Effects of Achillea tenuifolia Lam. hydro-alcoholic extract on anxiety-like behavior and reproductive parameters in rat model of chronic restraint stress.

INTRODUCTION: Achillea tenuifolia Lam (AT) has several biological activities and medicinal properties. In this study, we elucidated the impact of the AT on anxiety-related behaviors, reproductive parameters, antioxidant capacity in male rats subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS). METHODS: 35 Wistar rats were divided into five groups: control, CRS-control (received normal saline) and three CRS-treated groups received AT extract (100, 150, and 200 mg/kg body weight) for 21 consequences days. To induce CRS rats, the rats were immobilized for 21 days and received the extract orally. On the last day of treatment, anxiety-related behaviors were assessed through the sucrose preference test (SPT) as well as elevated plus maze (EPM) tests. Corticosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone levels were evaluated to determine reproductive capacity. Sperm parameters including the total count, motility, and viability were also analyzed. Weight of body, testis and seminal vesicles was measured as well. RESULTS: The findings revealed that 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg of AT extract had anxiolytic effects in CRS rats, as confirmed by the EPM test and SPT. In addition, AT extract could improve fertile capacity and sperm quality to varying degrees. The level of corticosterone had decreased, whereas the level of LH, FSH and testosterone had increased in CRS-treated rats. Moreover, the reduced level of MDA coincided with an increased rate of antioxidant capacity. Our findings suggest that AT extract could alleviate stress-induced dysfunctions. CONCLUSION: Overall, these observations would infer that AT extract could improve fertility capacity and behavioral impairment in the stress conditions. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: Assumption pathway describing the probability underlying mechanism of CRS-induced anxiety and reproductive toxicity and protective effect of AT.

Renoprotective effects of prazosin on ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

BACKGROUND: Renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is one of the main leading causes of acute kidney injury associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. We studied the effects of prazosin, as a specific blocker of α1-AR, on renal IR injury. METHODS: Rats were divided into normal control; untreated IR and prazosin-treated IR (1 mg/kg body weight). Prazosin was administered by intraperitoneal injection 30 min prior to IR induction. The level of urea/creatinine and oxidative factors were detected by colorimetric methods. Apoptosis-associated factors, inflammatory, and signaling proteins were analyzed in renal tissue. The abnormalities of renal histopathology were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Administration of prazosin to IR rats ameliorated serum urea and creatinine and IR-induced histopathological damages. Lipid peroxidation was significantly improved after treatment by prazosin in IR injury rats, however, antioxidant status was not affected. Rats subjected to IR injury activated Bax protein and NF-κB mediated inflammatory response. Moreover, treatment with prazosin inhibited renal NF-κB activation, resulting in a significant decline in pro-inflammatory cytokine of IL-6. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that prazosin could be a good candidate to attenuate renal IR injury due to its ability to modulate renal function, apoptosis and inflammation.

The profile of IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and GATA3 in patients with LRBA deficiency and CVID with no known monogenic disease: Association with disease severity.

BACKGROUND: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most common symptomatic form of primary immunodeficiency (PID). LPS-responsive beige-like anchor protein (LRBA) deficiency is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by a CVID-like phenotype. T cell abnormality was reported in patients with CVID and LRBA deficiency. The study's aim was to evaluate IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and GATA3 expression in patients with LRBA deficiency and CVID with no known monogenic disease, and further evaluate its relevance with immunological futures and clinical complications of patients. METHODS: The study population comprised patients with CVID, LRBA deficiency and age-sex matched healthy controls. Mutation analysis was done by whole exome sequencing in CVID patients to rule out monogenic PIDs. After CD4+ T cell stimulation with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies, gene expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and transcription factor GATA3 was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The protein of mentioned cytokines was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The main clinical presentations of CVID patients were infections only and lymphoproliferations phenotypes, but in LRBA patients were autoimmune and enteropathy phenotype. The frequencies of CD4+ T cells were significantly reduced in LRBA and CVID patients. There were no statistically significant differences among GATA3, IL4, and IL5 gene expressions by CD4+ T cells of patients and controls, however, the IL10 expressions in CVID patients was significantly lower than in LRBA patients and HCs. As compared with HCs, CVID patients showed a prominent decrease in IL-4 and IL-10 production by CD4+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that patients with CVID and LRBA deficiency (even with severe infectious and inflammatory complications) have not imbalance in Th2 response, which is in parallel with lower frequency of allergy and asthma in these patients.

Composition controlled synthesis of PCL-PEG Janus nanoparticles: magnetite nanoparticles prepared from one-pot photo-click reaction.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of polymer nature on the morphology of synthesized nanoparticles. Super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were prepared by co-precipitation method and then reacted with (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane to obtain thiol-decorated SPIONs. Acrylated poly(caprolactone) and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) were prepared, and then "thiol-ene click" reaction was performed under UV irradiation to attach two types of polymers on the surface of magnetite nanoparticles via the "photo-click" reaction method. Computational modelling was used for the prediction of the self-assembly of polymers on the surface of SPIONs, which determines the morphology of polymer coated nanoparticles.