Effect of N-acetylcysteine on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of N-acetylcysteine, on interleukin-6, superoxide dismutase activity, and protein kinase C activity in normal and diabetic rat hearts. Rats were divided into four groups eight rats each, control, control treated, diabetic, and diabetic treated groups. One week after induction of diabetes, N-acetylcysteine was administered to the control treated and diabetic treated groups in a dose of 1.5 g/kg daily for eight weeks by intragastric tube. The results of the present work showed that streptozotocin induced diabetes is associated with increased superoxide dismutase activity, interleukin-6 in plasma and cardiac tissue, and increased protein kinase CB2 activity in cardiac tissue. Further, diabetic rats exhibited cardiac hypertrophy indicated by increased heart to body weight and ventricular to body weight ratios. N-acetylcysteine treatment to diabetic rate causes significant decrease in all previous parameters also it significantly attenuate the increase in heart to body weight and ventricular to body weight ratios. These data support the hypothesis that the oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy and N-acetylcysteine an effective antioxidant have a beneficial effects in the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy

sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for determination of ABH blood type of semen stains stored under various conditions using anti- p84 monoclonal antibody as a marker of blood group substance in semen

Semen samples were obtained from 42 volunteer donors. The ABO and Lewis blood type of each semen donor were determined by conventional hemaglutination test. ABO blood type of each semen sample was determined by performing a Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] in which p84 [which is a protein with ABO antigenic activity isolated from human seminal plasma] is captured with an anti-p84 monoclonal antibody. It was found that the concentration of p84 in semen was independent of the secretion status. The status can be determined as non-secretor when p84 but not the individual blood group substance [BGS] activity was detected. To determine the stability of BGS activity on p84, dried semen stains were prepared on 3 filter papers by blotting 100 micro L of semen on each one and allowing them to dry. After that, the first, second and third stains were kept at 2 degree sign, 20 degree sign and 25 degree sign respectively after dividing each one into 4 equal parts where part one,two, three and four of each stain were stored at its corresponding temperature for one hour, one month, 10 months and 36 months respectively. Each part was then cut into squares of different sizes and subjected to the Sandwich ELISA to detect the P84 activity of dried semen stain. After one hour at 20 degree sign and 25 degree sign, 62.29% and 34.42% of the original BGS activity was recovered. However after 36 months at 2 degree sign, 78.68% of p84 activity still remained. So, it could be hypothesized that the temperature affects the detection of the BGS activity on p84 in dried semen stain rather than the duration of storage. BGS activity on P84 could be detected from the pieces of 0.5x0.5 cm2 even after storage for up to 36 months under various environmental conditions. It could be concluded that this Sandwich ELISA offers a sensitive and specific method for determining the ABO blood type of semen samples obtained from sexual assault victims and of dried semen stains kept under various environmental conditions

Testicular injury induced by exposure to electromagnetic field associated with the use of mobile phones: a biochemical and ultrastructural study

The use of mobile phones with the resulting generation of potentially harmful electromagnet fields [EMF] is the focus of public interest. The harmful effect induced by pulsed microwave, currents associated with the use of mobile phones is now considered one of the physical injuries. This study was carried out on 60 male albino rats, divided into prepubertal group [one month old] and young adult group [7 months old]. Each group was sub-divided into control group [6 animals and exposed group [24 animals] the latter was furtherly subdivided equally into 10 minutes exposed group and 20 minutes exposed group according to the duration of exposure to EMF of mobile phone. In this study there were significant increases in the premeiotic testicular enzymes [B- glucuronidase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase] and significant decreases in the post-meiotic testicular enzymes [sorbitol dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase] in the exposed groups as compared to their corresponding control groups. However the young adult exposed groups have shown significant changes in these testicular enzymes whe compared to their corresponding prepubertal exposed groups. The histopathological and ultrastructural studies have shown severe damage of the semineferous tubules and shrinkage in the tubular components of the testis that was more obvious in the 20 minutes exposed groups. After 10 minutes of exposure, the prepubertal group showed thickening and splitting of the basement membrane of seminiferous tubules with seperation of germ cells while ultrastructural examination revealed few spermatogonia with marked apoptotic changes in the form of chromatin condensation, swollen mitochondria with degenerated cristae. There was slight necrotic changes in the form of vacuolizations and active lysozomes in most of germ and Sertoli cells. In the 20 minutes exposed prepubertal group there were: decrease in the diameter of seminiferous tubules with seperation of germ cells away from the basment membrane of the seminiferous tubules, shrunken nucleous of Sertoli cells and abnormal opermatid. Also, there were marked necrotic changes in the germ an Sertoli cells indicated by marked rarifaction of the cytoplasm. However, the young adult exposed groups have shown lesser ultrastructural changes than the prepubertal exposed groups. In conclusion exposure to EMF associated with mobile phones has shown detremintal effect on the process of spermatogenesis particularly before puberty

sandwich Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for Determination of ABH Blood type of semen stains stored under various conditions using anti-p84 monoclonal antibody as a marker of blood group substance in semen

Semen samples were obtained from 42 volunteer donors. The ABO and Lewis blood type of each semen donor were determined by conventional hemaglutination test. ABO blood type of each semen sample was determined by performing a Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] in which p84 [which is a protein with ABO antigenic activity isolated from human seminal plasma] is captured with an anti-p84 monoclonal antibody. It was found that the concentration of p84 in semen was independent of the secretion status. The status can be determined as non-secretor status. The status can be determined as non-secretor when p84 but not the individual blood group substance [BGS] activity was detected. To determine the stability of BGS activity on p84, dried semen stains were prepared on 3 filter papers by blotting 100 micro L of semen on each one and allowing them to dry. After that, the first, second and third stains were kept at 2 °C, 20 °C and 25 °C respectively after dividing each one into 4 equal parts where part one, two, three and four of each stain were stored at its corresponding temperature for one hour, one month, 10 months and 36 months respectively. Each part was then cut into squares of different sizes and subjected to the Sandwich ELISA to detect the P84 activity of dried semen stain. After one hour at 20 °C and 25 °C, 62.29% and 34.42% of the original BGS activity was recovered. However after 36 months at 2 °C, 78.68% of p84 activity still remained. So, it could be hypothesized that the temperature affects the detection of the BGS activity on p84 in dried semen stain rather than the duration of storage. BGS activity o P84 could be detected from the pieces of 0.5 x 0.5 cm[2] even after storage for up to 36 months under various environmental conditions. It could be concluded that this Sandwich ELISA offers a sensitive and specific method for determining the ABO blood type of semen samples obtained from sexual assault victims and of dried semen stains kept under various environmental conditions

Apoptotic DNA fragmentation and oxidative stress induced by the antioxidant food additive butylated hydroxytoluene in liver cells of sprague Dawley rats: the protective effect of vitamine E acetate

The present study examined and characterized the apoptosis induced by the phenolic lipophilic antioxidant food additive butylated hydroxytoluene [BHT] in liver cells of Sprague-Dawley rats. The role which might be played by lipid peroxides and reactive oxygen species [ROS] in controlling this hepatocyte apoptosis was assessed. Apoptosis was evaluated by DNA fragmentation detected by ELISA programmed cell death technique, which was confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Feeding the animals 0.2% BHT supplemented food for four months resulted in characteristic DNA laddering pattern, thus providing an evidence that apoptosis is the major mechanism of cell death in liver tissues. Furthermore, lipid peroxides levels measured as malondialdehyde [MDA] in liver tissue homogenates and intracellular ROS levels were significantly increased in the 0.2% BHT fed animal group. Feeding the animals 0.4% vitamin E acetate added to the 0.2% BHT supplemented food for four months resulted in improvement of the DNA fragmentation and reduction in the oxidative stress induced by BHT. These findings may further suggest that BHT-induced apoptosis in liver cells is mediated by oxidative stress mechanism

Isoelectrofocusing method for detection of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor polymorphism among Egyptians

In this study, inter-alpha inhibitor [ITI] phenotypes were demonstrated in 150unrelated Egyptian subjects using isoelectrofocusing on polyacrylamide gelwith subsequent immunofixation and silver staining. Thirteen phenotypes wereobtained in this study controlled by six alleles. The most common phenotypeswere 1/2 and 1/1 with frequency of 0.46 and 0.30, respectively, while the mostcommon alleles encountered in the present population sample were ITI*1 and ITI*2 with the frequency of 0.530 and 0.350, respectively. A rare allele ITI*6 was described with a frequency of 0.013. It was concluded that ITI protein polymorphism is of a great potential value for forensic purposes

Genetic polymorphism of alpha -1- antitrypsin among Egyptians

The distribution of serum alpha-1-antitrypsin phenotypes was determined by theapplication of isoelectrofocusing technique on Egyptian population sample ofunrelated individuals [n = 220]. The estimated phenotype frequencies wereM1M1 = 0.20, M2M2 = 0.20, M3M3 = 0.10, M1M2 = 0.009, M1M3 = 0.136, and M2M3 =0.109. The gene frequencies among Egyptians were M1 = 0.518, M2 = 0.2545 andM3 = 0.2227. No rare variants were detected in the studied sample. Theresults obtained were compared with those of the other populations. Moreover,the study revealed a relatively higher discriminating probability [0.773] ofalpha-1-antitrypsin, than those of the other genetic markers suggesting thatalpha-1-antitrypsin could be a powerful tool in identification, e. g.paternity tests