[Quantitative real-time PCR technique for rapid diagnosis of trisomy 21]

Prenatal diagnosis and prevention of live-born children with Down syndrome is a principle priority of Iran's ministry of health. The aim of this study was the rapid diagnosis of Down syndrome by quantitative real-time PCR technique as a new method for prenatal diagnosis. In this experimental study, two milliliters of peripheral blood was obtained from each patient and normal control. Then genomic DNA was extracted using salting out method. DYRK1A2 gene as target gene and PMP22 gene as reference gene were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR technique. DYRK1A2/PMP22 gene ratio was 1.68 +/- 0.13 and 1.00 +/- 0.09 in Down syndrome and normal samples, respectively [p<0.001], demonstrating 3 copies of target [DYRK1A2] gene in trisomy 21 syndrome and 2 copies in normal individuals. DYRK1A2/PMP22 gene ratio is significantly higher in patients with Down syndrome compared with normal individuals. So, quantitative real-time PCR technique can be used as a sensitive, accurate and reliable technique for rapid diagnosis of trisomy 21 syndrome

[Effects of endurance and resistance training on calcitonin gene-related content in slow and fast twitch rat muscles]

Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide [CGRP], a 37-amino acid peptide generated by alternative processing of primary transcripts from calcitonin gene, is broadly distributed in the peripheral and central nervous systems of vertebrate and invertebrate species, CGRP plays a main role in the neuromuscular junction. This paper investigates the effects of endurance and resistance training on the content of CGRP in the slow and fast twitch muscles. Twenty-two male Wistar rats, [age 10 mo, weight 220 +/- 20gr, Pasteur Institute] were randomly divided to three groups.] Control [n=7], Endurance training [n=7], and Resistance training [n=8]] and underwent 12 weeks training according to protocols. Animals of the resistance training group were housed in a metal cage with a wire-mesh tower; endurance training included treadmill running], 5 days a week, 60 min/day, 30 m/min speed, for animals in this group. Forty-eight hours after last session of protocols, animals were anaesthetized. The right soleus and anterior tibialis were removed, and, tissues were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and kept at -70°C for use later. CGRP content was measured by the ELISA method. For data analyses, one-way ANOVA was used. There was no significant difference between control and endurance training groups in the CGRP of slow and fast twitch muscles. However the content of CGRP in both fast and slow twitch muscles was significantly different in the resistance training group as compared to the control group. That training can be a main factor for CGRP release in muscles. In addition, the type and intensity of activity probably contribute to increase in CGRP content

Uptake of autologous and allogenic tumor cell antigenic by dendritic cells

Dendritic cells [DCs] are professional antigen presenting cells [APCs], and there is considerable interest in their application as a cellular adjuvant for cancer immunotherapy. Previous studies indirectly demonstrated that DCs were able to take up tumor lysate [crude soluble tumor antigens] and also cross-present tumor associated antigens [TAA] which elicits anti-tumor immune response. To provide direct evidence that demonstrates the uptake of tumor lysate by DCs and to find out whether this capability is restricted to allogenic or autologous tumor lysate preparation. DCs were generated from magnetic bead-isolated monocytes of B-CLL patients as well as healthy donors. Proteins of tumor lysate were conjugated with FITC. Their uptake by autologous as well as allogenic DCs was analyzed using FACS flowcytometry system. In both autologous and allogenic experiments, green fluorescence intensity [FL1] of immature DCs incubated with FITClabeled tumor lysate was clearly higher than unpulsed counterparts, which were considered as background. Immature DCs are able to efficiently take up FITClabeled tumor lysate of autologous as well as allogenic sources. This finding confirms the results of previous studies, which have demonstrated that tumor lysate-pulsed DCs were able to elicit cytotoxic anti-tumor response and concluded that DCs could take up tumor lysate