Histochemical changes in neonatal liver caused by vaginal instillation of magnetic nanoparticles in pregnant mice

Drug delivery through the vagina is a novel and effective approach for treating embryonic diseases. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) currently are used as drug delivery systems. The safety of MNPs for use with embryonic tissues remains unclear. We used pregnant mice to investigate the possible toxicity of MNPs toward neonatal liver at three embryonic ages using histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. MNPs were instilled through the vaginas of pregnant mice at days 12 (E12), 15 (E15) and 17 (E17) after fertilization. We found MNPs in the neonatal liver parenchyma after delivery of the pups on day 20. We observed that MNPs caused mild apoptosis of hepatocytes, cytoplasmic vacuolation and lymphocytic infiltration in the neonatal liver after treatment at E15 compared to instillation at E12 and E17. We observed also that MNPs increased the production of caspase proteins and tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 proteins, which are indicators of apoptosis, in the neonatal liver after instillation of MNPs at E15 compared to instillation at E12 and E17. MNPs also increased the number of collagen fibers and the amounts of connective tissue growth factors in the neonatal liver parenchyma after instillation at E15 compared to instillation at E12 and E17. The general carbohydrates in the neonatal liver were decreased in a time-dependent manner after instillation at E17, E15 and E12 owing to the presence of MNPs in the parenchyma. Overall, we determined that MNPs were mildly toxic to neonatal liver.     

Histological and immunohistochemical effects of Curcuma longa on activation of rat hepatic stellate cells after cadmium induced hepatotoxicity

The liver is a target for toxic chemicals such as cadmium (Cd). When the liver is damaged, hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are activated and transformed into myofibroblast-like cells, which are responsible for liver fibrosis. Curcuma longa has been reported to exert a hepato-protective effect under various pathological conditions. We investigated the effects of C. longa administration on HSC activation in response to Cd induced hepatotoxicity. Forty adult male albino rats were divided into: group 1 (control), group 2 (Cd treated), group 3 (C. longa treated) and group 4 (Cd and C. longa treated). After 6 weeks, liver specimens were prepared for light and electron microscopy examination of histological changes and immunohistochemical localization of alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) as a specific marker for activated HSC. Activated HSC with a positive αSMA immune reaction were not detected in groups 1 and 3. Large numbers of activated HSC with αSMA immune reactions were observed in group 2 in addition to Cd induced hepatotoxic changes including excess collagen deposition in thickened portal triads, interlobular septa with hepatic lobulation, inflammatory cell infiltration, a significant increase in Kupffer cells and degenerated hepatocytes. In group 4, we observed a significant decrease in HSC that expressed αSMA with amelioration of the hepatotoxic changes. C. longa administration decreased HSC activation and ameliorated hepatotoxic changes caused by Cd in adult rats.     

Kinetic characteristics of the ATP-pyrophosphate isotope exchange catalyzed by RNA ligase from T4 bacteriophage

The dependence of initial rate v0 of ATP--PPi exchange reaction catalyzed by RNA-ligase of bacteriophage T4 on the concentration of ATP(s), pyrophosphate (z) and Mgcl2 has been determined. The dependence of v0 on s and z described by the equation v0 = k-1k2E0/(k-1 + K2) (1 + K1/s + k2/z) has been obtained for the reaction of E + S in equilibrium ES in equilibrium E1 + Z, where E--enzyme, E1--adenylylenzyme, S--ATP, Z--pyrophosphate, K1 and K2--constants of equilibrium, k-1, k2--velocity constants of transition of ES to E + S and E1 + Z, E0--complete concentration of enzyme. The low inhibition of the ATP--PPi exchange by the acceptor A(pA)2 and donors pAp, p(Ap)3, pCp has been shown. The dependence of v0 on the concentration of MgCl2 is consent with the incorporation of only dimagnesium salts of substrates in the isotope-exchange reaction.     

Inventing Engineered Organoids for end-stage liver failure patients

Journal of Molecular Histology - End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is a term used clinically in reference to a group of liver diseases with liver transplantation as the choice of treatment. Due to the...     

Ysp2 mediates death of yeast induced by amiodarone or intracellular acidification

Recently we have found that the drug amiodarone induces apoptosis in yeast, which is mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here we have used this finding as a tool to screen for genes involved in the death program. We have described a novel mitochondrial protein, Ysp2, acting in the amiodarone-induced death cascade. After amiodarone addition both the control and amiodarone-resistant ysp2-deleted cells formed ROS, but the mutant (unlike the control) did not undergo the mitochondrial thread-to-grain transition. To test whether the action of Ysp2 is amiodarone-specific we tried to induce PCD by other agents. We have found that acetic acid-induced PCD also depends on Ysp2. We also demonstrate that, like acetic acid, propionic acid or nigericin triggered intracellular acidification causing ROS-dependent death. We suggest that intracellular acidification results in the protonation of superoxide anion (O2-*) to form HO2, one of the most aggressive ROS, which in turn induces Ysp2-mediated PCD.