improved cryodamage of asthenozoospermic specimens: An experimental study.

Background: Sperm freezing is an important procedure in assisted reproductive technology. Freezing results in physical and chemical changes in the sperm. () is a tree that has antioxidant properties.

Thymoquinone-treated mouse mesenchymal stem cells-derived conditioned medium inhibits human breast cancer cells in vitro.

Breast cancer is now the most prevalent cancer in females, therefore, it is essential to identify factors affecting its initiation and progression. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have received considerable attention in stem cell-based therapies and drug delivery applications. Because the therapeutic potential of MSCs is primarily achieved by their paracrine effects, thus identifying and employing bioactive molecules that promote the paracrine activity of MSCs is crucial for their efficient use in cancer treatment.

Fas cell surface death receptor/Fas ligand genetic variants in gastric cancer patients: A case-control study.

Background & Objectives: Various studies have suggested a correlation between Fas cell surface death receptor/Fas ligand (FAS/FASL) variants and multiple types of cancers. The present study aimed to investigate the association between FAS-670A/G and FASL-844C/T and the synergistic effects of both variants on the risk of gastric cancer (GC) in the Kurdish population of west of Iran.

Methods: This study was conducted by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique using MvaI and BsrDI restriction enzymes in 98 GC patients and 103 healthy control individuals.

Effect of Pentoxifylline on Staurosporine-Induced Neurite Elongation in PC12 Cells.

Objective: Pentoxifylline enhances neurite elongation in PC12 cells. This study investigated the effects of pentoxifylline on staurosporine-induced neurite elongation in PC12 cells. Materials and Methods: There were five treatment groups, including treatment group I (1 nM), treatment group II (10 nM), treatment group III (100 nM), treatment group IV (1uM), and treatment group V (10 mM of pentoxifylline), together with 214 nM staurosporine for a range of time (6, 12 and 24 hours).

Induction of CD4CD25FOXP3 regulatory T cells by mesenchymal stem cells is associated with modulation of ubiquitination factors and TSDR demethylation.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known for their ability to induce the conversion of conventional T cells (Tconvs) into induced regulatory T cells (iTregs) in specific inflammatory contexts. Stable Foxp3 expression plays a major role in the phenotypic and functional stability of iTregs. However, how MSCs induce stable Foxp3 expression remains unknown.

Comparison of large-scale deletions of the sperm mitochondrial DNA in normozoospermic and asthenoteratozoospermic men.

Background And Objective: Mitochondria play a crucial role in energy metabolism for the survival and motility of sperm during fertilization. The aim of this study was to determine the association of large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletions with abnormal sperm motility and morphology in asthenoteratozoospermic patients.

Materials And Methods: In this case-control study, 41 semen samples were collected from 18 normozoospermic healthy men and 23 asthenoteratozoospermic patients, according to the WHO guidelines.

Eugenol enhances proliferation and migration of mouse bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in vitro.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have received considerable attention in regenerative medicine during the past decade. Eugenol is a natural and versatile vegetable molecule, which has a wide variety of therapeutic effects. Although different biological and pharmaceutical functions of Eugenol are well known, its effect on MSCs has not been studied yet.

Induction of CD4CD25Foxp3 regulatory T cells by mesenchymal stem cells is associated with RUNX complex factors.

Among the particular immunomodulation properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), one relies on their capacity to regulatory T cell (Treg) induction from effector T cells. Stable expression of Foxp3 has a dominant role in suppressive phenotype and stability of induced regulatory T cells (iTregs). How MSCs induce stable Foxp3 expression in iTregs remains unknown.

Association of FAS-670A/G and FASL-844C/T polymorphisms with idiopathic azoospermia in Western Iran.

Objective: The FAS/FASL interaction plays a central role in up-regulation of apoptosis in testis. Studies indicated that the FAS-670A/G and FASL-844C/T polymorphisms are associated with the risk of idiopathic azoospermia in different ethnic groups. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate the association between FAS-670A/G and FASL-844C/T polymorphisms with male idiopathic infertility in Western Iran.

Mesenchymal stem cells can induce regulatory T cells via modulating miR-126a but not miR-10a.

Among the different immunosuppressive properties attributed to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), one relies on their ability to induce regulatory T cells (iTregs) from conventional T cells under particular inflammatory context. Stable Foxp3 expression plays a major role in the phenotypic and functional stability of iTregs. However, the mechanism behind Foxp3 induction in iTregs by MSCs remains unknown.

Extracellular matrix protein 1 gene (ECM1) mutations in nine Iranian families with lipoid proteinosis.

Background & Objectives: Lipoid proteinosis (LP) is an autosomal recessive disease. Clinical characteristics of this disease are hoarse voice, scarring of the skin, brain calcifications, and eyelid papules (moniliform blepharosis). Mutations in the ECM1 gene on 1q21.

A novel large-scale deletion of the mitochondrial DNA of spermatozoa of men in north iran.

Background: To investigate the level of correlation between large-scale deletions of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with defective sperm function.

Materials And Methods: In this analytic study, a total of 25 semen samples of the nor- mozoospermic infertile men from North of Iran were collected from the IVF center in an infertility clinic. The swim-up procedure was performed for the separation of spermatozoa into two groups; (normal motility group and abnormal motility group) by 2.

The Effects of Tamoxifen in Combination with Tranilast on CXCL12-CXCR4 Axis and Invasion in Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

It has been reported that CXCL12 binding to CXCR4 induces several intracellular signaling pathways, and enhances survival, proliferation, and migration of malignant cells. In the present study, we examined the effects of anti-estrogen tamoxifen and anti-allergic tranilast drugs as a single or in combination on invasion by two in-vitro invasion assays, wound-healing and matrigel invasion on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. The mRNA expression levels of CXCR4 and CXCL12 were measured by quantitative real time-RT PCR and CXCL12 protein levels were evaluated by ELISA assay.

Association of HOTAIR expression in gastric carcinoma with invasion and distant metastasis.

Background: Gastric cancer is the second and fourth most common cancer in Iranian men and women, respectively, but it is the first leading cause of cancer deaths in Iran. Most Iranian patients with gastric cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease when the conventional treatments have no effect on improving the survival. So, early gastric cancer detection is of high priority in order to decrease its high mortality rate in Iran.

Synergistic effects of tamoxifen and tranilast on VEGF and MMP-9 regulation in cultured human breast cancer cells.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinases are two important factors for angiogenesis associated with breast cancer growth and progression. The present study was aimed to examine the effects of tamoxifen and tranilast drugs singly or in combination on proliferation of breast cancer cells and also to evaluate VEGF and MMP-9 expression and VEGF secretion levels.

Materials And Methods: Human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, were treated with tamoxifen and/or tranilast alone or in combination and percentage cell survival and proliferative activity were evaluated using LDH leakage and MTT assays.

Evaluation of Methylation Status in the 5'UTR Promoter Region of the DBC2 Gene as a Biomarker in Sporadic Breast Cancer.

Objective: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women worldwide. It is caused by a number of genetic and epigenetic factors. Aberrant hypermethylation of the promoter regions in specific genes is a key event in the formation and progression of breast cancers as well as the DBC2 gene, as a tumor suppressor gene.

Two novel mutations in hMLH1 gene in Iranian hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer patients.

Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is one of the most common forms of hereditary colorectal cancer. It is an autosomal dominant disorder resulting from germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes. In this study, we screened hMLH1 gene in a group of Iranian HNPCC patients using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism and direct sequencing methods.

Bioimpacts of anti epidermal growth factor receptor antisense complexed with polyamidoamine dendrimers in human lung epithelial adenocarcinoma cells.

Lung cancer is still one of the leading causes of malignancy related deaths worldwide despite recent advances in diagnosis and therapy. Among various biomarkers detected in cancerous cells, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a key role in initiation/promotion of several malignancies. Thus, a number of studies have been carried out to target this important receptor.

In vitro and ex vivo antiangiogenic activity of Salvia officinalis.

Angiogenesis is a key process in the promotion of cancer and its metastasis. Herein, the antiangiogenic activity of Salvia officinalis extract and its fractions was investigated. S.

Elaidic acid sustains LPS and TNF-alpha induced ICAM-1 and VCAM-I expression on human bone marrow endothelial cells (HBMEC).

Objectives: Elaidic acid, the predominant trans-fatty acid in industrially hydrogenated oils, exists on high levels in Iranian hydrogenated oils and margarines. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of elaidic acid and its cis-counterpart oleic acid on expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on human bone marrow endothelial cells (HBMECs).

Design And Methods: HBMEC were pre-treated with TNF-alpha or LPS for induction of the adhesion molecules expression, and then treated with elaidic acid or oleic acid.

Kiwifruit actinidin: a proper new collagenase for isolation of cells from different tissues.

Actinidin is a cysteine protease abundant in Kiwifruit. This enzyme is known as a meat-tenderizing protease. In this project, actinidin was purified from kiwifruit by salt precipitation and ion exchange chromatography.