Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a common disorder associated with disturbed neurotransmitter homeostasis. Memantine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, was first used in Alzheimer's ...disease. Allopregnanolone (Allo), a potent positive allosteric modulator of the Gamma-Amino-Butyric Acid (GABA)-A receptors, decreases in neurodegenerative diseases. The study investigated the impact of Memantine versus Allo administration on the animal model of MetS to clarify whether the mechanism of abnormalities is related more to excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmitter dysfunction.
Fifty-six male rats were allocated into 7 groups: 4 control groups, 1 MetS group, and 2 treated MetS groups. They underwent assessment of cognition-related behavior by open field and forced swimming tests, electroencephalogram (EEG) recording, serum markers confirming the establishment of MetS model and hippocampal Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).
Allo improved anxiety-like behavior and decreased grooming frequency compared to Memantine. Both drugs increased GFAP and BDNF expression, improving synaptic plasticity and cognition-related behaviors. The therapeutic effect of Allo was more beneficial regarding lipid profile and anxiety. We reported progressive slowing of EEG waves in the MetS group with Memantine and Allo treatment with increased relative theta and decreased relative delta rhythms.
Both Allo and Memantine boosted the outcome parameters in the animal model of MetS. Allo markedly improved the anxiety-like behavior in the form of significantly decreased grooming frequency compared to the Memantine-treated groups. Both drugs were associated with increased hippocampal GFAP and BDNF expression, indicating an improvement in synaptic plasticity and so, cognition-related behaviors.
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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is commonly a result of renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), which produces clinical complications characterized by the rapid deterioration of renal function, leading to ...chronic kidney disease and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. Currently, only supportive treatment is available. AKI, which is accompanied by immune activation and inflammation, is caused by proximal tubular injury. The present study investigated the role of tubular epithelial cells as drivers of inflammation in renal IRI and their potential function as antigen-presenting cells, as well as the molecular mechanisms by which peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) agonists such as pioglitazone (Pio) exert reno-protective action in renal IRI. A total of 50 Wistar male albino rats were divided into five groups: Sham + DMSO, Sham + Pio, IRI + DMSO, IRI + prophylactic preoperative (pre) Pio and IRI + postoperative Pio. The histopathological changes in renal tissue samples and the renal epithelial cell expression of CD86, miRNA-124, STAT3, pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Arginase-II were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blotting and ELISA respectively. IRI was a potent inducer for CD86 immunoexpression. An ameliorative action of Pio was demonstrated via decreased CD86 immunoexpression, upregulation of miRNA-124, decreased STAT3 expression and beneficial anti-inflammatory effects. The tubular epithelium served a notable role in the inflammatory response in renal IRI. Pio exerted its anti-inflammatory effects via PPARgamma/miRNA-124/STAT3 signaling. Key words: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-y, pioglitazone, renal ischemia reperfusion injury, microRNA-124, STAT3
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is commonly a result of renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), which produces clinical complications characterized by the rapid deterioration of renal function, leading to ...chronic kidney disease and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. Currently, only supportive treatment is available. AKI, which is accompanied by immune activation and inflammation, is caused by proximal tubular injury. The present study investigated the role of tubular epithelial cells as drivers of inflammation in renal IRI and their potential function as antigen-presenting cells, as well as the molecular mechanisms by which peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonists such as pioglitazone (Pio) exert reno-protective action in renal IRI. A total of 50 Wistar male albino rats were divided into five groups: Sham + DMSO, Sham + Pio, IRI + DMSO, IRI + prophylactic preoperative (pre) Pio and IRI + postoperative Pio. The histopathological changes in renal tissue samples and the renal epithelial cell expression of CD86, miRNA-124, STAT3, pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Arginase-II were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blotting and ELISA respectively. IRI was a potent inducer for CD86 immunoexpression. An ameliorative action of Pio was demonstrated via decreased CD86 immunoexpression, upregulation of miRNA-124, decreased STAT3 expression and beneficial anti-inflammatory effects. The tubular epithelium served a notable role in the inflammatory response in renal IRI. Pio exerted its anti-inflammatory effects via PPARγ/miRNA-124/STAT3 signaling.
Abstract Since its identification in the vitreous humour of the eye and laboratory biosynthesis, hyaluronic acid (HA) has been a vital component in several pharmaceutical, nutritional, medicinal, and ...cosmetic uses. However, little is known about its potential toxicological impacts on aquatic inhabitants. Herein, we investigated the hematological response of Clarias gariepinus to nominal doses of HA. To achieve this objective, 72 adult fish were randomly and evenly distributed into four groups: control, low-dose (0.5 mg/l HA), medium-dose (10 mg/l HA), and high-dose (100 mg/l HA) groups for two weeks each during both the exposure and recovery periods. The findings confirmed presence of anemia, neutrophilia, leucopoenia, lymphopenia, and eosinophilia at the end of exposure to HA. In addition, poikilocytosis and a variety of cytomorphological disturbances were observed. Dose-dependent histological alterations in spleen morphology were observed in the exposed groups. After HA removal from the aquarium for 2 weeks, the groups exposed to the two highest doses still exhibited a notable decline in red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and an increase in mean corpuscular volume. Additionally, there was a significant rise in neutrophils, eosinophils, cell alterations, and nuclear abnormalities percentages, along with a decrease in monocytes, coupled with a dose-dependent decrease in lymphocytes. Furthermore, only the highest dose of HA in the recovered groups continued to cause a significant increase in white blood cells. White blood cells remained lower, and the proportion of apoptotic RBCs remained higher in the high-dose group. The persistence of most of the haematological and histological disorders even after recovery period indicates a failure of physiological compensatory mechanisms to overcome the HA-associated problems or insufficient duration of recovery. Thus, these findings encourage the inclusion of this new hazardous agent in the biomonitoring program and provide a specific pattern of hematological profile in HA-challenged fish. Further experiments are highly warranted to explore other toxicological hazards of HA using dose/time window protocols.
Imidacloprid (IMI) is a commonly used new-generation pesticide that has numerous harmful effects on non-targeted organisms, including animals. This study analysed both the adverse effects on the ...pancreas following oral consumption of imidacloprid neonicotinoids (45 mg/kg daily for 30 days) and the potential protective effects of lycopene (LYC) administration (10 mg/kg/day for 30 days) with IMI exposure in male Sprague–Dawley rats. The apoptotic, pyroptotic, inflammatory, oxidative stress, and endoplasmic reticulum stress biomarkers were evaluated, along with the histopathological alterations. Upon IMI administration, noticeable changes were observed in pancreatic histopathology. Additionally, elevated oxidative/endoplasmic reticulum-associated stress biomarkers, inflammatory, pyroptotic, and apoptotic biomarkers were also observed following IMI administration. LYC effectively reversed these alterations by reducing oxidative stress markers (e.g., MDA) and enhancing antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT). It downregulated ER stress markers (IRE1α, XBP1, CHOP), decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β), and suppressed pyroptotic (NLRP3, caspase-1) along with apoptotic markers (Bax, cleaved caspase-3). It also improved the histopathological and ultrastructure alterations brought on by IMI toxicity.