Leonardo de Souza Vasconcellos

Plasma lipid alterations after total splenectomy, subtotal splenectomy and splenic auto‐implants in rats

Background and Aim:  The relation between the spleen and lipid metabolism has not been properly studied. In order to contribute to the filling of this gap, in the present investigation we experimentally assessed the lipidogram of rats in the presence of the spleen, in asplenia, and after conservative spleen surgeries.

Implante Autólogo Ovariano no Omento Maior: Estudo Experimental

Purpose: in order to maintain the gonadal function after oophorectomy, morphofunctional aspects of ovarian autotransplantation to the greater omentum and the best kind of implantation, intact or sliced, were investigated. Methods: forty cycling female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Group I (n = 5), control - laparotomy; Group II (n = 5), bilateral oophorectomy; Group III (n = 10), intact ovarian autotransplantation to the greater omentum; and Group IV (n = 10), sliced ovarian autotransplantation, both to the greater omentum. The estrous cycle was investigated in the third and sixth postoperative months and histological studies of the ovarian implants were carried out considering: degeneration, fibrosis, inflammatory reaction, angiogenesis, follicular cysts, follicular development and corpora lutea. Results: the animals of Group I preserved the cycling sequence. The rats of Group II remained in diestrus. In Group III, 11 rats remained in diestrus, three presented incomplete cycles and one showed normal cycle. In Group IV, three animals remained in diestrus, eight showed incomplete cycles and four showed normal cycles. The histology of the ovaries of Group III was normal in ten female rats; however, the ovaries of the other five animals presented degeneration. In Group IV, 14 female rats had ovaries with preserved morphological aspect, and signs of degeneration occurred in one. Conclusions: the ovarian autotransplantation to the greater omentum is viable and the sliced form presented better morphofunctional aspects than the intact implants.

Populational genetic data for 15 STR markers in the Brazilian population of Minas Gerais

Fifteen short tandem repeats (STR) markers were analyzed (TPOX, D2S1338, D3S1358, FGA, D5S818, CSF1PO, D7S820, D8S1179, TH01, vWA, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, and D21S11) in unrelated individuals undergoing paternity studies from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Allele frequencies and statistical parameters for the 15 loci were calculated.

Influence of local or systemic corticosteroids on skin wound healing resistance

PURPOSE To compare the resistance of skin wound healing of mice submitted to local or systemic hydrocortisone administration, in different postoperative periods. METHODS An incision and suture was performed on the thoracic skin of 130 male mice: Group 1 (n = 10) resistance of the integer skin; Group 2 (n = 30) submitted only to skin incision and suture; Group 3 (n = 30) skin incision and suture followed by administration of saline fluid; Group 4 (n = 30) skin incision and suture followed by administration of local hydrocortisone; Group 5 (n = 30) skin incision and suture followed by administration of systemic hydrocortisone. The resistance of the wound healing and the weight of the animals were studied on the seventh, 14(th) and 21(st) postoperative days. Histological examination was also performed. RESULTS The mice that received corticoid (groups 4 and 5) presented significant decreasing on their weight (p = 0.02). The Groups 3, 4 and 5 showed lower scar resistance than Group 2 on the seventh postoperative day (p < 0.05). On the 14(th) and 21(st) days, there was no difference on the skin would healing resistance (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION Administration of hydrocortisone in mice is responsible for weight decreasing and reduction of the skin wound healing resistance during the first postoperative week.

Is there a relationship between lipids metabolism and splenic surgeries

PURPOSE To assess the influence of spleen surgeries (splenectomy, presence of spleen and after conservative surgeries) on lipids metabolism. METHODS Fifty female Wistar rats of similar weight and age were divided into five groups submitted to the following procedures: Group 1 - control, with an intact spleen; Group 2 - sham operation, Group 3 - total splenectomy; Group 4 - subtotal splenectomy, and Group 5 - total splenectomy complemented with autogenous spleen tissue implants. Four months after the interventions, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol and fractions (VLDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol) were determined. The results for the four groups were compared by analysis of variance followed by the Tukey-Kramer test, with the level of significance set at p<0.05. RESULTS There were no differences between groups 1, 2, 4 and 5. In the animals submitted to total splenectomy, total cholesterol (p=0.0151) and LDL-cholesterol fraction concentrations (p<0.0001) were higher, whereas HDL-cholesterol fraction concentrations were lower (p=0.0026) than those detected in the other groups. There was no difference in triglycerides (p=0.1571) or VLDL-cholesterol (p=0.2527) between groups. CONCLUSION Splenectomy is related to changes in the lipid metabolism that are reverted by autogenous spleen tissue implants.

Influência da ooforectomia e da gravidez na função fagocitária do sistema mononuclear fagocitário em modelo experimental

INTRODUCTION: The influence of ovarian and placental hormones on the immune system is still controverse in the literature. OBJECTIVES: Assess the influence of oophorectomy and pregnancy on the phagocytic function of phagocytic mononuclear system (PMS) in experimental model. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 45 adults female wistar rats were divided into three groups (n = 15): Group 1 - control, Group 2 - oophorectomized rats, Group 3 - pregnant rats. The phagocytic function of PMS was assessed by uptake of sulphur colloid labeled with 99mTc by liver, spleen and lung. The remnant colloid in the blood steam was verified by mears of a blood clot. The weight and radioactive level of the samples were measured and the results were compared by Students t test, with significance for p < 0.05. Histological analyses of these organs were also performed. RESULTS: The scintigraphic values were higher in liver followed by spleen and lung. The blood clot presented only little amount of radiation. The oophorectomized rats did not registered alterations in colloids uptake when compared with the control group. Although the pregnant rats registered lower radiation in the liver and higher in the lung no histological abnormality was found in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, pregnancy interferes with the phagocytic function of PMS, however oophorectomy does not seem to modify this function.

Influência da ooforectomia na variação ponderal em ratas jovens e adultas

To assess the effects of oophorectomy on body weight, 60 adult female rats were divided into two groups (30 in each group): Group A -- young rats; Group B -- adult rats. The animals of each group were divided into three subgroups: Subgroup 1 (n= 6) -- control; Subgroup 2 (n= 6) -- laparotomy; Subgroup 3 (n= 18) -- bilateral oophorectomy. The weight of the animals was weekly assessed during 13 weeks and the results were compared by Student t test, with significance for p<0.05. The oophorectomized rats presented higher weight gain than those of the other groups. The difference was significant after eleven weeks, in Group A, and nine weeks, in Group B, until the end of the experiment. In the present work, bilateral oophorectomy in rats was related to higher body weight, independent on the age of the animals.

Efeito da hidrocortisona sobre a resistência cicatricial da pele em camundongos

OBJETIVO: O efeito da corticoterapia sobre a cicatrizacao de feridas cirurgicas vem apresentando resultados conflitantes na literatura, principalmente quando usada por tempo prolongado. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi comparar a resistencia cicatricial da pele de camundongos submetidos a administracao de hidrocortisona, em distintos periodos pos-operatorios. METODO: Foram estudados 150 camundongos machos submetidos a incisao e sutura da pele dorsal, divididos em cinco grupos. No Grupo 1 (n=6) avaliou-se apenas a resistencia da pele integra. Nos demais grupos (n = 36) realizaram-se incisao e sutura na pele, sendo que o Grupo 2 (controle) submeteu-se apenas a operacao, enquanto o Grupo 3 recebeu, ainda, solucao salina a 0,9% e os Grupos 4 e 5 receberam 10mg/kg/dia de hidrocortisona local e sistemica, respectivamente. Avaliaram-se a resistencia cicatricial e a variacao ponderal nos setimo e 21o dias pos-operatorios. RESULTADOS: Os camundongos que receberam corticoide, Gupos 4 e 5, apresentaram decrescimo ponderal significativo (p < 0,02). Quanto a resistencia cicatricial da pele, os Gupos 3, 4 e 5 apresentaram valor inferior ao Grupo 2 no setimo dia pos-operatorio (p < 0,02). No 21o dia, a queda foi observada apenas no grupo submetido a solucao salina (p < 0,05). CONCLUSAO: Os resultados indicam uma diminuicao da resistencia cicatricial apenas nos camundongos tratados com corticoide em intervalos menores de tratamento.

Influência da vitamina C e da hidrocortisona sobre a tensão anastomótica jejunal em ratos

The effects of vitamin C and hidrocortisone on anastomotic healing process are controversial. In order to compare the jejunal anastomotic tension in different postoperative periods, 40 male rats weighing 200 to 400 grams were submitted to laparotomy. The jejunum was transversally cut 10 cm from the duodenojejunal flexure, and subsequently anastomosed. The rats were divided into four groups (n=10). Group I - control, Group II - oral administration of vitamin C (100 mg/kg), Group III - intraperitoneal administration of hidrocortisone (10 mg/kg), and Group IV - administration of vitamin C and hidrocortisone at the above mentioned doses. The anastomotic resistance was determined by using bursting pressure test on the 5th and 21st postoperative days. The resistances of the groups with vitamin C, isolated or associated to hidrocortisone trend to be higher in both postoperative periods. However, the administration of intraperitoneal steroid did not change the resistance of murine jejunal anastomosis. The results of the present study suggest thart vitamin C enhances the resistance of jejunal anastomosis in the rat.

Influência da icterícia colestática na variação ponderal em modelo experimental

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of cholestatic jaundice in weight variation. METHODS We used 64 adult rats divided into six groups: F1 (n = 6): normal females; F2 (n = 6): laparotomy females; F3 (n = 20): jaundiced females; M1 (n = 6): normal males; M2 (n = 6): laparotomy males; M3 (n = 20): jaundiced males. Jaundice was obtained by ligation and section of the biliopancreatic duct. The animal weights were recorded weekly for seven weeks. On the 14th day of the experiment, bilirubin and gonadal hormones were assessed. After the seventh week a histological study of the liver was performed. RESULTS The animals in groups F3 and M3 showed elevated bilirubin and decreased body mass when compared to the other groups. The weight differences were significant from the fourth week on amongst females and from the fifth in males. In Jaundiced animals there was increased estradiol and decreased progesterone and testosterone. Perivenular septa and periportal fibrosis, cholangitis and bile duct hyperplasia occurred in the liver of jaundiced rats. No animal showed cirrhosis. CONCLUSION There was decrease in murine body weight in the presence of cholestatic jaundice in both genders.