Association of SLC11A1 polymorphisms with anthropometric and biochemical parameters describing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes, a leading cause of death globally, has different types, with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) being the most prevalent one. It has been established that variations in the SLC11A1 gene impact risk of developing infectious, inflammatory, and endocrine disorders. This study is aimed to investigate the association between the SLC11A1 gene polymorphisms (rs3731864 G/A, rs3731865 C/G, and rs17235416 + TGTG/- TGTG) and anthropometric and biochemical parameters describing T2DM. Eight hundred participants (400 in each case and control group) were genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and amplification-refractory mutation system-PCR (ARMS-PCR) methods. Lipid profile, fasting blood sugar (FBS), hemoglobin A1c level, and anthropometric indices were also recorded for each subject. Findings revealed that SLC11A1-rs3731864 G/A, -rs17235416 (+ TGTG/- TGTG) were associated with T2DM susceptibility, providing protection against the disease. In contrast, SLC11A1-rs3731865 G/C conferred an increased risk of T2DM. We also noticed a significant association between SLC11A1-rs3731864 G/A and triglyceride levels in patients with T2DM. In silico evaluations demonstrated that the SLC11A2 and ATP7A proteins also interact directly with the SLC11A1 protein in Homo sapiens. In addition, allelic substitutions for both intronic variants disrupt or create binding sites for splicing factors and serve a functional effect. Overall, our findings highlighted the role of SLC11A1 gene variations might have positive (rs3731865 G/C) or negative (rs3731864 G/A and rs17235416 + TGTG/- TGTG) associations with a predisposition to T2DM.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies on the association between animal protein sources and risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the linear and nonlinear dose-response associations of animal-based dietary protein intake and risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: A systematic search of MEDLINE, Scopus and Embase was conducted up to October 2020. Observational studies that report risk estimates of RA for animal-based protein consumption were included. We calculated pooled relative risks (RRs) by using a random-effects model. Linear and non-linear dose-response analyses were performed to examine the dose-response relations between animal-based protein consumption and RA. RESULTS: Seven cohort studies (n = 457,554) with 3545 incident cases and six case-control studies with 3994 cases and 5252 controls were identified. Highest compared with the lowest category of fish consumption was inversely associated with risk of RA (RR: 0.89; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.99; I2 = 0%, n = 10). Also, a 100 g/day increment in fish intake was associated with a 15% decreased risk of RA. Dose-response analysis showed a modest U-shaped association between fish consumption and incidence of RA, with the lowest risk at a fish intake of 20-30 g/day (Pnon-linearity = 0.04). We found no significant association between consumption of red meat, poultry or dairy and the risk of RA. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed a significant reverse association between fish consumption and risk of RA. While we observed no association between red meat, dairy or poultry consumption and risk of RA. Further well-designed prospective studies are needed to support our findings.

Development of topical liposomes containing miltefosine for the treatment of Leishmania major infection in susceptible BALB/c mice.

Herein, we investigated the efficacy of liposomes for the topical delivery of miltefosine (ML) to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Liposomes containing varying concentrations of ML (0.5, 1, 2 and 4%) were prepared and characterized by their size and entrapment efficiency. The liposome diameters were between 100-150 nm. The penetration of ML from liposomal formulations through and in the skin was assessed using ex-vivo Franz diffusion cells fitted with mouse skin at 37 °C for 24 h. Data indicated that Lip-ML-4% showed the highest percent of retention across mouse skin (82%). in vitro promastigote and amastigote assays showed that ML and Lip-ML inhibit the growth of parasites either in the culture medium or intracellularly. Lip-ML formulations were topically applied twice a day for 4 weeks to the skin of BALB/c mice infected with L. major. Results showed a significantly (p < 0.001) smaller lesion size in Lip-ML-2 and 4% when compared to controls. At week 8 post-infection, the number of parasites was higher in Lip-ML-0.5% compared to Lip-ML-2 and 4%, however, the difference was not significant. At week 12, the splenic parasite burden was significantly (p < 0.001) lower in mice treated with different Lip-ML formulations when compared to controls. The lesion parasite burden was significantly (p < 0.001) lower in mice treated with either Lip-ML-2 and 4% compared to Lip-ML-0.5% at week 12 post-infection. The results suggested that topical Lip-ML-4% showed optimal ex-vivo penetration and in vivo anti-leishmanial activity against CL caused by L. major when compared to ML cream and other liposomes and thus, merits further investigation.