Allal Ouhtit

Folate and vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia promote oxidative stress in adult type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the status of folate and vitamin B12 (B12) in relation to serum homocysteine (HCY) and oxidative stress indices in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). METHODS This case-control study involved 100 Omani adults (50 patients newly diagnosed with T2DM and 50 age- and gender-matched healthy controls). Several parameters were investigated, including dietary intake and biochemical assessments of folate, B12, HCY, oxidative stress markers (glutathione and total antioxidant status), and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase). RESULTS Low serum levels of folate, B12, and hyperhomocysteinemia were prevalent in patients with T2DM compared with controls. Oxidative stress was evident in patients with T2DM as indicated by low serum levels of glutathione, total antioxidant status, and impaired antioxidant enzymatic activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase). CONCLUSION The low intake of folate and B12 is associated with low serum levels of these two nutrients and hyperhomocysteinemia in Omani adults with T2DM.

Low folate and vitamin B12 nourishment is common in Omani children with newly diagnosed autism

OBJECTIVE Arab populations lack data related to nutritional assessment in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), especially micronutrient deficiencies such as folate and vitamin B12. METHODS To assess the dietary and serum folate and vitamin B12 statuses, a hospital-based case-control study was conducted in 80 Omani children (40 children with ASDs versus 40 controls). RESULTS The ASD cases showed significantly lower levels of folate, vitamin B12, and related parameters in dietary intake and serum levels. CONCLUSION These data showed that Omani children with ASDs exhibit significant deficiencies in folate and vitamin B12 and call for increasing efforts to ensure sufficient intakes of essential nutrients by children with ASDs to minimize or reverse any ongoing impact of nutrient deficiencies.

Effects of fried potato chip supplementation on mouse pregnancy and fetal development

OBJECTIVE Acrylamide (ACR), a proven rodent carcinogen, is present at significantly high quantities in commonly consumed foods such as potato chips, raising a health concern worldwide. METHODS The effects of ACR and fried potato chips (FPC) on pregnant mice and their offspring before and after birth were investigated and compared. RESULTS In the pregnant mice, similar histologic abnormalities were found in various tissues for ACR intoxication and FPC supplementation. Drastic alterations were mainly seen in the liver, kidney, heart muscle, and epiphyseal cartilage of experimental dams. ACR and FPC increased the rate of abortion and neonatal mortality and decreased the total number, body weight, size, and crown-rump length of the offspring before and after birth. Interestingly, however, higher rates of congenital malformations were observed in the FPC-treated group. Although ossification of axial and appendicular bones was markedly retarded during fetal development, some ossified bones were missing in newly born offspring of treated groups. Furthermore, the incidence of missing ossification centers was higher in the FPC-treated than in the ACR-treated neonates. CONCLUSION These results suggest that FPC can cause hazardous health effects and warrant a systematic study on the health effects of consumption of FPC and French fries in the general population.

Impact of nutrition on serum levels of docosahexaenoic acid among Omani children with autism

OBJECTIVES Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder of early childhood. Dietary supplementation of the ω-3 fatty acid (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) during prenatal and postnatal life is considered a protective dietary intervention strategy to minimize the risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To our knowledge, no relevant studies have been conducted in the Middle East investigating the status of DHA among children with autism during early childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum levels and dietary intake status of DHA among Omani children recently diagnosed with ASD. METHODS The present case-control study involved 80 Omani children (<5 y), 40 cases and 40 controls matched for age and sex. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intake of all the participants, while serum levels of DHA were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS Our results showed that children with ASD had lower dietary consumption of foodstuff containing DHA, as well as lower serum levels of DHA than controls. CONCLUSION The present finding from Oman supports the view of other studies that there are low serum levels of DHA among children with ASD.

Decreased glutathione and elevated hair mercury levels are associated with nutritional deficiency-based autism in Oman

Genetic, nutrition, and environmental factors have each been implicated as sources of risk for autism. Oxidative stress, including low plasma levels of the antioxidant glutathione, has been reported by numerous autism studies, which can disrupt methylation-dependent epigenetic regulation of gene expression with neurodevelopmental consequences. We investigated the status of redox and methylation metabolites, as well as the level of protein homocysteinylation and hair mercury levels, in autistic and neurotypical control Omani children, who were previously shown to exhibit significant nutritional deficiencies in serum folate and vitamin B12. The serum level of glutathione in autistic subjects was significantly below control levels, while levels of homocysteine and S-adenosylhomocysteine were elevated, indicative of oxidative stress and decreased methionine synthase activity. Autistic males had lower glutathione and higher homocysteine levels than females, while homocysteinylation of serum proteins was increased in autistic males but not females. Mercury levels were markedly elevated in the hair of autistic subjects vs. control subjects, consistent with the importance of glutathione for its elimination. Thus, autism in Oman is associated with decreased antioxidant resources and decreased methylation capacity, in conjunction with elevated hair levels of mercury.

Survivin Is a Novel Target of CD44-Promoted Breast Tumor Invasion

The hyaluronan (HA) receptor CD44 plays an essential role in cell-cell or cell-extracellular matrix communications and is a bioactive signal transmitter. Although a number of studies have described the function of CD44 in breast cancer (BC) metastasis, the underlying mechanisms have yet to be determined. By using a validated tetracycline-off-regulated CD44 expression system in the MCF-7 cell line combined with microarray analysis, we identified survivin (SVV) as a potential downstream transcriptional target of CD44. To test the hypothesis that SVV underpins CD44-promoted BC cell invasion, we combined molecular and pharmacologic approaches and showed that CD44 induction increased SVV expression levels, which in turn promotes BC cell invasion. Further, clinical analysis of breast tissue samples showed that SVV expression patterns paralleled those of the standard form of CD44 during breast tumor progression. More interestingly, we identified the PI3K/E2F1 pathway as a potential molecular link between HA/CD44 activation and SVV transcription. In addition to identifying SVV as a target for HA/CD44 signaling, this investigation provides a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underpin the novel function of SVV in breast cancer metastasis.

Structural and ultrastructural evidence of neurotoxic effects of fried potato chips on rat postnatal development.

OBJECTIVE Acrylamide (ACR), a proved rodent carcinogen and neurotoxic agent, is present in significant quantities in commonly consumed foods such as fried potato chips (FPC) and French fries, raising a health concern worldwide. We investigated and compared the neurotoxic effects of ACR and FPC on postnatal development. METHODS Female rats were treated with ACR (30 mg/kg of body weight), fed a diet containing approximately 30% of FPC during pregnancy, or fed a standard diet (control) and their offspring were examined. RESULTS Female rats treated with ACR or fed a diet containing FPC during pregnancy gave birth to litters with delayed growth and decreased body and brain weights. Light microscopic studies of the cerebellar cortex of treated animals revealed drastic decreases in Purkinje cells and internal granular layers. Different patterns of cell death were detected in Purkinje cells and neurons in the brains of pups born to treated mothers. Ultrastructural analysis of Purkinje cells revealed changes in the endoplasmic reticulum, loss of the normal arrangement of polyribosomes, swollen mitochondria with abnormally differentiated cristae, and an abnormal Golgi apparatus. The gastrocnemius muscle in the ACR and FPC groups showed extensive degeneration of myofibrils as evidenced by poorly differentiated A, H, and Z bands. CONCLUSION The present study reveals for the first time that rat fetal exposure to ACR, as a pure compound or from a maternal diet of FPC, causes cerebellar cortical defects and myodegeneration of the gastrocnemius muscle during the postnatal development of pups. These results warrant a systematic study of the health effects of the consumption of FPC and French fries in the general population.

Biochemical characterization of riboflavin carrier protein (RCP) in prostate cancer

Riboflavin carrier protein (RCP) is a growth- and development-specific protein. Here, we characterized the expression of this protein in prostate cancer by polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against chicken RCP. RCP was localized to both androgen-dependent and independent prostate cancer cell lines. Compared to controls, RCP was over-expressed in all 45 prostate adenocarcinomas, irrespective of the Gleasons score or the stage of the disease. The identified RCP had a molecular weight of 38 kDa, similar to RCP purified from chicken. Presence of this protein was also confirmed by siRNA inhibition analysis. Antibodies to chicken RCP inhibited incorporation of tritiated thymidine into DNA and prevented riboflavin uptake in PC3 prostate cancer cells, suggesting a critical function of this protein in prostate cancer cell growth. These data suggest that RCP can be used as a tumor biomarker in prostate cancer.

A study on knowledge, attitude, and practice towards premarital carrier screening among adults attending primary healthcare centers in a region in Oman

BackgroundDespite that hereditary diseases are widespread among the Arab population due to high rates of consanguineous marriages, research regarding community awareness towards premarital carrier screening in some countries such as Oman, is extremely scarce. This study aimed to investigate knowledge and attitude towards premarital carrier screening (PMCS) in Oman.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire which was distributed to 400 Omani adults aged 20–35 who attended primary healthcare institutions at the South Batinah Governorate in Oman.ResultsThe majority of the participants (84.5%) believed that PMCS was necessary, and about half of them (49.5%) supported the view of making PMCS compulsory. On the contrary, approximately one third (30.5%) of the participants reported that they were not in favor of taking the blood screening test. Overall, unwillingness to perform pre-marital testing was associated with female gender, younger age, being single, less education, and increased income.ConclusionDespite the relatively high level of knowledge, about one third of the participants were still reluctant to carry out premarital testing. Such attitude calls for immediate need for community-based campaigns to encourage the public to do premarital testing.

Awareness about autism among school teachers in Oman: A cross-sectional study

Children with special needs such as those with autism spectrum disorder have been recorded as ostracized and stigmatized in many parts of the world. Little is known about whether such negative views are present among mainstream teachers in Oman. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate school teachers’ awareness about autism spectrum disorder in an urban region in Oman. A total of 164 teachers were randomly enrolled from five schools. Misconceptions about autism spectrum disorder were found to be common among mainstream teachers in the country. We posit that such lack of awareness was likely to be rooted with sociocultural patterning as well as conflicting views often “spun” by the scientific community and mass media. Enlightened views toward children with autism spectrum disorder should be presented to Omani teachers to overcome misconceptions and negative attitudes toward children with autism spectrum disorder.