فهرست مطالب

Physiology and Pharmacology
Volume:22 Issue: 3, Sep 2018

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1397/06/07
  • تعداد عناوین: 8
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  • Ramu Sathiya , Anita Murali , Jayaraman Anbu Pages 141-145
    This review mainly deals with scientific data related to sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) particularly related to diabetes mellitus (DM). AD is divided into sporadic AD and familial AD. It is known to be the most common cause of dementia. Sporadic form of AD results from multiple etiologic factors including metabolic, environmental and genetic factors. DM linked AD is known to be one of major challenges to health care system in these days. Both type 1 and type 2 DM is strongly related to cognitive impairment and known to be a major risk factor in the development of probable Alzheimer’s disease. In this review, the various mechanisms involved in the development of neuronal degeneration associated with chronic hyperglycaemia are discussed.
    Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer’s disease, Hyperglycemia
  • Mohammad Reza Afarinesh , Baharak Akhtardanesh , Tahereh Haghpanah , Fatemeh Golshan , Gholam Hossein Meftahi , Niousha Ghanbarpour , Ayoob Fakhri , Saeed Sheikhshoaei , Vahid Sheibani Pages 146-154
    Introduction
    Noise pollution is an unwanted inevitable distribution of the modern and industrialized life of mankind. With the expansion of urban life, humans are daily exposed to noise pollution which can cause anxiety and disorders in cognitive activities. The present study was aimed to investigate the impact of sub-chronic urban traffic noise pollution on learning, memory and anxiety-like behavior in adult male rats.
    Methods
    Thirty two adult male Wistar rats (weighing 275-300g) were used in the present experimental study. The animals were divided into two groups: the control and the noise-exposed. The rats in the test group were exposed to a 90dB noise recorded from a crowded street traffic for 6h/10 days. Control rats were intact. Morris water maze (MWM) and an elevated plus maze (EPM) were used to assess spatial learning and memory and anxiety-like behavior in rats.
    Results
    The findings displayed that both control and noise-exposed group improved their maze steering over 4 days of experiment in MWM; however, noise-exposed group had more latency and traveled-distance in MWM to find the hidden platform in probe trial compared to those of control (P<0.05). Moreover, noise-exposed group showed a significant increase in weight gain compared to the control group (P<0.05). In addition, the spent time in open arm of the EPM was significantly decreased compared to controls (P<0.05).
    Conclusion
    Urban traffic noise pollution for a short-term period causes a meaningful increase on weight gain, disorders in retrieval memory and increase in anxiety-like behavior in rats.
    Keywords: Noise pollution, Learning, Anxiety, Male rats
  • Saeed Esmaeili, Mahani , Maryam Raoof , Mehdi Abbasnejad , Mahdieh Nourzadeh Pages 155-162
    Introduction
    Learning and memory requires a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-dependent phase in the hippocampus. It has been reported that chronic pain decreases hippocampal BDNF levels. We have also previously reported that noxious stimulation of the rat tooth pulp impairs learning and memory. Therefore, we decided to find the changes in the hippocampal BDNF expression which are associated with tooth pain and learning and memory impairment.
    Methods
    Dental pulp nociception was induced by intradental injection of capsaicin (100μg) in male Wistar rats. BDNF expression levels were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting.
    Results
    The data indicated that capsaicin elicited pain behaviors and impaired learning and memory in Morris water maze test. The protein and mRNA levels of BDNF were significantly (P<0.05) decreased in capsaicin-treated rats as compared with control animals. Furthermore, iboprofen (120mg/kg, ip) treatment caused a significant (P<0.05) up-regulation of the BDNF protein and mRNA in the hippocampus of capsaicin-injected animals.
    Conclusion
    These findings suggest that inflammatory dental pain induces hippocampal function impairments by decreasing in BDNF expression.
    Keywords: Dental pain, Learning, memory, Hippocampus, BDNF expression
  • Maryam Moosavi , Majid Reza Farrokhi , Narges Tafreshi Pages 163-171
    Introduction
    Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, characterized by the continuous deficit of dopaminergic neural cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The natural compounds from plant extracts, such as turmeric, have been proposed as alternative sources for anti-PD drugs. Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y is a dopaminergic neuronal cell line used as an in vitro model for the study of dopaminergic cells. The neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) has been known to induce cell death in dopaminergic neural cells. Curcumin, as the main ingredient of turmeric, has been shown to protect against some animal models of PD. The purpose of the present study was to assess the potential neuroprotective effect of curcumin against the 6-OHDA-induced cell death in SH-SY5Y cells and to delineate its effect on Akt/GSK-3β signaling.
    Methods
    The cells were exposed to 6-OHDA with/without different doses of curcumin and their viability was examined via MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) and morphological observations. According to the MTT results, the protective doses of curcumin (2 and 2.5μM) were selected for further studies. Western blot assay was done to determine the phosphorylated and total amount of Akt and GSK-3β proteins.
    Results
    6-OHDA induced cell death and declined Akt/GSK-3β phosphorylation, while curcumin co-treatment partially restored these effects.
    Conclusion
    Taken together, these findings suggest that curcumin protects the SH-SY5Y cells from 6-OHDA-induced cell death and Akt/GSK-3β signaling alteration. Thus, our study indicates that curcumin has a partial cytoprotective effect in dopaminergic cell culture systems.
    Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, 6-OHDA, SH-SY5Y, Curcumin, Akt, GSK-3?
  • Anis Talebi , Mehdi Rahnema , Mohammad reza Bigdeli Pages 172-182
    Introduction
    Stroke is the major cause of long-term disability in adults. The precise role of the mTOR signaling pathway in neural viability due to rapamycin effect in the animal model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) remained elusive. Since the relationship between mTOR and miR-1, especially in neurons, is unknown, we have evaluated the effect of rapamycin as a post-ischemic treatment on improving stroke symptoms.
    Methods
    Rats were divided into three groups including sham, control and rapamycin treatment group. Each contains four subgroups (n=7). One hour after MCAO, rats were received intravenously 0.1ml normal saline or 0.1ml rapamycin in the control and treatment groups, respectively. After 24 hours, neurologic deficit score, infarct volume, brain edema, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability were measured in the control and treatment group. The expression of miR-1, Bcl-w and Bad were analyzed using quantitative RT-PCR in all groups.
    Results
    Our results indicate that post-treatment with rapamycin, significantly reduces neurological deficits, infarct volume, brain edema and BBB permeability. It also decreases the level of miR-1 and Bad expression and increases the level of Bcl-w expression.
    Conclusion
    According to our findings, post-ischemic treatment with rapamycin can be effective in improving symptoms of stroke using changing in the expression of the miR-1 gene and consequently, a changing in the expression of the target genes of this miRNA (i.e., Bad and Bcl-w). In summary, we unravel for the first time a link between mTOR, miRNA-1, Bcl-w and Bad in brain ischemia
    Keywords: miR-1 antagomir, Stroke, Bad, Bcl-w, Rapamycin
  • Hiva Alipanah , Parvin Zareian Pages 183-194
    Introduction
    Boswellia serrata is a medicinal plant with immense potential in combating cancer. Since many cancers therapeutics have their roots in natural products, we investigated the inhibitory effect of B. serrata gum resin alcoholic extract (BSE) on tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis in 4T1 breast cancer mouse model.
    Methods
    Cell viability of BSE on triple negative cancer cell line, 4T1, was measured by MTT assay. In the anti-breast cancer study, female BALB/c mice in four groups (n=5) were implanted into the mammary fat pad with 4T1 cells (1×105 cells/0.1 ml) and treated by BSE (50, 150 and 250mg/kg) and distilled water for 21 days. Anti-proliferation and anti-angiogenesis effects of BSE in tumor tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis for Ki-67 and CD31 expression. The metastatic rate was investigated in the liver and lung tissues by histopathological analysis.
    Results
    In in-vitro toxicity study, 4T1 cells line were sensitive to BSE treatment with reduced cell viability. BSE suppression of 4T1 tumor growth correlated with reduced cell proliferation as revealed by IHC analysis for Ki-67 expression. Analyses of the vasculature in the tumor tissues indicated smaller vessel area in BSE250 group compared to control tumors based on IHC for angiogenesis marker CD31. BSE only significantly decreased the metastatic rate in the lung tissue.
    Conclusion
    From the outcome of our investigation, it is possible to conclude that BSE induces cell-specific cytotoxicity and suppresses cell proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis rate in breast cancer cells and can be effective for advanced breast cancer.
    Keywords: Boswellia serrata, Cell proliferation, Cytotoxicity, Tumor Growth, Breast Cancer
  • Alireza Khodavandi , Fahimeh Alizadeh , Fatemeh Khezrian Pages 195-204
    Introduction
    Candidiasis represents a major threat to the life and health in immune-compromised individuals. The number of antifungal drugs is limited for the treatment of candidiasis. Combination therapy is one of the most frequently used techniques to alleviate this problem.
    Methods
    Clinical isolates of Candida albicans were obtained from the immune-compromised patients. Antifungal susceptibilities to fluconazole and amphotericin B alone and in combination were performed by broth microdilution method. Eventually direct microscopic observation, time-kill kinetic assay, biomass and metabolic activity of the hypha, Sap enzyme activity and expression of SAP3 gene were carried out in C. albicans.
    Results
    Combination of fluconazole with amphotericin B demonstrated synergistic and partial synergistic effects with fractional inhibitory concentration index ranged from 0.031 to 0.75. The data indicated that combination of fluconazole with amphotericin B exerted antifungal effects through reducing time-kill kinetic, yeast– hyphal transition, biomass and metabolic activity of the hypha and Sap enzyme activity in C. albicans. Additionally, the expression levels of the SAP3 gene were significantly down regulated (P<0.001) in C. albicans treated with combination of fluconazole with amphotericin B.
    Conclusion
    Taken together, these events may confirm the potential uses of combination of fluconazole with amphotericin B against C. albicans. The results suggest that SAP3 gene could be probable target of synergistic interaction of fluconazole and amphotericin B in C. albicans.
    Keywords: Amphotericin B, Candida albicans, Fluconazole, SAP3
  • Elham Sheykhsaran , Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi , Mohammad Hossein Soroush Barhaghi , Naser Alizadeh , Mohammad Yousef Memar , Shima Etemadi , Reza Ghotaslou Pages 205-212
    Introduction
    Enterobacteriaceae are the heterogeneous group of Gram-negative bacteria, which cause different infections. The incidence of resistance to antibiotics among the Enterobacteriaceae is growing. This study investigated antibiotic resistance features and tetracycline resistance genes distribution in Enterobacteriaceae isolates from Hospitals of Azerbaijan, Iran.
    Methods
    The disc diffusion agar and agar dilution methods were used for assessment of antibiotics susceptibility patterns and minimum inhibitory concentration determination of tetracycline and minocycline. To detect eight tetracycline resistance genes (tetA, tetB, tetC, tetD, tetE, tetG, tetJ, and tetY), the PCR was performed in tetracycline-resistant isolates.
    Results
    The resistance rate to tetracycline, minocycline, doxycycline, and tigecycline by the disc diffusion agar method were 58.8%, 24%, 43.6% and 0.4%, respectively. Fifty-one (20.4%) isolates were multiple drugs resistant. The minimum inhibitory concentration results showed 52% resistance to tetracycline and 22% for minocycline. The percentage of tet genes distribution was tetA (14.4%), tetB (18.4%), tetC (2%) and tetD (4.4%). However, tetE, tetG, tetJ and tetY genes were not detected in the present study.
    Conclusion
    There is a moderate-high resistance rate to tetracycline among Enterobacteriaceae in Azerbaijan. The most effective antibiotic against Enterobacteriaceae was tigecycline followed by fosfomycin, imipenem and meropenem. The tet genes family especially tetA and tetB were prevalent among tetracycline-resistant isolates.
    Keywords: Enterobacteriaceae, Tetracyclines, Suceptibility patterns, tet genes