ABSTRACT
Male genital tract infections have been associated with infertility, and Escherichia coli has drawn increasing attention as an important bacterium in this context. This investigation aimed to characterize and compare the distributions of O-antigen serogroups of E. coli in the semen samples of fertile and infertile men. Methods: In this case-control study, semen samples were collected from 618 fertile and 1,535 infertile men. The E. coli-positive samples were evaluated in terms of concentration, morphology, viability, and motility parameters according to the World Health Organization 2010 guidelines. Finally, different serogroups of E. coli were identified by multiplex polymerase chain reaction targeting the O-antigen variations of the bacterium. Results: The prevalence of E. coli among fertile men was significantly higher than among infertile men (p<0.001). The sperm morphology, viability, and motility in the E. coli-positive fertile group were significantly higher than in the E. coli-positive infertile group (p<0.001). E. coli O6 was the most prevalent serogroup found in both groups. However, there was no significant difference in the frequency of different serogroups of E. coil between the two groups (p=0.55). Conclusion: Despite the higher prevalence of E. coli among fertile men, E. coli had more detrimental effects on semen parameters in infertile men. There was no significant difference in E. coli serogroups between the fertile and infertile groups.
ABSTRACT
Background and Aims: In this study, the effect of rs310441 polymorphism in the human leukocyte antigen [HLA] region on the development of susceptibility or resistance to Type 1 diabetes [T1D] among the people with T1D compared to healthy subjects has been investigated
Materials and Methods: This research, which is based on the examination of 130 cases with T1D and 98 controls, has been carried out in the city of Hamedan after clinical examination. In order to determine the HLA gene polymorphism, the allele-specific-refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction [ARMS-PCR] method was utilized
Results: This study indicated that there is a significant relationship between the frequency of alleles and genotypes in the patients compared to healthy subjects. The C/C and C/G genotypes were more frequent in patients than controls and G/G genotype was shown to be protective for T1D [p=0.01]. Significant difference was found for the G allelic frequency in patients with T1D and in the control group. The allelic frequency was significantly different between the two groups [p=0.0001]. Our findings indicate that HLA polymorphism[C/G] and [C/C] genotypes could be considered as genetic risk factors associated with susceptibility and [G/G] genotypes associated with protection for T1D
Conclusions: This study identified that there is a significant relationship between the frequency of alleles and genotypes in the patients compared to healthy subjects
ABSTRACT
Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae [K. pneumoniae] is an opportunistic pathogen that could be resistant to many antimicrobial agents. Resistance genes can be carried among gram-negative bacteria by integrons. Enzymatic inactivation is the most important mechanism of resistance to aminoglycosides. In this study, the frequencies of two important resistance gene aac[6']-IIa and ant[2'']-I, and genes coding integrase I and II, in K. pneumonia isolates resistant to aminoglycosides were evaluated
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an attempt was made to assess the antibiotic susceptibility of 130 K. pneumonia isolates obtained from different samples of patients hospitalized in training hospitals of Yazd evaluated by disk diffusion method. The frequencies of aac[6']-IIa, ant[2'']-I, intl1, and intl2 genes were determined by PCR method. Data were analyzed by chi-square method using SPSS software [Ver. 16]
Results: our results showed that resistance to gentamicin, tobramycin, kanamycin, and amikacin were 34.6, 33.8, 43.8, and 14.6%, respectively. The frequencies of aac[6']-IIa, ant[2'']-I, intl1, and intl2 genes were 44.6, 27.7, 90, and 0%, respectively
Conclusion: This study showed there are high frequencies of genes coding aminoglycosides resistance in K. pneumonia isolates. Hence, it is very important to monitor and inhibit the spread of antibiotic resistance genes
ABSTRACT
Background: the role of Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 [MMP9] in tumor invasion and progression is prominent. A single nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] in the promoter region of MMP9 [-1562 C/T] increases the transcription and expression of this gene. On the other hand, MHC class I chain-related protein A and B [MICA/B] in soluble forms may impair tumor immunogenicity by reducing Natural Killer Group 2D [NKG2D] densities on NK cells and MMP9 enzyme activity has a prominent role in shedding of MICA/B
Objectives: to investigate the association between MMP9 [-1562 C/T] polymorphism and serum MICA/B level in breast cancer patients
Methods: in this case-control study, 105 patients with breast cancer and 100 healthy age-matched women were selected from Yazd hospitals, Iran. The polymorphism of MMP9 [-1562 C/T] was determined by PCR-RFLP. Concentration of MICB and MICA in the sera of breast cancer patients and healthy women were measured using ELISA method
Results: the frequency of CC, CT and TT genotypes and T allele of the MMP9 [-1562 C/T] did not show significant differences between breast cancer patients and healthy donors [p>0.05]. On the other hand, the mean serum levels of MICB and MICA were significantly elevated in patients compared with healthy individuals [p<0.05]. In patients with MMP9CC genotype, the mean serum MICB concentration was significantly higher than those patients with CT polymorphism [p<0.05]. Although the mean of blood MICA concentration in patients with the CT genotype was higher than those patients with CC genotype, the difference was not statistically significant
Conclusion: the T allele of the MMP9 [-1562 C/T] does not show a correlation with serum levels of MICA and MICB in breast cancer patients
ABSTRACT
Recurrent pregnancy loss [RPL] has been defined as two or more miscarriages before 20[th] week of gestation. It seems that IL-27 may reduce inflammatory responses and affect the survival of the embryo during human pregnancy. IL-27 polymorphisms may influence RPL by altering the levels or the activity of gene product. We studied for the first time the association of IL-27 -964 A>G single nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] with RPL in Iranian women. A case-controlled study was performed on two groups consisting of 150 healthy women with at least one delivery [control group] and 150 women with two or more primary RPLs history [RPL group]. The -964 A>G SNP in IL-27 gene was determined by PCR-RFLP technique. Genotype and allele frequencies were compared using Chi[2] tests between two groups. There was no difference between the two groups regarding age of women [29 +/- 4.4 [control] vs. 30.84 +/- 5.2 years [case]]. In the RPL group, the genotype frequencies of -964 A>G polymorphism were AG [49.3%], AA [40%], and GG [10.7%], and in the control group, they were AG [43.3%], AA [48.7%], and GG [8%]. There was no significant difference between the genotypes of AA, AG, and GG in two groups [p=0.23]. As the frequency of allele A was 64.7% in the RPL group and 70.3% in the control group, the difference in frequency of allele A in -964 A>G between two groups was not significant [p=0.19]. Our findings indicate that SNP of -964 A>G in IL-27 gene is not a risk factor for RPL in Iranian women
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Cytokines , Abortion, Habitual , Interleukin-27 , Case-Control Studies , Pregnant WomenABSTRACT
The most common form of the disease is cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) which is a public health and social problem in many countries especially Iran. In endemic areas where other diseases with similar clinical symptoms occur, definitive diagnosis of CL is very important. The detection and identification of Leishmania in infected patients is crucial for achieving a correct treatment and prognosis. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study in terms of geographical distribution and molecular identification of Leishmania tropica isolates in central of Iran. This study was performed between 2010 and 2011, during which 218 CL suspected patients referred to Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in Yazd, Iran for confirmation were examined. After microscopic analysis, DNA extraction was performed for identification. The molecular target region was ITS1 gene. Results showed that out of 218 isolates, 102 (46.8%) samples were positive for Leishman body using molecular assay. After PCR-RFLP, analysis identified 50 (49.01%) samples as L. major and 52 (50.98%) as L. tropica. Two samples showed a different pattern that were reported as unknown. Among L. tropica, six different isolates were identified in this endemic area. Finally, this study showed heterozygosity among L. tropica isolates in this endemic area such as some other studies from the world. This heterozygosity among the strains may suggest a sexual recombination or genetic exchange between strains.