Objectives Alopecia areata (AA) is a multifactorial autoimmune disease with a strong genetic predisposition. A variety of genes involved in immunity and inflammatory responses, such as cytokines, are suspected to increase the risk of developing AA. In which, different interleukin (IL) genes that associated with several autoimmune diseases and AA in varied populations. The objective of this study was to investigate the possible genetic association of AA with ten variants of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in IL12B,IL13,IL16,IL17A, and IL18 genes among Jordanian patients. Methods In this case-control study, peripheral blood samples of 152 Jordanian AA patients and 150 controls (total of 302 subjects) were collected, genomic DNA extracted and genotyped, based on which their allele and genotype frequencies were assessed. Results In the rs11073001 SNP located in the exon region of the IL16 gene, the A allele was distributed more frequently in AA patients ( p = 0.01). A difference was found between the patients and the controls for the rs17875491 SNP in the promoter region of the IL16 gene ( p = 0.04). The mean age of onset was 27.3±12.6 with male predominance. Most patients (68.4%) were asymptomatic but some reported experiencing associated sensations before the hair loss episodes. The patchy patterns of alopecia were the most common (90.3%). Nail changes were found in 7.3% of the patients. Conclusions The findings support the hypothesis of the involvement of IL16 gene in the etiology of AA. Moreover, it emphasizes the variations in the genetic component of AA, as well as the clinical phenotypes among different ethnic groups.

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This study was conducted to test the protective potential of Zingerone against a highfat diet (HFD)-mediated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development in rats and examined in this protection is mediated modulating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Animals were segregated based on their diet and treatment into four groups (n = 6 each): (a) fed standard diet (STD), (b) treated with Zingerone (100 mg/kg), (c) fed HFD, (d) HFD + Zingerone (100 mg/kg), and (e) HFD + Zingerone (100 mg/kg) + compound c (CC) (an AMPK inhibitor) (0.2 mg/kg). The treatment with Zingerone attenuated the gain in final body weights, preserved liver structure, and downregulated the transcription of Bax and cleaved caspase-3. In the HFD and STD-fed rats, Zingerone reduced levels of fasting glucose and insulin and circulatory levels of cholesterol (CHOL) and triglycerides (TGs). Concomitantly, Zingerone enhanced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels, depleted levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and enhanced the nuclear levels of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2).In addition, it lowered the levels of inflammatory cytokines and the nuclear levels of the nuclear factor kappa beta p65 (NF-κB p65). All these biochemical changes were associated with an increment in the phosphorylation of AMPK (p-AMPK) (activation) and reduced mRNA levels of SREBP1 and SREBP2. All observed effects afforded by Zingerone were abolished by CC. In conclusion, Zingerone prevents hepatic oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis by activating AMPK.

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Effect of high altitude hypoxia on the postnatal development of rat testis: Histological and histometric study. Int. J. Morphol., 34(2):610-615, 2016. SUMMARY:The study was carried out at two different altitudes in the southern region of Saudi Arabia: Abha, 2,800 meters above sea level, the high altitude (HA) area and Jazan, 40 meters above sea level the low altitude (LA) area. Following exposure to high altitude, and up to the third week of postnatal development, some of the seminiferous tubules showed detachment from the basal lamina, spaces of different sizes within the epithelial layer with vacuoles in the center and Pyknotic nuclei were noted in the spermatogonia and primordial germ cells. Rounded spermatids were seen in the lumen only on day 35 of hypoxic group, no spermatozoa were recognized until day 45 of postnatal development. On day 45 hypoxic rat testes revealed various types of atrophy and degeneration in the seminiferous tubules and in the interstitial tissue, there was detachment of the basal laminae of the tubules and a profound decrease in cellularity. Significant decrease in epithelial height was noticed in these animals (P <0.05). Also, the diameter of the tubules showed slight decrease with concomitant increase in interstitial spaces in all hypoxic rats.