The Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Gene Expression Related to Inflammation, Insulin and Lipid in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized, Double-blind, PlaceboControlled Trial
Authors: Mohsen Taghizadeh
Shahrbanoo Oryan
Zatollah Asemi
Akram Eidi
Shokoofeh Borzabadi
Omid Reza Tamtaji
Esmat Aghadavod
Reza Daneshvar Kakhaki
Journal: Archives of Iranian Medicine (2018)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: Inflammation; Parkinson’s disease; insulin metabolism; probiotics supplementation.
Affiliations: Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran., Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kharazmy University, Tehran, I.R. Iran., Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran., Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran., Physiology Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.

Abstract:  Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of probiotic supplementation on gene expression related to inflammation, insulin and lipid in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in 50 patients with PD as a pilot study. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups to take either 8×109 CFU/day probiotic supplements or placebo (n = 25 each group, one capsule daily) for 12 weeks. Gene expression related to inflammation, insulin, and lipid was quantified in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of PD patients, with RT-PCR method. Results: After the 12-week intervention, compared with the placebo, probiotic intake downregulated gene expression of interleukin-1 (IL-1) (P = 0.03), IL-8 (P &lt; 0.001) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (P=0.04) in PBMC of subjects with PD. In addition, probiotic supplementation upregulated transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) (P = 0.02) and peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) (P = 0.03) in PBMC of subjects with PD compared with the placebo. We did not observe any significant effect of probiotic intake on gene expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in PBMC of patients with PD. Conclusion: Overall, probiotics supplementation for 12 weeks in PD patients significantly improved gene expression of IL-1, IL-8, TNF-α, TGF-β and PPAR-γ, but did not affect gene expression of VEGF and LDLR, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Fig 3A. ![file] For comparison, Fig 3A from [Pan et al (2016)] . Fig 3A from [Zhu et al (2016)] is also of interest. ![file] Plagiarising [a comment by Elisabeth Bik] : This paper belongs to a set of over 400 papers (as per February 2020) that share very similar Western blots with tadpole-like shaped bands, the same background pattern, and striking similarities in title structures, paper layout, bar graph design, and - in a subset - flow cytometry panels. Despite these similarities, these papers are authored by researchers from different departments and institutes, with almost no overlap in authors. The list of these papers is available here: https: docs.google.com spreadsheets d 1KXqTAyl4j-jVorFPMD2XRpr76LcIKJ0CVyIvRj0exYQ edit?usp=sharing A more detailed description of this set of papers, suspected to all be generated by a common source, a paper mill , can be found here: - https: forbetterscience.com 2020 01 24 the-full-service-paper-mill-and-its-chinese-customers (January 2020) - https: scienceintegritydigest.com 2020 02 21 the-tadpole-paper-mill (February 2020) The same paper mill has been described in these papers: - Jana Christopher - Systematic fabrication of scientific images revealed - FEBS Letters (2018) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13201 - Jennifer A Byrne and Jana Christopher - Digital magic, or the dark arts of the 21st centuryu2014how can journals and peer reviewers detect manuscripts and publications from paper mills? - FEBS Letters (2020) - https: febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi full 10.1002 1873-3468.13747 ![file] , 
  THIS ARTICLE WAS WITHDRAWN BY THE PUBLISHER IN NOVEMBER 2020 . https: www.ingentaconnect.com content cog or 2016 00000024 00000005 art00007 ,