Background: Breast cancer is a multifactorial potentially lethal disease that is triggered by genetic factors as well as numerous environmental factors. The present research aimed to examine the expression of Vascular endothelial Growth factor messenger RNA (VEGF mRNA), cytokeratin-19 mRNA (CK19 mRNA), and vascular endothelial Growth factor (VEGF) protein biomarker in the peripheral blood of patients with breast cancer.Methods: 40 patients with breast cancer were compared to 40 healthy individuals. The real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) method was used to determine the expressions of the CK19 mRNA and VEGF mRNA biomarkers in the peripheral blood samples of the healthy participants and the patients. The VEGF protein was also compared using the (ELISA) method.Findings: The positive VEGF mRNA biomarker was observed in 30 of the 40 patients with breast cancer; thus the sensitivity of this marker was 75%. In the healthy participants group, 6 of the 40 participants showed a positive VEGF mRNA biomarker expression. The CK19 mRNA marker was positive in 25 of the 40 patients, which indicated a sensitivity of 62.5%. In the healthy participants group, the positive expression of the CK19 mRNA biomarker was observed in 7 of the 40 participants. VEGF was positive in 27 of the 40 patients. In the control group, 5 of the 40 participants showed the positive expression of this biomarker.Conclusion: In sum, based on the results of this research, the assessed breast cancer tumor markers can be used as screening tests for the early diagnosis of patients. To further prove the findings of this study, more extensive studies with larger sample sizes are recommended.

Selection based on molecular markers is one of the new methods that may improve progress and accuracy of selection in animal breeding programs. The GHRH gene (Growth Hormone-releasing Hormone) is a candidate gene for marker-assisted selection strategies. Polymorphs of GHRH gene are reported to be significantly associated with milk production and constituent traits. In order to study the polymorphism of GHRH gene, blood samples were collected from 112 Sarabi cows. Genomic DNA was extracted and a fragment of 297 bp in size was amplified using polymerase chain reaction. The amplified fragments were subjected to restriction digestion with HaeIII endonuclease enzyme and the resultant digested products were run on 2% Agarose gel. The results revealed the existence of two alleles of GHRHA and GHRHB for the examined locus with frequencies of 0.19 and 0.81 respectively. Three different genotypic variants including GHRHA GHRHA, GHRHA GHRHB and GHRHB GHRHB were identified with genotypic frequencies of 0.0357, 0.3037 and 0.6607 respectively. The  c2 test showed that population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P<0.05). These data provide evidence that sarabi cattle breed have a genetic variability, which opens interesting prospects for future selection programs, especially marker-assistant selection.

Background: The increasing incidence of infertility is alarming. About %30-10 of infertilities are classified as unexplained infertility (UI), which is not an absolute clinical condition. TGF-b1 is multifunctional cytokine and produced mainly by T regulatory (Treg) lymphocytes. This cytokine plays an important role in physiology of normal pregnancy. The association of single nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of TGF-b1 gene with many immunologic diseases has been reported. In this study, the association of TGF-b1 C29T (Pro10Leu) gene polymorphism with unexplained infertility was investigated in Iranian UI patients.Materials and Methods: In this case-control study blood samples were collected from 177 UI patients (142 male and 35 female) and 336 controls (232 male and 104 female) with no history of infertility. DNA was extracted by salting out method. Analysis of the TGF-b1 gene polymorphism C29T (Pro10Leu) was performed by PCR and automated sequencing method.Results: The genotype distributions and allele frequencies of TGF-b1 gene C29T (Pro10Leu) polymorphism were not statistically significant between different categories of UI patients and control group (p>0.05).Conclusion: The results of this study showed, C29T (Pro10Leu) polymorphism of TGF-b1 gene may not be associated with unexplained infertility and further studies are necessary to clarify the association of TGF-b1 polymorphisms and susceptibility to unexplained infertility.

Background and Aim: It is well - known that sex hormones regulate bone metabolism. Sex steroids increase osteoblasts activities and affect Growth, remodeling and bone homeostasis. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of sex hormones deficiency on craniofacial Growth in rats.Methods & Materials: Fifty, thirty-day-old Wistar rats comprised the sample in this experimental study. 25 male rats were divided into 2 groups: Experimental group, ORX, (n=15) and control group, sham- operation, (n=10) and 25 female rats were divided in the same way: Experimental group, OVX, (n=15) and control group, sham- operation, (n=10). Body length and weight were registered monthly. The rats were sacrificed 6 months after the surgery. Direct millimetric measurements of the skeletodental variables and the tibial length were obtained by using electronic caliper. Serum testosterone, progesterone and estradiol levels were measured by ELISA. One Way ANOVA, Tukey and Student t tests were used to analyze the data.Results: Serum testosterone level significantly decreased in the ORX group as compared with the male sham operated group. In the ORX group, body length and weight, coronoid height, mandibular length, mandibular arch length, midfacial width, midfacial length, midfacial height, calvarial width, maxillary arch width, premaxillary length, nasal bone height, facial width, basisphenoid bone length and tibia bone length were significantly smaller than in the male control group. Structures showing cartilaginous Growth were influenced more than structures showing sutural Growth. Estradiol level did not change in OVX group, but despite the significant decrease in progesterone level, no significant differences except weight were found between the OVX group and female control group.Conclusion: In conclusion, it is strongly suggested that the suppression of sex hormones secretion in the Growth phase might inhibit craniofacial Growth and results in poor craniofacial development and developing malocclusion.

Background: Hepatic fibrosis is often attributed to activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and excessive scar formation in the liver. Because these cells overproduce extracellular matrix, the advanced stages of the disease often lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, the role of cholesterol in the activation of hepatic stellate cells was investigated. Methods: Cells were cultured in Dulbecco's modification of Eagle’ s medium (DMEM) with 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS), and treated with 25, 50, 75, and 100 μ M cholesterol concentrations for 24 hours. Then, gene expression transforming Growth factor beta (TGF-β ) and collagen1α , as well as Smad3C protein level were measured to assess liver fibrosis. Findings: The expression of TGF-β and collagen1α genes increased significantly compared to the control group at 75 and 100 μ M cholesterol concentrations. In addition, Smad3C protein level increased significantly compared to the control group after 4 hours of cell treatment with a concentration of 100 μ M cholesterol. Conclusion: Cholesterol increases the major proteins involved in the production of extracellular matrix, including collagen1α , by increasing the level of the Smad3C protein and activating the TGF-β signaling pathway. As a result, cholesterol can lead to the development of liver fibrosis.

Introduction: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) emerges from a dysplastic epithelial surface and comprises about 90% of head and neck cancers. VEGF (vascular endothelial Growth factor) is one of the Growth factors which directly affects vascular endothelial cells and evokes proliferation, migration and chemo taxis of endothelial cells. The aim of the present study was to assess and compare VEGF expression in the normal and dysplastic oral mucosa and in SCC.Materials and Methods: In this analytical-descriptive study, 20 normal mucosa, 20 dysplastic mucosa, and 20 SCC samples, which had been fixed with formalin and embedded in paraffin, were evaluated for expression of VEGF, using immunohistochemical technique and standard biotin streptavidin method. Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests at 95% confidence interval (a=0.05).Results: Means of VEFG expression were significantly higher in SCC samples compared to dysplastic samples (p value=0.024). In addition, VEGF expression in SCC samples was higher than that in the normal samples (p value=0.001). However, there was no significant relationship between the expression of VEFG in the dysplastic and normal mucosa samples (p value=0.108).Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, there is an increase in the expression of VEGF during transition from normal mucosa to dysplastic mucosa to SCC.

Background: It is stated that in the absence of angiogenesis، the tumoral tissue will not grow beyond 2 mm3. Vascular endothelial Growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in angiogenesis and blockade of this process could be applied as a novel strategy for immunotherapy of cancerMethods: Peptide sequences of VEGF-A isoforms were retrieved from protein databases and aligned. Immunodominant epitopes were determined and the selected one was rechecked for dissimilarity with other human proteins. The selected conserved peptide sequence was synthesized and conjugated with Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Then، it was applied for immunization of mice. The polyclonal anti-VEGF antibody titer was measured using an indirect peptide-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-conjugated peptide.Findings: According to bioinformatic findings، the selected 41-aminoacid sequence did not show any similarity with other human proteins and revealed enough antigenicity to stimulate anti-tumor specific responses. A substantial increase of specific antibody titer was observed in vaccinated mice. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of the BSA-conjugated peptide showed efficient coupling of the molecules. Optimization steps in ELISA procedures revealed that coating of microtiter plates with BSA-conjugated antigen provided more reproducible outcome than unconjugated peptide.Conclusion: Our results reinforce the potential of KLH-conjugated peptides for immunization and production of specific polyclonal antibodies against VEGF-A. Production of high-titer antibodies against this antigen indicates that the designed peptide-vaccine could be used as a potential immunogen for stimulation of humoral immune system in animal model.

Background: Regarding the relatively high prevalence of placenta accreta in pregnancy, and the lack of suitable methods for predicting this complication, this study aimed to determine the role of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (SFLT-1) markers and vascular endothelial Growth factor (VEGF) in comparison with color Doppler sonography in diagnosis of placenta accreta. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 78 pregnant women who were referred to Alzahra and Shahid Beheshti hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, in 2017 and 2018 were studied. SFLT-1 and VEGF levels were measured, and embryo sonography was also performed. After surgery, the results of surgery were compared with the results of sonography, and the level of SFLT-1 and VEGF and the agreement of these markers with ultrasound were determined. Findings: There was no significant difference in mean VEGF level in terms of pregnancy outcomes (P = 0. 90), but SFLT-1 level was significantly lower in Eckert group (P = 0. 02). Meanwhile, SFLT-1/VEGT ratio was not different between the two groups (P = 0. 66). Comparison of ultrasound findings and surgical results showed that surgical outcomes and ultrasonography were normal in 38 cases (48. 7%). Moreover, in 16 cases (20. 5%), the results of surgery and ultrasound showed the presence of plementa acrata. The agreement between ultrasonography and surgery was 0. 36 (P < 0. 001). Conclusion: According to the results of our study, the two markers SFLT-1 and VEGF, compared with ultrasound, were not suitable criteria for predicting placenta accreta. At the same time, according to the limitations of this study, further studies are suggested.