Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a significant role in shaping immune response. The expression profile of miRNAs, however, has been found to be affected by the presence of tumor, but whether the incidence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) alters the expression profile of miRNAs has not been studied. Objective: The current study aims to investigate the expression of miRNAs in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with NSCLC as well as to analyze the numbers of helper CD4 + and cytotoxic CD8 + T lymphocytes in PBMCs of the same patients as compared to healthy controls. Methods: PBMCs were prepared from blood harvested from early-diagnosed patients with NSCLC (n=10). The gene expression of miRNAs in PBMCs was measured using microarray and the phenotypic analysis of helper CD4 + T-cells and cytotoxic CD8 + T-cells in PBMCs was determined by flow cytometry. Results: A significant upregulation of miRNA-21 (2-fold) and downregulation of miRNA-155 (-1.5fold) was observed in the PBMCs of NSCLC patients as compared to healthy controls. The relative and absolute numbers of CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells were significantly elevated in the PBMCs of NSCLC patients. Conclusion: Our results indicate that both expression levels of miRNA-21 and miRNA-155 in PBMCs and the numbers of CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells are altered by the presence of NSCLC.

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Background: Graphene oxide (GO) is a multifunctional carbon nanomaterial with tremendous potential in medical science including cancer therapy. It has unique physical, and chemical properties to be used as a drug carrier such as Doxorubicin (DOX). Aim: This study aimed to load DOX on (GO) and supramagnetic iron oxide GO (GO/Fe3O4) as a passive and active forms with or without folic acid (FA) and to compare the anti-tumor effects of these conjugates to free DOX. Materials and Methods: GO was synthesized by Hummers method, then loaded with DOX, FA or Fe3O4. All conjugates were characterized by FT-IR, TEM and TGA techniques, then their anticancer properties were investigated in vitro using EAC cell lines. In vivo study was performed using EAC-bearing mice which were divided and treated with DOX, GO/DOX, rGO/DOX/FA, GO/Fe3O4/DOX, rGO/Fe3O4/FA/DOX, GO/Fe3O4/DOX+IR and rGO/Fe3O4/FA/DOX+IR. After 10 days, number of tumor cells, splenocytes and white blood cells (WBC), apoptosis, and cell cycle of tumor cells were analyzed. Results: In vivo results showed that GO conjugates induced significant decrease of the total numbers of EAC cells. Interestingly rGO/Fe3O4/FA/DOX+ IR treatment showed increases in late apoptosis whereas GO/DOX and rGO/Fe3O4/FA/DOX induced necrotic cells as compared to free DOX. Free DOX induced leukopenia in spleen, however treatment with GO/DOX or GO/FA/DOX induced lesser effects. Treatment with GO/DOX conjugates induced significant increases in the blood leukocytes as compared to treatment with DOX and GO/DOX/FA which induced leukopenia. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that GO composites may be a highly biocompatible nanomaterial with practical applications in cancer therapy.