Chronic Opium Treatment Can Differentially Induce Brain and Liver Cells Apoptosis in Diabetic and Non-diabetic Male and Female Rats

It has been shown that some opium derivatives promote cell death via apoptosis. This study was designed to examine the influence of opium addiction on brain and liver cells apoptosis in male and female diabetic and non-diabetic Wistar rats. This experimental study was performed on normal, opium-addicted, diabetic and diabetic opium-addicted male and female rats. Apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL and DNA fragmentation assays. Results of this study showed that apoptosis in opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted brain and liver cells were significantly higher than the both normal and diabetic rats. In addition, we found that apoptosis in brain cells of opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted male rats were significantly higher than opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted female, whereas apoptosis in liver cells of opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted female rats were significantly higher than opium-addicted and diabetic opium-addicted male. Overall, these results indicate that opium probably plays an important role in brain and liver cells apoptosis, therefore, leading neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. These findings also in away possibly means that male brain cells are more susceptible than female and interestingly liver of females are more sensitive than males in induction of apoptosis by opium.

Impact of opium on the serum levels of TGF-beta in diabetic, addicted and addicted-diabetic rats

Several cells of immune system such as regulatory T cells and macrophages secrete transforming growth factor-beta [TGF-beta] in response to different stimuli. This cytokine has inhibitory effect on immune system and diminished production of this cytokine is associated with autoimmune disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of opium addiction on serum level of TGF-beta in male and female diabetic and non-diabetic Wistar rats. This experimental study was performed on normal, opium addicted, diabetic and addicted-diabetic male and female rats. Serum level of TGF-beta was measured by ELISA. The results of our study indicated that the mean serum level of TGF-beta in female addicted rats was significantly increased compared to control group [p<0.004]. Conversely, in male addicted rats the mean serum level of TGF-beta was lower compared with control [p<0.065]. Our results suggest that opium and its derivatives have differential inductive effects on the cytokine expression in male and female rats

Evaluation of relation between IL-4 and IFN-gamma polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes

Although, type 2 diabetes is the most frequent type of diabetes, its main cause is yet to be clarified. Several environmental and genetic parameters are believed to be involved in diabetes. It has also been established that cytokines play key roles in pathogenesis of diabetes. Expression of cytokines is different from person to person and in different societies. Several studies showed that polymorphisms of +874 of interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma] and -590 of interleukin-4 [IL-4] are associated with the regulation of expression of these genes. This study was aimed to find polymorphisms of these regions in type 2 diabetes patients. In this experimental study peripheral blood samples were collected from 160 type 2 diabetic patients and 160 healthy controls. DNA was extracted by salting out method. Polymorphisms of +874 of 1FN-gamma and -590 of IL-4 were analyzed by ARMS-PCR and RFLP-PCR. Our findings indicated that TT genotype of IFN-gamma was increased in type 2 diabetic patients compared to the control but difference was not significant. Our results didn't show any significant difference between IL-4 genotype in diabetic and healthy controls either. Our results suggested that TT genotype of IFN-gamma can be associated with diabetes. This association can be described by the fact that over expression of IFN-gamma shifts immune system to Th 1; therefore, pancreatic cells can be miscarried by immune cells