Avicenna Journal of Medical Biochemistry
Year:2015 | Volume:3 | Issue:1|Papers Count:6

Background: Tamoxifen (TMX) is a synthetic drug that is widely used for treatment of breast cancer. Despite the beneficial effects of TMX, the use of this drug has several side effects such as the development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in the patients. Silybum marianum is the most researched plant in treatment of liver disease.Objectives: In this study the effect of Silybum marianum Extract (SME) on histological and biochemical parameters in TMX-treated rats was investigated.Materials and Methods: Adult female Wistar rats were divided to four groups; 1) normal control untreated rats, 2) SME-treated rats, that received only SME in a dose of 1.6 g/kg body weight/day, oral gavage for 14 days, 3) TMX-treated rats, that received TMX in a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight/day, subcutaneously, for seven days, 4) TMX-SME-treated rats, that received TMX in a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight/day, subcutaneously, for seven days and then SME by oral gavage for 14 days. The groups were compared in terms of serum glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), High-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (HDL-C), Low-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (LDL-C), total protein and liver triglyceride amount, and histological findings.Results: Concentrations of HDL-C and protein decreased and activity of ALT increased in TMX group compared with the control group. The SME increased protein concentration and decreased ALT activity in TMX-SME group compared with the TMX group. Histopathological examination and triglyceride assay in liver tissues showed lipid accumulation in the TMX-treated rats and amelioration of lipid accumulation in the liver of TMX-SME-treated rats.Conclusions: Intake of water extract of Silybum marianum is a useful treatment for liver function in drug-induced fatty liver.

Background: Combination therapy plays an important role in the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD).Objectives: The aim of this experiment was to study the influence of garlic combined with ezetimibe on lipid profile as well as intestinal Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) expression in normal and hypercholesterolemic mice.Materials and Methods: A total of 40 mice were randomly divided into five groups: Group 1: hypercholesterolemic group (received 2% w/w cholesterol+0.5% w/w cholic acid in their diet), Group 2: garlic group (hypercholesterolemic diet+4% w/w garlic extract), Group 3: ezetimibe group (hypercholesterolemic diet+0.005% w/w ezetimibe), Group 4: combination group (hypercholesterolemic diet+0.005% w/w ezetimibe+4% w/w garlic) and Group 5: control (chow only).Results: Serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) levels were significantly decreased in ezetimibe, garlic (both P<0.05), and combination groups (P<0.001). Also, triglycerides and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C) were significantly lower in garlic and combination groups (P<0.05). Liver enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), were also significantly decreased in garlic, ezetimibe (both P<0.05) and combination groups (P<0.001) in comparison with hypercholesterolemic animals. Analysis of semi quantitative RT-PCR results showed that the levels of NPC1L1 was also significantly less (P<0.01) in the garlic, ezetimibe, and combination groups (P<0.001) compared with the controls. Based on the results, the combination of garlic and ezetimibe can lower serum lipids and liver enzymes more effectively in hypercholesterolemic mice.Conclusions: This experiment revealed that a possible mechanism for the beneficial effects of garlic and ezetimibe combination in lowering plasma LDL-C and TC is inhibition of intestinal cholesterol absorption. More research might be necessary to determine the efficacy and the exact mechanism of this co-administration.

Background: A growing body of literature suggests that systemic inflammation is associated with obesity, type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome.Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of three months of aerobic training on serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-a), as an inflammatory cytokine, in males with type II diabetes.Patients and Methods: Twenty-four adult obese males aged 38 to 48 years and Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 to 36 kg/m 2 with type II diabetes were randomly divided to exercise (n=12) and control (n=12) groups. The exercise group completed an aerobic training program (for three months, three times/week) and the control group did not participate in the exercise program. Fasting serum TNF-a and all anthropometrical markers were measured before and after the training program. Data was analyzed by independent-paired sample T test.Results: Exercise training resulted in a significant increase in body weight (P<0.001), body fat percentage (P<0.001), BMI (P<0.001) and abdominal circumference (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in serum TNF-a before-compared to after-training program (P=0.83).Conclusions: Based on these data, we conclude that the aerobic training program does not have an anti-inflammatory property with emphasis on serum TNF-a in type II diabetic patients.

Background: Matrix metalloproteinases contain more than 20 enzymes that require zinc for their activities. Gelatinases are one of the subtypes of matrixmetalloproteinases, which degrade gelatin and collagen type 4, and are present in male reproductive tissues such as in prostate. G1575A Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) gene polymorphism affects MMP-2 activity.Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of G1575A matrix metalloproteinase-2 gene polymorphism in fertile and infertile men.Patients and Methods: In this study 200 fertile men as controls and 200 idiopathic infertile men as cases were investigated. For genotyping thefertile and infertile group the Polymerase Chain Reaction–Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used.Results: Genotype frequencies of G/A in fertile and infertile men were significantly different (X2=4.16, df=1, p=0.041). Genotype frequencies of G/G and A/Ain fertile and infertile men were not significantly different (X2=3.32, df=1, P=0.068 and X2=0.521, df=1, P=0.47, respectively). The risk of infertility was 1.43 folds higher in individuals with the A/A genotype compared to those with the G/G genotype. In men with the A/A genotype the risk of infertility was 2.14 folds higher than individuals with the G/A genotype.Conclusions: These finding suggests that genetic variation of MMP can affect male infertility.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common chronic genetic disease of the central nervous system. The relapsing-remitting-MS (RR-MS) is the most common form of this disease. Matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) is an important member of the MMP family, which degrades many extracellular matrix components. The common polymorphism of MMP-7 A-181G is associated with some diseases.Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of this polymorphism on the risk of RR-MS.Materials and Methods: Eighty RR-MS patients and 80 healthy individuals as controls from the Kermanshah province were studied for MMP-7 A-181G polymorphism by using the PCR-RFLP method. Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software package version 16.0.Results: In RR-MS patients the frequency of MMP-7 GG genotype was significantly (P=0.028) higher compared to that of the controls. The presence of GG genotype increased the risk of RR-MS by 1.69 times [OR=1.69 and 95% CI=1.05- 2.72, P=0.03]. The frequency of MMP-7 G allele in RR-MS patients was significantly higher (51.2%, P=0.043) than that of the controls (40%). The presence of this allele increased the risk of RR-MS by 1.58 folds (P=0.044).Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the presence of G allele of MMP-7 A-181G polymorphism might increase the risk of RR-MS in our population.

Background: Resistin is a recently discovered signal molecule that has been linked to obesity, type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome.Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether serum resistin is associated with insulin resistance and glucose concentration in males with T2DM.Patients and Methods: Thirty two adult non-trained males with type II diabetes, 34-48 years old and 88-110 kg of body weight, participated in this study by accessible sampling. Fasting blood samples were collected from all participants in order to measure serum resistin, insulin and glucose concentration. Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated using fasting insulin and glucose. Relations between variables were determined by Pearson correlations.Results: We found that serum resistin had a positive significant correlation with insulin resistance (P=0.000, r=0.64). No significant correlation was found between serum resistin and fasting glucose concentration in the studied patients (P=0.21, r=0.23).Conclusions: Based on these data, we can argue that circulating glucose concentration is not directly affected by serum resistin in T2DM. It seems that resistin affects glucose indirectly, through insulin resistance.