International Journal of Medical Laboratory
Volume:6 Issue: 3, Aug 2019

Epigenetic changes play an essential role in cancer pathogenesis. It has been established by next-generation sequencing that more than 50% of the human cancers carry mutations in mechanisms involved in the organization of the chromatin and epigenetic regulations. DNA methylation is among the most common epigenetic changes in leukemia. In contrast to DNA mutations which are passively inherited from DNA replication, epimutations, for example, the hypermethylation and epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes, must be actively maintained because of being reversible. Actually, the reversibility of epimutations by small-molecule inhibitors provides the basis for the use of such inhibitors in new cancer therapy strategies. However, DNA methylation mechanism and its role in leukemia are not fully understood; there are some serious concerns about the use of these drugs. In this study, we will review the mechanisms of DNA methylation and the genes that are methylated in leukemia. Moreover, new interesting findings of the epigenetic changes causeed by adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma have been fully discussed.

Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoa that is associated with vaginitis, cervicitis, urethritis and other vaginal disorders. Current study aimed to evaluate the anti-Trichomonas activity of Medicago sativa and Satureja hortensis, in vitro. Ethanolic extract of Medicago sativa and Satureja hortensis were obtained by rotary evaporator. anti-Trichomonas vaginalis activities of the extracts in different concentrations were evaluated after 24, 48 and 72 hr of incubation of the cultured media. The data showed a significant difference between concentration and time regarding the Satureja hortensis and Medicago sativa extracts compared to the negative control (p<0.05). According to the results, the anti- trichomonas activity of the Medicago sativa and Satureja hortensis extracts may make it possible to use them in the treatment of trichomoniasis.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are a well-known source of multipotent adult stem cells. Despite using different methodologies of MSCs preparing for clinical applications, the top safest procedure to manipulate these cells, has not yet been determined. Recently, ex-vivo expansion of MSCs for their subsequent implantation, using some biological product, is suggested instead of fetal bovine serum (FBS). Previous studies have shown the effect of follicular fluid (FF) (a dynamic fluid in ovarian follicle) as an additive component in cell culture. Hence, this study aimed to decipher its role on the human BM-MSC proliferation. In this study, BM-MSCs at 3rd passage were cultivated in the presence of 20% FF (group I), 10% FF+ FBS 10% (group II) and FBS 20% as control group. The capacity of proliferation as calculating population doubling times and gene expression levels of stem cell factor, stromal cell-derived factor 1, and transforming growth factor beta were analyzed in osteogeneic media to examine the impacts of FF on osteogenesis of MSCs. Our results corroborated an up-regulatory effect of FF on the proliferation of BM-MSCs by shorter population doubling times in the group II of treated cells and an increase in gene expression level of osteocalcin and transforming growth factor beta in the presence of higher concentrations of FF in cell culture  FF 20% and 10%, respectively. FF is a potent mitogen for cell proliferation. FF may be an efficient substitution of FBS in ex-vivo cell culture, eliminating zoonotic infections and immunological reactions.

Unlike many global efforts to eradicate tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium, it remains as a life-threatening infection with a worldwide incidence of 1.5 million cases each year. However, due to the lack of information about Mycobacterium tuberculosis characterization, more studies are required to evaluate strain diversity and epidemiology of tuberculosis to improve the therapeutic approaches. This study aimed to genotype the Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from suspected patients in Tehran, Iran through 2015-2017. In the current study, 30 isolates (sputum, broncho-alveolar lavage and biopsy) were collected from different tuberculosis patients at Massoud Clinical Lab of Tehran from 2015 to 2017. To find the single nucleotide polymorphisms and mutated regions, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on all the isolates to amplify the katG and gyrA genes. Then, PCR products were sequenced and analyzed. The majority of isolates were assigned to PGG2 (90%), followed by PGG3 (10%) but no isolate belonging to PGG1 was found. Our findings demonstrate a remarkable epidemiological pattern of tuberculosis in Tehran. In group 2, isolates showed a considerably higher frequency compared to isolates in group 3, which is consistent with other findings reported in Iran. However, in contrast to other Iranian studies, no isolated strains were categorized in principal PGG1.

Rhinosinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane that may be caused by infectious agents such as bacteria, fungi and viruses. Few studies have been carried out on the role of viruses in Rhinosinusitis patients .The aim of this study was the molecular detection of Adenoviruses in sinus tissues by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Shiraz. In the present study, 103 paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens of sinus tissues were subjected to DNA extraction and tested for adenovirus DNA using Nested PCR. The amplification of a β-globin gene by PCR-based method was used to confirm the quality of extracted DNA. A total of 103 samples of sinus tissues were examined. Of these patients, 50 (48.54%) were male and the rest were female (51.46%). The patients’ age ranged between 2 and 82 years and the mean age was 42.15±1.56 years. The adenovirus DNA was detected in 13 of 103 (12.6%) samples. The results of this study showed that Adenoviruses have high prevalence in rhinosinusitis patients. As a results, it is an important to investigate clinical significance of viral infections especially Adeno viruses in these patients.

Hemophilia is a rare autoimmune disorder caused by autoantibodies directed in the majority of the cases against clotting factor VIII (FVIII). FVIII is extracted from human plasma or engineered from mammalian cell cultures using recombinant DNA technology. In Iran, most of the used FVIII is prepared from human plasma in Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization. It was seen important to estimate its stability and activity from bleeding time until product preparation. In the analytical study, 60 healthy male donors (20-50 years old), 15 donors from each blood group, were selected after obtaining informed consent. Donors' blood was collected in QUADRI-PACKs and centrifuged after keeping at 24°C for 2 hours. The separated plasma was divided into three groups and incubated in the lab (22°C) for 0, 90, and 180 minutes, respectively. Then, samples were stored at -20°C for one month. Afterward, the plasma was thawed, and FVIII activity was assayed. The activity of FVIII significantly (p<0.05) reduced by delay in freezing; after the time of 0 min: 134.84%±42, after 90 min: 126.88%±38, after 180 min: 120.22%±34. At all incubation times, the highest and the lowest FVIII activity were observed in A and O blood groups, respectively (p<0.05). FVIII activity was increased along with increasing age up to 35-40, but it decreased in subjects of 40-50 years old. These experiments confirmed that the longer the delay in freezing fresh frozen plasma, the greater the decrease in FVIII stability. . According to the results of this study, the best blood donors for FVIII product are those with blood group A in the age range of 40-35 years.

Cartilage is a very specific tissue, which does not have the capacity to heal and renew itself. Although the invention of the method of surgery with autologous chondrocyte transplantation, developed tools to treat the cartilage lesions, it couldn’t gain a great success due to problems such as damage to the area of donation. Using the mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose and culturing and differentiating them on scaffolds was considered appropriate as a successful research and clinical strategy. In the present study, the mesenchymal stem cells were separated from adipose tissue and cultured in two scaffolds of fibrin glue and alginate medium. After 1, 7 and 14 days of cell differentiation, the survival ability of the differentiated cells were analyzed by Chondrogenic MTT. Moreover, type I and II collagen, aggrecan and Sox9 expression were measured via real time-polymerase chain reaction. In addition, cartilage reconstruction on scaffolds was shown by a histological investigation. Our results showed that the expression of CD90 and CD105 as mesenchymal markers is at a high level whereas the expression of CD34 and CD45 reaches a low level. The LSD test demonstrated that there was no remarkable difference among the chondrogenic MTT, scaffolds groups and control in 7 and 14 days after cell differentiation (p<0.05), although, fibrin glue had the highest expression in chondrogenic gens. Finding suggests that in order to utilize a new strategy for tissue regeneration utilization of inherent scaffolds such as fibrin glue can act as a protector for mesenchymal stem cells.

Acanthamoeba is a ubiquitous amphizoic organism which can cause lethal diseases such as granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and unfortunately, the infection has now increased in the world. The aim here was to evaluate in vitro anti-Acanthamoeba properties of crude aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Myrtus communis. In this experimental research, a clinical isolate of Acanthamoeba was cultured and genotyped. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Myrtus communis were prepared. Then, various concentrations of Myrtus communis extracts (1.25, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/ml) were tested at three different times (24, 48 and 72 hr) on trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba in vitro. The viability of trophozoites or cysts was tested by trypan blue method. Unstained (viable) and stained (nonviable) parasites were evaluated by counting with a neobar lam. The percentage of viablity of trophozoites and cysts after adding ethanolic extract of Myrtus communis was 0% and 8.62%, respectively. Moreover, at 10 mg/ml concentration of aqueous extract of Myrtus communis, 0% trophozoites and 31.10% cysts lived after 72 h. This extract can be used as a safe anti-Acanthamoeba agent against trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba and further investigations are recommended to show the effects of this plant as an antiparasitic drug in animal models and volunteer infected people.