effect of lead acetate on testicular structure and protective effect of vitamin E in adult albino rat

Lead is considered an important cause of the infertility among occupational workers. The present work was done to study the histological changes in the testicles of adult albino rats after lead treatment for different periods, and the role of vitamin E in minimizing these changes. Forty five adult rats were used in this study. They divided equally into three groups; Group I:-[control]. Group II, was subdivided into subgroups IIa, IIb, and IIc that received lead acetate for one, two and three months respectively. Group III, was subdivided into subgroups IIIa and IIIb and IIIc that received prophylactic vitamin E followed by lead acetate for one, two and three months respectively. The testis was dissected out, processed for examination by light and electron microscope. Lead treatment induced shrinkage in some tubules and loss of germ cells while the remaining cells exhibited pyknotic nuclei with vacuolated cytoplasm. Also proliferation of the interstitial tissue. With increase the duration of lead acetate treatment there was progression in all previous changes in addition to the appearance of multinucleated giant cells. Ultrastructurally, the most characteristic features observed were the apoptosis of the germ cells and Sertoli cells as well as Leydig cells, also degenerative changes specially in mitochondria Combined treatment of vitamin E and lead exhibited marked improvement in most of the previously mentioned changes. Oxidative stress is a major cause of lead induced testicular damage. Using an antioxidant as vitamin E interferes with the reactive oxygen species production and improves lead toxicity

Immunohistochemical analysis of the immune cells in bilharzial granuloma of the urinary bladder

Urinary bilharziasis represent a major health problem in Egypt. It is characterized by the formation of localized collection of immune cells i.e. granulomas. In this investigation, we hypothesized that the evolution of the bilharzial ganuloma is associated with recruitment of immune cells of diverse cell lineage. To explore this hypothesis and to fill this existing gap in the literature, We carried out this investigation. Granuloma cell population was immunohistologically examined in thirty cases of cellular bilharzial granulomas using immunoperoxidase staining methods and antibodies targeting antigens for B cells [CD20]. T cells [CD3]. Histiocytes [CFD68] and cytotoxic T cells [Granzyme B]. The mean values of positive cells in the cellular bilharzial granulomas were: 45.5 +/- 5.6 for CD68 cells: 14.8 +/- 1.1 for CD3 T cells; 9.1 +/- 1.1: for CD20 B cells and 1.5 +/- 0.8: for Granzyme B T cells with cytotoxic activity. The numerical dominance of CD68 cells suggests their critical role in the evolution of these lesions. Our study was the first to report immunophenotypic profile of the bilharzial grnauloms

Injurious effect of X-ray irradiation on albino rat enterocytes and potential radio protective effect of melatonin [histological and morphometric study]

Radiation enteritis is a significant clinical problem in patients receiving ionizing radiation directed at the abdomen or pelvis. Although radiation therapy is aimed to be directed against the malignant tissue, adjacent healthy tissues are also affected and the small intestine is the most sensitive organ to radiation. Melatonin has been documented as a direct free radical scavenger and an indirect antioxidant, as well as an important immunomodulatory agent. The aim of the research is to study the histological and ultrastructural changes of X-ray irradiation on rat jejunal mucosa and possible radioprotective role of melatonin. Thirty six adult male albino rats were included in the study and were divided into three groups, the first group was included twelve rats and was served as controls, the second group was included 12 rats and was exposed to a whole body X-ray irradiation dose of 8 Grays [Gy]. The third group was included twelve rats and was subjected to intraperitoneal injection of melatonin [10 mg/kg body weight melatonin one hour before irradiation]. The animals were anaesthized at 48 hours after X-ray irradiation and perfused with fixative solution and laparotomy was performed. Immediately after laparotomy, the small intestine [jejunum] was removed. Some specimens of jejunum were fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin, sectioned and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Other specimens were fixed in 5% buffered glutardehyde and electron microscopic technique was made and semithin and ultrathin sections were obtained and examined to show the ultrastructure of small intestine. The results revealed that X-ray irradiation resulting in loss of architecture and disarrangement of cells of the microvilli which have pale cytoplasm and degenerated nuclei with a reduction of mean villous height, mean crypt diameter and mean number of villi per cross section. Also electromicroscopic feature revealed lack of parallel arrangement of microvilli, loss of glycocalyx covering, desquamation of microvilli, vacoulation of apical part of the cells, dilatation of rough endoplasmic reticulum, and damage of mitochondrial cristae. In group of irradiated animals pretreated with melatonin [group three], these changes were improved and the intestinal mucosal structure was preserved. Administration of melatonin prior to irradiation can protect the intestine against X-rays destructive effects

First record of schistosoma intercalatum in upper Egypt; an abnormal locality and presentation simulating lymphoma

Schistosomiasis due to Schistosoma intercalatum is highly restricted to the Western regions of equatorial Africa. Its main clinical manifestation is rectal bleeding. A case is described of a 14 year old boy living in Upper Egypt who was presented to General Surgery Department, Sohag University Hospital, South Valley University, complaining of vague abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, multiple abdominal masses and splenomegaly. Laparotomy revealed moderate splenomegaly, multiple hepatic focal lesions, mesenteric and paracolic lymphadenopathy, and multiple nonobstructing colonic masses. Splenectomy was done, multiple lymph node biopsies and wedge liver biopsy were taken. Endoscopic rectal biopsy was also done. The primary diagnosis was abdominal lymphoma with hepatic and splenic involvement. Histopathological examinations of these biopsies revealed congested spleen and multiple bilharzial granulomata effacing the whole lymph nodal architecture, infiterating the portal tracts of the liver, and surrounding terminally spined-eggs of the rectal wall. Staining of the rectal specimen by Modified Ziehl-Neelsen showed red coloration of the egg-shell characteristic of S. intercalatum. We here announce the first record of S. intercalatum in Upper Egypt, Sohag Governorate and also report all interesting unusual presentation of S. intercalatum schistosomiasis by abdominal lymph node enlargement simulating lymphoma

Quantitative comparison of infected schistotomiasis mansoni and haematobium: animal model analysis of the granuloma cell population

To evaluate the hypothesis that the granuloma cell population in S. haematobium is different from that of S. mansoni infections, a hamster animal model was established. Infection of hamesters was induced by abdominal skin exposure of male golden hamsters with 300 cercariae. S. haematobium granuloma cell population in the small intestine, urinary bladder, liver and spleen and those of S. mansoni granuloma in the small intestine and liver of infected hamsters were histologically examined between 6 and 12 weeks post-exposure. In both species, the granuloma cell population was fomed of lymphocytes [47%], histiocytes [28%], eosinophils [16%] and polymorphs [8%]. As compared to granuloma cell population in S. haematobium; S. mansoni granulomas had: [a] higher population of eosinophils [28% vs. 11%], [b] lower population of polymorphs [4% vs. 10%] and histiocytes [22% vs. 31%] and [c] similar population of lymphocytes [46% vs. 47%].The mean diameter of liver granuloma was higher in S. mansoni [175.8 +/- 12.34] than for S. haematobium [125.4 +/- 16.12]. As compared to S. haematobium, the numbers of isolated male, female and total worms were significantly higher in S. mansoni [24.5 +/- 2.7 vs. 7.3 +/- 2.3; 6.3 +/- 0.8 vs. 2.2 +/- 0.5; 80 +/- 2.2 vs. 56.3 +/- 3.8, p < 0.05]. The heterogeneity of cell population in granuloma suggests the involvement of different immune mechanisms in their development. The cells achieving numerical dominance in the granulomas were in the following order: lymphoyctes > monocytes > eosinophils > polymorphs. The difference in the granuloma cell population between S. haematobium and S. mansoni may reflect different tissue reactions to the deposited ova

Neuroendocrine cell of the normal human prostate gland and in benign prostatic hyperplasia. Immunocytochemical study

Neuroendocrine [NE] cells secreting various peptides have been reported to be resident in the human prostate gland. The human in vivo physiological role of NE cells in the prostate is still under investigation, but many studies indicate that they may play a key role in both prostatic growth and differentiation as well as in the homeostatic regulation of the secretory process in the mature gland. The distribution of these cells through the various zones of the normal prostate and in benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH] is a subject of controversy. Samples include prostatic tissues from different zones of 6 patients<40 years removed during radical prostatectomy in testicular carcinoma and samples from BPH involving parts from small <5mm and large >10mm nodules were obtained from 10 patients >70 years. All samples were prepared for immunostaining with rabbit antiserum to human calcitonin. A predominance of NE cells was observed in the transitional zone of the normal prostate, the same region from which BPH commonly originates. There were generally a paucity of NE cells in large mature hyperplastic nodules while smaller growing nodules have increased number of these cells. It is postulated that these cells are under certain stimulation; most probably hormonal imbalance that occurs in ageing may play an important role in the genesis of BPH

Histological study on the effect of aging on the pineal gland of male albino rat

In the present study, it was found that the pineal gland of male albino rat consists of three types of cells; light pinealocytes, dark pinealocytes and neuroglial cells. The light cells are the dominant type of cells, their nuclei are large rounded and vesicular. They have slightly basophilic granular cytoplasm with one or two cellular processes. The dark cells are characterized by more basophilic cytoplasm. The neuroglial cells are smaller in size with deeply stained nuclei and the cytoplasm has numerous irregular large processes. In EM it was found that the light and dark cells have large nuclei with abundant euchromatin and prominent nucleoli. The cytoplasm of dark cells is more electron dense and both types contain abundant RER around the nucleus, large Golgi, many ribosomes, few lipid droplets and neurofilaments. There is a cell-to-cell contact at many sites. Both types of cells were considered active secretary cells. The neuroglial cells have irregular outlines and many branches that extend to surround the pinealocytes. The nucleus is large, dense and contains clumps of heterochromatin. With increasing age, there was an increase in the size of the cells. The pinealocyte nuclear membrane becomes deeply indented and the cytoplasm become more electron lucent and rarify from most of the all organoids except few mitochondria. The lipid contents increased. There was a deposition of many electron dense concretions both inter and intracellularly. The chemical nature of these concretions requires more histochemical studies. The neuroglial cells became very large in size and their cytoplasm became vacuolated. All the previous histological and ultras true tural changes of aged pineal gland of male albino rat represent a decline in the secretary activity of the gland