High-tech biomedical research: lessons from Iran's experience

Iran has recently made a significant progress in the field of biomedical science and launched an appreciable number of new high-tech biomedical research projects. Review of Iran's experience in advancing its biomedical research and the pitfalls the country encountered during the years of its progress could be of interest to other countries with similar technological conditions. As needs assessment and human resources have pivotal roles in any research infrastructure, here, we have delineated these factors and explored ways by which optimum advantage could be gained from them

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapies for Paraplegia: Preclinical and Clinical Studies

Paraplegia is the damage or loss of function in motor and/or sensory abilities. This insult can be observed in the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral parts of spinal column. Besides, paraplegia may be occurring because of any injuries or diseases of the lower segments or peripheral nerves or by cerebral palsy (CP). This damage can be seen as a result of a tumor or blood clot on the spinal cord. By now, there is not any curative treatment for paraplegia. Using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the treatment of spinal cord injury is a promising tested strategy because of their simplicity of isolation/preservation and their properties. Several preclinical studies in this field can be found; however, MSCs showed weak and conflicting outcomes in trials. In this chapter book, we will discuss about the therapeutic role of these cells in the treatment of paraplegia, with emphasis on their characterization, relevance, boundaries, and prospect views

Phagocytosis of yeasts by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages: Yeast ingestion by LPS-stimulated macrophages

For phagocytosis measurement, 5×105 macrophages were seeded in a 12-well plate. 20 ng/ml LPS was added to cells to induce the M1 phenotype. After 24h the medium was changed. A suspension of heat-killed baker’s yeast was prepared at 108 particles per ml in DMEM medium. The yeast suspension was added to macrophages at a ratio of 1:10 (macrophage: yeast). Macrophages were allowed for 60 minutes to phagocyte the particles at 37°C. To remove the free yeasts, the well was washed with PBS. The phagocytosis was observed using an inverted microscope

The Effect of Dexamethasone on Bleomycin-Induced Lung Fibrosis in the Mouse Model of Systemic Sclerosis

Background and Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) or scleroderma is a chronic connective tissue disease&nbsp;with unknown etiology. This chronic disease is characterized by vascular changes, immune dysfunction, and internal organ fibrosis. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent complication and a major cause of mortality in SSc patients. So far, no effective treatment has been identified for this disease. Based on the evidence proposing inflammation as the primary cause of fibrosis in SSc, administration of glucocorticoids has been suggested for the treatment of SSc-ILD. This study was conducted with the aim of investigation of the therapeutic effect of dexamethasone in the mouse model of systemic sclerosis. &nbsp; Methods: In this experimental study, bleomycin was injected subcutaneously into BALB/c mice to induce pulmonary fibrosis. For intervention with dexamethasone, the mice intraperitoneally received 14 doses of the drug. To determine the effectiveness of dexamethasone, histopathological evaluation of lung fibrosis, was performed by Masson's trichrome staining. &nbsp; Results: In this investigation, bleomycin induced severe pulmonary severe lung fibrosis, and injection of dexamethasone significantly decreased collagen deposition and lung fibrosis (p<0.0001). &nbsp; Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that dexamethasone can reduce bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the mouse model of SSc; therefore, treatment with dexamethasone can be useful in inhibiting pulmonary fibrosis in the patients with SSc. &nbsp

A Fibroblast Growth Factor Antagonist Peptide Inhibits Breast Cancer in BALB/c Mice

Given the role of basic fibroblastic growth factor (bFGF) in tumor growth, it has been considered as a potential target for tumor therapy. In this study, we investigate the effect of bFGF antagonistic peptide on the growth and angiogenesis of 4T1 mammary carcinoma tumor (MCT) in BALB/c mice

Association of Htra1 Gene Polymorphisms with the Risk of Developing AMD in Iranian Population

Background: Half of the cases of vision loss in people under 60 years of age have been attributed to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This is a multifactorial disease with late onset. It has been demonstrated that many different genetic loci are implicated in the risk of developing AMD in different populations. In the current study, we investigated the association of high-temperature requirement A-1 (HTRA1) gene polymorphisms with the risk of developing AMD in the Iranian population. Methods: Genomic DNA samples were extracted from 120 patients with AMD and 120 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. A 385 base-pair fragment of the HTRA1 gene promoter region was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and sequenced. The frequencies of the alleles were calculated and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Results: Our study demonstrated that the rate of polymorphisms rs11200638 -625 G>A and rs2672598 -487T>C were significantly greater in AMD patients than in healthy controls from the Iranian population. Conclusions: The results of our study indicate that HTRA1 gene promoter region polymorphisms are associated with the risk of developing AMD in the Iranian populatio