Molecular genetic and biochemical evaluation of ghrelin hormone as a novel signal of gonadal function in adult male rats

It is well known that reproductive function is regulated by the interplay of the hypothalamus, pituitary and gonads, which form the so called reproductive axis. A number of factors primarily involved in the control of energy balance and metabolism have been proven as putative modulators of the gonadal axis, thus providing the basis for the link between energy homeostasis and fertility. Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid peptide. It is predominantly produced by the endocrine X/ A- like cells of the stomach submucosa and mobilized by food deprivation. Ghrelin concentrations were observed to change with fasting and refeeding in mammals. The potential reproductive role of ghrelin has received attention recently. The Objective of this work is to study the effect of chronic food restriction on ghrelin level in adult male rats and it's relation to reproductive hormones. The present study was carried out on 32 adult male Sprague Dawley rats divided into 4 groups: Group I [control group] comprised 8 rats fed ad libitum for 30 days, Group II, III and IV [food-restricted groups for 10, 20 and 30 days respectively] each consisted of 8 rats fed 50% of ad libitum intake determined by the amount of food consumed by the control group. Mean body weight of food restricted rats was observed to decrease during the period of the experiment. Food restriction produced significant increase of serum ghrelin with significant decrease of both gastric and hypothalamic ghrelin accompanied with significant increase in its gene expression in stomach and hypothalamus. Testosterone, follicle- stimulating hormone [FSH] and luteinizing hormone [LH] levels showed significant decrease correlated with down- regulation of gonadotropins, aromatase and kisspeptin [Kissl] genes in food restricted rats compared with control group. Ghrelin could be one of the hormones responsible for the suppression of male reproductive axis in case of negative energy balance. Thus, ghrelin could provide a link between energy homeostasis and reproductive capacity in adult male rats

Biological studies on the protective role of artichoke and green pepper against potential toxic effect of thermally oxidized oil in mice

The present investigation was designed to evaluate oocyte competence including quality, meiotic progression and expression of ERK2 gene and activities of liver enzymes [ALT, AST and gamma-GT] in female mice fed diets containing sunflower oil repeatedly used in frying processes [FO]. The protective role of artichoke and green pepper against such potential dangers were also studied. Results revealed that mice fed FO diet had a significant decrease in number of good collected oocytes compared with those fed normal oil [NO] diet. Mice fed FO diet and artichoke extract at two levels, 0.5% [FO-A1] and 1% [FO-A2] as drinking water or FO diet plus dried ground green pepper at two levels, 5% [FO-G1] and 10% [FO-G2] had a significant increase in number of good collected oocytes compared with those fed FO diet. Animals fed FO-A1 or FO-G1 diets had the highest percentage of good oocytes. A statistically significant increase in the percentages of mature oocytes occurred in mice fed FO-A1, FO-A2, and FO-G1 diets as compared to those fed FO diet. The animals fed FO-G2 diet had a non-significant increase of percentages of mature oocytes than the animals fed FO diet. The expression of ERK2 gene was high in ovary tissues collected from female mice fed NO, FO, FO-A1, or FO-G1 diets. However, the ERK2 gene expression was low in mice fed FO-A2 or FO-G2 diets. Biochemical assay showed that mice fed FO diet had significant decrease in AST and ALT activities. A significant increase in enzyme activity of gamma- GT compared with those fed NO diet was also observed. A statistically significant increase in activities of AST and ALT enzymes was observed in mice fed FO-A2, FO-G1 and FO-G2 diets. However, mice fed FO-A1, FO-A2, FO-G1 and FO-G2 diets had significant decrease in the activity of gamma-GT enzyme compared with those fed FO diet. The present study demonstrated evidence that prolonged intake of diets containing sunflower oil repeatedly used in frying processes could be considered a cause of induced abnormalities in reproductive materials and liver enzymes activities of female mice. However, artichoke and green pepper proved to be suitable protectors against hazards of such toxic materials

Genetical and pathological study on effect of fenugreek on kinetics of the mice tissues

In the present investigation, the effects of fenugreek [T foenum graecum] administration on the liver and ovarian activity were studied. Seventy two Swiss albino female mice were orally administrated with different doses of fenugreek oil for 10 days. The mode and magnitude of effect was found to be depending on the dose of fenugreek oil and type of tissue. Administration of fenugreek oil at 0.1 and 0.15 ml/ mouse increased the total number of cumulus-oocyte complexes- [COCs] as well as improved their quality. Cytogenetically, fenugreek oil was able to stimulate the oocytes collected from treated mice at different doses to progress in meiosis. Half of the oocytes number collected from female mice treated with fenugreek oil were arrived at GVBD and M I stages. However, most oocytes collected from untreated female mice were still in GV stage. Levels of nucleic acids content in all groups did not significantly change neither in the DNA nor RNA in ovarian- or liver-tissues. Histopathological examination of the ovaries collected from untreated mice as well as from mice treated with 0.05 ml/ mouse of fenugreek oil showed no histopathological alterations. However, ovaries of mice treated with 0.1 or 0.15 ml/ mouse of fenugreek oil showed numerous mature ovarian follicles as well as multiple corpora lutea. According to the available literatures, this is the first study that suggests significant stimulating effects of fenugreek oil on the ovarian activity in mice