Evaluation of the Effects of Diet-Induced Obesity in Zebrafish (Danio rerio): A Comparative Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare diet-induced obesity (DIO) models in zebrafish and investigate the complications and differences between sexes in biochemical and inflammatory parameters. METHODS: Adult animals of both sexes were divided into four groups (n = 50) and fed for eight weeks: control group 1: Artemia sp. (15-30 mg/day/fish); control group 2: commercial fish food (3.5% of average weight); obesity group 1: pasteurized egg yolk powder + soybean oil (5% of average weight); obesity group 2: Artemia sp. (60-120 mg/day/fish). Dietary intake, caloric intake and efficiency, body mass index, biochemical, inflammatory, behavioral, histopathological, and stereological parameters, and inflammation-related gene expression were investigated. RESULTS: Obesity group 1 was the most indicated to investigate changes in the anxious behavioral profile (p < 0.05), triglyceride elevation [52.67 (1.2) mg/dL], adipocyte hypertrophy [67.8 (18.1) µm2; p = 0.0004], and intestinal inflammation. Obesity group 2 was interesting to investigate in terms of weight gain [167 mg; p < 0.0001), changes in fasting glucose [48.33 (4.14) mg/dL; p = 0.003), and inflammatory parameters [IL-6: 4.24 (0.18) pg/mL; p = 0.0015]. CONCLUSIONS: Furthermore, both DIO models evaluated in the present study were effective in investigating hepatic steatosis. The data also highlighted that sex influences inflammatory changes and fasting blood glucose levels, which were higher in males (p > 0.05). The results show new metabolic routes to be explored in relation to DIO in zebrafish.

Human papillomavirus in oral squamous cells carcinoma in a population of 75 Brazilian patients.

PURPOSE: In the present study, we investigated the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA and viral types in 75 cases of oral squamous cells carcinoma from Brazil to obtain data that would contribute to a better understanding of the role of HPV in the pathogenesis of this tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue and amplified by polymerase chain reaction using a pair of primers designated PCO3+ and PCO4+ for the detection of a fragment of the human beta-globin gene, followed by polymerase chain reaction for the detection of HPV DNA using a pair of generic primers, GP5+ and GP6+. Viral typing was performed by dot blot hybridization. RESULTS: Human papillomavirus DNA was detected in 18 (24%) of the 75 cases positive for the human beta-globin gene. No significant association was observed between HPV and age, sex, or anatomical location of the tumor. The most prevalent viral type was HPV-18 (77,8%). CONCLUSION: The low frequency of detection of HPV DNA in oral epidermoid carcinomas suggests a possible participation of the virus in the development and progression of only a subgroup of these tumors.