Estrogen Receptor Alpha [ESR1] gene polymorphisms in pre-eclamptic Saudi patients

Pre-eclampsia causes maternal mortality worldwide. Estrogen receptor alpha [ESR1] gene polymorphisms were responsible for cardiovascular diseases. This case control study was conducted to investigate whether 2 polymorphic genes of ESR1 are associated with pre-eclampsia among Saudi women in Madina city, Saudi Arabia. Blood samples from 97 pre-eclamptic and 94 healthy pregnant women were analyzed using restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction method. All the subjects were recruited randomly from outpatient clinics of Madina Maternity Children Hospital [MMCH], Madina, Saudi Arabia, between Dec. 2012 and Jan. 2014. There was no association between pre-eclampsia and PvuII and XbaI ESR1 gene polymorphisms individually. TT/AA and TT/AG genotype combination existed significantly in pre-eclamptic patients compared to control. The frequency of PvuII and XbaI combined TT/AA genotypes between pre-eclamptic women was 36.1% vs 9.6%, however, frequency of PvuII and XbaI combined TT/AG genotypes between preeclamptic women was 3.1% vs 17%, compared to control. The homozygous T-A haplotype carriers showed high pre-eclampsia risk, independent of pregnancy, BMI and smoking status [adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 3.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.71-9.21]. The heterozygous T-A haplotype carriers did not differ from that of non-carriers [adjusted OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 0.47-2.75]. No association was observed between pre-eclampsia and T-G, C-G and C-A haplotype of PvuII and XbaIESR1 gene polymorphisms. T-A haplotype of homozygous associated with pre eclampsia not heterozygous carriers of ESR 1 PvuII and XbaI gene polymorphisms elicited high risk of pre-eclampsia. GG genotype of XbaI polymorphism decreased pre-eclampsia risk. Further studies using larger sample size are recommended to investigate the ESR 1 gene polymorphisms associated with pre-eclampsia

Association of vitamin D receptor gene BsmI [A>G] and FokI [C>T] polymorphism in gestational diabetes among Saudi Women

Objective: Vitamin D receptor [VDR] gene polymorphism have a role in diabetes mellitus pathogenesis. Present study was conducted to determine VDR gene variants among Saudi gestational diabetics [GDM] in Madina, KSA

Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 112 GDM patients and 218 normal healthy control. Age, body mass index and blood pressure levels were recorded. Serum triglycerides [mg/dl], total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, fasting blood glucose FBG and post-prandial blood glucose PPBG were estimated. Extracted DNA template was amplified by PCR reaction and genotyped for single nucleotide polymorphism of BsmI and FokI by restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR [RFLP-PCR] analysis

Results: FBG and PPBG levels in GDM patients were significantly elevated by +48.6% and +50%, respectively [P=0.005]. Serum triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol [mg/dl] levels in GDM patients were elevated significantly by +40.5% [P=0.005], +16% [P=0.01] and +30.8% [P=0.005], respectively. Serum HDL-cholesterol [mg/dl] showed significant decline by -10.5%. FokI VDR genotypes showed association with PPBG [P=0.05] among GDM patients. The Ff, FF and ff genotype percentage among GDM patients was 48.2%, 30.4% and 21.4%, respectively. FokI [F and f] and BsmI [B and b] alleles frequency showed no significant difference between GDM patients and control. Percentage BsmI and FokI total homozygous and heterozygous variants among GDM was 45.5% and 81.4%, respectively

Conclusion: VDR BsmI and FokI polymorphic marker not associated with Saudi GDM

Crocin mitigates carbon tetrachloride-induced liver toxicity in rats

Carbon tetrachloride [CCl4] is one of the most dangerous hepatotoxic environmental pollutants thus this study aimed at investigating the potential preventive effect and mechanism of crocin against CCl4- induced hepatotoxicity. Forty Male rats were allocated for two weeks treatment with; corn oil, CCl4 in corn oil, crocin [100 mg/kg], or crocin plus CCl4. At time of euthanasia liver was removed, weighted and processed for histopathological evaluation and estimation of liver contents of active caspase3, lipid peroxidation [MDA] and reduced glutathione [GSH]. We also evaluated antioxidant enzymes activities [superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px] and catalase [CAT]], phase I metabolizing enzyme [cytochrome P450 sub family 2E1 [CYP2E1]] an Phase II metabolizing enzyme, [glutathione-S-transferase [GST]] in liver tissue. Blood samples were used for evaluation of liver function tests and inflammatory cytokines [interleukin 6 [IL-6] and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha]]. CCl4 induced significant [p < 0.001], increase in: relative liver weight to body weight, liver MDA content, liver active caspase-3 and plasma levels of IL-6 and TNF alpha. In addition, CCl4 disturbed liver histology, liver metabolizing enzymes [CYP2E1 and GST], and liver function tests [aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase]. CCl4 induced significant decrease in activities of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and GSH content. Administration of crocin with CCl4 mitigated all CCl4-disturbed parameters and preserved liver histology close to normal. Crocin ameliorated CCl4-induced liver injury via inhibition of inflammatory cytokines, caspase3 and oxidative stress along with modulation of liver metabolizing enzymes favoring elimination of CCl4 toxic metabolite