Physical exercise associated with vitamin D chronic supplementation reduces kidney injury induced by monosodium glutamate.

The aim was to evaluate the effects of chronic vitamin D (VD) supplementation associated with regular swimming over renal histomorphometric aspects in obese rats. Thirty Wistar male rats (5 days old) were used. Twenty four rats were given subcutaneous injections of monosodium glutamate (MSG; 4 g/kg), and six control rats were given an equimolar saline solution. At 21-days-old, the MSG-treated rats were randomly distributed among sedentary animals (S) and exercised (E, swimming; 3x/week). These groups were subdivided into groups orally supplemented with VD (12 µg/kg; 3x/week) or not supplemented (NS), totaling Five experimental groups (n = 6 rats/group): MSG, MSG-SVD, MSG-ENS, MSG-EVD and control groups. In MSG-obese rats, there was such as a decrease in the diameter of the, glomerular tuft, Bowman's capsule, Bowman's space areas, and renal cortical thickness, compared to the control group. In MSG-SVD, MSG-ENS, and MSG-EVD animals, there was an increase in the cortical thickness in relation to the MSG group. In MSG-ENS and MSG-EVD animals, there was a reduction of tubular degeneration in relation to the MSG group. We conclude that physical exercise associated with Vitamin D supplementation can prevent of renal injury, increasing the thickness of the renal cortex and decrease the tubular degeneration.

Melatonin and ethanol intake exert opposite effects on circulating estradiol and progesterone and differentially regulate sex steroid receptors in the ovaries, oviducts, and uteri of adult rats.

Chronic ethanol intake is associated with sex hormone disturbances, and it is well known that melatonin plays a key role in regulating several reproductive processes. We report the effects of ethanol intake and melatonin treatment (at doses of 100 µg/100 g BW/day) on sex hormones and steroid receptors in the ovaries, oviducts and uteri of ethanol-preferring rats. After 150 days of treatment, animals were euthanized, and tissue samples were harvested to evaluate androgen, estrogen, progesterone and melatonin receptor subunits (AR, ER-α and ER-ß, PRA, PRB and MT1R, respectively). Melatonin decreased estradiol (E2) and increased progesterone (P4) and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-STM), while an ethanol-melatonin combination reduced both P4 and E2. Ovarian AR was not influenced by either treatment, and oviduct AR was reduced after ethanol-melatonin combination. Oviduct ER-α, ER-ß and uterine ER-ß were down-regulated by either ethanol or melatonin. Conversely, ovarian PRA and PRB were positively regulated by ethanol and ethanol-melatonin combination, whereas PRA was down-regulated in the uterus and oviduct after ethanol consumption. MT1R was increased in ovaries and uteri of melatonin-treated rats. Ethanol and melatonin exert opposite effects on E2 and P4, and they differentially regulate the expression of sex steroid receptors in female reproductive tissues.

Quercetin ameliorates glucose and lipid metabolism and improves antioxidant status in postnatally monosodium glutamate-induced metabolic alterations.

We reported the effects of quercetin on metabolic and hormonal profile as well as serum antioxidant activities in a model of MSG (monosodium glutamate)-induced obesity. Rats were divided into 4 groups: MSG group, submitted to neonatal treatment with high doses of MSG, administrated subcutaneously during 10 days, from 2 day-old; control groups, which received the same volume of saline. After completing 30 day-old, these groups were subdivided into 4 groups: control and MSG groups treated and non-treated with quercetin at doses of 75 mg/kg body weight (i.p.) over 42 days. BW gain and food consumption were higher in MSG treated rats and quercetin significantly reduced BW by 25%. While MSG increased triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and fractions, and reduced HDL concentrations, administration of quercetin normalized HDL-cholesterol and reduced others lipids. Insulin, leptin, glucose and creatinine levels were raised in MSG-treated rats and reduced after quercetin treatment. Alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activities were lower after MSG-quercetin combination compared to rats given only MSG. MSG-quercetin combination augmented total protein and urea levels as well as glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities in contrast to MSG-treated animals. Quercetin normalized serum lipid and glucose profile and minimized the MSG-related toxic effects, which was associated to its antioxidant properties.

Mast cells and ethanol consumption: interactions in the prostate, epididymis and testis of UChB rats.

PROBLEM: Alcoholism has reached alarming proportions while fertility rates slowing in populations. The assessment of inflammatory effects with emphasis on the variation of the mast cells comparing ethanol chronic ingestion on reproductive organs deserves attention. METHOD OF STUDY: The mast cells were investigated with light microscopy using toluidine blue to locate and count total mast cells and immunohistochemistry to identify the connective tissue mast cells (CTMC). RESULTS: The increase in total mast cells in the prostate, total and degranulated mast cells in epididymis of UChB rats was accompanied by a greater proportion of mucosal mast cells (MMC) in these organs. In addition, a lower incidence of degranulated mast cells was observed in epididymis of control rats. CONCLUSIONS: Ethanol increases the number of total and degranulated mast cells in the prostate and epididymis, as well as associated with increasing MMC, and therefore, it could be leading to inflammation in these organs.