ABSTRACT
Despite mandated reduction in environmental lead [pb[++]], such exposure still poses a public health hazard for children , with devastating effects on CNS development . to replicate aspects of this neurotoxicity, we used sixty young albino rats of both sexes age 3 weeks [50-60 gm] to study the effect of [pb[++]] on the biochemical and histopathological alterations in cerebellum. The animal were divided into two groups [30 animals each], control and tested. The tested group received 1 gm lead acetate in drinking water daily for 3 months, and at the time of sacrifice, all animals were anaesthetized and blood samples were collected and used for determination of blood lead level Then brains were dissected out carefully and processed for light and electron microscope examination, also for determination of gamma- aminobutyric acid [GABA] level. The blood lead level [BLL] and GABA showed a significant increase in the group exposed to lead acetate when compared to the control group .Light microscope examination of the cerebellum of the same group revealed that there was a marked disarrangement of purkinje cells which appeared more round and the granular and molecular layers showed numerous foci of necrosis. Electron microscope examination of the cerebellum of the same group showed that there was disarrangement of purkinje cells with irregularity of nuclear membrane with increase in the density of chromatin, dilated cisterna of endoplasmic reticulum, blebbing in mitochondria with increase in the dense bodies and cell apoptosis and also increased in cytoplasmic vacuolization. In conclusion, the elevation of GABA level and histopathological alteration were noticed in cerebellum with ongoing exposure to lead in young rats. So, it is advisable to test the children for lead poisoning with pediatrician every six month up to 6 years of age especially in the polluted areas
ABSTRACT
The estimation of wound age is an important medicolegal problem. Therefore, the present study had the aim to determine the age of skin wounds by quantitative and qualitative analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF]. After a full thickness incision was made on the dorsal skin of sixty rats, they were killed 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 days after incision and the wounds were excised. The harvested wounds were used for quantitative analysis of VEGF using ELISA method. Also, they were stained by hematoxylin and eosin stain for histological estimation and by the streptoavidin-biotinylated peroxidase complex method, using specific antibodies for qualitative assessment of VEGF. Postmortem wounds were done by doing incisions in the skin of ten rats after 24 hours. The histological staining showed that the covering epithelium was completed after 4[th] days, the granulation tissue was mature in the 4[th] day and the collagen tissue was more dense in the 6[th] day. The ELISA result for antemortem wounds was significant from the 1[st] day post wounding and increased gradually till the end of the study. The immunoreactivity of VEGF was detected in cytoplasm of keratinocytes, mononuclear cells and endothelial cells in 1-6 days phases. The maximum staining of keratinocytes was at the 6[th] day and the other cells were at 4[th] day. There were no vital signs in postmortem wounds from the histological or immunohistochemical aspects. Time dependent expression of VEGF emphasized that it would be a beneficial marker for wound age estimation