Archives of Medical Laboratory Sciences

Background: It seems adipocytokines play an important role in breast cancer. Omentin-1 is a novel discovered plasma adipocytokine produced mainly in visceral adipose tissue. The aim of present study was to estimate. Circulating levels of omentin-1 in postmenopausal breast cancer patients as compare to healthy postmenopausal subjects.Materials and Methods: This study consisted of 30 postmenopausal women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and 30 healthy postmenopausal subjects aged 45 to 70 years. Serum levels of omentin-1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: The mean age of the case group was 54.3±8.3 years, and the control group was 50.3±3.2 years. The mean serum levels of omentin-1 in the case group were 73.1±29.7 ng/mL and in the control group were 108.8±65.4 ng/mL. The mean serum omentin-1 levels were found to be significantly lower in breast cancer patients (P=0.009). We also demonstrated the negative correlation of Omentin-1 with BMI in both groups (p=0.005), however, we did not find any association between age and serum omentin-1 levels (P=NS).Conclusion: Our studied showed that Omentin-1 level was significantly reduced in the breast cancer patients as compare to healthy controls. Decreased omentin-1 levels may contribute to the development of cancer, however determination of its role and mechanisms needs more investigations. To sum up, our data suggest that omentin-1 can be used as a marker for early detection of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Keywords: Breast cancer, omentin, serum

Background: Little in known regarding the clinical relevance of SIRT1 in multiple sclerosis (MS). Here, we aimed to evaluate mRNA expression, protein level and enzyme activity of SIRT1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from relapsing –remitting MS patients (RRMS) and healthy controls.

Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with RR-MS and twenty two age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled in this case-control study. Following PBMCs isolation, mRNA expression was evaluated by real time-PCR. SIRT1 activity and SIRT1 protein level were measured using a fluorometric assay and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively, in PBMC lysates.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the mRNA expression of SIRT1 (p=0.56) and its protein levels (p=0.15) between MS patients and healthy subjects. By contrast, SIRT1 enzyme activity were significantly (p=0.008) lower in RRMS patients compared with that in healthy subjects.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that enzyme activity of SIRT1 is significantly lower in PBMCs of RRMS patients in comparison with healthy subjects. However, more investigations are essential to clarify the role of SIRT1 in MS pathogenesis.

Background: Designing novel therapeutic agents has been a critical challenge for HIV disease.

Materials and Methods: In current study a DNA sequence which was encoded the Tat protein was synthesized and inserted in pET 28 vector. Vector was cloned in BL21-DE3 E. coli and cultured in TB media. After protein expression, recombinant Tat protein was purified by NTA affinity chromatography. The Tat purified protein efficiency and confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot, respectively. We were immunized the camel against HIV-1 Tat recombinant protein to made a camelid antibody library. Total RNA was extracted from camel lymphocytes and VHH fragments synthesized and amplified using RT-PCR and Nested- PCR methods by special primers.

Results: The 350- 450 bp VHH gene fragment was produced by RT-PCR and Nested- PCR and extracted from agarose gel 1%. Then gel extraction was performed and pure fragments were inserted in HEN-4 vector by T4 DNA ligase.
Conclusion: The library can be applied for biopanning and isolation of nanobody against HIV-1 Tat Protein. Nanobody small size may be a useful drug for treatment of HIV disease because give them the potency of the recognizing the cryptic epitopes of tat and neutralized the virus.

Background: Urtica dioica is one of the medicinal herbs with many uses in treating various diseases. In some studies, its antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on cancer cell lines have been shown. Therefore, the evaluation of U. dioica effect was performed on KG-1 cell line for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) for the first time in this study.
Materials and Methods: KG-1 cell line was treated by various extracts (aqueous, hydroalcoholic, chloroform and ethyl acetate) of U. dioica aerial parts and roots in different concentrations. Metabolic activity of extracts on cell line was assessed by MTT assay. To evaluate the percentage of apoptotic cells, the flow cytometry was performed by FITC Annexin V-PI apoptosis detection kit in KG-1 cell line treated with root chloroform (UDC-R) and ethyl acetate (UDE-R) extracts. The results have been reported as percentage of cell viability and IC50.
Results: Based on MTT results, the strongest IC50 in KG-1 cell line (219.361μg/ml) was related to UDC-R. The flow cytometric analysis showed that UDC-R and UDE-R in IC50 concentration induced early (53.6% and 57.4%, respectively) and late (27% and 33.2%, respectively) apoptosis in KG-1 cells after 24 hrs. The inhibition of cell proliferation by various extracts of U. dioica was dependent on concentration (p=0.000).
Conclusion: Flow cytometric analysis confirmed that UDC-R and UDE-R extracts affect on proliferation reduction of KG-1 cells by activating the apoptotic pathway.

Background: Recurrent miscarriage is defined as two or more recurrent spontaneous miscarriages. Several causes have been suggested, among which, chromosomal abnormalities in couples is considered to have a role in this regard. However, its significance varies among different populations. The present study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of chromosomal aberrations in couples with recurrent miscarriages in the city of Mashhad.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed on patient records at Medical Genetics Clinic of Imam Reza hospital in Mashhad (north-east of Iran) between 2003 and 2006.
Results: Of 151 records of recurrent miscarriages, 59 couples had undergone Karyotyping testing. Among those who had Karyotyping results, only one (1.7%) had chromosomal abnormality. The observed abnormality was associated with chromosome 9 inversion. The prevalence of consanguineous marriage among these couples was 59.0%.
Conclusion: In our study, unlike similar studies in other countries, the prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities was much lower. This could be interpreted either due to laboratory errors in our clinic or the real reduction in the association of chromosomal abnormalities with recurrent miscarriages in our population. Regarding our data, it seems that, at least among our population, costly Karyotyping testing is not necessary to predict further miscarriages or it could be limited to fewer cases having other associated factors.

Background: It seems adipocytokines play an important role in breast cancer. Omentin-1 is a novel discovered plasma adipocytokine produced mainly in visceral adipose tissue. The aim of present study was to estimate. Circulating levels of omentin-1 in postmenopausal breast cancer patients as compare to healthy postmenopausal subjects.
Materials and Methods: This study consisted of 30 postmenopausal women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and 30 healthy postmenopausal subjects aged 45 to 70 years. Serum levels of omentin-1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: The mean age of the case group was 54.3±8.3 years, and the control group was 50.3±3.2 years. The mean serum levels of omentin-1 in the case group were 73.1±29.7 ng/mL and in the control group were 108.8±65.4 ng/mL. The mean serum omentin-1 levels were found to be significantly lower in breast cancer patients (P=0.009). We also demonstrated the negative correlation of Omentin-1 with BMI in both groups (p=0.005), however, we did not find any association between age and serum omentin-1 levels (P=NS).
Conclusion: Our studied showed that Omentin-1 level was significantly reduced in the breast cancer patients as compare to healthy controls. Decreased omentin-1 levels may contribute to the development of cancer, however determination of its role and mechanisms needs more investigations. To sum up, our data suggest that omentin-1 can be used as a marker for early detection of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

This article reviews will focus on the concept and formation of micro particles (MPs) in circulation and their role in transfusion medicine and immune system. MPs are cell membrane derived vesicles which express markers of their parent cells and are found in circulation at low levels. Exact functions of MPs are unclear. In here, Physiological almost all types of circulating MPs including platelets MPs (PMPs), leukocytes MPs (LMPs), red blood cells MPs (RMPs) and endothelial cells MPs (EMPs) have been discussed. Furthermore, MPs present in plasma and blood products and their levels increase during storage. Thus, it can be stated that MPs are likely to cause transfusion reactions, particularly thrombotic complications and Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI). Also, it is shown that the MPs may affect the immune system. However, to prove these, more and extensive studies both in vivo and in vitro need to be done.

 Background: Alpha-thalassemia syndrome includes a group of hereditary anemia in which expression of alpha globin chains is decreased or absent. Impaired RBC in patients with thalassemia causes vessel involvement and endothelial cell vessel disturbance. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is the most important regulator for endothelial cell proliferation. So, the aim of this study is to compare the serum VEGF levels in patients with alpha thalassemia and normal control group.

Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 17 patients with alpha thalassemia and 40 healthy people. Serum VEGF levels were measured by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Then statistical analysis of results were performed using SPSS 16, value of P <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Mean serum VEGF levels in case and control groups were 2294.19±1552.39 and 598.09±988.17pg/ml, respectively. Serum VEGF levels were higher in patients with alpha thalassemia (P <0.01). There was no significant correlation between serum VEGF levels and Hemoglobin. (P= 0.73).

Conclusion: Our study revealed that patients with alpha thalassemia have elevated levels of serum VEGF than normal control group. Further studies with larger sample size are recommended to confirm these observations.

Background: To report a case of orbital dirofilariasis from a patient in Abadan city Southwest Iran.
Case report: A 54- year- old woman referred to Abadan oil company hospital, Southwest Iran with the symptoms of tearing, irritation, swelling, and itching of the right eye. In ophthalmoscopy, a live worm was observed in sub- conjunctival space. The worm was removed and sent to the laboratory. The worm was white in color with a length of 105 mm. Based on morphological characterization identified as Dirofilaria repns.
Results: We found that vitamin D3 suppresses the mRNA expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in patients with type II diabetes. TLR2 and TLR4 expression in the patients exposed to vitamin D3 were significantly decreased in comparison with patients who were not treated with vitamin D3.
Conclusion: This is the second report of ocular dirofilarisis from Southwestern tropical region of Iran. Increasing of human dirofilariasis may be attributed to environmental changes with global warming, humidity and increase of mosquito vectors and breeding, agricultural development and change in social conditions, traveling and outdoor living.