Adenovirus vectors are the most highly efficient vehicles currently available for gene transfer to mammalian cells. Their ability to transduce both proliferating and non-dividing cells allows in vivo gene delivery, but the wide spectrum of cell types infected by adenovirus necessitates a requirement for targeting, particularly if the transduced gene is detrimental when expressed in inappropriate tissues. Over the past decade, numerous investigators have examined tissue- or tumor-specific enhancer-promoters as a means to transcriptionally target genes delivered by adenovirus vectors. We review here recent developments in adenovirus vectors including improvements in the vector backbone to maintain promoter specificity. In addition, we discuss the regulatory elements directing cell-specific expression of genes encoding telomerase, prostate-specific antigen, probasin, osteocalcin, tyrosinase, alpha-fetoprotein, surfactant B, and mammaglobin. Recent results using these regulatory sequences to target Ad vectors to cancer cells are highlighted.

Purpose To determine the most optimal stage for antioxidant supplementation of culture medium to improve developmental competence, cryotolerance and DNAfragmentation of bovine embryos. Methods Presumptive zygotes were first cultured in presence or absence of β-mercaptoethanol (β-ME), for 8 days. Subsequently, half of the expanded blastocysts developed in both groups were vitrified, warmed within 30 min and post-warming embryos along with their corresponding non-vitrified embryos were cultured for two further days in presence or absence of (100 µM) βME. Results For vitrified and non-vitrified embryos, the best effect was found when βME was added from day 1 of in vitro culture in continuation with post-warming culture period. Day 1-8 supplementation significantly increased the rates of cleavage, day 7 and day 8 blastocyst production. For non-vitrified embryos, βME addition during day 1-8 and/or 9-10 of embryo culture improved both hatching rate and quality of hatched embryos. For vitrified embryos, however, the percentage of DNA-fragmentation (18.5%) was significantly higher (p≤0.05) than that of embryos developed in absence of βME but supplemented with βME during post-warming period (13.5%). Conclusions Exogenous antioxidant increases the chance of embryos, even those of fair-quality, to develop to blastocyst. However, antioxidant inclusion during in vitro embryo development is not sufficient to maintain the redox state of these embryos during the critical period of post-warming embryo culture, and therefore, there should be a surplus source of exogenous antioxidant during post-warming embryo culture.

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Quinazolinones are a group of heterocyclic compounds that have important biological activities such as cytotoxicity, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal effects. Thiazole-containing compounds have also many biological effects including antitumor, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities. Due to significant cytotoxic effects of both quinazoline and thiazole derivatives, in this work a group of quinazolinone-thiazol hybrids were prepared and their cytotoxic effects on three cell lines were evaluated using MTT assay. Compounds A3, A2, B4, and A1 showed highest cytotoxic activities against PC3 cell line. Compounds A3, A5, and A2 were most active against MCF-7 and A3, A5, and A6 showed good cytotoxic effect on HT-29 cell line. According to the results, A3 efficiently inhibited all cell growth tested in a dose dependent manner. The IC50 of A3 was 10 M, 10 μM, and 12 μM on PC3, MCF-7, and HT-29 cells, respectively.

Intestinal parasitic infections are endemic worldwide and have been described as constituting the greatest single worldwide cause of illness and disease. The prevalence of Intestinal parasitic infections was estimated to be 5.92 %. Entamoeba coli was the most common parasite followed by Giardia lamblia and Blastocystis hominis. About 5.15 % of samples contained a single parasite and 0.76 % contained multiple parasites. In this study, the prevalence of intestinal parasites especially helminthic infections was low. The study aimed to estimate prevalence of intestinal parasites in Eghbalieh city from Qazvin Province, Iran.

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Sphingosine kinases type 1 (SphK1) is a key enzyme in the phosphorylation of sphingosine to sphingosine 1‐phosphate (S1P). Different abnormalities in SphK1 functions may correspond with poor prognosis in various cancers. Additionally, upregulated SphK1/S1P could promote cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, mobility, invasion, and metastasis. MicroRNAs as conserved small noncoding RNAs play major roles in cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, etc. Their posttranscriptionally mechanisms could affect the development of cancer growth or tumorigenesis suppression. The growing number of studies has described that various microRNAs can be regulated by SphK1, and its expression level can also be regulated by microRNAs. In this review, the relationship of SphK1 and microRNA functions and their interaction in human malignancies have been discussed. Based on them novel treatment strategies can be introduced.

Background:Reteplase is a mutant version of t-PA (tissue plasminogen activator) with prolonged half-life. In the present study, E. coli Top 10 bacteria were utilized in the production of reteplase, which is the nonglycosylated active domain of t-PA. Reteplase gene was ligated into pBAD/gIII plasmid which, allows secretion of this protein in periplasmic space. It would allow the correct formation of disulfide bonds in protein structure. Objectives: This study aimed at expression of reteplase in optimum condition. In this study, the reteplase gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli top 10 as a suitable host cell and its expression was optimized. Materials and Methods: The recombinant plasmid, pET15b/reteplase was digested by NcoI and BamHI restriction enzymes; while pBAD/ gIIIA vector was digested by NcoI and BglII. Then the insert and vector were ligated and used for transformation of E. coli Top10 cells by heat shock method. Overnight culture of transformed bacteria was induced by L-arabinose in various concentrations (0.2, 0.02, 0.002, and 0.0002%) and at various temperatures. Results: The obtained recombinant plasmid was sequenced to confirm the presence and correct framing of reteplase gene regarding the expression of reteplase. Maximum production of this enzyme was obtained under the following condition: 0.0002% L-arabinose at 37°C for 2 hours incubation. The purified protein was detected on SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) as a 66 kDa band. The concentration of t-PA standard was 1 unit which is equal to 12 µg/mL. The enzymatic activity of samples was measured as 0.8 units compared to the standards. Conclusions: Reteplase was expressed in E. coli Top 10 after activation of pBAD/gIIIA promoter region by arabinose and optimized.