Probiotics and prebiotics alleviate behavioral deficits, inflammatory response, and gut dysbiosis in prenatal VPA-induced rodent model of autism.

Autism spectrum disorders are neuropsychiatric conditions characterized by social interaction and communication disorders and repetitive stereotypical behaviors. These disorders are also accompanied by an inflammatory status. Bidirectional communication between microbiome, gut, and brain has been discovered as a major mechanism influencing core symptoms and biomarkers of autism. Therefore, the modulation of the gut microbiota in autism has recently attracted interest. In this study, probiotic- and prebiotic-mediated modulation of the gut microbiota was compared in terms of different symptoms and findings in an experimental autism model. Valproic acid (VPA) (500 mg/kg) was administered to Wistar rats (on prenatal day 12.5) to induce autistic-like behaviors. Based on the supply of probiotics and prebiotics, animals were grouped as control (saline), autistic-like (prenatal VPA), probiotic (prenatal VPA + 22.5 × 109 cfu/day probiotic), prebiotic (prenatal VPA + 100 mg/day prebiotic), and combined treatment (prenatal VPA + 22.5 × 109 cfu/day probiotic + 100 mg/day prebiotic). After the treatment process, behavioral tests (social behaviors, anxiety, stereotypical behavior, sensorimotor gating, and behavioral despair) and biochemical analyses (serum and brain tissue) were conducted, and the quantities of some phyla and genera were determined in stool samples. Significant positive effects of probiotic and combined treatments were observed on the sociability, social interaction, and anxiety parameters. In addition, all three treatments had positive effects on stereotypical behavior. However, the treatments did not affect sensorimotor gating deficits and behavioral despair. Further, probiotic treatment reversed the VPA-induced increase and decrease in serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels, respectively. Combined treatment also significantly increased the IL-10 levels. Prenatal VPA exposure decreased 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels in the prefrontal cortex of the brain; however, combined treatment reversed this decrease. Prenatal VPA exposure also caused a decrease in Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio in the gut microbiota, while the probiotic treatment significantly increased this ratio. These findings indicate that probiotic- and prebiotic-mediated microbial modulation may represent a new therapeutic approach to alleviate autistic-like symptoms.

Investigation of ischemia-modified albumin levels and some atherosclerosis-related serum parameters in patients with diabetic foot.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To investigate serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) levels, and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity in patients with diabetic foot. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), 30 patients with diabetic foot (29 and 27 of these patients had type 2 DM, respectively), and 30 healthy volunteers as the control group were included in the study. The patients with diabetic foot were divided into 2 groups, as those who had or had not undergone lower extremity amputation. Serum PON1 activity, ox-LDL, and IMA levels were measured. RESULTS: Serum PON1 activity was lower (P < 0.05) and ox-LDL levels were higher (P < 0.05) in the diabetic foot group than in the control and diabetes groups. Albumin-adjusted IMA values were higher (P < 0.001) in the diabetic foot group compared to the diabetes group. The postamputation levels of IMA were decreased compared to the preamputation condition (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The low activity of PON1 and the high levels of ox-LDL and IMA may play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic foot. The use of these parameters in the follow-up of patients with DM may prevent the development of diabetic foot. In order to reach a definitive judgment, further studies with a larger number of subjects are necessary.