ABSTRACT
Previous research have reported that modulating the gut microbiome composition by fecal microbiota transplantation and probiotic administration can alleviate seizure occurrence and severity. Saccharomyces boulardii (SB) is a yeast probiotic that has demonstrated ameliorating effects on anxiety, memory and cognitive deficit, and brain amyloidogenesis. In this research, our goal was to examine the anti-seizure effects of SB on the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled male Wistar rats. The animals were randomly categorized into four test groups. The rats were orally administered with saline (control and PTZ groups) or S. boulardii (SB + PTZ and SB groups) for 57 days. From the 29th day of the experiment, the animals received intraperitoneally saline (control and SB groups) or PTZ (PTZ and SB + PTZ groups) on alternate days for 30 days. The administration dose of SB and PTZ was 1010 CFU/ml/day and 35 mg/kg, respectively. We assessed animal seizure behavior, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus tissue. S. boulardii hindered the PTZ-induced kindling development. SB treatment elevated glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. SB also lessened the hippocampal levels of BDNF and MMP-9. Following SB supplementation, proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and IL-6 were lowered, and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was enhanced. Overall, our data indicated, for the first time, the positive impact of SB on the PTZ-kindled seizure rat model. The anti-seizure activity of SB was mediated by modulating oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and MMP-9 and BDNF levels.
ABSTRACT
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is known to develop due to the accumulation of both genetic and epigenetic alterations, resulting in the conversion of intestinal epithelial cells to malignant adenocarcinoma cells. Caudal type homeobox 1 (CDX1) gene is a homeobox transcription factor and a selective tumour suppressor gene that is an important factor for the development of intestinal cells. This gene plays a role in the differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells, and its expression decreases in a number of cell lines derived from CRC, which suggests that a lack of CDX1 expression is a risk factor for the development of colorectal carcinoma. Therefore, the methylated DNA amounts of CDX1 gene in stool samples were investigated as a noninvasive method for the detection of CRC. In the present study, the methylation of CDX1 gene promoter region was assessed in stool samples of 50 CRC patients and 50 healthy individuals by MethyLight PCR using two primers and a Taq Man probe, which was completely specifically designed for fully methylated DNA of the gene promoter region. The percentage of methylated reference (PMR) of the studied gene in all samples was calculated similarly to previous studies. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 16. The PMR medians were 3.25 (95% CI: 0.1-100) and 0.1 (95% CI: 0.07-1) in the stool samples of CRC patients and healthy individuals, respectively. The results showed a significant difference in CDX1 gene PMR between stool samples of CRC patients and controls (P-value\0.001). According to the results of this study, it can be argued that measurement of CDX1 gene DNA in stool samples using the MethyLight PCR has acceptable sensitivity and specificity, and is adequately potential to be used as a noninvasive complementary method for the diagnosis of CRC, along with colonoscopy as the gold standard to this end. This study is the first report on CDX1 methylation in stool samples of CRC patients. Therefore, further research should be carried out with a larger sample size to evaluate its efficacy as a diagnostic biomarker in clinical laboratories.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers, Tumor , Colorectal Neoplasms , DNA Methylation , Feces , Homeodomain Proteins , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Case-Control Studies , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnosis , DNA Methylation/genetics , Feces/chemistry , Homeodomain Proteins/genetics , Promoter Regions, GeneticABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Oxidative stress in chronic hyperglycemia could injure the tissues and onset of diabetes-related complications like retinopathy and neuropathy. This study investigates the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) genetic variants with these complications. METHODS: In this case-control study, 400 individuals, including 100 healthy subjects and 300 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in three subgroups: with retinopathy(n = 100), with neuropathy(n = 100), and without complication (n = 100) from West Iran, were studied. MTHFR (rs1801133) and GPx-1 (rs1050450) variants were identified by the PCR-RFLP method. The plasma levels of GPx activity, glutathione, malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total oxidative stress (TOS) were measured by chemical methods. RESULTS: Higher BMI, TOS and MDA levels were observed in patients with neuropathy compared to other patients and controls. Diabetic patients with neuropathy had lower levels of glutathione (7.8 ± 4.5; P < 0.001), GPx activity (39.5 ± 8.5; P < 0.001), and TAC (703.1 ± 129.1; P = 0.0001) in comparison with other groups. The patients without complication and retinopathic patients had higher plasma levels of glutathione (12.2 ± 2.4; p = 0.02) and TAC (793.4 ± 124.6; P < 0.001), respectively. MTHFR TT genotype significantly correlated with lower levels of TOS (3.5 ± 1.1; P < 0.001) and OSI (0.0050 ± 0.001; P < 0.001). Subjects with the GPx-1 TT genotype had higher levels of MDA (6.8 ± 2.5; P = 0.02) and lower levels of TOS (3.7 ± 1.6; P < 0.001), which is statistically significant. TT genotype of MTHFR was associated with 3.9 fold (95% CI 1.04-4.76; P = 0.0436) increased risk of neuropathy. Also, GPx-1 CT genotype increased the risk of retinopathy [OR = 2.7 (95% CI = 1.38-5.44; P = 0.0039)]. CONCLUSION: The MTHFR TT genotype increased the risk of neuropathy in diabetic patients significantly. The GPx-1 CT genotype is related to increased retinopathy risk among diabetic patients. Both MTHFR and Gpx-1 TT genotypes were associated with higher BMI levels.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Diabetic Neuropathies , Diabetic Retinopathy , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Glutathione Peroxidase GPX1 , Glutathione Peroxidase , Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Case-Control Studies , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/genetics , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Diabetic Neuropathies/genetics , Diabetic Retinopathy/genetics , Genetic Association Studies , Genotype , Glutathione Peroxidase/genetics , Iran , Malondialdehyde/blood , Malondialdehyde/metabolism , Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)/genetics , Oxidative Stress/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important epigenetic alterations that notably impact various physiological and pathological processes by acting as negative regulators of gene expression. Furthermore, they have a vital function in different types of cancers, including CRC. In this research, we evaluated, for the very first time, the expression levels of miR-196a-1 in the tissue and plasma of patients with CRC and also homeobox D8 (HOXD8) as the target gene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included a collection of 220 plasma and tissue samples from 55 patients diagnosed with CRC, as well as 55 healthy individuals matched by age and sex. Total RNA was extracted from plasma and tissue samples, and then polyadenylation and cDNA synthesis were performed. The expression levels of miR-196a-1 and HOXD8 as target gene was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay. We compared the diagnostic value of plasma miR-196a-1 with that of the circulating tumor markers CA19-9 and CEA using a Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis. The association of miR-196a-1 with clinicopathological characteristics was assessed in tissue and plasma samples from patients with CRC. RESULTS: Our data demonstrated that the expression levels of miR-196a-1 in the tissue and plasma samples of CRC patients were 11.426- and 11.655-fold higher, respectively than those in adjacent normal tissue and plasma samples from normal subjects (p < 0.001). Through ROC curve analysis, it was identified that the sensitivity and specificity of miR-196a-1 for tissue samples, with an AUC of 0.925, were 89% and 98%, respectively. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity for plasma samples with an AUC of 0.801 were 70% and 98%, respectively. These findings reveal that miR-196a-1 is a useful biomarker for discriminating cases from controls. Furthermore, the expression of HOXD8 was not significantly altered in tumor tissue samples compared to adjacent normal tissues (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that miR-196a-1 has an oncogenic impact and plays a significant role in CRC development. The results also indicate that miR-196a-1 could serve as a novel noninvasive biomarker for the detection of CRC.
Subject(s)
Colorectal Neoplasms , MicroRNAs , Humans , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , MicroRNAs/genetics , ROC Curve , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that results from insufficient secretion or insulin resistance, or both. Insulin secretion deficiency leads to chronic hyperglycemia along with impaired metabolism of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. This study aimed to investigate the TP53 gene SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) rs1042522 genotype and the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene SNP rs1800795 genotype in DM and control groups. This study was performed on 70 patients with type 1 DM, 100 patients with type 2 DM without related complications, 66 control subjects for type 1 DM, and 95 control subjects for type 2 DM. The control groups were matched regarding age and gender and did not have a familial relationship with the patient groups. All the subjects were residents of Kermanshah, located in the western part of Iran. Polymorphisms of TP53 and IL-6 genes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, and HbA1c were measured using the ELISA and immunoturbidometric methods. The frequency of genotypes (CC, CG, GG) of the TP53 gene codon 72 in type 1 DM and its control group were significantly different (P= 0.013). Likewise, the frequency of genotypes (CC, CG, GG) of the TP53 gene codon 72 was significantly different between type 2 DM and control groups (P <0.001). The frequency of genotypes (GG, GC, CC) of G174C polymorphisms in the IL-6 gene was different between type 1 DM and control group as well as between type 2 DM and its control group, but it was not statistically significant. SNP rs1042522 genotypes in the dominant form (CG + GG vs. CC) (OR= 3.880; P < 0.001) and alleles G vs. C alleles (OR= 0.384; P < 0.001) increased the risk of type 2 DM significantly. There was no significant difference between type 1 and type 2 DM groups and respected control groups regarding the frequency of the IL-6 gene SNP rs1800795 alleles. The G allele of SNP rs1042522 encoding the TP53 gene increases the risk of developing DM in the population of the Kermanshah province, Iran.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/genetics , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/genetics , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Interleukin-6/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics , Adult , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Body Mass Index , Case-Control Studies , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/blood , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood , Female , Gene Frequency , Glycated Hemoglobin/metabolism , Humans , Iran , Male , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of zinc dependent enzymes that are involved in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. The role of MMP-2 and -9 genetic polymorphism in different malignancies has been the subject of numerous studies. The present research has attempted to discover any positive correlation between MMP-2 and MMP-9 SNPs and prostate cancer (PCa) in patients with a history of either diabetes or smoking habits. 112 PCa-patients and 150 unrelated healthy-controls that matched for age and sex were selected for present case-control study. MMP-2 -1575G/A and MMP-9 -1562 C/T polymorphisms detected by PCR-RFLP, serum tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2), testosterone, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free-prostate-specific-antigen (fPSA), and fPSA/PSA levels were detected by ELISA and enzyme assay, respectively. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities were measured by gelatin-zymography. Covariates were considered as age, status of cigarette smoking, and a possible history of diabetes mellitus (DM). The frequency of -1575 MMP-2 A/A + A/G and -1562 MMP-9 C/T + T/T genotypes were higher in PCa-patients with DM (74.3%,p = 0.003) and with smoking habits (72.5%,p = 0.005). These genotypes were associated with the increased risk of prostate cancer in smokers (3.52-folds) and in individuals with history of DM (4.34-folds). A significant positive association was found between level of TIMPs (TIMP -1 and TIMP-2) and BMI in PCa-patients and also between testosterone levels and MMP-9 activity in healthy control subjects. For the first time, this study demonstrated that activities of MMP-2 -1575G/A and MMP-9 -1562C/T variants in association with smoking and diabetes are considered significant risk factors for PCa.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology , Matrix Metalloproteinase 2/genetics , Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/genetics , Polymorphism, Genetic , Prostatic Neoplasms/epidemiology , Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics , Smoking/epidemiology , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Comorbidity , Genotype , Humans , Iran/epidemiology , Male , Matrix Metalloproteinase 2/blood , Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/blood , Middle Aged , Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood , Prostatic Neoplasms/blood , Prostatic Neoplasms/enzymology , Risk Factors , Testosterone/blood , Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1/blood , Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2/blood , Young AdultABSTRACT
AIM: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the prevalent endocrine-metabolic disorders. It is proposed that oxidative stress contributes to PCOS susceptibility and its metabolic associations. The current study aimed to investigate the influence of GPx1 (rs1050450), MnSOD (rs4880), and Catalase (rs1001179) variants with PCOS susceptibility, for the first time. METHODS: In a case-control study, 350 Kurdish female volunteers (175 PCOS patients and 175 healthy controls) from Western Iran were studied. Genotyping for GPx1 and MnSOD were done using PCR-RFLP and for CAT the allele-specific PCR method was used. RESULTS: The percentage of patients suffering from hirsutism, acne, and acanthosis among patients with PCOS were 44.6%, 30.3%, and 14.9%, respectively. Distribution of alleles among patients suffering from PCOS versus healthy women was 'Pro' (69.1% vs 68.8%) and 'Leu' (31.4% vs 31.2%) for Gpx1, 'Ala' (61.43% vs 56.57%) and 'Val' (38.57% vs 43.43%) for MnSOD, and 'C' (83.43% vs 84.57%) and 'T' (16.57% vs 15.43%) for CAT. CONCLUSION: GPx1 (rs1050450), MnSOD (rs4880), and CAT (rs1001179) variants might not be a risk factor for PCOS.
ABSTRACT
In this paper, a new extraction method based on countercurrent liquid-liquid microextraction (CLLME) has been developed for the extraction and preconcentration of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in plasma and urine samples prior to their analysis by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). In this method, firstly, 5 ml of water is added to the extraction vessel. Then 30.0 µl of the extracting solvent is added to it in order for the extracting solvent to be placed in the narrow-necked vessel. In total, 10 ml of a standard solution or a pretreated real sample is added to the sample container and it is connected to the extraction vessel via a connector. While opening the embedded valve at the bottom of the sample container and the one in the extraction vessel, the sample solution flows into the extracting solvent with the same flow rate, leading to the successful extraction of metal ligand into the extracting organic solvent. Under the optimum conditions, calibration curves are linear in the range of 0.1-50 µg l-1, and limit of detections (LODs) are in the range of 0.03-0.05 µg l-1. The enhancement factor and enrichment factor were in the range of 220-240 and 198-212, respectively. Repeatability (intra-day) and reproducibility (inter-day) of method based on seven replicate measurements of 5.0 µg l-1 of arsenic were in the range of 2.3-3.5% and 4.0-5.7%, respectively. The applicability of the proposed CLLME and ETAAS methods was demonstrated by analyzing the iAs in spiked urine and plasma samples. The obtained recoveries of the arsenic in the range of 92-107% indicated the excellent capability of the developed method for speciation of arsenic from plasma and urine samples. Graphical Abstract á .
Subject(s)
Arsenic/blood , Arsenic/urine , Plasma/chemistry , Spectrophotometry, Atomic/methods , Urine/chemistry , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress affects women fertility and influences on the sperm quality by alterating activities of cholinesterases, a molecular marker of stress-related infertility. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of acetyl-cholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activities and phenotypes in patients with unexplained infertility (idiopathic). It's possible association with inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) and other oxidative stress markers, i.e. before and after intra uterine insemination (IUI). METHODS: In this study, blood samples of 60 patients with unexplained infertility were collected the day before and 24 hr after IUI (between 8 AM and 9 AM after the overnight fasting) and activities of BuChE, AChE, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GpX) and serum levels of thiol proteins (TP), C-reactive protein (CRP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured. Statistical significance was assumed at p<0.05. RESULTS: Before IUI, there was a significant (p=0.048) positive correlation between BuChE activity and plasma TAC and a significant difference in the CAT activity between various BuChE (UU and non-UU) phenotypes. However, after IUI, a significant negative correlation between the AChE activity and BuChE activity was found (p=0.045) and the level of RBC AChE activity was significantly reduced (382.4± 163.19 vs. 586.7±384 IU/grHb, p=0.025). Meanwhile, after IUI, the activities of SOD (1568±847.5 IU/grHb vs. 1126±229.3, p=0.031) and CAT (310±53.4 IU/grHb vs. 338±73, p=0.025) were increased. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that decline in cholinesterases activities may be responsible for stimulation of oxidative stress and inflammation and reduction in fertility rates by IUI.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder associated with obesity. Human and animal studies showed a direct relationship between leptin level and obesity, however, results from different studies were mixed. This study investigated the status of leptin level in PCOS and its relationship with body mass index (BMI) in a group of Iranian women with PCOS. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 40 women with PCOS and 36 healthy women were assigned to experimental and control groups, respectively. Those in the PCOS group were not prescribed any medications for 3 months prior to the study. Fasting blood samples were then collected during the 2(nd) or 3(rd) day of menstruation for laboratory measurement of serum total leptin, blood glucose (fasting blood sugar), serum insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone (LH). RESULTS: Mean BMI of the PCOS and control groups were 26.62 ± 4.03 kg/m(2) and 23.52 ± 2.52 kg/m(2), respectively (P = 0.006). The mean total leptin in the PCO group was also 10.69 ± 5.37 ng/mL and 5.73 ± 2.36 ng/mL in the control group (P = 0.0001). A significant relationship was found between leptin level and BMI as well as LH level among women with PCOS (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between leptin and insulin (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated an increased leptin level among women with PCOS that positively associated with BMI and LH.