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Background: Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNA) are a type of ribonucleic acids with 20-24 nucleotides. They seem to have an important regulating role in cells. MiR-211 is an miRNA whose expression decreases in cancer cells, especially human melanoma cells. It is of high importance in suppression of tumor growth and invasion. Up to now, no study has evaluated miR-211 expression in murine melanoma cells for in vivo and in vitro conditions. We evaluated and compared the expression of miR-211 in murine melanoma cell line and melanoma tumors using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Methods: Melanoma B16F10 cell line was cultured. Subcutaneous melanoma tumors were induced by injecting this line to C57 mice. Melanoma cell line and melanoma tumors were lysed and miRNAs were extracted. After complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) synthesis, real-time PCR of samples was performed using miR-211 primers. Data was statistically analyzed by Student’s t-test. Findings: Average expression of miR-211 in melanoma cell line was significantly higher than melanoma tumors. Conclusion: Due to the lower expression of miR-211 in murine melanoma tumors in comparison to murine melanoma cells, miRNA may be involved in invasive properties of melanoma cells in the mouse model of melanoma. Keywords: MiRNA, Murine melanoma cells, Real time polymerase chain reaction

Background: Breast cancer is the most common form of hereditary cancer worldwide and is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Approximately 5-10% of breast and ovarian cancers are due to the highly penetrating germline mutations in cancer predisposing genes. Two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, account for at least half of these cases. The demand for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation screening is rapidly increasing as their identification will affect the medical management of people at increased risk for the disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate BRCA1/2 mutations in 100 high risk Iranian families.Methods: One hundred families who met the minimal risk factors for breast/ovarian cancer were screened among the families referred to Kawsar Human Genetics Research Center for the diseases in 2009-2011. The entire coding sequences and each intron/exon boundaries of BRCA1/2 genes were screened for by direct sequencing and MLPA in both patients and the controls.Results: In the present study, we could detect the following novel mutations: p.Gly1140Ser, p.Ile26Val, p.Leu1418X, p.Glu23Gln, p.Leu3X, p.Asn1403His, p.Asn1403Asp, p.Lys581X, p.Pro938Arg, p.Thr77Arg, p.Leu6Val, p.Arg7Cys, p.Leu15Ile, p.Ser177Thr, IVS7+83(-TT), IVS8 -70(-CATT), IVS2+9(G>C), IVS1-20(G>A), IVS1-8(A>G), p.Met1Ile, IVS2+24(A>G), IVS5-8 (A>G), IVS2(35-39)TTcctatGAT, IVS13+9 G>C in BRCA1 and p.Glu1391Gly, p. Val1852Ile, IVS6-70(T>G), 1994-1995 (InsA) in BRCA2.Conclusion: Ten mutations seemed to be pathogenic and the disease-causing mutations were seen in 16% of the families. In addition, from the total number of substitutions and reassortments (42), 80% related to BRCA1 and 20% to mutations in BRCA2 genes.

Background: Severe mitral stenosis is occasionally associated with significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and this association has an adverse impact on morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing mitral valve intervention. However, the effect of successful mitral balloon valvotomy (MBV) on significant TR is not fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the course of TR after MBV in patients with severe mitral stenosis with TR.Methods: The present study was performed in Tabriz Madani heart center from March 2007 to February 2008. Among 110 patients with mitral stenosis who were candidates of MBV, 68 cases with more than mild TR were selected and the fate of TR after MBV and its predictors were evaluated. Results: Among 68 patients who were enrolled in this study, 58 individuals (85.3%) were female with mean age of 36.85± 14.32 years. Before intervention, 48 patients (70.6%) had severe TR and 20 (29.4%) cases had moderate TR. After intervention, 14 patients suffered from mild TR, 22 from moderate TR and 32 patients from severe TR (P

Background Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a gram negative curved bacilli colonized in the human stomach. It causes duodenal ulcer, gastritis and is associated with adenocarinoma. There might be a possible relationship between cagA, vacA and ice a genes and clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify the frequency of vacA genotypes of H. pylori isolated from the upper gastrointestinal. Methods One hundred H. pylori strains were isolated from patients with different gastrointestinal disease who admitted to Isfahan Al-zahra hospital. Vac A alleles were typed using PCR with specific primers. Findings There were four Vac A mosaicsms, including 28 for s1a/m1 (28%), 23 for s1b/m1 (23%), 26 for s1a/m2 (26%) and 23 for s1b/m2 (23%), s2 form was not found. Conclusion The results showed there is no significant relationship between different genotypes of vacA and the related diseases. Key words: Helicobacter pylori, vac A, Adenocarinoma, Duodenal ulcer, Normal /Gastritis, PCR

Soluble forms of nonclassical human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G have recently been suggested as immunomodulatory factors in multiple sclerosis (MS). HLA-G inhibits the effecter function of T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. Also regulatory T cells (Treg) are considered as pivotal players in MS pathogenesis. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the presence of HLA-G molecules and Treg cells in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) patients and compare it to healthy controls.Patients with RRMS (n=205, mean age=31.32±8.53) and healthy subjects (n=205, mean age=32.2±7.48) were studied. The patients subgrouped to untreated and treated with Interferon beta. Then sHLA-G levels (sHLA-G1 and sHLA-G5) were measured using ELISA method. Treg (CD4+CD25+ Foxp3+) cells in patients who had sHLA-G>10 U/ml were characterized by using flow cytometry.Our data showed that there was no significant differences between RRMS patients and healthy controls in sHLA-G concentration (p>0.05). Treg cell frequencies were higher in the patients who had sHLA-G >10 U/ml compared to healthy subjects (p

Wound infections are a common cause of staphylococcal infections. An ability of S.aureus is to adhere and form biofilm on host surfaces. Biofilm is an exopolysaccharide, a slime matrix around multiple layers of cells and is mediated by expression of the icaADBC operon. The present study evaluated the biofilm forming capacity and the presence of icaAD gene among S.aureus isolated from wound infections. Slime production assay was performed by cultivation on Congo Red Agar plate. In addition, Quantitative biofilm formation determined by microtiter plate assay PCR method used for detection of icaAD gene. Fifty strains were identified, 54% of the isolates produced black colonies on CRA plate, 52% were positive biofilm forming, and all strains carried the icaAD gene. Regarding the ability of S.aureus to form biofilms helps the bacterium to survive hostile environments within the host, suggests that biofilm production is a risk factor for infection. It is important in rapid diagnosis and treatment biofilm forming strains, because biofilm formation may lead to increased antimicrobial resistance and create a significant impediment to wound healing.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the hormonal responses of buffaloes to GnRH injections given at different moments of the estrous cycle. The estrous cycles of 15 buffaloes were synchronized with 2 im injections of prostaglandin F2α given 11 days apart. The buffalos were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups. Buffaloes in the control group received no treatment, whereas GnRH6 buffaloes received a GnRH injection between days 5 and 7 and GnRH16 buffaloes received a GnRH injection between days 15 and 17 of the estrous cycle (estrus = day 0). Up to day 6, the plasma progesterone levels in the three groups were low (1 ± 0.16 ng/ml) but gradually increased until day 12 (4.62 ± 0.41 ng/ml). The amount of plasma progesterone concentrations decreased from day 15 of the estrous cycle in all groups of buffaloes. No significant differences were observed in the plasma level of progesterone and estradiol concentrations of the three groups during the estrous cycle. The peak levels of plasma estradiol were observed on day 20 and the differences were not significant (11.34 ± 1.77, 11.74 ± 1.91 and 12.72 ± 2.49 pg/ml in the control, GnRH6 and GnRH16 groups, respectively (P> 0.05). In conclusion, GnRH given at the beginning or at the end of the estrous cycle did not alter the profile of progesterone and estradiol concentration in buffaloes.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is the most prevalent metabolic disorder worldwide with many subsequent medical complications. An important complication of diabetes is microalbuminuria which is a major indication for development of diabetic nephropathy. The prevalence of diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients has been estimated to be 47%. Since the disorder initiates with microalbuminuria, its early detection and prevention are vital. On the other hand, helicobacter pylori infection is more common in diabetic patients due to their low immune tolerance. The vacA positive genotype is reported to be effective in microalbuminuria development in type 2 diabetic patients. In this study, we investigated the relation between H. pylori vacA and microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: This study included 88 type 2 diabetic patients among whom 60 had microalbuminuria. Stool samples were collected from all patients and DNA was extracted using QiaAmp Stool DNA Extraction Minikit. In order to detect H. pylori infection, a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol was developed and all H. pylori positive samples were genotyped for cagA positivity. Findings: Overall, 16 patients (18.2%) were detected to be H. pylori positive out of whom 12 had microalbuminuria (75%). VacA positivity was detected in one patient without microalbuminuria. Conclusion: We could not establish a relationship between vacA positivity and microalbuminuria in the studied type 2 diabetic patients. Keywords: Helicobacter pylori, VacA, Polymerase chain reaction, Type 2 diabetes, Microalbuminuria