Low dose gamma irradiation attenuates cyclophosphamide-induced cardiotoxicity in rats: role of NF-κB signaling pathway.

PURPOSE: Cyclophosphamide (Cyp) is one of the most commonly used, wide spectrum chemotherapeutic agents. Cyp has multi-organ toxicities that are dose limiting, thus it's mostly used in chemotherapeutic combinations. Radiation is well known as a hazardous sort of energy, recent studies are interested in studying the beneficial therapeutic effects of low-dose gamma radiation. This study examined the protective effect of two different doses/dose-rates of irradiation either alone or combined with telmisartan against Cyp-induced cardiotoxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were divided into seven groups; (1): Control, (2): Cyp, (3-4): 0.05 Gy low dose rate (LDR) irradiation, 0.25 Gy high dose rate (HDR) irradiation, respectively, prior to Cyp dose, (5-7): telmisartan either alone or with 0.05 Gy LDR-irradiation or 0.25 Gy HDR-irradiation, respectively, prior to Cyp dose. The current investigation studied the effect of Cyp alone or combined with different treatment regimens on serum cTn-I and LDH, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway (p65/IκB/IKK-α/IKK-ß) in the myocardium. Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α were assessed in addition to histopathological examination of the heart. RESULTS: Low-dose irradiation attenuated cardiac enzymes, pro-inflammatory cytokines, NF-κB content, and histology, in both low and HDRs. Furthermore, the combination of low-dose irradiation with telmisartan (an angiotensin-II receptor type-1 blocker and a known cardio-protective drug) offered the best histological results. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose irradiation-induced amelioration is partially but not completely through canonical activation of NF-κB, and may have another atypical pathway. While telmisartan probably ameliorates NF-κB totally through canonical pathway.

Soybean isoflavone affects in rabbits: Effects on metabolism, antioxidant capacity, hormonal balance and reproductive performance.

Though soybean isoflavones (SBI) have pharmaceutical properties, the compounds also have endocrine disrupting activities that may adversely affect fertility of mammals. The effects of SBI on metabolism, antioxidant capacity, hormonal balance and reproductive performance of male rabbits were investigated. Adult male rabbits (n = 21) fed an isoflavone-free diet were orally treated with 0 (control; CON), 5 (small; LSBI) or 20 (large; HSBI) mg of SBI/kg body weight/day for 12 weeks. Both SBI doses resulted in lesser blood plasma total protein concentrations, while there were no effects on glucose and cholesterol concentrations compared to CON. The HSBI-treated males had the greatest (P < 0.05) blood plasma total antioxidant capacity and least malondialdehyde. Treatment with both SBI doses induced a 43% increase in triiodothyronine concentrations (P < 0.05) and 82% in reaction times (P < 0.001), while decreased sperm concentrations (P = 0.01) and blood plasma testosterone concentrations (P = 0.017) 26% and 19%, respectively. The total functional sperm fraction was less (P < 0.05) in the HSBI group; however, there was no effect of the LSBI treatment as compared to values for the CON group. The kindling rates of females mated to HSBI-treated males tended to be less (P = 0.081) than those of does mated with LSBI or CON males. In conclusion, only the HSBI treatment improved antioxidant status; whereas, treatment with both LSBI and HSBI doses induced a hormonal imbalance which led to an impaired testis function indicating the sensitivity of the adult male reproductive system to SBI actions.

Prolonged exposure of dietary phytoestrogens on semen characteristics and reproductive performance of rabbit bucks.

The effects of inclusion of different sources of dietary phytoestrogens on antioxidant capacity, hormonal balance, libido, semen quality, and fertility of rabbit bucks were studied. Twenty-one, adult, fertile, V-line bucks were randomly allocated into 3 homogenous groups (n = 7/treatment) and received control diet (phytoestrogens-free diet, CON) or soybean meal isoflavones-containing diet (SMI) or linseed meal lignans-containing diet (LML) for 12 wk. The diets were formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous. The concentrations of isoflavones in the SMI diet were 24.04 mg/100 g dry matter (DM) daidzein and 13.10 mg/100 g DM genistein. The major phytoestrogen detected in the LML diet was secoisolariciresinol (36.80 mg/100 g DM). Treatment had no effects on body weight, feed intake and rectal temperature of bucks. Compared with control, bucks fed the SMI and LML diets had higher (P < 0.001) blood plasma total antioxidant capacity (0.98 ± 0.12, 1.50 ± 0.13, and 2.29 ± 0.17 mM/L for CON, SMI, and LML, respectively), and lower (P < 0.01) blood plasma malondialdehyde (2.76 ± 0.23, 1.76 ± 0.16, and 1.70 ± 0.18 nmol/mL for CON, SMI, and LML, respectively), whereas activities of reduced glutathione and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes were not affected. Bucks fed the SMI and LML diets had greater (P < 0.001) concentrations of blood plasma triiodothyronine. Feeding the SMI and LML diets decreased (P < 0.01) libido (8.26 ± 0.71, 12.18 ± 0.97, and 14.12 ± 1.12 s for CON, SMI, and LML, respectively), sperm concentration (327.7 ± 21.6, 265.8 ± 36.8, and 226.5 ± 20.1 × 106/mL for CON, SMI, and LML, respectively), testosterone (5.16 ± 0.95, 3.91 ± 0.63, and 3.04 ± 0.92 ng/mL for CON, SMI, and LML, respectively), and seminal plasma fructose compared with the CON diet. The percentage of progressive motile sperm was improved (P < 0.001) by both phytoestrogen-containing diets. Feeding the SMI diet increased (P = 0.02) the percentage of live sperm compared with CON, whereas LML resulted in an intermediate value. Dietary treatment of bucks did not affect kindling rates or litter sizes of does, and did not affect birth weights or viabilities of kits. In conclusion, prolonged consumption of dietary isoflavones or lignans did not impair semen fertilizability. This may be due to the benefits of antioxidant activity or due to the benefits of other components in the diet. Dietary phytoestrogens did evoke obvious decreases in libido and steroidogenesis with altered semen parameters.

Effects of Trifolium alexandrinum phytoestrogens on oestrous behaviour, ovarian activity and reproductive performance of ewes during the non-breeding season.

Phytoestrogens are classified as naturally occurring endocrine disrupting chemicals that may affect reproductive performance of farm animals. To investigate the effects of Berseem clover phytoestrogens on reproductive performance of seasonal anoestrus ewes, twenty four late pregnant Rahmani ewes were fed either Berseem clover or maize silage (n = 12/treatment). Treatment started 2 months prepartum and continued until oestrous induction (week 8 postpartum), using the CIDR-eCG based protocol, and early pregnancy. Throughout the 2-8 weeks postpartum, oestrous rate and ovarian activity were not affected by treatment. After oestrous induction, ewes in both groups expressed comparable oestrous rates; however feeding Berseem clover extended (P < 0.05) interval to oestrus (57.00 compared with 42.54 h) and shortened (P < 0.05) oestrous duration (20.0 compared with 34.90 h). Feeding Berseem clover did not affect follicular activity except the number of medium follicles, which was less (P < 0.05) on day of oestrus (Day 0). Feeding maize silage increased (P < 0.05) the total number of follicles and number of small and medium follicles the day before oestrus (Day -1). On Day 0, the greater total number of follicles was due to the greater (P < 0.05) number of medium follicles that was associated with less number of small follicles. Although, the number and diameter of corpora lutea (CLs) were not affected by treatment, serum P4 concentration was greater (P < 0.05) for ewes fed maize silage than for those fed Berseem clover. Fecundity and litter size tended to be greater (about 35%; P = 0.132 and 0.085, respectively) in the maize silage fed ewes. In conclusion, feeding Berseem clover throughout seasonal anoestrus disrupted aspects of behavioural oestrus and there was less luteal P4 synthesis and fecundity of ewes.

Assessment of salivary gland tumors using MRI and CT: impact of experience on diagnostic accuracy.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To analyze the accuracy of radiological diagnosis in MRI and CT studies of salivary gland tumors depending on the radiologist's experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three radiologists with differing experience (R1 > 20, R2 > 11, and R3 > 7 years, respectively) retrospectively reviewed 128 cases (116 MRI, 12 CT studies) with suspected salivary gland tumors regarding dignity and classification using histopathology as a reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive/negative predictive value and inter-observer agreement (using Cohen's κ) were calculated to compare diagnostic performance. RESULTS: Lesions were benign in 87 and in 23 cases malignant. Neoplasia was absent in 18 cases (15 cases without neoplasia and 3 cases without disease). The highest inter-observer agreement for determining dignity using CT was found between R1 and R2 (κ = 0.74, p < 0.001), and the lowest between R2 and R3 (κ = 0.28, p < 0.001). MRI sensitivity/specificity for classifying pleomorphic adenomas was as follows: R1 (100%/100%), R2 (76.92%/87.01%), R3 (43.53%/67.53%), and for CT: R1 (100%/100%), R2 (100%/88.89%), R3 (66.67%/88.89%; for Warthin's tumor using MRI: R1 (100%/97.44%), R2 (68.42%/83.33%), R3 (50.00%/67.95%), and using CT: R1 (100%/100%), R2 (50.00%/100%), R3 (100%/100%; for squamous cell carcinomas using MRI: R1 (100%/100%), R2 (75.00%/97.12%), R3 (75.00%/99.04%), and using CT: R1 (100%/100%), R2 (66.67%/88.89%), R3 (66.67%/66.67%). The highest agreement was found between R1 and R2 for MRI (κ = 0.62, p < 0.001), and the lowest between R1 and R3 at MRI (κ = 0.28, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Diagnostic accuracy in the assessment of salivary gland tumors strongly depends on the observer's expertise and increases with higher experience.

Effect of GnRH treatment on ovarian activity and reproductive performance of low-prolific Rahmani ewes.

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of GnRH treatment during different times of the reproductive cycle on ovarian activity, progesterone (P4) concentration, and subsequent fertility of low-prolific, subtropical, Rahmani ewes during breeding season. Forty-five ewes were synchronized for estrus using a double injection of 0.5 mL of PGF2α agonist (125-µg cloprostenol), 11 days apart. Ewes showing estrus (Day 0) were treated with 1 mL of GnRH agonist (4-µg buserelin) on the day of estrus (GnRH0, n = 12) or 7 days post-mating (GnRH7, n = 10) or on both days (GnRH0+7, n = 11) or not (control, n = 12). Ovarian response to the treatment and diagnosis of pregnancy were ultrasonographically monitored. Also, serum P4 concentration was determined weekly throughout 28 days post-mating. Results showed that neither total number of follicles nor their populations were changed on Day 0 or 7 days post-mating by the GnRH treatment. GnRH treatment on Day 0 or Day 7 post-mating or both days did not enhance ovulation rate compared with the control. The mean numbers of accessory CL increased (P < 0.05) in the GnRH7 group than those in the control and GnRH0 groups, whereas it was intermediate in the GnRH0+7 group. The greatest (P < 0.05) overall mean of serum P4 concentration was for the GnRH7 and GnRH0+7 groups, followed by the GnRH0 and control groups. Serum P4 concentration increased (P < 0.05) on Day 14 post-mating and continued higher (P < 0.05) until Day 28 post-mating in the GnRH7 and GnRH0+7 groups compared with the control. Regardless of the time of GnRH administration, GnRH treatment reduced (P < 0.05) pregnancy loss from Day 40 post-mating to parturition and tended to enhance (P < 0.20) lambing rate compared with the control. In conclusion, a single dose of GnRH at the time of estrus or 7 days post-mating could be used as an effective protocol to decrease pregnancy loss from Day 40 after mating to parturition in low-prolific Rahmani ewes.

Comparative analysis of the granulin regions of the Phthorimaea operculella and Spodoptera littoralis granuloviruses.

The nucleotide sequence of two cloned restriction fragments encompassing the granulin genes from the granuloviruses of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella, PhopGV, and the Egyptian cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis, SpliGV, have been determined. Although both viruses are able to infect the same Ph. operculella cell line, their granulins do not cluster in the same phylogenetic branches. PhopGV ganulin is closely related to Cydia pomonella GV (CpGV) and Cryptophlebia leucotreta GV (ClGV) (95.2 and 94% identity at the aminoacid level), while SpliGV granulin falls close to Trichoplusia ni GV and Xestia c-nigrum GV (91.6 and 92.0% respectively). The gene organization around the granulins reflects this clustering. Upstream the PhopGV granulin, an ORF belonging to the ME53 gene family (as ORF 124R of CpGV and 909 of ClGV) is present, while no equivalent ORF is found in this region in SpliGV. Downstream the granulin, both viruses present a gene homologous to the Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) ORF 9 followed by a Protein Kinase (AcMNPV ORF10). The structure of this region seems thus conserved not only among nucleopolyhedroviruses but also in at least some granuloviruses.

Multiplication of Spodoptera littoralis granulosis virus in a cell line established from Phthorimaea operculella.

A complete replication of the Spodoptera littoralis granulosis virus (SpliGV) was obtained, in vitro by both virus infection and DNA transfection in the ORS-Pop-95 (Pop-95) cell line established from embryonic cells of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella. SpliGV multiplied significantly during several passages in Pop-95 cells at 19 degrees C. When the cells were infected and kept at 19 degrees C for the first 4 hrs and then at 27 degrees C for the rest of the experiment (20 days), the viral multiplication proceeded at the same rate. Comparison of SpliGV progenies, multiplied either in vivo or in vitro, using electron microscopy and restriction profile analysis, showed their identity.

Standardization of measurement of immunoglobulin-secreting cells in human peripheral circulation.

A sensitive, and at times the most sensitive, measurement of human vaccine immunogenicity is enumeration of antibody-secreting cells (ASC) in peripheral blood. However, this assay, which is inherently capable of measurement of the absolute number of antigen-specific ASC, is not standardized. Thus, quantitative comparison of results between laboratories is not currently possible. To address this issue, isotype-specific ASC were enumerated from paired fresh and cryopreserved mononuclear cell (MNC) preparations from healthy adult volunteers resident in either the United States (US group) or Egypt (EG group). Analysis of fresh cells from US volunteers revealed mean numbers of ASC per 10(6) MNC of 617, 7,738, and 868 for immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and IgA, respectively, whereas EG volunteers had 2,086, 7,580, and 1,677 ASC/10(6) MNC for the respective isotypes. Cryopreservation resulted in a slight reduction in group mean IgM, IgG, and IgA ASC (maximum reduction in group mean, 14%), but in no instance were results obtained with cryopreserved cells significantly lower than those obtained with fresh cells. To determine if cryopreservation affected the number of bacterial antigen-specific ASC detected, cells from a group of US adult volunteers who received a single oral dose of a mutated Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT(R192G)) were tested. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the number of antigen-specific IgA or IgG ASC detected between fresh and cryopreserved MNC. The results support the views that ASC assays can be standardized to yield quantitative results and that the methodology can be changed to make the test more practical.