs and the mRNA expression levels of target genes were assessed. Active adult patients exhibited a decrease in Vitamin A levels (p = 0.04) and an increase in IL-2 (p = 0.008) and IL-12 (p = 0.007) mRNA expression compared to the HCs. The treated adult patients showed elevated Serine (p = 0.003) and Glycine (p = 0.04) levels, as well as increased IL-12 (p < 0.0001) mRNA expression, and a decrease in Tryptophan (p = 0.04) levels relative to the controls. Additionally, the treated adult patients had higher plasma levels of Threonine compared to both the active (p = 0.04) and control (p = 0.02) subjects, and the increased mRNA expression of IL-4 (p = 0.01) in comparison to the active patients. In active children with CD, the IL-2 mRNA level was found to be higher than in the controls (p < 0.0001) and in the treated children (p = 0.005). The treated children with CD exhibited decreased plasma levels of Tryptophan (p = 0.01) and Isoleucine (p = 0.01) relative to the controls, and the increased mRNA expression of TGFβ (p = 0.04) relative to the active patients. Elevated levels of specific AAs (Serine, Glycine, Threonine) in the treated CD patients suggested their potential to improve intestinal damage and inflammation, while decreased levels of Tryptophan and Isoleucine highlighted the need for dietary intervention.
Evaluating CD4 and Foxp3 mRNA Expression in Tissue Specimens of Celiac Disease and Colorectal Cancer Patients Nastaran Asri, Ehsan Nazemalhosseini Mojarad, Mohammad Yaghoob Taleghani, Hamidreza Houri, Mahsa Saeedi Niasar, et al. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2024 OBJECTIVE Celiac disease (CD) and colorectal cancer (CRC) are distinct gastrointestinal conditions with a debated association. This study aimed to evaluate the mRNA expression of CD4 and Foxp3 in tissue specimens of CD and CRC patients. The findings can provide valuable insights into the complex connection between these different gastrointestinal conditions. METHODS Tissue samples from 100 CRC patients, 50 CD patients, and 50 healthy controls (HCs) were collected. RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and quantitative real-time PCR were performed. Statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA and Pearson's correlation test. RESULT CD4 mRNA expression was significantly higher in CRC patients compared to CD patients and HCs (P<0.0001 for both). Foxp3 mRNA expression was significantly higher in CD patients compared to CRC patients and HCs (P<0.0001 for both). Clinicopathological characteristics did not correlate significantly with gene expression levels. CONCLUSION This study reveals differential expression patterns of CD4 and Foxp3 mRNA in CRC and CD patients. Upregulated CD4 mRNA suggests its potential role in promoting tumor growth, while increased Foxp3 mRNA expression may reflect an immunosuppressive mechanism in CD pathogenesis. These findings provide insights into the molecular and immunological aspects of CRC and CD, warranting further studies for potential therapeutic strategies.
Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs1799883) and gene expression of I-FABP with celiac disease New Zealand Journal of Medical Laboratory Science, 2022