The dosage-dependent prenatal caffeine exposure adversely affects levels of integrin αVß3 and MMP-9 in a rat model of embryo implantation.

OBJECTIVE: In the pregnancy period, it is recommended to limit the consumption of caffeine.​ However, the mechanisms of caffeine effect during pregnancy are not fully known.​ In our study, we aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal caffeine consumption on the embryonic implantation in rats as well as shed light on the relationship between the molecules and implantation stages.​MATERIALS AND METHODS: ​Forty-five Wistar albino pregnant rats were randomly divided into 3 main groups, namely into control, low­dose and high­dose groups, representing the dose-dependent effects of caffeine. Each main group was divided into 3 subgroups, namely those to be sacrified on days 4 (pre-implantation), 5 (peri-implantation) and 6 (post-implantation) ​. Different doses of caffeine were given on consecutive days, starting from day 1 of pregnancy up to the day of euthanasia. The implantation sites were investigated with the use of hematoxylin et eosin, Masson trichrome and immunostaining of VEGF, MMP-9, integrin αVß3, mucin-1 and HB-EGF. RESULT: ​ Prenatal caffeine consumption in rats resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the number of implantation sites.​ It has been shown that the immunoreactivity of integrin αVß3 and MMP-9 underwent a change. CONCLUSION: ​ It has been shown that the levels of integrin αVß3 and MMP-9 were decreased by prenatal caffeine consumption in rats, which resulted in a decrease in embryo implantation in a dose-dependent manner, especially in the high-dose group (Fig. 5, Ref. 36). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: caffeine, embryo implantation, integrin, MMP-9.

HGF/C-MET PATHWAY HAS A ROLE IN TESTICULAR DAMAGE IN DIABETES INDUCED BY STREPTOZOTOCIN.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the role of Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF)/c-Met pathway in testicular damage provoked by streptozotocin (STZ)- induced diabetes and the effects of insulin treatment on the HGF/c-Met pathway. METHODS: Total 21 paraffin-embedded testicular tissues of control (n=7), streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic (n=7) and insulin-treated diabetic (n=7) Wistar albino rats were used in this study. Testicular damage was examined histologically and by Johnsen's score was also evaluated. Immunohistochemical stainings of HGF and c-Met were analysed by using antibodies against HGF and c-Met. RESULTS: We found the degeneration in seminiferous tubule epithelium and disorganization of spermatogenetic cell series in testis tissues of diabetic rats. We also determined decrease both in seminiferous tubule diameter and Johnsen's scores in diabetic group. The expressions of HGF and c-Met in seminiferous tubule epithelium and in spermatogenic cells (especially spermatocytes and spermatids) were significantly increased in diabetic rats compared to those of control. Insulin treatment significantly reduced the diabetes-induced morphological changes and HGF/c-Met over expressions in the diabetic rat testis. CONCLUSION: HGF/c-Met pathway might have a role in diabetes- induced testicular damage. Drugs acting on this pathway might be effective to prevent or delay the testicular damage induced by diabetes.

The protective effects of carnosine in alcohol-induced hepatic injury in rats.

Consumption of alcohol leads to oxidative stress in liver by inducing lipid peroxidation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of carnosine (CAR) in alcohol-induced liver injury by biochemical and histomorphological evaluations. The rats were divided into four groups, namely, control group, alcohol (AL) group, CAR group and AL + CAR group. Three doses of ethanol (5 g/kg, 25% (v/v) in distilled water) were given by nasogastric catheter for twice-a-day. CAR (100 mg/kg) was given 1 h before the administration of ethanol using the same method. Levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde were significantly increased in the AL group compared with control, CAR and AL + CAR groups. Glutathione level was significantly decreased in the AL group, while it was increased in the AL + CAR group. Immunoreactivity of caspase-3 and bax increased in the hepatocytes of AL group when compared with control and AL + CAR groups. Expression of bcl-2 was decreased in AL group than AL + CAR group. Under electron microscopy, dense mitochondria, accumulation of lipid, sinusoidal dilatation, vacuolization and decrease in the number of microvilli were observed in AL group, while these findings were markedly less in the AL + CAR group. In conclusion, pretreatment of CAR is effective for recovering biochemical alterations and morphologic damage in the liver of rats treated with ethanol.

The effect of TRAIL molecule on cell viability in in vitro beta cell culture.

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder triggered by autoreactive T cells directed to pancreas beta-cell antigens. In this disorder, more than 90% of beta cells are destroyed. Cell death may be mediated via soluble or membrane-bound cell death ligands. One of these ligands may be tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a member of the TNF-alpha superfamily. In the present study, we examined whether TRAIL had cytotoxic effects on adult rat pancreas beta cell cultures and INS1-E rat insulinoma cell line cultures or not. In this study, cell destruction models were built with TRAIL concentrations of 10, 100 and 1000 ng. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test was used for evaluating cell viability. It was detected that cell cultures with TRAIL added showed no differences statistically when compared with control cultures containing no toxic additions. These results showed that TRAIL did not have significant cytotoxic effects on pancreas beta cell culture and INS-1E rat insulinoma cell line cultures. Detection of the expression of TRAIL receptors and natural apoptosis inhibitor proteins will be favourable to investigate the resistance mechanisms to TRAIL-induced cell death in this cell culture system.

Short-term melatonin treatment improved diabetic nephropathy but did not affect hemorheological changes in diabetic rats.

Increased oxidative stress and hemorheological disturbances may play very important roles in the development of microangiopathies in diabetes mellitus. This study was designed to determine the healing effect of melatonin on hemorheological parameters and diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Wistar male rats were divided into four groups as control, untreated-diabetic, melatonin-treated control and melatonin-treated diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by injecting streptozotocin (45 mg/kg, i.p.). Fourteen weeks after inducement of diabetes, melatonin (10 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally for 5 days to the rats. Erythrocyte deformability and aggregation were measured by laser differaction analysis (LORCA). Diabetic nephropathy was assessed by histopathologic evaluation and TUNEL stain in the diabetic kidney. Decreased erythrocyte deformability and increased erythrocyte aggregation indices were determined in the diabetic group. Melatonin treatment did not improve these hemorheological abnormalities. However, renal injuries were diminished in the melatonin-treated diabetic group compared to the untreated diabetic group. Also, melatonin had an antiapoptotic effect on the diabetic kidney. It was concluded that i.p. administration of melatonin for 5 days improved renal injury in diabetic rats, probably by decreasing oxidative stress, but did not affect hemorheological changes.

Effect of dexmedetomidine on acute lung injury in experimental ischemia-reperfusion model / Efeito de dexmedetomidina sobre lesão pulmonar aguda em modelo experimental de isquemia-reperfusão

Abstract Purpose: Ischemia-reperfusion injury is one of the consequences of tourniquet application for extremity surgery. The aim of the study was to establish the effect of dexmedetomidine on the acute lung injury following lower extremity experimental ischemia-reperfusion model in rats. Methods: Twenty-eight Wistar-Albino breed Rats were recruited after Ethics Committee approval and allocated into 4 groups, each with 7 subjects. Group 1 (SHAM) received only anesthesia. Group 2 (IR) had experienced 3 h of ischemia and 3 h of reperfusion using left lower extremity tourniquet after anesthesia application. Groups 3 (D-50) and 4 (D-100) had undergone the same procedures as in the Group 2, except for receiving 50 and 100 mg·kg-1, respectively, dexmedetomidine intraperitoneally 1 h before the tourniquet release. Blood samples were obtained for the analysis of tumor necrosing factor-α and interleukin-6. Pulmonary tissue samples were obtained for histological analysis. Results: No significant difference regarding blood tumor necrosing factor-α and interleukin-6 values was found among the groups, whereas pulmonary tissue injury scores revealed significant difference. Histological scores obtained from the Group 2 were significantly higher from those in the Groups 1, 3 and 4 with p-values 0.001 for each comparison. Moreover, Group 1 scores were found to be significantly lower than those in the Groups 3 and 4 with p-values 0.001 and 0.011, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the Groups 3 and 4. Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine is effective in reduction of the experimental ischemia-reperfusion induced pulmonary tissue injury in rats, formed by extremity tourniquet application.

Resumo Objetivo: A lesão de isquemia-reperfusão é uma das consequências da aplicação do torniquete em cirurgias de extremidades. O objetivo do estudo foi determinar o efeito de dexmedetomidina em lesão pulmonar aguda após modelo experimental de isquemia-reperfusão em extremidade inferior de ratos. Métodos: Vinte e oito ratos albinos Wistar foram recrutados após aprovação do Comitê de Ética e alocados em quatro grupos, cada um com sete indivíduos. O Grupo 1 (Sham) recebeu apenas anestesia. O Grupo 2 (IR) foi submetido a 3 horas de isquemia e 3 horas de reperfusão com o uso de torniquete em extremidade inferior após a aplicação da anestesia. Os grupos 3 (D-50) e 4 (D-100) foram submetidos aos mesmos procedimentos do Grupo 2, exceto por receberem 50 e 100 mg.kg-1 de dexmedetomidina, respectivamente, por via intraperitoneal uma hora antes da liberação do torniquete. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas para análise de TNF-α e Interleucina-6 (IL-6). Amostras de tecido pulmonar foram coletadas para análise histológica. Resultados: Não houve diferença significativa quanto aos valores sanguíneos de TNF-α e IL-6 entre os grupos, enquanto os escores de lesão em tecidos pulmonares revelaram diferença significativa. Os escores histológicos obtidos no Grupo 2 foram significativamente maiores do que os dos grupos 1, 3 e 4, com valores-p de 0,001 para cada comparação. Além disso, os escores do Grupo 1 foram significativamente menores do que os dos grupos 3 e 4, com valores-p de 0,001 e 0,011, respectivamente. Não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos 3 e 4. Conclusão: Dexmedetomidina mostrou eficácia na redução de lesão em tecido pulmonar induzida por isquemia-reperfusão experimental em ratos, ocasionada por aplicação de torniquete em extremidade.