Laminar Necrosis of Placental Membranes: A Histologic Sign of Uteroplacental Hypoxia

Laminar necrosis of placental membranes (LN), a band of coagulative necrosis at the choriodecidual interphase, is a histologic lesion of unclear pathogenesis that has been reported in placentas from preeclampsia, preterm premature rupture of membranes, and preterm abruption. To better explore other possible correlations of LN, we performed a retrospective case-control study in which data on pregnancy risks and outcomes, neonate conditions, and placental gross, routine microscopic, and selected immunohistochemistry examinations in 52 consecutive cases of LN were compared with 52 gestational age-matched control cases without LN. Maternal hypertensive disorders and combinations of 2 or more maternal, fetal, neonatal, or placental conditions known to be potentially associated with uteroplacental hypoxia were more prevalent in patients with LN than in control patients. By immunohistochemistry, LN areas were positive for complement 9 (marker of necrosis) and negative for active caspase 3 (marker of irreversible apoptosis), nitrotyrosine residues (marker of oxidative stress), and Ki-67 (proliferation marker), thus confirming their necrotic rather than apoptotic nature. However, LN areas were flanked by caspase 3 positivity, and the positivity for nitrotyrosine residues was more pronounced in the decidua and mesenchyme in the same membrane rolls as LN, which indicates a probable role of apoptosis and oxidative stress in the development of LN. Based on these immunohistochemical results and clinicopathologic correlations, we believe LN should be recognized and reported as a hypoxic placental lesion.

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Protective role of Sterculia tragacantha aqueous extract on pancreatic gene expression and oxidative stress parameters in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine ◽

10.1515/jcim-2021-0020 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Basiru Olaitan Ajiboye ◽

Babatunji Emmanuel Oyinloye ◽

Jennifer Chidera Awurum ◽

Sunday Amos Onikanni ◽

Adedotun Adefolalu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Body Weight ◽

Protective Role ◽

Diabetic Rats ◽

Gene Expressions ◽

Ki 67 ◽

Oxidative Stress Parameters ◽

And Oxidative Stress ◽

Stress Parameters

Abstract Objectives The current study evaluates the protective role of aqueous extract of Sterculia tragacantha leaf (AESTL) on pancreatic gene expressions (insulin, PCNA, PDX-1, KI-67 and GLP-1R) and oxidative stress parameters in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods Diabetes mellitus was induced into the experimental Wistar animals via intraperitoneal (IP) injection of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg body weight) and 5% glucose water was given to the rats for 24 h after induction. The animals were categorized into five groups of 10 rats each as follows normal control, diabetic control, diabetic rats administered AESTL (150 and 300 mg/kg body weight) and diabetic rats administered metformin (200 mg/kg) orally for two weeks. Thereafter, the animals were euthanized, blood sample collected, pancreas harvested and some pancreatic gene expressions (such as insulin, PCNA, PDX-1, KI-67, and GLP-1R)s as well as oxidative stress parameters were analyzed. Results The results revealed that AESTL significantly (p<0.05) reduced fasting blood glucose level, food and water intake, and lipid peroxidation in diabetic rats. Diabetic rats administered different doses of AESTL showed a substantial upsurge in body weight, antioxidant enzyme activities, and pancreatic gene expressions (insulin, PCNA, PDX-1, KI-67, and GLP-1R). Conclusions It can therefore be concluded that AESTL has the ability to protect the pancreas during diabetes mellitus conditions.

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Do we really ponder about necessity of intravenous hydration in acute bronchiolitis?

Colombia Medica ◽

10.25100/cm.v47i1.1933 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 21-24

Author(s):

Şule Yıldırım ◽

Nazan Kaymaz ◽

Naci Topaloğlu ◽

Fatih Köksal Binnetoğlu ◽

Mustafa Tekin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Acute Bronchiolitis ◽

Retrospective Case ◽

Short Acting ◽

Severity Scores ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Intravenous Hydration ◽

Β2 Agonist ◽

Control Study

Objective: The goal was to establish the role of intravenous hydration therapy on mild bronchiolitis. Methods: This was a retrospective case control study. Infants between 1 month and 2 years of age admitted to our general pediatrics ward between June 2012 and June 2013 with a diagnosis of uncomplicated acute bronchiolitis were enrolled to the study. Hospital medical files were reviewed to get information about children personal history, symptoms of the disease, disease severity scores and their management. Patients were classified into 4 groups according to the management; nebulized short-acting β2-agonist (salbutamol) +hydration; nebulized short-acting β2-agonist (salbutamol); hydration and neither bronchodilator nor hydration. We examined length of stay in the hospital as an outcome measure. Results: A total of 94 infants were studied. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of length of stay in hospital. Conclusions: IV hydration is not effective on length of stay in hospital in mild acute bronchiolitis patients.

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P–142 Comparison of the IVF outcome in the course of ICSI vs PICSI treatment continuation in exactly the same group of HBA abnormal patients

Human Reproduction ◽

10.1093/humrep/deab130.141 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

M Rusin ◽

W Szecel ◽

M Jagiello ◽

J Liss ◽

K Lukaszuk

Keyword(s):

Binding Sites ◽

Poor Response ◽

Cumulus Cells ◽

Fertilization Rate ◽

Retrospective Case ◽

Plasmatic Membrane ◽

Registration Number ◽

Main Component ◽

Control Study

Abstract Study question Does the PICSI have a beneficial effect for men with abnormal HBA on the fertilization rate, blastocysts number and clinical pregnancies in the next attempt? Summary answer Patients with HBA <80% choosing to undergo PICSI after ICSI failure see an increase in blastocyst and pregnancy rates. What is known already Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a main component of cervical mucus and the extracellular matrix of cumulus cells. The formation of HA-binding sites in sperm cell membranes is one of the markers of sperm maturation indicating completion the spermatogenic process of remodelling the plasmatic membrane, cytoplasmic extrusion and nuclear maturity. Spermatozoa selected by the HA-binding technique (the physiologically selected intracytoplasmic sperm injection – PICSI) have a potentially reduced risk of chromosomal aneuploidy or DNA fragmentation. Recent evidence do not show significant benefits in using PICSI. However, it has not been analysed in the course of treatment continuation in the same patients. Study design, size, duration This was a retrospective case-control study. It included exactly the same 58 patients with abnormal HBA, who underwent IVF treatment with ICSI initially and later with PICSI, between January 2014 and October 2020 at INVICTA Fertility Centre, Poland. Median female partner age in PICSI group was 36,2±5,34, without PICSI 35,8 ±5,28. Participants/materials, setting, methods 275 cycles (130 ICSI and 145 PICSI) resulted in 793 and 897 MII respectively. Patients were also divided into two groups <80% and ≥80% depending on the obtained HBA score expressed as the percentage of sperm bound with hyaluronan. The analysis covered the fertilization rate (FR), TQ and total blastocyst rate on day 5 and clinical pregnancy rate. Patients with poor response to stimulation were excluded from the study. Main results and the role of chance FR in ICSI and PICSI groups was not significantly difference (57.00%±31.2 vs 59.87%±30.8) even when taking into account the division of patients according to the obtained HBA score. In the <80% group the FR was 57.04%±29.3 vs 59.54%±30.8 in ICSI vs PICSI group respectively. There were no significant differences when comparing the under HBA ≥80% subgroups for all analysed outcomes. Fertilization rate was 56.88% in the ICSI group vs 61.03% in the PICSI group. The percentage of blastocysts was 28.61% vs 34.45% and the percentage of TQ blastocysts on day 5 was 15.32% vs 16.81% with ICSI and PICSI respectively, in the group consisting of the same patients. In the HBA <80% group significant differences were observed in the percentage of obtained blastocysts 37.81% vs 47.61% by comparing the ICSI and PICSI approaches (p < 0.05). Also, percentage of TQ blastocyst on day 5 also was higher in patients with <80% HBA score after PICSI and was statistically significant (17.07% ICSI vs 23.92% PICSI, p < 0.05). We saw statistically significant (p < 0.01) increase in percentage of clinical pregnancies from 29.03% without PICSI to 69.44% in patient’s subsequent procedures involving PICSI. Limitations, reasons for caution More data is required to confirm that improved results of PICSI procedure are consistent and possible to reproduce in a larger group – and as a result could be included as part of the standard treatment process. Wider implications of the findings: The presented results show that in patients with normal HBA score, PICSI does not bring a measurable benefit and this may be important factor to consider in decision-making for couples seeking assistance. Trial registration number Not applicable

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The Lebanese COVID-19 Cohort; A Challenge for the ABO Blood Group System

Frontiers in Medicine ◽

10.3389/fmed.2020.585341 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Author(s):

Athar Khalil ◽

Rita Feghali ◽

Mahmoud Hassoun

Keyword(s):

Blood Group ◽

Severe Form ◽

Abo Blood Group ◽

Blood Group System ◽

Retrospective Case ◽

Genetic Characteristics ◽

Group System ◽

Different Populations ◽

Control Study

A sudden outbreak of pneumonia caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread all over the world facilitating the declaration of the resultant disease as a pandemic on March 2020. Predisposing factors for acquiring COVID-19 and for developing a severe form of this disease were postulated to be related to the epidemiological, clinical, and genetic characteristics of the patients. Biological markers such as the ABO blood group system were amongst these factors that were proposed to be linked to the variability in the disease course and/or the prevalence of the infection among different groups. Herein, we conducted the first retrospective case-control study from the Middle East and North Africa that tackles the association between the blood group types and the susceptibility to, as well as the severity of, SARS-CoV-2 infection. Contrary to the most acknowledged hypothesis, our results challenged the significance of this association and questioned the role of the ABO blood group system in dictating the severity of this disease. For future similar studies, we endorsed analyzing larger cohorts among different populations and we encouraged implementing more rigorous approaches to diminish the potential confounding effect of some underlying comorbidities and genetic variants that are known to be associated with the ABO blood group system.

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Curcumin Ameliorates Lead-Induced Hepatotoxicity by Suppressing Oxidative Stress and Inflammation, and Modulating Akt/GSK-3β Signaling Pathway

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom9110703 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 703 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ahlam Alhusaini ◽

Laila Fadda ◽

Iman H. Hasan ◽

Enas Zakaria ◽

Abeer M. Alenazi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Caspase 3 ◽

Tissue Injury ◽

Elevated Serum ◽

Antioxidant Defenses ◽

Exact Role ◽

Toxic Heavy Metal ◽

Tnf Α ◽

Gsk 3Β

Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal pollutant with adverse effects on the liver and other body organs. Curcumin (CUR) is the principal curcuminoid of turmeric and possesses strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. This study explored the protective effect of CUR on Pb hepatotoxicity with an emphasis on oxidative stress, inflammation and Akt/GSK-3β signaling. Rats received lead acetate and CUR and/or ascorbic acid (AA) for seven days and samples were collected for analyses. Pb(II) induced liver injury manifested by elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), as well as histopathological alterations, including massive hepatocyte degeneration and increased collagen deposition. Lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, TNF-α and DNA fragmentation were increased, whereas antioxidant defenses were diminished in the liver of Pb(II)-intoxicated rats. Pb(II) increased hepatic NF-κB and JNK phosphorylation and caspase-3 cleavage, whereas Akt and GSK-3β phosphorylation was decreased. CUR and/or AA ameliorated liver function, prevented tissue injury, and suppressed oxidative stress, DNA damage, NF-κB, JNK and caspase-3. In addition, CUR and/or AA activated Akt and inhibited GSK-3β in Pb(II)-induced rats. In conclusion, CUR prevents Pb(II) hepatotoxicity via attenuation of oxidative injury and inflammation, activation of Akt and inhibition of GSK-3β. However, further studies scrutinizing the exact role of Akt/GSK-3β signaling are recommended.

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Hepatoprotective Role of Hydrangea macrophylla against Sodium Arsenite-Induced Mitochondrial-Dependent Oxidative Stress via the Inhibition of MAPK/Caspase-3 Pathways

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms18071482 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (7) ◽

pp. 1482 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Md Akanda ◽

Hyun-Jin Tae ◽

In-Shik Kim ◽

Dongchoon Ahn ◽

Weishun Tian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Sodium Arsenite ◽

Caspase 3 ◽

Hydrangea Macrophylla

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The Protective Role of Prenatal Alpha Lipoic Acid Supplementation against Pancreatic Oxidative Damage in Offspring of Valproic Acid-Treated Rats: Histological and Molecular Study

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology9090239 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 239

Author(s):

Fatma M. Ghoneim ◽

Hani Alrefai ◽

Ayman Z. Elsamanoudy ◽

Salwa M. Abo El-khair ◽

Hanaa A. Khalaf

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Oxidative Damage ◽

Lipoic Acid ◽

Caspase 3 ◽

Protective Role ◽

Alpha Lipoic Acid ◽

Group Iii ◽

Rat Offspring ◽

Group I

Background: Sodium valproate (VPA) is an antiepileptic drug (AED) licensed for epilepsy and used during pregnancy in various indications. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a natural compound inducing endogenous antioxidant production. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal administration of VPA on the pancreas of rat offspring and assess the potential protective role of ALA co-administration during pregnancy. Methods: Twenty-eight pregnant female albino rats were divided into four groups: group I (negative control), group II (positive control, ALA treated), group III (VPA-treated), and group IV (VPA-ALA-treated). The pancreases of the rat offspring were removed at the fourth week postpartum and prepared for histological, immune-histochemical, morphometric, molecular, and oxidative stress marker studies. Results: In group III, there were pyknotic nuclei, vacuolated cytoplasm with ballooning of acinar, α, and β cells of the pancreas. Ultrastructural degeneration of cytoplasmic organelles was detected. Additionally, there was a significant increase in oxidative stress, a decrease in insulin-positive cell percentage, and an increase in glucagon positive cells in comparison to control groups. Moreover, VPA increased the gene expression of an apoptotic marker, caspase-3, with a decrease in anti-apoptotic Bcl2 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) transcriptional factor. Conversely, ALA improved oxidative stress and apoptosis in group VI, and a consequent improvement of the histological and ultrastructure picture was detected. Conclusion: ALA co-administration with VPA significantly improved the oxidative stress condition, histological and morphometric picture of the pancreas, and restored normal expression of related genes, including Nrf2, caspase-3, and Bcl-2. Administration of α-lipoic acid has a protective effect against VPA-induced pancreatic oxidative damage via its cytoprotective antioxidant effect.

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