Background: Hepatitis C virus infection is one of the leading causes of end stage liver diseases. The innate immune response slows down viral replication by activating cytokines such as type I interferon (IFN-a/ b), which trigger the synthesis of antiviral PROTEINs and modulate the adaptive immune system. Recently, leucine-rich repeat (in Flightless I) interacting PROTEIN-1 (LRRFIP1) was reported contributing to the production of interferon- b in macrophages.Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the role of LRRFIP1 in induction of IFN- b and inhibition of HCV infection in hepatocytes.Materials and Methods: Induction of IFN-β by LRRFIP1 in Huh7 and Huh7.5.1 was determined by real-time PCR and western blotting in vitro. Inhibition of HCV replication by LRRFIP1 overexpression in hepatocytes was assessed.Results: LRRFIP1 increased the expression of IFN-b in hepatocytes with or without HCV infection. Induction of IFN- b by LRRFIP1 was enhanced with the presence of hepatitis C virus. Overexpression of LRRFIP1 in hepatocytes inhibited HCV replication. However, HCV infection did not regulate intracellular expression of LRRFIP1.Conclusions: LRRFIP1 and its mediated production of type I interferon play a role in controlling HCV infection. The findings of this study provide new target for HCV treatment and contribute to development of anti-HCV drugs.

Background: A cell requires energy to do its work. Mitochondria are the energy-producing machines of the cell. Uncoupling PROTEINs (UCPs) located in the inner mitochondrial membrane cause a proton leak from the intermembrane space to the matrix. Clearly, the changes in the proton gradient across the inner membrane affect ATP production. In this paper, the role of these PROTEINs in different tissues as well as peripheral and central nervous tissues has been reviewed.Methods: This study has reviewed 63 publications explaining the various functions of UCPs in different tissues using PubMed, Elsevier, NCBI and EBSCO databases.Findings: Several studies have shown that UCPs, based on the type of tissue, change the cell activity.Conclusion: Studies related to UCPs roles in the nervous system are mostly restricted to the in-vitro situations; thus more investigation seems to be needed to reveal the UCPs actions in the in-vivo conditions of physiologic and pathologic studies. These studies potentially can open some new therapeutic strategies and hopes to cure neurodegenerative diseases.

Bone gla PROTEIN and matrix gla PROTEIN are of common origin with evolutionary relation and have similar structural features and are functional in the formation of skeletal structures The present study have been evaluated the genes encoding vitamin k-dependant PROTEINs (VKDPs) expression at hatching time (0), 1, 3, 6, 10, 12, 14, 20, 30 and 50 in skeletal Persian sturgeon sturgeon (Acipenser persicusBordin, 1897). The results of quantitative real-time PCR showed that the transcripts of VKDPs genes including bone Gla PROTEIN (bgp) and matrix Gla PROTEIN (mgp ) were significantly up-regulated during the transition to the exogenous feeding, confirming the hypothesis about the relevance of the above-mentioned genes in chondrogenesis at early developmental stages. Maximal levels of bgp and mgp expression at juvenile stage, indicating the importance of these genes in the mineralization of the skeleton in sturgeons, although these genes are also expressed in other body tissues. This information can be considered as a reference for other studies evaluating the quality of larvae and the influence of rearing biotic and abiotic factors in the skeletogenesis of this sturgeon species and the occurrence of skeletal deformities.

Introduction: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been suggested to play an important role in the myocardial damage induced by ischemia-reperfusion. One element believed to be activated by ROS and to contribute to the reduction of ROS production, is the uncoupling PROTEIN-2 (UCP2). The objective of this investigation was to explore the effect of myocardial ischemia reperfusion on cardiac UCP2 mRNA and PROTEIN levels.Methods: Male Wistar rats (250-300gr) were subjected to 30 min occlusion and 2 hours reperfusion of left coronary artery. The expression of UCP2 mRNA and PROTEIN in the ischemic area of left ventricle and non ischemic area from right ventricle were analyzed. The mRNA and PROTEIN expression were determined by RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively.Results: Compared to control hearts, exposure to myocardial ischemia reperfusion caused a significant increase in UCP2 PROTEIN in the ischemic area of the left ventricle (116%±18, P<0.001), however UCP2 mRNA expression did not change significantly. Furthermore, in the non ischemic area of the right ventricle, neither PROTEIN nor mRNA levels were affected by myocardial ischemia reperfusion.Conclusion: We conclude that following acute myocardial ischemia reperfusion, UCP2 PROTEIN level is increased in the ischemic area of the left ventricle but not in the non ischemic area of the right ventricle, suggesting the local effect of ischemia on UCP2 PROTEIN expression. Furthermore, the discordance between mRNA and PROTEIN expression of UCP2 suggests that post transcriptional regulation of mRNA influences PROTEIN induction.

Background & Aim: The patients suspected of appendicitis are evaluated by history, physical examinations and laboratory results. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of C-reactive PROTEIN in patients with suspected acute appendicitis.Patients & Method: In a prospective study, 299 patients with acute abdominal pain who had been admitted to hospital for observation were enrolled. Serum CRP measurements were performed and the results were compared with the final results of histopathology or follow-up results. The results were analyzed using Chi-square test and their accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were determined.Results: The findings showed that the accuracy of CRP test in diagnosing appendicitis was 70% (CI=Confidence Interval 95% from 65% to 74.4%), the sensitivity was 80.7%(CI95% from 71.2% to 87.6%), the specificity was 65.4% (CI95% from 58.8% to 71.5%), and the positive and negative predictive values were 49.3% (CI95% from 41.3% to 57.4%) and 89.0%(CI95% from 83.2% to 93.0%) respectively. The odds ratio was 8 (CI95% from 4.3 to 14.4).Conclusion: The results of CRP test can help a surgeon rule out or confirm the diagnosis of appendicitis in suspicious cases.

Objective: CREB1 is an important downstream PROTEIN for many signaling pathways. By designing efficient siRNAs against CREB1, it may be possible to assess the role of molecules involved in signaling pathways in different cell types. In this research the efficiency of CREB1 knockdown by two different siRNAs in K562 cells has been studied. Materials and Methods: siRNAs have been designed according to the criteria suggested by Reynolds et al. K562 cells were transfected by siRNA using Lipofectamine 2000. The efficiency of CREB knockdown has been assessed by quantitative relative Real-time PCR. Results: Our results have shown that only one of the siRNAs has a high level of inhibitory effect on CREB1 gene expression. The expression of CREB1 by this siRNA was knocked-down by 87% in K562 cells. Conclusion: In this research, although two siRNAs were designed according to the Reynolds et al. criteria, only one showed an inhibitory effect. Reasons other than the aforementioned criteria may be involved in effectiveness of siRNAs.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Preeclampsia is one of the most prevalent diseases in pregnancy that include PROTEINuria and hypertension and can be associated with morbidity and mortality in mother and neonate. Endothelial cell dysfunction and inflammation are considered to have a crucial role in the pathophysiologic mechanism of preeclampsia. A systemic inflammatory response involves both the immune system and the clotting and fibrinolytic system. The aim of this study was to determine the association of fibrinogen and C-reactive PROTEIN (CRP) with the severity of preeclampsia.METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 44 normal pregnant women, 35 cases with mild preeclampsia and 19 cases with severe preeclampsia that referred to Shahid Yahyanejad hospital, Babol, Iran. All of patients were primigravida and single pregnancy, cases over the age of 15 and gestational age of 30 to 40 weeks. Patients didn’t receive betamethasone in last week. The diagnosis of preeclampsia is made whose blood pressure reaches 140/90 mmHg or greater with PROTEINuria (trace or greater in random urine samples). Blood sample were taken from all subjects to measure CRP and fibrinogen and send to single laboratory. Then the groups were compared.FINDINGS: The mean of CRP was significantly different in control (2.28±0.81) and mild preeclampsia group (4.91±5.99) (p=0.03), and there was not significant difference between control (2.28±0.81) and severe preeclampsia group (3.8±3.05). The mean of fibrinogen was not significantly different in control group (360.5±62.35) and mild preeclampsia (344.71±65.07) and severe preeclampsia groups (340.95±78.62).CONCLUSION: Results show that CRP increased in mild preeclampsia in comparison with control group but there was not significant difference between fibrinogen level in control group with mild and severe preeclampsia.

Spermatogonial Stem Cells (SSCs) are the only stem cells in adults that can transfer genetic information to future generations. Considering that a single SSC gives rise to a vast number of spermatozoa, genetic manipulation of these cells is a potential novel technology with feasible application to various animal species. The aim of this study was to evaluate Enhanced Green Fluorescent PROTEIN (EGFP) gene transfection into bovine spermatogonial colonies via Turbofect carrier and assess the best incubation day in uptake exogenous gene by spermatogonial colonies. Transfection efficiency EGFP gene through Turbufect was determined different three days (day 4, 6 and 8) after the beginning of the culture by fluorescent microscope. Immunofluorescent staining against OCT4 and Vimentin led to the confirmation of the nature of both SSCs and sertoli cells. Results showed that the transfected colonies through Turbufect increased significantly (p<0.05) in each three days of transfection in comparison with those of the control groups. The transfection colonies were higher (significant) in comparision with those of the free exogenous gene carrier groups. The rate of infected colonies was higher when transfection proceed day 4. It was concluded that Turbofect can be used safely for direct loading exogenous DNA to spermatogonila colony particulary during the fourth day of culture.