Biotechnic & Histochemistry最新文献

Increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress contribute to the pathophysiology of ulcerative colitis (UC). Inula viscosa is a plant with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the effect of an ethanolic extract of I. viscosa on an experimental UC model created using acetic acid. Rats were divided into four groups of eight: group 1, control; group 2, 3% acetic acid group; group 3, 100 mg/kg sulfasalazine + 3% acetic acid group; group 4, 400 mg/kg I. viscosa + 3% acetic acid. I. viscosa and sulfasalazine were administered by oral gavage and 3% acetic acid was administered per rectum. We found that I. viscosa treatment decreased colon malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 beta and nuclear factor kappa B levels; it increased reduced glutathione, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, heme oxygenase-1 and kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 levels and glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity. Group 1 colon exhibited normal histological structure. Slight inflammatory cell infiltration and edema and insignificant slight erosion in crypts were detected in colon tissues of group 4. We found that I. viscosa reduced oxidative stress and inflammation, which was protective against UC by inducing the Nrf-2/Keap-1/HO-1 pathway in the colon.

Acrylamide is used for industrial and laboratory purposes; it also is produced during cooking of carbohydrate-rich food at high temperature. We investigated the therapeutic potential of quercetin for treatment of acute acrylamide induced injury to the spleen. We used female albino rats treated with acrylamide for 10 days followed by oral administration of quercetin in three doses for 5 days. We observed significantly reduced total body weight, spleen weight, red blood cells, total proteins, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phophate dehydrogenase, reduced glutathione, concentration of serum IgG and IgM after acrylamide induced toxicity compared to controls. We also found that white blood cells, triglycerides, cholesterol and lipid oxidation were increased significantly after acrylamide induced toxicity in rats compared to controls. Histoarchitecture of spleen was affected adversely by acrylamide toxicity. Administration of quercetin ameliorated adverse effects of acrylamide in a dose-dependent manner. Quercetin appears to ameliorate acrylamide induced injury to the spleen by increasing endogenous antioxidants and improving histoarchitecture and immune function.

We investigated the presence of asprosin (ASP), betatrophin, elabela (ELA), glucagon and subfatin (SUB) in the milk of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and compared their levels with blood levels. We also investigated whether these peptides are synthesized by the breast. We investigated 12 volunteer mothers with GDM and 14 pregnant non-GDM control mothers. The peptides were measured using ELISA and their tissue localization was determined using immunohistochemistry. Breast milk contains ASP, betatrophin, ELA, glucagon and SUB. The amount of the peptides ranged from highest to the lowest in colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk. The amount of peptides in the milk was greater than for blood. The peptides, except for ELA, were increased in milk and blood by GDM. Betatrophin and ELA are synthesized in the connective tissue of the breast. ASP, glucagon and SUB are synthesized in the alveolar tissue of the breast. These peptides in breast milk may contribute to the development of the gastrointestinal tract of newborns and infants.

Soil and foliar application are the most widely used methods for adding micronutrients to maize. High quality micronutrient fertilizers, however, are difficult to obtain in developing countries; micronutrient seed coatings are an attractive and practical alternative. We applied this approach to maize (Zea mays L.) to demonstrate the effects of boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn) sulfates on maize germination, vigor, seedling growth, seed yield and seed quality as well as on seed microelement concentration. Seed coating was tested on three representative Chinese soil types (sandy, purple and lime soils). Compared to untreated controls, coating maize seeds with micronutrients significantly increased the seed emergence rate, seedling height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, main root length, root number, above ground fresh biomass, above ground dry biomass, underground fresh biomass, underground dry biomass, ear thickness and yield in sandy, purple and lime soils. Coating maize seeds with micronutrients also significantly increased the yield and quality of maize seed compared to untreated controls including ear barren tip, ear length, ear thickness, grains/row, hundred seed weigh, and rows/ear. Also, B, Zn, Fe, Mn and Mo microelements accumulated in maize seed after coating the seed with micronutrients. Our findings indicate that micronutrient seed coating may improve nutrient uptake and production of maize hybrids.

The cyanophycin content of the heterocystous nitrogen-fixing symbiotic cyanobacterium, Anabaena azollae, which inhabits an ovoid cavity in the dorsal leaf lobes of the fern, Azolla filiculoides, is seldom analyzed. To study the cyanophycin content in vegetative cells and heterocysts of A. azollae, we used three fluorochromes: aluminum trichloride, lead citrate and Wilson citroboric solution and Coomassie brilliant blue. Blue and yellow fluorescence were emitted from the polar nodes and cytoplasm cyanophycin granules of the heterocysts when stained with the three fluorochromes. The cyanophycin observed without staining or with Coomassie brilliant blue staining did not alter the results obtained using the fluorochromes. We found that aluminum trichloride, lead acetate and Wilson citroboric solution could be used to detect cyanophycin.

Bone marrow derived stem cells (BMSC) are the most utilized cell type in the field of bone regeneration. Although BMSC are both safe and efficacious, the search for alternative sources for stem cells continues. We investigated bovine BMSC and adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (ATSC) using immunofluorescence and PCR. We further compared the osteogenic differentiation potentials of both sources of stem cells. We assessed alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme levels and calcium deposition in differentiating cells at days 7, 14 and 21 to compare the osteogenic differentiation capability of both cell types. We found that ATSC expressed significantly higher ALP levels compared to BMSC throughout osteogenic differentiation. Calcium deposition was greater in ATSC than BMSC at days 7 and 14. By the end of day 21, BMSC produced greater calcium deposition. We found that ATSC undergo osteogenic differentiation more rapidly than BMSC, but BMSC provide greater mineralization over longer periods.

We investigated the entire length of the main excretory ducts (MED) of the major sublingual, parotid and submandibular salivary glands of mature laboratory rats for mucous (goblet) and luminal ciliated cells, biomarkers of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and five biomarkers of stem cells. Spleen and testis were used as positive controls. We used formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissues. No mucous cells or cells with luminal cilia were observed in hematoxylin and eosin, alcian blue or periodic acid-Schiff stained sections. Immunohistochemistry using rabbit anti-rat antibodies produced anomalous reactions with cleaved caspase-3 for apoptosis, Ki-67 for proliferative activity and Sox 2. Following antigen retrieval, no primary antibody and all three negative controls, labeled macrophages appeared in the spleen. TUNEL staining revealed a few cells per section undergoing apoptosis. Reactions deemed valid occurred in MED with cytokeratin-5 and c-Kit and stem cell antigen 1 (Sca-1) mostly in the gland and middle segments. Other ducts, but not acini or myoepithelial cells, also were variably stained with c-Kit and Sca-1.