Effect of testosterone propionate on hippocampal pyramidal neuron number in female rats

INTRODUCTION The hippocampus is an important region of the brain that regulates cognitive and emotional functions. In this study, we examined the impact of perinatal administration of testosterone propionate (TP) on the number of pyramidal neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampi of female rats. METHODS Five groups of rats were used in this study. Three groups of female rats were administered TP in either both the prenatal and the postnatal periods (Group 1), only the prenatal period (Group 2) or only the postnatal period (Group 3). The other two groups of rats included control females (Group 4) and control males (Group 5). The rats were sacrificed on postnatal Day 120 and their brains were analysed for hippocampal pyramidal neuron number using stereological methods. RESULTS Control male rats (Group 5; p = 0.043) and TP-treated female rats in Groups 1 (p = 0.012) and 2 (p = 0.037), but not Group 3 (p > 0.05), had a significantly higher number of pyramidal neurons than control female rats (Group 4). The rats in Group 1 had the highest number of pyramidal neurons among the female rats. CONCLUSION Perinatal TP treatment has an augmenting effect on the number of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampi of female rats. We also found gender-based differences in the hippocampi of male and female rats, with a higher number of pyramidal neurons seen in male rats. Continuous TP administration during the prenatal and postnatal periods is more effective than administration only in the prenatal or postnatal period

Contribution of heme oxygenase 2 to blood pressure regulation in response to swimming exercise and detraining in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Background: We aimed to determine the effects of exercise followed by detraining on systolic blood pressure (SBP), heme oxygenase 2 (HO-2) expression, and carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) concentration in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) to explain the role of carbon monoxide (CO) in this process. Material/Methods: Animals were randomized into exercised and detrained groups. Corresponding sedentary rats were grouped as Time 1–2. Swimming of 60 min/5 days/week for 10 weeks was applied. Detraining rats discontinued training for an additional 5 weeks. Gene and protein expressions were determined by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results: Aorta HO-2 histological scores (HSCORE) of hypertensive rats were lower, while SBP was higher. Swimming caused enhancement of HO-2 immunostaining in aorta endothelium and adventitia of SHR. Exercise induced elevation of blood COHb index in SHR. Synchronous BP lowering effect of exercise was observed. HO-2 mRNA expression, HSCORE, and blood COHb index were unaltered during detraining, while SBP was still low in SHR. Conclusions: CO synthesized by HO-2 at least partly plays a role in SBP regulation in the SHR-and BP-lowering effect of exercise. Regular exercise with short-term pauses may be advised to both hypertensives and individuals who are at risk. © Med Sci Monit

Effect of gonadotropins on blood, bone marrow and spleen in cyclophosphamide exposed rats

861-870Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is an effective chemotherapeutic agent. Gonadotropins are molecules with various actions. Here, we investigated the effects of gonadotropins on the peripheral blood, bone marrow and spleen in rats administered with CTX. Three groups were formed: Control (C) group with no process; Sham (S) group: Physiological saline was applied; CTX group: A single dose of 200 mg/kg and 8 mg/kg CTX was administered for the next 14 days. All rats were superovulated with 150-300 IU/kg pregnant mare serum gonadotropin. Human chorionic gonadotropin @150-300 IU/kg was given, and complete blood counts, bone marrow smears, and spleen sections were examined; and also the expression of WNT-1, WNT-4, and β-catenin was analyzed. Although the hemoglobin and platelet value in the CTX group was lowest, it was still within the normal reference ranges. The C and S groups had significantly higher white blood cell values (p=0.017). In terms of number of megakaryocytes, Myeloid/ Erythroid ratio, lymphoid cell ratios, no significant differences were found in bone marrow aspiration smears. The CTX group had significantly higher β-catenin expression in the red pulp than the other groups (p=0.0001). The CTX group had the highest WNT-4 expression and very intense expression of WNT-1 in the white pulp. Our results indicate that the gonadotropins, promising in "treatment", have favourable effects on toxicity of CTX

Effects of menopause, diabetes mellitus and steroid use on type I mesh-induced tissue reaction in a rat model

Objective: To evaluate the effects of menopause, use of steroids, diabetes mellitus, and site of implantation on the tissue response to type I polypropylene mesh used in pelvic reconstructive surgery. Study design: Forty mature female albino rats were used in the study. Inflammatory reaction and mesh-tissue detachment strength were studied in 4 different animal models; control (GI), menopause (GII), steroid + menopause (GIII), and diabetes mellitus + menopause (GIV) groups. Two pieces of 1 cm × 1 cm type I macro porous polypropylene monofilament mesh were fixed over rectus abdominis muscle on both sides of the midline, and 0.5 cm × 0.5 cm in size was placed into paravaginal area. Nine weeks later, implanted sling materials in the vaginal region and the right abdominal side were harvested with surrounding tissue for histopathologic examination, whereas the left sided meshes were used for the mechanical testing of detachment strength. Results: The mean detachment strengths in groups were, 595 ± 274 g for GI, 410 ± 161 g for GII, 610 ± 202 g for GIII, and 457 ± 250 g for GIV (p > 0.008). Inflammatory process was more intense in menopause and DM + menopause groups for both abdominal and vaginal tissues (p 0.008). Comparison of tissue reaction caused by meshes in abdominal and vaginal area showed more intense granulocyte infiltration in abdominal region whereas more prominent inflammation and necrosis in the vaginal site (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The abdominal and vaginal region show differences in tissue reaction to type I mesh, and menopause was the most determining factor on the intensity of mesh induced inflammatory response. © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Differential expression and localization of Nanog, Oct 3/4 and C-kıt in mouse ovarian tissue according to age

Objective: To investigate the expression of embryonic/ pluripotent stem cell markers including Nanog, Octamer – Binding Protein ¾ (Oct 3/4) and c-Kit from the newborn to aging period in the ovary tissues of mouse. Design: Experimental study using mouse ovary tissues. The expression and localization of Nanog, Oct 3/4 and c-Kit expression were studied in newborn, pubertal, adult and aging ovary. Setting: Department of Histology and Embryology, Pamukkale University, School of Medicine, Turkey Subjects: Newborn (n = 6), pubertal (38-day-old) (n = 6), adult (12-week-old) (n = 6) and aged (24-week-old) female Balb/c mice were used in this study. Intervention : No intervention Main Outcome Measure: The expression of Nanog, Oct 3/4 and c-kit was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Nanog, Oct 3/4 and c-Kit expression were positive in oocytes of newborn, pubertal and adult ovary. But they were negative in granulosa cells in newborn groups. The expression of these markers in adult period was increased. In addition, positive reaction for Nanog, Oct 3/4 and c-Kit was observed in granulosa cells in secondary and tertiary follicles in pubertal and adult ovary. Ovarian surface epithelium were positive for all stem cells markers in adult and aged. In addition to that, only c-kit positive expression was found in theca cells. Conclusion: According to our findings, each of the three stem cell markers may play an important role in folliculogenesis and ovarian pathology. However, c-kit may be more effective than others because stromal cells were positive in adult and pubertal ovaries as well as in aged ovary. © 2017, Kuwait Medical Association. All rights reserved

The effect of in ovo ethanol exposure on retina and optic nerve in a chick embryo model system

Ocular anomalies seen in children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) suggest that ocular structures are sensitive to alcohol exposure during their development. This study was designed to investigate the effect of in ovo ethanol (EtOH) exposure on retinal development and myelinization of optic nerve fibers at an ultra structural level in a chick embryo model system. Prior to incubation, fertilized chicken eggs were injected once with 100 μl of either 0.9% NaCl (vehicle control), or EtOH solutions at different doses (10, 30, or 50%, v:v in 0.9% NaCl) into their air sacs and incubated at 37.5 °C and saturation humidity. On day 20 embryos were analyzed in terms of their viability and growth and the optic cups including the optic nerves were dissected out. Specimens were processed for electron microscopy (EM). Results showed that, EtOH significantly decreased the viability of chick embryos (P < 0.045), and caused significant prenatal growth retardation (P < 0.004) in a dose-dependant manner. Light microscopy of semi thin sections revealed that prenatal exposure to EtOH resulted in both retinal degeneration and optic nerve hypoplasia (P < 0.001) in a dose-dependant manner. EM revealed that a dose-dependant decrease in the number of myelinated nerve fibers was profound in groups exposed to EtOH (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the myelin coats observed were thinner than those seen in control embryos. In groups exposed to EtOH myelin sheets were unorganized and contained vacuolar structures in between them. The tissue in between the cells and optic nerve fibers, on the other hand, lost its intact appearance with vacuolar and vesicular structures in between them. In addition, the optic nerve fibers contained granular accumulations in EtOH exposed groups. A dose dependent degeneration was also observed in retinas of EtOH exposed groups. The effect of EtOH was profound in pigment epithelium (PE), inner plexiform layer (IPL), and ganglion cell layer (GC). Mitochondrial deficiencies, and alterations in melanin granule number and distribution dominated the defects seen in PE. On the other hand, EM findings of all the affected layers were suggestive of induced cell death in EtOH exposed groups. Thus, this study suggests retinal development with the emphasis on melanin pigmentation in PE and optic nerve myelinization as potential targets of prenatal EtOH exposure and discusses potential mechanisms of EtOH action on these tissues. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved