Search

Hepatic fibrosis is a worldwide health problem with significant morbidity and mortality. Currently, there is no effective therapy for hepatic fibrosis. The present study was aimed to evaluate the possible regenerative effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatic damage. Eighty albino rats were included; 40 were used for PRP preparation and 40 were randomly divided into 4 groups: group I (control group); group II (PRP control); group III (TAA-intoxicated by a dose of 200 mg/kg body mass, intraperitoneally, twice weekly for 7 weeks), and group IV (TAA intoxicated + PRP treated). Macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) were immunoassayed in addition to peroxinitrite level, NADPH-quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) enzyme activity, and liver function. PRP treatment showed significant improvement in hepatic function, and decreased MIP-1α and peroxinitrite levels. Meanwhile, significant increase in NQO1 enzyme activity and cAMP level were observed. The histopathological results confirmed the laboratory results with improvement of hepatic architecture except for some inflammatory cellular infiltrates. This study shows that PRP has the ability to protect against TAA-induced liver damage, possibly by improving redox status, liver histopathological architecture, and disruption of the inflammatory and fibrotic response induced by TAA.

Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential role of chicory (Cichorium intybus Linn.) against hyperlipidemia and its subsequent effect in rats. Sixty male albino rats were randomly and equally divided into four groups. Hyperlipidemia was induced via intraperitoneal injection of Triton WR-1339 at a dose of 250 mg/kg body weight three times a week for 2 weeks. Chicory-supplemented diet (10 g/100 g diet) was given for 4 weeks to group II and group IV. Chicory caused significant improvement in lipid profile and decreased the liver and heart acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity, atherogenic indices, hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase mRNA level and visfatin level. Meanwhile, significant increase in paraoxonase-1, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity was recorded. In conclusion, chicory has the potential role of being hypolipidemic, anti-lipotoxic, anti-oxidant and anti-atherogenic factor. Practical Applications Herbal treatments for hyperlipidemia are relatively cheap and locally available. The results showed that chicory (Cichorium intybus) has the potential of being hypolipidemic, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and decreased the atherogenic risk indices and anti-steatotic. Thus, it may represent a new source of natural food supplement aimed at preventing dyslipidemic risk for atherosclerosis, cardiac and hepatic steatosis.

This study was planned to throw light on the adverse effect of natural sweetener (sucrose) and artificial sweetener (aspartame) and the possible way of alpha lipoic acid to ameliorate the deleterious effects which may produce from these sweeteners in rats. There is a significant increase of alkaline phosphatase activity of sucrose treated group in comparison to untreated one at 45and 90- day of the experiment at (P < 0.01). Administration of lipoic acid did not reduce the potential effect of sucrose. On the other hand, aspartame had no effect on the level of alkaline phosphatase either at 45-day or at 90-day of the experiment. Sucrose had no effect on the level of total serum protein at 45-day and 90-day of the experiment. Administration of lipoic acid in combination of aspartame was significantly increase the level of serum total protein at 45 day of the experiment and had no effect at 90 day of the experiment. Sucrose was significantly decreased the level of albumin /globulin at 45 days of the experiment Administration of sucrose or aspartame was significantly increased level of urea only at 90-dayof the experiment in comparison to untreated group. Lipoic acid in combination of sucrose or aspartame was significantly decreased level of urea at 90-day of the experiment in comparison to sucrose or aspartame treated group. Administration of sucrose or aspartame was significantly increased level of serum creatinine at 90-day of the experiment in comparison to untreated group. Administration of aspartame was significantly decreased and increased the level of serum uric acid at 45 and 90 days respectively while sucrose decreased uric only at 45 day of the experiment in comparison to untreated group. Administration of sucrose or aspartame was significantly increased level of cholesterol and triglycerides during the experiment in comparison to untreated group. Administration of lipoic acid in combination of sucrose or aspartame was significantly decreased level of cholesterol during the experiment in comparison to sucrose or aspartame treated group. Sucrose was significantly increased level of glucose during the experiment in comparison to untreated group. Lipoic acid in combination of sucrose was significantly decreased level of glucose during the experiment in comparison to sucrose treated group. Lipoic acid in combination of aspartame was significantly decreased level of glucose at 45-day of the experiment but had no effect at 90-day of the experiment in comparison to aspartame treated group.

Glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) constitute a multifunctional family of dimeric and mainly cytosolic biotransformation enzymes which play an important role in protecting tissues from oxidative stress. They catalyzed the conjugation of intracellular glutathione with great varieties of chemicals possessing electrophilic centre and the final GSH-conjugates had increased hydrophilicity which facilitate their further metabolism and elimination. Our study was carried out to purify GST enzyme from rat’s liver using one step affinity chromatography and investigate the inhibitory effect of carbon tetrachloride and ameliorating effect of camel’s milk administration. The purification of GST enzyme revealed that the protein concentration decreased in GSH affinity filtrate than the crude extract while the specific enzyme activity increased indicating that the single purification step cut off the other proteins and conserve the protein of GST enzyme. CCL4 decrease the Vmax and increase Km for both GSH and CDNB substrates than control indicating that CCL4 may be uncompetitive inhibitor of GST enzyme while camel’s milk increase the Vmax and decrease Km for both GSH and CDNB substrates indicating that camel’s milk increase the affinity of enzyme to both substrates. The activity of GST increased by increasing the substrate concentration till reaching the maximum activity after which the activity of GST forming a plateau. Regarding the effect of temperature on GST activity, the maximum GST activity was observed between 25-35oC and inactivated over 40oC. The GST activity increased when pH increased progressively till reach the maximum activity at pH value 7.1 and decreased when the pH increased. Our conclusion indicating that CCL4 is uncompetitive inhibitor of GST enzyme while camel’s milk increases the activity and affinity of enzyme toward its both substrates.

It was hypothesized that the recent outbreaks of measles in a geographically defined area of Al-Qassim might reflect significant changes in the epidemiology of measles and cast doubt upon the real protective value of measles vaccines. Therefore, the two objectives of this research were to study some epidemiological parameters of cases of measles (n=993) and the current immunological status of immunized children (n=2810). The crossmatched data about measles patients were collected on an official proforma and 3 mL of blood were extracted from each child for determining the measles IgG and IgM antibodies. The results showed that female patients were significantly overrepresented (51.3%). The majority of patients encountered at primary health care centers (PHCCs) (81.3%) were more than five years of age (76.5%). Among nonvaccinated measles cases, 54.9% (n=402) were from rural/desert areas. The measles vaccine failure rate was 26.3%. The results of the surveyed children showed that 2% of them were not vaccinated. The measles IgM levels were detected significantly in recently vaccinated females (n=29/51, 56.9%). The measles IgG positivity unaffected by age, sex, and residence was found in 87.4% of children. A significant portion of children from rural/desert areas were not vaccinated (n=44/57, 77.2%). Though there were apparently high seroconversion rates in children under two years of age following Edmonston-Zagreb vaccine, overall it did not achieve any statistical significance when compared with seroconversion rates in all children following Schwartz vaccine. We conclude that besides at age six months, and MMR containing measles vaccine at 12 months, children at school entry (six years) should also be considered for measles vaccination.

A high caloric intake from fat sources and prevailing obesity in the Saudi population prompted this study. Waist to hip circumference ratio (WHR), fasting cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin were measured in 76 non-insulin dependent adult Saudi diabetics. Serum LDL, HDL and VLDL were measured in 45 of these diabetics. WHR of Saudi diabetics was higher (0.98 in males, 0.91 in females) than reported for diabetics from the West. Serum cholesterol levels (5.52 mmol/L in males, 5.98 mmol/l in females) were higher than reported in the past for normal Saudi subjects. Lipid profile was strikingly different in the two sexes. Male diabetics (n=28) had significantly higher WHR associated with elevated triglycerides and VLDL but a lower HDL/cholesterol ratio. Female diabetics (n=48) were obese and had healthier HDL levels. Interestingly, LDL cholesterol changed reciprocally with WHR in female diabetics. This preliminary study reveals the presence of significant central adiposity and an atherogenic lipid profile in Saudi diabetics. The sex differences in lipids indicates the need for studies involving lipoprotein metabolism in Saudis. Further, an increase in atherosclerosis-related disorders should be expected in Saudi diabetics.

The level of seven acute phase proteins was estimated together with copper and zinc in two groups of 15 children each suffering from hepatitis A (HAV) or Hepatitis B (HBV). The mean concentration of α-1 antitrypsin, α-2 macroglobulin, ceruloplasmin, C3 and copper was increased uniformly in both the types of viral hepatitis. α-1 acid glycoprotein, haptoglobin and zinc levels were decreased in both the infections. A significant decrease in albumin level was observed in HAV while the decrease was not significant in HBV. All the paramenters were repeated after one month on the day of discharge following the disappearance of clinical signs and symptoms wherein the haptoglobin level returned to normal in HAV. No change was observed in the level of other acute phase proteins. The level of the trace elements returned to normal. The observed increase in the levels of acute phase proteins at the onset does not seem to have any significant relation to the subsequent course of the disease. However, the level of acute phase proteins and other biochemical parameters may indicate a delayed biochemical recovery phase in conjunction with the underlying hepatic pathological changes in the course of viral hepatitis in spite of clinical recovery.

Background Obesity has become a leading global health problem owing to its strong association with a high incidence of diseases. Aim To induce rat obesity using high fat diet (HFD) and to estimate oxidative stress markers in their liver, heart and kidney tissues in order to shed the light on the effect of obesity on these organs. Materials and methods Sixty white albino rats weighing 150-200 g were randomly divided into two equal groups; group I: received high fat diet for 16 weeks, and group II (control group): received only normal diet (rat chow) for 16 weeks. Blood samples were taken for measurement of lipid profile, tissue samples from liver, heart and kidney were taken for determination of malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PCO), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and the activities of glutathione S- transferase (GST) glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and paraoxonase1 (PON1) enzymes. Results Data showed that feeding HFD diet significantly increased final body weight and induced a state of dyslipideamia. Also our results showed a significant increase MDA and PCO levels in the hepatic, heart and renal tissues of obese rats, as well as a significant decrease in the activity of GST, GPx and PON 1 enzymes. On the other hand CAT enzyme activity showed significant decrease only in renal tissues of obese rats with non significant difference in hepatic and heart tissues. GSH levels showed significant decrease in both renal and hepatic tissues of obese animals and significant increase in their heart tissues. Correlation studies in obese animals showed a negative correlation between MDA and PCO tissue levels and the activities of GPx, GST and PON1 in all tissues and also with CAT enzyme activity in renal tissues. Also a negative correlation was detected between MDA & PCO tissues levels and GSH levels in both hepatic and renal tissues. While positive correlation was found between them and GSH levels in heart tissues. Conclusion High fat diet-induced obesity is accompanied by increased hepatic, heart, and renal tissues oxidative stress, which is characterized by reduction in the antioxidant enzymes activities and glutathione levels, that correlate with the increase in MDA and PCO levels in most tissues. This may probably contribute to the additional progression of obesity related problems.

Hybridomas secreting antibodies to rat class I antigens were produced using lymphocytes from WF rats immunized against the DA strain and P3-X63-Ag8.653 myeloma cells. A number of clones from 5 different hybridomas was generated and 5 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), one from each clone, were used for the immunochemical study. All 5 mAbs precipitated molecules having 2 components: 45,000 and 12,000 daltons molecular weight. One mAb, 3–5-118(A-2), precipitated a unique species of molecules. The supernatant reacted with the mAb 3–1–3(B-1), 3–3–56(A-24) or 3–3–60(C-14) and precipitated a second set of molecules. The resulting supernatant when reacted with the mAb 2–1–155(G-4) or the WF anti-DA alloanti-serum precipitated a third set of molecules. In reciprocal experiments, none of the mAbs could precipitate any molecule from the supernatant from the antigen preparation which was first reacted with the mAb 2–1–155(G-4). When the antigen preparation was first reacted with 3–1–3(B-1), 3–3–56(A-24) or 3–3–60(C-14), the supernatant did not contain any antigen reactive with 3–5–118(A-2), but it contained molecules reactive with 2–1–155(G-4). The results thus give evidence that there are 3 Class I molecules: all 3 possess a common determinant reactive with 2–1–155(G-4); 2 of them share determinants reactive with 3–1–3(B-1), 3–3–56(A-24) or 3–3–60(C-14).

Athymic (nude) mice and rats were inoculated intraperitoneally with rat-mouse hybridoma cells secreting monoclonal antibodies to rat MHC class I antigens in order to improve the yield of antibodies. Pristane priming and subsequent intraperitoneal injection of the hybridoma cells in to nude mice yielded ascites which contained antibody in high concentration (10-15 mg/ml). Complete Freund's adjuvant, mineral oil, pristane or antibody-antigen complexes were used to induce ascites in nude rats, but only pristane priming did so consistently. The hybridoma cells in the ascitic fluid failed to secrete antibody, although they contained intracellular antibody. However, when the pristane-primed nude rats received 250-500 rads of total body radiation prior to injection with the hybridoma cells, they produced large amounts of antibody. When the nude rats were splenectomized and injected with the hybridoma cells, they also produced antibody in high titers. There was no in vitro inhibition of antibody formation by the hybridoma cells cultured in medium containing 15% serum from nude rats, but co-culture of the hybridoma cells with splenic lymphocytes from normal or nude rats markedly inhibited antibody production. These results indicate that the defect in antibody secretion by the hybridoma cells in the ascites of nude rats is due to the presence of radiation-sensitive suppressor cells in the spleen.