scholarly journals The Connexin 43 Carboxyl Terminal Mimetic Peptide αCT1 Prompts Differentiation of a Collagen Scar Matrix Resembling Unwounded Skin

Author(s):  
Jade Montgomery ◽  
William J. Richardson ◽  
J. Matthew Rhett ◽  
Francis Bustos ◽  
Katherine Degen ◽  
...  

AbstractPhase II clinical trials have reported that acute treatment of surgical skin wounds with the therapeutic peptide αCT1 improves cutaneous scar appearance by 47% 9-months post-surgery – though mode-of-action remains unknown. Scar matrix structure in biopsies 2 to 6 weeks post-wounding treated topically with αCT1 or control treatments from human subjects, Sprague-Dawley rats, and IAF hairless guinea pigs were compared. The sole effect on scar structure in humans was that αCT1-treated scars had less alignment of collagen fibers relative to control wounds, a state that resembles unwounded skin. This more random alignment was recapitulated in both animal models, together with transient increases in collagen density, although the guinea pig was found to more closely replicate the pattern of response to αCT1 in human scars, compared to rat. Fibroblasts treated with αCT1 in vitro showed decreased directionality and an agent-based computational model parameterized with fibroblast motility data predicted collagen alignments in simulated scars consistent with that observed experimentally in human and the animal models. In conclusion, αCT1 prompts decreased directionality of fibroblast movement and the generation of a 3D collagen matrix post-wounding that is similar to unwounded skin – changes that correlate with long-term improvement in scar appearance.

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Himanshu Kushwah ◽  
Nidhi Sandal ◽  
Meenakshi Chauhan ◽  
Gaurav Mittal

Abstract Background Uncontrolled bleeding is one of the primary reasons for preventable death in both civilian trauma and military battle field. This study evaluates in vitro and in vivo hemostatic potential of four biopolymeric natural gums, namely, gum tragacanth, guar gum, xanthan gum, and gum acacia. In vitro evaluation of whole blood clotting time and erythrocyte agglutination assay were carried out. In vitro cytotoxicity studies with respect to each gum were done in human lymphocytes to ascertain percent cell viability. In vivo hemostatic potential of each gum (as sponge dressing and powder form) was evaluated in Sprague Dawley rats using tail bleeding assay and compared with commercially available hemostatic sponge. Other important parameters like (a) time taken for complete hemostasis, (b) amount of blood absorbed, (c) adherence strength of developed hemostatic dressing(s), (d) incidence of re-bleeding, and (e) survival of animals were also studied. Results Of the four test gums studied, xanthan gum (@3mg/ml of blood) and gum tragacanth (@35mg/ml of blood) were able to clot blood in least time (58.75±6.408 s and 59.00±2.082 s, respectively) and exhibited very good hemostatic potential in vitro. Except for xanthan gum, all other test gums did not exhibit any significant cytotoxicity at different time points till 24 h. In rat tail bleeding experiments, gum tragacanth sponge dressing and powder achieved hemostasis in least time (156.2±12.86 s and 76±12.55 s, respectively) and much earlier than commercially available product (333.3±38.84 s; p˂0.01). Conclusion Results indicate potential of gum tragacanth to be developed into a suitable hemostatic product.


Biologia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuechai Chen ◽  
Abida Arshad ◽  
Hong Qing ◽  
Rui Wang ◽  
Jianqing Lu ◽  
...  

AbstractSalsolinol (1-methyl-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline; Sal) is structurally similar to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, which is supposed to have a role in the development of Parkinson-like syndrome in both human and non-human subjects. In the human brain, the amount of (R)-enantiomer of Sal is much higher than (S)-enantiomer, suggesting that a putative enzyme may participate in the synthesis of (R)-salsolinol, called (R)-salsolinol synthase. In this study, the (R)-salsolinol synthase activity in the condensation of dopamine and acetaldehyde was investigated in the crude extracts from the brains of Sprague Dawley rats. Identification of the enzymatic reaction products and enzyme activity detection were achieved by HPLC-electrochemical detection. The discovery of this enzyme activity in rat’s brain indicates the natural existence of (R)-salsolinol synthase in the brains of humans and rats, and it is distributed in most brain regions of rat with higher activity in soluble proteins extracted from striatum and substantia nigra.


1991 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 125-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Bevan ◽  
David M. Ruggio

To evaluate health risks associated with exposure to particulates in the environment, it is necessary to quantify the bioavailability of carcinogens associated with the particulates. Direct analysis of bioavailability in vivo is most readily accomplished by adsorbing a radiolabeled form of the carcinogen to the particulate. A sam ple of native diesel particulate collected from an Oldsmobile die sel engine that contained 1.03 μ g benzo[ a] pyrene ( BaP)/ g particulate was supplemented with exogenous [ 3 H]- BaP to pro duce a particulate containing 2.62 μ g BaP/g. To insure that elu tion of BaP from native and [3 H] -BaP-supplemented particulate was similar, in vitro analyses were performed. When using phos pholipid vesicles composed of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC), 1.52% of total BaP was eluted from native particulate into the vesicles in 18 hrs; from [ 3 H] -BaP supplemented particu late, 1.68% was eluted. Using toluene as eluent, 2.55% was eluted from native particulate, and 8.25% from supplemented particulate, in 6 hrs. Supplemented particulate was then instilled intratracheally into male Sprague-Dawley rats and distribution of radioactivity was analyzed at selected times over 3 days. About 50% of radioactivity remained in lungs at 3 days following instil lation, with 30% being excreted into feces and the remainder dis tributed throughout the organs of the rats. To estimate the amount of radioactivity that entered feces through swallowing of a portion of the instilled dose, [3 H] -BaP-supplemented particu late was instilled intratracheally into rats that had a cannula sur gically implanted in the bile duct. Rate of elimination of radio activity into bile was monitored; 10.6% of radioactivity was re covered in 6 hr, an amount slightly lower than the 12.8% ex creted in 6 hrs into feces of animals with intact bile ducts. Our studies provide a quantitative description of the distribution of BaP and its metabolites following intratracheal instillation of diesel particulate. Because rates of elution of BaP in vitro are similar for native diesel particulate and particulate with supple mental [ 3H] -BaP, our results provide a reasonable estimate of the bioavailability in vivo of BaP associated with diesel particu late.


2013 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 385-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoinette Y. Odendaal ◽  
Narendra S. Deshmukh ◽  
Tennille K. Marx ◽  
Alexander G. Schauss ◽  
John R. Endres ◽  
...  

This toxicological assessment evaluated the safety of a hydroethanolic extract prepared from Caralluma fimbriata (CFE), a dietary supplement marketed worldwide as an appetite suppressant. Studies included 2 in vitro genotoxicity assays, a repeated dose oral toxicity study, and a developmental study in rats. No evidence of in vitro mutagenicity or clastogenicity surfaced in the in vitro studies at concentrations up to 5000 μg of extract/plate (Ames test) or 5000 μg of extract/mL (chromosomal aberration test). No deaths or treatment-related toxicity were seen in the 6-month chronic oral toxicity study in Sprague-Dawley rats conducted at 3 doses (100, 300, and 1000 mg/kg body weight (bw)/d). The no observed effect level for CFE in this study was considered to be 1000 mg/kg bw/d. A prenatal developmental toxicity study conducted at 3 doses (250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg bw/d) in female Sprague-Dawley rats resulted in no treatment-related external, visceral, or skeletal fetal abnormalities, and no treatment-related maternal or pregnancy alterations were seen at and up to the maximum dose tested. CFE was not associated with any toxicity or adverse events.


1993 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy G. Hackett ◽  
John J. Kotyk ◽  
Hideji. Fujiwara ◽  
Eugene W. Logusch

Author(s):  
Nurarita Fadila Zesiorani ◽  
Effionora Anwar

Objective: This study aims to formulate and characterize a transfersome apple peel extract, formulate it into a gel, and compare it with a control gelmade without transfersome.Methods: Both gels were evaluated, stability tested, and penetration tested using Franz diffusion cells on the skin of female Sprague-Dawley rats. Thetransfersome preparations were formulated with different concentrations of the active substance, quercetin: 0.5% (F1); 0.7% (F2), and 1.0% (F3).Results: Based on the characterization results, F1 was selected as the optimum gel formulation because it had spherical morphology, a Dmean volume of106.44±2.70 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.078±0.01, a zeta potential of −49.96±2.05 mV, and a drug efficiency entrapment percentage of 78.78±0.46%.The cumulative amount of quercetin that was penetrated with the transfersome gel was 1514.41±26.31 μg/cm2, whereas the penetration with thecontrol gel extract was 1133.62±18.96 μg/cm2. The cumulative percentages of the penetrated gel transfersome and gel extract were 78.40±1.89%and 49.89±0.88%, respectively. The fluxes of transfersome gel and control gel extract were 52.33±0.11 μg/cm²/hrs and 40.89±0.68 μg/cm²/hrs,respectively.Conclusions: Based on these results, it can be concluded that the gel with transfersome exhibited better penetration than the gel extract alone.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 40-46
Author(s):  
Agustin Wulan Suci-Dharmayanti ◽  
Ajeng Nurwahyuningtyas Anjani ◽  
Ari Tri Wanodyo Handayani ◽  
Zahreni Hamzah ◽  
Zahara Meilawaty ◽  
...  

The ovaries represent the female reproductive organs that determine the women's fertility status and their systemic and oral health, correlating to sex steroid hormone alteration. This study aimed to investigate the effect of cassava leaves extract treatment to SOD expression in the animal model-ovaries after Porphyromonas gingivalis injection. 15 female Sprague Dawley rats were used and divided into five groups: (1) control without cassava leaves extract treatment (C); (2) P. gingivalis without cassava leaves extract treatment (T1); (3) P. gingivalis and cassava leaves extract (T2); (4) P. gingivalis and vitamin C (T3); and (5) P. gingivalis and metronidazole (T4). Animal were euthanised at day seven after the initial treatment to collect ovaries. The ovaries sections were immunohistochemically stained to quantify SOD expression using light microscope while the Image J software was used to quantify the SOD expression. The results showed that all of the follicle types had the same intensity of SOD expression. Most of the follicles exhibited low intensity of SOD expression, except for atretic follicles. In conclusion, P. gingivalis and cassava leaves extract influenced SOD expression in the ovaries of animal models, which increased the SOD expression.


1990 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Om P. Sharma ◽  
Shafiq A. Khan ◽  
Gerhard F. Weinbauer ◽  
Mohammed Arslan ◽  
Eberhard Nieschlag

Abstract The effects of androgens on the bioactivity and molecular composition of pituitary FSH were examined in intact and GnRH antagonist-suppressed male rats. Eight groups of adult Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the following treatments: antagonist (75 μg/day by osmotic minipumps; sc), testosterone-filled Silastic implants (3×5 cm, sc), dihydrotestosterone-filled Silastic implants (3×5 cm, sc), E2 benzoate (15 μg/day, sc), and combined administration of antagonist with either steroid for 3 weeks. At the end of the treatment period, pituitaries were dissected out and homogenised. FSH content was determined in the pituitary extracts by an in vitro bioassay and a radioimmunoassay. Individual pituitary extracts from rats treated with vehicle, testosterone and testosterone + antagonist were subjected to isoelectric-focusing on sucrose density gradients performed in the pH range from 3.5 to 7.0. Individual isoelectric-focusing fractions (100-120) were analysed for bioactive and immunoreactive FSH. Treatment with antagonist, E2 or antagonist + E2 caused a significant decrease in pituitary FSH, whereas testosterone and dihydrotesterone alone or in combination with antagonist prevented the decrease in pituitary FSH. The effects of all treatments on both bioactive and immunoreactive FSH were similar. Testosterone treatment not only maintained FSH synthesis but also altered the molecular composition of pituitary FSH. Following treatment with testosterone there was a shift of maximal FSH bioactivity to the more acidic pH range. On the other hand, less bioactivity was recovered than corresponding immunoreactivity in the higher pH region, resulting in significantly reduced ratios of bioactivity to immunoreactivity of FSH. No significant differences were found in the isoelectric-focusing profiles or bioactivity to immunoreactivity ratios of pituitary FSH in animals treated with testosterone alone or in combination with antagonist. The results demonstrate that testosterone not only maintained the synthesis of both bioactive and immunoreactive FSH in male rats, but also influences the molecular composition of pituitary FSH. These effects of testosterone on pituitary FSH appear not to be mediated through hypothalamic GnRH.


1973 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 539-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
VARAPAN DANUTRA ◽  
MAUREEN E. HARPER ◽  
K. GRIFFITHS

SUMMARY Male Sprague—Dawley rats were injected (i.m.) daily for 10 days with 100 μg of either oestradiol-17β, diethylstilboestrol (DES), dl-dihydrodibutylstilboestrol (dl-DHBS) or meso-dihydrodibutylstilboestrol (meso-DHBS) in 0·2 ml sesame oil. After 10 days, the testicular tissue was removed and incubated simultaneously with [7α-3H]dehydroepiandrosterone and [4-14C]17α-hydroxyprogesterone. Less testosterone was synthesized by the testicular tissue from animals treated with oestradiol-17β, DES and meso-DHBS than by the controls or animals treated with dl-DHBS. The decreased synthetic activity was related to the decreased activity of both the 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17α-pregnene-C17, 20-lyase enzyme systems. Prostatic tissue was also incubated with [7α-3H]testosterone. Administration of DES, oestradiol-17β or meso-DHBS increased the metabolism of testosterone by the prostatic tissue with a marked effect on the 5α-reductase enzyme system.


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