course material

1. NUT3008 Biochemistry Genetics And Molecular Nutrition
Answer:
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.
Method
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.

2. 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.
Extended Discussion
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

3. 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.
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