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Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent, immune-mediated, hyperproliferative inflammatory skin disease. The role of the adaptive immune system, particularly of Th1 and Th17 lymphocytes, has been regarded as prominent in the immunopathogenesis of psoriasis, as well as decreased Tregs function. Immunobiological drugs were administered in therapeutic pulses and a few studies evaluate their effects on the immune repertoire. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adaptive immune profile of patients with severe psoriasis under immunobiological treatment in two time points. Thirty-two psoriasis patients and 10 control patients were evaluated. In the group of psoriasis patients, 10 patients were on anti-TNF and 14 patients on methotrexate treatment, while 8 individuals were not treated. IL-17, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-2, and IL-10 were analyzed. CD4 T cell intracellular cytokines were analyzed. It was observed that stimulation could significantly increase the production of IL-17, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-10 only before anti-TNF pulse therapy. The activation of Th1 and Treg cells after stimulation was significantly higher before anti-TNF pulse. Patients on methotrexate or anti-TNF therapy produced significantly lower levels of TNF-α, IL-10, and IL-6. Furthermore, these patients showed a significant decrease in the activated CD4+ T cells. The treatment with immunomodulator or methotrexate modulates the activation of CD4+ T cells, and anti-TNF treatment appears to have a modulating effect on the activation and production of Th1, Th17, and Treg cells.

Objectives: Galectins are mediators that play an important role in the inflammatory response and in this study we analyzed the expression of Galectins (Gal) -1, -3 and -9 in biopsies of the gastric antrum of patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms., Methodology: 44 patients with upper digestive tract symptoms were evaluated, and underwent Upper Digestive Endoscopy examination. Sections of the gastric antrum were fixed in buffered formaldehyde at 4% in order to perform the anatomopathological examination and immunohistochemical analysis for Galectins-1, -3 and -9 expression. Fresh sections of gastric antrum were used for DNA extraction and evaluation of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). P values<0.05 were considered statistically significant., Results: Gal-1 was significantly more expressed on stroma than epithelium (p<0.0001), whereas Gal-3 and Gal-9 were more expressed on epithelium (p<0.0001). Gal-3 was found to be significantly higher in the stroma of patients with H. pylori infection, mainly on Cag-A positive H. pylori (p<0.0001). Gal-9 was down modulated in stroma of patients with chronic gastritis., Conclusion: Up modulation of Gal-3 expression was associated with H. pylori infection and down modulation of Gal-9 with the inflammatory process of chronic gastritis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)