Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an appealing source of adult stem cells for cell therapy due to the high rate of proliferation, self-renewal capability, and applicable therapy. Wharton’s jelly (WJ), the main component of the umbilical cord extracellular matrix, comprises multipotent stem cells with a high proliferation rate and self-renewal capability and has anti-cancer properties. MSCs have been reported to secrete a variety of cytokines that have a cytotoxic effect in various cancers. Oxygen tension affects MSCs proliferation, cytokines level but no in surface markers expression, MSCs’ differentiation.

We explored the cytotoxic effect and inducing apoptosis of Wharton’s jelly derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) secretions from normoxic WJMSCs (WJMSCs-norCM) (CM: conditioned medium) and hypoxic WJMSCs (WJMSCs-hypoCM) in breast cancer cell lines (T47D and MCF7).

Materials and Methods: Cytotoxic activity was determined using the MTS assay. RT-PCR was performed to measure the expression of apoptosis-inducing genes, specifically P53, BAX, and CASP9, and the antiapoptotic gene BCL-2.

Results: WJMSCs-norCM and WJMSCs-hypoCM were potent inhibitors of the proliferation in both cell lines. WJMSCs-norCM had more anticancer activity in T47D and MCF7. The IC₅₀ value of WJMSCs-norCM on MCF7 was 42.34%, and on T47D was 42.36%. WJMSCs-norCM significantly induced the gene expression of apoptotic P53, BAX, and CASP9 and insignificantly decreased the antiapoptotic gene BCL-2 in both MCF7 and T47D cells. WJMSCs-CM has anticancer activity by inducing P53, BAX, and CASP9 apoptotic genes.

Conclusion: WJMSCs-norCM has more anticancer activity than WJMSCs-hypoCM.

Introduction: Lymphoma is a common hematopoietic cancer. Immunosuppression is one of the main risk factors for the development of lymphoma. The interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist IL1RN, which binds to the IL-1 receptor, moderates a variety of immune responses related to IL-1. We aimed to assess the impact of IL1RN variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism on lymphoma risk in an Iranian population sample.

Materials and Methods: DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of 120 subjects with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), 50 subjects with Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL), and 186 unre­lated healthy individuals. IL1RN VNTR polymorphism was detected using polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Our findings revealed that the IL1RN VNTR polymorphism was associated with protection against NHL (P≤0.001, OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.18-0.53). The IL1RN 2 allele significantly decreased the risk of NHL (p = 0.023, OR = 0.66, 95%CI = 0.46–0.93). In addition, we found that IL1RN 1/2 was associated with a lower risk of HL (p ≤0.001, OR = 0.24, 95%CI = 0.12–0.50).

Conclusion: Our results suggest that the presence of IL1RN VNTR polymorphism is associated with a decreased risk of lymphoma in an Iranian subpopulation in southeast Iran.   

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients are often neutropenic as a result of their disease alone or following their chemotherapy. In this randomized clinical trial the efficacy of Iranian short-acting (PD-Grastim) and long-acting G-CSF (PD-Lasta) were compared in term of time to recovery from neutropenia in de novo AML patients following the consolidation chemotherapy.

Materials and Methods: Patients (n = 51) received one or two courses of Cytarabine and Daunorubicin as an induction. If complete remission was achieved, the treatment was followed by high-dose Cytarabine as consolidation chemotherapy. Twenty four hours after the consolidation chemotherapy, patient were randomized to receive either daily short-acting G-CSF (PD-Grastim) (300 µg/kg) or single-dose long-acting G-CSF (PD-Lasta) (6 mg).

Results: The median time to recovery of neutrophils was 11.00 and 13.00 days for short-acting G-CSF (PD-Grastim) (n=22) and long-acting G-CSF (PD-Lasta) (n=29) groups, respectively (U=186.5, P>0.05 two-tailed). Incidence of adverse effects was similar in both short-acting G-CSF (PD-Grastim) and long-acting G-CSF (PD-Lasta) groups.

Conclusion: Overall, data show that Iranian long-acting G-CSF (PD-Lasta) was not significantly different with Iranian short-acting G-CSF (PD-Grastim).

Background: Patients with hematological disease are 15 times more likely to develop sepsis than the general population. The patient with hematological disease and, mainly, those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), develop a severe secondary humoral immunodeficiency, with low serum levels of IgM, which may take more than a year to be restored.

Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, controlled and observational study that analyzed 51 patients with underlying hematological disease, who were diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock during the study period, to evaluate whether IgM-rich Ig replacement decreases the 30-day mortality.

Results: Of the 51 patients, 35 patients received IgM-rich immunoglobulin (group A) and 16 (31%) received conventional therapy. Eleven (69%) patients in the control group were alive after 30 days compared to 11 (34%) patients in the intervention group, p= 0.013.

Conclusion: There are no apparent benefits in the use of IgM-rich immunoglobulin in septic patients with hematological disease.

Background: Imatinib is the gold standard in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. Resistance to imatinib is interfering with patients’ responses and their survival.

Materials and Methods: We designed a systematic search to find relevant studies by applying appropriate keywords in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Ovid, ProQuest, Science Direct, and Google scholar for English studies. We also investigated the aforementioned terms’ correspondence in Magiran, Scientific information database (SID), and Google scholar for Persian articles.

Results: 25 studies were selected for final analysis. Reported hematologic responses from adult studies ranged 86-99% and major molecular responses were estimated in 38.84% of our patients within 12 months of treatment. The most frequently reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were edema (n=5 studies, 100%) and fatigue and nausea (n=4 studies, 80%); ADR per capita ratio was 1.46. Only one study informed ADRs in pediatrics demonstrating 93% of patients experienced ADRs after receiving imatinib. Most of the Studies (n=4, 67% from 7 studies) considered BCR/ABL point mutation as the main reason for imatinib resistance. Drug-binding sites and P-loop regions were two common sites for BCR/ABL point mutation.

Conclusion: Imatinib as the first-line treatment for CML has been associated with proper and durable responses in Iranian adults and children CML patients. Moreover, Imatinib life-threatening adverse effects were reported as uncommon. Various responses to modified regimens have been reported in resistant patients; therefore, individualized treatment based on mutation type could be recommended.

Cancer treatment approaches are greatly improved in recent years. Myxomas are the most frequent intracardiac neoplasm, accounting for nearly 50% of all benign tumors. The left atrium with 75% of cases and the right atrium with 20% of cases are the most common locations of myxomas. Atrial myxomas are benign, slow-growing neoplasms that arise from the interatrial septum and extend into the left or right atrium. Right atrial myxomas may present as right-sided heart failure and pulmonary embolism. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of death among women worldwide. Eight percent of patients are presented with distant metastases. A large number of breast tumors are not random events, and some of them are due to the human genome alteration. Mammary carcinoma is a common familial cancer, which is transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner. We have noticed that patients with breast cancer visiting our cardio-oncology department are occasionally presented with cardiac myxoma.

Megaloblastic anemia is a common disorder with various manifestations. Of the many causes, cobalamin or folate deficiency can eventuate into megaloblastic anemia. It can lead to pancytopenia and mild to moderate splenomegaly, but massive splenomegaly rarely seen in this situation. We describe a 39-year-old woman with marked enlargement of the spleen and pancytopenia that was found to have megaloblastic anemia. The splenomegaly and blood count resolved 4 months after initiation of vitamin B₁₂ therapy. It is important to know massive splenomegaly may occur in megaloblastic anemia, and although it is rare, bur can reversible with early treatment.

Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) is an uncommon condition, which is rarely associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Prompt identification and management of the underlying SLE results in the correction of anemia. We report the case of a young female who presented due to severe anemia for the last two years. The cause of her anemia on initial investigations was not elicited in these two years, during which response to hematinics was poor and she remained transfusion dependent. Bone marrow biopsy showed PRCA after which autoimmune workup revealed SLE. Subsequently, treatment of SLE with steroids led to normalization of hemoglobin levels within a follow-up period of three months.