OBJECTIVE: Ionizing radiation has various applications, including uses in medicine, industry, agriculture, and research. However, ionizing radiation is accompanied by side effects in normal radiosensitive tissues. Probiotics as natural radioprotective agents can protect normal tissues from ionizing radiation. In this regard, this study aimed to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus species on apoptosis-related genes BCL2, BAX, and caspase 3 (CASP3) in the testes of gamma-irradiated rats. METHODS: A total of 30 male Wistar rats were involved in this study. The animals received the whole- body radiation with the dose rate of 2 Gy gamma-ray and were orally gavaged with 0.2 mL of 1×1010 Lactobacillus species in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) for 4 weeks. Then, the relative gene expression levels of BCL2, BAX, and CASP3 in the testis were assessed by using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, radiation significantly downregulated the BCL2 and upregulated the BAX and CASP3 genes (p<0.0001). However, Lactobacillus species significantly reversed these effects. CONCLUSION: All in all, according to our results, employing Lactobacilli probiotics as a natural radioprotector may protect radiosensitive tissue from damage.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Here, we determined the genes encoding antibiotic resistance enzymes and virulence factors and evaluated the genetic relationship between Enterobacter spp. isolated from different clinical samples. METHODS: A total of 57 clinical isolates of Enterobacter spp. were tested for the production of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), carbapenemase, and AmpC using phenotypic and genotypic methods. RESULTS: The most common ESBLs and AmpC β-lactamases were bla TEM (63.3%) and bla EBC (57.7%), respectively. The most prevalent virulence gene was rpos (87.7%). The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) patterns of strains were genetically unrelated. CONCLUSIONS: RAPD polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed high genetic diversity among isolates.