International Journal of Molecular and Cellular Medicine
Volume:2 Issue: 8, Autumn 2013

Sulfated polysaccharides have shown promising effects on wound healing processes along with many other biological activities. The sulfated polysaccharides extracted from two algae species habitats in Persian Gulf were studied in vivo for their effects on collagen formation and epidermal regeneration. The polysaccharides were purified from aqueous extracts of P. tetrastromatica and P. boergesenii using CaCl2 and ethanol precipitation. The sulfate content of each polysaccharide was determined. Two identical wounds (either burn or excision) were made on the back of 4 groups of male Wistar rats (10 rats per group) under anesthesia. The algal polysaccharide ointments (2%) were applied twice daily on one side and the other wound was treated with Eucerin (as control). The rats were sacrificed on day 7 or 14, and then the wound samples were examined for epidermal thickness by light microscope. Furthermore, hydroxyproline content (as a marker of collagen formation) was spectro-photometrically measured. The polysaccharides purified from P. boergesenii had higher sulfate content (32.6±1%) compared to P. tetrastromatica (19±1%). Both algal polysaccharides show some improvements in collagen formation (hydroxyproline content) and epidermal thickness in both wound models compared to the vehicle. The sulfated polysaccharides purified from P. tetrastromatica and P. boergesenii seaweeds are able to induce collagen formation and epidermal regeneration in the two wound models. The superior healing properties of P. boergesenii polysaccharides might be correlated to its higher sulfate content. Both algal polysaccharides are good candidates for wound healing clinical trials.

Spontaneous abortion (SAb) is the most common complication of early pregnancy. Numerous risk factors are associated with an increased risk of pregnancy loss such as: Blighted ovum. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of balanced chromosomal translocations in couples with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortions and ultrasound diagnosed blighted ovum. Sixty Eight couples with the history of spontaneous abortion (diagnosed blighted ovum) were selected and introduced into this survey during 2007-2012 at Medical Genetics department of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Giemsa banding technique was used to search for chromosomal balanced translocations. Demographic assessment has not shown any age difference between blighted ovum suffering couples and general population. Consanguineous marriages in blighted ovum suffering couples was significantly higher (P value <0.001) than non-consanguineous marriages (68.5% versus 31.5%), while in general population 62% of were non-consanguineous. The incidences of balanced chromosomal rearrangements as well as the rate of chromosome 9 inversion were 8.3 percent each, in non-consanguineous Blighted ovum suffering couples and the remaining (83.4%) showed normal karyotypes. There was no chromosome 9 inversion in consanguineous blighted ovum suffering couples and the incidence of balanced chromosomal rearrangements was 2.3%. With regard to relatively low incidence of balanced chromosomal rearrangements in consanguineous couples with blighted ovum, it would be reasonable to suggest that single gene determinants may play an important role in such pregnancy complications rather than chromosomal disorders.

Plants with hypoglycemic properties are important in the treatment of diabetes. One of the mechanisms in reducing blood glucose is preventing the digestive absorption of glucose. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of some traditional medicinal plants collected from different regions of Iran and their effects on glucose diffusion decrease. The amounts of phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, total polysaccharides, antioxidant activity and lipid peroxidation were determined respectively by folin ciocalteu, querceting, sulfuric acid, FRAP and thiobarbituric acid - reactive substanses (TBARS) in eleven confirmed traditional antihyperglycemic medicinal plants prepared at 50g/l concentrations using the boiling method. Phenolic compounds of Eucalyptus globules (100.8± 0.01 mg /g), total flavonoids content of Juglans regia (16.9± 0.01 mg /g) and total polysaccharide amount of Allium satirum (0.28± 0.05) were the highest. Significant relationship was observed between the polyphenols and flavonoids (p <0.05). The grape seed extract showed the highest antioxidant activity (133± 0.02 mg/g) together with decreased glucose diffusion as well as increased polyphenols (p <0.05), but the increase in antioxidant activity was not related to glucose diffusion. Antihyperglycemic plant extracts containing higher polyphenols showed more efficient in vitro glucose diffusion decrease, but no significant relationship was observed between antioxidant activity increase and glucose diffusion.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria can damage DNA of the gut lining cells and may encourage the development of colon cancer according to recent reports. Genetic switches are specific sequence motifs and many of them are drug targets. It is interesting to know motifs and their location in sequences. At the present study, Gibbs sampler algorithm was used in order to predict and find functional motifs in E. coli NC101 contig 1. The whole genomic sequence of Escherichia coli NC101 contig 1 were retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (NCBI Reference sequence: NZ_AEFA01000001.1) in order to be analyzed with DAMBE software and BLAST. The results showed that the 6-mer motif is CUGGAA in most sequences (genes1-3, 8, 9, 12, 14-18, 20-23, 25, 27, 29, 31-34), CUUGUA for gene 4, CUGUAA for gene 5, CUGAUG for gene 6, CUGAUA for gene7, CUGAAA for genes 10, 11, 13, 26, 28, and CUGGAG for gene 19, and CUGGUA for gene30 in E. coli NC101 contig 1. It is concluded that the 6-mer motif is CUGGAA in most sequences in E. coli NC101 contig1. The present study may help experimental studies on elucidating the pharmacological and phylogenic functions of the motifs in E. coli.

p53 and PCNA expression in keratocystic odontogenic tumors compared with selected odontogenic cysts Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate p53 and PCNA expression in different odontogenic lesions regarding their different clinical behaviors. Slices prepared from 94 paraffin-embedded tissue blocks (25 radicular cysts (RC), 23 dentigerous cysts (DC), 23 keratocystic odontogenic tumors (KCOT) and 23 calcifying cystic odontogenic tumors (CCOT)) were stained with p53 and PCNA antibodies using immunohistochemistry procedure. The highest level of p53 expression was in the basal layer of RC, and the highest level of PCNA expression was in the suprabasal layer of KCOT. The differences of p53 expression in basal and suprabasal layers as well as PCNA expression in the suprabasal layer were significant but there was no significant difference in PCNA expression in the basal layer of these lesions. The expression of p53 in the basal layer of RC was higher than in other cysts. This may be due to intensive inflammatory infiltration. Also, the high level of PCNA expression in the suprabasal layer of KCOT may justify its neoplastic nature and tendency to recurrence. KCOT and calcifying cystic odontogenic tumors did not show similar expression of studied biomarkers.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa which is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a premalignant condition. One step in malignant development is so called epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process whereby epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal characteristics. A factor known to induce EMT is the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which uses the Smad proteins as mediators for its signaling. The aim of this study was to compare the expression of Smad 3 in Oral Lichen Planus and normal oral mucosa. This descriptive analytic study was performed on 30 patients with OLP (21 women and 9 men with mean age of 45.23± 2.44 years) and 20 normal oral mucosa (14 women and 6 men with mean age of 46.95± 2.21 years). The samples were studied by immunohistochemical staining. Data were analyzed with paired T-test and Wilcoxon test by SPSS software. Expression of Smad3 in OLP samples and normal oral mucosa was different. This difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The apparently higher expression of Smad 3 in oral lichen planus compared to normal oral mucosa might help to discuss its higher potential for malignant transition.

Gastric adenocarcinoma is the second leading cause of death due to cancer in the world and in advanced stages the prognosis is poor with current therapies. Over-expression of HER-2/neu has been seen in several cancers such as gastric cancer and its expression is associated with poor prognosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the over-expression of HER-2/neu in gastric biopsy samples of patients with gastric carcinoma diagnosis; and to evaluate its probable relationship with clinical and pathological findings. The over-expression of HER-2/neu was examined retrospectively by immunohistochemistry method in 60 paraffin embedded samples collected in Babol, Iran, between 2010 and 2011. The over-expression of HER-2/neu has been observed in 6 patients (10%) and this over-expression was greater in the intestinal type of gastric adenocarcinoma than the diffuse type (12% vs. 6%); however, no statistically significant correlation between HER-2/neu expression and subtype, degree of differentiation, tumor type and age was observed. This over-expression was greater in differentiated types than undifferentiated types (18% vs. 5%).

Multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria are spread through the world which causes nosocomial infections, especially in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This study aimed to investigate resistance pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter cloacae isolated from patients in ICU. During 2011-2012, 30 isolates for each P. aeruginosa and E. cloacae were collected from patients who acquired nosocomial infection after admition to the ICU at Hospitals affiliated to Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, northern Iran. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed for five category antibiotics by micro-dilution method. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The highest resistance rate of P. aeruginosa was seen to amikacin (53.3%) followed by ceftazidime (43.3%). Also, 16.7% of E. cloacae was resistant to ceftazidime. Among P. aeruginosa isolates,18 (60%) were MDR while no E. cloacae isolates were MDR. The significant correlation was only demonstrated between MDR P. aeruginosa and the reason of hospitalization (P=0.004). In conclusion, there was alarming amount of P. aeruginosa MDR in patients in ICU which could lead to a hazardous outcome for the patients. Therefore, new prevention policies regarding to hospital infection should be established. Also, periodical assessment of bacterial resistance pattern particularly in ICUs should be performed.