Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) molecule controls T cell immune response. Functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CTLA-4 gene have been associated with several autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the genetic association of the CTLA-4 variants with vulnerability to SLE remained contradictory.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The role of vitamin D in the susceptibility and severity of various viral diseases has been well documented. Recently, some reports highlighted the possible importance of vitamin D in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although India receives adequate sunlight throughout the year, the majority of Indians are deficient in vitamin D levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide, and to date presence of the virus has been recorded in 215 countries contributing 0.43 million of death. The role of blood groups in susceptibility/resistance to various infectious diseases has been reported.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF