Do small for gestational age fetuses have placental pathologies?

PURPOSE

Although small for gestational age (SGA) does not cause adverse perinatal outcomes, the placental pathology for fetal growth restricted (FGR) and SGA fetuses is still unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the differences between placentas of early onset FGR, late onset FGR, SGA, and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) pregnancies in the manner of microvasculature and expression of anti-angiogenic PEDF factor and CD68.

METHODS

The study included four groups (early onset FGR, late onset FGR, SGA and AGA). Placental samples were obtained just after labor in all of the groups. Degenerative criteria were investigated with Hematoxylin-eosin staining. Immunohistochemical evaluation with H score and m RNA levels of Cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) and pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) were performed for each group.

RESULTS

The highest levels of degeneration were detected in the early onset FGR group. In means of degeneration SGA placentas were found to be worse than the AGA placentas. The intensity of PEDF and CD68 were significant in early FGR, the late FGR and SGA groups compared to the AGA group (p < 0.001). The mRNA level results of the PEDF and CD68 were also parallel to the immunostaining results.

CONCLUSION

Although SGA fetuses are considered constitutionally small, the SGA placentas also demonstrated signs of degeneration similar to the FGR placentas. These degenerative signs were not seen among the AGA placentas.

Ex vivo investigation of betaine and boric acid function as preprotective agents on rat synaptosomes to be treated with Aβ (1-42)

Recent evidence suggests that ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death process, may be involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. The study evaluated the therapeutic potential of betaine and boric acid (BA) pretreatment administered to rats for 21 days in AD. Then, the rats were sacrificed, and morphological and biochemical analyses were performed in brain tissues. Next, an ex vivo AD model was created by applying amyloid-β (Aβ1-42) to synaptosomes isolated from the brain tissues. Synaptosomes were analyzed with micrograph images, and protein and mRNA levels of ferroptotic markers were determined. Betaine and BA pretreatments did not cause any morphological and biochemical differences in the brain tissue. However, Aβ (1-42) administration in synaptosomes increased the levels of acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member-4 (ACSL4), transferrin receptor-1 protein (TfR1), malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and decreased the levels glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPx4) and glutathione (GSH). Moreover, ACSL4, GPx4, and TfR1 mRNA and protein levels were similar to the ELISA results. In contrast, betaine and BA pretreatments decreased the levels of ACSL4, TfR1, MDA, and 8-OHdG in synaptosomes incubated with Aβ1-42, while promoting increased levels of GPx4 and GSH. In addition, betaine and BA pretreatments completely reversed ACSL4, GPx4, and TfR1 mRNA and protein levels. Therefore, betaine and BA pretreatments may contribute to the prevention of neurodegenerative damage by supporting antiferroptotic activities.

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

Testicular torsion (T)/detorsion (D) can cause testicular injury due to the rotation of the spermatic cord and its vessels, therefore it represents an urological emergency that is surgically treated. Oxidative damage occurs in the testis and distant organs because of the overproduction of free radicals and overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines by reperfusion after surgery. Cerium oxide (CeO₂) nanoparticles, a material also known as nanoceria, have regenerative antioxidant properties on oxidative stress. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of nanoceria on testis tissues in testicular T/D in rats. A total of 24 rats were equally and randomly divided into four groups: Control, CeO₂, T/D and CeO2-T/D groups. Left inguinoscrotal incision was performed in the control group. In the CeO₂ group, 0.5 mg/kg CeO₂ was given intraperitoneally 30 min before inguinoscrotal incision. In the T/D group, unilateral testicular T/D was performed through an inguinoscrotal incision and rotating the left testis 720˚ clockwise, which was then left ischemic for 120 min, followed by 120 min of reperfusion. In the CeO₂-T/D group, 0.5 mg/kg CeO₂ was given intraperitoneally 30 min before testicular T/D. At the end of the experiment, testis tissues were removed for histopathological and biochemical examinations. The samples were histologically examined, Glutathione-s transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), paraoxonase (PON) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured via biochemical analysis methods, while the expression levels of p53, Bax and Bcl-2 were detected using immunohistochemistry. The present results revealed statistically significant inter-group differences in PON, CAT and GST activities and MDA levels. GST, CAT and PON activities were significantly higher, whereas MDA levels in the CeO₂-T/D group were significantly lower compared with those in the T/D group. The T/D group had increased Bax and decreased Bcl-2 expression levels in their seminiferous tubules compared with the control and CeO₂ groups. CeO₂ treatment led to downregulation of Bax and upregulation of Bcl-2. The expression of p53 was high in the T/D group compared with that in the control and CeO2 groups, and was upregulated in all germinal cells. However, compared with that in the T/D group, p53 expression was significantly decreased in the CeO₂-T/D group. The testicular injury score significantly increased in the CeO₂-T/D group compared with the control and CeO₂ groups. Rats in the CeO₂-T/D group demonstrated significantly milder tissue lesions compared with those in T/D group. The present findings indicated that nanoceria may protect testis in rats against the harmful effects of T/D. Further studies are required to evaluate how CeO₂ reduces oxidative stress and cell death in testis tissue that underwent T/D-related injury.

Bacopa Monnieri Protects the Directly Affected Organ as Well as Distant Organs Against I/R Injury by Modulating Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Nitrosative Pathways in A Rat Model for Infra-Renal Aortic Occlusion

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanisms of B. monnieri, a medicinal plant, on kidney and skeletal muscle injury induced by infra-renal abdominal aorta clamping for 2-hours (ischemia) and following removal of the clamp (reperfusion, 2-hours).

METHODS

Rats were divided into four groups (n = 6): (I) animals given only saline (sham-control); (II) animals given B. monnieri extract for 10-days (300 mg/kg/day) (Bacopa-treated sham); (III) animals subjected to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R); (IV) animals given B. monnieri extract and then subjected to I/R. Kidneys and lower extremity muscles were examined for GPx, CAT, iNOS, 3-NT, IL-1β and TNF-α. Apoptosis and injury were evaluated by TUNEL and H&E staining, respectively.

RESULTS

I/R resulted in TUNEL positive cells, periarterial edema and glomerular capillary dilatation, decreased GPx activity, unchanged CAT, iNOS, 3-NT, IL-1β and TNF-α in kidney. B. monnieri minimized renal remote reperfusion injury, and Group IV showed a lower degree of renal histopathology score when compared to the others. B. monnieri mitigated muscle I/R injury, decreased muscle hypertrophy, myofibril abnormalities and apoptosis. Muscle 3-NT and cytokine levels were increased by I/R, and B. monnieri inhibited iNOS and 3-NT both in sham-control and I/R groups. Muscle GPx unaffected by I/R or B. monnieri, but CAT was inhibited only in B. monnieri-treated I/R group. Muscle iNOS, 3-NT, IL-1β, TNF-α levels and CAT activity of B. monnieri-treated I/R rats were lower than those in sham-control or Bacopa-treated sham.

CONCLUSIONS

B. monnieri can protect the directly affected organ as well as distant organs against I/R injury by modulating anti-inflammatory and anti-nitrosative pathways.

Can Quercetin be an Option for Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury? An Experimental Study

AIM

To determine the neuroprotective functions of quercetin and compare them with methylprednisolone in an experimental spinal cord injury model in rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty male, Wistar rats were assigned to five experimental groups: sham (n=6), trauma (n=6), methylprednisolone (n=6), single dose quercetin (n=6), and multiple doses of quercetin (n=6). An aneurysm clip compression method was used to produce spinal cord injury at level T7-9 after performing a laminectomy. In the sham group, only a laminectomy was performed. Clip compression was performed to the spinal cord after laminectomy in the trauma group. For Group 3, a single dose of intraperitoneal (ip) methylprednisolone (30mg/kg) was administered after laminectomy and trauma. A single dose of ip quercet in (100mg/kg) was administered after laminectomy and trauma in Group 4. For Group 5, multiple doses of ip quercetin (100 mg/kg) were administered on the first, second, and third days after laminectomy and trauma. Spinal cord and serum samples were obtained to measure the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), total antioxidant levels (TAL) at the 72nd hour. Neurofunctional examinations of all the rats according to Drummond and Moore criteria and inclined-plane tests to evaluate functional healing were performed. All rats were sacrificed via intracardiac blood depletion after the procedure.

RESULTS

Quercetin and methylprednisolone both increased plasma and tissue levels of NO and MDA, and decreased TAL, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). NO and MDA levels in plasma and tissue were significantly higher in the trauma group (Group 2) when compared to the sham group (Group 1), and TAL levels were significantly lower (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant increase in the treatment group's inclined-plane test (p < 0.05), while there was no difference in motor examination evaluations.

CONCLUSION

The results of this experimental study suggest that quercetin can be thought as an option of treatment in spinal cord injury.