expression of toll-like receptors [TLRs] in testicular cancer: a case control study

It has been suggested that malfunction of immune system may causes testicular cancer. Recently, our understanding of innate immune system has been expanded, by discovery of "Toll-Like Receptors" [TLRs]. Some studies have shown that polymorphisms of TLR2 and 4 may affect on the risk of cancer. Also, the role of TLRs 3 and 9 have been shown in apoptosis and metastasis of cancer cells in animal models. Little information is available about the influence of innate immunity on testicular malignancy. Therefore, expression of TLRs 2, 3, 4 and 9 as main components of innate immunity has been investigated in this study. In this case control study, TLRs gene expression was examined by RT-PCR in normal testis and testicular cancer tissues. Real time quantitative PCR [Q-PCR] analysis was used to compare the relative expression of TLRs between the samples. mRNAs of TLR 2, 3, 4 and 9 were expressed in all normal and cancer samples. Q-PCR reveals that cancer samples had stronger expression of these genes compared with normal ones. It seems that the different TLRs expression in testicular cancer cells may contribute to extensive signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis

Frequency of IMP-1 and VIM genes among metallo-beta-lactamase producing acinetobacter spp. isolated from health care associated infections in northeast of Iran

The emergence and rapid spread of metallo-beta-lactamase [MBL] producing Acinetobacter spp. are of great concern worldwide due to limited treatment options. Epidemiologic studies of the causing genes are important for prevention. In this study, 70 imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter strains were isolated from health care associated infections. These isolates were screened for detection of metallo-beta-lactamase [MBL] using inhibitor potentiated disk diffusion tests with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid [EDTA] PCR was designed for detection of bla[vim] and bla[ipm-1] using specific primers. Among these 70 strains, 50 strains appeared to produce metallo-beta-lactamase. Three isolates were detected by PCR to carry metallo-beta-lactamase gene bla[vim], but bla[ipm-1] gene was not detected. These findings suggest that in our area other genetic elements are responsible for resistance against metallo-beta-lactams