Songül Çeribaşı

Effectiveness of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark oil in the prevention of carbon tetrachloride-induced damages on the male reproductive system

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the likelihood of detrimental effects of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) on male reproductive system through oxidative stress mechanism and also protective effects of cinnamon bark oil (CBO). For this purpose, 28 healthy male Wistar rats were divided into four groups, seven rats in each. Group 1 received only olive oil daily; group 2 was treated with 100 mg kg−1 CBO daily; group 3 was treated with only 0.25 ml kg−1 CCl4 weekly; and group 4 received weekly CCl4 + daily CBO. All administrations were made by intragastric catheter and maintained for 10 weeks. Body and reproductive organ weights, sperm characteristics, testicular oxidative stress markers and testicular apoptosis were examined. CCl4 administration caused significant decreases in body and reproductive organ weights, testicular catalase (CAT) activity, sperm motility and concentration, and significant increases in lipid peroxidation (LPO) level, abnormal sperm rate and apoptotic index along with some histopathological damages compared with the control group. However, significant improvements were observed in absolute weights of testis and epididymis, all sperm quality parameters, LPO level, apoptotic index and testicular histopathological structure following the administration of CCl4 together with CBO when compared to group given CCl4 only. The findings of this study clearly suggest that CBO has protective effect against damages in male reproductive organs and cells induced by CCl4.

Quercetin attenuates carbon tetrachloride‐induced testicular damage in rats

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of quercetin on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‐induced sperm damages, testicular apoptosis and oxidative stress in male rats. Group 1 served as control, group 2 was treated with only quercetin, group 3 was treated with only CCl4 and group 4 received CCl4 + quercetin. All administrations were performed by gavage and maintained for 10 weeks. CCl4 administration caused significant decreases in absolute and relative reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, concentration and testicular glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) and catalase (CAT) activities, and significant increases in lipid peroxidation (LPO) level, abnormal sperm rate and testicular apoptotic cell index, along with some histopathological damages when compared to the control group. However, administration of CCl4 together with quercetin provided statistically significant improvements in LPO level, abnormal sperm rate, the degree of histopathological lesions and testicular apoptotic cell index when compared to only CCl4 group. In addition, improvements observed in absolute and relative weights of reproductive organs, sperm motility and concentration, and testicular GSH‐Px and CAT activities in group 4 were statistically insignificant when compared to only CCl4 group. In conclusion, quercetin has antiperoxidative effect, and its oral administration attenuates the CCl4‐induced some damages in male reproductive organs and cells by decreasing the LPO.

Effects of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark oil on testicular antioxidant values, apoptotic germ cell and sperm quality.

Cinnamon and its contents have multifactorial properties such as antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and antidiabetic. Male infertility is one of the major health problems in life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long‐term cinnamon bark oil (CBO) ingestion on testicular antioxidant values, apoptotic germ cell and sperm quality of adult rats. Twelve male healthy Wistar rats were divided into two groups, each group containing six rats. While olive oil was given to control group, 100 mg kg−1 CBO was administered to the other group by gavage daily for 10 weeks. Body and reproductive organ weights, sperm characteristics, testicular lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities, and testicular apoptosis via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) method were examined. A significant decrease in malondialdehyde level and marked increases in reduced glutathione level, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were observed in rats treated with CBO compared with the control group. CBO consumption provided a significant increase in weights of testes and epididymides, epididymal sperm concentration, sperm motility and diameter of seminiferous tubules when compared with the control group. However, CBO consumption tended to decrease the abnormal sperm rate and apoptotic germ cell count, but it did not reach statistical significance. It is concluded that CBO has improvement effect on testicular oxidant–antioxidant balance and sperm quality, and its consumption may be useful for asthenozoospermic men.

Ameliorating effect of pomegranate juice consumption on carbon tetrachloride-induced sperm damages, lipid peroxidation, and testicular apoptosis

The aim of this study was to investigate whether pomegranate juice (PJ) consumption has an ameliorating effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced sperm damages and testicular apoptosis associated with the oxidative stress in male rats. The study comprised of four groups (groups 1–4). Group 1 received olive oil + distilled water daily; group 2 was treated with 5 ml/kg PJ + olive oil daily; group 3 was treated with 0.25 ml/kg CCl4 dissolved in olive oil, weekly + distilled water daily; and group 4 received weekly CCl4 + daily PJ. All administrations were performed by gavage and maintained for 10 weeks. CCl4 administration caused significant decreases in body and reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, concentration and testicular catalase activity, significant increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and abnormal sperm rate and apoptotic index along with some histopathological damages when compared with the control group. However, significant ameliorations were observed in absolute weights of testis and epididymis, all sperm quality parameters, MDA level, apoptotic index, and testicular histopathological structure following the administration of CCl4 together with PJ when compared with group given CCl4 only. In conclusion, PJ consumption ameliorates the CCl4-induced damages in male reproductive organs and cells by decreasing the lipid peroxidation.

Dietary rosemary oil alleviates heat stress-induced structural and functional damage through lipid peroxidation in the testes of growing Japanese quail

Supplementation of natural antioxidants to diets of male poultry has been reported to be effective in reducing or completely eliminating heat stress (HS)-induced reproductive failures. In this study, the aim is to investigate whether rosemary oil (RO) has a protective effect on HS-induced damage in spermatozoa production, testicular histologic structures, apoptosis, and androgenic receptor (AR) through lipid peroxidation mechanisms in growing Japanese quail. Male chicks (n=90) at 15-days of age were assigned to two groups. The first group (n=45) was kept in a thermo-neutral (TN) room at 22°C for 24h/d. The second group (n=45) was kept in a room with a greater ambient temperature of 34°C for 8h/d (from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM) and 22°C for 16h/d. Animals in each of these two groups were randomly assigned to three subgroups (RO groups: 0, 125, 250ppm), consisting of 15 chicks (six treatment groups in 2×3 factorial design). Each of subgroups was replicated three times with each replicate including five chicks. The HS treatment significantly reduced the testicular spermatogenic cell counts, amount of testicular Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic marker) and amount of AR. In addition, it significantly increased testicular lipid peroxidation, Bax (apoptotic marker) immunopositive staining, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in conjunction with some histopathologic damage. Dietary supplementation of RO to diets of quail where the HS treatment was imposed alleviated HS-induced almost all negative changes such as increased testicular lipid peroxidation, decreased numbers of spermatogenic cells, and decreased amounts of Bcl-2 and AR, increased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and some testicular histopathologic lesion. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of RO for growing male Japanese quail reared in HS environmental conditions alleviates the HS-induced structural and functional damage by providing a decrease in lipid peroxidation.

Effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark oil on heat stress-induced changes in sperm production, testicular lipid peroxidation, testicular apoptosis, and androgenic receptor density in developing Japanese quails

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cinnamon bark oil (CBO) on heat stress (HS)-induced changes in sperm production, testicular lipid peroxidation, testicular apoptosis, and androgenic receptor (AR) density in developing Japanese quails. Fifteen-day-old 90 male chicks were assigned to two main groups. The first group (45 chicks) was kept in a thermoneutral room at 22 °C for 24 h/day. The second group (45 chicks) was kept in a room with high ambient temperature at 34 °C for 8 h/day (from 9 AM-5 PM) and at 22 °C for 16 h/day. Each of these two main groups was then divided into three subgroups (CBO groups 0, 250, 500 ppm) consisting of 15 chicks (six treatment groups in 2 × 3 factorial order). Each of subgroups was replicated for three times and each replicate included five chicks. Heat stress caused significant decreases in body weight, spermatid and testicular sperm numbers, the density of testicular Bcl-2 (antiapoptotic marker) and AR immunopositivity, and significant increases in testicular lipid peroxidation level, the density of testicular Bax (apoptotic marker) immunopositivity, and a Bax/Bcl-2 ratio along with some histopathologic damages. However, 250 and 500 ppm CBO supplementation provided significant improvements in HS-induced increased level of testicular lipid peroxidation, decreased number of spermatid and testicular sperm, decreased densities of Bcl-2 and AR immunopositivity, and some deteriorated testicular histopathologic lesions. In addition, although HS did not significantly affect the testicular glutathione level, addition of both 250 and 500 ppm CBO to diet of quails reared in both HS and thermoneutral conditions caused a significant increase when compared with quails without any consumption of CBO. In conclusion, HS-induced lipid peroxidation causes testicular damage in developing male Japanese quails and, consumption of CBO, which has antiperoxidative effect, protects their testes against HS.

Distribution of neuropeptides in endocrine and exocrine pancreas of long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus): An immunohistochemical study

This study aimed to determine the existence and distribution of certain neuropeptides in endocrine and exocrine pancreas of the long-legged buzzard by using immunohistochemical methods. SOM-14-, NPY- and CGRP-IR endocrine cells were determined in both central and peripheral regions in A-islets within the pancreas, while SP-IR endocrine cells were found only in the central region, and CCK-8- and galanin-IR endocrine cells were only detected in peripheral region. On the other hand, in B-islets; SP-, NPY- and CGRP-IRendocrine cells were determined in both central and peripheral regions, while SOM-14- CCK-8- and galanin-IRendocrine cells were found only in the peripheral region. In addition; SOM-14-, NPY-, CGRP-, CCK-8- and galanin-IR cells were also observed in exocrine pancreas. This distribution pattern in the pancreas of the long-legged buzzard demonstrates that neuropeptides perform their probable affects through endocrine and/or paracrine mechanisms. In conclusion, the existence and distribution of neuropeptides in the pancreas of long-legged buzzard have been introduced in this study for the first time and this bird species has also been found to differ from other types of avian species.

THE ROLE OF APOPTOSIS AND AUTOPHAGY IN BOVINE ABORTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH BRUCELLA SPP.

Abstract This study is aimed to evaluate the relationship between the severity of apoptotic and autophagic cell death based on the distribution of Brucella spp. antigens in the lung, liver, kidney, spleen, brain, heart, skeletal muscle, mesenteric lymph node, and thymus tissue from bovine fetuses aborted due to natural infection with Brucella spp. The distribution of Brucella spp. antigens was immunohistochemically examined in the tissues of 16 aborted fetuses from cattle diagnosed with Brucella spp. infection by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, immunostaining of primary antibodies for cleaved caspase 3 was performed to detect apoptosis, and immunostaining of Microtubule Associated Protein 1 Light Chain 3 Beta (LC3B) was used to detect autophagy in the Brucella spp.- related abortions. Analysis of cellular death revealed strong immunopositivity in the lung, spleen, kidney, and thymus, moderate immunopositivity in the liver, mesenterial lymph nodes, and heart muscle and slight immunopositivity in the brain and skeletal muscle by staining of Brucellaspp. antigens. According to the immunohistochemical results, the immunopositivity of cleaved caspase 3 and LC3B was extremely high in the lung, thymus, spleen, kidney, and liver tissues. The immunostaining of cleaved caspase 3 in the lung, thymus, and kidney tissues was severe compared to that of LC3B. In the liver, spleen, and mesenterial lymph nodes, the immunopositivity of LC3B was higher than that of cleaved caspase 3. Bacterial antigens were highly evident in the lung, spleen, kidney, and thymus tissues of Brucella spp.-related bovine abortions, and both apoptosis and autophagy played a role in cellular death.

Determination of Coxiella burnetii in bovine foetuses using PCR and immunohistochemistry

This study was aimed at detection of Coxiella burnetii in bovine foetuses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) and at an estimation of its frequency in Eastern Turkey. Stamp, Giemsa, and Gimenez stains were used in addition to PCR and IHC to determine the presence of C. burnetii in samples from 70 bovine foetuses. While the staining methods did not detect the agent by direct visualisation of C. burnetii on smears, PCR and IHC identified its presence in two of the foetuses. The distribution of antigens in these two foetuses was, in decreasing order of concentration, in the spleen, the thymus, the lungs, the liver, and the kidneys. We conclude that C. burnetii diagnosis in bovine foetuses can be reliably performed using PCR and IHC. In addition, the frequency of 1.42% of C. burnetii positivity in bovine foetuses reported here was the first time that the presence of this agent was determined in Eastern Turkey.