Effects of Different Intensity Exercise on Glucose Metabolism and Hepatic IRS/PI3K/AKT Pathway in SD Rats Exposed with TCDD

The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of different intensity exercise and 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure on glucose metabolism in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, as well as the action of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases (PI3K)/protein kinase (AKT) signaling pathway in it. Besides that, we explored whether exercise can alleviate the toxicity induced by TCDD. Sixty male SD rats (8 weeks old) were randomly divided into non-exercise group, none-exercise toxic group, moderate-intensity exercise group, moderate-intensity exercise toxic group, high-intensity exercise group, high-intensity exercise toxic group. The toxic groups were intraperitoneally injected with TCDD, which the dose was 6.4 µg/kg· BW for the first week, then 21% of the above week dose for continuous 8 weeks. The 8-week treadmill running of moderate intensity (15 m/min, 60 min/day) and high intensity (26 m/min, 35 min/day) were implemented separately in exercise groups five times a week. After detecting the concentration of fasting serum glucose, insulin and C-peptide, the index of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and islet β-cell secretion (HOMA-β) were calculated. We measured the hepatic mRNA expression levels of IRS2, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA), AKT by real-time PCR. The protein expression of total IRS2 (tIRS2), phosphorylated IRS2 at Ser731 (pSer731), total PIK3CA (tPIK3CA), total Akt (tAkt), phosphorylated Akt at Thr308 (pThr308) in liver were analyzed by western blot. We observed that compared to the non-exercise group, insulin and HOMA-IR index were significantly higher in the none-exercise toxic group (p < 0.05), while glucose, insulin, C-peptide and HOMA-IR index were significantly lower in the moderate-intensity exercise group (p < 0.05). In the high-intensity exercise group, the HOMA-IR index was significantly lower and the gene expression of IRS2 was significantly higher than in the non-exercise group (p < 0.05). Besides that, the HOMA-β index in the moderate-intensity exercise toxic group was significantly higher compared to the none-exercise toxic group and moderate-intensity exercise group (p < 0.05). The level of IRS2mRNA was significantly lower in the high-intensity exercise toxic group than in the high-intensity exercise group (p < 0.05). Our results demonstrated that 8-week TCDD exposure could induce insulin resistance in rats, while exercise could improve insulin sensitivity in which moderate intensity was more obvious than high intensity exercise. Meanwhile, both intensity exercise could not effectively alleviate the insulin resistance induced by TCDD, but high intensity exercise could promote compensatory insulin secretion to maintain glucose homeostasis. Although the gene expression of IRS2 was changed in high-intensity exercise groups, the mediation role of the hepatic IRS2/PI3K/AKT pathway in the effects of exercise and TCDD exposure on glucose metabolism remains very limited.

AFB1 Induced Transcriptional Regulation Related to Apoptosis and Lipid Metabolism in Liver of Chicken

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) leads to a major risk to poultry and its residues in meat products can also pose serious threat to human health. In this study, after feeding 165-day-old Roman laying hens for 35 days, the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 at different concentrations were evaluated. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of liver toxicosis responses to AFB1. We found that highly toxic group exposure resulted in liver fat deposition, increased interstitial space, and hepatocyte apoptosis in laying hens. Furthermore, a total of 164 differentially expressed lnRNAs and 186 differentially expressed genes were found to be highly correlated (Pearson Correlation Coefficient > 0.80, p-value < 0.05) by sequencing the transcriptome of control (CB) and highly toxic group (TB3) chickens. We also identify 29 differentially expressed genes and 19 miRNAs that have targeted regulatory relationships. Based on the liver cell apoptosis and fatty liver syndrome that this research focused on, we found that the highly toxic AFB1 led to dysregulation of the expression of PPARG and BCL6. They are cis-regulated by TU10057 and TU45776, respectively. PPARG was the target gene of gga-miR-301a-3p, gga-miR-301b-3p, and BCL6 was the target gene of gga-miR-190a-3p. In summary, highly toxic AFB1 affects the expression levels of protein-coding genes and miRNAs in the liver of Roman layer hens, as well as the expression level of long non-coding RNA in the liver, which upregulates the expression of PPARG and downregulates the expression of Bcl-6. Our study provides information on possible genetic regulatory networks in AFB1-induced hepatic fat deposition and hepatocyte apoptosis.

Effects of Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. in cyclophosphamide induced dyslipidaemia in albino rats

Background: Cyclophosphamide (CP) is commonly used as anticancer and immuno suppressant agent. It induces hyperlipidemia and myocardium damage. Ipomoea aquatic Forsk. is traditionally used for cardiovascular disease, paralysis and general debility. The present study was done to evaluate the protective effect of the plant against CP induced dyslipidaemia in albino rats.Methods: Twenty albino rats were divided into 4 groups of 5 animals each. Group I (normal group) received normal saline intraperitoneally. Groups II to IV received CP (200mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) single dose on day 1 of experimental period. Groups I and II (toxic group) animals were given 2% gum acacia per orally daily for 10 days. Groups III and IV received aqueous extract of stem and leaves of Ipomoea aquatica 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg per orally respectively daily for 10 days. On 11th day, blood samples were collected for estimation of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol and heart tissues were sent for histopathology examination (HPE).Results: CP administration significantly (P<0.05) increased the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and decreased the level of HDL-cholesterol in toxic group compared to normal group. Treatment with aqueous extract of Ipomoea aquatica significantly (P<0.05) reversed the status of lipid profile compared to toxic group. HPE of myocardium showed reversal of the toxic effects of CP in the extract treated groups.Conclusions: Ipomoea aquatica showed protective effects against CP induced dyslipidaemia in albino rats.

Aqueous Extract of Allium sativum (Linn.) Bulbs Ameliorated Pituitary-Testicular Injury and Dysfunction in Wistar Rats with Pb-Induced Reproductive Disturbances

AIM: To determine the effects of aqueous extract of Allium sativum bulbs (AEASAB) on pituitary-testicular injury and dysfunction in Wistar rats with lead-induced reproductive disturbances.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups such that the control group received propylene glycol at 0.2 ml/100 g intraperitoneally for 10 consecutive days, the toxic group received lead (Pb) alone at 15 mg/kg/day via intraperitoneal route for 10 days while the treatment groups were pretreated with lead as the toxic group after which they received graded doses of the extract at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day via oral route for 28 days. RESULTS: Pb administration induced significant deleterious alterations in the antioxidant status of the brain and testis, sperm characterization (counts, motility and viability) as well as reproductive hormones (FSH, LH and testosterone) of exposed rats (p < 0.05). These were significantly reversed in the AEASAB-treated groups (p < 0.05). Also, there was marked improvement in the Pb-induced vascular congestion and cellular loss in the pituitary while the observed Pb-induced severe testicular vacuolation was significantly reversed in the representative photomicrographs, following administration of the extract.CONCLUSION: AEASAB treatment ameliorated the pituitary-testicular injury and dysfunction in Wistar rats with Pb-Induced reproductive disturbances.

Study the Pathological Effects of the Combination of Estrogen and Progesterone Hormones on Some Organs Experimentally Induced in Mice

The aim of this study was design to investigate the pathological changes for one month after therapeutic and toxic doses of subcutaneous injection of estrogen and progesterone combination hormones in mice, on the target organs testis and epidydimus in males and uterus and ovary in females. As well as the effects on non-target organ of Brain, liver spleen, intestine, stomach, kidney and lung in both sexes. The results showed sever pathological changes in male's testis and epidydimus and in females, uterus and the ovary. It is characterized by some pathological changes in toxic group less severity than in the therapeutic group.Also, in non-target organs brain and spleen of toxic group of males and females showed some pathological changes while therapeutic group almost appear normal. The liver and kidney were affected in both groups (therapeutic and Toxic) in males and females. Other organs like intestine stomach, Lung doesn't showed any change in both groups.