Alterations In Tissue Structure Research Articles

Stimulation of decidua development by transplantation of endometrial stem cells

On all terms of pregnancy, insolvency of decidual reaction of endometrial cells is one of the reasons of miscarriages and fetal growth delay. The insufficient decidualization of endometrum leads to infertility in such pathologies, as Asherman’s syndrome and an endometrium atrophy. However, there are data on successful application of autologous bone marrow MSCs for Asherman’s syndrome treatment. The aim of this work was to assay the effect of endometrial mesenchymal stem cell (eMSC) transplantation for decidualization process in pseudopregnant rat. Our study showed that injection of human eMSC suspension into the uterine lumen of pseudopregnant rats facilitated more intensive development of decidua in comparison with phosphate buffed saline (PBS) injection in the control uterine horn. Histological analysis of decidua sections did not reveal any alterations in cell differentiation or tissue structure. In conclusion, we demonstrated for the first time that eMSC transplantation assists the development of all decidual tissue elements. It opens the possibility that eMSCs may be applied for cell therapy of infertility associated with decidualzation insufficiency.

Expression of miR-133 and miR-30 in chronic atrial fibrillation in canines

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. The most significant histological property of AF is atrial fibrosis, but the underlying mechanism is not clear. In this study we investigated the expression of miR-133 and miR-30, anti-fibrotic microRNAs (miRNAs), in chronic AF in canines. A total amount of 42 mongrel canines of either gender, weighing between 20 and 28 kg, were randomly assigned to the sham-operated and AF groups. All canines were subjected to weekly physical examinations and electrocardiogram. Alterations in tissue structure were assessed in atrial tissue samples by using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome. The expression of miR-133 and miR-30 was determined by TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and northern blot analyses of atrial tissue. The data were analyzed using the program SPSS 11.5 for Windows. At follow-up, rapid pacing from the left superior pulmonary vein induced sustained AF in the AF group. In the left atrium, increased interstitial fibrosis and chronic inflammation were observed. RT-PCR and northern blot analyses showed that miR-133 and miR-30 expression was downregulated in the AF group. Our results show that both miR-133 and miR-30 play an important role in controlling structural changes in chronic AF.

Dexmedetomidine protects against lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte deformability alterations in experimental hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury

Background: Hepatic ischemia–reperfusion injury is a common clinical problem in hepatic surgery and transplantation. Several cellular and tissue structural and functional alterations are observed in such injury. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte deformability during ischemia–reperfusion injury in rats.Methods: Twenty-four Wistar Albino rats were randomly separated into three groups as control (C), ischemia–reperfusion injury (I/R) and dexmedetomidine group (I/R-D). Ischemia was induced with portal clampage for 45 min and reperfusion period was 45 min after declampage. Group I/R-D received dexmedetomidine 100 µg/kg i.p. 30 min before portal clampage. Serum malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activities to document lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte deformability index were investigated.Results: Serum superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde activity levels were significantly higher and erythrocyte deformability index was decreased in hepatic ischemia–reperfusion group. However, these changes were observed to be prevented with dexmedetomidine treatment when given before portal clampage.Conclusion: These findings clearly indicate that erythrocyte deformability index is decreased in hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury and has a potential role to prevent these alterations. The protective effect of dexmedetomidine on hepatic I/R injury is also decreased lipid peroxidation. Further experimental and clinical investigations may clarify the molecular mechanisms and clinical significance of these findings.

Assessment of Water Quality in Asa River (Nigeria) and Its Indigenous Clarias gariepinus Fish

Water is a valued natural resource for the existence of all living organisms. Management of the quality of this precious resource is, therefore, of special importance. In this study river water samples were collected and analysed for physicochemical and bacteriological evaluation of pollution in the Unity Road stream segment of Asa River in Ilorin, Nigeria. Juvenile samples of Clarias gariepinus fish were also collected from the experimental Asa River and from the control Asa Dam water and were analysed for comparative histological investigations and bacterial density in the liver and intestine in order to evaluate the impact of pollution on the aquatic biota. The water pH was found to range from 6.32 to 6.43 with a mean temperature range of 24.3 to 25.8 °C. Other physicochemical parameters monitored including total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand values exceeded the recommended level for surface water quality. Results of bacteriological analyses including total heterotrophic count, total coliform and thermotolerant coliform counts revealed a high level of faecal pollution of the river. Histological investigations revealed no significant alterations in tissue structure, but a notable comparative distinction of higher bacterial density in the intestine and liver tissues of Clarias gariepinus from Asa River than in those collected from the control. It was inferred that the downstream Asa River is polluted and its aquatic biota is bacteriologically contaminated and unsafe for human and animal consumption.

A histological and immunohistochemical study on human penile cavernosal tissue with viewpoints of venogenic erectile dysfunction

Objective To determine the histological and immunohistochemical alterations of human penile cavernosal tissue in venogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) compared with potent controls regarding collagen fibres, elastic fibres, smooth muscle content and inducible nitric oxide synthase (i-NOS) expression. Materials and methods Cavernous biopsies were obtained from four potent men (two with penile fracture and two with congenital penile curvature) regarded as controls and from 15 patients with venogenic ED undergoing implantation of penile prosthesis. The specimens obtained were subjected to haematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome and orcein stains and antismooth muscle α-actin and i-NOS immunostaining. Evaluation was carried out using computerized morphometric analysis and results were statistically compared. Results A significant increase of collagen fibres with reduced smooth muscle and elastic fibre content was shown in patients with venogenic ED compared with controls. There was also an increased expression of i-NOS immuonoreactivity. Conclusion Histological alterations of cavernosal tissue structure in venogenic ED point to progressive fibrosis. Early diagnosis by penile biopsy may help to combat fibrosis and preserve the integrity of erectile tissue and accordingly the penile erection.

Alterations in perivascular adipose tissue structure and function in hypertension

We studied the structural and the functional alterations of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) in hypertension with spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, a smaller body fat mass and a greater lean mass were found in SHR than in Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) rats, while body weight was comparable between them. In the thoracic PVAT, the density and the total number of brown adipocytes were greater in SHR than in WKY rats, while the cross section area of PVAT was similar between them. In functional assessment, four types of vessel preparations (with either intact PVAT or intact endothelium, or with both, or without both) were employed. Vessels with intact PVAT from SHR contracted more to phenylephrine than that from WKY rats, while vessels without PVAT exhibited comparable contractile response to phenylephrine between SHR and WKY rats. Both endothelium-dependent and -independent components of PVAT-associated attenuation of phenylephrine-induced contraction were reduced in SHR as compared with that of WKY rats. Bioassay experiments were carried out to assess the transferable relaxation factor from the PVAT. Transfer of bathing solution incubated with PVAT-intact vessel caused less relaxation in SHR recipients than in WKY rats, and the relaxation response was abolished by D-Ala7-angiotensin-(1–7), an angiotensin-(1–7) receptor antagonist. In summary, PVAT-associated inhibition of vessel contractile response to agonist was impaired in SHR, and the impairment involved both endothelium-dependent and -independent mechanisms. The functional impairment observed in SHR PVAT may be related to changes in adipocyte composition but not to reduced PVAT mass in SHR.

Involvement of advanced glycation end products, oxidative stress and nuclear factor-kappaB in the development of diabetic keratopathy

The purpose of the experiment reported here was to assess the involvement of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), oxidative stress, and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) activation in the development of diabetic keratopathy. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The thickness of the cornea was measured. Apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay and western blot for caspase-3. The expression of AGEs and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were studied by immunohistochemistry in corneal tissues of normoglycaemic and diabetic rats. NF-κB activation was evaluated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and southwestern histochemistry. Corneal edema was observed in diabetic rats. The thickness of cornea was higher in diabetic than in control rats. AGEs were accumulated in corneal tissues. 8-OHdG and NF-κB were identified in corneal epithelium, stroma and endothelium, and its expressions were greater in diabetic than in those of control rats. Diabetes induces significant alterations in rat corneal tissue structure. The higher expression of AGE, 8-OHdG and NF-κB in corneal tissues of diabetic rats suggests that these factors are involved in apoptosis and in subsequent corneal alterations related to diabetic keratopathy.

Study and description of hydrogels and organogels as vehicles for cosmetic active ingredients

Cellulite, a clinical syndrome mainly affecting women, involves specific changes in conjunctive dermic and subcutaneous tissue, leading to vascular and hypertrophic alterations in adipose tissues and the consequent alteration of tissue structure. This paper describes the design of hydrogels and pluronic-lecithin organogels elaborated as vehicles of Aloe vera (Aloe vera linné) and Hydrocotyle asiatica (Centella asiatica) for the treatment of cellulite. The objective of this work was to carry out a complete evaluation of the proposed formulae through the study of the organoleptic and rheological properties of the formulae. Our work revealed that, in appearance, hydrogels show better organoleptic characteristics than organogels. On the other hand, from a rheological point of view, both hydrogels and organogels display a plastic behavior. However, the main difference between the two is that the more complex internal structure of the organogel bestows it with more viscosity. Finally, in vitro tests with Franz-type diffusion cells revealed that the release of cosmetic active principle from the tested excipients was appropriate, both in terms of magnitude and velocity.

X-ray μCT imaging technique reveals corm microstructures of an arctic-boreal cotton-sedge, Eriophorum vaginatum

X-ray computed tomography (CT), a non-destructive imaging technique, has recently been effectively applied to botanical research. In this study an X-ray microCT technique was developed to allow for anatomical study of the overwintering corms of Eriophorum vaginatum, an ecologically important sedge species in arctic tussock-tundra and boreal peatlands. Using a GE Medical MS8X-130 X-ray microCT scanner, optimal imaging parameters included scanning isolated corms at 80 k Vp and 100 microA with a 3500 ms exposure time and an isotropic voxel size of 10 microm. A Gaussian blur image filter with a blur radius (sigma) of two pixels was applied to the optimal dataset to improve visual detection and contrast of tissues while removing 99.2% of image noise. Using the developed X-ray microCT technique several undocumented anatomical characteristics of the corm were identified including the vascular connection between a parent corm and branching cormel and the 3D shape of sclereid clusters. The 3D structure of sclereid clusters was determined whereby the perimeter of their lance shape is greatly reinforced by sclereids with thicker secondary cell walls as compared to those of the interior of the cluster. The structure of sclereid clusters and their association with leaf traces suggests they may be stabilizing the corm-leaf connection to protect vascular tissues from physical damage. The proposed X-ray microCT technique is an excellent tool for determination of the 3D structure of E. vaginatum corms and may be used to detect alterations in tissue structure and chemistry in response to environmental change in this and other Cyperaceous species.

Bisphenol A and Metabolic Syndrome

Therapidincreaseinobesityinmanycountriesinrecent years has been associated with an increase in the prevalence of associated cardiovascular disorders, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia. Although genetic factors are likely to play a role in an individual’s susceptibility to these disorders (1), this increase indiseaseprevalencehasoccurredtoorapidlytobearesult of a genetic change within a population, and there is general acceptance that the combination of reduced exercise and increased consumption of calorie-rich food are important factors in the development of the conditions. Although it is attractive to believe that it is simply lifestyle changes during childhood/adulthood that are fuelling this epidemic, it is now recognized that the environment experienced in early life can influence susceptibility to cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in later life, including an increased risk of obesity and the “metabolic syndrome” (2). There is widespread acceptance of the “developmental origins hypothesis,” which suggests that the action of a stimulus or insult during a specific critical period of in utero or early postnatal development can lead to “programmed” alterations in tissue structure and function, predisposingtheindividualtolaterdisease(2).Inthiscontext, therefore, metabolic syndrome disorders in adults may represent a complex interaction between early developmental influences on disease susceptibility and later lifestyle, which builds on the level of predisposition, therefore, more of a “lifetime” than simply a “lifestyle”disorder.Giventhewidespreadexposureofhumans to environmental chemicals, is it possible that early life exposure to one or more of these substances during fetal and early postnatal life might underpin the current epidemic of obesity and related metabolic disorders? Ryanet al. (3) report in the present issue on their use of a mouse model system to test whether perinatal exposure tohuman-relevantlevelsofbisphenolA,anenvironmental chemical to which we are all exposed, might provide a predisposing trigger to obesity and glucose intolerance in adulthood.Theirresultsshowcategoricallythatbisphenol A affects neither of these endpoints, even when exposed offspring were fed a high-fat (Western style) diet. This makes it unlikely that bisphenol A exposure in early life in humans is a factor in predisposing to metabolic syndrome disordersinadulthood.Negativeresultssuchasthisrarely stir the passions of scientists (and especially reviewers), but in this case, it is arguably a landmark study with importantimplications.Beforeevaluatingthisinmoredetail, some more background is necessary to place these new results in their full context. Initial studies in the area of early life programming focusedontheroleofpoorfetalgrowthintheprogramming

MRI at 1.5 T provides potential biomarkers of placental structure

Several aspects of placental structure may be altered in fetal growth restriction (FGR). MRI provides quantitative indices that relate to tissue structure, including relaxation time measurements, T1 and T2. The...

Aged garlic extract protects against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats

Clinical uses of doxorubicin (DOX), a highly active anticancer agent, are limited by its severe cardiotoxic side effects associated with increased oxidative stress and apoptosis. In this study we investigated whether aged garlic has protective effects against doxorubicin-induced free radical production and cardiotoxicity in male rats. A single dose of doxorubicin (25mg/kg) caused increased both serum cardiac enzymes LDH and CPK activities and a significant increase malonyldialdehyde (MDA) in plasma. However, pretreatment of rats with aged garlic extract (250mg/kg) for 27days before doxorubicin therapy, reduced the activity of both enzymes, and significantly decreased of MDA production in plasma.Total antioxidant activity was increased after aged garlic extract administration. Histopathological examination of heart tissue showed that DOX treatment resulted in alteration of cardiac tissue structure in the form of peri arterial fibrosis and apoptotic changes in cardiomyocytes. Pretreatment with aged garlic extract for 27days ameliorated the effect of DOX administration on cardiac tissue; cardiomyocytes looked more or less similar to those of control. However, still vascular dilatation, mild congestion and interstitial edemas were observed. Our results suggest that aged garlic extract is potentially protective against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

WITHDRAWN: Alterations in atrial tissue structure and sympathetic innervation in hyperthyroid dogs

WITHDRAWN: Alterations in atrial tissue structure and sympathetic innervation in hyperthyroid dogs

Models for Thermal Damage in Tissues: Processes and Applications

Irreversible thermal alterations in tissue function and structure are used in clinical applications to achieve diverse goals, from lower-temperature tumor ablation to higher-temperature tissue fusion and surgical cutting. The typical formulation in tumor hyperthermia studies, the thermal iso-effect dose, derives from cell-survival studies but describes a single process only over a limited range of temperatures and is thus not suitable for multiple higher-temperature events. Many other thermal damage processes have been described using the Arrhenius kinetic rate of formation approach, which has the advantage that it is inherently quantitative in nature and can easily be compared with quantitative markers of injury or histologic section. The vast majority of Arrhenius studies have been directed toward measurable cellular effects at relatively low temperatures. Some emphasis in this paper has been placed on what is known of higher-temperature processes to support the theme of this issue. This review compares and contrasts the two thermal-damage formulations and reviews methods to convert between them.

Evaluation of the upper airway in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Objective Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients may be associated with the presence of upper airway obstruction caused by chronic infection and nasal polyposis that may also contribute to OSAS severity. Our objective was to identify the profile of findings in CF and OSAS patients by performing upper airway examinations. Methodology Observational, cross-sectional study involving 63 children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 14 with CF. All patients answered a questionnaire and underwent a standard otolaryngology examination, including an endoscopic nasal and nocturnal polysomnography. OSAS diagnosis was confirmed if the obstructive apnea index was ≥1. Results OSAS was identified in 35 (55.6%) patients. The upper airway findings were evaluated using multiple correspondence factorial analysis. The OSAS group presented with overjet >2 mm, enlarged pharyngeal pillars, palatine tonsils and pharyngeal tonsils hypertrophy, ogival hard palates and characteristics of chronic rhinosinusitis. Conclusion Bone and soft tissue structural alterations of the upper airway and chronic rhinosinusitis were associated with the OSAS group patients.

Tissue Engineering Therapies for the Vocal Fold Lamina Propria

The vocal folds are laryngeal connective tissues with complex matrix composition/organization that provide the viscoelastic mechanical properties required for voice production. Vocal fold injury results in alterations in tissue structure and corresponding changes in tissue biomechanics that reduce vocal quality. Recent work has begun to elucidate the biochemical changes underlying injury-induced pathology and to apply tissue engineering principles to the prevention and reversal of vocal fold scarring. Based on the extensive history of injectable biomaterials in laryngeal surgery, a major focus of regenerative therapies has been the development of novel scaffolds with controlled in vivo residence time and viscoelastic properties approximating the native tissue. Additional strategies have included cell transplantation and delivery of the antifibrotic cytokine hepatocyte growth factor, as well as investigation of the effects of the unique vocal fold vibratory microenvironment using in vitro dynamic culture systems. Recent achievements of significant reductions in fibrosis and improved recovery of native tissue viscoelasticity and vibratory/functional performance in animal models are rapidly moving vocal fold tissue engineering toward clinical application.

Early programming of adipose tissue function: a large-animal perspective

The emerging role of adipose tissue as a dynamic endocrine organ with an extent of anatomical and physiological plasticity has generated numerous studies linking early-life events with long-term alterations in adipose tissue structure and function. Coupled with increasing rates of human obesity, which cannot be explained without some genetic component, the role of early programming of adipose tissue may provide an insight into potential mechanisms. The developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis investigates the potential association between a compromised fetal and postnatal environment and later disease, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, in the offspring. A number of animal models have been developed to examine potential mechanisms that drive these physiological changes, including rodent and large-mammal models that provide mechanistic insights into the epidemiological findings. In utero challenges such as under- or over-provision of nutrients, placental insufficiency and glucocorticoid infusion, as well as postnatal nutritional challenges, can all result in the long-term programming of adipose tissue abundance and function. A range of hormones, enzymes, transcription factors and other metabolic signalling molecules have been implicated in adverse adipose tissue development, including leptin, glucocorticoids, members of the PPAR family, fatty acid-binding proteins and adipokines. The long-term structural and physiological consequences associated with these molecular and cellular changes are less well described. The experimental models, potential mechanisms and regulators of the early programming of adipose tissue in large mammalian species will be summarised in the present review.

Adipose tissue, liver and pancreas structural alterations in C57BL/6 mice fed high-fat-high-sucrose diet supplemented with fish oil (n-3 fatty acid rich oil)

Fish oil treatment was used in reversing the morphological and metabolic changes of C57BL/6 mice fed high-fat-high-sucrose (HFHS) diet. Two-month-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed HFHS chow or standard chow (SC). At 3 months of age, HFHS mice were separated into an untreated group (HFHS) and a group treated with fish oil (HFHS-Fo, 1.5 g/kg/day). At 4 months of age, HFHS fed mice had an increase in body mass (BM) and total body fat, when the animals were sacrificed. Both parameters were lower in HFHS-Fo than in HFHS mice. Plasma glucose and insulin levels were not affected among the groups, but HFHS and HFHS-Fo animals had higher homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance HOMA-IR ratio. HFHS and HFHS-FO mice had increased plasma total cholesterol and LDL-C, HFHS-Fo increased plasma HDL-C and decreased triglycerides levels. The liver mass (LM) and the adipocytes’ size were larger in HFHS mice, while HFHS-Fo mice had a lower LM and smaller adipocytes. The liver steatosis and hepatocyte binucleation were increased in HFHS mice, while HFHS-Fo mice had reduced liver steatosis and hepatocyte binucleation. HFHS-Fo mice had a lower pancreas mass, while HFHS animals had higher islet pancreatic diameter. The SC group showed strong expression for insulin, glucagon and a glucose transporter type 2 GLUT-2 in all pancreatic islets, while in HFHS mice there was less expression for GLUT-2. However, HFHS-Fo mice showed an increase of GLUT-2 expression. In conclusion, dietary fish oil treatment reduces body mass and fat pad adiposity, and also by reducing plasma TG and pancreatic islet hypertrophy in mice fed high-fat-high-sucrose diet. Furthermore, fish oil improves glucagon and GLUT-2 expressions when it is decreased in insulin, but in hepatocyte binucleation and hepatic steatosis where the effect is reduced.

Penile Rehabilitation and Neuromodulation

Erectile dysfunction (ED) following treatment for clinically localized prostate cancer, particularly radical prostatectomy (RP), is a major quality of life issue that remains unsatisfactorily addressed. With the introduction and use of cavernous nerve–sparing procedures over the past 25 years, many men recover erections postoperatively that enable sexual intercourse unlike in the prior surgical era, when permanent ED postoperatively was certain. Despite this advance, 26–100% of these patients may never recover normal erectile function (EF). Recent advances in the understanding of ED after RP have stimulated great attention to develop penile rehabilitation programs and neuromodulation. The purpose of penile rehabilitation is to prevent adverse corpus cavernosal tissue structural alterations and thereby maximize the chances of recovering functional erections. Rehabilitation programs are common in clinical practice, but there is no definitive evidence to support their efficacy. Neuromodulation represents another strategy for promoting erection recovery postoperatively. This therapy involves the application of neuroprotective interventions, conceivably targeting biological elements involved in the erection response that are affected by neuropathic injury. Well-conducted, controlled trials with adequate follow-up are required in order to determine the erection preservative benefits of these therapeutic strategies. The purpose of this essay is to describe the mechanisms related to post-RP ED, assess the need for penile rehabilitation and neuromodulation following surgery, and analyze the basic science and clinical trial evidence associated with these applications for preserving EF following prostate cancer treatment.

Diagnostic yield and characteristic features in a series of decomposed bodies subject to coronial autopsy

A study was undertaken of 629 cases autopsied at Forensic Science SA, Adelaide, Australia over a 10-year period from 1994 to 2004 where significant decomposition had been documented. The age range of victims was 10 months to 92 years (mean 51.5 +/- 18.1 years). There were 498 males (79%) and 131 females (21%) (M:F = 3.8:1). Deaths in 289 of the 629 cases (46%) were due to natural causes, with 179 suicides (28%), 83 accidents (13%), and 36 homicides (6%). The cause of death was ascertained in 89% of cases and the manner of death in 93% of cases. In 35 cases (6%) both the cause and manner could not be determined. Numbers of suicides were higher in younger age groups while deaths from organic illnesses predominated in later life. The number of cases in summer was significantly greater than in winter. Despite technical difficulties in handling decomposed bodies, and artifactual alteration of tissue structure and microscopic features, the autopsy was still a useful diagnostic exercise. While it is likely that more information may be gleaned from fresh bodies in perfectly preserved states, decomposed bodies may reveal significant anatomical and pathological features that enable both the cause and manner of death to be established.