Iranian Journal of

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Background: Leptin, a peptide hormone, is the product of "ob" Gene. Leptin regulate body weight and composition through reducing appetite and energy expenditure in rodents and humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in expression of Leptin Gene in different tissues of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.
Methods: 40 Sprague Dawely rat were selected. Intra peritoneal injection was carried out in 20 rats and another 20 rats were used as control. After injection of 60mg/kg Streptozotocin, animals were transformed into diabetic. Glucose was measured by glucose oxidase method. Leptin and insulin were measure by commercially available immunoassay kits. After one week treatment, different tissues including adipose tissues, Spleen, epidydimis, and Liver of both control and experimental animals were dissected. For investigation of any changes of the Leptin gene expression in different tissues, RNA was extracted using Trizo1 method. By using RT-PCR technique, Leptin cDNA and β-actin cDNA as internal control were constructed and PCR was carried out. The RT-PCR products were detected on 2% agarose gel using electrophoresis.
Results: Mean serum levels of Leptin was 5.23± 0.45 ng/ml before injection of streptozotocin and markedly decreased in STZ induced diabetic rats to 0.79±0.25 ng/ml. This decrease was statistically significant P<0.05). There was a direct and significant correlation between leptin and insulin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (r=0.37, P<0.05 ) while, this was reverse in control rats ( r= -0.28, P<0.05). Using RT-PCR method, Leptin gene expression in different tissues including fat epidydimis, liver, and spleen showed that the intensity of leptin band with 452 bp was decreased in diabetic rats in comparison to normal rats. Actin Gene expression was identified in PCR products having 403 bp and the intensity was constant in both groups. The reduction rates of "ob" mRNA in fat epidydimis tissue in STZ diabetic rats was remarkable in comparison to Spleen and Liver.
Conclusion: It is speculated that Leptin gene could be under regulation of insulin dependent mechanism in diabetic rats and by modulating Leptin gene expression in diabetic patients, it may be useful in clinical practices.

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Background: Diabetic nephropathy is the main cause of end-stage kidney disease in diabetic patients. Several inflammatory markers related with diabetic nephropathy have been investigated so far. It is necessary to identify easily available and cost-effective indices. We aimed to determine the relationship between the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and mean platelet volume with diabetic nephropathy.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed from 2021 to 2022 in diabetes clinic of Ghaem hospital, Mashhad.  Patients with type II diabetes were categorized into two groups: without and with nephropathy (urinary albumin excretion greater than 30 mg/24h or GFR less than 60). Patients’ data, including demographic data, past medical and drug history and lab data were gathered and analyzed.
Results: In total, 100 diabetic patients including 50 with (mean age=64.04±7.40 years) and 50 without nephropathy (mean age=56.06±6.36 years), were studied. Patients with nephropathy were older, had a longer history of diabetes and a higher blood pressure (P < 0.05). However, the distribution of gender, weight, height, and BMI was not significantly different the two groups (P>0.05). The absolute neutrophil count was not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05), while the mean platelet volume, neutrophil% and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were significantly higher in patients with nephropathy (P<0.05).
Conclusion: According to our findings, patients with diabetic nephropathy had higher mean platelet volume, neutrophil%, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios compared to diabetic patients without nephropathy.