Journal of

Background and Aim : Myeloproliferative neoplasms are clonal and heterogeneous disorders of hematopoietic stem cells lead to increase of one or more cell lines in the blood. Recently, the acquired mutation JAK2 V617F has been described in the majority of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).This mutation is characterized by a G to T transverse at nucleotide 1849 in exon 12 of the JAK2 gene, located on the chromosome 9p, leading to a substitution of valine to phenylalanine at amino acid position 617 in the JAK2 protein. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of JAK2 mutation in MPN patients.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study we evaluated JAK2 mutation in 58 patients with MPNs by simple randomized sampling. The mutation was detected by ARMS-PCR in patients.

Results: The JAK2 V617F mutation was detected in 86.6% (26/30) of patients with polycythemia Vera, 46.6% (7/15) of patients with essential thrombocythemia and 61.5% (8/13) of patients with idiopathic myelofibrosis. Polycythemia Vera patients carrying the mutation displayed a higher levels of WBC (p=0.03) and 61.5% (16/26) of these patients were females. The differences in other groups were not significant. The mutation was confirmed by sequencing.

Conclusions: Our Results show similarity with other studies. Thus, ARMS-PCR can be applied as differential diagnosis test for detection of JAK2 mutation in suspected patients with MPNs.

Background and Aim: APL is a Prevalent leukemia that Approximately included 5-10% of patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia. ATRA and recently arsenic is used for treatment. ATRA leadsto resistance to treatment and arsenic is toxic in high doses.AZT induce cell death in different ways. The purpose of this study was Assessment of effect of AZT, a telomerase inhibitor, on NB4 cell line (APL cell line) to reduce toxic effect of high dose arsenic.

Materials and Methods: In this study, viability and metabolic activityof NB4 cells, treated by different concentrations of AZT(50,100,200 µM), was assessed by trypan blue dye method and MTT assay respectively.

Results: Treated cells with AZT=50,100,200µM showed decreased viability, both in dose-dependent and time-dependent through trypan blue dye method and decreased cell metabolic activity by MTT assay.

Discussion and Conclusion: Considering that AZT is able to induce apoptosis and decrease cell activity, it seems AZT is a suitable drug for inhibiting the growth of tumor cells.

Background and Aim: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a distinct subtype of acute myeloid leukemia. APL is characterized by a balanced reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 15 and 17, t(517)). Important therapeutic strategies for this disease are ATRA and Arsenic trioxide. To eliminate tumor cells with arsenic, high dose of arsenic is needed. But high dose is toxic for normal tissue. The purpose of this study is Assessment of effect of low dose of arsenic trioxide in combination with AZT on NB4 cell line (APL cell line) to reduce toxic effect of high dose arsenic.

Materials and Methods: In this study after NB4 cell line culture and proliferation, the cells treated with low dose of arsenic trioxide(0.5µM) in combination with different doses of AZT(50, 100, 200 µM) and then viability and metabolic activity was assessed by try pan blue and MTT assay respectively.

Results: Low dose of arsenic (0.5µm) alone and in combination with dose of 50µm of AZT has little effect on viability and metabolic activity but in combination with higher dose of AZT has significant effect on viability and metabolic activity and both viability and metabolic activity significantly reduced.

Conclusion: Different apoptosis- induced mechanisms cause apoptosis by arsenic and AZT. Since some of these mechanisms between AZT and arsenic are similar, so maybe these similar mechanisms cause synergic effect and significant reduction of viability and metabolic activity in combination of these two drugs.

Background and Aim: Aspergillosis are the most prevalent cause of the respiratory infections. These fungi show invasive aspergillosis(IA) in immunocompromised patients. The number of immunocompromised patients are increasing due to immunodisorder illnesses, grafts and immunosuppressor drugs, so, rapid identification methods are very important. The aim of this study was to detect the Aspergillus spp. In fluid samples by nested PCR, and compare with culture and direct smear.

Materials and Methods: Conventional detection methods such as culture and direct smear are unsensitive and time consuming. Some methods such as immunodetecting methods have high false positive and are unreliable. Nowadays, molecular methos and PCR are very helpful. These methods are both sensitive and reliable and very rapid. In this study, we used Nested PCR, culture and direct smear to detect Aspergillus spp in BAL fluid samples.

Results: This research is a descriptive-comparative study and has been done for rapid identification of fungi related to Aspergillosis such as culture, direct smear and nested- PCR. Findings of this study show that positive results by nested-PCR were more effective and sensitive than culture and direct smear.
Conclusions: We found that positive results by PCR were more effective and sensitive than two other methods.

Background and Aim: Tumor dissemination via blood to distant organs is the main cause of death. Therefore, there is a critical need to set up sensitive methods for the early detection of circulating tumor cells(CTCs) and disseminated tumor cells(DTCs) in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow(BM) specimens of breast cancer patients. The aim of this research is to study the detection of micrometastasis using MUC2 in such patients.

Materials and Methods: In this study, PB and BM samples were collected from 50 breast cancer patients after operation and before adjuvant therapy. Mucin 2 (MUC2) was used as a tumor marker and its transcript level in the sample patients was analyzed using gene specific, quantitative real-time PCR reaction with SYBR Green technology. Samples from 20 healthy individuals were used as negative controls. HPRT was used as a reference gene.

Results: MUC2 mRNA was detected in 8 (16%) of PB and BM samples. MUC2 mRNA was not detected in PB samples of healthy individuals. The relapse rate among MUC2-positive patients was higher than MUC2-negative patients and it was statistically significant in BM (P<0.05).

Conclusion: This study shows that MUC2 can be a suitable marker for the detection of micrometastasis in breast cancer patients at early stages of cancer and that it may provide the basis for identifying women at risk of relapse.

Background and Aim: Female pattern hair loss(female androgenic alopecia) is a common but puzzling condition in women which increases by aging. Female hair loss is strongly linked to hormones and hormonal imbalances. The aim of this study was to determine the serum level of hormones such as T4, TSH, free testosterone, Prolactin(PRL) and Alb, SHBG in women(15-50 years old) with hair loss versus those without hair loss.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional case-control study, 71 women with hair loss and 70 normal women were selected from skin and hair care day clinics. The level of hormones and SHBG were measured by ELISA, and Alb was measured by spectrophotometery. Data were analyzed by independent t-test.

Results: After analyzing the data and determining the levels of TSH, T4, Prolactin, Alb, SHBG, no significant difference was found between the case and control groups. However, free Testosterone level was significantly different between patients and controls(P= 0.000), with a higher mean level in the case group(patients).

Conclusion : Since androgens have a major role in regulating the biological cycle of hair in women and since there was a significant difference between free testosterone in patient and control groups, we suggest that the serum level of free testosterone should be measured in women with androgenic alopecia .

 Background and Aim: A goal of modern cancer research is to reach targeted therapies with drugs having fewer side effects. AZD1152 is a highly specific inhibitor of Aurora Kinase B, which leads to the programmed cell death by different mechanisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of AZD1152 on viability and metabolic activity of NB4 cells (APL derived cell line).

 Materials and Methods: The cells were treated with various concentrations of AZD1152. After 24, 48 and 72h treatments, the metabolic activity and viability of inhibitor-treated NB4 cells were assessed using MTT and trypan blue dye exclusion assays, respectively. Data were analyzed by applying student’s t-test (Microsoft Excel).

 Results: A t 25, 50 and 100 nM, AZD1152 reduced the metabolic activity by 9.2, 15.5 and 56.2% (after 24h), 10.3, 19.5 and 59.9% (after 48h), and 17.1, 28.4 and 64.8% (after 72h), respectively. Meanwhile, the percentage of viability was decreased to about 51, 45 and 40% (after 24h), 39, 36 and 30% (after 48h), and 34, 32 and 28% (after 72h), respectively.

 Conclusion : According to the results, AZD1152 has substantial efficacy on APL cell line and may be applied in some cases, e. g., for patients who have relapse or who become refractory to the conventional chemotherapy. Further studies are needed to show the molecular mechanisms regulating effects of this anti-cancer agent.

Background and Aim: Motivation and satisfaction of manpower are the most important variables in the field of organizational behavior and because of the strong relationship between these two variables with the job and organization productivity, it’s necessary to look job characteristics as increasing factor of employee satisfaction and performance in redesigning jobs. The objective of this study was determining motivating potential score (MPS) of the jobs and survey the relation between MPS and job satisfaction in staff employees of educational and research deputy of TUMS (Tehran University of Medical Science).

Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study. The research context was to staff employee of education and research deputy of TUMS. Sampling frame of the study was simple random sampling. Data collection method was a questionnaire. Reliability of the questionnaire was ascertained with pilot study with and confirm with Cranach's Alpha. T-test and Pearson correlation were the analytical methods.

Results: The results showed the jobs of the study population have skill variety, task identity, task significance and potential motivation but haven't job authority and feedback. The findings showed there was significant relation between motivating potential power and its dimensions with the job satisfaction ( P<0.05 ).

Conclusion : The job characteristic have great impact on the job satisfaction so this model can be used for redesigning the jobs to increase job satisfaction.

 Background and Aim: Isoflurane is one of the selective and mostly-used respiratory anesthetic materials in the field of neurosurgery. Studies have shown that temporary rise in the level of liver enzymes may occur after anesthesia by halogenic ethers and hence cause liver lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of isoflurane on the activity of ALT-AST-ALP-GGT enzymes as an indicator of liver function.

 Materials and Methods: This study was performed on a sample of 40 patients who were under neurosurgery without any liver disease in Milad Hospital of Tehran. The patients' blood samples were collected before, 24, and 72 hours after anesthesia. The enzymes activities was assessed by spectrophotometric method.

 Results: Insignificant changes before and after anesthesia were seen in the activity of ALP, and AST enzymes. The level of ALT enzyme has a significant rise, 72 (P=0/022) and 24 (P=0/014) hours after anesthesia in comparison with before anesthesia. The level of GGT enzyme in comparison to its past has significant rise 72 hours after anesthesia (P=0/002). The level of this enzyme showed a significant difference 24, and 72 hours after anesthesia (P=0/041).

 Conclusion: The significant changes seen in the levels of ALT, GGT enzymes in three different periods of time might be as a result of possible liver parenchymal and cholestatic damage caused by using Isoflurane or other drugs such as Midazolam which effects liver function. It seems the assessment of the levels of these enzymes can provide useful information for probable subsequent actions.

Background and Aim: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a distinct type of leukemia which is caused due to a blockage in myeloid cells normal maturation. The most important therapeutic strategies include the use of ATRA and Arsenic trioxide. Although ATRA is generally well tolerated, some patients develop Retinoic acid syndrome. Some of the symptoms of this syndrome are directly or indirectly related to elevated WBC counts. This study aims to determine the effect of ATRA and BIBR1532 combination on WBC count as a factor leading to the formation of ATRA syndrome.

Materials and Methods: To investigate the effect of BIBR1532 and ATRA combination, NB4 cells were cultured in the presence of 30μ M and 1 μM densities of the drugs. To study the effect of drugs on living cells count, proliferation activity, and metabolic activity of the cells, Trypan blue, Brdu and MTT tests were used, respectively.

Results: The results of Trypan blue, MTT and Brdu suggest that the combination of ATRA and BIBR1532 is more effective than ATRA alone on the reduction of viable cell count, metabolic activity and proliferation of leukemic cells in the first five days of treatment.

Conclusion: The results suggest that the combination of ATRA and BIBR1532 is probably more effective in the treatment of APL patients. It seems that such improvement in results is more obvious especially among the patients who are at a higher risk of ATRA syndrome.