The effect of green pit viper (Trimeresurus albolabris) venom on platelet morphology by electron microscopy.

The incidence of venomous snake bites increases every year in Thailand, especially due to green pit viper. After the bite, there is bleeding due to thrombin-like property of the venom. The mean platelet volume has been reported to be decreased in those who have been bitten by this snake. In this study we investigate the effect of green pit viper venom (Trimeresurus albolabris) on platelet volume (MPV), number and morphology of platelets in vitro. The test was carried out by washing platelets in phosphate buffer at pH 7.2 to remove fibrinogen, then the washed platelets were mixed with green pit viper venom. Platelet morphology was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM).The morphology of platelets was smaller than normal which ranges from 1.1- 1.2 microm. Green pit viper venom can directly effect platelet morphology, decreasing platelet volume.

Cellular mechanism of heart injury in the early stage of crush injury in rats / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study cellular mechanism of cardiomyocytes injury in the early stage of crush injury by observing some effects of crush injury rat sera on cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.@*METHODS@#One to three days old neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were cultured in vitro and some effects of crush injury rat sera on beating rate, cell surface area, total protein content, 3H-Leu incorporation, intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and Fos protein expression were observed in cultured rat cardiomyocytes.@*RESULTS@#Compared with normal rat serum group, crush injury rat sera decreased beating rate(beats/min) of cardiomyocytes from 88.3 to 26.4, cell surface area, total protein content, 3H-Leu incorporation, [Ca2+]i (nmol/L) and PI of Fos protein expression were increased.@*CONCLUSION@#Crush injury rat sera suppress cell beating, increase intracellular calcium, induce Fos protein synthesis and cause cell hypertrophy, which may cause cardiac injury in the early stage of rush injury.

Protective role of Spirulina feed in a freshwater fish (Poecilia reticulata Peters) exposed to an azo dye-methyl red.

Acute toxicity of an azo dye-methyl red (5-40 ppm) was examined under starving conditions, on two groups of Poecilia reticulata--a freshwater fish, fed on different diets prior to their exposure to dye. Besides natural feed, fish of group-1 also received Spirulina feed for one month (feed population), whereas those of group-2 received only natural feed (non-feed population). The mortality data revealed non-feed population to be more tolerant to feed stress during acute toxicity study, whereas feed population exhibited better tolerance to the combined stress of both feed and methyl red; especially at higher concentrations of the latter. RBCs in methyl red treatments acquired different shapes (poikilocytosis) and an increase in their size (anisocytosis) was also noticed. Percentage of such abnormal RBCs was almost equal in both feed and non-feed populations, except at a lower concentration (5 ppm), at which percentage of poikilocytic RBCs was lesser in the feed population. RBC counts in the control non-feed fish (34.5 x 10(4)/mm3) were significantly lower than control feed population (50.0 x 10(4) /mm3). Their number decreased with an increase in methyl red concentrations in non-feed population (9-26%), but percent reduction in RBC counts was almost similar (20-26%) at various concentrations of methyl red (5-30 ppm) in the feed population. Despite reduction in RBC counts, feed population did not suffer from anemia in methyl red treatments, as evident by their RBC counts which were almost equal to control fish of non-feed population. The results suggest that Spirulina feed improves tolerance of test organism towards methyl red manifested by noticeable reduction in the cytotoxic effects on RBCs and a lower mortality rate at higher concentrations of dye.

Tissue alterations in the Guinea pig lateral prostate following antiandrogen flutamide therapy

The flutamide antiandrogenic effects on the Guinea pig male prostate morphology in puberal, post-puberal and adult ages were evaluated in the present study. Daily-treated group animals received flutamide subcutaneous injection at a dose of 10 mg/Kg body weight for 10 days. The control group animals received a pharmacological vehicle under the same conditions. The lateral prostate was removed, fixed and processed for light and transmission electron microscopy. The results revealed an increase of the acinus diameter in the treated puberal animals and straitness in the stromal compartment around the acini. The epithelial cells exhibited cubic phenotype. In the post-puberal and adult animals, a decrease of the acinus diameter was observed, as well as an increase of the smooth muscle layer and presence of the folds at epithelium. The ultrastructural evaluation of the secretory cells in the treated group demonstrated endomembrane enlargement, mainly in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. In addition, a decrease of the microvilli and alterations in the distribution patterns and density of the stromal fibrillar components were observed. In conclusion, the flutamide treatment exerts tissue effects on the lateral prostate, promoting stroma/epithelium alterations.

CD99 type II is a determining factor for the differentiation of primitive neuroectodermal cells

CD99 is a 32-kDa cell surface molecule present on thymocytes, peripheral T cells, many other hematopoietic stem cells and somatic cells were implicated in cell-cell adhesion and cell-activation phenomena. Two major subtypes have been identified so far, designated CD99 type I and type II. We have investigated the correlation between the degree of neural differentiation and the expression of CD99 subtypes in three differentially differentiated cell lines such as CADO-ES1, RD-ES, and SH-N-SY5Y, in order of differentiation. In addition, we induced differentiation of the RD-ES cell line by N(6),2'-dibutyryl-cAMP (db-cAMP). Six days after treatment with db-cAMP, RD-ES cell line has changed its morphology from uniform round cells to cells with neurites, and initially CD99 type II-overexpressed RD-ES cells showed significant down-regulation of CD99 type II, whereas CD99 type I expression remained constant. When RD- ES cells were transfected with the cDNA encoding for CD99 type I-green fluorescence protein (GFP) and type II-GFP, CD99 type II transfected RD-ES cell line remained unchanged with morphology of undifferentiated form. Our data suggest that CD99 type II acts as a negative regulator in the neural differentiation of precursor cells that might occur during nerve system development.

Human placental lipid induces mitogenesis and melanogenesis in B16F10 melanoma cells.

A hydroalcoholic extract of fresh term human placenta was found to be mitogenic as well as melanogenic on B16F10 mouse melanoma in an in vitro culture. The extract, a reservoir of a large number of bioactive molecules, was resolved to get the lipid fraction. Its activity was evaluated on B16F10 mouse melanoma by assessing the change in cellular morphology, growth and melanin induction. The lipid fraction, placental total lipid fraction (PTLF) tested in the study employed doses of 0 01 to 200 microg/ml; optimum growth and melanization accompanied by morphological changes were recorded at 10 and 100 microg/ml respectively. At intermediate doses growth and melanization were found to show a pattern of change over between growth and melanization and finally reached at an inverse relation at the respective optimal dose of response. Compared with defined sphingolipids, C(2) ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate, the results were mostly corroborative. The duality of biological response of sphingolipids as reported in numerous studies was comparable for the PTLF suggesting that its active component is a sphingolipid and showing its use for pigment recovery in vitiligo.

Response of the postnatal rat epididymis to estrogen & antiestrogens.

The effect of androgen and estrogen antagonists on estrogen induced responses in the epididymis of rat was studied. Estradiol benzoate administered to male rates on day 5 of life increased the epididymal weight, absolute volume density of fibromuscular stroma and its eosinophilic leucocyte numbers. Testosterone administration (day 5 life) alone did not have any stimulatory effect on the epididymis as an organ or its peroxidase activity on days 15 or 20 of life. On the other hand, testosterone/85/287 negated estradiol induced increase in the absolute volume density, eosinophilic leucocyte accumulation and peroxidase activity. Tamoxifen (Tam) with inherent estrogenic activity acted both as an agonist and an antagonist. Results of present studies support the contention that nonsteroidal antiestrogens (CDRI-85/287 and Tam) can modulate estradiol induced epididymal responses during the postnatal period of male rat.