Morpho-functional parameters of neurons in the sensorimotor cortex and neuroapoptosis under conditions of an induced experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in rats and a course of intranasal gel administration containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine (N

Purpose. The aim of the research is to evaluate a neuroprotective effect of the nasal dosage form containing Noopept (n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine ethyl ester) by the degree of influence on morphofunctional parameters of neurons in the sensorimotor cortex of animals with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.Methods. The experiments were conducted on 260 outbred albino rats weighing 190-220 g which were obtained from the nursery of the State Institution «Institute ofPharmacology and Toxicology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine». The quarantine (acclimatization period) for all animals lasted 14 days. An animal model of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) which has clinical manifestations and pathogenic mechanisms similar to multiple sclerosis was used for the study. There were five groups of animals in the experiment: 1) the intact group (10 rats); 2) the control group  – non-treated subjects with EAE which received saline solution (20 rats); 3) the animals with EAE which received basic treatment – 3,4 mg / kg of Methylprednisolone (MP) intraperitoneally, administered slowly in saline solution with a volume of not more than 1/10 of the blood volume of a rat (20 rats); 4) the animals with EAE which received MP and a nasal gel containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine at a dose of 10 mg / kg (20 rats); 5) the animals with EAE which received MP and Citicolinum (Ceraxon, «Ferrer Internacional S.A.», Spain) series D003U1, 500 mg / kg, intragastrically (20 rats). Morphometric studies were carried out with the help of Axioskop microscope (Ziess,Germany), a magnification of x40. The image of neurons in the area of the CA-1 zone of the hippocampus, obtained from the microscope using a highly sensitive video camera COHU-4922 (COCHU Inc.,USA).Results. It has been shown that the combination therapy with Methylprednisolone and an intranasal gel containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine intensified neuroprotectivity in the animals with EAE. In particular, a neuronal density in rats with the experimental pathology, which received a combination of Methylprednisolone and a gel containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine, increased by 14,7 (р <0,05) and their area equaled in values with animals from the intact group; at the same time, the amount of RNA increased by 9,2%. In addition, in conditions of this experiment n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine decreased density of apoptotic and destructive cells by 32,4% (р <0,05) in relation to the control and the MP groups, and the amount of apoptotic neurons – by 44,6% (р <0,05). Judging by effect on the neuronal density and the density of apoptotic and destructively altered neurons in the sensorimotor cortex of outbred albino rats with EAE, a combination of Methylprednisolone and a gel containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine reliably exceeds the combined therapy of Methylprednisolone and Citicolinum and the MP monotherapy.  A higher, according to some indicators, neuroprotective, nootropic, anxiolytic activity of a gel containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine is due to its intranasal route of administration. Conclusions: For the first time, we have obtained reliable data on the neuroprotective effect of the new dosage form containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine (Noopept) – an intranasal gel – under conditions of an induced experimental multiple sclerosis. It has been shown that a course of intranasal administration of a gel containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine (Noopept) at a dose of 10 mg / kg in combination with Methylprednisolone leads to a decrease in the death of neurons in the sensorimotor cortex of rats with EAE and an increase in the amount of RNA in them. It has been shown that a course of intranasal administration of a gel containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine (Noopept) at a dose of 10 mg / kg in combination with Methylprednisolone leads to neuroapoptosis inhibition – a decrease in the density of apoptotic and destructively altered neurons in the sensorimotor cortex of outbred albino rats with EAE. It has been found that judging by effect on the neuronal density and the density of apoptotic and destructively altered neurons in the sensorimotor cortex of the outbred albino rats with EAE, a combination of Methylprednisolone and a gel containing n-phenylacetyl-l-prolylglycine reliably exceeds the combined therapy of Methylprednisolone and Citicolinum and the MP monotherapy.

Superoxide- and NO-dependent mechanisms of the reprogramming of bone marrow cells by tumor cells

© Springer-Verlag Wien 2014. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments in vitro; spin trapping of the reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (superoxide radicals and nitric oxide, NO); gel zymography measurements in the tumor tissues, in the healthy and tumor-affected bone marrow (BM) samples of rats are carried out. The superoxide and NO generation rates are derived; matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP- 9) concentrations are measured. Their changes after the incubation of BM samples with Guérin carcinoma cells at 37 °C are defined. It is shown that the impact of tumor cells on BM manifests in the metabolic disorder, increased concentrations of active forms of MMP-2 and MMP-9, increased production of superoxide and NO radicals. Correlation between the appearance and intensity of the broad EPR signal at g = 2.2–2.4 with the concentrations of active forms of MMP-2 and MMP-9, NO and superoxide radicals’ rates is observed. The obtained spatial and temporal changes of the measured parameters demonstrate the usefulness of the potential application of EPR imaging to study the mechanisms of tumor invasion. The EPR signal may indicate the presence of distant metastases, may become a part of diagnostics and used for the estimation of the therapeutic treatments in the preclinical studies. It is proposed that labile iron pool is responsible for the appearance of the EPR signal in tumor and BM samples

Electron paramagnetic resonance study of tumor affected bone marrow

To study the mechanism of interaction of tumor cells with bone marrow cells continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments at 9 GHz including a spin trapping of superoxide were carried out. The common features of the EPR spectra in healthy and tumor affected tissues of donors and rats as well as their difference are presented and discussed. It is proposed that labile iron pool plays a significant role in mechanisms of tumor invasion. We hope that the observed EPR features could be used to study the mechanisms of invasion and progression of tumor in different organs. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

Oxidative and mutagenic effects of low intensity microwave radiation on quail embryos

Intensive implementation of wireless communication systems raised the question of the possible adverse effects of anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation. This study aims to assess the biological effects of low intensity microwaves (MW) radiation from smartphone Huawei Y5I commercial model used alone or in combination with attached Waveex chip that balances low frequency electromagnetic field but does not affect microwave signal. The biological model of developing quail embryos in ovo was used in the study. The phone as a source of low intensity 1800 MHz (0.32 µW/cm2) microwaves radiation was placed at 3 cm over the surface of hatching eggs and discontinuously activated with a computer program (48 s – on, 12 s – off). It was demonstrated that the exposure of quail embryos to radiation resulted in a statistically significant increase in the content of superoxide, nitrogen oxide and TBA products, DNA integrity damage in embryo cells and increased embryo mortality. Application of Waveex chip during the exposure resulted in a partial normalization of oxidative status and DNA integrity in embryonic cells indicating a negative impact not only of MW radiation, but of low-frequency electromagnetic fields from mobile devices as well

Long-term field and laboratory leaching tests of cemented radioactive wastes

Experiments with real and simulated radioactive cementitious wasteforms were set up to compare the leaching behaviour of cementitious wasteforms containing nuclear power plant operational waste in field and laboratory test conditions. Experiments revealed that the average annual Cs-137 leach rate in deionised water was about thirty-five times greater compared with the measured average value for the 1st year of the field test. Cumulative leached fraction of Cs-137 for 1st year (3.74%) was close to values reported in literature for similar laboratory experiments in deionised water, however more than two orders of magnitude higher than the 1st year leached fraction of Cs-137 in the repository test (0.01%). Therefore, to compare field and laboratory test results, a scaling factor is required in order to account for surface to volume factor difference, multiplied by a temperature factor and a leach rate decrease coefficient related to the ground water composition. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved