Background: The neutrophil-activating protein (HP-NAP) of Helicobacter pylori is a protective antigen and a major virulence factor of this bacteria. Stimulating the immune system for helicobacter infection treatment could have an important role. The aim of study is to assess the effect of recombinant Neutrophil activating protein (Hp-NapA) of helicobacter pylori on proliferation and viability of peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, recombinant Hp-NapA of helicobacter pylori was produced in vitro. Mice peritoneal macrophages were purified and cultured. Different concentrations of recombinant Hp-NapA was used for macrophages stimulation. MTT assay was performed to assess the viability and proliferation of macrophages.

Results: The results elucidated that the increasing effect of stimulation with recombinant Hp-NapA was significant at the dose of 30 µg/ml  (p=0.01). The rate of viabitity was significantly higher than control group at the doses of 30 and 60 µg/ml and in the concurrency series of recombinant protein with lipopolysaccharid, there was a statistically significarit increase in proliferation at just these doses.

Conclusion: According to our findings, recombinant Hp-NapA has a positive effect on proliferation, viability and function of peritoneal macrophages. Therefore, it is proposed that recombinant Hp-NapA can be studied as an immunomodulator for immunotherapy.

  Background: Alpha-tocopherol, as a strong antioxidant, plays an important role in testraining free radicals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Alpha-tocopherol on cell proliferation and restraining apoptosis in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

  Materials and Methods: In this research study, the rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were extracted under sterile conditions using flashing-out method. At the end of the third passage, cells were divided into groups of control and Alpha-tocopherol with doses of 15 and 25 µM and were treated in the osteogenic media cell medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum, 10 mM β-glycerol phosphate, 10 nM dexamethasone and 50 µg/ml ascorbic 3-phosphate] for a period of 21 days. Then, cell proliferation, DNA damage, expression of Bcl-2 and Bax genes and the morphologic changes of the cells were investigated during the procedure of osteogenesis. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and means difference was considered significant at p<0.05.

  Results: Cell proliferation, the size of nuclei diameter and expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 gene showed a significant increase in mesenchymel stem cells treated with Alpha-tocopherol (p<0.05) in a dose dependent manner compared to the control cells. Also, cytoplasm extension was seen in the cells treated with Alpha-tocopherol, compared to the control group. Since Alpha-tocopherol causes a significant decrease in DNA damage and the expression of apoptotic Bax gene, compared to the control group, therefore it can suppress apoptosis in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, in a dose dependent manner .