Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences
Year:2005 | Volume:8 | Issue:3 (27)|Papers Count:13

To distinguish the special effect of terminal sugar/sugars on development of adrenal gland medulla fetal or afterbirth. Determining the days that they are effective on development as inductive factors was another objective. Materials and Methods: In the study, we used of 12 females and 4 males BALB/c mice. Fetuses of all gestational days and newboms up to 15 days of age were fixed and processed by common histological techniques, and sections were obtained from adrenal region. The number of normal newborns and embryos were 78 heads. To distinguish the terminal sugars, we used lectins that are PNA (peanut agglutinin), VVA (vicia villosa agglutinin) and GSA1-B4 (griffonia simplia-B4). Lectins were detected by DAB (diaminobenzidin) dye after binding to terminal sugars. Results: Adrenal medulla cells reacted only to PNA at 13thgestational day to birth and up to 15th after birth. Several sections from all of specimens which we used for the lectin histochemistery study did not react to three other lectins. Conclusion: Findings of this study elucidated that Gal-GalNAc terminal sugar, which is specific to PNA lectin, is a key terminal sugar in studied days. So we suggest that Gal-GalNAc hasil. key role on adrenal medulla development at 13th fetal day to birth and 15 days afterbirth.      

Objective: Several studies have reported that thyroid dysfunction can induce changes in elements in different tissues both in experimental and human studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of hypothyroidism on mineral elements in rat kidney, heart, skeletal muscle and liver. Materials and Methods: In this study 24 rats aged 2-3 months with 190- 270 g B.W were randomly divided into case and control groups. Animals in the case group received methimazol powder (0.03%) in drinking water. After 4 weeks a sample of blood was taken from all animals for TT4 determination. When rats in case group were hypothyroid, the animals were treated for another 3 weeks. At the end of the 7th week the animals were decapitated and tissues were removed and kept at -20°C until elements were measured. The content of different elements was determined in kidney, liver, cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle by Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) method. S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and P were determined as PPM for all tissues, the results were represented as Mean±SD and compared between hypothyroid and control groups by T- test. The differences were considered to be significant when p<0.05. Results: The results are as follows: Kidney: the content of Fe and Cu in experimental group increased in kidney (p=0.03 and p=0.04 respectively), Liver: in this tissue, the content of Fe increased in the experimental group (p<0.05), Cardiac muscle: the content of Cl in the experimental group increased (p<0.04) in this tissue, Skeletal muscle: the content of Cl increased significantly in the experimental group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These data demonstrate that hypothyroidism can change the content of several elements in the examined tissues, and these variations in part may be involved in several clinical manifestations which are present in hypothyroidism.      

Objective: Results of other studies suggests that hyper-responsiveness of monocytes to the products of dental plaque especially the endotoxin of Gram negative bacteria and secretion of high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines may have a role in the pathogenesis of AP. To investigate this possibility, we evaluated the IL-6 production by cultured peripheral blood monocytes before and after stimulation by E.coli lipopolysacharide (LPS) in AP patients and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients with AP were compared to 15 periodontal healthy controls in a case control study. Mononuclear layer was obtained from peripheral blood samples and monocytes were isolated and cultured. The reaction of monocytes was studied by IL-6 production before and 6 hours after stimulation by 0.1 µg/ml E.coli. LPS. The IL-6concentration in the culture supernatant was measured with ELISA (Enzyme linked Immunosorbeni Assay). Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to compare the groups. Results: There was no significant difference in IL-6 production levels before LPS stimulation between patients and controls (P = 0.5). The IL-6 production after LPS stimulation in the patients was higher than controls, and the difference approached the significance threshold (P = 0.07). However, the increase in the IL-6 production as a result of LPS stimulation was significantly higher in patients compared to controls (P = 0.029). Conclusion: Our results suggest that increase in monocyte responsiveness may play a potential role in the pathogenesis of AP. Elevation in cytokines elicited at the site of infection in response to a minimal bacterial challenge can exert significant effects locally and systemically. An overaggressive immune response can provide the basis of explanation for the observed severe tissue damage. and bone loss in periodontium, familial nature of aggressive periodontitis and other immunological findings associated with the pathogenesis of this disease. Future investigations through longitudinal monitoring of monocyte responsiveness over time and following successful treatment are required to elucidate the role of this phenomenon in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.      

Objective: Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common complication of childbearing women. According to the effect of alterations of estrogen, progesterone, beta-endorphins, CRH and hCG on the etiology of PPD and considering the effect of fetal gender on some maternal hormone levels, the effect of fetal gender on PPD (due to hormonal mechanisms)is a ponderable hypothesis. Because of the interaction between cultural, social and economical factors with occurrence of PPD, study on the correlation between gender or number of infants and PPD is difficult in human populations. We purposed to study the correlation between gender or number of pups and PPD-like behaviors in rats. Materials and Methods: In this study postpartum depressive-like behaviors were assessed in 30 Wistar rats by Forced Swim Test (FST). Behaviors observed in the FST such as increased immobility and decreased active behaviors (struggling, swimming and diving) are depression symptoms. On postnatal days 3 and 4 dams were placed in a swim tank and their behaviors (struggling, swimming and immobility time and diving number) were recorded and assessed. The correlation between postpartum depressive like behaviors and pups sexual ratio (females/males) or pups number was analyzed by the Bivariate Correlation (Pearson's test). Results: A significant positive correlation between pups number and immobility time was observed (r = 0.641, p<0.05). However increase in pups number decreased the struggling and swimming time and diving numbers, the correlations were not significant (p>0.05). There was not any significant correlation between pups sexual ratio and behaviors observed in FST (p>0.05). Conclusion: Results of this study imply that PPD-like behaviors are affected by pups number but are independent to pups gender in rats.      

Objectives: In the present study anticonvulsant activity of the Lavandula officinalis (L. officinalis) oil and aqueous, alcoholic and acetonic extracts were studied against pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and maximal electroshock (MES) induced seizures in male mice. Materials and Methods: L. officinalis oil was prepared by using a Clevenger extractor. The extracts were prepared by soxhlet or percolator apparatus. Onset and severity of each convulsion and death time, after electroshock or injection of PTZ were recorded. Results: L. officinalis oil (200 and 400mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced the mortality rate, number and severity of PTZ (90mg/kg, i.p.)-induced seizures. These effects of L. officinalis were similar to those of the reference drug, ethosuximide (300 mg/kg, i.p.). Aqueous extract (100 and 800 mg/kg, i.p.) had no effect on PTZ induced convulsion. Alcoholic and acetonic extraets (800 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the latency of death time and reduced the number of attacks in the PTZ model, respectively. In the MES model only dose of 400mg/kg of the essential oil was effective and this effect was less, comparing to that of phenytoin. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the more potent anticonvulsant activity of the essential oil than other extracts. It may be of value in the treatment of absence seizures.    

Objective: Generation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation are associated with tissue injury following ischemic insult. It has been shown that saffron extract has antitumor, chemopreventive and radical scavenger properties as well as protective effects on genotoxins-induced oxidative stress and promote the diffusivity of oxygen in different tissues. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of safranal, a constituent of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), on lipid peroxidation level and histopatological alterations following renal ischernia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats. Material and Methods: In order to induct renal ischemia-reperfusion injury, the left kidney was exposed to warm ischemia for 60 min followed by reperfusion for 90 min. Safranal (with doses of 0.1 ml/kg, 0.25 mlll5-gand 0.5 ml/kg, i.p.) and normal saline (10 ml/kg, i.p.) were administrated prior to induction of ischemia. The lipid peroxidation level (which expressed as thiobarbituric acid reactive species, TBARS) and histopatological alteration were evaluated in kidney of control and ischemic groups. Results: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (00) caused a significant increase in TBARS levels (from 119.7 to 379.2 nmol/g tissue, p<0.001).In safranal pretreated groups, a significant reduction in TBARS levels (from 379.2 to 110.6 nmol/g tissue, p<0.001;0.5 ml/kg), as compared with control group, was observed. Histopathological data also showed that safranal attenuated renal ischemiareperfusion injury. Conclusion: This study, therefore, suggests that safranal may be a useful agent for the prevention of lipid peroxidation following renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats.      

Triamcinolone is a steroidal anti-inflammatory drug widely used in the treatment of skin diseases. Liposomes are microscopic vesicles that composed of lipid bilayers enclosing aqueous compartments. In this study, different liposomal formulations encapsulated with triamcinolone were prepared and their anti-inflammatory effects were compared with a conventional topical ointment.Materials and Methods: In this study liposomes containing 0.1% triamcinolone were prepared by the fusion method using lecithin, cholesterol and penetration enhancers. Encapsulation efficiency was determined by UV spectrophotometry. Liposome size was examined by optical microscopy. The anti-inflammatory effect of liposomal formulations was evaluated by “xylene-induced ear edema” method in mice and then results were compared with a conventional topical ointment.Results: Among different formulations only two formulations were stable and suitable regards to encapsulation efficiency, size, and the lack of triamcinolone precipitation. The first formulation did not have penetration enhancer and the second one contained a penetration enhancer. Liposome size was varied from 2 to 5 micron, and encapsulation efficiency in the first and second formulation was 80.33 ± 3.51% and 90.50 ± 2.78%, respectively. In vivo study showed that both conventional ointment and liposomal triamcinolone decrease ear edema compared to the control liposome (p<0.01). The percent of edema inhibition (Mean ± SEM) in comparison with control was 44% ± 6.0, 71% ± 6.4 and 78% ± 5.4 for conventional ointment, first and second liposomal formulations respectively. The anti-inflammatory of liposomal formulations were significantly more than conventional triamcinolone ointment (p<0.05).Conclusion: Results show that liposomal triamcinolone have more anti-inflammatory effect than conventional triamcinolone ointment. Thus, to provide the same effect as conventional triamcinolone ointment, the lower concentration of triamcinolone in liposome formulation is needed, this in turn will cause less side effects.

The incidence of Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL) shows marked heterogeneity according to age, gender, race, geographical state, socioeconomic position and histological subtypes. Recently, multiple studies in different countries have been applied by newer technologies such as Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), being more familiar with the pathogenesis of this neoplasm. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is detected with high incidence in HL cases, approximately 40-50% in developed countries and much more (up to 95% of cases) in developing countries. There is evidences that mixed cellularity (MC) Hodgkin's Lymphoma is more likely to be EBV-associated which is against association of nodular sclerosis (NS) subtype. With regard to the geographical location of Iran and absence of similar documented research in our knowledge, it is need to perform studies like this.Materials and Methods: This study was done by IHC method with antibody against latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) antigen of EBV for assessment of relationship between EBV infection and parameters such as age, gender and histological subtype. We collected 30 paraffin section samples of classic HL and positive cytoplasmic reactivity of Reed-Steinberg (RS) cells was evaluated.Results: From 30 cases surveyed in this study only 2 cases were not immunoreactive for EBV marker of which both were NS subtype in two adult males. We confirm frequency of 93% EBV associated HL in our cases, and also confirm the above histological subtype distribution, and that childhood cases are more likely to be EBV-associated than adult cases. There is possible female predominance of EBV associated HL. This survey as a pilot study needs further studies with more cases for distinct confirmation.Conclusion: It seems that EBV is a strong etiologic factor especially in developing countries like Iran and in childhood cases.

In this research, affinity chromatography have been developed and standardized for production of Neuraminidase antigen of influenza virus for preparation of monospecific antiserum in rabbits.Materials and Methods Avian influenza Virus stocks (A/chicken/Iran/259/1998/(H9N2)) were propagated in the allantoic cavities of 10-day old embryonated chicken eggs. The harvested suspension was concentrated by polyethylenglycol 6000. Concentrated samples were layered onto sucrose gradient (30-60%). Both hemagglutinin and neuraminidase were solubilized from purified viruses with Triton X-100, across 30% sucrose gradient. NA was isolated from HA and other viral proteins by affinity chromatography on N- (paminophenyl) oxamic acid. Fractions that had high NA-activity and did not show HA activity were pooled and analyzed by neuraminidase inhibition and SDS-PAGE. For preparation of antisera, rabbits were immunized by purified NA and Freund’s adjuvant at three weeks interval, and sera collected 7 days after boosting.Results: In SDS-PAGE no viral protein band detected except for single band in the position of NA. NA activity of purified protein was 3.8 × 104 NA units. Enzymatic activity of Neuraminidase purified by this procedure decrease sharply above 48°C. The purified neuraminidase was producing a significant antibody response in agar gel precipitation. No reaction was observed with neuraminidase specific antiserum and H9-HA of the same virus.Conclusion: According to virtual purity and enzymatic activity of purified neuraminidase and highest avidity and specificity of antiserum, it was speculated that optimized protocol can be directly applied to produce antigen and antiserum from all subtypes of virus and can be easily used in commercial diagnostic tests.