Background: Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a bothersome fatal patho-gen, particularly in healthcare system. Persistence and successful invasion of A. bau-mannii in vertebrate host cells largely depends on iron acquisition methods. Sidero-phore molecules and Iron-Regulated Outer Membrane Proteins (IROMPs) are the two essential members of iron acquisition system. Siderophores are secreted by bacteria to bind peripheral ferric iron and the IROMPs are expressed at the bacterial outer mem-brane as the receptor of ferric-siderophore complex. BauA is the corresponding sider-ophore receptor of A. baumannii. In this study, an attempt was made to assess the immunogenicity of antigenic domains of BauA which could be effective in iron up-take restriction and protection against bacterial invasion of the host cells. Methods: The antigenic domains of bauA were amplified from A. baumannii ATCC-19606. The PCR products were ligated into pET32a and expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) BL21 (DE3). Purification of recombinant domains was done by Nickel-Nitri-lotriacetic Acid (Ni-NTA) affinity chromatography. The recombinant domains were injected into BALB/C mice separately and in combination. Sero-reactivities of the re-combinant proteins and mouse challenge tests were carried out. Results: The antibodies raised in mice could successfully recognize and bind antigenic domains. Passive immunization studies accomplished by IMMUNE rabbit serum inhib-ited the establishment of infection in mice. Conclusion: The results adapted from the present study disclose the protective role of functional domains of BauA, especially the cork domain, suggesting a novel recombi-nant immunogen candidate.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of cancer and the second cause of cancer deaths in Europe and other Western countries, because it is not possible to detect the cancer in the early stages by present methods. Therefore, finding a fast, convenient and affordable way to detect colorectal cancer allocated a vast amount of investigations. Among these methods using of biomarkers are important for early detection and prognosis. In this study we used different stages of CRC patient’s SERA as a source of auto-antibody and two colorectal cancer cell lines (SW48 and SW1116) with different invasive properties as source of antigens. The pattern of IMMUNE-reactivity between SW48 and SW1116 cell lines with CRC patient’s SERA were evaluated by software. The band intensity of pattern of IMMUNE-reactivity between SW48 and SW1116 cell lines with CRC patients SERA was different and most IMMUNE-reactivity was seen in SW48 cell lysate with stage III of CRC patients SERA. In result of humoral IMMUNE response SERA of CRC stage III contain auto antibodies that shown higher IMMUNEreactivity also high aggressive behavior cell line (SW48) reacted with CRC patients SERA with greater intensity in compared to less aggressive behavior cell line (SW1116).Therefore require the using techniques such as two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to identify the details of differences in the immunoblot patterns of colorectal cancer patient’s SERA with these two cell lines.

Objective(s): Brucella spp. are facultative intracellular pathogens which can stay alive and multiply in professional and nonprofessional phagocytes. Immunity against Brucella melitensis involves antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells activation and humoral IMMUNE responses. Due to negative aspects of live attenuated vaccines, much attention has been focused on finding Brucella-protective antigens to introduce them as potential subunit vaccine candidates.Materials and Methods: A chimeric gene encoding trigger factor (TF), Omp3148-74 and BP2687-111 fragments (TOB) from B. melitensis was successfully cloned, expressed in Escherichia coliBL21-DE3 and purified by Ni-NTA agarose column. Antibodies to recombinant TOB (rTOB) have been investigated in Brucella-infected human SERA and a pool serum prepared from B. melitensis-vaccinated rabbits.Results: Our results showed that the immunized rabbit pool serum strongly reacted with rTOB. In addition, antibodies against rTOB were detectable in 76.5% of SERA obtained from infected patients.Conclusion: These findings suggest that rTOB may provide a potential immunogenic candidate which could be considered in future vaccine studies.

Background: Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of the preimplantation blastocysts. So it is suggested that ES and ICM cells should have similar cellular surface molecules and antiserum to ES cells can inhibit ICM development.Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of rabbit antiserum to ES cells on mouse preimplantation embryo development and chimera production.Materials and Methods: Mouse 4-cell embryos were matured in vitro at 37.5oC, in humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere for 12-36 h. The embryos were cultured in KSOM medium with or without antiserum for 12-36 h. The ratios of in vitro embryo development of the blastocysts, cell division, attachment potential, alkaline phosphatase activity, post-implantation development, and chimera production were assessed and compared with the control group. P<0.05 was considered as significant.Results: The rabbit antiserum to mouse ES cells showed delay in embryo compaction and induced decompaction at 8-cell stage. The development of 4-cell embryos in the presence of the antiserum for 36h did not lead to a reduced or absent ICM. These embryos still displayed positive alkaline phosphatase activity, normal cell division, embryo attachment, outgrowth formation, implantation and post-implantation development. In addition, decompaction induced by antiserum did not increase production and germline transmission of chimeric mice.Conclusion: The results showed that antiserum to ES cells delayed embryo compaction and did not affect post-implantation development and chimera production.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a major fatal cancer worldwide, is induced by different etiological factors in the liver.Objectives: To gain insight into serum protein profiling of HCC with different etiologies.Patients and Methods: We subjected the SERA of HBV-HCC, HCV-HCC, non-B non-C-HCC patients, and healthy volunteers to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).Results: We found 30 differentially expressed protein spots (³1.5 fold P<0.05) between these two analyses, of them 17 protein spots corresponding to 8 proteins were identified by MS. Transthyretin, leucine rich a-2-glycoprotein, and ficolin 3 were differentially expressed between HBV-related HCC and non-B non-C-HCC SERA. Moreover, haptoglobin a-2 isoforms were decreased in HCV-HCC compared to non-B non-CHCC.Conclusions: Serum proteome analyses of HCC with different origins showed a differential protein pattern, presumably related to different hepatopathogenesis in liver induced by different agents. Further studies are required to clarify the importance of identified proteins for early diagnosis of HCC with different origins.

Introduction: In vitro embryo production (IVEP) technology has been successfully applied in a number of animal species with transferred embryos resulting in live offspring. The successive steps of IVEP of embryos are: in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro culture (IVC). The maturation medium and the selection of protein supplements and hormones for IVM play an important role in subsequent IVF and in vitro development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of adding ovine umbilical cord serum (OUCS) and two kind hormone treatments to IVM medium on subsequent embryonic development.Materials and Methods: Oocytes were collected by aspiration and allocated in two Experiments. In Exp 1, oocytes were matured in IVM medium supplemented with OUCS or fetal bovine serum (FBS). In Exp 2, oocytes were transferred into IVM medium supplemented with FSH-LH (each 0.075 IU/ml) or PMSG-HCG (each 10 IU/ml).After IVF and IVC rate of blastocyst formation were analyzed.Results: There was no significant difference (p>0.05) among OUCS and FBS groups for percentage of blastocyst production (26% and 28% respectively). The results set out in Exp 2, indicate that the percentage of blastocys formation was similar (p>0.05) among FSH-LH (21%) and PMSG-HCG (24%).Conclusion: OUCS and FBS for IVM treatment supported similar rate of embryo development.Furthermore, the matured oocytes in IVM medium supplemented with FSH-LH or PMSG-HCG were similar in their ability to blastocyst formation.