International Journal of Medical Laboratory

Number 3 (1), 2016

6
The Effect of Methanol Extract of Echinops Lasiolepis on TNF-α Production in LPS-activated J774 A.1 Mouse Macrophages

Authors: Fateme Sadat Dashti, Hossein Hadinedoushan *, Maryam Asadi

Abstract

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Background and Aims: Plants as medicines have always played a vital role in human life. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF)-α is one of the macrophage-derived inflammatory cytokine with pleotropic effects in the inflammation process. Some studies have been demonstrated that some of the Echinops species have anti-inflammatory activity. In fact, Echinops lasilepis is introduced as one of the native plants of Yazd. Thus, the present study intended to assess the inflammatory activity of Echinops lasiolepis on TNF-α secretion in J774 A.1 mouse macrophages. Materials and Methods: At first, methanol extract was prepared by maceration. 105 cells/ well were seeded in 96-well plate in triplicate and were treated with different concentrations of extract and 100 ng/ml Lipopolysaccharides. MTT cytotoxicity assay was used to determine the cell viability. Concentrations of extract with cell viability of more than 90% were used to evaluate the level of TNF-α in the macrophage culture using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Viability of cells at different extract concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, 50, 100 and 200 µg/ml were 91.68, 95.27, 94.2, 90.8, 85.38 and 71.38, respectively. Therefore, cells treated with 50 μg/ml and lower concentrates of extracts showed more than 90% of viability and their supernatants were used for TNF-α assay. The study results revealed that all concentrations of extract reduced the production of TNF-α. Conclusions: Our findings showed that methanol extract of Echinops lasiolepis may have anti-inflammatory activity via reducing TNF-α production.

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Quantification of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin by Bovine Serum Albumin Nanoparticles

Authors: Ali Jebali *, Bahram Kazemi, Seyedhossein Hekmatimoghaddam

Abstract

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Number of views: 354

Background and Aims: Some nanoparticles can be used in immunoassays to increase sensitivity. This study aimed to evaluate a novel nano-immunoassay based on bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BSA NPs). Materials and methods: At first, the nanostructure was synthesized, and then applied as a tag in the nano-immunoassay. Then the concentration of β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (βHCG) in the clinical samples was quantified by traditional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and then checked by the nano-immunoassay. Results: The Pearson’s correlation coefficient between ELISA and nano-immunoassay was high, i.e., 0.80. Relative sensitivity and specificity of this nano-immunoassay were reported 97.4% and 96.6%, respectively. Conclusions: BSA NPs can be applied in nano-immunoassays as a new structure, and as an example, βHCG can be detected by this novel assay.

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The Relationship between Thyroid Hormones, Vitamin D and Fasting Blood Glucose Level During Summer and Winter in Nondiabetic Adults

Authors: Mahdi Dehghan-Manshadi, Javad Mohiti-Ardakani, Farzane Mirzaei, Fateme Zare *

Abstract

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Number of views: 574

Background and Aims: 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 is recognized to be an essential element for healthy body; however, its deficiency has been identified as a risk factor for thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus and other autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases. Thyroid disease is common in the general population that its prevalence increases proportional to age. Subjects with poorly controlled diabetes, with or without its complications, may experience some changes in their thyroid function tests. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between thyroid hormones, vitamin D3 and fasting blood glucose (FBS) level during summer and winter in nondiabetic adults. Materials and Methods: A total of 1093 Caucasian adults without diabetes were chosen for study. The serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, thyroxin (T4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and FBS were measured in these samples and the association of these factors during summer and winter were evaluated. Results: The study results demonstrated a significant association in T4 and TSH with 25-hydroxy vitamin D3. The significantly lower serum level of T4 and no significant difference in TSH level were determined in impaired fasting glucose subjects as compared to normal fasting glucose subjects. No significant association was detected between serum level of 25(OH) D3, TSH, T4 and FBS in winter and summer. Conclusions: 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 may play a role on thyroid hormone regulation. In addition, thyroid hormones can affect FBS level. As a result, lifestyle and diet may have possible effects on thyroid hormones and blood glucose regulation.

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Effects of Thymol on Serum Biochemical and Antioxidant Indices in Kindled Rats

Authors: Ali Aliabadi, Mahin Izadi *, Mohammad Ebrahim Rezvani, Mansour Esmaeili-dehaj

Abstract

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Number of views: 351

Background and Aims: Kindling is regarded as an experimental model of temporal lobe epilepsy that reflects a process of progressive and persistent intensification of seizure. Experimental and clinical evidence suggest that there is an interrelationship among epileptogenesis, local inflammation and antioxidant activity. In this study, the possible antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of thymol was investigated in epileptic rats. Materials and Methods: Kindling was induced by repeated injections of intraperitoneal pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) every other day. Then, the rat hippocampi were isolated, weighed and prepared as a 5% tissue homogenate in ice-cold 0.9% saline solution. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were assessed by thiobarbituric acid reacting substance and nitroblue tetrazolium methods respectively. Hyppocampal tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results: As the study findings revealed, epileptic seizures increase the serum level of MDA, hyppocampal levels of TNF-α as well as IL-1β and decrease the SOD activity. Conclusions: thymol exerts anticonvulsant activity through the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

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Effect of Carvacrol on Catalase Activity and m RNA Expression Following Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Rats

Authors: Mohabbat Jamhiri, Fatemeh Safari, Ali Moradi, Mojtaba Ghobadi, Arian Naghedi, Seyyed Hasan Hejazian *

Abstract

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Number of views: 399

Background and Aims: Cardiac hypertrophy is a compensatory augmentation response of the heart due to pressure overload that can lead to heart failure. Carvacrol is considered as the major compound of many plants, that possesses strong antioxidant properties. The present study aimed to evaluate effect of carvacrol on catalase activity and mRNA expression following left ventricular hypertrophy in rats. Materials and Methods: In the current study, male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=7). Intact animals served as the control group (C), some rats were subjected to supra renal aortic banding without any treatment (H) in order to induce left ventricular hypertrophy, and some rats were pretreated with different doses of carvacrol (25, 50 and 75 mg/kg/day in H+C25, H+C50 and H+C75 groups respectively). Serum and cardiac catalase (CAT) activity was determined by the biochemical methods. CAT mRNA expression was assessed using real-time polymeras chain reaction. Results: In H+C50 and H+C75 groups, the CAT activity was significantly higher in the left ventricular tissues (47.5±20 and 42±13.6, vs. H 22.4±17 U/mg protein respectively). Serum CAT activity was increased in H+C50 and H+C75 groups (p<0.001), and CAT mRNA expression was increased in H+C50 group (p<0.05), as well. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that Carvacrol may protect the heart against left ventricular hypertrophy via augmentation of CAT mRNA expression and activity.

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Characterization of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec Elements in Biofilm-producing Staphylococcus Aureus, Isolated from Hospital Infections in Isfahan

Authors: Fahimeh Nourbakhsh *, Amirmorteza Ebrahimzadeh Namvar, Hassan Momtaz

Abstract

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Number of views: 348

Background and Aims: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the important pathogens around the world. The present investigation was carried out to study the distribution of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec (SCCmec) types and antibiotic resistance properties in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from Isfahan hospitals. Materials and Methods: A total of 250 clinical specimens were collected from three major Isfahan hospitals. The samples were cultured, and biofilm producer isolates were subjected to several polymerase chain reaction methods. The patterns of antibiotic resistance were studied using the disk diffusion method. Results: In the present study, 110 out of 250 samples (44%) were found to be positive for Staphylococcus aureus, and all the isolates produced the biofilm in different levels. The most commonly infected samples were collected from wounds (44.5%). The incidence of mecA, tetK, ermA, ermC, tetM, aacA-D, linA, msrA, vatA, vatC and vatB antibiotic resistance genes were 93.6%, 34.84%, 28.20%, 29.30%, 21.87%, 18.71%, 9.48%, 8.65%, 7.18%, 4.43% and 3.71%, respectively. The distribution of SCCmec III (42) was found to be the most type out of 103 mec positive strains. Conclusions: In the prsent study, the highest resistance belonged to methicillin (90.2%), erythromycin (89.7%), ciprofloxacin (89.5%) and penicillin (88%) and the lowest resistance was reported for vancomycin (10%) and nitrofurantoin (8%). These infections with these strains require more advanced hospital care with an emerging demand for the novel antibiotics.

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Advances in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation

Authors: Kaveh Tari, Arezou Rahimi, Amir Atashi *, Saeid Abroun, Mohammad Shahjahani, Ali Jalili

Abstract

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Number of views: 391

Hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) which give rise to different blood cell types are present within the bone marrow microenvironment, especially in flat bones such as skull, vertebrae, pelvis and chest. Interacting factors such as stromal derived factor-1/CXCR4, very late antigen-4/vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, Lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1/ intercellular adhesion molecule-1 retain the cells in the microenvironment. Any factor affecting these links may lead to migration and mobilization of HSPCs into peripheral blood. Several factors are involved in hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) mobilization such as granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, sphingosine-1-phosphate, hepatocyte growth factor, complement system, plasminogen system and matrix metalloproteinases. In bone marrow transplantation, HSC is transferred to the recipient from bone marrow of the donor, which can be performed in two ways. In the first method, Jamshidi needle is used for aspiration of bone marrow to extract hematopoietic cells usually from the hip. The second method uses mobilizer factors such as granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to mobilize the HSC into peripheral blood. Mobilized hematopoietic stem cells are suitable for the bone marrow transplantation in leukemias such as chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocyte leukemia, Hairy cell leukemia, etc.

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Detection of Integrons in Acinetobacter B aumannii Strains Isolated from the Nosocomia l Infections of Ahvaz City and t heir Relation with the Resistance Pattern

Authors: Samere Kiani, Hassan Momtaz *, Amir Arsalan Serajian, Elahe Tajbakhsh

Abstract

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Number of views: 344

Background and Aims: Acinetobacter baumannii is regarded as an important nosocomial pathogen around the world, especially in the intensive care unit that today seems to be resistant to the most antibiotics. Therefore, this study aimed to trace classes 1, 2, and 3 integrin in the isolates resistant to Acinetobacter baumannii. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, Acinetobacter baumannii of 67 patients in Ahvaz hospitals were all isolated and their antibiotic resistance pattern was determined by the disk diffusion. The presence of genes coding for antibiotic resistance as well as integrons (class 1, 2 and 3) were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction method. Results: Out of 67 isolates, the most resistance was observed for the antibiotic tetracycline (89.5%) and the most sensitivity to antibiotic was reported for chloramphenicol, meropenem and nitrofurantoin (2.9%). The distribution of dfrA1, sul1, aac(3)-IV, tet(B), tet(A), aadA1, blaCITM, vim, qnr, blaSHV, sim, Oxa-24-like, Oxa-51-like, Oxa-58-like, Oxa-23-like, imp, cmlA and cat1 were 42 (62.6%), 40 (59.7%), 36 (53.7%), 34 (50.7%), 31 (46.2%), 17 (25.3%), 17 (25.3%), 16 (23.8%), 11 (16.4%), 11 (16.4%), 8(11.9%), 5(7.4%), 5(7.4%), 4 (5.9%),4 (5.9%), 4 (5.9%), 2 (2.9%), 1 (1.4%) respectively. Moreover, frequency of class 1, II and III integrons was 67 (100%), 22 (32.8%), and 3 (4.4%) respectively. Conclusions: High prevalence of integrons among Acinetobater baumannii isolated strains in Ahvaz hospitals indicate the importance role of integrons in multidrug resistance in this bacteria. Therefore, unnecessary use of antibiotics are recommended to be avoided.