Differential expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin and vascular endothelial growth factor in skin biopsy of patients with systemic sclerosis: a histological and immunohistochemical study

Vasculopathy is a hallmark of systemic sclerosis [SSc]. It contributes to many of its clinical manifestations and precedes fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin [alpha-SMA] in skin biopsy of patients with SSc and correlate it with other manifestations of vasculopathy, including those seen on fundus fluorescein angiography and tissue vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] expression. This study included 25 patients with SSc and 10 healthy individuals. Patients underwent full history taking and a clinical examination. All participants underwent fundus fluorescein angiography. Skin biopsy was examined by H and E staining, Mallory triple staining, and immunohistochemical staining for alpha-SMA and VEGF. Histological examination showed loss of dermal papillae, hypovascularity of the dermis, and subepidermal fibrosis. Immunohistochemical staining of the vessel wall in skin biopsy samples showed a statistically highly significant increase in VEGF and a highly significant decrease in alpha-SMA in patients as compared with controls. There was a highly significant positive correlation between VEGF and duration of illness, Raynaud's phenomenon, digital ulcers, disease activity score, and modified Rodnan Skin Score. As regards alpha-SMA, there was a highly significant negative correlation with Raynaud's phenomenon, disease activity score, modified Rodnan Skin Score, and VEGF, whereas there was a significant negative correlation with digital ulcers. The strongest correlation [r] for the duration of illness was found with alpha-SMA, followed by VEGF. alpha-SMA was found to be correlated to different manifestations of vasculopathy in SSc. It was found to be one of the early markers of vasculopathy among the other studied variables. Besides its diagnostic role in SSc vasculopathy, it could play a role in impaired vasculogenesis, making it a potential therapeutic target in the management of SSc

possible protective effect of curcumin on naphthalene induced cataract in rats [histological and scanning electron microscopic Study]

Cataract formation is one of the irreversible processes for which modem medical science has no definite cure except surgery. Drugs that may have prophylactic or curative effects for cataract are lacking. Naphthalene has wide industrial and commercial applications and it is well known that ingestion of naphthalene causes cataract in human and experimental animals. Curcumin, a widely used spice, has been proved to have an antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study was to test the possible efficacy of curcumin in preventing cataract formation in a rat model. So, forty adult male albino rats weighting 100-120 gm were used in this study. They were divided into the experimental groups. Group I: Control animals. Group II: Animals received a dose of 0.7 g/kg of naphthalene solution orally daily for 90 days. Group III: Animals concomitantly administered curcumin with naphthalene in a dose of 75 mg/kg orally daily for the same duration. Slit lamp examination and retroillumination photography were done to all animals at the end of the experiment, then the rats were sacrificed and the lenses were removed and processed for histological and scanning electron microscopic [SEM] examination. Animals received naphthalene showed, by slit lamp photography, equatorial vacuoles and anterior subcapsular white opacities. Histologically, lens capsule was thin with hyperplasia of the lens epithelium. PAS stained deposits were also seen under the capsule with increased spacing between the lens fibers. Furthermore, the hexagonal cross sectional structure of lens fibers was lost in some areas. SEM showed loss of ball and socket interlocking between the lens fibers. Concomitant administration of curcumin with naphthalene resulted in amelioration of most of the histological changes induced by naphthalene. Therefore, curcumin may have a beneficial effect in protection against cataractogenesis

Effect of diet restriction on the survival of myenteric neurons in jejunum of aging male albino rat. histological and immunohistochemical study

Dysfunctions of the gastrointestinal system are more common complaints of the elderly. Enteric neurons are known to be vulnerable to age related cell death. So, the aim of this study was to study the effect of diet restriction on the histological changes in the myenteric neurons of jejunum of aged male albino rat. Thirty male albino rats of 6 months were used. Group I was the control group. Subgroup Ia included 5 rats of 6 months and subgroups Ib and Ic included 5 animals each and were continued to live up to the age of 12 and 18 months, respectively. Group II included 10 rats which were early fed the restricted diet [25 gm diet/rat! day] and subdivided into two subgroups five animals each. Subgroup ha were fed the restricted diet starting from 6 to 12 months. Subgroup IIb were fed the restricted diet starting from 6 to 18 months. Group III included 5 rats that were lately fed the restricted diet from 12 to 18 months. At time of sacrifice all the animals were anaesthetized, the jejunum was dissected out and specimens were processed for histological examination. Immunohistochemical expression of the pan-neuronal marker PGP 9.5 and neuronal nitric oxide synthase [nNOS] was investigated. As age advances in subgroup lb and Ic there was increased neuronal loss and obvious gaps in the myenteric ganglia with significant decrease in the number of PGP positive neurons. Animals of subgroup ha and llb showed that most of the myenteric neurons maintained their usual structural arrangement and expression of PGP. In group III rats showed neuronal loss and significant decrease in the PGP positive neurons. There was non significant decrease in the number of nNOS positive neurons in all groups. The results of the current study revealed that age related change involved mainly the cholinergic neurons and starting diet restriction early at 6 months age might slow or delay the age related damage of the rat myenteric neurons

Ovarian follicles development and atresia during the estrous cycle in adult female albino rats. immunohistochemical, light and scanning electron microscopic study

Maturation of ovarian follicles results from a complex interplay between proliferation, development and atresia within tire ovary. It is dependant not only on hormonal control but also on important paracrine and autocrine regulation exerted by local intraovarian factors. Polypeptide factors as insulin like growth factors [IGF] may play role in tire regulation of the development of follicles in animals arid humans. For better understanding the regulatory mechanisms of foilicular development, this work was conducted to characterize pattern of ovarian follicle development and atresia during various stages of the estrous cycle. So, twenty adult female a/intro rats were used and daily vaginal smears were done to determine tire estrous cycle stage. The animals were sacrificed at the appropriate stage and blood samples were collected for measurement of FSH and LH levels then the ovaries were removed and processed for light and scanning electron microscopic examination. Expression of p53 and JGF-l in the follicular cells was done. Marked atretic c/ranges, increased expression of p53 and decreased expression of IGF-I in the follicular cells were main/v detected in the preantral and tire antral follicles proestrous. This was accompanied by 4.7 ng/ml mean level of FSH and 8.5 ng/ml mean level of LH. On the other hand, minimal atretic changes decreased expression of p53 and increased expression of JGF-I were seen mainly in the large antral follicles at estrous. This was accompanied by 6.2 ng/ml mean level of FSH and 12.4 ng/ml mean el of LH. It was concluded that ovarian follicular atresia is an apoptotic mechanism through 53 tired/a/ed pathway Furthermore, sufficient hormonal concentrations of FSH and LH in addition to increased expression of IGF-I in time follicular cells are important for the ovarian follicles to reach the mature stage

Histological study on the effect of calcium supplementation in prophylaxis and treatment of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats

With the onset of menopause, reduced estrogen levels and insufficient calcium in diet create serious problems with resultant osteoporosis and fractures. Recent moves away from hormone replacement therapy suggested calcium, as the simplest and cheapest strategies to treat and prevent osteoporosis. Accordingly, this study was carried out to focus histologically on the efficacy of calcium in the treatment and prevention of osteoporotic bone loss in ovariectomized rats. Forty adult female albino rats weighing 200 gm were used and divided into four groups. Group I [control group] included non-ovariectomized untreated rats. Group II rats were ovariectomized on day 1 of the experiment and sacrificed on day 30 after ovariectomy. Group III rats were ovariectomized on day 1 of the experiment and received 27 mg calcium carbonate daily from day 30 to day 60 and then sacrificed. Group IV rats received the same dose of calcium carbonate daily for 30 days prior to ovariectomy and for 30 days after it. The rats were ovariectomized on day 30. Group II animals showed marked decrease in the cortical bone thickness and bone trabeculae were thin and discrete. In group III animals, the decrease in cortical and trabecular bone thickness was mild. Regarding group IV, the bone architecture was maintained so that the cortical bone, and the bone trabeculae were more or less comparable to the control group. From the results of this work, it is concluded that calcium supplementation was effective in reduction and prevention of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats