Hamdi Avci

Protective effects of silymarin and curcumin on cyclophosphamide-induced cardiotoxicity

INTRODUCTION Cyclophosphamide (CP) is a potent anticancer agent; its clinical use is limited due to its marked cardiotoxicity. AIM The present study was aimed at evaluating the cardioprotective effects of silymarin (SLY) and curcumin (CUR), which have strong antioxidant properties, against the toxic effects of high-dose CP on the heart of rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 36 adult Wistar albino female rats were randomly divided into six groups. Group I (control group; nothing was administered), Group II (CP group; 30mg/kg/day CP was administered intraperitoneally to each animal for seven days), Group III (SLY group; 100mg/kg/day SLY by gavage for 14 days), Group IV (CUR group; 100mg/kg/day CUR by gavage for 14 days), Group V (SLY+CP group; 100mg/kg/day SLY by gavage for 14days plus 30mg/kg/day CP intraperitoneally starting from the seventh day) and Group VI (CUR+CP group; 100mg/kg/day CUR by gavage for 14days plus 30mg/kg/day CP intraperitoneally starting from the seventh day). Biochemical, histopathological and immunohistochemical methods were utilised for evaluation of the cardiotoxicity. RESULTS The result showed that an increase in heart MDA and DNA fragmentation levels were detected while significant decreases were seen in SOD levels in CP alone group when compared to the other groups. CP caused severe damage in the histopathological status of heart tissue including intersititial oedema, haemorrhage, degeneration and necrosis in muscle fibrils and perinuclear vacuolization. A significant increase in the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells and γH2AX protein expression was detected in the CP-treated group compared to the control and other treated groups. There was significant increase in the percentage of caspase 3-positive cells and decrease in the percentage of Bcl-2 positive cells in the CP group compared to the control group and other treated groups. However, a significant decrease in the percentage of cTnI and cTnT immunoreactivity was also observed in the CP-treated group compared to the control and other treated groups. In the groups in which SLY and CUR were administered concurrently with CP, biochemical parameters, histopathological and immunohistochemical results were found to be significantly lower than in the CP-only group. CONCLUSIONS These results lead to conclusion that the natural antioxidant SLY and CUR might have protective effects against CP-induced cardiotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats.

Pathomorphological, immunohistochemical and bacteriological findings in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) naturally infected with S. Gallinarum

The present study describes the pathological and bacteriological findings and diagnosis by immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence methods in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) naturally infected with Salmonella gallinarum obtained from three commercial budgerigar rearing farms. The course of the disease in young budgerigars was peracute or acute, whereas in adult budgerigars the disease was acute or chronic. Clinically, yellow–white diarrhoea was observed in the young budgerigars with the acute form. In the adult budgerigars with the acute and chronic forms, a decrease in feed and water consumption with loss in body condition together with greenish-yellow diarrhoea was generally noted. Peritonitis and pericarditis were the most common findings in young budgerigars at necropsy, while in adult budgerigars scattered grey–white necrotic foci were found in the livers. Histopathologically, the lesions in young budgerigars were characterized with fibrinonecrotic peritonitis and/or pericarditis and necrotic hepatitis. In adult budgerigars with acute infection, hepatic necrosis with focal heterophil infiltration was present; whilst lesions in the chronic cases were granulomatous in nature with the infiltration of macrophages, lymphocytes and histiocytes. For the detection of S. Gallinarum in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, the avidin–biotin peroxidase complex and immunofluorescence methods were used. Both methods showed bacteria to be localized in the liver, kidney, peritoneum, heart, spleen and intestines of both young and adult budgerigars. The results of the present study indicate that the avidin–biotin peroxidase complex method was more sensitive than the immunofluorescence method in the detection of the bacteria.

Experimental Lactococcus garvieae infection in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum 1792: a comparative histopathological and immunohistochemical study.

The aim of this study was to induce Lactococcus garvieae infection in young and adult fish through different routes [intraperitoneal (IP) and immersion (IM)] and to investigate the pathogenesis and histopathological and immunohistochemical findings comparatively. For this purpose, a total of 180 rainbow trout (90 young, 20 ± 5 g and 90 adult, 80 ± 10 g) obtained from a commercial fish farm were used. The fish were divided into eight groups, four experimental groups (Young-Adult IP groups and Young-Adult IM groups, each contain 30 fish) and four control groups (Young-Adult IP Control groups and Young-Adult IM control groups, each contain 15 fishes). The experimental study was conducted using L. garvieae, and confirmatory identification was performed by PCR. The sequence result of the PCR amplicon of 16S rDNA from isolate L. garvieae LAC1 was determined and deposited in the GenBank database under accession number KC883976. Fish in the IP groups were intraperitoneally administered an inoculate containing 10(6) cfu mL(-1) bacteria 0.1 mL. In the IM groups, fish were kept in inoculated water containing 10(8) cfu mL(-1) bacteria for 20 min. Mortality as well as clinical and pathological findings was recorded daily, and significant differences in macroscopic and microscopic results were observed between the IP and IM administration groups. All tissue samples were immunohistochemically stained by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex and immunofluorescence (IF) methods using polyclonal antibody to detect L. garvieae antigens. In immunoperoxidase staining in the IP groups, positive reactions to bacterial antigens were most commonly seen in the spleen, kidney, heart, liver, peritoneum and swim bladder. In the IM groups, bacterial antigens were most commonly found in the eye, gill, spleen and kidney. In the IF method, the distribution of antigens in tissue and organs was similar to the reactions with immunoperoxidase staining. Finally, in this experimental study, an important correlation was seen between the distribution of L. garvieae antigens and lesions developing in many organ and tissues.

Granulosa cell tumor in two dogs.

Granüloza hücre tümörleri, granüloza hücrelerinden köken alan ve ovaryumun en yaygın görülen seks kord-gonadostromal tümörlerdendir. Bu vaka sunumu ile iki köpekte granüloza hücre tümörü klinik ve patolojik bulguları ile tanımlandı. Birinci olguda (iki yaşlı, kırma köpek) klinik olarak orta derecede vulvar ödem ve hemorajik vajinal akıntı ve transabdominal ultrasonografide sağ ovaryum üzerinde 8.0 mm ve 10.0 mm boyutlarında iki kistik yapı dikkati çekti. Önceden kısırlaştırıldığı ve son üç aydır aralıklı olarak seyreden kanamalı vajinal akıntının görüldüğü bildirilen ikinci olguda (dokuz yaşlı, Alman çoban köpeği), klinik muayenede şiddetli vulvar ödem ile transabdominal ultrason muayenesinde sağ paralumbal bölgede hiperekojenik doku ile çevrelenmiş kistik bir yapıya rastlandı. Birinci olguda, makroskobik incelemede her iki ovaryumun dış yüzünde çapları 1.0 mm’den 3.0 mm’ye varan büyüklüklerde, çok sayıda, boz-beyaz renkli ve sert kıvamlı nodüller mevcuttu. Sağ ovaryumun dış yüzünde biri 8.0 mm diğeri 10.0 mm çapında, içleri seröz sıvı dolu kistler bulunmaktaydı. İkinci olguda, sağ ovaryum yüzeyinde biri 1.0 mm diğeri 10.0 mm çapında, boz-beyaz renkte ve sert kıvamlı nodüller bulunmaktaydı. Mikroskobik incelemede; her iki olguda, fibröz stroma ile sınırlandırılmış kistik ya da solid yapılar halinde neoplastik alanlar dikkati çekti. Bu alanlar; sitoplazmaları vakuollü, çekirdekleri yuvarlak ya da oval şekilli, pleomorfik, bir ya da birkaç sıra halinde dizilmiş neoplastik granüloza hücrelerinden oluşmuştu. Bu yapıların bazılarının merkezlerinde eozinofilik globuler Call-Exner cisimciği dikkati çekti. Her iki olguda da post operatiftedaviyi takiben vulvar ödem ve vajinal kanamada azalma, ilerleyen haftalarda da tam iyileşme sağlandı.