Iranian Biomedical Journal最新文献

{"title":"Upregulation of CircCSPP1, CircNRIP1, and CircSMAD2 in Breast Cancer and Their Potential as Diagnostic Biomarkers.","authors":"Mahsa Keshavarz-Fathi, Farzaneh Darbeheshti, Rangarirai Makuku, Parmida Sadat Pezeshki, Homa Seyedmirzaei, Yaser Mansoori, Ali Mohammad Mosadeghrad, Nima Rezaei","doi":"10.61186/ibj.4945","DOIUrl":"10.61186/ibj.4945","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Identifying novel diagnostic biomarkers with stable structures, such as circulating circular RNAs (circRNAs) can improve the early detection and management of BC. Herein, we conducted this study to analyze the expression profile of four circRNAs, including circCSPP1 (hsa_circ_0001806), circNRIP1 (hsa_circ_0004771), circSMAD2 (hsa_circ_0000847), and circFOXP1 (hsa_circ_0008234) in BC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues were obtained from patients with sporadic breast cancer (BC). Divergent primers were designed to amplify the target transcripts using quantitative real-time PCR. The expression profiles of circRNAs were analyzed in tumor and adjacent normal tissues. Sanger sequencing was performed to confirm the back-splicing junctions of circRNAs. ROC curves were generated to assess the potential of the mentioned RNAs as diagnostic biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We observed a significant upregulation of circCSPP1, circNRIP1, and circSMAD2 in tumor tissue compared to adjacent normal tissues. Among them, circCSPP1 was the most highly upregulated one in tumor samples from 39 patients. Expression of circCSPP1 was significantly higher in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative, progesterone receptor (PR)-negative, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-negative, and triple-negatives compared to ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-positive, and non-triple-negative ones. Expression of circNRIP1 was also significantly elevated in the ER-negative and the triple-negative subgroups. These three circRNAs also displayed a desirable potential as diagnostic biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>: This is the first paper that reports the upregulation of circCSPP1 and circSMAD2 in BC and upregulation of circCSPP1 and circNRIP1 in the triple-negative subgroup. Our findings suggest that circCSPP1, circNRIP1, and circSMAD2 may serve as promising diagnostic biomarkers for BC. Identifying the downstream pathways regulated by these circRNAs could lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"159-166"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12396114/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144591253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antifungal Potential of Streptomyces-Derived Metabolites Against Fluconazole-Resistant Oral Candida albicans: In vitro Evaluation and Mechanistic Insights.","authors":"Mahtab Karami-Feli, Zahra Jahanshiri, Akram Sadeghi","doi":"10.61186/ibj.4937","DOIUrl":"10.61186/ibj.4937","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Oropharyngeal candidiasis, primarily caused by Candida albicans, is the most common opportunistic fungal infection in patients with head and neck cancer. The increasing emergence of fluconazole (FLZ) resistance has led to higher morbidity and mortality rates. Streptomyces, a genus of Actinomycetes, produces bioactive molecules with antimicrobial effects. This study investigated the antifungal potential of S. monomycini strain 615 against FLZ-resistant C. albicans clinical isolates in vitro.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>S. monomycini strain 615 was cultured, and an aqueous crud extract containing its metabolites was prepared. The effects of extract were tested on five FLZ-resistant C. albicans isolates. Key pathogenic factors such as protease activity, biofilm formation, and gene expressions related to virulence (SAP1, SAP2, HWP1, and ERG11) and azole resistance (ERG11) were evaluated. Cytotoxicity of the extract (1.8-0.0008 µg/ml) was assessed on KYSE-30 esophageal epithelial cells using the MTT assay.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Strain 615 showed strong antifungal activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.0008-0.0035 µg/ml and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values of 0.0017-0.0035 µg/ml after 48 hours. The extract significantly reduced ergosterol content by 31.81%, completely inhibited phospholipase and proteinase activities at 0.0035 µg/ml and suppressed biofilm formation at 0.0035-0.0140 µg/ml. Expression of all tested virulence genes decreased except for ERG11, indicating a possible mechanism to overcome azole resistance. The highest extract concentration caused 76.7% cytotoxicity in KYSE-30 cells after 72 hours.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>S. monomycini strain 615 could serve as an alternative or adjunct therapy for FLZ-resistant oropharyngeal candidiasis in head and neck cancer patients, warranting further research to confirm safety and efficacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":" ","pages":"126-137"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12396118/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144093492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engineering of the Caspase-3 Gene in Recombinant CHO Cells Caused More Apoptosis Resistance and enhanced Recombinant Protein Production Than the BAX Gene.","authors":"Amirabbas Rahimi, Morteza Karimipoor, Reza Mahdian, Atefeh Alipour, Saadi Hosseini, Marzieh Mohammadi, Hooman Kaghazian, Hosein Shahsavarani, Mohammad Ali Shokrgozar","doi":"10.61186/ibj.4934","DOIUrl":"10.61186/ibj.4934","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>BAX and caspase-3 are essential genes in the apoptotic pathway of cells, promoting the apoptotic cascade through different mechanisms. Inhibition of these genes can increase the longevity of cells in cell culture. This study aimed to compare the effects of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9)-mediated knockdown of BAX and caspase-3 genes on apoptosis inhibition, cell lifespan, and erythropoietin (EPO) production in CHO cell lines.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The BAX and caspase-3 gene expression was evaluated in the recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (rCHO) cell lines producing EPO using the CRISPR-Cas9 method. Their anti-apoptotic effects and the level of EPO expression were also compared. In addition, oleuropein (OP) as an apoptosis inducer, was introduced to the manipulated cell line to assess the stability and viability of the manipulated cell lines.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The rCHO cells with the manipulated BAX gene exhibited a higher cell density than those with the manipulated caspase-3 gene (152% vs. 142%). Despite the increased cell density in the cells with the BAX gene manipulation, EPO production was higher in the cells with the manipulated caspase-3 gene (1.58-fold increase in the BAX-manipulated cells compared to a 1.70-fold increase in the caspase-3-manipulated cells).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our observations suggest that the downregulation of the BAX and caspase-3 genes using the CRISPR method, inhibits apoptosis and enhances the yield of recombinant EPO, even in the presence of an apoptosis inducer. Additionally, reduction of caspase-3 expression was proved to be more effective than BAX in extending the lifespan of cells and producing heterologous recombinant proteins.</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":"29 3","pages":"149-158"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12396116/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144527985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multifaceted Cooperation Between WNT and PI3K Signaling Axis through the Long Noncoding RNA SNHG16 and TCF7 in de novo Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients.","authors":"Mohadeseh Khani, Atbin Latifi, Mohammad Sayyadi","doi":"10.61186/ibj.5031","DOIUrl":"10.61186/ibj.5031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most prevalent form of acute leukemia in children, arising from the known and unknown factors. This complexity has limited advancements in patient recovery. Recently, long noncoding RNAs lncRNA (lncRNA) molecules have emerged as significant but not fully understood players in leukemia research. Studies have indicated that c-Myc can stimulate and enhance gene expression through multiple pathways, particularly by activating the PI3K and WNT pathways. The present study investigated the expression levels of lncRNAs involved in the upstream regulation of the PI3K/WNT pathways in patients diagnosed with ALL.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This case-control cross-sectional study was conducted using RNA from blood samples. The study examined 36 patients with ALL and 36 healthy controls. The expression levels of SNHG16 and TCF7 lncRNAs and their target genes were determined using qRT-PCR.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The expression of Akt, β-catenin and c-Myc genes in the patient group showed a significant increase compared to the control group \u0000(p < 0.05). The expression levels of SNHG16 and TCF7 were significantly elevated in ALL patients compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between the expression levels of these two lncRNAs in the patient group (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings demonstrate that SNHG16 and TCF7 lncRNA may act as crucial regulators of the Akt and β-catenin in ALL, which in turn influence c-Myc expression levels in affected individuals. Further research is needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying ALL, potentially leading to improved treatment and monitoring strategies for patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":"29 3","pages":"104-113"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144742104","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Atorvastatin-Loaded Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Gelatin Hydrogel: A Synergistic Strategy for Enhanced Wound Healing and Skin Tissue Regeneration.","authors":"Seyed Reza Mousavi, Mojtaba Rashidi, Azam Khedri, Maryam Kouchak, Majid Salehi, Sepehr Zamani, Ghorban Mohammadzadeh","doi":"10.61186/ibj.5043","DOIUrl":"10.61186/ibj.5043","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Skin tissue engineering is an innovative alternative to traditional methods for addressing skin injuries. This study aimed to synthesize a hydrogel consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and gelatin (Gel) containing atorvastatin (ATR) with the potential to accelerate tissue regeneration and wound healing in an animal model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Five unique formulations of hydrogel with different concentrations of ATR (0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% w/v) were synthesized using CMC-Gel. The structural characteristics of the hydrogels were assessed using SEM and FTIR spectroscopy. Additional evaluations carried out included swelling behavior, degradability, ATR release, compatibility, hemolytic activity, and the viability of NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells. The therapeutic effectiveness of these hydrogels in enhancing wound healing was investigated in an animal model by making a full-thickness skin incision in Wistar rats.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The synthesized CMC-Gel scaffolds had a porous structure with interconnected pores measuring 103 ± 8.74 μm and the ability to enhance cell migration. The MTT analysis showed a concentration-dependent relationship between ATR and cell proliferation, among which, the desirable concentration was 0.1% w/v. Furthermore, increased ATR concentrations were associated with decreased dressing capacity for hemostasis and coagulation. In vivo studies revealed that all the hydrogel-treated groups significantly outperformed the control group in promoting wound closure rates. Remarkably, the CMC-Gel-ATR 0.1% group exhibited the highest rates of wound closure, re-epithelialization, and angiogenesis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results suggest the CMC-Gel-ATR as a desirable wound dressing for clinical application due to its unique physicochemical properties and comprehensive biocompatibility in in vitro and in vivo investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":"29 3","pages":"114-125"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12396115/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144742102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Migration Pattern and Tissue Tropism of Toxascaris leonina (Linstow, 1902) Larvae: An in vivo Evaluation.","authors":"Mohammad Sardari, Alireza Nourian, Farzad Parsa, Salman Zafari, Heshmatollah Taherkhani, Amir Hossein Maghsood, Mohammad Matini, Seyed Mousa Motevali Haghi, Mohammad Fallah","doi":"10.61186/ibj.4998","DOIUrl":"10.61186/ibj.4998","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>: The role of Toxascaris leonina in visceral larva migrans is controversial. This study aimed to investigate the migratory behavior of T. leonina larvae across different organs in mice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Six-week-old Swiss albino mice (n = 26) were randomly allocated into six experimental groups and one control group. Each mouse in the experimental groups was orally inoculated with 1,000 embryonated T. leonina eggs. The animals were euthanized at 2, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 dpi (days post-infection). Tissue samples were examined for larval presence and associated pathological changes using digestive and histopathological methods. The squash method was used for brain tissue analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>T. leonina larvae were recovered from the small intestinal wall, lungs, liver, and striated muscles. No larvae were detected in the kidneys, heart, spleen, and brain using digestive or squash methods. Histological examination revealed granulomatous reactions, inflammatory cell accumulation, and larval presence in the isolated tissues. Larval concentration in the striated muscles increased over time, demonstrating the potential of Swiss albino mice to serve as paratenic hosts in toxocariasis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study exhibits that Swiss albino mice are susceptible to T. leonina infection, with larvae localizing primarily in the small intestinal wall, liver, lungs, and striated muscles.</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":"29 3","pages":"167-172"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12396119/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144618093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of hsa_Circ_0001821 in Colorectal Cancer Pathogenesis and Response to 5-Fluorouracil through miR-203a-3p/FGF-2 Axis","authors":"Pejman Molaei, Ali Mahdavinezhad, Rezvan Najafi, Mehrdad Hashemi, Leili Tapak, Saeid Afshar","doi":"10.61186/ibj.4942","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.61186/ibj.4942","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chemoresistance, the primary cause of disease relapse and treatment failure, poses a significant challenge in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie the pathogenesis and chemoresistance of colorectal tumor cells, as well as identifying novel therapeutic strategies, would be crucial. This study aimed to evaluate the role of hsa_Circ_0001821 in response to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in CRC, a topic that has not been examined to date.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The current study investigated the effect of hsa_Circ_0001821 suppression using interfering RNAs on the response of colorectal tumor cells to 5-FU. The expression levels of hsa_Circ_0001821, hsa-miR-203a-3p, BAX, BCL-2, and FGF-2 were determined via quantitative RT-PCR. Cell survival, migration rate, and apoptosis induction of colorectal tumor cells subjected to 5-FU treatment were assessed using the MTT test, scratch assay, and flow cytometry analysis, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Knockdown of hsa_Circ_0001821 with siRNA increased the expression level of hsa-miR-203a-3p and decreased the expression level of FGF-2. Additionally, the knockdown of hsa_Circ_0001821 enhanced the sensitivity of colorectal tumor cells to 5-FU. This circRNA significantly affected the viability, apoptosis, and migration of tumor cells.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study reveals the potential role of hsa_Circ_0001821 in controlling the tumor cell viability and response to 5-FU by targeting the hsa-miR-203a-3p/FGF-2 axis. These findings enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that influence chemotherapy response in CRC, paving the way for the identification of more effective treatments for this disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":"29 1 & 2","pages":"82-89"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12040633/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143990086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antioxidant Potentials, Protease Inhibitory, and Cytotoxic Activities of Various Isolated Extracts from Salvia aegyptiaca.","authors":"Ali Hosseini, Mahmoodreza Moein, Zahra Sabahi, Soheila Moein, Salar Hafez Ghoran, Moslem Naderian, Zahra Zebarjad","doi":"10.61186/ibj.4567","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.61186/ibj.4567","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Natural compounds can regulate the growth and progression of cancer cells with low toxicity to normal cell; therefore, these compounds are unique targets for cancer treatment. Recently, extracts from Salvia species have shown promising antiproliferative potential. This study aimed to isolate and characterize bioactive compounds from Salvia aegyptiaca and evaluate their antioxidant, cytotoxic, and protease-inhibitory activities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, various extracts of S. aegyptiaca were prepared, and several compounds, including ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-rutoside, and rosmarinic acid, were isolated and characterized using different spectroscopic methods. Finally, the antioxidant activity, protease inhibitory activity, and cytotoxicity of the crude extract, multiple fractions, and isolated compounds were examined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>According to the results obtained, rosmarinic acid demonstrated the highest antioxidant performance, as indicated by the following assays: DPPH (IC50: 28.39 ± 0.75 µg/mL), ABTS (39.52 ± 0.72 µg/mL), FRAP (31.87 ± 0.67 µg/mL), NO scavenging (71.44 ± 1.04 µg/mL), and ORAC values (0.6 TE/mg). Furthermore, both cynaroside and rosmarinic acid exhibited the most potent antiproliferative effects against the Hep G2 cell line, with IC50 value of 34.4 ± 2.34 and 47.84 ± 5.87 µg/mL, respectively. The EtOAc fraction and rosmarinic acid also showed higher protease inhibitory activity, with IC50 of 17.6 ± 0.10 and 17.0 ± 0.30 µg/mL, respectively, as compared to other compounds.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings suggest that the identified compounds may be responsible for the antiproliferative effects of S. aegyptiaca. Overall, S. aegyptiaca could serve as a valuable natural antioxidant and anticancer agent in both pharmaceutical and food industries</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":"29 1 & 2","pages":"57-67"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12040637/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144001139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protective Immunity of a Novel Multi-Epitope Vaccine Encoding OMP31, TF, BLS, SOD, BP26, and L9 Against Brucella spp. Infection","authors":"Sogol Sattari Sarvari, Razieh Rezaei Adriani, Shahram Nazarian, Arghavan Fotouhi, Seyed Latif Mousavi Gargari","doi":"10.61186/ibj.4933","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.61186/ibj.4933","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Brucella is a type of bacteria that causes a disease known as brucellosis in both humans and animals. Many different vaccine formulations are available for this disease; however, vaccines based on epitopes have shown to be effective, especially in combating this pathogen. In the present study, we designed a multi-epitope vaccine against brucellosis using a chimeric protein that combines segments from various Brucella proteins known to contain both B- and T-cell epitopes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, a vaccine candidate was developed using multiple epitopes derived from various proteins, including OMP31, TF, BLS, SOD, BP26, and L9. These epitopes were selected based on their high density of both B-cell and T-cell epitopes. The construct of the vaccine candidate was inserted into a pEGFP-N1 vector and introduced into HEK-293T cells. Subsequently, the vaccine was tested on different groups of mice; some received the expressed protein in E. coli, while others received the DNA vaccine candidate. An ELISA assay was employed to evaluate the humoral immune response.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both the MEB protein (Pro/Pro) and pCI-MEB plasmid/MEB protein (DNA/Pro) groups showed a specific humoral response. The anti-DNA vaccine antibody titer did not rise as high as that of the protein groups; however, the observed protection indicated the efficiency of the DNA vaccine in activating the immune system.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>While the chimeric DNA vaccine candidate induced a weaker humoral response, it remained effective in protecting against virulent strains of B. abortus and B. melitensis in the challenge route.</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":"29 1 & 2","pages":"36-48"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12040634/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143996201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Novel Approach to Overcome Cisplatin Resistance in Ovarian Cancer: Revealing the Synergistic Potential of Quercetin-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles","authors":"Masoumeh Shamsi, Hossien Babaahmadi-Rezaei, Azam Khedri, Mahdi Hatami, Mojtaba Rashidi","doi":"10.61186/ibj.4543","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.61186/ibj.4543","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ovarian cancer (OC) remains the leading cause of mortality among gynecological cancers, mainly because of resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, particularly cisplatin. This study investigated the potential of quercetin (QU)-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) to address cisplatin resistance in OC cells.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The efficacy of QU-SLN was assessed in vitro on the cisplatin-resistant SK-OV-3 and cisplatin-sensitive A2780s human OC cell lines. Various assays, including cytotoxicity, cell viability, clonogenicity, flow cytometry, quantitative RT-PCR, and wound healing assays, evaluated the combined effects of QU and QU-SLN with cisplatin on cell viability, apoptosis, gene expression levels related to cisplatin resistance, and cell migration.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Combining QU-SLN with cisplatin resulted in significantly reduced cell viability and colony formation, accompanied by increased apoptotic rates compared to each treatment alone. Moreover, there was a notable reduction in the expression level of genes associated with cisplatin resistance, particularly ABCG2, MT-2A, GST-pi, and XIAP, in the combined treatment. Wound healing assays indicated that the QU-SLN and cisplatin combination severely impaired OC cell motility compared to cisplatin monotherapy.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>QU-SLN and cisplatin combination enhances the therapeutic response in cisplatin-resistant OC cells. By reducing cell proliferation, promoting apoptosis, and downregulating drug resistance genes, QU-SLN might present a promising strategy to improve treatment outcomes for OC patients resistant to cisplatin.</p>","PeriodicalId":14500,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Biomedical Journal","volume":"29 1 & 2","pages":"20-35"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12040636/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144005063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}