The A1298C Mutation in Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene and Its Association With Idiopathic Venous Thrombosis in an Iranian Population

The Effect of Wet Cupping (Al-hijamah) and Limonene on Oxidative Stress and Biochemical Parameters in Diabetic Rats

Background: According to the international diabetes federation, 629 million adults will suffer from diabetes by 2045. Wet cupping therapy is a combination of bleeding and dry cupping and has been used in traditional medicine as a complementary therapy for diabetes. Limonene was shown to have both antioxidant and antidiabetic activity but its potential alongside other treatments has not been thoroughly explored. Objectives: Although wet-cupping therapy is widely used under different conditions, its potential in the treatment of diabetes is not well-examined. Methods: Male Wistar rats were then injected with alloxan and nicotinamide to induce diabetes. After cupping, the rats’ serum nitric oxide, creatinine, SGPT, SGOT, cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, GPX, urea, and HDL levels were determined. The glutathione, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde, and protein level of the serum, renal, and liver were then measured. Results: The results showed a significant differences in serum glucose levels among the diabetic rats receiving wet cupping and limonene, in serum glutathione levels in diabetic rats receiving limonene or limonene and wet cupping compared to the diabetic rats, in liver GSH levels in control rats receiving limonene and wet cupping, in the liver GPX activity in control rats receiving limonene, and in liver catalase activity in control rats receiving limonene and wet cupping compared to control group. There was no significant change in serum NO, protein, creatinine, SGPT, SGOT, cholesterol, triglyceride MDA, urea, catalase, HDL, renal GSH, MDA, catalase, liver protein, and MDA Level. Conclusions: The findings of the present study suggested that a combination of limonene and wet cupping therapy could be presented as an agent to lower elevated blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. Further clinical studies are required to confirm the findings.

The Impact of EGCG and RG108 on SOCS1 Promoter DNA Methylation and Expression in U937 Leukemia Cells

BACKGROUND

The available evidence has increasingly demonstrated that a combination of genetic and epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation, could be considered as causing leukemia. Epigenetic changes and methylation of the suppressor of the cytokine signaling 1 promoter (SOCS1) CpG region silence SOCS1 expression in cancer. In the current study, we evaluated the impact of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and RG108 on SOCS1 promoter methylation and expression in U937 cells.

METHODS

In the current study, U937 leukemic cells were treated with EGCG and RG108 for 12, 24, 48, and 72 h and SOCS1 promoter methylation and its expression were measured by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively.

RESULTS

The outcomes indicated that the SOCS1 promoter is methylated in U937 cells, and treatment of these cells with either EGCG or RG108 reduced its methylation. Moreover, we observed that SOCS1 expression was significantly upregulated in a time-dependent manner by both EGCG and RG108 in U937 cells compared with control cells. In the RG108-treated group at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h, SOCS1 expression was upregulated by 1, 4.2, 16.6, and 32.6 -fold respectively, and in the EGCG-treated group, by 0.5, 3.2, 10.8, and 22.3 -fold, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with either EGCG or RG108 reduced SOCS1 promoter methylation and increased SOCS1 expression in U937 cells in a time-dependent manner, which may play a role in leukemia therapy.

Association of Genetic Variants with Hyperhomocysteinemia in Indian Patients with Thrombosis

Hyperhomocysteinemia known to be associated with increased thrombotic tendency has been considered as a risk factor for coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, venous thrombosis, and stroke. There are three main genes MTHFR, cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) and methionine synthase (MS) and it's genetic variant that are known to influence the homocysteine metabolism leading to hyperhomocysteinemia. There is scarcity of Indian data on hyperhomocysteinemia and genetics variants in patients with thrombosis. Hence the objective of present study was to determine MTHFR, CBS, and MS genetic variants in thrombosis patients from Indian population. Genetic variant analysis was performed on thrombosis patients to detect MTHFR C677T (rs1801133), MTHFR A1298C (rs1801131), MS A2756G (rs1805087) and CBS T833C (rs5742905) mutations. The mutant allele frequencies of MTHFR 677T, MTHFR 1298C, MS2756G and CBS 833C were observed to be 16.1%, 37.5%, 34.1% and 5.8% respectively. MTHFR 677TT genotype was observed to be significantly associated with elevated homocysteine (Hcy) levels (64.65 μmol/L) alleles as compared to CC alleles (32.43 μmol/L) and CT alleles (30.54 μmol/L). MTHFR A1298C, MS A2756G and CBS T833C genotypes did not showed significant association with higher Hcy levels. Thus, in Indian patients with thrombosis only MTHFR T677T genotype was observed to be significantly associated with hyperhomocysteinemia.