title: Involvement of microRNA-133 and -29 in cardiac disturbances in diabetic ovariectomized rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Menopause and diabetes obviously increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in women. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effects of ovariectomy in type 2 diabetes on the histology and expression of miRNA-29, miRNA-133, IGF-1 and Bcl-2 genes and Bcl-2 protein and caspase 3 activity in the hearts of female rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty Female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, sham, ovariectomized (OVX), and ovariectomized with type 2 diabetes (OVX.D). After the 8-week experiment, the histological evaluation of the heart tissue was performed using H&E staining and PAS analysis, and cardiac expression of miRNA-29, miRNA-133, IGF-1, and Bcl-2 were evaluated using real-time PCR, and Bcl-2 protein and caspase 3 activity were evaluated using Western blot and ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ovariectomy significantly decreased miRNA-29, miRNA-133, IGF-1, and BCL-2 expression and Bcl-2 protein and increased caspase 3 activity in the heart compared to sham animals group (P<0.05). Type 2 diabetes in ovariectomized rats markedly decreased expression of miRNA-29, miRNA-133, IGF-1, BCL-2 genes, and Bcl-2 protein, and increased caspase 3 activity and reduced collagen and fibroblast tissue and glycogen granule deposition in relation to OVX group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that type 2 diabetes and menopause synergically could enhance the cardiac fibrosis through dysregulation of miRNA-29, miRNA-133, IGF-1, and Bcl-2 genes expression and Bcl-2 protein and upregulation of caspase 3 activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology & Embryology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alihemmati
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasirzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yousefi
authors.affiliation: Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadrasoul
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.affiliation: Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmadiasl
keywords: Cardiac fibrosis; Diabetes; Menopause; MicroRNA