Effect of copper nanoparticles administered in ovo on the activity of proliferating cells and on the resistance of femoral bones in broiler chickens.

The objective of this study was to evaluate bone resistance after in ovo administration of copper nanoparticles (NanoCu) and to determine the number of cells positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the femoral bones of broiler chickens (n = 12 per group). The study demonstrated that femoral bones from the NanoCu group were characterised by a higher weight and volume and by significantly greater resistance to fractures compared to the Control group. NanoCu promoted the proliferation of PCNA-positive cells in the long bones of chickens. A significantly higher number of PCNA-positive cells in the bones of birds in the NanoCu group compared with the Control group (137 and 122, respectively) indicate a stimulatory effect during embryogenesis. Considering the improvement in bone resistance to fractures and the effect of NanoCu on the number of PCNA-positive cells in femoral bones, NanoCu may be an alternative agent to minimise the ever-present problem of weak bones in broiler chickens.

Long-term consumption of fish oil partially protects brain tissue from age-related neurodegeneration.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of fish oil supplementation on aging in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum of rats. Results of biochemical and histological analyses of brain tissue collected from young rats (age: 2 months) prior to the experiment were compared with the results obtained from the 14-month-old animals assigned to the control and supplemented group. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) levels were assessed in the examined brain regions. Furthermore, the presence of lipofuscin and amyloid-ß, as well as the number of apoptotic and proliferative cells, was determined in the brain tissue. The analyses revealed that the number of proliferative neurons was significantly higher in the fish oil treated group in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus proper and dentate gyrus. Furthermore, in animals fed the fish oil-supplemented diet, amyloid-ß plaques were not observed in the examined brain regions. These results suggest that fish oil supplementation has a neuroprotective effect on the process of proliferation and may protect against spontaneous amyloidosis in the brain.

The neuroprotective effect of long-term n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of aging rats.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether hippocampus and cerebral cortex fatty acids (FA) composition can be altered as a result of n-3 enriched diet, or modifications in FA can affect the age-related histological changes in these brain tissues. The study was performed on eighteen rats which were fed control (CD) or fish oil supplemented diet (FOD) for 12 months. We investigated the n-3 and n-6 brain FA profile by gas-chromatography analysis. Histomorphometry included the measurement of the quantity of pyramidal cells in the cerebral cortex (layer II-III) and in the hippocampal formation (CA1, CA3 and DG). The number of apoptotic cells (neuron and glial cells) was also calculated separately in three hippocampal areas and in the pyramidal cerebral cortex layer. Rats fed supplemented diet showed a significantly poorer content of the arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n6) in all brain regions when compared to the control group. Furthermore, the level of the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n3) was significantly higher in the cerebral cortex in fish oil fed rats vs. the control group. The neurons of the pyramidal cortex showed significant changes in cell density in control animals when compared to the group of fish oil fed rats. Furthermore, the number of positive apoptotic cells was significantly higher in the CA1 area and cerebral pyramidal layer in rats fed control diet. Following dietary n-3 fatty acids supplementation, the increase in DHA content in the cerebral cortex resulted in consequential changes in histology of this tissue. The results obtained indicate that dietary intake of fish n-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of age-related brain impairments.