Effects of ionizing radiation on the viability and proliferative behavior of the human glioblastoma T98G cell line.

Objective: Radiotherapy is the traditional therapy for glioma patients. Glioma has poor response to ionizing radiation (IR). Studying radiation-induced cell death can help in understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying its radioresistance.

Mild androgen insensitivity syndrome (MAIS): the identification of c.1783C>T mutation in two unrelated infertile men.

Two unrelated men complaining of primary male infertility presented to Orient Hospital in Damascus city. Physical examination showed moderate hypoandrogenic features. Both men were azoospermic.

Effects of γ-radiation on cell growth, cell cycle and promoter methylation of 22 cell cycle genes in the 1321NI astrocytoma cell line.

Purpose: DNA damage caused by radiation initiates biological responses affecting cell fate. DNA methylation regulates gene expression and modulates DNA damage pathways. Alterations in the methylation profiles of cell cycle regulating genes may control cell response to radiation.

High prevalence of genetic abnormalities in Middle Eastern patients with idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia.

Introduction: Our objective is to detect the frequency and types of major genetic abnormalities of idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) to give appropriate genetic counseling before assisted reproductive techniques (ART) in Middle East and to compare the frequencies with other regions of the world.

Material And Methods: A total of 880 Middle Eastern patients with NOA were recruited in this multicenter study for genetic evaluation prior to use of ART. Karyotyping was performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes according to standard G-banding methods, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to screen the microdeletions in the AZF region of the Y chromosome.

Characterization of mutations causing rifampicin and isoniazid resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Syria.

In order to characterize mutations causing rifampicin and isoniazid resistance of M. tuberculosis in Syria, 69 rifampicin resistant (Rif(r)) and 72 isoniazid resistant (Inh(r)) isolates were screened for point mutations in hot spots of the rpoB, katG and inhA genes by DNA sequencing and real time PCR. Of 69 Rif(r) isolates, 62 (90%) had mutations in the rifampin resistance determining region (RRDR) of the rpoB gene, with codons 531 (61%), 526 (13%), and 516 (8.

Effects of fenofibrate on Semaphorin 6B gene expression in rat skeletal muscle.

Semaphorin 6B is a member of the semaphorin family of signaling proteins, which is implicated in a variety of biological processes, such as axon guidance and muscle regeneration. PPARα is known to be a regulator of semaphorin 6B in human cancer cell lines. In this study, we examined the effect of fenofibrate as a PPARα activator on the expression of the Sema6B gene in rat skeletal muscle.

Combination of conventional multiplex PCR and quantitative real-time PCR detects large rearrangements in the dystrophin gene in 59% of Syrian DMD/BMD patients.

Objectives: Adaptation of a low-cost protocol to diagnose large rearrangements of the dystrophin gene in DMD/BMD Syrian patients and to establish the distribution of these mutations in the 2 hotspots.

Design And Methods: gDNA from 51 unrelated Syrian DMD/BMD male patients was isolated and analyzed by multiplex PCR of 25 hotspot exons in order to detect deletions. Patients who did not show any deletions were further analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and the DeltaDeltaCt method in order to detect duplications in exons 4, 17, 47 and 52.