ABSTRACT
The pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-alpha], is a pathogenic element for a number of disorders. Previous studies have reported that the -1031 T/C and -238 G/A polymorphisms in the promoter region of the TNF-alpha gene are important factors in reproductive-related disorders. One of the most common gynecological diseases of women during the reproductive years is endometriosis. This study aims to assess an association between the -1031 T/C, -238 G/A and -308 G/A polymorphisms of the TNF-a gene promoter region to endometriosis. In this case-control study, we enrolled 65 endometriosis patients and 65 matched healthy control women by simple sampling. Polymerase chain reaction [PCR] analysis was used to analyze -1031 T/C, -238 G/A and -308 G/A polymorphisms in the TNF-alpha gene promoter region. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. We found a strong association between the -1031 T/C polymorphism in the promoter region of the TNF-alpha gene with endometriosis [P=0.001]. There were no significant associations between the -238 G/A [P=0.243] and -308 G/A [P=l] polymorphisms with endometriosis and again endometriosis stages have no association with these polymorphisms. The -1031 T/C polymorphism and CC genotype can be used as a relevant marker to identify women at risk of developing endometriosis
ABSTRACT
In recent years, adipose tissue, due to the stem cells contained within, has found a new special place in laboratory and clinical applications. These adipose-derived stem cells [ADSCs] have the same characteristics of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells [BMSCs]. Although bone marrow [BM] is not easily accessible and its procurements may be painful, most patients possess excess fat which can be obtained by less invasive methods; this makes adipose tissue ubiquitous, available and an ideal large-scale source for research on clinical applications. BMSCs and ADSCs were harvested from three healthy human and were characterized using flow-cytometry. After they were treated for neurosphere formation using basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, B27; terminal differentiation was performed. In this study, we used immunocytochemistry, real time-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting techniques for detection and comparison of Nestin, microtubule-associated protein-2 [MAP-2] and glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP] markers in human ADSCs and BMSCs. Under appropriate conditions ADSCs can differentiate into neuron-like cells and express neural markers the same as BMSCs, also the expression of GFAP marker in differentiated cells derived from ADSCs was significantly lower than the cells derived from BMSCs [P < 0.05]. While the expression of MAP-2 marker in both groups was the same. However, due to its advantages and according to our results based on the expression levels of GFAP and MAP-2, adipose tissue rather than BM could represent a more appropriate stem cell source for investigating the application of these cells in understanding the pathophysiology and in treatment of neurodegenerative disorders