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Background and Objectives The FUT3 gene regulates the expression of Lewis blood group antigens mainly Lea and Leb. The Lewis negative phenotype, is the result of an inactivated FUT3 enzyme that lacks glycosidase activity. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may cause enzyme inactivation with different racial distribution. This study aimed to determine the frequency of these SNPs in Iranian blood donors. Materials and Methods In this cross sectional descriptive study, one hundred blood donors from Tehran Blood Transfusion Center were analyzed. Genomic DNA was extracted and the coding sequence of FUT3 gene was amplified with specific primers. PCR products were directly sequenced. Haplotypes were inferred by SNP Analyzer software. Results A total of 15 SNPs including 10 nonsense SNPs were recognized. The frequency of most common SNPs was detected as 39%(202T>C), 37%(314C>T), 20%(59T>G), 9%(508G>A), and 8%(47G>C). Haplotype analysis revealed 13 haplotypes. The frequency of major haplotypes was detected as 66.2%(Le), 17.5%(le202,314), 4.3 %(le47,202,314), 4.1 %(le59), and 3.4%(le59,508). Conclusions Our findings indicate that 202T > C, 59T > G and 508G > A are useful as major SNPs for detection of Lewis-negative alleles in genotyping of Lewis blood groups; they can also play an effective role in large-scale studies associated with diseases in our population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate, intracellular protozoon that develops its sexual stage in cat's intestinal epithelial cells as definitive host and develops its asexual stage in different tissues of a wide range hosts called intermediate host. The protozoon is a food-borne and worldwide parasite that can cause serious complications such as abortion in pregnant women, encephalitis, and ocular toxoplasmosis. The present study aimed to genotype T. gondii strains isolated from patients with toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis. Methods: Fifty-two blood samples were taken from patients with ocular toxoplasmosis, from July 2013 to July 2014. The specimens were collected from three ophthalmological hospitals of Tehran, Iran. After that, DNA extraction was performed using kit on separated buffy coats of serologically positive blood samples. Then PCR was done in GRA6 gene. For digestion of products, MseI endonuclease was used. Finally, some of the PCR products were sequenced. Results: All of 52 samples were found positive by serological and PCR-RFLP methods and all of isolated strains belong to type III genotype. Type III genotype has the highest prevalence in Iranian ocular toxoplasmic patients. Conclusion: T. gondii, particularly its type III should not be neglected as a cause of retinochoroiditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]