The effect of RNLS gene polymorphisms on preeclampsia susceptibility: a meta-analysis study.

Aim: The authors designed a meta-analysis to find a comprehensive result of the impact of RNLS polymorphisms on preeclampsia (PE) susceptibility. Methods: The online databases PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were employed for the purpose of literature search. Data analysis was conducted using STATA (ver. 12.0) and MetaGenyo web tool. Results: The findings showed that the RNLS rs10887800 polymorphism could increase risk of PE in allelic, codominant heterozygous and dominant genetic models. In addition, the analysis indicated that the RNLS rs2576178 polymorphism was associated with higher risk of PE in allelic, codominant homozygous, dominant, and recessive models. Conclusion: The findings of meta-analysis showed that the RNLS rs10887800 and rs2576178 polymorphisms could increase risk of PE in several genetic models.

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Levisticum Officinale Extract Triggers Apoptosis and Down-Regulates ZNF703 Gene Expression in Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that zinc finger protein 703 (ZNF703) is overexpressed in breast cancer. Levisticum (L.) officinale is a herbal plant with proven medical characteristics in traditional medicine. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of L. officinale (HELO) on both estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and -negative (ER-) cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468, respectively). METHODS: The anti-proliferative and apoptotic activities of HELO were investigated on both cell lines using MTT and flow-cytometry methods. Real-time PCR was employed to determinate the changes in mRNA expression of the ZNF703 gene. RESULTS: The 50% maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) of HELO on ER+ and ER- cells were 200 and 150 µg/mL after 48 h-treatment. Statistically significant increases in both early and late apoptosis rates were seen in exposed cell lines. ZNF703 expression was less from 4 to 24 h HELO treatment than in untreated cells, and ZNF703 expression was higher in the more invasive MDA-MB-468 cells than in the less invasive MCF-7 cells. Our results demonstrated that HELO induces apoptosis and decreases cell growth in both cell lines. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that HELO alters the mRNA levels of ZNF703 gene while inducing apoptotic cell death in breast cancer-derived cell lines. The use of ZNF703 suppression can be considered as a beneficial target in breast cancer research.

HHEX gene polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus: A case-control report from Iran.

Genome-wide association studies indicated that hematopoietically-expressed homeobox (HHEX) gene is a remarkable candidate for type 2 diabetes (T2D) mellitus susceptibility in spite of the fact that the results are ambiguous in some cases. So, this study aimed to evaluate the possible correlation between HHEX gene polymorphisms and T2D development in a sample of the Iranian population. The rs1111875G/A, rs7923837A/G, and rs5015480C/T HHEX gene polymorphisms were genotyped in 250 cases and 250 matched (age and sex) healthy controls using tetra-amplification-refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction method. The finding revealed the all measured inheritance models of rs1111875G/A and of rs5015480C/T variants dramatically increase the risk of T2D while another polymorphism (rs7923837A/G) was not associated with risk/protective role in T2D. The results indicated that rs1111875G/A and rs5015480C/T may contribute to the enhancement of T2D risk in a sample of the southeast Iranian population.

Novel Poly(Adenosine Diphosphate-Ribose) Polymerase (PARP) Inhibitor, AZD2461, Down-Regulates VEGF and Induces Apoptosis in Prostate Cancer Cells

Background: Prostate cancer (Pca) is a heterogeneous disease, and current treatments are not based on molecular stratification. Poly(adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have recently been found to be remarkably toxic to cells with defects in homologous recombination, particularly cells with BRCA-mutated backgrounds. Therefore, this preliminary study was designed to evaluate whether PTEN expression status could have an impact on the sensitivity of invasive Pca cells to the PARP inhibitor, AZD2461. Methods: MTT viability test, Annexin V­FITC/propidium iodide double staining, and caspase3 activity assay were used to evaluate the apoptosis and relative expression of PTEN and VEGF in PC-3 and DU145 cell lines using real-time PCR. Results: MTT results showed that the inhibitory effects of AZD2461 were higher in PC-3 than DU145 cells (with IC50 of 36.48 and 59.03 µM at 48 hours of treatment, respectively). Flow cytometric analysis also showed the same results. When exposed to 40 µM of AZD2461, PC-3 (38.8%) and DU145 (28%) cells underwent apoptosis (p < 0.05). Treatment of cells by AZD2461 also caused a significant increase in apoptosis through caspase3 activation in both cell lines. VEGF mRNA levels in PC-3 cells significantly decreased compared to adjusted untreated cells (p < 0.05) in all measured times while displaying different alteration patterns in DU145 cells (p < 0.05). Conclusion: AZD2461 suppresses the growth of prostate tumor cells since AZD2461 monotherapy could prove to be efficacious, especially against cells not expressing PTEN besides activating the possible apoptosis-independent cell death pathways.

Nitric Oxide Synthase 2 Polymorphisms (rs2779248T/C and rs1137933C/T) and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Zahedan, Southeastern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO) has been associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). NO is synthesized enzymatically from l-arginine (l-Arg) by three NO synthase (NOS) isoforms, Neuronal NOS (nNOS or NOS1), Inducible NOS (iNOS or NOS2), and Endothelial NOS (eNOS or NOS3). The impact of NOS2 gene polymorphism was investigated on the susceptibility of T2D in a sample of Iranian population (Southeastern of Iran). METHODS: In 2015, the present case-control study was conducted on 152 T2D patients and 157 healthy control subjects (HCs) referring to Bu-ali Hospital of Zahedan, eastern Iran. Genotyping of NOS2 rs2779248T/C and rs1137933C/T variants were done using the Tetra-Amplification Refractory Mutation System Polymerase Chain Reaction (Tetra-ARMS PCR) method. RESULTS: CT genotype of rs1137933C/T was significantly associated with increased risk of T2D (P<0.0001). The T allele of this single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was also strongly associated with T2D risk (P<0.0001). For rs2779248 T/C, TC genotype of this SNP decreased the risk of T2D (OR=0.25 95%CI= 0.15-0.42, P<0.0001); however, CC genotype of this SNP increased the risk of T2D (P<0.005). There was no significant association between clinical-demographic characteristics of T2D group with respect to both SNPS in dominant. CONCLUSION: CT genotype and C allele of NOS2 rs1137933 C/T polymorphism were associated with a higher risk of T2D, and no association was observed between T allele of NOS2 rs2779248 T/C polymorphism and T2D while TC genotype of this SNP decreased the risk of T2D in the study participants.

Evaluation of attenuative effect of tert-butylhydroquinone against diazinon-induced oxidative stress on hematological indices in male Wistar rats.

Diazinon is an organophosphate toxicant that has been identified to induce oxidative stress within biological systems through altering biochemical and hematological indices, by generating free radicals while deteriorating the cellular antioxidant defense system. The present study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), a synthetic food additive, in serving as an antioxidant against sub-lethal diazinon-induced oxidative stress in male Wistar rats. Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups: Control (treated with corn oil as a vehicle), diazinon (10 mg/kg/day), TBHQ (0.028 g/kg of diet) and a combination group of TBHQ (0.028 g/kg of diet) plus diazinon (10 mg/kg/day). All animals were treated orally once a day by gastric tube and treatments were continued for 7 weeks. Hematological indices, including red blood cell (RBC) indices and white blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts, were measured at the end of the treatment schedule. On comparison of the treatment groups with the untreated control group, RBC count, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were significantly decreased in the diazinon and TBHQ+diazinon groups, while MCHC in the TBHQ group and MCV in the diazinon and TBHQ+diazinon groups were significantly increased. When the diazinon and TBHQ+diazinon groups were compared with the TBHQ group, RBC, Hb, Hct, and MCHC were significantly decreased whereas MCV was increased in both groups. Additionally, when comparing the TBHQ+diazinon group with the diazinon group, MCHC was determined to be significantly decreased. The results of the current experiments suggested that TBHQ could not efficiently protect blood cells against diazinon toxicity.

Association study of SREBF-2 gene polymorphisms and the risk of type 2 diabetes in a sample of Iranian population.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) as an important metabolic disorder is accompanied by dysregulation in lipid metabolism. Sterol regulatory element-binding factor-2 (SREBF-2) gene has a substantive role in lipid metabolism. Recently published report indicated the overexpression of this gene in diabetic patients. So, in this preliminary study we evaluated the effects of three common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs1052717G/A, rs2267439C/T, and rs2267443G/A in risk of T2D in a sample of Iranian population. Present case-control study consists of 250 patients with endocrinologically approved T2D and 250 healthy controls. The variants genotyped by using tetra amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (Tetra ARMS-PCR) method. The findings demonstrated that the rs2267439C/T polymorphism increased the risk of T2D in all measured inheritance models (Codominant1; p = 0.003, codominant2; p = 0.014, dominant; p < 0.0001, recessive; p = 0.037, over-dominant; p = 0.0025, and log-additive; p = 0.0048) while our results did not show statistically association between rs1052717G/A and rs2267443G/A SNPs and T2D development. The current investigation indicated that the rs2267439C/T polymorphism in the SREBF-2 gene increased the T2D susceptibility in an Iranian population. Further studies with different ethnicities and more extensive sample sizes are demanded to confirm our finding.