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Abstract Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer resulting from genetic mutations in melanocytes. Several factors have been considered to be involved in melanoma progression, including genetic alteration, processes of damaged DNA repair, and changes in mechanisms of cell growth and proliferation. Epigenetics is the other factor with a crucial role in melanoma development. Epigenetic changes have become novel targets for treating patients suffering from melanoma. These changes can alter the expression of microRNAs and their interaction with target genes, which involves cell growth, differentiation, or even death. Given these circumstances, we conducted the present review to discuss the melanoma risk factors and represent the current knowledge about the factors related to its etiopathogenesis. Moreover, various epigenetic pathways, which are involved in melanoma progression, treatment, and chemo-resistance, as well as employed epigenetic factors as a solution to the problems, will be discussed in detail.

Background: Cancer is a significant public health problem. Some studies indicated the anti-cancer effects of mesenchymal stem cells. These effects are related to stem cells or secretory mediator of them. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of condition medium of mesenchymal stem cells on A549 and JEG3 cancer cell lines. Methods: In an experimental study, A549 and JEG3 cell lines provided and grown in the culture media of DMEM F12 containing 10% fetal bovine serum were then treated with different percentages of condition medium of mesenchymal stem cells (5, 10, 20, 40, 50, and 100) for 48 hours. Metabolic activity was evaluated by MTT assay in compare to untreated cells (control). Results: MTT assay showed that various percentages of condition medium of mesenchymal stem cell had inhibitory effects on A549 cell line. Significant differences were observed between treated cells to control (p

Background & Objectives : Urolithiasis is the third common urinary disease. While, relationship between the urinary stones and diet is known to some extent, but there are controversies about it. The aim of this study was to determine the association between food habit, nutrients intake and kinds of urinary stone disease. Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive analytical study was performed on 150 patients (91 male and 59 females) with urinary stone disease in Ardabil during 2008-2009. Data of urinary stones analysis, type of stone in the graph, type of stone, preventive emprise and type of drinking water were recorded. Food data were recorded using 24-hour dietary recalls three days in week and food frequency questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS, Food Processor III software, and ANOVA Statistical program . Results: Findings showed that the most common and lowest form of urinary stone disease in men and women were calcium oxalate and ammonium phosphate, respectively. There was significant inverse association between beta-carotene intake and the percentage of uric acid stone disease (p

Recent reports have indicated different effects of immunostimulatory sequences containing CpG-Oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) on various immune cells. However, the exact role of CpG-ODN in the human gut is unclear. In the present study, we assessed potential effects of CpG-ODN on non lymphoid cell (intestinal epithelial cell line HT-29) on a dose-response and time-course basis. Intestinal epithelial cell line HT-29 was treated with CpG-ODN (CpG 2006) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 5, 10, 25, 50 μg/ ml and 1, 5, 10 μg/ ml concentrations, respectively. Following treatments, dose- response and time-course cytotoxicity using a colorimetric method, Metaloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity (using gelatin zymography) and apoptosis (using annexin-v flowcytometry method) assays were performed. Chloroquine treatment was also used for its inhibitory effect on endosomal acidification process to verify specific CpG-ODN and Toll Like Receptor 9 (TLR9) interactions. Cytotoxicity analysis of CpG-ODN showed that CpG-ODN increased significantly the proliferation of CpG-ODN treated cells, as compared to untreated cells, at concentrations of 10-25 μg/ml (p< 0.05). Overall MMP-2 activity analysis showed significant differences between treated and untreated cells. However, minimal changes were observed when MMP-2 activity was assessed per cell. Moreover, CpG-ODN treated cells demonstrated an increasing apoptosis rate of 0.8 %, 6.46 % and 14.21% at concentrations of 5, 10, 25 μg/ml, respectively. Collectively, our data indicated that intestinal epithelial cell line HT-29 is highly responsive to CpG effect in vitro and exhibits modified activities. The direct CpG-ODN and TLR-9 interactions in HT-29 cells could provide new approaches in malignant tumor therapeutic strategies.