Introduction: Severe Early Childhood Caries (SECC) is one of the most common diseases in childhood. Etiology of SECC is multifactorial and both genetic and environmental factors play important roles in the pathogenesis of the disease. Genetic variation of the host may contribute to susceptibility for dental caries. Genetic factors such as Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) have been recently introduced as a predisposing factor. The aim of this study was to look for an association between HLA-DRB1*04 and HLADQB1*06 with SECC for early diagnosis as well as prevention of the disease. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study we extracted the genomic DNAS from the whole blood samples of 44 patients with SECC and 35 caries free children (control group) by salting out method. We amplified the genomic DNA by PCR sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP) and then HLA-typing was performed for both alleles. The data were analyzed using Logistic Regression, Fisher's exact, chi-square and Student t test with 95% significance level.  Results: The results revealed a significant increase in the frequency of HLADRB1*04 in the patient group (P-value=0.019). The odds ratio for this allele was detected to be 10. Frequency of HLA-DQB1*06 allele was not significantly different between the two groups (P-value=0.37). Conclusion: The above results suggest that HLA-DRB1*04 maybe related to the susceptibility to SECC. Thus HLA-DRB1*04 detection as a molecular marker for early diagnosis of SECC can be recommended.

Background and Aim: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is one of the most frequently used tumor markers which is over-expressed in a variety of human cancers with epithelial origin such as colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, lung and breast cancers. The precise mechanism by which CEA is released from the cell surface into serum in cancer patients has not been clarified so far. CEA is attached to the plasma membrane by a glycophosphatidyl inositol (GPI) anchor. There have been some evidences indicating a possible role for involvement of an enzyme in CEA release from the cell surface. The GPI-anchor is a substrate for specific phospholipases. According to this information, we investigated the possible role of GPI specific PI-PLD (GPI-PLD) in hydrolysis and CEA release.Materials and Methods: We have, therefore, used reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to verify GPI-PLD expression in some cell lines of colorectal adenocarcinoma. The amount of CEA released from a high CEA producing cell line in the presence or absence of specific activators / inhibitors of this enzyme were measured.Results: Using RT-PCR, expression of GPI-PLD gene in these cell lines can be demonstrated.The amount of CEA released from high producing cell lines are increased or decreased in the presence or absence of specific activators / inhibitors.Conclusion: According to this study there are evidences implicating the role of GPI-PLD enzyme in releasing CEA from the surface of the cells of colorectal carcinoma.

Background: Common variable immune deficiency (CVID) is the commonest symptomatic primary immunodeficiency and represents a heterogenous collection of disorders resulting mostly in antibody deficiency and recurrent infections. The syndrome includes impaired B-cell maturation, impaired somatic hyper mutation, reduced numbers of circulating memory and isotype-switched memory B cells, and absent or reduced plasma cells. B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is a tumor necrosis family receptor superfamily member 17 (TNFRSF17), expressed only on B cell lines, and is essential for survival of long-lived plasma cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate mutations in BCMA in patients with CVID in compare with normal individuals in Isfahan, Iran.Methods: Blood samples were collected from 10 CVID patients with substitutive immunoglobulin therapy before immunoglobulins (Ig) infusion and 10 normal controls in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) tubes then DNA samples were extracted and after the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done, samples were sequenced.Findings: After reviewing the results of the sequence and alignment of the sequences, no mutations in the gene were seen.Conclusion: In addition to the study of mutation in BCMA gene, BCMA gene and protein expression level should be considered to understand more aspects of this disease.

Background: Type 2 diabetes results from two defects, insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. At the molecular and cellular levels, there is a connection between fatty acid accumulation and insulin resistance in muscles. Although several mechanisms involved in FFA-induced muscle insulin resistance, the exact mechanism is poorly understood. Recent studies show that the defect in insulin signaling pathway might be underlying mechanism for FFA-induced insulin resistance in the muscle. Protein tyrosine phosphatases like Leukocyte common antigen-related (LAR) are the key elements of insulin signaling and they can be a candidate in FFA induced insulin resistance. Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes involved and obese individuals have had increased levels of LAR in their tissues. However, the responsible factor for LAR overexpression is not well understood. In this study we investigate ceramide effect on LAR expression in the muscle cells.Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study C2C12 cells (mouse skeletal) after differentiation to myotubes using 2% of horse serum for 4 days, treated with 50 and 100 mMs of C2ceramide for 16h. RNA extracted, cDNA synthesized and Real Time PCR using specific primers for LAR and beta actin used. To detect LAR protein levels western blot was used.Results: 100 mMs Ceramide (45%, P<0.01) significantly induced LAR mRNA expression but there was not significant difference between 50mM ceramide and untreated cells. The results from real time confirmed by protein data. 100 mMs Ceramide (52%, P<0.01) significantly induced LAR protein levels in comparison of control.Conclusion: The data from this study provide evidence that ceramide around pathologic concentration induce LAR expression. Results supported by human studies that were showed that diabetic and obese persons have a high level of LAR expression and revealed ceramide can be one of the responsible factors for inducing LAR expression in diabetic patients. However, further investigations are needed to clarify exact role of LAR in FFA induced insulin resistance.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is a malignancy with high mortality due to the difficulties in early detection. We investigated and compared the diagnostic and prognostic performance of several blood biomarkers, including microRNA-25 (miR-25), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at the Chinese People’, s Liberation Army General Hospital from May 2014 to September 2018. Serum specimens were collected, and miR25 expression levels were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Serum CA19-9, CEA, and CA125 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analyses including nonparametric test, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and subsequent log-rank test were performed with PRISM 5. 0 software. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with the R software. P<0. 05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 250 individuals were recruited, including 75 with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), 75 with benign lesions, and 100 healthy controls. miR-25, CA19-9, CEA, and CA125 exhibited an area under the curve (AUC) of 0. 88, 0. 91, 0. 81, and 0. 76 with a sensitivity of 78. 7%, 74. 7%, 37. 3%, and 35. 7% and specificity of 91. 5%, 97. 0%, 98. 2%, and 98. 3%, respectively. The combination of miR-25 and CA19-9 further increased the sensitivity to 93. 3% with a specificity of 88. 5%. Stage-dependent sensitivity was observed with CA19-9, CEA, and CA125. miR25 levels significantly stratified the prognosis by median level (4, 989. 97 copies/mL). CA19-9, CEA, and CA125 levels significantly stratified the prognosis by median levels. Univariate and subsequent multivariate analyses identified tumor (T) stage, CA19-9, and CA125 as independent risk factors for PDAC prognosis. Conclusion: The combination of miR-25 and CA19-9 significantly enhanced the detection sensitivity of PDAC. T stage, CA19-9, and CA125 levels were independent risk factors for PDAC prognosis.

Background & aim: Prostate cancer is one of the most common visceral cancers in men. One of the methods used for early diagnosis of this disease and before its symptoms appear is screening with the help of prostate specific antigen measurement. Another factor that increases prostate specific antigen is prostate infections. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of ofloxacin on the amount of prostate specific antigen in men with high antigen. Methods: In the present descriptive-analytical study conducted in 2019, 224 men with specific antigen higher than 4 nanograms were evaluated by administering 200 mg of ofloxacin every 12 hours for 10 days. Exclusion criteria included age less than fifty or more than 75 years, history of sensitivity to fluoroquinolones, history of recent prostate manipulation, use of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, and known cases of prostate cancer. After ten days of taking the drug, the prostate specific antigen was measured for the second time and the results were evaluated using vital statistics tests. In all patients, a complete urine test and prostate examination were performed through the intestine. The collected data were analyzed using Chi-square statistical tests. Results: The average age of the patients was 61. 18 years and the average antigen level before antibiotic administration was 26. 3 (21. 9±, 97. 4). In 120 patients (53. 57%) after taking antibiotics, the antigen level decreased to a certain extent, which eliminated the need for biopsy, and in the remaining patients, biopsy was performed, and 65 cases of prostate cancer and 39 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia were reported. In 114 patients (50. 89%), pyuria was shown in the urine test. Conclusion: The present study indicated that in a patient who has active urine (pyuria) and the prostate examination is normal, it is possible to delay the decision on prostate biopsy and start antibiotics for the patient. Moreover, if there was a significant drop in the amount of antigen, the patient continued taking antibiotic and avoided unnecessary biopsy. Otherwise, antibiotics are useless in an asymptomatic patient with a complete urine test that is normal, but with high antigen.

T-lymphocytes have critical functions in the immune responses against viral and intracellular bacterial infections as well as cancers. Antigen (Ag)-specific T-lymphocyte clones enriched and expanded in vitro are valuable tools in the study of immune responses in animal models and adoptive T-cell therapy of patients with cancer or infection. We described a method for inducing, enriching, and replicating Ag-specific poly-clonal T-cells from BALB/c mice infected with live Bacillus Calmette Gué rin (BCG) bacterium. During a 7-8 days procedure, T-lymphocytes were purified from immune cells of lymph nodes stimulated with immunodominant Ag of BCG, TB10. 4, and expanded by interleukin-2 cytokine. We evaluated the effect of Ag doses (1, 10, and 100 µ g/mL) and exposure method of Ag presenting cells (APCs) to T-cells, on T-cells’ proliferation, viability, and Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ ) secretion at 2, 5, and 7 days after Ag stimulation. Increasing Ag concentration increased the average cell division, but at the highest dose of Ag (100 µ g/mL), T-cell viability is decreased. Only clones induced by 10 µ g/mL Ag produced a desirable amount of IFN-γ . Incubation of Ag and APCs, 24 h before T-lymphocytes addition, increased the proliferation and viability of cells. T cells are in a more favorable condition around day 5 of Ag stimulation in terms of proliferation and survival, and it is the desired time for T cell restimulation. For optimal preparation of specific T-cells for adoptive cell transfer, optimization of Ag dose, the order of APCs and T-cells exposure with Ag, and the duration of initial Ag stimulation, as well as the time for restimulation, is essential.