ABSTRACT
Methotrexate [Mtx] [the anticancer drug] has been a prevalent drug in the conservative treatment for unruptured tubal pregnancy for many years. Unfortunately, current emphasis has been on its damaging effects on the ovaries and fallopian tubes. The aim of this study was to examine the acute and long-term toxic effects of different doses of Mtx on the fallopian tubes. The study was carried out on 60 female rats. The rats were divided into three groups: the control group [group I], comprising 20 rats; group II, comprising 20 rats given 2.5 mg/kg Mtx intraperitoneally for 10 days [acute study]; and group III, comprising 20 rats given 2.5 mg/kg Mtx for 2 months [long-term study]. Rats in each group were killed at each time point and the fallopian tubes were dissected and stained with H and E, following which estrogen receptor [ER] expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Light microscopy [acute] study showed a decrease in the number of mucosal folds with fusions of some folds. Cellular infiltration was limited to the mucosa when Mtx was administered in small doses. With increasing dose of Mtx, cellular infiltration extended to the musculosa and serosal layer. In the chronic study some regions showed an improvement in epithelial folding and the muscle layer, together with a decrease in cellular infiltration, especially at low dose. The immunohistochemical study revealed a weak positive immunoreaction for ERs in all rats of the acute group and high-dose chronic group, whereas in the low-dose chronic study moderate positive reaction for ERs in epithelial cells was detected. These results prove that Mtx [>/=5 mg/kg] can induce long-term, irreversible damage to fallopian tubes and steroid hormone receptors [ER] in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, Mtx should be used in a relatively small and safe range of dosage in order to avoid impairment and potential risk of subsequent tubal pregnancy or infertility
Subject(s)
Female , Animals, Laboratory , Fallopian Tubes/pathology , Immunohistochemistry , Histology , RatsABSTRACT
Stress can be defined as a state of threatened balance induced by external stressor and appear as the display of somatic, and psychic reaction, struggling to regain homeostasis. Among stressful stimuli, heat stress is an environmental factor capable of causing a wide range of physiological alteration chiefly at the level of the hopothalamic- pituitary-adrenocortical [HPA] axis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of acute heat exposure on the ACTH and cortisol levels as well as structurally and ultrastructurally changes of the adrenal cortical glands in rats. Twenty normal adult male albino rats, weighting 180-200 grams, were divided into two equal groups. Group A represented the control rats and group B acted as a heat stressed rats that were exposed to hear at 38-40[degree sign]C for sixty minutes. At the end of experiment, rats were anesthetized, blood sample withdrawn for hormonal study and suprarenal glands were dissected out and prepared for microscopical and ultrasctructural examinations. A significant increase in ACTH and cortisol levels were reported in heat stressed group when compared with control group. Light microscopic examination of suprarenal cortical layers of heat-stressed rats revealed foamy cytoplasm with pyknotic nuclear changes as compared to control rats. In addition, ultrastructure examination of group B showed mitochondrial changes in all zones especially zona reticularis, decreased number of lipid droplets in both zona fasciculate and reticularis, and prominent dilatation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum vesicles when compared with group A. In conclusion, acute heat exposure was a stressful condition affecting the suprarenal glands as evidenced by the altered biochemical hormonal levels along with both structural and ultra structural changes