مجله زیست شناسی جانوری
سال شانزدهم شماره 1 (پاییز 1402)

Diarrhea is a major public health concern because it is one of the leading causes of death in children under five years of age. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a main strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) that is considered an important cause of infant diarrhea in developed countries. EPEC are common pathogens that are transmitted through consumption of contaminated food and cause acute gastrointestinal diseases in humans. In this review, the prevalence of EPEC in meat and poultry as well as dairy products in Iran has been reviewed. Based on the previous studies, most of the identified EPEC strains have been related to red meat and meat products such as hamburgers, which are likely to be more contaminated due to improper processing hygiene and high manipulation in the production process. Furthermore, EPEC strains have been detected in chicken meat and ready to cook food products such as semi-cooked nuggets to a lesser extent. Due to the use of pasteurization temperature in the preparation stages, a decrease in the initial amount of microbial load has been observed in these foods. However, in the storage and preparation stages of these foods in factories, hygiene points should be observed to prevent EPEC contamination. The obtained results showed that food products of animal origin can easily act as a reservoir of EPEC with the potential ability to transfer antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity genes to the gastrointestinal microflora. Therefore, developing effective strategies to improve food safety and updated guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobial agents in Iran is of great importance.

Adiponectin is a peptide hormone that is secreted from adipose tissue in humans and is effective on fat and glucose metabolism. Interleukin-6 also has the main role in various types of host defense mechanisms, including immune reactions and acute phase reactions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare the short-term effects of aerobic exercise and high-fat diet and curcumin extract on the expression of adiponectin and interleukin genes in six muscle tissues of male Wistar rats. For this purpose, 50 two-month-old male rats were prepared and divided into five control groups, high-fat diet, curcumin and high-fat diet, exercise and high-fat diet, curcumin + exercise + high-fat diet. Data analysis was compared using one-way analysis of variance. The mean of intra-group differences was also compared using the one-way statistical test. The results showed that the average expression of the adiponectin gene of the subjects showed a significant difference among the 5 groups. The results of Bonferroni's post hoc test also showed a significant difference between the control group and other groups. Also, the expression of interleukin 6 gene increased in two groups - high-fat diet and high-fat + curcumin diet group compared to the control group. But in two groups of high-fat diet + exercise and high-fat diet + exercise + curcumin group, there was a significant decrease.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of flaxseed oil and ginger powder on production performance and egg yolk fatty acid profile in broiler hens during three periods of 28 days. Number 200 pieces of Ross 308 broiler chicken with 45 weeks of age and in a completely random factorial design (2×4) including 2 levels of ginger (zero and 1.5%) and two levels of flax (zero, 1, 2 and 3%) in 8 experimental treatments 5 replications of 5 hens per replication were performed. Only in the period of 28 to 56 and 56 to 84 days, egg production was affected by ginger powder and flax oil and their mutual effects (P<0.05). In the whole period, only ginger powder and the mutual effects of ginger powder and flax oil increased egg production (P<0.05). In none of the periods, linseed oil and the simultaneous effects of ginger powder and linseed oil had no effect on egg weight (P>0.05), and only the effects of ginger powder in the period 56 to 84 days were significant, which caused a decrease in egg weight (P<0.05). Egg mass measurement was affected by ginger powder and linseed oil and their simultaneous effects only in the period of 28 to 56 and 56 to 84 days and the whole period (P<0.05). Consumption of flaxseed oil and ginger powder and flaxseed oil at the same time led to a significant increase in egg yolk fatty acids and a significant decrease in the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 (P<0.05). In general, supplementing the diet of mother hens with 1.5% level of ginger and 2% level of linseed oil has a positive effect on production performance and egg yolk fatty acid profile.

Silkworm rearing has been intermingled with the life and culture of the Khorasan Razavi people for a long time. This study was conducted to determine robust hybrids for economically important traits in mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori under numerous climatic conditions. To identify the most suitable hybrid for Khorasan Razavi climatic conditions, 14 imported hybrids were compared with four Iranian local hybrids. In the spring of 2021, rearing was carried out under uniformed laboratory condition by adopting standard method. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications and 200 larvae per replication using procedure of GLM in SAS 9.2 in the Torbat Heydarieh sericulture center (Torbat Heydarieh, Iran). These eighteen hybrids were evaluated for their performance in eight metric traits viz., larval losses, percentage of pupae, percentage of cocoons (good, medium, weak and double), weight of cocoons (good, medium, weak and double), number per liter, weight of one liter, weight of cocoon cortex, percentage of cocoon cortex and percentage of raw silk. The results showed that Chines hybrid Q×B had higher cocoon weight with 339.57 gr (P <0.05). Also, L2×R had higher shell cocoon perecent with 24.36%  (P <0.05) and L2×OR showed higher average mean of cocoon wight with 1.72 gr (P <0.05). The result of the present study indicated that six hybrids viz., 872 × 871, B × Q, BB × QA, HB × JA, JA × HB, and M × S exhibited better performance in imported Chinese hybrids, and three Iranians hybrids viz., 103 × 104, 151 × 154, 154 × 151 had better performance in Torbat Heydariyeh region of Khorasan Razavi province.

Endometrial hyperplasia is the irregular proliferation of endometrial glands and an increase in the ratio of gland to stroma compared to normal proliferative endometrium. Endometrial hyperplasia is one of the precursors of endometrial cancer, which is one of the most common cancers among women. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating changes in the expression level of FOXO1 and P27 kip genes in endometrial hyperplasia tissue samples compared to normal tissue sample. In this case-control study, samples of hyperplasia with normal marginal tissue were taken from the uterine endometrium of women who referred to the women's clinic of Arash Hospital with abnormal uterine bleeding or increased endometrial thickness. Marginal normal tissue sample and hyperplasia sample were considered as control and case, respectively. The relative expression level of FOXO1 and P27 kip genes was measured by real time PCR method after total RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, and then the data obtained from the reaction was analyzed by RQ=2-ΔΔCT method. Data were analyzed using independent t-test. The relative expression level of FOXO1 and P27 kip genes in the hyperplasia tissue sample was not significantly different compared to the control group (P>0.05.( Although the results of some studies indicate that the expression level of FOXO1 and P27KIP genes can be changed in endometrial cancer, the results of the present study showed that, contrary to expectations, there is no significant change in relative expression level of FOXO1 and P27KIP genes in hyperplasia tissue compared to normal tissue.

The aim of this study is to synthesize and investigate the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects of polylactic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles containing the extract of Anbernesara smoke. For this purpose, Anbernesara smoke was extracted and encapsulated by PLGA nanoparticles using the W1/O/W2 method and characterized by DLS, zeta potential, FESEM and FTIR electron microscope techniques. The antioxidant activity of the synthesized nanoparticles using ABTS and FRAP tests, as well as measuring the expression levels of the antioxidant genes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 10 (IL- 10) was also analyzed to determine the anti-inflammatory potential of nanoparticles by Real time PCR test. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated on two bacterial strains Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. The results showed the formation of spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 51.2 nm, dispersion index of 0.22, surface’s charge of -35.37 mV and encapsulation efficiency of 74%. The antioxidant properties of synthesized PLGA nanoparticles were confirmed by reducing Fe+3, inhibiting the formation of free radicals and increasing the expression level of CAT and SOD genes. The expression levels of IL-6 and IL-10 genes were also increased under the influence of PLGA nanoparticles loaded with the organic extract of Anbernesara smoke, indicating the anti-inflammatory properties of the proposed nanoparticles. PLGA nanoparticles loaded with the organic extract of Anbernesara smoke had an antibacterial effect on B. subtilis, but not on E. coli. The PLGA nanoparticles loaded with the organic extract of Anbernesara smoke have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory properties and can be considered as a combination with antibacterial potential.
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Diabetes is considered as one of the most developed diseases in the world and one of the main causes of death. One of the ways to prevent diabetes and its complications is to exercise in different ways. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of 12 weeks of continuous and interval training on fetuin b, fetuin a and glypican 4 plasma and insulin resistance in type 1 diabetic rats.For this purpose, 40 type 1 diabetic mice were divided into 4 groups: healthy control, diabetes control, continuous diabetes, and diabetes interval. The interval group performed six repetitions per session by running on the treadmill in 3-minute intervals at a speed of 20 meters per minute and active recovery at a speed of 10 meters per minute with a 0% incline for 3 minutes on the treadmill (total duration of 36 minutes). The continuous training group also ran at a speed of 15 meters per minute for 36 minutes with a slope of 0%. Rats were killed 48 hours after the last training session and blood sampling was done. To compare between groups, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni's post hoc test were used. Examining changes between groups showed that there is a significant difference between groups for insulin resistance, fetuin b, fetuin a and glypican 4 plasma (P<0.001). Examination of between groups changes showed that insulin resistance, fetuin b, fetuin a, and glypican 4 plasma had a significant decrease in the healthy group compared to the diabetic group (P<0.001). Also, there was a significant difference between the diabetes control group and the continues and interval groups in all indicators (P<0.001). The results of the present study showed that interval and continuous exercise can reduce plasma fetuin b, fetuin a and glypican 4 in type 1 diabetic rats. These improvements were better in the interval training group than in the continuous training group.

The phenomenon of angiogenesis in pathophysiological conditions such as obesity and physiological conditions such as exercise have different effects on the body. The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of six weeks of resistance training on Vascular endothelial growth factor and Neuron Derived Neurotrophic Factor in obese male rats. In an experimental study, 20 male wistar rats aged five weeks and weight approximately 120 to 160 grams, were divided into two equal groups, control and experimental, based on weight homogenization. The experimental group performed a training protocol for six weeks, three sessions per week, and each session includes one set of 10 repetitions with a 90-second rest interval, including of climbing a resistance training ladder at a height of one meter and an incline of 85 degrees with a weight attached to the base of the tail (with Paying attention to the maximum weight carrying capacity of each rat. 48 hours after the last training session, the rats were sacrificed and blood was taken from the heart. The values of VEGF and NDNF in the heart tissue were evaluated with ELISA method. In order to examine the changes of between groups, the independent t-test was used at a significance level of p<0.05. The results indicated that six weeks of resistance training led to a significant increase in VEGF values (p=0.0001) and a significant decrease in NDNF values (p=0.0001) in experimental group in comparison to the control group. Base on the findings of this study, it seems that resistance training can have positive effects on preventing the risk of cardiovascular diseases caused by obesity, by increasing some protective factors and reducing angiogenesis inhibitory factors.

3D printing of scaffolds at low temperatures is very promising for making artificial bone graft alternatives with more performance than traditional techniques. One of the most promising strategies in bone tissue engineering has focused on the development of biomimetic scaffolds. Ceramic-based scaffolds with osteogenic ability and mechanical properties are promising candidates for bone repair. The aim of this study was to adapt the flexibility and increasing the effect of inducing osteogenesis of Polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold prepared by fused deposition modeling (FDM) method, using the combination of Collagen (COL) as a natural polymer with synthetic polymer and to investigate the behavior of MG63 cells on it. on it. After preparing the scaffold, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy were used. After 1,7,14 days, the ossification process of MG63 cells in different treatments was performed using alizarin red staining and alkaline phosphatase activity. The non-toxicity of scaffolds was also evaluated by MTT assay to ensure cell proliferation. From under a microscope, it was found that tissue engineering scaffolds distributed and connected almost rectangular pores evenly. The PCL/COL scaffold showed a significant difference in terms of viability compared to the polycaprolactone scaffold only in the differential medium (P ≤ 0.0001). The results of evaluating ALP activity in PCL/COL scaffolds were significantly higher than uncoated PCL scaffolds and control (P ≤ 0.0001). The results of this study showed that the use of PCL/COL scaffold can be considered a suitable medium for proliferation and differentiation of MG63 cells in bone tissue engineering. Therefore, the PCL/COL composite scaffold prepared by FDM printer can be widely used in bone tissue engineering due to the cell survival by COL.

In recent years, the focus of researches in the field of tissue engineering has been on the preparation of scaffold materials and methods. 3D printing is an emerging technology that can accurately and quickly prepare bone tissue engineering scaffolds with specific shapes and structures. One of the most common 3D printing methods is fused deposition modeling (FDM), the materials used in this method are polymers such as polycaprolactone (PCL). In this study, 3D printed PCL scaffolds were made and due to the hydrophobic and non-osteogenic nature of PCL, the surface of the scaffolds was coated with a 1% solution of hydroxyapatite (HA) and bioactive glass (BG) bioceramics. Surface modification of PCL scaffolds was done to increase hydrophilicity and improve cell attachment. Field emission scanning electron microscop (FeSEM) images, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and mapping of the surface elements of the scaffolds confirmed the proper coating of PCL scaffolds with HA and BG bioceramics. The biocompatibility of PCL/HA/BG scaffolds and the cell viability and attachment on the surface of the scaffolds were investigated by seeding of human adipose mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) and using MTT test and FeSEM images. Also, the potential of PCL/HA/BG scaffolds in osteogenic differentiation of hAMSCs was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase activity measurement test and immunocytochemical staining. The results showed that the three-component PCL/HA/BG scaffolds improved the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hAMSCs, so the PCL/HA/BG scaffolds can be a suitable candidate for bone tissue engineering applications.

This research was conducted in order to evaluate the use of lysophospholipid (LPL) supplement on performance, carcass characteristics, blood metabolites and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens fed with different levels of threonine (Thr) amino acid. In this experiment, 400 male broilers of ROSS 308 strain were used with 8 treatments and 5 repetitions in a period of 35 days. The experiment was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement of 4x2 including two levels of LPL in the diet (0 and 0.1%) and four levels of Thr (100, 105, 110 and 115% of requirement). Experimental diets were used for starter (0 to 10 days), grower (11 to 24 days) and finisher (25 to 35 days) phases. The results of this research showed that during the 35-day period, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio improved in broiler chickens fed with LPL supplement (p < 0.05). However, the use of LPL supplement did not have a significant effect on feed intake in broilers. In addition, feed conversion ratio was significantly higher in broilers fed with 100% Thr level compared to higher amounts of Thr requirements (p < 0.05). The use of levels higher than 100% of Thr requirements and LPL supplement in the diet increased the digestibility of crude protein and crude fat in broiler chickens (p < 0.05). The use of LPL supplement increased the serum concentration glucose (p < 0.05). While the level of 105% Thr in the diet caused a significant decrease in serum triglyceride concentration (P < 0.05). Based on the findings of this research, it can be concluded that the use of LPL supplement and levels higher than 100% of Thr requirements in the broiler chicken diet increased the growth performance and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens.

Hydatid cyst is one of the most important common diseases between humans and animals. In the present study, the therapeutic effect of Melia azedarach seed extract and Crocin on a mouse model infected with hydatid cysts was investigated in vitro and in vivo conditions. In vitro study 0.1% eosin staining method was used. In vivo study, 30 female laboratory mice were infected with hydatid cysts by intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 ml of liquid containing 2000 protoscolex. One week after the injection, the mice were randomly divided into 5 treatment groups of 6 in separate cages. These groups include 1- control group (without any type of treatment), 2- Albendazole group (Albendazole dose 75 mg/kg), 3- Melia azedarach group (100 microliter Melia azedarach extract), 4- Crocin group (100 mg/ml crocin), 5- Melia azedarach - Crocin group (a mixture of Melia azedarach extract and Crocin). 140 days after the treatment, the desired tests were performed. In vitro investigation of the lethal effect of the pure Melia azedarach extract on protoscolexes showed that after 15 and 60 minutes of incubation, 60 and 80% of protoscolexes are destroyed, respectively. The results of in vivo tests also showed that in the groups treated with Crocin, Melia azedarach, and Melia azedarach-Crocin, the number, weight, and size of hydatid cysts were significantly reduced compared to the control. In addition, the examination of liver biochemical factors showed the most significant lethal effect of hydatid cyst in the groups treated with Melia azedarach and Melia azedarach-Crocin compared to the group treated with the anti-parasitic drug Albendazole and control.

In hot and dry regions, heat stress causes significant economic losses in poultry production and leads to the reduction of several physiological and metabolic factors. This research was conducted in order to investigate the allelic and genotypic polymorphisms of the gene locus involved in heat stress (HSP90β) in native chickens of Mazandaran, West Azerbaijan and commercial broiler and egg-laying chicken populations using PCR-RFLP technique. Randomly, blood was taken from 400 chicken and genomic DNA was extracted by salting out method. The desired gene locus of 494 base pairs was amplified with the help of specific primers and MspI enzyme digestion was used to identify the mutation in the gene locus. For this gene locus, two types of genotypes M1M1 and M1M2 and two alleles M1 (with one band of 494 bp) and M2 (with two bands of 248 bp and 246 bp) were identified. Mazandaran, West Azerbaijan native and commercial broiler chicken masses were in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. For Mazandaran, West Azerbaijan native and commercial broiler chicken populations, Shannon information index was 0.32, 0.28 and 0.40, respectively, the fixation index was 0.12, -0.11 and -0.16, respectively and the observed heterozygosity was 0.19, 0.17 and 0.28, respectively. Due to the presence of polymorphism and mutation in this gene locus, it is possible to use this marker in the native chickens of Mazandaran and West Azerbaijan with genetic selection and in commercial broiler chickens with genetic selection at the line level, to remove heat-sensitive chickens and keep them heat-resistant chickens are used.

Milk production and fertility are important traits for genetic evaluation of bulls in breeding programs. The goal of this research was to investigate the reproduction and fertility status in Iranian Holstein dairy cattle and effect of days open on the milk production and genetic ranking of bulls. A total number of 706,653 test day records of first parity of 78,517 Holstein cows in 448 herds during the years from 1991 to 2016 were used. The phenotypic and genetic relationship of the amount of milk production in 270 days and the number of open days and their genetic parameters were estimated through a two-trait model. Also data were analyzed using a random regression model and predicted the breeding values of bulls. The results showed that in the studied population, 7.7 and 60% of the cows in the herds became pregnant by 45 and 112 days after calving, respectively and 54.6% of successful pregnancies occur after 90 days in milk. The heritability of 270 days milk and open days and their genetic correlation were estimated of to be 0.257 (±0.016) and 0.0314 (±0.004) and 0.538 (±0.06) respectively. The range of estimated heritability of 270 days milk for first to ninth groups were 0.11-0.26. Days open was a source of variation of the parameter. The results showed that number of open days affected the predicted breeding value of bulls and their ranking. It is concluded that, in sire evaluation programs in order to increase the accuracy of breeding value prediction of the sires it is necessary to include the variable of number of open days in the statistical models.

The Mediterranean flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella) is an important storage pest that can cause significant losses in flour factories. The current study was conducted in order to study the quantity and quality of different phospholipids and triglycerides fatty acids in the body of the 4th and 5th instar of E. kuehniella. According to the results, among the fatty acids in the phospholipids group, the highest amount of fatty acid in all tested samples was related to Oleic acid (18:01) with an average value of about 40%. This fatty acid had the highest amount in both 4th and 5th instar as well as both male and female larvae. The lowest amount in this group was Arachidic acid (20:00) with an average value of 0.11%. This fatty acid was seen in small amounts in all samples, although its amount was significantly higher in females than in males. In the triglyceride group, two fatty acids Myristic acid (14:00C) and Palmitic acid (16:00C) accounted for the highest amounts with values of 23% and 26.8% respectively, while Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was recorded as the lowest fatty acid with a small amount of 0.46%. In comparison of male and female samples, the biggest difference in the amount of fatty acids was recorded in the two fatty acids DHE from the phospholipid group and stearic acid (18:00) from the triglyceride group, which were measured 5 and 2.2 times more in females than in males, respectively. The biggest changes between the 4th and 5th instars in the phospholipid group were related to linolenic acid (18:3C) and DHE, which showed a 50% increase from 4th to 5th instar, and the most changes in the triglyceride group was related to myristic acid (14:00) and DHE, which showed a several-fold decrease from the age from 4th to 5th instar.

Behavioral sensitivity in response to morphine injection is a suitable model for studying the neuronal substrates of behavioral plasticity that is associated with reward and opioid abuse. The lateral septum (SL) plays a vital role in the reward and learning processes. The LS nucleus contains GABAergic neurons, and the outputs of this region into the ventral tegmentum (VTA) precisely regulate the amount of released dopamine. In the present study, we investigated the effects of injection of GABAB receptor agonists and antagonists on behavioral sensitivity to morphine in the conditioned place preference (CPP) model. In this experimental study, male Wistar rats were divided into 17 groups. Doses of 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15 mg/kg of morphine were injected subcutaneously (S.C) into animals to determine effective and ineffective doses of morphine. An adequate amount of morphine was injected for 3 days to induce sensitization; after 5 days, CPP was performed with an ineffective dose of morphine. Doses of 1.5, 6, and 12 / µg/rat of agonist (baclofen) and antagonist (CGP35348) were injected into LS in the first 3 days of sensitization, 10 minutes before morphine injection. Baclofen at 6 µg/rat (p<0.05) and CGP35348 at 12 µg/rat (p<0.01) significantly reduced morphine sensitivity. GABAB receptors in the LS region can be an important target in the treatment of drug abuse.

Over the last few decades, the aquaculture industry has grown and developed as one of the major food production industries. Increased stocking density and cultivated area are two ways to increase aquaculture production. Stocking density increases result in a decrease in water quality and the spread of pathogens. As a chemical substance, antibiotics are not widely accepted by consumers as a means of reducing pathogenic agents in aquaculture. Nowadays, probiotics are crucial to maintaining the health of farmed aquatic animals and increasing production performance without negatively affecting consumers. Probiotics are being used in more studies to achieve environmentally friendly sustainable aquaculture goals. Probiotics have been shown to improve water quality, feed efficiency, growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, immunity, and resistance to pathogens in shrimp aquaculture. The presence of probiotics helps shrimp under stressful conditions, such as handling, grading, transportation, vaccination, and disease treatment. In the aquaculture industry, probiotics are mostly Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Micrococcus, Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Streptococcus, and Carnobacterium species. This study examines the use and importance of probiotics in shrimp aquaculture, as well as their effects on water quality, growth performance, and immunity.

Disturbance in regulation of energy balance in obesity involves several mechanisms, many of which are still not well understood. Circadian rhythms are followed by hormonal fluctuations, especially hormones involved in appetite. The aim of this research was to study the effect of eight weeks of endurance training in the morning compared to the evening on the levels of spexin and leptin in obese women. In this semi-experimental study, 30 obese female volunteers with an average age of 35.3 ± 4.4 years and a body mass index of 31.7 ± 1.2 kg/m2 were randomly divided into three equal groups (n = 10) including; Control, morning training and evening training groups. The protocol of endurance training was carried out for eight weeks, three sessions per week and with an intensity of 60 to 75% of the maximum heart rate. 48 hours before and after the intervention of endurance training, blood sampling was done under conditions of 10 hours of overnight fasting. Spexin and leptin values were evaluated by ELISA method. Data were analyzed by using one-way analysis of variance test at a significance level of p<0.05. The results showed that exercise intervention in the morning and evening led to a significant decrease in leptin values (p=0.02) and a significant increase in spexin values (p=0.03). In comparison between morning and evening training, changes in leptin (p=0.01) and spexin (p=0.01) were higher in the evening session. Based on the findings of this study, it seems that endurance training with moderate intensity in a period of eight-week may have positive effects on the hormones of spexin and leptin in the matter of appetite. Evening training has better effects than morning training.

Although many studies have been conducted on the anticancer effects of plant extracts, few studies have been done on the anticancer effects of fungal extracts. The aim of this study was to investigate the apoptotic effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cytoplasmic extract on MCF-7 cell line. In this experimental laboratory study, MCF-7 breast cancer cells were treated with 500, 1000, and 2000 µg/mL of Saccharomyces cerevisiae extract for 24, 48, and 72 hours. Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay and cellular apoptosis was determine using flow cytometry. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. The results of the MTT test showed the percentage of cell viability decreased corresponding to an increase in the concentration and the treatment duration of the extract such that the lowest percentage of cell viability was observed at a concentration of 2000 and a duration of 72 hours. The flow cytometry results confirmed apoptotic cell death in cancer cells. The results of this study indicate the cytotoxic effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae extract on breast cancer cells. The flow cytometry results confirmed that the cytotoxic effects were due to the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells.

Cervical cancer is the third cause of death caused by cancer in women. After breast cancer, cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women. Today, due to the numerous side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy that are caused to the patient as a result of their use, as well as the resistance of cancer cells to common treatments, researchers have turned to new drugs with greater effectiveness and less toxicity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Lycium depressum root on the expression of Bcl2 and Bax genes and to evaluate the activity of caspases 3 and 6 in cervical cancer cells (Hela). In this study, firstly, the extract of Lycium depressum root was obtained by soaking method, then cervical cancer cells were prepared and cultured, in order to calculate the optimal effective dose of the extract, the MTT technique was used. The concentrations of 25 and 50 mg/ml were chosen as optimal doses. Then the expression of Bcl2 and Bax genes was evaluated by Real-time PCR technique. Next, in order to evaluate the activity of caspases 3 and 6 in effective doses of the extract, cervical cancer cells (Hela) were affected and protein expression was measured using the immunocytochemistry (ICC) technique. The results of this research showed that the roots of the Turkmen oleander plant can cause changes in the expression of important Bcl2 and Bax genes in the path of apoptosis induction. In addition, it increases the protein expression of caspase 3 and 6 in cancer cells. Therefore, it can be hoped that in additional research on the extract of Lycium depressum root, it will be considered a candidate for the treatment of complementary medicine.