Effect of Passive Transfer of Spleen Cells from Immunized Mice with Hydatid Cyst Antigens on the Growth of Melanoma Cancer in C57/Black Mice.

Background: Anticancer effect of hydatid has been shown in previous investigations. However the mechanism of anticancer effects of hydatid cyst has not been clarified. So in this work the effect of spleen cell transfer immunized by the hydatid cyst antigens on melanoma cancer growth in animal model has been investigated. Methods: Spleen cells of mice immunized with hydatid cyst fluid, cyst wall and protoscoleces were transferred to different group of mice and subsequently challenged with melanoma cells. Then the tumor size, tumor growth rate and survival time of mice were compared with those of control groups. Results: Tumor size, tumor growth rate and mice survival time were significantly lower than what observed in control mice. Conclusion: Immune response to hydatid cyst antigens may be involved in Anti-cancer effect of this parasite.

Molecular diagnosis of Old World leishmaniasis: Real-time PCR based on tryparedoxin peroxidase gene for the detection and identification of Leishmania spp.

Background & objectives: Rapid and accurate diagnosis and identification of Leishmania sp causing cutaneous leishmaniasis is crucial in control and therapeutic programs. The problem of diagnosis with traditional methods is that they have a low sensitivity or time consuming but molecular techniques would be an alternative method for rapid and accurate diagnosis. In this work, tryparedoxine peroxidase gene-based real-time PCR was used for accurate identification of Leishmania spp causing Old-World cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods: In this study, biopsies of specimens were taken from the ulcerative sites in 100 patients and used for direct microscopy, culture in NNN or fixed in alcohol for identification of Leishmania spp using tryparedoxin peroxidase gene-based realtime PCR (qPCR). Results: Using direct microscopy and culture method, Leishmania parasites were isolated from 68 out of 100 patient samples. However, 13 patients with negative finding on traditional tests, had positive results on RT-PCR test. After melting curve analysis of PCR product, Leishmania major in 75 and L. tropica in 4 cases were identified. The sensitivity and specificity of RT-PCR for diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis was 98.7 and 59.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Results of this study showed that RT-PCR was the most sensitive diagnostic test for cutaneous leishmaniasis and represents a tool for rapid species identification.