Expression analysis of a panel of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) revealed their potential as diagnostic biomarkers in bladder cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have fundamental roles in cell migration, proliferation, invasion and metastasis. METHODS: In the current study, we evaluated expression of a panel of lncRNAs in bladder cancer tissues, adjacent non-cancerous tissues (ANCTs) and normal bladder tissues to evaluate their diagnostic power. RESULTS: PV1 was down-regulated in tumor tissues compared with both ANCTs and normal controls (Expression ratios of 0.48 and 0.14; P values of 0.4 and <0.001 respectively). HOTAIR, NEAT1, TUG1 and FAS-AS1 were significantly down-regulated in tumor tissues compared with normal controls (Expression ratios of 0.4, 0.68, 0.54 and 0.11; P values of 0.04, 0.02, 0.02 and <0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION: Combination of transcript levels of seven lncRNAs improved both sensitivity and specificity values to 100%. The current study shows dysregulation of lncRNAs in bladder cancer and implies their role as diagnostic markers in this malignancy.

MDM2 gene polymorphisms and risk of classic Kaposi's sarcoma among Iranian patients.

A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter region of MDM2 (SNP309T>G, rs2279744) has been shown to increase the expression of the MDM2 protein in various cancer types. However, only one study has analyzed the role of the MDM2 polymorphism in the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The association of MDM2 SNP309 with classic KS risk was evaluated in 79 Iranian patients with classic KS and 123 healthy controls. The MDM2 SNP309 was genotyped using PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. No significant correlation was found between the SNP309 polymorphism in MDM2 promoter and classic KS risk. There was no significant correlation between gender and disease stage. However, a significant association was found between SNP309 GG genotype and younger age (≤50 years) (odds ratio 9.5, 95% confidence intervals 1.5-60, p = 0.03). Our findings support no major role for the MDM2 SNP309 in KS development although it might influence the clinical outcome of KS in younger patients.

Molecular typing of human herpesvirus 8 among HIV positive in comparison to HIV-negative individuals in Iran.

It is still unclear whether different HHV-8 genotypes may have different pathogenic and tumorigenic properties associated with a diverse rate of disease progression. In some areas where genotype C was found to be prominent among classic KS patients, genotype A was shown to be more frequent among AIDS-associated KS patients. Genotype C was previously reported to be widespread in Iran, with genotype A being less frequent among patients with classic KS although no data are available with regards to the HHV-8 genotyping among Iranian HIV-infected patients. In order to analyze HHV-8 genotypes (ORF K1), six HIV-infected patients (with or without KS), and 22 HIV-negative subjects (classic/iatrogenic KS patients and IVDUs) were investigated using nested PCR. Genotype A was detected more frequently among HIV-infected patients with or without KS (three out of six) whereas genotype C was found more common among HIV-negative subjects including classic/iatrogenic KS patients and IVDSs (21 out of 22), and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.044). In conclusion, our data further support the dominancy of HHV-8 genotype C in Iranian general population. Moreover, genotype A was more common among HIV-infected patients with or without KS. J. Med. Virol. 89:703-709, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Urinary Tract Infection with Candida glabrata in a Patient with Spinal Cord Injury.

Candida glabrata was thought to be a primarily non-pathogenic organism. However, with the ever-increasing population of immunocompromised individuals, it is considered to be an opportunistic pathogen. Patients with spinal cord injuries often using a long-term urinary catheter and are high risk for Urinary Tract Infections. This case report describes a patient with spinal cord injury (thoracic region) with a pure culture of Candida glabrata in a urine sample.

Evaluation of urinary interleukin-8 levels in patients with spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND: Interleukins are a group of cytokines responsible for regulating inflammatory and infectious responses. Interleukin-8 plays an important role in chemotaxis and functioning of leukocytes and is locally produced in infected tissues; it is seen in abundance in the urine of individuals with Urinary Tract Infection. MATERIAL & METHODS: Midstream sterile urine sampling was performed in different patients admitted to the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) research center. The samples were tested to determine the level of IL-8 through the ELISA method. The commercial kit used for this study was an R & D kit built in Germany. RESULTS: The mean level of IL-8 was 369.59 pg/ml and 75.42 pg/ml in male and female patients respectively. Among the 97 patients under study, 87 (89.7%) were IL-8 positive (>10 pg/ml) and 10 patients were IL-8 negative (<10 pg/ml). Among the 87 IL-8 positive subjects, 64 patients had no UTI symptoms, while 23 did. CONCLUSION: SCI patients should have their urinary IL-8 levels measured on a routine and periodic basis, irrespective of their SCI severity or the presence or absence of UTI symptoms. The timely and effective diagnosis & treatment of UTI can prevent the irreversible complications caused by frequent UTI and resistance to treatment in this group of patients.