PhD Dissertation Defense at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon
The College of Medicine at the University of Babylon held the defense of the PhD dissertation entitled “A Study of Genetic Immunity and Viral Infection in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus,” submitted by PhD candidate and researcher Haider Mohammed Jalil Kadhim.
The defense was attended by the Dean of the College of Medicine, Professor Dr. Muhannad Abbass Al-Shalah, the Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs, Assistant Professor Dr. Ashraf Mohammed Ali Hussein, as well as a number of faculty members and postgraduate students.
The dissertation was evaluated by a specialized scientific committee comprising:
• Professor Dr. Mohammed Abdul Kadhim Hassan, University of Babylon, College of Medicine — Chairperson
• Professor Dr. Maysaa Saleh Mahdi, University of Babylon, College of Medicine — Member
• Professor Dr. Zainab Hamoud Muhaisen, University of Babylon, College of Medicine — Member
• Professor Dr. Huda Jameel Baqir, University of Kufa, College of Science — Member
• Professor Dr. Nihad Abdul Salman, University of Babylon, College of Medicine — Member
• Professor Dr. Yifad Kareem Abd, University of Babylon, College of Medicine — Supervisor and Member
• Assistant Professor Dr. Mohammed Hassan Ali Al-Hamdani, University of Babylon, College of Medicine — Supervisor and Member
The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between several immune markers, including IL-2, IL-27, CTLA-4, and PTPN22, Epstein–Barr virus infection, and DNA methylation of the IL-2Ra gene as a potential epigenetic mechanism associated with susceptibility to type 1 diabetes mellitus.
The study included 100 participants: 50 patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 50 healthy individuals serving as a control group. Samples were collected at Marjan Medical City in Babylon Governorate between December 2024 and March 2025.
The findings revealed significantly elevated levels of IL-27, CTLA-4, and PTPN22 among patients compared with healthy individuals, whereas IL-2 levels were reduced without reaching statistical significance.
The study also demonstrated significant positive correlations among several of the investigated immune markers, suggesting that these markers interact in regulating the immune response associated with the disease.
Molecular testing using Real-Time PCR detected Epstein–Barr virus in 22% of the patients, while no viral infection was identified among individuals in the control group. A significant reduction in IL-2 levels was also observed among virus-positive patients compared with those who were not infected.
The analysis of DNA methylation of the IL-2Ra gene showed significantly increased methylation levels in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, both with and without Epstein–Barr virus infection, compared with healthy individuals. These findings support the potential role of epigenetic alterations in the development and progression of the disease.
The study concluded that the immune markers IL-27, CTLA-4, and PTPN22, together with Epstein–Barr virus infection and methylation of the IL-2Ra gene, may play important roles in the immune and molecular mechanisms associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus. They may also represent promising biomarkers for improving understanding of the disease and developing future diagnostic and follow-up strategies