Prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis c virus infection among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus [DM]

Subjects and Methods: We included 556 consecutive patients with confirmed type 2 DM attending the Diabetic Clinic of the Bushehr University of Medical Sciences and 733 nondiabetic subjects as controls. Serum levels of fasting blood sugar [FBS], alanine transaminase [ALT], aspartate transaminase [AST], total cholesterol [TCH], and triglycerides [TG] were measured by enzymatic colorimetric methods, and the presence of anti-HCV antibodies was determined by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay. Semi-nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] followed by sequencing was performed on all anti-HCV-seropositive samples. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 17, and descriptive statistics, ÷2 test, Fisher exact test, and the Student t test were used for analysis

Results: The seroprevalence of HCV in the diabetic patients was 1.98% [11/556], which was higher than HCV prevalence among the nondiabetic controls [4/733, 0.54%] [p = 0.032]. No significant differences in ALT, AST, FBS, TG, and TCH levels were found between the HCV-seropositive and HCV-seronegative diabetic patients, although HCV-seropositive diabetic patients tended to have higher ALT, AST, and TCH levels, but lower TG and FBS levels than HCV-seronegative patients. In logistic regression analysis, only AST levels were significantly associated with HCV seropositivity among diabetic patients. The AST level of 41–80 IU/L was the only significant predictive variable for HCV seropositivity in the diabetic patients [odds ratio, 4.89; 95% CI: 1.06–22.49; p = 0.041]. Of the 11 HCV-seropositive diabetic patients, 10 [91%] had HCV viremia with genotype 3a

Conclusion: Patients with type 2 DM had a higher prevalence of HCV infection than controls, and HCV seropositivity was independent of biochemical parameters

Effects of Hydro-alcoholic Extract from Arctium lappa L. (Burdock) Root on Gonadotropins, Testosterone, and Sperm Count and Viability in Male Mice with Nicotinamide/ Streptozotocin-Induced Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Reproductive dysfunction is a complication of diabetes. Arctium lappa (burdock) root has hypoglycemic and antioxidative properties, which are traditionally used for treatment of impotence and sterility. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of its hydro alcoholic extract on gonadotropin, testosterone, and sperm parameters in nicotinamide/ streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Methods: In this experimental study, 56 adult male Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice (30–35 g) were randomly divided into seven groups: control, diabetes, diabetes + glibenclamide (0.25 mg/kg), diabetes + extract (200 or 300 mg/kg), and extract (200 or 300 mg/kg). Diabetes was induced with intraperitoneal injection of nicotinamide (NA) and streptozotocin (STZ). Twenty-four hours after the last extract and drug administration, serum samples, testes, and cauda epididymis were removed immediately for experimental assessment. Results: Body weight, serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone levels, and sperm count (P < 0.05) and viability (P < 0.01) decreased in diabetic mice. Administration of glibenclamide significantly improved these reductions in diabetic animals (P < 0.05). However, the hydro alcoholic extract (300 mg/kg) enhanced sperm viability only in diabetic mice (P < 0.01). In addition, this dose of extract increased sperm count, LH, FSH, and testosterone in nondiabetic animals compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results indicate that applied burdock root extract has anti-infertility effects in nondiabetic mice. Hence, this part of the A. lappa plant has an effect on the health of the reproductive system in order to improve diabetic conditions.

Development of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays Using 2 Truncated ORF2 Proteins for Detection of IgG Antibodies Against Hepatitis E Virus

BACKGROUND: Without appropriate culture systems for hepatitis E virus (HEV), sufficient natural viral proteins are difficult to generate for use in serological tests. Therefore, it is important to produce large amounts of HEV recombinant proteins in an economical way. The present study developed ELISAs using 2 truncated forms of the HEV open reading frame (ORF) 2 protein in order to detect anti-HEV IgG in serum samples. METHODS: Two truncated forms of the ORF2 protein were expressed in Escherichia coli and were purified by Ni2+-chelate-affinity chromatography (Qiagen, Germany). Two ELISAs were developed using these proteins and were compared with DIA.PRO HEV IgG ELISA kit (DIA.PRO. Italy) in 220 serum samples. RESULTS: High yields of the target proteins were obtained through codon optimization. The concentration and purity of the proteins were improved with Amicon filters (EMD Millipore, USA). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting analysis of the resultant proteins showed a protein band of approximately 60 kDa corresponding to ORF2.1 (amino acids 112-660) and a protein band of approximately 55 kDa corresponding to ORF2.2 (amino acids 112-607). Positive agreement, negative agreement, and concordance of the 2 in-house ELISAs compared with DIA.PRO HEV IgG ELISA kit were 87%, 99.5%, and 98.1%, respectively (kappa=0.899, P=0.625). CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed ELISAs are useful for detecting anti-HEV IgG in serum samples and are highly concordant with DIA.PRO HEV IgG ELISA kit.