Publications by authors named "Ian S Zagon"
Article Synopsis
- Diabetes mellitus leads to eye problems, including slow healing and reduced sensation, due to issues in the lacrimal functional unit (LFU) responsible for tear production.
- The Opioid Growth Factor (OGF) and its receptor (OGFr) become imbalanced in diabetic conditions, but blocking the OGF pathway with naltrexone hydrochloride (NTX) shows promise in restoring eye function.
- A study using diabetic rats showed that NTX treatment improved tear production and corneal sensitivity, while also reversing structural changes in the lacrimal glands after just 10 days.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to assess the safety of topical naltrexone on Göttingen swine after previous efficacy tests on Sprague-Dawley rats.
- Twenty-five mini-pigs were treated with daily applications of naltrexone gel at three different concentrations (1%, 2%, and 10%) for 30 days, while various health metrics and blood analyses were monitored.
- The findings indicated that no adverse effects were observed at 1% or 2% concentrations, establishing these levels as safe for use in future clinical studies.
Elevated Opioid Growth Factor Alters the Limbus in Type 1 Diabetic Rats.
J Diabetes Clin Res
January 2023
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the OGF-OGFr axis, which is disrupted in diabetes, leading to changes in limbal morphology that can influence corneal health.
- In experiments with diabetic rats, treatment with naltrexone normalized limbal cell defects and improved healing, suggesting that targeting this growth factor pathway could help manage ocular issues related to diabetes.
Article Synopsis
- * A study in central Pennsylvania investigated the effects of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) on anxiety and depression in PwMS during the early months of COVID-19.
- * Results showed that PwMS on LDN reported significantly lower anxiety and depression scores compared to those on standard oral disease-modifying therapies, indicating LDN may be a helpful treatment option.
Article Synopsis
- Diabetes affects over 500 million people globally and causes complications across various body systems, with equal ocular surface issues in both genders.
- This review discusses research on how certain biological pathways are linked to ocular problems in diabetics, emphasizing the need to study female models alongside males due to significant diabetes prevalence among women.
- Findings indicate that female rats with type 1 diabetes experience ocular complications sooner than male rats, potentially linked to hormonal differences and the role of certain peptides, highlighting the need for gender-specific investigations in diabetes research.
Article Synopsis
- * The study utilizes an animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), to explore how treatments like opioid growth factor (OGF) and low-dose naltrexone (LDN) affect inflammation and microglial activation.
- * Findings indicate that starting treatment earlier (prophylactic) delays disease onset and improves outcomes, while traditional treatment also effectively reverses deficits, highlighting the importance of timing in therapeutic interventions for MS.
Article Synopsis
- Diabetes is a growing health issue with many complications that affect various organs, including the eyes, due to unclear underlying mechanisms.
- Enkephalins, which are natural opioids produced in the brain, are linked to diabetes, with higher levels found in diabetic individuals and animal models; blocking their receptor can help reverse some complications.
- The review emphasizes how the disruption of the OGF-OGFr pathway might play a key role in the development of eye-related issues in diabetes, while also noting that insulin therapy does not resolve these ocular complications.
Article Synopsis
- Approximately 4.5 million women in the U.S. suffer from diabetes-related eye problems, which are linked to issues in the OGF-OGFr signaling pathway; however, the exact timing and severity of these complications remain unclear.
- In a study with diabetic female rats, researchers found that those with type 1 diabetes experienced increased blood sugar, weight loss, decreased tear production, and delayed wound healing in the cornea, alongside elevated levels of OGF and OGFr.
- Treatment with topical naltrexone (NTX) successfully blocked the OGF-OGFr pathway, reversing many of the ocular surface complications, suggesting this could be a promising therapeutic avenue for human patients with diabetes-related eye issues.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the impact of sex on ocular surface complications in type 1 diabetic (T1D) rats, focusing on males and females.
- It finds that female T1D rats experience greater severity and earlier onset of eye complications compared to male T1D rats, linked to higher levels of Opioid Growth Factor (OGF) and lower serum estrogen.
- The research highlights significant differences in tear production, corneal sensitivity, and hormone levels between male and female rats across various conditions, suggesting sex-based disparities in diabetic ocular health.
Article Synopsis
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder that leads to increased inflammation and disrupts the blood-brain barrier, driving the need for affordable and reliable biomarkers to monitor the disease.
- The study involved relapsing-remitting MS patients who provided blood samples to analyze levels of certain cytokines, opioid peptides, and complete the MSQOL-54 survey to assess quality of life.
- Results indicated that serum levels of Opioid Growth Factor (OGF) and β-endorphin were elevated in MS patients compared to healthy individuals, with potential correlations between these biomarkers and measures of physical health, suggesting their viability for tracking disease status.
Dysregulation of the OGF-OGFr pathway and associated diabetic complications.
J Diabetes Clin Res
January 2021
Article Synopsis
- Diabetes affects over 550 million people globally and is linked to various complications, including significant eye issues and slow-healing foot ulcers, with potential for serious outcomes like amputation.
- * Recent studies reveal that a specific growth regulatory pathway involving opioid growth factor (OGF) may be disrupted in diabetic patients, impacting conditions like dry eye and wound healing.
- * Understanding and potentially manipulating the OGF-OGFr system could provide new treatment avenues for preventing and reversing diabetes-related complications, highlighting the need for monitoring OGF levels as a possible diagnostic tool.
Article Synopsis
- The OGF-OGFr pathway is crucial for maintaining eye surface health and is disrupted in diabetes, leading to conditions like dry eye and delayed healing.
- In type 1 diabetic rats, elevated levels of the inhibitory growth factor OGF were linked to these complications, but treatment with naltrexone (an opioid receptor blocker) helped reverse these symptoms.
- Both systemic and topical naltrexone delayed dry eye onset, improved corneal healing, and normalized OGF levels, indicating that this therapy might benefit individuals in the early stages of diabetes.
Article Synopsis
- This study examines the effects of low dose naltrexone (LDN) and Opioid Growth Factor (OGF) on multiple sclerosis using an EAE mouse model, focusing on behavioral changes and tissue analysis as indicators of disease progression.
- Results indicated that saline-treated EAE mice showed significant reductions in serum OGF levels and demyelination, while OGF and LDN treatments helped restore myelin and oligodendrocyte levels to that of healthy mice.
- Imaging results demonstrated that both treatments normalized certain brain imaging metrics, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits in managing multiple sclerosis symptoms and progression.
Article Synopsis
- * Elevated levels of OGF, an inhibitor of growth, were found in male T1D rats, with corresponding increases in OGFr serum levels, signifying a change in this regulatory system.
- * The study links elevated OGF levels to eye-related problems in T1D patients, such as dry eye and impaired corneal healing, indicating that insulin treatment does not mitigate these ocular complications.
Article Synopsis
- * Research has identified the OGF-OGFr axis as important for regulating eye health, and in diabetes, its dysregulation leads to problems like decreased cell replication and increased sensitivity on the corneal surface.
- * Topical naltrexone can effectively block the OGF-OGFr axis, reversing dry eye symptoms and improving corneal healing, proving to be a safe and effective treatment with lower doses than those typically approved for systemic use.
Article Synopsis
- This research explored the opioid growth factor (OGF) and its receptor (OGFr) pathway in type 1 diabetic (T1D) rats, focusing on how the drug naltrexone (NTX) affects bone healing and integrity.
- Diabetes was induced in rats and they were treated with naltrexone or saline before and after femur fractures; the study analyzed bone composition and strength using various assessment methods.
- The findings revealed that T1D altered the OGF-OGFr pathway, with NTX treatment enhancing bone strength and improving fracture healing by reducing harmful tissue and increasing cartilage in the diabetic rats.
Article Synopsis
- Dry eye disease (DED) is common in diabetics, characterized by low tear production and increased sensitivity of the eye surface, prompting research on a new eye drop formulation.
- In a study with diabetic rats, the eye drop containing naltrexone (NTX-001) demonstrated a rapid reversal of DED symptoms within hours and was more effective than NTX in Vigamox.
- Safety assessments showed that after 30 days of treatment, there were no signs of eye damage in the test animals, indicating that NTX-001 is both effective and safe for treating DED.
Intermittent blockade of OGFr and treatment of autoimmune disorders.
Exp Biol Med (Maywood)
December 2018
Article Synopsis
- - The mini-review discusses the effects of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) on the opioid growth factor (OGF)-OGF receptor (OGFr) pathway and its potential benefits for autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, and fibromyalgia.
- - Clinical reports show that patients using LDN experience reduced fatigue, minimal side effects, and overall improved health, while preclinical studies in mice indicate that LDN prevents the decline of serum enkephalin levels associated with autoimmune diseases.
- - The research suggests that further exploration is needed to understand the interactions between LDN and autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, and addictive behaviors, emphasizing the importance of enkephalins and the OGF-OGFr
Article Synopsis
- The opioid growth factor ([Met]-enkephalin) has growth-inhibitory and immune-modulating effects, and its levels are reduced in multiple sclerosis patients and animal models of the disease.
- This study investigates how the OGF-OGFr signaling pathway and low-dose naltrexone treatment affect inflammatory cytokines in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
- Findings indicate that opioid growth factor and naltrexone treatment raise IL-6 levels and lower IL-10 levels, while affecting other cytokines like IFN-γ and TNF-γ differently in mice compared to control groups.
Topical Naltrexone Is a Safe and Effective Alternative to Standard Treatment of Diabetic Wounds.
Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle)
September 2017
Article Synopsis
- Diabetes affects over 29 million people in the U.S., leading to significant healthcare costs and a risk of chronic foot ulcers that may result in amputation if untreated.
- A new topical treatment using 0.03% naltrexone (NTX) has shown promising results in preclinical studies, comparable to the standard treatment Regranex in promoting wound healing in type 1 diabetic rats.
- NTX treatment accelerated wound closure, increased key growth factors and cell activity, offering a safe and cost-effective alternative for managing diabetic foot ulcers.
Article Synopsis
- * The study hypothesizes that patients with multiple sclerosis have lower serum enkephalin levels and aims to see if these levels can indicate the onset of the disease and response to treatment.
- * Results show that patients with multiple sclerosis have reduced [Met]-enkephalin compared to non-patients, and that treatment with low-dose naltrexone can replenish these levels.
Article Synopsis
- Methionine enkephalin (OGF) is a small neuropeptide with immunomodulatory and growth-related effects, involved in regulating cell replication in autoimmune diseases.
- In a study with mice engineered to develop autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the effects of OGF therapy on behavior and serum enkephalin levels were analyzed to explore its potential as a biomarker for EAE and multiple sclerosis.
- Results showed that mice treated with OGF had lower clinical scores and altered behavior compared to those given saline, indicating a relationship between enkephalin levels and the severity of EAE symptoms.
Long-term treatment with low dose naltrexone maintains stable health in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin
September 2016
Article Synopsis
- - A study at Penn State Hershey Medical Center reviewed patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis from 2006 to 2015, focusing on two groups based on their initial treatment protocol.
- - One group of 23 patients was treated with low dose naltrexone due to fatigue or therapy refusal, while the other group of 31 patients was treated with glatiramer acetate and used naltrexone as an additional treatment.
- - The analysis showed that there were no significant differences in health outcomes, such as blood tests, walking trials, or MRI results, indicating that low dose naltrexone is a safe option that did not worsen symptoms.
Article Synopsis
- * Blocking this interaction using naltrexone (NTX) leads to increased cell division and improved wound healing in corneal epithelium.
- * In diabetic animals, issues such as poor wound healing and abnormal corneal sensitivity can be improved with NTX, indicating that the Opioid Growth Regulatory System may be dysfunctional in these diabetic conditions.