Association of plasma folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels with hypermethylation status of Eralphagene in primary breast carcinoma

The translation of estrogen receptor- a [ERa] is vital in therapeutic regimens in breast cancer. The repression of its expression could be attributed to regional CpG island methylation in exon1. We aimed to explore the association of plasma levels of folate, vitamin B12 and total homocysteine [tHcy] with the hypermethylation status of ERa genes in breast cancer patients. The hypermethylation status was determined in dissected tissues from 137 primary breast cancer patients aged 28-85 years, using methylation-specific PCR. In addition, the plasma levels of folate and vitamin B12 of the patients were assessed by automated chemiluminescence, and their total plasma homocysteine was determined by HPLC. The logistic regression analysis was used for analyzing the data after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Hypermethylation at ERa was observed in 51.1% of the participants. It was related positively to smoking history and duration of exposure to estradiol, and inversely with ER translation. After adjustments for confounding factors, an inverse association was also found between the hypermethylation status of ERa gene and the plasma levels of folate [OR=0.187; 95%CI, 0.052-0.668] and vitamin B12 [OR=0.185; 95%CI, 0.036-0.953]. The data also showed that the risk of hypermethylation at ERa gene increased with the high plasma levels of tHcy [OR=9.61; 95%CI, 1.26-73.2]. It may be concluded that a high plasma tHcy level can potentially increase the risk of hypermethylation of the ERa gene, while plasma folate and vitamin B12 levels may reduce the risk, in cancer patients

[Comparison of the effects of a fish oil-containing diet, a diet containing an oil mixture based on the Iranian fat consumption pattern, and a standard diet on the serum glucose level and insulin sensitivity in rats]

Information on the effects of different types of fat on insulin sensitivity is limited. The present study was designed to compare the effects of feeding a fish oil-containing diet, a diet containing an oil mixture based on the Iranian fat consumption pattern, and a standard diet from the fetal period till puberty on the serum glucose and insulin sensitivity in Wistar rats. Thirty female Wistar rats were randomly allocated to three dietary groups: a standard diet [containing soy bean-oil], a diet containing fish oil, and a diet containing an oil mixture based on the Iranian population fatty acid intake. Dams in each group were fed one of the diets during pregnancy and lactation, and in each case the pups born were weaned onto the same diet. Fasting serum glucose level [by photometry] and insulin [by ELISA] were measured in the pups and insulin sensitivity was calculated at puberty. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and the one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests. The fasting serum insulin level and insulin sensitivity in the fish oil-fed group were significantly lower [P=0.018] and higher [P=0.002], respectively, than in the other two groups. It seems a diet containing fish oil [rich in long chain omega-3 fatty acids] causes a higher insulin sensitivity, as compared to diets containing either soy bean oil [rich in omega-6 fatty acids] or mixed oil based on the Iranian dietary fatty acid pattern [rich in saturated fatty acids]

[Comparison of the effects of a fish-oil containing diet, a diet with a fat composition based on the Iranian fat consumption pattern, and a standard diet on pathologic changes in the wistar rat liver]

Information of the effects of different types of fat on liver pathology is limited. The present study was designed to compare the effects of a fish-oil containing diet, a diet with a fat composition based on the Iranian fat consumption pattern, and a standard diet on pathologic changes in the Wistar rat liver. Thirty female Wistar rats were randomly allocated to one of three diets: a standard diet [containing soy bean-oil], a diet containing fish oil, and one containing mixed oil based on the Iranian population fatty acid intake. Dams in each group were fed one of the diets during pregnancy and lactation, and the pups were weaned onto the same diet. Hepato-cellular pathology in pups was assessed on days 21 and 70 postnatal. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software and Kruskal-Wallis test. Fish oil-fed and Iranian mixed oil-fed pups showed more ductular cell hyperplasia on day 70 postnatal, as compared to the soy bean oil-fed pups [p=0.005]. The pathologic changes increased from day 21 to day 70 in all the 3 groups [p=0.002]. The magnitude of the increase was significant in the fish oil-fed rats [p=0.007]. A diet containing fish oil as the only fat source and a diet with the Iranian population fatty acid intake pattern may lead to pathologic changes in the rat liver. It seems this adverse effect increases by age of the animal