Remzi Erten

Hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activities of Plantago major L.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of Plantago major L. (PM). Materials and Methods: Anti-inflammatory activity: Control and reference groups were administered isotonic saline solution (ISS) and indomethacin, respectively. Plantago major groups were injected PM in doses of 5 mg/kg (PM-I), 10 mg/kg (PM-II), 20 mg/kg (PM-III) and 25 mg/kg (PM-IV). Before and three hours after the injections, the volume of right hind-paw of rats was measured using a plethysmometer. Hepatoprotective Activity: The hepatotoxicity was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration. Control, CCl4 and reference groups received isotonic saline solution, CCl4 and silibinin, respectively. Plantago major groups received CCl4 (0.8 ml/kg) and PM in doses of 10, 20 and 25 mg/kg, respectively for seven days. Blood samples and liver were collected on the 8th day after the animals were killed. Results: Plantago major had an anti-inflammatory effect matching to that of control group at doses of 20 and 25 mg/kg. It was found that reduction in the inflammation was 90.01% with indomethacin, 3.10% with PM-I, 41.56% with PM-II, 45.87% with PM-III and 49.76% with PM-IV. Median effective dose (ED50) value of PM was found to be 7.507 mg/kg. Plantago major (25 mg/kg) significantly reduced the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels when compared to the CCl4 group. The histopathological findings showed a significant difference between the PM (25 mg/kg) and CCl4 groups. Conclusion: The results showed that PM had a considerable anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities.

Expression of laminin receptor 1 in human placentas from normal and preeclamptic pregnancies and its relationship with the severity of preeclampsia.

Abstract Objectives: To investigate the expression of laminin receptor 1 (LR1), a non-integrin-type laminin receptor, in preeclamptic and normal third-trimester placentas, as well as to investigate whether its expression differs with disease severity. Study design: Third trimester placental samples obtained from deliveries of preeclamptic (n=34) and normotensive healthy pregnant women (n=35) were immunohistochemically studied for the expression of LR1. The placentas from both mild (n=14) and severe (n=20) preeclamptic pregnancies were further assessed for strength of LR1 expression according to disease severity. Results: When compared with normal placentas, the staining with LR1 protein in cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts was lower in preeclamptic placentas (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). The intensity of staining with LR1 in decidual cells, cytotrophoblasts, syncytiotrophoblasts, and extracellular matrix cells of preeclamptic placentas did not vary with disease severity (P>0.05). Conclusions: Decreased LR1 expression in cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts of preeclamptic placentas, which may be independent of disease severity, might have a role in shallow trophoblastic invasion in preeclampsia.

The Prevalence of Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia and Distribution of Helicobacter pylori Infection, Atrophy, Dysplasia, and Cancer in Its Subtypes

Objectives. Gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) is frequently encountered and is considered a precursor of gastric adenocarcinoma. In the Van region of Turkey, gastric adenocarcinoma incidence is high but the prevalence of gastric IM is not known. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a main factor leading to atrophy, IM, and cancer development in the stomach. The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of IM and its subtypes and the prevalence of H. pylori infection, atrophy, dysplasia, and cancer in gastric IM subtypes. Materials and Methods. This retrospective study was conducted on 560 IM among the 4050 consecutive patients who were undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with biopsy between June 2010 and October 2014. Clinical records and endoscopic and histopathologic reports of patients with IM were analyzed. Results. The prevalence of gastric IM was 13.8%. The prevalence of incomplete IM was statistically significantly higher than complete IM. Type III IM was the most frequent subtype. Conclusions. Gastric IM is a common finding in patients undergoing EGD with biopsy in this region. High prevalence of incomplete type IM, especially type III, can be associated with the high prevalence of gastric cancer in our region.

Paricalcitol may improve oxidative DNA damage on experimental amikacin-induced nephrotoxicity model

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the possible protective effect of paricalcitol on experimental amikacin-induced nephrotoxicity model in rats. Wistar albino rats (n = 32) were allocated into four equal groups of eight each, the control (Group C), paricalcitol (Group P), amikacin-induced nephrotoxicity (Group A), and paricalcitol-treated amikacin-induced nephrotoxicity (Group A + P) groups. Paricalcitol was given intra-peritoneally at a dose of 0.4 μg/kg/d for 5 consecutive days prior to induction of amikacin-induced nephrotoxicity. Intra-peritoneal amikacin (1.2 g/kg) was used to induce nephrotoxicity at day 4. Renal function parameters, oxidative stress biomarkers, oxidative DNA damage (8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine/deoxyguanosine ratio), kidney histology, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunoexpression were determined. Group A + P had lower mean fractional sodium excretion (p < 0.001) as well as higher creatinine clearance (p = 0.026) than the amikacin group (Group A). Renal tissue malondialdehyde levels (p = 0.035) and serum 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine/deoxyguanosine ratio (8-OHdG/dG ratio) (p < 0.001) were significantly lower; superoxide dismutase (p = 0.024) and glutathione peroxidase (p = 0.007) activities of renal tissue were significantly higher in group A + P than in group A. The mean scores of tubular necrosis (p = 0.024), proteinaceous casts (p = 0.038), medullary congestion (p = 0.035), and VEGF immunoexpression (p = 0.018) were also lower in group A + P when compared with group A. This study demonstrates the protective effect of paricalcitol in the prevention of amikacin-induced nephrotoxicity in an experimental model. Furthermore, it is the first study to demonstrate that paricalcitol improves oxidative DNA damage in an experimental acute kidney injury model.

Expression of laminin receptor 1 in gestational trophoblastic diseases and normal placenta and its relationship with the development of postmolar tumors

OBJECTIVES To investigate the expression of laminin receptor 1 (LR1), a non-integrin-type laminin receptor, in gestational trophoblastic diseases and normal first-trimester placenta, since it may play a role in controlling trophoblast invasion in normal and molar pregnancies. METHODS Paraffin sections from 24 gestational age controlled normal first-trimester placentas, 47 partial moles, 56 complete moles, 3 invasive moles, 4 gestational choriocarcinomas, and 1 placental-site trophoblastic tumor were studied immunohistochemically for expression of LR1. RESULTS In complete and partial moles, decidual cells showed significantly stronger LR1 protein staining compared to the normal placenta (p<0.01). When compared to the partial moles, weak staining in less than 33% of decidual cells was also more prominent in the normal placenta (p<0.05). Complete and partial moles, invasive moles, choriocarcinomas, and placental-site tumors did not differ from each other with respect to staining intensity. Strong immunostaining for LR1 in decidual cells, cytotrophoblasts, syncytiotrophoblasts, and extracellular matrix cells of partial and complete moles was not significantly correlated with the development of persistent postmolar gestational trophoblastic tumors. CONCLUSIONS LR1 may be important in the pathogenesis of gestational trophoblastic diseases. The increased expression of LR1 in decidual cells of partial and complete moles may not influence the development of persistent gestational trophoblastic tumor. Since they are seen rarely, multicentric studies should be planned to study LR1 expression in invasive moles and gestational trophoblastic neoplasms.

Ewing's sarcoma of the Finger

Ewings sarcoma is a mesenchymal cell tumor usually seen in long bones but very rarely seen in the bones of a finger. Swelling and pain are the most common complaints of the affected finger. In radiological imaging, it may be seen as permeative bone destruction accompanied by a soft tissue component or an expansile bone lesion. A 27-year-old right-hand dominant female patient presented with a swelling on the proximal phalanx of her right 3rd finger that had existed for 3 years. However, the mass started to gradually increase in size and the pain worsened over a period of 5 weeks. The mass was excised under regional intravenous anesthesia and Ewings sarcoma was confirmed following a histopathological evaluation. No local recurrence or metastasis was detected 1 year after surgery. Since Ewings sarcoma is rarely seen in the finger, we present this case with its radiological and clinical findings.

Endobronchial aspergilloma: A case report

A 28-year-old male with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia presented to our pulmonary clinic with progressive dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, and fever. Diagnostic bronchoscopy revealed white masses at the entrance of the right middle lobe bronchus and distal to the right main bronchus. Histopathological examination of the biopsy specimen showed those masses to be hyphae of Aspergillus.

Is Immunohistochemical Sex Hormone Binding Globulin Expression Important in the Differential Diagnosis of Adenocarcinomas

Adenocarcinomas (AC) are the most frequently encountered carcinomas. It may be quite challenging to detect the primary origin when those carcinomas metastasize and the first finding is a metastatic tumor. This study evaluated the role of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) positivity in tumor cells in the subclassification and detection of the original organ of adenocarcinomas. Between 1994 and 2008, 64 sections of normal tissue belonging to ten organs, and 116 cases diagnosed as adenoid cystic carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary gland, lung adenocarcinoma, invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, adenocarcinoma of stomach, colon, gallbladder, pancreas and prostate, endometrial adenocarcinoma and serous adenocarcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma of the ovary, were sent to the laboratory at the Department of Pathology at the Yuzuncu Yil University School of Medicine, where they were stained immunohistochemically, using antibodies against SHBG. The SHBG immunoreactivity in both the tumor cells and normal cells, together with the type, diffuseness and intensity of the staining were then evaluated. In the differential diagnosis of the adenocarcinomas of the organs, including the glandular structures, impressively valuable results are encountered in the tumor cells, whether the SHBG immunopositivity is evaluated alone or together with other IHC markers. Further extensive research with a larger number of cases, including instances of cholangiocarcinoma and cervix uteri AC [which we could not include in the study for technical reasons] should be performed, in order to appropriately evaluate the role of SHBG in the differential diagnosis of AC.

Endobronchial Tumors Presenting as Asthma

Primary tracheobronchial tumors are rare neoplasms. They frequently develop in the trachea, carina, and endobronchial regions.[1][1] Because they are rare and because of the variation in their histogenesis, chest x-ray findings and clinical and operational outcomes have not been well elucidated.[2][

A comparison of the effects of thymoquinone, silymarin and N-acetylcysteine in an experimental hepatotoxicity

This study investigated the effects of thymoquinone, silymarin, and N-acetylcysteine in a rat model with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity. Although numerous similar studies are available, we aimed to compare the efficacy of these agents by considering N-acetylcysteine as a reference compound. A total of 50 male Wistar albino rats were randomly designated as 5 groups: Group I, CCl4; group II, thymoquinone and CCl4; group III, silymarin and CCl4; group IV, N-acetylcysteine and CCl4; group V, control group. CCl4 was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 1.5 mL/kg (a mixture of CCl4: olive oil, 1:2) twice a week. Thymoquinone was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg, silymarin was administered at a dose of 100 mg/kg, and N-acetylcysteine was administered at a dose of 100 mg/kg by daily intraperitoneal injection. At the end of four weeks, blood and liver tests were analyzed. The results were evaluated statistically via the one-way ANOVA test. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Thymoquinone, silymarin, and N-acetylcysteine improved the levels of alanine aminotransferase, tumor necrosis factor-α, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, and interleukin-6, which were increased by CCl4. Thymoquinone and silymarin showed the positive increase in liver glutathione levels. Thymoquinone, silymarin, and N-acetylcysteine improved blood total oxidant status. In the histological examinations of liver tissue, thymoquinone decreased necrosis, and inflammation. The most positive decrease in the α-smooth muscle actin-stained hepatic stellate cell count was only observed with thymoquinone. These findings suggest that thymoquinone, silymarin, and N-acetylcysteine have potential for the treatment of diseases causing liver injury. Among these agents, thymoquinone showed the best results on most of the parameters. Since TQ appears to be at least as effective as SM and NAC in our in-vitro study, we propose that it is time for clinical studies with thymoquinone on hepatotoxicity.