Background and Objectives: Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative and spiral bacterium that causes stomach and duodenal disease in humans. Because of the presence of disadvantages in antibiotic therapies, increasing efforts have been made to produce effective vaccine for this infection. The aim of this study was to generate a construct carrying the lnT gene and to survey its expression in human cells with RT-PCR method. Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study, lnT gene from the genome of Helicobacter pylori bacterial was isolated via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cloning of the PCR products was done by T/A cloning method in the appropriate T vector. Then, the lnT gene was subcloned into a pEGFP-C2 eukaryotic expression vector. To study the lnT gene expression, the final pEGFP-C2-lnT construct was transformed into human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) cells by electroporation and its expression was analyzed by RT-PCR. Results: The performance of the PCR resulted in amplification of 1290 bp segment as to lnT gene. This gene was successfully cloned in pTZ vector and enzyme digestion and sequencing results showed lnT gene was subcloned in the expression vector and final construction of the pEGFP-C2-lnT was created. Gene expression analysis by RT-PCR showed the relevant band.Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, lnT gene cloned in the pEGFP-C2 eukaryotic expression vector has the ability to produce the specific product of this gene in eukaryotic cells. Therefore, this gene construction has the required potential to evaluate the immunogenicity in an animal model as a gene vaccine against Helicobacter pylori.

Introduction: Nanotechnology and nanoparticles have significantly been considered for their potential in various fields including medicine and treatment. Silver nanoparticles are the most important nanoparticles that play an important role in treatment of cancer. Previous studies showed that silver nanoparticles have several properties such as antioxidants, anti-cancer and antibacterial. Therefore, in this study, the antioxidant properties of silver nanoparticles synthesized by Rubina tinctorum L (Ru-AgNPs) were investigated, using standard protocols. Subsequently, the cytotoxicity effects of the synthesized nanoparticles were evaluated on cancer cells( HepG2) compared to normal ones (HDF). Materials & Methods: In this study, the antioxidant effect of Ru-AgNPs was evaluated using ABTS and DPPH free radicals scavenging assay. The MTT procedure was used to evaluate the cytotoxic properties of the nanoparticle against two cell lines examined 24 hours after exposure. Findings: The results showed that Ru-AgNPs was able to inhibit ABTS and DPPH free radicals depending on the concentration. The MTT results demonstrated that this nanoparticle can inhibit liver cancer cells in very low concentrations (IC50: 6μ g/ml), but does not have an inhibitory effect in similar concentration on normal cells (IC50: 100μ g/ml). Conclusion & Discussion: Our results show that Ru-AgNPs has an antioxidant effect and is able to inhibit the HepG2 cells in a low concentration too, but it does not have any toxic effects in a similar concentration on HDF cells, which makes this nanoparticle a suitable candidate for use in inhibiting cancerous cells.

The effect of nano-alumina application on the mechanical and surface properties of HDF made of surface oxidized fibers

Current research was conducted to investigate the physical properties and internal bonding of high-density fiberboard (HDF) made from oxidized fibers and different amount of glue. For surface modification, fibers were treated with 40% nitric acid. After gluing fibers with urea-formaldehyde (7% and 9% based on the dry weight of fibers), the boards with a the density of 0. 9 g/cm3 were made by hot pressing at 175° C in 4 minutes. The results of spectroscopy confirmed the reduction of hydroxyl functional groups and the increase of the carboxylic group due to oxidation. The results of short term immersion test in water showed that in boards containing oxide-modified fibers and 9% ureaformaldehyde glue, the minimum water absorption and thickness swelling were obtained with the means of 78. 5 and 28. 65%, respectively. Spring back of modified boards containing less glue was affected by the stresses release and debonding of the wood elements that resulted in internal bonding loss.

Objective: Some cationic anti-microbial peptides show a wide range of cytotoxic action versus malignant cells, which may lead to developing a novel group of antitumor medications. In the present study, the anticancer activity of pleurocidin-like peptide WF3 isoform X2 (AMP-WF3), from the Poecilia Mexicana fish, against leukemic cell line Jurkat was evaluated, and the cytotoxicity compared with the effects on normal cells, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, cells were treated with various dosages of AMP-WF3 for 24 hours. Using methyl thiazole tetrazolium salt reduction (MTT test), the effects of the AMP-WF3 on cell viability and toxicity were evaluated. The impact of this peptide on apoptotic pathways was examined using flow cytometry and Annexin V-PI stains. Additionally, the relative expression of the P53, P21, and BCL-2 genes was evaluated using a real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The Jurkat cell line was more susceptible to AMP-WF3 cytotoxicity [half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50)=50 μ, M], while normal cells (PBMCs and HDF) were less susceptible. Flow cytometry verified that the apoptotic activity of AMP-WF3 on Jurkat cells was significantly higher than that of HDF and PBMCs. Peptide-treated Jurkat cells were associated with increased expression of P21, and P53 genes. In contrast, the changes in P21, P53, and BCL-2 genes differed in PBMCs and HDF cells. In HDF cells, simultaneous increase of P21, P53, and BCL-2, and in PBMCs, only the increase of BCL-2 was observed. Conclusion: Our research showed that AMP-WF3 could be developed as a novel treatment agent with minimum side effects for ALL patients.

Background: The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the histologic results of biopsy in women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) cytologic diagnosis.Materials and Methods: We reviewed a series of cases with ASCUS pap smears from March 1999 to Feb 2002 in Imam Khomeini Hospital (n= 104), Who had cervical biopsy indirected colposcopy (103) and in Onec endocervical biopsy obtained without colposcopy. In 60 patients before colposcopy and biopsy repeat pap smear was tabled.Results: Biopsy revealed 28.8% SIL (14 LSIL and 16 HSIL),1 invasive carcinoma and 1 endometrial carcinoma. Pap smear repeated for 60 women before colposcopy examination, which 7 (11.7%) of them were normal. ASCUS persisted in 45 cases (75%) and 8 cases (13.3%) turned out to be SIL (6 LSIL, 2 HSIL) of 7 normal repeat smear, 2 marked as LSIL by biopsy. In colposcopic examination 22 of 103 (21.4%) had normal view which one of them was LSIL histologically.Conclusion: Based on these findings, it seems immediate colposcopy and directed biopsy are appropriate procedures for management of ASCUS and to detect underlying SIL.

Background: Diagnostic ultrasound has been used to detect human disease especially fetus abnormalities in recent decades. Although the harmful effects of diagnostic ultrasound on human have not been established so far, several researchers showed it has had bioeffects in cell lines and in experimental animals. Three-dimensional (3D), four-dimensional (4D), and color Doppler sonography are new techniques which are widely used in diagnostic fetal ultrasonography. Objective: The study aims to evaluate some bioeffects of 3D, 4D, and color Doppler sonography in different exposure times according to the acoustic output which is set as ultrasound scanner’ s default for fetal sonography in the second trimester on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells. Material and Methods: Exposure times selected consist of 10, 40, 70, and 100 seconds for 3D sonography, 10, 20, and 30 minutes for 4D sonography, and 10, 30, and 50 seconds for color Doppler. Cell viability, cell proliferation, and apoptosis induction on HDF cells were assessed using MTT assay, immunocytochemistry of Ki-67, and Terminal Transferase-mediated dUTP End-labeling (TUNEL) assay, respectively. Results: Exposure of cells to 3D, 4D, and color Doppler modes led to decreased cell viability and increased proliferation rate of HDF. None of the diagnostic ultrasound modes induced cell apoptosis. . Conclusion: The results indicated that 3D, 4D, and color Doppler techniques may affect the cell viability and proliferation of HDF cells, however, have no effects on the induction of apoptosis probability. Further long-term studies with other molecular endpoints are required.