Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and associated with oxidative stress resulting from accumulation of free radicals in body's tissues, which especially affects beta cells in pancreas and is an important factor in the development of diabetes and its complications. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a family of antioxidant enzymes that play important roles in decreasing ROS species and act as a kind of antioxidant defense. In a case-control study, we investigated the role of GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism in predisposition to T2DM in patients from Tarabah province, Saudi Arabia. The polymorphism was screened by PCR-RFLP in 90 T2DM patients and 87 healthy controls. The genotypes and alleles frequencies in cases and controls were assessed using Cochran-Armitage trend test and odds ratios (ORs), and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) in different genetic models of inheritance were calculated. Our data indicate that G allele (Val) is associated with an increased risk for T2DM in this population in any combination (OR 4.101, 95 % CI 1.986-8.469, P = 0.00008). This indicates that individuals who are carriers for the mutant allele, either in homozygous (GG) or heterozygous (AG) state, are at fourfold higher risk for development of T2DM than other subjects in this population.

ABSTRACT. Glutathione-S-transferases (GST) are key phase II detoxifying enzymes that play critical roles in protection against products of oxidative stress and against electrophiles. Glutathione S-transferase mu (GST-M1) and theta (GST-T1) are isoforms of glutathione transferase enzymes that participate in the metabolism of a wide range of chemicals. Deletion variants that are associated with a lack of enzyme function exist at both these loci. The frequencies of homozygous GSTM1 and GSTT1 deletion carriers are very high in most of the populations studied to date. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequencies of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes among the Turabah population in Saudi Arabia in comparison with the data published for some other Arabic populations. The subjects consisted of 164 unrelated healthy individuals from the Turabah population. GST genotyping was performed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based (2015) methods. The GSTM1 deletion homozygosity was 56.1% and GSTT1 deletion homozygosity was 20.7%, while the GSTM1 and GSTT1 doubledeletion homozygosity was 11.0%. Comparison with published data from Bahraini, Lebanese, and Tunisian populations demonstrated no significant difference for GSTM1 between these populations. The GSTT1 null-allele frequency was significantly lower than those for the Lebanese and Tunisian populations (P = 0.001) but similar to that for the Bahraini population (P = 0.099). Characterization of GST genetic polymorphisms in the Saudi population may aid in genetic studies on the association of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms with disease risks and the pharmacogenetics of chemotherapy.

Background: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are characterized by a progressive airflow limitation. COPD is considered the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacteria are closely associated with peptic ulcer development. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to compare the incidence of peptic ulcer disease between asthmatic and COPD group of patients and evaluation of its relation to H. pylori infection. Materials and Methods: This study includes 50 patients with COPD from both sexes (M: 35/F: 15), 50 patients with bronchial asthma from both sexes (M: 30/F: 20) from King Abdul-Aziz Hospital, Taif area, and 25 healthy control volunteers (M: 17/F: 8) matched in age and sex. Total immunoglobulin E (IgE), pH, pO 2 , pCO 2 , forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1)/FVC, and forced expiratory flow (FEF) 25-75 were measured and matched between various groups. Results: Total serum IgE T-IgE showed a non-significant increase in COPD patients compared to control (68.33 ± 16.74) while it increased significantly in asthmatic patients (243.65 ± 120.54) compared to control. Regarding pH, pO 2 , and pCO 2 relation between control and asthmatic patients, the results are non-significant while it was significant (P < 0.05) for pH between control and COPD patients and was highly significant (P < 0.001) for pO 2 and pCO 2 in the two groups. For FVC, FEV1/FVC, and FEF 25-75 between control and asthma patients, results considered highly significant (P < 0.001) while it showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) for FEV1 in both groups. For FVC, FEV1/FVC, and FEF 25-75 between control and COPD patients, the results are considered highly significant (P < 0.001), and a very highly significant difference (P < 0.05) for control and COPD. Conclusion: Close interaction between the incidence of peptic ulcer disease with asthma and COPD group of patients in relation to H. pylori infection was confirmed.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and associated with an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) affecting beta cells in pancreas. Glutathione Stransferases (GSTs) are a family of antioxidant enzymes that include several classes of GSTs. These enzymes have important roles in decreasing ROS species and act as a kind of antioxidant defense. In a case-control study, the role of GSTMI and TI polymorphisms in predisposition for T2DM using multiplex polymerase chain reaction in 103 T2DM patients and 170 healthy controls from Turabah Province, Saudi Arabia was investigated. GSTM1 null variant was associated with higher genetic risk predisposing to T2DM in the study population. Our study revealed that individuals who are GSTM1 null genotype are associated with 1.863 times risk for predisposition to T2DM (Odds ratio = 1.863; 95% CI = 1.265 -2.742; P-value=0.00001). While GSTT1 polymorphism has no role in genetic predisposing to T2DM in the study population (Odds ratio = 1.053; 95% CI = 0.921 -1.203) and its contribution in susceptibility for T2DM was only detected with combined double deletions with GSTM1 null variant in the population (P-value = 0.041, Odds Ratio = 1.104; 95% CI = 0.991 -1.230). These results indicated that individuals who have GSTM1 null variant or GSTM1 and GSTT1 double deletion are at higher risk for developing T2DM than those who are positive genotyped for GSTT1gene.

Bovine tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial and major infectious disease of cattle and buffaloes caused by Mycobacterium bovis. Rapid diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis is considered one of the cornerstones for worldwide control as it permits early epidemiological and therapeutic interventions. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate conventional techniques (tuberculin test, Ziehl Neelsen staining and culturing) in comparison with proven molecular laboratory techniques (LCD array and IS6110 PCR) for identification of Bovine tuberculosis. A total of 902 Egyptian animals (480 buffaloes and 422 cattle) were examined by tuberculin test, and the positive reactors were slaughtered. Tissue samples were collected for staining as well as culturing. Moreover, LCD array and PCR using IS6110 on DNA extracted from tissue and culture samples were carried out for molecular identification of M. bovis. According to the results, the tuberculin positive cases for cattle and buffaloes were 2.14% (9 cases) and 5.62% (27 cases), respectively. After post-mortem examination, the prevalence of tuberculin positive cases with visible lesions was 88.9% for cattle and 14.8% for buffaloes. Alternatively, these percentages were 11.1% and 85.2% for cattle and buffalo carcasses with non-visible lesions. The percentage of cattle and buffaloes showing positive culture was 88.9% and 62.9%, respectively. This percentage was 69.5% after staining with Ziehl Neelsen. In contrast, LCD array and IS6110 were 100%, confirming the isolation results. In conclusion, LCD array depending on 16S RNA and DNA hybridization with specific probes for detection of M. bovis are rapid, sensitive and labor-saving when combined with IS6110-PCR.