Haplotype diversity of 17 Y-STR in the Iranian population.

The current study aimed to evaluate Y chromosome haplotypes obtained from 1353 unrelated Iranian males using the AmpFlSTRTM YfilerTM kit; 1353 out of the 1353 identified haplotypes were unique. The haplotype diversity (HD) and discriminating capacity (DC) values were 1.00000 and 0.997, respectively. Analysis of genetic distance was performed using molecular variance (AMOVA) and multidimensional scaling plots (MDS), revealing a statistically significant difference between the study population and previous data reported for other Iranian populations and other neighboring countries. The present findings are likely to be useful for forensic casework analyses and kinship investigations.

CRISPR: A Promising Tool for Cancer Therapy.

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats system, called CRISPR, as one of the major technological advances, allows geneticists and researchers to perform genome editing. This remarkable technology is quickly eclipsing zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) and other editing tools, and its ease of use and accuracy have thus far revolutionized genome editing, from fundamental science projects to medical research and treatment options. This system consists of two key components: a CRISPR-associated (Cas) nuclease, which binds and cuts deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and a guide ribonucleic acid (gRNA) sequence, directing the Cas nuclease to its target site. In the research arena, CRISPR has been up to now exploited in various ways alongside gene editing, such as epigenome modifications, genome-wide screening, targeted cancer therapies, and so on. This article reviews the current perceptions of the CRISPR/Cas systems with special attention to studies reflecting on the relationship between the CRISPR/Cas systems and their role in cancer therapy.

MicroRNAs and Efferocytosis: Implications for Diagnosis and Therapy.

About 10-100 billion cells are generated in the human body in a day, and accordingly, 10- 100 billion cells predominantly die for maintaining homeostasis. Dead cells generated by apoptosis are also rapidly engulfed by macrophages (Mθs) to be degraded. In case of the inefficient engulfment of apoptotic cells (ACs) via Mθs, they experience secondary necrosis and thus release intracellular materials, which display damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and result in diseases. Over the last decades, researchers have also reflected on the significant contribution of microRNAs (miRNAs) to autoimmune diseases through the regulation of Mθs functions. Moreover, miRNAs have shown intricate involvement with completely adjusting basic Mθs functions, such as phagocytosis, inflammation, efferocytosis, tumor promotion, and tissue repair. In this review, the mechanism of efferocytosis containing "Find-Me", "Eat-Me", and "Digest-Me" signals is summarized and the biogenesis of miRNAs is briefly described. Finally, the role of miRNAs in efferocytosis is discussed. It is concluded that miRNAs represent promising treatments and diagnostic targets in impaired phagocytic clearance, which leads to different diseases.

MicroRNA: A Potential Diagnosis for Male Infertility.

Male infertility is one of the major global health problems, in particular, in more than half of the affected men. Genetic factors are important for identifying men with idiopathic infertility along with semen analysis. Valid and useful information can be obtained through non-invasive molecular research. Among these, small single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules of microRNAs (abbreviated miRNAs) are non-invasive biomarkers with a diagnostic value by regulating the post-transcriptional gene silence through repression and prevention of the translation process. The association between various types of male infertility and miRNA regulation changes has been evaluated to understand the biological function of miRNA and gene targets. Accordingly, further study of the function of miRNAs associated with reproductive disorders could lead researchers to further understand the molecular mechanisms of male infertility in order to find effective biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. Therefore, the present review article aimed at scrutinizing those researches investigating the altered miRNA expression in testicles, epididymis, and spermatozoa.

Gene Delivery Using Lipoplexes and Polyplexes: Principles, Limitations and Solutions.

Gene therapy has attracted considerable attention for the treatment of genetic and acquired diseases. Successful gene therapy occurs when the therapeutic genes penetrate targeted cells and become available to the intracellular active site. Currently, a promising approach in gene delivery is the use of nonviral gene delivery vectors that lack immunogenicity but have low toxicity and potential tissue specificity. The widely used, existing nonviral gene vectors are cationic lipids and polymers that can pass across extracellular and intracellular barriers. However, the toxicity of these vectors is a barrier to their use. Currently, the disadvantages of nonviral vectors have been minimized by several modifications. The main purpose of this review is to describe the pros and cons of gene delivery using cationic lipids and polymers.