Assessment of liver biopsies in obese patients: a histological and immunohistochemical study

Obesity is a multifactorial condition that involves complex interactions of metabolic, physiological, social, and behavioral factors. Obese individuals have an increased incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD], which is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease. However, the histological course of NAFLD remains undescribed. The aim of this study was to determine the histological course of NAFLD in obese patients. Twenty biopsies [10 from male and 10 from female patients] were obtained from obese patients and processed for histological and immunohistochemical studies. Liver biopsies from obese patients showed single or multiple fat droplets within the cytoplasm of liver cells. Ballooning of hepatocytes containing Mallory bodies showing positive immunohistochemical reactions was observed. Moreover, inflammatory cells were detected in hepatic lobules, together with hepatic cell necrosis. These changes were associated with periportal fibrosis. In patients for whom the diagnosis of NAFLD has already been made clinically, liver biopsy is performed to make the distinction between simple steatosis and steatohepatitis and also to determine the severity of liver damage within the broad spectrum of steatohepatitis. Further studies are required to determine the natural history of NAFLD and the role of liver biopsy in monitoring therapeutic responses

Histological study of the cerebral cortex and spinal cord in a model of experimentally induced autoimmune encephalomyelitis in adult albino rabbits

Axonal damage is responsible for the increasing disability seen in patients afflicted with multiple sclerosis [MS]. An animal model of autoimmune encephalomyelitis may help to develop better therapeutic and neuroprotective strategies. The aim of the study was to investigate the histological patterns of axonal injury and the mechanism of demyelination in autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the cerebral cortex and spinal cord of adult albino rabbits. Twenty male adult albino rabbits were divided into two groups: the control group - group I [10 animals] - and the experimental group - group II [10 animals]. Autoimmune encephalomyelitis was induced by the injection of 0.3 ml/kg of 0.01% ethidium bromide solution. The animals were sacrificed and their cerebral cortex and spinal cord were processed for light microscopic examination, whereas electron microscopy was used to study the lumbar segment of spinal cord. Light microscopic examination of the cerebral cortex and spinal cord showed some cellular infiltration, together with degeneration and necrosis of nerve cells. Electron microscopic examination of the white matter of the spinal cord showed areas of destruction of nerve fibers, together with defective myelination. The extent of motor neuron inflammation and demyelination, axonal damage, and white matter pathology are reflective of the severity of experimental MS. Our results delineate the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model as a valuable tool for MS research

Do stem cells promote healing of experimentally induced wound injury in adult male dogs? Histological and immunohistochemical study

Background: Stem cells have generated considerable interest and promise as a potential source of cells for cell-based therapeutic strategies, primarily owing to their intrinsic ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple functional cell types. Stem cells have been utilized to regenerate viable skin tissue

Aim of the work: The present study was carried out to investigate the healing capacity of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells [BM-MSCs] and its regenerative role in experimentally induced wound injury

Materials and methods: The present study was carried out on 18 dogs. The study included two groups. Group I [n=6] was used a negative control and received no treatment. Group II was used as an experimental group and was divided into subgroup IIa [n=6], used as a positive control, and subgroup IIb [n=6]. Subsequently, three circular wounds were made using a 10-mm diameter skin punch biopsy in the animals of subgroup IIa and subgroup IIb to induce wound injury. Group IIb were injected subcutaneously with undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells at a dose of 1.4-1.6×10[6]/ml in 5 ml sterile saline into the wound bed for 2 weeks after wound injury; skin biopsies from the wound areas were prepared for staining by H and E and immunostaining using anti-Thy-1 [CD90] antibodies

Results: BM-MSC-treated wounds showed accelerated wound closure, with increased re-epithelialization of the epidermis, increased dermal cellularity and hair follicles, and angiogenesis. This was confirmed by the apparent increased immunoreactivity of the cell content of anti-rat Thy-1 CD90 cells in the dermis

Conclusion: Asubcutaneous injection of autologous undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells into the wound bed is an effective method of wound regeneration and can be used in chronic wounds as in a diabetic foot

Immunoexpression of gelatinase and apolipoprotein E in induced glomerulosclerosis in adult male albino rat

Introduction: The abnormal expressions of gelatinase are implicated in the pathogenesis of extracellular matrix accumulation in glomerulosclerosis [GS]. Apolipoprotein E [apoE] is an important plasma protein in cholesterol that plays a key role in the progression of GS

Aim: The aim of this work was to study the immunoexpression of gelatinases and apoE in experimentally induced GS

Materials and methods: Twenty male rats were divided into two equal groups: a control group and a GS model group [each n=10]. The GS was induced by an injection of adriamycin [5 mg/kg]. At the end of 4 weeks, the 10 rats in each group were killed and kidney specimens were processed for [histological and immunohistochemical study] biochemical studies

Results: Serum total protein and serum albumin in the GS group were reduced compared with those of the control group [P<0.01]. Compared with the control group, the values of 24-h urine total protein, 24-h urine excretion for albumin, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and GS index in the GS group were significantly increased [P<0.01]. In the GS group, there was glomerular hypercellularity and hypertrophy with focal obliteration of some capillaries. Interstitial fibrosis and inflammation were detected. The immunostaining for gelatinase was decreased, whereas apoE, transforming growth factor-beta1, and alpha-smooth muscle actin were increased

Conclusion: In induced GS, an increased expression of apoE was associated with decreased expression of gelatinase and this led to accumulation of extracellular material in glomeruli

Porcine haptoglobin in the submandibular gland: a histological and immunohistochemical study

Acute-phase proteins are serum proteins that are upregulated and downregulated following homeostasis disturbance such as infection, inflammation, tissue injury, or neoplasia. Acute-phase proteins [e.g. haptoglobin [Hp] and serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein] are mainly produced in the liver and their synthesis is induced by proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor. The present study aimed to investigate the possible extrahepatic localization of Hp in the submandibular gland. Twenty adult cows were divided into two groups: the control group [group I] and the diseased group [group II], each comprising 10 animals. Submandibular biopsies were processed for histological and immunohistochemical studies. Hepatic immunohistochemical analysis was used as control for the acute-phase reaction status. In the liver, cell immunostaining revealed a perinuclear, cytoplasmic localization of Hp within hepatocytes. Extrahepatic immunohistochemical analysis revealed positive cells in the glandular acini and duct epithelial cells in the submandibular gland. A possible role of both submandibular glands on local Hp production could be postulated on the basis of the present immunohistochemical study, which supports the concept that other cells besides hepatocytes may have the potential to produce Hp in cows

possible protective role of trehalose on ultraviolet-irradiated rabbit cornea: a histological and immunohistochemical study

Ultraviolet [UV] radiation induces a variety of ocular diseases. Trehalose, a disaccharide of glucose, has been shown to be effective in protecting cells against a variety of stressful environmental conditions, such as dehydration, heat, cold, oxidation, hypoxia, and anoxia. This study was conducted to evaluate the histological and immunohistochemical changes that might occur in rabbit cornea after UV exposure and the possible protective role of trehalose. Twenty adult female rabbits were divided into two groups: group I [the control group] and group II [the irradiated group]. Group II was subdivided into three subgroups - subgroup lla comprising irradiated rabbits; subgroup lib comprising irradiated rabbits that received trehalose for 2 weeks; and subgroup lie comprising irradiated rabbits that received buffered saline for 2 weeks. The animals of all groups were sacrificed and corneas were processed for histological and immunohistochemical study. UV exposure induced ulceration and apoptotic changes in the corneal epithelium. An apparent reduction in corneal epithelial thickness was noticed. Corneal stroma showed edema, cellular infiltration, and vascularization. Descemet's membrane showed marked increase in thickness together with irregular rounded Descemet's endothelium. Trehalose treatment induced marked improvement in the corneal structure as evident by a decrease in apoptosis with regain of normal corneal epithelial thickness compared with saline treatment. Our results show that trehalose accelerates the healing of UV-irradiated corneas, and hence topical trehalose administration may be a potential treatment method to limit the damages caused by UV irradiation, with wide clinical applications