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Aims: Sodium nitrite is a food preservative that can endanger human health. This study aimed to investigate the perinatal and neonatal effects of sodium nitrite on the functional and tissue structure of rats’ offspring kidneys. Methods & Materials: In this experimental study, 56 female rats were divided into seven groups (n=8): control, perinatal and neonatal control groups, experimental groups 1 and 2 perinatal and neonatal (under oral treatment of doses of 90 and 180 mg/kg sodium nitrite during pregnancy and lactation). At the end of infancy, 8 offspring of rats were randomly selected from each group. After blood sampling, creatinine, urea, and uric acid levels were measured, and by extracting their kidneys, histopathological evaluation was performed. Findings: Perinatal and neonatal administration of 90 and 180 mg/kg sodium nitrite impaired renal tissue structure and significantly increased serum levels of creatinine, urea, and uric acid levels (P

Background: Spermatogenesis is a complex process that takes place under the influence of many different genes. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of Ceratonia siliqua hydroalcoholic extract (CSHAE) on protamine gene expression, testicular function, and testicular histology in doxorubicin-treated rats. Materials and Methods: 56 adult male rats with a age range of 2.5 to 3 months (210 ± 10 gr) were divided into seven groups (n = 8/each). A) Control group was left untreated; B) Sham group received 0.3 ml distilled water intraperitoneally, C) Negative control group received 3 mg/kg doxorubicin, intraperitoneally once a week for 28 days; and D) Positive control group received 600 mg/kg of CSHAE orally for 48 days; E, F, G) the experimental groups 1, 2, and 3 received 150, 300, and 600 mg/kg of CSHAE respectively orally, for 48 days, as well as 3 mg/kg doxorubicin once a week for 28 days. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used in the histological study of testes, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was used in measuring serum levels of testosterone. Protamine gene expression was determined by real-Time PCR method. Results: The mean body weight, testicular weight, testicular volume, testosterone level (p = 0.022), the count of Leydig, spermatogonia, spermatocyte, and spermatid cells, as well as protamine gene expression (p = 0.008) were significantly increased in the experimental group 2 compared to the negative control group. The regeneration of testicular tissue was observed in the experimental group 2. Conclusion: CSHAE has protective effect on doxorubicin-induced testicular injuries. Key words: Ceratonia siliqua, Doxorubicin, Protamine, Testicular injuries, Rat.

Uteroplacental insufficiency (UPI) causes neurodevelopmental deficits in the brain of intrauterine growth-restricted offspring, even though the mechanisms are equivocal. The most important factor in these deficits is oxidative stress. Cinnamic acid (CA) and derivatives have been described to exhibit antioxidant activity. In this study, the researchers examined the neuroprotective effect of CA on the parameters of oxidative stress and hippocampal cell density in the UPI rat model. In this experiment, the Wistar rats were mated, and UPI was induced at gestation day (GD) 18. For UPI induction, anterior uterine artery occlusion surgery is conducted in deep anesthesia. From GD15, CA was administrated orally in 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg BW doses until GD21. GD21 evaluated the weight of the uterine, placenta, and embryo. Also, the oxidative stress parameters in the hippocampus, e.g., catalase activity (CAT), total antioxidant activity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA), were measured using the ELISA technique in the fetus. Finally, the cell density of the fetal hippocampus was estimated using the histopathological method. CA reduces the MDA at various concentrations and increases CAT and TAC in comparison with the untreated group (p ˂ 0.001). Besides, the cell density of CA3 and CA4 as hippocampus subareas are significantly increased than the untreated group, especially in the UPI + CA100 group (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively). Our data revealed that CA ameliorated the oxidative stress parameters and hippocampal cell damages in the UPI rats. Therefore, the CA can have neuroprotective effects in UPI model.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is considered to be one of the most pivotal causes of death in the world. Over the past two decades, significant changes occurred in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of CAD, which has helped reduce mortality rates. miRNAs are a class of more than 5000 non-encoding RNA molecules (21 to 25 nucleotides across the length) that regulate the complex biological processes. Today, miRNAs are used to study cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, the expression of miR-146a،miR-27a ،miR-149 and miR-34a in plasma suffering from CAD and control group were investigated. Methods and Results: The present research was performed on 30 men with coronary artery stenosis (CAD) and 30 healthy men as controls. The expression levels of miR-146a, miR-27a, miR-149 and miR-34a in the plasma of patients with CAD and control group were measured using real-time PCR. Also, the correlation between the expression of circulating miRNAs levels and biochemical LDL-C, HDL-C, BMI, and cholesterol were evaluated. The expression of miR-27a in plasma of CAD group was higher than control group (p=0.020). The expression of miR-146a was downregulated in CAD patients compared to of non-CAD group (p=0. 026). However, the expression of miR-34a, miR-149 in the plasma of CAD patients were not significantly difference with the control group. In addition to, a direct correlation was found between the expression of miR-146a and HDL-c, the expression of miR-27a and LDL-C and the expression of miR-34a and total cholesterol. Also, the negative correlation between expressions of miR-149 with BMI was reported. Conclusion. The obtained results demonstrated that miRNAs was closely related to biochemical factors and it points out the fact that miRNAs can be applied as a potential strategy for diagnosis and treatment of CAD.

In the last decade, transcriptome analyses have discovered thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) which are assumed as a fundamental part of the gene regulatory networks in the cell. Intriguingly, lncRNAs are abundantly enriched in the brain, displaying elaborate spatiotemporal expression profiles and modulation. They diversely participate in the delicate regulation of the central nervous system (CNS) development including self-renewal maintenance, cell fate decision, synapse plasticity, synaptogenesis and memory formation. Moreover, lncRNAs have vastly demonstrated correlations with mental illnesses such as neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs), implying the vital jobs of these yet poorly-understood transcripts. Here, we underlie the accumulating evidence for the significance of lncRNAs in neural networks and their impairment in several NPDs including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia (SZ), intellectual disability (ID), major depressive disorder (MDD), Rett syndrome (RTT) and others.

Inhibition of hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathway, including its end effector GLI1, can reverse epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) which plays an important role in drug resistance of pancreatic cancer cells to Erlotinib (ETB). This study investigated the effect of GLI inhibitors Forskolin (FSK), GANT-61 (GNT), and Arsenic trioxide (ATX) on suppressing the resistance of pancreatic cancer cells to ETB. The effect of GLI inhibitors was evaluated by measuring mRNA expression levels of EMT factors using quantitative RT-PCR. Immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry were used to assess E-cadherin (E-Cad) and GLI1 protein levels. MTT and apoptosis assays were used to evaluate the synergistic effects for the combination treatment of each GLI inhibitor with ETB. Pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1 treated by GNT showed the highest significant reduction in mRNA levels of GLI1 and other EMT pathway genes. Moreover, GNT was able to upregulate E-Cad and downregulate GLI1 proteins, more than FSK, while ATX had no effect. Apoptosis levels of PANC-1 cells following treatment with LD30 concentrations of FSK, GNT, or ATX, showed 57%, 62% and 67%, respectively, in comparison to ETB (∼48%). Importantly, combination treatments of ETB with either FSK, GNT, or ATX demonstrated a significant increase in apoptotic cells reaching 61% (ETB + FSK), 80% (ETB + GNT) or 88% (ETB + ATX). FSK did not have much effect on the drug resistance of PANC-1 cells to ETB. However, GNT, but more effectively ATX, were able to reduce the drug resistance of this cell line to ETB.

Hormonal disorders, oxidative stress, and inflammation in ovarian tissue cause ovulation failure in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Considering the antioxidant properties of gallic acid (GA), the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of GA on pro-inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant enzyme activity, and DNA oxidative damage of ovarian tissue in a rat model of estradiol-induced polycystic ovary (PCO). In this experimental study, 32 female Wistar rats were divided into four groups. These included control (saline solution, orally), PCO+saline (estradiol valerate + saline solution, orally), PCO+GA50, and PCO+GA100 (estradiol valerate +50 and 100 mg/kg gallic acid, orally), respectively. The PCO model was induced by a single intramuscular injection of estradiol valerate (EV, 4 mg/kg). Twenty-four days after PCO modeling, tissue concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and also the activity level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in ovarian tissue were measured through ELISA technique. Compared with the PCO+saline, in the GA-treated group, the concentration of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner significantly decreased (p > 0.05). In addition, the activity level of SOD, CAT, and GPX enzymes significantly increased (p 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner. GA is an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant polyphenol which reduces the concentration of inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and DNA oxidative damage of ovarian tissue in a rat’s model of PCO.

Background Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a common psychiatric disorder, is identified by abnormal levels of impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity. MiRNAs play important roles in neural network development of the brain. Circulating miRNAs (cmiRNAs) are offered as promising noninvasive markers for psychiatric disorders. In this study, the expression level of neurologically relevant miRNAs was evaluated in serum samples of ADHD individuals. Methods RNA extraction was performed for 60 subjects with ADHD and 60 healthy controls, and the cDNAs were synthesized for all the miRNAs. The expression level of 84 cmiRNAs was then examined in 4 ADHD subjects and 4 controls. The altered expression of 10 cmiRNAs was further evaluated in validation cohort comprising 56 ADHD and 56 control samples by qPCR. The diagnostic power of the miRNAs was determined by use of Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The cmiRNAs target genes were predicted using DIANA mirPath software and gene ontology enrichment analysis was performed using Cytoscape CLUGO. Results Initially, 10 miRNAs showed differential expression in ADHD individuals. Further analysis confirmed four miRNAs (hsa-miR-101-3p, hsa-miR-130a-3p, hsa-miR-138-5p and hsa-miR-195-5p) upregulated and one miRNA (hsa-miR-106b-5p) downregulated. These miRNAs showed significant predictive values for discriminating ADHD individuals. Enrichment analysis highlighted the involvement of the deregulated cmiRNAs in many canonical neurobiological pathways and mechanisms. Conclusions Our report is the first comprehensive study on the expression profiling of miRNAs in serum of ADHD subjects. These findings suggest a set of cmiRNAs as potential noninvasive biomarkers for ADHD.

Introduction Cholestasis is a liver disease caused by a malfunction of the hepato-biliary system. Oxidative stress as a systemic complication is the main characteristic of cholestasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects of Portulaca oleracea (PO) methanolic extract on liver dysfunction and tissue damage induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) in rats. Materials and methods Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham control (SC), BDL alone, SC plus 500 mg/kg methanolic extract of PO orally for 1 week, and BDL plus 500 mg/kg methanolic extract of PO orally for 1 week. After 1 week, the animals were anesthetized, and the liver and blood samples were taken from each animal. Biochemical parameters, oxidative stress biomarkers, histopathological changes, as well as the gene expression of IL-1, TNF-α, TGF-β, and α-SMA have been evaluated. Results The methanolic extract of PO at a dose of 500 mg/kg significantly decreased the plasma levels of aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase as compared to BDL group (P < 0.05), while it had no significant effect on the levels of oxidative stress markers in the hepatic tissue. The plasma level of malondialdehyde and ferric-reducing antioxidant power were markedly elevated in the BDL group in comparison to SC group (P < 0.05), while treatment with PO significantly reduced these markers (P < 0.05). The administration of PO attenuated hydroxyproline content, bile duct proliferation, and inflammation score in the cholestatic liver in contrast to non-treated BDL rats (P < 0.05). Moreover, the methanolic extract of PO markedly declined the expression of TNF-α and TGF-β pro inflammatory genes in contrast to BDL rats. Conclusions Taken together, our findings showed that PO attenuated liver injury by decreasing liver function tests, inflammation, and hydroxyproline content. As a result, it is suggested that PO can be applied in cholestatic liver damage as a therapeutic or adjuvant agent., Cholestasis; Portulaca oleracea; Oxidative stress, Anti-inflammatory agents, Bile ducts, Rats.

BACKGROUND: Stem cell-based therapy is one of the newest and evolving techniques in reproductive medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) transplantation on the testis of busulfan induced azoospermia in Balb/C mice. METHODS: Eighteen adult Balb/C mice were divided into three equal groups including control, busulfan and busulfan+cell therapy (busul+CT). For induction of azoospermia, busulfan and busul+CT groups received two injections of 10 mg/Kg of busulfan intraperitoneally with 21 days interval. In the cell therapy group 35 days after the last injection of busulfan, cluster of differentiation (CD)90+/CD34-/CD45- BM-MSCs were injected into the efferent duct of testis. Eight weeks after the BM-MSCs therapy, mice were sacrificed and tissues were taken for histological and histomorphometric evaluations. RESULTS: In busul+CT group, cellular and total diameters and cellular and cross-sectional areas significantly increased in comparison to busulfan group ( p ˂0.001), but there were no significant differences between busul+CT and control group ( p ˃0.05). Numerical density and tubular count per area unit in busul+CT and control groups were significantly less than busulfan group ( p ˂0.001), but there were no significant difference between busul+CT and control group ( p ˃0.05). The luminal diameter and area showed no significant change in all groups ( p ˃0.05). In busul+CT group, spermatogenesis index significantly increased when compared to busulfan and control groups ( p ˂0.001 and p ˂0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Histomorphometric findings showed CD90+/CD34-/CD45- BM-MSCs transplantation on the testis of busulfan-induced azoospermic in Balb/C mice recovered spermatogenesis. KEYWORDS: mesenchymal stem cell, cell therapy, azoospermia, busulfan, mouse

BACKGROUND: The prelimbic area (PL) of the prefrontal cortex is susceptible to abnormal developmental stimuli that raises the risk of addiction. Glutamate receptors play a key role in opiate reinforcement and reward functions in this area. Therefore, we examined the effect of the DL-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP5), as N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist into the PL on the phases of conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by morphine.METHODS: Male Wistar rats were divided into 12 groups (3 surgical groups for each dose of morphine in any phase of CPP) and anaesthetized with chloral hydrate. Cannula was implanted into the PL and the AP5 was injected into this area and morphine-induced CPP was investigated. Data were processed with the commercially available SPSS 22 software using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. p

BACKGROUND: Busulfan, a chemotherapeutic drug, is an alkylating antineoplastic agent that belongs to the class of alkyl sulfonates and has some side effects on fertility. This research was aimed to investigate the effects of busulfan on testicular tissue and serum levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and testosterone in adult mice. METHODS: Eighteen adult male Balb/C mice were collected randomly and were assigned in three groups including; control, azoospermia and spontaneous recovery. The groups, except for control group, received two injections of busulfan (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally with 21-days interval in order to induce azoospermia. Thirty-five and 140 days after the last injection, the effects of busulfan on testicular tissue were evaluated by histologic, histomorphometric and hormonal changes. AMH and testosterone were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) kits, respectively. RESULTS: Hormonal analyses showed no significant differences in AMH and testosterone serum levels. Histologic and histomorphometric evaluation showed disrupted spermatogenesis in azoospermia group, and restoration of spermatogenesis spontaneously in spontaneous recovery group. CONCLUSION: Busulfan at doses was used had no effect on AMH and testosterone serum levels. Busulfan can also induce azoospermia on a temporary basis however, in long term, spontaneous recovery can occur. The results indicated that some side effects are reversible and may depend on the dose applied. KEYWORDS: Busulfan, anti-Mullerian hormone, testosterone, mouse, testis

Due to the unfavorable effects of synthetic antioxidants, the use of various sources of plant antioxidants to prevent foods oxidation, especially oil-based or fat-based varieties, has been recently got considerable attention. In this study, the antioxidant effect of essential oil and extract from the citron fruit (Citrus medica L.) was investigated on the thermal stability of sunflower oil. Aqueous, ethanolic, and methanolic extracts of citron peel (800 ppm), BHT synthetic antioxidant (200 ppm), and citron peel essential oil (800 ppm) were added to sunflower oil. The oil oxidation stability was evaluated during 5 days through analyzing the values of peroxide, anisidine, thiobarbituric acid, totox, and oxidative stability index (OSI). Results showed that the peroxide, anisidine, and totox value had an increasing trend over time. The effects of storage time, extract, and essential oil were statistically significant in reducing the oxidation rate of sunflower oil during storage. Ultrasonic-assisted ethanolic extract at 30 min showed the highest OSI. The results of this study demonstrated the positive effects of citron peel extract essential oil and on sunflower oil stability and its superiority over synthetic antioxidants.

Introduction: Uteroplacental Insufficiency (UPI) produces critical neurodevelopmental problems affecting the Intrauterine Growth Restricted (IUGR) in offspring. This study aimed to investigate the possible neuroprotective roles of Hesperidin (Hes) on the fetal cerebral cortex of the UPI rat model. Methods: In this experimental study, 40 pregnant Wistar rats (age: ~40 days, Mean±SD weight: 180±10 g) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n= 8/group). The study groups included control (normal saline, orally), UPI+NS (uterine vessel ligation+normal saline, orally), UPI+HES25, UPI+HES50, and UPI+HES100 (uterine vessel ligation+25, 50 and 100 mg/kg Hes, orally). After being anesthetized by ketamine and xylazine, UPI was induced by permanent bilateral closure of the uterine vessels on Gestation Day (GD) 18. From GD15, the Hes/NS-treated groups received Hes/normal saline until GD21. On GD21, the uterus, placenta, and fetus were dissected out and weighed. The oxidative stress parameters, including Catalase (CAT) activity, Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) were measured in the fetal cerebral cortex. The expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Tropomyosin Receptor Kinase B (TrkB) was assessed by RT qPCR methods. The obtained data were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s post hoc test. Results: The present study findings identified a significant difference in the uterine and fetus weight in Hes-treated mothers (P< 0.05). In the fetus, Hes reduced MDA, and increased CAT activity and TAC (P˂0.001 in the UPI+Hes100 group, compared to the UPI+NS group). UPI reduced BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression, compared to the control group (P

Mutations in the core CVR region of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and polymorphisms of interleukin 28B (IL28B) are associated with progression toward liver disease and in response to therapy. In addition, interactions of the core protein with some cell interactors can be related to HCV liver damage. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of core mutations as well as IL28B polymorphism on clinical features, sustained virological response (SVR) in 1a and 3a HCV genotypes amongst Iranian HCV infected patients, and the impact of mutations on core protein properties, antigenic properties, and interactions with HCV inhibitors, using several bioinformatics tools. Seventy-nine Iranian patients infected with HCV genotypes 1a and 3a and diagnosed with chronic active hepatitis were examined. Plasma viral RNA was used to amplify and sequence the HCV Core gene; also, HCV viral load, molecular genotyping, and the liver enzymes were determined for all samples. The sequencing results were analyzed by several reliable bioinformatics tools to determine the physicochemical properties, B cell epitopes, post-modification changes, and secondary/tertiary structures; and evaluate the interactions with 4 drugs by docking method. There were some substitutions in core CVR related to ALT and AST enzymes that can lead to HCV advanced liver disease. The most prevalent mutation for 3a genotypes was a substitution in aa 162 (I to V) while we did not find any mutation in 1a responder group. Polymorphism of the rs8099917 showed that the majority of patients had TG heterozygous and carried CT genotype at the rs12979860. Analysis indicated several phosphorylation sits for core protein as well as two important disulfide bonds. Immunogenic prediction showed that core protein can strongly induce the immune system. Interaction analysis, using the docking method revealed two potential interactors (Vitronectin and SETD2). Generally, mutations in all core CVR regions in all patients showed a relationship between such substitutions and higher liver enzymes that can result in advanced liver disease progression in HCV infected patients. Furthermore, immunoinformatics analysis determined the possible immunodominant regions to be considered in HCV vaccine designs. Furthermore, no association between SVR and IL28B polymorphism was shown. In silico analysis determined modification sites, structures, B-cell epitopes of core protein and interactions with several interactors can lead to persistent HCV infection in the cell and the progress of liver diseases.

This qualitative study aimed to investigate the effects of using smartphone’s communication apps on Quality of Life (QoL) of elderly people living in Shiraz-Iran. The population of the study was all the senior residents registered with local public health centers located in Shiraz, Fars, Iran in 2018-2019. Overall, 20 participants volunteered to join the study, from the intervention and control groups (10 in each). Data were collected via semi-structured face to face interviews and analyzed using open-coding. The findings of this study and the educational training are intended to help families, practitioners in the aging field to pay more attention to teaching modern communication technology in order to promote healthier elderly and community.

Yogurt drinks can potentially be an appropriate medium for delivering probiotics to consumers. This study investigated the influences of the water-soluble fraction of bitter almond gum (SBAG) and its conjugate with sodium caseinate (SBAG-SC) compared to carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and inulin, respectively, on the physical stability of casein micelles and the viability of the probiotic culture (Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5) in probiotic yogurt drink during cold storage. The addition of SBAG-SC conjugate to the drinks successfully prevented phase separation for a longer time than CMC. CMC-based drinks exhibited a strong shear-thinning response. Adding SBAG helped keep Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 viable above the recommended level for probiotic products. However, the SBAG showed relatively less prebiotic property than inulin. This study demonstrated that SBAG-SC conjugate has a high potential for stabilizing applications in yogurt and yogurt products.

The melanoma differentiation-associated gene‑7 (MDA-7) gene, also termed interleukin‑24 (IL‑24), is a tumor suppressor gene that induces apoptosis in a broad scope of malignant neoplastic cells. The apoptosis induction capacity of the MDA‑7/IL‑24 gene is partially associated with adhering to cognate receptors. The current study aimed to enhance the antitumor effect of IL‑24. The intrinsic signal sequence of IL-24 replaced with a fused artificial signal (secrecon)-RGD4C sequence and its impact was evaluated in HepG2 cells. The modified SP.RGD.IL‑24 and native IL‑24 cDNA sequences were cloned into the pcDNA3.1 expression vector. Subsequently, the expression level, secretion efficacy and targeting propensity of the modified SP.RGD.IL‑24 product compared with normal IL‑24 by were determined by enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay. The constructs were then transfected into HepG2 and LX‑2 cells as tumor and normal hepatic cell lines, respectively. The expression level of the pro‑apoptotic DNA damage inducible transcript 3 (Gadd153) and BCL2 associated X apoptosis regulator (Bax) genes in the different groups were compared by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, the rate of apoptosis induction of modified and intact IL‑24 sequences was compared by flow cytometry analysis of cells following their propidium iodide/annexin V staining. SP.RGD-IL-24 protein was expressed and secreted in a similar manner to native IL‑24, however, the modified SP.RGD.IL-24 adhered to tumor cells more efficiently than IL‑24 (P

Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from different sources have different characteristics. Moreover, MSCs are not isolated and characterized in Guinea pig for animal model of cell therapy. Aim of the work was the isolating of bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs) and adipose tissue MSCs (AT-MSCs) from Guinea pig and assessing their characteristics. Material and methods In this study, bone marrow and adipose tissue were collected from three Guinea pigs and cultured and expanded through eight passages. BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs at passages 2, 5 and 8 were seeded in 24-well plates in triplicate. Cells were counted from each well 1~7 days after seeding to determine population doubling time (PDT) and cell growth curves. Cells of passage 3 were cultured in osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation media. Results BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs attached to the culture flask and displayed spindle-shaped morphology. Proliferation rate of AT-MSCs in the analyzed passages was more than BM-MSCs. The increase in the PDT of MSCs occurs with the increase in the number of passages. Moreover, after culture of BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs in differentiation media, the cells differentiated toward osteoblasts and adipocytes as verified by Alizarin Red staining and Oil Red O staining, respectively. Conclusion BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs of Guinea pig could be valuable source of multipotent stem cells for use in experimental and preclinical studies in animal models.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of different doses Abelmoschus esculentus hydroalcoholic extract (AEHE) on changes in pituitary-gonadal axis hormones and testicular tissue in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic adult rats. Materials and Methods: The rats were randomly divided into six groups of six. The control group did not receive treatment, but the STZ60 group received 60 mg/kg STZ intraperitoneally for 3 days to induce diabetes and the AEHE400 group received 400 mg/kg AEHE orally for 28 days. The STZ60 + AEHE100, 200 and 400 groups first received 60 mg/kg STZ intraperitoneally for 3 days to induce diabetes and then received 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg AEHE, respectively, for 28 days orally. At the end of the study, the hormonal levels were measured by ELISA method, and the testicular tissue was evaluated histopathologically. Results: Hormonal results represented that compared to the control and AEHE400 groups, the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels had increased in STZ60 group, and testosterone level had decreased. In the STZ60 + AEHE groups, FSH, LH and testosterone levels were improved compared to the STZ60 group. Histopathological findings also showed that compared to the control and AEHE400 groups, the number of spermatogenic and Leydig cells decreased in STZ60 group, but there were no changes in Sertoli cells. In the STZ60 + AEHE groups, an improvement in the number of spermatogenic and Leydig cells was observed compared to the STZ60 group. Conclusion: At the optimum dose (400 mg/kg), AEHE has protective effects on the testicular tissue and levels of pituitary-gonadal axis hormones in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Background:One of the most important issues in cellular therapies is the examination of stem cells in different conditions. Given the increasing use of herbal drugs and herbal medicines and the potential effects of herbs on various diseases, the study of stem cells in the mediums of these compounds seems to be necessary.Aims:The current paper was to evaluate the effect of cannabis sativa extract on morphology, growth and maintenance of the characteristics of rat bone marrow stem cells.Methods:In this study, rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were used. The effect of cannabis extract in different concentrations on cell morphology was investigated through microscopic observations and cytogenetic methods. In the context of the study of bioavailability and growth process, we used the mtt assay test and calculated the cell population doubling time and the growth curve plotting.Results:The results show that cannabis extract increases the proliferation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells compared to control group. Also, the effect of cannabis extract is dependent on its dose. The treated cells with a concentration of 100 ng / ml cannabis extract had the highest growth rate compared to control (P˂.050).Conclusion:Given the increasing impact of low doses of cannabis extract on the growth of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, it seems that the use of effective ingredients in this plant extract is beneficial for cell-therapeutic purposes in autoimmune diseases. On the other hand, higher doses cause cell death and an increase in apoptosis, so, in people consuming these substances, they will decrease the proliferation of stem cells due to increased concentration of substances in the body.

Background:Today, cannabis sativa L. is the most consuming drug trafficking plant in the world after nicotine and alcohol.Aims:Given the properties of cannabis and psychoactive compounds of this opiate drug, including hashish, as well as the importance of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the restoration and regeneration of organs and its application in tissue transplantation and tissue engineering, the current paper investigates the effect of hashish (hydroalcoholic extract of cannabis) on the morphology and growth process of human adiposed-drived mesenchymal stem cells in vitro.Methods:Human adipose-drived mesenchymal stem cells were extracted from the abdominal fat by the enzyme digestion of the patient’s abdominal region. MTT test was performed to determine the best concentration of cannabis extract. Cells were treated for seven days at 100 ng / ml and 1000 ng / ml, and propagation, growth and viability of the cells were evaluated.Results:The results show that cannabis extract reduces the proliferation of human adipose-drived mesenchymal stem cells as time-dependent. Also, the effect of cannabis extract on mesenchymal cells depends on concentrations. High concentrations have a greater negative effect on the growth of the cells. The results of this study showed that the morphology of human adipose-drived mesenchymal stem cells did not change after exposure to cannabis extract.Conclusion:Although in the first days, the growth process is elevated and the cells are in the euphoric phase, apoptosis increases with time as consumption increases due to toxicity. The effects of cannabis on fat cells indicate a decrease in the volume of adipose tissue and, consequently, in the consumer’s slimming.

Yeast protein hydrolysate may be considered as a good source of bioactive peptides. Yeast hydrolysate was prepared by two different physical-enzymatic and autolysis treatments to identify the most active angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory and antioxidant peptides. The most active hydrolysate was obtained after sonication-trypsin hydrolysis. The hydrolysate was subjected to fractionation by ultrafiltration. Fraction with molecular weight of

Background and aims: Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) is a plant of the Asteraceae family. This plant is used in herbal medicine. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of artichokeextract on insulin, glucagon, glucose, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate amino transferase (AST) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 40 adult male Wistar rats weighting 220-200 g were used. The rats were divided into 4 equal groups including, control, diabetic and 2 diabetic experimental groups. Two experimental groups respectively received 100 and 300 mg/kg of artichoke hydro ethanol extract as intraperitoneal for 6 days. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin. At the end of the sixth day, blood was taken from the heart of animals. Afterward serum concentration of insulin, glucagon, glucose, ALP, ALT and AST were measured. Then, the parameters measured in the different groups were compared with a control group. Data were evaluated by ANOVA, Duncan test and Student’s t-test. Results: Results showed that artichoke extract significantly reduced the levels of glucagon, glucose, ALP, ALT, AST and increased insulin level compared to control and diabetic groups. It is worth noting that before the experiment, parameters tested were equal in all groups. Conclusion: Artichoke reduces blood sugar so it has a role in treatment of diabetes. Additionally, this herb is effective in control of blood glucose by liver enzymes reducing.

The guanine incropped Cu based metal-organic framework (Guanine-Cu-MOF) was synthesized by facile one-step sonochemical method by simply mixing of 4-4, biphenyldicarboxylic, guanine and copper nitrate (Bio-Cu-H2bpdc-Gu). The prepared guanine-MOF was characterized by using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) techniques. The morphology of prepared material was sponge-shaped which it was well documented, together with the presence of existing functional groups. The effect of prepared material on oprD Gene Expression was investigated in Clinical and Standard Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO-1) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of prepared samples against P. aeruginosa strains were determined through the broth micro-dilution method. The expression of oprD gene in strains affected by Cu-H2bpdc-Gu was quantitatively investigated through real-time PCR. MIC of Bio-Cu-H2bpdc-Gu was 400 μg/mL for the standard and clinical strains of P. aeruginosa, while, MBC of this compound was 700 μg/mL for standard strain and 800 μg/mL for clinical strains. The highest and the lowest rate of oprD gene expression were found to be 3.6 and 1.1 fold in the strains, respectively.

This study focuses on the rheological properties of bitter almond gum (BAG) exudate at different shear rates, concentrations, temperatures, pH, and in the presence of various salts. Rheological data fitted with the Power law model revealed that BAG solutions exhibit non-Newtonian, shear thinning behavior without thixotropic effects at all tested concentrations and temperatures. Apparent viscosity of BAG solutions increased with the increasing gum concentrations and decreased with the increasing shear rate at a specified temperature. The viscosity reached a maximum value at pH 7 and it decreased at lower and higher pH values. Salts caused a reduction in viscosity. Comparatively, CaCl2 had a more pronounced effect than NaCl at a similar concentration. All treatments had significant effects on rheological parameters.

In this study, the optimized process variables for mayonnaise low in cholestrol and fat, which contained soy milk as a yolk substitute with different levels of Xanthan gum, Zodo gum, and oil, were determined by response surface methodology using a central composite design. Polynomial equation was fitted with an insignificant lack of fit factor in order to study the relationship between variables and responses including apparent viscosity, consistency coefficient, flow index, firmness, and stability of mayonnaise sauces. Results showed that increased amounts of Xanthan gum, Zodo gum and oil led to an increase in the apparent viscosity, the consistency coefficient, the firmness/emulsion stability of the mayonnaise, while the mayonnaise flow index was reduced. The interaction effects between Xanthan gum and Zodo gum, and between Xanthan gum and oil were significant on apparent viscosity. Optimum conditions of variables were obtained due to response ranges of commercial mayonnaise as following ingredients: 0.25% Xanthan gum, 3.84% Zodo gum, 37.50% oil, and with the replacement of 63.61% soy milk. Yolk, however, was replaced with soy milk without emulsion fracture up to 100%. This study showed good potential for Zodo gum native mixed with Xanthan gum and soy milk to be used as a fat and yolk substitute in mayonnaise, respectively.

Introduction:Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system that causes disorders in the nervous system, especially in young people. Increased inflammatory factors are major complications of MS disease. Aloe vera plant has known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Aloe vera extract on the serum levels of certain inflammatory cytokines in ethidium bromide (EB)-induced MS models in rats.Methods:In this experimental study, 30 adult female Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups of 5 each, including control, sham, experimental 1 (received 14 μl EB solution), and experimental 2, experimental 3 and experimental 4 groups which received EB solution associated with 300, 600 and 1200 mg/kg Aloe vera alcoholic extract gel, respectively. EB was administered into the lateral ventricles and the extract was given by gavage. On day 35th, blood serum levels of TGF-β, interleukin-1 and interferon gamma were measured by blood sampling from the animals. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan tests at 5% level of significance (p≤0.05).Results:The results showed that EB increased the mean serum concentrations of TGF-β, interleukin 1 and interferon gamma, while simultaneous administration of EB with 1200 mg/kg of the Aloe vera alcoholic extract gel significantly reduced the above factors at level of P≤0.05 as compared with EB group.Conclusions:The results of this study showed that the Aloe vera alcoholic extract gel in a dose-dependent manner can reduce EB effects on serum levels of TGF-β, interleukin-1 and interferon gamma in the rats with MS.

In addition to its key role in complex motor function, the cerebellum is increasingly recognized to have a role in cognition. Thus, motor and cognitive deficits can be associated with cerebellar degeneration. After unilateral lesion in cerebellum (folia VI) was caused by Quinolinic acid, CM-DiI labeled mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which were isolated and purified from bone marrow, were transplanted into the damaged folium. Motor function was assessed using the cylinder test, rotarod, hanging wire and beam balance during 6 weeks after transplantation. Cognitive function was assessed using the Morris water maze learning paradigm in 3 weeks after transplantation. Six weeks after transplantation surviving MSCs were detectable in QA-treated animals. The MSC-transplanted group showed markedly improved functional performance in spatial memory, motor learning, locomotor asymmetry, dysmetria, abnormality in neuromuscular strength and equilibrium 2-6 weeks compared with the controls. We found that cerebellar lesions produced deficits (folia VI) in motor and cognitive aspects of a spatial task. The results indicate that transplantation of MSCs can significantly reduce the behavioral abnormalities of these animals during six weeks after engraftment. According to results of this assay, cell therapy by means of bone marrow derived adult stem cells promises for treatment of cerebellar diseases.

Background: Using garlic is widespread in Iran and other countries as a medicine and a natural spice. Garlic is a potential inhibitor for food pathogens. Foods contaminated with pathogens pose a potential danger to the consumer’s health. The use of garlic can increase the shelf life and decrease the possibilities of food poisoning and spoilage in processed foods. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial effect of garlic aqueous extract on growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Materials and Methods: In this study, the garlic aqueous extract was prepared under sterile conditions and was added in 1, 2, and 3 mL to 100g hamburger samples. A group of samples was prepared to be used as treatment sample, while a group was stored at 4°C and -18°C. The samples were kept in refrigerator for one and two weeks and they were frozen for one, two and three months and then subjected to microbial tests. Results: Statistical evaluation of the first and second week samples indicated a significant growth decreased by all the 1, 2, and 3-mL extracts. In treatment of one, two and three-month samples, the growth of S. aureus was significantly decreased by the 2 and 3-mL extracts. The 1-mL extract was effective in decreasing the growth, and a significant difference was observed in treatments with 2 and 3-mL extracts. However, there was no significant difference between the two and three-month samples, though they were significantly different from the one-month samples. After evaluations, treatment with the 2-mL extract was found to be the best one. Conclusions: Garlic aqueous extract has antibacterial properties against S. aureus present in hamburger. Moreover, garlic aqueous extract can be used not only as a flavor but also as a natural additive for hamburger. In addition, garlic has antibacterial properties against other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which must be investigated in further studies.

Establishment of Guinea pig fetal fibroblast cells and their biological evaluation before and after cryopreservation were the main purposes of this study. After determination of the proper age of pregnancy by ultrasonography, 30 days old fetuses of Guinea pigs were recovered. Their skins were cut into small pieces (1 mm2) and were cultured. When reaching 80–90% confluence, the cells were passaged. Cells of the second and eighth passages were cultured in 24-well plates (4×104cells/well) for 6 days and three wells per day were counted. The average cell counts at each time point were then plotted against time and the population doubling time (PDT) was determined. Then, vials of cells (2×106cells/mL) were cryopreserved for 1 month and after thawing, the cell viability was evaluated. The PDT of the second passage was about 23 h and for the eighth passage was about 30 h. The viability of the cultures was 95% in the second passage and 74.5% in the eighth passage. It was shown that the Guinea pig fetal fibroblast cell culture can be established using the adherent culture method while, after freezing, the viability indices of these cells were favorable.

Background: Leptin and adiponectin are two hormones, which are released from adipocytes in order to control energy expenditure. Both hormones are also involved in glucose homeostasis through control of insulin secretion from pancreatic islets. Since Pdx1, PPARγ, and foxm1 play important roles in islets function, it is essential to understand how these genes are regulated in the islets of Langerhans. Objectives: We have designed an experiment to identify the effect of leptin and adiponectin treatment on Pdx1, PPARγ, and foxm1 transcription. Materials and Methods: Islets were isolated from adult male rats by collagenase and incubated with different concentrations of leptin and adiponectin for 24 hours. Next, by means of real time PCR, we evaluated the gene transcription related to a housekeeping gene. The effect of leptin and adiponectin on insulin secretion was evaluated by ELISA. Results: Leptin decreased PPARγ transcription and insulin secretion, while adiponectin significantly increased Pdx1 and PPARγ transcription and insulin secretion in rat islets. The transcription of foxm1 did not change in the islet cells treated with leptin or adiponectin. Conclusions: These findings indicate the possibility that Pdx1 and PPARγ transcription is a mediator of leptin and adiponectin function in control of insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis in pancreatic islets.

Background : There has been some evidence that proteins are potentially excellent source of antioxidants, antihypertensive and antimicrobial peptides and enzymatic hydrolysis is an effective method to release these peptides from protein molecules. The functional properties of protein hydrolysates depends on the protein substrate, the specificity of the enzymes, the conditions used during proteolysis, degree of hydrolysis, and the nature of peptides released including molecular weight, amino acid composition, and hydrophobicity. Context and purpose of this study : The biomass of Kluyveromyces marxianus was considered as a source of ACE inhibitory, antioxidant and antimicrobial peptides. Results : Autolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis were completed respectively, after 96 h and 5 h. Overall, trypsin (18.52% DH) and chymotrypsin (21.59% DH) treatments were successful in releasing antioxidant and ACE inhibitory peptides. Autolysate sample (39.51% DH) demonstrated a poor antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activity compared to trypsin and chymotrypsin hydrolysates. The chymotrypsin 3-5 k Da (301.6±22.81 μM TEAC/mg protein) and trypsin< 3 kDa (280.16±39.16) permeate peptide fractions showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity. The trypsin

The cerebellum has been considered a key structure for the processes involved in sensorimotor integration ultimately leading to motor planning and execution of coordinated movement. Thus, motor deficits and behavioral changes can be associated with cerebellar degeneration.Here, the chemical neurotoxin pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (quinolinic acid, QA) used to create partially cerebellar degeneration in adult Wistar rats suitable for use in stem cell transplantation studies. Stereotaxicaly administration of QA (0.2 mmol) in the right cerebellar hemisphere (folia VI) caused noticeable motor disturbance in all treated animals. Forty-eights hours after causing lesion, rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were transplanted into damaged cerebellar hemisphere. We investigated the role of MSC transplantation in forms of motor and non-motor learning that involves the cerebellum and its neuroprotective effects in Purkinje cells loss.CM-Dil labeling showed that the transplanted MSCs survived and migrated in the cerebellum 6 weeks after transplantation. The MSC-transplanted group showed markedly improved functional performance on the rotating rod test (P≤0.0001) and beam walking test (P≤0.0001) during 6 weeks compared with the controls. For non-motor learning, we used passive avoidance learning test in 3 weeks after transplantation. The results showed that MSC transplantation prevented the development of memory deficit caused by cerebellar degeneration (P≤0.001). Stereological analysis in 6 weeks after transplantation showed that QA significantly decreases Purkinje cells in vehicle-treated rats and MSC transplantation is neuroprotective and decreases Purkinje cell loss in MSC-treated rats (P≤0.0001).The results indicate that transplantation of MSCs can significantly reduce the behavioral and neuroanatomical abnormalities of these animals during 6 weeks after engraftment. According to results of this assay, cell therapy by means of bone marrow-derived adult stem cells promises for treatment of cerebellar diseases.

Spermatogenesis is supported by a certain type of stem cell known as spermatogonial stem cell (SSC), which transforms information to the next generation. There is currently a wide acceptance of the great potential applications of SSCs for infertility treatment and production of transgenic farm animals. However, rodents are the only thoroughly studied mammals with respect to SSCs due to presence of specific antibodies for SSC markers such as PLZF and THY1 or germ cell marker such as VASA. However, limited information is available about the specific markers of SSCs in farm animals. Moreover, while it is generally believed that stem cell markers are mainly conserved among mammalian species, it is not clear if SSC markers have also remained conserved during species evolution. Through comparative immunohistochemical analysis of testis tissue of sheep, and goats with mice, rats and cattle, for which the original antibodies were rose, this study suggests that, despite the long evolutionary distance which exists between rodents and farm animals, germ cells and SSC markers may have remained conserved between these species. In addition, the results of this study suggest that these antibodies can be used to isolate, propagate and further explore SSCs in goat or sheep and possibly other species.

Gene expression in the rodent brain is dependent on exercise. However, our findings regarding this fact are inadequate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of exercise intensity on changes in factors involved in neuronal differentiation and plasticity in the hippocampus of adult male rats. Thus, the effects of 2 weeks treadmill running at of low (11 m/min) and high (25 m/min) intensities, 30 min/day for 14 consecutive days on the expression of two genes, microRNA-124 and neuron restrictive silencer factor/RE1-silencing transcription factor (REST) as well as changes of two proteins of brain-derived eurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) were analysed. Using quantitative real-time PCR techniques have shown that both exercise intensities reduced the expression of REST (31% in low exercise intensity, 52% in high exercise intensity) and elevated the expression of miR-124 (3.8-fold in low exercise intensity, 11.9-fold in high exercise intensity)significantly (P≤0.05). This suggests that exercise probably through the changes in these genes is involved in neuronal differentiation in the hippocampus of rats. BDNF and TrkB levels were measured by ELISA. Exercise, at low intensity, increased TrkB (4.51 ng/L vs. 3.73 ng/L) and BDNF (11.97 ng/L vs. 11.08 ng/L) proteins significantly (P≤0.05), while at high intensity,the changes in comparison with the control group were not significant. Expression levels during the exercise programme with high intensity were dramatic for miR-124 and less dramatic for REST compared with low intensity exercise programme.