Protective effect of quercetin against ICV colchicine-induced cognitive dysfunctions and oxidative damage in rats

Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of colchicine, a microtubule-disrupting agent, causes cognitive dysfunction and oxidative stress. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of quercetin against colchicine-induced memory impairment and oxidative damage in rats. An i.c.v. cannula was implanted in the lateral ventricle of male Wistar rats. Colchicine was administered at dose of 15 microg/rat. Morris water maze and plus-maze performance tests were used to assess memory tasks. Various biochemical parameters such as lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, nitrite level, acetylcholinesterase and proteins were also assessed. Central administration of colchicine (15 microg/rat) showed poor retention of memory. Chronic treatment with quercetin (20 and 40 mg/kg, p.o.) twice daily for a period of 25 days beginning 4 days prior to colchicine injection significantly improved the colchicine-induced cognitive impairment. Biochemical analysis revealed that i.c.v. colchicine injection significantly increased lipid peroxidation, nitrite and depleted reduced glutathione activity in the brains of rats. Chronic administration of quercetin significantly attenuated elevated lipid peroxidation and restored the depleted reduced glutathione, acetylcholinesterase activity and nitrite activity. The results of the present study clearly indicated that quercetin has a neuroprotective effect against colchicine-induced cognitive dysfunctions and oxidative damage. This article was published online on 3 November 2008. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print version to indicate that both have been corrected.     

进行性腔隙性脑白质病：一种新型儿童期疾病

报道19例以前未进行详细描述的神经变性疾病患者,患者以在2个月至3.5岁时急性突发应激状态或神经缺陷为特征,随后呈稳定或间歇的临床恶化。其中7例患儿在11个月至14岁期间死亡。头部磁共振成像(M RI)显示,在受累区呈伴有空洞的斑片状脑白质病,血管通透。早期病变累及胼胝体和半     

Apoptogenic activity of ethyl acetate extract of leaves of Memecylon edule on human gastric carcinoma cells via mitochondrial dependent pathway

ObjectiveTo evaluate the anti-proliferative and apoptogenic activity of ethyl acetate extract from the leaves of Memecylon edule (EtAc-LME) in MKN-74, NUGC gastric cancer cells and non cancerous gastric mucous cells (GES-1), and to explore the mechanism of EtAc-LME induced apoptosis.MethodsThe mechanism of EtAc-LME induced apoptosis was explored by analysing the activation of pro-caspases, PARP cleavage, expression of cytochrome-c (Cyt-c) was determined by western blotting, mRNA expression of Bcl-2, Bax by RT-PCR, loss of mitochondrial potential using DiOC6 dye, annexin binding assay and its influence on cell cycle arrest by flow cytometry.ResultsThe results indicated that EtAc-LME inhibited the gastric cancer cell growth in dose-dependent manner and cytotoxicity was more towards the gastric cancer cells (NUGC and MKN-74) compared to normal gastric cells (GES-1), suggesting more specific cytotoxicity to the malignant cells. Over expression of Cyt-c and subsequent activation of caspases-3 and down regulation of Bcl-2 and loss in mitochondrial potential in EtAc-LME treated MKN-74 and NUGC cells suggested that EtAc-LME induced apoptosis by mitochondrial dependent pathway.ConclusionsThe present findings suggest that ethyl acetate extract of Memecylon edule induces apoptosis selectively in gastric cancer cells emphasizing the importance of this traditional medicine for its potential in the treatment of gastric cancer.     

Hepatic alveolar hydatidosis — A malignant masquerade

A 43-year-old male presented with clinical features of obstructive jaundice. Biochemical tests and radiologic imaging were suggestive of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with hilar block. Multiple attempts to obtain tissue diagnosis in the form of USG-guided FNAC & tru-cut biopsy failed. Exploratory laparotomy and wedge biopsy confirmed E. multilocularis (alveolar hydatid disease). The patient was managed with albendazole therapy. At 8-month follow-up, the patient was clinically asymptomatic with near normalization of biochemical parameters and significant regression of the lesion as shown by computed tomography. E. Multilocularis infection of the liver is quite rare in the Indian subcontinent and poses a diagnostic dilemma. Nonetheless, despite its rarity, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis when a patient presents with clinical and radiological features of a space-occupying lesion of the liver while attempts to set pathological diagnosis by FNA/ tru-cut biopsy are inconclusive. Awareness of this emerging infectious disease could prevent a fatal outcome, particularly amongst patients who have been exposure to wild life.     

Carvedilol attenuates neuroleptic-induced orofacial dyskinesia: possible antioxidant mechanisms

1. Tardive dyskinesia (TD), a syndrome of potentially irreversible, involuntary hyperkinetic disorder occurring in 20 - 40% of the patient population undergoing chronic neuroleptic treatment is a major limitation of neuroleptic therapy. 2. Oxidative stress and products of lipid peroxidation are implicated in the pathophysiology of various neurological disorders including tardive dyskinesia. 3. Chronic treatment with neuroleptics leads to the development of abnormal oral movements in rats known as vacuous chewing movements (VCMs). Vacuous chewing movements in rats are widely accepted as an animal model of tardive dyskinesia. 4. All the antipsychotics were administered i.p. once daily for 21 days, whereas carvedilol (also i.p.) was administered twice daily. Rats chronically treated with haloperidol (1.0 mg kg(-1)) or chlorpromazine (5 mg kg(-1)) but not clozapine (2 mg kg(-1)) significantly developed vacuous chewing movements and tongue protrusions. Carvedilol dose dependently (0.5 - 2 mg kg(-1)) reduced the haloperidol or chlorpromazine-induced vacuous chewing movements and tongue protrusions. 5. Biochemical analysis revealed that chronic haloperidol or chlorpromazine but not clozapine treatment significantly induced lipid peroxidation and decreased the glutathione (GSH) levels in the forebrains of rats. Chronic haloperidol or chlorpromazine but not clozapine treated rats showed decreased forebrain levels of antioxidant defence enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. 6. Co-administration of carvedilol (0.5-2 mg kg(-1)) significantly reduced the lipid peroxidation and restored the decreased glutathione levels by chronic haloperidol or chlorpromazine treatment. Co-administration of carvedilol (1-2 mg kg(-1)) significantly reversed the haloperidol or chlorpromazine-induced decrease in forebrain SOD and catalase levels in rats. However, lower dose of carvedilol (0.5 mg kg(-1)) failed to reverse chronic haloperidol or chlorpromazine-induced decrease in forebrain SOD and catalase levels. 7. The major findings of the present study suggest that oxidative stress might play a significant role in neuroleptic-induced orofacial dyskinesia. In conclusion, carvedilol could be a useful drug for the treatment of neuroleptic-induced orofacial dyskinesia.     

Expression and amplification of cyclin D1 in primary breast carcinomas: relationship with histopathological types and clinico-pathological parameters

Overexpression and amplification of cyclin D1 were investigated by immunohistochemistry and differential polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) in 440 formalin-fixed primary breast carcinoma tissues. Overexpression of cyclin D1 was detected in 60% (263/440) and amplification of cyclin D1 was noted in 27% (119/440) of the primary breast carcinomas. Molecular analysis demonstrated that cyclin D1 was amplified in 30% (7/23) of the comedo DCIS, 22% (9/41) of the comedo DCIS and 32% (13/41) of the adjacent invasive ductal carcinomas, 30% (82/270) of the invasive ductal carcinomas, 27% (9/33) of the invasive lobular carcinomas, 19% (4/21) of the colloid carcinomas and 13% (2/15) of the medullary carcinomas. Cyclin D1 was amplified in 11% (2/19) of the invasive ductal carcinomas but not in the adjacent non-comedo DCIS lesions. Our observation showed that cyclin D1 was strongly positive in 61% (14/23) of the comedo subtype, 61% (11/18) of the non-comedo subtype, 59% (24/41) of the comedo DCIS and 63% (26/41) of the adjacent invasive ductal carcinomas, 53% (10/19) of the non-comedo DCIS and 58% (11/19) of the adjacent invasive lesions, 58% (157/270) of the invasive ductal carcinomas, 73% (24/33) of the invasive lobular carcinomas, 52% (11/21) of the colloid carcinomas and 27% (4/15) of the medullary carcinomas. A significant association was observed between in situ components and adjacent invasive lesions for cyclin D1 expression (p<0.05) and amplification (p<0.05). A significant relationship was noted between amplification of cyclin D1 and lymph node metastases (p<0.05) but not with histological grade (p>0.05), estrogen receptor status (p>0.05) and proliferation index (Ki-67 and PCNA) (p>0.05). However, overexpression of cyclin D1 was statistically associated with well differentiated tumors (p<0.05) and estrogen receptor positivity (p<0.05). No relationship was seen with nodal status (p>0.05) and proliferation index (Ki-67 and PCNA) (p>0.05). These observations suggest that tumors positive for cyclin D1 protein may have features of good prognosis but amplification of cyclin D1 gene could be an indicator of tumors with poor prognostic features. Although majority of the Malaysian patients belong to younger age group (<50 years old), amplification and expression of cyclin D1 was not statistically associated with patient age (p>0.05). These observations indicate that amplification and up-regulation of cyclin D1 may be independent of patient age. Moreover, overexpression and amplification of cyclin D1 in preinvasive, preinvasive and adjacent invasive lesions, and invasive carcinomas suggest that the gene may play an important role in early and late stages of breast carcinogenesis.     

MR imaging and proton MR spectroscopy in adult Krabbe disease

We present the MR imaging findings in four patients (two pairs of siblings from two unrelated families) with adult Krabbe disease. In the first family, clinical presentation mimicked familial spastic paraplegia. Their MR images showed selective, increased signal intensity on T2-weighted sequences along the corticospinal tracts, most prominently in the proband and barely detectable in her brother. Proton MR spectroscopy showed increased choline and myo-inositol in the affected white matter. In the second family, the clinical presentation differed in that the signs of pyramidal tract involvement were asymmetrical, with concomitant asymmetry on MR images in one. In adults, Krabbe disease may present on MR imaging with selective pyramidal fiber involvement.     

Quantitative 1H MR spectroscopic imaging in early Rett syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To determine cerebral regional concentrations of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), total choline (Cho), and total creatine (Cr) in Rett syndrome (RS) using 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). BACKGROUND: The biochemical defect underlying RS is unknown. Because in vivo MRSI can detect important cerebral metabolites, MRSI has a potential to reveal impairment of regional cerebral metabolism in RS noninvasively. METHODS: High-resolution, multislice 1H MRSI was carried out in 17 girls with RS. The control group consisted of nine healthy children. RESULTS: In patients with RS, average Cho concentration was 12% higher (p < 0.005) and average NAA concentration 11% lower (p < 0.0001) compared with the control group. Regional metabolic differences included significantly lower NAA concentration in the frontal gray and white matter, insula, and hippocampus in RS; no difference in regional Cho and Cr concentrations were found. A 20 to 38% higher Cho:NAA ratio in frontal and parietal gray and white matter, insular gray matter, and hippocampus (p < 0.05) and a 14 to 47% lower NAA:Cr ratio in frontal cortical gray matter, parietal and temporal white matter, insula, and putamen (p < 0.05) were found in subjects with RS compared with controls. Patients with seizures had higher average concentrations of Cho, Cr, and NAA compared with those without seizures (8-19%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Metabolic impairment in RS involves both gray and white matter and particularly involves frontal and parietal lobes and the insular cortex. Loss of NAA most likely reflects reduced neuronal and dendritic tree size; increased Cho concentration may result from gliosis.