ABSTRACT
Background: Vitamin D and insulin play an important role in susceptibility to polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS], and therefore vitamin D receptor [VDR], parathyroid hormone [PTH], and insulin receptor [INSR] gene variants might be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS
Objective: The present study was designed to investigate the possible associations between polymorphisms in VDR, PTH, and INSR genes and the risk of PCOS
Materials and Methods: VDR, PTH, and INSR gene variants were genotyped in 35 women with PCOS and 35 controls using Polymerase chain reaction - Restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Furthermore, serum levels of glucose and insulin were measured in all participants
Results: No significant differences were observed for the VDR Fokl, VDR Tru9l, VDR TaqI, PTH Drall, INSR Nsil, and INSR Pmll gene polymorphisms between the women with PCOS and controls. However, after adjustment for confounding factors, the VDR BsmI "Bb" genotype and the VDR Apal "Aa" genotype were significantly under transmitted to the patients [p= 0.016; OR= 0.250; 95% CI= 0.081-0.769, and p= 0.017; OR= 0.260; 95% CI= 0.086-0.788, respectively]. Furthermore, in the women with PCOS, insulin levels were lower in the participants with the INSR Nsil "NN" genotype compared with those with the "Nn + nn" genotypes [P= 0.045]
Conclusion: The results showed an association between the VDR gene Bsml and Apal polymorphisms and PCOS risk. These data also indicated that the INSR "NN" genotype was a marker of decreased insulin in women with PCOS. Our findings, however, do not lend support to the hypothesis that PTH gene Drall variant plays a role in susceptibility to PCOS
ABSTRACT
Objective: The use of stem cells, particularly mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs], with genes and various growth factors as treatments for myocardial infarction and various other diseases is highly regarded. However these cells meet with inflammation and a hypoxic environment in the target tissue. Hence, treatment with factors that increase the resistance of these stem cells is of importance. Stem cells also can be used as carriers for gene therapy. The aim of the present research is to produce VEGF expressing MSCs. We investigate the effect of stromal derived factor 1 on MSC survival in order to use these cells in a future rat myocardial infarction model
Methods: MSCs were purified from young male rats by aspirating the cavity of femurs and tibias. After characterization, MSCs were transduced with VEGF using lipofectamine. Expression and function of VEGF was confirmed. Next, we treated MSCs with SDF1alpha at various time points. The effect of this chemokine was investigated using the LDH assay and by viable cell counts
Results: The experiments confirmed the production and function of VEGF by MSCs. The LDH levels decreased significantly in SDF1alpha treated MSCs. Cell viability increased significantly in the presence of this chemokine
Conclusion: Treatment of MSCs with the SDF1alpha chemokine has increased the survival of these cells. These MSCs are proper candidates for increasing angiogenesis and for further analysis in a rat model of myocardial infarction
ABSTRACT
Tissue plasminogen activator [tPA] is a serine protease, which is composed of five distinct structural domains with 17 disulfide bonds, representing a model of high-disulfide proteins in human body. One of the most important limitations for high yield heterologous protein production in Escherichia coli [E. coli] is the expression of complex proteins with multiple disulfide bridges. In this study the combination of two distinct strategies, manipulated cytoplasm and native periplasm, was applied to produce the functional full length tPA enzyme in E. coli. Using a PelB signal peptide sequence at 5' site of tPA gene, the expression cassette was prepared and subsequently was transformed into a strain with manipulated oxidizing cytoplasm. Then the induction was made to express the protein of interest. The SDS-PAGE analysis and gelatin hydrolysis confirmed the successful expression of functional tPA. The results of this study showed that complex proteins can be produced in E. coli using the cumulative power of both cytoplasm and periplasm