B. Zuhal Altunkaynak

Effects of prenatal 900 MHz electromagnetic field exposures on the histology of rat kidney

Abstract Purpose: To research the harmful effects of prenatal exposure of 900 megahertz (MHz) electromagnetic field (EMF) on kidneys of four-week-old male rats and to determine protective effects of melatonin (MEL) and omega-3 (ω-3). Materials and methods: Twenty-one Wistar albino rats were randomly placed into seven groups as follows: Control (Cont), Sham, MEL, ω-3, EMF, EMF+ MEL and EMF+ω-3. After mating, three groups (EMF, EMF+ MEL, EMF+ ω-3) were exposed to an EMF. In the fourth week subsequent to parturition, six rats were randomly chosen from each group. Mean volume of kidneys and renal cortices, the total number of glomeruli and basic histological structure of kidney were evaluated by stereological and light microscopical methods, respectively. Results: Stereological results determined the mean volume of the kidneys and cortices were significantly increased in EMF-exposed groups compared to the Cont group. However, EMF-unexposed groups were not significantly modified compared to the Cont group. Additionally, the total number of glomeruli was significantly higher in EMF-unexposed groups compared to the Cont group. Alternatively, the number of glomeruli in EMF-exposed groups was decreased compared to the Cont group. Conclusions: Prenatal exposure of rat kidneys to 900 MHz EMF resulted in increased total kidney volume and decreased the numbers of glomeruli. Moreover, MEL and ω-3 prevented adverse effects of EMF on the kidneys.

Effects of the melatonin on the kidney of high fat diet fed obese rats: A stereological and histological approach

Article History Received 25/ 02 /2012 Accepted 22/ 05 /2013 Obesity is associated with multiple conditions that are known to compromise renal function, including hypertension, diabetes, hyperuricemia, and the metabolic syndrome that can independently have a detrimental effect on renal function. The aim of this study was to examine effects of fatty diet induced obesity and melatonin on kidney in female rats by histological and quantative methods. For this aim, 24 rats were randomly divided into 4 groups including Non-obese control (NC group), Obese control (OC group), Nonobese Melatonin (NOM group) and Obese-Melatonin (OM group) groups. In the obese groups, rats, were fed with high fat diet (40% of calories from fat) for 15 weeks. The rats of the non-obese groups were fed with standard, commercial rat diet during the same period. At the end of the 15th week, rats in the melatonin groups started to received daily injections (i.p.) 10 mg/kg melatonin for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, a serial sections of kidneys were stained with Hematoxylen-eosin. Glomerular number (Ng) is considered a major determinant of renal function and outcome. Unbiased stereological methods have been used to estimate of Ng. Also histopathological analysis was made on the same sections. Stereological examination of the kidneys showed differences in terms of total kidney volume, volume of cortex, medulla and numerical density of glomeruli among the groups. Light microscopic investigation showed a dilatation in blood vessels and Bowman’s space, mononuclear cell infiltration, degeneration in nephrons, including glomerulosclerosis and tubular defects, and an increase in the connective tissue in the kidneys in the OC group. But, both stereological deficits and histological damages detected in OC group recovered in OM group after melatonin treatment. We suggested that a fatty diet is responsible for the rats’ obesity and may lead to renal deformities as a result of histopathological changes such as vessel dilatation, tubular defects, inflammation and connective tissue enlargement of the kidney. Also melatonin treatment after obesity may contribute structural and functional healing.

Does Haloperidol Have Side Effects on Histological and Stereological Structure of the Rat Kidneys

Haloperidol, a typical antipsychotic, is the most commonly prescribed medication for the treatment of mental health problems such as agitation and psychosis. We attempted to determine the effects of haloperidol treatment on the kidneys of female rats. In addition, we aimed to estimate the numerical density, total number, and height of renal glomeruli and the volume and volumetric fractions of the cortex, medulla, and whole kidneys, and tried to determine whether there was a change in these stereological parameters depending on haloperidol treatment. Both the qualitative and quantitative histological features of the kidney samples were analyzed with conventional histopathological and modern stereological methods at the light microscopic level. The total number of glomeruli and numerical density of glomerulus in the haloperidol-treated groups was not changed by increasing the dose in comparison to the control group. The mean height of the glomerulus significantly increased, especially in low-dose groups. In the haloperidol-treated groups, the volumetric fractions of the cortex to the whole kidney of the rats were significantly decreased by increasing the dose. The volumetric fractions of the medulla to the whole kidney of the rats were increased significantly in parallel by the given dose. In addition, we present quantitative findings showing that haloperidol is associated with many alterations in rat kidneys. It was shown that haloperidol may lead to undesirable changes in the kidney after chronic treatment with especially high doses.

Chronic treatment of haloperidol induces pathological changes in striatal neurons of guinea pigs: a light and electron microscopical study.

In the present work, we investigated whether there would be any change in histological structure of striatal neurons after haloperidol applications at different doses. Adult male guinea pigs were treated once-daily with saline (group 4, control) or haloperidol during 6 weeks, and the dose was 1, 2, or 3 mg/kg (groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively). After treatment, all animals were anesthetized and striata were dissected and examined. When striata were evaluated histologically, dark neurons and some degenerating striatal neurons had distinctive morphological changes consistent with cell death, including reduced neuronal size with nuclear and cytoplasmic shrinkage. Also, in sections of striata in groups 1 and 2, but not in group 3, more glial cells were observed than in those of the control group. In all treated groups, fibrous content of intersititium was paralelly increased by increasing dose. Ultrastructural investigation of striatal neurons in haloperidol-treated rats showed notched nuclei and many lysosomes. Moreover, degeneration of myelin, scarce microglial macrophages, expansion of nuclear intermembranous space, degenerated mitochondria, and vacuoles were found. Also, cytoplasmic swelling, lysosomes, and apoptotic bodies were present. These results suggest that haloperidol treatment may lead to damage in neurons via the necrotic process in both low- and high-dose applications.

Effects of spermine and the passive avoidance learning (PAL) following cerebral ischemia in chicks: Association with neuroprotection of pyramidal cells

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of spermine and the passive avoidance learning on hippocampus following transient cerebral ischemia in the chicks. The study is composed of the pure control (CG), sham (SG) and experimental groups (n=20). Experimental groups (ischemia group, IG and ischemia-spermine group, ISG) were exposed to ischemia for 20min whereas the SG was exposed to sham operation and CG group was not exposed to any operation. Passive avoidance learning (PAL) was applied to the half number of the subjects in each group. Both before and after 7days from the ischemia, operated animals were taken to PAL and then they were sacrificed. Total numbers of neurons in the hippocampus were stereologically estimated using Cresyl violet stained sections. We detected that number of neurons was increased following PAL and especially spermine treatment. According to our results, we suggested that spermine may reduce the deleterious effects of the ischemia by causing to increase in the neuronal number and so, it may be slightly supportive to the PAL.

Histopathological examination of glomerulus in the kidney of newborn rats following prenatal exposure to 900 MHz electromagnetic field

Widespread use of mobile phones, which are a major source of electromagnetic fields (EMF), might affect living organisms. It has been known that exposure to EMF has side effects on animal tissue and their physiological activities. The use of mobile phones is currently one of the fastest growing technological developments. The close proximity of the antenna of such a device to the abdominal organs has raised concerns about the biological interactions between EMF and the kidney. The kidney is a major potential route for the absorption of hazardous materials encountered in the environment. The mobile telephone emitting 900 MHz radiations may be absorbed by kidney more than other internal organs because mobile phones are often carried in belts. Additionally; the direct biological effects of exposure to 900-MHz EMF have not been studied extensively. For that reasons, we aimed to study the effect of prenatal exposure to 900 MHz EMF on the glomeruli in the kidney of the 4-week male rats. Pregnant rats were randomly divided into two groups that are the control (Cont) and the electromagnetic fields exposure (EMF) groups (three pregnant rats each group). Pregnant rats in the Cont group were kept under the standard laboratory conditions and the pregnant rats of EMF group were exposed to an EMF of 900 MHz for 60 min/day from the first to the last day of the gestation period. The exposure period was from 12.00 p.m. to 13.00 p.m. each day. Fourteen pups were obtained from control pregnant rats (4, 5 and 5 pups from Cont 1, 2 and 3 pregnant rats, respectively) and the 15 pups were obtained EMF exposed pregnant rats (4, 5 and 6 pups from EMF 1, 2 and 3 pregnant rats, respectively) after spontaneous delivery. At the end of the 4th week, totally 11 pups were randomly selected for study without regarding their sexes. They were divided into the Cont group (n=5), obtained randomly from the pregnant rats of the control group, and the EMF group (n=6), obtained randomly from the pregnant rats of the EMF group. At the end of 4 weeks, offspring were anesthetized with urethane and removed kidneys were routinely processed and cut into serial sections at 10μm thickness, stereological and histopathological analyses were done. According to statistical analysis there were significant differences between the Cont and EMF groups in terms of numerical density of glomeruli. As a result of the study, we suggest that 900 MHz EMF may cause a decrease in the glomerular density in the rat kidney.

Östrojen hormonu ve menopoz

RonnekleInsanoglunun en onemli saglik problemleri arasinda olan over yaslanmasi ve menopozla birlikte disi hormon sisteminde duzensizlikler bas gostermektedir. Ostrojen hormonu azalmakta ve buna bagli olarak osteoporoz, kardiyovaskuler rahatsizliklar, Alzheimer hastaligi, artrit, katarakt, over ve kolon kanserleri, diyabet, dis ve cene bozukluklari gibi patolojilerin gorulme sikliginda artis saptanmaktadir. Bu derlemede ostrojen hormonununtemel etki mekanizmalari, hucresel duzeydeki yansimalari ve organizma uzerindeki etkileri hakkinda detayli bilgiyeulasilmasi amaclanmistir. Estrogen hormone and menopause Overian aging and menopause, the most important health problems for human being, cause with these problems a lot of irregulations in female hormone system. The estrogen is decreased and parallel with this situation, some pathologies such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, cataract, ovarian and colon cancers, diabetes, teeth and jaw disorders may be seen.This review paper presents detailed information about estrogen’s basic effect mechanisms, its reflection on cellular level and effects on organisms. J. Exp. Clin. Med., 2012; 29:252-256