Fibromodulin is an extracellular matrix protein normally produced by collagen-rich tissues; the fibromodulin gene has been found to be the most overexpressed gene in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In this study, fibromodulin was expressed at the gene level (

Type 1 diabetes is recognized as an autoimmune inflammatory disease and low grade inflammation is also observed in type 2 diabetic patients. Interleukin 17 (IL-17) is a new player in inflammation. Th17 cells, as the main source of IL-17, require transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and interleukin 23 (IL-23). The aim of this study was to investigate serum IL-17, IL-23 and TGF-β levels in diabetic patients and controls. In this case-control study, serum levels of IL-17, IL-23, and TGF-β were measured in 24 type 1 diabetic patients and 30 healthy controls using the ELISA method. Simultaneously, the same methodology was used to compare serum concentration of these three cytokines in 38 type 2 diabetic patients and 40 healthy controls. There was no significant difference between serum levels of IL-17 and IL-23 cytokines between cases and controls. However, TGF-β was significantly lower in type 1 diabetic patients (P < 0.001). Serum IL-17 and IL-23 levels demonstrate no association with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but, in line with previous studies, TGF-β levels were lower in type 1 diabetic patients.

Recent molecular investigations have demonstrated over-expression of a large number of tumor associated antigens (TAAs) in a variety of malignancies. Over-expression of ROR1 gene, a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase family, has recently been reported in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1) has long been known as a universal TAA expressed in a variety of solid and hematopoietic malignancies. In the present study, the expression profile of ROR1 and WT1 was investigated in different immunophenotypic subsets of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patients. RT-PCR method was used to determine the ROR1 and WT1 genes expression in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) samples from 51 newly diagnosed Iranian B-ALL patients. Isolated tumor cells from all patients were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry. Based on immunophenotypic results, our B-ALL patients were classified in four differentiation subsets; Pro-B (n = 7), Pre-B I (n = 29), Pre-B II (n = 13) and Immature/mature B-ALL (n = 2). Although ROR1 was over-expressed in more mature subsets (16.7%, 42.9%, 45.5% and 100%, respectively), WT1 was more represented in immature subsets of B-ALL patients (57.1%, 64.3%, 38.5% and 0%, respectively). Comparison of the frequency of ROR1 and WT1 positive samples at each immunophenotypic subtype revealed statistically significant difference only in Pre B I subtype (p = 0.02). Our results suggest that expression of ROR1 and WT1 in B-ALL is associated with the differentiation stage of the leukemic cells.