[Evaluation of nucleostemin gene expression as a new molecular marker in breast tumors]

Nucleostemin is one of the stem cell enriched proteins which encodes a novel nucleolar GTP-binding protein found at high levels in the adult and embryonic stem [ES] cells but not in terminally differentiated cells. It is also expressed in tumor cell lines as well as in the several types of human cancers. Due to the increasing rate of breast cancer in recent years, in the present study we evaluate the usefulness of Nucleostemin as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic molecular marker in breast tumors. A total of 41 tumoral and 20 non-tumoral adjacent tissues were studied by Semiquantitative Reverse Transciptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction [RT-PCR]. Beta 2m was used as an internal control. Data were analyzed through SPSS software. According to the obtained results, nucleostemin is a proliferation marker with higher eapression in breast tumors rather than in adjacent normal tissues. Nucleostemin expression level was significantly correlated with profilertion potential of breast benign tumors [p<0.05]. The expression of Nucleostemin was significantly correlated with the advanced stages of breast tumors [p<0.05]. Nucleostemin expression level may be used in estimating tumor size and as a potential prognostic marker for determinig breast tumors stage and future metastases. Moreover, nucleostemin inhibition can be an effective sterategy in decreasing the proliferation of breast tumor cell lines

[Survey of climatic condition of Malaria disease outbreak in Iran using GIS]

Malaria as a mosquito-borne disease is largely dependent on climatic conditions. Temperature, rainfall and relative humidity are considered as climatic factors affecting the geographical distribution of this disease. These climatic factors have definite roles not only in the growth and proliferation of the mosquito Anopheles but also in the parasite Plasmodium activity. The purpose of this study was to find in which regions of Iran climatic conditions favour spread of malaria. Data on 3 climatic factors, including the mean monthly temperature, rainfall and mixed ratio of humidity, obtained from 31 synoptic meteorological stations during the 30-year period 1975-2005 were used. By running the informative filters through map algebra tools in the Geographical Information System [GIS], the synoptic meteorological stations were classified into 4 groups in terms of climatic conditions favouring activity and proliferation of the mosquito Anopheles and the parasite Plasmodium. Then the regions were interpolated in terms of climate risk of malaria incidence using the tension Spiline interpolation method. The maps of climatic potential malaria risk indicated that the southern provinces including Hormozgan, Bushehr and Khuzestan, southern parts of Sistan-Balouchistan province, such as Chabahar and Nikshahr, as well as Northern provinces of the country, including Mazandaran and Gilan, have the highest climatic potential for risk of malaria spread. On the other hand, provinces in the North Western region, including West and East Azarbaijan, Ardebil, Kurdistan and Zanjan, have the lowest climatic potential risk of malaria spread. Further analysis of the data showed that a large segment of the population is living in regions with medium- to high-risk zones. The findings of this study can be used when designing malaria control programs to identify different regions in terms of climate-based malaria risk. The presented risk map of malaria in this study is completely based on climatic factors. The disconformity between these presented climate-based maps and the observed high-risk map is due to such factors as socioeconomic and lifestyle changes, as well as border problems [foreign subjects entering the country]

[Evaluation of the expression of survivin-3b and survivin-3alpha ,the novel splice variants, as diagnostic tumor markers in thyroid cancer]

Survivin is a new member of inhibitor of apoptosis protein family [IAP] that plays an important role in the regulation of cell cycle and inhibition of apoptosis. Distinct expression of this gene in tumoral cells versus normal cells introduces it as the fourth major transcriptome in cancers. Thyroid carcinoma is the most common endocrine malignancy. Considering the highly heterogeneous nature of tumoral and non-tumoral thyroid nodules from the pathological viewpoint and also in regard to the absence of appropriate molecular markers, extensive efforts have been made to find a specific molecular tumor marker for diagnosis of thyroid tumors. Studies have been demonstrated that the expression pattern of survivin and its splice variants was different in cancerous tissues compared to normal tissues. In this study we evaluated expression of survivin-3b and survivin-3alpha, the novel survivin splice variants, as diagnostic markers for thyroid cancer. This was a descriptive study. 77 thyroid specimens; including 49 tumoral, 14 non-tumoral and 14 tumor margin samples were collected and expression of survivin-3b ands-3alpha was investigated by hemi-nested RT-PCR method. Tumoral samples showed the highest expression of survivin-3b and survivin-3alpha and the lowest expression was detected in the specimens of tumor margins. In this study we demonstrated the expression of survivin-3b and survivin-3alpha in thyroid tumors for the first time. In conclusion significant expression of survivin-3b and survivin-3alpha splice variants in tumoral cells shows their roles in thyroid cancer progression and their efficiency as molecular markers for detection and classification of tumoral and nontumoral thyroid nodules

[Study of expression pattern of eIF4E gene as a molecular marker in thyroid cancer]

Regulation of protein synthesis in the early stage of translation depends on the function of eIF4E factor especially in the form of eukaryotic initiation factor [eIF4F]. Overexpression of eIF4E in multiple cancer types, including malignancies of the prostate, breast, colon, lung, and the hematopoietic system is indicative of the role of this factor in tumorogenesis and promotion of the cancers. In this study we investigated the expression pattern of eIF4E as a new molecular marker in thyroid tumors and their marginal normal tissues. We used semi-quantitative RT-PCR technique to examine the expression of eIF4E in 21 papillary carcinoma tissue specimens and 14 specimens of corresponding marginal normal tissue adjacent to the malignant lesions. Beta 2m gene was considered as an internal control. Rate of expression of eIF4E in different groups were compared with one another by use of SPSS software and data were analyzed by one way ANOVA and t-test. Our data revealed significant expression of eIF4E in all tumor samples compared to non-tumor lesions and normal tissues [P<0.05]. Moreover the expression level was notably increased in malignant tumor samples compared to marginal tissues of the tumors [P<0.05]. The rate of expression was more in tumor samples than non-malignant samples. The results of this study indicated that the rate of expression of eIF4E gene is associated with kind of tumor and grade of malignancy. Also this study confirmed the role of eIF4E gene in tumor progression and development of thyroid tumors. Therefore eIF4E gene expression can be an appropriate indicator for diagnosis of tumors and can be used as a guide for grading of thyroid tumors. This prognostic and diagnostic factor can be considered as a promising therapeutic target for treatment of cancers

[Evaluation of the expression of Survivin-2 alpha splice variant as a molecular marker in thyroid cancer]

Thyroid carcinoma is the most common endocrine malignancy. Considering highly heterogenous nature of tumoral and non-tumoral thyroid nodules from pathological point of view and also in regard to absence of appropriate molecular markers, extensive efforts have been made to find a molecular tumor marker for specific diagnosis of thyroid tumors. Recent attention has been paid to Survivin, a new member of the Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein Family [IAP], as a new molecular marker in cancer. Studies have been demonstrated that Survivin and its splice variants have different expressions in cancerous tissues compared to normal tissues. In this study the expression of Survivin-2alpha splice, one of the newest Survivin variants, was evaluated in thyroid cancer as a molecular marker. Tissue samples were collected from 77 thyroid specimens including 49 tumoral, 14 nontumoral and 14 tumor margin samples. The expression of Survivin-2 alpha was studied by Hemi-Nested RT-PCR method. Expression of Survivin-2 alpha splice was the highest in surgical margin samples compared to non-tumoral and tumoral samples. The lowest expression was that of tumoral samples. Our data demonstrated the expression of Survivin-2 alpha in thyroid tumors. Although the expression of surviving-2 alpha splice variant in tumoral cells was lower than that of tumor margins, it did not show a significant difference. Therefore it seems likely that it does not have a special role in the progression of tumor and development of abnormal nature of the cells. According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that the different expressions of 2 alpha in these groups can not be an appropriate criterion for distinguishing tumors from non-tumoral lesions of thyroid gland

[Evaluating the expression of survivin and its splice variants; 2B and AEx3 as new diagnostic molecular markers in thyroid cancer]

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Because of the highly heterogeneous nature of tumoral and non-tumoral thyroid nodules and lack of suitable clinico-pathological criteria and absence of appropriate molecular markers, scientists have been trying to find a molecular tumor marker for specific diagnosis of thyroid tumors. Recent attention has been paid to Survivin, a novel member of the Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein Family [IAP], as a new molecular marker in cancer. Studies have demonstrated that Survivin and its splice variants have different expression in cancerous tissues compared to normal tissues. In this study the expression of Survivin and its splice variants; 2B and [delta] Ex3 were evaluated as new diagnostic molecular markers in thyroid cancer. Tissue samples were collected from 61 thyroid specimens including 14 tumor margins, 11 non-tumoral and 36 tumoral samples. Expression levels of Surviving and its variants were measured by semi quntitative RT-PCR. Expression level of Survivin in tumor samples was significantly higher compared with surgical margins and non tumural tissues. There was also a significant increase in expression level of Survivin-[delta]Ex3 in tumoral tissues compared with surgical margins. The expression of Survivin 2B in tumors was lower than the non-tumoral tissues. Our data indicated the important role of Survivin in production of thyroid tumors and also revealed that high expression of [delta]Ex3 variant is correlated with nature of thyroid tumors. Therefore, evaluating Survivin gene expression and its recently introduced splice variants may be used in diagnosis and classification of thyroid tumors from non-tumoral lesions