Central microinjection of phytohormone abscisic acid changes feeding behavior,decreases body weight,and reduces brain oxidative stress in rats

Objectives: Natural products have a potential role on food intake in mammals. It has been reported that phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) has a regulatory role on metabolic processes. Here, the effects of ABA on feeding behavior and brain oxidative stress were investigated in male Wistar rats.

Methods: ABA was injected intracerebroventricularly. Experimental groups were included (n = 9): control (received no injection), ABA vehicle (received normal saline), and ABA-treated groups were injected with different doses of ABA (2.5, 5, and 10 μg/rat for 7 days). Daily cumulative daytime and nighttime food consumption, meal frequency, meal duration, and alteration in body weight were recorded. At the end of behavioral experiment, catalase and peroxidase activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) levels were assayed.

Results: The results showed that ABA (5 and 10 μg) increased the meal frequency. Moreover, ABA could decrease body weight and MDA and H₂O₂ levels and increased the catalase and peroxidase activities in diencephalon. It also decreased the MDA concentration in the brain stem.

Discussion: Taken together, ABA has an important effect on feeding behavior and body weight in rats likely via increasing antioxidant capacity. However, further studies are still required to determine the underlying mechanisms of ABA on the feeding behavior.     

Combination Therapy with PIK3R3-siRNA and EGFR-TKI Erlotinib Synergistically Suppresses Glioblastoma Cell Growth In Vitro

Background: Up-regulation of PIK3R3 (Phosphoinositide-3-Kinase Regulatory Subunit 3), the regulatory subunit of PI3K is correlated with the drug resistance of the glioblastoma cells. In the present study, the effect of PIK3R3 siRNA on erlotinib sensitivity of the U373-MG glioblastoma cells was explored. Methods: After PIK3R3 siRNA transfection, the expression of PIK3R3 mRNA was measured using RT-qPCR. Trypan blue exclusion assay was used to explore the effect of PIK3R3 siRNA on cell proliferation. The effects of PIK3R3 siRNA and erlotinib, alone and in combination, on cell survival and apoptosis were measured using MTT assay and ELISA cell death assay, respectively. Results: Our data showed that PIK3R3 siRNA markedly suppressed the expression of PIK3R3 in a time dependent way, inhibited the proliferation of the U373-MG cells and triggered apoptosis (p <0.05, relative to blank control). Pretreatment with PIK3R3 siRNA synergistically decreased the cell survival rate and lowered the IC50 of erlotinib. Moreover, PIK3R3 siRNA markedly enhanced the apoptotic effect of erlotinib. Conclusions: Our data propose that suppression of PIK3R3 can effectively triggers apoptosis and enhances the sensitivity of the glioblastoma cells to EGFR-TKI erlotinib. Thus, PIK3R3 can be a potential therapeutic target in glioblastoma patients.     

Alpha heavy-chain disease in Southern Iran

A prospective study of 32 patients with primary upper small intestinal lymphoma in our region revealed 10 cases of alpha heavy-chain disease. Patients were mostly in the second and third decades of life and males predominated. Weight loss, diarrhea, and abdominal pain were the most common complaints and clubbing the most frequent physical findings. Laboratory tests revealed a malabsorption pattern on intestinal x-rays, and malabsorption of xylose, fat, and vitaminB ₁₂ was frequently noted. Dense plasmacytic infiltrate of the lamina propria of small bowel was the most frequent pathologic finding while true neoplasm of the lymphoid system (ie, immunoblastic sarcoma) was encountered in 20% of the cases.     

The (CF3C(O)NH)(C6H5CH2NH)2P(O) phosphoric triamide as a novel carrier with excellent efficiency for Cu(ii) in a liquid membrane transport system

Transport of Ag(i), Cd(ii), Co(ii), Cu(ii), Ni(ii), Pb(ii) and Zn(ii) cations across a bulk liquid membrane (BLM) containing N,N′-dibenzyl-N′′-(2,2,2-trifluoroacetyl)-phosphoric triamide (PTC) as a new carrier is studied by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results show selective and efficient transport of the copper(ii) cation from aqueous solution in the presence of the other cations. Various factors are optimized in order to obtain maximum transport efficiency. The PTC ligand is characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, IR, NMR (¹⁹F, ³¹P, ¹H, ¹³C) and mass spectroscopy. The complex formation reaction between copper(ii) and PTC is studied by a conductometric method, which shows the 1 : 1 stoichiometry for ligand and copper(ii).

Selective transport of Cu(ii) cation in the presence of six other cations across a bulk liquid membrane containing a novel phosphoric triamide carrier is studied.     

Role of endogenous cannabinoids in ischemia/reperfusion injury following testicular torsion in rats

Objectives:   The role of endogenous cannabinoids in ischemia/reperfusion induced germ cell apoptosis in rats was investigated.
Methods:   Baseline group was for basal normal values. The Sham operated group served as a control group. The torsion/detorsion (T/D) group underwent torsion (1 h) and detorsion; AN1, AN2, and AN3 groups received anandamide (10 mg/kg) 30 min before torsion, 30 min after torsion, and just after detorsion, respectively. In the AM251 group, AM251 (0.5 mg/kg) was injected 45 min before torsion and in the AN/AM group, AM251 and anandamide were injected 45 and 30 min before torsion, respectively. Lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes, and germ cell apoptosis was determined.
Results:   Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the T/D group were significantly higher than the control group. Moreover, MDA values in the AN1, AN2, and AN3 groups were significantly lower than T/D. There were significant decreases in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities in the T/D group versus the control group. These values in the AN1, AN2, and AN3 groups were significantly higher than T/D. It was also shown that MDA levels in the AN/AM group were significantly higher than the AN1 group. In the AN/AM group, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly lower versus the AN1 group. The mean germ cell apoptosis scores in all animals with testicular T/D were significantly higher than the control group. There was no difference between the apoptotic indices in the AN1, AN2, AN3, and T/D groups. Apoptosis scores in AM251 and AN/AM were significantly higher compared with the T/D and AN1 groups.
Conclusions:   Although anandamide increased antioxidant markers, it failed to reduce germ cell apoptosis. AM251 worsened the antioxidant defense system, which is reflected as higher germ cell apoptosis.     

Synthesis of novel N-substituted imidazolecarboxylic acid hydrazides as monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Novel 2-alkylsulfanyl-1-benzyl-5-imidazolecarboxylic acid hydrazides (15a,b) were synthesized as analogues of isocarboxazide, which is a known nonselective irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor and tested for monoamine oxidase A and B inhibitory activity. Neither of the compounds showed any inhibition of MAO B activity up to a high concentration of 100 microM. An MAO A activity was only slowly inhibited at this high concentration after prolonged incubation with either compound. This suggests any observed inhibition is not very specific.     

Melanocytic nevi with an atypical epithelioid cell component: clinical, histopathologic, and fluorescence in situ hybridization findings

Combined melanocytic nevi can contain a phenotypically distinct population of large atypical epithelioid cells in a background of smaller banal-appearing melanocytes. On the basis of the pattern of proliferation and degree of pigmentation, nevi with this pattern have been referred to as nevi with an atypical epithelioid cell component (N-AECC). When N-AECC display sheet-like or an expansile nodular growth pattern, notable cytologic atypia, and any level of mitotic activity, they can be difficult to distinguish from melanoma. The clinical history and appearance of these lesions may similarly raise concern for melanoma. In view of this diagnostic problem, we present 28 cases of N-AECC from our dermatopathology consultation and in-house practice. All 28 cases were found to be negative on the basis of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for imbalanced chromosomal aberrations commonly found in melanoma. The clinical outcomes showed a benign clinical course for all cases for which the outcome information was available. FISH analysis also revealed that, in 4 of 28 cases (14%), the AECC of the lesion demonstrated polyploidy localized to the large epithelioid cell component. This is likely more common among cases of N-AECC that have an atypical spitzoid epithelioid cell component, particularly those with obvious senescent nuclear changes. Care must be taken to avoid the pitfall of misinterpreting these FISH findings as changes consistent with melanoma. The use of ancillary testing methods including FISH may be beneficial in improving the diagnostic accuracy involved in making the distinction of N-AECC from melanoma. Further, we report a novel finding of polyploidy seen in certain cases of benign N-AECC.     

Bilateral Optic Nerve Head Angiomas and Retrobulbar Haemangioblastomas in von Hippel-Lindau Disease

A 39-year-old man presented with progressive visual loss in both eyes. His past medical history was remarkable for biopsy-proven bilateral adrenal phaeochromocytomas. Ophthalmoscopy revealed an optic nerve head angioma and macular lipid exudates in the right eye and a regressed optic nerve head angioma in the left eye. A fluorescein angiogram revealed a lobulated pattern of leakage and venous staining from the optic nerve head angioma. Brain and orbital magnetic resonance imaging showed haemangioblastomas of the right intraorbital and left paraclinoid optic nerves and in the left cerebellopontine angle area. These findings were consistent with a clinical diagnosis of von Hippel-Lindau disease.