ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of Ramadan fasting on the level of sex hormones in girls between 9-13 years before age at menarche. This study was conducted on a sample of 58 subjects [age range: 9-13 years], who were divided into two groups of fasting [N=31] and non-fasting [N=27]. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH], progesterone and estradiol were measured in all the subjects before and after Ramadan. Measurements were carried out three days before the start of Ramadan, and one day afterwards. In this study, FSH levels significantly increased in the non-fasting group [P=0.01], and the level of Dehydroepiandrostenedione [DHEA] had a significant decrease during the time of study in both groups [P=0.001, P=0.006]. In addition, serum levels of LH significantly increased in the non-fasting group after Ramadan [P=0.006], and estradiol significantly increased in both groups [P=0.008, P=0.004]. Given the similar changes in the levels of DHEA, progesterone and estradiol in both study groups, it could be concluded that fasting has no effects on these parameters, and the changes in LH and FSH levels could be due to other contributing factors
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The molecular mechanisms involved in pathogenesis of esophageal cancer have been the main concern of several studies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changes of serum prooxidant-antioxidant balance [PAB] values as a redox index, as well as serum C-reactive protein [CRP] compared to healthy control group
Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, blood samples were drawn from 25 patients with esophageal cancer and 25 healthy subjects. Serum CRP and PAB value were measured in all samples according to relevant protocols
Results: Serum CRP was significantly higher in our patients [14.3 +/- 3.2 mg/L] compared to healthy control group [4.6 +/- 1.4 mg/L], with a P-value of less than 0.001. The value of PAB in our patients [133.9 +/- 21.7] was also higher than that of healthy subject [51.3 +/- 11.2], indicating a redox perturbation in favor of oxidants
Conclusion: There was a significant increase in both serum PAB value and CRP in patients with esophageal cancer compared to the control group, which indicated both oxidative stress and inflammatory response in patients with esophageal cancer, respectively
ABSTRACT
Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan. The effects of prolonged food deprivation on endocrine hormones have been studied in healthy adults but no previous study has investigated this effect on children. This study aimed to evaluate the feasible changes in serum level of thyroxin [T3], tetraiodothyronin [T4], thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH] and body composition in pre-menarche girls. This cohort study was performed through Ramadan 2012. We enrolled fifty-eight 9-13 years old girls [weight 34.20 +/- 7.96 kg, height 142.01 +/- 7.76 cm] in two groups from [31 and 27 in fasted and non-fasted groups, respectively] prior to Ramadan until afterwards. Weight and height of the subjects were measured using standard methods, and then Body Mass Index [BMI] was calculated. Body composition was measured using Bio Impedance Analyzer [BIA] method. Serum concentrations of T3, T4 and TSH hormones were measured by Radio Immunoassay [RIA]. Paired t-test was used to compare result of each group before and after Ramadan. Independent t-test was used to compare two groups together. Tanner intervention variable was controlled by generalized linear models intervening test. SPSS.11 software was used for data analysis. Ramadan fasting induces a significant decrease in BMI and weight on fasted group [P=0.005, P=0.044, respectively] while a significant increase was observed in non-fasted group [P<0.001]. Although, T3 decreased significantly by fasting [P<0.001], it remained in the normal range. Hence, T4 decreased and TSH increased slightly in both groups. According to our findings, despite a significant reduction of T3 in fasting group, variation in thyroid hormones level remained in the normal range during Ramadan fasting
ABSTRACT
The thioredoxin system, comprising thioredoxin [Trx], thioredoxin reductase [TrxR] and NADPH, is one of the major cellular antioxidant systems, implicated in a large and growing number of biological functions. Trx acts as an oxidoreductase via a highly conserved dithiol/disulfide motif located in the active site [-Trp-Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys-Lys-]. Different factors are involved in the regulation of Trx activity, including its expression level, localization, protein-protein interactions, post-translational modifications and some chemical inhibitors. Mammalian TrxRs are selenoproteins which have a -Cys-Val-Asn-Val-Gly-Cys- N-terminal active site, as well as a C-terminal selenium-containing active site. Besides two Cys-residues in the redox-regulatory domain of cytosolic Trx [Trxl], human Trxl has three additional Cys-residues. Post-translational modifications of human Trxl which are involved in the regulation of its activity can happen via modification of Cys-residues including thiol oxidation, glutathionylation and S-nitrosylation or via modification of other amino acid residues such as nitration of Tyr-49. Because of the numerous functions of the thioredoxin system, its inhibition [mainly happens via the targeting TrxR] can result in major cellular consequences, which are potentially pro-oxidant in nature, leading to cell death via necrosis or apoptosis if overexpression of Trx and other antioxidati ve enzymes can not recuperate cell response. Considering this feature, several anticancer drugs have been used which can inhibit TrxR. Elevated levels of Trx and/or TrxR have been reported in many different human malignancies, positively correlated with aggressive tumor growth and poor prognosis. Moreover, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects of Trx are reasons to study its clinical application as a drug