Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world. Noncoding RNA especially miRNAs have important regulatory roles in cancer. miRNAs are small non coding RNA 21-23 nucleotides long which have different levels of expression between tumors and normal tissues. This study was designed to compare expression level of miRNA-21 between Iranian population colorectal cancer tissues and normal tissue.Methods: This case-control study has performed in medical genetics department of Tehran University of Medical Sciences from January to November 2013. We used 35 samples. The samples were isolated from tumor and adjacent normal tissues of colon.Thirty-five samples were divided into different groups according to cliniopathologic features including tumor size (>4 and<4 cm), metastasis (+ and -) and stage. After small RNA extraction from tissues by small RNA purification kit the quality and quantity of extracted RNA was determined using spectrophotometry. cDNAs were synthesized and real-time polymerase chain reaction carried out. Finally expression levels were statistically analyzed by LinRegPCR and REST software.Results: miRNA-21 expression ratio in stages I, II and III were 1.804 and 4.574, respectively, the increase from stage III was statistically significant (P=0.037). The expression were also studied according to different clinicopathologic status of colon cancer, tumor size (>4 and <4 cm) and metastatic (+ and -), miRNA-21 over expressed in both groups, however the increase was not statistically significant.Conclusion: In this study, we found miR-21 over-expression in advanced stage in tumoral tissue comparing with normal adjacent tissue. This means perhaps in the future it would be possible to use miRNA-21 as an informative prognostic biomarker to guide for better treatment strategies for colorectal cancer patients. Our findings also indicate that miRNA-21 is a promising new molecular target for designing novel therapeutic strategies to control colorectal cancer.

Extended Abstract Background: Soil salinity is regarded as a primary cause of damage and decrease in agricultural yields globally. Halophyte plants can withstand elevated levels of salt, which typically result in the destruction of other crops. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa, Willd), belonging to Chenopodiaceae, is a very tolerant plant to unfavorable environmental conditions that exhibits great tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Quinoa is an optional halophyte plant that can tolerate sea level salinity (40 dSm-1) and has a favorable economic performance in most areas of Iran with little annual rainfall (the country's average rainfall is about 250 mm) and cannot be cultivated due to soil salinity and drought. To explore the mechanisms of resistance to salt stress in quinoa plants, the impact of salt treatments at two different levels (6.9 and 13.8 dSm-1) and nine sampling intervals (ranging from zero to seven days) was studied in the Titicaca variety. This involved analyzing the ionic reactions and the expression of specific genes related to dealing with salt stress. Methods: to study the ionic changes and reactions of some genes involved in salinity stress, the Titicaca genotype was planted under the effect of two salinity levels 6.9 dSm-1 (1:1 seawater:double distilled water) and 13.8 dSm-1 (sea water) along with a control in two replications with the factor of sampling time using factorial (time in nine levels and salinity in two levels) based on a completely randomized design. After applying salt treatments, leaf samples were collected at 6 hours and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days after salt application. The accumulation of sodium and potassium ions along with the expression changes in four salinity-related genes, including Na+/H+ antiporter (NHX), Salt Overly Sensitive 1 (SOS1), Choline Mono Oxygenase (CMO), and Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH), were evaluated in this research. The gene expression was assessed using the QRT-PCR technique with SyberGreen dye and the GAPDH reference gene. Results: The accumulation of sodium and potassium ions in leaves was impacted by salinity, and there was a significant increase in both levels of salinity at the 1% probability level. An increase in sodium ions was associated with the increased accumulation of potassium ions, indicating that the plant attempted to counteract the negative effects of elevated sodium ions resulting from stress conditions. Additionally, by elevating the salinity level from 6.9 to 13.8 dSm-1, the potassium ion to sodium ion ratio started to increase from the third day after stress. This could serve as a crucial physiological mechanism for enhancing the plant's salinity tolerance and promoting higher productivity in saline environments. With increasing the duration of stress and the salt concentration, the activation of all four genes associated with salinity was altered in response to the buildup and existence of ions within the cell. Based on the current research, the activation of the NHX gene in quinoa was observed from the initial day under both salinity stress levels. The activation of the SOS1 gene was escalated as the stress persisted in the subsequent days. In this context, the expression pattern of SOS1 demonstrated a rise at 6.9 dSm-1 on the initial, subsequent, and third days. On the third day of stress, the activity of genes related to glycine betaine production rose at both stress levels. First, the CMO gene showed increased activity, followed by an increase in the activity of the BADH gene. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the quinoa crop, similar to other salt-tolerant plants, employs various strategies (such as ionic balance and alterations in gene expression) to endure saline conditions. The research findings indicate that there was a notable rise in the NHX1 gene expression following the introduction of the sodium ion into the cytosol and receipt of the stress signal. Upon this heightened expression, the plant attempted to chelate sodium ions to mitigate the impact of stress in the vacuole. Additionally, it appears that the plant utilizes the SOS1 gene to initiate an alternative pathway for achieving tolerance and cell stability. This involves releasing sodium ions to the root area, storing them in vacuoles, preventing their build-up in the cytoplasm, and regulating sodium transport over long distances between the roots and leaves. The process also involves the selected loading of sodium ions from the xylem vessels. On the third day, there was a rise in the expression of the CMO gene at the same time as the notable rise of sodium ions in the cytosol, indicating the plant's effort to achieve osmotic equilibrium in the cell by generating glycine-betaine osmolyte and activating the proline synthesis pathway. Alternatively, the plant seeks to preserve the ionic equilibrium by boosting potassium intake and enhancing the stability of the K+/Na+ ratio to mitigate the detrimental impact of stress. Because of inadequate research on this crucial plant, the results of this study can serve as an appropriate blueprint for future research.

Extended Abstract Background: Rapid growth of broilers leads to insufficient cardiac output, cardiac hypertrophy, and finally sudden death. When livestock are exposed to hot environments, they often try to dissipate heat by increasing blood flow to the skin. This physiological response is a way for animals to adapt to long-term thermal conditions. However, this thermoregulatory mechanism has its limitations. While different animals have varying degrees of tolerance to heat stress, the cardiovascular system can only compensate within a certain range before it starts to impact food production. Domestic poultry, such as chickens, lack sweat glands, which is a key mechanism for body cooling in many other animals. This deficiency forces the cardiovascular system to work harder, sending more blood to the skin to help regulate body temperature. Broilers, in particular, have a narrow thermoneutral zone (the range of temperatures where an animal can maintain its body temperature without expending extra energy) and a high metabolic rate, which places an even greater burden on their cardiac function. Therefore, it is an appropriate model for studying cardiac disease. Heat stress is among the stressors affecting cardiac performance. In accordance with the cardiac system susceptibility of poultry to heat stress, especially broilers because of their fast growth rate, to enhance the ability of modern broiler chickens to withstand heat stress through selective breeding, we need to identify the crucial genes and biological processes that lead to unbalanced heart development and the high incidence of heat-induced heart problems. Thus, the aim was to consider the gene expression of cardiac contractility proteins under heat stress conditions during the growing period of broilers. Methods: Ross 708 broilers were subjected to heat stress (HS) of 35–37 °C for 8 hours daily for 21 days post-hatch. Initially, male broilers had unrestricted access to feed and water in spacious colony houses maintained at 33 °C, with the temperature gradually decreasing by 3 °C per week until it reached 24 °C by the day 21 post-hatch. At the conclusion of the growth period, the broilers were euthanized, and their left ventricles were isolated for mRNA extraction. RNA-seq data were obtained from NCBI’s with the accession number SRP082125. All the expressions of deferentially expressed genes (DEGs) were determined and analyzed by DAVID online bioinformatics tools. Gene ontology qualification, including biological processes (BP), cellular component (CC), and molecular role (MF), were achieved from DAVID. Heat stress induction was from days 21-42 for 8 hours every day for 21 days until to end of the growing period. Results: Gene expression changes were related to 35 genes of the muscular cardiocyte of the left ventricle. From seven genes related to the protein of troponin, TNN and TNNI1 genes, declined significantly, with an increase in the TNNT3 gene expression (P< 0.05). Of five genes related to the tropomyosin protein, the TPM1 gene showed a significant increase in expression (P < 0.05). Of the two genes related to the ryanodine receptor, RYR3 had significant gene upregulation (P < 0.05). From the ten genes related to DHPR, only CACNA2D2 had significant downregulation (P < 0.05). Among four calmodulin-related genes, CAMKK1 and CAMK1D showed significant downregulation, and CAMSAP2 revealed upregulation (P< 0.05). Significant reductions occurred in the expression of five associated genes of heavy-chain myosin (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Heat stress reduced gene expression of ryanodine, DHPR, and troponin, those related to calcium release into the cell cytosol. Furthermore, it prevents cardiac hypertrophy by decreasing the expression of genes related to the heavy chain of myosin. Thus, the vulnerability of modern broilers to heart problems, when exposed to high temperatures, may be linked to their heart's reduced capacity, which is likely due to their relatively smaller heart size. According to genetic analysis, the smaller heart size in broilers under heat stress than those in a comfortable temperature environment is likely caused by slower cell growth and division. This research identifies specific genes and biological pathways that could be targeted through breeding to develop broilers that are more resistant to heat stress and have healthier hearts. This study has identified specific genes and biological processes linked to the reduction in heart size observed in broiler chickens subjected to heat stress. These insights provide new opportunities for developing targeted breeding strategies to address this issue. The findings indicate that selective breeding, by focusing on the identified genes and pathways, may enable the development of broiler chickens that are more resistant to heat stress and have healthier hearts. By concentrating on these genetic factors, breeders can work toward creating broiler populations that are more resilient to high temperatures and less susceptible to heart problems.

Philadelphia chromosome can be founding 95% of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) by cytogenetic studies. The fused bcr/abl is transcribed in two types of chimeric mRNA. RT-PCR amplification of these two transcripts have been designed to give two different size products. This assay can detect one positive bcr/abl expressing cell in a back ground of 106 negative bcr/abl cells. The power of this assay is the detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) between 6-12 months following bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is an independent and significant factor that predicts the relapse in future. The aim of optimization was to detect β2 microglobulin (β 2M) mRNA. Detection of β2 mRNA and absence of bcr/abl indicates that the patient is negative for MRD and as a result, there is molecular remission in addition to clinical remission. To monitor MRD we tested a patient's blood sample who had tolerated allogenic BMT 7 years ago. bcr/abl wasn't detected in this patient and only β2 M was observed. This result confirmed the absence of MRD in this case. To effectively monitor minimal leukemic activity after BMT, we used a competitive RT- PCR to quantify expression of the characteristic bcr/abl fusion gene mRNA in patients with CML.    

Introduction: Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the earth's crust .It plays a role in several neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we investigated the effects of aluminum on human embryonic astrocytes.Materials & methods: In this experimental study, we applied MTT techniques to investigate the effects of 3, 9, and 12 days exposure to aluminum on astrocyte viability. Then, we used immunocytochemical techniques to identify apoptotic gene expression changes induced by aluminum. We used Stata software to analyze the data.Findings: Our results showed that 3-days exposure to 1 and 1.5 mM caused a reduction in astrocytes viability, (P<0.01, P<0.03). Low levels of aluminum (500 and 100 m M) needed long-term exposure to become toxic to astrocytes, (9 days for 500 and 12 days for 100 mM) (P=0.000). Aluminum didn't show any effects on apoptotic gene expression.Conclusion: Long-term exposure, even to low levels of aluminum, was toxic for human embryonic astrocytes, but it seems that aluminum does not alter apoptotic gene expression.

Introduction3: Essential amino acids comprise 10 to 13% of the poultry diet. Methionine is the first limiting amino acid that plays important roles in protein metabolism and immune functions in chickens. Previous studies have shown that the appropriate level of methionine in the diet increases the growth and it is essential for enhancing the immune response. Methionine is also requirement to increase the function of the T cells produced from the thymus. Methionine has beneficial effects on the immune system and improves both humoral and cellular immune responses. Interferongamma (IFN- ) is one of the components of group-specific immune cytokines and an important activator of macrophages. IFN- is known as cytokine which it is critical for innate and adaptive immunity against viral, some bacterial and protozoa infections. The aim of present study was to investigate effect of different diet levels of methionine on immune system and IFNγ gene expression in broiler chickens. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in a completely randomized design with six experimental groups with 4 replicates and 20 observations in each replicate. The difference was in the levels of dietary methionine in the growth period, which included experimental groups 0. 29, 0. 36, 0. 43, 0. 51, 0. 57 and 0. 64%. The antibody produced against the sheep's red blood cell, white blood cell differential counts and the volume percentages of red blood cells were determined. In order to determine the IFNγ gene expression, the whole RNA was extracted from the liver tissue of different treatment chickens. Then, cDNA was synthesized and the expression of the IFNγ gene was evaluated using Real Time PCR. In this study, design of primers (GAPDH and IFNγ ) was performed using primer premier software version 5 to evaluate IFNγ gene expression in broiler chickens. Real-time PCR was performed using SYBER Green qPCR Master Mixes (Thermo) in Lightcyclear 96 (Roche). Melting curve of IFN and GAPDH gene productions were drawn using Real Time PCR for broiler chickens. The relative gene expression was quantified by the 2-Δ Δ ct method. The results were analyzed by GLM method of SAS software. Tukey post hoc test was used to compare the means of the experimental groups at the significant level of 0. 05. Results and Discussion: The results showed that response to sheep's red blood cell, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, white blood cells, heterophile, lymphocyte and heterophile to lymphocyte ratio were not affected by different levels of methionine, but the number of red blood cells was affected by different levels of methionine, so that the highest number of red blood cells associated to methionine level was 0. 29% and the lowest value was 0. 57%(p≤ 0. 05). The result of the absorption measurement of the extracted RNA samples at a wavelength of 280/260 was in a range of 1. 8 to 1. 9 mm, indicating the desired quality of extracted RNA. The result of melting curve of Real Time PCR and PCR products on agarose gel showed that the IFNγ and GAPDH genes were amplified in the liver tissue. The observation of band at 259 bp for the IFNγ and at 264 bp for the GAPDH gene for all samples indicates the correctness of the test and the amplification of the desired fragments. The expression results showed that there was a significant increase in IFNγ gene expression with increasing methionine levels from 0. 29% to 0. 43% and higher levels (p≤ 0. 05). However, there was no significant difference between the levels of methionine 0. 43 to 0. 64%. Regarding the fact that the present study was carried out under normal conditions without disease challenges, etc., different levels of methionine not effect on the immune system. IFN-γ gene is a type of cytokine. Cytokines do not exist as precursor molecules, and their production begins with transcription of the genes. This transcription activity is usually temporary and mRNA coding for cytokines is unstable and if the immune system is stimulated by the pathogen, Innate immune is the first hostile defense way. After detecting pathogens, host cell receptors such as Toll-like and nucleotide oligomers that include receptors are able to transmit a variety of signals, and subsequently cytokine gene expression networks begin to function until the innate immune responses begin. Conclusion: The results showed that IFN-γ gene expression was significantly increased by increasing methionine levels from 0. 29% upwards. Perhaps one of the reasons for increased IFN2 gene expression in this study is the application of appropriate methionine levels in experimental treatments and the benefits of appropriate methionine levels in the diet to enhance immune function in the bird, although the present study was conducted under normal growing conditions and without the challenge of pathogens.

Background and Aim: The hormone receptor status in breast cancer has been pivotal in determining the likelihood of response to hormonal manipulation. Tumors which are both estrogen and progesterone receptor positive are much more likely to respond to anti-hormone therapy than negative tumors. There is well-established similarity between breast tissue and salivary glands. The aim of this study was to evaluate the progesterone receptor expression in pleomorphic adenoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary glands. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, immunohistochemical staining with progesterone antibody was performed on 14 pleomorphic adenoma (PA) and 15 adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) paraffin blocks. The percentage of positive cells was determined using an eye piece graticule. Immunoreactivity was categorized as either positive (reactivity more than 5%) or negative (reactivity less than 5%). In addition the existence of progesterone receptor in tumor cells, stromal cells (fibroblasts), inflammatory cells and salivary glands around tumors was evaluated. Data were analyzed with T and Mann Whitney U tests with p<0.05 as the limit of significance. Results: Immunohistochemical staining for progesterone receptor was negative in 15 ACC and 13 PA. Only one case of PA showed immunoreactivity for progesterone receptor. Also, 12 normal salivary glands around tumor were positive. Inflammatory cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts did not show immunoreactivity in most cases. Conclusion: The results indicate the lack of progesterone receptor expression in ACC and PA of salivary glands.