Effects of DHA-enriched fish oil on gene expression levels of p53 and NF-κB and PPAR-γ activity in PBMCs of patients with T2DM: A randomized, double-blind, clinical trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are natural peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) ligands. Activated PPAR-γ protects the cardiovascular system against atherosclerotic lesion formation and exerts its anti-inflammatory role by suppressing cytokines induced by nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) in endothelial cells (ECs), and it is hypothesized that apoptosis and cell cycle arrest induced by PPAR-γ ligands may be mediated by the p53-dependent pathway. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched fish oil supplement on PPAR-γ activity and mRNA expression levels of p53 and NF-κB. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) aged 30-70 years were randomly assigned to receive either 2400 mg/d DHA-rich fish oil or placebo for 8 weeks. Metabolic parameters were assessed at baseline and at the end of the intervention. PPAR-γ activity in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was measured using ELISA-based PPAR-γ Transcription Factor Assay Kit, and the gene expression levels of p53 and NF-κB were assessed using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). On the basis of our finding, 8 weeks of treatment with DHA-rich fish oil increased PPAR-γ activity in PBMCs of subjects with T2DM (p < 0.01) compared to that in placebo (p = 0.4). Between-group comparisons of mean PPAR-γ activity changes showed significant differences (p = 0.03), whereas mRNA expression levels of the p53 and NF-κB genes did not show significant differences between studied groups (p = 0.2 and p = 0.5, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that short-term DHA-rich fish oil supplementation may modulate PPAR-γ activity in PBMCs.

Prevalence of osteoporosis and vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms (FokI) in an Iranian general population based study (Kurdistan) (IMOS).

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass density (BMD) and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and increased risk of hip, spine, and wrist fractures. There are numerous risk factors for osteoporosis. While many of these factors are non-genetic in nature, there is a definite genetic component responsible for this condition. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the association between VDR (Vitamin D receptor gene) polymorphisms (Fok1) A>G (rs2228570) and bone mineral density in an Iranian defined population. METHODS: The study participants comprised of 1032 Iranians recruited from the city of Sanandaj during IMOS (Iranian Multi Center Osteoporosis Study). Bone mineral density measurement was performed in all the participants with and without osteoporosis. All samples were genotyped for VDR genes (Fok1) polymorphism with polymerase chain reaction, using a predesigned TaqMan allele discrimination assay. RESULTS: There was a significant association between Fok1 polymorphism and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, 0.138 (0.025-0.768). CONCLUSION: It seems that cohort studies, which are more powerful than case-control studies, can be useful in evaluating the roles of genetic variants as risk or protective factors for osteoporosis.