Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress in the Rat Testes: Protective Effects of Betaine

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant effects of betaine against oxidative stress and pathological changes mediated by cadmium in the testes of rats. The adult male Wistar rats were allocated into three experimental groups as follows: the cadmium group received cadmium chloride at the dosage of 2 mg/kg intraperitoneally thereafter, the rats treated by physiological saline for 10 consecutive days. The betaine plus cadmium group received betaine at the dosage of 1.5 % w/w of the total diet orally for 10 consecutive days and cadmium chloride injected at the 2nd day of the betaine treatment. The control rats were injected physiological saline. Both testes of rats were removed for antioxidant assay and pathological changes evaluation on days 5 and 10 after cadmium toxicity. TBARS concentration (as a lipid peroxidation marker) was significantly higher in the cadmium group by day 10 compared to control and betaine plus cadmium groups, and it was significantly higher in cadmium group by day 5 in comparison with the controls. Catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase activities decreased significantly by day 10 in cadmium group when compared to the controls. In contrast, CAT and superoxide dismutase activities increased significantly by day 10 in betaine plus cadmium group when compared to the cadmium group. In addition, the antioxidant effects of betaine could prevent testicular pathological changes in betaine plus cadmium group. The present data allow us to exploit the advantages of this nutrient agent in future studies.     

Binding site identification of anticancer drug gefitinib to HSA and DNA in the presence of five different probes

This study was carried out to evaluate the binding interaction of gefitinib (GEF) with human serum albumin (HSA) and calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) using fluorescence, UV–Visible, zeta potential measurements and molecular docking methods in order to understand its pharmacokinetic mechanism. By increasing the temperature, a steady decrease in Stern–Volmer quenching constants was observed for HSA binding properties; this indicates a static type of fluorescence quenching. Negative values were calculated for Gibbs free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) changes, indicating that the reaction is spontaneous and enthalpy-driven. Probe competitive experimental results showed that GEF contains the same binding site as warfarin and are consistent with modeling results. The zeta potential of the HSA increased with increasing GEF, which represents the presence of electrostatic interactions in the system. DNA binding properties were investigated in the presence of three probes. The experimental results showed that by increasing GEF to DNA-AO (acridine-orange) and DNA-MB (methylene-blue) system, the fluorescence intensity and absorbance spectra had no considerable change. Furthermore, with the addition of GEF to DNA, the zeta potential decreased gradually, indicating that the hydrophobic interaction between the GEF and the bases of DNA is the major factor. Thus, GEF can bind to DNA via a groove binding mode. It was also found that GEF entered into the minor groove in the A–T rich region of DNA fragment and bind via van der-Waals forces and three H-bond with double strands of DNA. This is in good agreement with experimental results.     

A new species of Myrmozercon Berlese (Acari,Mesostigmata, Laelapidae) associated?with?ant?from?Iran

This paper report on a new species of mites of the genus Myrmozercon associated with ant in Iran – Myrmozercon cyrusi Ghafarian and Joharchi sp. n. was collected associated of the Monomorium sp. in Kenevist Rural District in the Central District of Mashhad County, Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. This new species is described and illustrations provided. Myrmozercon ovatum Karawajew, 1909 is suspected to be a junior synonym of Myrmozercon brevipes Berlese, 1902 and host-specificity and host range of Myrmozercon are also reviewed.     

Cryptic Speciation Patterns in Iranian Rock Lizards Uncovered by Integrative Taxonomy

While traditionally species recognition has been based solely on morphological differences either typological or quantitative, several newly developed methods can be used for a more objective and integrative approach on species delimitation. This may be especially relevant when dealing with cryptic species or species complexes, where high overall resemblance between species is coupled with comparatively high morphological variation within populations. Rock lizards, genus Darevskia, are such an example, as many of its members offer few diagnostic morphological features. Herein, we use a combination of genetic, morphological and ecological criteria to delimit cryptic species within two species complexes, D. chlorogaster and D. defilippii, both distributed in northern Iran. Our analyses are based on molecular information from two nuclear and two mitochondrial genes, morphological data (15 morphometric, 16 meristic and four categorical characters) and eleven newly calculated spatial environmental predictors. The phylogeny inferred for Darevskia confirmed monophyly of each species complex, with each of them comprising several highly divergent clades, especially when compared to other congeners. We identified seven candidate species within each complex, of which three and four species were supported by Bayesian species delimitation within D. chlorogaster and D. defilippii, respectively. Trained with genetically determined clades, Ecological Niche Modeling provided additional support for these cryptic species. Especially those within the D. defilippii-complex exhibit well-differentiated niches. Due to overall morphological resemblance, in a first approach PCA with mixed variables only showed the separation between the two complexes. However, MANCOVA and subsequent Discriminant Analysis performed separately for both complexes allowed for distinction of the species when sample size was large enough, namely within the D. chlorogaster-complex. In conclusion, the results support four new species, which are described herein.     

Acetyl-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Carnitine Attenuates Arsenic-Induced Oxidative Stress and Hippocampal Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Augmentation of mitochondrial oxidative stress through activating a series of deadly events has implicated as the main culprit of arsenic toxicity and therapeutic approaches based on improving mitochondrial function hold a great promise for attenuating the arsenic-induced toxicity. Acetyl-l-carnitine (ALC) through balancing the coenzyme A (CoA)/acyl-CoA ratio plays an important role in mitochondrial metabolism and thereby can help protect hippocampal neurons from oxidative damage. In the present study, we aimed to explore the effect of arsenic interactions on the mitochondrial function in the hippocampus of rats. Rats were randomly divided into five groups of control (distilled water), sodium arsenite (NaAsO₂, 20 mg/kg), and co-treatment of NaAsO₂ with various doses of ALC in three groups (100, 200, 300 mg/kg) and were treated orally for 21 consecutive days. Our results point out that arsenic exposure caused oxidative stress in rats’ hippocampus, which led to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial swelling, the collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and release of cytochrome c. It also altered Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio and increased caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities. Furthermore, arsenic exposure via activation of NF-κB and microglia increased inflammation. ALC could concentration-dependently counteract the arsenic-induced oxidative stress, modulate the antioxidant defense capacity, and improve mitochondrial functions. In addition, ALC decreased the expression of both death-associated proteins and of inflammatory markers. These findings indicate that ALC improved the arsenic-induced hippocampal mitochondrial dysfunction which underlines the importance of ALC in providing a possible therapeutic strategy for the prevention of arsenic-induced neurodegeneration.     

Review of the genus Laelaspisella Marais & Loots,with the description of a new species from Iran (Acari,Laelapidae)

A new species of mite is described from Iran, Laelaspisella elsae sp. n. (Acari: Laelapidae). The new species was collected from bark of elm trees in Isfahan province. A revised diagnosis for Laelaspisella, as well as a key to the world species of the genus, are presented. Two species groups of Laelaspisella are proposed: those with seta pd3 on genu I and those without pd3 on genu I. Pseudoparasitus (Gymnolaelaps) tonsilis Karg, 1989a is transferred to Laelaspisella, based on its hypertrichous holodorsal shield, metasternal setae st4 absent and genu IV with ten setae. The problems with Laelaspisella canestrinii are explained and Laelaspisella canestrinii sensu Berlese (1903), (1904) and Costa (1962) is provided with a new name, Laelaspisella berlesei Joharchi, nom. n.     

Breast Tumor Targeting in Mice Bearing 4T1 Tumor with Labeled CXCR4 Antagonist Analogue

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Chemokine receptor belongs to G-protein-coupled cell-surface receptors. CXCR4 as a chemokine receptor is over-expressed in many type of...