Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a new pattern from Khorasan province, Islamic Republic of Iran

Reported associations between vitamin D receptor [VDR] polymorphism and type 1 diabetes mellitus vary across ethnic groups. We studied the association between type 1 diabetes and 4 VDR gene polymorphisms [Bb, Ff, Aa and Tt] in an Iranian population. A group of 69 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 45 unrelated healthy subjects were recruited. The prevalence of VDR polymorphisms in 4 restriction fragment length polymorphism sites including BsmI, FokI, ApaI and TaqI were analysed in patients and controls. The frequencies of 3 genotypes [Aa, FF and Bb] were significantly higher in the patient group. The relationship between VDR gene polymorphisms and onset pattern of diabetes was not significant. There were no significant difference between the genotype frequencies and chronic complications of diabetes, but the relationship between the Ff genotype and ketoacidosis was significant. Our results differ from previous polymorphism studies in other regions

Microsatellite instability in young women with endometrioid type endometrial cancer

This study was designed to determine the frequency of Microsatellite Instability [MSI] in young Iranian patients with endometrial carcinoma and to evaluate its association with histopathologic and clinical features of disease. Microsatellite status was analyzed in 23 patients with endometrioid type endometrial cancer who were less than 55 years. Clinicopathologic characteristics such as age, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetric [FIGO] grading and staging of tumor, family history of Hereditary Non-polyposis Colorectal Cancer [HNPCC], oral conception [OC] consumption, number of pregnancies, fertility, menstrual cycles and underlying disease were considered. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to find the significant relationships. MSI analysis showed 8 patients [34.8%] were MSS [Microsatellite Stable], 15 patients [62.5%] were MSI positive. Among cases with MSI phenotype, 4 cases [17.45] had low instability [MSI-L] and 11 cases [47.8%] had high instability [MSI-H]. Three cases with MSI-H had family history of HNPCC related cancers. Five cases [21.7%] had infertility in which 4 of them [80%] had MSI phenotype. There was no statistically significant relationship between MSI phenotype and tumor grade and stage. Few studies reported high frequency of MSI among young patients. Some studies mentioned similar results in endometrioid type of tumor. This study showed even higher frequency [65%] when MSI analyzed in young endometrioid type endometrial patients. Most cases with infertility had MSI-H phenotype. It may suggest that beside women with family history of HNPCC, EC screening using MSI would be beneficial in infertile women too

[Probing the relation between gene promoters hypermethylation of RARB and p16 among patients with prostatic cancer of different prognosis]

With regard to the increasing prevalence and mortality rate of prostate cancer and several related reports studying the role of promoter Hypermethylation of RARB and p16 in predicting the prognosis, this research is carried out on 3 groups of subjects with; poor prognostic factors [case], good prognostic factors [control-2] and healthy person [control-1], at three general hospitals of Imam Hossein, Modarres and Labbafineyhad, between 2007-2009. The research has case-control Design. All three groups of participants [21 subjects in each group] were analyzed for hypermethylation of RARB- p16. All groups were matched for age, tumor stage, grade and PSA. The technique was methylation specific polymerase chain reaction [MSPCR]. In control-1, no methylation of RARB were observed. In control-2, RARB was positive in 33%. In case group, the RARB was positive for 71.4%. For control 2 and case groups, the RAR positivity was higher than control-1 [P< 0.001], however, that of case group was higher than control-2[p<0.02]. In healthy persons p16 were negative. For good prognosis group p16 were positive in 19%, while for poor prognosis one, p16 were positive in 47.6%. p16 hypermethylation was higher in case and control-2 groups [P<0.001]. Nevertheless, for case group this was higher than control-2 [P< 0.01].:Hypermethylation of promotor RARB and p16 would be a good prognostic factor for early detection and prognosis of prostatic cancer

[Evaluation of e-cadherin and its correlation with lymphatic metastasis and tumor grade in laryngeal SCC]

Lymphatic metastasis is a determining factor in treatment modality selection and prognosis of laryngeal cancer. It occurs because of separation of tumor cell from primary foci and deposition in lymphatic nodules which in turn occurs because of weakening of cell-cell adhesion. E-cadherin is a cellular adhesion molecule. Abnormal expression of this molecule may lead intercellular connection weakening and following metastasis. In this study we assess the correlation of abnormal expression of this molecule and metastasis. It is done as a prospective study on 47 proved laryngeal cancer. Initially, samples are divided into metastatic and non metastatic group. In next step, Immunohistochemistry was done to show E-cadherin expression. It was done as a blind study. In this study we use from a scoring system in order to convert qualitative data to semi quantitative ones. From total 47 cases, 21 case were metastatic and 26 cases were non metastatic. Nearly 70% had altered E-cadherin expression. We found significant statistical correlation between Abnormal expression of E-cadherin and tumor grade and metastasis P=0.000 and P=0.002, respectively. Also, tumor grade and metastasis had significant correlation. Abnormal expression of E-cadherin is a common finding among laryngeal cancers. It is directly related to metastasis and tumor grade. So, it can be used as predicting marker in order to choose more-aggressive treatment modality to improve prognosis and probably survival