Background: Our Previous studics hane been shown that iron ions produce oxygen free radical reaction products in the erythrocytes. The present study is evaluating the oxidative effects of aluminum in erythrocytes and plasma proteins and decline of antioxidant power of plasma in operating room personnel.

Materials and Methods: Blood obtained from operating room personnel. Erythrocytes and plasma were incubated aerobically in aluminum containing metal catalyzed oxidation (MCO) system. Total antioxidant capacity of plasma was estimated by FRAP assay (ferric reducing ability of plasma), plasma protein oxidation by carbonyl assay and structural changes in Hb were followed by spectrophotometric analysis and assessment of oxy-Hb, met-Hb and hemichrome.

Results: There was a significant relationship between optical density of Hb in 340 and 420 nm and between oxy-Hb and optical density of Hb in 420 nm(p<0.05) On the other hand, 68 to 56% decrease in total antioxidant power of plasma in control group and operating room personnel, results oxidation in plasma protein and carbonyl concentration was increased three fold.

Conclusion: These findings may be helpful in evaluating the antioxidant status and structural changes in Hb and plasma proteins in people who are exposed to aluminum especially operating room personnel.

Background: The emergence of antibiotic resistance, particularly resistance to methicillin in Staphylococcus aureus has made the treatment process more difficult. Therefore, producing of an effective vaccine seems to be necessary to prevent infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In this study, a mixture of naloxone and alum has been used to improve the efficacy of a vaccine against MRSA.

Materials and Methods: MRSA 834 strain was grown on TSB medium and the grown cells were harvested and killed by sonication and were used as a vaccine model. Balb/c mice were divided into six groups and the vaccines were either injected alone, with naloxone, alum, or a mixture of naloxone - alum and control group received naloxone and PBS buffer. Total IgG antibody level was measured by ELISA method and finally, the challenge test of this bacterium was performed and the mice were examined regarding the degree of bacteria growth in their kidneys.

Results: The serum level of Total IgG antibody in the mixture of naloxone – alum with MRSA group was shown to be significantly increased (p<0.05). Furthermore, the lowest bacterial load was observed in this group.

Conclusion: It seems that a mixture of naloxone and alum as an adjuvant with the killed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus enhances the humoral immunity leading to a high level of protection against MRSA infections. Therefore, this seems to be a good option for improving the performance of this vaccine.

Background: Aluminum, as an environmental pollutant, has destructive effects by inducing oxidative stress on male reproductive system and sperm. Silymarin, an effective substance extracted from Silybum marianum, is a potent antioxidant which inhibits oxidative stress. Because of toxic effects of aluminum and the antioxidant role of silymarin, this study was performed to investigate if silymarin can prevent the adverse effects of aluminum chloride on plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity in ram sperm.

Materials and Methods:  In this experimental study, epididymal spermatozoa from Farahani's ram are divided into five groups: sperm at 0 hour, sperm at 180 minutes (control), sperm treated with aluminum chloride (0.5mM) for 180 minutes, sperm treated with silymarin (0.5μM) + aluminum chloride (0.5μM) for 180 minutes and sperm treated with silymarin (0.5μM) for 180 minutes. To evaluate sperm plasma membrane integrity and sperm acrosome integrity, propidium iodide-Hoechst and comassie brilliant blue staining were used, respectively. The results were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and p<0.05 was considered as significant level.

Results:  The percentage of sperm plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity were significantly decreased in aluminum chloride group compared to the control. The simultaneous use of silymarin+aluminum chloride could significantly compensate the adverse effects of aluminum chloride on the sperm plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity compared to aluminum chloride.

Conclusion: Aluminum chloride induces toxic effect on ram sperm plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity and silymarin is able to compensate the adverse effect this pollutant on these parameters.

Background: Influenza A viruses are globally important respiratory pathogens which cause a high degree of morbidity and mortality during annual epidemics. M2 protein which expressed on the viral surface facilitates virus entry to the host cells. The extracellular domain of M2 protein (M2e) consists of N-terminal 24 residue which shows remarkable conservation among all subtypes of influenza A viruses. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity of three tandem repeats of M2e along with different adjuvants in BALB/C mice model.

Materials and Methods: Recombinant protein (3M2e) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Six weeks old BALB/c mice were immunized interdermally with three doses of 3M2e alone or supplemented with Alum/CpG motif as adjuvant. Control group was injected with PBS. Two weeks after the last immunization, specific anti-M2 was measured using ELISA method and finally mice were challenged with one lethal dose (LD90) of PR8 virus.

Results: The results showed that 3M2e can induce specific antibody alone. However, 3M2e protein supplemented with Alum-CpG induced higher level of specific antibodies, so that, there was a significant difference with 3M2e group (p<0.05). Anti-M2 antibodies mostly consisted of IgG2a subclass which considered as activity index of TH1 Cells. Moreover, this group showed enhanced protection against wild-type virus (survival rate=60%).

Conclusion: Applying Alum-CpG as a complex adjuvant may play a crucial role in integrating innate and acquisitive immunity. We increased density of M2e in combination with complex adjuvant and showed that this vaccine induced power immune responses and semi-protected mice against lethal challenge.