Yonca Betil Kabak

The expressions of HSP70 and αB-crystallin in myocarditis associated with foot-and-mouth disease virus in lambs.

This study describes the expression of heat shock protein70 (HSP70) and alpha-basic-crystallin (α-BC) and their association with apoptosis and some related adaptor proteins in the pathogenesis of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV)-induced myocarditis in lambs. HSP70 was generally overexpressed in the myocardial tissues and inflammatory cells of FMDV-induced myocarditis with differential accumulation and localization in same hearts when compared to non-foot-and-mouth disease control hearts. α-BC immunolabeling showed coarse aggregations in the Z line of the cardiomyocytes in FMDV-infected hearts in contrast to control hearts. Overall, the results of this study show that the anti-apoptotic proteins, HSP70 and α-BC, were overexpressed with increased apoptosis in FMDV-infected heart tissues. Both proteins failed to protect the cardiomyocytes from apoptosis as defense mechanisms to the FMDV during the infection, suggesting that the virus is able to increase apoptosis via both downregulation and/or upregulation of these anti-apoptotic proteins.

Immunohistochemical detection of autophagy-related microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) in the cerebellums of dogs naturally infected with canine distemper virus.

We investigated the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) protein in the cerebellums of dogs infected with canine distemper virus (CDV) using immunohistochemistry to detect autophagy. The cerebellums of 20 dogs infected with CDV were used. Specimens showing demyelination of white matter were considered to have an acute infection, whereas specimens showing signs of severe perivascular cuffing and demyelination of white matter were classified as having chronic CDV. Cerebellar sections were immunostained with CDV and LC3 antibodies. The cytoplasm of Purkinje cells, granular layer cells, motor neurons in large cerebellar ganglia and some neurons in white matter were positive for the LC3 antibody in both the control and CDV-infected dogs. In the infected cerebellums, however, white matter was immunostained more intensely, particularly the neurons and gemistocytic astrocytes in the demyelinated areas, compared to controls. Autophagy also was demonstrated in CDV-positive cells using double immunofluorescence staining. Our findings indicate that increased autophagy in the cerebellum of dogs naturally infected with CDV may play a role in transferring the virus from cell to cell.

Examination of caspase-dependent apoptotic and necrotic changes in rat kidney exposed to different doses of permethrin

Abstract We investigated dose-related pathological alterations and apoptosis in rat kidney tissue exposed to permethrin. Histopathological findings, apoptotic cell death and urinary 3-phenoxybenzoic acid concentrations (3-PBA) were evaluated. Different doses of permethrin were administered to animals by oro-gastric gavage. A dose-dependent increase of urine 3-PBA concentration was observed in all the permethrin-treated groups. SDS-PAGE separated 30–45 kD and 100–220 kD protein bands in all experimental groups. Histopathologically, degenerative changes were observed in the epithelial lining of the S1, S2, and S3 segments of the renal proximal tubules. Apoptotic cells were seen in the inner stripe of the outer medulla in Group I, and both the cortex and medulla in Groups II and III. Immunohistochemical staining of caspase 3 and caspase 9 also was observed in the same areas. Our results suggest that damage to regions of the proximal tubules is dose-related, and caspase-9-dependent, mitochondria-related apoptotic cell death could play an important role in permethrin-induced nephrotoxicity. We also observed morphologically necrotic cells. We concluded that both necrosis and apoptosis are produced by permethrin.

Immunohistochemical characterization of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors in canine normal testis and testicular tumours.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors belonging to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. Recent studies have demonstrated that PPARs regulate lipid metabolism and are expressed in various cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of PPAR-α, -β and -γ in normal canine testicular tissue and canine testicular tumours (CTTs). Expression of PPAR-α, -β and -γ was greater (P <0.05) than in normal testicular tissue. PPARs were therefore induced in CTTs and they may play a role in the biology of these tumours.

Alpha basic crystallin expression in canine mammary tumors.

The aim of this study was to evaluate prognostic and/or diagnostic factors of canine mammary tumors by immunohistochemically analyzing the expression of alpha basic crystallin (αB-c). For this, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks of 51 naturally-occurring canine mammary tumors (11 benign and 40 malignant) were used. Tissue from eight normal canine mammary glands were served as a control. Immunohistochemically, in the control mammary tissues, a few luminal epithelial cells were αB-c positive but myoepithelial cells were negative. In benign or simple type malignant tumors, αB-c expression was observed in luminal epithelial cells while the myoepithelial basal cells were negative. In benign or complex type malign tumors, positive staining was predominantly found in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells. Immunoreactivity of αB-c was also observed in neoplastic myoepithelial cells. Statistically, the number of cells immunolabeled with αB-c was found to be significantly different among tissues from normal canine mammary glands, benign lesions, and malignant tumors (p < 0.05). αB-c immunoreactivity was higher in malignant tumors than the control mammary tissues (p < 0.001). Data obtained in the current study revealed a strong association between high expression levels of αB-c and primary mammary gland tumors in canines.

Therapeutic Effects of Sildenafil on Experimental Mandibular Fractures.

Objectives: No previous studies have examined the effect of sildenafil on fracture healing. This study was designed to investigate the effect of sildenafil on the fracture healing process. Methods: Thirty-six female Sprague-Dawley rats (3-month-old) were used in this study. Animals were randomly divided into 2 groups based on treatment duration (1 week versus 4 weeks) and each group was then divided further into 2 subgroups, control (C) and study (S) groups. Group C (C1, C2) was treated daily with saline solution and group S (S1, S2) was treated daily with 10 mg/kg of sildenafil. Histologic, histomorphometric, radiological, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed at 1 week and 4 weeks after a fracture. Results: The sildenafil group showed a significant increase in fracture healing scores (P = 0.00). The authors observed a transition from fibrous callus to cartilage tissue and immature bone tissue in group S1; and an increased transition of cartilage tissue to completely immature bone tissue in group S2, both of which were administered sildenafil. The strong expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2 and col-1 was observed in the fibrous matrix and osteoblasts within areas of new bone formation, especially in group S1. This group also showed an increase in bone density measurements at 1 week that was statistically significant (P = 0.03). Conclusions: Sildenafil accelerates fracture healing and can be used as a supporting factor in the improvement of fracture healing under various conditions.

Biological Significance of the Overexpression of HSP70 and Alpha B-Crystallin in Rat Substantia Nigra Exposed to Different Doses of Permethrin

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of the Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70) and Alpha B-crystallin (αBC) in the substantia nigra of rats exposed to permethrin at different doses on the apoptotic cell status. The orogastric gavage method was used to administer the different doses of permethrin (75 mg kg-1 in Group I, 150 mg kg-1 in group II, 300 mg kg-1 in group III) to the rats. Using the Western blot test, all the permethrin-treated groups showed a dose-dependent increase in the expression of HSP70 and αBC when compared to the control group. TUNEL positive apoptotic cells were not detected in the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra after treatment with permethrin; however, upon immunofluorescent staining, intense positive reactions for HSP70 and αBC were observed in all of the treated groups. No immunopositive cells were detected in the tissue sections of the control group. These results suggest that the different administered doses of permethrin did not cause apoptotic cell death in the substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons; however, they did induce an increase in HSP70 and αBC expression. Thus, it appears that HSP70 and αBC could play a neuroprotective role in permethrin-induced neurotoxicity.

Nesidioblastosis in a Simmental Calf

A 2-day-old Simmental calf with arthrogryposis and astasia was subjected to necropsy examination. The calf was normoglycaemic and normoinsulinaemic. Microscopically, pancreatic tissue was hyperplastic with an irregular lobular arrangement of pancreatic islets. Newly-formed islet cells budded from intralobular or intercalated ducts (so-called ductulo-insular complexes) and there were prominent blood vessels with telangiectatic features surrounded by rows of cuboidal-columnar islet cells. The newly-formed islets expressed insulin antigen immunohistochemically. The lesion was diagnosed as nesidioblastosis, an uncommon abnormality previously associated with the double muscling trait in cattle.

Macroanatomic, light, and electron microscopic examination of pecten oculi in the seagull (Larus canus): INCE et al.

The present study was conducted to determine macroanatomic characteristic as well as light and electron microscopic examination (SEM) of pecten oculi and totally 20 bulbus oculi belonging to 10 seagulls (Larus canus) were used. Pecten oculi formations consisted of 18 to 21 pleats and their shape looked like a snail. Apical length of the pleats forming pecten oculi were averagely measured as 5.77 ± 0.56 mm, retina‐dependent base length was 9.01 ± 1.35 mm and height was measured as 6.4 ± 0.62 mm. In pecten oculi formations which extend up to 1/3 of the bulbus oculi, two different vascular formations were determined according to thickness of the vessel diameter. Among these, vessels with larger diameters which are less than the others in count were classified as afferent and efferent vessels, smaller vessels which are greater in size were classified as capillaries. Furthermore, the granules which were observed intensely in apical side of the pleats of pecten oculi were observed to distribute randomly along the plica.