عباسعلی کریم پور

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is an environmental pollutant that has genotoxic and carcinogenic effects. Atorvastatin (ATV), as a lipid-lowering drug, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. This study investigated the effects of ATV on chronic liver and kidney damage induced by BaP.

In this experimental study, adult female rats were randomly divided into seven groups (n= 8 per group), including control group, olive oil group, ATV group (10 mg/kg), BaP groups (10 and 20 mg/kg), and ATV + BaP groups (10 and 20 mg). The drugs were administered by oral gavage for ten consecutive days. Histopathologic evaluation of the liver and kidney tissues was done one month after drug administration.

Histopathologic changes in both liver and kidney tissues such as inflammatory cell infiltration, plasma leakage, reduced acidophilia of hepatocytes, and renal tubular cells were seen in the groups receiving BaP. Findings showed that BaP at 20 mg/kg caused more serious harm than that at 10 mg/kg. ATV treatment protected structural changes in liver and kidney tissues.

Current study showed that destructive effects of benzopyrene remain until one month after administration. The protective effects of atorvastatin against benzopyrene-induced hepatotoxicity were confirmed over time.

The human amniotic membrane (HAM) is a suitable and effective scaffold for cell culture and delivery, and adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are an important source of stem cells for transplantation and chondrogenic differentiation.

To assess the practicability of a cryopreserved HAM as a scaffold in cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro.

In this experimental study, adipose tissue samples were harvested from the inguinal region of male patients aged 15-30 years. Flow cytometry was used to identify CD31, CD45, CD90, and CD105 markers in adipose stem cells. HAM was harvested from donor placenta after cesarean section, washed, trypsin-based decellularized trypsinized decellularized, and used as a scaffold via three

1) ADSCs were differentiated into chondrocytes on cell culture flasks (monolayer method), and after 14 days of culture, the cells were transferred and cultured on both sides of the HAM; 2) ADSCs were cultured and differentiated directly on both sides of the HAM for 14 days (scaffold-mediated differentiation); and 3) chondrocytes were differentiated with micromass culture for 14 days, transferred on HAM, and tissue slides were histologically analyzed qualitatively.

Flow cytometry confirmed the presence of mesenchymal stem cells. Histological findings revealed that the cells adhered and grew well on the stromal layer of HAM. Among the three methods, scaffold-mediated differentiation of ADSCs showed the best results.

ADSCs have excellent attachment, viability, and differentiation capacity in the stromal side of HAM. Additionally, the direct culture and differentiation of ADSCs on HAM is more suitable than the culture of differentiated cells on HAM.

Treatment of cartilage damage for any reason is associated with temporary relief of joint pain. Providing the possibility of differentiating various stem cells into adult tissues can contribute to recovery and treatment of damaged cartilage tissue in skeletal system. In this study, chondrogenic potential of chitosan scaffold, CH-β-GP-HEC, with stem cells derived from human adipose tissue.

In this cross-sectional study, adipose tissue-derived stem cells were separated from abdomen of 15 patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair. 6-7×105 cells were cultured in plate one-dimensionally and on chitosan scaffold three-dimensionally for 21 days. MTT assay was run to evaluate the toxic effect of scaffold on cell viability. Proliferation and differentiation of cells were studied in the two types of culture after toluidine blue staining. To confirm the formation of cartilage, expression of collagen type II was assessed by immunohistochemistry.
FINDING: In MTT assay, the average OD for cells cultured on scaffold is higher than 0.8 compared with control group, which confirms the nontoxicity of scaffold for culturing stem cells (p>0.05). Chondrogenic differentiation of cells on scaffold shows more glycosaminoglycan deposition in the extracellular matrix compared with one-layer culture. Moreover, in group with three-dimensional culture system, cells were spherical and the morphology of nucleus was different from one-layer culture. Regarding immunohistochemistry results, increased synthesis was observed in collagen type II as chondrogenesis markers in three-dimensional culture system compared with one-layer culture.

Results of the study revealed that hydrogel scaffold, CH-β-GP-HEC, with porous structure provides a better environment for the growth of mesenchymal stem cells and their differentiation into cartilage tissue.

The anthracyclin drug doxorubicin (Adriamycin) is one of the most effective antineoplastic agents، and widely used to treat a number of malignancies. However، its use has been restricted due to the dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. The mechanisms of Doxorubicin - induced cardiotoxicity is not entirely clear. This study investigates the effect of Doxorubicin on Bcl2 and Bax genes expression as key molecules that involve in intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in rat heart.

In this experimental study Doxorubicin administration، male Wistar rats were exposed to intraperitoneal injections (2. 5 mg/kg، six times for 2 weeks، n=20). Animals were randomly assigned to the healthy untreated control (n=10) and to the Doxorubicin treatment groups (n=10). Three weeks after completion of treatment myocardial fibrosis، Bcl2 and Bax genes expression were investigated by Masson’s trichrome staining and Real Time- PCR analysis respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS-16 and independent samples t-test، Mann-Whitney and Kaplan-Meyer method.

Masson’s trichrome staining showed that Doxorubicin increased fibrosis in the cardiac muscle (16. 4±1) in compare to control group (1±0. 79). Real Time- PCR analysis showed that Doxorubicin decreased Bcl2 expression levels (0. 1±0. 07) and increased Bax expression levels (2. 1±0. 1) in the myocardium in compare to control group (P<0. 01).

This study showed that administration of Doxorubicin increase interstitial fibrosis of myocardium and Bax expression levels and decrease Bcl2 expression that are the key genes of mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway.

Male infertility is one of the most challenging problems in andrology. The common cause of male infertility is related to disorders in sperm production and its improvement is synonymous with better treatment outcomes. Although, the etiology of infertility is not clear in most cases but different treatment options have been suggested to increase sperm count and motility. L-carnitine, which is found in different food items and it is derived from lysine and methionine, is a substance essential for the oxidation of long-chain fatty acids in the mitochondria and protection of cell membranes from damages caused by free oxygen radicals. This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of L-carnitine in improving sperm quality in infertile men

This double blind randomized cross-over, clinical trial was conducted on 30 infertile men attending Sari Imam Khomeini Hospital’s Infertility Clinic during 2005- 2006. Subjects that had at least two abnormal spermograms, based on WHO criteria, with a two-week interval during four weeks and their gonadotropins, testosterone an prolactin concentrations were within normal range were recruited for the study. The exclusion criteria were composed of individuals with medical conditions other than infertility such as grade 3 or 4 varicocele, testicular atrophy, ejaculatory disorders, use of any medications in the past two months prior to the study, azoospermia, endocrinological disorders, ICSI candidacy for severe spermogram abnormalities or other causes of infertility.The patients were randomly allocated to two groups of A and B. Group A and B received L-carnitine and placebo 2g/day for 8 weeks respectively. After a washout period of 8 weeks, the two groups, changed place and received placebo and L-carnitine (2g/day×8w). Sperm analyses were done in four stages: Before and after the first intervention, at the end of washout period and after the second intervention.

There were significant improvements in mean sperm concentration and progressive sperm motility upon two months of L-carnitine intake (p<0.05) but no significant changes were found in sperm volume or morphology. The aforementioned changes retracted to the primary status after two months. No changes were seen following the intake of placebos in the cases.

L-carnitine intake effectively improved the mean sperm count and progressive sperm motility. However, confirmation of these results warrants more thorough clinical trials.

Background and

The development of pre-implantation mammalian embryos in vitro is compromised, compared with those grown in vivo. Selecting embryos with a high implantation potential is one of the most important challenges in the field of assisted reproductive technology. The aim of this study was to postulate morphometrical characteristics of good quality embryos, with comparisons between in vivo and in vitro produced mouse embryos.

Embryos was obtained from NMRI female mice after super ovulation. In vivo developed 2-, 4- and 8-cell embryos; morulla and full blastocyst were isolated from mice on 18, 36, 52, 60, 72 and 96 hours after hCG administration respectively. Ham, s F10 medium was used for in vitro culture of embryos. External and internal diameter of embryos, zona thickness and number of cells in full blastocysts were evaluated and compared between in vivo and in vitro groups.

External and internal diameter and zone thickness in oocyte and zygotes were 99.9µm, 75.4µm and 4.9µm respectively. These values did not change prior to the blastocyst stage in both in vivo and in vitro groups; but in full blastocyst stage, the diameter of embryos significantly increased and zone thickness decreased compared to prior stages in both groups (P<0.01). The diameter of full blastocysts of in vivo group (116.5 µm) were significantly larger than those of in vitro group (104.3 µm, P<0.05). Moreover, the full blastocysts of in vivo group had significantly more blastomeres (49), compared to in vitro group (43, P<0.05). Additionally, cultured embryos reached full blastocyst at 110 hours after hCG administration, while in vivo condition the time frame was 96 hours.

Based on the above results, embryo size and zona thickness can not predict embryo quality prior to blastocyst stage, however, in this stage; larger embryos and those that have more blastomere may show greater viability.

Improvements in "embryo in vitro cultures" provide novel possibilities in the treatment of infertility. To evaluate the quality of culture media, successful development of embryos beyond the growth block phase, is a useful criteria. Coculture is a newly developed technique that could optimize the culture media environment. During the present study we have evaluated the effects of coculture of granulosa cells on mouse one-cell embryo development in vitro.

One-cell embryos were obtained through super-ovulation by HMG and HCG. Granulosa cells were collected from cumulus mass using hyaluronidase 0.1% and purified by percol method. Harvested one-cell embryos were cultured in Ham's F10 (control) and granulosa cells coculture (case) for 120 hours.

Of harvested embryos in coculture media, 22.4% successfully passed the growth block phase, this figure was significantly lower in the control group (12.8%, p<0.05). Also 11.2% of embryos in the case group and 2.4% of controls developed to blastocyst stage,(p<0.05).

Results have revealed that granulosa coculture system could improve culture conditions for early embryos.

Background and

Ïnfertility means, couple not having a child for a year after married life, is one of the most important socio-health problems of different societies. Â lot of variations in it’s prevalence rate has been reported some reports state that the prevalence rate is 0.5% to more than 3%. Therefore, since the determination of infertility rate is important in futhur planning of health and treatment programmes and also since it has never been done in Mazandaran province, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence rate of infertility in central region of the province.

Sampling was done randomly from 15 regions of sari, Ghaemshahr and Neka cities and also 50 villages affiliated to these cities. The reproduction history was obtained by home interviewers with the women, coducted by two groups of medical and midwifery students.

The prevalence of infertility in this study was 13.2% out of which 4% were unresolved infertility. There was no statistical correlation between familial marriage and infertility, but the correlation between familial history and infertility was significant. 29.4% of infertility women had at least one experience of spontaneous abortion, while it was significantly lower in fertile women (16.3%). Çonclusion: The high prevalence of infertility necessitates a programme of assisted reproduction in health service centers and can be used for setting up such centers for the trearment of infertility.

Since at oocyte retrieval for in vitro fertilization there is some FF become incorporate to egg, we decided to investigate the effect of this fluid on preimplantation embryo development in vitro. FF was obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval for IVF, centrifuged and then either inactivated by heat and stored at 4°c or without inactivation stored at-20°c until used. Late 2-cell embryos were collected from superovulated 8-weeks-old random-bred Swiss mice 48 after injection of hCG. Rates of development were compared between embryos cultured in Hamchr('39')s F1O supplemented with 10% human albuminar serum (control group), heat-inactivated pure FF(HF1OO), Hamchr('39')s FIO supplemented with 50%, 25% and 10% heat-inactivated FF(HF50, HF25, HF1O), non heat inactivated pure FF(NF1OO) and Hamchr('39')s PIO supplemented with 10% non heat-inactivated FF(NF1O). Between 150 to 500 embryos wert" cultured in each of these media. The percentages of embryos which reached blastocyst in HF1OO, HF50, HF25, HF1O and Hamchr('39')s at 48h of culture were 58.6, 48.0, 37.6, 40.3 and 28.6 respectively which those in HF1OO and HF50 were significantly greater than those the others (P<0.05). After 72h of culture, these percentages were 86.1, 77.2, 75.0, 70.3 and 71 .6 respectively. In comparison only blastocyst reached embryos in HF1OO was significantly greater than those in the rest (P<0.05). In contrast to HFs, almost all embryos which cultured in NF1OO degenerated and from those cultured in NF1O only 44.1 % reached blastocyst at 72hr of culture which was significantly lower than those in the other experimental groups (P<0.05). These results suggest that human heat-inactivated FF could support themouse embryo development in vitro and accecerates and improves their growth in comparison with Hamchr('39')s F1O+ serum while non beat-inactivated fluid retards embryo development.