Angiogenic effect of the aqueous extract of Cynodon dactylon on human umbilical vein endothelial cells and granulation tissue in rat.

BACKGROUND: Cynodon dactylon, a valuable medicinal plant, is widely used in Iranian folk medicine for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and atherosclerosis. Moreover, its anti-diabetic, anti-cancer and anti-microbial properties have been also reported. Concerning the critical role of angiogenesis in the incidence and progression of tumors and also its protective role in cardiovascular diseases, we investigated the effects of the aqueous extract prepared from the rhizomes of C. dactylon on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expressions in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) and also on angiogenesis in carrageenan induced air-pouch model in rats. METHODS: In the air-pouch model, carrageenan was injected into an air-pouch on the back of the rats and following an IV injection of carmine red dye on day 6, granulation tissue was processed for the assessment of the dye content. Furthermore, in an in vitro study, angiogenic property of the extract was assessed through its effect on VEGF expression in HUVECs. RESULTS: Oral administration of 400 mg/kg/day of the extract significantly increased angiogenesis (p<0.05) and markedly decreased neutrophil (p<0.05) and total leukocyte infiltration (p<0.001) into the granulation tissues. Moreover, the extract increased the expression of total VEGF in HUVECs at a concentration of (100 µl/ml). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that the aqueous extract of C. dactylon promotes angiogenesis probably through stimulating VEGF expression.

Uterine mast cell tumor: a clinical and cytohistopathological study.

BACKGROUND: Mast cells are one of the characteristic factors in angiogenesis, growth, and metastatic spread of tumors. Further studies are suggested to determine the type of these cells which might be useful in the assessment of biological nature of the tumor and its future treatment modality. Few studies have evaluated mast cell infiltration in visceral tumors, especially uterine tumors. CASE PRESENTATION: In this study, age, sex, death rate, and histologic patterns were in agreement with those of previous reports on canine mast cell tumors. Cytopathology assays are widely used to prognosticate canine uterine mast cell tumors (MCT). There is limited information about these prognostic assays used on MCT that arise in the uterine. The anisocytosis and anisocytosis and giant cells were present in the tumor. Furthermore, the tumor had nuclear atypia with scattered multinucleated cells and prominent nucleoli and tumor were classified as poorly granulated. Under microscopic examination, we observed diffuse infiltration and proliferation of tumor cells from the uterine different area and the infiltrative characteristics and distribution patterns of neoplastic cells were observed. This tumor consisted of sheets and cords of uniform round cells with discrete cytoplasmic margins. Microscopically, the neoplastic masses were poorly-demarcated and lacked capsules and tumor cell usually showed a distinct cell boundary. Nevertheless, the neoplastic cells were located between collagen bundles forming small clusters and sheets and had large, centrally located, round to ovoid nuclei. In addition, eosinophils were scattered among the mast cells at the periphery of the masses. The presence of eosinophils and the observation, at high magnification, of cells with cytoplasmic metachromatic granules. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, a diagnosis of poorly-differentiated mast cell tumor was made and data histologic grading was available for tumor. Neoplasm was poorly differentiated or gradeIII.

Histopathological features of bone regeneration in a canine segmental ulnar defect model.

BACKGROUND: Today, finding an ideal biomaterial to treat the large bone defects, delayed unions and non-unions remains a challenge for orthopaedic surgeions and researchers. Several studies have been carried out on the subject of bone regeneration, each having its own advantages. The present study has been designed in vivo to evaluate the effects of cellular auto-transplantation of tail vertebrae on healing of experimental critical bone defect in a dog model. METHODS: Six indigenous breeds of dog with 32 ± 3.6 kg average weight from both sexes (5 males and 1 female) received bilateral critical-sized ulnar segmental defects. After determining the health condition, divided to 2 groups: The Group I were kept as control I (n = 1) while in Group II (experimental group; n = 5) bioactive bone implants were inserted. The defects were implanted with either autogeneic coccygeal bone grafts in dogs with 3-4 cm diaphyseal defects in the ulna. Defects were stabilized with internal plate fixation, and the control defects were not stabilized. Animals were euthanized at 16 weeks and analyzed by histopathology. RESULTS: Histological evaluation of this new bone at sixteen weeks postoperatively revealed primarily lamellar bone, with the formation of new cortices and normal-appearing marrow elements. And also reformation cortical compartment and reconstitution of marrow space were observed at the graft-host interface together with graft resorption and necrosis responses. Finally, our data were consistent with the osteoconducting function of the tail autograft. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that the tail vertebrae autograft seemed to be a new source of autogenous cortical bone in order to supporting segmental long bone defects in dogs. Furthermore, cellular autotransplantation was found to be a successful replacement for the tail vertebrae allograft bone at 3-4 cm segmental defects in the canine mid- ulna. Clinical application using graft expanders or bone autotransplantation should be used carefully and requires further investigation. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/2028232688119271.