فهرست مطالب

Iranian Biomedical Journal - Volume:22 Issue: 4, Jul 2018

Iranian Biomedical Journal
Volume:22 Issue: 4, Jul 2018

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1397/03/01
  • تعداد عناوین: 9
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  • Yasaman Taslimi, Sima Rafati Pages 215-216
    The parasite, Leishmania, is the causative agent of the disease leishmaniasis and is highly endemic in 98 countries spread across the tropics, subtropics and Mediterranean Basin. It is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the bite of infected sand flies, and it appears in three clinical manifestations namely: cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral leishmaniasis. It is known that at least 21 species are pathogenic to humans. To control the disease, there is no human vaccine, and the sole approach is through chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the available anti-leishmanial drugs are problematic due to their high toxicity, as well as increased parasite resistance. Therefore, making accurate diagnostic decisions for clinical treatment is highly important.
    Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is mostly caused by two Leishmania species, named as L. major and L. tropica that produce skin ulcers. It is also important to note that the symptoms of CL can be confused with other skin diseases. Similar clinical symptoms such as sarcoidosis, lupus vulgaris, leprosy, and bacterial ulcer may have common clinical signs with CL ulcer. Therefore, the diagnostic confirmation of the parasite is mandatory before starting an appropriate treatment strategy.
  • Fatemeh Molaei, Mohammad Mahdi Forghanifard, Yasaman Fahim, Mohammad Reza Abbaszadegan Pages 217-230
    Gastric cancer (GC) is regarded as the fifth most common cancer and the third cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Mechanism of GC pathogenesis is still unclear and relies on multiple factors, including environmental and genetic characteristics. One of the most important environmental factors of GC occurrence is infection with Helicobacter pylori that is classified as class one carcinogens. Dysregulation of several genes and pathways play an essential role during gastric carcinogenesis. Dysregulation of developmental pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin signaling, Hedgehog signaling, Hippo pathway, Notch signaling, nuclear factor-kB, and epidermal growth factor receptor have been found in GC. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition, as an important process during embryogenesis and tumorigenesis, is supposed to play a role in initiation, invasion, metastasis, and progression of GC. Although surgery is the main therapeutic modality of the disease, the understanding of biological processes of cell signaling pathways may help to develop new therapeutic targets for GC.
    Keywords: Beta Catenin, Epithelial, mesenchymal transition, Hedgehogs, Helicobacter pylori, NF, kappa B
  • Hamed Heidary, Farkhondeh Pouresmaeili, Reza Mirfakhraie, Mir Davood Omrani, Hamid Ghaedi, Zahra Fazeli, Shadi Sayban, Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard, Eznollah Azargashb, Fazlollah Shokri Pages 231-236
    Background
    Telomeres are evolutionary, specialized terminal structures at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes containing TTAGGG repeats in human. Several human diseases have been known to be associated with dramatic changes in telomere length. The aim of the present study was to assess the correlation between the relative leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and infertility in a group of Iranian azoospermic males.
    Methods
    In this case-control pilot study, relative telomere length (RTL) of peripheral blood leukocytes from a total of 30 idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermic males and 30 healthy fertile males was evaluated using real-time PCR. RTL was calculated as T (telomere)/S (single copy gene) ratio and compared between infertile and fertile groups.
    Results
    Patients with azoospermia showed significantly shorter RTL than fertile males (0.54 vs. 0.84, p
    Conclusion
    Our findings demonstrated a probable association between telomere shortening and azoospermia in a population of Iranian infertile men affected by idiopathic azoospermia.
    Keywords: Azoospermia, Telomere, Male infertility, Spermatogenesis
  • Nastaran Mohammadi Ghahhari, Faezeh Maghsood, Saeed Jahandideh, Majid Lotfinia, Shirin Lak, Behrooz Johari, Asaad Azarnezhad, Mehdi Kadivar Pages 237-245
    Background
    Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have emerged as a potential therapy for various inflammatory diseases. Because of some limitations, several recent studies have suggested the use of embryonic stem cell-derived MSCs (ESC-MSCs) as an alternative for BM-MSCs. Some of the therapeutic effects of the ESC-MSCs are related to the secretion of a broad array of cytokines and growth factors, known as secretome. Harnessing this secretome for therapeutic applications requires the optimization of production of secretary molecules. It has been shown that aggregation of MSCs into 3D spheroids, as a preconditioning strategy, can enhance immunomodulatory potential of such cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of secretome derived from human ESC-MSCs (hESC-MSCs) spheroids on secretion of IL-1β, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
    Methods
    In the present study, after immunophenotyping and considering mesodermal differentiation of hESC-MSCs, the cells were non-adherently grown to prepare 3D aggregates, and then conditioned medium or secretome was extracted from the cultures. Afterwards, the anti-inflammatory effects of the secretome were assessed in an in vitro model of inflammation.
    Results
    Results from this study showed that aggregate-prepared secretome from hESC-MSCs was able to significantly decrease the secretion of TNF-α (301.7 ± 5.906, p
    Conclusion
    Our study indicated that cell aggregation can be an appropriate strategy to increase immunomodulatory characteristics of hESC-MSCs.
    Keywords: Cell aggregation, Embryonic stem cells, Mesenchymal stem cells, Inflammation, Mononuclear leukocyte
  • Hojjat Allah Abbaszadeh, Taki Tiraihi, Yousef Sadeghi, Ali Reza Delshad, Majid Sadeghizadeh, Taher Taheri, Ali Noori-Zadeh Pages 246-257
    Background
    Oligodendrocyte cell death is among the important features of spinal cord injury, which appears within 15 min and occurs intensely for 4 h after injury, in the rat spinal contusion model. Accordingly, the number of oligodendrocytes progressively reduced within 24 h after injury. Administration of oligodendrocyte-like cells (OLCs) into the lesion area is one of the approaches to counterbalance this condition.
    Methods
    Bone marrow stromal cells were transdifferentiated into neurospheres and then into neural stem cells and later were differentiated into OLCs using triiodothyronine and transplanted into the spinal cord contusion rats. The post-injury functional recovery was explored and compared with the control group using Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan and narrow beam behavioral tests. At the end of 12th week, spinal cord segments T12-L1 were histomorphologically studied by immunohistochemistry.
    Results
    Motor improvement was more obvious during 2nd to 4th weeks and got less prominent during 4th to 12th weeks. Histomorphometric findings indicated that cavity formation decreased in epicenter of transplantation area in experimental groups in comparison with the control groups.
    Conclusion
    The findings obtained in the present study showed that OLC therapy is a potential approach in the treatment of spinal cord traumatic injuries.
    Keywords: Spinal cord injury, Myelin basic protein, Oligodendrocyte
  • Ahmad Alrahel, Mansoureh Movahedin, Zohre Mazaheri, Fardin Amidi Pages 258-263
    Background
    In vitro spermatogenesis has a long research history beginning in the early 20th century. This organ culture method was therefore abandoned, and alternative cell culture methods were chosen by many researchers. Here, whether Tnp1, Tekt1, and Plzf, which play a crucial role in spermatogenesis, can be expressed during testis organ culture was assessed.
    Methods
    Testes of 10 mouse pups were first removed, and the testis tissue was then separated into smaller pieces of seminiferous tubules. The size of the pieces was arbitrary; approximately 1 mg in weight or 1 mm3 in size when compacted. Afterwards, the testis tissue fragments (1–3) were transferred to the hexahedrons, incubated in a culture incubator and cultured for 12 weeks. Histological assessment and molecular evaluation were carried out at the end of the study.
    Results
    The results showed that the expression of Tekt1 as a mitotic gene in mouse pups decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) in comparison to adult mouse testis. Meanwhile, the expression of Tnp1 as a meiotic gene increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) as compared to neonate mouse testis at the beginning of the culture. The expression of Plzf showed no significant difference during the 12 weeks of culture (p ≥ 0.05). Based on histological study, different types of spermatocytes and post-meiotic stages of germ cells could not be detected.
    Conclusion
    This kind of three-dimensional culture can induce expression of post-meiotic gene, Tnp1, but only at the molecular level and not beyond meiosis.
    Keywords: Mice, Testis, Culture
  • Soraya Mehrabi, Mahyar Janahamdi, Mohammad Taghi Joghataie, Mahmood Barati, Mohsen Marzban, Mahmoudreza Hadjighassem, Maryam Farahmandfar Pages 264-274
    Background
    Many recent epidemiological studies have shown that epileptic patients are more likely suffer from depression, anxiety, and irritability. However, the cellular mechanisms of epilepsy-induced psychotic behaviors are not fully elucidated. Neurotrophin receptors have been suggested to be involved in epilepsy and also in psychiatric disorders. Up-regulation of p75NTR expression and activation of p75NTR signalling cascades after the seizure have been shown, but the role of the p75 receptor in epilepsy-induced psychotic behaviors has not been documented so far. Therefore, the present work aimed to investigate the effect of p75 receptor blockade on seizure activity, irritability, and anxiety-like behaviors in a rat model of status epilepticus.
    Methods
    Rats were injected with pilocarpine (350 mg/ kg, i.p.) to induce status epilepticus. Then various behavioral tests were performed after the blockade of p75NTR alone or in combination with p75 antagonist and phenobarbital. Molecular analysis by PCR was performed to investigate the expression of p75 and pro-NGF.
    Results
    Molecular findings indicated a high level of mRNA expression for both p75 receptors and pro-NGF in the epileptic model group. Results also showed that the administration of p75 antagonist alone or in combination with phenobarbital was able to significantly influence the behavioral responses. Furthermore, 20-hours video monitoring showed a decrease in the frequency and duration of seizures in the rat group receiving p75 antagonist.
    Conclusion
    Taken together, the present study suggests that the blockade of the p75 receptor may affect the irritability and anxiety-related behavior in a rat model of status epilepticus.
    Keywords: Pilocarpine, Status epilepticus, Anxiety
  • Narges Bodaghabadi, Samira Hajigholami, Ziba Vaise Malekshahi, Maliheh Entezari, Farhood Najafi, Hadi Shirzad, Majid Sadeghizadeh Pages 275-282
    Background
    Brucellosis or Malta fever is a contagious infection common between human and domestic animals. Many antibiotics are used for brucellosis treatment, but they are not efficient and put heavy burden on society. Co-trimoxazole and rifampicin are two candidates for brucellosis treatment. In this study, we aimed to enhance the efficacy of these antibiotics using designed nanoparticles.
    Methods
    Different concentrations of co-trimoxazole and rifampicin were used for loading onto a nanostructure of synthesized monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-oleate (mPEG-OA). The solubility, cytotoxicity, and efficacy of these nano-packed antibiotics on Brucella-infected murine phagocytic cells were examined, as compared with free antibiotics. Then the release nanoparticles was increased approximately 3.5 and 1.5fold, respectively, which is considerable in comparison with free insoluble ones. Despite acceptable loading percentage, the application of co-trimoxazole-loaded nanoparticle on Brucella-infected J774A.1 murine macrophage-like cells did not lead to reduction in the number of bacteria; however, the efficacy of rifampicin on Brucella-infected murine phagocytic cells enhanced.
    Conclusion
    In the current study, the efficacy of rifampicin on reducing the number of Brucella melitensis increased by the novel synthesized nanostructure. In contrast, since co-trimoxazole efficacy did not enhance by loading onto nanoparticles, the co-trimoxazole inefficiency is most likely not due to its low penetration or insolubility, and probably there are other factors that remain to be clarified in the future investigations.
    Keywords: Brucellosis, Rifampicin, Cytotoxicity, Nanoparticles
  • Rahmat Solgi, Seyed Mahmoud Sadjjadi, Mehdi Mohebali, Zabihollah Zarei, Majid Golkar, Abbasali Raz Pages 283-289
    Background
    Dirofilaria immitis is a cosmopolitan zoonotic, vector-borne parasite of carnivorous animals causing dirofilariasis in human beings. Common commercial serodiagnostic tests for canine dirofilariasis usually lead to different results in their sensitivity and specificity. The present study reports development of recombinant DgK (rDgK) antigen of D. immitis for accurate immunodiagnosis of D. Immitis-infected dogs using indirect ELISA test.
    Methods
    The rDgK coding sequence was successfully sequenced, codon optimized and cloned into pET-24a() expression vector and then expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant DgK was affinity purified using Ni²+charged HiTrap chelating column, followed by testing in Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) with dog sera from a dirofilariasis endemic area. The performance of rDgK ELISA was evaluated using 60 sera collected from suspected dogs, while molecular technique was used as a reference test.
    Results
    Sera from positive control D. immitis infection produced a strong IgG antibody response to rDgK both in ELISA and Western blotting tests. The sensitivity and specificity related to diagnostic potential of rDgK for ELISA were 92.5% and 87.5%, respectively. The results of rDgK ELISA showed a high agreement (0.764) with molecular identification.
    Conclusions
    The findings revealed that the developed new rDgK antigen is sensitive and specific for immunodiagnosis of canine dirofilariasis using ELISA test.
    Keywords: Proteins, Enzyme, linked immunosorbent assays, Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilariasis