title: Correlation between Resistin, Tuberculosis and Khat Addiction: A Study from South Western Province of Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Tuberculosis(TB) is a disease of global significance, which accounts for a death in every 15 seconds. Recent studies shows TB is rising in certain parts of the world, and Saudi Arabia is one of them. Several factor contribute in predisposing the subjects for infection including but not limited to addiction to various compounds which have immune modulation properties, such as amphetamines and Heroin etc. Khat a plant whose leaves are chewed for its euphoric effect in east Africa and Arabian Peninsula including Saudi Arabia, is considered as mildly addictive, and its principle compound, Cathinone shares structural and functional similarity with amphetamine a known immunomodulator. Tuberculosis being a disease of immune modulation has a varied spectrum of complex interplay of proinflammatory molecules, resistin is one of them. In the present study, we try to explore the trinity of khat addiction, serum resistin level and tuberculosis by correlating the serum resistin level in non khat addicted healthy subjects, khat addicted healthy subjects, and in patients, both khat addicted and non khat addicted, with active tuberculosis. We observed significantly higher resistin level among the apparently healthy khat addicted subjects as compared to non addicted healthy controls. Thereafter, when we compare the resistin levels between khat addicted and non khat addicted TB patients we did not found significant difference between the two groups. However bacillary load was observe to be significantly higher among the khat addicted TB patient as compare to non addicted one. Validation of above results in animal model revealed dose dependant increase in bacillary growth in the Wistar rats treated with khat. Taken together these results suggest the role of khat in immune modulation albeit in the limited frame of resistin level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA.
authors.forename: Ayesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA.
authors.forename: Nuzhath
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fatima
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA.
authors.forename: Ahmed Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jerah
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Nursing, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizwan
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA.
authors.forename: Yahya Hasan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hobani
authors.affiliation: Substance Abuse Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan KSA.
authors.forename: Rashad Al
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sunosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Research unit, Medical Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA.
authors.forename: Manal Mohamed El Hassan
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Research unit, Medical Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA.
authors.forename: Eldaw Mohamed
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Habiballah
authors.affiliation: Chest Hospital, Abu Areesh, Jazan KSA.
authors.forename: Pradeep Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Research unit, Medical Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA.
authors.forename: Siddig Ibrahim
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Abdulwahab
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D029754:Catha / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D020102:Mycobacterium smegmatis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; C499624:RETN protein, human; D052243:Resistin