effect of crocin on testicular tissue and sperm parameters of mice offspring from mothers exposed to atrazine during pregnancy and lactation periods: an experimental study

Background: atrazine as a herbicide may affect the human's health. Crocin may protect atrazine-induced damages

Objective: the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of atrazine on mice testicular tissue and sperm parameters and protective effects of Crocin on probably atrazine-induced damages

Materials and Methods: in this experimental study, 24 pregnant Balb/c mice were randomly divided to 4 groups: I: Atrazine [10 mg/kg], II: Atrazine-Crocin, III: Crocin [10mg/kg] and IV: Normal saline. Administrations were done daily by gavage during pregnancy and lactation. In the end, two male offspring were randomly selected from every mother and sacrificed respectively on 23 and 75 postnatal days. Then, their epididymides were removed for sperm parameters investigation and their testes were prepared to evaluate apoptosis by means of TUNEL technique

Results: the mean number of sperms in the atrazine group was lower compared to other groups and increased in the atrazine-crocin group compared with atrazine group significantly [p=0.001]. Sperm abnormality was increased in the atrazine group compared with the normal saline group and decreased in the atrazine-crocin group compared with atrazine group significantly [p

Conclusion: atrazine exposure may lead to decrease the number of sperms, increase sperms abnormality, spermatogenic cell apoptosis and height of germinal epithelium. These complications may improve by crocin administration

effects of ascorbic acid and garlic on bone mineralization in lead exposed pregnant rats

Lead exposure during pregnancy may impair skeletal development. Oxidative stress is one of the important mechanisms for lead toxicity effects. The aim of this study was to investigate ascorbic acid and garlic effects on bone mineralization in lead exposed pregnant rats. In this experimental study, 50 pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups; group [L] exposed to lead acetate, group [L+C] exposed to lead acetate and ascorbic acid [vitamin C], group [L+G] exposed to lead acetate and garlic juice, sham group treated with tap water plus 0.4 mL/L normal hydrogen chloride [HCl] and 0.5 mg/L sugar, control group without any intervention. All treatments were done during pregnancy. After birth, blood and bone lead levels were measured and then all neonates were sacrificed, and their right tibia bone processed for alizarin red and Alcian blue staining. Blood lead levels in L group increased significantly in both mothers and their neonate compared to control animals. In addition, the neonates born to L group showed markedly higher lead concentrations in their bone than that of controls. In contrast, we found no significant changes in blood and bone lead levels in lead exposed neonates that received ascorbic acid and garlic. Bone formation in neonates of L group was clearly disrupted. Interestingly, both ascorbic acid and garlic treatments could apparently improve bone formation during pregnancy in lead exposed neonates. Ascorbic acid and garlic consumption during pregnancy may improve the deleterious effects of lead exposure on bone mineralization

Glycoconjugates distribution during developing mouse spinal cord motor organizers

The aim of this research was to study the distribution and changes of glycoconjugates particularly their terminal sugars by using lectin histochemistry during mouse spinal cord development. Formalinfixed sections of mouse embryo [10-16 fetal days] were processed for lectin histochemical method. In this study, two groups of horseradish peroxidase-labeled specific lectins were used: N-acetylgalactosamine, including Dolichos biflorus, Wisteria floribunda agglutinin [WFA], Vicia villosa, Glycine max as well as focuse-binding lectins, including tetragonolobus, Ulex europaeus, and Orange peel fungus [OFA]. All sections were counterstained with alcian blue [pH 2.5]. Our results showed that only WFA and OFA reacted strongly with the floor plate cells from early to late embryonic period of developing spinal cord. The strongest reactions were related to the 14, 15, and 16 days of tissue sections incubated with OFA and WFA lectins. The present study demonstrated that cellular and molecular differentiation of the spinal cord organizers is a wholly regulated process, and alpha-L-fucose, alpha-D-GalNAc, and alpha/beta-D-GalNAc terminal sugars play a significant role during the prenatal spinal cord development.

effect of human platelet-rich plasma on adipose-derived stem cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation

The cultured mesenchymal stem cells [MSC] have been used in many clinical trials; however, there are still some concerns about the cultural conditions. One concern is related to the use of FBS as a widely used xenogeneic supplement in the culture system. Human platelet-rich plasma [hPRP] is a candidate replacement for FBS. In this study, the effect of hPRP on MSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation has been evaluated. Human adipose-derived stem cells [hADSC] were expanded. Cells from the third passage were characterized by flow cytometric analysis and used for in vitro experiments. Resazurin and alizarin red stains were used for cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation assays, respectively. Treatment with hPRP resulted in a statistically significant increase in cell proliferation compare to the negative control group [P<0.001]. Cell proliferation in the 15% hPRP group was also significantly higher than that in the 10% hPRP group [P<0.05]. Additionally, it caused less osteogenic differentiation of the hADSC compared to the FBS [P<0.001], but in comparison to negative control, it caused acceptable mineralization [P<0.001]. These findings indicate that hPRP not only improves the proliferation but also it can be a suitable substitution in osteogenic differentiation for clinical purposes. However, the clinical application value of hPRP still needs more investigation

effect of ascorbic acid and garlic administration on lead-induced apoptosis in rat offspring's eye retina

Lead toxicity induces retinal cell apoptosis. Vitamin C and garlic may decrease lead-induced apoptosis. This study was undertaken to investigate vitamin C and garlic protective effects on lead-induced apoptosis in eye retina. Pregnant Wistar rats [n = 72] were divided randomly into 9 groups: [L] treated rats with lead acetate in drinking water and [L+AA] with leaded water and vitamin C intraperitoneally;[L+G], the rats received leaded-water and garlic juice via gavage; [L+AA+G] treated rats with leaded water, ascorbic acid, and garlic juice, [AA] with ascorbic acid, and [G] with garlic juice; [AA+G] treated rats with vitamin C and garlic juice and [Sh] with tap water plus normal hydrogen chloride [HCl] and glucose; normal [N]. After 21-day lactation, blood lead level [BLL] in rats was measured, and then their offspring and the rat offspring's eyes were removed and processed for using TUNEL method. TUNEL positive cells in the eye retina were counted and all groups were compared. BLL increased in L group compared to the control groups and decreased significantly in L + G, L + AA, and L+ AA + G groups compared to L group [P<0.05]. TUNELL positive cell number in eye retina significantly increased in L group compared to control groups [P<0.05] and decreased in L+ G, L+ AA, and L+AA + G groups compared to L group [P<0.05]. Garlic juice and ascorbic acid administration during pregnancy and lactation may protect lead-induced apoptosis in rat offspring's eye retina

Effects of Vitamin-E treatment on CatSper genes expression and sperm quality in the testis of the aging mouse

CatSper genes are a novel family of four sperm-specific calcium channels, which indicate testis-specific expression patterns. Despite the crucial role of CatSper genes in the male reproduction, very little is known about the factors that regulate their expression. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of vitamin E treatment on the expression of CatSper 1 and CatSper 2 genes as well as sperm quality in the aged male mice. Twenty four 11-12 months old aged male mice and twenty four 2-3-months old young male mice were randomly divided into four groups. Control groups received no injection. The experimental groups of male mice were received intraperitoneal injection of 106 mg/kg vitamin E daily for 35 days. Left testis and cauda epididymides from each mouse were collected on the days 21, 28 and 35 following vitamin E treatment and were used for Real-Time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Also, sperm analysis was performed according to the WHO guidelines given for human sperm examination. Data were analyzed using SPSS software Administration of vitamin E improved sperm parameters in the aged as well as young adult male mice. In addition, the expression of CatSper genes increased following vitamin E treatment. Also, intensity of signal for CatSper1 and CatSper2 increased in the head and middle piece of sperm in experimental group as compared to those of control ones. The vitamin E treatment significantly improved the sperm quality, especially in terms of sperm motility, count and morphology rate. Furthermore, CatSper genes expression could be up-regulated by the vitamin E treatment

rare anatomical variation of the brachial plexus characterized by the absence of the musculocutaneous nerve

Knowing of anatomical variations is very important during surgery, autopsy and cadaver dissection in the axillary region. In this study, a unilateral variation of the brachial nerve plexus, which is characterized by the absent of the musculocutaneous nerve [MCN], was found in the right arm of a male cadaver. The MCN normally originates from the lateral cord of the brachial nerve plexus and innervates the anterior brachial compartment muscles and lateral coetaneous of the forearm. In this case, the lateral cord of the brachial plexus was joined to the median nerve at the level of coracoid process with no evidence of any nerve braches from lateral cord to the anterior brachial compartment muscles. These muscles were innervated from some branches of median nerve directly