Effects of obesity in rats on prostate histology and expression of leptin receptor, prolactin receptor, IL-6, and NF-κB.

BACKGROUND: Hypercaloric intake can lead to obesity, which is a major risk factor associated with chronic subclinical inflammation and many types of cancer. It can increase the serum levels of leptin, prolactin, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-кB) and interleukin (IL)-6, implicated in cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. AIM: To explore the effects of obesity induced by chronic hypercaloric diet in rats on the long-term expression of leptin receptor (OB-R), prolactin receptor, NF-кB, and IL-6, and the changes of histology in rat prostate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From postnatal day 21, experimental males were fed with normal chow or chow plus enriched hypercaloric liquid diet. On the postnatal day 90 (13 week old), the animals were euthanized for prostate histology (hematoxylin and eosin staining) and hormone receptors analysis by Western blot. RESULTS: Hypercaloric diet resulted in obesity (32% higher body weight). The prostates of the obese males showed epithelium anisocytosis and compressed interstice. There was also greater volume of lipidic content, anisokaryosis, alterations of the nucleus-cytoplasm ratio, and apparent proplasia. Measures in the ventral prostate (VP) showed that alveoli area increased, but epithelium height and nucleus area were reduced. In the dorsolateral prostate, there was only reduction of nucleus area and presence of mononuclear cells in the lumen. Hypercaloric males also expressed a trend for more OB-R 130 kD in the VP, but no changes were observed with regard to prolactin receptor, NF-кB and IL-6. CONCLUSION: The obesity due to chronic consumption of hypercaloric diet affects both prostatic regions, but VP is possibly more sensitive via OB-R. We suggest that longer periods of obesity are needed to alter other receptors or the molecular markers of inflammation.

Characterization of the adsorption of Ru-bpy dyes on mesoporous TiO2 films with UV-Vis, Raman, and FTIR spectroscopies.

In the present work the adsorption of a new dye, [Ru(dcbpyH(2))(2)(bpy-TPA(2))](PF(6))(2), and the well-known (Bu(4)N)(2)[Ru(dcbpyH)(2)(NCS)(2)] complex on mesoporous anatase films were investigated to clarify the role of the carboxylate groups in the anchoring process of the dyes on the semiconductor surface. For this purpose UV-vis, Raman, resonance Raman, and ATR-FTIR spectroscopies have been used. The results of the Raman experiments at different excitation wavelengths demonstrate that photoinduced charge-transfer processes take place efficiently between the adsorbate and the substrate. Moreover, this is the first time that the Raman spectrum of a Ru-bpy dye (in this case, the dye N719) adsorbed on TiO(2) has been obtained without the resonance condition, only by means of SERS enhancement. The coordination of both complexes on the TiO(2) paste films is proposed to occur via bidentate or bridging linkage.

Influence of the solvent on the surface-enhanced raman spectra of ruthenium(II) bipyridyl complexes.

In the present work a new dye, [Ru(dcbpyH2)2(bpy-TPA2)](PF6)2, and the well-known (Bu4N)2[Ru(dcbpyH)2(NCS)2] complex were investigated. The electronic transitions of both dyes showed solvatochromic shifts due to specific interactions of the ligands with the solvent molecules. The surface-enhanced Raman (SER) spectra of the dyes dissolved in water, ethanol, and acetonitrile were measured in silver and gold colloidal solutions. The results demonstrate that the dyes were adsorbed on the metallic nanoparticles in different ways for different solvents. It was also found that in the gold colloid, the aqueous solutions of both dyes did not produce any SERS signal, whereas in ethanolic solution the SERS effect was very weak. Deprotonation, H-bonding, and donor-acceptor interactions seem to determine these different behaviors. Our results indicate the important role of the charge-transfer mechanism in SERS.