RESUMO
Background: It has been proposed that oxidative stress may contribute to the development of testicular abnormalities in diabetes. Morus alba leaf extract [MAE] has hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties. We, therefore, explored the impact of the administration of MAE on steroidogenesis in diabetic rats
Methods: To address this hypothesis, we measured the serum level of glucose, insulin, and free testosterone [Ts] as well as oxidative stress parameters [including glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde] in the testis of control, untreated and MAE-treated [1 g/day/kg] diabetic rats. In order to determine the likely mechanism of MAE action on Ts levels, we analyzed the quantitative mRNA expression level of the two key steroidogenic proteins, namely steroid acute regulatory protein [StAR] and P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme [P450scc], by real-time PCR
Results: The MAE-treated diabetic rats had significantly decreased glucose levels and on the other hand increased insulin and free Ts levels than the untreated diabetic rats. In addition, the administration of MAE to the diabetic rats restored the oxidative stress parameters toward control. Induction of diabetes decreased testicular StAR mRNA expression by 66% and MAE treatment enhanced mRNA expression to the same level of the control group. However, the expression of P540scc was not significantly decreased in the diabetic group as compared to the control group
Conclusion: Our findings indicated t hat M AE significantly increased Ts production in the diabetic rats, probably through the induction of StAR mRNA expression levels. Administration of MAE to experimental models of diabetes can effectively attenuate oxidative stress-mediated testosterone depletion
RESUMO
Background: DNA methyltransferase-3B [DNMT3B] is an important enzyme responsible for maintaining the DNA methylation pattern in eukaryotic cells. In this study we have investigated the correlation between the 46359C[rightwards arrow]T polymorphism in the DNMT3B gene and the risk of breast cancer incidence among sporadic breast cancer patients in Fars Province, Southern Iran
Methods: In this case-control study, 100 breast cancer patients and 138 healthy control subjects were genotyped for the DNMT3B gene by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method
Results: The genotype frequency in the case [CC 27%, CT 47%, TT 26%] group significantly [P=0.008] differed from the control [CC 19.56%, CT 67.3%, TT 13%] group. We observed a decreased association between the CT genotype and lymph node involvement in breast cancer patients. Our results have shown that in comparison to the homozygous CC genotype carriers the DNMT3B-CT genotype has a significantly lower risk for breast cancer [OR=0.515, 95% CI=0.267-0.994, P=0.048]
Conclusion: Our case-control study showed that the CT genotype was significantly associated with decreased breast cancer risk. Consistent with these results, a significant decrease of CT genotype among lymph node positive breast cancer patients was observed. However, a larger study population with more clinical data is needed to confirm these results
RESUMO
Oxidative stress due to overproduction of reactive oxygen species and impairment in antioxidant defense mechanisms have been suggested as possible factors contributing to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in patients with end-stage renal disease. We compared glutathione levels, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities, and total antioxidant capacity between patients on hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis and healthy individuals. Thirty patients receiving regular hemodialysis and 12 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis were recruited as well as 25 healthy volunteers. Diabetes mellitus, recent febrile or infectious episodes, and hospitalization during the past month were the exclusion criteria. Erythrocyte glutathione level, plasma activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, total antioxidant capacity were determined and compared between the three studied groups. Glutathione levels and glutathione peroxidase activity were markedly lower in the patient groups than in the controls. Conversely, higher activity of glutathione reductase and total antioxidant capacity were noted in the patients than in the controls. There were no significant differences between antioxidant markers of the patients on hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Strong positive correlation were observed between total antioxidant capacity and uric acid in the patients [r = 0.59, P = .045 and r = 0.63, P = .03, respectively]. Although total antioxidant capacity of plasma is increased in patient on dialysis, depletion of glutathione as a key antioxidant component and disturbances in its related enzymes show oxidative stress. This condition may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in patients with end-stage renal disease