Damla Haktanir

Effects of curcumin on proinflammatory cytokines and tissue injury in the early and late phases of experimental acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS Acute pancreatitis (AP) varies from mild to severe necrotizing changes with high mortality. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of curcumin on tissue injury and proinflammatory cytokines in the early and late phases of AP. METHODS AP was induced by sodium taurocholate in rats (n = 140). First group was left untreated. Group II received 100 mg/kg curcumin daily starting 20 days before AP induction. The rats were allocated into 7 sub-groups (n:5) and were sacrificed at 2, 6, 12, 24, 72, 144 and 288 h following the induction of AP. Blood and pancreatic tissue samples were collected for biochemical and histopathologic evaluations and the assessment of protein and mRNA levels, as well. RESULTS Curcumin decreased total histopathologic scores in comparison with those of the taurocholate group (P < 0.05). Curcumin increased Caspase-3 activity and decreased trypsin activity, while inhibited nuclear factor-κ (NF-κB) at all time points (P < 0.05) and moreover reduced activator protein-1 (AP-1). Curcumin decreased chemokine (except for 288 h), TNF-α (except for 2 and 24 h), IL-6 (except for 2, 6 and 288 h) and iNOS (except for 144 and 288 h) mRNA levels (P < 0.05). Curcumin serum nitric oxide (NO) (except for 144 and 288 h) levels were reduced, as well. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, curcumin reduced tissue injury, trypsin activation and inhibited NF-κB and AP-1. However TNF-α, IL-6 and iNOS and NO were not inhibited at all time points. Therefore no direct correlation was detected in the subgroups between tissue injury, proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative enzymes.

Long-term aspirin pretreatment in the prevention of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.

AIM To investigate the effects of long term pretreatment with low-, medium- and high-dose aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA) on a model of acute pancreatitis (AP) induced in rats. METHODS Forty male Wistar rats were used. Three experimental groups, each consisting of eight animals, received low- (5 mg/kg per day), medium- (150 mg/kg per day) and high-dose (350 mg/kg per day) ASA in supplemented pellet chow for 100 d. Eight animals, serving as the AP-control group, and another eight, serving as reference value (RV) group, were fed with standard pellet chow for the same period. After pretreatment, AP was induced in the experimental animals by intraperitoneal administration of cerulein (2 × 50 μg/kg), while the RV group received saline in the same way. Twelve hours after the second injection, the animals were sacrificed. Pancreatic tissue and plasma samples were collected. One part of the collected pancreatic tissues was used for histopathological evaluation, and the remaining portion was homogenized. Cytokine levels [tumor necrosis factor, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6], hemogram parameters, biochemical parameters (amylase and lipase), nuclear factor-κB, aspirin triggered lipoxins and parameters related to the antioxidant system (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, hemeoxygenase-1, catalase and superoxide dismutase) were measured. RESULTS Cerulein administration induced mild pancreatitis, characterized by interstitial edema (total histopathological score of 5.88 ± 0.44 vs 0.25 ± 0.16, P < 0.001). Subsequent pancreatic tissue damage resulted in an increase in amylase (2829.71 ± 772.48 vs 984.57 ± 49.22 U/L, P = 0.001) and lipase (110.14 ± 75.84 U/L vs 4.71 ± 0.78 U/L, P < 0.001) in plasma, and leucocytes (6.89 ± 0.48 vs 4.36 ± 0.23, P = 0.001) in peripheral blood. Cytokines, IL-1β (18.81 ± 2.55 pg/μg vs 6.65 ± 0.24 pg/μg, P = 0.002) and IL-6 (14.62 ± 1.98 pg/μg vs 9.09 ± 1.36 pg/μg, P = 0.04) in pancreatic tissue also increased. Aspirin pretreatment reduced the increase in the aforementioned parameters to a certain degree and partially improved the histopathological alterations caused by cerulein. No evidence of side effects related to chronic ASA administration (e.g., inflammation or bleeding) was observed in the gastrointestinal tract in macroscopic and histopathological examination. CONCLUSION Long term ASA pretreatment could prevent and/or ameliorate certain hematological, serological and histological alterations caused by cerulein-induced AP.

Clinical, Virological and Pathological Investigations on Horses with Neurological Disorders in Turkey

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical, pathologic, and viral etiology of horses with neurologic disorders. Twelve English Thoroughbred horses with neurologic disorders were investigated for the presence of neuropathogenic equine herpesvirus‐1 (EHV‐1) and Borna disease virus (BDV) by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and histopathological methods. Neuropathogenic EHV‐1 was detected in the brain of two horses by real‐time PCR. Borna disease virus p24 and p40 gene sequences were detected by real‐time RT‐PCR in the brain of a 3‐year‐old horse and in the blood of a 1‐year‐old horse. High fever, ataxia, depression, lack of coordination, and gait abnormalities were present in these horses, which died within a few days of developing neurologic signs. The BDV p24 and p40 real‐time PCR products were sequenced and shown to be identical to previously reported BDV sequences. In the brain of the BDV‐positive horse, hyperemia was pronounced in the parenchyma and the meninges. In addition, nonpurulent poliencephalomyelitis characterized by perivascular mononuclear cell infiltration was seen. Mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cell infiltration was also seen in the liver with necrotic perihepatitis besides subacute splenitis and glomerulonephritis and severe hyperemia in the kidney and edema and emphysema in the lung. In conclusion, neuropathogenic EHV‐1 and BDV were detected in horses from Turkey using molecular detection methods. Since BDV genetic signatures were detected in Turkey for the first time, future epidemiologic studies need to be performed to investigate the range of host animals, spread, frequency, and molecular diversity of BDV; this will allow to determine the risk of this pathogen for Turkish veterinary and public health. HighlightsThis study describes the first cases of Borna disease in horses and first molecular detection of Borna disease virus in Turkey.

Intramedullary spinal cord meningioma in a Boxer: a case report

Meningiomas are the most common primary tumours of the canine central nervous system. The incidence of these tumours increases with age and they are more frequently encountered in dogs older than seven years. Meningiomas are solitary, well-defined neoplasias that more commonly grow via compression and less commonly by infiltrating the nervous tissue. Meningiomas exhibit 82% intracranial, 15% intraspinal and 3% ret - robulbar location. Meningiomas of the spinal cord are mostly benign in character with intradural-extramedullary location in the cervical segments. The case reported here consisted of a 10-year old male Boxer presenting with a complaint of inability to use its left foreleg. In the neurological examination, upper motor neuron findings were recorded and direct radiography, myelography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical region were performed. Interpretation of the transversal, coronal and sagittal cross-section magnetic resonance images taken of T1-weighted, T2-weighted and T1-weighted with contrast sequences, revealed a well-defined intramedullary mass at the level of the C5-C6 vertebra. Histopathological examination of the neoplastic mass revealed it to be a transitional (mixed) meningioma which had infiltrated into the spinal cord.