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The global morbidity and mortality associated with asthma have been dramatically raised. We aimed to determine the prevalence of asthma symptoms in northwestern Iran and identify the potential risk...

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have been emerged as a novel class of molecular regulators in cancer. They are dysregulated in many types of cancer; however, there is not enough knowledge available on their expression and functional profiles. Lung cancer is the leading cause of the cancer deaths worldwide. Generally, lncRNAs may be associated with lung tumor pathogenesis and they may act as biomarkers for the cancer prognosis and diagnosis. Compared to other invasive prognostic and diagnostic methods, detection of lncRNAs might be a user-friendly and noninvasive method. In this review article, we selected 27 tumor-associated lncRNAs by literature reviewing to further discussing in detail for using as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer. Also, in an in silico target analysis, the "Experimentally supported functional regulation" approach of the LncTarD web tool was used to identifying the target genes and regulatory mechanisms of the selected lncRNAs. The reports on diagnostic and prognostic potential of all selected lncRNAs were discussed. However, the target genes and regulatory mechanisms of the 22 lncRNAs were identified by in silico analysis and we found the pathways that are controlled by each target group of lncRNAs. They use epigenetic mechanisms, ceRNA mechanisms, protein interaction and sponge mechanism. Also, 10, 23, 5, and 28 target genes for each of these mechanisms were identified, respectively. Finally, each group of target genes controls 50, 12, 7, and 2 molecular pathways, respectively. In conclusion, LncRNAs could be used as biomarkers in lung cancer due to their roles in control of several signaling pathways related to lung tumors. Also, it seems that lncRNAs, which use epigenetic mechanisms for modulating a large number of pathways, could be considered as important subjects for lung cancer-related diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.

The work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI) questionnaire is a fine linguistic validated tool to measure work productivity and activity impairment. Considering its capability, this study aimed to evaluate the validity of the Persian version of WPAI-AQ in asthmatics.The standard forward-backward process was used to translate the English version of WPAI-AQ into Persian. The convergent validity and responsiveness were evaluated by analyzing the correlations between the Persian WPAI-AQ and the health outcomes, and its longitudinal change score with the change in SGRQ score, respectively. Additionally, the stability was estimated according to test-retest scores.There was a significant correlation between the Persian WPAI-AQ related outcomes and symptoms, activities, and impacts of disease (r = 0.41-0.89, p 0.04). Desirable stability was observed by the test-retest analysis; 0.90 (95%CI: 0.89-0.95) for overall impairment, 0.90 (95%CI: 0.86-0.93) for work time missed, 0.72 (95%CI: 0.54-0.83) for activity impairment; 0.79 (95%CI: 0.71-0.86) for student class time missed, and 0.76 (95%CI: 0.66-0.81) for school impairment. Response to the change scores strongly supported the longitudinal responsiveness of the Persian WPAI-AQ (r = 0.37 to 0.63, p 0.05).The Persian WPAI-AQ is a feasible valid tool to estimate work productivity and activity impairment in Persian-speaking asthmatic patients.

Purpose Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalence malignancies in a different society with a high rate of death. The KRAS and p38 alpha axes have critical roles in the development, migration, and growth of numerous tumors, such as colorectal malignancy. KRAS mutation acts as an oncogene in various cancers and is correlated with the poor prognosis in colorectal tumors. Also, p38 alpha plays different roles and exhibits tissue-dependent activity. In some tissues act as an oncogene while in others act as a tumor suppressor. In this research, we try to understand the effect of the P38 alpha and KRAS genes suppression by specific siRNAs on the SW480 cell line progression. Methods We evaluate the impact of the P38 alpha and KRAS gene knockdown by special siRNA on the growth and development of the SW480 cell line. SW480 cell line was treated with KRAS and P38 alpha siRNAs, and the cell viability, gene expression, migration ability, and rate of apoptosis were evaluated with MTT assay, real-time PCR, scratch test, and flow cytometry. Results After treatment of the cancer cell with KRAs and P38 alpha siRNAs, cell viability reduced to 29.16%. Also, the expression levels of the KRAS and P38 alpha genes reduced to 26.34% and 16.06%, respectively. Apoptosis rate after combination therapy with KRAS and P38 alpha siRNAs increased to 72.1. Also, we found that these siRNAs suppress cell migration in SW480 cell lines. Conclusion The current study showed that combination therapy with p38 alpha and KRAS siRNA may be considered a novel therapy for colorectal tumor in future., Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University, of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran, This study was supported by a grant from the Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University, of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran.

Objective: Globally developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence as a major health problem can be related to multiple factors of genetic and environmental. Dimethylaminohydrolase 2 (DDAH2) is the main enzyme implicated in the cardiovascular system, which regulates the nitric oxide pathway. This study investigated the association of DDAH2 polymorphism −499C/G (rs805305) with the risk of MetS among the Azar-Cohort population. Subjects and methods: The occurrence of SNP rs805305 in the DDAH2 gene was tested using the PCR-RFLP method in 332 MetS cases and 294 healthy controls. Afterward, the association of the allele and genotypes with the risk of MetS and its components were examined. Results: The G allele and GC genotype were significantly associated with a reduced risk of MetS (P ≤ 0.001). Also, the dominant genetic model (GG+GC) significantly decreased the risk of MetS (P = 0.001), however, in sex subtypes MetS risk was significantly reduced in males before and in females after adjustment for age (P ≤ 0.02). Conclusion: The −499C/G polymorphism of DDAH2 may play a protective role and reduce MetS risk among the Azar-Cohort population.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most lethal and prevalent cancers throughout the world. Despite the remarkable advance in the field, drug resistance still remains as an unresolved problem in cancer. Hence, finding effective compounds with minimal side effects to fight cancer is of central priority. Herbal products have been traditionally used to prevent and treat a variety of diseases. In the present study, the antitumor effect of Terminalia catappa plant ethanolic extract (TCE) was assessed on SW480 CRC model cell line. In this regard, effects of TCE were evaluated on the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of SW480 cells by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, Annexin V/PI flow cytometry, and scratch tests, respectively. Furthermore, changes in the expression of genes involved in these events including Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase 3, Caspase 8, Caspase 9, MMP-13, miR-21, and miR-34a were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). According to the MTT results, TCE reduced the proliferation of SW480 cells significantly. The flow cytometry test also revealed a notable rate of apoptosis induction after TCE treatment. An inhibitory effect on cell migration was also evident in scratch test. Expression patterns of the assessed genes also changed subsequent to TCE treatment. The results of this study indicated that T. catappa could be considered as a potential source of anticancer compounds and a candidate for further investigations.

After cardiovascular illness, cancer is the one of the main and second cause of death in the worldwide. Despite significant advances in this field, low survival, drug resistance, and side effects of chemotherapy remain an unsolved problem. Due to the high mortality rate among cancer patients, finding the new substance to treatment with low side effects is important. Previous studies have been informed that positive effects of herbal medicines on cancer patients, which are very efficient in the treatment of cancer. Methods: In this study, the antitumor effect of ethanolic Terminalia catappa leaf extract (TCE) on MCF-7, MDA-231, and A549 cell lines was examined. For this reason, the effects of TCE on cell migration, gene expression, and growth were investigated by scratch, test, real-time PCR (qPCR) qPCR, and MTT tests respectively. Results: As a reported by the MTT outcomes, TCE significantly decreased the viability of A549, MCF-7, and MDA-231 cells (P < 0.05). Moreover, genes expression patterns that are related to proliferation (miR-21, miR-34a), migration (MMP-13, Vimentin), and apoptosis (Cas-3, Cas-8, Cas-9, Bcl-2, Bax) also have changed significantly after treatment with TCE. Also, in the A549 cell line, Bax (p value: 0.029), Cas-9 (p value: 0.00023), miR-34a (p value: 0.031), Bcl-2 (p value: 0.0076), MMP-13 (p value: 0.041), Cas-3 (p value: 0.00051) and in MCF-7 cell line Bax (p value: 0.0004), Cas-3 (p value: 0.0003), Cas-9(p value: 0.037), miR-34a (p value: 0.005), Bcl-2(pvalue:0.0007), mir-21(p value:0.016), MMP-13(p value: 0.011) and in MDA-231 cell line Bax(p value, This study was supported by a grant from research deputy of Department of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Center, University Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Although ambient air pollution has been linked to reduced lung function in healthy students, longitudinal studies that compare the response of asthmatic and healthy adolescents are lacking. To evaluate lung function responses to short-term ambient air particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) levels, we conducted a study on high school students aged 15–18 years. The aim of this study was to assess effects of acute exposure to ambient air particulate matter (PM) on lung function in healthy and asthmatic late adolescents. We examined associations of lung function indices and ambient PM levels in 23 asthmatic and 23 healthy students. Paired-samples T test was used to evaluate the association of exposure to airborne PM concentrations with lung function test results (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25–75). We observed negative impact of exposure to an increased concentration of ambient air PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 on lung function parameters of asthmatic and healthy late adolescents. These findings are consistent with other similar short-term studies which have confirmed the adverse effect of PM air pollution. These associations were stronger in asthmatic subjects compared with those in healthy ones. There are significant adverse effects of ambient air PM on pulmonary function of adolescents, especially asthmatics.

Summary Background. Polymorphisms in genes, which is involved in the renin–angiotensin system, play an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD). Polymorphism of c.803T>C in the human angiotensinogen gene results in methionine (M) to threonine (T) substitution at codon 268 (p.Met268Thr), which traditionally has been known as M235T. This polymorphism may contribute to cardiovascular diseases. Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between p.Met268Thr polymorphism in the angiotensinogen gene and coronary heart disease (CHD) through a case-control study, which is followed by a meta-analysis. Material and methods. In the case-control study, c.803T>C genotyping of 217 subjects (102 CHD cases vs 115 controls) was investigated by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. In the meta-analysis, 31 studies were included, reflecting 12,028 people with CHD and 16,362 healthy controls. Results. The data from the case-control study revealed that MT (OR, 1.875; 95%CI, 1.060–3.316; p = 0.031) and TT (OR, 3.389; 95%CI, 1.251–9.179; p = 0.016) genotypes are significantly associated with CHD. The meta-analysis revealed a significant association in the recessive model (OR, 1.156; 95%CI, 1.011–1.321; p = 0.034). Conclusions. Although the pooled OR of the meta-analysis showed that there is an increased risk of CHD conferred by p.Met268Thr of the AGT gene, this association was weak, which could be attributed to a bias in publications. © Copyright by Wydawnictwo Continuo.

Objectives The cyclical changes in proliferation and differentiation of endometrial cells are regulated by estrogen and progesterone via modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Imbalance in the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors causes progesterone resistance in endometriosis patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of some main components of Wnt/β-catenin signaling including WNT7a, DKK-1, β-catenin, and GSK-3β in eutopic endometrium and peritoneal endometriotic lesions of endometriosis patients compared to healthy endometrium in the mid-secretory phase of menstrual cycle. Study Design This prospective study was performed, during a 12 months period from December 2015 to November 2016, on healthy women as the control group (n = 14) and endometriosis patients (n = 34). We used real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot techniques. Results Protein and mRNA expression of DKK-1 were significantly down-regulated in both endometriotic lesions and eutopic endometrium of endometriosis group. We also demonstrated that the expression of non-phosphorylated β-catenin (active form) and phosphorylated GSK-3β (inactive form) were up-regulated in endometriosis patients. The mRNA levels of β-catenin, GSK-3β, and WNT7a, as well as the protein levels of total β-catenin, total GSK-3β, and WNT7a in endometriosis group, were not significantly different with those in control group. The patterns of mRNA and protein expression of all interested factors in the lesions were similar to those in the eutopic endometrium of same patients. Conclusions It seems that the aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle in endometriosis has two essential elements: excessive inactivation of GSK-3β and suppression of the expression of Wnt signaling inhibitor DKK-1. Interventions in this signaling pathway may allow for the exploration of potential new targets for the control of development and progression of endometriosis.

Particulate air pollutants are known contributors to global cardiorespiratory mortality through several pathways. We examined the effects of varied exposure to PM2.5 and trace metals on biological markers of airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and hemodynamic function of young individuals living in two different exposure settings. We enrolled and followed a panel of 97 healthy nonsmoking participants aged 15-18 years living in a highly polluted metropolitan city of Tabriz (TBZ) and a much less polluted semi-urban town of Hadishahr (HDS). For five consecutive months, the subjects were examined by a physician, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels (FENO) were measured. Samples of exhaled breath condensation (EBC) were obtained for measuring interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and total nitric oxide (NOx). We measured daily outdoor PM2.5 mass concentration in a fixed station in each location for all this period. The PM-metal content was analyzed by ICP-MS. The linear mixed-effects regression models were applied for data analysis. The averages of PM2.5 mass and total metals in TBZ were nearly two and four times higher than in HDS, respectively. In TBZ, an increased IQR of PM2.5 mass during 0-5 days was -correlated with a significant rise in diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, TNF-α, FENO, and NOx and reduction of IL-6. Moreover, exposure to low PM2.5 concentration is significantly -correlated with an elevation in diastolic blood pressure in HDS. We also observed that exposure to metal constituents in the highly polluted region is correlated with increased TNF-α and IL-6 with 131.80% (95% CI: 56.01, 244.39) and 47.51% (95% CI: 33.01, 62.05) per IQR of Hg, respectively. This study suggests that exposure to ambient PM2.5 and their metal contents in highly polluted areas may incite significant changes in airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and hemodynamic parameters in healthy subjects.

Background Lung cancer is one of the most common types of fatal malignancies. Despite the remarkable advances in diagnosis and treatment approaches, most of the cases detected in late stages. Discovering novel markers to recognizing cancer in early stages require a deep understanding of molecular mechanisms. OSBPL3, the molecule belongs to the oxysterol-binding proteins (OSBP) family, involved in lipid metabolism and sterol transport; however, recent evidence considers the role of members of this family in cancer pathogenesis. We aimed to investigate the expression level of OSBPL3 in the tumor tissues of NSCLC patients. Methods By bronchoscopy procedure, 45 lung tissue samples including 25 cancerous and 20 non-cancerous control lung tissues were collected. The total RNA of them was extracted and then cDNA synthesized. Assessment of the OSBPL3 expression level was performed utilizing qRT-PCR. Results The significant increased mRNA expression level of OSBPL3 was observed in NSCLC tissues compared to the control of non-cancerous tissues (fold change = +2.38, P Conclusion Our data revealed the oncogenic function of OSBPL3 in NSCLC tissues. In case of confirmation of future studies, the mRNA expression level of OSBPL3 can be used as a biomarker for NSCLC diagnosis.

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease. The impaired estrogen and progesterone signaling over-activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in endometriosis patients, which can explain the increased invasion potency of endometrial cells derived from the endometrium of women with endometriosis. The regulatory effects of vitamin D on Wnt/β-catenin pathway were demonstrated by previous studies. According to gene prioritization method, among Wnt target genes, CD44 was in high ranking in relation to endometriosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of CD44 in the endometrium of women with endometriosis and to study the effects of vitamin D on its expression. This prospective study was performed, during a 12 months period from December 2015 to November 2016, on healthy women as the control group (n = 14) and endometriosis patients (n = 34). The endometriosis patients randomly divided into two groups: One group treated according to the routine protocol and the other group, alongside the routine protocol, took 50,000 IU vitamin D weekly for 12–14 weeks. Blood, endometrial fluid, and endometrial tissue samples were obtained from the control group and endometriosis groups before and after the intervention. We used in silico gene prioritization to study the relevance of CD44. The expression of CD44 was evaluated using the techniques of Western blot, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and ELISA. The eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis in mid-secretory phase expressed significantly higher levels of CD44s, CD44V, and CD44v6. The concentration of soluble CD44 in the serum and endometrial fluid of endometriosis patients was higher than of healthy women. The expression level of CD44s, CD44V, and CD44v6 in the eutopic endometrium as well as the concentration of soluble CD44 in the endometrial fluid was decreased after modification of the circulating levels of 25(OH)D. It seems that the increased expression and extensive shedding of CD44 in eutopic endometrium play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Vitamin D can control and modify this process at least in part. We suggest more in vivo investigations on the therapeutic potency of vitamin D in endometriosis.

Major bibliographic databases were searched for studies examining the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of wheezing and asthma. Random-effects models were used to pool study results. Subgroup analyses were conducted by fruit and vegetable categories, study design, and age group. Twelve cohorts, 4 population-based case-control studies, and 26 cross-sectional studies published between January 1990 and July 2013 were identified. For the meta-analysis of adults and children, the relative risk (RR) and confidence intervals (CI) when comparing the highest intake group with the lowest intake group were 0.78 (95%CI, 0.70-0.87) for fruit and 0.86 (95%CI, 0.75-0.98) for vegetables. High intake of fruit and vegetables (RR = 0.76; 95%CI, 0.68-0.86 and RR = 0.83; 95%CI, 0.72-0.96) reduced the risk of childhood wheezing. Total intake of fruit and vegetables had a negative association with risk of asthma in adults and children (RR = 0.54; 95%CI, 0.41-0.69). Consuming fruit and vegetables during pregnancy had no association with the risk of asthma in offspring. High intake of fruit and vegetables may reduce the risk of asthma and wheezing in adults and children.

Background and objective: Increased production of reactive oxygen species secondary to phagocyte respiratory burst occurs in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The present study evaluated the efficacy of vitamin E–selenium supplementation on oxidative stress in newly diagnosed patients treated for pulmonary TB. Methods: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial including patients with newly diagnosed TB was conducted. The intervention group (n = 17) received vitamin E and selenium (vitamin E: 140 mg α-tocopherol and selenium: 200 μg) and the control group (n = 18) received placebo. Both groups received standard anti-TB treatment. Assessment of micronutrient levels, oxidative markers and total antioxidant capacity were carried out at baseline and 2 months after the intervention. Results: Malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced in the intervention group (P = 0.01), while there was minimal reduction in the control group. The mean plasma level of total antioxidants was increased significantly (P = 0.001) in both the intervention and the control groups. Conclusion: A 2-month intervention with vitamin E and selenium supplementation reduces oxidative stress and enhances total antioxidant status in patients with pulmonary TB treated with standard chemotherapy.