Showing 3 results for Western Blot
Elaheh Zamani Bahramabadi, Parisa Jonoubi, Farkhondeh Rezanejad,
Volume 6, Issue 1 (5-2019)
Abstract
The environmental conditions which the parent plant has undergone during seed development can affect many properties of the seeds such as degree of dormancy, weight and the amount of their compounds. In this study, mature pistachio seeds of Ahmadaghaei cultivar, collected from the two cities of Rafsanjan and Shahrbabak located in Kerman Province (Iran), were compared. It was found that the seeds collected from Shahrbabak being a cooler and wetter region had a longer dormancy, although the water content of the two seed series were similar. Dehydrin proteins generally play a role in protecting plant cells against dehydration stress. Dehydrin contents of the cotyledons and embryonic axes of the two seed series were compared by western blot method using an antibody against the conserved K segment in dehydrin proteins. It was found that the cotyledons had five dehydrin versions with molecular weights of 23, 25, 32, 39 and 48 kDa, the expression of which not being influenced by environmental factors. It was found that the embryonic axes had seven other versions of dehydrin with weights of 17, 19, 20, 28, 67, 77 and 98 kDa in addition to those five versions. This shows higher protection of embryonic axes compared with the cotyledons. The 25 and 28 kDa versions had higher expression levels in embryonic axes of Shahrbabak seeds, while the 39 kDa version had a higher expression level in embryonic axes of Rafsanjan seeds.
Shahin Esmaeilnezhad, Farhad Mashayekhi,
Volume 7, Issue 2 (7-2020)
Abstract
Amniotic fluid (AF) is essential for fetal development and maturation during pregnancy. The levels of proteins in AF have been determined in many studies to screen for potential biomarkers of pregnancy-associated abnormalities. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a major AF and plasma protein produced by the yolk sac and the liver during the fetal period. APF serum concentrations are commonly used for screening of many syndromes. Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) were reported to change gene expression in the embryo and in adults. The aim of this research was to assess the effects of 50hertz/1millitesla EMFs on AFP expression in the AF in the mouse embryo. AF samples were obtained from pregnant mice in gestational days 16 and 18. AFP relative expression was studied by western blotting. The results of this study showed that AFP relative expression increases in the EMF-treated AF as compared with either SHAM or control groups. It is concluded that EMF increases the AFP relative expression in the AF. It is also suggested that EMF may change the AFP expression in the AF by altering the expression of genes, including AFP, and/or by affecting the permeability of blood barriers.
Farhad Mashayekhi, Somaye Shabani, Soheila Talesh Sasani, Prof Zivar Salehi,
Volume 7, Issue 4 (12-2020)
Abstract
Olig1 and Olig2, two transcription factors, play regulatory function in the differentiation and specification of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). In this study the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on total protein concentration ( TPC ) and Olig1 and Olig2 expression in the cerebral cortex of mouse was examined. Twenty-one Balb/c mice were separated into three groups: control, EMF and Sham groups (n=7 for each group). The mice were placed inside the solenoid for a daily EMF exposure of 50 Hz, 1 mT for 6 h/day, 7 days/week for 10 days. The Sham group was also located in the same coil with no exposure. Mice were anesthetized after the final exposure session and their cerebral cortex were collected. TPC and the expression of Olig 1 and Olig2 were studied by Bio-Rad protein assay and western blot, respectively. The cerebral cortex samples were removed for further analysis. There was no significant difference in TPC in the EMF treated cortical samples as compared with those from the SHAM and control groups. It was also shown that the expression of Olig1 and Olig2 was increased in the EMF treated cortical extracts as compared with those in controls and SHAM groups. Therefore, it could be concluded that EMF enhances Olig1 and Olig2 expression in the mice cerebral cortex. Moreover, as Olig1 and Olig2 plays important role in the development of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, it can be deduced that EMF may affect OPC differentiation by increasing the expression of Olig1 and Olig2. Further studies are needed to clarify the extent of EMF impact on oligodendrocyte differentiation.
