Apelin rs2235306 polymorphism is not related to metabolic syndrome in Egyptian women

Apelin is an adipokine that was identified to play a role in the control of glucose homeostasis. Apelin rs2235306 gene polymorphism was linked to insulin resistance and poor glycemic control. To assess the relation of apelin rs2235306 polymorphism with metabolic syndrome and its component traits in Egyptian women from Suez Canal area. The study included 100 metabolic syndrome patients and 100 healthy female subjects. The component traits of metabolic syndrome were determined and the genotypes of the polymorphisms were assessed using tetra amplification refractory mutation system polymer-ase chain reaction [T-ARMS-PCR] technique. There was no significant difference in the allele frequencies between the metabolic syndrome and control groups [P = 0.841]. There was also no association of the different genotypes of this polymorphism with any of the component traits of metabolic syndrome. Apelin rs2235306 polymorphism is not associated with the incidence of metabolic syndrome in the studied population

Adiponectin single nucleotide polymorphism [+276G/T] and its possible relation to adiponectin level in Egyptian patients with coronary artery disease

Increasing interest has been directed toward the role of the adiponectin gene polymorphism in the human genome and its implication in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. The present study was investigating the association between the single nucleotide polymorphism +276 G/T of the adiponectin gene with serum adiponectin level in patients with coronary artery disease [CAD]. In this study 100 healthy controls and 100 Egyptian patients with coronary artery disease of both genders presented to the Cardiology Department of Suez Canal University Hospital were investigated. All subjects were genotyped for +276 G/T polymorphism of adiponectin gene. Lipid profile, fasting blood glucose were measured. Adiponectin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were determined by ELISA technique. Polymerase chain reaction based on restriction fragment length polymorphism [PCR-RFLP] was used to determine the genotypes of the studied population. The lowest serum adiponectin value was observed in patients with CAD compared with control group. The T allele of SNP +276 G/T in the adiponectin gene was found to be associated with CAD [odd ratio 2.23; 95% CI: 1.44-3.45; P= 0.001]. The significant association of the T allele [GT+TT] of this SNP with loweradiponectin level and higher hsCRP levels was confirmed in the study [p= 0.003 and 0.006 respectively]. Our results concluded that, +276 G/T SNP in the adiponectin gene is associated with CAD. Furthermore, carriers of the at-risk T allele had lower serum adiponectin level and higher serum hsCRP, causing in turn an increased risk to develop CAD

Anticonvulsant effects of 1, alpha-hydroxy-vitamin D in comparison to the conventional antiepileptic drug phenytoin in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy in rats

Conventional antiepileptic drugs fail to adequately control seizures and exhibit unfavorable side effects. Vitamin D3 [Cholecalciferol], has its essential role in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, and is involved in regulating the functions of the central nervous system. Moreover, it has long been known that chronic treatment with antiepileptic drugs impairs mineral homeostasis in epileptic patients, leading to marked hypocalcaeinia and reduced plasma levels of vitamin D which in turn may increase seizure]. to test the possible role of the neurosteroid hormone 1, alpha-hydroxy vitamin D3 [1, alpha vit. D3], an active form of Vitamin D3 in epilepsy and its interactions with the conventional antiepileptic drug phenytoin in the pilocarpine induced seizures in rats two experiments were performed. Experiment 1 was conducted to measure seizures severity, oxidative markers and calcium level in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy: live groups of rats were used. 1-Control group received saline intraperitoneal [i.p.] only, 2-control epileptic group received pilocarpine 320 mg/kg i.p., 3-vitamine D3 treated group received 1, alpha-H vit. D3 40 ng/kg i.p. one hour before pilocarpine, 4-Phenytoin treated group received 11.2mg/kg phenytoin i.p., 2 hours before pilocarpine and 5-both 1, alpha-H vit. D3 and phenytoin treated group in the same doses mentioned before. Experiment 2 was conducted to test the effect of chronic treatment for one week with 1, alpha-H vit. D3, phenytoin or both on oxidative markers, calcium level and behavioral tests in rats. Overall, compared to the saline-treated control animals, the 1, alpha-H vit. D3 -treated rats demonstrated reduced severity of pilocarpine induced seizures, with decreased levels of oxidative markers. Co-administration of 1, alpha-H vit. D3 with phenytoin resulted in a significant reduction of seizure severity and duration. Furthermore, 1.alpha-H vit. D3 potentiated the anticonvulsant activity of phenytoin and reduced its undesirable effects as regard increase in oxidative markers and memory impairment that were induced by phenytoin. These findings show that Vitamin 0 plays a direct anticonvulsant role in the brain and suggest that the Vitamin D may represent a new anticonvulsant drug increasing the efficacy of conventional antiepileptic drugs

Diversity of culturable actinobacteria isolated from two Red Sea sponges

This study describes actinobacteria isolated from two Red Sea sponges collected from Ras Mohammed, Sinai, Egypt. Traditional aerobic plate culture and molecular identification of the 16S rDNA region were used for this purpose. A total of 35 actinobacteria were isolated using media selective for actinobacteria. 1 6S rRNA gene sequence analysis of aIkaloidproducing isolates revealed bacteria with phylogenetic affiliations to Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes. The phylogenetic analysis of actinobacterial isolates showed that the isolates belonged to the genera Nocardiopsis sp., Kocuria sp., Curtobacterium sp., Micrococcus sp., Salinispora sp., and Brevibacterium sp. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the culturable actinobacteria isolated from a marine sponge from the Red Sea. In addition, our work provides an excellent resource of several candidate bacteria for production of novel pharmaceutically important compounds