Molecular Characterization of Iranian Patients with Inherited Coagulation Factor VII Deficiency

Coagulation factor VII (FVII) is a key enzyme of the extrinsic coagulation cascade that is predominantly produced by hepatocytes. The F7 gene mutations cause FVII deficiency with considerable molecular and phenotypic heterogeneity. We characterized the molecular alterations of the F7 gene and their corresponding mRNA transcripts in Iranian patients from eight unrelated families. The mutations were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-sequencing of all F7 gene exons, their flanking intronic sequences, as well as their corresponding cDNA fragments. Homozygous P303T, C91S and R304Q mutations were detected in patient 2, patient 5, and patient 6, respectively. Patient 7 was a compound heterozygote for S282R and H348R and patient 8 was a compound heterozygote for R304Q and IVS7+7A>G mutations. Furthermore, our investigation revealed three heterozygous individuals, patient 1 and patient 3 with the A244V mutation who were symptomatic and patient 4 with V(-39)I mutation who was also asymptomatic. The F7 mRNA expression analysis revealed that, except the transcript of V(-39)I, other mutation-harboring transcripts were expressed at detectable levels. In conclusion, this report reinforces the genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of FVII deficiency. The findings of the mRNA study implied that decreased FVII protein activity subsequent to missense mutations does not completely reflect the degradation of mutation-harboring mRNA.

Assessment of global ischemic/reperfusion and Tacrolimus administration on CA1 region of hippocampus: gene expression profiles of BAX and BCL2 genes

BACKGROUND

It is well known that hippocampus has a pivotal role in learning, formation and consolidation of memory. Global cerebral ischemia causes severe damage to pyramidal neurons of the CA1 region and usually results in residual neurological deficits following a recovery from ischemia. Scientists investigate to find the molecular mechanism of apoptosis and to use this cell death for clinical treatment.

OBJECTIVE

In this investigation, we evaluated the molecular mechanism of FK-506 in apoptosis using gene expression quantification of BAX and BCL-2 genes in hippocampus following global ischemic/reperfusion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the present experimental study, adult male Wistar rats were obtained and housed under standard conditions. Each experimental group consisted of five rats and was equally distributed in the normal control, ischemia/reperfusion, ischemia/reperfusion followed by FK-506. Global ischemia was induced for animals in ischemia and drug groups. In the drug group, moreover, two doses of FK-506 were injected as IV injection and intra-peritoneal (IP) injection after 48 h. Then, hippocampus tissue was removed. Consequently, RNA isolated, cDNA was synthesized and Real-Time PCR was performed. Finally, the obtained data was analyzed statistically (p<0.05).

RESULTS

The quantitative results showed the BAX expression ratio increased approximately 3-times in ischemia/reperfusion (3.11 ± 0.28) group compared to the untreated (NR) and the drug group (p<0.001). The statistical analysis showed a significant difference for BCL-2 expression between the experimental groups (p<0.001). The mRNA level of BCL-2 decreased in the ischemia/reperfusion group, while it was without alteration in the other groups.

CONCLUSION

The results showed that global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion induced BAX as pro-apoptotic gene and tacrolimus a neuroprotective drug inhibited BAX gene expression and induced BCL-2 gene expression as anti-apoptotic gene (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 21).

A structural model of the anaphase promoting complex co-activator (Cdh1) and in silico design of inhibitory compounds

Anaphase promoting complex (APC) controls cell cycle and chromosome segregation. The APC activation occurs after binding of co-activators, cdh1 and cdc20. Cdh1 plays a role in cancer pathogenesis and is known as a potential drug target. The main aim of this study was prediction of 3D structure of cdh1 and designing the inhibitory compounds based on the structural model. First, 3D structure of cdh1 was predicted by means of homology modelling and molecular dynamics tools, MODELLER and Gromacs package, respectively. Then, inhibitory compounds were designed using virtual screening and molecular docking by means AutoDock package. The overall structure of cdh1 is propeller like and each DW40 repeat contains four anti-parallel beta-sheets. Moreover, binding pocket of the inhibitory compounds was determined. The results might be helpful in finding a suitable cdh1 inhibitor for the treatment of cancer.

Comparison of real-time PCR and conventional PCR with two DNA targets for detection of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum infection in human and dog blood samples

Zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in northwestern Iran. Real-time PCR, conventional PCR, and the direct agglutination test (DAT) were used to diagnose Leishmania infantum infection in blood samples from 100 domestic dogs and 100 humans. Based on clinical evaluation, 82 humans and 72 dogs from the endemic area were categorized as having asymptomatic infection, DAT positive with no clinical signs of VL, or symptomatic infection, DAT positive with at least one sign of VL. Eighteen human samples containing no Leishmania antibodies (DAT(-)) and 28 dog DAT(-) sera from non-endemic areas with no history of VL constituted negative controls. All 46 DAT(-) samples were also negative by Dipstick rK39. Bone marrow material was used for parasitological examinations in symptomatic VL, and peripheral blood samples were used for detection of L. infantum infection using conventional PCR and real-time PCR in non-symptomatic subjects. Two DNA targets (ITS1 kDNA) were used for conventional PCR. L. infantum antibodies in sera were detected by DAT. Parasitemia was measured by real-time PCR targeting kDNA using Taqman Assay. All 72 (100%) symptomatic (38/38) and asymptomatic (34/34) dog DAT(+)samples, 45 of 48 (93.8%) symptomatic human DAT(+) samples, and 32 of 34 (94.1%) human asymptomatic cases were identified by real-time PCR. The mean (59.19 vs 12.38 parasite equivalents/mL of blood) and median (16.15 vs 1 parasite equivalents/mL of blood) ranges of parasitemia were higher in dogs than in humans (P<0.05). The highest agreement was obtained between real-time PCR and DAT (99% in dogs and 95% in humans). Sensitivity of 100% and 93.9%, specificity of 96.4% and 100%, positive predictive values of 98.6% and 100%, and negative predictive values of 100% and 78.3% were found by real-time PCR for dog and human samples, respectively.

Molecular characterization of Iranian patients with type 3 von Willebrand disease

von Willebrand's disease (VWD) type 3 is a rare but severe autosomal-recessive inherited bleeding disorder with a prevalence higher in certain locations where consanguineous marriages are relatively frequent. The genetic defects causing recessive type 3 VWD in 10 unrelated families from Iran have been investigated and the genetic heterogeneity among these patients was evaluated. All exons and their flanking regions of von Willebrand factor gene were amplified by PCR and sequenced using specific primers. Eight patients were fully characterized at the molecular level. Six different gene alterations were identified. All the mutations caused null alleles, three being nonsense mutations (Q104X, Q793X and E1981X), two possible splice site mutations (2443-1G>C and 1110-1G>A) and one small deletion (3237delA). Three of them have not been described previously. Most patients were born from consanguineous marriages and all were homozygous for their mutations. The results confirm that molecular defects in type 3 VWD are heterogeneous with mutations arising randomly within the entire gene.

Apoptotic tumor cells are superior to tumor cell lysate, and tumor cell RNA in induction of autologous T cell response in B-CLL

B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is a chronic leukemia manifested by increased numbers of B cells in circulation. The slow, smouldering nature of the disease in a significant proportion of the cases makes it an ideal target for immunotherapy. Dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy is emerging as an exciting modality with significant clinical potential. In this study, three strategies for delivering antigens to DC, namely apoptotic bodies (Apo-DC), tumor lysates, and tumor RNA were studied in an autologous setting. In all six CLL patients, Apo-DC induced higher HLA-restricted, T cell responses than DC pulsed with tumor lysate or RNA. Real-time PCR confirmed higher expression of genes for IL-2 and IFN-gamma in T cells stimulated with Apo-DC. Concurrently, no IL-10 and low IL-4 responses indicated that the immune response was primarily of the Th1 type. Enzyme-linked immunospot assay revealed high IFN-gamma secretion by T cells when Apo-DC was used to stimulate autologous T cells in all patients. Our data suggest that cellular vaccines with DC loaded with apoptotic bodies may be a suitable approach for immunotherapy of B-CLL.