مجله طب جنوب
سال بیست و پنجم شماره 3 (امرداد - شهریور 1401)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Sargassum boveanum is a plant species of brown algae that is widely found in the Persian Gulf. The present study investigated the antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of Sargassum boveanum in colorectal cancer cell lines.

Sargassum boveanum was collected from the Persian Gulf in Bushehr province. The hydroalcoholic extract of this plant was extracted by maceration in ethanol 70%. The concentrations of polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity of the hydroalcoholic extract (ethanol 70%) were assessed by folin ciocalteu, aluminum chloride and CUPRAC methods, respectively. Afterwards, the cytotoxicity effect of this extract was investigated in two colorectal cancer cell lines (SW742 and HCT116) and normal cells (fibroblasts) at 24, 48 and 72 hours post-treatment by the MTT method.

The studied hydroalcoholic extract contains significant amounts of polyphenol (36.79 ± 0.66 mg GAE/g dwt), flavonoid (194.66±2.5 QE/g dwt) and antioxidant capacity (526.99 ± 9.16 mg AA/g dwt). The hydroalcoholic extract gradually inhibited cell growth in the SW742, HCT116 and fibroblast cells in a
time- and dose-dependent manner.

Our results showed that sargassum boveanum hydroalcoholic extract may have considerable potential for development as a novel, natural product-based, anticancer agent.

Halophilic microorganisms have the potential to produce new biomolecules, including anti-cancer compounds, for medical applications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-cancer properties of pigments extracted from native Iranian halophilic Archaeon.

Pigment extract of Haloarcula sp. previously isolated and identified from Aran-Bidgol Lake was extracted. The effect of the extracted pigment on MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cell line was tested by MTT method and PI and FITC staining. Cells with different concentrations of pigment extract were incubated for 24, 48 and 72 hours. Finally, the expression of apoptotic genes, including BAX, CASP3, CASP7, CASP9, P21, P53, and SOX2, was examined by Real-Time PCR. Statistical analyses of the data were performed using the t-test and Repeated-Measures ANOVA.

Compared to untreated cells, the pigment extract inhibited the viability of MDA-MB-468 cells significantly after 48 hours at a concentration of 45.95 μg/ml (p*<0.05). In addition, the total population of early and late apoptotic cells (44.4%) increased in the studied cell line, which was associated with a
significant enhancement of the expression of the P53, BAX, CASP7, and CASP9 genes.

Halophilic archaea can be considered a suitable source of natural pigments with anti-cancer activity and potential benefits in chemotherapy.

Adipose tissue stem cells (ASCs) cause faster repair of damaged tissue posttransplantation by releasing growth factors in neurodegenerative diseases. ASCs secrete factors in the culture medium called conditioned medium (CM) in vitro. This study investigated the expression of neurotrophin genes in vitro culture and transplant of ASCs in Parkinsonian rats.

In this study, expression of neurotrophin genes was investigated in vitro and in vivo. In vitro means evaluating expression of genes in the conditioned medium from 21-day culture of ASCs (culture group) and the transplantation group, which were divided into subgroups of Parkinsonian rat model receiving ASCs (Cell group), and another group reveiving cells and conditioned medium (Cell + Conditioned Medium group). The sham groups were designed with Parkinsonian model and sham animals injected respectively with 6-OHDA (neurotoxin) and normal saline (neurotoxin solvent) instead of neurotoxin. All the injections were performed stereotaxically into the right striatum. After eight weeks of treatment, the transplantation areas were isolated and stored at -70 °C. Then, the exression of neurotrophin (BDNF, NT3 and NGF) mRNAs was analyzed.

BDNF and NT3 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in the cells+conditioned medium and cell, as compared with the culture group. A significant decrease in NT3 gene expression in cell group was observed compared to that of cell group + conditional medium. NGF expression of the culture and cell groups showed a significant decrease compared to the cell+conditional medium group.

In vitro cultured ASCs cannot significantly induce expression of neurotrophin genes, but when the cells are transplanted along with secretions (conditional medium) at the site of injury, the microenvironment of the transplantation site can induce higher expressions of neurotrophins. These cells will be good candidates for cell therapy.

Trichomoniasis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. Metronidazole (MTZ), a 5-nitroimidazole derivative, is the main antitrichomonal agent of choice for the treatment of trichomoniasis. Since 1962, some cases of treatment failure with metronidazole have been reported, and the increased resistance of the parasite to MTZ has emerged as a highly problematic public health issue. This study aimed to determine the current susceptibility of isolates of T. vaginalis to metronidazole in Bushehr city.

This study was performed on 20 T. vaginalis isolates collected from comprehensive health service centers and hospitals in Bushehr city. After the culture of the parasites, susceptibility testing was carried out using serial twofold dilutions of MTZ (2 to 64 μg/ml). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum lethal concentration (MLC) of the trichomonads were determined after 24 and 48 h of incubation at 36 °C. Drug susceptibility assays of all the isolates were carried out twice in triplicate under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

One hundred percent of the T. vaginalis isolates (20/20) were susceptible to MTZ. Resistance to metronidazole was defined as aerobic MIC ≥50 μg/ml, which was not detected in any of the isolates. The mean aerobic MIC and MLC and the mean anaerobic MIC of the parasites were 3.8, 3.2 and 2.1 μg/ml, respectively.

The present study was the first to investigate drug susceptibility in T. vaginalis isolates in Bushehr city. Since no metronidazole-resistant isolates were found, the situation looked very promising. Nevertheless, the need for larger-scale research is inevitable in the province. Considering that most results are based on in vitro observations, conducting an in vivo study has also been recommended in recent years, as these studies could help develop real standards about clinical and microbiological responses to MTZ treatment.

MSDS have harmful effects on productivity and public health worldwide. These disorders are more common in the upper limbs, including the neck and lumbar, among administrative staff and computer users. The aim of this study was to assess musculoskeletal disorders.

This cross-sectional study was performed in 2020. All of the 256 administrative staff of the NIGTC-D9 were recruited in the study. The CMDQ was distributed among the candidates and the completed questionnaires were then reviewed. The information obtained from the questionnaires were entered in SPSS ver. 25 and the correlation and relationship between the demographic variables and the prevalence of discomfort in different organs of the body were determined. The data was also examined and evaluated by artificial intelligence (machine learning).

The distribution of sex between the subjects was 229 male and 27 female. The mean age and body mass index were 38.3±6.15 and 27.2±4.73, respectively. The highest score obtained in the questionnaire was 1023. The highest burden of discomfort was in the upper limbs and lumbar (11.85%) and the lowest in the right forearm (1.33%). A score above 367 was determined as a critical point by AI (machine learning).

The main areas affected by MSDS were the neck, followed by the lumbar region and the upper back. Considering the presence of MSDS in the examined candidates, control and preventive measures such as providing ‘back school’ training programs, promoting awareness among workers about appropriate work postures and designing ergonomic workstations (sitting/standing and standing) seems necessary.

The increasing prevalence of thyroid cancer among the survivors of atomic bomb attacks in Japan, nuclear fallout in the Marshall Islands, and Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident indicate a strong relationship between nuclear radiation and the occurrence of thyroid cancer.

Systematic researches were conducted in the medical database of the American National Library of Congress, PubMed, using keywords of thyroid cancer, radiation, papillary thyroid cancer. After screening the titles and abstracts of 1791 citations, a total of 77 citations were identified to include in the current study.

The latency period for developing nuclear radiation-induced thyroid cancers was 5 to 10 years to decades after exposure. The most important risk factor for developing radiation-induced thyroid cancer was the received radiation dose. A strong dose-response relationship between radiation dose and the incidence of thyroid cancer has been reported (P value<0.001). Also, a strong relationship between the age of exposure to nuclear radiation and the incidence of thyroid cancer has been reported among the survivors of atomic accidents. Although the incidence rate of thyroid cancer in girls was 2-3 times more than boys in some studies, in other studies from the Chernobyl accident, no gender effect was observed. The risk of radiation-induced thyroid cancer was estimated to be higher in areas with iodine deficiency. The most common route of internal radiation was through absorption of radioactive iodine isotopes via consumption of the contaminated milk. The main mechanism in the pathogenesis of radiation-induced thyroid cancer was activation of the MAPK pathway through genetic alterations (e.g., gene rearrangements in RET family and NTRK1) or point mutations (e.g., in BRAF). Among these genetic alteration, RET/PTC3 and RET/PTC1 rearrangements were more common in radiation--induced thyroid cancer. The clinical behavior of radiation-induced thyroid cancer was a non-invasive type similar to the sporadic one at the same age

Nuclear radiation, especially at a young age (under 20 years old), directly or indirectly in a dose-dependent manner via reactive oxygen species production induces gene alterations that underlie the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer after radiation exposure. Preparedness to deal with nuclear radiation including prescription of stable iodine prophylaxis, evacuation of the contaminated regions and restriction of access to contaminated foods are recommended in power plant accidents or atomic bomb explosions.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has been revealed some pathogenic mechanisms which are indicating the role of virus in the pathogenesis of diseases such as diabetes mellitus, autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases. COVID-19 results in deterioration of glycemic control in diabetic patients and even in some cases developed new onset diabetes mellitus which are indicating the possible interfering role of SARS-CoV-2 in different metabolic pathways. Furthermore, during COVID-19 exacerbation of inactivated or de novo autoimmune diseases have been reported which indicate the causative role of virus in the stimulation of immune system and aggravation of autoimmune diseases through different mechanisms. In this report, a 31 year old male case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been introduced who developed flu like illness, generalized edema and renal failure following the administration of third dose of Sinopharm BIBP COVID-19 (Sinopharm Beijing institute of Biological Products, China). During hospital course, proper therapeutic response was not achieved despite biopsy proven class IV lupus nephritis and standard therapy with methyl prednisolone and cyclophosphamide. He discharged with administration of routine hemodialysis thrice weekly. According to the course of disease, findings of biopsy and serologic tests, there were some challenging scenarios that are discussed in this report.