Diosgenin alleviates D-galactose-induced oxidative stress in rats’ brain and liver targeting aging and apoptotic marker genes

The theory of aging is primarily concerned with oxidative stress caused by an imbalance in reactive oxygen species generation and cellular antioxidants. To alleviate the oxidative stress, we investigated the protective effect of diosgenin (DSG) for D-galactose (D-gal) using 20 and 40 mg of DSG/kg/day/orally for 42 days. The findings showed that D-gal caused brain and liver oxidative injuries by upregulating aging and oxidative markers. To counteract the oxidative stress caused by D-gal, DSG upregulated glutathione peroxidase-1, superoxide dismutase-1, and glutathione S-transferase-α. DSG also diminished the expression of p53, p21, Bcl-2-associated X protein, caspase-3, and mammalian target of rapamycin in brain and liver, as well as the build-up of β-galactosidase. DSG, in a dose-dependent manner, decreased the oxidative aging effects of D-gal in brain and liver tissues through targeting of aging and apoptotic marker genes. Finally, it should be noted that consuming DSG supplements is a suggesting natural preventative agent that may counteract aging and preserve health through improvement of body antioxidant status and control aging associated inflammation and cellular apoptosis

Long term salinity disrupts the hepatic function, intestinal health, and gills antioxidative status in Nile tilapia stressed with hypoxia

In aquaculture, fish are stressed with several factors involved in impacting the growth rate and health status. Although Nile tilapia can resist brackish water conditions, hypoxia status may impair the health condition of fish. Nile tilapia were exposed to salinity water at 0, 10, and 20‰ for four weeks then the growth behavior was checked. The results showed meaningfully lowered growth rate, feed utilization, and survival rate when fish kept in 20‰ for four weeks. Then fish were subdivided into six groups (factorial design, 2 × 3) in normoxia (DO, 6 mg/L) and hypoxia (DO, 1 mg/L) conditions for 24 h. High salinity (10 and 20‰) combined with hypoxia stress-induced inflammatory features in the intestines, gills, and livers of fish. The activities of SOD, CAT, and GPX were increased in the intestines, gills, and livers of fish grown in 10 and 20‰ and exposed with hypoxia stress. Fish grown in 20‰ and stressed with hypoxia had the highest ALT, AST, and ALP levels (p < 0.05) among the groups. The highest transcription levels of Il-8, Il-1β, Ifn-γ, Tnf-α, and Caspase-3 genes and the lowest level of Il-10 gene were observed in fish exposed with 20‰ and hypoxia. The outputs of Integrated Biomarker Response (IBR) showed marked differences between fish groups with varied values. The lowest IBR was observed in fish reared in fresh water and normoxia, while the highest IBR was seen in the group of fish reared in 20‰ and hypoxia conditions (p < 0.05). These results confirm that Nile tilapia can tolerate 10‰ in normoxia but 20‰ salinity combined with hypoxia results in oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammatory features in the intestines, gills, and livers. The obtained results indicate that hypoxia can affect the performances of Nile tilapia reared in brackish or high-water salinity leading to severe economic loss. Further future studies are required to understand the impact of different water salinities with hypoxia in the short term and long-term periods on the productivity of Nile tilapia

Menthol essential oil is a practical choice for intensifying the production of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): Effects on the growth and health performances

Increasing the stocking density of aquatic organisms becomes an urgent procedure in the current aquaculture practices. Concurrently, this study investigated the possibility of growing Nile tilapia under high stocking density while fortifying their feed with menthol essential oil (EO). Fish with the initial average weight of 17.19 ± 0.051 g/fish were allotted in eighteen tanks (80-L), representing six groups. The first and fourth groups stocked with 10 fish/tank (low density, LD), the second and fifth groups stocked with 20 fish/tank (medium density, MD), and the third and sixth groups stocked with 30 fish/tank (high density, HD). The first three groups received the basal diet without menthol EO, while the remaining groups received a menthol EO mixed diet. The values of water total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), ammonia‑nitrogen (NH3−N), and ammonium‑nitrogen (NH4+-N) increased in the HD group, followed by MD, and the lowest levels were seen in the LD group either with or without dietary menthol EO. There is a marked effect of stocking density and menthol EO on the final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate traits, and feed efficiency ratio (p \u3c 0.05). Further, the stocking density and menthol EO were significant factors (p \u3c 0.05) on the serum triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, uric acid, urea, and creatinine levels. The cortisol levels were markedly (p \u3c 0.05) increased in fish fed the basal diet and reared in HD but decreased in fish fed menthol EO and grown in LD and MD conditions. Nevertheless, the glucose level is sharply increased with increasing the stocking density in a linear trend (p \u3c 0.05). The antioxidative-related factors (SOD, CAT, and GPx) were markedly impacted by menthol EO and stocking density and showed the highest activities by menthol EO. The histological study showed inflammatory features in the gills and liver of fish under HD conditions, while dietary menthol EO relieved the inflammation induced by high malonaldehyde concentration. Altogether, dietary menthol EO resulted in enhanced growth rate, health status, and antioxidative capacity in LD, MD, and HD conditions, referring to high immune status and well-being of Nile tilapia

Differential cellular localization of lectins in the testes of dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) during active and inactive breeding seasons

Abstract The reproductive activity of the male dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) as a seasonal breeder is affected by various seasonal changes that reflect on the reproductive performance. In the current study, we explored a differential cellular localization of lectins in eight dromedary camel testes utilizing lectin histochemistry (LHC). The glycoconjugates’ localizations were detected within the testicular tissue utilizing 13 biotin-labeled lectins (PNA, ConA, LCA, RCA120, GS IB4, WGA, BPL, DBA, ECA, PHA-E4, UEA-1, PTL-II, and SBA) distributed into six sets. The cellular structures revealed diverse lectins distribution that may reflect various glycoproteins’ structures and their compositional modifications during spermatogenesis. Some of the investigated lectins were restricted to acrosomes of spermatids that will help study different stages during the spermatogenic cycle of dromedary camel, particularly PNA, and ECA. The statistical analysis showed a marked positive correlation between the response intensity of various lectins and the breeding season (P < 0.05). We can conclude that lectins have a fundamental role during camel spermatogenesis and are associated with the reproductive activity of dromedary camel

Influence of Graded Levels of l-Theanine Dietary Supplementation on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Meat Quality, Organs Histomorphometry, Blood Chemistry and Immune Response of Broiler Chickens

l-theanine is a water-soluble non-proteinous amino acid mainly found in green tea leaves. Despite the availability of abundant literature on green tea, studies on the use of l-theanine as a feed additive in animals, and especially broilers are limited. The objective of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the effect of different dietary levels of l-theanine on meat quality, growth performance, immune response, and blood metabolites in broilers. A total of 400 day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into four treatment groups using a completely randomized design; C-control, basal diet; 100LT-basal diet + 100 mg l-theanine/kg diet; 200LT-basal diet + 200 mg l-theanine/kg diet; and 300LT-basal diet + 300 mg l-theanine/kg diet. Results revealed that the intermediate level of l-theanine (200 mg/kg diet) showed better results in terms of body weight gain (BWG), feed consumed (FC), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) as compared with the other supplemented groups and the control. The live weight eviscerated weight and gizzard weight were higher in all l-theanine levels as compared to those of the control group. Increased weight (p ≤ 0.05) of spleen and bursa were found in group 200LT (200 mg l-theanine/kg diet). Concerning meat color parameters, values for yellowness (b*), and redness (a*) were greater in l-theanine-supplemented groups than the control. Supplementing broiler diet with l-theanine reduced (p = 0.02) total serum cholesterol contents while increased HDL. Further analysis revealed lower relative serum cytokines (IL-2 and INF-γ) and reduced mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in thymus, and IFN-γ and IL-2 in spleen in the treated group. Moreover, supplementation with 200 mg/kg of l-theanine improved antioxidant status in blood by increasing SOD, GSH-Px, and relative CAT levels. It is concluded that the optimum supplementation level of l-theanine is 200 mg/kg of diet because it resulted in improved performance parameters in broilers. However, higher levels of l-theanine (300 mg/kg diet) may have deleterious effects on performance and health of broiler chickens

Osteoblast-activating peptide exhibits a specific distribution pattern in mouse ovary and may regulate ovarian steroids and local calcium levels

Osteoblast-activating peptide (OBAP) is a novel protein affecting osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, but its ovarian expression is yet to be reported. Osteoporosis is a common disease, caused mainly by low estrogen levels in females. We investigated whether OBAP regulates estrogen synthesis and osteoporosis. Using immunohistochemical analyses, we studied the distribution of OBAP in different parts of the mouse ovary. We also attempted to clarify the correlation of OBAP with ovarian steroids and calcium-regulating factors in the same ovarian tissues, including aromatase (CYP19), 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta-HSD), estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B (RANK), calmodulin, calbindin, and calcium-sensing receptor. The ovarian interstitial endocrine cells (IC) showed the greatest localization of OBAP, followed by the mature corpus luteum and the oocytes of mature Graafian follicles (MGF), while there were strong negative correlations of OBAP with CYP19. Strong positive correlations with 3 beta-HSD (except MGF), RANK (except IC), and calmodulin (except MGF and IC) were demonstrated. OBAP also showed partially positive correlations with ER and PR in the corpus luteum and with IC and calbindin in the MGF. We conclude that OBAP might be related to estrogen synthesis and calcium homeostasis

Isolation and Culture of Skin-Derived Differentiated and Stem-Like Cells Obtained from the Arabian Camel (Camelus dromedarius)

Elite camels often suffer from massive injuries. Thus, there is a pivotal need for a cheap and readily available regenerative medicine source. We isolated novel stem-like cells from camel skin and investigated their multipotency and resistance against various stresses. Skin samples were isolated from ears of five camels. Fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and spheroid progenitors were extracted. After separation of different cell lines by trypsinization, all cell lines were exposed to heat shock. Then, fibroblasts and dermal cyst-forming cells were examined under cryopreservation. Dermal cyst-forming cells were evaluated for resistance against osmotic pressure. The results revealed that resistance periods against trypsin were 1.5, 4, and 7 min for fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and spheroid progenitors, respectively. Furthermore, complete recovery of different cell lines after heat shock along with the differentiation of spheroid progenitors into neurons was observed. Fibroblasts and spheroid progenitors retained cell proliferation after cryopreservation. Dermal cyst-forming cells regained their normal structure after collapsing by osmotic pressure. The spheroid progenitors incubated in the adipogenic, osteogenic, and neurogenic media differentiated into adipocyte-, osteoblast-, and neuron-like cells, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, we isolated different unique cellular types and stem-like cells from the camel skin and examined their multipotency for the first time

Quercetin Attenuates Pancreatic and Renal D-Galactose-Induced Aging-Related Oxidative Alterations in Rats

Aging is an oxidative stress-associated process that progresses with age. Our aim is to delay or attenuate these oxidative alterations and to keep individuals healthy as they age using natural compounds supplementation. Therefore, we conducted the present study to investigate the protective potentials of quercetin against D-galactose (D-gal)-associated oxidative alterations that were induced experimentally in male Wistar rats. Forty-five rats were randomly allocated into five groups of nine rats each. The groups were a control group that was reared on a basal diet and injected subcutaneously with 120 mg D-gal dissolved in physiological saline solution (0.9% NaCl) per kg body weight daily and quercetin-treated groups that received the same basal diet and subcutaneous daily D-gal injections were supplemented orally with 25, 50, and 100 mg of quercetin per kg body weight for 42 days. Pancreatic and renal samples were subjected to histopathological, immunohistochemical, and relative mRNA expression assessments. Aging (p53, p21, IL-6, and IL-8), apoptotic (Bax, CASP-3, and caspase-3 protein), proliferative (Ki67 protein), antiapoptotic (Bcl2 and Bcl2 protein), inflammatory (NF-&kappa;B, IL-1&beta;, and TNF-&alpha;), antioxidant (SOD1), and functional markers (GCLC and GCLM genes and insulin, glucagon, and podocin proteins) were determined to evaluate the oxidative alterations induced by D-gal and the protective role of quercetin. D-gal caused oxidative alterations of the pancreas and kidneys observed via upregulations of aging, apoptotic, and inflammatory markers and downregulated the antiapoptotic, proliferative, antioxidant, and functional markers. Quercetin potentially attenuated these aging-related oxidative alterations in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we can conclude that quercetin supplementation is considered as a promising natural protective compound that could be used to delay the aging process and to maintain human health

High Salt Diet Affects the Reproductive Health in Animals: An Overview

Salinity is a reliable issue of crop productivity loss in the world and in certain tropical and subtropical zones. However, tremendous progress in the genetic improvement of plants for salinity tolerance has been made over several decades. In light of this, halophytic plants can be used as animal feeds and have promising features because they are a good feed resource. However, the main constraint of saline pasture systems is the extreme concentration of NaCl salt in drinking water and forage plants for grazing animals. Ecological reports revealed that excess diet salt causes mortality and morbidity worldwide. Animal fed halophytic forages may have adverse effects on growth performance and reproductive function in males and females due to inducing reductions in hormone regulation, such as testosterone, FSH, LH, and leptin. It was indicated that high salt intake promotes circulating inflammatory factors in the placenta and is associated with adversative effects on pregnancy. This review focuses on the scientific evidence related to the effect of high salt intake on growth performance, spermatogenesis, sperm function, and testicular morphology changes in male animals. In addition, the review will also focus on its effect on some female reproductive features (e.g., ovarian follicle developments, placental indices, and granulosa cell function)