Mehran Hosseini

The impacts of diabetes in pregnancy on hippocampal synaptogenesis in rat neonates

Diabetes during the pregnancy period impairs hippocampal development, and is associated with neurocognitive and neurobehavioral problems in the offspring. Synaptogenesis is one of the most important events in the development of the nervous system, and is known as a mechanism by which the memory process takes place. Synaptophysin (SYP) is an integral membrane protein of synaptic vesicles in the hippocampus involved also in learning and memory. The present study aimed to examine the effects of maternal diabetes on the expression and distribution pattern of SYP, as a marker of synaptogenesis, in the developing rat hippocampus using Immunofluorescence staining and real-time PCR. Wistar female rats were maintained as diabetic from a week before pregnancy through parturition and male offspring was euthanized at postnatal day (P) 0, 7, and 14. Our results showed a significant down-regulation in mRNA expression of SYP in the offspring born to diabetic animals at P7, and P14 (P ⩽ 0.05 each). Regarding to the density of SYP expressing hippocampal neurons, we found a marked decrease in the distribution pattern of SYP in all hippocampal subfields of Streptozotocin (STZ)-D group rat neonates, especially in one and two weeks of age (P ⩽ 0.05 each). Moreover, the results revealed no significant changes in either gene expression or distribution pattern of SYP--positive neurons in insulin-treated group compared with the controls. The present study demonstrated that diabetes in pregnancy has negative impacts on synaptogenesis in the offsprings hippocampus. Furthermore, the rigid maternal glycaemia control by insulin treatment in most cases normalized these effects.

Stereological study of the effects of maternal diabetes on cerebellar cortex development in rat

Diabetes during pregnancy is associated with the deficits in balance and motor coordination and altered social behaviors in offspring. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of maternal diabetes and insulin treatment on the cerebellar volume and morphogenesis of the cerebellar cortex of rat neonates during the first two postnatal weeks. Sprague Dawley female rats were maintained diabetic from a week before pregnancy through parturition. At the end of pregnancy, the male offspring euthanized on postnatal days (P) 0, 7, and 14. Cavalieri’s principle and fractionator methods were used to estimate the cerebellar volume, the thickness and the number of cells in the different layers of the cerebellar cortex. In spite of P0, there was a significant reduction in the cerebellar volume and the thickness of the external granule, molecular, and internal granule layers between the diabetic and the control animals. In diabetic group, the granular and purkinje cell densities were increased at P0. Moreover, the number of granular and purkinje cells in the cerebellum of diabetic neonates was reduced in comparison with the control group at P7 and P14. There were no significant differences in either the volume and thickness or the number of cells in the different layers of the cerebellar cortex between the insulin-treated diabetic group and controls. Our data indicate that diabetes in pregnancy disrupts the morphogenesis of cerebellar cortex. This dysmorphogenesis may be part of the cascade of events through which diabetes during pregnancy affects motor coordination and social behaviors in offspring.

Effect of turnip leaf and root extracts on renal function in diabetic rats

Today, global interest in the use of herbal medicine is increasing and evaluation of their efficacy have become more important .There are several evidence that suggest some herbal extracts have beneficial effects on diabetic nephropathy. The present study has been designed to examine protective role of edible parts of turnip (leave and root) on alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats were intragastrically treated either with aqueous extract of turnip leave or root (AETL or AETR) at concentrations of 200, 400 mg/kg/d for consecutives 8 weeks. The effects of AETL and AETR on fasting blood glucose (FBG) and kidney functional markers including: urine volume, 24-hour urine total protein (UTP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), plasma creatinine (Cr) and quantitative morphometric analysis of glomeruli including; mesangial matrix expansion (MME), urinary space, tuft-to capsule adhesion, Bowman’s capsule (BC) thickening, glomerulosclerosis, capillary dilatation, and hyalinosis were monitored by routine measurements, biochemically and pathologically. Our results showed that AETL significantly decreased FBG levels, urine volume, UTP, BUN and plasma Cr in diabetic rats. Moreover, AETL with a dose dependent manner remarkably decrease glomerular lesions such as MME, tuft-to-capsule adhesion and BC thickening. However, treatment of AETR had undistinguishable effects on these parameters in diabetic rats. In conclusion, the biochemical and pathological assessed indicators showed varying degrees of improvement in AETL treated diabetic nephropathy rats. The results obtained in this work indicate that turnip leaf may be considered as an easily accessible dietary source for diabetic nephropathy patients.

Diabetes during pregnancy enhanced neuronal death in the hippocampus of rat offspring.

Diabetes in pregnancy has a detrimental effect on central nervous system (CNS) development and is associated with an increased risk of short‐ and long‐term neurocognitive impairment in the offspring. This study aimed to investigate the effect of maternal diabetes and also insulin treatment on the numerical density of apoptotic cells in rat neonates hippocampi during the first two postnatal weeks.

Co-administration effects of aqueous extract of turnip leaf and metformin in diabetic rats

Background There is a variety of experimentally proven medicinal plants having antidiabetic properties but data on herb-drug interaction are very limited. Earlier studies indicated that aqueous extract of turnip leaf (AETL) has hypoglycemic potential in diabetic animals. The present study was conducted to evaluate co-administration effects of AETL and metformin, a commonly used antidiabetic drug, in diabetic rats. Methods Metformin at the two different doses (50,100 mg/kg) and AETL at the dose of 400 mg/kg (separately or concurrent with metformin) were orally given to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats for 4 weeks daily. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was measured at the times 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after investigation. At the end of study, liver enzymes activity [aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)] as well as liver histopathology were evaluated. Results Both treatments could significantly decrease FBG levels when they administrated separately. Interestingly, co-administration of AETL and metformin in a dose dependent manner significantly improved hypoglycemic activity of metformin. While neither metformin nor AETL could ameliorate liver alterations alone, but in concomitant therapy they efficiently attenuated liver enzymes elevation and histological damages. Conclusion The results of the present study demonstrate that combination of metformin with AETL enhance the prior effectiveness and reduced the latter adverse effects by a synergistic interaction.

Synaptogenesis in the cerebellum of offspring born to diabetic mothers

There is increasing evidence that maternal diabetes mellitus during the pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of neurodevelopmental and neurofunctional anomalies including motor dysfunctions, learning deficits, and behavioral problems in offspring. The cerebellum is a part of the brain that has long been recognized as a center of movement balance and motor coordination. Moreover, recent studies in humans and animals have also implicated the cerebellum in cognitive processing, sensory discrimination, attention, and learning and memory. Synaptogenesis is one of the most crucial events during the development of the central nervous system. Synaptophysin (SYP) is an integral membrane protein of synaptic vesicles and is considered to be a marker for synaptic density and synaptogenesis. Here, we review the manuscripts focusing on the negative impacts of maternal diabetes in pregnancy on the expression or localization of SYP in the developing cerebellar cortex. We believe that the alteration in synaptogenesis or synapse density may be part of the cascade of events through which diabetes in pregnant women affects the newborns cerebellum.

Effect of functional (aerobic) exercises on chest wall expansion and respiratory volumes in high school students

Background and Objectives: Plyometric exercises are done by adults to improve muscle strength, neuromuscular coordination, and vertical jumping. Unfortunately, there is limited information about effects of this kind of exercises on respiratory system. This study evaluated the effects of plyometric and aerobic exercises on chest wall expansion and respiratory volumes in high school students. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed in Zahedan. Sixty girls and boys, ranging 14–18 years old, were recruited through simple nonprobability sampling. The students were randomly assigned to two groups: cycling (n = 30) and jump roping (n = 30). Each group performed the exercises 3 times a week for 12 sessions. Before and after exercises, we assessed chest wall expansion (at axillary and xiphoid levels), vital capacity (VC), expiratory reserved volume, forced VC, and forced expiratory volume in 1 s. Data were analyzed using independent and paired t-tests. Results: Chest wall expansion at axillary level increased from 76 ± 10 to 77.4 ± 10 in cycling group and from 77.7 ± 8.1 to 78.5 ± 8.7 in jump roping group (P = 0.0001) and at xyphoid level from 68.7 ± 8.9 to 70 ± 8 in cycling group and from 71.3 ± 6.4 to 72.3 ± 6.4 in jump roping group (P = 0.0001). In addition, the increase in respiratory volumes was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Findings showed that chest wall expansion and respiratory volume increased following plyometric exercises such as jump roping.

Cognitive Function in Offspring of Mothers with Gestational Diabetes–The Role of Insulin receptor

There is increasing evidence that the offspring of women with gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at increased risk for the neurocognitive abnormalities. Moreover, the exact molecular mechanism by which gestational diabetes affects the developing central nervous system (CNS) remains to be defined. In the recent decades, it found that the Insulin has a crucial role in the development and function of the brain in both fetuses and adults. The researchers found that the alteration in expression/localization of insulin receptor (InsR) in the brain may be part of the cascade of events through which gestational diabetes affects the newborn’s CNS structures. Dissecting out the mechanisms responsible for gestational diabetes-related changes in the development of CNS is helping to prevent from impaired neurocognitive functions in offspring.

Beneficial effects of L-arginine on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced neuronal degeneration in substantia nigra of Balb/c mice

Background: L-arginine has been recently investigated and proposed to reduce neurological damage after various experimental models of neuronal cellular damage. In this study, we aim to evaluate the beneficial effects of L-arginine administration on the numerical density of dark neurons (DNs) in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) of Balb/c mice subjected to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) administration. Materials and Methods: Male Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 7 each): MPTP only; saline only (control); MPTP + L-arginine; and L-arginine only. The animals were infused intranasally with a single intranasal administration of the proneurotoxin MPTP (1 mg/nostril). L-arginine (300 mg/kg) was administrated intraperitoneally once daily for 1-week starting from 3 days after MPTP administration. Cavalieri principle method was used to estimate the numerical density of DNs in the SNc of different studied groups. Results: Twenty days following MPTP administration, the number of DNs was significantly increased when compared to sham-control and L-arginine-control groups (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, our results showed that L-arginine administration significantly decreased the numerical density of DNs in SNc of mice. Conclusion: This investigation provides new insights in experimental models of Parkinsons disease, indicating that L-arginine represents a potential treatment agent for dopaminergic neuron degeneration in SNc observed in Parkinsons disease patients.