Examination of epithelial tissue cytokine response to natural peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) infection in sheep and goats by immunohistochemistry

In this study, we aimed to evaluate expression of IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ and iNOS in lingual, buccal mucosa and lung epithelial tissue using immunoperoxidase technique and to compare with the tissues of control animals. The tissues used in the study were collected from 17 PPRV-affected and 5 healthy sheep and goats. In PPRV positive animals, the lungs, lingual and buccal mucosa had significantly higher iNOS, IFN-γ and TNF-α expressions compared to control group animals. There was no significant difference between PPRV positive and control groups for IL-4 and IL-10 expressions of epithelial tissues. In conclusion, the epithelial tissues infected by PPRV showed significant iNOS, IFN-γ and TNF-α expressions and they might play an important role in the initiation and regulation of cytokine response, as they take place in the first host barrier to be in contact with PPRV. It is suggested that the more epithelial damage produced by PPRV the more cytokine response may result in the infected epithelial cells. The first demonstration of iNOS expression and epithelial cytokine response to PPRV in natural cases is important because it may contribute to an early initiation of systemic immunity against PPRV infection, in addition to direct elimination of the virus during the initial epithelial phase of the infectio

Role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection

DINCEL, Gungor Cagdas/0000-0002-6985-3197; ATMACA, HASAN TARIK/0000-0001-8379-4114WOS: 000375028200009PubMed: 26966143Oxidative stress (OS) plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of common neurodegenerative diseases. We have previously shown that Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) induces high nitric oxide (NO) production, glial activation, and apoptosis that altogether cause severe neuropathology in toxoplasma encephalitis (TE). The objective of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effect of OS and to identify a correlation between the causes of T. gondii induced neuropathology. Expression levels of glutathione reductase (GR), Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), neuron specific enolase (NSE), and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were investigated. Results of the study revealed that the levels of GR (P <0.005) and NSE (P<0.001) expression in the brain tissue markedly increased while SOD1 activity decreased (P<0.001) in the infected group compared to the non-infected group. In addition, intense staining for 8-OHdG (P<0.05) was observed both in the nucleus and the cytoplasm of neurons and glial cells that underwent OS. These results were reasonable to suggest that T. gondii-mediated OS might play a pivotal role and a different type of role in the mechanism of neurodegeneration/neuropathology in the process of TE. The results also clearly indicated that increased levels of NO and apoptosis might contribute to OS-related pathogenesis of TE. As a result, OS and expression of NSE might give an idea of the disease progress and may have a critical diagnostic significance for patients with T. gondii infection.Scientific Research Projects Commission of the Gumushane Univesity, Gumushane, Turkey [13.B0421.02.02]This work was funded and supported by the Scientific Research Projects Commission of the Gumushane Univesity, Gumushane, Turkey (Project Code: 13.B0421.02.02)

Nitric oxide production increases during Toxoplasma gondii encephalitis in mice

DINCEL, Gungor Cagdas/0000-0002-6985-3197; ATMACA, HASAN TARIK/0000-0001-8379-4114WOS: 000360323400014PubMed: 26115941Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite with the potential of causing severe encephalitis among immunocompromised human and animals. The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the immunomodulatory and immunopathological role of nitric oxide (NO) in central nervous systems and to identify any correlation between toxoplasmosis neuropathology and investigate the consequences of the cellular responses protect against T. gondii. Mice were infected with ME49 strain T. gondii and levels of endothelial, neuronal and inducible nitric oxide synthase (eNOS, nNOS, iNOS), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament (NF) were examined in brain tissues by immunohistochemistry, during the development and establishment of a chronic infection at 10 30 and 60 days post infection. Results of the study revealed that the levels of eNOS (p < 0.05), nNOS (p < 0.05), iNOS (p < 0.005), GFAP (p < 0.005) and NF (p < 0.005) were remarkably higher in T. gondii-infected mice than in uninfected control. The most prominent finding from our study was 10 and 30 days after inoculation data indicating that increased levels of NO not only a potential neuroprotective role for immunoregulatory and immunopathological but also might be a molecular trigger of bradyzoite development. Furthermore, this findings were shown that high expressed NO origin was not only inducible nitric oxide synthase but also endothelial and neuronal. We demonstrated that activation of astrocytes and microglia/macrophages is a significant event in toxoplasma encephalitis (TE). The results also clearly indicated that increased levels of NO might contribute to neuropathology related with TE. Furthermore, expression of NF might gives an idea of the progress and critical for diagnostic significance of this disease. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Gumushane Univesity, Scientific Research CouncilGumushane University [13.B0421.02.1]This work was supported by grants from Gumushane Univesity, Scientific Research Council (Project no: 13.B0421.02.1). This study was presented as an oral presentation in 3rd International Conference & Exhibition on Pathology Congress 2014, San Antonio, USA

Protective effect of resveratrol on sodium fluoride-induced oxidative stress, hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity in rats

Das, Kusal/0000-0002-3641-2117; ATMACA, HASAN TARIK/0000-0001-8379-4114WOS: 000339599800025PubMed: 24857819Protective effect of resveratrol on sodium fluoride-induced oxidative stress, hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity were studied in rats. A total of 28 Wistar albino male rats were used. Four study groups were randomly formed with seven animals in each. The groups were treated for 21 days with distilled water (control group), with water containing 100 ppm fluoride (fluoride group), with resveratrol (12.5 mg/kg i.p., resveratrol group), or with 100 ppm fluoride + 12.5 mg/kg resveratrol i.p. (fluoride + resveratrol group). At the end of the trial, blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture and tissue samples were taken simultaneously. The total antioxidant and oxidant status in plasma and tissues as well as plasma 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels were measured. Histopathological analyses of rat liver and brain tissues were performed in all groups to identify any changes. In the fluoride group, the total oxidant levels increased in plasma, liver and brain and total antioxidant levels decreased, as did the plasma 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine levels. These changes were prevented by co-administration of resveratrol. In addition, fluoride-associated severe histopathological changes in brain and liver tissues were not observed in the fluoride + resveratrol group. Consequently, these data suggested that resveratrol had beneficial effects in alleviating fluoride-induced oxidative stress. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Kirikkale University Research FundKirikkale University [2011/44]Financial support for this Project (Project No: 2011/44) was provided by the Kirikkale University Research Fund

Reactivated and clinical Toxoplasma gondii infection in young lambs: Clinical, serological and pathological evidences

Babur, Cahit/0000-0002-6524-3260; ATMACA, HASAN TARIK/0000-0001-8379-4114WOS: 000305100900054In this study, fatal toxoplasmosis with severe neurological clinical signs was evaluated in 20 lambs of a sheep flock containing 90 Akkaraman sheep, 60 lambs and 3 rams. The clinical signs in infected lambs (n = 20) included incoordination, head shaking, tremors, shaking up, difficulty walking and subsequent death. No incidence of abortion observed in pregnant ewes. Two lambs with severe clinical signs were euthanized and necropsied following clinical and hematological examinations. Blood samples were also collected from the mothers of dead lambs and rams for Sabin-Feldman dye test to detect Toxoplasma gondii-specific antibodies. T. gondii infection was further confirmed by PCR analysis using T. gondii B1 gene specific primers. The histopathological findings included non-purulent myositis with T. gondii-like tissue cysts in the heart and skeletal musculature, severe necrotic vasculitis and multifocal necroses in the brain, liver and lungs. T. gondii immunoreactivity was present in the lungs, liver and spleen as well as tissue cyst-like structures. In differential diagnosis, Neospora caninum infection was excluded by immunohistochemical and PCR analyses. According to current literature, there has been no previous report on clinical toxoplasmosis in newborn lambs or goat kids, and the number of reports on clinical toxoplasmosis in small ruminants is limited to two adult goats with fatality following systemic toxoplasmosis. Our study indicated that toxoplasmosis occurs in lambs with severe neurological signs and subsequent death. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Kirikkale University Research CouncilKirikkale University [21/2006]This study is financially supported by Kirikkale University Research Council Project with 21/2006 project number. The clinical toxoplasmosis cases were presented as oral presentation at XXIVth World Buiatrics Congress, 2008 Hungary and at the 4th national Veterinary Pathology Congress, 2008, Antalya, Turkey

Clinicopathologic diagnosis of cutaneous toxoplasmosis in an Angora cat

ATMACA, HASAN TARIK/0000-0001-8379-4114; Suer, Cem/0000-0002-6455-6644WOS: 000294932400006PubMed: 21950216This report deals with a case of cutaneous toxoplasmosis in a 2 year-old female Angora cat. Cutaneous lesions were characterized by prescapular ulcers and hyperemic nodules in the skin of the inguinal and dorsosacral regions. A skin biopsy sample was collected from the lesioned area and processed for histopathologic examination and immunoperoxidase test using Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum specific antibodies. Toxoplasma gondii immunopositive reactions were detected in keratinocytes and dermal macrophages while no immunoreactivity was detected for N. caninum. The case of cutaneous toxoplasmosis was further confirmed by PCR analysis using T gondii B1 gene-specific primers. In conclusion, we report the first case of cutaneous toxoplasmosis in Angora cats

Hepatic stellate cells increase in Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice

ATMACA, HASAN TARIK/0000-0001-8379-4114WOS: 000319162700003PubMed: 23642259Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite that can infect humans and animals. The severity of toxoplasmosis varies according to the immune status of the individual, parasite strain, and host species. In mammalian species, it has been observed that severe lesions of acute toxoplasmosis form in visceral organs such as the liver, lung, and spleen. Some epidemiological studies have reported an association of T. gondii infection with liver cirrhosis. Methods: Acute infection was induced in fifteen 30-day-old normal Swiss albino mice. The mice were infected by intraperitoneal inoculation of 5000 T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites. The mice were sacrificed in groups of 5 at 2, 4, and 6 days after inoculation. Another group of 5 mice were used as the controls. Anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and anti-T. gondii antibodies were used to compare GFAP-immunoreactive cells and anti-T. gondiiimmunopositive areas in the liver between the T. gondii-infected groups and the healthy controls, respectively. Results: There was a significant correlation between the numbers of GFAP-positive hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) when they were compared with T. gondii antigen immunostaining (p < 0.05). The amount of T. gondii immunostaining increased significantly with the increase in the number of HSCs. Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between the number of HSCs and T. gondii antigens, which may represent an active role of HSCs in liver pathology and the pathobiology of T. gondii-related hepatitis

Evaluation of oxidative stress, hematological and biochemical parameters during Toxoplasma gondii infection in gerbils

KABAKCI, Ruhi/0000-0001-9131-0933; ATMACA, HASAN TARIK/0000-0001-8379-4114WOS: 000357000800001The aim of the present study was to investigate the alterations of oxidative stress, hematological and biochemical parameters in experimental infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii in gerbil. A total of 16 gerbil, 8 of which were control and 8 was infection group, were used in the study. The gerbils were infected by intraperitoneal inoculation of 5000 T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites. In group of, the gerbil were sacrificed at 7th day after inoculation. At the end of this period, blood samples collected and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities, plasma aspartat aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotranspherase (ALT) activities, total protein, albumin, globulin were determined. Besides, hematological parameters were analysed in whole blood. Aspartat aminotransferase and ALT activities and MDA concentrations and neutrophil percentage and total leukocyte counts increased significantly in infected group when compared to control. In infected group, SOD activities, albumin concentrations and lymhocyte percentage decreased when compared to control. The results of this study suggest that oxidative stress, hematological and biochemical alterations may contribute to the pathogenesis of toxoplasmosis in gerbils

The Effects of Urotensin II Agonist and Antagonist on the Testicular Damage of Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

WOS: 000383578300066

Central nervous system and skull malformations associated with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus in a calf

Orhan, Ismail Onder/0000-0003-3006-4657; KUMANDAS, ALI/0000-0002-7679-2126; DINCEL, Gungor Cagdas/0000-0002-6985-3197; ATMACA, HASAN TARIK/0000-0001-8379-4114WOS: 000306099600011In this study, cranial anomalies, hydranencephaly and cerebellar hypoplasia were reported macroscopically, microscopically and immunohistochemically in a calf. A relationship between Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus infection and malformations associated with central nervous system lesions were demonstrated