Journal of Cell and Molecular Research

68-71

Authors: Ali Akbar Ehsanpour and Lila Arab

Sex determination in Pistacia as a dioecious plant is economically desirable. Identification of the male and female plants has a great value for Pistacia yield production. In the present study, leaf samples from four female plants from cultivars of Pistacia including Akbary, Akbar Aghaei, Fandoghi, and Kalleh Ghochi as well as male plants were used for RAPD PCR amplification. Among 32 primers with 10 mer two primers (FPKI106 and FPK105) were able to discriminate between female and male plants. Few bands were detected in the DNA pattern of male while they were absent in the female individuals. The PCR conditions were reproducible and can be recommended for sex determination of Pistacia vera cultivars.

77-83

Authors: Farhang Haddad, Ali Moghimi, Abbas Salmani, Mohammad Farhad Rahimi, Mohammad Reza Gawam-Nasiri

Study of the different aspects of protection against the exposure of ionizing radiation has always been an active area of research. High cost and toxicity of radioprotective drugs have limited their use. So, search for new drugs with a high degree of protection and lower cost and side effects seem a necessity. In this study radioprotective effect of aqueous as well as alcoholic extracts of the Mann of Cotoneaster nummularia( Shirkhesht), regarding their high accessibility and possibly low side effects, against 2 Gy Gamma irradiation, was analyzed using micronucleus assay on bone marrow cells of male mice (Balb/c). Different doses of 250, 500, 1000 mg/kg/BW for aqueous and 3750, 7500, 15000 mg/kg/BW for alcoholic extract of Shirkhesht were administered IP for five constitutive days prior to 2 Gy gamma irradiation. The result compared with the known radioprotective effect of vitamin E after the same treatment schedule. High frequency of micronucleus was observed in non treated gamma-exposed mice, which represented the clastogenic effect of irradiation. Vitamin E, aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Shirkhesht treated mice represented a 5.56, 3.32 and 2.1 times decrease in the gamma-induced micronucleus frequency respectively. The data suggest a radioprotective effect of shirhkesht compared to vitamin E.

91-96

Authors: Mohammad Reza Nikravesh, Mehdi Jalali, Abbas Ali Moeen, Mohammad Hassan Karimfar, Shahin Saidi Nejat, Shabnam Mohammadi and Houshang Rafighdoost

Basement membrane of glomerular mesangium (BMG) is a thin membrane which helps to support the capillary loops in a renal glomerulus and type IV collagen is require for complete BM formation during glomerulogenesis. In this investigation specific antibody of type IV collagen has been used in light microscopy to study development of BMG of the embryonic and postnatal mouse glomerular mesangium. In this study, 20 female Balb/C mice were selected randomly and finding vaginal plug was assumed as day zero of pregnancy. 12 pregnant mice were sacrified by cervical dislocation in one of gestational days 13-18, their fetuses were fixed and serially sectioned. Immunohistochemical Study for tracing of collagen type IV in BMG was carried out. The same processes were carried out for kidneys preparation of pups on 5, 10, 15 and 20 days after birth (2 mothers for each day). The result of the present study revealed that collagen IV reaction was weak on day 15 of gestation. The amount of collagen increased continuously until next days of fetal life and primary of 10 days postnatal in BMG. After this period, collagen IV showed no significant change in newborns. These data indicate that collagen IV appears just during the glomerular vasculogenesis and because of continuity and glomerular endothelial cell differentiation, type IV collagen, is the major structural protein in BMG, have been implicated in these processes.

19-27

Authors: Hamid Reza Esmaeili* and Zeinab Gholami

The normal and lateral line cycloid scales of a cyprinid fish; Alburnoides bipunctatus (Blotch, 1782) have been subjected to SEM to study their detailed structure. It shows the general architectural pattern of a cycloid cyprinid scale. The focus of the scale is clear and sharp located in the anterior field. Circuli are observed in all fields. Primary radii which originate from very near the focus divide the posterior field of scale into compartments. Originating far away from the focus, the secondary radii are seen. But the tertiary radii are few. The anterior radii are absent. Lepidonts (teeth-like structures) are absent or are very week on the circuli. Tubercles (granules) at the posterior filed of scale are not well developed. Many resorbtion regions are seen on the scale. Presence of a long, straight, S-shape or J-shape central canal originating from the upper margin of anterior region which in most cases extending down to the posterior margin is characteristic feature of lateral line scale. The architectural specification of scales such as focus shape and position, circuli, chromatophore, lepidonts and lateral line canal might be used as important taxonomic tools.

35-40

Authors: Fatemeh Aghaei Borashan, Mino Ilkhanipoor, Mohammad Hashemi and Farah Farrokhi

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by joint swelling, synovial inflammation and joint destruction. Curcumin (diferuolymethane) is the most active component of Curcuma longa L. Several clinical trials have indicated curcumin to be a notable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound. Therefore the aim of this study is investigating the effects of curcumin on levels of inflammation and inflammatory biomarkers in arthritic rats. Arthritis was induced by subcutaneous injection of Freund’s complete adjuvant (0.5 mL) into the right hind paw of Wistar male rats. Animals were divided into four groups (n=8). GroupI acted as control, group II arthritic rats received vehicle, group III arthritic rats were treated with curcumin (30 mg/kg, orally) and another group arthritic rats were treated with indomethacin (3 mg/kg, orally) seven days after injection of Freund’s Complete Adjuvant for 15 days. The changes caused by chronic inflammation were evaluated by measurement of the ankle circumference three times per week. At the end of the experimental period, blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture to determine erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C.reactive protein levels and White blood cells count. An increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C. reactive protein concentrations, White blood cells count and ankle circumference was observed in arthritic rats compared with control rats (p<0.05). Curcumin significantly decreased inflammation and inflammatory biomarkers in arthritic rats (p<0.05).These results suggest that curcumin can possess beneficial effects in alleviating arthritic symptoms in Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis model.

47-50

Authors: Kiarash Ghazvini; Edriss MirzaHesabi; Mohammad Mehdi Akbarein

In this study bactericidal activity of a malodor neutralizer containing silver nanoparticles manufactured in Iran has been tested. For this purpose different concentrations of the product encounter with Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus then the activity were evaluated in different contact times. The products containing at least 200 ppm of silver nanoparticles were effective on all of bacterial strains and higher exposure time increased its antibacterial activity. Bactericidal activity against spore of Bacillus cereus was less obvious in comparison with other bacteria. It seems that silver nanoparticle is a valuable antibacterial agent even in presence of aromatic fragments and could be applied as disinfectant in many situations.

57-60

Authors: Seyed Moosa Moosavi Koohi, Jalil Khara and Reza Heidari

Basil plants (Ocimum basilicum L.) were sprayed with salicylic acid (1mM) and exposed to Ultraviolet-C (UV- C) radiation (40 Wm-2) after emergence of six developed leaves. Plants were grown for 18 days and exposed to UV-C for 5 mind-1 alternatively. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoide were considered for analysis of photosynthetic pigments. The results showed that the photosynthetic pigments were decreased under UV-C radiation. Decreasing of photosynthetic pigments under UV-C radiation was significantly alleviated by salicylic acid treatment.