Association of MS4A6A, CD33, and TREM2 gene polymorphisms with the late-onset Alzheimer’s disease

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, causes structural and functional brain disruption. MS4A6A, TREM2, and CD33 gene polymorphisms loci have been found to be associated with the pathobiology of late-onset AD (LOAD). In the present study, we tested the hypothesis of association of LOAD with rs983392, rs75932628, and rs3865444 polymorphisms in MS4A6A, TREM2, CD33 genes, respectively. Methods: In the present study, 113 LOAD patients and 100 healthy unrelated age- and gender-matched controls were selected. DNA was extracted from blood samples by the salting-out method and the genotyping was performed by RFLP-PCR. Electrophoresis was carried out on agarose gel. Sequencing was thereafter utilized for the confirmation of the results. Results: Only CD33 rs3865444 polymorphism revealed a significant difference in the genotypic frequencies of GG (P = 0.001) and GT (P = 0.001), and allelic frequencies of G (P = 0.033) and T (P = 0.03) between LOAD patients and controls. Conclusion: The evidence from the present study suggests that T allele of CD33 rs3865444 polymorphism is associated with LOAD in the studied Iranian population

The Association of HLA Class 1 and Class 2 Antigens with Multiple Myeloma in Iranian Patients

OBJECTIVE: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B-cell malignancy characterized by the clonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells. According to results of some studies, it has been suggested that the HLA class 1 and 2 genes have susceptibility effects on MM. Studies of different populations have reported different HLA class 1 and 2 alleles that affect MM. In this study, we assessed the association of HLA class 1 and class 2 antigens with MM in Iranian patients METHODS: We performed a case-control genotyping study with 105 Iranian MM patients that were selected from the bone marrow transplantation department of Taleghani Hospital and 150 controls using single specific primerpolymerase chain reaction with the HLA-Ready Gene ABDR Kit. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that 21% of patients versus 12% of controls and 11% of patients versus 3% of controls carried HLA-A*03 and HLA-B*18, respectively. The MM patients had a significant increase in the frequency of HLA-A*03 and HLA-B*18 alleles in comparison to control subjects (p=0.039, OR=2.057 and p=0.013, OR=3.567, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that the HLA-A*03 and HLA-B*18 alleles have significant susceptibility effects on MM in the Iranian population. However, compared to other populations, the above-mentioned alleles had different statuses. Since there are not many studies evaluating and calculating this association among ethnic groups, further studies among other populations are needed to explain the exact association of the HLA genes with MM

The Mediating Role of A2A Adenosine Receptors in the Mitochondrial Pathway of Apoptotic Hippocampal Cell Death, Following the Administration of MDMA in Rat

Introduction: The 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is a popular recreational drug and a major source of substance abuse, which ultimately leads to sensations of well-being, elation and euphoria, moderate derealization/depersonalization, and cognitive disruptions, as well as intense sensory awareness. The mechanisms involved in memory impairment induced by MDMA are not completely understood.  Methods: The current study used 40 Sprague-Dawley rats, weighted 200 to 250 g. Experiments were performed in four groups, each containing 10 rats. The first group of rats was used as the control, treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The second group was treated with MDMA. The third group was treated with MDMA and CGS (the adenosine A2A receptor agonist, 2-[p-(2- carboxyethyl) phenethylamino]-5′-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine) (CGS 21680) and the fourth group was treated with MDMA and SCH (the A2A receptor antagonist [7-(2-phenylethyl)-5-amino-2-(2-furyl-) pyrazolo-[4, 3-e]-1, 2, 4 triazolo [1,5-] pyrimidine]) (SCH 58261). The drugs in all groups were administrated intraperitoneally (i.p.) once a day for 7 days. In 5 rats of each group, following perfusion, samples were taken from hippocampi to investigate apoptosis. Accordingly, the samples were stained using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay kit, and studied by light microscopy. In other rats, fresh tissue was also removed to study the expression of bax and bcl-2 by Western blotting technique.  Results: It was observed that the coadministration of MDMA with CGS reduced bax expression and prevented apoptosis of hippocampal cells. The coadministration of MDMA and SCH increased bax expression, and also increased the frequency of hippocampal cell apoptosis. Conclusion: The results of the current study showed that administration of CGS with MDMA decreased the common side effects associated with MDMA

Steroid-depleted polycystic ovarian syndrome serum promotes <i>in vitro</i> oocyte maturation and embryo development

<p><i>In vitro</i> maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes obtained from patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is considered as a novel strategy in order to reduce clinical side effects and cost of <i>in vitro</i> fertilization (IVF) technique. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of PCOS whole and steroid-depleted serums on <i>in vitro</i> oocyte maturation indices. Patients with PCOS were selected according to the Rotterdam criteria. Cumulus–oocyte complexes and blood serums were collected and pooled. Cumulus cells and immature oocytes were treated with 10% whole or steroid-depleted serums. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (<i>SCD1</i>) and cyclooxygenase-2 (<i>COX2</i>) expression levels in cumulus cells were evaluated by quantitative PCR. Fatty acid composition of cumulus cells was analyzed using gas–liquid chromatography. Polar body observation was considered as the oocyte maturation index. Oleate (1.28-fold, <i>p</i> = .006), <i>SCD1</i> expression (450-fold, <i>p</i> = .001), and <i>COX2</i> expression (35-fold, <i>p</i> = .02) in cumulus cell, as well as oocyte maturation (<i>p</i> < .001) and <i>in vitro</i> embryo development (<i>p</i> < .05) were significantly higher in treatment with steroid-depleted serum compared to that of whole serum. Steroid depletion of PCOS serum improved its capacity to increase success rate of oocyte maturation, intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection and early embryo development.</p

A comparison of solution and solid state coordination environments for calcium(II), zirconium(IV), cadmium(II) and mercury(II) complexes with dipicolinic acid and methylimidazole derivatives

<div><p>Four new supramolecular compounds, (2-mimH)[Ca(pydcH)₃][Ca(pydcH₂)(pydc)(H₂O)₂]·4H₂O (<b>1</b>), (1-mimH)₂[Zr(pydc)₃] (<b>2</b>), (2-mimH)₂[Cd(pydc)₂]·8H₂O (<b>3</b>), and (2-mimH)₂[Hg(pydc)₂]·8H₂O (<b>4</b>) [where pydcH₂ = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (dipicolinic acid), 1-mim = 1-methylimidazole, and 2-mim = 2-methylimidazole], have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV–vis, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR), thermal (TG/DTG/DTA) analysis as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All four compounds are proton-transfer salts of the methylimidazolium cations and metal complex anions that crystallized from a solution of pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, methylimidazole, metal nitrates or chlorides as starting materials. The coordinating dicarboxylic acid is deprotonated at the carboxyl group and methylimidazole is protonated to balance the charge. In the crystal structures of <b>1</b>–<b>4</b>, hydrogen bonding and <i>π</i>–<i>π</i> stacking play important roles. Water clusters are formed in <b>1</b>, <b>3</b>, and <b>4</b>. The equilibrium constants of dipicolinic acid (pydc) and methylimidazole derivatives (1-mim and 2-mim), pydc-2-mim, pydc-1-mim proton-transfer systems as well as those of their complexes were investigated by a potentiometric pH titration method. The stoichiometries of most of the complex species in solution were very similar to the cited crystalline metal ion complexes.</p></div

Paediatric pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukaemia-derived exosomes regulate immune function in human T cells

Exosomes derived from solid tumour cells are involved in immune suppression, angiogenesis and metastasis; however, the role of leukaemia-derived exosomes has less been investigated. Hence, changes in immune response-related genes and human T cells apoptosis co-incubated with exosomes isolated from patients' pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were evaluated in this in vitro study. Vein blood sample was obtained from each newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) patient prior any therapy. ALL serum exosomes were isolated by ultrafiltration and characterized using Western blotting and transmission electron microscopy. Exosomes were then co-incubated with T lymphocytes and the gene expressions, as well as functions of human T cells were quantified by qRT-PCR. Apoptosis and caspase-3 and caspase-9 protein expression were also evaluated by flowcytometry and Western blotting analysis, respectively. Exosomes isolated from ALL patients affected T lymphocytes and elevated the apoptosis. Moreover, these exosomes altered the T cells profile into regulatory type by increasing the expression of FOXP3 and Tregs-related cytokines, including TGF-B and IL-10. The expression level of Th17-related transcription factors (RoRγt) and interleukins (IL-17 and IL-23) decreased after this treatment. According to our findings, exosomes derived from ALL patients' sera carry immunosuppressive molecules, indicating the possible effect of exosomes as liquid biomarkers for cancer staging

Paediatric pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukaemia-derived exosomes regulate immune function in human T cells

Exosomes derived from solid tumour cells are involved in immune suppression, angiogenesis and metastasis; however, the role of leukaemia‐derived exosomes has less been investigated. Hence, changes in immune response‐related genes and human T cells apoptosis co‐incubated with exosomes isolated from patients' pre‐B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were evaluated in this in vitro study. Vein blood sample was obtained from each newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) patient prior any therapy. ALL serum exosomes were isolated by ultrafiltration and characterized using Western blotting and transmission electron microscopy. Exosomes were then co‐incubated with T lymphocytes and the gene expressions, as well as functions of human T cells were quantified by qRT‐PCR. Apoptosis and caspase‐3 and caspase‐9 protein expression were also evaluated by flowcytometry and Western blotting analysis, respectively. Exosomes isolated from ALL patients affected T lymphocytes and elevated the apoptosis. Moreover, these exosomes altered the T cells profile into regulatory type by increasing the expression of FOXP3 and Tregs‐related cytokines, including TGF‐B and IL‐10. The expression level of Th17‐related transcription factors (RoRγt) and interleukins (IL‐17 and IL‐23) decreased after this treatment. According to our findings, exosomes derived from ALL patients' sera carry immunosuppressive molecules, indicating the possible effect of exosomes as liquid biomarkers for cancer staging