BACKGROUND Bamboo joint-like appearance is a common yet easy-to-miss endoscopic finding in the stomach of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Bamboo joint-like appearance (BJA) is characterized by swollen longitudinal folds transversed by erosive fissures or linear furrows. However, whether BJA is observed during the remission stage of CD and during the active stage is unclear. In particular, t...

Glycyrrhiza glabra is a plant used in traditional medicine across the world for its pharmacological value. Its value has been proved such as anti-cough, anti-diabetes, anti-microbial and antioxidant effects. The roots of plant comrised glycyrrhizin which is 50 times sweeter than sugar. Macrophages can stimulated during inflammatory disorders, and with production of multiple inflammatory mediato...

Objectives. To investigate the association between genotype at the soluble interleukin 6 receptor (sIL-6R) A358C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP, rs8192284), previously reported to correlate with soluble receptor levels, and response to anti-TNF therapy in subjects with RA. Methods. In a large cohort of Caucasian RA patients treated with anti-TNF medications (total, n = 1050; etanercept, n ...

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether anti-TNF therapy could have an effect on dendritic cells (DCs) and regulatory T cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS A four-colour flow cytometric technique was used to measure CD4+CD25+ T cells i.e. CD4+CD25high+ (regulatory T cells) and CD4+CD25low+ (activated T cells)), DCs as well as the in vitro, intracellular, lipopolysaccharide-stimulate...

INTRODUCTION The tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) was initially described as lymphotoxin or cachectin. The discovery of therapies blocking the action of TNF-α, in 1988, started a new era in the therapy. One of often reported adverse effects related to the use of TNF-α antagonists is induction of the formation of autologous antibodies and antibodies neutralizing anti-TNF drugs. The development of a...

BACKGROUND Since persistence to first biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) is far from ideal in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, many do receive a second and/or third bDMARD treatment. However, little is known about treatment persistence of the second-line bDMARD and it is specifically unknown whether the mode of action of such a treatment is associated with different ...

INTRODUCTION Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α biotherapies have considerably changed the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, serious infections are a major concern in patients with rheumatic diseases treated with anti-TNF-α. Little is known about viral, especially latent, infections in anti-TNF-α treatments. Infections by cytomegalovirus (CMV), a β-herpes virus, are frequent and ...

Background: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a multi-dimensional chronic disease, which can affect joints, skin and enthesis. Extrapolation of the positive treatment results anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha agents on spondyloarthritis rheumatoid to practice PsA lead new era for management PsA. However, unmet needs in development several drugs targeting different molecules cytokines. The impac...

Patients with intractable inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are increasingly being treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents and are at increased risk of developing tuberculosis (TB). Therefore, diagnosis and treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI) is recommended in patients due to the initiation of anti-TNF therapy. Traditionally, LTBI has been diagnosed on the basis of clinical fac...

Recombinant human anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α scFv-Fc was expressed in TKO mutant Arabidopsis thaliana seeds using plant-specific codons. Immunoblotting using a human IgG1 antibody detected the expression of anti-TNF-α proteins in plants. Results from qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the time of harvest significantly affected the protein yield and quality. Our results indicate that the...