Effect of Gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal) on Glucose Metabolism and Body Weight Gain in Mice

Background: A diet rich in fibers has been associated with reduced body weight, prevention of metabolic syndrome and improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Gum arabic (GA) is a dietary fiber of mainly polysaccharide composition derived from the dried exudates from Acacia senegal.Methodology: In this study, we investigated the effects of GA on glucose metabolism and body weight gain in wild-type C57Bl/6 mice. GA treatment was delivered as a 10% drinking solution. Results: During GA treatment oral glucose tolerance with 3mg/g bw was significantly improved compared to control mice (AUC 29700±1018 min·mg/dl vs. 27207±892 min·mg/dl) whereas intra-peritoneal glucose tolerance test was unaffected by GA treatment. Also the insulin level was increased during oral and inter-peritoneal glucose tolerance test. Under prolonged treatment with a 20% glucose solution after 4 weeks, glucose-treated mice gained significantly more body weight (+6.31±0.75 g) compared to glucose and GA-treated mice (+0.74±0.25 g) despite similar food and fluid intake.  Fasting blood glucose concentrations were increased significantly following challenge with a 20% glucose solution (172±63 mg/dl) which was blunted by simultaneous treatment with GA (120±88 mg/dl).To test, whether GA is similarly effective in high fat diet, the body weight was monitored in animals receiving a high fat diet with or without GA. The total body weight gain was significantly decreased in  GA treated  (+10.97±0.76 g)  as compared to non treated mice  (+13.98±0.98 g), despite similar fluid and  food intake. The fasting blood glucose was also  blunted by simultaneous treatment with GA (94±6 mg/dl) as compared with other group (140±9 mg/dl) followed by a significant decrease in fasting insulin concentrations in GA treatment mice (0.57±0.05 mg/dl) as compared to non treated  (0.83±0.08 mg/dl) . Conclusion: GA was found to have affected the consequence of body weight gain during glucose and high fat diet and prevented glucose-induced obesity. Keywords: Gum arabic, Glucose, Body weight, High fat diet

Frequency of Sickle Cell Trait among Relatives of Sickle Cell Anemia Patients in Al-Gadaref State-Sudan

Background: The term "sickle cell disease" refers to a collection of autosomal recessive genetic disorders characterized by the Hb S variant of the B-globin gene. Sickle cell disease is a major public health concern that has a great impact on both individuals and societies. In Sudan, sickle cell anemia is one of the major types of anemia, especially western Sudan, where the sickle cell gene is frequent, so this study aimed to determine the frequency of sickle cell trait (HbAS) among relatives of sickle cell anemia patients (HbSS) in Al-Gadaref state –Sudan. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional, analytical study was carried out for seventeen  families with one hundred and fourteen individuals with different ethnic descents. 56 Males  and 58 Females, age ranged between 1 -70 years compared with 30 healthy individuals  age ranged between 28-73 as a control group.  Venous blood (2.5ml) was collected from each individual in an ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) container for  complete blood count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), sickling test, and hemoglobin electrophoresis. Results: The data showed that (67%) of the study population were positive and (33%) were negative for sickling test, the hemoglobin electrophoresis showed high frequency of (HbAS) (66.7%), normal people (HbAA) (24.6%), HbSS (5.3%), hemoglobin C trait (HbAC) (1.8%), and sickle cell with hemoglobin C disease (HbSC) (1.8%). The mean of Hb level, TRBCs, and PCV in patients with HbSS and HbSC were lower than in HbAS and HbAC. The MCV, MCHC, and MCH, showed no significant difference between different groups. The total leukocytes, was significantly elevated in HbSS and HbSC. Platelets were higher in HbSS and lower in HbSC, and ESR was elevated in both as compared with other groups. Conclusion: The sickle cell trait is highly frequent among the relatives of sickle cell anemia patients and the spreading degree could be due to the high degree of consanguineous marriage in the studied population

Anti-malarial effect of gum arabic

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gum Arabic (GA), a nonabsorbable nutrient from the exudate of <it>Acacia senegal</it>, exerts a powerful immunomodulatory effect on dendritic cells, antigen-presenting cells involved in the initiation of both innate and adaptive immunity. On the other hand GA degradation delivers short chain fatty acids, which in turn have been shown to foster the expression of foetal haemoglobin in erythrocytes. Increased levels of erythrocyte foetal haemoglobin are known to impede the intraerythrocytic growth of <it>Plasmodium </it>and thus confer some protection against malaria. The present study tested whether gum arabic may influence the clinical course of malaria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human erythrocytes were <it>in vitro </it>infected with <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>in the absence and presence of butyrate and mice were <it>in vivo </it>infected with <it>Plasmodium berghei </it>ANKA by injecting parasitized murine erythrocytes (1 × 10⁶) intraperitoneally. Half of the mice received gum arabic (10% in drinking water starting 10 days before the day of infection).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>According to the <it>in vitro </it>experiments butyrate significantly blunted parasitaemia only at concentrations much higher (3 mM) than those encountered <it>in vivo </it>following GA ingestion (<1 μM). According to the <it>in vivo </it>experiments the administration of gum arabic slightly but significantly decreased the parasitaemia and significantly extended the life span of infected mice.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>GA moderately influences the parasitaemia and survival of <it>Plasmodium-</it>infected mice. The underlying mechanism remained, however, elusive.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Gum arabic favourably influences the course of murine malaria.</p

Functional membrane androgen receptors in colon tumors trigger pro-apoptotic responses in vitro and reduce drastically tumor incidence in vivo

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Membrane androgen receptors (mAR) have been implicated in the regulation of cell growth, motility and apoptosis in prostate and breast cancer. Here we analyzed mAR expression and function in colon cancer.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using fluorescent mAR ligands we showed specific membrane staining in colon cell lines and mouse xenograft tumor tissues, while membrane staining was undetectable in healthy mouse colon tissues and non-transformed intestinal cells. Saturation/displacement assays revealed time- and concentration-dependent specific binding for testosterone with a K_Dof 2.9 nM. Stimulation of colon mAR by testosterone albumin conjugates induced rapid cytoskeleton reorganization and apoptotic responses, even in the presence of anti-androgens. The actin cytoskeleton drug cytochalasin B effectively inhibited the pro-apoptotic responses and caspase-3 activation. Interestingly, <it>in vivo </it>studies revealed that mAR activation resulted in a 65% reduction of tumor incidence in chemically induced Balb/c mice colon tumors.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results demonstrate for the first time that functional mARs are predominantly expressed in colon tumors and that their activation results in induction of anti-tumor responses <it>in vitro </it>and extensive reduction of tumor incidence <it>in vivo</it>.</p

Lack of the serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase SGK1 attenuates the volume retention after treatment with the PPARγ agonist pioglitazone

PPARgamma-agonists enhance insulin sensitivity and improve glucose utilization in diabetic patients. Adverse effects of PPARgamma-agonists include volume retention and edema formation. Recent observations pointed to the ability of PPARgamma agonists to enhance transcription of the serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase SGK1, a kinase that is genomically upregulated by mineralocorticoids and stimulates various renal channels and transporters including the renal epithelial Na+ channel ENaC. SGK1 has been proposed to mediate the volume retention after treatment with PPARgamma agonists. To test this hypothesis, food containing the PPARgamma agonist pioglitazone (0.02%, i.e., approximately 25 mg/kg bw/day) was administered to gene-targeted mice lacking SGK1 (sgk1-/-, n=12) and their wild-type littermates (sgk1+/+), n=12). According to in situ hybridization, quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunofluorescence, treatment with pioglitazone significantly increased renal SGK1 mRNA and protein expression in sgk1+/+ mice. The treatment increased body weight significantly in both, sgk1+/+ mice (+2.2+/-0.3 g) and sgk-/- mice (+1.3+/-0.2 g), and decreased hematocrit significantly in sgk1+/+ mice (-6.5+/-1.0%) and sgk1-/- mice (-3.1+/-0.6%). Both effects were significantly (p<0.05) more pronounced in sgk1+/+ mice. According to Evans Blue distribution, pioglitazone increased plasma volume only in sgk1+/+ mice (from 50.9+/-3.9 to 63.7+/-2.5 microl/g bw) but not in sgk-/- mice (from 46.8+/-3.8 to 48.3+/-5.2 microl/g bw). Pioglitazone decreased aldosterone plasma levels and blood pressure and increased leptin plasma levels in both genotypes. We conclude that SGK1 contributes to but does not fully account for the volume retention during treatment with the PPARgamma agonist pioglitazone

Renal and Extrarenal Effects of Gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal) - What Can be Learned from Animal Experiments?

Gum arabic (GA), a water-soluble dietary fiber rich in Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+, is used in Middle Eastern countries for the treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease. Recent animal experiments shed some light into mechanisms involved in the therapeutic action of GA. According to experiments in healthy mice, GA treatment increases creatinine clearance, enhances renal excretion of ADH, Mg2+ and Ca2+, decreases plasma phosphate concentration as well as urinary excretion of phosphate and Na+. In diabetic mice GA treatment increases urinary Ca2+ excretion, and decreases plasma phosphate concentration, plasma urea concentration, urinary flow rate, natriuresis, phosphaturia, glucosuria, proteinuria as well as blood pressure. Extrarenal effects of GA treatment in mice include decreased expression of intestinal Na+ coupled glucose carrier SGLT1 with subsequent delay of electrogenic intestinal glucose transport, glucose-induced hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and body weight gain. GA treatment decreases colonic transcription of the angiogenetic factors angiogenin 1, angiogenin 3 and angiogenin 4, of CD38 antigen, aquaporin4, interleukin18, vav-3-oncogene, y+-amino acid-transporter, sulfatase1, ubiquitinD and chemokine ligand5. Moreover, GA treatment decreases angiogenin and ß-catenin protein expression. Accordingly, GA treatment counteracts the development of tumors following chemical cancerogenesis. In mouse dendritic cells, antigen-presenting cells linking innate and adaptive immunity, GA treatment modifies maturation and cytokine release. GA treatment further favourably influences the course of murine malaria. The effects of GA treatment on plasma phosphate concentration, blood pressure and proteinuria may prove beneficial in chronic renal failure and diabetic nephropathy. The effect of GA on intestinal glucose transport may be useful in the prophylaxis and treatment of obesity and diabetes, the effect of GA on angiogenin and ß-catenin expression could be exploited for the prophylaxis against colon carcinoma, the effects of GA on angiogenin expression and dendritic cells may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory disease and malaria

Responses to Diuretic Treatment in Gene-Targeted Mice Lacking Serum- and Glucocorticoid-Inducible Kinase 1

Background/Aims: Serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) stimulates the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), renal outer medullary K + channel 1, Na + /K + -ATPase and presumably the Na + -Cl – cotransporter (NCC). SGK1-deficient mice (s gk– /– ) show a compensated salt-losing phenotype with secondary hyperaldosteronism. The present experiments explored the role of SGK1 in the response to diuretics. Methods: sgk1 –/– mice and their wild-type littermates (s gk1+ /+ ) were treated with the ENaC blocker triamterene (200 mg/l), the Na + -K + -2Cl – cotransport inhibitor furosemide (125 mg/l), the NCC blocker hydrochlorothiazide (400 mg/l) and the mineralocorticoid receptor blocker canrenoate (800 mg/l) for 8 days. Renal SGK1 expression was studied using quantitative RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. Results: Diuretic treatment increased SGK1 mRNA and protein expression in the kidney of wild-type sgk1+ /+ mice. The responses to furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide or canrenoate were not different between s gk1+ /+ and sgk1 –/– mice, and were accompanied by moderate increases in plasma aldosterone and urea concentrations. However, treatment with triamterene in sgk1 –/– mice (but not in sgk1 +/+ mice) led to severe, eventually lethal, body weight loss as well as increases in plasma aldosterone, urea and K + concentrations. Conclusions: SGK1 is required for diuretic tolerance to triamterene. The observations confirm the impaired kaliuretic potency of sgk1 –/– mice and point to a role of SGK1 in renal Na + reabsorption by mechanisms other than ENaC

Effect of Artemisia annua on kidney in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice through regulation of the COX-2, NF-κB pathway

Background: This study aimed to examine the role of Artemisia annua in kidney functions in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice. Methods: In this study, 15 mice were used and divided into four groups. Each group has four mice; the first group is considered a control group with three mice due to receiving normal saline. Group II consists of an extract of Artemisia annua, group III consists of gentamicin, and Group IV consists of a combination of Artemisia annua and gentamicin. This process was continued for 15 days. All the mice were induced, and serum was extracted and used for biochemical parameters such as Creatinine, Urea, Uric acid, TNF-α, MDA, GSH, and Catalase (CAT) levels—additionally, histological and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. Results: The results of this study confirmed biochemical values such as creatinine, Urea, and UA values showed a positive association (p 0.05). The Gentamicin group has a strong association with COX-2, NF-κB, and TGF-β genes (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study confirms gentamycin has a role in kidney functions with nephrotoxicity in mice and the protective effect of Artemisia annua