Effects Of Walnuts On Gene Expression Of NRF-2 And NFK-B In Elderly MCI Patients

NUT3008 Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Nutrition

Inclusion Criteria and Intervention

The effects of walnut on gene expression of NRF – 2 and NFk-B, was aimed for analysis in this research study. Both these factors are associated with the nucleus of an organism (3,11). Elderly MCI patients were selected for the research study and the effects of gene expression of both the factors were analysed. NFkB gene was associated with the expression of many pro-inflammatory genes that include chemokines and cytokines (1, 12). The same has been found to participate in inflammasome regulation also. Innate immune T cell’s survival has been found to be dependent on the expression of the above stated nuclear factor (2,13).  Thus, the effects of the effect of a nut or food material was tested on the change in expression of the above stated factor’s gene expression.

The inclusion criteria was associated with people who were neither normal nor demented and there is an evidence of cognitive deterioration. People were only included in the research study if they presented the above stated criteria. Only 8 participants were recruited for the research study (4). Every participant recruited, received banana bread with walnuts. They were asked for consuming 2 banana bread on a daily basis and the corresponding amount was 30 g walnut and 5g of alpha linolenic acid – fatty acid. At the end of the research study, participants have finished the intervention associated with higher than 90% compliance (5). Blood sample was collected and the expression levels of the chosen factors were recorded. The collected data was subjected to statistical analysis and the results were stated below.

Fig 1: Graphical representation for the change in NFKB expression after the introduction of walnut in the diet.

Source: MS Excel

Fig 2: Graphical representation for the change in NRF2 expression after the introduction of walnut in the diet.

Source: MS Excel

The above stated graphical representations have been found to show that there are direct evidences of change in gene expression levels for the chosen transcription factors – NRF2 and NFKB (6). These two transcription factors have been found to be associated with different levels after the introduction of walnut in the diet of participants for two weeks. The results as graphical representations have been found to show that NFKB expression levels are increased after the introduction of walnut in MIC patient diets (7). On the other hand, it can be stated that NRF2 expression levels can be stated to have decreased after the introduction of walnuts in the diet for 12 weeks. Thus, the effects of walnut on the expression levels of the selected factors, can be stated to be significant according to the evidences obtained from the present research study. However, it has been observed that there are evidences which shows that NFKB synthesis is reduced due to walnut exposure (8). The current experiment has been found to have been conducted by the use of diet containing not only walnut but also bread and banana (9). This diet can be stated to contain other elements apart from walnut, which can be stated to have altered the expression levels of NRF2 and NFKB in human beings (10). In other words, it can be said that both the gene expression levels have been affected, but not in the way shown in previous research studies.

Graphical Representations of Results

The selected hypothesis for the research study can be stated to be justified, because of the fact that the two variables can be separately identified in the research study. On the other hand, it has been observed that this type of research hypothesis was associated with another research study also (1).

The experiment has used a research design, which was found to be used in another experiment where the research design was similar to this one. In other words, it can be stated that the selection of human or live participants and then testing an intervention on them, is the normal process of a Randomized Controlled Trials.

The representation of the results in Graphical format has shown that walnut exerts a positive regulation effect for NFKB expression and a negative regulatory effect for NRF2 expression. This type of graphical representations was used in another research study where these types of experimental researches were conducted. From the associated results, it has been found that the results of NFKB are contradictory to the results present in this research study (2). The study findings were found to show that NFKB expression is reduced after the introduction of walnut in the diet.

A research study has shown that there is an inhibition of kappaB signalling, associated with the intestinal epithelial cells (3). This means that there is a reduction of kappaB signalling,associated with the use of walnuts. Thus, it can be stated that the walnuts are responsible for the decrease in synthesis or the expression of both the NFKB and NRF2 genes. In other words, it can be said that the observed findings are not in coherence with the findings of the previous research studies (10). The findings of the previous research studies are specifically based on the reduction of a specific gene, which has been shown to be upregulated according to the research findings. The findings of the research study can thus be stated to be present in another research paper also.

The findings of the research study can thus be stated to have been associated with this research study only. In other words, it can be said that, the upregulation and downregulation of genes are associated with many different factors. However, these factors have not been found to be specifically discussed in this research study and the previous research studies were found to talk of something different (4).

The research report has been found to be associated with findings which were not properly justified according to the findings of the previous research studies. This issue can either be stated to have occurred due to the manual errors which occur during an experiment, or during any other experimental errors (8).

The extended discussion has been found to dive deep into the research findings. The above stated graphical representations have been found to show that there are direct evidences of change in gene expression levels for the chosen transcription factors – NRF2 and NFKB (5). These two transcription factors have been found to be associated with different levels after the introduction of walnut in the diet of participants for two weeks (9). The results as graphical representations have been found to show that NFKB expression levels are increased after the introduction of walnut in MIC patient diets.

References

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