ABSTRACT
Aim: To evaluate the association between biochemical, virologic and histologic features in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B [CHB]
Background: Hepatitis-B e-antigen [HBeAg]-negative is common in Iran, is progressive with poor prognosis. Therefore, it seems necessary to perform a comprehensive evaluation of different spectrum of laboratory measurements accompanying histological findings
Methods: HBeAg- negative CHB patients referring to two university hospitals during two years were enrolled. Alcohol consumption, liver mass, fatty liver and positive results of Anti HDV, Anti HCV or Anti HIV were excluded. The relationship between viral loads, liver enzymes [old and new cutoffs] and histopathological features was analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistical methods
Results: A total of 150 HBeAg-negative CHB [males=110, mean age=38.44 +/- 11.34 years] were assessed. ALT had a significant relation with the logarithm of serum HBV-DNA [P<0.0001], grade and stage on liver biopsy [P<0.001, P=0.034, respectively]. Serum viral load, AST and ALT were independent predictors of histological grade, age was the only independent predictor of the stage of liver fibrosis. There was a significant relationship between serum ALT and stage of liver fibrosis [P<0.0001] when new cutoff values for ALT were considered. We found that age had a significant relation with histological grade but it showed a reverse relation with ALT levels [P=0.009]
Conclusion: In HBeAg-negative CHB, AST had a better prediction for liver necrosis and inflammation. Age could be an independent predictor for liver fibrosis. New cutoff values for ALT had superiority over conventional values to identify higher risk of liver fibrosis
ABSTRACT
Background: Human papillomaviruses [HPVs] are the most common viruses which can be sexually transmitted. They can cause different malignancies in asymptomatic women. The association of HPVs with infertility among men and women is controversial. In the current study, the authors compared the frequency of HPVs in fertile and infertile women in the city of Mashhad
Materials and Methods: In the present case-control study, cervical and vaginal smears were collected from infertile and fertile women. HPVs were detected by polymerase chain reaction. Data was analyzed by SPSS v.20 and P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant
Results: In the current study, 115 infertile women with the mean age of 30.5 +/- 5.6 years and 60 fertile women with the mean age of 32.6 +/- 9.3 years were included [p=0.07]. Among women who were infertile [cases], 121 [52.6%] of 230 smears were positive, while in control group [who were fertile], 50 [41.7%] of 120 smears were positive [p=0.052]
Conclusion: Frequency of HPV in both groups was high, which could be due to lack of routine HPV vaccination. HPV can cause placenta abnormality, our infertile women had multiple abortion history and history of abortion had significant differences among infertile and control group. The frequency of HPV had no significant differences between the infertile and control groups
ABSTRACT
Background: Recurrent miscarriage is defined as two or more recurrent spontaneous miscarriages. Several causes have been suggested, among which, chromosomal abnormalities in couples is considered to have a role in this regard. However, its significance varies among different populations. The present study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of chromosomal aberrations in couples with recurrent miscarriages in the city of Mashhad
Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed on patient records at Medical Genetics Clinic of Imam Reza hospital in Mashhad [north-east of Iran] between 2003 and 2006
Results: Of 151 records of recurrent miscarriages, 59 couples had undergone Karyotyping testing. Among those who had Karyotyping results, only one [1.7%] had chromosomal abnormality. The observed abnormality was associated with chromosome 9 inversion. The prevalence of consanguineous marriage among these couples was 59.0%
Conclusion: In our study, unlike similar studies in other countries, the prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities was much lower. This could be interpreted either due to laboratory errors in our clinic or the real reduction in the association of chromosomal abnormalities with recurrent miscarriages in our population. Regarding our data, it seems that, at least among our population, costly Karyotyping testing is not necessary to predict further miscarriages or it could be limited to fewer cases having other associated factors
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Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of West Nile virus seropositivity in the general population of Mashhad, Northeast of Iran. Methods: One hundred and eighty two individuals living in the city of Mashhad were studied using cluster sampling method. Both IgM and IgG antibodies against WNV were detected by ELISA method. Results: In this study, the overall IgG seroprevalence of positive West Nile virus was 11%; however, IgM antibody was not found in the participants. Conclusions: Our study suggested that the prevalence rate of West virus is considerable in Mashhad city. It seems necessary for clinicians and health care workers to be aware of WNV infection in the Northeast Iran.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the prevalence of West Nile virus seropositivity in the general population of Mashhad, Northeast of Iran.@*METHODS@#One hundred and eighty two individuals living in the city of Mashhad were studied using cluster sampling method. Both IgM and IgG antibodies against WNV were detected by ELISA method.@*RESULTS@#In this study, the overall IgG seroprevalence of positive West Nile virus was 11%; however, IgM antibody was not found in the participants.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Our study suggested that the prevalence rate of West virus is considerable in Mashhad city. It seems necessary for clinicians and health care workers to be aware of WNV infection in the Northeast Iran.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the prevalence of West Nile virus seropositivity in the general population of Mashhad, Northeast of Iran.Methods:One hundred and eighty two individuals living in the city of Mashhad were studied using cluster sampling method. Both IgM and IgG antibodies against WNV were detected by ELISA method.Results:In this study, the overall IgG seroprevalence of positive West Nile virus was 11%; however, IgM antibody was not found in the participants.Conclusions:Our study suggested that the prevalence rate of West virus is considerable in Mashhad city. It seems necessary for clinicians and health care workers to be aware of WNV infection in the Northeast Iran.
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Expressions of recombinant proteins for different applications are important objectives in molecular biotechnology; however, expression of some recombinant proteins is difficult. Several methods have been designed for expression of these proteins. The aim of this study was to construct a vector containing Mtb32C fragment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis [M.tuberculosis] as a fusion partner in order to improve the expression of fused recombinant proteins. Mtb32C was amplified by polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. The amplified fragment was ligated into pET21b+ vector. Colony-PCR, enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing methods were used to confirm the recombinant vector. Colony-PCR showed a 420 bp fragment in size corresponding to the correct size of our fragment. In addition the recombinant plasmids sequencing showed the accuracy of the cloned fragment. For confirming the expression, reverse transcriptase [RT]-PCR analysis was performed showing a 420 bp fragment in agarose gel electrophoresis using specific primers. The construction of a vector containing Mtb32C fragment is promising as a fusion partner for future studies as it affected the expression of the fused proteins and increased immune responses against the partner
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Vaccines capable of controlling tumor virus based infections are found difficult to develop due to the consistence latent infection in the host. DNA vaccines are attractive tools for the development of HPV vaccines and inducing antigen-specific immunity owing to the stability, simplicity of delivery, safety and cost effectiveness. However, there is a need to increase their potency by procedures such as using HSP70 gene as an adjuvant. To evaluate a DNA vaccine containing HPV16 truncated E7 C-terminal cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitopes linked to HSP70 gene [HSP70-tE7] in an animal model. Mice were immunized with the plasmid DNA after pre-treatment with cardiotoxin. The splenocytes of immunized mice were then tested for CTL activity by detecting the apoptosis and necrosis in target cells, cytokine production by ELISA, CD4 and CD8 frequencies by flow cytometry, and lymphocyte stimulation by MTT assay. The recombinant expression vector was able to elicit immune responses close to that of full length E7 complete gene. Although the use of a small part of a target antigen can induce immune responses equivalent to the full length antigen, it fails to elicit statistically significant stronger immune responses when fused with HSP70 compared to the complete E7 gene alone. The potent immunogenicity of HPV16 E7 was preserved in the HSP70-tE7 vaccine and may represent a target of choice for the therapeutic vaccination strategies. However, to improve the immunogenicity polytope DNA vaccines which elicit multiple effector and memory CTL responses should be considered in future studies of DNA-based cancer vaccines
ABSTRACT
Herpes simplex viruses [HSVs] have widespread and ubiquitous prevalence in the human population and they have received a great deal of attention due to the range of diseases, they caused as a result of an infection. It seems that the fast and reliable diagnostic methods are needed for detecting the herpes simplex virus type 1 [HSV1] antibodies especially in patients with HSV encephalitis, immunocompromised people, and neonatal infections. The aim of this study was designing a Western blotting method for HSV1 antibody detection, using the purified virus by sucrose density gradient centrifugation procedure. The most reliable method for HSV detection is virus neutralization test but it needs cell culture preparation, high expertise, as well as the high amounts of serum samples. Considering the difficulties of this method, we tried to run a new one for HSV antibody detection by propagating the viruses and then purify them by sucrose density gradient centrifugation method. The purified viruses used as antigens in Western blotting assay. Diluted sera [1:100, and 1:200 dilutions] used in Western blotting and two-fold dilutions of the sera applied in virus neutralization test. Five of twenty seven samples were negative in Western blotting and the same results obtained in virus neutralization test. Comparing with our gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of the developed assay were both 100%. Our results show that the designed method is a reliable method for replacing the virus neutralization test in diagnostic laboratories. It can also, be used for confirming the ELISA results
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/isolation & purification , Blotting, Western , Clinical Laboratory Techniques , Virion , Sucrose , Centrifugation, Density Gradient , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayABSTRACT
Cervical cancer is the most prevalent tumor in developing countries and the second most frequent cancer among female population worldwide. Specific human papillomaviruses and, most notably, HPV types 16 and 18 are recognized as being causally associated with cervical carcinomas. The early HPV type 16 genes, E6 and E7, directly participate in the in vitro transformation of primary human keratinocytes and represent an excellent target for immune therapy of HPV related disease. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the efficacy of a DNA vaccine containing human papillomaviruse type 16 E7 gene [Iranian isolate] in induction of CTL responses in an animal model. In this study, the expression vector containing HPV type 16 E7 gene was constructed and chosen as a model antigen in the development of a therapeutic DNA vaccine in an animal model. CTL responses, cytokine assay, lymphocyte stimulation test, CD4 and CD8 staining and flowcytometry were done for evaluating of the immune responses. Our findings indicate that the target DNA vaccine can induce an E7-specific CTL response, which is important in the lysis of infected tumor cells, compared to negative control [p < 0.005] after in vivo immunization in the mouse system. The developed vaccine may be promising as an anti-cancer vaccine
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Papillomaviridae/immunology , Papillomaviridae/genetics , Vaccines, DNA , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/virology , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/prevention & control , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/immunology , Models, Animal , Mice , Cancer Vaccines , Genetic VectorsABSTRACT
To isolate and construct cloning and expression vectors containing human papillomavirus [HPV16-L1] gene as target for application as recombinant vaccine. The study was performed in 2007 in Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Four genital specimens DNAs were amplified with the use of HPV type-specific primers based on HPV-16 L1, E6, and E7 genes. The polymerase chain reaction products were cloned into suitable cloning and expression vectors and were confirmed by restriction enzyme analysis and sequencing. The desired plasmids were sequenced and indicated 99% homology with those submitted full length L1 sequences in the GenBank. The results showed that there was 99% homology between our product and those mentioned in the GenBank. Nowadays empty viral capsids, termed virus-like particles, are synthesized with the use of microbial or cellular expression systems. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Iranian HPV16 full length L1 sequence is very similar to the other sequences in the GenBank and it can be used as a candidate gene in prophylactic vaccine for cervical cancer