Autoimmune diseases occur in 3−5% of the population. Study included 30 patients with clinically diagnosed SLE and 30 healthy controls (American college of Rheumatology, 1997). SLE was diagnosed according to criteria issued in 1997 by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The aim of this study was to evaluate concentration values of each antigen of ENA-6 profile in SLE, to investigate possible correlation between the concentration of Sm antibodies and CIC, and to test their use as possible immunobiological markers in SLE. Furthermore, the aim of our study was to determine whether there is a correlation between Sm antibodies and CIC and SLE activity. The results revealed that all of these ENA-6 and Sm antibodies as biomarkers complement diagnoses of active SLE but their use as solo markers does not allow classifying patients with SLE. Our study has shown that based on calculations from ROC curves, Sm/RNP was clearly a very important marker for diagnosis of SLE (cut off ≥ 9.56 EU, AUC 0,942). The high incidence of Scl-70 (10%) reactivity suggests that ELISA monitoring of this antibody produces more false positive results than other multiplex assay. An important conclusion that can be drawn from the results of our study is that laboratory tests are no more effective than clinical examination for detecting disease relapse, but are helpful in the confirmation of SLE activity.

First trimester pregnancy loss as well as infertility is a very common issue among many couples and the main reason they investigate is their chromosomes in that case. two hundred and sixty-six couples came to Center for Genetics of Medical Faculty-University of Sarajevo, for chromosomal cytogenetic analysis due to infertility or larger number of spontaneous abortions. To each couple, karyotype has been made, using GTG technique from cultures of lymphocytes from peripheral blood. The overall incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was 15 out of 266 couples (9%). They were divided by primary diagnose as: couples with recurrent spontaneous abortions 107 and infertility couples 159. In the first group it has found chromosomal changes at four males and one female whereas in the second group it has found chromosomal changes at seven females and three males. Structural and numerical chromosomal changes did not differ from relevant updated references from other countries, and were the main cause for infertility and recurrent spontaneous abortions. This study illustrates the incidence and distribution of chromosomal abnormalities among couples with recurrent miscarriage and infertility, and how genetic testing and counseling is important for couples with an abnormal karyotype before deciding about further reproductive options.

Objectives: An open-label prospective, combined basic and clinical controlled study was done to investigate the effects of biological therapy using rituximab, and cytotoxic drug treatment with methotrexate on morphology and quantifitiation of chromosomes in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: This study is follow-up of a prior publication, with new observations in comparison with control subjects. A total of 16 subjects were divided into two groups. Group Ⅰ comprised 8 seropositive rheumatoid arthritis patients who were analysed for the primary end point of possible cytotoxic effects of rituximab and methotrexate. Group Ⅱ included 8 healthy individuals who served as controls. Assessment was done before treatment with rituximab, and 4 weeks after initiation of therapy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive infusion of rituximab in a full dose of 2.0 g divided into two doses of 1.0 g on days 1 and 15. The lymphocytes from periphereal blood was cultured by the Moorhead method. Results: Normal male and female Karyograms were observed after full courses of therapy with rituximab. In one female patient who had been receiving longstanding cytotoxic therapy with methotrexate, 2% of chromosomal mitosis showed structural abnormalities. Following the discontinuation of methotrexate and the administration of rituximab, her karyogram became normal. Conclusion: The results from this study indicated that rituximab therapy was safe for the number and structure of human chromosomes, while methotrexate showed chromosomal aberration in one female RA patient. After discontinuation of this longstanding treatment, the karyogram of the same patient returned to normal.

The open prospective combined cytogenetic and clinical study investigated the impact of biological therapy Rituximab on number and structure of chromosomes in Rheumatoid arthritis patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate safety of Rituximab on chromosomes as well as cytotoxic therapy Methotrexate. A total of 8 seropositive Rheumatoid arthritis patients were analyzed for primary end point of eventual cytotoxic effect of Rituximab. Assessment was done before and 1 month later, actually 2 weeks after the administration of full course of Rituximab in infusion. Patients suffering from active Rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned according to established protocol to receive infusion of Rituximab in a full dose of 2.0 grams divided in a two doses of 1.0 gram on days 1 and 15. The lymphocytes from peripheral blood were cultured according to Moorhead method. The results obtained from this investigation showed that normal male and female karyogram was found after the full therapy of Rituximab. The results from this study, that was done on a rather small number of subjects, indicate that Rituximab does not express either clastogenic or aneugenic effects. But, co-finding of this study was that Methotrexate had a side effect on chromosomal aberration in one female RA patient, and after discontinuation of this treatment the normal karyogram was observed.

Over the third of SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) patients have a high level auto-antibodies-antigen complex that contains some complement proteins, especially C1q as the trigger protein in the classical complement activation pathway. So, the SLE, as an autoimmune disease, is certainly related to disorders caused by activation of complement system, that finally leads to tissue damage. It may also be caused by hereditary deficiency (complement genes mutations). In such case, some components of the complement system might be inactivated. There are mutations that cause disorders in each of three complement system activation pathways (classical, alternative and lectin).The serum samples of SLE patients show the presence of specific autoantibodies for some complement components. Today, for clinical management of SLE patients, determination of level of C1q-CIC and C3 complement component in serum specimens have great diagnostic and therapeutic importance. During the year 2000, we analyzed a numerous serum samples from patients suspected to autoimmune diseases (SLE especially). The samples were collected from several clinics in the Clinical Center of University of Sarajevo, mostly from Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine and Gastroenterohepatology Clinic. Primary samples went through screening for the presence of ANA using ANA-IFA method and further characterization of ANA positive samples was carried out using IFA-ANA titration, ELISA and nephelometry.

While the SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) specificity of ANA is low, that of anti-dsDNA autoantibodies is high. The DNA used in the assay must be double stranded: autoantibodies to single-stranded (ss) DNA exist in many diseases and specific to none. The prevalence (70%) of anti-dsDNA autoantibodies is much higherin SLE, giving a higher diagnostic sensitivity than the similarly disease-specific anti-Sm autoantibodies (30%). Anti-dsDNA autoantibodies are usually detected by very analytically sensitive techniques, such as ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay). Within SLE, ds-DNA autoantibodies tend to associate with the presence of glomerulonephritis. Their levels are used to monitor disease activity. We suggest the use of ds-DNA to find the difference between SLE patientswith benign variants and classical syndrome of severe skin and renal disease.

Paracetamol genotoxic potential was evaluated among different concentrations, applying Allium test on Allium cepa. Total number of roots, number of dark roots, the length of the longest root, the average root, and the shortest root were determined. Statistically significant differences among total number of roots (p > 0.05) was observed at concentrations of 50 microg/ml and 100 microg/ml, and highly statistically significant differences at concentrations of 5 microg/ml and 25 microg/ml, while at the highest concentration (400 microg/ml) was observed statistically significant higher number of roots in comparation to all other concentrations of paracetamol and control group. The results of research suggest the concentrations of 5 microg/ml, 25 microg/ml and 400 microg/ml for further evaluation of paracetamol mutagenic potential.