ABSTRACT
Backgrounds and Objectives: Diabetes type 2 is a metabolic disorder that affects many organs through chronic high blood levels of glucose. The GLUT4 translocation from cytosolic component to the cell membrane is the most important mechanism and strategy to compensate this situation. At the present study, we aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of anti-diabetic and hypoglycemic effects of ginger, through evaluating the translocation of GLUT4 in C2C12 myotubes
Material and Methods: In an experimental study, the C2C12 cells were treated with 50microgr/mL concentration of ethyl acetate ginger extract for 3 hours. Sub-cellular fractions were made by centrifugation from homogenized myotubes. After preparation of cytosolic and membrane fractions, the amount of GLUT-4 [an important glucose transporter] was determined using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel [SDS PAGE] electrophoresis, western blotting and chemiluminescent methods. Finally, gel documents software gene tools were used to analyze subcellular expression of the transporter
Results: The expression of GLUT4 was considerably higher in the ginger-treated cells [112.2 +/- 2.41] compared to the control [the DMSO-treated cells] [98.62 +/- 3.92] [P value < 0.05]. Also, the amount of GLUT4 in membrane fraction of cells treated with ginger extract [100 +/- 0] was higher compared to the DMSO-treated cells [78.46 +/- 5.84]. The amount of GLUT4 in cytosolic fraction of cells treated with ginger extract [12.22 +/- 2.41] was lower compared to the control [the DMSO-treated cells] [20.15 +/- 2.56]. These results show an enhanced translocation of GLUT4 from cytosolic fraction to the cell membrane fraction in the ginger-treatments
Conclusion: One of the mechanisms and also the most important anti-diabetic effects of ginger would be to decrease insulin resistance increasing GLUT4 translocation to the cell membrane, which declines following diabetic complications
ABSTRACT
Anti-Mullerian hormone [AMH] is secreted by the granulosa cells of growing follicles during the primary to large antral follicle stages. Abnormal levels of AMH and follicle stimulating hormone [FSH] may indicate a woman's diminished ability or inability to conceive. Our aim is to investigate the changes in serum AMH and FSH concentrations at different age groups and its correlation with ovarian reserves in infertile women. This cross-sectional study analyzed serum AMH and FSH levels from 197 infertile women and 176 healthy controls, whose mean ages were 19-47 years. Sample collection was performed by random sampling and analyzed with SPSS version 16 software. There were significantly lower mean serum AMH levels among infertile women compared to the control group. The mean AMH serum levels from different ages of infertile and control group [fertile women] decreased with increasing age. However, this reduction was greater in the infertile group. The mean FSH serum levels of infertile women were significantly higher than the control group. Mean serum FSH levels consistently increased with increasing age in infertile women; however mean luteinizing hormone [LH] levels were not consistent. We have observed increased FSH levels and decreased AMH levels with increasing age in women from 19 to 47 years of age. Assessments of AMH and FSH levels in combination with female age can help in predicting ovarian reserve in infertile women