The effects of pentoxifylline on the myocardial inflammation and ischemia-reperfusion injury during cardiopulmonary bypass.

BACKGROUND: Pentoxifylline (Ptx) decreases necessity of cell energy and inflammatory reactions via inhibition of 5'-nucleotidase (5'-NT). The aim of this study is to investigate whether the addition of Ptx into the cardioplegic solutions avoids myocardial inflammatory reactions and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury during extracorpereal circulation. METHODS: Between December 1999 and February 2002, we operated 75 patients with the diagnoses of atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), valve disease, and coronary disease. The average age of patients was 42.4 and male-female ratio was 1: 1.5. The patients were divided into two groups, which were the study group (n = 40) and the control group (n = 35). We used cold blood cardioplegia mixed with St. Thomas' Hospital II cardioplegic solution for both of the groups. Ptx was added into the cardioplegic solution (500 mg/L) in the study group. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrotisis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in coronary sinus blood samples during cross-clamp time (X-clamp) and after releasing of it and tissue TNF-alpha in the right atrial appendix biopsy material that was taken after X-clamp were studied to compare the both groups. RESULTS: After releasing X-clamp, results of blood TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 of both groups were statistically significant (p < 0.005). At the pathological examination, we also observed that the amount of tissue TNF-alpha in the control group (66 +/- 17.1) was much higher than the study group (16.6 +/- 5.9, p <0.005). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that Ptx may be added into cardioplegic solution to avoid the myocardial inflammation and I/R injury during open heart surgery.

Excessive maternal caffeine exposure during pregnancy is cataractogenic for neonatal crystalline lenses in rats: a biomicroscopic and histopathologic study.

PURPOSE: To investigate histologically the influence of maternal caffeine exposure during pregnancy in vivo on crystalline lenses in neonatal rats. METHODS: Experimentally naive, female Wistar-albino rats (200-220 g) were mated with adult male rats over 2 days for copulation. After confirming pregnancy with a vaginal smear method, 50 gravid rats (dams) were randomly divided into five groups (n = 10 in each), consisting of one control and four experimental groups. Groups 1, 2 and 3 experimental dams were treated with intraperitoneal (i.p.) caffeine at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day, respectively, during pregnancy from gestational day 9 through to day 21. Group 4 dams were treated with caffeine in distilled water in a gavage at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day. Group 5 control dams were given i.p. saline solution daily for the same period. After normal delivery, the eyes were examined by slit-lamp biomicroscopy. The neonates were then killed by decapitation at postnatal days 1 or 30 and the eyes removed for histopathologic investigation of the lenses. RESULTS: Group 1 and control eyes had normal anterior lens capsules with a single layer of anterior cuboidal epithelial cells, regularly oriented cortical and nuclear lens fibres, and a clear posterior lens capsule with no lining epithelial cells behind the equator. In the remaining groups, histopathologic findings suggesting cataractogenesis included eosinophilic degeneration, lens fibre cell swelling and liquefaction, central lens fibres with retained nuclei, and prominent epithelial cells lining the posterior lens capsule behind the equator. Moreover, some lenses in group 3 had immature cataract on slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination at postnatal day 30. CONCLUSION: Excessive maternal caffeine exposure during pregnancy had cataractogenic effects on developing crystalline lenses in newborn rat eyes, both macroscopically and histopathologically. If an appropriate dose of caffeine can be identified, caffeine-induced cataract formation may be used as a new experimental cataract model in animal studies.

Effect of gestational nicotine treatment on newborn rat retina: a histopathological and morphometric analysis.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a significant risk factor in several debilitating and fatal diseases. It has been implicated in bilateral tobacco-toxic and Leber's hereditary optic neuropathies. Although it has been demonstrated that smoking has a cumulative effect on retinal and optic nerve functions and causes diffuse and localised retinal sensitivity decrease in healthy chronic heavy smokers, the affected retinal layer has not been identified and there is no experimental study investigating the effect of nicotine exposure during gestation on the newborn rat retina. PURPOSE: This experimental investigation evaluated histologically the influence in vivo of maternal nicotine treatment during pregnancy on the newborn rat retina. Different dosages of the test compound simulated the range of low, moderate, and heavy smokers in humans. METHODS: Experimentally naive, adult female Wistar-albino rats weighing 200-250 g were mated with adult male rats over 2 days for copulation in the proportion of two females for every male animal. After confirming pregnancy with vaginal smear method, 40 gravid rats (dams) were then randomly assigned into four equal groups (three experimental and one control; n = 10 in each). On day 9 of gestation, groups 1, 2, and 3 experimental dams were treated with intraperitoneal (i.p.) (-)-nicotine tartrate at doses of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg kg body weight-1 day-1, respectively during pregnancy from gestational day 9-21. Group 4 control dams were given i.p. saline solution daily for the same period. After normal delivery, the newborn litters were sacrificed at postnatal day 1 or day 30. The eyes were enucleated for histopathologic and morphometric analysis of the retinas. Nicotine-induced neuronal changes were measured by morphometric analyses on cell counts of ganglion cell layer (linear cell density in number per unit length of retina) and thickness of the various retinal layers. RESULTS: The litters in control group 4, and experimental groups 1 and 2 had normal retinal findings. On the other hand, morphometric analysis of retinal sections in experimental group 3 eyes demonstrated a 20.7% decrease in the number of surviving ganglion cells (40.7 +/- 2.0) compared with controls (51.3 +/- 1.1; p < 0.001). The thickness of whole retina (126.6 +/- 5.4 microm) was also reduced by 13.5% compared with controls (146.3 +/- 4.5 microm; p = 0.007). The main site of retinal atrophy was the inner plexiform layer (30.1 +/- 1.6 microm vs 43.5 +/- 1.3 microm; p < 0.001) with almost no change in the other retinal layers. CONCLUSIONS: Gestational nicotine treatment induces marked changes in the organisation of the developing retina in newborn rats histopathologically. Quantitative morphometric analysis clearly demonstrated that the two most affected structures were the retinal ganglion cells and the inner plexiform layer, both of which are supplied by central retinal artery.

Temporary stretch of the testicular pedicle may damage the vas deferens and the testis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The authors aimed to investigate the effects of temporary stretching of the spermatic cord, a commonly performed manipulation during inguinal surgery, on the vas deferens and the testis. METHODS: Forty adult male Wistar-Albino rats were divided equally into 4 groups. The right spermatic cord and testis were exposed via a transverse suprascrotal incision. In the study groups, a continuous horizontal stretch force was applied to the vas deferens and vessels in a distal direction for 60 seconds. In group 1 (G1) a 1.25-Newton (N), and in group 2 (G2) a 0.75-N stretch force was applied. Group 3 (G3) and group 4 (G4) served as sham and control groups, respectively. The animals were killed 28 days later. Sections of the vas deferens were examined histologically and their dimensions measured. Both testes were excised, weighed, and examined microscopically. Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare means in the different groups. RESULTS: The mean wall thickness of the vas deferens was 378 +/- 133 mum in G1 and was significantly diminished compared to G2, G3, and G4, in which the mean wall thickness was 497 +/- 142 mum, 500 +/- 10 mum and 521 +/- 95 mum, respectively (P <.05). The mean right testicular weights were 1.18 +/- 0.10 g and 1.23 +/- 0.17 g in G1 and G2, respectively, and each was significantly lower than in G3 (1.23 +/- 0.09 g) and G4 (1.25 +/- 0.08 g; P <.05). The mean right testicular weights showed no difference between G1 and G2 (P >.05). Necrosis was seen in the right testes in 50.0% and 42.9% of the animals in G1 and G2, respectively. No histopathologic alterations were observed in the vas deferens in all groups. Microscopic examination of the left testes was normal. CONCLUSIONS: In an experimental animal model, temporary stretching of the spermatic cord resulted in significant thinning of the smooth muscle layer of the vas deferens and testicular atrophy.

Histopathologic assessment of fungal involvement of the paranasal sinuses in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To assess paranasal sinus material histopathologically for the presence of fungus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Paraffin-embedded archival biopsy samples of patients who underwent endonasal sinus surgery between 1992 and 2002 were retrospectively assessed for the presence of fungi. Hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections of the materials were re-evaluated, and Gomori's methanamine silver stain was also applied as required. RESULTS: Fungus (Aspergillus) was detected histopathologically in only 21476 patients, both of whom were immunocompetent. One patient was considered to have chronic indolent sinusitis and the other allergic fungal sinusitis. CONCLUSIONS: Although histopathologic assessment is one of the most important diagnostic tools, on its own it may lead to underestimation of fungal involvement of the paranasal sinuses. Alternatively, fungal involvement of the paranasal sinuses may be very infrequent in Turkey.

High dose of caffeine administered to pregnant rats causes histopathological changes in the cornea of newborn pups.

BACKGROUND: Caffeine is frequently used during pregnancy and associated with teratogenic effects, such as low birth weight, hearth and digital defects, cleft palate and abortion with fetal loss. This study investigated histopathologically the effects of caffeine on neonatal rat cornea. MATERIAL/METHODS: Fifty pregnant Wistar-Albino rats (dams) were randomly divided into five groups, one control and four experimental. Between day 9 and 21 of gestation, group 1 dams (control, n=10) were exposed to intraperitoneal (i.p.) SF daily until delivery. Group 2 (n=10), group 3 (n=10) and group 4 (n=10) dams were treated with i.p. caffeine at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/d, respectively, for the same period. Group 5 dams were given caffeine in distilled water in a gavage at a dose of 50 mg/kg/d during the same period. After normal delivery, the litters were killed at postnatal day 1 or 30 and the eyes were enucleated for corneal histopathologic investigation. RESULTS: Control and group 1 eyes had normal corneal epithelium, regular stromal fibers, descement membrane and monolayer inner corneal endothelium. The remaining experimental litters demonstrated changes, such as vacuolated endothelial cells with proliferation, hyperchromasia, polymorphism, endothelial cell agenesis, increased stromal mitotic activity and focal increase in corneal thickness with widely separated corneal lamellae in the injured area. These changes occurred most often in the litters treated with high doses of caffeine. CONCLUSIONS: Excessive gestational caffeine intake has been shown histopathologically to have some teratogenic effects on newborn rat cornea.