مجله علوم پزشکی پارس
سال بیستم شماره 2 (پیاپی 60، تابستان 1401)

Increased levels of microparticles (MPs) have been reported in many autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). In MS, endothelial cells release MPs from their membranes following the activation of lymphocytes and the production of inflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of interferon beta (INFβ) on the release of endothelial cell-derived MPs (EnMPs).

Twenty newly diagnosed MS patients were included in this study. Blood samples were taken from patients in two stages before and three months after INFβ treatment. Flow cytometry was used to count and determine the phenotype of MPs. Anti-CD51 and anti-CD31 were used to tag EnMPs. In both stages, patients' MRI was also evaluated for the number of brain plaques. Data were analyzed using SPSS-23 statistical software, and kolmogorov-smirnov test.

The mean age of patients was 31.3 ± 8.3 years. The results of this study showed a 40% decrease in the level of CD31 + MPs and a 32% decrease in the level of CD51 + MPs following treatment with INFβ, which was statistically significant (p <0.001). In this study, there was no positive and significant relationship between the number of EnMPs and the number of brain plaques (p = 0.067), age (p = 0.058) and sex of patients (p = 0.061).

INFβ has an inhibitory effect on the release of EnMPs from endothelial cells and suggest that EnMPs can probably be used as sensitive biomarkers to monitor disease progression and treatment effectiveness.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. The aim of the present study was to obtain specific genes in RCC, based on bioinformatics studies and to evaluate the expression change of candidate genes in ACHN cells after transfection of the seh gene of Staphylococcus aureus.

The expression correlations of genes involved in RCC were investigated in the TCGA database, and networks of genes was constructed. In vivo studies were performed in the ACHN cell model, in which the staphylococcal seh gene was cloned into the pcDNA3.1 (+) vector and transfected into ACHN cells. After confirming the correct function of the recombinant vector in these cells and inducing apoptosis, the expression of candidate genes was evaluated.

The results showed the successful identification of the expression correlations of genes involved in apoptosis and lncRNA-mRNA interaction network in RCC. Induction of apoptosis under the influence of toxin expression was confirmed by flow cytometry. Expression of SOX9, SBF2/AS1, MAF and c-Maf genes in cells ordered by recombinant vector was significantly reduced compared to control cells. Also, increased expression of LINC00671 and LINC02499 genes was observed in cells transfected with pcDNA3.1 (+)- seh vector compared to the control group (p <0.05) and This change in expression confirmed the accurate identification of genes involved in RCC cell apoptosis.

The gene networks identified in this study can provide a new perspective for research aimed at identifying new molecular pathways and treating RCC.

Today, cancer stem cells have attracted a lot of attention as tumour-initiating cells. Hyperthermia was also found to be beneficial in cancer treatment in many studies. In the present study, we assessed the effects of hyperthermia on colorectal cancer cells (HT-29) and their derived cancer stem cells (CSCs).

 CSCs were isolated from the HT-29 cell lines and then, the expression of surface marker and stemness-related genes were evaluated. Next, the toxicity effect of hyperthermia on HT-29 and CSCs was assessed. In addition, the effect of hyperthermia on the expression of stemness, proliferation, Wnt signaling pathway, and apoptosis genes was evaluated. Finally, the data were statistically analyzed.

 Isolated-CSCs were positive for CD133 surface marker and the expression of stemness genes in the isolated-CSCs was significantly higher than HT-29 cells (P-value< 0.05). Treatment with hyperthermia reduced the survival rate of HT-29 and CSCs. In both groups, the gene expression of OCT3/4, NANOG, PCNA, WNT1, and CTNNB1, was decreased (P>0.05). In addition, the expression of P53, KLF4, and BAX genes was significantly increased in CSCs (P <0.05).

 The results showed that hyperthermia did not have a significant effect on HT-29 cells. However, it had a significant effect on the cell viability, growth curve, expression of genes involved in apoptosis and KLF4 in treated-CSCs. Therefore, hyperthermia can have a beneficial effect on inhibiting the growth and proliferation of CSCs.

Due to the prevalence of degenerative diseases among middle-aged and elderly people who undergo surgery, it is very important to evaluate the clinical consequences of these patients who have undergone surgery. This research aimed to investigate the relationship between modic changes and fast effusion and its relationship with clinical, functional and lumbar spine outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative disorders.                     

In this study, all patients over 30 years of age who will be admitted to Shahid Chamran Hospital between 1996 and 1999 due to lumbar degenerative causes for spinal surgery were studied. After 6 months, patients underwent clinical examination and imaging and the extent of modic changes and fast effusion as well as clinical consequences and spinal stability was investigated.

There was a significant difference in the amount of pain before and after surgery (p <0.001). No significant relationship was observed between thyroid modicum, vacuum sign, laminectomy level and discectomy with spinal instability (P> 0.05). Also, there was no significant difference in terms of Dynamic T between the two groups (P> 0.05) but there was a significant difference between Dynamic A between the two groups.

Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that lumbar degenerative surgery is not associated with spinal instability. It is suggested that in future studies, patients with spinal instability be retrospectively examined with a larger sample

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes various infections, especially in patients hospitalized in intensive care units. Antibiotic resistance and biofilm production are recognized as two significant factors in the pathogenesis of this bacteria.

The isolates were detected and identified based on standard microbiological and biochemical methods.  The PCR technique was used to detect algD, rhlR, rhlL, and aprA genes.

The results of evaluating the antibiotic resistance indicated the effective antibiotics in the treatment of this bacterium respectively as follows: Colistin (with 0% resistance), Polymyxin B (with 0% resistance), Meropenem (1 isolate) (with 2.5% resistance), Ciprofloxacin (3 isolates) (with 7.5% resistance), Imipenem (3 isolates) (with 7.5% resistance), and Amikacin (3 isolates) (with 7.5% resistance). Detecting and tracing of algD, rhlR, rhlL, and aprA genes revealed that 100% of the isolates carried the algD gene, 96% of the isolates carried the rhlR gene, 94% of the isolates carried the rhlL gene, and finally, 91% of the isolates carried the aprA gene.

 The results demonstrated the high presence of algD, rhlR, rhlL, and aprA genes in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates.. Considering the high prevalence of the algD gene in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains of the current study, which is involved in the capsule production process, it seems essential and vital to control the infections of this bacterium due to the existence of multiple resistance and its ability to produce capsules.

Immune system disorders as one of the major problems in dialysis patients increase their susceptibility to pneumococcal pneumonia. The present study was conducted for the first time in Iran with the aim of determining the prevalence of natural acquired immunity to Streptococcus pneumoniae in hemodialysis patients in Jahrom, Iran.

This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on 89 hemodialysis patients in Jahrom-Iran, 2022. The presence of anti-pneumococcal antibodies in the serum of patients was assessed by ELISA method. Demographic information, mean history of hemodialysis treatment and number of times per week were extracted from patients' records. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics-23 statistical software (IBM, USA) using descriptive statistics, chi-square and Fisher's exact test.

The prevalence of immunity to Streptococcus pneumoniae in dialysis patients was 20.22%. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of pneumococcal immunity between participants in terms of age groups, sex and number of dialysis sessions per week (p<0.05) but there was no statistically significant relationship with the duration of dialysis treatment (p=0.09).

Prevalence of this type of immunity, which indicates a history of pneumococcal infection in dialysis patients in Jahrom. Due to the ability to prevent this infection by pneumococcal vaccination, the need for Iranian dialysis patients for pneumococcal vaccination is recommended.

Acute myocardial infarction is one of the main causes of mortality in the worldwide. The aim of the present study is to predict the Association of interleukin (IL)-17 and phagosome with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods and Materials:

Microarray data were extracted from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and then analyzed by GEO2R and R softwares. The functional analysis of up/down regulation of genes were performed using DAVID and Enrichr data bases.

In this study, expression of 208 genes were lower in patients group compared to the controls (Log2FC<-1). In patients’ group, PAQR8, CCR2, CCR5, and ZNF137P genes significantly had lower expression. Although 528 gens, especially NR4A2, GABARAPL1, THBD, NFIL3, and MAFB significantly had more expression compared to the controls (Log2FC>+1). KEGG analysis on gens that increase expression showed that signaling pathways of IL-17 and phagosome are two pathways in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

According to our finding, after acute myocardial infarction, inflammatory pathway like IL-17 signaling recruiting matrix metalloproteinase 9 as a protein involve in repairing acute myocardial infarction damages. Also, the phagosome activity by major histocompatibility complex class-II (MHC-II) and CD36 signaling pathways, may be played a role in accelerating healing after acute myocardial infarction damages.

Trichomoniasis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection in the world, with resistant cases spreading. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Ferulago angulata extracts and essential oil on Trichomonas vaginalis protozoan.

In this study, methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane extracts and essential oil of F. angulata aerial parts were prepared and tested to determine the minimum lethal concentration (MLC) and the percentage of growth inhibition (GI%). The tests were carried out on two clinical isolates of T. vaginalis under aerobic conditions and against metronidazole and control.  The tests were surveyed after 24 and 48 hours of incubation.

After 24 hours, the MLC of methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane extracts and essential oil were 250, 500, 250 and 500 μg/ml, respectively. The MLC of ethyl acetate and hexane extracts were reduced to 250 and 125 μg/ml, after 48 hours. GI% at Sub-MLC for extracts and essential oils were 24.3% to 93.2%, after 24 hours, and from 51.6% to 95.1% after 48 hours. Also, the mean MLCs of metronidazole after 24 and 48 hours were 9.3 and 4.6 μg/ml.

The results of this study showed that F. angulata has anti-trichomonial potential. Thus, more investigations it is necessary to purify the constituents of essential oil and extracts. Further in vitro and in vivo experiments will clarify the antimicrobial potential of the plant to make a more correct judgment.