Dysregulated Expression of Long Non-Coding RNA MINCR and EZH2 in Colorectal Cancer.

Background: As critical regulators, lncRNAs have attracted attention from researchers for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic purposes in human carcinogenesis via interfering with mRNAs such as EZH2. Nevertheless, the potent roles and molecular mechanisms of these RNAs in CRC are not clearly known.

Methods: In this study, the tissue expressions of lncRNA MINCR and EZH2 mRNA between colorectal tumors and polyps were compared with the adjacent normal tissues collected from 114 Iranian patients, using real-time PCR method.

Production and Evaluation of the Properties of HIV-1-Nef-MPER-V3 Fusion Protein Harboring IMT-P8 Cell Penetrating Peptide.

Background: Finding a safe and effective vaccine for HIV-1 infection is still a major concern.

Objective: This study aimed to design and produce a recombinant Nef-MPER V3 protein fused with IMT-P8 using E. coli expression system to provide a potential HIV vaccine with high cellular penetrance.

The rs4846049 polymorphism in the 3'UTR region of the gene increases the migraine susceptibility in an Iranian population.

Introduction: Migraine is a painful complex neurovascular disease characterized by recurrent moderate-to-severe headaches. Increased level of homocysteine is related to dilation of cerebral vessels and endothelial injury that could trigger migraine attacks. Functional polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene affect homocysteine metabolism and, therefore, play an important role in the etiology of the disease.

Homozygosity mapping in albinism patients using a novel panel of 13 STR markers inside the nonsyndromic OCA genes: introducing 5 novel mutations.

Albinism is a heterogeneous genetic disorder of melanin synthesis that results in hypopigmented hair, skin and eyes. It is associated with decreased visual acuity, nystagmus, strabismus and photophobia. Six genes are known to be involved in nonsyndromic oculocutaneous albinism (OCA).

Evaluation of IGK and IGL molecular gene rearrangements according to the BIOMED-2 protocols for clinical diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma.

Background: Although the analysis of molecular clonality rearrangements of the immunoglobulin light chains (IGK and IGL) is an alternative approach for diagnosis of B cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) using BIOMED-2 protocols, NHLs have not been extensively confirmed for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cases. We evaluated BIOMED-2 protocols in HL cases, which have been suggested previously as gold standard method for molecular clonality analysis on formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue in NHL patients.

Methods: We recruited 50 consecutive FFPE tissues of HL samples to evaluate IGK and IGL clonality gene rearrangements using BIOMED-2 and Heteroduplex methods.

The effect of 5'untranslated region polymorphism in EGF gene, rs4444903, on colorectal cancer.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of rs4444903 (EGF+61A/G) SNP genotype with colorectal cancer and tumor stage in an Iranian population.

Background: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is one of the important proteins that determine survival of cells. EGF binds to its receptor on the cell surface and then activates some of the cell signaling pathway networks within cells that lead to activation or deactivation of factors which are responsible for growth and apoptosis of cells.

Correlation between the EGF gene intronic polymorphism, rs2298979, and colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is an important disorder that results from genetic and epigenetic alterations in one colonic epithelial cell. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is critical in the development of tumors in epithelial tissues. Variations in the DNA sequence of the gene may be particularly significant with regard to susceptibility to CRC.

"Familial" versus "Sporadic" intellectual disability: contribution of common microdeletion and microduplication syndromes.

Background: Interstitial Microdeletion and Microduplication syndromes have been proposed as a significant cause of sporadic intellectual disability (ID) but the role of such aberrations in familial ID has not yet been investigated. As the balanced chromosomal abnormalities commonly lead to the recurrent ID or multiple congenital anomalies, this study was designed to evaluate whether it was justified to investigate such aberrations in familial ID patients. Three hundred and twenty eight patients from 101 unrelated Iranian families with more than two ID patients in the first-degree relatives, have been investigated.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutations in 85 Iranian breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Iranian women (Mousavi et al in Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 9(2):275-278, 2008). Genetic predisposition accounts for 15% of all breast cancers and germline mutations in breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are responsible for a substantial proportion of high-risk breast and breast/ovarian cancer families (Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer in Lancet 350:1047-1059, 1997; Lee et al in Int Nurs Rev 55:355-359, 2008; Hulka and Stark in Lancet 346:883-887, 1995; Kelsey in Epidemiol Rev 15:256-263, 1993; Tischer et al in J Biol Chem 266:11947-11954, 1991; Newman et al in: Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85:3044-3048, 1988). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate mutations of BRCA1/2 in high risk Iranian families.

Frequent MSI mononucleotide markers for diagnosis of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.

Background: Failure in the DNA mismatch repair system is commonly accompanied by microsatellite instability and leads to colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to find the most frequent of five mononucleotide markers in order to devise the simplest diagnostic strategy for identification of patients with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) who were defined by defects in mismatch repair system.

Materials And Methods: 78 patients with colorectal cancer were recruited for this investigation.