Cluster of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infections in Iran, 2014

During January 2013–August 2014, a total of 1,800 patients in Iran who had respiratory illness were tested for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. A cluster of 5 cases occurred in Kerman Province during May–July 2014, but virus transmission routes for some infections were unclear.     

Gamma-linolenic acid ameliorated glycation-induced memory impairment in rats

Context: γ-Linolenic acid (GLA) is an important constituent of anti-ageing supplements.

Objective: The current study investigates the anti-ageing effect of GLA in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Materials and methods: GLA (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 2, 10, 20 and 24?μM) was initially evaluated for its effect on the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in vitro. For in vivo assessment (1, 5 or 15?mg/kg), the rat model of accelerated ageing was developed using d-fructose (1000?mg/kg (i.p.) plus 10% in drinking water for 40?days). Morris water maze was used to evaluate impairment in learning and memory. The blood of treated animals was used to measure glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. The interaction of GLA with active residues of receptor of AGE (RAGE) was analyzed using AutoDock Vina.

Results: Our data showed that GLA inhibited the production of AGEs (IC₅₀?=?1.12?±?0.05?μM). However, this effect was more significant at lower tested doses. A similar pattern was also observed in in vivo experiments, where the effect of fructose was reversed by GLA only at lowest tested dose of 1?mg/kg. The HbA1c levels also revealed significant reduction at lower doses (1 and 5?mg/kg). The in silico data exhibited promising interaction of GLA with active residues (Try72, Arg77 and Gln67) of RAGE.

Conclusion: The GLA, at lower doses, possesses therapeutic potential against glycation-induced memory decline.     

Use of a cell line to investigate olfactory ensheathing cell-enhanced axonal regeneration

Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), a unique type of macroglia required for normal olfactory axonal regeneration throughout the lifetime of an individual, have been shown to have regeneration-enhancing properties when used to treat various neuronal injuries. Availability of OECs is a hurdle facing future clinical use of the cells for spinal cord injury (SCI) therapy. The number of OECs that can realistically be harvested from each animal is limited, and ensuring a pure cell population is difficult. We have begun to characterize a nonsyngeneic strain of OECs, i.e., from a homogenous OEC clonal cell line (nOECs). The purpose of this study was to determine whether nOECs have the same properties and provide the same functional recovery after SCI, as primary cultures of OECs. The results indicate that nOECs survive in vivo, produce growth-promoting proteins, and possess regeneration-promoting capabilities. Spinal cord injured rats that were treated with nOECs performed significantly better on functional tests than injured control animals beginning at 5 weeks after operation. In summary, evidence of nOEC regeneration-promoting capabilities suggests that this cell line can be used as potential therapy in SCI research.     

Evaluation of rubella IgM enzyme immunoassays.

BACKGROUND: Rubella virus generally causes a mild fever, rash illness similar in clinical presentation to infections by other viruses including measles and parvovirus B19. Rubella infections in pregnant women in the first trimester carry a high risk of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) which can result in severe congenital defects in the infants. The goal of rubella immunization programs is therefore to eliminate CRS. The primary test for the laboratory confirmation of rubella is IgM serology. It is therefore important to evaluate currently available commercial rubella IgM immunoassays to ensure high quality rubella diagnostic testing. STUDY DESIGN: In this study, we compared the performance of seven commercial rubella IgM enzyme immunoassays (EIA) (Meddens, Denka Seiken, Behring, Wampole, Captia, Sigma and Abbott Axsym) using well-defined panels of sera from rubella and non-rubella/rash-illness cases. RESULTS: The Meddens, Denka Seiken, Behring and Wampole rubella IgM EIAs all performed similarly for sensitivity (range of 74.1-76.8%) and specificity (range of 93.9-96.1%). Relative to the other assays, the Axsym had a higher sensitivity (78.9%) but lower specificity (86.5%). The Captia assay had the lowest overall sensitivity (66.4%), while the Sigma assay had a lower specificity (85.6%) in relation to the other assays. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the Meddens, Denka Seiken, Behring and Wampole rubella IgM EIAs are comparable in their overall performance with respect to sensitivity and specificity.     

Inadvertent rubella vaccination of pregnant women: evaluation of possible transplacental infection with rubella vaccine

During mass campaign for measles/rubella vaccination on December 2003 in Iran, many pregnant women have vaccinated mistakenly. These women were grouped to susceptible and immune against rubella before vaccination by the status of IgG avidity response to rubella vaccine, then susceptible women were followed up to delivery time and their neonates were followed up to one year. In five neonates that were born from susceptible women, rubella-specific IgM has detected in cord blood sera, but they have not shown signs compatible to congenital rubella syndrome.     

Evaluation of antinociceptive effect of Aegiceras corniculatum stems extracts and its possible mechanism of action in rodents

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Aegiceras corniculatum (Linn.) Blanco is used in various traditional medicinal system(s) for the treatment of rheumatism, painful arthritis and inflammation. Therefore, the pharmacological studies of its antinociceptive effect was undertaken to validate its traditional use.

Materials and methods

n-Hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extract(s) derived from Aegiceras corniculatum (stems) were studied using various nociceptive model(s) induced chemically or thermally in mice including acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin-induced paw licking and hot plate test.

Results

In acetic acid-induced writhing test, plant extracts dose dependently decreased the writhing numbers. The methanolic extract (1-10 mg/kg, i.p. in mice) of the plant was more potent than acetaminophen and acetyl salicylic acid, with an IC₅₀ of 4.2 ± 0.99 mg/kg. Moreover, the time of nociceptive behaviors induced by intraplantar formalin injection was also suppressed during 1st and 2nd phases in the presence of ethyl acetate extract whereas, n-hexane and methanolic extracts inhibited the paw licking in mice during the 1st (IC₅₀ 12 ± 0.76 mg/kg) and 2nd phases (IC₅₀ 3.8 ± 0.55 mg/kg). Naloxone, β-funaltrexamine, and naltrindole antagonized the n-hexane extract-induced antinociception in the first phase of formalin test indicating its non-selective analgesic response via opioid receptor(s). However, ethyl acetate extract was devoid of any opioid action. Additionally, these extracts significantly inhibited the pain stimulation in hot plate test. Withdrawal syndrome of morphine dependence was also diminished in the presence of plant extracts via potentiation of GABAergic system.

Conclusion

These results suggested that Aegiceras corniculatum extract(s) possesses analgesic properties and acts on the central nervous system, thereby suppressing the inflammatory pain justifying its folklore use.     

Ginkgo biloba inhibits bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in rats.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis and many antioxidant agents have been studied for prevention and treatment of the disease in animals and humans. We therefore examined whether Ginkgo biloba (Gb), a flavonoid-rich antioxidant, inhibits bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given a single dose of bleomycin (2.5 mg/kg, intratracheally) in pulmonary fibrosis groups and saline in controls. First dose of Gb was given a day before the bleomycin injection and continued until sacrifice. At day 14, fibrotic changes in lung were estimated to occur by Aschoft's criteria and lung hydroxyproline content. Bleomycin challenge provoked severe pulmonary fibrosis with marked increase in hydroxyproline content of lung tissue and typical histological findings, which is prevented by Gb. Hydroxyproline level was significantly higher (13.51+/-0.87 mg/g dried tissue) in bleomycin treated rats than controls (9.2+/-1.33), and its level was remained to the control levels (7.38+/-0.76) in rats treated with prophylactic Gb. On the other hand, bleomycin injection significantly reduced activities of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase in lung tissue which is prevented by Gb. Also, bleomycin injection resulted in a marked increase of malondialdehyde and nitrite level which is attenuated by Gb. The data suggest that Gb has a potent antioxidant activity in the model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in rats, and therefore has a potent antifibrotic activity against bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis model in rats.     

Relationship between lung cancer and human papillomavirus in north of Iran, Mazandaran province

Lung cancer is a major health problem and the leading cause of cancer deaths in the world. The pathogenesis of lung cancer is complex, and is believed to be due to the interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Various evidences show that HPV might be involved in bronchial carcinogenesis. In this study, 141 lung cancer patients and 92 non-cancer control subjects were enrolled to examine whether HPV DNA existed in lung tumor and normal tissues in Mazandaran, north part of Iran by nested PCR. Our data showed that 33 of 129 lung tumors had HPV DNA compared with 8 of 90 non-cancer control subjects (25.6% vs. 9.0%, P=0.002). The infection of HPV had an OR of 3.48 (95% CI 1.522-7.958; P=0.002). Meanwhile infection of high risk HPV types (16 and 18) had a significantly high OR of lung cancer incidence as 8.00 (95% CI 1.425-44.920; P=0.021) compared with 4.423 (95% CI 2.407-8.126; P0.0001) of smoking status. This result suggests that HPV infection is associated with lung cancer development in Mazandaran, Iran.