Balli U, et al. J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2016 Apr;46(2):84-95. https://doi.org/10.5051/jpis.2016.46.2.84

Background: Chemerin is a recently discovered adipokine that plays a role in adipocyte metabolism. It is a novel chemoattractant adipokine whose expression and secretion are increased by adipogenesis. Aims: To evaluate the effects of probiotic supplementation on chemerin level, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome components in obese Wistar rats. Study Design: Animal experiment. Methods: We divided the experimental animals into three groups, each consisting of eight rats. Group 1 was the control group. Group 2 was the experimentally obese group, in which rats were fed with a high-fat diet. Group 3 was the obese intervention group, in which rats were supplemented with probiotics after obesity induction. Results: At the end of the study, a statistically significant difference v as found between the groups in final weights. weight changes. and body mass index values (p<0.05). Weight gain was 34.12 +/- 13.70 g in group 3 post-probiotic supplementation and 53.25 +/- 8.35 g in group 2 (p<0.05). Obese rats showed increased levels of fasting plasma glucose, insulin, insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, inflammatory markers, and leptin compared to those in the control group. Chemerin levels were 14.31 +/- 13.34 ng/mL in group 2 and 2.67 +/- 2.42 ng/mL in group 3 (p<0.05). Conclusion: Probiotic supplementation (group 3) reduced weight gain, and there were positive effects on the levels of fasting plasma glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance, triglycerides, inflammatory markers, leptin, and chemerin.

Background: Intestinal microbiota play a role in the health and performance of athletes, and can be influenced by probiotics. Thus, in this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of the use of probiotics combined with chronic exercise on the thiol/disulfide homeostasis, a novel marker of oxidative stress. Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control (Cn), exercise (Ex), probiotics (P), and probiotics + exercise (PEx). A capsule containing 6 × 10⁸ CFU of L. rhamnosus, L. paracasei, L. acidophilus, and B. lactis was given daily for eight weeks to all the experimental animals. The total thiol (TT, μmol/L) and native thiol (NT, μmol/L) concentrations were measured to determine the oxidative stress parameters. The dynamic disulfide (DD, %), reduced thiol (RT, %), oxidized thiol (OT, %), and thiol oxidation reduction (TOR, %) ratios were analyzed. Results: The TT level was found to be significantly higher in the Ex group (p = 0.047, η² = 0.259). The DD level, a marker of oxidation, was significantly lower in the PEx group (p = 0.042, η² = 0.266); the highest value of this parameter was found in the Ex group. The use of probiotics alone had no effect on thiol/disulfide homeostasis. Conclusions: We showed, for the first time, that probiotics administered “with exercise” decreased dynamic disulfide and significantly reduced oxidative damage. Therefore, we speculate that the use of probiotics in sports involving intense exercise might be beneficial to reduce oxidative stress.

AflatoxinB1 (AFB1) is a hepatotoxic mycotoxin whose bioactivation by cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes generates reactive metabolites that drive oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Propolis is a bee-derived product with antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties. To investigate whether propolis supplementation attenuates AFB1-induced hepatic injury by modulating inflammatory mediators, Nrf2–HO-1 signaling, mitochondrial apoptosis, and CYP450 expression in rats, twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to four groups (n = 6): control, AFB1 (25 µg/kg/day), propolis (250 mg/kg/day), and AFB1 + propolis. Treatments were given by oral gavage for 28 days. Hepatic IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, Nrf2 and HO-1 levels were measured by ELISA. Histopathology was assessed on H&E-stained sections. Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, CYP1A2, CYP3A4, CYP2C19 and cytochrome P450 reductase expressions were evaluated immunohistochemically and quantified by ImageJ. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test. AFB1 significantly increased hepatic IL-1β and IL-6 and reduced Nrf2 levels, while propolis supplementation restored Nrf2, elevated HO-1 and significantly lowered IL-6 compared with AFB1 alone (p < 0.05). AFB1 induced marked hydropic degeneration, sinusoidal congestion, and mononuclear infiltration, alongside increased Bax and caspase-3 and decreased Bcl-2 expression; these changes were largely reversed in propolis-treated groups. AFB1 upregulated CYP1A2, CYP3A4 and cytochrome P450 reductase, whereas propolis co-treatment significantly suppressed their expression without affecting CYP2C19. Propolis supplementation attenuated AFB1-induced liver injury through coordinated anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and metabolic regulatory effects, notably via restoration of Nrf2–HO-1 signaling and down-regulation of key CYP450 isoenzymes. Propolis may represent a promising natural dietary strategy against AFB1-associated hepatotoxicity, warranting further translational research.

Investigating the possible effects of the irisin hormone, which has been discovered in recent years, on energy expenditure and glucose metabolism has been found to have positive effects on end-stage diseases. The irisin secreted by the skeletal muscle in mice and humans; is a hormone thought to improve energy consumption and improve systemic metabolism by making white fat tissue turn into brown fat tissue. Thanks to the knowledge that the structure of the irisin hormone is 100% similar in rats and humans, researches on experimental animals may be helpful for human studies. It has been suggested that irisin, which has been studied in particular for its positive effects on obesity and diabetes, may be a promising alternative treatment for metabolic diseases. In our study that we have planned, we aimed to determine the changes that exercise will bring about at the level of irisin hormone in diabetic animal models that will be created experimentally and to evaluate the effects of these changes on diabetes, insulin resistance, lipid profile, obesity and inflammation from Metabolic Syndrome components. For this purpose, we have 3 groups; control group, diabetic and diabetic exercise group. The effects of exercise on the level of irisin hormone were investigated in the obtained serum samples. In order to observe the obesity process, the rats in each group were weighed weekly and their body weights were measured. When the weights of the groups at the beginning and 4 weeks were observed, a mean increase of 35.8 g (p <0.05) was observed in the control group, 30 g (p 0.05). The mean fasting blood glucose value of the diabetic group was 477.17 ± 87.98 mg / dl and the diabetic exercise group had a mean of 485 ± 86.03 mg / dl. When the irisin levels were examined, it was seen that there was a difference between the groups (p> 0.05). In the control group, average irisin level was 255.73 ± 374.81 ng/ml , in the diabetic group was 98.09 ± 51.25 ng/ml and in the diabetic exercise group was of 66.43 ± 25.01 ng/ml . As a result, injectable irisin forms are produced because of irisin hormone is an important alternative in the treatment of obesity and diabetes as well as other metabolic diseases; it can be thought that the frequency can be used to control diabetes and obesity which are increasing day by day.