Protective effect of cerium oxide on testicular function and oxidative stress after torsion/detorsion in adult male rats

Hydrogen sulphide reduces renal ischemia-reperfusion injury by enhancing autophagy and reducing oxidative stress

AIM

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major cause of acute kidney injury. Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) exerts a protective effect in renal IRI. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of exogenous H2S on renal IRI by regulating autophagy in mice.

METHODS

Mice were randomly assigned to control, IRI and NaHS (an H2S donor, 28, 56 and 100 μmol/kg) groups. Renal IRI was induced by clamping the bilateral renal pedicles with non-traumatic arterial clamp for 45 min and then reperfused for 24 h. Mice were administered intraperitoneally with NaHS 20 min prior to renal ischemia. Sham group mice underwent the same procedures without clamping. Serum and kidney tissues were harvested 24 h after reperfusion for functional, histological, oxidative stress, and autophagic determination.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the concentrations of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and malondialdehyde (MDA), the protein levels of LC3II/I, Beclin-1 and P62, as well as the number of autophagosomes were significantly increased, but the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was decreased after renal IRI. NaHS pre-treatment dramatically attenuated renal IRI-induced renal dysfunction, histological changes, MDA concentration and p62 expression in a dose-dependent manner. However, NaHS increased the SOD activity and the protein levels of LC3II/I and Beclin-1.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that exogenous H2S protects the kidney from IRI through enhancement of autophagy and reduction of oxidative stress. Novel H2S donors could be developed in the treatment of renal IRI.

Protective Effect of Fasudil on Testicular Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats

Background

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury to the testis can lead to organ damage, infertility, and subfertility. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of fasudil on this devastating condition.

Methods

Thirty male Long-Evans rats were divided into five groups: a control group (no torsion), rats administered fasudil (30 mg/kg, no torsion), rats subject to ischemia with no treatment (I) (I/R injury), injured rats that received treatment 1 (T1) (I/R with 30 mg/kg fasudil before detorsion), and injured rats that received treatment 2 (T2) (I/R with 30 mg/kg fasudil after detorsion). Serum levels of TNF-ɑ and IL-6, along with tissue levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), caspase-3, and Johnsen Tubular Biopsy Score (JTBS), were measured.

Results

Group I exhibited significantly higher levels of MDA and caspase-3 than all other groups except T2 (p ˂ 0.05). Although the difference was not statistically significant, Group T2 exhibited lower MDA and caspase-3 levels than Group I (p ˃ 0.05). Additionally, Group I displayed significantly higher TNF-ɑ and IL-6 levels, and lower GSH and JTBS values, than the other groups (p ˂ 0.05).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that fasudil protects the testis from I/R injury, particularly when administered early.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles display antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects on gamma irradiation-induced hepatotoxicity

Throughout radiotherapy, radiation of the hepatic tissue leads to damage of the hepatocytes. We designed the current study to examine how cerium oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) modulate gamma irradiation-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Animals received CONPs (15 mg/kg body weight [BW], ip) single daily dose for 14 days, and they were exposed on the seventh day to a single dose of gamma radiation (6 Gy). Results showed that irradiation increased serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase activities. Furthermore, it elevated oxidative stress biomarker; malondialdehyde (MDA) and inhibited the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) in hepatic tissues homogenate. Additionally, hepatic apoptotic markers; caspase-3 (Casp-3) and Casp-9 were elevated and the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) gene level was decreased in rats exposed to radiation dose. We observed that CONPs can modulate these changes, where CONPs reduced liver enzyme activities, MDA, and apoptotic markers levels, in addition, it elevated antioxidant enzyme activities and Bcl-2 gene levels, as well as improved histopathological changes in the irradiated animals. So our results concluded that CONPs had the ability to act as radioprotector defense against hepatotoxicity resulted during radiotherapy.

The Effect of Cerium Oxide (CeO2) on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Skeletal Muscle in Mice with Streptozocin-Induced Diabetes

Objective: Lower extremity ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) may occur with trauma-related vascular injury and various vascular diseases, during the use of a tourniquet, in temporary clamping of the aorta in aortic surgery, or following acute or bilateral acute femoral artery occlusion. Mitochondrial dysfunction and increased basal oxidative stress in diabetes may cause an increase in the effects of increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial dysfunction due to IRI. It is of great importance to examine therapeutic approaches that can minimize the effects of IRI, especially for patient groups under chronic oxidative stress such as DM. Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles mimic antioxidant enzymes and act as a catalyst that scavenges ROS. In this study, it was aimed to investigate whether CeO2 has protective effects on skeletal muscles in lower extremity IRI in mice with streptozocin-induced diabetes. Methods: A total of 38 Swiss albino mice were divided into six groups as follows: control group (group C, n = 6), diabetes group (group D, n = 8), diabetes-CeO2 (group DCO, n = 8), diabetes-ischemia/reperfusion (group DIR, n = 8), and diabetes-ischemia/reperfusion-CeO2 (group DIRCO, n = 8). The DCO and DIRCO groups were given doses of CeO2 of 0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally 30 min before the IR procedure. A 120 min ischemia-120 min reperfusion period with 100% O2 was performed. At the end of the reperfusion period, muscle tissues were removed for histopathological and biochemical examinations. Results: Total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were found to be significantly lower in group DIR compared with group D (p = 0.047 and p = 0.022, respectively). In group DIRCO, total oxidant status (TOS) levels were found to be significantly higher than in group DIR (p < 0.001). The oxidative stress index (OSI) was found to be significantly lower in group DIR compared with group DCO (p < 0.001). Paraoxanase (PON) enzyme activity was found to be significantly increased in group DIR compared with group DCO (p < 0.001). The disorganization and degeneration score for muscle cells, inflammatory cell infiltration score, and total injury score in group DIRCO were found to be significantly lower than in group DIR (p = 0.002, p = 0.034, and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Our results confirm that CeO2, with its antioxidative properties, reduces skeletal muscle damage in lower extremity IRI in diabetic mice.

Effect of fullerenol C60 on lung and renal tissue in lower extremity ischemia‑reperfusion injury in sevoflurane‑treated rats

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of fullerenol C60 on lung and kidney tissue in sevoflurane‑treated rats with lower extremity ischemia‑reperfusion (IR) injury. A total of 30 Wistar albino rats weighing 225‑275 g were used and were equally divided into five groups (n=6/group): i) Sham; ii) IR; iii) IR‑fullerenol C60 (IR‑FUL); iv) IR‑sevoflurane; and v) IR‑fullerenol C60‑sevoflurane (IR‑FUL‑SEVO). Fullerenol C60 was administered intraperitoneally prior to lower extremity IR induction and sevoflurane was administered during the IR injury. Subsequently, lung and kidney histopathological examinations, and serum biochemical analyses were performed. Lung tissue showed markedly increased congestion and neutrophil infiltration in the IR group compared with in the sham group, and notable decreases in congestion and neutrophil infiltration were observed in the treatment groups compared with in the IR group. In the histopathological evaluation of the kidney samples, vacuolization, loss of brush border in tubular epithelial cells, tubular epithelial loss and varying degrees of tubular damage were observed in all groups that underwent IR. There was a significant increase in the mean renal tubule injury score in all IR groups compared with that in the sham group. In addition, the mean kidney injury score was significantly lower in the IR‑FUL and IR‑FUL‑SEVO groups than that in the IR group. It was observed that the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor‑α, interleukin 1β and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 in the lung and kidney tissues were increased following IR, and were decreased in the groups treated with fullerenol C60 and sevoflurane. Notably, it was determined that the reduction in cytokine expression was greatest in the IR‑FUL group. When the oxidant status parameters in the lungs and kidneys were examined, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels, and catalase and glutathione S‑transferase enzyme activities were significantly different in the groups receiving sevoflurane or fullerenol C60 treatment compared with those in the IR group. The present study demonstrated the protective effects of fullerenol C60 on the lung and kidney tissues of rats under sevoflurane anesthesia after establishment of lower extremity IR. The results of the present study showed that fullerenol C60 can reduce oxidative and histopathological damage in the lungs and kidneys following IR of the lower extremities.

Therapeutic effects of saffron and its components on neurodegenerative diseases

Due to an increase in the number of older people in recent years, neurodegenerative diseases as the most important age-related neurological disorders are considered as a great threat to human health. The treatment strategies for these disorders are symptomatic and there is no known definitive treatment; however, recently, several studies have investigated the effectiveness of some herbs and their components in limiting the progression and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we searched Medline (via PubMed), Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases. The keywords used in the search were: saffron [title/abstract] or (saffron compound [title/abstract]) and (neurological disorders [title/abstract]), publication date range (2010-2023), and language (English). After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 articles remained. Of the 30 articles included in the study, six studies on the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders by saffron and its components were in the clinical trial phase, and 24 studies were in the preclinical phase. Saffron and its compounds can play an important role in inhibiting neuroinflammation and excitotoxic pathways, modulating autophagy and apoptosis, attenuating oxidative damage, and activating defensive antioxidant enzymes, resulting in neuroprotection against neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to review the studies on the effects of saffron and its compounds on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles improve the post-thaw quality and in-vivo fertility of Beetal buck spermatozoa

The motility, health quality, and membrane disorders of spermatozoa are adversely affected during the process of semen cryopreservation due to the over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) possess properties to scavenge ROS either by mimicking specific antioxidants or by enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating the effects of adding the CeO2NPs in the TRIS-citrate-yolk extender on in-vitro antioxidant enzyme activities, spermatozoa quality attributes, and in-vivo fertility of post-thaw Beetal buck spermatozoa. The CeO2NPs were prepared and characterized (UV-spectrophotometry, FTIR, and XRD). Semen samples, collected from bucks (n = 5), were distributed into five aliquots and diluted in an extender containing increasing concentrations of nanoparticles (0 μg/ml, called the control group, 25 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, 75 μg/mL, and 100 μg/mL). At post-thaw, spermatozoa were evaluated for the above-mentioned attributes and the pregnancy rate by inseminating Beetal does (n = 252). Results demonstrated that CeO2NPs mitigated the detrimental effects of cryopreservation as ROS production and lipid peroxidation were lower (P < 0.001) in the 25, 50, and 75 μg/mL CeO2NPs-added groups compared to the control and 100 μg/ml CeO2NPs-added group. The addition of 25 μg/mL CeO2NPs improved (P < 0.001) the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase and the concentration of reduced glutathione (P < 0.001) compared to the other groups. In terms of sperm kinematics and velocity parameters, the groups added with the 25 and 50 μg/mL CeO2NPs exhibited higher total motility (P < 0.001), sperm progressive motility (P = 0.003), and rapid velocity (P < 0.001). The group added with the 50 μg/mL CeO2NPs had the highest (P = 0.04) average path velocity. The groups added with the 25 and 50 μg/mL CeO2NPs also exhibited higher plasma membrane integrity (P = 0.003), acrosomal integrity, and viability (P < 0.001) compared to the control group. The DNA integrity was also higher (P < 0.001) in all the CeO2NPs-added groups. The pregnancy rate was higher (P = 0.003) in the 25 (51.92 %) and 50 μg/mL CeO2NPs (58.33 %) groups compared to the other groups. Conclusively, our findings suggest that the inclusion of cerium oxide nanoparticles in the TRIS-citrate-yolk freezing extender can reduce the occurrence of cryopreservation-induced damages to Beetal's buck spermatozoa and ultimately enhance the pregnancy rate in does.

CeO2/CuO/NiO hybrid nanostructures loaded on N-doped reduced graphene oxide nanosheets as an efficient electrocatalyst for water oxidation and non-enzymatic glucose detection

In this work, the three-component heterostructure of CeO₂/CuO/NiO was synthesized by a co-precipitation procedure and heating at a temperature of 750 °C. Then, CeO₂/CuO/NiO nanoparticles were successfully supported on N-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO) by a hydrothermal method. The obtained nanomaterials were used as effective electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction and glucose sensing in an alkaline medium. The results indicated that when CeO₂/CuO/NiO is anchored on N-rGO nanosheets, active catalytic sites increase. On the other hand, N-doped rGO enhances electrical conductivity and electron transfer for water or glucose oxidation. CeO₂/CuO/NiO@N-rGO has a large electrochemically active surface area and more active catalytic positions, and thus exhibits high activity for the OER with a low overpotential of 290 mV, a suitable Tafel slope of 110 mV dec^-1, and superior stability and durability for at least 10 hours. CeO₂/CuO/NiO@N-rGO can also detect glucose with a high sensitivity of 912.7 μA mM^-1 cm^-2, a low detection limit of 0.053 μM, a wide linear range between 0.001 and 24 mM, and a short response time of about 2.9 s. Moreover, the high selectivity and stability of this electrode for glucose sensing show its potential for clinical applications.

Acute Scrotum in Children: A Retrospective Study of Cases With Review of Literature

BACKGROUND

Testicular pain or swelling, often referred to as acute scrotum, can have a number of causes and presentations. Testicular torsion is an emergency condition requiring early diagnosis and surgery to salvage the involved testis in order to preserve testicular fertility. The study is aimed to know the incidence, aetiology, and management of acute scrotal conditions with a particular focus on testicular torsion. Epididymorchitis, trauma, and scrotal cellulitis are other causes of acute scrotum which are managed conservatively after proper investigations.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

 The authors retrospectively reviewed 10-year epidemiological data of all children age under 14 years admitted to the tertiary care hospital with the diagnosis of acute scrotum. Data were collected about the clinical history, physical examination, biochemical investigations, Doppler ultrasound, and management done.

RESULTS

 133 children aged between 0 days and 14 years (mean age, 7.5 years) were found to have acute scrotum out of which 67 (50.37%) patients had epididymitis, 54 (40.60%) patients presented with Torsion testis, three (2.25%) had torsion of testicular appendages, eight (6.01%) had scrotal cellulitis and one (0.75%) presented with a strangulated hernia. Due to late presentation, testis could be salvaged in only eight of the 54 patients with torsion testis. The testicular loss was seen more in bigger children and those with signs of infection in blood reports and colour Doppler showing no blood flow in the testis.

CONCLUSION

 The study results indicate that non-recognition of the severity of paediatric acute scrotum results in late presentation leading to testicular loss. Timely diagnosis will require sensitization of the parents, primary care providers, and paediatricians for this grave condition which leads to permanent testicular loss.