Cinnamomum zeylanicum extract has antidepressant-like effects by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor in prefrontal cortex of rats

Objective: Depression is one of the most common mood disorders. Considering the evidence on the effect of Cinnamomum on mood disorders, this study investigatedthe effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Cinnamomum (HEC) in an animal model of depression. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two male rats were selected and divided into four groups (n=8) including: control, depressed, and depressed treated with200 and 400 mg/kg HEC. Depression induction protocol was conducted in all groups except for the control group. Sucrose preference test (SPT) and forced swimming test (FST) were done to analyze the depression score. After four weeks, the animals brain cortex was removed and BDNF protein and tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) gene expression levels were determined by ELISA and Real Time PCR, respectively. Results: The results of this study showed that 400 mg/kg of HEC increased the tendency to drink the sucrose solution. Furthermore, immobility time significantly increased in the depressed group compared to the control group while it was attenuated by administration of 400 mg/kg extract on the 28th day versus the depressed group. Also the extract at both doses increased swimming time compared to the depressed group. In addition, an increase in the BDNF protein and TrkB gene expression levels was observed in the prefrontal cortex of the treatment groups. Conclusion: We found that HEC ameliorated depression symptoms in rats and these effects were probably due to an increase in BDNF proteins and its receptor, TrkB, gene expressions in the prefrontal cortex

Protective Effect of 1,8-cineole on Learning and Memory Impairment Induced by Cerebral Hypoperfusion in Male Rats

Background and Objectives: Most of the phenomena observed during brain ischemia and reperfusion are associated with damage to the membrane structure. Oxidative stress results in an imbalance between high oxygen consumption and low levels of endogenous antioxidants. It is known that 1,8-cineole is a strong antioxidant. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of 1,8-cineole on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced brain injury in rats.   Methods: Wistar adult male rats weighing 250-300 g were divided into five groups of control, normal saline-treated I/R, 5-mg/kg 1,8-cineole-treated I/R, 10-mg/kg 1,8-cineole-treated I/R, and 20-mg/kg 1,8-cineole-treated I/R. The 1,8-cineole was administered through intraperitoneal injection. The cerebral hypoperfusion injury was induced in the adult male rats by occluding the bilateral common carotid arteries for 30 min, followed by 5 days of reperfusion. The data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple comparison test at a p-value of < 0.05.   Results: The results revealed that the administration of 1,8-cineole significantly increased passive avoidance memory (P<0.05).   Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated the beneficial effects of 1,8-cineole on behavioral impairments after I/R-induced brain injury

Diagnostic value of cystatin C for diagnosis of early renal damages in type 2 diabetic mellitus patients: The first experience in Iran

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most important complications of diabetes mellitus. Now-a-days, cystatin C (CysC) is introduced as a new marker for diagnosis of renal damages; however, use of this marker in clinical laboratories is still controversial. The present study was aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum CysC for early detection or monitoring treatment of kidney damages in the Kurdish people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. Serum CysC and urine microalbumin were also measured in 126 diabetic and healthy subjects. Blood glycated hemoglobin (Hb) also measured in all healthy and diabetic patients. Two independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, one-way ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis test, as well as Pearson/Spearman correlation coefficient statistical tests were used as appropriate. Results: Serum CysC was higher (1312.41 ng/ml) in diabetic patients with GFR <60 ml/min than other subjects (993.25 ng/ml) (patients with normal kidney function and healthy subjects). A borderline significant correlation between CysC and estimating GFR (rs = −0.16, P = 0.05) but highly significant with microalbumin (rs = 0.22, P = 0.014) was observed. Serum CysC sensitivity, negative and positive predictive values were 100 and 4%. Conclusion: CysC cover variation of GFR and urine microalbumin, but it cannot be used as a surrogating marker of glycated Hb. According to our results, it seems that serum CysC is a useful marker for screening of DN; but it cannot be used for monitoring of treatment in diabetic patients

The Investigation of the Association Between the 3’-UTR rs1564483 Polymorphism and miR-296-3p in the Development of Breast and Gastric Cancers

Background: B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 ( Bcl-2) gene regulates carcinogenesis by inhibiting apoptosis. This study evaluated the association of Bcl-2 3′-untranslated regions (3′ UTR) rs1564483 polymorphism and miR-296-3p with the development of breast and gastric cancers. Methods: A microarray analysis was performed on the Genomic Spatial Event (GSE)29431 and GSE161533 datasets for breast and gastric cancers. Blood samples were taken from 222 (111 patients and 111 controls) and 210 (84 patients and 126 controls) individuals for breast and gastric cancers, respectively. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples and genotyping was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), followed by examining the high-temperature melting curve. Statistical analysis was conducted to examine the potential correlation between the rs1564483 polymorphism and the risk of breast and gastric cancers concerning pathological characteristics. Results: The results of the microarray showed that the Bcl-2 gene was up-regulated in gastric cancer (logFC [log fold change]: 0.65, adjusted P  < .05). Clinical outcome showed no notable relationship between the rs1564483 polymorphism and breast cancer risk; however, for gastric cancer, it identified a large difference between healthy controls and patients for an allelic frequency of rs1564483 ( P  ⩽ .001). Moreover, an assay of different models (dominant, recessive, and co-dominant) showed a significant association between the AG genotype between control and gastric cases (Pearson chi-square test, P  = .046). In addition, the prevalence of the AG genotype was greater in persons under the age of 45 and in patients with H. pylori infection ( P  ⩽ .001). The AG genotype was not related to smoking, although the AA genotype was associated with increased cancer incidence in smokers ( P  ⩽ .001). Conclusions: In silico studies and calculations of the ΔG binding of micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA) hsa-miR-296-3p to the mutant and wild alleles of the rs15644833 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) have revealed that Bcl-2 mRNA expression in gastric cancer decreases, thus confirming the tumor suppressor role of the Bcl-2 gene

Anti-inflammatory effects of Mentha pulegium L. extract on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells are mediated by TLR-4 and NF-κB suppression

There is great interest in evaluating the anti-inflammatory properties of new herbal products. Thus, the effects of Mentha pulegium L. extract on gene and protein expressions of pro-inflammatory mediators and transcription factors were determined.The hydro-ethanolic extract of Mentha pulegium L. was obtained and optimal non-cytotoxic concentrations of the extract were determined by MTT assay. Then, three different concentrations of Mentha pulegium L. (10, 30, and 90 μg/mL) were used to pre-treat the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated and non-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 10 healthy individuals. Finally, the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65, activator protein-1 (AP-1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expressions and TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, TLR-4, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and COX-2 protein levels were measured.MTT results showed that there is no significant difference in cell viability among 10, 20, 40, and 80 μg/mL concentrations of Mentha pulegium L. extract at 24, 48, and 72 h (P > 0.05). The IC50 values were 236.1, 147.0, and 118.0 μg/mL after 24, 48, and 72 h respectively. TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, TLR-4, iNOS, and NF-κB p65 mRNA levels in the pre-treated LPS-stimulated PBMCs were concentration-dependently reduced (P < 0.01 for TNF-α, TLR-4, and NF-κB p65; P < 0.05 for IL-1β, IL-6, and iNOS). Also, the protein levels of pro-inflammatory mediators decreased and these differences were significant for TNF-α, IL-1β, and TLR-4 (P < 0.001, P < 0.01, and P < 0.001, respectively).Mentha pulegium L. extract decreased the expression and biosynthesis of pro-inflammatory mediators. These effects are mainly mediated by TLR-4 and NF-κB suppression. Thus, Mentha pulegium L. could be useful in treating or ameliorating chronic inflammatory diseases

Evaluating the Expression of Oct-4, NANOG, Sox2 and Nucleostemin in Colon Cancer Cell Lines (Caco-2 and HT-29)

Objective: Evaluating the expression of Oct-4, NANOG, Sox2 and Nucleostemin in coloncancer cell lines (Caco-2 and HT-29).Materials and Methods: Caco-2 and HT-29 human colon cancer cell lines were culturedin Dulbecco’s modified eagles medium (DMEM) and Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium(RPMI) respectively, containing 10% fetal bovin serum (FBS) with 1% peniciline andstreptomycinen in 37°, 5% CO2 incubator. Total RNA was isolated using the ISOGENmethod. RNA integrity was checked with the use of agarose gel electrophoresis and spectrophotometry.Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used toexamin the samples. The expression of Oct-4 and Nucleostemin at the protein level wasfurther determined using immunocytochemistry.Results: RT-PCR analysis of Caco2 and HT-29 colon cancer cell lines showed expressionof Oct-4, NANOG, Sox2 and Nucleostemin genes . Also immunocytochemical analysisconfirmed the cytoplasmic and nuclear expression of the Oct-4 protein and Nucleosteminproteins.Conclusion: Collectively, our data confirmed the expression of Oct-4, NANOG, Sox2and Nucleostemin in colon cancer cells and suggested that their expression can be usedas potential tumor markers in diagnosis and /or prognosis of colon tumors. These resultsconfirm the potential value of the cancer stem-cell theory in cancer therapy