Evaluating the expression level of co-stimulatory molecules CD 80 and CD 86 in different types of colon polyps.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 are the members of B7 family, which stimulate the T lymphocytes in response to the malignant colon polyps. However, the expression of these molecules is depressed in cancers. In the present study, the transcription levels of CD80 and CD86 genes in the colon polyps (Precancerous lesions) and its association with the clinical features were examined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-nine biopsies samples from patients with the colorectal polyps and 10 healthy subjects were collected by the colonoscopy. Questionnaires including clinical and demographic data were filled for all cases. Using Real-time PCR, the mucosal mRNA expression levels of CD80 and CD86 genes were quantified. RESULTS: Adenoma and hyperplastic polyps were reported in 69.3 and 30.7 percent of 49 patients, respectively. Unlike hyperplastic polyps, the expression of CD86 was increased in adenoma polyps compared to controls (RQ=2.75 vs. 0.837, respectively). The data from CD80 showed noticeable reduction about 0.31 and 0.11 in adenoma and hyperplastic polyps, respectively, in response to control group (RQ=0.729). Also, analyzing colon and rectum polyps depicted a marked increment in CD86 level, in contrast to CD80. CONCLUSION: Examining the mRNA expression levels of CD80 and CD86 genes between colon polyps with the rectal polyps shows that the enhanced level of CD86 in adenoma samples could be considered as a valuable biomarker for distinguishing the adenoma from hyperplastic polyps and the masses located in the colon from the rectum.

Distribution and phylogenetic analysis of Blastocystis sp. subtypes isolated from IBD patients and healthy individuals in Iran.

Blastocystis is a single-celled intestinal parasite commonly found in humans and a broad range of animals all over the world. In humans, its role in health and disease remains unsettled. The aim of our study was to investigate the distribution of Blastocystis and Blastocystis subtypes (ST) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and control subjects. A total of 71 stool samples were collected from IBD patients, 69 and 2 of whom had ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's Disease (CD), respectively. Moreover, 166 stool samples from healthy subjects were included as control samples. All stool samples were cultivated, and 550-bp fragments of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene was amplified from Blastocystis-positive cultures. All PCR-positive samples were sequenced. Blastocystis was observed in 9 (12.67%) and 35 (21.1%) IBD patients and healthy controls, respectively. There was no statistically significant correlation between IBD and presence of Blastocystis (P = 0.147). There was a statistically significant correlation between age and Blastocystis colonization in the IBD group (P < 0.05), but not among healthy controls. No significant correlation between gender and colonization was observed. ST1 and ST3 were obtained from 1 (12.5%) and 7 (87.5%) IBD patients, respectively, while in the healthy control group, subtypes 1, 2, and 3 were found in 14 (40%), 12 (34.28%), and 9 (25.72%), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed no variation in the distribution of subtypes nor intra-subtype genetic diversity between samples acquired from IBD patients and healthy controls. This study showed a trend towards a lower prevalence of Blastocystis in IBD patients than in control subjects. ST3 sequences isolated from IBD patients and control individuals did not appear to differ genetically.

Adenomatous polyposis coli gene large deletions in Iranian patients with familial adenomatous polyposis.

Context: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is one type of hereditary colon cancer with a large number of precancerous polyps that initiation to growth in childhood and adolescent. Mutation in adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene is the cause of FAP. Aims: The aim of the current study was to standardize multiplex ligation probe amplification (MLPA) method in screening of APC large deletions for the first time in Iranian patients with FAP. Subjects and Methods: Deoxyribonucleic acid was extracted from 34 FAP patients by saluting out method. All patients were screened for APC large deletions whit MLPA and for the positive results, respective region was investigated by polymerase chain reaction sequencing. All genetic alterations were doubled checked in two separated rounds of MLPA. Results: The detection rate of large fragment deletions in APC was 5.8% (2/34). Both of the Iranian patients had deletion in the middle and the end of exon 15, however, comparing of clinical features between patient with the large deletion and patients without deletion did not show any significant difference in each variable including, age at diagnosis, signs of disease and poly type. Conclusions: It seems that exon 15 of APC gene is probably the hotspot region in Iranian FAP patients. Association of genotype/phenotype is well known in FAP patients, but in this study statistical analyses did not show a significant difference in each considerable factor between patients with and without large deletions. It seems better to consider MLPA as an initial step to screening APC mutations.