In summary, the present study provides the first evidence that the rs11556218T/G and rs4072111C/T polymorphisms of IL-16 gene were significantly associated with increased risk of MS. These results suggest that rs11556218T/G, rs4072111C/T, and rs4778889T/C polymorphisms of IL-16 may contribute to susceptibility to MS through increased expression of IL-16 levels.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is referred to as an organ‐specific T‐cell‐mediated autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Different genetic and environmental factors increase the risk of developing MS. In recent years, microchimerism (Mc) has been widely studied in autoimmune diseases, although the exact role of this phenomenon in human health is not known well. Microchimerism is the low level presence of DNA or cells from one individual into the tissue or circulation of another individual. In the current study, we evaluated the association of fetal microchimerism (FMc) with MS in Isfahan province. In this study, we enrolled 68 women in four groups. Two groups were MS patients with or without a pregnancy for a son, and the other two groups were MS‐negative patients with or without a pregnancy for a son. The presence of the male genome assessed and compared in these groups. Four millilitres of peripheral blood were collected from all subjects in the tube containing EDTA and DNA was extracted. Real‐time PCR assay was used for the DAZ (deleted in azoospermia) region Yq 11.23 as a marker for male microchimerism in all subjects. Our results showed that the percentage of DAZ (male genome)‐positive women was significantly higher in MS‐positive women given birth to a son in comparison with the other three groups. Our results also revealed no significant correlation between the percentage of DAZ‐positive women and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score and age of onset in the patients’ group. For future studies, we suggest enrolling subjects who MS diagnosis occurred before and after pregnancy with a son. Comparing FMc in these two groups might provide a better understanding of the possible role of FMc in later development of MS.

Several drugs have been proposed for the treatment of breast cancer, but none has fully treated the disease, so far. this study was to investigate the effect of aqueous-alcoholic extract of unripe Capparis fruit as an anticancer agent on expressional pattern of OCT4, NANOG and SOX2 as essential self-renewal pathway genes in MCF7 cell line (human breast carcinoma). MCF7 cells were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium, consisting of different concentrations of aqueous-alcoholic extract of unripe Capparis fruit (125, 250, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 and 5000 μg/ml) for 48 and 72 hours. MTT assay was used to determine the cell proliferation inhibition (IC50). RT-PCR method was carried out to assess the fold changes of OCT4, NANOG and SOX2 genes. One-way ANOVA was used for the statistical analysis of obtained data. Hydroalcoholic extract of the unripe Capparis fruit caused time- and concentration-dependent cell death in MCF7 cells. IC50 was observed at 48h culture period with 4817.51 μg/mL , and 72h with 2724.29 μg/ml fruit extract, respectively. Our results have shown that cell death was induced by increasing Capparis extract concentration. According to RT-PCR findings on capparis extract-treated cells, the mean expression of OCT4, NANOG and SOX2 genes decreased after 48 and 72h of incubation with IC50 concentration compared to controls.Capparis plant species is able to decrease the expression of self-renewal genes in MCF7 cell line. Therefore, the Capparis extract can be considered as a promising candidate for the management of human breast cancer after clinical trials.

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