Optimization of Degenerate PCR Conditions for Reducing Error Rates in Detection of PKS and NRPS Gene groups in Actinomycetes.

Background: The screen of Polyketide Synthase () and Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase () gene groups is a quick way to discover new therapeutic agents. However, errors in laboratory techniques cause a loss of touch with reality. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of and gene groups in previously isolated strains by optimizing their specialized amplification by degenerate primers and indicating the evolutionary relationships with reference strains.

Associations of BCL2 CA-Repeat Polymorphism and Breast Cancer Susceptibility in Isfahan Province of Iran.

BCL2 apoptosis regulator (BCL2) is a cause of tumorigenesis whose CA-repeat promoter polymorphisms has inconsistent association with various types of cancers. The association of BCL2 polymorphism with breast cancer was investigated in the Isfahan province of Iran. PCRamplification of the CA-repeat was followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and direct sequencing for 120 breast cancer women and an equal number of corresponding healthy control individuals.

Systematic bioinformatic approaches reveal novel gene expression signatures associated with acquired resistance to EGFR targeted therapy in lung cancer.

Objectives: Human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that harbors activating mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) initially responds to treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as gefitinib and erlotinib but eventually tumor cells acquire resistance. To date, several gene expression profiles have been reported in TKIs-resistant EGFR-mutant NSCLC. The objective of this study is to identify robust gene expression signatures, biological processes, and promising overcoming targets for TKIs-resistant EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

MicroRNA-196a as a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

We observed significant up-regulation of miR-196a in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) as compared with their adjacent normal tissue (p = .002). Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis confirmed the suitability of miR-196a as a potential tumor marker for diagnosis of ESCC.

Evaluation of rs62527607 [GT] single nucleotide polymorphism located in BAALC gene in children with acute leukemia using mismatch PCR-RFLP.

Acute leukemia is the most common cancer in children and involves several factors that contribute to the development of multidrug resistance and treatment failure. According to our recent studies, the BAALC gene is identified to have high mRNA expression levels in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and those with multidrug resistance. Several polymorphisms are associated with the expression of this gene.

TGFBR1 polymorphism and risk of breast cancer in Iranian women.

Numerous epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between transforming growth factor beta receptor type 1 (TGFBR1) polymorphisms and the risk of cancer; however, the results remain inconclusive and controversial. To determine the association between breast cancer risk and the *6A polymorphism of the TGFBR1 gene, a case-control study of 280 breast cancer patients and 280 controls was performed in Iranian women. Our study demonstrates that women who carry the TGFBR1*6A allele are at lower risk of developing breast cancer.

Polymorphic GT dinucleotide repeat in the PIK3CA gene and risk of colorectal cancer.

Background: Activated PI3K generate PIP3 to trigger different signaling pathways which regulate a number of cellular functions including cell survival, apoptosis, proliferation and motility. Mutations in many cancers were discovered in the gene encoding the PI3K catalytic subunit, PIK3CA.

Objective: To date, there has been no report on the association between polymorphism of PIK3CA gene microsatellites and risk of colorectal cancer.

Association between the lengths of GT dinucleotide repeat in the PIK3CA gene with breast cancer risk.

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3 K)/Akt signaling pathway is one of the most commonly mutated pathways in breast cancer. To date, there has been no study on polymorphism of phosphatidylinositol-3,4-bisphosphonate 3-kinase, catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) gene microsatellites and their link with breast cancer risk. In the present study, we investigate the guanine-thymine (GT) dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in intron 1 of PIK3CA gene in a cohort of 200 breast cancer patients and 200 healthy individuals and its link to the risk of developing breast cancer.

Polymorphic AAAG repeat length in estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ) and risk of breast cancer in Iranian women.

Estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) alpha, beta, and gamma are orphan nuclear receptors that modulate the estrogen signaling pathway and play roles in the regulation of breast cancer cell growth. To determine the association between breast cancer risk and alleles of the tetranucleotide repeat (AAAG)n in the intron of ERRγ gene, a case-control study of 200 breast cancer patients and 200 controls was performed in Iranian women. Our results demonstrate that women with short AAAG repeat are at higher risk of breast cancer (OR 7).

Polymorphic CT dinucleotide repeat in the GATA3 gene and risk of breast cancer in Iranian women.

GATA3 is an enriched transcription factor in mammary epithelium. To date, there has been no study on the relationship between microsatellites in the GATA3 gene and breast cancer risk. In this study, we investigated the existence of polymorphisms in the cytosine-thymine (CT) dinucleotide repeat in intron 3 of the GATA3 gene and its association with breast cancer risk.

GGCn polymorphism of eRF3a/GSPT1 gene and breast cancer susceptibility.

The significance of translation regulatory factors in elevating the risk of cancer has been recently recognized. Eukaryotic release factor 3a (eRF3a) is a translation termination protein that is encoded by G1 to S phase transition 1 gene (GSPT1). The eRF3a/GSPT1 exon 1 contains a trinucleotide GGC repeat coding for a polyglycine expansion in the N-terminal of the protein.

Polymorphic CA repeat length in insulin-like growth factor 1 and risk of breast cancer in Iranian women.

To evaluate the association between breast cancer and cytosine-adenine (CA) dinucleotide repeat length polymorphisms in the promoter region of the Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) gene, a case-control study of 215 breast cancer patients and 224 controls was conducted in Iranian women. The most common allele and genotype in both controls and patients were an allele length of 19 and a homozygous genotype of (CA)(19)/(CA)(19). Women with two alleles longer than 19 were found to be at a higher risk of breast cancer with an odds ratio of 4.

A novel PIK3CA hotspot mutation in Isfahanian breast cancer patients.

Somatic mutations of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) catalytic subunit (PIK3CA) play an important role in tumorigenesis. Using PCR-SSCP, followed by sequencing, we examined the PIK3CA gene over the previously identified mutational hotspots in a panel of 50 breast cancer and 5 normal breast tissue, as well as 50 normal blood samples isolated from a population of Iranian patients. In the present study, the frequency of PIK3CA mutation was 14%.

Correlation of major histocompatibility complex class I related A (MICA) polymorphism with the risk of developing breast cancer.

In the present study, we examined the association of different alleles of MICA gene with the risk of breast cancer development in Iranian population. Our data showed a significant relationship between longer alleles, alleles with 9- and 6-GCT repeat of MICA gene, and a higher risk of developing breast cancer according to the age of onset. The data indicated a 6-fold increase for developing breast cancer in patients carrying the allele with 6-GCT repeat after age 50 (OR = 5.

Association of sporadic breast cancer with PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1 promoter hypermethylation.

PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1 encodes a tumor suppressor protein, which regulates cell cycle progression, translation, and apoptosis by blocking the activation of Akt/PKB. The loss of PTEN function increases cell survival and induces tumor invasion. In this study, PTEN promoter status and its correlation with genetic and pathologic parameters were analyzed in genomic DNA from Iranian patients with breast cancer.

Pharmacogenomic profiling of the PI3K/PTEN pathway in sporadic breast cancer.

Background: Pharmacogenomics is the study of genetic variations among individuals to predict the probability that a patient will respond to single or multidrug chemotherapy. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide. Treatment of breast cancer by application of biological rationales gives us the ability to match the correct pharmacology to individual tumour genetic profiles.

Isolation of a novel mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by an ethyl methane sulfonate-induced mutagenesis approach as a high producer of bioethanol.

In order to obtain mutant strains showing higher bioethanol production than wild-type strains, a commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae type was subjected to mutagenesis using ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS). After adding EMS to a shaken yeast suspension, the viability of yeast cells was assessed by diluted sample inoculation to solid yeast-extract peptone glucose (YEPG) medium at 15-min intervals. At 45 min, the viability of yeast cells was estimated to be about 40%.

Association between the length of a CA dinucleotide repeat in the EGFR and risk of breast cancer.

We studied the association of breast cancer with the polymorphic CA repeat in 108 cases of breast cancer and 108 matched controls from Isfahan city of Iran. The most common genotype in controls and patients was homozygous with allele length of 16. Our findings demonstrate that Women with two short CA repeat (< 19) are at a significantly higher risk of breast cancer, at an estimated odds ratio of 1.