Effect of folic acid and vitamin E on promoter DNA methylation and expression of TGF-β1, ESR-1 and CDH-1 in the uterus of STZ-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

The present study is the first attempt made to investigate the effects of diabetes on expression and promoter DNA methylation of TGF-β1, ESR-1, and CDH-1 genes and also the effects of folic acid (FA) and vitamin E (Vit E) supplementations on improving diabetes mellitus. STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated with Vit E (200 mg/kg/day) and FA (25 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks and expression and DNA methylation of TGF-β1, ESR-1, and CDH-1 genes in uterus were analysed. Data indicated that diabetes increases the expression of TGFβ-1 and ESR-1 and decreases CDH-1 expression and TGFβ-1 promoter methylation in the uterus of rats. Vit E and FA improved the negative effects of diabetes by decreasing the expression of TGFβ-1 and ESR-1 and increasing that of CDH-1 in diabetic rats. In conclusion, these findings emphasise that Vit E and FA supplementations could improve negative effects caused by diabetes on uterus function and fertility in diabetic rats.

Keywords:

• Diabetes
• folic acid
• Vitamin E
• p
• romoter DNA Methylation
• TGF-β1
• ESR-1
• Uterus

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This paper has been extracted from the MSc. thesis of Maryam Tabebordbar and was supported from Vice-chancellor for Research Affairs of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences by Grant Number 7958.