Testing alternatives: the use of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells to slow neurodegeneration in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of anti-Parkinson treatments gradually diminishes owing to the progressive degeneration of the dopaminergic terminals. The research described here investigated the effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSC) versus that of an anti-Parkinson drug in a rat model of Parkinsonism. Forty adult rats were divided into four equal groups, each group receiving a different treatment: vehicle, rotenone, rotenone + AD-MSC, or rotenone + carbidopa/levodopa. Behavioral tests were carried out before and at the end of the treatment and specimens harvested from the midbrain were processed for light and electron microscopy. Genetic expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and Nestin mRNA was assessed. Expression of the Lamin-B1 and Vimentin genes was measured, along with plasma levels of Angiopoietin-2 and dopamine. Treatment with rotenone induced pronounced motor deficits, as well as neuronal and glial alterations. The AD-MSC group showed improvements in motor function in the live animals and in the microscopic picture presented by their tissues. The fold change of both genes (GFAP and Nestin) decreased significantly in the AD-MSC and carbidopa/levodopa groups compared to the group with Parkinson's disease. Plasma levels of Angiopoietin-2 and dopamine were significantly increased after treatment (P < 0.001) compared to levels in the rats with Parkinson's disease. AD-MSC reduced neuronal degeneration more efficiently than did the anti-Parkinson drug in a rat model of Parkinsonism.

Does being overweight affect seminal variables in fertile men?

The effect of being overweight on seminal variables was assesed in 165 fertile men. Participants were divided into three groups: fertile men with normal body mass index (BMI) (18.5-24.9 kg/m2), fertile overweight men (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2) and fertile obese men (BMI >30 kg/m2). Medical history was taken, a clinical examination conducted. Semen analysis was undertaken and BMI measured. Seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS) was estimated by chemiluminescent assay, sperm vitality by the hypo-osmotic swelling test and sperm DNA fragmentation by propidium iodide staining with flowcytometry. Fertile obese men had significantly lower sperm concentration, progressive sperm motility and sperm normal morphology, with significantly higher seminal ROS and sperm DNA fragmentation compared with fertile normal-weight men and overweight men (all P < 0.05). BMI was negatively correlated with sperm concentration (r = -0.091; P = 0.014), progressive sperm motility (r = -0.697; P = 0.001), normal sperm morphology (r = -0.510; P = 0.001), sperm vitality (r = -0.586; P = 0.001), but positively correlated with sperm DNA fragmentation percentage (r = 0.799; P = 0.001) and seminal ROS (r = 0.673; P = 0.001). Increased BMI was found to affect semen parameters negatively even in fertile men.

Bisphenol A Concentrates Preferentially in Human Uterine Leiomyoma and Induces Proliferation in Rat Myometrium.

OBJECTIVES: To measure tissue levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in uterine leiomyoma (ULM), adjacent myometrium (Myo-F), and normal myometrium (Myo-N). Also, we tested the effect of BPA treatment on rat myometrium. METHODS: Uterine leiomyomas and Myo-F tissues were isolated from hysterectomy specimens done to treat symptomatic ULMs (N = 30). Normal myometrium is isolated from hysterectomies done on ULM-free uteri for other benign indications (N = 25). Bisphenol A was measured in 1 g of tissue using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography, with fluorescence detectors. Experimentally, adult female rats were fed BPA orally at a dose of 50 mg/kg/d for 90 days. Animals were killed, and their myometrial thickness and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunostaining were evaluated. RESULTS: Tissue concentration of BPA in each of ULM (12.3 ± 2.8 µg/g) and Myo-F (10.1 ± 0.2 µg/g) was significantly higher than that of Myo-N (0.58 ± 0.2 µg/g). There was no statistically significant difference in BPA level between ULM and Myo-F within submucous or interstitial/subserous fibroid groups. Compared to control rats, BPA-treated animals showed significantly higher myometrial thickness (168.67 ± 5.7 µm and 281.6 ± 20.32 µm, respectively, P = .003) and increased myometrial PCNA immunoscores (1.5 ± 0.37 and 10.38 ± 0.67, respectively, P ≤ .001). CONCLUSION: Bisphenol A concentrates in human ULM tissue and its adjacent Myo-F compared to Myo-N. No significant difference is detected in BPA content of ULM tissue of different subtypes. Bisphenol A increases thickness and induces cellular proliferation in rat myometrium. Taken together, our results support a role of BPA in ULM development/growth.

Cardiac histopathological and immunohistochemical changes due to electric injury in rats.

It has been a puzzling forensic task to determine the cause of death as a result of electric shock in the absence of recognizable skin marks or definite postmortem morphological findings. In forensic pathology, while classical macroscopic and microscopic morphology remain core procedures to investigate deaths, a variety of subsidiary measures has been developed and incorporated to detail that pathology. C-fos, one of a small group of genes called primary response genes and its protein product, fos, are crucial elements of complex signaling mechanisms believed to be responsible for cell response to stimulation. It has been found that c-fos plays a significant role in myocardial lesions, and has close relation to injury repair of the molecule. The aim of this study was to detect the histopathological findings in the myocardium after fatal and non-fatal electrical injury in rats and to investigate the potential role of c-fos expression using immunohistochemistry to distinguish antemortem from postmortem electrocution. Forty adult female rats were implemented and randomly divided into four groups (A, B, C and D). Group (A) rats were subjected to instantaneous antemortem electricity and their hearts were collected either immediately (A1) or after an hour (A2) before being subjected to cervical dislocation. Group (B) rats were electrically injured instantaneously postmortem, hearts were collected immediately (B1) or an hour later (B2) while Group (C) rats were electrified up to death, and their hearts were also gathered either immediately (C1) or after an hour (C2) from electrocution. Lastly, another group of rats served as a control group (Group D). Subgroup (D1): rats were clamped but not electrified, before death and another group of rats were clamped but not electrified, after being killed by cervical dislocation. Sections from the hearts of all groups were fixed in formalin and routinely processed. The c-fos oncogene expression was evaluated in all groups by immunohistochemistry. Significant histopathological findings were detected in groups A and C. Few c-fos oncogene protein positive cardiomyocyte nuclei were seen in rats of groups (A1) and (B1). Additionally, increased expression in rats of groups C1, C2 and A2 were observed. On the other hand, no c-fos protein expression was seen either in the control (groups D1 and D2) or in group B2. Significant differences (p < 0.001) in c-fos expression were observed among rats of groups with antemortem electric injury (A1, A2) and those of postmortem injury (B1 and B2). Thus, in addition to classical histopathological methods, c-fos can be regarded as a target in identifying electrical injury, and can be used as an indicator to distinguish antemortem from postmortem electric shock.

Correlation between seminal lead and cadmium and seminal parameters in idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermic males.

INTRODUCTION: The exact causes of the decline in semen quality are not yet known, environmental factors have been considered to play an important role. Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) are two of the well-known reproductive toxicants to which humans are exposed occupationally and environmentally and can lead to negative effects on the testicular functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate lead and cadmium levels in seminal plasma of men with idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermia in comparison to fertile healthy controls and to correlate these levels with conventional semen parameters, sperm hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) percentage, sperm DNA fragmentation percentage, and semen reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty infertile male patients with idiopathic oligo and/or asthenozoospermia and thirty healthy fertile men, which was the control group, were included in the study. Lead and cadmium levels in seminal plasma, semen parameters, sperm HOS, sperm DNA fragmentation percentage and semen ROS assay were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in seminal lead and cadmium levels among infertile males in comparison to controls. There were significant negative correlations between seminal lead and cadmium levels on one hand and certain semen parameters especially progressive sperm motility and vitality (HOS). Importantly, significant positive correlations were noted between seminal lead and cadmium levels on one hand and sperm DNA fragmentation percentage and semen ROS level in infertile men and controls on the other hand. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, men with idiopathic male infertility had higher levels of lead and cadmium in their semen which correlated with impairment of sperm motility and vitality percentages and more importantly with higher sperm DNA fragmentation% and semen ROS level.

Effect of smoking on sperm vitality, DNA integrity, seminal oxidative stress, zinc in fertile men.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of smoking on sperm vitality, sperm DNA integrity, semen reactive oxygen species, and zinc levels in fertile men. METHODS: One-hundred sixty men were investigated. They were divided into 2 equal groups: healthy fertile nonsmokers and healthy fertile smokers. They were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and semen analysis. In their semen, sperm hypo-osmotic swelling test, sperm DNA fragmentation test, seminal reactive oxygen species, and zinc were assessed. RESULTS: Compared with fertile nonsmokers, fertile smokers were significantly associated with lower hypo-osmotic swelling test and seminal zinc levels and significantly associated with higher sperm DNA fragmentation percent and seminal reactive oxygen species levels. CONCLUSION: Smoking (cigarettes/day and duration) has detrimental effects on sperm motility, viability, DNA fragmentation, seminal zinc levels, and semen reactive oxygen species levels, even in fertile men, and it is directly correlated with cigarette quantity and smoking duration.