Introduction: The effects of short-term and long-term exposures to 2.45 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) on anxiety-like behavior, corticosterone level, and gene expression were investigated. The goal of this study was to explore the effect of electromagnetic fields of 2.45 GHz on clinical signs such as body weight and anxiety-like behavior, including the elevated plus maze test and open-field test, and also on messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Bax (Bcl2-associated x) and Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2) genes on the cognitive memory functions in an animal model of rats. Methods: The animals were classified into eight groups, sham groups and exposed groups for short-term and long-term exposures to the same dose of RF-EMR for one hour daily. The Wi-Fi equipment in the sham control group was not turned on during the experiment. Both genes were further confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The semi-quantitative PCR method of electromagnetic fields in the 2.45 GHz range impacted the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 genes in the rat\'s memory. Results: The present study exhibited that short-term radiation could decrease the percentage of entry into the open arm and the percentage of time spent, while there were no substantial impacts on the long-term radiation effect. Our data support the hypothesis that short-term exposure worked as a systemic stressor, raising plasma corticosterone and changing glucocorticoid receptor expression in the hippocampus. Conclusion: Additional research on this specific frequency and amount of radiation is required to discover strategies for protecting the nervous system from the detrimental effects of RF-EMR radiation.

The present study aimed to examine the polymorphism -938C > A of BCL-2 gene and promoter -248G>A in the Bax gene, as well as their relationship with specific clinical-pathological characteristics, in patients with breast cancer. Blood samples were obtained from 70 patients who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and 34 healthy women as the control group. Polymorphic analysis was performed using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Anthropometric data were assessed. Estrogen receptor (ER), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2),  and progesterone receptor (PR) were measured by immunohistochemistry. The data of age and body mass index (BMI) demonstrated no significant variations between the two groups (P>0.05). The results of HER-2 revealed that 42.86% of breast cancer patients reflected positively for Her-2/neu expression, while 24.29% reflected negative results of Her-2/neu. Moreover, the results of ER revealed that 42.86% and 28.57% of subjects were positive and negative ER, respectively; moreover, the missing data was 28.57%. In addition, the results of PR indicated that 35.71% of patients (25/70) were positive for PR, while 28.57% reflected negative results, and the missing results were 35.71%. The genotype and allele frequencies of BCL-2(-938C>A) were not statistically significant in women with breast cancer and the control group (P=0.574, P=0.533) for heterozygous and recessive models, respectively. The genotype of BCL-2(-938C>A) in control and patients in codominant, dominant, recessive, and additive models demonstrated no significant variations of all genotypes in all groups. Genotypes and allele frequencies for Bax (-248G>A) in patients with breast cancer and control indicated that the frequencies of GG, AG, and AA genotypes in cases were 16.67%, 3.33%, and 80 %, while in controls, these values were 3.23 %, 58.06 %, and 3.23 %, respectively. The heterozygous genotype (AG) in the codominant model was OR=36.00 (95% CI 4.5608 - 284.1608; P=0.0007). In comparison with the wild type (GG), there was a 36-fold increase in the risk of breast cancer. Furthermore, the findings of this study revealed a significant correlation between Bax (-248G>A) polymorphism and breast cancer risk under the dominant and overdominant (OR=6.33; 95% CI 2.2604 -17.7452; P=0.0004, and OR=40.154; 95% CI 5.1365 - 313.8949; P=0.0004, respectively. The recessive model revealed that there was a decreased risk of breast cancer (OR= 0.167; 95% CI 0.0303 to 0.9168; P=0.039). Based on the results, it can be concluded that there were no significant variations in BCL-2 (-938C>A) polymorphism of all genotypes models when breast cancer women are compared with healthy ones. In a similar vein, there was no significant association between the BCL-2 (-938C>A) polymorphism and breast cancer risk under dominant, codominant, or recessive models.

Cancer response to chemotherapeutic agents and its side effects remain a challenge for the development of new anticancer compounds. Dates are consumed worldwide due to their high nutritional value. We investigated the cytotoxicity and expression of the proapoptotic BAX gene in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells treated with Ruthana date ethanolic extract (RDE). The RDE ingredients analyzed by GC/MS and HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of RDE for 24, 48, and 72 h. Cytotoxicity, cell viability, DNA fragmentation, and BAX expression were determined. The GC/MS analysis of RDE showed its high content of quercetin, myricetin kaempferol, thymine, and catechol as the most active ingredients. HepG2 treated with RDE showed a significant change in morphological characteristics related to cell death. The antiproliferative activity determined by WST-1 demonstrated that RDE significantly reduced cell viability. Cells treated with RDE (10-60 mg) showed gradual DNA fragmentation in a dose-dependent manner. Gene expression analysis showed upregulation of BAX at 30 mg/ml of RDE (p < 0.001). However, it showed downregulation at (40-60 mg/ml) as compared to control. Our findings indicated that RDE exert cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells due to its high content of flavonoids. This effect through DNA fragmentation and activation of the proapoptotic BAX gene.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Despite advancements in modern therapeutic strategies, breast cancer still the most common cause of the high death rate among women worldwide. Wild plants and their extracts have been used in traditional medicine because of their efficient anti-cancer properties. This study aims to investigate <i>in vitro</i> the anti-cancer, anti-proliferative and potential therapeutic effects of <i>Convolvulus spicatus </i>(<i>C. spicatus</i>) methanolic extract against human breast cancer cell line Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7), besides putting shed on the mechanism of action of this extract. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> MTT (dimethylthiazol-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cytotoxicity assay was done to evaluate <i>C. spicatus</i> methanolic extract\'s cytotoxic effects and its therapeutic potentiality against MCF-7 cells. Flow cytometry was used to clarify the potential impact of the different concentrations of the extract against the cell cycle\'s evolution. Nuclear densification and apoptotic changes were also analyzed and the Annexin V/propidium iodide staining method was used to ensure the anti-proliferative effect of <i>C. spicatus </i>extracts. The expression level of the apoptotic regulatory gene (Bax gene) was evaluated. <b>Results:</b> The results proved that cytotoxicity was significantly elevated in a dose-dependent manner under various concentrations. preG1 apoptosis and cell growth arrest at the G₂/M phase was noticed. Bax gene was upregulated at its mRNA level by a 5.6-fold increase, compared to the untreated MCF-7 cells. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study gives deep insight into evaluating natural extracts and/or bioactive ingredients derived from the <i>C. spicatus</i> plant and eventually exhibited a promising apoptosis-inducing anti-cancer agent.

Objectives. The present study was designed to assess whether apoptosis-related genes as parp-1 and bax could be targets for treatment of diabetes mellitus and whether vitamin D may exert beneficial effects. Methods. Vitamin D3 treatment for 4 weeks, starting after 4 weeks of the diabetes duration. The expression of parp-1 and bax genes was estimated on mRNA levels using real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results. After 8 weeks, diabetic rats had weight loss, while blood glucose was increased about 4.9-fold compared to control group. Vitamin D3 administration to diabetic animals had no effect on these parameters. It was found that total serum alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly elevated in diabetic rats as compared to control animals and was restored by vitamin D3. Diabetes was accompanied by reduction of nicotinamidadenindinucleotide, a substrate of poly-ADP-ribosylation, level by 31.7% as compared to control rats, which was not reversed in response to vitamin D3 treatment. In diabetic hearts, the mRNA expression level of parp-1 gene was 2.8-fold higher compared to control rats and partially decreased by vitamin D3 treatment. Less significant alterations were observed in diabetic hearts for the mRNA expression level of bax gene that was 2.0-fold higher compared to control animals and vitamin D3 normalized it. These results indicate that cardiomyocytes have a tendency to apoptosis. Conclusions. The findings suggest that investigated genes can be targets at the transcriptional level for vitamin D action that may be contributed to the improving metabolic/signaling pathways induced by diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and clinicopathological significance of Bcl-2 and Bax genes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients complicated with schistosomiasis.
METHODS: The CRC patients receiving surgical treatment in the First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University from June 2016 to June 2020 were recruited as the study subjects, and 30 subjects were randomly sampled from the CRC patients complicated with schistosomiasis (CRC-S group) and 30 subjects were randomly sampled from the CRC patients without schistosomiasis (CRC group) using a random number table method. The cancer specimens were sampled from subjects in the CRC-S and CRC groups, and the peri-cancer specimens were sampled from subjects in the CRC group. The Bcl-2 and Bax expression was quantified in cancer and peri-cancer specimens using a real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay and immunohistochemistry at transcriptional and translational levels, and the cell apoptosis was detected in cancer specimens using HE staining.
RESULTS: A total of 60 subjects were enrolled, including 30 cases in the CRC group and 30 cases in the CRC-S group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender distribution (χ2 = 0.271, P > 0.05), mean age (t = -0.596, P > 0.05), tumor growth pattern (χ2 = 0.275, P > 0.05), tumor location (χ2 = 4.008, P > 0.05), tumor invasion depth (χ2 = 0.608, P > 0.05), degree of tumor differentiation (χ2 = 0.364, P > 0.05), or presence of vascular metastasis (χ2 = 1.111, P > 0.05), while significant differences were seen between the two groups in terms of histological type, presence of lymph node metastasis and TMN staging (χ2 = 5.963, 8.297 and 5.711, all P values < 0.05). qPCR assay and immunohistochemistry quantified significantly higher Bcl-2 and Bax expression in cancer specimens from the CRC and CRC-S groups than in the peri-cancer specimens from the CRC group at both translational and transcriptional levels (all P values < 0.05), and higher Bcl-2 and lower Bax expression were seen in the cancer specimens from the CSC-S group than that from the CRC group (all P values < 0.05). In addition, the cell apoptotic rate was significantly greater in the cancer specimens in the CRC group than in the CRC-S group (42.00% vs. 23.35%; χ2 = 41.500, P = 0.000).
CONCLUSIONS: Schistosomiasis may be involved in the development and progression of CRC through affecting Bcl-2 and Bax gene expression in the apoptosis signaling pathway.
［摘要］ 目的 探讨Bcl-2和Bax基因在结直肠癌 (CRC) 合并血吸虫病患者体内的表达水平及其临床病理意义。方法 以2016年6月—2020年6月在大理大学第一附属医院接受手术治疗的CRC患者作为研究对象, 采用随机数字表法 从单纯CRC患者和CRC合并血吸虫病患者中各随机抽取30例作为CRC组和CRC-S组。收集两组患者癌组织和CRC 组患者癌旁组织, 采用实时荧光定量PCR法和免疫组织化学法检测样本中Bcl-2 和Bax mRNA 和蛋白表达水平, 应用 HE染色法观察并比较两组患者癌组织细胞凋亡率。结果 共纳入研究对象60例, 其中CRC组和CRC-S组均30例, 两 组患者性别构成 (χ2 = 0.271, P＞0.05) 、平均年龄 (t = -0.596, P＞0.05) 、结直肠肿瘤生长方式 (χ2 = 0.275, P＞0.05) 、肿瘤 部位 (χ2 = 4.008, P＞0.05) 、肿瘤浸润深度 (χ2 = 0.608, P＞0.05) 、肿瘤分化程度 (χ2 = 0.364, P＞0.05) 及肿瘤是否脉管转 移 (χ2 = 1.111, P＞0.05) 差异均无统计学意义, 但肿瘤组织学类型、肿瘤是否淋巴结转移和TMN分期差异均有统计学意 义 (χ2 = 5.963、8.297、5.711, P 均＜0.05) 。与CRC组患者癌旁组织相比, CRC组和CRC-S组患者癌组织中Bcl- 2、Bax mRNA 和蛋白表达水平均升高 (P 均＜0.05) ; 与CRC组相比, CRC-S组患者癌组织中Bcl-2 mRNA 和蛋白表达水平均升 高 (P 均＜0.05), Bax mRNA 和蛋白水平均降低 (P 均＜0.05) 。CRC组和CRC-S组患者肿瘤组织细胞凋亡率分别为 42.00%和25.35%, 差异有统计学意义 (χ2 = 41.500, P = 0.000) 。结论 血吸虫病可能通过影响细胞凋亡信号通路中 Bcl-2 和Bax 基因表达而参与CRC发生与进展。.

BCL2 and BAX genes are a group of signalling inducer and inhibitor genes playing a key role in the process of cellular physiological death (apoptosis). These genes, through the JAK/STAT signalling pathway, affect different cytokines on cell function and subsequently lead to the pathophysiology of diseases, especially autoimmune diseases. In addition, altering the methylation of genes can affect their expression. Since the aetiology and pathology of Behcet\'s disease is not fully understood, the aim of this study was to determine the methylation pattern of BCL2 and BAX genes in patients with Behcet\'s disease and compare it with those of control group. This was a case-control study on 51 patients with Behcet and 61 control subjects. Blood samples were received from all subjects. Subsequently, the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated by Ficoll method and the methylation of the sites was investigated using quantitative methylation specific PCR (qMS-PCR) technique after extraction of DNA by salting out method and its examination with Nano drop. The results of methylation and expression of Bax gene suggest that the methylation level in the patient group significantly increased compared to the healthy individuals (p-value < .05). Furthermore, the results related to Bax gene expression revealed that the mean of gene expression in the patient group has decreased compared to the healthy group, and this decrease was statistically significant (p-value < .05). The rate of expression and methylation of Bcl2 did not indicate any change in the two patient and healthy groups. Given the results of this study, it can be guessed that perhaps DNA methylation is involved in certain conditions of the disease and it may result in regulation of the expression of the involved genes such as Bax gene, in the pathogenesis of the disease.

BACKGROUND: Involvement of the immune system is one of the issues raised in the pathophysiology of depression. BCL2 and BAX genes are related to immune system regulation. We investigated the BCL2 and BAX expression as a probable mechanism of immune system involvement in depression.
METHODS: This case-control study was conducted on 28 patients with major depression (case) and 28 nondepressed individuals (control) within the age range of 18-55 years in the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Clinical interviews, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, were conducted to detect depression, and Beck\'s Depression Inventory was used to measure the severity of depression in the individuals. In addition, a real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to compare the level of Bax and Bcl-2 gene expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The multivariate covariance analysis was used to explore the correlation between BCL2 and BAX gene expression and to control the effect of duration and severity of depression.
RESULTS: The results showed that none of the variables including group membership, the duration of depression, and the severity of depression were not significantly correlated with the expression of BCL2 and BAX genes. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant relationship between the Bax and Bcl-2 genes expression in case and control groups (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Depression may have no impact on Bax and Bcl-2 gene expression in patients with major depression. Studies with larger sample size are recommended.

Although not fully recognized, the neurotoxic effects of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) are thought to occur through induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis. To investigate the exact underlying molecular mechanism, we aimed to explore the apoptotic effects of intraperitoneal injection of Ag-NPs and investigated the possible attributed changes in the mRNA expression of Bcl-2 and Bax genes in the rat hippocampus. Two in vivo sets of experiments, one to demonstrate apoptosis and the other to assess gene expression, were conducted on male Wistar rats. In each set, the first group, acting as control, received saline and the other three groups received Ag-NP at doses of 100, 200, and 400 ppm for five successive days. Ten days after the last injection, hippocampal tissue of the first set of rats was assessed for apoptosis using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy uridine triphosphate nick-end labeling staining. In the second set of experiments, mRNA expression of Bcl-2 and Bax genes was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Ag-NP treatment was shown to induce apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, Ag-NP reduced mRNA level of Bcl-2 in the rat hippocampal cells at all investigated doses compared to the control group ( p < 0.001). The mRNA level of Bax, on the other hand, was increased in these cells. The increase was significant compared to the control group at the doses of 200 ppm ( p < 0.05) and 400 ppm ( p < 0.001). Our results show that Ag-NPs reduce Bcl-2 and increase Bax genes expression, resulting in increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratios in rat hippocampal cells. This altered gene expression induces cell apoptosis and contributes to the neurotoxicity of Ag-NPs.

Triterpenoids possess a wide range of biological effects. Here, the cytotoxic activities of 55 triterpenes and derived glycosides against BEL-7404 and SGC-7901 cells were assessed, and structure-activity relationships were analysed accordingly. Nine of them effectively inhibited the two cell lines. In particular, compounds 49 and 52 inhibited BEL-7404 cells as efficiently as 5\'-fluorouracil (IC50 values 0.46 and 1.48, respectively). Moreover, we found that compounds 49 and 52 induced apoptosis in BEL-7404 cells. Indeed, DNA fragmentation assay showed a time-dependent degradation of DNA after treatment of cells with compounds 49 and 52. In addition, Bax gene expression levels were increased after treatment with these compounds, in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, our findings suggested that compounds 49 and 52 induce apoptosis in BEL-7404 cells by upregulating the Bax gene without affecting Bcl-2 gene expression.