ABSTRACT
Objective: Phthalates, which are commonly used to render plastics into soft and flexible materials, have also been determined as developmental and reproductive toxicants in human and animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of mono-[2-ethylhexyl] phthalate [MEHP] and di-[2-ethylhexyl] phthalate [DEHP] oral administrations on maturation of mouse oocytes, apoptosis and gene transcription levels
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, immature oocytes recovered from Naval Medical Research Institute [NMRI] mouse strain [6-8 weeks], were divided into seven different experimental and control groups. Control group oocytes were retrieved from mice that received only normal saline. The experimental groups I, II or III oocytes were retrieved from mice treated with 50, 100 or 200 micro l DEHP [2.56 micro M] solution, respectively. The experimental groups IV, V or VI oocytes were retrieved from mouse exposed to 50, 100 or 200 micro l MEHP [2.56 micro M] solution, respectively. Fertilization and embryonic development were carried out in OMM and T6 medium. Apoptosis was assessed by annexin V-FITC/Dead Cell Apoptosis Kit, with PI staining. In addition, the mRNA levels of Pou5f1, Ccna1 and Asah1 were examined in oocytes. Finally, mouse embryo at early blastocyst stage was stained with acridine-orange [AO] and ethidium-bromide [EB], in order to access their viability
Results: The proportion of oocytes that progressed up to metaphase II [MII] and 2-cells embryo formation stage was significantly decreased by exposure to MEHP or DEHP, in a dose-dependent manner. Annexin V and PI positive oocytes showed greater quantity in the treated mice than control. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [qRT-PCR] revealed that expression levels of Pou5f1, Asah1 and Ccna1 were significantly lower in the treated mouse oocytes than control. The total cell count for blastocyst developed from the treated mouse oocytes was lower than the controls
Conclusion: These results indicate that oral administration of MEHP and DEHP could negatively affect mouse oocyte meiotic maturation and development in vivo, suggesting that phthalates could be risk factors for mammalians' reproductive health. Additionally, phthalate-induced changes in Pou5f1, Asah1 and Ccna1 transcription level could explain in part, the reduced developmental ability of mouse-treated oocytes
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Diethylhexyl Phthalate/adverse effects , Oocyte Retrieval , Models, Animal , Meiosis/drug effects , Gene Expression Profiling , ApoptosisABSTRACT
Background: The Lamiaceae family has been tried to ameliorate symptoms of stomachache and dysmenorrheal in traditional medicine. The extracts and essential oils obtained from these plants have recently attracted much scientific attention. The essential oils of some plants belonging to this family have also been used in food preservation
Methods: This study employed pharmaco-diagnostic methods to examine and compare the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the essential oils obtained from two Iranian plants Zhumeria majdae and Salvia mirzayanii in E.coli infection
Results: Our findings suggested that the essential oil extracted from S. mirzayanii had more antioxidant potential than Z. majdae. By increasing the concentration of both agents, the growth and specific growth activity of E. coli was reduced. At 1:200 dilutions, the growth of E. coli was inhibited while LC50 occurred at 1:1000 dilutions. Finally, our results showed that both agents had strong antioxidant and antibacterial activities with more significant properties favoring S. mirzayanii
Conclusion: Plants such as Z. majdae and S. mirzayanii retain notable medicinal properties and may serve as useful tools when developing natural antibiotics and antioxidant agents against common pathogens including E. coli
ABSTRACT
RFamide-related peptide-3 [RFRP-3] inhibits gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH] and luteinizing hormone [LH] secretion in rats. This study evaluates the effects of litter size and suckling intensity on RFRP mRNA expression in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus [DMH] of rats. A total of 32 pregnant and 4 non-lactating ovariectomized [control group] Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this experimental study. Lactating rats were allotted to 8 equal groups. In 3 groups, the Utter size was adjusted to 5, 10, or 15 pups upon parturition. Dams were allowed to suckle their pups continuously until 8 days postpartum. In the other 3 groups, the litter size was adjusted to 5 pups following birth. These pups were separated from the dams for 6 hours on day 8 postpartum, after which the pups were allowed to suckle for 2.5, 5, or 7.5 minutes prior to killing the dams. In 2 groups, lactating rats with 10 and 15 pups were separated from their pups for 6 hours on day 8 postpartum. In these groups, the pups were allowed to suckle their dams for 5 minutes before the dams were killed. All rats were killed on day 8 postpartum and the DMH was removed from each rat. We evaluated RFRP mRNA expression using real-time polymerase chain reaction [PCR. The expression of RFRP mRNA in the DMH increased with increased litter size and suckling intensity compared to the controls. The effect of suckling intensity on the expression of RFRP mRNA was more pronounced compared to the litter size. Increased litter size and suckling intensity stimulated RFRP mRNA expression in the DMH which might contribute to lactation anestrus in rats
ABSTRACT
RFamide-related peptide-3 [RFRP-3] and kisspeptin [KiSS-1] are known to respectively inhibit and stimulate gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH] and luteinizing hormone [LH] secretion in rat. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relative mRNA expression of RFRP-3 and KiSS-1 in the hypothalamus of pregnant rats. In a randomized controlled experimental study, the exact pregnancy day of 18 Sprague-Dawley rats were confirmed using the vaginal smear method and were equally assigned to three groups of days 7, 14 and 21 of pregnancy. Four non-pregnant female rats were ovariectomized and assigned as the control group. All rats were decapitated, and the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus [DMH] and the arcuate nucleus [ARC] for detection of KiSS-1 mRNA were separated from their hypothalamus to detect RFRP-3 and KiSS-1 mRNA respectively. Then, their relative expressions were compared between control and pregnant groups using real-time polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. The relative expression of RFRP-3 mRNA in DMH did not change significantly during pregnancy [p>0.01]. However, the relative expression of KiSS-1 mRNA in ARC was at its highest in day 7 of pregnancy and decreased until day 21 of pregnancy [p<0.01]. Decrease in GnRH and LH secretion during the pregnancy of rat may be controlled by constant expression of RFRP-3 mRNA and reduced expression of KiSS-1 mRNA in hypothalamus
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , RNA, Messenger , Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus , Kisspeptins , Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , PregnancyABSTRACT
At present, the only curative treatment for beta-thalassemia major is allogenic bone marrow transplantation accompanied with considerable mortality and morbidity in class III beta-thalassemia. Regarding few case reports on successful non-myeloablative stem cell transplantation in class III beta-thalassemic cases, we evaluated the effectiveness of this type of allogenic stem cell transplantation, considering less toxic non-myeloablative conditioning regimen. In this prospective study in Shariati Hospital bone marrow transplantation center during 2001-3, 13 class III beta-thalassemia patients [on the basis of history and physical examination and liver biopsy] were transplanted with peripheral blood and bone marrow stem cells from their HLA-identical siblings. Non-myeloablative conditioning regimen included fludarabine; busulan; antithymocyte globulin. Graft versus host disease [GVHD] prophylactic regimen was cyclosporin and metothrexate. In the case of the declining chimerism, the patients were treated with donor lymphocyte infusions [DLI]. The conditioning regimen was tolerated well without any considerable toxicity in hematologic, gastrointestinal and pulmonary systems. Five [38.5%] patients had acute and 2[15.4%] had chronic GVHD. Two patients died after transplantation. While two cases had a thalassemia-free survival. Although associated with high graft failure and the recurrence of disease, nonmyeloablative stem cell transplantation may be used as a curative, less toxic posttransplantation treatment for class III beta-thalassemia
ABSTRACT
HLA compatibility between transplant donor and recipient is one of the major determinants of transplant outcome. To determine HLA class I by PCR- Sequence-Specific Oligonucleotide Probe [PCR-SSOP] in cord blood donors. Genomic DNA of 142 cord blood samples registered at the Cord Blood Bank of Iran at Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Research Center, was prepared and HLA class I was determined by the PCR-SSOP. A total of 284 HLA-A alleles was identified of which A*02 and A*24 were the most common. Among 284 HLA-B and HLA-C alleles, B*35, B*51, Cw*4 and Cw*12 were the most frequent alleles in the studied population. Amplification of HLA loci with PCR-SSOP has proved to be a reliable method for HLA-A, -B and -C genotyping