Sevgi Karabulut Uzunçakmak

Objective: The aim herein was to investigate mitochondrial cytochrome B (MT-CYB) mutations in individuals with bipolar disorder. Stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) and uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) mRNA expressions and their relationship with clinical data and each other were also investigated. Method: The blood samples of 100 individuals were included in this study. Real-time PCR was used to evaluate mRNA expressions of STC1 and UCP2. Genetic alterations were investigated via Sanger DNA sequencing. An in silico analysis was performed to reveal the phenotypic effects of MT-CYB mutations. Results: In the MT-CYB gene of the bipolar disorder patients, the most seen mutations were the T194A A>G mutation at position 1532, G deletion at position 15498, and C>A L236I mutation at position 15452. Most of the mutations appeared to be neutral or benign. The UCP2 and STC1 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in the patients than in the healthy controls (P = 0.0124 and P < 0.0001, respectively). The area under the curve values of the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for UCP2 and STC1 were 0.6631 (P = 0.0123) and 0.8059 (P < 0.0001), respectively. No significant relationship was observed between the gene expressions and the routine laboratory findings. There was a positive correlation between the UCP2 and STC1 mRNA expressions in the bipolar disorder patients (r = 0.03559, P = 0.0306). Conclusion: Expression of UCP2 and STC1 may be important parameters in bipolar disorder. MT-CYB mutations may be related to gene expressions. Comprehensive studies on bipolar disorder will help better understand UCP2 and STC1 gene functions.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate Lrig1 expression and to reveal the possible relationship between Lrig1, ERBB1 and ERBB2 in schizophrenia. Materials and Methods: In this study, peripheral blood samples of 70 schizophrenia patients and 60 healthy controls were used. Real Time PCR was applied for Lrig1, ERBB1 and ERBB2 gene expression analysis. Results: The level of Lrig1 mRNA was lower in the patients when compared to healthy controls. Expression levels of ERBB1 and ERBB2 were decreased in the patients versus in the healthy controls. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the three genes had the power to discriminate the patients from the healthy controls (Lrig1 AUC: 0.66, ERBB1 AUC: 0.64, ERBB2 AUC: 0.79). There was a weak, positive correlation between the Lrig1 and ERBB1 expressions in the schizophrenia patients. No significant correlation was detected between the Lrig1 and ERBB2 expressions or the ERBB1 and ERBB2 expressions in the patients. Conclusion: The results revealed that the Lrig1 and ERBB relationship changes in schizophrenia. These genes may have the potential to be a biomarker that can be used in schizophrenia.

Purpose: Nasal polyps (NPs), usually occurring together with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), are benign masses of mucosal origin arising from inflammation. The transmembrane protein known as leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains 1 (Lrig1) is a member of the Lrig family. Lrig1 is frequently expressed in the respiratory tract and epithelial tissues and can inhibit several signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation. The aim of this study was to determine Lrig1 levels in NP tissues of patients with CRS. Material and Methods: This study included 36 patients with CRS and NPs and 15 patients who underwent rhinoplasty as the control group. The Lrig1 levels of all participants were measured by the ELISA method. Results: This study revealed that Lrig1 levels were significantly lower in NP tissues than in tissues of the control group. The mean level of Lrig1 of the NP tissues was 22.2 ng/ml, while the mean level of the control group was 28.5 ng/ml. According to the results of ROC analysis, Lrig1 levels have the power to distinguish polyp tissues from control tissues (AUC=0.794). Lrig1 levels were higher in tissues with scores of 4-8 than in tissues with scores of 16-20 based on the results of computed tomography scoring. According to endoscopic evaluations, Lrig1 levels of tissues with scores of 5-8 or 9-11 were relatively lower than those of tissues with scores of 2-4. Conclusion: Lrig1 levels were found to be decreased in NP tissues. Thus, Lrig1 may be used to confirm the presence of NPs. Lrig1 may also be helpful in NP grading. Increasing the Lrig1 levels in cases of NPs has the potential to become a targetable treatment modality.

Sedentary life brings risks that include osteoporosis, while physical activity has many benefits for health in general and the skeletal system. Irisin is a hormone-like myokine regulated by mechanical force and it contributes to cortical and trabecular bone mineral density. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different types of sports on bone health by measuring elite athletes’ fibronectin type III domain 5 (FNDC5), N-terminal collagen type I extension propeptide (PINP), and C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen (CTXI) levels. Combat sports athletes, team sports athletes, and sedentary control subjects were enrolled. Serum levels of proteins were measured by ELISA. FNDC5 levels of elite athletes were higher compared to the sedentary controls (P=0.0014). The highest FNDC5 level was measured in wrestlers among all considered groups. The PINP levels of the athletes were also higher than those of the sedentary control group (P=0.1431). The highest PINP level was determined in boxers. The CTXI levels of the athletes were lower than those of the sedentary control (PP=0.0134 and P=0.0262, respectively), while the CTXI levels of combat sports athletes were lower than those of team sports athletes (P<0.0001). Our results indicated that FNDC5, PINP, and CTXI levels are associated with physical activity. The effect of the exercises performed by athletes of specific sports on bone health has not been studied in much detail before. Combining different exercises for athletes of a particular sport may be more beneficial for bone health.

Ebubekir Dirican, Halil Özcan, Sevgi Karabulut Uzunçakmak, Uğur Takım. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci 2023;21:171-8. https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2023.21.1.171

Sevgi Karabulut Uzuncakmak, Ebubekir Dirican, Halil Ozcan, Ugur Takim. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci 2023;21:162-70. https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2023.21.1.162

Bor, kemik sağılığı üzerine olumlu etkileri olan ve doğada bulunan bir iz elementtir. Borun çeşitli formları doğada bulunmaktadır ve farklı düzeyde etkinliğe sahiptir. Bu çalışmanın amacı bor çeşitlerinin kemik sağlığı üzerine etkilerini incelemektir. Bu amaçla, yirmi dört adet wistar rat kullanılmıştır. Hayvanlar dört gruba ayrılmıştır. İlk grup kontrol grubudur ve herhangi bir uygulama yapılmamıştır. Diğer üç gruba üç hafta boyunca oral olarak gavaj ile 3mg/kg borik asit (BA), kalsiyum fruktoborat(CaFB) ve potasyum bor sitrat(KBCi) verilmiştir. Hayvanların serum ve kemik dokularında TNF-α, IL1-β, total oksidan seviyesi(TOS), total antioksidan seviyesi(TAS), osteopontin ve osteokalsin düzeyleri ELIZA yöntemi ile ölçülmüştür. Çalışma sonuçlarında kontrol grubu ve bor çeşitlerinin uygulandığı gruplar arasında serum ve kemik dokuda TNF-α ve IL-1β düzeyleri arasında anlamlı bir farklılık gözlemlenmemiştir(p>0.05). Benzer bir şekilde serum ve kemik TOS düzeyleri de kontrol ve diğer gruplar arasında anlamlı bir farklılık göstermemiştir(p>0.05). Fakat serum TAS düzeyi kontrole nispeten hem serumda hem de kemik dokuda BA, CaFB ve KBCi uygulamasıyla birlikte anlamlı şekilde artmıştır(p<0.0001). Serum osteopontin ve osteokalsin düzeyleri de özellikle kemik dokuda BA, CaFB, KBCi uygulamasıyla birlikte kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı düzeyde yükselmiştir (p<0.0001). BA, CaFB ve KBCi’ın kemik sağlığı üzerine etkileri bu çalışmayla ile kez karşılaştırılmıştır. Bor çeşitlerinin özellikle KBCi’nin kemik yapımını, total oksidan seviyesini desteklediği görülmüştür. Bu çalışma, kemik sağlığını geliştirmek, kemik hastalıkların önlenmesini sağmak ya da çeşitli etkenlerle artan stres ile baş edebilmek için BA, CaFB ve KBCi gibi bor çeşitlerinin ilerleyen zamanlarda daha yaygın kullanılabilmesi adına gerçekleştirilecek daha kapsamlı çalışmalar için bir ön çalışma olarak umut vericidir.