Yousef Abdulrazzaq - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Yousef Abdulrazzaq

Summary This is a prospective study in which ae atoxin levels were measured in umbilical cord blo... more Summary This is a prospective study in which ae atoxin levels were measured in umbilical cord blood from 201 women delivered consecutively in Tawam and Al Ain hospitals in order to determine whether the fetuses had been signie cantly exposed to the toxin. Ae atoxin B 1 , M 1 and M 2 were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. Ae atoxins were detected in 110 (54.7%) samples, 27 of which were positive for B 1 , 106 for M 1 and 31 for M 2 . There was a signie cant negative correlation ( p<0.001) between birthweight and levels of ae atoxin. The high rate of detection of ae atoxins cone rms that a signie cant number of infants in the UAE are exposed to these toxins which ree ects maternal ingestion of ae atoxin-containing food. The presence of ae atoxin resulted in lower birthweights.

Journal of Biosocial Science, 1997

This study examines the frequency of consanguineous marriage and the coefficient of inbreeding in... more This study examines the frequency of consanguineous marriage and the coefficient of inbreeding in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study was conducted in Al Ain and Dubai cities between October 1994 and March 1995. A sample of 2033 married UAE females aged 15 years and over participated. The degree of consanguinity between each female and her spouse, and the degree of consanguinity between their parents were recorded. The rate of consanguinity in the present generation was high (50•5%) with a coefficient of inbreeding of 0•0222. The commonest type of consanguineous marriage was between first cousins (26•2%). Double first cousin marriages were common (3•5%) compared to other populations. The consanguinity rate in the UAE has increased from 39% to 50•5% in one generation. The level of consanguinity was higher in Al Ain (54•2%) than in Dubai (40%).

Journal of Biosocial Science, Jul 1, 1996

SummaryThis case-control study was undertaken to determine socio-demographic risk factors for low... more SummaryThis case-control study was undertaken to determine socio-demographic risk factors for low birth weight in Al-Ain (United Arab Emirates) over a 12-month period in 1992–93. A total of 3485 live births occurred of which 293 (8·4%) were low birth weight. The risk factors considered were mother's occupation, house conditions, place of residence (urban or rural), maternal smoking habits, antenatal care, availability of help in the home, maternal BMI and educational status. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that mother's occupation, maternal smoking, antenatal care, and lack of help in the home were associated with increased risk of low birth weight.

HAMDAN MEDICAL JOURNAL, 2017

There is a paucity of information on the toxic effects of aflatoxins on reproduction, and any dat... more There is a paucity of information on the toxic effects of aflatoxins on reproduction, and any data that are available in the literature are largely from experiments with poorly described methodology, possibly making them unreliable. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate the consequences of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) administered during the early and late stages of organogenesis on fetal growth and development in the mouse. Groups of mice were administered a single dose of 20 mg/kg AFB1 dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) either intraperitoneally or orally on gestation day (GD) 7 or 13. The control animals received a similar volume of DMSO. Fetuses were collected on GD 18. This treatment was found to be maternally non-toxic; however, AFB1 treatment resulted in a significantly increased incidence of fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction, characterized by a body weight of ≥ 2 standard deviations below the mean of the control animals. A significant number of fetuses of AFB1-treated mice were also found to have developed smaller kidneys. In addition, the AFB1 group fetuses exhibited delayed ossification of the supraoccipital bone, cervical and coccygeal vertebral bodies, and the bones of the forepaws and hindpaws. Another major finding was a significantly increased incidence of cervical ribs and sternal anomalies. Interestingly, the effects of AFB1 were found to be more severely pronounced in the GD-13 treatment group than in the GD-7 treatment group. These results show that the later organogenesis stage of development (GD 13) is more susceptible to the deleterious effects of AFB1 in mouse fetuses.

Archives of Disease in Childhood, Oct 1, 2012

the second grade children and their parents by cluster selection method. A population of 290 chil... more the second grade children and their parents by cluster selection method. A population of 290 children aged 6-8 years and their parents were interviewed. Results In general, the level of knowledge related to rich sources of nutrients was poor. The most of the children can't identify the role of calcium (72.6%), proteins (68.1%) and iron (84.6 %). Children prefer to eat foods they like (71.8%), such as sweets and cakes, hamburgers and etc. The most of the children (83.3%) have normal weight for age, underweight was revealed in 3.1%, overweight in 12.3% and obesity in 1.4% cases. The assessment of dietary intake show, that intake of fruits and vegetables, as well as milk and milk products is quite low, while intake of bread and pastry, and sweets are quite high. Daily consumption of sweets was significantly higher in girls (64.2%) than in boys (47.5%) (p<0.01). Only 62 % of children eat the breakfast, most children 60.4% view TV during the meal time or play computer games. The most of the children play the active games approximately 30-60 minutes, quite often children play active games only 20-30 minutes. Conclusion The dietary intake of children does not correspond to WHO recommendations. It is recommended to implement nutrition education programs for children an parents.

Annals of Tropical Paediatrics, Sep 1, 2003

A study was undertaken to determine whether breast-milk of mothers from the United Arab Emirates ... more A study was undertaken to determine whether breast-milk of mothers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) contained aflatoxins. One hundred and forty lactating mothers, 55 who had delivered premature infants (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;2500 g, &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/=37 wk gestational age) and 85 who had full-term infants, agreed to participate in the study. Breast-milk was collected during regular feeding of infants in the special care baby unit and postnatal wards using an electric breast pump and ten ml of milk was siphoned off into a zinc-free plastic container for analysis. Aflatoxin M(1) concentration in the breast-milk samples was measured by HPLC. Samples were collected between January 1999 and December 2000. Approximately 66% of the mothers were expatriates and 34% were UAE nationals. Babies&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; weight, postnatal age, sex, birthweight and gestational age, and mothers&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; nationality, age and parity were recorded. Overall, 92% of the breast-milk samples contained aflatoxin M(1). Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis failed to show significant correlation between aflatoxin M(1) and gestational age, postnatal age, gender, nationality and clinical condition. Levels of lactose, protein and lipids did not correlate significantly with levels of aflatoxin M(1). The public should be educated about storing food and the hazards of aflatoxin ingestion to reduce the unacceptably frequent presence of aflatoxin in breast-milk.

Journal of Epidemiology, 2008

Background: Information on the health and growth status of the population is essential for planni... more Background: Information on the health and growth status of the population is essential for planning and administering health promotion programs. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of the anthropometric measurements of United Arab Emirates (UAE) children aged 0-18 years, by a multistage stratified random sampling technique based on age and sex. Healthy, fullterm children of UAE nationality who did not have any diseases that could affect their growth pattern were included in the study. Children were selected using multistage sampling, using sampling proportional to size methods in 9 geographical areas. Growth charts for various anthropometric measures were created using Cole's LMS statistical package. This package estimates age-specific percentiles with the use of smoothing splines after transformation to normality. Results: A total of 21,068 children (12,159 females) between the ages of 0 and 18 years were studied. In the present study, we included 8-15% of the population aged 0-18 years. The growth chart for 0-36 months is very similar to the NCHS growth reference chart in terms of both weight for age and length and height for age. The mean (+SD) length/height in children was 49.9 ± 3.2 cm at birth, 75.9 ± 5.7 cm at 12 months, 86.4 ± 4.5 cm at 24 months, 95.1 ± 5.9 cm at 36 months, and 111.1 ± 6.4 cm at 60 months. The height of UAE children in the first 3 years of life, especially at the ages of 2 and 3 years, mirrored those achieved by Brazilian children in the WHO study. Conclusion: The results of the present study are useful for growth assessment of UAE children.

Dubai medical journal, Feb 6, 2019

Aim: To describe meal and snack patterns and practices of infants and toddlers in the UAE. Method... more Aim: To describe meal and snack patterns and practices of infants and toddlers in the UAE. Method: A random sample of 1,000 infants and toddlers, aged 5 months to 2 years and attending Public Health clinics for immunization, was recruited. One face-to-face interview in which caregivers reported the feeding pattern of their infants and toddlers in the preceding 24-h period was conducted. For statistics, we used percentages (proportions) by age group (5-11.9 and 12-24 months). Result: The rate of breastfeeding decreased with age from 60% at 5 months to 37% at 12 months. At the age of 5-6 months, 90% of infants had been introduced to complementary foods. Juice was consumed by 7% of the infants before the American Academy of Pediatrics-recommended age of 6 months. At the age of 9-11 months, 90-100% of infants consumed cows' milk on a daily basis. Moreover, French fries and/or sweetened beverages were consumed by 10% of infants and toddlers. Chicken was the most commonly fed meat (19.6% of infants and 57.2% of toddlers). Conclusion: The study results provide important evidence of improper feeding in some children and would help in providing guidance to parents and caregivers about the introduction of appropriate solid foods at an appropriate time.

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, Jun 1, 2022

Human histamine H3 receptor (H3R) was initially described in the brain of rat in 1983 and cloned ... more Human histamine H3 receptor (H3R) was initially described in the brain of rat in 1983 and cloned in 1999. It can be found in the human brain and functions as a regulator of histamine synthesis and release. H3 receptors are predominantly resident in the presynaptic region of neurons containing histamine, where they modulate the synthesis and release of histamine (autoreceptor) or other neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, acetylcholine and serotonin (all heteroreceptors). The human histamine H3 receptor has twenty isoforms of which eight are functional. H3 receptor expression is seen in the cerebral cortex, neurons of the basal ganglia and hippocampus, which are important for process of cognition, sleep and homoeostatic regulation. In addition, histamine H3R antagonists stimulate insulin release, through inducing the release of acetylcholine and cause significant reduction in total body weight and triglycerides in obese subjects by causing a feeling of satiety in the hypothalamus. The ability of histamine H3R antagonist to reduce diabetes-induced hyperglycaemia is comparable to that of metformin. It is reasonable therefore, to claim that H3 receptor antagonists may play an important role in the therapy of disorders of cognition, the ability to sleep, oxidative stress, inflammation and anomaly of glucose homoeostasis. A large number of H3R antagonists are being developed by pharmaceutical companies and university research centres. As examples of these new drugs, this review will discuss a number of drugs, including the first histamine H3R receptor antagonist produced.

Annals of Human Genetics, 2009

SummaryThis study was conducted to determine the prevalence of alkaptonuria in the UAE population... more SummaryThis study was conducted to determine the prevalence of alkaptonuria in the UAE population and to identify the genotype of affected individuals. In a 3 stage sampling technique 2981 pupils from Government schools in Al Ain and private schools in Dubai were selected to take part in the study, of whom 2857 provided urine samples. Urine collected was analysed for homogentisic acid by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Genomic DNA was isolated from the white blood cells of all family members of the affected case following standard established protocols. Specific PRC primers were designed to amplify all 14 exons of the HGD gene with the flanking intronic sequences including the splice site sequences. 2857 children returned a viable urine sample, of which one was highly positive for homogentisic acid. All 12 members of this girl's family were studied and one, a 22 year old brother, was found to excrete HGA. Another, a sister who had not provided a urine sample, was discovered by genetic testing. There were no complaints of joint pain or other symptoms in any member of this family. Parents were first cousins. We found a single nucleotide deletion c.342delA, located in exon 3, which resulted in a frameshift at amino acid position 58 (p.Arg58fs or p.R58fs). Alkaptonuria may be more common than it is thought to be with an allele prevalence estimated at 0.0107 (95% CI 0.000392 – 0.03473). The R58fs mutation is old, perhaps having occurred several thousand years ago, and has spread over a large geographical area.

PubMed, Jun 1, 1996

We investigate the familial and environmental risk factors associated with asthma among United Ar... more We investigate the familial and environmental risk factors associated with asthma among United Arab Emirates schoolchildren aged 6-14 years. A cross-sectional study of 850 schoolchildren living in both urban and rural areas (average age 9.36 +/- 2.11 years; 46.8% boys, 53.2% girls) was conducted using self-administered questionnaires between October 1992 and May 1993. The population sample had a high prevalence rate of diagnosed asthma (13.6%) and allergic rhinitis (22.9%). The frequency of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema among parents and siblings reflected the same pattern as that seen in the children. Environmental risk factors associated with asthma were pets, medicine, plants, dust storm, physical exercise, humidity, and perfume. All other factors, such as foods, climate, and parental smoking, showed no apparent relation to the development of asthma. The logistic regression analysis showed that parental asthma, plants, perfume, dust storm, humidity, and pets were the only significant predictors after adjusting for sex and other confounding covariates in the model. In conclusion, risk factors for asthma identified by our study are similar to those found in other community-based studies. Consistencies and discrepancies between our findings and those from other studies with respect to asthma risk factors support the hypothesis that asthma is a multifactorial disease related to both familial and environmental influences.

Clinica Chimica Acta, Feb 1, 2005

There may be a marked reduction in essential amino acids in the serum of children with thalassemi... more There may be a marked reduction in essential amino acids in the serum of children with thalassemia major and this is related to decreased growth in affected children. One hundred patients with beta-thalassemia and 50 control children selected from among those who had presented with minor disorders unrelated to hematological disease were recruited. Urine and heparinized blood were collected from fasting thalassemic patients. After deproteinization and dilution, amino acid concentrations were measured using ion-exchange chromatography. Isoleucine (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.0001), phenylalanine (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.05), tyrosine (p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.0001), taurine…

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Data from our previous work indicate that Lamotrigine (LTG) is teratogenic in the mouse. In the p... more Data from our previous work indicate that Lamotrigine (LTG) is teratogenic in the mouse. In the present study, we attempted to determine the possible protective effects of exogenous folate on LTG-induced fetal anomalies in TO mouse. Experiment I entailed administering 4 mg/kg of folinic acid (FA) and (25 mg/kg) of LTG intraperitoneally three times on gestation day (GD) 8 to a group of mice; other groups were a group that received similar volumes of saline, a group that received LTG and Saline, a group that received FA and saline. Experiment 2 involved administering groups of mice with daily 3 doses FA (or proportionate volume of saline) on GD 5 through 10 and either 3 doses of saline on GD8, or 3 doses of LTG on GD8. Maternal plasma concentrations of FA, vitamin B12 and homocysteine were determined an hour after the last injection from one-half of all animals. The other half were allowed to go to term (GD18) when they were euthanized and their fetuses were examined for visceral and skeletal malformations. A high incidence of resorption, abortion, embryolethality, congenital malformations, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), was observed in the LTG-treated group. Folic acid and B12 levels were decreased and homocysteine concentration increased significantly in LTG groups. Mice receiving LTG with FA had normal levels of folate, Vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels, and the fetuses had fewer birth defects similar to the controls which were given saline only. Supplemental FA ameliorated to a great extent the LTG-induced embryonic resorption and malformations and restored the FA status.

Drug Design, Development and Therapy, 2018

The imidazole-based H3R antagonist 2-18 with high in vitro H3R antagonist affinity, excellent in ... more The imidazole-based H3R antagonist 2-18 with high in vitro H3R antagonist affinity, excellent in vitro selectivity profile, and high in vivo H3R antagonist potency was tested for its anticonvulsant effect in maximal electroshock (MES)-induced convulsions in mice having valproic acid (VPA) as a reference antiepileptic drug (AED). Additionally, H3R antagonist 2-18 was evaluated for its reproductive toxicity in the same animal species. The results show that acute systemic administration (intraperitoneal; i.p.) of H3R antagonist 2-18 (7.5, 15, 30, and 60 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly and dose dependently protected male as well as female mice against MES-induced convulsion. The protective action observed for H3R antagonist 2-18 in both mice sexes was comparable to that of VPA and was reversed when mice were pretreated with the selective H3R agonist (R)-alpha-methylhistamine (RAMH, 10 mg/kg, i.p.). Moreover, the results show that acute systemic administration of single (7.5, 15, 30, or 60 mg/kg, i.p.) or multiple doses (15×3 mg/kg, i.p.) of H3R antagonist 2-18 on gestation day (GD) 8 or 13 did not affect the maternal body weight of mice when compared with the control group. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the average number of implantations and resorptions between the control and H3R antagonist 2-18-treated group at the early stages of gestation and the organogenesis period. However, oral treatment with H3R antagonist 2-18 (15 mg/kg) on GD 8 induced a reduced number of live embryos when compared with the i.p.-treated mice. In addition, no significant changes in the fetal body and placental weights were observed after injection of H3R antagonist 2-18 with all selected doses. However, three dose groups of i.p. and oral 15 mg/kg on GD 13 significantly affected the placental weight when compared with control group. Notably, the treatment of pregnant female with the H3R antagonist 2-18 did not produce significant malformation in the fetus in both groups. In conclusion, the novel H3R antagonist 2-18 proves to be a very safe compound and displays a low incidence of malformations, demonstrating that H3R antagonist 2-18 may have a potential future therapeutic value in epilepsy.

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 2021

Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) is a novel, 198 amino acid adipocytokine also referred to as neutrophil gelat... more Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) is a novel, 198 amino acid adipocytokine also referred to as neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). LCN-2 is a circulatory protein responsible for the transportation of small and hydrophobic molecules (steroid, free fatty acids, prostaglandins and hormones) to target organs after binding to megalin/glycoprotein and GP330 SLC22A17 or 24p3R LCN-2 receptors. LCN-2 has been used as a biomarker for acute and chronic renal injury. It is present in a large variety of cells including neutrophil, hepatocytes, lung, bone marrow, adipose tissue, macrophages, thymus, non-neoplastic breast duct, prostate, and renal cells. Different functions have been associated with LCN-2. These functions include antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and protection against cell and tissue stress. Moreover, LCN-2 can increase the pool of matrix metalloproteinase 9 in human neutrophil granulocytes. Other reported functions of LCN-2 include its ability to destroy the extracellular matrix, which could enable cancer progression and spread of metastasis. Recent reports show that the tissue level of LCN-2 is increased in metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, suggesting an association between LCN-2 and insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis. The precise role of LCN-2 in the modulation of insulin sensitivity, glucose and lipid metabolism is still unclear. This review explores the structure of LCN-2, tissue distribution, and its interaction with important metabolic pathways.

Dubai Medical Journal, 2021

Reproductive Toxicology, 2016

Objective This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of alkaptonuria in the UAE populat... more Objective This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of alkaptonuria in the UAE population and to identify the genotype of affected individuals. Subjects and Methods Urine samples were collected from 2981 pupils from government schools in Al Ain city and private schools in the city of Dubai selected in a three-stage sampling technique. Urine samples were analysed for homogentisic acid (HGA) by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results Urine from one child was highly positive for HGA, excreting a large amount of HGA. There were no symptoms of joint pain or other symptoms in any member of this family. The entire coding exons and splice sites of the HGD (HGO) gene was sequenced in the affected child, revealing a homozygous single nucleotide deletion at c342 delA in exon 3 leading to a frameshift at amino acid position 58 (R58fs). In this child’s family of 12 members a brother and a sister were also found to be homozygous for the same mutation. The mutation found in this Arab family has been reported in several populations including Turkish, Finnish, Slovak and Indian patients and was identical to the Turkish patients, strengthening the hypothesis that the R58fs mutation is an old mutation spread in a vast geographical area by human migration. Conclusion Alkaptonuria may be more common than is thought, with a prevalence of one in 3000 in our population. In addition, our findings are likely to be helpful in the diagnosis of alkaptonuria in Arab and other middle eastern populations.