Influence of omega-3 fatty acid on orthodontic tooth movement in rats: A biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical and gene expression study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on orthodontic tooth movement. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: For this study, 56 12-week-old adult male Wistar albino rats from the Animal Laboratory at Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Medicine, were used. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into seven groups (n = 8 each): control group (without any treatment), tooth movement groups (three groups of animals with only tooth movement) and omega groups (three groups of animals with tooth movement and omega-3 administration). Omega-3 fatty acids were administered to the rats systemically during the tooth movement period. On the 3rd, 7th and 14th days after the orthodontic tooth movement, the rats were sacrificed and biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical andgene expression examinations were performed. RESULTS: On the 14th experimental day, the amount of tooth movement in the omega groups was significantly lower than the tooth movement groups (P = 0.012). Biochemical experimentsshowed that the omega groups had significantly lower total oxidant levels and higher total antioxidant levels compared to the tooth movement group on the 14th experimental day (P = 0.001). The levels of RANKL, IL-6 and IL-1ß in the omega groups were significantly lower than the tooth movement groups on all experimental days (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Systemic administration of omega-3 fatty acids showed antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects and decelerate the orthodontic tooth movement.

Downregulation of plasma microRNA-29c-3p expression may be a new risk factor for diabetic retinopathy.

BACKGROUND: Circulation miRNAs have emerged as new biomarkers for identifying and monitoring the microvascular complications of diabetes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the levels of five candidate miRNAs (miR-29c-3p, miR-18a, miR-31, miR-181 and miR-20a) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and their relationship with disease severity. METHODS: The study included 31 diabetes patients without DR (NDR group), 68 patients with DR (DR group) and 30 healthy controls (HC group). Twenty-five of patients with DR were proliferative DR (PDR group) and 43 were non-proliferative DR (NPDR group) patients. Metabolic parameters and serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels of all participants were measured. Circulating miRNAs levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Fundus examinations of all patients were performed by a single ophthalmologist. RESULTS: VEGF levels were significantly higher in the NDR, and DR groups compared to HC group (P=0.011 and P=0.014, respectively). Plasma miR-29c-3p was downregulated in diabetic patients with retinopathy and without retinopathy. This downregulation was more prominent in diabetic patients without retinopathy compared to those with retinopathy (P=0.016). There was no significant difference in plasma levels of miR-18a, miR-20a, miR-18a and miR-31 between diabetic subjects with and without retinopathy (P>0.05). There was no correlation between DR severity and the levels of miRNAs (P>0.05). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was found that changes in plasma miR-29c-3p expression of diabetic patients increased DR risk independent of other risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma miR-29c-3p expression is downregulated in diabetic patients with and without retinopathy, and changes in this miRNA are an independent risk factor for the development of DR.

New risk factors in diabetic nephropathy: microRNA-196-3p and microRNA-203.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the serum levels of miR-98, miR-184, miR-185, miR-203 and miR-196a-3p in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and to associate the changes in microRNA levels with urinary albumin excretion (UAE). METHODS: The study included 35 healthy individuals aged between 18-65 years, 40 T2DM patients with normoalbuminuria, 40 T2DM patients with microalbuminuria, and 35 T2DM patients with macroalbuminuria. Metabolic laboratory parameters, microalbumin levels in 24-hour urine samples were measured in all groups. Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) were measured quantitatively by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Circulating miRNA levels were determined by real-time quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Serum miR-196a-3p levels were reduced in the normoalbuminuria group compared to the healthy control group. In the macroalbuminuria and microalbuminuria groups, miR-196a-3p levels were higher compared to the normoalbuminuria group. In addition, increase in miR-196a-3p levels in the macroalbuminuria group was more prominent than the microalbuminuria group. Serum miR-203 levels were significantly higher in the macroalbuminuria group compared to healthy controls, microalbuminuria and normoalbuminuria groups; these levels were also higher in the microalbuminuria group compared to normoalbuminuria group. In logistic regression analysis, serum miR-196a-3p and miRNA-203 levels were independently correlated to UAE. CONCLUSIONS: Increased serum levels of miR-203 and miR-196a-3p are independent risk factors of UAE which is a marker of DN.