RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cisplatin is a powerful antitumor chemotherapeutic agent that is widely used in the treatment of many cancers but it has many side effects on many organs including salivary glands. Bone marrow is considered to be a rich environment that comprises many types of stem cells of which BMSCs (Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells) are the most studied with potentiality to differentiate into many cell types. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different routes of injection of BMSCs on parotid glands of rats receiving cisplatin. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: a negative control group receiving phosphate buffered saline, a positive control group receiving cisplatin, and an experimental group where rats received cisplatin and then received iron oxide-labeled BMSCs by either intravenous or intraparotid routes or both. Animals were sacrificed at periods of 3,6,10 and 15 days after cisplatin injection, then histological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies were done. The experimental stem cell treated group showed better histological features and increased PCNA proliferation index when compared to the control. The systemic and combination groups showed better results than the local group. Iron oxide-labeled cells were detected with Prussian blue stain. CONCLUSIONS: This study proved that BMSCs can improve cisplatin induced cytotoxicity in parotid glands. Systemic administration showed to have a better effect than local intraparotid administration and comparable effect to combined administration.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Anemia associated with chronic kidney disease is a serious complication necessitating expenditure of huge medical efforts and resources. This study investigates the role of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) in end stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis. By the virtue of its antioxidative effects, ALA is expected to act as an erythropoietin (EPO) adjuvant, and also has extended beneficial effects on endothelial dysfunction. METHODS: Forty-four patients undergoing hemodialysis and receiving EPO were randomized into two groups: the first group received ALA 600 mg once daily for 3 months; while the other group represented the control group. Parameters measured at baseline and at end of study were hemoglobin, EPO doses, EPO resistance index (ERI), iron store indices, malondialdehyde, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), as well as routine laboratory follow-up. RESULTS: EPO doses and ERI were significantly decreased in the treatment group, while they did not change in the control group. Hemoglobin, iron store indices, malondialdehyde, oxidized ox-LDL, IL-6, TNF-α, and ADMA were similar in both treatment and control groups at baseline, and did not change by the end of study period. Likewise, routine laboratory measures were not affected by the treatment. CONCLUSION: ALA could be used in hemodialysis patients to reduce requirements for EPO. However, larger and longer term studies are required to clarify the exact role of ALA in hemodialysis as well as in pre-hemodialysis patients.
