International Journal of

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Background: Elevated serum levels of oxidized Low-density Lipoprotein (oxLDL) have been found in type 2 and in poorly controlled diabetic patients. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has common features with type 2 diabetes.
Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the serum levels of oxLDL in women with GDM compared to normal pregnant women.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, ninety-two subjects were randomly allocated to either GDM (n=46) or control (n=46) groups matched for age, body mass index and parity from March 2013 to March 2014. GDM was diagnosed according to the American Diabetes Association criteria at 24-26 weeks of gestation. OxLDL was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. T-test and Pearson correlation coefficients were applied for analyzing the data by using SPSS version 17.
Results: Compared to the controls, significantly higher oxLDL levels were found in the GDM group (17.16 ± 3.71 U/L vs. 8.77 ± 1.84 U/L, respectively, p < 0.001). No significant correlations were found between oxLDL and age and BMI of the patients in the groups.
Conclusion: Our study found significant increase of oxLDL in GDM emphasizing the role of short-term hyperglycemia in the formation of oxLDL during GDM. The importance of aptly diagnosis of GDM in maternal health may also be concluded.

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Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and vanishing testes are uncommon diseases that can result from hormonal and mechanical factors. Classic CAH is determined by ambiguous genitalia and increase in amount of 17-Hydroxyprogesterone. Simultaneous occurrence of CAH and vanishing testes is a rare condition.
Case: A 22-year-old boy, known case of CAH who was diagnosed as female pseudohermaphroditism due to ambiguous genitalia, was referred to Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran with colicky abdominal pain and hematuria. Ultrasonography has been performed and prostate tissue was reported. Karyotyping was done because of uncertainty in primary diagnosis, which revealed 46XY. For finding location of testes, ultrasonography and MRI were done and nothing was found in abdomen, inguinal canal or scrotum. Inhibin B serum level was measured to find out whether testis tissue was present in the body, which was <1 pg/ml and vanishing testis was confirmed.
Conclusion: Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent further sequels and karyotyping for all patients with CAH is recommended. Lifelong treatment with synthetic glucocorticoid replacement is necessary.

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Background: With the prevalence of 6-10%, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is considered the most common endocrinological disorder affecting women in their reproductive age. It has been suggested that genetic factors participate in the development of PCOS. Follicular development has been considered as one of the impaired processes in PCOS. Bone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP-15) gene is a candidate gene in follicular development and its variants may play role in pathogenesis of PCOS.
Objective: To investigate whether BMP-15 gene mutations are present in Iranian women with PCOS.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study 5 ml venous blood samples was taken from 70 PCOS women referring to Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran, between January to December 2014. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood sample by salting out method. Then a set of PCR reactions for exon1 of BMP-15 gene was performed using specific primers followed by genotyping with direct sequencing.
Results: Two different polymorphisms were found in the gene under study. In total 20 patients (28.6%) were heterozygote (C/G), and 2 patients (2.86%) were homozygous (G/G) for c.-9C>G in 5´UTR promoter region of BMP-15 gene (rs3810682). In addition, in the coding region of exon1, three patients (4.3%) were heterozygote (G/A) for c.A308G (rs41308602). Two PCOS patients (2.86%) appeared to have both c.-9C>G (C/G) and c.A308G (G/A) variants simultaneously.
Conclusion: Our research detected two polymorphisms of BMP-15 gene among PCOS patients, indicating that even though it cannot be concluded that variants of BMP-15 gene are the principal cause of polycystic ovarian syndrome; they could be involved in pathogenic process in development of PCOS.

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Background: Genetic factors are believed to play an important role in the etiology of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which is the most common endocrinological disorder of women in their reproductive age. Androgen metabolism is impaired in PCOS and, thus, CYP19 gene which is involved in this pathway can be a candidate gene. Previous studies have shown a relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of CYP19 in hyperandrogenism and PCOS in some racial groups.
Objective: This study was designed to elucidate the role of CYP19 gene in PCOS in Iran.
Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 70 PCOS women and 70 non-PCOS women as normal control were selected. Following the informed consent, 5 ml blood was taken from individuals and subsequently, genomic DNA was extracted by salting out method. Furthermore, a set of polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was carried out using specific primers for SNP rs.2414096 followed by enzyme digestion, with HSP92II.
Results: Genotype frequencies of SNP rs. 2414096 in PCOS women were as follows: AA (14.4%), AG (44.3%), and GG (41.4%) while in normal group, genotypes were 24.3%, 52.8%, and 22.9%, respectively. Allele frequencies in PCOS group were 49.3% for A and 50.7% for G, whereas normal group had a different percentage of A (36.4%) and G (63.6%). The calculations for both genotypic and allelic frequencies showed statistical significance difference.
Conclusion: Variants of SNP rs. 2414096 in CYP19 could play a role in the development of PCOS in Iranian women.

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