Pasteur Institute of Iran
Iranian Biomedical Journal
1028-852X
2008-823X
9
2
2005
4
1
Evaluation of Virulence Factors and Plasmid-Related Transmissibility among Different Isolates of Enterococci
51
55
EN
Masoud
Alebouyeh
Y
Nour
Amirmozafari
N
Homa
Forohesh
N
The incidence of virulence factors among 114 Enterococcus faecalis and 35 Enterococcus faecium strains from different clinical specimens were compared with those isolated from control groups. A few of the isolates expressed two or more of the following traits simultaneously: hemolysin, aggregation substance, gelatinase, DNase, hemagglutinin and antibiotic resistance. The frequencies of hemolysin, aggregation substance, and gelatinase production in E. faecalis were much higher than those in E. faecium. However, no statistically significant differences were detected in the other traits. Two of the isolates showed total resistance to all of the antibiotics tested, and others displayed varied degrees of resistance pattern. The frequency of plasmid transfer was shown to be 10-4- 10-7 per donor among the isolated strains. The plasmid profile of the bacteria indicated that most of the isolates contained one or more plasmids with molecular weight ranging in 2 to 42 Mda regions. Resistance to gentamicin and tetracycline was the most observed antibiotic resistance pattern, and had the property of efficient inter-enterococcal spp. transfer by mating
Pheromone, Mating, Virulence factors, Enterococci
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-471-en.html
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-471-en.pdf
Pasteur Institute of Iran
Iranian Biomedical Journal
1028-852X
2008-823X
9
2
2005
4
1
Effect of Subchronic Administration of Aqueous Artemisia annua Extract on a1-Adrenoceptor Agonist-Induced Contraction of Isolated Aorta in Rat
57
62
EN
Tourandokht
Baluchnejad Mojarad
tmojarad@yahoo.com
Y
Mehrdad
Roghani
N
Naiereh
Zare
N
Artemisia species, growing in almost all the northern hemisphere, is used in folk medicine of some countries as a remedy for hypertension. Since some cardiovascular disorders including hypertension are accompanied with altered responsiveness of vascular alpha-adrenergic receptors, the effect of aqueous Artemisia annua extract (100 and 200 mg kg-1) on a1-adrenoceptor agonist-induced contraction of rat aorta was investigsted. After 4 weeks, the contraction and endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation response of extract-treated rats were recorded. The results showed that the contractile response of aortic rings with endothelium to phenylephrine in extract-treated rats decreases (P<0.01-0.0001) and their endothelium-dependent relaxation response to acetylcholine increases (P<0.01-0.001) significantly in comparison with controls. Endothelium-denuded aortic rings from extract-treated rats also showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) in contractile response, but there was no considerable difference in their endothelium-independent relaxation response to isosorbide dinitrate. These data suggest that the aqueous extract of Artemisia annua could attenuate contractile response and enhance the endothelium-dependent relaxation response of aortic rings from normal rats
Aqueous Artemisia annua extract, Aortic rings, a1-adrenoceptor agonist, Phenylephrine, Rat
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-473-en.html
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-473-en.pdf
Pasteur Institute of Iran
Iranian Biomedical Journal
1028-852X
2008-823X
9
2
2005
4
1
The Effects of Hypo- and Hyperthyroidism on Glucose 6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activities in Regions of Rat Brain
63
66
EN
Bahram
Haghighi
haghighi@pharm.mui.ac.ir
Y
Azadeh
Mesripour
N
Manouchehr
Mesripour
N
The variations of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity in different brain regions of normal, hypo- and hyperthyroid rats were investigated. Hypo- and hyperthyrodism were experimentaly induced by administration of methimazol and liothyronine, respectively. In normal rats, midbrain had the minimum (70 mU/mg) and cerebral cortex the maximum (349 mU/mg) G6PD activity. Hyperthyrodism increased the enzime activities in straitum (72%) and midbrain (144 %). Hypothyrodism also elevated G6PD activities in the two above regioins but to a lesser extent. The enzyme activities were decreased by hypothyrodism in hypothalamus (73%) and cerebellum (45%). Hyperthyrodism, however, increased G6PD activities in cerebellum by (16%) but did not significantly change the enzyme activity in hypothalamus. Neither hypo- nor hyperthyrodism affected cerebral cortex G6PD activity. The data suggest that the changes in G6PD activities of the brain regions may have been occured via different thyroid hormone effect on the regions
Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-474-en.html
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-474-en.pdf
Pasteur Institute of Iran
Iranian Biomedical Journal
1028-852X
2008-823X
9
2
2005
4
1
In vitro Interaction and Colocalization of HSV-1 ORF P with a Cellular Splicing Factor (SC35) Using Pulldown Assay
67
71
EN
Ali
Karimi
alikarimi72@yahoo.co.uk
Y
Rasoul
Salehi
N
Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) causes a variety of diseases in human. This virus is a neurotropic pathogen of human that establishes latent infection in the sensory ganglia innervating the site of primary infection. A number of genes including ICP34.5 control HSV-1 pathogenicity and ICP34.5 has been identified as HSV-1 virulence gene. Open reading frame P (ORF P) is also a HSV-1 gene that might have a role in latency. A complication in the analysis of the role of ICP34.5 and ORF P in the HSV-1 life cycle is that these two are overlapping antisense genes. ORF P is also deleted in ICP34.5 negative mutants and to date, no definite function is attributed to it. To attribute characteristics which were originally attributed solely to ICP34.5 to each of these two genes (ORF P or ICP34.5), an approach is to construct a number of HSV-1 recombinant viruses that express ICP34.5 and ORF P independently. An alternative way is to determine if ORF P interacts with any of the cellular and viral proteins both in vitro and in vivo. Using Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pulldown assay and Western-blotting, we showed that ORF P interacts with a cellular splicing factor (SC35) in vitro. To investigate the colocalization of ORF P and SC35, nuclear and cytoplasmic fractionation of ORF P/SC35 was also carried out. Our results showed that both SC35 and ORF P are located in the nucleus of HSV-1 infected cells. Conclusively, because ORF P interacts and colocalizes with SC35, it might have a role in splicing
Open reading frame (ORF P), Infected cell protein (ICP) 34.5, Latency associated transcript (LAT), Splicing component (SC) 35
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-475-en.html
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-475-en.pdf
Pasteur Institute of Iran
Iranian Biomedical Journal
1028-852X
2008-823X
9
2
2005
4
1
Changes in Motility Parameters of Mouse Spermatozoa in Response to Different Doses of Progesterone during Course of Hyperactivation
73
79
EN
Majid
Katebi
katebi@sina.tums.ac.ir
Y
Mansoureh
Movahedin
N
Mir Abbas
Abdolvahabi
N
Mohammad
Akbari
N
Farid
Abolhassani
N
Aligholi
Sobhani
N
Fugaku
Aoki
N
The aim of this study was to evaluate changes that occur in motility parameters of progesterone treated mouse spermatozoa during course of hyperactivation. Mouse spermatozoa treated with different doses of progesterone were videotaped after 10 min and 90 min of incubation. For each sperm, one second of movement of the head-midpiece junction was traced from the videotape and for each tracing seven motility parameters were studied using computer assisted image analysis. For all progesterone treated spermatozoa, motility rate differed significantly from control group after 90 min of incubation. Motility parameters for high doses of progesterone 10 and 100 µg/ml showed hyperactivation occurred during 10 min of incubation. With treatment of 1 µg/ml progesterone, hyperactivated motility pattern of spermatozoa occurred 90 min after incubation similar to the control group showing that low dose of progesterone is unable to induce hyperactivation. In conclusion, progesterone induces hyperactivation in mouse sperm and reduces the motility rate during the time
Progesterone, Hyperactivation, Spermatozoa, Mouse
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-476-en.html
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-476-en.pdf
Pasteur Institute of Iran
Iranian Biomedical Journal
1028-852X
2008-823X
9
2
2005
4
1
Teucrium polium Extract Effects Pancreatic Function of Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats: A Histopathological Examination
81
85
EN
Razieh
Yazdanparas
Yazdan@ibb.ut.ac.ir
Y
Mohammad Ali
Esmaeili
N
Javad
Ashrafi Helan
N
In an effort to evaluate the hypoglycemic activity of T. polium, the crude extract was administered orally to a group of Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats for 6 consecutive weeks. Significant decrease in blood glucose by 64%, total bilirubin by 35%, glutamate oxaloacetate transferase by 48% and glutamate pyruvate transferase by 30% was observed compared to untreated diabetic rats. However, the blood insulin level was enhanced by almost 160%. The insulinotropic property of the T. polium crude extract was further assessed by an in vitro investigation using isolated rat islets. Our data indicated that T. polium crude extract is capable of enhancing insulin secretion by almost 135% after one dose of treatment at high glucose concentration. Meanwhile, without affecting the time pattern of insulin secretion by the islets, the plant extract seems to be capable of regenerating the islets of langerhans in the treated compared to the untreated diabetic rats. These data clearly provide a mechanistic view concerning the hypoglycemic effect of T. polium extract through its significant effect on the pancreas.
Hypoglycemic, Insulin, Pancreatic islets, Teucrium polium
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-477-en.html
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-477-en.pdf
Pasteur Institute of Iran
Iranian Biomedical Journal
1028-852X
2008-823X
9
2
2005
4
1
A Novel Method to Detect β-Cyclodextrin Glucosyl Transferase (β-CGTase) Activity on Polyacrylamide Gels
87
90
EN
Saeed-Reza
Pakzad
srpakzad@yahoo.com
Y
Soheila
Ajdary
N
Nasrin
Moazami
N
Saeed
Haghighi
N
b-cyclodextrin glucosyl transferase (b-CGTase) hydrolyses starch to produce b-cyclodextrin by transglycosylation (cyclization) activity. The conventional method for detection of b-CGTase activity is based on detecting starch hydrolysis by iodine staining. This method reveals all amylolytic enzymes, but can not discriminate them. In the present study, we introduce a new method for specific detection of b-CGTase activity and its specific product i.e. b-cyclodextrin by polyacrylamide gel. In this method, solution containing b-CGTase is subjected to electrophoresis on 10% polyacrylamide gel. Then, the gel is covered with an indicator gel containing phenolphthalein, soluble starch, and agar. After a short incubation, sodium carbonate solution is added and the positive result is indicated by the emergence of a colorless band in the red context of the indicator gel. Since the production of b-cyclodextrin via cyclization is unique to b-CGTase, the emergence of clear bands is indicative of b-CGTase presence. However, in conventional starch-iodine method, all amylolytic enzymes including b-CGTase give positive results. Therefore, for detection of b-CGTase, the phenolphthalein indicator gel method, compared to the starch-iodine method, is more specific
Cyclodextrin, Phenolphthalein, PAGE, Cyclodextrin glucosyl transferase (CGTase), Zymogram
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-478-en.html
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-478-en.pdf
Pasteur Institute of Iran
Iranian Biomedical Journal
1028-852X
2008-823X
9
2
2005
4
1
Comparison of Dot-ELISA and Sandwich ELISA Diagnostic Tests in Detection of Human Hydatidosis
91
94
EN
Mohammad Reza
Siavashi
Y
Heshmatollah
Taherkhani
N
Kiumarth
Rezaei
N
Mohammad Reza
Razavi Deligani
N
Mehdi
Assmar
N
Hydatidosis, caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, is one of the most important zoonosis with worldwide distribution. As its diagnosis by clinical symptoms and scanning alone is difficult and confusing, we designed the present study to achieve a sensitive and simple diagnostic method for epidemiological studies. Sera (250 samples) were collected from 90 cases of hydatidosis proven by surgical operation, 80 patients with diseases other than hydatidosis and 80 healthy cases. The antigen (Ag) used was a crude hydatid fluid Ag obtained from lung and liver cycts of sheep slaughtered in Tehran abattoir (Iran). The result of dot-ELISA showed 100% sensitivity and 98.75% specificity . Positive and negative predictive values were 97.82% and 100% respectively. In the case of sandwich ELISA, the results were as follows: 92.22% sensitivity, 98.75% specificity, positive and negative predictive values: 97.64% and 95.75 %, respectively. In both techniques, cross reaction with fasciolosis was observed for two cases. In conclusion, although these two tests had very similar results, dot-ELISA was more acceptable with respect to its higher sensitivity and simplicity in practice
Human cystic hydatidosis, Echinococcus granulosus, Diagnosis
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-479-en.html
http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/article-1-479-en.pdf