Assessment of sensitivity to the anesthesia in a diabetic rat model.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes mellitus and glucose regulation are important in deciding on surgical intervention in pre-surgical assessments. In our study, we aimed to investigate the correlations between the induction time of anesthesia, glucose level, and weight in a diabetic rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Weight-matched adult male Wistar rats were grouped as control (n=8) and diabetic (n=8). In the latter group, diabetes was induced with a single intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg streptozotosin. 72 hours after the injection, animals possessing a blood glucose concentration above 300 mg/kg were considered diabetic. The weights and blood glucose levels were observed for 7 days. In the end, 80 mg/kg ketamine and 12 mg/kg xylazine were administered to both groups, and the induction time of anesthesia was recorded. The success of anesthesia was confirmed with toe pinching by using a clamp. The Student's t- and Pearson's correlation tests were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The induction time of anesthesia was significantly reduced in the diabetic group compared to the controls (p<0.01). Diabetic animals weighed less than the control group (p<0.01). The correlation analysis in the diabetic group showed that the weight and blood glucose level of animals did not influence the induction time of anesthesia (respectively, p=0.80, r: 0.150; p=0.68, r: -0.300). A negative correlation between blood glucose concentration and weight was found in diabetics (p<0.05, r: -0.828). CONCLUSIONS: The dosage of anesthetic agents is important in the effectiveness of anesthesia, and surgical complications. Since our results indicate the susceptibility of diabetics to anesthesia, we suggest that the dose of anesthetics should be finely adjusted considering the presence of diabetes.

Alpha-lipoic acid could be a promising treatment in steroid-induced osteonecrosis.

OBJECTIVE: Glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis is a serious debilitating health problem. In the present study, we investigated the effects of alpha-lipoic acid on glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 40 male Wistar albino rats were equally assigned to 4 groups as control, methylprednisolone acetate (MPA), alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), and methylprednisolone acetate with alpha-lipoic acid (MPA+ALA). The animals in MPA group subcutaneously received 15 mg/kg/week for 2 weeks, whereas 100 mg/kg/day alpha-lipoic acid was intraperitoneal administered for 4 weeks to ALA group. The MPA+ALA group was subjected to both treatments in same doses. Osteonecrosis was confirmed and graded histologically. The serum concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, as well as the total oxidant and antioxidant status, oxidative stress index, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were evaluated. Also, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage were immunohistochemically assessed in the bone. RESULTS: Osteonecrotic lesions were narrower in the MPA+ALA group than in the MPA group (p<0.05). As compared to the controls, the biochemical parameters in MPA and MPA+ALA groups were significantly increased (p<0.001). The oxidative stress index was significantly higher in the groups with MPA than the controls (p=0.002), but the animals treated with ALA alongside MPA displayed lesser scores than the ones injected with solely MPA (p=0.03). The administration of MPA elevated lipid peroxidation and DNA damage, which were successfully alleviated by ALA. CONCLUSIONS: Alpha-lipoic acid may be suggested to be a protective supplement in glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis in rats. The antioxidant capacity of alpha-lipoic acid may involve its beneficial effects.

The Effects of Lung Ischaemia/Reperfusion on TRPM Gene Expression

ABSTRACT Objective: Transient receptor potential melastatin (TRPM) are integral membrane proteins that have broad range of cellular functions. Roles of TRPM2, TRPM3, TRPM4 and TRPM7 among these channels are very important, and their roles in lung ischaemia/reperfusion injury have not been evaluated yet. The aim of this study is to investigate the contribution of these genes in lung ischaemia/reperfusion injury and evaluate histopathology of tissues. Methods: A total of 40 Wistar albino rats were enrolled for the study. Ischaemia was performed by the application of an atramvatic clamp to pulmonary artery. Gene expressions were determined by the semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method. Histopatholical evaluations were held by a standard haematoxyline-eosin staining. Results: The major histopathological tissue damage was observed in ischaemia performed groups, and expression of TRPM channels was found to be obviously downregulated. Substantial changes were determined between TRPM2, TRPM3, TRPM4 and TRPM7 and lung ischaemia/reperfusion injury. In particular, expression of TRPM2 and TRPM7 was reversibly downregulated in ischaemia. Yet, the expression of TRPM3 and TRPM4 was irreversibly down-regulated after ischaemia. Conclusion: Consequently, these results indicate that TRPM family of cation channels may have significant roles in the lung ischaemia/reperfusion injury.

The endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) polymorphism in otitis media with effusion (OME).

OBJECTIVES: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is the most common disease after viral infections of upper respiratory tract (URTI) in children. Studies indicate the important role of nitric oxide (NO) in the etiology of hearing loss. However, there is no study that focuses on the role of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) polymorphisms in the cases with OME. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the eNOS polymorphisms in the pediatric patients with OME. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-nine patients who are diagnosed with otitis media with effusion and 85 healthy subjects who are compatible in terms of age and gender were included in the study. All patients in the study were subjected to complete ear, nose, throat (ENT) and audiological examinations. DNA analysis was performed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique from the blood samples. The PCR product was cut by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) with BanII enzyme and checked by agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: As a result of genetic analysis, there is no significant difference between patients and the controls in terms of eNOS Glu298Asp polymorphism (G/G, G/T, T/T). When these groups were compared in terms of allele distributions, a significant relationship was found between the patients and the controls (P=0.037). CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, G allele was identified as predisposing to the development of OME and this is the first report indicates the correlation between the eNOS G894T polymorphism and OME in Turkey.

Elevated nucleosome level and oxidative stress in schizophrenia patients.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oxidative stress on nucleosome levels and its relation with the clinical features in schizophrenia patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirty schizophrenia patients and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). The control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects matched to the patients with regard to age and gender and who had no history of any psychiatric disorder. The severity of schizophrenia symptoms in the patients was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale (CGI-S). Physical and neurological examinations were performed in each of the patients and controls. RESULTS: Nucleosome, total oxidant levels and OSI values were higher in schizophrenia patients than in controls (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the total antioxidant levels. There was a positive correlation between the nucleosome level and PANSS positive subscale (p=0.028, r=0.402). There was a positive correlation between TAS and age (p=0.025, r=0.289), PANSS total (p<0.001, r=0.604). There was a negative correlation between OSI and PANSS total (p=0.019, r=-0.427), PANSS positive subscale (p=0.043, r=-0.372). There was a negative correlation between TOS and PANS total (p=0.028, r=-0.402). CONCLUSION: In this study we found a correlation between nucleosome level and PANSS positive subscale. To our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluates oxidative stress and nucleosomes released from apoptotic cells together (Tab. 2, Ref. 50).

Antioxidant effect of erdosteine and lipoic acid in ovarian ischemia-reperfusion injury.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of erdosteine and alpha lipoic acid (ALA) in a rat model of ovarian ischaemia-reperfusion injury. STUDY DESIGN: Forty-eight female Wistar albino rats were separated, at random, into six groups of eight rats. The groups were classified as: sham, torsion, detorsion, detorsion+erdosteine 100mg/kg, detorsion+alpha lipoic acid (ALA) 100mg/kg, and detorsion+erdosteine+ALA. The investigators executing the biochemical and histological analyses were blinded to the randomization until the end of the study. RESULTS: The TOS (Total Oxidant Status) and OSI (Oxidative Stress Index) levels are higher in the Torsion and Detorsion groups when compared with the ones in the Sham group (p<0.05). Strong correlation was found between OSI and total histological score in the sham, torsion and detorsion groups (r=0.765, p<0.001). The mean levels of TOS and OSI in the rats that received erdosteine and/or ALA were significantly lower compared with the sham, torsion and detorsion groups (p<0.05). Mean TOS and mean OSI were lower in the detorsion+erdosteine+ALA group compared with the detorsion+erdosteine and detorsion+ALA groups (p<0.05). In comparison with the detorsion group, the numbers of primordial follicles (p=0.006) and primary follicles (p=0.036) were increased in the groups that received erdosteine and/or ALA. CONCLUSIONS: Erdosteine and ALA decreased ischaemia-reperfusion injury in an experimental rat ovarian torsion model; combination treatment had a greater effect than either agent alone. Treatment with erdosteine and/or ALA was found to preserve the loss of reproductive capacity normally observed after ovarian torsion.