ABSTRACT
Aim of Study: One of the new methods that have promising results is the use of cell-derived microvesicles (MVs) to kill tumor cells. Given that MVs contain apoptotic materials, genes, and proteins, they can interfere with the fate of adjacent cells. Materials and Methods: In the present study, after adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) isolation and characterization, MVs were derived from AT-MSCs and then characterized morphologically by standard error of the mean and size determination by DLS, and after that, the influence of MVs on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) was investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium assay and apoptosis-related gene expression. The raw data were analyzed in SPSS.17 software. Results: The results indicated that MVs have a size range of 500–1500 nm, and the viability of MCF-7 was significantly decreased when treated by different concentrations of MVs and it was confirmed when apoptosis-related genes' expression level was measured by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction whereas demonstrated that apoptosis genes including Bax, P53, P21, and EP300 (2− ΔΔ CT) and ΔCT values were expressed significantly in MCF-7 treated by MVs higher than those nontreated, and decrease of Bcl-2 expression level in MVs-treated MCF-7 was also significant as an antiapoptosis-related gene. Conclusions: Taking together, AT-MSC-derived MVs demonstrated anticancer or antitumoral properties on MCF-7 cells, and it could also be effective for other types of cancer cells
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Scholarship is of such a great importance that even the developed countries pay special attention to it, while in developing countries it has been left unattended and there is no appropriate management to benefit from the its advantages. For this, scholarship has to be considered more seriously in the planning system of the country in order to achieve the highest yield beside all expenses
Methods: Using registered documents as one of the best information sources, 366 students awarded scholarship between1997-2003 were enrolled into the study. Student's personal information at the time of going abroad, scholarship granted university, local university and students' major and duration of study were considered as useful information and excluded carefully from electronic and paper documents under the cooperation of the scholarship office of Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Results: Most of the students were studying in European countries [69.7%] and Australian and Oceania universities [12.6%]. The average duration of study was [+/-0.46] 4.07 years for PhD and [+/- 0.54] 5.12 years for clinical specialty candidates showing a significant difference between the two groups [P 0.001]. However, the noticeable point is that non-returning rate has been more than average for students who have received scholarship from those universities and also the ministry, while scholarship holders from level three universities were successful in science generating
Conclusion: The highest number of awarded scholarships belonged to the large universities in the country and based on the available information it is difficult to judge whether scholarship awarding has been distributed fairly among universities or not?