Enhanced differentiation of wharton�s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells in insulin-producing cells by the extract of nigella sativa seeds

Background: With regards to the high potential of medicinal plants in the production of biopharmaceuticals, one can rely on the promising prospect of insulin production via plant resources. Objectives: This study was conducted with the aim of using plant extract for insulin-producing cells. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study using critical case sampling. Six samples were gathered from the umbilical cord (Wharton�s jelly) in a governmental university affiliated hospital, Sari, Iran in 2017 after successful isolation of mesenchymal stem cells. Initially, Nigella sativa seeds extraction was performed to prepare the extract for cellular differentiation. Next, dithizone (DTZ) staining was used to evaluate insulin production, and insulin level was examined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data were analyzed was analyzed with the SPSS version 16 software using independent sample t-test. Results: The mean of the amount of insulin secretion was 92.33±5.13 ng/ml for the intervention and 0.33±0.15 ng/ml for the control group. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the average insulin in the culture obtained from Nigella sativa seeds between control and intervention groups (P = 0.001). In addition, via the ELISA kit and specific dithizone staining, insulin-producing cells were proven. Conclusions: In this regard, it could be concluded that the extract of Nigella sativa seeds was capable of including differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton�s jelly to Insulin-Producing Cells. © 2017, Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal

Differentiation of wharton's jelly derived mesenchymal stem cells into insulin producing cells

Background: Diabetes caused by insulin production disturbance is considered as the most common metabolic disorder all over the world. Diabetes may outbreak because of low insulin secretion by Islets of Langerhans β-cells, insulin resistance or both of them. In this way, using stem cells, which have the capability to differentiate into Pancreatic β-cells, is one of novel methods in this field. MSCs are the most important candidates for cellular therapy. Materials and Methods: Insulin level was examined using ELIZA method. In order to examine the morphology of differentiated cells, they were stained by Dithizone. Insulin-producer cells are cells which turn into red as a result of staining. Specific gene involving insulin-producing cells was evaluated by Real Time-PCR method. Results: The ELISA results showed that the treated cells secreted more insulin than the control group. Moreover, we found differentiation of MSCs toward insulin-secreting cells. In order to evaluate insulin production in clusters on day 21 of differentiation, we used dithizone (DTZ) staining. PDX-1 gene was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. Conclusion: In this study, we differentiated MSCs into insulin-producing cells in vitro. It is concluded that MSCs may be considered as an excellent candidate in β-cell therapy in diabetes patients. © 2018, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). All rights reserved

Evaluating the most common mutation in BRCAI and BRCA2 genes in women who had mothers with brest cancer and controls

Background and purpose: Breast Cancer is one of the health problems in every population. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of BRCA1 and BRCA2 common mutations in women whose mothers were diagnosed with breast cancer. Materials and methods: A case�control study was performed in 109 females (less than 40 years of age) who had mothers with breast cancer. For scanning of genomic mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2, genes mutation analysis was done in BRCA1 (exon2, 20) and BRCA2 (exon11) using Real Time PCR test. We also studied 109 healthy controls without family history of breast cancer. Results: No any mutation was found in this population. Conclusion: This study showed no mutation in affected and control group. Therefore, other mutations and genes may have a role in breast cancer pathogenesis in our population. © 2016, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Wharton's jelly derived-mesenchymal stem cells: Isolation and characterization

Wharton`s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs), have a high proliferation valency and they do not produce teratogen or carcinogen after subsequent transplantation. They are known as regenerative medicine. Thus more research is needed on the isolation and characterization of mesenchymal stem cells. In this experimental study, we obtained Wharton's jelly tissues from mothers during normal vaginal delivery, after obtaining their informed consent. Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from cultured Wharton`s jelly, cultured, and were then examined for their proliferation, immunophenotypes, and differentiation capacities. The immunophenotypes of WJ-MSCs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Differentiation was performed resulting in osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic cells. WJ-MSCs formed a homogenous monolayer of adherent spindle-shaped cells. Our results showed the high capacity of the proliferation of WJ-MSCs. Immunophenotyping further confirmed the purity of the isolated cells; their surface antigen expression showed the phenotypical properties like those of WJ-MSCs. The expanded cells were positive for CD 90, CD105, and CD44; they were negative for CD34 and HLA-DR surface markers. The cells had the adipocytic, osteocytic and chondrogenic differentiation capacity. The isolation and characterization of WJ-MSCs with high purity had been conducted, and the results were obtained in a short span. The present study has revealed the feasibility of the culture medium with high glucose and 15 FBS in isolation and proliferation of WJ-MSCs. When Wharton`s jelly pieces were put in the dry bottom of the flask, very effective separation of the MSCs was achieved. © 2018 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Wharton's jelly derived-mesenchymal stem cells: Isolation and characterization

Wharton`s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs), have a high proliferation valency and they do not produce teratogen or carcinogen after subsequent transplantation. They are known as regenerative medicine. Thus more research is needed on the isolation and characterization of mesenchymal stem cells. In this experimental study, we obtained Wharton's jelly tissues from mothers during normal vaginal delivery, after obtaining their informed consent. Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from cultured Wharton`s jelly, cultured, and were then examined for their proliferation, immunophenotypes, and differentiation capacities. The immunophenotypes of WJ-MSCs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Differentiation was performed resulting in osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic cells. WJ-MSCs formed a homogenous monolayer of adherent spindle-shaped cells. Our results showed the high capacity of the proliferation of WJ-MSCs. Immunophenotyping further confirmed the purity of the isolated cells; their surface antigen expression showed the phenotypical properties like those of WJ-MSCs. The expanded cells were positive for CD 90, CD105, and CD44; they were negative for CD34 and HLA-DR surface markers. The cells had the adipocytic, osteocytic and chondrogenic differentiation capacity. The isolation and characterization of WJ-MSCs with high purity had been conducted, and the results were obtained in a short span. The present study has revealed the feasibility of the culture medium with high glucose and 15 FBS in isolation and proliferation of WJ-MSCs. When Wharton`s jelly pieces were put in the dry bottom of the flask, very effective separation of the MSCs was achieved. © 2018 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Risk factors for tuberculosis infection: a brief report

Background: Tuberculosis is one of the most important diseases with annually 8 million new cases worldwide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors for tuberculosis (TB) infection. Methods: In this descriptive study performed in Health center of Maznadaran province during 2010-2011, 183 patients with pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB infection were recruited. After measuring fasting blood sugar, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies, history of smoking was taken by using a questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the participants was 46.8±19.8 years. The most common risk factor was diabetes and the lowest was HIV infection. Moreover, the prevalence of diabetes in women compared with that of men (OR=0.19, 95% CI=0.07±0.46) and smoking in men compared with women (OR=12.4, 95% CI=2.8±54.4, P<0.05) had statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results of this research show that diabetes and smoking could be risk factors for tuberculosis infection. It is concluded that, in case of respiratory symptoms in patients with diabetes and smoking, tuberculosis can be considered as an important differential diagnosis

Melasma and thyroid disorders : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Thyroid hormones may play a key role in melasma; however, melasma link with thyroid disorders remains controversial. Objectives: To compare the serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), T4, T3, anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO), and antithyroglobulin between patients with melasma and control group using meta-analysis. Methods: We screened 10 databanks and search engines, searched mesh and nonmesh terms. The identified evidences were reviewed and quality assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The heterogeneity between the primary results was investigated using Cochrane and I-square indices. Random effect model was applied to combine the standardized mean differences of thyroid function indicators between patients with and without melasma. P values meta-analysis was used to investigate the association between anti-TPO and melasma. Results: We included seven studies, 473 cases, and 379 controls that had been investigated. The total standardized mean differences (95% confidence intervals) of TSH, T3, T4, and antithyroglobulin antibody between cases and controls were estimated to be 0.33 (0.18, 0.47), 120.01 ( 120.20, 0.19), 121.50 ( 122.96, 120.04), and 0.62 (0.14, 1.11), respectively. The corresponding figures among women were 0.35 (0.17, 0.52), 0.10 ( 120.17, 0.38), 122.75 ( 126.30, 0.81), and 0.99 (0.14, 1.83), respectively. P value of meta-analysis showed a significant relationship between anti-TPO serum level and melasma (Fisher&nbsp;=&nbsp;26.80, P&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.020). Conclusion: Serum levels of TSH, anti-TPO, and antithyroglobulin antibody were significantly higher in patients with melasma than those without melasma. Moreover, these differences were more severe among women with melasma

Sensitive colorimetric assay using insulin g-quadruplex aptamer arrays on DNA nanotubes coupled with magnetic nanoparticles

Described here is a methodology for fabrication of a sensitive colorimetric nanoassay for measurement of insulin using G-quadruplex aptamer arrays on DNA nanotubes (DNTs) coupled with magnetic nanoparticles. The spectroscopic findings (e.g. visible spectra, velocity assay and limit of detection determination) indicated a highly sensitive performance of this new nanoassay in comparison to those results obtained from the insulin assay with non-arrayed aptamers. The clinical performance statistics (i.e. paired sample t-test, Bland–Altman plot and scatter diagram) from the newly developed assay and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay suggested its reliable precision and its acceptable repeatability for measurement of insulin in human sera. This is, to our knowledge, the first study for the application of magnetic nanoparticle-coupled DNTs for carrying G-quadruplex aptamers for detection of biomolecules (such as insulin) in human serum. © 2018 The Authors