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<Articles JournalTitle="Iranian Journal of Parasitology">
  <Article>
    <Journal>
      <PublisherName>Tehran University of Medical Sciences</PublisherName>
      <JournalTitle>Iranian Journal of Parasitology</JournalTitle>
      <Issn>1735-7020</Issn>
      <Volume>20</Volume>
      <Issue>2</Issue>
      <PubDate PubStatus="epublish">
        <Year>2025</Year>
        <Month>06</Month>
        <Day>08</Day>
      </PubDate>
    </Journal>
    <title locale="en_US">Interleukin Activity in Miscarried Women with Toxoplasmosis and Anti Thyroid Peroxidase (Anti-TPO)</title>
    <FirstPage>307</FirstPage>
    <LastPage>315</LastPage>
    <AuthorList>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Salah</FirstName>
        <LastName>Alnisani</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">1.	Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Center of Biotechnology of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia 2.	Faculty of Science of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Ahmed</FirstName>
        <LastName>Rebai</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Center of Biotechnology of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia</affiliation>
      </Author>
    </AuthorList>
    <History>
      <PubDate PubStatus="received">
        <Year>2024</Year>
        <Month>12</Month>
        <Day>18</Day>
      </PubDate>
      <PubDate PubStatus="accepted">
        <Year>2025</Year>
        <Month>03</Month>
        <Day>01</Day>
      </PubDate>
    </History>
    <abstract locale="en_US">Background: We aimed to investigate the presence of thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO) in women with spontaneous abortion, both with and without toxoplasmosis. This was achieved by evaluating and comparing the serum levels of interleukins IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, and TNF-&#x3B1; in women who experienced abortion due to toxoplasmosis, categorized by positive and negative anti-TPO status, with those who were toxoplasmosis-negative and also negative for anti-TPO.
Methods: We evaluated the serological presence of IgG and IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma using an ELISA method, in Samarra City, Salah al-Din Governorate, Iraq in 2021-2022. A sample of 153 women with spontaneous abortion were enrolled. We also measured the serum levels of interleukins IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-&#x3B1;, and anti-TPO using the same technique.
Results: Overall, 103 were Toxoplasma-positive. Of these, 14 had positive anti-TPO results (13.5%), compared to only 3 positive cases among the 50 matched controls who were Toxoplasma-negative (6.0%). The difference between Toxoplasma-positive and Toxoplasma-negative women regarding anti-TPO status was statistically significant for interleukins IL-4 (P=0.010), IL-6 (P=0.017), and IL-10 (P=0.003), but not for IL-17 or TNF-&#x3B1;. Additionally, the statistical analysis revealed a highly significant difference in the average concentrations of interleukins IL-4 (P=0.013) and IL-10 (P&lt;0.001) between the Toxoplasma-positive/anti-TPO-positive group and the Toxoplasma-negative/anti-TPO-negative group of aborted women.
Conclusion: Elevated concentrations of IL-4, IL-10, and IL-6 have been associated with women undergoing recurrent miscarriages and negative anti-TPO results. The complex interaction between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines is essential for immunological balance and pregnancy outcomes in a condition of toxoplasmosis. An increase in IL-4 and IL-10 levels in anti-TPO-positive individuals may lead to an imbalance in immune response, facilitating the development of autoimmune thyroid disease.</abstract>
    <web_url>https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/4488</web_url>
    <pdf_url>https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/download/4488/1435</pdf_url>
  </Article>
</Articles>
