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Estradiol decreases iodide uptake by rat thyroid follicular FRTL-5 cells
Furlanetto T.W.
Full Text Available Estradiol has well-known indirect effects on the thyroid. A direct effect of estradiol on thyroid follicular cells, increasing cell growth and reducing the expression of the sodium-iodide symporter gene, has been recently reported. The aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of estradiol on iodide uptake by thyroid follicular cells, using FRTL-5 cells as a model. Estradiol decreased basal iodide uptake by FRTL-5 cells from control levels of 2.490 ± 0.370 to 2.085 ± 0.364 pmol I-/µg DNA at 1 ng/ml (P<0.02, to 1.970 ± 0.302 pmol I-/µg DNA at 10 ng/ml (P<0.003, and to 2.038 ± 0.389 pmol I-/µg DNA at 100 ng/ml (P<0.02. In addition, 4 ng/ml estradiol decreased iodide uptake induced by 0.02 mIU/ml thyrotropin from 8.678 ± 0.408 to 7.312 ± 0.506 pmol I-/µg DNA (P<0.02. A decrease in iodide uptake by thyroid cells caused by estradiol has not been described previously and may have a role in goiter pathogenesis.
Induction of nuclear protein factors specific for hormone-responsive region during activation of thyroglobulin gene by thyrotropin in rat thyroid FRTL-5 cells.
Lee, N T; Nayfeh, S N; Chae, C B
We have investigated the mechanism of stimulation of thyroglobulin gene expression by thyrotropin (TSH) and cAMP in rat thyroid FRTL-5 cells. In contrast to the c-fos gene, induction of the thyroglobulin gene by TSH or cAMP is slow (10 h) and sensitive to cycloheximide treatment. We have identified a TSH and cAMP-responsive region of thyroglobulin gene between - 171 and - 140 base pairs from the transcription initiation site. The hormone-responsive region contains DNA sequence elements similar to the consensus cAMP-responsive element as well as the transcription factor AP-1-binding site but with opposite sequence polarity. Three DNA-protein complexes are formed when the hormone-responsive region is incubated with nuclear extracts of FRTL-5 cells. Formation of these complexes is dependent on TSH or cAMP stimulation, thus suggesting that the factors involved in binding to the hormone-responsive region may be induced by TSH. Although the identity of these factors is not yet known, they do not appear to be related to either cAMP-responsive element-binding protein or AP-1. These results suggest that thyroglobulin gene expression in FRTL-5 cells may be mediated by nuclear factors that are induced by cAMP in contrast to other genes (e.g. c-fos) whose activation involves post-translational modification of the pre-existing proteins specific for cAMP-responsive element.
Characterization of the subunit structure of the thyrotropin receptor in the FRTL-5 rat thyroid cell line.
Gennick, S E; Thomas, C G; Nayfeh, S N
Radioiodinated TSH was covalently cross-linked to monolayers of FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells using the homobifunctional cross-linking agent disuccinimidyl suberate. Analysis of the cross-linked samples by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions demonstrated the presence of three specifically labeled complexes with apparent mol wt of 68,000, 85,000, and 145,000, in addition to the TSH alpha-beta dimer and its alpha- and beta-subunits. When bound [125I]iodo-TSH was cross-linked with increasing concentrations of disuccinimidyl suberate, the formation of the 68,000 and 85,000 mol wt complexes was sequential, with the 68,000 complex appearing first. These two complexes were also observed after labeling with radioiodinated TSH hybrid molecules (alpha-beta or alpha-beta), in which the label is in only one subunit, or immuno-precipitation with antibodies against either the alpha- or beta-subunit of TSH. Similar complexes (65,000, 82,000, and 145,000 mol wt) were also formed after cross-linking with the alkaline-cleavable cross-linker (bis-[2-(succinimidooxycarbonyloxy)ethyl]sulfone. Again, the appearance of these three complexes was sequential and dependent on the cross-linker concentration. At low concentrations and under reducing conditions, the 65,000 mol wt complex was the major band. However, at high concentrations, especially under nonreducing conditions, most of the radioactivity was present in the 145,000 mol wt complex. Alkaline cleavage of these three complexes followed by electrophoresis in a second dimension resulted in the release of three components with approximate mol wt of 31,000, 17,000, and 63,000 in addition to the TSH alpha-beta dimer and its alpha- and beta-subunits. Reduction by dithiothreitol followed by electrophoresis in a second dimension resulted in the release of only the 17,000 and 63,000 components. Taken together, these results suggest that 1) both the 65,000 and 82,000 complexes are formed after
Differential regulation of multiple c-erbA expression by thyrotropin, insulin and insulin-like growth factor I in rat thyroid FRTL-5 cells.
Kamikubo, K; Nayfeh, S N; Chae, C B
Regulation of multiple c-erbA gene expression was studied in rat thyroid FRTL-5 cells. Two species of erbA alpha (alpha 1 and alpha 2) mRNA and one species of erbA beta (beta 1) mRNA were identified by Northern blot analysis. Withdrawal of thyrotropin (TSH), insulin and serum from the complete medium resulted in an increase in alpha 1 and alpha 2 erbA mRNA levels without altering the level of erbA beta 1 mRNA. Readdition of TSH, N6,2'-O-dibutyryl cAMP or forskolin caused a transient reduction of alpha 1 and alpha 2 mRNA levels (75-90%) at 3-12 h. The alpha 1 and alpha 2 mRNA levels were restored at 24 h. The TSH action was dose-dependent showing the half-maximal effect at around 10(-9) M. Readdition of TSH did not show any effect on beta 1 mRNA level. The action of TSH was not dependent on ongoing protein synthesis but required ongoing transcription. Inhibitors of thyroid hormone biosynthesis, propylthiouracil and methylmercaptoimidazole, did not show any effect on TSH action. Readdition of insulin or insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) caused a dose-dependent reduction of alpha 1 and alpha 2 mRNA levels without any effect on beta 1 mRNA level. Their action was slower than TSH and persistent. The actions of insulin and IGF-I were dependent on both ongoing translation and transcription. These results indicate that TSH and insulin/IGF-I reduce levels of c-erbA alpha 1 and alpha 2 mRNA possibly by two distinct mechanisms without altering c-erbA beta 1 mRNA level in FRTL-5 cells.
Stimulation of inositol phosphate formation in FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells by catecholamines and its relationship to changes in 45Ca2+ efflux and cyclic AMP accumulation.
Berman, M I; Thomas, C G; Nayfeh, S N
Catecholamines specifically stimulated the rapid formation of inositol phosphates, bisphosphates and trisphosphates in a concentration-dependent manner in FRTL-5 thyroid cells. Further analysis by high performance liquid chromatography revealed the presence of two isomers of inositol trisphosphate, 1,4,5- and 1,3,4-trisphosphate, suggesting that the 1,4,5-trisphosphate of inositol is further metabolized to the 1,3,4-trisphosphate isomer. The alpha 1-adrenoreceptor antagonist, prazosin, inhibited the effects of epinephrine, while the alpha 2-adrenoreceptor antagonist, yohimbine, was without effect. Treatment of FRTL-5 cells with pertussis toxin (to inhibit Ni) did not abolish the epinephrine effect on inositol trisphosphate formation. Carbachol, N6-[L-2-phenylisopropyl]-adenosine and forskolin were without effect on phosphoinositide metabolism. Both epinephrine and the calcium ionophore A23187 stimulated 45Ca2+ efflux from 45Ca2+-loaded FRTL-5 cells. The time-course of the epinephrine effect indicates that inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation (t1/2 approximately 1 s) precedes both the efflux of 45Ca2+ (t1/2 approximately 30 s) as well as the reduction of cyclic AMP levels (t1/2 approximately 90 s) in response to epinephrine. These results strongly suggest that inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate has the appropriate properties to act as a second messenger by which alpha 1-adrenergic hormones, through mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ and activation of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, reduce cyclic AMP levels in FRTL-5 cells.
Differential Interactions between Th1/Th2, Th1/Th3, and Th2/Th3 Cytokines in the Regulation of Thyroperoxidase and Dual Oxidase Expression, and of Thyroglobulin Secretion in Thyrocytes in Vitro
Poncin, Sylvie; Lengelé, Benoît; Colin, Idesbald; Gérard, Anne-Catherine
Hypothyroidism, together with glandular atrophy, is the usual outcome of destructive autoimmune thyroiditis. The impairment in the thyroid function results either from cell destruction or from Th1 cytokine-induced alteration in hormonogenesis. Here, we investigated the impact of the local immune context on the thyroid function. We used two rat thyroid cell lines (PCCL3 and FRTL-5) and human thyrocytes incubated with IL-1alpha/interferon (IFN) gamma together with IL-4, a Th2 cytokine, or with ...
Space environment effect on cell cycle of proliferating FRTL-5 cells
Curcio, Francesco; Saverio Ambesi-Impiombato, Francesco; Meli, Antonella; Perrella, Giuseppina; Spelat, Renza; Zambito, Anna Maria
The space environment is a unique laboratory to study the response of living organisms to microgravity and cosmic radiation at the molecular and cellular levels. Significant results obtained by us during the Eneide Mission (Soyuz 9S and 10S 2005) showed a different sensitivity to space environment of cells in proliferative state as compared to those in physiological stand-by. The main object of our investigation was to validate these important findings and to study the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenomenon. To this purpose, a cell model of normal cells derived from rat thyroids which can be kept unattended for up to 20 days in a proliferative medium and at room temperature (FRTL-5) were used in a 10 days experiment on a FOTON satellite and in a 15 days experiment in the STS-120 shuttle mission. Experimental design for both flights was planned on the basis of the "ENEIDE" mission results. Microarray analysis has been performed on the samples from Foton M3 and STS-120. Background subtraction, quality assessment and normalization as well as the definition of specific evaluation algorithms have been performed. Based on the hyper G Test function we computed the Hyper geometric p-values for over representation of genes at all Gene Ontology (GO) terms in the induced GO graphs; this test was performed for each GO category and applied also to KEGG pathways. Results show the good quality of the experiment and our data show that the pathways mostly affected by the flight are: a) the cell cycle, b) the ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, c) the repair mechanisms, d) the adherens junction and e) the pyrimidine metabolism. The patways studied indicate that the cells suffer a slowing of cell cycle as well as upregulation of the DNA and RNA repair processes and even further corroborate the validity of using the FRTL5 cells as biosensors for monitoring the effectiveness of countermeasures to damage caused by the Space.
3-Iodothyronamine metabolism and functional effects in FRTL5 thyroid cells.
Agretti, Patrizia; De Marco, Giuseppina; Russo, Laura; Saba, Alessandro; Raffaelli, Andrea; Marchini, Maja; Chiellini, Grazia; Grasso, Lucia; Pinchera, Aldo; Vitti, Paolo; Scanlan, Thomas S; Zucchi, Riccardo; Tonacchera, Massimo
3-Iodothyronamine (T(1)AM), produced from thyroid hormones (TH) through decarboxylation and deiodination, is a potent agonist of trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1), a G protein-coupled receptor belonging to the family of TAARs. In vivo T(1)AM induces functional effects opposite to those produced on a longer time scale by TH and might represent a novel branch of TH signaling. In this study, we investigated the action of T(1)AM on thyroid and determined its uptake and catabolism using FRTL5 cells. The expression of TAAR1 was determined by PCR and western blot in FRTL5 cells, and cAMP, iodide uptake, and glucose uptake were measured after incubation with increasing concentrations of T(1)AM for different times. T(1)AM and its catabolites thyronamine (T(0)AM), 3-iodothyroacetic acid (TA(1)), and thyroacetic acid (TA(0)) were analyzed in FRTL5 cells by HPLC coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. The product of amplification of TAAR1 gene and TAAR1 protein was demonstrated in FRTL5 cells. No persistent and dose-dependent response to T(1)AM was observed after treatment with increasing doses of this substance for different times in terms of cAMP production and iodide uptake. A slight inhibition of glucose uptake was observed in the presence of 100 μM T(1)AM after 60 and 120 min (28 and 32% respectively), but the effect disappeared after 18 h. T(1)AM was taken up by FRTL5 cells and catabolized to T(0)AM, TA(1), and TA(0) confirming the presence of deiodinase and amine oxidase activity in thyroid. In conclusion, T(1)AM determined a slight inhibition of glucose uptake in FRTL5 cells, but it was taken up and catabolized by these cells.
Bioassays for TSH receptor autoantibodies, from FRTL-5 cells to TSH receptor–LH/CG receptor chimeras: the contribution of Leonard D. Kohn
Cesidio Giuliani
Full Text Available Since the discovery 60 years ago of the long-acting thyroid stimulator by Adams and Purves, great progress has been made in the detection of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH receptor autoantibodies (TRAbs in Graves' disease. Today, commercial assays are available that can detect TRAbs with high accuracy and provide diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of patients with Graves' disease. The present review focuses on the development of TRAbs bioassays, and particularly on the role that Leonard D. Kohn had in this. Indeed, 30 years ago, the Kohn group developed a bioassay based on the use of FRTL-5 cells that was characterized by high reproducibility, feasibility, and diagnostic accuracy. Using this FRTL-5 bioassay, Kohn and his colleagues were the first to develop monoclonal antibodies against the TSH receptor. Furthermore, they demonstrated the multifaceted functional nature of TRAbs in patients with Graves' disease, with the identification of stimulating and blocking TRAbs, and even antibodies that activated pathways other than cAMP. After the cloning of the TSH receptor, the Kohn laboratory constructed human TSH receptor–rat luteinizing hormone/ chorionic gonadotropin receptor chimeras. This paved the way to a new bioassay based on the use of nonthyroid cells transfected with the Mc4 chimera. The new Mc4 bioassay is characterized by high diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, greater than for other assays. The availability of a commercial kit based on the Mc4 chimera is spreading the use of this assay worldwide, indicating its benefits for these patients with Graves' disease. This review also describes the main contributions made by others researchers in TSH receptor molecular biology and TRAbs assay, especially with the development of highly potent monoclonal antibodies. A comparison of the diagnostic accuracies of the main TRAbs assays, as both immunoassays and bioassays, is also provided.
Bioassays for TSH Receptor Autoantibodies, from FRTL-5 Cells to TSH Receptor–LH/CG Receptor Chimeras: The Contribution of Leonard D. Kohn
Giuliani, Cesidio; Saji, Motoyasu; Bucci, Ines; Napolitano, Giorgio
Since the discovery 60 years ago of the "long-acting thyroid stimulator" by Adams and Purves, great progress has been made in the detection of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor (TSHR) autoantibodies (TRAbs) in Graves' disease. Today, commercial assays are available that can detect TRAbs with high accuracy and provide diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of patients with Graves' disease. The present review focuses on the development of TRAbs bioassays, and particularly on the role that Leonard D. Kohn had in this. Indeed, 30 years ago, the Kohn group developed a bioassay based on the use of FRTL-5 cells that was characterized by high reproducibility, feasibility, and diagnostic accuracy. Using this FRTL-5 bioassay, Kohn and his colleagues were the first to develop monoclonal antibodies (moAbs) against the TSHR. Furthermore, they demonstrated the multifaceted functional nature of TRAbs in patients with Graves' disease, with the identification of stimulating and blocking TRAbs, and even antibodies that activated pathways other than cAMP. After the cloning of the TSHR, the Kohn laboratory constructed human TSHR–rat luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor chimeras. This paved the way to a new bioassay based on the use of non-thyroid cells transfected with the Mc4 chimera. The new Mc4 bioassay is characterized by high diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, greater than for other assays. The availability of a commercial kit based on the Mc4 chimera is spreading the use of this assay worldwide, indicating its benefits for these patients with Graves' disease. This review also describes the main contributions made by other researchers in TSHR molecular biology and TRAbs assay, especially with the development of highly potent moAbs. A comparison of the diagnostic accuracies of the main TRAbs assays, as both immunoassays and bioassays, is also provided. PMID:27504107
Bioassays for TSH Receptor Autoantibodies, from FRTL-5 Cells to TSH Receptor-LH/CG Receptor Chimeras: The Contribution of Leonard D. Kohn.
Giuliani, Cesidio; Saji, Motoyasu; Bucci, Ines; Napolitano, Giorgio
Since the discovery 60 years ago of the "long-acting thyroid stimulator" by Adams and Purves, great progress has been made in the detection of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor (TSHR) autoantibodies (TRAbs) in Graves' disease. Today, commercial assays are available that can detect TRAbs with high accuracy and provide diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of patients with Graves' disease. The present review focuses on the development of TRAbs bioassays, and particularly on the role that Leonard D. Kohn had in this. Indeed, 30 years ago, the Kohn group developed a bioassay based on the use of FRTL-5 cells that was characterized by high reproducibility, feasibility, and diagnostic accuracy. Using this FRTL-5 bioassay, Kohn and his colleagues were the first to develop monoclonal antibodies (moAbs) against the TSHR. Furthermore, they demonstrated the multifaceted functional nature of TRAbs in patients with Graves' disease, with the identification of stimulating and blocking TRAbs, and even antibodies that activated pathways other than cAMP. After the cloning of the TSHR, the Kohn laboratory constructed human TSHR-rat luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor chimeras. This paved the way to a new bioassay based on the use of non-thyroid cells transfected with the Mc4 chimera. The new Mc4 bioassay is characterized by high diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, greater than for other assays. The availability of a commercial kit based on the Mc4 chimera is spreading the use of this assay worldwide, indicating its benefits for these patients with Graves' disease. This review also describes the main contributions made by other researchers in TSHR molecular biology and TRAbs assay, especially with the development of highly potent moAbs. A comparison of the diagnostic accuracies of the main TRAbs assays, as both immunoassays and bioassays, is also provided.
Thyrotropin Receptor and Membrane Interactions in FRTL-5 Thyroid Cell Strain in Microgravity
Albi, E.; Ambesi-Impiombato, F. S.; Peverini, M.; Damaskopoulou, E.; Fontanini, E.; Lazzarini, R.; Curcio, F.; Perrella, G.
The aim of this work was to analyze the possible alteration of thyrotropin (TSH) receptors in microgravity, which could explain the absence of thyroid cell proliferation in the space environment. Several forms of the TSH receptor are localized on the plasma membrane associated with caveolae and lipid rafts. The TSH regulates the fluidity of the cell membrane and the presence of its receptors in microdomains that are rich in sphingomyelin and cholesterol. TSH also stimulates cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation and cell proliferation. Reported here are the results of an experiment in which the FRTL-5 thyroid cell line was exposed to microgravity during the Texus-44 mission (launched February 7, 2008, from Kiruna, Sweden). When the parabolic flight brought the sounding rocket to an altitude of 264km, the culture media were injected with or without TSH in the different samples, and weightlessness prevailed on board for 6 minutes and 19 seconds. Control experiments were performed, in parallel, in an onboard 1g centrifuge and on the ground in Kiruna laboratory. Cell morphology and function were analyzed. Results show that in microgravity conditions the cells do not respond to TSH treatment and present an irregular shape with condensed chromatin, a modification of the cell membrane with shedding of the TSH receptor in the culture medium, and an increase of sphingomyelin-synthase and Bax proteins. It is possible that real microgravity induces a rearrangement of specific sections of the cell membrane, which act as platforms for molecular receptors, thus influencing thyroid cell function in astronauts during space missions.
Interspecies differences in membrane-associated protease activities of thyrocytes and their relevance for thyroid cancer studies
Fröhlich Eleonore
Full Text Available Abstract Background To understand the role of proteases involved in human thyroid cancer progression and tissue invasion, thyrocytes from other species could potentially be used provided their characteristics are similar. It is not known whether dipeptidyl peptidase IV and aminopeptidase N activities, which are overexpressed in human thyroid cancer, are, as in human, also absent in normal thyrocytes of other species, making them suitable models for studies on the regulation of these proteases. Methods To assess the role of these proteases, activity was measured in thyroid tissue of human, mouse, rat, porcine, bovine and ovine origin. The lysosomal protease, dipeptidyl peptidase II, was used for comparison. Results Murine, rat, ovine, bovine and human thyrocytes all lacked dipeptidyl peptidase IV and aminopeptidase N activity, but porcine thyrocytes were found to possess both. In contrast, lysosomal dipeptidyl peptidase II was strongly expressed in all species. These activity patterns were maintained in cultured cells. Cultured porcine thyrocytes formed follicles with typical morphology upon stimulation with TSH but differed from human thyrocytes in their response to thiamazole. Conclusions These species differences in the expression of dipeptidyl peptidase IV and aminopeptidase N, indicate that porcine thyrocytes cannot be considered appropriate for the study of proteases in human cancer development.
Inhibition of thyrotropin-stimulated adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate formation in rat thyroid cells by an adenosine analog. Evidence that the inhibition is mediated by the putative inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein.
Berman, M I; Thomas, C G; Nayfeh, S N
Addition of N6-(L-2-phenylisopropyl)-adenosine (PIA) to cultured FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells led to a concentration-dependent inhibition of TSH-stimulated cAMP formation. Half-maximal inhibition was attained with approximately 0.5 nM PIA. Forskolin and cholera toxin-stimulated cAMP production were also inhibited by PIA. 3-Isobutyl-methylxanthine inhibited the effect of PIA. These results are consistent with the presence of inhibitory adenosine receptors (Ri). Ri-sites were further demonstrated by the binding of 3H-cyclohexyl-adenosine to FRTL-5 plasma membranes. High (Kd = 0.50 +/- 0.07 nM) and low affinity (Kd = 5.95 +/- 2.33 nM) binding sites were observed. Pretreatment of FRTL-5 cells with pertussis, but not cholera, toxin effectively antagonized the inhibitory effects of PIA on cAMP production. ADP-ribosylation of FRTL-5 membranes with [32P]-NAD in the presence of cholera or pertussis toxin specifically labeled a 45,000 and 41,000 Mr species, respectively, which correspond to the alpha subunit of the stimulatory and inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins. These results demonstrate that PIA inhibits TSH-stimulated cAMP production via Ri-sites on FRTL-5 thyroid cells. PIA appears to exert its inhibitory effects through the inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein.
De novo triiodothyronine formation from thyrocytes activated by thyroid-stimulating hormone.
Citterio, Cintia E; Veluswamy, Balaji; Morgan, Sarah J; Galton, Valerie A; Banga, J Paul; Atkins, Stephen; Morishita, Yoshiaki; Neumann, Susanne; Latif, Rauf; Gershengorn, Marvin C; Smith, Terry J; Arvan, Peter
The thyroid gland secretes primarily tetraiodothyronine (T4), and some triiodothyronine (T3). Under normal physiological circumstances, only one-fifth of circulating T3 is directly released by the thyroid, but in states of hyperactivation of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptors (TSHRs), patients develop a syndrome of relative T3 toxicosis. Thyroidal T4 production results from iodination of thyroglobulin (TG) at residues Tyr(5) and Tyr(130), whereas thyroidal T3 production may originate in several different ways. In this study, the data demonstrate that within the carboxyl-terminal portion of mouse TG, T3 is formed de novo independently of deiodination from T4 We found that upon iodination in vitro, de novo T3 formation in TG was decreased in mice lacking TSHRs. Conversely, de novo T3 that can be formed upon iodination of TG secreted from PCCL3 (rat thyrocyte) cells was augmented from cells previously exposed to increased TSH, a TSHR agonist, a cAMP analog, or a TSHR-stimulating antibody. We present data suggesting that TSH-stimulated TG phosphorylation contributes to enhanced de novo T3 formation. These effects were reversed within a few days after removal of the hyperstimulating conditions. Indeed, direct exposure of PCCL3 cells to human serum from two patients with Graves' disease, but not control sera, led to secretion of TG with an increased intrinsic ability to form T3 upon in vitro iodination. Furthermore, TG secreted from human thyrocyte cultures hyperstimulated with TSH also showed an increased intrinsic ability to form T3 Our data support the hypothesis that TG processing in the secretory pathway of TSHR-hyperstimulated thyrocytes alters the structure of the iodination substrate in a way that enhances de novo T3 formation, contributing to the relative T3 toxicosis of Graves' disease.
Thyrocytes responding to IFN-gamma are essential for development of lymphocytic spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis and inhibition of thyrocyte hyperplasia.
Yu, Shiguang; Sharp, Gordon C; Braley-Mullen, Helen
IFN-gamma promotes the development of lymphocytic spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis (L-SAT) in NOD.H-2h4 mice and inhibits the development of thyrocyte hyperplasia and proliferation (TEC H/P). The precise mechanisms by which IFN-gamma promotes L-SAT and inhibits TEC H/P are unknown. To determine whether responsiveness of lymphocytes or thyrocytes to IFN-gamma is important for the development of these lesions, IFN-gammaR-/- mice, which develop TEC H/P similar to IFN-gamma-/- mice, were used as recipients for adoptive cell transfer. Wild-type (WT) splenocytes or bone marrow induced L-SAT and inhibited TEC H/P in IFN-gamma-/-, but not IFN-gammaR-/- recipients. IFN-gammaR-/- recipients of WT cells developed severe TEC H/P, but did not develop L-SAT, suggesting that thyrocytes responding to IFN-gamma are important for inhibition of TEC H/P. Unexpectedly, IFN-gammaR-/- splenocytes or bone marrow did not induce L-SAT in IFN-gamma-/- or WT mice even though IFN-gammaR-/- lymphocyte donors produced as much IFN-gamma as lymphocytes from WT donors, and thyrocytes could respond to IFN-gamma. Real-time PCR indicated that recipients of IFN-gammaR-/- bone marrow expressed less mRNA for IFN-gamma-inducible chemokines compared with recipients of WT bone marrow. This might limit the migration of IFN-gammaR-/- lymphocytes to thyroids. Few IFN-gammaR-/- lymphocytes infiltrated thyroids even in the presence of WT lymphocytes, suggesting that lymphocytes unable to respond to IFN-gamma are not induced to migrate to thyroids. These results suggest that thyrocytes must be able to respond to IFN-gamma for the development of L-SAT and inhibition of TEC H/P, and lymphocytes must be able to respond to IFN-gamma to induce L-SAT.
Interleukin-1 beta inhibits rat thyroid cell function in vivo and in vitro by an NO-independent mechanism and induces hypothyroidism and accelerated thyroiditis in diabetes-prone BB rats
Reimers, J I; Rasmussen, A K; Karlsen, A E;
Interleukin-1 beta has been implicated as a pathogenic factor in the development of autoimmune thyroiditis. When given for 5 days to normal non-diabetes-prone Wistar Kyoto rats, it decreased plasma concentrations of total tri-iodothyronine and thyroxine and increased plasma TSH. These effects were...... to interleukin-1 beta. However, reverse transcription PCR analysis of mRNA isolated from interleukin-1 beta-exposed FRTL-5 cells revealed a transitory expression of the inducible NO synthase, which was markedly lower than inducible NO synthase induction in interleukin-1 beta-exposed isolated rat islets...... hypothyroidism in non-diabetic diabetes-prone BB rats. The data suggest that NO does not mediate interleukin-1 beta-induced inhibition of rat thyroid function in vivo or in vitro in FRTL-5 cells, and the induction of hypothyroidism by interleukin-1 beta in diabetes-prone BB rats is speculated to be due...
INSL-3 is expressed in human hyperplastic and neoplastic thyrocytes.
Hombach-Klonisch, Sabine; Hoang-Vu, Cuong; Kehlen, Astrid; Hinze, Raoul; Holzhausen, Hans-Jürgen; Weber, Ekkehard; Fischer, Bernd; Dralle, Henning; Klonisch, Thomas
The insulin-like hormone INSL-3, also named relaxin-like factor (RLF) or Leydig-derived insulin-like peptide (LEY-IL), is expressed in various reproductive tissues and is regarded a marker of differentiation in human testicular Leydig cells. Recently, we have identified differential expression of human INSL-3 in neoplastic Leydig cells and mammary epithelial cells suggesting an involvement of INSL-3 in tumor biology. Here we have investigated the expression of INSL-3 in human thyroid carcinoma cell lines and in the human thyroid gland which has been shown to express transcripts for the G protein coupled INSL-3 receptor LGR8. When we determined the expression of INSL-3 in eight human thyroid carcinoma cell lines, a novel INSL-3 splice variant containing a 95 bp out-of-frame insertion at the beginning of exon II of the INSL-3 gene was discovered. Treatment of the human anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell line 8505C with diethylstilbestrol (DES) caused a significant dose-dependent transcriptional down-regulation of INSL-3 and a marked up-regulation of LGR8. Employing in situ hybridization to detect INSL-3 transcripts and specific rabbit antisera against the INSL-3 proteins, both INSL-3 isoforms were detected in patients with Graves' disease (n=10), follicular carcinomas (FTC; n=12), papillary carcinomas (PTC; n=9) and undifferentiated anaplastic carcinomas (UTC; n=15). By contrast, thyrocytes of all 15 benign goiter tissues studied were devoid of both INSL-3 isoforms, mRNA and protein. Our data indicate that INSL-3 hormone is up-regulated in hyperplastic and neoplastic human thyrocytes suggesting that the INSL-3 isoforms may serve as additional markers for hyperplastic and neoplastic human thyrocytes. In the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell line 8505C, the regulation of both INSL-3 and LGR8 by estrogen may be the first indication of a novel hormonally responsive, auto-/paracrine INSL-3 LGR8 ligand receptor system active in human thyroid carcinoma cells.
Regulation of Interleukin—6 Production by Cultured Human Thyrocytes
段宇; 刘超; 等
Objective To study the modulation of interleukin-6(IL-6) generation from human thyroid cells.Methods Thryoid tissues were obtained at surgery from patients with Graves disease.IL-6 in the supernatant of cultured thyrocytes was detected with ultra-sensitive ELISA.mRNA was extracted respectively from primany human cultured thyroidal cells under stimulated and unstimulated conditions,and semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RTPCR) technique was used for IL-6 mRNA detection.Results:(1) In the basic conditions,thyroid cells can produce high concentration IL-6.Thyrotropin(TSH,103mU/L),tumor necrosis factorα(TNF-α,10-1U/ml),interleukin-1(IL-1,10 U/ml) and adrenaline(10-5 mol/L) significantly increased Il-6 levels in the supernatant of cultured thyroid cells,whereas dexamethasone(10 mmol/L) markedly suppressed IL-6 release from thryocytes.Nal of 10-4 mol/L exerted no effect on the production of Il-6.(2)Compared with the basal results,at a concentration of 10-103 mmol/L,dexamethasone could gradually suppress IL-6 gene expression on human thryocytes,while TNF-α could obviously stimulate the production of IL-6 mRNA in the range of 10-1-102 U/ml.On the level of 102 U/ml,IL-1 increased the expression of IL-6,but the same effect could not be shown when IL-1 was 10-1 U/ml.Sodium iodine(NaI) could not affect Il-6 gene from the level of 10-8 to 10-4 mol/L.Conclusion IL-6 produced by thyrocytes might be regulated by many factors that modulate thyroid functions in vitro as well as in vivo.
Differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells to thyrocytes requires insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1.
Arufe, Maria C; Lu, Min; Lin, Reigh-Yi
The mechanisms controlling thyrocyte development during embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation have only been partially elucidated, although previous studies have suggested the participation of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in these processes. To further define the role of TSH in this context, we have studied a murine ES cell line in which green fluorescent protein (GFP) cDNA is targeted to the TSH receptor (TSHR) gene, linking the expression of GFP to the transcription of the endogenous TSHR gene. We demonstrate that, in the initial stages of embryoid body formation, activin A and TSH induce the differentiation of definitive endoderm and thyrocyte progenitors expressing Sox17, Foxa2, and TSHR. These thyrocyte progenitors are then converted into cellular aggregates that, in the presence of insulin and IGF-1, further differentiate into mature thyroglobulin-expressing thyrocytes. Our data suggest that, despite the fact that TSH is important for the induction and specification of thyrocytes from ES cells, insulin and IGF-1 are crucial for thyrocyte maturation. Our method provides a powerful in vitro differentiation model for studying the mechanisms of early thyrocyte lineage development.
Alpha particle induced DNA damage and repair in normal cultured thyrocytes of different proliferation status
Lyckesvärd, Madeleine Nordén; Delle, Ulla; Kahu, Helena
mechanism as (131)I [1], in cancer treatment has increased during recent years because of its high efficiency in inducing biological damage and beneficial dose distribution when compared to low-LET radiation. Most knowledge of the DNA damage response in thyroid is from studies using low-LET irradiation...... and much less is known of high-LET irradiation. In this paper we investigated the DNA damage response and biological consequences to photons from Cobolt-60 ((60)Co) and alpha particles from (211)At in normal primary thyrocytes of different cell cycle status. For both radiation qualities the intensity....... Increasing ratios of micronuclei per cell nuclei were seen up to 1Gy (211)At. We found that primary thyrocytes were much more sensitive to alpha particle exposure compared with low-LET photons. Calculations of the relative biological effectiveness yielded higher RBE for cycling cells compared with stationary...
Intracellular protein transport to the thyrocyte plasma membrane: potential implications for thyroid physiology.
Arvan, P; Kim, P S; Kuliawat, R; Prabakaran, D; Muresan, Z; Yoo, S E; Abu Hossain, S
We present a snapshot of developments in epithelial biology that may prove helpful in understanding cellular aspects of the machinery designed for the synthesis of thyroid hormones on the thyroglobulin precursor. The functional unit of the thyroid gland is the follicle, delimited by a monolayer of thyrocytes. Like the cells of most simple epithelia, thyrocytes exhibit specialization of the cell surface that confronts two different extracellular environments-apical and basolateral, which are separated by tight junctions. Specifically, the basolateral domain faces the interstitium/bloodstream, while the apical domain is in contact with the lumen that is the primary target for newly synthesized thyroglobulin secretion and also serves as a storage depot for previously secreted protein. Thyrocytes use their polarity in several important ways, such as for maintaining basolaterally located iodide uptake and T4 deiodination, as well apically located iodide efflux and iodination machinery. The mechanisms by which this organization is established, fall in large part under the more general cell biological problem of intracellular sorting and trafficking of different proteins en route to the cell surface. Nearly all exportable proteins begin their biological life after synthesis in an intracellular compartment known as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), upon which different degrees of difficulty may be encountered during nascent polypeptide folding and initial export to the Golgi complex. In these initial stages, ER molecular chaperones can assist in monitoring protein folding and export while themselves remaining as resident proteins of the thyroid ER. After export from the ER, most subsequent sorting for protein delivery to apical or basolateral surfaces of thyrocytes occurs within another specialized intracellular compartment known as the trans-Golgi network. Targeting information encoded in secretory proteins and plasma membrane proteins can be exposed or buried at different
MIR141 expression differentiates Hashimoto Thyroiditis from PTC and benign thyrocytes in Irish archival thyroid tissues
Emma R Dorris
Full Text Available MicroRNAs (miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs approximately 22 nucleotides in length that function as regulators of gene expression. Dysregulation of miRNAs has been associated with initiation and progression of oncogenesis in humans. Our group has previously described a unique miRNA expression signature, including the MIR200 family member MIR141, which can differentiate papillary thyroid cancer (PTC cell lines from a control thyroid cell line. An investigation into the expression of MIR141 in a series of archival thyroid malignancies (n=140; classic PTC, follicular variant PTC, follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC, Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT, or control thyrocytes was performed. Each cohort had a minimum of 20 validated samples surgically excised within the period 1980 - 2009. A subset of the HT and cPTC cohorts (n=3 were also analysed for expression of TGFβR1, a key member of the TGFβ pathway and known target of MIR141. Laser capture microdissection was used to specifically dissect target cells from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded archival tissue. Thyrocyte- and lymphocyte-specific markers (TSHR and LSP1 respectively confirmed the integrity of cell populations in the HT cohort. RNA was extracted and quantitative RT-PCR was performed using comparative CT (ΔΔCT analysis. Statistically significant (p<0.05 differential expression profiles of MIR141 were found between tissue types. HT samples displayed significant downregulation of MIR141 compared to both classic PTC and control thyrocytes. Furthermore, TGFβR1 expression was detected in cPTC samples but not in HT thyrocytes. It is postulated that the down-regulation of this miRNA is due, at least in part, to its involvement in regulating the TGFβ pathway. This pathway is exquisitely involved in T-cell autoimmunity and has previously been linked with HT. In conclusion, HT epithelium can be distinguished from cPTC epithelium and control epithelium based on the relative expression of MIR141.
Gene Expression of Fas,Soluble Fas and Fas-Ligand in Thyroid Tissues and Thyrocytes from Patients with Graves′ Disease
武晓泓; 刘超; 覃又文; 刘翠萍; 段宇; 蒋须勤
ObjectiveTo investigate Fas,soluble Fas(sFas)and Fas-ligand(Fas-L)gene expression in thyroid tissues and thyrocytes from patients with Graves disease(GD)and to find the interrelationship between apoptosis and pathogenesis of GD.MethodsThyroid tissues were obtained from 7 GD patients and 3 healthy subjects who died accidentally.Thyrocytes were cultured in Eagle′s medium.Total RNA was isolated from thyroid tissues and cultured thyrocytes.The cDNA was prepared by reverse transcription and amplified for Fas,sFas and Fas-L by polymerase chain reaction(PCR).ResultsFas and sFas mRNA were detected in all samples from both GD and normal thyroid tissues and thyrocytes,but Fas-L mRNA was only found in GD thyroid tissues and thyrocytes.Semi-quantitative analysis showed that when compared with those of normal controls,the Fas and sFas mRNA levels were markedly increased in GD thyroid tissues(P<0.01),whereas in GD thyrocytes only the sFas mRNA levels was significantly elevated(P<0.01).ConclusionGene expression of Fas,sFas and Fas-L showed abnormality in both thyroid tissues and thyrocytes from GD.The increased production of sFas might be involved in the hyperplasia of thyroid gland.``
Gene Expression of Fas,Soluble Fas and Fas—Ligand in Thyroid Tissues and Thyrocytes from Patients with Graves' Disease
武晓泓; 刘超; 等
Objective To investigate Fas,soluble Fas(sFas) and Fas-ligand(Fas-L) gene expression in thyroid tissues and thyrocytes from patients with Graves disease(GD) and to find the interrelationship between apoptosis and pathogenesis of GD.Methods Thyroid tissues were obtained from 7GD patients and 3 healthy subjects who died accidentally.Thyrocytes were cultured in Eagle's medium.Total RNA was isolated from thyroid tissues and cultured thyrocytes.The cDNA was prepared by reverse transcription and amplified for Fas,sFas and Fas-L by polymerase chain reaction(PCR).Results Fas and sFas mRNA were detected in all samples from both GD and normal thyroid tissues and thyrocytes,but Fas-L mRNA was only found in GD thryoid tissues and thyrocytes.Semi-quantitative analysis showed that when compared with those of normal controls,the Fas and sFas mRNA levels were markedly increased in GD thyroid tissues(P<0.01),whereas in GD thyrocytes only the sFas mRNA levels was significantly elevated(P<0.01).Conclusion Gene expression of Fas,sFas and Fas-L showed abnormality in both thyroid tissues and thyrocytes from GD.The increased production of sFas might be involved in the hyperplasia of thyroid gland.
Preliminary Study on Chinese Drug-Induced Apoptosis ofThyrocytes in Graves' Disease
After 2-10 weeks treatment, effect of anti-thyroid drugs combined with Chinese drugs on the thyrocytes of Graves' disease: apoptosis ratio is 18.66±20.01% (n=13), P<0.01; Compared with that of single anti-thyroid drug group: 2.11±1.78%, n=13TUNEL The increase of TUNEL-positive nuclei (blue color) was observed: 3-5 cells/vision field in combining Chinese drugs treatment group; 0-1 cell/vision field in treating with anti-thyroid drugs before combining with Chinese drugs group, and the control cell showed red color, see Figure 4.
Thyrocyte-specific Gq/G11 deficiency impairs thyroid function and prevents goiter development.
Kero, Jukka; Ahmed, Kashan; Wettschureck, Nina; Tunaru, Sorin; Wintermantel, Tim; Greiner, Erich; Schütz, Günther; Offermanns, Stefan
The function of the adult thyroid is regulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which acts through a G protein-coupled receptor. Overactivation of the TSH receptor results in hyperthyroidism and goiter. The Gs-mediated stimulation of adenylyl cyclase-dependent cAMP formation has been regarded as the principal intracellular signaling mechanism mediating the action of TSH. Here we show that the Gq/G11-mediated signaling pathway plays an unexpected and essential role in the regulation of thyroid function. Mice lacking the alpha subunits of Gq and G11 specifically in thyroid epithelial cells showed severely reduced iodine organification and thyroid hormone secretion in response to TSH, and many developed hypothyroidism within months after birth. In addition, thyrocyte-specific Galphaq/Galpha11-deficient mice lacked the normal proliferative thyroid response to TSH or goitrogenic diet, indicating an essential role of this pathway in the adaptive growth of the thyroid gland. Our data suggest that Gq/G11 and their downstream effectors are promising targets to interfere with increased thyroid function and growth.
RET/PTC1-Driven Neoplastic Transformation and Proinvasive Phenotype of Human Thyrocytes Involve Met Induction and β-Catenin Nuclear Translocation
Giuliana Cassinelli
Full Text Available Activation of the RET gene by chromosomal rearrangements generating RET/PTC oncogenes is a frequent, early, and causative event in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC. We have previously shown that, in human primary thyrocytes, RET/PTC1 induces a transcriptional program including the MET proto-oncogene. In PTCs, β-catenin is frequently mislocated to the cytoplasm nucleus. We investigated the interplay between Ret/ptc1 signaling and Met in regulating the proinvasive phenotype and β-catenin localization in cellular models of human PTC. Here, we show that Met protein is expressed and is constitutively active in human thyrocytes exogenously expressing RET/PTC1 as well as a mutant (Y451F devoid of the main Ret/ptc1 multidocking site. Both in transformed thyrocytes and in the human PTC cell line TPC-1, Ret/ptc1-Y451-dependent signaling and Met cooperated to promote a proinvasive phenotype. Accordingly, gene/functional silencing of either RET/PTC1 or MET abrogated early branching morphogenesis in TPC-1 cells. The same effect was obtained by blocking the common downstream effector Akt. Y451 of Ret/ptc1 was required to promote proliferation and nuclear translocation of β-catenin, suggesting that these oncogene-driven effects are Met-independent. Pharmacologic inhibition of Ret/ptc1 and Met tyrosine kinases by the multitarget small molecule RPI-1 blocked cell proliferation and invasive ability and dislocated β-catenin from the nucleus. Altogether, these results support that Ret/ptc1 cross talks with Met at transcriptional and signaling levels and promotes β-catenin transcriptional activity to drive thyrocyte neoplastic transformation. Such molecular network, promoting disease initiation and acquisition of a proinvasive phenotype, highlights new options to design multitarget therapeutic strategies for PTCs.
Karyopathological traits of thyrocytes and exposure to radioiodines in Belarusian children and adolescents following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
Nadyrov, Eldar; Rozhko, Alexander; Nikonovich, Sergey [Republican Research Center for Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology, Gomel (Belarus); Kravtsov, Viacheslav; Aleksanin, Sergey [EMERCOM of Russia, Nikiforov Russian Centre of Emergency and Radiation Medicine, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Mabuchi, Kiyohiko; Hatch, Maureen [National Cancer Institute, Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Rockville, MD (United States); Nakamura, Nori [Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima (Japan)
The Belarus-American (BelAm) thyroid study cohort consists of persons who were 0-18 years of age at the time of exposure to radioactive iodine fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident and who have undergone serial thyroid screenings with referral for fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) using standardized criteria. We investigated thyrocyte nuclear abnormalities in cytological samples from FNABs in 75 BelAm subjects with single and multiple thyroid nodules and 47 nodular goiter patients from Leningrad, Russia, unexposed to Chernobyl fallout. Nuclear abnormalities examined included internuclear chromosome bridges and derivative nuclei with broken bridges (i.e., ''tailed'' nuclei), which are formed from dicentric and ring chromosomes and thus may be cellular markers of radiation exposure. Among subjects with single-nodular goiter, thyrocytes with bridges were present in 86.8% of the exposed BelAm cohort compared with 27.0% of unexposed controls. The average frequency of thyrocytes with bridges and with tailed nuclei was also significantly higher in the BelAm subjects than in controls. Among subjects with multinodular goiters, thyrocytes with bridges were present in 75.7% of exposed BelAm patients compared with 16.7% of unexposed controls; thyrocytes with tailed nuclei were observed in all of the BelAm subjects but in only 40% of controls, and the mean frequencies of bridges and tailed nuclei were significantly higher in the exposed group. Unusually, long bridges were detected in 29% of BelAm patients with single-nodular goiters and 35% of those with multinodular goiters, while no such abnormalities were observed among patients from the Leningrad region. In the exposed subjects from BelAm, we also found positive correlations between their estimated dose of Iodine-131 from Chernobyl fallout and the frequency of tailed nuclei (p = 0.008) and bridges (p = 0.09). Further study is needed to confirm that these phenomena represent
Morphofunctional Changes in the Thyroid Gland of Pubertal and Postpubertal Rats Exposed to Low Dose of DDT.
Yaglova, N V; Sledneva, Yu P; Yaglov, V V
Consumption of low dose DDT from birth until puberty suppressed functional activity of the thyroid gland in rats and leads to destructive changes in the organ during the postpubertal period with compensatory stimulation of secretory activity of thyrocytes aimed at normalization of thyroxin production.
地塞米松对甲状腺细胞炎症反应的影响%Effect of dexamethasone on inflammatory response of thyrocytes
冯田田; 胡蕴; 陈婧; 程程; 何珂; 毛晓明
目的 研究地塞米松对甲状腺细胞炎症反应的影响.方法 取Graves病患者甲状腺组织,提取原代甲状腺细胞进行体外培养,分别加入γ-干扰素(IFN-γ)和肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)刺激细胞,然后培养于地塞米松中,分为4组,即对照组、地塞米松组、TNF-α+ IFN-γ组和地塞米松+TNF-α+IFN-γ组.用酶联免疫吸附法检测细胞上清液中干扰素诱导蛋白10(CXCL10)和单核细胞趋化蛋白1(CCL2)浓度.提取细胞全蛋白,Western印迹法检测GSK-3β、P50和P100蛋白浓度变化.结果 MTT结果显示10-5mmol/L地塞米松为最佳作用浓度.TNF-α+IFN-γ组CXCL10水平明显高于对照组和地塞米松组(P<0.01);地塞米松+TNF-α+IFN-γ组与TNF-α+ IFN-γ组相比CXCL10水平无显著差异(P>0.05).TNF-α+IFN-γ组CCL2水平明显高于对照组和地塞米松组(P<0.01).地塞米松+TNF-α+IFN-γ组与TNF-α+IFN-γ组相比,CCL2水平降低(P<0.05).TNF-α+IFN-γ与对照组相比,GSK-3β、P100蛋白表达增多,地塞米松处理可以降低+TNF-α+IFN-γ诱导的蛋白表达.结论 TNF-α和IFN-γ能刺激甲状腺细胞分泌CXCL10及CCL2,介导甲状腺免疫炎症的发生.地塞米松可降低CCL2水平,减轻体液免疫反应.地塞米松对CXCL10无明显变化.地塞米松使NF-κB相关蛋白GSK-3β、P100表达减少,抑制NF-KB信号通路激活,抑制炎症反应.%Objective To explore the impact of dexamethasone on inflammatory response of thyrocytes.Methods Primary thyrocytes were extracted from thyroid tissue of patients with Graves' disease.The cells were stimulated with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),and cultured in dexamethasone.Thyrocytes were divided into 4 groups:control group,dexamethasone group,TNF-α + IFN-γ group,and dexamethasone+TNF-α+IFN-γ group.Interferon-γ-induced protein 10 (CXCL10) and CCL2 in supernatant of cell cultured in 4 groups were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Cell protein in 4 groups
Effect of fluoride on thyroid function in primary thyrocytes%高氟对人甲状腺细胞功能的影响
目的 探讨高氟对人甲状腺细胞功能的影响.方法 用人甲状腺细胞,采用原代培养方法,按氟(NaF)剂量不同分为:0(对照组)、40、80、160 mg/L组.染氟48 h后,采用噻唑蓝(MTT)法测定细胞存活率,化学发光法测定抗甲状腺过氧化物酶抗体(TPOA)水平和荧光免疫分析法测定血清总甲状腺激素(T4)水平.结果 甲状腺细胞染氟培养48 h后,细胞存活率组间比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);40 mg/L组细胞存活率与对照组(100)%比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);80、160 mg/L组细胞存活率分别与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).甲状腺细胞T4水平随着染氟剂量的升高而明显降低,组间比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).甲状腺细胞TPOA表达水平也随着染氟剂量的升高而明显增加,组间比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 高氟可损伤甲状腺细胞,降低细胞存活率,提高TPOA表达,降低T4水平.%Objective To study the effect of fluoride on thyroid function in primary thyrocytes. Methods A sodium fluoride injured model was developed with purified cultured porcine thyrocytes ,and the experiment was divided into 0 ( control group) ,40,80 and 160 mg/L groups according to the final concentration of NaF. Forty - eight hours after fluoride, the cell survival ratio was measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) method and the thyroid peroxidase(TPO) antibody was assayed by chemiluminescence method.Radio - immunoassay was used to detect the thyroxine level ( T4 ). Results After forty - eight hours of injury of thyroid cells with NaF, there was statistically significant difference in the cell survival ratio between these groups ( P < 0.05 ). The cell survival ratio in the 40mg/L group was not statistically different from that of control group( P > 0.05 ), but there was statistically significant difference (P <0. 05)between the 80mg/L and 160mg/L groups. With the increasing dose of fluoride, the
Oxidative Stress and Upregulation of Antioxidant Proteins, Including Adiponectin, in Extraocular Muscular Cells, Orbital Adipocytes, and Thyrocytes in Graves' Disease Associated with Orbitopathy.
Marique, Lancelot; Senou, Maximin; Craps, Julie; Delaigle, Aurélie; Van Regemorter, Elliott; Wérion, Alexis; Van Regemorter, Victoria; Mourad, Michel; Nyssen-Behets, Catherine; Lengelé, Benoit; Baldeschi, Lelio; Boschi, Antonella; Brichard, Sonia; Daumerie, Chantal; Many, Marie-Christine
Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is the main extrathyroidal manifestation associated with Graves' disease (GD). It is characterized by reduced eye motility due to an increased volume of orbital fat and/or of extraocular muscles (EOMs) infiltrated by fibrosis and adipose tissue. The pathogenetic mechanisms leading to fibrosis and adipogenesis are mainly based on the interaction between orbital fibroblasts and immune cells (lymphocytes and mast cells) infiltrating the GO EOMs. Analysis of the morphological status, oxidative stress (OS), and antioxidant defenses in the orbital muscular cells and adipocytes in GO patients compared with controls was conducted. Both cell types are affected by OS, as shown by the increased expression of 4-hydroxynonenal, which leads to apoptosis in muscular cells. However, the EOMs and the adipocytes possess antioxidant defenses (peroxiredoxin 5 and catalase) against the OS, which are also upregulated in thyrocytes in GD. The expression of adiponectin (ApN) and proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is also increased in GO muscular cells and adipocytes. OS and antioxidant proteins expression are correlated to the level of blood antithyrotropin receptor antibodies (TSHR-Ab). Even when TSHR-Ab level is normalized, OS and antioxidant protein expression is high in EOM muscular cells and adipocytes in GO compared with controls. This justifies a supplementation with antioxidants in active as well as chronic GO patients. Orbital muscular cells are also the sources of PPARγ and ApN, which have direct or indirect local protective effects against OS. Modulation of these proteins could be considered as a future therapeutic approach for GO.
Thyrocyte-interleukin-1 interactions
Rasmussen, A K; Bendtzen, K; Feldt-Rasmussen, U
characterized by massive infiltration of lymphoid cells. The interleukin-1 (IL-1) family of molecules is together with other cytokines an integral component of the complex intercellular communication required to mount and control an immune response. IL-1alpha/beta in moderate and high concentrations reversibly...
Thyrocyte-interleukin-1 interactions
Rasmussen, A K; Bendtzen, K; Feldt-Rasmussen, U
Autoimmune thyroid disease is the most common organ-specific autoimmune disease and is a very common cause of thyroid dysfunction such as autoimmune hypothyroidism, Graves' disease and postpartum thyroiditis. The thyroid gland from patients with autoimmune thyroid disease is morphologically...... such as adhesion molecules, cytokines, and complement regulatory proteins in thyroid epithelial cells. IL-1 may thus play a role during physiological as well as pathophysiological conditions contributing to for example the euthyroid sick syndrome and development of thyroid autoimmunity. This review summarizes...
Transgenic expression of TGF-beta on thyrocytes inhibits development of spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis and increases regulatory T cells in thyroids of NOD.H-2h4 mice.
Yu, Shiguang; Fang, Yujiang; Sharp, Gordon C; Braley-Mullen, Helen
Transgenic NOD.H-2h4 mice expressing TGF-beta under control of the thyroglobulin promoter were generated to assess the role of TGF-beta in the development of thyrocyte hyperplasia. In contrast to nontransgenic littermates, which develop lymphocytic spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis (L-SAT), all TGF-beta transgenic (Tg) mice given NaI water for 2-7 mo developed thyroid lesions characterized by severe thyroid epithelial cell hyperplasia and proliferation, with fibrosis and less lymphocyte infiltration than in nontransgenic mice. Most Tg mice produced less anti-mouse thyroglobulin autoantibody than did wild type (WT) mice. T cells from Tg and WT mice were equivalent in their ability to induce L-SAT after transfer to SCID or TCRalpha(-/-) mice. WT lymphocytes could transfer experimental autoimmune thyroiditis or L-SAT to Tg mice, indicating that the transgenic environment did not prevent migration of lymphocytes to the thyroid. Thyroids of Tg mice had higher frequencies of Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) compared with nontransgenic WT mice. Transient depletion of Tregs by anti-CD25 resulted in increased infiltration of inflammatory cells into thyroids of transgenic mice. Treg depletion also resulted in increased anti-mouse thyroglobulin autoantibody responses and increased expression of IFN-gamma and IFN-gamma-inducible chemokines in thyroids of Tg mice. The results suggest that spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis is inhibited in mice expressing transgenic TGF-beta on thyrocytes, at least in part, because there is an increased frequency of Tregs in their thyroids.
Small organic molecules modulating iodine uptake in thyroid
Ambroise, Y. [CEA Saclay, DSV/DBJC/SMMCB, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
The thyroid gland accumulates large quantities of iodine. This uptake is needed for the production of iodinated hormones (T3 and T4). The first step in the iodine accumulation is a basolateral transport of iodide ions by the cloned 'Natrium Iodide Sym-porter' also called NIS. Using high-throughput screening techniques, we have identified a series of inhibitors of the iodide uptake in thyrocytes. These compounds are of medical significance in case of thyroid deregulation and can also offer solutions for radio-iodine detoxification in case of emergency situations (nuclear industry...). In addition, these small organic molecules can be important tools for the understanding of NIS structure and functions In parallel, we have identified and characterized a single compound capable to strongly enhance the amount of intra-cellular iodide in rat thyrocytes (FRTL5) as well as in HEK293 cells transfected with hNIS (Natrium/Iodide Sym-porter). Preliminary studies show that this effect is NIS dependant, and is induced by alternative and unknown mechanisms. Future work will consist in unraveling the mode of action of this molecule. These informations will help us not only to better understand the iodide pathways in the thyroid, but also to design more active analogues. We will use photo-labelling techniques to identify new proteins involved in the iodide transfer and retention. In addition, preliminary experiments are underway to validate our compound as an anti-cancer agent. Targeted NIS gene delivery into tumors plus radio-iodide injection leads to tumor size regression. Unfortunately, doses of radioactivity are to high for safe treatment. Our compound may lead to enhanced radio-iodide entrapment, thus necessitating lower doses of radioactivity for tumor regression. (author)
用RNA干扰腺病毒载体研究Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号途径对人甲状腺细胞增殖的影响%Construction of GSK-3β-targeting RNAi adenovirus vector and the influence of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in proliferation of human thyrocytes
陈刚; 邹欣; 林丽香; 牟伦盼; 姚瑾; 游婷婷; 沈小燕; 朱香清; 乔玉芳; 林苗; 方晓文
Objective To construct RNAi recombinant adenoviral expressive vectors specific to glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and to observe its gene knockdown effect on the expression of GSK-3β, and to explore the effect of Wnt/β-catenin pathway on the proliferation of human thyrocytes using the RNAi adenovirus vector. Methods An adenovirus plasmid that contained the RNAi cassette targeting the GSK-3β gene was constructed by homologous recombination and cloning techniques, transfected into human embryo kidney (HEK) 293A cells to product adenovirus, and then was used to infect the HEK293A cells to amplify the adenoviral stock. Plaque forming assay was used to titer the adenoviral stock . Normal human thyrocytes fart from thyroid adenoma were obtained during resection of adenoma, cultured, and infected by the GSK-3β specific RNAi adenovirus. The GSK-3β gene silencing effect induced by the RNAi adenovirus was detected by Western blotting 0, 24, 48, 72, 120, and 144 hours later. BrdU method was used to detect the cell proliferation. Another HEK293A cells were divided into 3 groups: infected with recombinant adenovirus plasmid Ad-1457, infected with un-recombinant framework plasmid pAd-DEST, and un-infected. 72 hours later Western blotting was used to examine the level of β-catenin. Results The GSK-3β expression of the thyrocytes infected with the recombinant adenovirus plasmid Ad-1457 were significantly lower than those of the thyrocytes infected with Ad-DEST (all P <0.05). The expression of β-catenin of the thyrocytes infected with Ad-DEST was significantly higher than those of the Ad-DEST group and un-infected group (both P<0.05). BrdU assay suggested that the proliferation rates 1,3, 5, and 7 days after infection of the thyrocytes infected with Ad1457 plasmid were significantly higher than those of the thyrocytes infected with the plasmid pAd-DEST (all P<0.05). Conclusion RNAi adenovirus is an important tool inhibiting the expression of target gene efficiently
Alexey Kondrashov
Full Text Available We aimed to perform a chemical analysis of both Alibernet red wine and an alcohol-free Alibernet red wine extract (AWE and to investigate the effects of AWE on nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species production as well as blood pressure development in normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs. Total antioxidant capacity together with total phenolic and selected mineral content was measured in wine and AWE. Young 6-week-old male WKY and SHR were treated with AWE (24,2 mg/kg/day for 3 weeks. Total NOS and SOD activities, eNOS and SOD1 protein expressions, and superoxide production were determined in the tissues. Both antioxidant capacity and phenolic content were significantly higher in AWE compared to wine. The AWE increased NOS activity in the left ventricle, aorta, and kidney of SHR, while it did not change NOS activity in WKY rats. Similarly, increased SOD activity in the plasma and left ventricle was observed in SHR only. There were no changes in eNOS and SOD1 expressions. In conclusion, phenolics and minerals included in AWE may contribute directly to increased NOS and SOD activities of SHR. Nevertheless, 3 weeks of AWE treatment failed to affect blood pressure of SHR.
In vitro characterization of the thyroidal uptake of O-(2-[{sup 18}F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine
Prante, Olaf [Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University, D-91054 Erlangen (Germany)]. E-mail: email@example.com; Blaeser, Daniel [Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University, D-91054 Erlangen (Germany); Maschauer, Simone [Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University, D-91054 Erlangen (Germany); Kuwert, Torsten [Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University, D-91054 Erlangen (Germany)
Objectives: Positron emission tomography (PET) using O-(2-[{sup 18}F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET) has been successfully employed in the diagnostic workup of brain tumors. Knowledge on the mechanisms of the uptake of radiolabeled amino acids into thyroidal tissues and well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas is limited. We therefore studied several factors potentially governing the uptake of FET in the rat thyroid cell line FRTL-5 in comparison with thyroid tumor cell lines of human origin. Methods: FET uptake was determined in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-stimulated and TSH-deprived FRTL-5 cells, as well as in the cell lines U-138 MG (human glioblastoma), Onco DG-1 (human papillary thyroid carcinoma) and ML-1 (human follicular thyroid carcinoma). The TSH responsiveness of cells was measured by the incubation of TSH-treated and untreated control cells with 2-[{sup 18}F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG). All cellular tracer uptake values were related to total protein mass and expressed as percentage per milligram. For countertransport studies, FRTL-5 cells were exposed to 10-300 {mu}M tyrosine methyl ester. TSH-stimulated and TSH-deprived FRTL-5 cells were incubated with 100 kBq/ml FET for 20 min. 2-Aminobicyclo-[2,2,1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH), {alpha}-(methylamino)-isobutyric acid, L-serine and tryptophan were used as competitive inhibitors of FET uptake. All inhibition experiments were repeated with the human thyroid carcinoma cell lines to obtain comparative FET uptake values. Results: The FET uptake was 155{+-}30%/mg in FRTL-5 cells (n=6), 108{+-}14%/mg in U-138 MG cells (n=6), 194{+-}60%/mg in ML-1 cells (n=9) and 64{+-}23%/mg in Onco DG-1 cells (n=6) under identical incubation conditions. Preloading with tyrosine methyl ester increased cellular FET uptake dose dependently in FRTL-5 cells (165{+-}25%, n=6). While TSH increased the uptake of FDG in FRTL-5 cells by sixfold, there was no TSH effect on FET accumulation. FET uptake by TSH-treated FRTL-5 cells
Estrogen effects on thyroid iodide uptake and thyroperoxidase activity in normal and ovariectomized rats.
Lima, Lívia P; Barros, Inês A; Lisbôa, Patrícia C; Araújo, Renata L; Silva, Alba C M; Rosenthal, Doris; Ferreira, Andrea C F; Carvalho, Denise P
Sex steroids interfere with the pituitary-thyroid axis function, although the reports have been controversial and no conclusive data is available. Some previous reports indicate that estradiol might also regulate thyroid function through a direct action on the thyrocytes. In this report, we examined the effects of low and high doses of estradiol administered to control and ovariectomized adult female rats and to pre-pubertal females. We demonstrate that estradiol administration to both intact adult and pre-pubertal females causes a significant increase in the relative thyroid weight. Serum T3 is significantly decreased in ovariectomized rats, and is normalized by estrogen replacement. Neither doses of estrogen produced a significant change in serum TSH and total T4 in ovariectomized, adult intact and pre-pubertal rats. The highest, supraphysiological, estradiol dose produced a significant increase in thyroid iodide uptake in ovariectomized and in pre-pubertal rats, but not in control adult females. Thyroperoxidase activity was significantly higher in intact adult rats treated with both estradiol doses and in ovariectomized rats treated with the highest estradiol dose. Since serum TSH levels were not significantly changed, we suggest a direct action of estradiol on the thyroid gland, which depends on the age and on the previous gonad status of the animal.
IGF-1 mRNA expression of adult rat thyroid cell cultured in vitro
HE Feng-ping(何凤屏); YIN Rui-xing(尹瑞兴); XUAN Su(冼苏); JEAN Joss
Objective:To investigate the law of age-related changes of insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1)expression of rat thyroid cells cultured in vitro.Methods:Rat thyroid of different age(10,45,65,100,150 weeks)was isolated and thyrocytes cultured.Total RNA was extracted in different rat age group when thyroid cells had been cultured for two weeks,mRNA IGF-1 expression was measured with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)in each group and compared.Results:Quantity of total RNA in thyroid cells decreased with ageing when the rat thyroid cells had been cultured for 2 weeks.There is significant difference among groups(P < 0.05).Expression of IGF-1 mRNA could be detected in thyroid cells of different age cultured in vitro.Quantity of IGF-1 mRNA expression by RTPCR analysis increased from 10 to 45 weeks old,and then decreased with ageing.Conclusion:Rat thyroid cells from different age cultured in vitro can express IGF-1 mRNA.Quantity of total RNA in thyroid cells cultured in vitro decreased with aging.IGF-1 mRNA expression was correlated to age(r =0.401,P <0.05).
[Studies of the morphology of the thyroid gland and thyroid hormone levels in the blood of rats in experiments on "Kosmos-1667" and "Kosmos-1887"].
Plakhuta-Plakutina, G I; Kabitskiĭ, E N; Dmitrieva, N P; Amirkhanian, E A
Using histological, electron microscopic, and biochemical (measurement of total thyroxine, free thyroxine and triiodothyronine in plasma) method, thyroid glands of 17 male rats of the Wistar SPF strain flown for 7 days on Cosmos-1667 and for 13 days on Cosmos-1887 were investigated. It was found that a longer exposure to space flight effects (for 13 days) led to a thyroid activity decline (significant reduction of thyrocyte size and nuclear area, accumulation of colloid drops in the cytoplasm, decrease of iodinated thyroglobulins in the colloid, etc.) together with a substantial decrease of T4 and T3 in plasma. The above structural and functional changes in the thyroid gland and hormonal status are characteristic of a moderate stress-reaction and reflect variations of the early and intermediate stages of adaptation to microgravity during 7- and 13-day space flights.
The effect of tanespimycin (17-AAG) on radioiodine accumulation in sodium iodide symporter expressing cells
Yu, Kyoung Hyun; Youn, Hyewon; Song, Myung Geun; Lee, Dong Soo; Chung, June Key [Seoul National Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
The heat shock protein 90 inhibitor, tanespimycin, is an anticancer agent known to increase iodine accumulation in normal and cancerous thyroid cells. Iodine accumulation is regulated by membrane proteins such as sodium iodide sym porter (NIS) and pendrin (PDS), and thus we attempted to characterize the effects of tanespimycin on those genes. Cells were incubated with tanespimycin in order to evaluate {sup 125}I accumulation and efflux ability. Radioiodine uptake and efflux were measured by a gamma counter and normalized by protein amount. RT PCR were performed to measure the level of gene expression. After tanespimycin treatment, {sup 125}uptake was in creased by {approx}2.5 fold in FRTL 5, hNIS ARO. and hNIS MDA MB 231 cells, but no changes were detected in the hNIS HeLa cells. Tanespimycin significantly reduced the radioiodine efflux rate only in the FRTL 5 cell. in the FRTL 5 and hNIS ARO cells, PDS mRNA levels were markedly reduced; the only other observed alteration in the levels of NIS mRNA after tanespimtycin treatment was an observed increase in the h hNIS ARO cells. These results indicate that cellular responses against tanespimycin treatment differed between the normal rat thyroid cells and human cancer cells, and the reduction in the {sup 125I} efflux rate by tanespimycin in the normal rat thyroid cells might be attributable to reduced PDS gene expression.
Thyroid cell lines in research on goitrogenesis.
Gerber, H; Peter, H J; Asmis, L; Studer, H
Thyroid cell lines have contributed a lot to the understanding of goitrogenesis. The cell lines mostly used in thyroid research are briefly discussed, namely the rat thyroid cell lines FRTL and FRTL-5, the porcine thyroid cell lines PORTHOS and ARTHOS, The sheep thyroid cell lines OVNIS 5H and 6H, the cat thyroid cell lines PETCAT 1 to 4 and ROMCAT, and the human thyroid cell lines FTC-133 and HTh 74. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and COS-7 cells, stably transfected with TSH receptor cDNA and expressing a functional TSH receptor, are discussed as examples for non-thyroidal cells, transfected with thyroid genes.
Kinetic cartography of radioisotopes of iodine in the thyroid follicles of the new-born rats under low or standard iodine diet: Analyzed using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (NanoSIMS50): Contribution to the study of the consequences of Chernobyl; Cartographie cinetique des radioisotopes de l'iode dans le follicule thyroidien du rat nouveau-ne carence en iode ou non. Analyse par spectrometrie de masse d'ions secondaires (NanoSIMS50). Contribution a l'etude des consequences de Tchernobyl
Elbast, M
The most significant impact of the Chernobylsk accident is the increased incidence of thyroid cancers among children in contaminated areas. To estimate the radiation dose provided by radioiodine released after Chernobylsk (iodine 131 and short-lived isotopes, iodine 132, 133, 134, 135), we used new-born rats to mimic the situation of fallout contamination (young age and iodine deficiency). The pups, under low iodine diet and under standard diet, were contaminated with {sup 129}I at ages varying between 2 to 15 days and sacrificed 1, 4, 8, 24 hours and 4, 8 days after contamination. The variation in intra colloidal iodine distribution from 1 hour to 8 days was performed using a new ionic nano probe (NanoSIMS50). This method permits to discriminate between the newly incorporated iodine (129) and the initial pool of iodine (127). SIMS observations permit to heterogeneous intra and inter follicular distribution of {sup 129}I. Iodine deficiency increases the absorbed amounts of iodine by a factor 10. Dosimetric estimations show an important contribution of short-lived radioiodine to the total thyrocyte dose. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the age and the iodine deficiency accelerate the absorption of iodine in follicles and that the contribution of short-lived iodine connate ne neglected. (author)
Jan 8, 2014 ... Our results show, for the first time, that oral administration of C. edulis ... the exact mechanisms of these hematological changes produced by .... Hematological analysis .... rats are subjected to the additional stress of hypoxia to.
Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1 Localization at the Apical Plasma Membrane Domain of Fisher Rat Thyroid Epithelial Cells Is Confined to Cilia
Szumska, Joanna; Qatato, Maria; Rehders, Maren; Führer, Dagmar; Biebermann, Heike; Grandy, David K.; Köhrle, Josef; Brix, Klaudia
Background The trace amine-associated receptor 1 (Taar1) is one member of the Taar family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) accepting various biogenic amines as ligands. It has been proposed that Taar1 mediates rapid, membrane-initiated effects of thyronamines, the endogenous decarboxylated and deiodinated relatives of the classical thyroid hormones T4 and T3. Objectives Although the physiological actions of thyronamines in general and 3-iodothyronamine (T1AM) in particular are incompletely understood, studies published to date suggest that synthetic T1AM-activated Taar1 signaling antagonizes thyromimetic effects exerted by T3. However, the location of Taar1 is currently unknown. Methods To fill this gap in our knowledge we employed immunofluorescence microscopy and a polyclonal antibody to detect Taar1 protein expression in thyroid tissue from Fisher rats, wild-type and taar1-deficient mice, and in the polarized FRT cells. Results With this approach we found that Taar1 is expressed in the membranes of subcellular compartments of the secretory pathway and on the apical plasma membrane of FRT cells. Three-dimensional analyses further revealed Taar1 immunoreactivity in cilial extensions of postconfluent FRT cell cultures that had formed follicle-like structures. Conclusions The results suggest Taar1 transport along the secretory pathway and its accumulation in the primary cilium of thyrocytes. These findings are of significance considering the increasing interest in the role of cilia in harboring functional GPCR. We hypothesize that thyronamines can reach and activate Taar1 in thyroid follicular epithelia by acting from within the thyroid follicle lumen, their potential site of synthesis, as part of a nonclassical mechanism of thyroid autoregulation. PMID:26601071
Nucleophosmin is overexpressed in thyroid tumors
Pianta, Annalisa; Puppin, Cinzia [Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biomediche, Universita di Udine, Udine (Italy); Franzoni, Alessandra; Fabbro, Dora [Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria ' S. Maria della Misericordia' Udine, Udine (Italy); Di Loreto, Carla [Dipartimento di Ricerche Mediche e Morfologiche, Universita di Udine, Udine (Italy); Bulotta, Stefania [Department of Pharmacobiological Sciences, Universita di Catanzaro ' Magna Graecia' , Catanzaro (Italy); Deganuto, Marta; Paron, Igor; Tell, Gianluca [Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biomediche, Universita di Udine, Udine (Italy); Puxeddu, Efisio [Department of Internal Medicine, Universita di Perugia, Perugia (Italy); Filetti, Sebastiano [Department of Clinical Sciences, Universita di Roma ' La Sapienza' , Roma (Italy); Russo, Diego [Department of Pharmacobiological Sciences, Universita di Catanzaro ' Magna Graecia' , Catanzaro (Italy); Damante, Giuseppe, E-mail: email@example.com [Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biomediche, Universita di Udine, Udine (Italy); Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria ' S. Maria della Misericordia' Udine, Udine (Italy)
Nucleophosmin (NPM) is a protein that contributes to several cell functions. Depending on the context, it can act as an oncogene or tumor suppressor. No data are available on NPM expression in thyroid cells. In this work, we analyzed both NPM mRNA and protein levels in a series of human thyroid tumor tissues and cell lines. By using immunohistochemistry, NPM overexpression was detected in papillary, follicular, undifferentiated thyroid cancer, and also in follicular benign adenomas, indicating it as an early event during thyroid tumorigenesis. In contrast, various levels of NPM mRNA levels as detected by quantitative RT-PCR were observed in tumor tissues, suggesting a dissociation between protein and transcript expression. The same behavior was observed in the normal thyroid FRTL5 cell lines. In these cells, a positive correlation between NPM protein levels, but not mRNA, and proliferation state was detected. By using thyroid tumor cell lines, we demonstrated that such a post-mRNA regulation may depend on NPM binding to p-Akt, whose levels were found to be increased in the tumor cells, in parallel with reduction of PTEN. In conclusion, our present data demonstrate for the first time that nucleophosmin is overexpressed in thyroid tumors, as an early event of thyroid tumorigenesis. It seems as a result of a dysregulation occurring at protein and not transcriptional level related to an increase of p-Akt levels of transformed thyrocytes.
Effects of low-dose fractionated external irradiation on metabolic and structural characteristics of rat thyroid
Nadolnik, L.; Niatsetskaya, Z. [Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Grodno (Belarus)
, the activity of thyroid-induced NADPH-malate-dehydrogenase in the rat liver cytosolic fraction was decreased to varying degrees in all the groups of irradiated animals (1.32 -2.36-fold). The decreased blood thyroid hormone concentration an d liver NADPH-MDH activity indicate development of radiation-induced hypothyrosis in the radiated animals. As early as after a day following the radiation, the morphologic examination revealed extension of follicular lumen, lymphocytic infiltration of the stroma, desquamation of the follicular epithelium. At remote periods, 0.1 Gy-irradiated animals were revealed thyroid stroma edema, reduction of the follicular dimensions and the presence of loose connective tissue interlayers. After the action of the higher ionizing irradiation doses, there was observed focal perivascular sclerosis, pronounced desquamation of the follicular epithelium with vacuolisation as well as accumulation of lymphoid cells and siderophages. The morphometric examination revealed thyrocytes decreased functional activity. Our research indicates high thyroid sensitivity to effect of external low-dose irradiation. The effect of ionizing irradiation is impaired thyroid iodide metabolism, disturbed thyroid structure and development of hypothyrosis. No pronounced injuring effects of ionizing radiation were revealed only at the 0.1 Gy radiation dose. We suggest the high thyroid radiosensitivity to be due to the specific metabolic features of its cells as well as the specific follicular tissue structure. (authors)
Induction of iodide uptake in transformed thyrocytes: a compound screening in cell lines
Froehlich, Eleonore [University of Tuebingen, Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nephrology and Clinical Chemistry, Internal Medicine, Tuebingen (Germany); Brossart, Peter [University of Tuebingen, Department of Haematology, Oncology, Immunology and Rheumatology, Internal Medicine, Tuebingen (Germany); Wahl, Richard [University of Tuebingen, Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nephrology and Clinical Chemistry, Internal Medicine, Tuebingen (Germany); Department IV, Internal Medicine, Tuebingen (Germany)
Retinoic acid presently is the most advanced agent able to improve the efficacy of radioiodine therapy in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. In order to identify compounds with higher efficacy a panel of pharmacologically well-characterized compounds with antitumour action in solid cancer cell lines was screened. The effects of the compounds on iodide uptake, cell number, proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated. In general, compounds were more effective in cell lines derived from more aggressive tumours. The effectiveness in terms of number of responsive cell lines and maximal increase in iodide uptake achieved decreased in the order: APHA > valproic acid {approx} sirolimus {approx} arsenic trioxide > retinoic acid {approx} lovastatin > apicidine {approx} azacytidine {approx} retinol {approx} rosiglitazone {approx} bortezomib. We hypothesize that testing of cells from primary tumours or metastases in patients may be a way to identify compounds with optimum therapeutic efficacy for individualized treatment. (orig.)
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The Rat Genome Database (RGD) is a collaborative effort between leading research institutions involved in rat genetic and genomic research to collect, consolidate,...
Ibsen, Lars Bo; Madsen, Søren; Petersen, L. B.
This report presents the results from the design analyses made for the clustered suction caisson used as foundation for a Riser Access Tower (RAT). The RAT is intended built next to the K15-FA-1 Platform in the Dutch Sector of the North Sea.......This report presents the results from the design analyses made for the clustered suction caisson used as foundation for a Riser Access Tower (RAT). The RAT is intended built next to the K15-FA-1 Platform in the Dutch Sector of the North Sea....
Derkach, K V; Moyseuk, I V; Shpakova, E A; Sphakov, A O
The activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis is controlled by the brain neurotransmitter systems, including the melanocortin signaling system. Pharmacological inhibition of type 4 melanocortin receptor (M4R) leads to disruption of the functioning of HPT axis and to reduction of the level of thyroid hormones. At the same time, the data on how prolonged inhibition of M4R affects this axis and on its role in regulation of M3R are absent. The relationship between the thyroid status and the activity of 1B-subtype 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor (5-HT1BR) is scarcely explored. The aim of this work to study the effects of chronic inhibition of M3R, M4R and 5-HT1BR induced by immunization of rats with BSA-conjugated peptide derived from the extracellular regions of these receptors on the thyroid status and the activity of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)-sensitive adenylyl cyclase signaling system (ACSS) in the thyroid glarid (TG) of the immunized animals. In rats immunized with the peptides K-[TSLHL WNRSSHGLHG11-25]-A of M4R, A[PTNPYCICTTAH269-280]-A of M3R and. [QAKAEE-EVSEC(Acm)-VVNTDH189-205]-A of 5-HT1BR levels of thyroid hormones such as fT4, tT4 and tT3 were significantly reduced. In rats immunized with M4R and M3R peptides, an increase of TSH was detected whereas in the animals immunized with 5-HT1BR peptide the level of TSH, on the contrary, was reduced. In the TG of rats immunized with M4R and M3R peptides, the stimulatory effects of hormones (TSH, PA-CAP-3 8) and GppNHp on adenylyl cyclase activity were attenuated, and the changes were most pronounced in the case M4R peptide immunization. After immunization with 5-HT1BR peptide the stimulatory effects of TSH, PACAP-38 and GppNHp were retained. Thus, the main cause of thyroid hormones deficit in rats immunized with M4R and M3R peptides was the decreased sensitivity of ACSS thyrocytes to TSH, whereas in rats iimunized with 5-HT1BR peptide the deficit of thyroid hormones was associated with decreased
... Español Text Size Email Print Share Rat Bite Fever Page Content Article Body Rat-bite fever is a disease that occurs in humans who ... ingestion of contaminated food or milk products (Haverhill fever). Most cases in the United States are caused ...
Ibsen, Lars Bo; Madsen, Søren; Petersen, L. B.
This report presents the results from the design analyses made for the clustered suction caisson used as foundation for a Riser Access Tower (RAT). The RAT is intended built next to the K15-FA-1 Platform in the Dutch Sector of the North Sea....
A sup 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance study of structural and organisational changes in the cell
Tunnah, S K
Increasing importance is being placed on understanding the role of membrane lipids in many different areas of biochemistry. It is of interest to determine what interactions may occur between membrane lipids and drug species. Furthermore, an increasing body of evidence suggests that membrane lipids are involved in the pathology of numerous diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and HIV. Clearly, the more information available on the mechanisms involved in diseases, the greater the potential for identifying a cure or even a prevention. sup 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to study the alterations in membrane lipid organisation and structure in intact, viable cultured cells. Changes in the sup 1 H NMR spectra and the spin-lattice relaxation measurements of the human K562 and the rat FRTL-5 cell lines were observed on the addition of the fatty acid species: triolein, evening primrose oil, arachidonic acid and ITF 1779. Results indicate that the membrane lipids are reorganised to a...
In vitro pituitary and thyroid cell proliferation assays and their relevance as alternatives to animal testing.
Jomaa, Barae; Aarts, Jac M M J G; de Haan, Laura H J; Peijnenburg, Ad A C M; Bovee, Toine F H; Murk, Albertinka J; Rietjens, Ivonne M C M
This study investigates the in vitro effect of eleven thyroid-active compounds known to affect pituitary and/or thyroid weights in vivo, using the proliferation of GH3 rat pituitary cells in the so-called "T-screen," and of FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells in a newly developed test denoted "TSH-screen" to gain insight into the relative value of these in vitro proliferation tests for an integrated testing strategy (ITS) for thyroid activity. Pituitary cell proliferation in the T-screen was stimulated by three out of eleven tested compounds, namely thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Of these three compounds, only T4 causes an increase in relative pituitary weight, and thus T4 was the only compound for which the effect in the in vitro assay correlated with a reported in vivo effect. As to the newly developed TSH-screen, two compounds had an effect, namely, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) induced and T4 antagonized FRTL-5 cell proliferation. These effects correlated with in vivo changes induced by these compounds on thyroid weight. Altogether, the results indicate that most of the selected compounds affect pituitary and thyroid weights by modes of action different from a direct thyroid hormone receptor (THR) or TSH receptor (TSHR)-mediated effect, and point to the need for additional in vitro tests for an ITS. Additional analysis of the T-screen revealed a positive correlation between the THR-mediated effects of the tested compounds in vitro and their effects on relative heart weight in vivo, suggesting that the T-screen may directly predict this THR-mediated in vivo adverse effect.
Streptobacillary fever; Streptobacillosis; Haverhill fever; Epidemic arthritic erythema; Spirillary fever; Sodoku ... Rat-bite fever can be caused by 2 different bacteria, Streptobacillus moniliformis or Spirillum minus. Both of these are found in ...
Gaastra, W.; Boot, R.G.A.; Ho, H.; Lipman, L.J.A.
Rat bite fever (RBF) is a bacterial zoonosis for which two causal bacterial species have been identified: Streptobacillis moniliformis and Spirillum minus. Haverhill fever (HF) is a form of S. moniliformis infection believed to develop after ingestion of contaminated food or water. Here the
Sigling, H.O.
This thesis describes studies into the rat as an animal model for attachment, along the lines of Bowlby's attachment theory. First, the relation between attachment and human psychopathology is reviewed. The conclusion is that psychopathology is more frequent in insecure attached persons and that the
Culturing rat hippocampal neurons.
Audesirk, G; Audesirk, T; Ferguson, C
Cultured neurons are widely used to investigate the mechanisms of neurotoxicity. Embryonic rat hippocampal neurons may be grown as described under a wide variety of conditions to suit differing experimental procedures, including electrophysiology, morphological analysis of neurite development, and various biochemical and molecular analyses.
Do you know what your Chinese sign of the zodiac is? According to the Chinese lunar calendar,every year corre- sponds to one of twelve animals(rat,ox,tiger,rabbit,dragon, snake,horse,sheep,monkey,rooster,dog and pig)and these animals are used to identify years. After the Lunar New Year in 2008 we enter the rat year. All those born in 1996,1984,1972.1960,1948,1936 or 1924, also have a rat as their sign.
Rafal Rygula
Full Text Available Emotions can bias human decisions- for example depressed or anxious people tend to make pessimistic judgements while those in positive affective states are often more optimistic. Several studies have reported that affect contingent judgement biases can also be produced in animals. The animals, however, cannot self-report; therefore, the valence of their emotions, to date, could only be assumed. Here we present the results of an experiment where the affect-contingent judgement bias has been produced by objectively measured positive emotions. We trained rats in operant Skinner boxes to press one lever in response to one tone to receive a food reward and to press another lever in response to a different tone to avoid punishment by electric foot shock. After attaining a stable level of discrimination performance, the animals were subjected to either handling or playful, experimenter-administered manual stimulation - tickling. This procedure has been confirmed to induce a positive affective state in rats, and the 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalisations (rat laughter emitted by animals in response to tickling have been postulated to index positive emotions akin to human joy. During the tickling and handling sessions, the numbers of emitted high-frequency 50-kHz calls were scored. Immediately after tickling or handling, the animals were tested for their responses to a tone of intermediate frequency, and the pattern of their responses to this ambiguous cue was taken as an indicator of the animals' optimism. Our findings indicate that tickling induced positive emotions which are directly indexed in rats by laughter, can make animals more optimistic. We demonstrate for the first time a link between the directly measured positive affective state and decision making under uncertainty in an animal model. We also introduce innovative tandem-approach for studying emotional-cognitive interplay in animals, which may be of great value for understanding the emotional
Prevention of 3-methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcomas in rats pre-inoculated with endogenous rat retrovirus.
Fish, D C; Demarais, J T; Djurickovic, D B; Huebner, R J
Weanling Fischer 344 rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of a 1000-fold concentrated preparation of endogenous nontransforming rat retrovirus. Ten days later, the rats were each given a single subcutaneous injection of 3-methylcholanthrene. The rats inoculated with the endogenous rat retrovirus were significantly protected against the development of cancer, whereas uninoculated rats and rats given one of several murine retroviruses or baboon retrovirus were not protected.
Rat traps: filling the toolbox for manipulating the rat genome
van Boxtel, Ruben; Cuppen, Edwin
The laboratory rat is rapidly gaining momentum as a mammalian genetic model organism. Although traditional forward genetic approaches are well established, recent technological developments have enabled efficient gene targeting and mutant generation. Here we outline the current status, possibilities and application of these techniques in the rat.
Tubuloglomerular feedback in Dahl rats
Karlsen, F M; Leyssac, P P; Holstein-Rathlou, N H
in both Dahl-S and salt-resistant Dahl rats on high- and low-salt diets. TGF was investigated in the closed-loop mode with a videometric technique, in which the response in late proximal flow rate to perturbations in Henle flow rate was measured. All Dahl rats showed a similar compensatory response...
James G. Pfaus
Full Text Available Background: Although humans experience orgasms with a degree of statistical regularity, they remain among the most enigmatic of sexual responses; difficult to define and even more difficult to study empirically. The question of whether animals experience orgasms is hampered by similar lack of definition and the additional necessity of making inferences from behavioral responses. Method: Here we define three behavioral criteria, based on dimensions of the subjective experience of human orgasms described by Mah and Binik, to infer orgasm-like responses (OLRs in other species: 1 physiological criteria that include pelvic floor and anal muscle contractions that stimulate seminal emission and/or ejaculation in the male, or that stimulate uterine and cervical contractions in the female; 2 short-term behavioral changes that reflect immediate awareness of a pleasurable hedonic reward state during copulation; and 3 long-term behavioral changes that depend on the reward state induced by the OLR, including sexual satiety, the strengthening of patterns of sexual arousal and desire in subsequent copulations, and the generation of conditioned place and partner preferences for contextual and partner-related cues associated with the reward state. We then examine whether physiological and behavioral data from observations of male and female rats during copulation, and in sexually-conditioned place- and partner-preference paradigms, are consistent with these criteria. Results: Both male and female rats display behavioral patterns consistent with OLRs. Conclusions: The ability to infer OLRs in rats offers new possibilities to study the phenomenon in neurobiological and molecular detail, and to provide both comparative and translational perspectives that would be useful for both basic and clinical research.
Pfaus, James G.; Scardochio, Tina; Parada, Mayte; Gerson, Christine; Quintana, Gonzalo R.; Coria-Avila, Genaro A.
Background Although humans experience orgasms with a degree of statistical regularity, they remain among the most enigmatic of sexual responses; difficult to define and even more difficult to study empirically. The question of whether animals experience orgasms is hampered by similar lack of definition and the additional necessity of making inferences from behavioral responses. Method Here we define three behavioral criteria, based on dimensions of the subjective experience of human orgasms described by Mah and Binik, to infer orgasm-like responses (OLRs) in other species: 1) physiological criteria that include pelvic floor and anal muscle contractions that stimulate seminal emission and/or ejaculation in the male, or that stimulate uterine and cervical contractions in the female; 2) short-term behavioral changes that reflect immediate awareness of a pleasurable hedonic reward state during copulation; and 3) long-term behavioral changes that depend on the reward state induced by the OLR, including sexual satiety, the strengthening of patterns of sexual arousal and desire in subsequent copulations, and the generation of conditioned place and partner preferences for contextual and partner-related cues associated with the reward state. We then examine whether physiological and behavioral data from observations of male and female rats during copulation, and in sexually-conditioned place- and partner-preference paradigms, are consistent with these criteria. Results Both male and female rats display behavioral patterns consistent with OLRs. Conclusions The ability to infer OLRs in rats offers new possibilities to study the phenomenon in neurobiological and molecular detail, and to provide both comparative and translational perspectives that would be useful for both basic and clinical research. PMID:27799081
Stephen Haywood
Dear Muriel, Being an animal, you are probably more familiar with rats than most of us. Yet it seems to me that our Community (not just ATLAS) is stuck in a huge "rat race". I am somewhat mystified as to how we have got ourselves into this and I wonder whether you or your readers could explain this - I give my own observations below. In HEP and ATLAS specifically, we are all working long hours and we are all becoming exhausted. There are people at Point 1 who are working day and night, every day of the week; there are people writing software who send emails round the clock, including weekends. It is one thing to have bursts of activity which require us to put in some longer hours, but in ATLAS, the bursts last months or years. I have been on ATLAS 14 years and it has felt like one endless rush. Why do we do this? We are all highly motivated, we love our work and want to succeed individually and collectively. We are parts of various teams, and we do not want to let the side down. We worked hard at school an...
Rat myocardial protein degradation.
Steer, J H; Hopkins, B E
1. Myocardial protein degradation rates were determined by following tyrosine release from rat isolated left hemi-atria in vitro. 2. After two 20 min preincubations the rate of tyrosine release from hemi-atria was constant for 4 h. 3. Skeletal muscle protein degradation was determined by following tyrosine release from rat isolated hemi-diaphragm (Fulks, Li & Goldberg, 1975). 4. Insulin (10(-7) M) inhibited tyrosine release from hemi-atria and hemi-diaphragm to a similar extent. A 48 h fast increased tyrosine release rate from hemi-diaphragm and decreased tyrosine release rate from hemi-atria. Hemi-diaphragm tyrosine release was inhibited by 15 mmol/l D-glucose but a variety of concentrations of D-glucose (0, 5, 15 mmol/l) had no effect on tyrosine release from hemi-atria. Five times the normal plasma levels of the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine had no effect on tyrosine release from either hemi-atria or hemi-diaphragm.
Agmo, A
The male rat's sexual behavior constitutes a highly ordered sequence of motor acts involving both striate and smooth muscles. It is spontaneously displayed by most adult made rats in the presence of a sexually receptive female. Although the behavior is important for the survival of the species it is not necessary for survival of the individual. In that way it is different from other spontaneous behaviors such as eating, drinking, avoidance of pain, respiration or thermoregulation. Among other things, this means that it is difficult to talk about sexual deprivation or need. Nevertheless, studies of male sex behavior distinguish sexual motivation (the ease by which behavior is activated, "libido") from the execution of copulatory acts (performance, "potency") (Meisel, R.L. and Sachs, B.D., The physiology of male sexual behavior. In: E. Knobil and J.D. Neill (Eds.), The Physiology of Reproduction, 2nd Edn., Vol. 2, Raven Press, New York, 1994, pp. 3-105 [13]). The hormonal control of male sexual behavior has been extensively studied. It is clear that steroid hormones, androgens and estrogens, act within the central nervous system, modifying neuronal excitability. The exact mechanism by which these hormones activate sex behavior remains largely unknown. However, there exists a considerable amount of knowledge concerning the brain structures important for sexual motivation and for the execution of sex behavior. The modulatory role of some non-steroid hormones is partly known, as well as the consequences of manipulations of several neurotransmitter systems.
Rat traps: filling the toolbox for manipulating the rat genome
van Boxtel, R.; Cuppen, E.
The laboratory rat is rapidly gaining momentum as a mammalian genetic model organism. Although traditional forward genetic approaches are well established, recent technological developments have enabled efficient gene targeting and mutant generation. Here we outline the current status, possibilities
Morphogenesis of rat myotendinous junction.
Curzi, Davide; Ambrogini, Patrizia; Falcieri, Elisabetta; Burattini, Sabrina
Myotendinous junction (MTJ) is the highly specialized complex which connects the skeletal muscle to the tendon for transmitting the contractile force between the two tissues. The purpose of this study was to investigate the MTJ development and rat EDL was chosen as a model. 1, 15, 30 day animals were considered and the junctions were analyzed by light and electron microscopy. The MTJ interface architecture increased during the development, extending the interaction between muscle and tendon. 1-day-old rats showed disorganized myofibril bundles, spread cytosol and incomplete rough endoplasmic reticulum, features partially improved in 15-day-old rats, and completely developed in 30-day-old animals. These findings indicate that muscle-tendon interface displays, during rat lifetime, numerically increased and longer tendon interdigitations, correlated with an improved organization of both tissues and with a progressive acquirement of full functionality.
Keyvan Yousefi
Full Text Available Introduction: Nowadays, finding new therapeutic compounds from natural products for treatment and prevention of a variety of diseases including cardiovascular disorders is getting a great deal of attention. This approach would result in finding new drugs which are more effective and have fewer side effects than the conventional medicines. The present study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of the methanolic extract of Marrubium vulgare, a popular traditional medicinal herb, on isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction (MI in rat model. Methods: Male Wistar rats were assigned to 6 groups of control, sham, isoproterenol, and treatment with 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg/12h of the extract given orally concurrent with MI induction. A subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (100 mg/kg/day for two consecutive days was used to induce MI. Then, histopathological changes and inflammatory markers were evaluated. Results: Isoproterenol injection increased inflammatory response, as shown by a significant increase in peripheral neutrophil count, myocardial myeloperoxidase (MPO activity and serum levels of creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB and TNF-α (pM.vulgare extract serum CK-MB was subsided by 55.4%, 52.2% and 69%, respectively. Also treatment with the extract (40 mg/kg significantly reduced (p<0.001 MPO activity in MI group. The levels of TNF-α was also considerably declined in the serums of MI group (p<0.001. In addition, peripheral neutrophil count, was significantly lowered by all doses of the extract (p<0.001. Interstitial fibrosis significantly was attenuated in treated groups compared with control MI group.Conclusion:The results of study demonstrate that the M. vulgare extract has strong protective effects against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction and it seems possible that this protection is due to its anti-inflammatory effects.
Senescence-accelerated OXYS rats
Stefanova, Natalia A; Kozhevnikova, Oyuna S; Vitovtov, Anton O; Maksimova, Kseniya Yi; Logvinov, Sergey V; Rudnitskaya, Ekaterina A; Korbolina, Elena E; Muraleva, Natalia A; Kolosova, Nataliya G
Senescence-accelerated OXYS rats are an experimental model of accelerated aging that was established from Wistar stock via selection for susceptibility to cataractogenic effects of a galactose-rich diet and via subsequent inbreeding of highly susceptible rats. Currently, we have the 102nd generation of OXYS rats with spontaneously developing cataract and accelerated senescence syndrome, which means early development of a phenotype similar to human geriatric disorders, including accelerated brain aging. In recent years, our group found strong evidence that OXYS rats are a promising model for studies of the mechanisms of brain aging and neurodegenerative processes similar to those seen in Alzheimer disease (AD). The manifestation of behavioral alterations and learning and memory deficits develop since the fourth week of age, i.e., simultaneously with first signs of neurodegeneration detectable on magnetic resonance imaging and under a light microscope. In addition, impaired long-term potentiation has been demonstrated in OXYS rats by the age of 3 months. With age, neurodegenerative changes in the brain of OXYS rats become amplified. We have shown that this deterioration happens against the background of overproduction of amyloid precursor protein (AβPP), accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ), and hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein in the hippocampus and cortex. The development of AMD-like retinopathy in OXYS rats is also accompanied by increased accumulation of Aβ in the retina. These published data suggest that the OXYS strain may serve as a spontaneous rat model of AD-like pathology and could help to decipher the pathogenesis of AD. PMID:24552807
The thymus reconstituted nude rat
Hougen, H P; Klausen, B
The monoclonal antibodies OX6, OX19, W3/13, OX7, OX8, and W3/25 were used to gain information about the distribution of different lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral lymphoid organs of neonatally isogeneic and allogeneic thymus reconstituted nude rats. Splenic mitogen responsiveness, xenogene...... cell response is far better following isografting. We, therefore, conclude that isogeneic thymus grafting is an easy method of reconstituting the nude rat immunologically....
LOTH, Eduardo Alexandre; CECATTO, Vanessa; BIAZIM, Samia Khalil; FERREIRA, José Henrique Fermino; DANIELLI, Caroline; GENSKE, Rodrigo Daniel; GANDRA, Rinaldo Ferreira; de FRANCO, Marcello Fabiano
Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), caused by the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb), is the most prevalent systemic mycosis in Latin America. There are few reports in the literature about the disease damages during pregnancy and the consequences to the fetuses and breeding. This study evaluated the implications of PCM during pregnancy on offspring and mothers in Wistar rats. Groups of rats were submitted to systemic Pb infection, by intraperitoneal infusion, and mated 30 days after the infection date. Immediately after birth, rats and neonates were sacrificed to obtain organs for standard histological examination, morphometric analysis, fungi recovery by plating (CFU) and dosing of anti-Pb antibodies by ELISA. There were no stillbirths or miscarriages, however, the fetuses from infected pregnant rats had lower body and organ weight but the fertility rate was 100%. The largest number of CFU was recovered from the organ of pregnant rats, the pathological examination revealed more severe infection in the same group, further on the largest number of granulomas and fungal field. It can be concluded that the PCM was more severe in the group of pregnant rats, with implications to the weight of offspring. PMID:27049707
Loth, Eduardo Alexandre; Cecatto, Vanessa; Biazim, Samia Khalil; Ferreira, José Henrique Fermino; Danielli, Caroline; Genske, Rodrigo Daniel; Gandra, Rinaldo Ferreira; Franco, Marcello Fabiano de
Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), caused by the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb), is the most prevalent systemic mycosis in Latin America. There are few reports in the literature about the disease damages during pregnancy and the consequences to the fetuses and breeding. This study evaluated the implications of PCM during pregnancy on offspring and mothers in Wistar rats. Groups of rats were submitted to systemic Pb infection, by intraperitoneal infusion, and mated 30 days after the infection date. Immediately after birth, rats and neonates were sacrificed to obtain organs for standard histological examination, morphometric analysis, fungi recovery by plating (CFU) and dosing of anti-Pb antibodies by ELISA. There were no stillbirths or miscarriages, however, the fetuses from infected pregnant rats had lower body and organ weight but the fertility rate was 100%. The largest number of CFU was recovered from the organ of pregnant rats, the pathological examination revealed more severe infection in the same group, further on the largest number of granulomas and fungal field. It can be concluded that the PCM was more severe in the group of pregnant rats, with implications to the weight of offspring.
Eduardo Alexandre LOTH
Full Text Available Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM, caused by the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb, is the most prevalent systemic mycosis in Latin America. There are few reports in the literature about the disease damages during pregnancy and the consequences to the fetuses and breeding. This study evaluated the implications of PCM during pregnancy on offspring and mothers in Wistar rats. Groups of rats were submitted to systemic Pb infection, by intraperitoneal infusion, and mated 30 days after the infection date. Immediately after birth, rats and neonates were sacrificed to obtain organs for standard histological examination, morphometric analysis, fungi recovery by plating (CFU and dosing of anti-Pb antibodies by ELISA. There were no stillbirths or miscarriages, however, the fetuses from infected pregnant rats had lower body and organ weight but the fertility rate was 100%. The largest number of CFU was recovered from the organ of pregnant rats, the pathological examination revealed more severe infection in the same group, further on the largest number of granulomas and fungal field. It can be concluded that the PCM was more severe in the group of pregnant rats, with implications to the weight of offspring.
DOPA, norepinephrine, and dopamine in rat tissues
Eldrup, E; Richter, Erik; Christensen, N J
We studied the effect of unilateral sympathectomy on rat quadriceps and gastrocnemius muscle concentrations of endogenous dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE) and assessed the relationships between these catecholamines in several rat tissues. Catecholamines were...
Continuous enteral feeding in uremic rats.
Maniar, S; Laouari, D; Motel, V; Kleinknecht, C
Because of constant uremia-induced anorexia, food restriction of normal rats is generally used to study the consequences of uremia. The effects of a normal food supply in uremic rats has never been tested, since no author has succeeded in providing normal intakes. Uremic rats either fed ad lib (U rats, n = 12) or force-fed through a gastric catheter (UF rats, n = 10), and sham-operated rats (C rats, n = 10) were compared from days 7 to 21 after surgery. U rats had lower food intake (13.8 vs. 17 g/day), weight gain (5.16 vs. 6.23 g/day), length gain (4 vs. 5 mm/day), nitrogen balance (228 vs. 279 mg/day) and muscle fractional protein synthesis rate (9.5 vs. 10.6%) measured in vivo by 3H-phenylalanine injection (p feeding may provide a model for normal nutritional supply in uremia.
Morphological and neurohistological changes in adolescent rats ...
abnormalities in the cytoarchitecture of the parietal and temporal cortices of young rats. The gestational ... smaller left anterior cingulated volume and lower gray matter .... the temporal and parietal lobes of the cerebral cortex of the rats in the ...
Antiulcer Effects of Melatonin in Wistar Rats
Dr Olaleye
The effect of melatonin was investigated on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer and gastric mucus cell counts in rats were measured. ..... N. (2004): Protective effects of melatonin on the ionizing radiation induced DNA damage in the rat brain.
False Context Fear Memory in Rats
Bae, Sarah; Holmes, Nathan M.; Westbrook, R. Frederick
Four experiments used rats to study false context fear memories. In Experiment 1, rats were pre-exposed to a distinctive chamber (context A) or to a control environment (context C), shocked after a delay in a second chamber (context B) and tested either in B or A. Rats pre-exposed to A froze just as much as control rats in B but more than control…
False Context Fear Memory in Rats
Bae, Sarah; Holmes, Nathan M.; Westbrook, R. Frederick
Four experiments used rats to study false context fear memories. In Experiment 1, rats were pre-exposed to a distinctive chamber (context A) or to a control environment (context C), shocked after a delay in a second chamber (context B) and tested either in B or A. Rats pre-exposed to A froze just as much as control rats in B but more than control…
STEEN, H; MEIJER, DKF; Merema, M.T.
The effect of ethanol on the hepatic uptake of various cationic drugs was studied in isolated perfused rat livers, isolated rat hepatocytes and isolated rat liver mitochondria. In isolated rat hepatocytes and in isolated perfused rat livers, the uptake of the model organic cation tri-n-butylmethylam
Tuberculosis Detection by Giant African Pouched Rats
Poling, Alan; Weetjens, Bart; Cox, Christophe; Beyene, Negussie; Durgin, Amy; Mahoney, Amanda
In recent years, operant discrimination training procedures have been used to teach giant African pouched rats to detect tuberculosis (TB) in human sputum samples. This article summarizes how the rats are trained and used operationally, as well as their performance in studies published to date. Available data suggest that pouched rats, which can…
The serotonin transporter knockout rat : A review
Olivier, Jocelien; Cools, Alexander; Ellenbroek, Bart A.; Cuppen, E.; Homberg, Judith; Kalueff, Allan V.; LaPorte, Justin L.
This chapter dicusses the most recent data on the serotonin transporter knock-out rat, a unique rat model that has been generated by target-selected N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) driven mutagenesis. The knock-out rat is the result of a premature stopcodon in the serotonin transporter gene, and the abs
Tuberculosis Detection by Giant African Pouched Rats
Poling, Alan; Weetjens, Bart; Cox, Christophe; Beyene, Negussie; Durgin, Amy; Mahoney, Amanda
In recent years, operant discrimination training procedures have been used to teach giant African pouched rats to detect tuberculosis (TB) in human sputum samples. This article summarizes how the rats are trained and used operationally, as well as their performance in studies published to date. Available data suggest that pouched rats, which can…
Teratology studies in the rat.
Leroy, Mariline; Allais, Linda
The rat is the rodent species of choice for the regulatory safety testing of xenobiotics, such as medicinal products, food additives, and other chemicals. Many decades of experience and extensive data have accumulated for both general and developmental toxicology investigations in this species. The high fertility and large litter size of the rat are advantages for teratogenicity testing. The study designs are well defined in the regulatory guidelines and are relatively standardized between testing laboratories across the world. Teratology studies address maternal- and embryo-toxicity following exposure during the period of organogenesis. This chapter describes the design and conduct of a teratology study in the rat in compliance with the regulatory guidelines. The procedures for the handling and housing of the pregnant animals, the caesarean examinations and the sampling of fetuses for morphological examinations are described. The utility and design of preliminary studies and the inclusion of satellite animals in the main study for toxicokinetic sampling are discussed.
Magnetocardiogram Measurement of Laboratory Rat
Kim, I. S.; Ahn, San; Kwon, H. C. [Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Song, J. H. [Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)
We have developed a high-Tc SQUID magnetocardiogram (MCG) system for small laboratory animals. White noise of the measurement system was about 30 fT/ Hz{sup 1/2}when measured in a magnetically shielded room. We optimized the measurement position to obtain clear MCG wave from rat's small heart by using grid measurements. With the optimization, the MCG signal was successfully detected with the peak amplitude of about 30 pT. We could observe well defined P-, QRS-, and T-waves from the rat MCG. The results suggest that the developed system has a strong potential to monitor the progress of the heart disease model by using a laboratory rat.
Metabolism of Deltamethrin in Rats
Objective To study the membolism of 14C-deltamethrin in rats. Methods Rats were dosed orally and i.p.with a single dose of 14C-deltamethrin(0.64 mg/Kg)body weight.The required dose was applied daily for 3 days.At the end of the experiment,selected organs,such as liver,kidney,fat,intestine,and blood were excised for radioassay of 14C-content.Results Deltamethrin was almost eliminated from the body within 1-3 days.The main portion of 14C-residues Was extracted from urine(38%,32%)and feces(20%,24%)with a little amount remained in various organs. Conclusion The elimination and distribution of 14C-radioactivity in rats treated orally and intraperitoneally signify th6at deltamethrin is bioavailable in urine and feces.
Renal Function and Hemodynamic Study in Obese Zucker Rats
Park, Sung Kwang; Kang, Sung Kyew
Objectives To investigate the renal function and hemodynamic changes in obesity and hyperinsulinemia which are characteristics of type II diabetes. Methods Studies were carried out in two groups of female Zucker rats. Group 1 rats were obese Zucker rats with hereditary insulin resistance. Group 2 rats were lean Zucker rats and served as controls. In comparison with lean Zucker rats, obese Zucker rats exhibited hyperinsulinemia but normoglycemia. Micropuncture studies and morphologic studies w...
Disposition of fipronil in rats
Delous, Georges; Zalko, Daniel; Viguie, Catherine; Debrauwer, Laurent
In the scientific literature, little attention has been paid to the disposition of fipronil, a phenyl pyrazole insecticide. In this study, the tissue distribution, the metabolic fate, and the elimination of fipronil was investigated in rats using radiolabeled fipronil. When a single oral dose of (14)C-fipronil (10 mg kg(-1) b.w.) was given to rats, the proportion of dose eliminated in urine and feces 72 h after dosing was ca 4% for each route. At the end of the experiment the highest levels o...
RGST - Rat Gene Symbol Tracker, a database for defining official rat gene symbols
Ståhl Fredrik
Full Text Available Abstract Background The names of genes are central in describing their function and relationship. However, gene symbols are often a subject of controversy. In addition, the discovery of mammalian genes is now so rapid that a proper use of gene symbol nomenclature rules tends to be overlooked. This is currently the situation in the rat and there is a need for a cohesive and unifying overview of all rat gene symbols in use. Based on the experiences in rat gene symbol curation that we have gained from running the "Ratmap" rat genome database, we have now developed a database that unifies different rat gene naming attempts with the accepted rat gene symbol nomenclature rules. Description This paper presents a newly developed database known as RGST (Rat Gene Symbol Tracker. The database contains rat gene symbols from three major sources: the Rat Genome Database (RGD, Ensembl, and NCBI-Gene. All rat symbols are compared with official symbols from orthologous human genes as specified by the Human Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC. Based on the outcome of the comparisons, a rat gene symbol may be selected. Rat symbols that do not match a human ortholog undergo a strict procedure of comparisons between the different rat gene sources as well as with the Mouse Genome Database (MGD. For each rat gene this procedure results in an unambiguous gene designation. The designation is presented as a status level that accompanies every rat gene symbol suggested in the database. The status level describes both how a rat symbol was selected, and its validity. Conclusion This database fulfils the important need of unifying rat gene symbols into an automatic and cohesive nomenclature system. The RGST database is available directly from the RatMap home page: http://ratmap.org.
Peculiarities of osteoarthritis in rats
Maria Drahulian
Full Text Available Was received model of osteoarthritis in the rat line Wistar, by a one-time injection of CH3COOI acid into the knee joint. There changes in joint studied histological and clinical methods.On the 7-th day of the experiment was installed resemblance to similar changes in the joints of humans with acquired osteoarthritis
Trigeminovascular stimulation in conscious rats
Kemper, RHA; Meijler, WJ; TerHorst, GJ
INTRACISTERNAL infusion of capsaicin was used to induce intracranial trigeminovascular stimulation in conscious rats. Both behaviour and trigeminal nucleus caudalis c-fos expression were examined. Exploratory behaviour was dose-dependently reduced and different types of behaviours were induced with
Fischer-Nielsen, A; Poulsen, H E; Hansen, B A
Cirrhosis of the rat liver was induced by a 12 week individualized CCl4/phenobarbital treatment. After treatment, all surviving animals (81%) showed cirrhosis of the liver. The cirrhosis induced was irreversible when evaluated 24 weeks after cessation of treatment. Quantitative liver function...
in wistar rats (Rattus Novergicus)
traction in fresh wounds inflicted on wistar rats was car- ried out. Method: Twenty .... be pertinent in addition to its effect on specific fibroblast cell lines like myofibroblast. ... nism of wound contraction: first that the contractile force is located in the ...
food product to be widely distributed was a blend of wheat, defatted soy flour, .... drops of blood from the retroocular capillary bed (under light diethyl ether ..... Bioavaiiability to rats of the iron contents in selected cereals and pulses. Nutr. Rep.
Thomas Doan
Full Text Available This paper uses several examples to show how the econometrics program RATS can be used to analyze state space models. It demonstrates Kalman filtering and smoothing, estimation of hyperparameters, unconditional and conditional simulation. It also provides a more complicated example where a dynamic simultaneous equations model is transformed into a proper state space representation and its unknown parameters are estimated.
Wellendorph, Petrine; Burhenne, Nicole; Christiansen, Bolette
orthologue of GPRC6A. Full-length cloning of rat GPRC6A (rGPRC6A) was accomplished using amplification of cDNA from taste tissue, and the identity of rGPRC6A confirmed at both the genomic and the protein level by similarity studies. Using selective primers, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction...
Diminished hormonal responses to exercise in trained rats
Galbo, H; Richter, Erik; Holst, J J
Male rats (120 g) either were subjected to a 12-wk physical training program (T rats) or were sedentary controls (C rats). Subsequently the rats were killed at rest or after a 45- or 90-min forced swim. At rest, T rats had higher liver and muscle glycogen concentrations but lower plasma insulin. ...
Trace elements and rat pouchitis.
Drzymała-Czyż, Sławomira; Banasiewicz, Tomasz; Walas, Stanisław; Kościński, Tomasz; Wenska-Chyży, Ewa; Drews, Michał; Walkowiak, Jarosław
The procedure of restorative proctocolectomy is associated with a complete removal of the colon and slight reduction of ileum length, which together can lead to systemic shortages of trace elements. Inflammatory changes in the pouch mucosa may also have some impact. However, there is no data on trace elements in pouchitis. Therefore, in the present study we aimed to assess the effect of acute pouchitis on the status of selected trace elements in rats. Restorative proctocolectomy with the construction of intestinal J-pouch was performed in twenty-four Wistar rats. Three weeks after the surgery, pouchitis was induced. Eight untreated rats created the control group. Liver concentrations of selected micronutrients (Zn, Cu, Co, Mn, Se) were measured in both groups six weeks later, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Liver concentrations of trace elements did not differ between the study and the control groups. However, copper, cobalt and selenium concentrations [μg/g] were statistically lower (p<0.02, p<0.05 and p<0.04, respectively) in rats with severe pouchitis (n=9) as compared with rats with mild pouchitis (n=7) [median (range): Cu--7.05 (3.02-14.57) vs 10.47 (5.16-14.97); Co--0.55 (0.37-0.96) vs 0.61 (0.52-0.86); Se--1.17 (0.69-1.54) vs 1.18 (0.29-1.91)]. In conclusion, it seems that acute pouchitis can lead to a significant deficiency of trace elements.
A comparison of lipolysis and lipogenesis in sheep and rats
(a) hormone sensitive lipase is four times more active in rat epididymal fat than in ... Keywords: Sheep, rats, epinephrine, adipose tissue, rate- limiting enzymes ... Methods. Animals. Male laboratory white rats aged 2 - 3 months and fed high.
Immortalized Rat Astrocyte Strain Genetically Modified by Rat Preprogalanin Gene
To construct an immortalized rat astrocyte strain genetically modified by rat preprogalanin gene (IAST/GAL) and detect its galanin (GAL) expression and secretion, a cDNA fragment of rat GAL in plasmid of pBS KS(+)-GAL was inserted into eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+) by DNA recombinant technology, then the restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing were carried out to evaluate the recombinant. The pcDNA3.1 (+)-GAL and pcDNA3.1 (+) construct were transfected into immortalized rat astrocyte strain (IAST) by lipofectamine and the population of cells which stably integrated the construct was selected with 600 μg/mL G418. Individual clones were screened and expanded into clonal cell strains. Detection of Neo gene was used to validate the success of the transfection. Immunocytochemical staining, RT-PCR and radioimmunoassay were used to detect the expression and secretion level of GAL. The recombinant had been successfully constructed by restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing. Detection of Neo gene showed that the pcDNA3.1 (+)-GAL and pcDNA3.1 (+) have been successfully transfected into IAST. After selection by using G418, IAST/GAL and IAST/Neo cell strains were obtained.IAST/GAL, IAST/Neo and IAST were immunostained positively for GAL, but the GAL average optical density of IAST/GAL was significantly higher than that of IAST/Neo and IAST (P<0.01). The level of GAL mRNA expression and the supernatant concentration of GAL in cultured IAST/GAL were significantly higher than those of IAST and IAST/Neo (P<0.01), but no significant differences were found between the IAST and IAST/Neo (P>0.05). It was concluded that IAST/GAL strain was constructed successfully and it might provide a basis for the further study of pain therapy.
Effect of triclosan, triclocarban, 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether, and bisphenol A on the iodide uptake, thyroid peroxidase activity, and expression of genes involved in thyroid hormone synthesis.
Wu, Yuanfeng; Beland, Frederick A; Fang, Jia-Long
Triclosan, triclocarban, 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47), and bisphenol A (BPA) have been reported to disturb thyroid hormone (TH) homeostasis. We have examined the effects of these chemicals on sodium/iodide symporter (NIS)-mediated iodide uptake and the expression of genes involved in TH synthesis in rat thyroid follicular FRTL-5 cells, and on the activity of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) using rat thyroid microsomes. All four chemicals inhibited NIS-mediated iodide uptake in a concentration-dependent manner. A decrease in the iodide uptake was also observed in the absence of sodium iodide. Kinetic studies showed that all four chemicals were non-competitive inhibitors of NIS, with the order of Ki values being triclosantriclosan or triclocarban. BDE-47 decreased the level of Tpo, while BPA altered the expression of all six genes. Triclosan and triclocarban inhibited the activity of TPO at 166 and >300 μM, respectively. Neither BDE-47 nor BPA affected TPO activity. In conclusion, triclosan, triclocarban, BDE-47, and BPA inhibited iodide uptake, but had differential effects on the expression of TH synthesis-related genes and the activity of TPO.
Würtzen, G.; Olsen, P.
Groups of 40, 29, 39 and 44 F0 rats of each sex were fed a semi-synthetic diet containing butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in concentrations to provide intakes of 0, 25, 100 or 500 mg/kg body weight/day, respectively. The F0 rats were mated, and groups of 100, 80, 80 and 100 F1 rats of each sex were...... formed. After weaning, the highest dose of BHT was lowered to 250 mg/kg/day for the F1 rats. At weaning the BHT-treated F1 rats, especially the males, had lower body weights than the controls and the effect was dose related. The survival of the BHT-treated rats of both sexes was higher than...
Genome Editing in Rats Using TALE Nucleases.
Tesson, Laurent; Remy, Séverine; Ménoret, Séverine; Usal, Claire; Thinard, Reynald; Savignard, Chloé; De Cian, Anne; Giovannangeli, Carine; Concordet, Jean-Paul; Anegon, Ignacio
The rat is an important animal model to understand gene function and model human diseases. Since recent years, the development of gene-specific nucleases has become important for generating new rat models of human diseases, to analyze the role of genes and to generate human antibodies. Transcription activator-like (TALE) nucleases efficiently create gene-specific knockout rats and lead to the possibility of gene targeting by homology-directed recombination (HDR) and generating knock-in rats. We describe a detailed protocol for generating knockout and knock-in rats via microinjection of TALE nucleases into fertilized eggs. This technology is an efficient, cost- and time-effective method for creating new rat models.
High rat food vitamin E content improves nerve function in streptozotocin-diabetic rats
Gispen, W.H.; Dam, P.S. van; Bravenboer, B.; Asbeck, B.S. van; Marx, J.J.
Antioxidants can improve nerve dysfunction in hyperglycaemic rats. We evaluated whether the standard supplementation of rat food with vitamin E (normally added for preservation purposes) or high-dose vitamin E treatment improves nerve conduction in maturing streptozotocin-diabetic rats, a model
Major Histocompatibility Class I Gene Transcription in Thyrocytes: A Series of Interacting Regulatory DNA Sequence Elements Mediate Thyrotropin/Cyclic Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate Repression
Kirshner, Susan; Palmer, Lisa; Bodor, Josef; Saji, Moto; Kohn, Leonard D; Singer, Dinah S
In response to TSH, thyroid cells decrease major histocompatibility (MHC) class I expression and transcription, providing an excellent model for studying the dynamic modulation of transcription of MHC class I genes...
Distinctive Genomic Profiles of Normal and Transformed Thyrocytes Irradiated with Low vs. High Doses of X-irradiation both in vivo and in vitro
Abou-El-Ardat, K. [Radiobiology, SCK-CEN, Mol (Belgium); Molecular Biotechnology, Universiteit Gent, Ghent (Belgium); Monsieurs, P. [Microbiology, SCK-CEN, Mol (Belgium); Janssen, A.; Beck, M; Michaux, A.; Benotmane, R.; Derradji, H.; Baatout, S. [Radiobiology, SCK-CEN, Mol (Belgium); Anastasov, N.; Atkinson, M. [Radiology, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, Munich (Germany); Beckaert, S.; Van Criekinge, W. [Molecular Biotechnology, Universiteit Gent, Ghent (Belgium)
The increase in cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster led to an elevation of interest in the effect of radiation on the thyroid. Our work hopes to uncover some of the effects of low doses of external X-radiation in in vitro and in vivo models using several techniques and robust analysis. Here we describe the use of such models combined with micro-arrays and sound statistical analysis. we find that low doses of radiation act differently on murine thyroids carrying and lacking the RET/PTC translocation and even bear a distinctive profile to higher irradiation doses in both in vitro and in vivo models. We also find that micro-RNAs are involved in the response of these cells to radiation, even at low doses and that two in particular, let-7g and miR-106a, were significantly involved in the cells' p53-mediated anti-proliferative response
Isolation of rat adrenocortical mitochondria
Solinas, Paola [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Department of Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Fujioka, Hisashi [Electron Microscopy Facility, Department of Pharmacology, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Tandler, Bernard [Department of Biological Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Hoppel, Charles L., E-mail: email@example.com [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Department of Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States)
Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A method for isolation of adrenocortical mitochondria from the adrenal gland of rats is described. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The purified isolated mitochondria show excellent morphological integrity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The properties of oxidative phosphorylation are excellent. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The method increases the opportunity of direct analysis of adrenal mitochondria from small animals. -- Abstract: This report describes a relatively simple and reliable method for isolating adrenocortical mitochondria from rats in good, reasonably pure yield. These organelles, which heretofore have been unobtainable in isolated form from small laboratory animals, are now readily accessible. A high degree of mitochondrial purity is shown by the electron micrographs, as well as the structural integrity of each mitochondrion. That these organelles have retained their functional integrity is shown by their high respiratory control ratios. In general, the biochemical performance of these adrenal cortical mitochondria closely mirrors that of typical hepatic or cardiac mitochondria.
Rats Train As Landmine Detectors
鼠,也有"改邪归正"之日!比利时的研究人员正在训练老鼠当地雷侦察员。收效甚奇:Trained rats may be the best and cheapest form of landmine(地雷)detector. 不过,老鼠心甘情愿地去发现地雷,并非被灌输了什么"为民除害"的思想,而是为了食物,为了生存: Once the minefield has been mapped,the rats sniff out a landmine and sitbeside it waiting to be rewarded with food.
Phosphodiesterases in the rat ovary
Petersen, Tonny Studsgaard; Stahlhut, Martin; Andersen, Claus Yding
Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are important regulators of the intracellular cAMP concentration, which is a central second messenger that affects a multitude of intracellular functions. In the ovaries, cAMP exerts diverse functions, including regulation of ovulation and it has been suggested...... that augmented cAMP levels stimulate primordial follicle growth. The present study examined the gene expression, enzyme activity and immunolocalization of the different cAMP hydrolysing PDEs families in the rat ovary. Further, the effect of PDE4 inhibition on primordial follicle activation in cultured neonatal...... and PDE2A in the corpora lutea. Incubating neonatal rat ovaries with PDE4 inhibitors did not increase primordial follicle activation or change the expression of the developing follicle markers Gdf9, Amh, Inha, the proliferation marker Mki67 or the primordial follicle marker Tmeff2. In addition, the cAMP...
Analysis of Heme oxygenase isomers in rat
Yun-ZhuLi; Wen-JunCui; Xue-HongZhang; Qing-XiangShen; JianWang; She
AIM:To purify and identify heme oxygenase(HO) isomers which exist in rat liver,spleen and brain treated with hematin and phenylhydrazine and in untrated rat liver and to investigate the characteristics of HO isomers,to isolate and confirm the rat HO-1 cDNA that actually encodes HO-1 by expressing cDNA in monkey Kidney cells(COS-1 cells),to prepare the rat heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)mutant and to detect inhibition of HO-1 mutated enzyme.
Renal function in streptozotocin-diabetic rats
Jensen, P K; Christiansen, J S; Steven, K
Renal function was examined with micropuncture methods in the insulin-treated streptozotocin-diabetic rat. Kidney glomerular filtration rate was significantly higher in the diabetic rats (1.21 ml/min) than in the control group (0.84 ml/min) Nephron glomerular filtration rate increased in proportion...... to the rise in kidney glomerular filtration rate (diabetic rats: 37.0 nl/min; control rats: 27.9 nl/min). Likewise renal plasma flow was significantly higher in the diabetic rats (4.1 ml/min) than in the control group (3.0 ml/min). Glomerular capillary pressure was identical in both groups (56.0 and 56.0 mm......-1mmHg-1). Kidney weight was significantly higher in the diabetic rats (1.15 g; control rats: 0.96 g) while body weight was similar in both groups (diabetic rats: 232 g; control rats: 238 g). Calculations indicate that the increases in transglomerular hydraulic pressure, renal plasma flow...
Automatic Training of Rat Cyborgs for Navigation.
Yu, Yipeng; Wu, Zhaohui; Xu, Kedi; Gong, Yongyue; Zheng, Nenggan; Zheng, Xiaoxiang; Pan, Gang
A rat cyborg system refers to a biological rat implanted with microelectrodes in its brain, via which the outer electrical stimuli can be delivered into the brain in vivo to control its behaviors. Rat cyborgs have various applications in emergency, such as search and rescue in disasters. Prior to a rat cyborg becoming controllable, a lot of effort is required to train it to adapt to the electrical stimuli. In this paper, we build a vision-based automatic training system for rat cyborgs to replace the time-consuming manual training procedure. A hierarchical framework is proposed to facilitate the colearning between rats and machines. In the framework, the behavioral states of a rat cyborg are visually sensed by a camera, a parameterized state machine is employed to model the training action transitions triggered by rat's behavioral states, and an adaptive adjustment policy is developed to adaptively adjust the stimulation intensity. The experimental results of three rat cyborgs prove the effectiveness of our system. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to tackle automatic training of animal cyborgs.
Pathophysiology of the Belgrade Rat
Tania eVeuthey
Full Text Available The Belgrade rat is an animal model of Divalent Metal Transporter-1 (DMT1 deficiency. This strain originates from an X-irradiation experiment first reported in 1966. Since then, the Belgrade rat's pathophysiology has helped to reveal the importance of iron balance and the role of DMT1. This review discusses our current understanding of iron transport homeostasis and summarizes molecular details of DMT1 function. We describe how studies of the Belgrade rat have revealed key roles for DMT1 in iron distribution to red blood cells as well as duodenal iron absorption. The Belgrade rat's pathology has extended our knowledge of hepatic iron handling, pulmonary and olfactory iron transport as well as brain iron uptake and renal iron handling. For example, relationships between iron and manganese metabolism have been discerned since both are essential metals transported by DMT1. Pathophysiologic features of the Belgrade rat provide us with a unique and interesting animal model to understand iron homeostasis.
Developmental toxicity of isomalt in rats.
Waalkens-Berendsen, D H; Koëter, H B; Schlüter, G; Renhof, M
The sugar replacer isomalt, a 1:1 mixture of the disaccharides glucopyranosylsorbitol and glucopyranosylmannitol, was incorporated in the diet of rats. Female Bay FB:30 rats were adapted to isomalt by feeding them a diet containing a gradually increasing amount of isomalt for several days, prior to mating. Subsequently, they were mated. Isomalt was fed continuously in concentrations of 2.5, 5 and 10% up to day 20 of pregnancy. In addition, one group of female Wistar rats was mated and fed 10% isomalt incorporated in the diet from day 0 up to day 20 of pregnancy, without previous adaptation to isomalt. Finally, one group of untreated female Wistar rats served as controls. Half of the number of females in each group was selected for caesarian section on day 20 of pregnancy. The other half was allowed to litter and rear their pups for 2 weeks (Wistar rats) or 3 weeks (Bay FB:30 rats). In the females of the Bay FB:30 rats, a decreased body-weight gain and food consumption were observed in the 5 and 10% isomalt group. Minor retardation in the development of the foetuses was observed in the 10% isomalt group only with the Bay FB:30 rats and was therefore considered to be related to maternal toxicity. In addition, a dose-related increase in the incidence of wavy ribs occurred in foetuses of the Bay FB:30 rats. However, none of the observed effects were persistent in neonates. Isomalt appeared to have slight toxic effects in the dams of the Bay FB:30 strain but no toxicity in the offspring. In Wistar rats no toxicity and no effects on maternal performance or on embryonic, foetal or neonatal development were seen. Isomalt, when fed at dietary levels up to 10%, did not induce structural or functional teratogenic effects in rats of either the Wistar or the Bay FB:30 strain.
Modulation of rat behaviour by using a rat-like robot.
Shi, Qing; Ishii, Hiroyuki; Kinoshita, Shinichi; Takanishi, Atsuo; Okabayashi, Satoshi; Iida, Naritoshi; Kimura, Hiroshi; Shibata, Shigenobu
In this paper, we study the response of a rat to a rat-like robot capable of generating different types of behaviour (stressful, friendly, neutral). Experiments are conducted in an open-field where a rat-like robot called WR-4 is put together with live rats. The activity level of each rat subject is evaluated by scoring its locomotor activity and frequencies of performing rearing (rising up on its hind limbs) and body grooming (body cuddling and head curling) actions, whereas the degree of preference of that is indicated by the robot-rat distance and the frequency of contacting WR-4. The moving speed and behaviour of WR-4 are controlled in real-time based on the feedback from rat motion. The activity level and degree of preference of rats for each experimental condition are analysed and compared to understand the influence of robot behaviour. The results of this study show that the activity level and degree of preference of the rat decrease when exposed to a stressful robot, and increase when the robot exhibit friendly behaviour, suggesting that a rat-like robot can modulate rat behaviour in a controllable, predictable way.
A Novel Rat Model of Type 2 Diabetes: The Zucker Fatty Diabetes Mellitus ZFDM Rat
Norihide Yokoi
Full Text Available The Zucker fatty (ZF rat harboring a missense mutation (fatty, fa in the leptin receptor gene (Lepr develops obesity without diabetes; Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF rats derived from the ZF strain exhibit obesity with diabetes and are widely used for research on type 2 diabetes (T2D. Here we establish a novel diabetic strain derived from normoglycemic ZF rats. In our ZF rat colony, we incidentally found fa/fa homozygous male rats having reproductive ability, which is generally absent in these animals. During maintenance of this strain by mating fa/fa males and fa/+ heterozygous females, we further identified fa/fa male rats exhibiting diabetes. We then performed selective breeding using the fa/fa male rats that exhibited relatively high blood glucose levels at 10 weeks of age, resulting in establishment of a diabetic strain that we designated Hos:ZFDM-Leprfa (ZFDM. These fa/fa male rats developed diabetes as early as 10 weeks of age, reaching 100% incidence by 21 weeks of age, while none of the fa/+ male rats developed diabetes. The phenotypic characteristics of this diabetic strain are distinct from those of normoglycemic ZF rats. ZFDM rat strain having high reproductive efficiency should serve as a more useful animal model of T2D.
Laparoscopy of rats with experimental liver metastases
Kobaek-Larsen, Morten; Rud, Lene; Østergaard-Sørensen, Finn
condition. Liver metastases were modelled by hepatic subcapsular injection of a syngeneic rat colon cancer cell line (DHD/K12-PROb) in BDIX/OrlIco rats. In this study, we present a detailed description of a laparoscopic technique for the direct inspection of liver metastases. That way a qualitative...
Adrenergic blockade in diabetic and uninephrectomized rats
Thulesen, J; Poulsen, Steen Seier; Jørgensen, P E
The present study reports on the effects of adrenergic blocking agents on the renal growth and on the renal content and urinary excretion of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic or uninephrectomized rats. Diabetic and uninephrectomized rats were allocated to groups...
Grooming behavior of spontaneously hypertensive rats
Buuse, M. van den; Jong, Wybren de
In an open field spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) exhibited lower scores for grooming when compared to their normotensive controls, the Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). After i.c.v. injection of 1 μg ACTH1–24 cumulative 50-min grooming scores were lower in SHR. Analysis of subscores indicated that the
Multigeneration reproduction study of isomalt in rats.
Waalkens-Berendsen, D H; Koëter, H B; Sinkeldam, E J
The sugar replacer isomalt was fed to Wistar rats of both sexes throughout three successive generations at concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5 and 10% in the diet. A group of rats fed a diet containing 10% sucrose served as an additional control group. The initial mating was of 100 rats of each sex in each group. For subsequent matings 20 rats of each sex from each group were used. For each generation two litters were reared until they were at least 3 wk old. Feeding isomalt to rats for three successive generations did not induce any adverse effects on fertility, reproductive performance or development compared with control animals fed diets containing maize starch and sucrose instead of isomalt. The second litter of third-generation rats was given detailed gross and microscopic examinations 4 wk after weaning. A marked treatment-related change was an increase in the relative weight of the caecum (filled and empty), 4 wk after weaning in the second litter of third-generation rats fed 10% isomalt. There was also an increase in the relative weight of the filled caecum in males of the 5% isomalt group. These findings were not accompanied by diarrhoea or histological changes in the caecum. The results of the present study did not demonstrate any deleterious effects on the reproduction, maternal performance or development of rats fed isomalt at dietary levels of up to 10% over three successive generations.
Same-Different Categorization in Rats
Wasserman, Edward A.; Castro, Leyre; Freeman, John H.
Same-different categorization is a fundamental feat of human cognition. Although birds and nonhuman primates readily learn same-different discriminations and successfully transfer them to novel stimuli, no such demonstration exists for rats. Using a spatial discrimination learning task, we show that rats can both learn to discriminate arrays of…
Attachment in rat pups, an experimental approach
Gispen, W.H.; Sigling, H.; Engeland, H. van; Spruijt, B.M.
John Bowlby's attachment theory states that attachment behavior has been strengthened throughout evolution as a consequence of its adaptive value. We investigated the presence of attachment-like behavior in rat pups, by offering a choice between the home nest and a same aged other nest. Rat pups sho
Autoprotection in acetaminophen intoxication in rats
Dalhoff, K; Laursen, H; Bangert, K;
Autoprotection by acetaminophen, i.e. increased resistance to toxic effects caused by pretreatment, is a well-known phenomenon. The purpose of the present work was to identify mechanisms for increased acetaminophen tolerance induced by pretreatment of rats. One group of female Wistar rats (pretre...
Attachment in rat pups, an experimental approach
Gispen, W.H.; Sigling, H.; Engeland, H. van; Spruijt, B.M.
John Bowlby's attachment theory states that attachment behavior has been strengthened throughout evolution as a consequence of its adaptive value. We investigated the presence of attachment-like behavior in rat pups, by offering a choice between the home nest and a same aged other nest. Rat pups
Experimental Salmonella typhimurium infections in rats. I
Hougen, H P; Jensen, E T; Klausen, B
The course of experimentally induced Salmonella typhimurium infection was studied in three groups of inbred LEW rats: homozygous +/+, athymic rnu/rnu and isogeneic thymus-grafted rnu/rnu rats. In the first experiment the animals were inoculated intraperitoneally with 10(8) bacteria and all animal...
Automatic Training of Rat Cyborgs for Navigation
Yipeng Yu
Full Text Available A rat cyborg system refers to a biological rat implanted with microelectrodes in its brain, via which the outer electrical stimuli can be delivered into the brain in vivo to control its behaviors. Rat cyborgs have various applications in emergency, such as search and rescue in disasters. Prior to a rat cyborg becoming controllable, a lot of effort is required to train it to adapt to the electrical stimuli. In this paper, we build a vision-based automatic training system for rat cyborgs to replace the time-consuming manual training procedure. A hierarchical framework is proposed to facilitate the colearning between rats and machines. In the framework, the behavioral states of a rat cyborg are visually sensed by a camera, a parameterized state machine is employed to model the training action transitions triggered by rat's behavioral states, and an adaptive adjustment policy is developed to adaptively adjust the stimulation intensity. The experimental results of three rat cyborgs prove the effectiveness of our system. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to tackle automatic training of animal cyborgs.
Characterization of rat lung ICAM-1
Beck-Schimmer, B; Schimmer, R C; Schmal, H;
OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: We expressed soluble rat ICAM-1, generated a polyclonal anti-ICAM-1 antibody, and studied ICAM-1 upregulation in lung inflammatory conditions. Bacterial and baculovirus expression systems were employed. MATERIAL: 250 g adult, male Long Evans rats were used. For in vitro stud...
Cryopreservation and orthotopic transplantation of rat ovaries.
Dorsch, Martina; Wedekind, Dirk
The number of rat strains increased considerably in the last decade and will increase continuously during the next years. This requires enough space for maintaining vital strains and techniques for cryobanking, which can be applied not only in specialised rat resource centres but also in regular animal houses. Here we describe an easy and fast method for the cryopreservation and transplantation of frozen-thawed ovaries of the rat. With dimethyl sulfoxide as cryoprotectant rat ovaries can be stored at -196 degrees C for unlimited time. For revitalisation thawed ovaries have to be orthotopically transplanted into appropriate ovarectomised recipients. Reestablishment of the reproductive cycle in the recipients can be confirmed by vaginal cytology shortly after transplantation. The recipients are able to produce 2-3 litters after mating with males of an appropriate strain. Cyropreservation of ovaries thus can be considered a reliable method to preserve scientifically and economically important stocks and strains of rats that are currently not required.
ideal hepatotoxicity model in rats using carbon tetrachloride (ccl4)
twenty five (25) rats each; rats in group I are negative control, were not induced with lipid peroxidation. Rats in ... MDA after 96 hours of CCl4 treatment compared with control group. However, rats treated ... EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. Experimental ... Biochemical Analysis ... these parameters was shown to be proportional to.
Social exclusion intensifies anxiety-like behavior in adolescent rats.
Lee, Hyunchan; Noh, Jihyun
Social connection reduces the physiological reactivity to stressors, while social exclusion causes emotional distress. Stressful experiences in rats result in the facilitation of aversive memory and induction of anxiety. To determine the effect of social interaction, such as social connection, social exclusion and equality or inequality, on emotional change in adolescent distressed rats, the emotional alteration induced by restraint stress in individual rats following exposure to various social interaction circumstances was examined. Rats were assigned to one of the following groups: all freely moving rats, all rats restrained, rats restrained in the presence of freely moving rats and freely moving rats with a restrained rat. No significant difference in fear-memory and sucrose consumption between all groups was found. Change in body weight significantly increased in freely moving rats with a restrained rat, suggesting that those rats seems to share the stressful experience of the restrained rat. Interestingly, examination of the anxiety-like behavior revealed only rats restrained in the presence of freely moving rats to have a significant increase, suggesting that emotional distress intensifies in positions of social exclusion. These results demonstrate that unequally excluded social interaction circumstances could cause the amplification of distressed status and anxiety-related emotional alteration.
Variation in rat sciatic nerve anatomy: implications for a rat model of neuropathic pain.
Asato, F; Butler, M; Blomberg, H; Gordh, T
We discovered a variation of rat sciatic nerve anatomy as an incidental finding during the anatomical exploration of the nerve lesion site in a rat neuropathic pain model. To confirm the composition and distribution of rat sciatic nerve, macroscopic anatomical investigation was performed in both left and right sides in 24 adult Sprague-Dawley rats. In all rats, the L4 and L5 spinal nerves were fused tightly to form the sciatic nerve. However, the L6 spinal nerve did not fuse with this nerve completely as a part of the sciatic nerve, but rather sent a thin branch to it in 13 rats (54%), whereas in the remaining 11 rats (46%), L6 ran separately along with the sciatic nerve. Also, the L3 spinal nerve sent a thin branch to the L4 spinal nerve or sciatic nerve in 6 rats (25%). We conclude that the components of sciatic nerve in Sprague-Dawley rats vary from L3 to L6; however, the major components are L4 and L5 macroscopically. This finding is in contrast to the standard textbooks of rat anatomy which describe the sciatic nerve as having major contributions from L4, L5, and L6.
Diminished hormonal responses to exercise in trained rats
Galbo, H; Richter, Erik; Holst, J J
Male rats (120 g) either were subjected to a 12-wk physical training program (T rats) or were sedentary controls (C rats). Subsequently the rats were killed at rest or after a 45- or 90-min forced swim. At rest, T rats had higher liver and muscle glycogen concentrations but lower plasma insulin....... In trained rats the hormonal response to exercise is blunted partly due to higher glucose concentrations. In these rats adipose tissue sensitivity to catecholamines is increased, and changes in glucagon and insulin concentrations are not necessary for increased lipolysis and hepatic glycogen depletion during...
Smotherman, W P; Robinson, S R
Rat fetuses exhibit motor and cardiac responses to chemosensory stimulation on Days 20 and 21 of gestation. The first experiment demonstrated that fetuses exhibit an increase in overall motor activity and decrease in heartrate in response to an initial intraoral infusion of a lemon solution. After a series of nine exposures, however, fetuses no longer exhibit motor or cardiac responses to lemon infusion, suggesting the existence of a habituation-like process. Responsiveness recovers spontaneously following a 3- to 9-min period without stimulation. In a second experiment, a dishabituation treatment was administered to distinguish habituation, which is a centrally mediated decrement in response, from effector fatigue, sensory adaptation, and other peripheral mechanisms that can result in reduced responsiveness. A single infusion of mint following a series of nine lemon exposures was effective in reinstating fetal motor responses to lemon on both Days 20 and 21, but reinstated cardiac responses only on Day 21. Rat fetuses habituate to repeated chemosensory stimulation, suggesting the utility of the habituation paradigm in measuring CNS development during the perinatal period.
Lessons From Experiments in Rats
Albert Gramsbergen
Full Text Available In this essay a few relevant aspects of the neural and behavioral development of the brain in the human and in the rat are reviewed and related to the consequences of lesions in the central and peripheral nervous system at early and later age. Movements initially are generated by local circuits in the spinal cord and without the involvement of descending projections. After birth, both in humans and in rats it seems that the devlopment of postural control is the limiting factor for several motor behaviors to mature. Strong indications exist that the cerebellum is significantly involved in this control. Lesions in the CNS at early stages interfere with fundamental processes of neural development, such as the establishment of fiber connections and cell death patterns. Consequently, the functional effects are strongly dependent on the stage of development. The young and undisturbed CNS, on the other hand, has a much greater capacity than the adult nervous system for compensating abnormal reinnervation in the peripheral nervous system. Animal experiments indicated that the cerebellar cortex might play an important part in this compensation. This possibility should be investigated further as it might offer important perspectives for treatment in the human.
Culture of cryopreserved rat hepatocyte
Haitao Yin; Gaojun Teng; Lifeng Wang; Baorui Liu; Xiaoping Qian
Objective: To study the method of cryopreserving rat hepatocytes and double collagen gel culture measurement after its cryopreservation. Methods: Rat hepatocytes, isolated by two-step perfusion with collagenase using an extra corporeal perfusion apparatus, were cryopreserved in double collagen gel with culture medium added by epidermal growth factor(EGF).The expression of cell function and cellular morphology were examined during culture. Results: The hepatocytes cryopreserved in double collagen gel concluding EGF showed good morphology and biological characteristics. After thawing, the MTT metabolism and protein synthesis of hepatocytes in sandwich ± EGF groups were better than those in control group. And the morphology and function of hepatocytes in sandwich group was better than that in EGF group(P < 0.05). Conclusion: Double collagen gel culture can keep hepatocyte's activities. Thawed hepatocytes can be cultivated with collagenous matrix, which provides an environment that more closely resembles that in vivo and maintain the expression of certain liver-specific function of hepatocytes.
Enhanced iodide sequestration by 3-biphenyl-5,6-dihydroimidazo 2,1-b thiazole in sodium/iodide sym-porter (NIS)-expressing cells
Lecat-Guillet, N.; Ambroise, Y. [CEA, DSV, Dept Bioorgan Chem andt IsotopLabelling, Inst Biol and Technol, iBiTecS, F-91191 Gif Sur Yvette (France)
The ability of the sodium/iodide sym-porter (NIS) to take up iodide has long provided the basis for cyto-reductive gene therapy and cancer treatment with radio-iodide. One of the major limitations of this approach is that radio-iodide retention in NIS-expressing cells is not sufficient for their destruction. We identified and characterized a small organic molecule capable of increasing iodide retention in HEK293 cells permanently transfected with human NIS cDNA (hNIS-HEK293) and in the rat thyroid-derived cell line FRTL-5. In the presence of 3-biphenyl-4'-yl-5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b)thiazole (ISA1), the transmembrane iodide concentration gradient was increased up to 4.5-fold. Our experiments indicate that the imidazo-thiazole derivative acts either by inhibiting anion efflux mechanisms, or by promoting the relocation of iodide into subcellular compartments. This new compound is not only an attractive chemical tool to investigate the mechanisms of iodide flux at the cellular level, but also opens promising perspectives in the treatment of cancer after NIS gene transfer. (authors)
Embryolethality of butyl benzyl phthalate in rats
Ema, N.; Itami, T.; Kawasaki, H. (National Inst. Hyg. Science, Osaka (Japan))
The developmental toxicity of butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) was studied in Wistar rats. Pregnant rats were given BBP at a dosage of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0% in the diet from day 0 to day 20 of pregnancy. Morphological examinations of the fetuses revealed no evidence of teratogenesis. In the 2.0% group, all dams exhibited complete resorption of all the implanted embryos, and their food consumption, body weight gain and adjusted weight gain during pregnancy were markedly lowered. To determine whether the embryolethality was the result of reduced food consumption during pregnancy, a pair-feeding study was performed in which the pregnant rats received the same amount of diet consumed by the 2.0% BBP-treated pregnant rats. The pair-fed and 2.0 % BBP-treated pregnant rats showed significant and comparable reductions in the adjusted weight gain. The number of live fetuses was lowered in the pair-fed group. However, the complete resorption of all the implanted embryos was not found in any of the pair-fed pregnant rats. The data suggest that the embryolethality observed in the 2.0 % BBP-treated pregnant rats is attributable to the effects o dietary BBP.
Characteristic anatomical structures of rat temporal bone
Peng Li; Kelei Gao; Dalian Ding; Richard Salvi
As most gene sequences and functional structures of internal organs in rats have been well studied, rat models are widely used in experi-mental medical studies. A large number of descriptions and atlas of the rat temporal bone have been published, but some detailed anatomy of its surface and inside structures remains to be studied. By focusing on some unique characteristics of the rat temporal bone, the current paper aims to provide more accurate and detailed information on rat temporal bone anatomy in an attempt to complete missing or unclear areas in the existed knowledge. We also hope this paper can lay a solid foundation for experimental rat temporal bone surgeries, and promote information exchange among colleagues, as well as providing useful guidance for novice researchers in the field of hearing research involving rats. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Production & hosting by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd On behalf of PLA General Hospital Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Muscle bioenergetics in obese Zucker rats.
Klein, M; Kaminsky, P; Walker, P M; Straczek, J; Barbe, F; Duc, M; Burlet, C
The purpose of this study was to investigate the energetic metabolism in obese Zucker rats, using phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy at rest and during a 2-Hz muscle stimulation and subsequent recovery. Animals were anesthetized with ketamine (150 mg/kg ip). Fed obese rats and 2-day-fasted obese rats were compared with their normally fed and 2-day-fasted lean litter mates. No differences were found between the two groups for ATP, total creatine, phosphocreatine (PCr), and intracellular pH. Starvation in lean rats resulted in a significant fall in inorganic phosphate (Pi), increased resting ADP level, and decreased PCr and ADP recovery after stimulation. The obese rats exhibited a decreased PCr/Pi and increased ADP at rest and a decreased PCr resynthesis and ADP metabolization rate after stimulation. Muscle stimulation in fasted obese rats induced higher PCr depletion and more pronounced acidosis. These results suggest an in vivo mitochondrial metabolism dysfunction in fasted lean as well as in fed and fasted obese rats.
Population Structure of Rat-Derived Pneumocystis carinii in Danish Wild Rats
Palmer, Robert J.; Settnes, Osvald P.; Lodal, Jens
samples. We report a lack of variation in the ITS1 and ITS2 regions that is consistent with an evolutionary bottleneck in the P. carinii f. sp. carinii population. This study shows that human- and rat-derived P. carinii organisms are very different, not population. This study shows that human- and rat......The rat model of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is frequently used to study human P. carinii infection, but there are many differences between the rat and human infections. We studied naturally acquired P. carinii in wild rats to examine the relevance of the rat model for human infection. P......-derived organisms are very different, not only in genetic composition but also in population structure and natural history....
Pulpal and periodontal diseases increase triglyceride levels in diabetic rats.
Cintra, Luciano Tavares Angelo; da Silva Facundo, Aguinaldo Cândido; Azuma, Mariane Maffei; Sumida, Dóris Hissako; Astolphi, Rafael Dias; Bomfim, Suely Regina Mogami; Narciso, Luís Gustavo; Gomes-Filho, João Eduardo
The aim of this study was to evaluate triglyceride and cholesterol levels in diabetic rats and their relationship with pulpal and periodontal diseases. Eighty male rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus, Wistar) were divided into the following eight groups comprising ten animals each: normal rats (G1), rats with pulpal diseases (G2), rats with periodontal diseases (G3), rats with both pulpal and periodontal diseases (G4), diabetic rats (G5), diabetic rats with pulpal diseases (G6), diabetic rats with periodontal diseases (G7), and diabetic rats with both periodontal and pulpal diseases (G8). Diabetes was induced by injecting streptozotocin, periapical lesions were induced by exposing pulpal tissue to the oral environment, and periodontal diseases were induced by periodontal ligature. The animals were killed after 30 days, and lipid profile was enzymatically measured using Trinder's method. The total assessed values were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance and Tukey test (p triglyceride levels of diabetic rats with periodontal disease and of diabetic rats with both periodontal and pulpal diseases were significantly higher than those of normal rats and nondiabetic group rats, respectively. The differences in the cholesterol levels among the groups were not significant. We found that the association of pulpal and periodontal diseases with diabetes increased triglyceride levels in rats. Changes in lipid profile may be related to the presence of oral infections and diabetes.
Efficient single nucleotide polymorphism discovery in laboratory rat strains using wild rat-derived SNP candidates
Hedrich Hans J; Wedekind Dirk; Zeegers Dimphy; Guryev Victor; Smits Bart MG; Cuppen Edwin
Abstract Background The laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus) is an important model for studying many aspects of human health and disease. Detailed knowledge on genetic variation between strains is important from a biomedical, particularly pharmacogenetic point of view and useful for marker selection for genetic cloning and association studies. Results We show that Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in commonly used rat strains are surprisingly well represented in wild rat isolates. Shotgun ...
The rat STSL locus: characterization, chromosomal assignment, and genetic variations in sitosterolemic hypertensive rats
Klein Richard
Full Text Available Abstract Background Elevated plant sterol accumulation has been reported in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR, the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHRSP and the Wistar-Kyoto (WKY rat. Additionally, a blood pressure quantitative trait locus (QTL has been mapped to rat chromosome 6 in a New Zealand genetically hypertensive rat strain (GH rat. ABCG5 and ABCG8 (encoding sterolin-1 and sterolin-2 respectively have been shown to be responsible for causing sitosterolemia in humans. These genes are organized in a head-to-head configuration at the STSL locus on human chromosome 2p21. Methods To investigate whether mutations in Abcg5 or Abcg8 exist in SHR, SHRSP, WKY and GH rats, we initiated a systematic search for the genetic variation in coding and non-coding region of Abcg5 and Abcg8 genes in these strains. We isolated the rat cDNAs for these genes and characterized the genomic structure and tissue expression patterns, using standard molecular biology techniques and FISH for chromosomal assignments. Results Both rat Abcg5 and Abcg8 genes map to chromosome band 6q12. These genes span ~40 kb and contain 13 exons and 12 introns each, in a pattern identical to that of the STSL loci in mouse and man. Both Abcg5 and Abcg8 were expressed only in liver and intestine. Analyses of DNA from SHR, SHRSP, GH, WKY, Wistar, Wistar King A (WKA and Brown Norway (BN rat strains revealed a homozygous G to T substitution at nucleotide 1754, resulting in the coding change Gly583Cys in sterolin-1 only in rats that are both sitosterolemic and hypertensive (SHR, SHRSP and WKY. Conclusions The rat STSL locus maps to chromosome 6q12. A non-synonymous mutation in Abcg5, Gly583Cys, results in sitosterolemia in rat strains that are also hypertensive (WKY, SHR and SHRSP. Those rat strains that are hypertensive, but not sitosterolemic (e.g. GH rat do not have mutations in Abcg5 or Abcg8. This mutation allows for expression and apparent apical targeting of Abcg5
Rat embryonic stem cells create new era in development of genetically manipulated rat models
Kazushi; Kawaharada; Masaki; Kawamata; Takahiro; Ochiya
Embryonic stem(ES) cells are isolated from theinner cell mass of a blastocyst, and are used for the generation of gene-modified animals. In mice, the transplantation of gene-modified ES cells into recipient blastocysts leads to the creation of gene-targeted mice such as knock-in and knock-out mice; these gene-targeted mice contribute greatly to scientific development. Although the rat is considered a useful laboratory animal alongside the mouse, fewer genemodified rats have been produced due to the lack of robust establishment methods for rat ES cells. A new method for establishing rat ES cells using signaling inhibitors was reported in 2008. By considering the characteristics of rat ES cells, recent research has made progress in improving conditions for the stable culture of rat ES cells in order to generate gene-modified rats efficiently. In this review, we summarize several advanced methods to maintain rat ES cells and generate gene-targeted rats.
Efficient single nucleotide polymorphism discovery in laboratory rat strains using wild rat-derived SNP candidates
Hedrich Hans J
Full Text Available Abstract Background The laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus is an important model for studying many aspects of human health and disease. Detailed knowledge on genetic variation between strains is important from a biomedical, particularly pharmacogenetic point of view and useful for marker selection for genetic cloning and association studies. Results We show that Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs in commonly used rat strains are surprisingly well represented in wild rat isolates. Shotgun sequencing of 814 Kbp in one wild rat resulted in the identification of 485 SNPs as compared with the Brown Norway genome sequence. Genotyping 36 commonly used inbred rat strains showed that 84% of these alleles are also polymorphic in a representative set of laboratory rat strains. Conclusion We postulate that shotgun sequencing in a wild rat sample and subsequent genotyping in multiple laboratory or domesticated strains rather than direct shotgun sequencing of multiple strains, could be the most efficient SNP discovery approach. For the rat, laboratory strains still harbor a large portion of the haplotypes present in wild isolates, suggesting a relatively recent common origin and supporting the idea that rat inbred strains, in contrast to mouse inbred strains, originate from a single species, R. norvegicus.
Establishment of a novel dwarf rat strain: cartilage calcification insufficient (CCI) rats.
Tanaka, Masami; Watanabe, Minoru; Yokomi, Izuru; Matsumoto, Naoki; Sudo, Katsuko; Satoh, Hitoshi; Igarashi, Tsuneo; Seki, Azusa; Amano, Hitoshi; Ohura, Kiyoshi; Ryu, Kakei; Shibata, Shunichi; Nagayama, Motohiko; Tanuma, Jun-ichi
Rats with dwarfism accompanied by skeletal abnormalities, such as shortness of the limbs, tail, and body (dwarf rats), emerged in a Jcl-derived Sprague-Dawley rat colony maintained at the Institute for Animal Experimentation, St. Marianna University Graduate School of Medicine. Since the dwarfism was assumed to be due to a genetic mutation based on its frequency, we bred the dwarf rats and investigated their characteristics in order to identify the causative factors of their phenotypes and whether they could be used as a human disease model. One male and female that produced dwarf progeny were selected, and reproduction was initiated by mating the pair. The incidence of dwarfism was 25.8% among the resultant litter, and dwarfism occurred in both genders, suggesting that it was inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. At 12 weeks of age, the body weights of the male and female dwarf rats were 40% and 57% of those of the normal rats, respectively. In soft X-ray radiographic and histological examinations, shortening and hypoplasia of the long bones, such as the tibia and femur, were observed, which were suggestive of endochondral ossification abnormalities. An immunohistochemical examination detected an aggrecan synthesis disorder, which might have led to delayed calcification and increased growth plate thickening in the dwarf rats. We hypothesized that the principal characteristics of the dwarf rats were systemically induced by insufficient cartilage calcification in their long bones; thus, we named them cartilage calcification insufficient (CCI) rats.
Polyakova, V S; Sizova, Ye A; Miroshnikov, S A; Notova, S V; Zavaleyeva, S M
The study was conducted on 15 male Wistar rats, which were injected intramuscularly with copper nanoparticle lyosols at a dose of 2.0 mg/kg body weight once a week for 3 months. Thyroid gland was removed 7 days after the last injection and was studied using histological, morphometric and immunohistochemical methods (demonstration of Ki-67 and caspase-3). Animals of the control group (n = 15) were administered distilled water at the same time intervals. It was found that after 1, 2, 3 and 4 injections of copper nanoparticles, the thyroid gland contained an increased number of large cyst-like follicles, while the average thyrocyte height of and the volume of their nuclei were reduced, which indicate a decline in hormone production. After 12 injections of copper nanoparticles, the hyperplastic thyroid gland demonstrated small follicles lined with columnar epithelium, which contained no or small amount of the colloid. The number of mitotically dividing thyrocytes was increased. Parafollicular cells demonstrated an apoptotic dominant. Morphological data suggest goitrogenic effect of multiple doses of copper nanopartides. The data received indicating the readiness of the thyroid cells to the programmed death and its possible depression (absence of signs of thyrocyte apoptosis) at different stages of the experiment confirm the modulating effect of copper on apoptosis.
Alveolar ridge augmentation by osteoinduction in rats
Pinholt, E M; Bang, G; Haanaes, H R
performed subperiosteally on the premaxilla and heterotopically in the abdominal muscles of rats. Light microscopic evaluations revealed that all allogenic, demineralized, and lyophilized dentin and bone implants induced new bone formation. No inflammatory or foreign body reactions were observed....
Intestinal microecology in rats with ulcerative colitis
Objective To study the abundance and diversity ofthe gut flora in rats with dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis(UC)to provide new knowledge about the pathogenesis of this disease.Methods Twenty-six
[Individual sensitivity of Wistar rats to piracetam].
Nikol'skaia, K A; Kondrashevskaia, M V; Eremina, L V
Effects of repeated piracetam (PIR) injections in a dose of 40 and 250 mg/kg/day on the learning in Water rats were studied. It has been found that character of the effects depends on typological features of the animals. Rats with strong predominance of excitation (choleric type) showed low sensitivity to PIR. Small dose of PIR provoked clear negative effect in rats with relative balance of the basic nervous processes: excitation and inhibition (sanguine and phlegmatic types). Despite of expressed activation of associative process, it complicated integrative activity. Small dose of PIR showed anxiolytic and psycho-stimulant actions only in initially unlearned rats characterized by high level of fear. Large dose of PIR had negative influence on the learning process in all animals, irrespective of typological features. Thus, the results of this study allow to suppose that the individual sensitivity of an animal to action of a pharmacological medication is caused by morpho-functional and neurochemical intraspecific heterogeneity.
Hypergravity induced prolactin surge in female rats
Megory, E.; Oyama, J.
Acute initial exposure to hypergravity (HG) was previously found to induce prolonged diestrous in rats, which was followed by return to normal estrous cycling upon more prolonged exposure to continuous HG. Bromergocryptine was found to prevent this prolonged diestrous. In this study it is found that in female rats 20 h of 3.14 G exposure (D-1 1200 h until D-2 0800 h) can induce prolactin surge at D-2 1600 h. Shorter exposure time (8 h), or exposure during a different part of the estrous cycle (19 h: from D-1 0700 h until D-2 0200 h) could not elicit this prolactin surge. Similar exposure of male rats of HG did not alter significantly their prolactin levels. It is possible that the hypothalamus of male and female rats responds differently to stimulation by HG.
growing African giant rats Cricetomys gambianus
bolism, conductance and evaporative water loss changes in relation to physical and behavioural development in growing giant rat pups ... evaporation) into dry air was collected in a pre-weighed column of silica ..... Principles and adaptation.
Rat sperm motility analysis: methodologic considerations
The objective of these studies was to optimize conditions for computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) of rat epididymal spermatozoa. Methodologic issues addressed include sample collection technique, sampling region within the epididymis, type of diluent medium used, and sample c...
A Music Preference Test System for Rats
Chun-Peng Zhang; Guang-Zhan Fang; Yang Xia; Tie-Jun Liu; De-Zhong Yao
In music preference experiments,housing conditions and the control of parameters for animals can affect experimental results.However,the needs of animals are indeed insufficiently considered in many reports of animal experiments.In order to evaluate which music rats prefer,we developed a new music preference test system.Dwelling time and visiting frequency can be recorded automatically when rats moving among different compartments of the system.We can also observe the behaviors of rats captured by a video camera.By this system,the music preference can be found,and then the related music can be used in following various studies.In this paper,we described the design of this music preference test system of rat,and some primary results were reported.
Morphological and neurohistological changes in adolescent rats ...
... preventable diseases affecting various organs and systems of the body, including the ... The current study was conducted to demonstrate the histological changes ... Pregnancy was confirmed and the pregnant rats were divided into 3 groups ...
Penile autotransplantation in rats: An animal model
Raouf M Seyam
Conclusions: Penile autotransplantation in rats is feasible and provides the basis for evaluation of the corpora cavernosa in an allotransplantation model. Long-term urethral continuity and dorsal neurovascular bundle survival in this model is difficult to establish.
Rat Bite Fever Resembling Rheumatoid Arthritis
Ripa Akter
Full Text Available Rat bite fever is rare in Western countries. It can be very difficult to diagnose as blood cultures are typically negative and a history of rodent exposure is often missed. Unless a high index of suspicion is maintained, the associated polyarthritis can be mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis. We report a case of culture-positive rat bite fever in a 46-year-old female presenting with fever and polyarthritis. The clinical presentation mimicked rheumatoid arthritis. Infection was complicated by discitis, a rare manifestation. We discuss the diagnosis and management of this rare zoonotic infection. We also review nine reported cases of rat bite fever, all of which had an initial presumptive diagnosis of a rheumatological disorder. Rat bite fever is a potentially curable infection but can have a lethal course if left untreated.
Black ginseng extract ameliorates hypercholesterolemia in rats
Evelyn Saba
Conclusion: Administration of BG extracts to Sprague Dawley rats fed with high-cholesterol diet ameliorated hypercholesterolemia, which was mediated via modulation of cholesterol-metabolizing marker genes. This data throw a light on BG's cardioprotective effects.
Serum testosterone concentration in chloroquine- treated rats ...
Jul 5, 2010 ... male reproductive functions. For instance ... had been observed to protect human epididymis and ... Animal model ... to the development of resistance against it induced by ... and differentiation in rats and other animal species.
How rats combine temporal cues.
Guilhardi, Paulo; Keen, Richard; MacInnis, Mika L M; Church, Russell M
The procedures for classical and operant conditioning, and for many timing procedures, involve the delivery of reinforcers that may be related to the time of previous reinforcers and responses, and to the time of onsets and terminations of stimuli. The behavior resulting from such procedures can be described as bouts of responding that occur in some pattern at some rate. A packet theory of timing and conditioning is described that accounts for such behavior under a wide range of procedures. Applications include the food searching by rats in Skinner boxes under conditions of fixed and random reinforcement, brief and sustained stimuli, and several response-food contingencies. The approach is used to describe how multiple cues from reinforcers and stimuli combine to determine the rate and pattern of response bouts.
A digital rat atlas of sectional anatomy
Yu, Li; Liu, Qian; Bai, Xueling; Liao, Yinping; Luo, Qingming; Gong, Hui
This paper describes a digital rat alias of sectional anatomy made by milling. Two healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat weighing 160-180 g were used for the generation of this atlas. The rats were depilated completely, then euthanized by Co II. One was via vascular perfusion, the other was directly frozen at -85 °C over 24 hour. After that, the frozen specimens were transferred into iron molds for embedding. A 3% gelatin solution colored blue was used to fill the molds and then frozen at -85 °C for one or two days. The frozen specimen-blocks were subsequently sectioned on the cryosection-milling machine in a plane oriented approximately transverse to the long axis of the body. The surface of specimen-blocks were imaged by a scanner and digitalized into 4,600 x2,580 x 24 bit array through a computer. Finally 9,475 sectional images (arterial vessel were not perfused) and 1,646 sectional images (arterial vessel were perfused) were captured, which made the volume of the digital atlas up to 369.35 Gbyte. This digital rat atlas is aimed at the whole rat and the rat arterial vessels are also presented. We have reconstructed this atlas. The information from the two-dimensional (2-D) images of serial sections and three-dimensional (3-D) surface model all shows that the digital rat atlas we constructed is high quality. This work lays the foundation for a deeper study of digital rat.
Avila, Irene; Reilly, Mark P; Sanabria, Federico; Posadas-Sánchez, Diana; Chavez, Claudia L.; Banerjee, Nikhil; Killeen, Peter; Castañeda, Edward
Mathematical principles of reinforcement (MPR; Killeen, 1994) is a quantitative model of operant behavior that contains 3 parameters representing motor capacity (δ), motivation (a), and short term memory (λ). The present study applied MPR to characterize the effects of bilateral infusions of 6-OHDA into the substantia nigra pars compacta in the rat, a model of Parkinson's disease. Rats were trained to lever press under a 5-component fixed ratio (5, 15, 30, 60, and 100) schedule of food reinfo...
Epidermal growth factor in the rat prostate
Tørring, Niels; Jørgensen, P E; Poulsen, Steen Seier;
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) induces proliferation in prostate epithelial and stromal cells in primary culture. This investigation was set up to characterize the time and spatial expression of EGF in the rat prostate.......Epidermal growth factor (EGF) induces proliferation in prostate epithelial and stromal cells in primary culture. This investigation was set up to characterize the time and spatial expression of EGF in the rat prostate....
Streptozotocin induced diabetes in lyon hypertensive rats
LeaEMONNOT; JeanSASSARD; MingLO
AIM: Lyon hypertensive (LH) rats, compared to their normotensive controls (LL) exhibit an increased blood pressure (BP)associated with a marked proteinuria and a metabolic syndrom including elevated plasma lipids and insulin/glucose ratio. The aim of the present work was to determine wether a type 2 diabetes could be induced in LH rats so as to obtain a model suitable for study of the relationships between diabetes and hypertension.
Modeling diabetic sensory neuropathy in rats.
Calcutt, Nigel A
The procedures to induce insulin-deficient diabetes in rats using streptozotocin are described along with a number of insulin treatment regimes that can be used to maintain these animals at different degrees of glycemia for periods of weeks to months. Streptozotocin-diabetic rats develop tactile allodynia, hyperalgesia following paw formalin injection and abnormal responses to thermal stimulation and the detailed methods used to evaluate these behavioral indices of abnormal sensory function are provided.
Male rats play a repeated donation game.
Li, Grace; Wood, Ruth I
While previous studies have demonstrated direct and generalized reciprocity in female Norway rats [26], the present study determined if unrelated male laboratory rats respond on behalf of a partner in an iterated sequential game. Pairs of rats worked for food reward in an operant chamber, where participants alternated as Donor and Responder in successive trials. In each trial, the Donor chose between variable and constant reward levers, where the constant reward lever delivered 1 pellet, and the variable reward lever triggered insertion of Responder lever(s); the Donor received 2 pellets when the Responder made any response. In forced-choice constant (FC) trials, the Responder also received 1 pellet for responding on the constant reward lever. In forced-choice variable (FV) trials, the Responder received no pellets for responding on the variable reward lever. In free-choice (FR) trials, the Responder chose between constant (1 pellet) and variable reward levers (0 pellets). With their cagemate, rats earned 61.4±2.0 pellets (64.0±2.1% of 96 possible pellets). As Donor in FC trials, rats preferred the variable reward lever, and the Responder responded frequently. In FV trials, Donor preference for the variable reward lever declined as Responder lever responses decreased. In FR trials, rats alternated responding on variable and constant reward levers as Donor and Responder, respectively. When paired with a new partner, there was no effect on Donor responses, but responses by the Responder decreased in the FV block. Similar effects were observed when paired with a maximally-cooperative stooge. Importantly, rats did not adjust their behavior as Donor to receive more pellets. Results suggest that unrelated male rats will work on behalf of a partner, and that their behavior is sensitive to familiarity, and to cooperative responses by their partner. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Experimental model of anal fistula in rats
Arakaki, Mariana Sousa; Santos,Carlos Henrique Marques dos; Falcão, Gustavo Ribeiro; Cassino,Pedro Carvalho; Nakamura, Ricardo Kenithi; Gomes,Nathália Favero; Santos,Ricardo Gasparin Coutinho dos
INTRODUCTION: the management of anal fistula remains debatable. The lack of a standard treatment free of complications stimulates the development of new options. OBJECTIVE: to develop an experimental model of anal fistula in rats. METHODS: to surgically create an anal fistula in 10 rats with Seton introduced through the anal sphincter musculature. The animals were euthanized for histological fistula tract assessment. RESULTS: all ten specimens histologically assessed had a lumen and surroundi...
Experimental coccidioidomycosis in the immunosuppressed rat
Mirta C. Remesar; Jorgelina L. Blejer; Negroni,Ricardo; Nejamkis,Marta R.
C. immitis inoculated rats are known to develop infection restricted to lung whereas cyclophosphamide (CY) treatment leads to widespread dissemination with considerable mortality. In this study, an attempt was made to elucidate the mechanisms involved in such behaviour. With this aim, spleen cells were transferred from infected CY-treated to infected untreated rats, achieving significant specific inhibition in footpad swelling to coccidioidin in recipients, attributable to a suppressor T cell...
Collagenous skeleton of the rat mystacial pad.
Haidarliu, Sebastian; Simony, Erez; Golomb, David; Ahissar, Ehud
Anatomical and functional integrity of the rat mystacial pad (MP) is dependent on the intrinsic organization of its extracellular matrix. By using collagen autofluorescence, in the rat MP, we revealed a collagenous skeleton that interconnects whisker follicles, corium, and deep collagen layers. We suggest that this skeleton supports MP tissues, mediates force transmission from muscles to whiskers, facilitates whisker retraction after protraction, and limits MP extensibility.
Expression of somatostatin mRNA and peptide in rat hippocampus after cerebral ischemia
Bering, Robert; Johansen, Flemming Fryd
Somatostatin, ischemia, hippocampus, rat, in situ hybridisation, immunocytochemistry, neuropathology......Somatostatin, ischemia, hippocampus, rat, in situ hybridisation, immunocytochemistry, neuropathology...
Vestibular loss disrupts daily rhythm in rats.
Martin, T; Mauvieux, B; Bulla, J; Quarck, G; Davenne, D; Denise, P; Philoxène, B; Besnard, S
Hypergravity disrupts the circadian regulation of temperature (Temp) and locomotor activity (Act) mediated through the vestibular otolithic system in mice. In contrast, we do not know whether the anatomical structures associated with vestibular input are crucial for circadian rhythm regulation at 1 G on Earth. In the present study we observed the effects of bilateral vestibular loss (BVL) on the daily rhythms of Temp and Act in semipigmented rats. Our model of vestibular lesion allowed for selective peripheral hair cell degeneration without any other damage. Rats with BVL exhibited a disruption in their daily rhythms (Temp and Act), which were replaced by a main ultradian period (τ <20 h) for 115.8 ± 68.6 h after vestibular lesion compared with rats in the control group. Daily rhythms of Temp and Act in rats with BVL recovered within 1 wk, probably counterbalanced by photic and other nonphotic time cues. No correlation was found between Temp and Act daily rhythms after vestibular lesion in rats with BVL, suggesting a direct influence of vestibular input on the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Our findings support the hypothesis that the vestibular system has an influence on daily rhythm homeostasis in semipigmented rats on Earth, and raise the question of whether daily rhythms might be altered due to vestibular pathology in humans. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.
Peripheral Neuropathy in Rats Exposed to Dichloroacetate
Calcutt, Nigel A.; Lopez, Veronica L.; Bautista, Arjel D.; Mizisin, Leah M.; Torres, Brenda R.; Shroads, Albert L.; Mizisin, Andrew P.; Stacpoole, Peter W.
The use of dichloroacetate (DCA) for treating patients with mitochondrial diseases is limited by the induction of peripheral neuropathy. The mechanisms of DCA-induced neuropathy are not known. Oral DCA treatment (50–500 mg/kg/day for up to 16 weeks) induced tactile allodynia in both juvenile and adult rats; concurrent thermal hypoalgesia developed at higher doses. Both juvenile and adult rats treated with DCA developed nerve conduction slowing that was more pronounced in adult rats. No overt axonal or glial cell abnormalities were identified in peripheral nerves or spinal cord of any DCA-treated rats but morphometric analysis identified a reduction of mean axonal caliber of peripheral nerve myelinated fibers. DCA treatment also caused accumulation of oxidative stress markers in the nerves. These data indicate that behavioral, functional and structural indices of peripheral neuropathy may be induced in both juvenile and adult rats treated with DCA at doses similar to those in clinical use. DCA-induced peripheral neuropathy primarily afflicts axons and involves both metabolic and structural disorders. The DCA-treated rat may provide insight into the pathogenesis of peripheral neuropathy and facilitate development of adjuvant therapeutics to prevent this disorder that currently restricts the clinical use of DCA. PMID:19680144
Elimination of mercury from amalgam in rats
Galic, N. [Dept. of Dental Pathology, School of Dentistry, Zagreb (Croatia); Prpic-Mehicic, G.; Prester, Lj.; Blanusa, M. [Inst. for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb (Croatia); Krnic, Z.; Erceg, D. [Pliva Pharmaceutical Co., Biomedicine Research Inst. ' ' Pliva' ' , Zagreb (Croatia)
The aim of this study was to measure the urinary mercury excretion in rats exposed to amalgam over a two months period. Animals were either exposed to mercury from 4 dental amalgams or fed the diet containing powdered amalgams. The results showed significantly higher mercury amount in urine of both exposed groups than in control. Even two months after the amalgam had been placed in rats teeth, the amount of mercury in the urine remained 4-5 times higher than in control, and 4 times higher than in rats exposed to diet containing powdered amalgam. The elevated urinary Hg amount was accompanied by an increased level of total protein in urine. In the same exposure period the excretion of total protein in urine of rats with amalgam fillings was 2 times higher than in control and 1.5 times higher than in rats exposed to amalgam through diet. Concentrations of mercury in the sera of all groups were below the detection limit of the method. The results show that amount of mercury and protein in the urine of rats were related to the mercury release from dental amalgam. (orig.)
Thermoregulation in hypergravity-acclimated rats
Monson, Conrad B.; Patterson, Susan L.; Horowitz, John M.; Oyama, Jiro
The effect of acclimation to hypergravity on thermoregulatory responses of rats was determined by comparing data on core temperature, T(c), tail temperature, and O2 consumption in rats raised at 1 G (C) and at 2.1 G. It was found that, when C rats were exposed to an ambient temperature of 9 C concurrently with exposure to 2.1 G, the T(c) fell by about 6 C, while in rats acclimated to 2.1 G, the T(c) fell only by 1 C. Results of O2 consumption measurements showed that C rats exposed simultaneously to cold and hypergravity were not activating their thermogenic mechanism sufficiently to prevent a fall in T(c). In other experiments, rats acclimated to either 1 or 2.1 G were found to lack the ability to maintain their T(c) when exposed to a 5.8-G field or when cold-stressed at 1 G for extended times.
Classical clinical signs in rats experimemtally infected with Trypanosoma brucei
Nwoha Rosemary Ijeoma Ogechi; Omamegbe Joseph Omolathebu
Objective:To investigate clinical signs in Trypanosoma brucei infection in albino rats. Methods:Fourteen rats grouped into 2 with 7 rats in each group were used to determine classical clinical manifestation of Trypanosoma brucei infection in rats. Group A rats were uninfected control and Group B rats were infected with Trypanosoma brucei. Results:Parasitaemia was recorded in Group B by (3.86±0.34) d and the peak of parasitaemia was observed at Day 5 post infection. Classical signs observed included squint eyes, raised whiskers, lethargy, no weight loss, pyrexia, isolation from the other rats, and starry hair coat. Conclusions:These signs could be diagnostic or aid in diagnosis of Trypanosoma brucei infection in rats.
LINZhong-Ming; LIUChang-Guan; CHENHui-Qing; LIWei-Kang; XURui-Ying
Interceptives arc defined as agents which interrupt pregnancy after implantation.Epostane, a potent 3β-hydroxysteruid dehydrogenase inhibitor, possessed interceptive activities in rats and rhesus monkeys. In rats, day 10 and day 11 of pregnancy were the
Classical clinical signs in rats experimemtally infected with Trypanosoma brucei
Nwoha Rosemary Ijeoma Ogechi
Full Text Available Objective: To investigate clinical signs in Trypanosoma brucei infection in albino rats. Methods: Fourteen rats grouped into 2 with 7 rats in each group were used to determine classical clinical manifestation of Trypanosoma brucei infection in rats. Group A rats were uninfected control and Group B rats were infected with Trypanosoma brucei. Results: Parasitaemia was recorded in Group B by (3.86±0.34 d and the peak of parasitaemia was observed at Day 5 post infection. Classical signs observed included squint eyes, raised whiskers, lethargy, no weight loss, pyrexia, isolation from the other rats, and starry hair coat. Conclusions: These signs could be diagnostic or aid in diagnosis of Trypanosoma brucei infection in rats.
National BioResource Project-Rat and related activities.
Serikawa, Tadao; Mashimo, Tomoji; Takizawa, Akiko; Okajima, Ryoko; Maedomari, Naoki; Kumafuji, Kenta; Tagami, Fumi; Neoda, Yuki; Otsuki, Mito; Nakanishi, Satoshi; Yamasaki, Ken-ichi; Voigt, Birger; Kuramoto, Takashi
In order to establish a system to facilitate the systematic collection, preservation, and provision of laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus) and their derivates, the National BioResource Project-Rat (NBRP-Rat) was launched in July 2002. By the end of 2008, more than 500 rat strains had been collected and preserved as live animals, embryos, or sperm. These rat resources are supplied to biomedical scientists in Japan as well as in other countries. This review article introduces NBRP-Rat and highlights the phenome project, recombinant inbred strains, BAC clone libraries, and the ENU-mutant archive, named the Kyoto University Rat Mutant Archive (KURMA). The future direction of rat resources are also discussed.
Control of glomerular hypertension by insulin administration in diabetic rats.
Scholey, J.W.; Meyer, T W
Micropuncture studies were performed in Munich Wistar rats made diabetic with streptozotocin and in normal control rats. Diabetic rats received daily ultralente insulin to maintain moderate hyperglycemia (approximately 300 mg/dl). Group 1 diabetic rats studied after routine micropuncture preparation exhibited elevation of the single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR) due to increases in the glomerular transcapillary hydraulic pressure difference and glomerular plasma flow rate. In gro...
Biochemical effect of curcumin on hyperlipidemia induced in rats
Omayma A.R.; Ragab A.; Abdel-Majeed A.D; Hassanin K.M.; Abdelghaffar M.M.
This study was performed to investigate the effect of oral supplementation of curcumin, garlic extract and olive oil on lipid profile, nitric oxide, adiponectin, endothelin-1, blood glucose and some inflammatory markers in normal, diabetic and hyperlipidemic rats supplementing high fat and cholesterol-enriched diet. Forty female adult albino rats were divided into four equal groups of 10 rats each. Group (1): negative control received normal diet only, group (2): rats fed on normal diet and r...
Chronotoxicity of nedaplatin in rats.
Cui, Yimin; Sugimoto, Koh-Ichi; Kawai, Yoshiko; Sudoh, Toshiaki; Gemba, Munekazu; Fujimura, Akio
Chronotoxicologic profiles of nedaplatin, a platinum compound, were evaluated in rats maintained under a 12 light/12 dark cycle with light from 07:00h to 19:00 h. Nedaplatin (5 mg/kg) was injected intravenously, once a week for 5 weeks at 08:00h or 20:00h. The suppression of body weight gain and reduction of creatinine clearance were significantly greater with the 20:00h than 08:00h treatment. Accumulation of nedaplatin in the renal cortex and bone marrow were also greater with 20:00 h treatment. There were significant relationships between the nedaplatin content in the kidney and bone marrow and degree of injury to each. These results suggest that the nedaplatin-induced toxicity depends on its dosing-time, and it is greater with treatment at 20:00 h, during the active phase. The dosing-time dependency in the accumulation of nedaplatin in the tissue of the organs might be involved in this chronotoxicologic phenomenon.
Radioimmunoimaging of pneumocystis carinii infection in rats
Vallabhajosula, S.; Shane, L.B.; Goldsmith, S.J.; Lipszyc, H.; Walzer, P.
Pneumocystis carinil pneumonia (PCP) is seen in patients with impaired immunity due to chemotherapeutic suppression or to a primary disorder, congenital or AIDS. Although radiogallium imaging has been helpful in the workup of PCP, it is non-specific. Since there is no early specific non-invasive method to diagnose PCP, the authors are developing an imaging technique using radiolabeled antibodies. Fulminant PCP was induced in rats by injecting cortisone, 20mg 2-3 times/wk for 8 wks. PC cells isolated from rat lung were injected into rabbits. The antiserum thus derived was separated and purified using Protein-A bound sepharose column with identification of IgG by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Both rabbit antipneumocystis antibodies and purified IgG(Sigma) were iodinated with I-131 to a high specific activity (3-5..mu..Ci/ug) using a lactoperoxidase method. /sup 131/I-labeled specific and non-specific IgG were injected into rats with PC infection and imaged with an Anger camera. After sacrifice, I-131 activity/gram tissue (lung, liver, heart) was determined and expressed as organ ratios. An increased uptake of specific antibody in lungs of rats with PCP was demonstrated by organ counting and imaging. This increase was not seen in normal controls or rats injected with non-specific IgG. These data provide a basis for radioimmunoimaging of infectious diseases.
Diabetic rat testes: morphological and functional alterations.
Ricci, G; Catizone, A; Esposito, R; Pisanti, F A; Vietri, M T; Galdieri, M
Reproductive dysfunction is a consequence of diabetes, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. This study investigated the histological and molecular alterations in the testes of rats injected with streptozotocin at prepuperal (SPI rats) and adult age (SAI rats) to understand whether diabetes affects testicular tissue with different severity depending on the age in which this pathological condition starts. The testes of diabetic animals showed frequent abnormal histology, and seminiferous epithelium cytoarchitecture appeared altered as well as the occludin distribution pattern. The early occurrence of diabetes increased the percentage of animals with high number of damaged tubules. The interstitial compartment of the testes was clearly hypertrophic in several portions of the organs both in SPI and SAI rats. Interestingly, fully developed Leydig cells were present in all the treated animals although abnormally distributed. Besides the above-described damages, we found a similar decrease in plasma testosterone levels both in SPI and SAI rats. Oxidative stress (OS) is involved in the pathogenesis of various diabetic complications, and in our experimental models we found that manganese superoxide dismutase was reduced in diabetic animals. We conclude that in STZ-induced diabetes, the altered spermatogenesis, more severe in SPI animals, is possibly due to the effect of OS on Leydig cell function which could cause the testosterone decrease responsible for the alterations found in the seminiferous epithelium of diabetic animals.
A rat model for hepatitis E virus
Mishra, Niraj; Verbeken, Erik; Ramaekers, Kaat; Dallmeier, Kai
ABSTRACT Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the prime causes of acute viral hepatitis, and chronic hepatitis E is increasingly recognized as an important problem in the transplant setting. Nevertheless, the fundamental understanding of the biology of HEV replication is limited and there are few therapeutic options. The development of such therapies is partially hindered by the lack of a robust and convenient animal model. We propose the infection of athymic nude rats with the rat HEV strain LA-B350 as such a model. A cDNA clone, pLA-B350, was constructed and the infectivity of its capped RNA transcripts was confirmed in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, a subgenomic replicon, pLA-B350/luc, was constructed and validated for in vitro antiviral studies. Interestingly, rat HEV proved to be less sensitive to the antiviral activity of α-interferon, ribavirin and mycophenolic acid than genotype 3 HEV (a strain that infects humans). As a proof-of-concept, part of the C-terminal polymerase sequence of pLA-B350/luc was swapped with its genotype 3 HEV counterpart: the resulting chimeric replicon replicated with comparable efficiency as the wild-type construct, confirming that LA-B350 strain is amenable to humanization (replacement of certain sequences or motifs by their counterparts from human HEV strains). Finally, ribavirin effectively inhibited LA-B350 replication in athymic nude rats, confirming the suitability of the rat model for antiviral studies. PMID:27483350
A rat model for hepatitis E virus
Yannick Debing
Full Text Available Hepatitis E virus (HEV is one of the prime causes of acute viral hepatitis, and chronic hepatitis E is increasingly recognized as an important problem in the transplant setting. Nevertheless, the fundamental understanding of the biology of HEV replication is limited and there are few therapeutic options. The development of such therapies is partially hindered by the lack of a robust and convenient animal model. We propose the infection of athymic nude rats with the rat HEV strain LA-B350 as such a model. A cDNA clone, pLA-B350, was constructed and the infectivity of its capped RNA transcripts was confirmed in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, a subgenomic replicon, pLA-B350/luc, was constructed and validated for in vitro antiviral studies. Interestingly, rat HEV proved to be less sensitive to the antiviral activity of α-interferon, ribavirin and mycophenolic acid than genotype 3 HEV (a strain that infects humans. As a proof-of-concept, part of the C-terminal polymerase sequence of pLA-B350/luc was swapped with its genotype 3 HEV counterpart: the resulting chimeric replicon replicated with comparable efficiency as the wild-type construct, confirming that LA-B350 strain is amenable to humanization (replacement of certain sequences or motifs by their counterparts from human HEV strains. Finally, ribavirin effectively inhibited LA-B350 replication in athymic nude rats, confirming the suitability of the rat model for antiviral studies.
Glutamine synthetase induced spinal seizures in rats.
Shin, Dong Won; Yoon, Young Sul; Matsumoto, Masato; Huang, Wencheng; Ceraulo, Phil; Young, Wise
Glutamine synthetase (GS) is a key enzyme in the regulation of glutamate neurotransmission in the central nervous system. It is responsible for converting glutamate to glutamine, consuming one ATP and NH3 in the process. Glutamate is neurotoxic when it accumulates in extracellular fluids. We investigated the effects of GS in both a spinal cord injury (SCI) model and normal rats. 0.1-ml of low (2- micro M) and high (55- micro M) concentrations of GS were applied, intrathecally, to the spinal cord of rats under pentobarbital anesthesia. Immediately after an intrathecal injection into the L1-L3 space, the rats developed convulsive movements. These movements initially consisted of myoclonic twitches of the paravertebral muscles close to the injection site, repeated tonic and clonic contractions and extensions of the hind limbs (hind limb seizures) that spread to the fore limbs, and finally rotational axial movements of the body. An EMG of the paravertebral muscles, fore and hind limbs, showed the extent of the muscle activities. GS (2- micro M) caused spinal seizures in the rats after the SCI, and GS (6- micro M) produced seizures in the uninjured anesthetized rats. Denatured GS (70 degrees C, 1 hour) also produced spinal seizures, although higher concentrations were required. We suggest that GS may be directly blocking the release of GABA, or the receptors, in the spinal cord.
Intracranial localization of arachnoid granulations in rats
Yanan Dong; Min Yu; Lei Meng; Yong Jiang; Jun Gao; Honghai Peng; Jianguo Shi
BACKGROUND: This paper describes histomorphologic studies on arachnoid granulations in rats, which have not been investigated in China to our knowledge.OBJECTIVE: To observe the distribution of intracranial arachnoid granulations in rats. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The observational experiment was performed in the Academy of Life Sciences of Shandong Taishan Medical College from May to August 2004.MATERIALS: Thirty healthy adult Wistar rats (3-4 months old) of SPF grade, equal numbers of each sex, were selected for this study. Methylene blue parenteral solution was provided by Jiangsu Jichuan Pharmaceutical Company (China), and an optical microscope (Type: CH20; Olympus Co. Ltd., Japan) was used for observation of the histomorphology of the arachnoid granulations.METHOD: Injection of methylene blue parenteral solution into the cerebellomedullary cistern of rats.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The blue stained parts of the lateral sinus were sectioned, stained by hematoxylin and eosin, and then observed under the microscope.RESULTS: The cavitas subarachnoidealis had extensive blue staining after methylene blue injection, while the arachnoid and dura were without dye accumulation. The blue dye indicated the location of the arachnoid granulations. The location of these granulations was fixed, mainly in the lateral sinus at both sides of confluence within 4 mm of the internal jugular vein.CONCLUSION: The arachnoid granulations of the rat were located mainly in the lateral sinuses of the dura mater.
Proteomic analysis of hippocampus in the rat
ZHANG Bo; WANG Ren-zhi; LIAN Zhi-gang; YAO Yong
Objective To analyze the protein expression in the rat hippocampus by the proteomic approach.Methods Proteins from hippocampal tissue homogenates of the rat were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis(2-DE),and stained with colloidal Coomassie blue to produce a high-resolution map of the rat hippocampus proteome.Selected proteins from this map were digested with trypsin,and the resulting tryptic peptides were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF-MS).The mass spectrometric data were used to identify the proteins through searches of the NCBI protein sequence database.Results 37 prominent proteins with various functional characteristics were identified.The identified brain protein classes covered metabolism enzymes,cytoskeleton proteins,heat shock proteins,antioxidant proteins,signalling proteins,proteasome-related proteins,neuron-specific proteins and glial-associated proteins.Furthermore,3 hypothetical proteins,unknown proteins so far only proposed from their nucleic acid structure,were identified.Conclusion This study provides the first unbiased characterization of proteins of the rat hippocampus and will be used for future studies of differential protein expression in rat models of neurological disorders.
Modeling Alzheimer's disease in transgenic rats.
Do Carmo, Sonia; Cuello, A Claudio
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. At the diagnostic stage, the AD brain is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles and neuronal loss. Despite the large variety of therapeutic approaches, this condition remains incurable, since at the time of clinical diagnosis, the brain has already suffered irreversible and extensive damage. In recent years, it has become evident that AD starts decades prior to its clinical presentation. In this regard, transgenic animal models can shed much light on the mechanisms underlying this "pre-clinical" stage, enabling the identification and validation of new therapeutic targets. This paper summarizes the formidable efforts to create models mimicking the various aspects of AD pathology in the rat. Transgenic rat models offer distinctive advantages over mice. Rats are physiologically, genetically and morphologically closer to humans. More importantly, the rat has a well-characterized, rich behavioral display. Consequently, rat models of AD should allow a more sophisticated and accurate assessment of the impact of pathology and novel therapeutics on cognitive outcomes.
Renal alterations in prediabetic rats with periodontitis
Andersen, Carla Cruvinel Pontes; Holmstrup, Palle; Buschard, Karsten
BACKGROUND: Periodontitis was shown to have an impact on glucose levels in prediabetic and diabetic rats. The Zucker fatty rat (ZFR) is a well-characterized model of prediabetes presenting with impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, and moderate hypertension. The aim of the p......BACKGROUND: Periodontitis was shown to have an impact on glucose levels in prediabetic and diabetic rats. The Zucker fatty rat (ZFR) is a well-characterized model of prediabetes presenting with impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, and moderate hypertension. The aim...... of the present study was to investigate whether periodontitis influences kidney changes in ZFRs. METHODS: Male adult ZFRs (N = 19) and their lean littermates (N = 18) were studied. Periodontitis was induced with ligatures in half of the ZFRs and lean rats, whereas the other half served as controls. After 4 weeks...... IValpha1, fibronectin, and nephrin. Urinary albumin excretion and creatinine clearance were also evaluated. RESULTS: In prediabetic ZFRs, periodontitis was associated with kidney hypertrophy (P = 0.03) and a tendency for increased glomerular volume (P = 0.06). In lean littermates, elevated fibronectin m...
Correction of hyperphosphatemia suppresses cardiac remodeling in uremic rats.
Yamazaki-Nakazawa, Ai; Mizobuchi, Masahide; Ogata, Hiroaki; Kumata, Chiaki; Kondo, Fumiko; Ono, Naoko; Koiwa, Fumihiko; Uda, Susumu; Kinugasa, Eriko; Akizawa, Tadao
Hyperphosphatemia is associated with cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease. To examine the effects of correction of hyperphosphatemia, we investigated the association between phosphate metabolism and cardiac remodeling in uremic rats. Four groups were studied for 8 weeks: (1) control (sham), (2) 5/6 nephrectomized (Nx) rats fed a normal phosphate regular diet (Nx + NP), (3) Nx rats fed a high phosphate (1.2 %) diet (Nx + HP), and (4) Nx rats fed a high phosphate diet containing 2 % lanthanum carbonate (Nx + HP + La). The relationship between phosphate metabolism and cardiac remodeling was analyzed. Nx + HP rats showed a significant increase in serum phosphate and PTH compared with Nx + NP rats, while Nx + HP + La rats showed slight decreases in these levels. Both Nx + HP and Nx + HP + La rats showed a significant increase in fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) compared with Nx + NP rats. Urinary phosphate excretion showed a similar trend to that of FGF23. Nx + HP rats showed a significant increase in LV weight and matrix deposition compared with Nx + NP rats, and this increase was also significantly suppressed in Nx + HP + La rats. Serum phosphate levels and PTH were significantly correlated with LV weight and matrix deposition, but FGF23 levels did not show the correlation. FGF23 had a high correlation with urinary phosphate excretion. These results suggest that correction of hyperphosphatemia by lanthanum carbonate could suppress cardiac remodeling independently of changes in FGF23.
Research of Fast Neutron Radiation Effect on Rats
In order to research the fast neutron radiation effect on rats,the 8 weeks Wistar male rats were wholly irradiated by 14 MeV fast neutron with 5 Gy. In the experiment,the rats were divided into normal and irradiation group, and killed
Effect of thiabendazole on some rat hepatic xenobiotic metabolising enzymes
Price, R.J.; Scott, M.P.; Walters, D.G.; Stierum, R.H.; Groten, J.P.; Meredith, C.; Lake, B.G.
The effect of thiabendazole (TB) on some rat hepatic xenobiotic metabolising enzymes has been investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed control diet or diets containing 102-5188 ppm TB for 28 days. As a positive control for induction of hepatic xenobiotic metabolism, rats were also fed diets c
Effect of thiabendazole on some rat hepatic xenobiotic metabolising enzymes
Price, R.J.; Scott, M.P.; Walters, D.G.; Stierum, R.H.; Groten, J.P.; Meredith, C.; Lake, B.G.
The effect of thiabendazole (TB) on some rat hepatic xenobiotic metabolising enzymes has been investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed control diet or diets containing 102-5188 ppm TB for 28 days. As a positive control for induction of hepatic xenobiotic metabolism, rats were also fed diets
Embryotoxicity and teratogenicity study with neohesperidin dihydrochalcone in rats
Waalkens-Berendsen, D.H.; Kuilman-Wahls, M.E.M.; Bär, A.
The embryotoxicity/teratogenicity of neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC) was examined in Wistar Crl:(WI)WU BR rats. NHDC was fed at dietary concentrations of 0, 1.25, 2.5 or 5 to groups of 28 mated female rats from day 0 to 21 of gestation. At Cesarean section 25, 22, 23, and 23 rats were found to
Activation of peripheral leukocytes in rat pregnancy and experimental preeclampsia
Faas, MM; Schuiling, GA; Linton, EA; Sargent, IL; Redman, CWG
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to search for activation markers of peripheral leukocytes in experimental preeclampsia in the rat. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental preeclampsia was induced in 14-day-pregnant rats by infusion of endotoxin (1.0 mu g/kg body weight). For comparison, rats with normal
Embryotoxicity and teratogenicity study with neohesperidin dihydrochalcone in rats
Waalkens-Berendsen, D.H.; Kuilman-Wahls, M.E.M.; Bär, A.
The embryotoxicity/teratogenicity of neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC) was examined in Wistar Crl:(WI)WU BR rats. NHDC was fed at dietary concentrations of 0, 1.25, 2.5 or 5 to groups of 28 mated female rats from day 0 to 21 of gestation. At Cesarean section 25, 22, 23, and 23 rats were found to
Rat-to-human transmission of Cowpox infection
Wolfs, Tom F W; Wagenaar, Jaap A; Niesters, Hubert G M; Osterhaus, Albert D M E
We isolated Cowpox virus (CPXV) from the ulcerative eyelid lesions of a 14-year-old girl, who had cared for a clinically ill wild rat that later died. CPXV isolated from the rat (Rattus norvegicus) showed complete homology with the girl's virus. Our case is the first proven rat-to-human transmission
[Effect of prednisolon on trachea smooth muscle of normal rats and rats with fibrosing alveolitis].
Fedin, A N; Nekrasova, E A; Frolova, S A; Danilov, L N; Lebedeva, E S; Il'kovich, M M
Effect of prednisolone on isolated preparations of trachea of normal rats and rats with fibrosing alveolitis was studied. Prednisolone at a concentration of 0.4 microg/l decreased responses of smooth muscle on stimulation of preganglionar nerve fibers at trachea areas with intramural ganglia in rats with acute alveolitis by 48%, while in normal rats--by 19% of control. In trachea preparations without ganglia, prednisolone at a dose of 10 microg/l decreased responses of muscle to the nerve fiber stimulation by 21.3%. The higher prednisolone doses were less efficient: 0.1-10 microg/l glucocorticoid practically did not affect the smooth muscle responses produced by stimulation of muscle cells. In rats with fibrosing alveolitis, 10 microg/l prednisolone restored the smooth muscle responses to control values in preparations of trachea with intramural ganglia. After the prednisolone treatment, amplitude of the rat trachea muscle contraction in response to the nerve fiber electric stimulation did not differ statistically significantly from control and 0.1-10 microg/l prednisolone did not change the response value. The conclusion is made that prednisolone affected the diseased rats more efficiently than the healthy animals. The character of the glucocorticoid effect depends on the presence of intramural ganglia in the trachea wall.
Phenotypic Characterization of LEA Rat: A New Rat Model of Nonobese Type 2 Diabetes
Tadashi Okamura
Full Text Available Animal models have provided important information for the genetics and pathophysiology of diabetes. Here we have established a novel, nonobese rat strain with spontaneous diabetes, Long-Evans Agouti (LEA rat derived from Long-Evans (LE strain. The incidence of diabetes in the males was 10% at 6 months of age and 86% at 14 months, while none of the females developed diabetes. The blood glucose level in LEA male rats was between 200 and 300 mg/dl at 120 min according to OGTT. The glucose intolerance in correspondence with the impairment of insulin secretion was observed in male rats, which was the main cause of diabetes in LEA rats. Histological examination revealed that the reduction of β-cell mass was caused by progressive fibrosis in pancreatic islets in age-dependent manner. The intracytoplasmic hyaline droplet accumulation and the disappearance of tubular epithelial cell layer associated with thickening of basement membrane were evident in renal proximal tubules. The body mass index and glycaemic response to exogenous insulin were comparable to those of control rats. The unique characteristics of LEA rat are a great advantage not only to analyze the progression of diabetes, but also to disclose the genes involved in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Establishment of rat embryonic stem cells and making of chimera rats.
Shinobu Ueda
Full Text Available The rat is a reference animal model for physiological studies and for the analysis of multigenic human diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, neurological disorders, and cancer. The rats have long been used in extensive chemical carcinogenesis studies. Thus, the rat embryonic stem (rES cell is an important resource for the study of disease models. Attempts to derive ES cells from various mammals, including the rat, have not succeeded. Here we have established two independent rES cells from Wister rat blastocysts that have undifferentiated characters such as Nanog and Oct3/4 genes expression and they have stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA -1, -3, -4, and TRA-1-81 expression. The cells were successfully cultured in an undifferentiated state and can be possible over 18 passages with maintaining more than 40% of normal karyotype. Their pluripotent potential was confirmed by the differentiation into derivatives of the endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Most importantly, the rES cells are capable of producing chimera rats. Therefore, we established pluripotent rES cell lines that are widely used to produce genetically modified experimental rats for study of human diseases.
Immature rats show ovulatory defects similar to those in adult rats lacking prostaglandin and progesterone actions
Sanchez-Criado Jose E
Full Text Available Abstract Gonadotropin-primed immature rats (GPIR constitute a widely used model for the study of ovulation. Although the equivalence between the ovulatory process in immature and adult rats is generally assumed, the morphological and functional characteristics of ovulation in immature rats have been scarcely considered. We describe herein the morphological aspects of the ovulatory process in GPIR and their response to classical ovulation inhibitors, such as the inhibitor of prostaglandin (PG synthesis indomethacin (INDO and a progesterone (P receptor (PR antagonist (RU486. Immature Wistar rats were primed with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG at 21, 23 or 25 days of age, injected with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG 48 h later, and sacrificed 16 h after hCG treatment, to assess follicle rupture and ovulation. Surprisingly, GPIR showed age-related ovulatory defects close similar to those in adult rats lacking P and PG actions. Rats primed with eCG at 21 or 23 days of age showed abnormally ruptured corpora lutea in which the cumulus-oocyte complex (COC was trapped or had been released to the ovarian interstitum, invading the ovarian stroma and blood and lymphatic vessels. Supplementation of immature rats with exogenous P and/or PG of the E series did not significantly inhibit abnormal follicle rupture. Otherwise, ovulatory defects were practically absent in rats primed with eCG at 25 days of age. GPIR treated with INDO showed the same ovulatory alterations than vehicle-treated ones, although affecting to a higher proportion of follicles. Blocking P actions with RU486 increased the number of COC trapped inside corpora lutea and decreased ovulation. The presence of ovulatory defects in GPIR, suggests that the capacity of the immature ovary to undergo the coordinate changes leading to effective ovulation is not fully established in Wistar rats primed with eCG before 25 days of age.
Analysis of Heme oxygenase isomers in rat
Zhen-Wei Xia; Wen-Jun Cui; Xue-Hong Zhang; Qing-Xiang Shen; Jian Wang; Yun-Zhu Li; Shen-Nian Chen; Shan-Chang Yu
AIM: To purify and identify heme oxygenase (HO) isomers which exist in rat liver, spleen and brain treated with hematin and phenylhydrazine and in untreated rat liver and to investigate the characteristics of HO isomers, to isolate and confirm the rat HO-1 cDNA that actually encodes HO-1 by expressing cDNA in monkey kidney cells (COS-1 cells), to prepare the rat heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mutant and to detect inhibition of HO-1 mutated enzyme.METHODS: First, rat liver, spleen and brain microsomal fi-actions were purified by DEAE-Sephacel and hydroxylapatite. The characteristics including activity, immunity and inducibility of two isomers (HO-1 and HO-2), and their apparent molecular weight were measured by detecting enzymatic activities, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting analysis, respectively. Second, plasmid pcDNA3HO1 containing native rat HO-1 cDNA and pcDNA3HO1D25 carrying mutated rat HO-1 cDNA (His25Ala) were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis. COS-1 cells transfected with pcDNA3HO1 and pcDNA3HO1D25 were collected and disrupted by sonication, the microsomes were prepared by ultracentrifugation. Third, the inhibition of rat HO-1 mutant was analyzed.RESULTS: Two isomers were purified and identified in treated rat liver, spleen, brain and untreated rat liver. HO-1 was the predominant form with a ratio of 2.0:1 and 3.2:1 of HO-1 and HO-2 in liver and spleen, respectively, but only the activity of HO-2 in the brain and untreated liver could be detected. The apparent molecular weights of HO-1 and HO-2 were about Mr 30 000 and Mr 36 000 under reducing conditions, respectively. The antiserum against liver HO-2 was employed in Western blotting analysis, the reactivity of HO-1 in the liver was not observed. The plasmid pcDNA3HO1 was highly expressed in endoplasmic reticulum of transfected COS-1 cells. The specific activity was ≈5-fold higher than that of the control. However, the enzyme activity of mutated HO-1 declined. While
Strychnine induces embryotoxicity in rat neurulation.
García-Alcocer, Guadalupe; Martínez-Torres, Ataúlfo; Miledi, Ricardo
Administering strychnine, a potent antagonist of glycine receptors, to pregnant rats caused marked toxic effects on the ensuing embryos. The embryotoxic effects of strychnine were compared with those induced by retinal palmitate during rat neurulation; and it was found that strychnine was stronger than retinal palmitate in a number of abnormalities such as anencephaly, general aplasy and abnormal cerebral vesicles. Although the glycine receptor beta1 subunit mRNA was found to be expressed in the embryos when strychnine was administered to the mother rats, its presence may not fully account for the toxic effects and it may be that strychnine is targeting also other molecules, such as the nicotinic receptor that has been found early in development.
Site of iodination in rat mammary gland
Strum, J.M.
The ability of the mammary gland to take up and organically bind radioiodide was studied in non-pregnant, pregnant, and lactating rats. Autoradiography was used to determine whether duct cells or alveolar cells are responsible for iodination in the rat mammary gland. Iodination was not detected in mammary glands from non-pregnant rats, but occurred late in the twelfth day of gestation and continued throughout pregnancy and lactation. Protein-containing vacuoles in alveolar cells and casein-like proteins in milk were the major sites where iodination occurred within the gland. Milk proteins in the lumens of ductules adjacent to alveoli were also iodinated. In contrast, ducts, myoepithelial cells, fat cells, blood vessels and other histological components of the gland did not show iodinating capability. Cytochemistry was also used to identify endogenous mammary peroxidase activity in the same glands, and it was found that the presence and location of this enzyme were correlated with the ability to iodinate.
Helminth parasites in black rats (Rattus rattus) and brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) from different environments in the Netherlands
Franssen, Frits; Swart, Arno; van Knapen, Frans; van der Giessen, Joke
BACKGROUND: Rattus norvegicus (brown rat) and Rattus rattus (black rat) are known carriers of bacteria, viruses, and parasites of zoonotic and veterinary importance. Moreover, rats may play a role in the transmission of muscle larvae of the zoonotic nematode Trichinella spiralis to farm animals. We
comparison of serum visfatin levels in restricted diet rats,type2 diabetic rats and insulin resistance rats with normal rats
mohammadali ghaffari
Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Adipose tissue is not only a site of triglycerides storage, but also an active endocrine organ that secretes many biologically active mediators refered to as "adipokines". Visfatin, as a new adipokine has an important role in Homeostasis of energy and glucose metabolism. In the present study serum visfatin levels in restricted diet rats,type2 diabetic rats and insulin resistant rats has been measured and compared with control group. relationship between Visfatin and blood sugar, lipid profile, insulin, and HOMA-IR in these groups has been investigated Methods and Materials: 32 male wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (8 rats in each group.group 1 was control,with free access to diet, group 2 or restricted diet group using 65% of normal diet , group3 orinduced type2 diabetic group with nicotinamide and streptozocin and group 4 was insulin resistance ,induced with fructose diet. After 6 weeks animals weight and other biochemical factors such as FBS (Fasting Blood Sugar, lipid profile, insulin and visfatin were measured. Results of this study were analyzed using SPSS16.and then examined and reported as ±average of standard deviation. Values of p< 0.05 were considered statistically significant . Results: Results of this study showed that body weight increased in all groups except diabetic group. Triglyceride were increased in all groups, in this order,restricted diet, control, insulin resistance and diabetic groups. visfatin, insulin, and Homa-IR increase significantly in type 2 diabetic rats and insulin resistant group. Conclusion: There was a positive and significant relationship between visfatin and HOMA-IR, and between visfain and FBS (Fasting Blood Sugar, while there was a negative relationship between visfatin and insulin, but this relationship was not significant.
[Berberine inhibits cardiac fibrosis of diabetic rats].
Lu, Kun; Shen, Yongjie; He, Jinfeng; Liu, Guoling; Song, Wei
Objective To explore the effect of berberine on cardiac fibrosis of diabetic rats by observing the expressions of serum transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) , collagen type 1 (Col1) and collagen type 3 (Col3) in myocardial tissues of diabetic rats after berberine treatment. Methods The diabetic model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptococci (STZ). Forty-three diabetic rats were randomly divided into diabetic model group (n=9), berberine treated groups of different doses [50, 100, 150 mg/(kg.d), gavage administration for 12 weeks; n=9, 9, 8 respectively], and metformin group as positive control (n=8); other 8 normal rats served as a negative control group. After the last administration, fasting blood glucose, left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) were measured; rats' heart were taken to calculate the heart mass index (HMI); ELISA was used to detect the serum levels of TGF-β1 and CTGF; collagenous fibers in cardiac tissues were tested by Masson staining; collagen volume fraction (CVF) was measured by image analysis; Col1 and Col3 in cardiac tissues were determined by Western blotting. Results Compared with the normal control group, the fasting blood glucose, LVSP, LVEDP absolute value, HMI, the degree of cardiac fibrosis, the expressions of TGF-β1, CTGF, Col1 and Col3 significantly increased in the model group. All indexes mentioned above were reduced obviously in berberine treated groups of 100 and 150 mg/(kg.d). Conclusion Berberine improves cardiac fibrosis in diabetic rats through down-regulating the expressions of TGF-β1 and CTGF and reducing the synthesis and deposition of Col1 and Col3.
Fenbendazole treatment and litter size in rats.
Johnston, Nancy A; Bieszczak, Jeremiah R; Verhulst, Steven; Disney, Kimberly E; Montgomery, Kyle E; Toth, Linda A
Fenbendazole is commonly used in laboratory animal medicine as an anthelmintic for elimination of pinworms. It is generally regarded as a safe drug with minimal side effects. In our facility, 2 breeding colonies of rats were treated with fenbendazole to eliminate pinworms. Analysis of the breeding records revealed that feeding Sprague-Dawley rats a diet containing fenbendazole on a continuous basis for 7 consecutive weeks was associated with a significant reduction in litter size. Although the mechanism underlying this effect is unknown, the finding prompts caution when using fenbendazole to treat valuable breeding colonies or strains that are poor breeders.
Development of a Rat Model of Hypothermia
general measure of activity, since it can not distinguish the type of locomotor action. Dataloggers are 1.5 cm diameter x 0.5 cm thick cylinders...rat Tc when challenged by cold. Small mammals employ BAT to generate heat to sustain body temperature during cold exposure (1). Moreover, blood...water swims in rats. Physiol. Behav. 54:1081-1084, 1993. 12. Ricco, D.C., E.A. MacArdy and S.C. Kissinger. Association processes in adaptation
The oncogenic action of ionizing radiation on rat skin
Burns, F.J.
Progress has occurred in several areas corresponding to the specific aims of the proposal: (1) Progression and multiple events in radiation carcinogenesis of rat skin as a function of LET; (2) cell cycle kinetics of irradiated rat epidermis as determined by double labeling and double emulsion autoradiography; (3) oncogene activation detected by in situ hybridization in radiation-induced rat skin tumors; (4) amplification of the c-myc oncogene in radiation-induced rat skin tumors as a function of LET; and (5) transformation of rat skin keratinocytes by ionizing radiation in combination with c-Ki-ras and c-myc oncogenes. 111 refs., 13 figs., 12 tabs.
Neural plasticity occurs in the adrenal medulla of asthmatic rats
FENG Jun-tao; LI Xiao-zhao; HU Cheng-ping; WANG Jun; NIE Hua-ping
Background Airway symptoms in asthma are related to decrease of epinephrine secretion, which may be ascribed to elevated nerve growth factor (NGF) in the organism.The aim of this study was to monitor the neuroendocrine alteration in the adrenal medulla of asthmatic rats.Methods Sixteen rats were randomly divided into two groups (n=8), control group and asthma group, and the asthmatic rats were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA).The levels of NGF, epinephrine and norepinephrine in serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the NGF expression in adrenal medulla was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the changes in the ultrastructure of the adrenal medulla was observed by electron microscopy.Results The NGF expression was increased in asthmatic rats compared with control rats.Compared with control rats,the results indicated that the epinephrine level was decreased in asthmatic rats, but no significant difference was found in norepinephrine levels.We found more ganglion cells in the adrenal medulla of asthmatic rats than in control rats, with NGF immunostaining mainly located in these ganglion cells.Electron microscopic images showed the density of chromaffin granula decreased and there was shrunken nucleolemma in the adrenal medullary cells of asthmatic rats.Conclusion The innervation of the adrenal medulla is changed in asthmatic rats, and it may contribute to the epinephrine decrease in asthma.
Cecal infusion of nutrients improves nutritional status of rats.
Aghdassi, E; Raina, N; Allard, J P
The role of colonic fermentation in providing energy was investigated in rats with small bowel transection (T) or 80% resection (SBR). Rats were randomized to receive for 12 d either saline (S) or the enteral solution (E) through a cecostomy to meet 30% of energy requirement; the rest (70%) was provided by parenteral nutrition. Although SBR-S rats lost weight significantly compared with d 1 of the study, SBR-E rats gained. Significantly greater carcass wet weight and fat were found in SBR-E and T-E rats compared with SBR-S and T-S rats. SBR-E and T-E rats had significantly greater colonic mucosal dry weight and protein compared with SBR-S and T-S rats. Cecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) contents were also significantly higher in SBR-E and T-E rats compared with SBR-S and T-S rats. There was no significant effect of surgery (T vs. SBR) on any of the variables studied. These results suggest that the products of fermentation of an enteral solution infused through a cecostomy contribute substantially to energy requirement, maintenance of body composition and nutritional status of rats.
Renal Function and Hemodynamic Study in Obese Zucker Rats
Park, Sung Kwang; Kang, Sung Kyew
Objectives To investigate the renal function and hemodynamic changes in obesity and hyperinsulinemia which are characteristics of type II diabetes. Methods Studies were carried out in two groups of female Zucker rats. Group 1 rats were obese Zucker rats with hereditary insulin resistance. Group 2 rats were lean Zucker rats and served as controls. In comparison with lean Zucker rats, obese Zucker rats exhibited hyperinsulinemia but normoglycemia. Micropuncture studies and morphologic studies were performed in these rats. Results Functional studies showed that obese Zucker rats exhibited increases in kidney weight and GFR(obese Zucker, 1.23±.07)ml/min; lean Zucker, 0.93±.03ml/min). Micropuncture studies revealed that the increase in GFR in obese Zucker rats was attributable to the increases in the single nephron plasma flow rate and glomerular transcapillary hydraulic pressure. The glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient was the same in both groups. Morphologic studies revealed that the increase in GFR in obese Zucker rats was associated with an increase in glomerular volume. Conclusions These results suggest that obesity and hyperinsulinemia, which are the characteristics of type II diabetes, can be associated with glomerular hyperfiltration and glomerular capillary hypertension. PMID:7626557
Experimental cell transplantation therapy in rat myocardial infarction model including nude rat preparation.
Dai, Wangde; Kloner, Robert A
As a novel potential therapeutic strategy for cardiac disease, cell transplantation therapy has been extensively investigated in experimental studies and clinical trials. Although encouraging results have been demonstrated, a number of critical questions still remain to be answered. For example, what kind of stem cell and how many cells should be used; what is the best time for cell transplantation after acute myocardial infarction; which delivery approach is better, intravenous injection or direct intramyocardial injection? Transplantation of cells derived from human tissues into experimental animals may elicit an immune rejection. Immunodeficient nude rats provide a useful myocardial infarction model for cell transplantation therapy studies. We introduce our detailed methods of direct intramyocardial injection of immature heart cells and stem cells into the myocardial infarction region of rats and nude rats. Careful maintenance under aseptic conditions and proper surgical technique are essential to improve the survival of immunodeficient rats after surgery.
Potential neoplastic effects of parathion-methyl on rat liver
M. Nisa UNALDI CORAL; Sonay UCMAN; Hasan YILDIZ; Haydar OZTAS; Semih DALKILIC
The mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of parathion-methyl were examined by bacterial reverse assay and a long term experiment with Wistar rats. The potential mutagenic effect of parathion-methyl in Salmonella typhimurium TA100 bacterial cells was observed without rat liver S9 metabolic activation. Parathion-methyl was further investigated for pathological changes in rat pancreas and liver. The long-term rat experiments showed that parathion-methyl exposure for 3 months can cause pathological changes in rat pancreases acinar cells and pancreatic hepatocytes. Atypical acinar cell focuses (AACF) were determined in the liver and pancreas of the rats. The results from short-term Ames test and long-term rat experiments suggest that parathion-methyl would be potential carcinogenic.
[Teratogenicity study of sodium chlorite in rats by oral administration].
Sakemi, K; Usami, M; Kurebayashi, H; Ohno, Y
The teratogenicity of sodium chlorite (NaClO2) was assessed in Wistar rats (Crj: Wistar). Sodium chlorite dissolved in distilled water was given to pregnant Wistar rats by gavage once a day from day 6 through 15 of pregnancy at doses of 0, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day. The pregnant rats were sacrificed on day 20 of pregnancy, and their fetuses were examined for malformations. Sodium chlorite caused decreased food consumption, anemia, sedation, hematuria, and death in the pregnant rats at 100 mg/kg, but no fetal effects, such as malformations or growth retardation, were observed even at 100 mg/kg. It was concluded that sodium chlorite has no teratogenicity in rats when administered orally. The no-observed-adverse-effect level was 50 mg/kg/day for pregnant rats and 100 mg/kg/day or more for rat fetuses.
Rat1p maintains RNA polymerase II CTD phosphorylation balance
Jimeno-González, Silvia; Schmid, Manfred; Malagon, Francisco
In S. cerevisiae, the 5'-3' exonuclease Rat1p partakes in transcription termination. Although Rat1p-mediated RNA degradation has been suggested to play a role for this activity, the exact mechanisms by which Rat1p helps release RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) from the DNA template are poorly understood....... Here we describe a function of Rat1p in regulating phosphorylation levels of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest RNAPII subunit, Rpb1p, during transcription elongation. The rat1-1 mutant exhibits highly elevated levels of CTD phosphorylation as well as RNAPII distribution and transcription...... termination defects. These phenotypes are all rescued by overexpression of the CTD phosphatase Fcp1p, suggesting a functional relationship between the absence of Rat1p activity, elevated CTD phosphorylation, and transcription defects. We also demonstrate that rat1-1 cells display increased RNAPII...
Guanethidine-induced sympathectomy in the nude rat
Juul, A; Juul, P; Christensen, H B
Guanethidine sulphate 40 mg/kg was administered intraperitoneally daily for 14 days to normal Lewis rats and athymic nude rats of a Lewis background (rnu/rnu). Histological examination of the superior cervical ganglia demonstrated a pronounced chromatolysis of the neurones and a loss of the major...... part of the nerve cells accompanied by an increased number of small mononuclear inflammatory cells. The extent of chromatolysis and nerve cell death induced by guanethidine did not differ between normal and nude rats, whereas the increase of the number of mononuclear cells was lower in the nude rats...... than in the normal rats (163 and 268 per cent respectively of the saline treated controls, P less than 0.01). Since guanethidine induced nerve cell death in the T-cell deficient nude rat to the same extent as in normal rats, it is concluded, that the effect is caused by either a thymus...
Effects of electromagnetic radiation on the hemorheology of rats
Huang, Zhiwei; Tian, Tian; Xiao, Bo; Li, Wen
The current work examines the effects of electromagnetic radiation on the hemorheology to provide an experimental basis for radiation protection. Electromagnetic radiation was generated by a Helmholtz coil constructed from copper wire. There were six rats altogether: three rats in the experimental group, and three rats in the control group. The rats in the experimental group were continuously exposed to radiation for 10 hours every day, and rats in the control group remained in a normal environment. After 30 days, the characteristics of hemorheology of the two groups were compared. The average plasma viscosity, whole blood high shear velocity, and whole blood low shear viscosity were lower in rats in the experimental group than in rats in the control group, while the whole blood shear viscosity was higher in the experimental group than in the control group. Results suggest that long term exposure to electromagnetic radiation does have certain impacts on the cardiovascular system, deeming it necessary to take preventative measures.
Genetic architecture of Wistar-Kyoto rat and spontaneously hypertensive rat substrains from different sources.
Zhang-James, Yanli; Middleton, Frank A; Faraone, Stephen V
The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) has been widely used as a model for studies of hypertension and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The inbred Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat, derived from the same ancestral outbred Wistar rat as the SHR, are normotensive and have been used as the closest genetic control for the SHR, although the WKY has also been used as a model for depression. Notably, however, substantial behavioral and genetic differences among the WKY substrains, usually from the different vendors and breeders, have been observed. These differences have often been overlooked in prior studies, leading to inconsistent and even contradictory findings. The complicated breeding history of the SHR and WKY rats and the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the genetic background of different commercial substrains make the selection of control rats a daunting task, even for researchers who are mindful of their genetic heterogeneity. In this study, we examined the genetic relationship of 16 commonly used WKY and SHR rat substrains using genome-wide SNP genotyping data. Our results confirmed a large genetic divergence and complex relationships among the SHR and WKY substrains. This understanding, although incomplete without the genome sequence, provides useful guidance in selecting substrains and helps to interpret previous reports when the source of the animals was known. Moreover, we found two closely related, yet distinct WKY substrains that may provide novel opportunities in modeling psychiatric disorders.
Urine from stressed rats increases immobility in receptor rats forced to swim: role of 2-heptanone.
Gutiérrez-García, Ana G; Contreras, Carlos M; Mendoza-López, M Remedios; García-Barradas, Oscar; Cruz-Sánchez, J Samuel
The present study was aimed to determine whether the urine from donor rats, which were physically stressed (UD-PS) by unavoidable electric footshocks, produces despair in receptor partner rats (RP) in the long-term. For each trial, an RP rat was placed during 10 min once per day for 21 days in a small non-movement-restricting cage impregnated with the urine collected from a UD-PS rat. Control rats, free of stimulation, maintained their locomotion and immobility scores at basal values throughout the 21-day test. After 21 days of stressing experience [F(2,90)=15.22, Pimmobility [F(2,90)=8.83, Pswim test (RP, r=0.886, P<0.05; UD-PS, r=0.962, P<0.001) compared with the control group (r=-0.307, NS). We conclude that the RP became similarly despaired as the UD-PS group through the action of 2-heptanone, a ketonic compound identified in UD-PS urine by HS-GC/MS techniques. This ketone was found to be increased [F(2,15)=3.50, P<0.05] from the 1st day of unavoidable electric footshocks, and to induce despair, an effect reverted [F(2,21)=16.5, P<0.0001] by imipramine (5.0 mg/kg) in another group of rats.
TGF-mediated oscillations in the proximal intratubular pressure: differences between spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats
Holstein-Rathlou, N H; Leyssac, P P
A highly sensitive oscillatory tubulo-glomerular feedback (TGF) response has previously been demonstrated in normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether such as oscillating TGF-response could be elicited in Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and genetically...... hypertensive rats (SHR) and furthermore if any differences in the TGF-response characteristics between SHR and WKY rats could be detected. The closed loop function of the TGF-system was studied. In 12-18-week-old WKY rats regular oscillations in the intratubular pressure occurred spontaneously. The median...... fluid (ATF). When furosemide was added to the ATF in a concentration of 0.1 mM, the oscillations were abolished in both strains of rats. It is concluded that, in both strains of rats the oscillatory phenomena depend upon TGF activity. It is suggested that the irregular pattern of the oscillations...
Comparative study on influence of fetal bovine serum and serum of adult rat on cultivation of newborn rat neural cells
Sukach A. N.
Full Text Available Aim. To study the influence of fetal bovine serum and serum of adult rats on behavior of newborn rat isolated neural cells during their cultivation in vitro. Methods. The isolation of neural cells from neonatal rat brain. The determination of the dynamics of cellular monolayer formation. Immunocytochemical staining of cells for β-tubulin III, nestin and vimentin. Results. It has been determined that the addition of serum of adult rats to the cultivation medium creates more favorable conditions for survival, attachment and spread of differentiated, and proliferation of the stem/progenitor neural cells of newborn rats during cultivation in vitro compared with the fetal bovine serum. Conclusions. Using the serum of adult rats is preferable for the cultivation of isolated neural cells of newborn rats compared with the fetal bovine serum.
Prenatal Caffeine Exposure Impairs Pregnancy in Rats
Maryam Yadegari
Full Text Available Background: In recent years, concerns have been raised about human reproductive disorders. Caffeine consumption is increasing by the world's population and there is a relationship between caffeine intake and adverse reproductive outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of caffeine on implantation sites, number of live births, birth weight, crown-rump length (CRL and abnormality in pregnant rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 40 female albino rats (170-190 g were randomly divided into two experimental and two control groups (n=10/each group. In both experimental groups, animals received caffeine intraperitoneally (IP: 150 mg/kg/day on days 1-5 of pregnancy. In experimental group 1, treated animals were euthanized on day 7of pregnancy and the number of implantation sites was counted. In experimental group 2, treated animals maintained pregnant and after delivery, the number of live births, birth weight, CRL and abnormality of neonates were investigated. In control group, animals received IP injections of distilled water. Data were analyzed by independent t test. Results: Results showed that administration of caffeine significantly decreased the number of implantation sites, number of live births and CRL as compared with control group (P<0.05. There were no significant differences regarding birth weight and abnormality of neonate rats between experimental and control groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that caffeine caused anti-fertility effect and significantly decreased CRL in neonate rats.
Liver uptake of biguanides in rats.
Sogame, Yoshihisa; Kitamura, Atsushi; Yabuki, Masashi; Komuro, Setsuko
Metformin is an oral antihyperglycaemic agent widely used in the management of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The liver is the primary target, metformin being taken up into human and rat hepatocytes via an active transport mechanism. The present study was designed to compare hepatic uptake of two biguanides, metformin and phenformin, in vitro and in vivo. In in vitro experiments, performed using rat cryopreserved hepatocytes, phenformin exhibited a much higher affinity and transport than metformin, with marked differences in kinetics. The K(m) values for metformin and phenformin were 404 and 5.17μM, respectively, with CLint (V(max)/K(m)) values 1.58μl/min per 10(6) cells and 34.7μl/min per 10(6) cells. In in vivo experiments, when (14)C-metformin and (14)C-phenformin were given orally to male rats at a dose of 50mg/kg, the liver concentrations of radioactivity at 0.5 hour after dosing were 21.5μg eq./g with metformin but 147.1μg eq./g for phenformin, ratios of liver to plasma concentrations being 4.2 and 61.3, respectively. In conclusion, the results suggest that uptake of biguanides by rat hepatocytes is in line with the liver distribution found in vivo, phenformin being more efficiently taken up by liver than metformin after oral administration.
Hydrophobicity of peritoneal tissues in the rat
Gomez-Suarez, C; Bruinsma, GM; Rakhorst, G; van der Mei, HC; Busscher, HJ
In this study, an inventory of the hydrophobicity of peritoneal tissues in the living rat was made. Peritoneal tissues were divided into mesentery (i.e., omentum) and parietal and visceral peritoneum and their hydrophobicity was determined by the sessile drop method. All peritoneal tissues were hydr
Baroreflex Function in Rats after Simulated Microgravity
Hasser, Eileen M.
Prolonged exposure of humans to decreased gravitational forces during spaceflight results in a number of adverse cardiovascular consequences, often referred to as cardiovascular deconditioning. Prominent among these negative cardiovascular effects are orthostatic intolerance and decreased exercise capacity. Rat hindlimb unweighting is an animal model which simulates weightlessness, and results in similar cardiovascular consequences. Cardiovascular reflexes, including arterial and cardiopulmonary baroreflexes, are required for normal adjustment to both orthostatic challenges and exercise. Therefore, the orthostatic intolerance and decreased exercise capacity associated with exposure to microgravity may be due to cardiovascular reflex dysfunction. The proposed studies will test the general hypothesis that hindlimb unweighting in rats results in impaired autonomic reflex control of the sympathetic nervous system. Specifically, we hypothesize that the ability to reflexly increase sympathetic nerve activity in response to decreases in arterial pressure or blood volume will be blunted due to hindlimb unweighting. There are 3 specific aims: (1) To evaluate arterial and cardiopulmonary baroreflex control of renal and lumbar sympathetic nerve activity in conscious rats subjected to 14 days of hindlimb unweighting; (2) To examine the interaction between arterial and cardiopulmonary baroreflex control of sympathetic nerve activity in conscious hindlimb unweighted rats; (3) to evaluate changes in afferent and/or central nervous system mechanisms in baroreflex regulation of the sympathetic nervous system. These experiments will provide information related to potential mechanisms for orthostatic and exercise intolerance due to microgravity.
Sympathoadrenal Function in Genetically Obese Zucker Rats
Scheurink, Anton J.W.; Steffens, Anton B.; Roossien, Bert; Balkan, Börk
The effects of genetic obesity on the actions and alterations of the sympathetic nervous system were studied in 10-12-month-old obese (fa/fa) and lean (Fa/-) Zucker rats. Blood glucose, plasma insulin, epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE), and free fatty acids (FFA) concentrations were measured in b
Toluene depresses plasma corticosterone in pregnant rats
Hougaard, Karin S; Hansen, Åse Marie; Hass, Ulla
of corticosteroids from the maternal to the foetal compartment. Pregnant rats were subjected to either 1500 ppm toluene 6 hr/day and/or a schedule of "Chronic mild stress" during the last two weeks of gestation. Exposure to toluene was associated with reduced birth weight and lower maternal weight gain, the latter...
Creation of Reversible Cholestatic Rat Model
Cholestasis is a clinical condition commonly encountered by both surgeons and gastroenterologists. Cholestasis can cause various physiological changes and affect the nutritional status and surgical outcomes. Study of the pathophysiological changes occurring in the liver and other organs is of importance. Various studies have been done in cholestatic rat models.
Creation of Reversible Cholestatic Rat Model
Subhas, Gokulakkrishna
Cholestasis is a clinical condition commonly encountered by both surgeons and gastroenterologists. Cholestasis can cause various physiological changes and affect the nutritional status and surgical outcomes. Study of the pathophysiological changes occurring in the liver and other organs is of importance. Various studies have been done in cholestatic rat models. We used a reversible cholestatic rat model in our recent study looking at the role of methylprednisolone in the ischemia reperfusion injury. Various techniques for creation of a reversible cholestatic model have been described. Creation of a reversible cholestatic rat model can be challenging in view of the smaller size and unique hepatopancreatobiliary anatomy in rats. This video article demonstrates the creation of a reversible cholestatic model. This model can be used in various studies, such as looking at the changes in nutritional, physiological, pathological, histological and immunological changes in the gastrointestinal tract. This model can also be used to see the effects of cholestasis and various therapeutic interventions on major hepatic surgeries. PMID:21633335
Oxytocin biotransformation in the rat limbic brain
Burbach, J.P.H.; Schotman, P.; Kloet, E.R. de
Two peptide fragments of oxytocin were isolated by high-pressure liquid chromatography from digests of oxytocin obtained after exposure to a SPM preparation of the rat limbic brain. The structures of these peptides, being Gln-Asn-Cys(O)x-Pro-Leu-GlyNH2 and Gln-Asn-Cys(-S-S-Cys)-Pro-Leu-GlyNH2, were
Digital replantation teaching model in rats.
Ad-El, D D; Harper, A; Hoffman, L A
Replant surgery is a complex procedure that requires advanced microsurgical skills and is usually performed as an emergency operation, lasting many hours. For these reasons, teaching replantation is difficult. Although teaching models exist, they are often too general or complicated for routine use and do not simulate the stages and the pitfalls of human replant surgery. We have designed a model that is simple and imitates human replant surgery. After reviewing the rat anatomy, students dissect and replant a rat hind limb that has been sharply amputated by the instructor. They follow the same principles of "real" surgery like debridement, minimizing ischemia time, and stable fixation before anatomosis of vessels. After marking the structures, bony fixation followed by vessel and nerve anastomosis are performed. Muscle is reattached to the skin and limb vascularity evaluated. After we designed this model, plastic surgery residents performed the technique on 10 rats. An 80% limb viability rate was achieved. This model is simple to perform, simulates all the relevant structures and pitfalls of human surgery, and the rats are relatively cheap and can be used for other parallel projects.
Spatial memory in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR.
Thomas-A Sontag
Full Text Available The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR is an established animal model of ADHD. It has been suggested that ADHD symptoms arise from deficits in executive functions such as working memory, attentional control and decision making. Both ADHD patients and SHRs show deficits in spatial working memory. However, the data on spatial working memory deficits in SHRs are not consistent. It has been suggested that the reported cognitive deficits of SHRs may be related to the SHRs' locomotor activity. We have used a holeboard (COGITAT to study both cognition and activity in order to evaluate the influence of the activity on the cognitive performance of SHRs. In comparison to Wistar-Kyoto (WKY rats, SHRs did not have any impairment in spatial working memory and reference memory. When the rats' locomotor activity was taken into account, the SHRs' working memory and reference memory were significantly better than in WKY rats. The locomotor activity appears to be a confounding factor in spatial memory tasks and should therefore be controlled for in future studies. In the SHR model of ADHD, we were unable to demonstrate an impairment of working memory which has been reported in patients with ADHD.
Preparation of rough microsomes from rat liver.
Sabatini, David D
This protocol describes how to prepare rat liver rough microsomes that contain undegraded membrane-bound polysomes and can function very well in an in vitro translation system. It uses endogenous ribonuclease inhibitor in all steps, avoiding pelleting rough microsomes in all steps and sacrificing good recovery.
Microvascular effects of copper deficiency in rats
Schuschke, D.A.; Saari, J.T.; Ackermann, D.M.; Miller, F.N. (Univ. of Louisville, KY (USA))
We have studied the microcirculatory responses in copper deficient rats using the rat cremaster muscle preparation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a copper supplemented diet (CuS, 5 ppm) or a copper deficient diet (CuD, O ppm) for five weeks prior to experimentation. The rats (240-300g) were anesthetized with pentobarbital and the cremaster (with intact nerve and blood supply) were spread in a tissue bath filled with krebs solution. In vivo television microscopy was used to observe the microcirculation. Fluorescein isothiocyanate tagged to bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) was injected i.a. 30 min prior to the start of experimentation. In the CuS animals photoactivation of the intravascular FITC-BSA caused significant platelet aggregation and reduction in red blood cell column diameter (RBCCD) by 30 min and stasis of flow by 60 min. In CuD animals there was no reduction in RBCCD and only minor platelet aggregation after 60 min of photoactivation. Topical administration of compound 48/80 (1.0 and 10.0 {mu}g/ml) induced a significantly greater macromolecular leakage (increased interstitial fluorescence of FITC-BSA) in the CuD animals than in the control, CuS animals. These results suggest that copper deficiency results in marked alterations of the regulatory mechanisms governing thrombosis and inflammation.
Rat Lungworm Expands into North America
Emily York, integrated pest management specialist at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History, discusses the rat lungworm expansion in North America. Created: 1/21/2016 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID). Date Released: 1/21/2016.
Voluntary Oral Administration of Losartan in Rats.
Diogo, Lucília N; Faustino, Inês V; Afonso, Ricardo A; Pereira, Sofia A; Monteiro, Emília C; Santos, Ana I
Gavage is a widely performed technique for daily dosing in laboratory rodents. Although effective, gavage comprises a sequence of potentially stressful procedures for laboratory animals that may introduce bias into experimental results, especially when the drugs to be tested interfere with stress-dependent parameters. We aimed to test vehicles suitable for drug delivery by voluntary ingestion in rats. Specifically, Male Wistar rats (age, 2 to 3 mo) were used to test nut paste (NUT), peanut butter (PB), and sugar paste (SUG) as vehicles for long-term voluntary oral administration of losartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker. Vehicles were administered for 28 d without drug to assess effects on the glucose level and serum lipid profile. Losartan was mixed with vehicles and either offered to the rats or administered by gavage (14 d) for subsequent quantification of losartan plasma levels by HPLC. After a 2-d acclimation period, all rats voluntarily ate the vehicles, either alone or mixed with losartan. NUT administration reduced blood glucose levels. The SUG group had higher concentrations of losartan than did the gavage group, without changes in lipid and glucose profiles. Our results showed that NUT, PB, and SUG all are viable for daily single-dose voluntary ingestion of losartan and that SUG was the best alternative overall. Drug bioavailability was not reduced after voluntary ingestion, suggesting that this method is highly effective for chronic oral administration of losartan to laboratory rodents.
DNA isolation from rat tail or ear
Cuppen, E.
This protocol describes a rapid procedure for isolating DNA from rat tail or ear punches. The simplest version of the protocol can be scaled for use in 96-well (deep-well) plates. The quality of the DNA is sufficient for any polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genotyping approach.
Behavioral effects of etiracetam in rats
Wolthuis, O.L.
The effects of etiracetam, a structural analogue or piracetam, were investigated in rats on Y-maze discrimination acquisition, on open field behavior, on one-trial passive avoidance learning and on shuttlebox acquisition and extinction. The results indicate that this drug significantly enhances
Vldlr overexpression causes hyperactivity in rats.
Iwata, Keiko; Izumo, Nobuo; Matsuzaki, Hideo; Manabe, Takayuki; Ishibashi, Yukiko; Ichitani, Yukio; Yamada, Kazuo; Thanseem, Ismail; Anitha, Ayyappan; Vasu, Mahesh Mundalil; Shimmura, Chie; Wakuda, Tomoyasu; Kameno, Yosuke; Takahashi, Taro; Iwata, Yasuhide; Suzuki, Katsuaki; Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Mori, Norio
Reelin regulates neuronal positioning in cortical brain structures and neuronal migration via binding to the lipoprotein receptors Vldlr and Lrp8. Reeler mutant mice display severe brain morphological defects and behavioral abnormalities. Several reports have implicated reelin signaling in the etiology of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Moreover, it has been reported that VLDLR mRNA levels are increased in the post-mortem brain of autistic patients. We generated transgenic (Tg) rats overexpressing Vldlr, and examined their histological and behavioral features. Spontaneous locomotor activity was significantly increased in Tg rats, without detectable changes in brain histology. Additionally, Tg rats tended to show performance deficits in the radial maze task, suggesting that their spatial working memory was slightly impaired. Thus, Vldlr levels may be involved in determining locomotor activity and memory function. Unlike reeler mice, patients with neurodevelopmental or psychiatric disorders do not show striking neuroanatomical aberrations. Therefore, it is notable, from a clinical point of view, that we observed behavioral phenotypes in Vldlr-Tg rats in the absence of neuroanatomical abnormalities.
Vldlr overexpression causes hyperactivity in rats
Iwata Keiko
Full Text Available Abstract Background Reelin regulates neuronal positioning in cortical brain structures and neuronal migration via binding to the lipoprotein receptors Vldlr and Lrp8. Reeler mutant mice display severe brain morphological defects and behavioral abnormalities. Several reports have implicated reelin signaling in the etiology of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Moreover, it has been reported that VLDLR mRNA levels are increased in the post-mortem brain of autistic patients. Methods We generated transgenic (Tg rats overexpressing Vldlr, and examined their histological and behavioral features. Results Spontaneous locomotor activity was significantly increased in Tg rats, without detectable changes in brain histology. Additionally, Tg rats tended to show performance deficits in the radial maze task, suggesting that their spatial working memory was slightly impaired. Thus, Vldlr levels may be involved in determining locomotor activity and memory function. Conclusions Unlike reeler mice, patients with neurodevelopmental or psychiatric disorders do not show striking neuroanatomical aberrations. Therefore, it is notable, from a clinical point of view, that we observed behavioral phenotypes in Vldlr-Tg rats in the absence of neuroanatomical abnormalities.
In Utero Hepatocellular Transplantation in Rats
Emma Muñoz-Sáez
Full Text Available This work represents a step forward in the experimental design of an in utero hepatocellular transplantation model in rats. We focused on the enrichment optimization of isolated fetal hepatocytes suspension, arranging the surgery methodology of in utero transplantation, monitoring the biodistribution of the transplanted hepatocytes, and assessing the success of the transplants. Rat fetuses have been transplanted at the 17th embryonic day (ED17 with fetal hepatocytes isolated from rats at the end of pregnancy (ED21. We assessed possible differences between lymphocyte population, CD4 positive, CD8 positive, double-positive T-cells, and anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukins 4 and 10 (IL4 and IL10 as well. Cellular viability reached the rates of 90–95%. Transplanted groups had a limited success. Transplanted hepatocytes were not able to pass through the hematoplacental barrier. The hepatocytes injected were primarily located in the liver. There was an upward trend in the whole amount of T CD4 and T CD8 cells. There was an increased IL4 in the transplanted groups observed in the pregnant rats. The possibility to induce tolerance in fetuses with a hepatocyte transplant in utero could be a key point to avoid the immunosuppression treatments which must be undergone by transplanted patients.
Extracellular ATP induces albuminuria in pregnant rats
Faas, M.M.; van der Schaaf, G.; Borghuis, T.; Jongman, R.M.; van Pampus, Maria; de Vos, P.; van Goor, Harry; Bakker, W.W.
BACKGROUND: As circulating plasma ATP concentrations are increased in pre-eclampsia, we tested whether increased plasma ATP is able to induce albuminuria during pregnancy. METHODS: Pregnant (day 14) and non-pregnant rats were infused with ATP (3000 microg/kg bw) via a permanent jugular vein cannula.
The rat incisor in toxicologic pathology
Kuijpers, M.H.M.; Kooij, A.J. van de; Slootweg, P.J.
Microscopic examination of the incisors of rats and mice may reveal toxicologically significant changes. First, the incisor morphology reflects the nutritional status of the animal: fluctuations of mineral metabolism and vitamin availability are disclosed by the rodent incisors, because the incisors
Toxicological investigation of diethylphthalate in rats
Jansen EHJM; van den Ham WA; de Fluiter P; van Leeuwen FXR
In a study in which male rats have been exposed to 0, 200, 600, 2000, 6000 and 20000 mg diethylphthalate (DEP)/kg diet for 2 weeks, body weight and liver weight and a number of enzyme parameters which are related with peroxisome proliferation (palmitoyl coenzyme-A oxidase (PCO), enoyl coenzyme-A hyd
Toxicological investigation of benzylbutylphthalate in rats
van den Ham WA; Jansen EHJM; de Fluiter P; van Leeuwen FXR
In a study in which male rats have been exposed to 0, 200, 600, 2000, 6000 and 20000 mg benzylbutylphthalate (BBP)/kg diet for 2 weeks, body weight and liver weight and a number of enzyme parameters which are related with peroxisome proliferation (palmitoyl coenzyme-A oxidase (PCO), enoyl coenzyme-A
Toxicological investigation of dibutylphthalate in rats
Jansen EHJM; van den Ham WA; de Fluiter P; van Leeuwen FXR
In a study in which male rats have been exposed to 0, 20, 60, 200, 600 and 2000 mg dibutylphthalate (DBP)/kg diet for 2 weeks, body weight and liver weight and a number of enzyme parameters which are related with peroxisome proliferation (palmitoyl coenzyme-A oxidase (PCO, enoyl coenzyme-A hydratase
Sequential causal learning in humans and rats
Lu, H.; Rojas, R.R.; Beckers, T.; Yuille, A.; Love, B.C.; McRae, K.; Sloutsky, V.M.
Recent experiments (Beckers, De Houwer, Pineño, & Miller, 2005;Beckers, Miller, De Houwer, & Urushihara, 2006) have shown that pretraining with unrelated cues can dramatically influence the performance of humans in a causal learning paradigm and rats in a standard Pavlovian conditioning paradigm. Su
The effect of ACTH on suckling rats.
Sato, Y
In the present study, the causes of brain shrinkage induced by synthetic ACTH treatment in epileptic children were investigated using suckling rats. Synthetic ACTH was injected subcutaneously once a day for 5 days into suckling rats aged 15 days. Saline was injected into control subjects in the same way. Rats were sacrificed before the injection, immediately after the repeated injections, and 5 and 14 days from the end of the course of repeated injections. The weight, volume and water content of the brains were measured and the protein, DNA, sodium and potassium contents of the brains were also determined. The mean weight and volume of the brains after 5-day injection of ACTH were slightly smaller compared to those of control rats. No natural increase in brain protein with growth was found from the start of ACTH injections to 14 days after finishing the course of repeated injections. The DNA, sodium and potassium contents of the brains significantly increased immediately after the repeated injections of 5 days. It was suggested that the brain shrinkage of epileptics induced by ACTH treatment might be caused by decreased water content and not cellular degradation.
Cardiac Muscle Studies with Rat Ventricular Strips
Whitten, Bert K.; Faleschini, Richard J.
Details undergraduate physiology laboratory experiments that demonstrate mechanical properties of cardiac muscle, using strips from the ventricle of a rat heart. Includes procedures for obtaining length-tension curves, demonstrating the role of calcium in excitation-contraction coupling, and showing effects of several cardiovascular drugs…
Motor development after vestibular deprivation in rats
Geisler, HC; Gramsbergen, A
This review summarizes the postural development in the rat and the influences of vestibular deprivation from the 5th postnatal day on this development. Vestibular deprivation leads to a delay in motor development. Most probably this delay is caused by a delay in the development of postural control,
Pulmonary cryptococcosis induces chitinase in the rat
Casadevall Arturo
Full Text Available Abstract Background We previously demonstrated that chronic pulmonary infection with Cryptococcus neoformans results in enhanced allergic inflammation and airway hyperreactivity in a rat model. Because the cell wall of C. neoformans consists of chitin, and since acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase has recently been implicated as a novel mediator of asthma, we sought to determine whether such infection induces chitinase activity and expression of AMCase in the rat. Methods We utilized a previously-established model of chronic C. neoformans pulmonary infection in the rat to analyze the activity, expression and localization of AMCase. Results Our studies indicate that intratracheal inoculation of C. neoformans induces chitinase activity within the lung and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of infected rats. Chitinase activity is also elicited by pulmonary infection with other fungi (e.g. C. albicans, but not by the inoculation of dead organisms. Enhanced chitinase activity reflects increased AMCase expression by airway epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages. Systemic cryptococcosis is not associated with increased pulmonary chitinase activity or AMCase expression. Conclusion Our findings indicate a possible link between respiratory fungal infections, including C. neoformans, and asthma through the induction of AMCase.
Developmental Toxicity Potential of Nitroguanidine in Rats
profile for nitroguanidine, related intermediates/by- products of its manufacture, and its environmental degradation products . The rat developmental toxicity...The vehicle for nitroguanidine was a 1% solution of carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt, high viscosity (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO...Nitroguanidine is not soluble in water at the dose levels tested. Carboxymethylcellulose holds nitroguanidine in a homogeneous suspension and is not
Neuroglobin in the rat brain: localization
Hundahl, Christian Ansgar; Allen, Gregg C; Nyengaard, Jens Randel
in the rat brain using immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). This revealed the interesting finding that Ngb expression is restricted to a few neurone populations, many of which are involved in the sleep-wake cycle, circadian regulation or food regulation...
DNA isolation from rat tail or ear
Cuppen, E.
This protocol describes a rapid procedure for isolating DNA from rat tail or ear punches. The simplest version of the protocol can be scaled for use in 96-well (deep-well) plates. The quality of the DNA is sufficient for any polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genotyping approach.
Postextrasystolic potentiation in the isolated rat heart
Meijler, F.L.; Boogaard, F. van de; Tweel, H. van der; Durrer, D.
"Postextrasystolic potentiation" of isotonic contractions of the intact isolated rat heart was studied. It was found that the Frank-Starling mechanism does not participate in the increase of the contraction following a premature beat and a compensatory pause. A linear relationship could be demonstra
Some Toxic Effects of Dieldrin in Rats
Barnes, J. M.; Heath, D. F.
The oral toxicity of dieldrin in rats depends upon its concentration in the vehicle (arachis oil). It is increased by a previous restriction of diet, leading to a loss of weight. Two equal doses given within three weeks of each other are more toxic than the sum of the two given as a single dose. PMID:14249896
Pioglitazone treatment restores in vivo muscle oxidative capacity in a rat model of diabetes
Wessels, B.; Ciapaite, J.; van den Broek, N. M. A.; Houten, S. M.; Nicolay, K.; Prompers, J. J.
Aim: To determine the effect of pioglitazone treatment on in vivo and ex vivo muscle mitochondrial function in a rat model of diabetes. Methods: Both the lean, healthy rats and the obese, diabetic rats are Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats. The homozygous fa/fa ZDF rats are obese and diabetic. The he
Rat Lungworm: An Emerging Zoonosis in Jamaica
Waugh, Cecelia A; Todd, Cheridah D; Lorenzo-Morales, Jacob; Lindo, John F
Rat lungworm infection is caused by a metastrongylid nematode, Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The parasite was first recorded in the pulmonary arteries and heart of domesticated rats in China in 1935: its medical importance, however, was established 10 years later when Nomura and Lin recovered A. cantonensis larvae from the cerebro-spinal fluid of a human teenager with meningitis in Taiwan in 1945.1 Since then, the parasite has become recognised as a major cause of human meningoencephalitis worldwide.2,3 In the Caribbean, A. cantonensis has been documented in wild rats in Cuba,4 Dominican Republic,5 Grenada,6 Haiti,7 and Puerto Rico.8 Human infections have been reported in Cuba4 and Martinique.9 However, the parasite appears to be absent from Barbados.10 Land snails and slugs serve as intermediate hosts for the parasite, while a range of terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates may serve as paratenic hosts. Original investigations in Jamaica to assess the infection status of A. cantonensis followed an outbreak of eosinophilic meningitis on the island.11 They involved the collection of 437 wild rats (297 black rats, Rattus rattus, and 140 brown rats, R. norvegicus), and 777 terrestrial molluscs (representing 12 species of snails and slugs) from parishes making up the four Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) on the island. Adults of A. cantonensis, measuring ∼10 mm, were recovered from the cardiopulmonary system of 32.0% (n = 437) of the wild rats examined. The mean intensity of infection was 15.3 worms (n = 140). Multivariate analysis (binary logistic regression model) confirmed that A. cantonensis occurred significantly more frequently in R. rattus (odds ratio [OR] = 1.76); that R. rattus also harbored significantly more worms (mean = 16.8) than R. norvegicus (mean = 11.3 worms) (Student's t = −2.241; bootstrap [two-sided] P = .02); and that the majority of rodent infections occurred in the Northeast Regional Health Authority (OR = 11.66). The Northeast RHA
Curcumin inhibits amygdaloid kindled seizures in rats.
DU, Peng; Li, Xin; Lin, Hao-Jie; Peng, Wei-Feng; Liu, Jian-Ying; Ma, Yu; Fan, Wei; Wang, Xin
Curcumin can reduce the severity of seizures induced by kainate acid (KA), but the role of curcumin in amygdaloid kindled models is still unknown. This study aimed to explore the effect of curcumin on the development of kindling in amygdaloid kindled rats. With an amygdaloid kindled Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model and an electrophysiological method, different doses of curcumin (10 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) and 30 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) as low dose groups, 100 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) and 300 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) as high dose groups) were administrated intraperitoneally during the whole kindling days, by comparison with the course of kindling, afterdischarge (AD) thresholds and the number of ADs to reach the stages of class I to V seizures in the rats between control and experimental groups. One-way or two-way ANOVA and Fisher's least significant difference post hoc test were used for statistical analyses. Curcumin (both 100 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) and 300 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1)) significantly inhibited the behavioral seizure development in the (19.80 +/- 2.25) and (21.70 +/- 2.21) stimulations respectively required to reach the kindled state. Rats treated with 100 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) curcumin 30 minutes before kindling stimulation showed an obvious increase in the stimulation current intensity required to evoke AD from (703.3 +/- 85.9) microA to (960.0 +/- 116.5) microA during the progression to class V seizures. Rats treated with 300 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) curcumin showed a significant increase in the stimulation current intensity required to evoke AD from (735.0 +/- 65.2) microA to (867.0 +/- 93.4) microA during the progression to class V seizures. Rats treated with 300 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) curcumin required much more evoked ADs to reach the stage of class both IV (as (199.83 +/- 12.47) seconds) and V seizures (as (210.66 +/- 10.68) seconds). Rats treated with 100 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) curcumin required much more evoked ADs to reach the stage of class V seizures (as (219.56 +/- 18.24) seconds). Our study suggests that curcumin has
Hypercholesterolemia downregulates autophagy in the rat heart.
Giricz, Zoltán; Koncsos, Gábor; Rajtík, Tomáš; Varga, Zoltán V; Baranyai, Tamás; Csonka, Csaba; Szobi, Adrián; Adameová, Adriana; Gottlieb, Roberta A; Ferdinandy, Péter
We have previously shown that efficiency of ischemic conditioning is diminished in hypercholesterolemia and that autophagy is necessary for cardioprotection. However, it is unknown whether isolated hypercholesterolemia disturbs autophagy or the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways. Therefore, we investigated whether isolated hypercholesterolemia modulates cardiac autophagy-related pathways or programmed cell death mechanisms such as apoptosis and necroptosis in rat heart. Male Wistar rats were fed either normal chow (NORM; n = 9) or with 2% cholesterol and 0.25% cholic acid-enriched diet (CHOL; n = 9) for 12 weeks. CHOL rats exhibited a 41% increase in plasma total cholesterol level over that of NORM rats (4.09 mmol/L vs. 2.89 mmol/L) at the end of diet period. Animals were sacrificed, hearts were excised and briefly washed out. Left ventricles were snap-frozen for determination of markers of autophagy, mTOR pathway, apoptosis, and necroptosis by Western blot. Isolated hypercholesterolemia was associated with a significant reduction in expression of cardiac autophagy markers such as LC3-II, Beclin-1, Rubicon and RAB7 as compared to controls. Phosphorylation of ribosomal S6, a surrogate marker for mTOR activity, was increased in CHOL samples. Cleaved caspase-3, a marker of apoptosis, increased in CHOL hearts, while no difference in the expression of necroptotic marker RIP1, RIP3 and MLKL was detected between treatments. This is the first comprehensive analysis of autophagy and programmed cell death pathways of apoptosis and necroptosis in hearts of hypercholesterolemic rats. Our data show that isolated hypercholesterolemia suppresses basal cardiac autophagy and that the decrease in autophagy may be a result of an activated mTOR pathway. Reduced autophagy was accompanied by increased apoptosis, while cardiac necroptosis was not modulated by isolated hypercholesterolemia. Decreased basal autophagy and elevated apoptosis may be responsible for the
[Effect of astaxanthin on preeclampsia rat model].
Xuan Rong-rong; Gao Xin; Wu, Wei; Chen, Hai-min
The effect of astaxanthin on N(Ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced preeclampsia disease rats was investigated. Thirty pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10): blank group, L-NAME group and astaxanthin group. From day 5 to 20, astaxanthin group rats were treated with astaxanthin (25 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) x bw(-1)) from pregnancy (day 5). To establish the preeclamptic rat model, L-NAME group and astaxanthin group rats were injected with L-NAME (125 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) x bw(-1)) from days 10-20 of pregnancy. The blood pressure and urine protein were recorded. Serum of each group was collected and malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activities were analyzed. Pathological changes were observed with HE stain. The expression of NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B), ROCK II (Rho-associated protein kinase II), HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1) and Caspase 3 were analyzed with immunohistochemistry. L-NAME induced typical preeclampsia symptoms, such as the increased blood pressure, urinary protein, the content of MDA, etc. Astaxanthin significantly reduced the blood pressure (P astaxanthin, the thickness of basilal membrane was improved and the content of trophoblast cells and spiral arteries was reduced. Immunohistochemistry results revealed that the expressions of NF-κB, ROCK II and Caspase 3 in placenta tissue were effectively decreased, and HO-1 was increased. Results indicated that astaxanthin can improve the preeclampsia symptoms by effectively reducing the oxidative stress and inflammatory damages of preeclampsia. It revealed that astaxanthin may be benefit for prevention and treatment of preeclampsia disease.
Cerebral microbleeds in a neonatal rat model
Carusillo Theriault, Brianna; Woo, Seung Kyoon; Karimy, Jason K.; Keledjian, Kaspar; Stokum, Jesse A.; Sarkar, Amrita; Coksaygan, Turhan; Ivanova, Svetlana; Gerzanich, Volodymyr
Background In adult humans, cerebral microbleeds play important roles in neurodegenerative diseases but in neonates, the consequences of cerebral microbleeds are unknown. In rats, a single pro-angiogenic stimulus in utero predisposes to cerebral microbleeds after birth at term, a time when late oligodendrocyte progenitors (pre-oligodendrocytes) dominate in the rat brain. We hypothesized that two independent pro-angiogenic stimuli in utero would be associated with a high likelihood of perinatal microbleeds that would be severely damaging to white matter. Methods Pregnant Wistar rats were subjected to intrauterine ischemia (IUI) and low-dose maternal lipopolysaccharide (mLPS) at embryonic day (E) 19. Pups were born vaginally or abdominally at E21-22. Brains were evaluated for angiogenic markers, microhemorrhages, myelination and axonal development. Neurological function was assessed out to 6 weeks. Results mRNA (Vegf, Cd31, Mmp2, Mmp9, Timp1, Timp2) and protein (CD31, MMP2, MMP9) for angiogenic markers, in situ proteolytic activity, and collagen IV immunoreactivity were altered, consistent with an angiogenic response. Vaginally delivered pups exposed to prenatal IUI+mLPS had spontaneous cerebral microbleeds, abnormal neurological function, and dysmorphic, hypomyelinated white matter and axonopathy. Pups exposed to the same pro-angiogenic stimuli in utero but delivered abdominally had minimal cerebral microbleeds, preserved myelination and axonal development, and neurological function similar to naïve controls. Conclusions In rats, pro-angiogenic stimuli in utero can predispose to vascular fragility and lead to cerebral microbleeds. The study of microbleeds in the neonatal rat brain at full gestation may give insights into the consequences of microbleeds in human preterm infants during critical periods of white matter development. PMID:28158198
Acetaminophen induces apoptosis in rat cortical neurons.
Inmaculada Posadas
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Acetaminophen (AAP is widely prescribed for treatment of mild pain and fever in western countries. It is generally considered a safe drug and the most frequently reported adverse effect associated with acetaminophen is hepatotoxicity, which generally occurs after acute overdose. During AAP overdose, encephalopathy might develop and contribute to morbidity and mortality. Our hypothesis is that AAP causes direct neuronal toxicity contributing to the general AAP toxicity syndrome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report that AAP causes direct toxicity on rat cortical neurons both in vitro and in vivo as measured by LDH release. We have found that AAP causes concentration-dependent neuronal death in vitro at concentrations (1 and 2 mM that are reached in human plasma during AAP overdose, and that are also reached in the cerebrospinal fluid of rats for 3 hours following i.p injection of AAP doses (250 and 500 mg/kg that are below those required to induce acute hepatic failure in rats. AAP also increases both neuronal cytochrome P450 isoform CYP2E1 enzymatic activity and protein levels as determined by Western blot, leading to neuronal death through mitochondrial-mediated mechanisms that involve cytochrome c release and caspase 3 activation. In addition, in vivo experiments show that i.p. AAP (250 and 500 mg/kg injection induces neuronal death in the rat cortex as measured by TUNEL, validating the in vitro data. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The data presented here establish, for the first time, a direct neurotoxic action by AAP both in vivo and in vitro in rats at doses below those required to produce hepatotoxicity and suggest that this neurotoxicity might be involved in the general toxic syndrome observed during patient APP overdose and, possibly, also when AAP doses in the upper dosing schedule are used, especially if other risk factors (moderate drinking, fasting, nutritional impairment are present.
Therapeutic effect of Captopril on rheumatoid arthritis in rats
Hong-Mei Liu; Kai-Jie Wang
Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of the intervention treatment with different doses ofCaptopril onTNF-αcontents in serum of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) rats, and to provide the theoretical proofs for clinical application ofCaptopril in treatments of rheumatoid diseases. Methods:FiftyWistar rats were randomly divided into5 groups, namely,GroupA,GroupB, GroupC,GroupD,GroupE with10 ratsin each group.Injection ofFreund's complete adjuvant was employed to establish adjuvant-induced arthritis model in rats.GroupA was model group; after model establishment, rats were treated with20 mL normal saline as placebo(ip.).Rats inGroupB were treated with8 mg/kg cyclophosphamide(ip.).Rats inGroupC,D andE were intraperitoneally injected with30 mg/kg,100 mg/kg and300 mg/kgCaptopril respectively.Rats in each group were subjected to continuous treatment for3 weeks, and then sacrificed.Eyeballs of rats were excised and blood was collected.TNF-αcontent in serum were detected usingELISA; each group rats were compared for the hind legs arthrocele.Right ankle tissues of rats were collected to prepare section, and microscopic observation of pathological changes was performed. Results:TNF-αcontent in serum ofGroupA rats was significantly higher than that of rats in other4 groups(P0.05).FromDay8, ankle arthrocele of rats inGroupsB,C,D andE was obviously relieved compared with that ofGroupA rats; the anti-inflammatory effects were gradually enhanced with the extension of medication time.Treatments ofGroupsC,D andE showed significant activities against tardive arthrocele; the degree of ankle arthrocele in rats of these three groups was lower than that ofGroupA rats(P<0.01).Histological observation showed that large amount of inflammatory cells and plasmocyte infiltration was found in ankle synovial tissues ofGroupA rats.Relief of hyperaemia and edema of right ankle synovial tissues as well as significant decrease in synoviocyte layer hyperplasia, intra-articular inflammatory
Therapeutic effect of Captopril on rheumatoid arthritis in rats.
Liu, Hong-Mei; Wang, Kai-Jie
To investigate the therapeutic effect of the intervention treatment with different doses of Captopril on TNF-αcontents in serum of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rats, and to provide the theoretical proofs for clinical application of Captopril in treatments of rheumatoid diseases. Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, namely, Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E with 10 rats in each group. Injection of Freund's complete adjuvant was employed to establish adjuvant-induced arthritis model in rats. Group A was model group; after model establishment, rats were treated with 20 mL normal saline as placebo (ip.). Rats in Group B were treated with 8 mg/kg cyclophosphamide (ip.). Rats in Group C, D and E were intraperitoneally injected with 30 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg Captopril respectively. Rats in each group were subjected to continuous treatment for 3 weeks, and then sacrificed. Eyeballs of rats were excised and blood was collected. TNF-αcontent in serum were detected using ELISA; each group rats were compared for the hind legs arthrocele. Right ankle tissues of rats were collected to prepare section, and microscopic observation of pathological changes was performed. TNF-αcontent in serum of Group A rats was significantly higher than that of rats in other 4 groups (P0.05). From Day 8, ankle arthrocele of rats in Groups B, C, D and E was obviously relieved compared with that of Group A rats; the anti-inflammatory effects were gradually enhanced with the extension of medication time. Treatments of Groups C, D and E showed significant activities against tardive arthrocele; the degree of ankle arthrocele in rats of these three groups was lower than that of Group A rats (Pcartilago articularis damage degree etc. were observed in Groups B, C, D and E. Intervention treatment with Captopril can effectively reduce the TNF-αcontent in serum of rheumatoid arthritis rats and inhibit the generation of inflammatory factors, so as to achieve the therapeutic
Transthoracic echocardiography in rats. Evalution of commonly used indices of left ventricular dimensions, contractile performance, and hypertrophy in a genetic model of hypertrophic heart failure (SHHF-Mcc-facp-Rats) in comparison with Wistar rats during aging.
Reffelmann, Thorsten; Kloner, Robert A
Two-weekly echocardiographic examinations were conducted in nine SHHF-Mc-fa(cp) rats in comparison with eight age-matched Wistar rats. In the SHHF-rats, characterized by progressive LV-dilation and decreasing contractile function between 77-87 weeks of age, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy was most sensitively demonstrated by increased LV-mass-index (p rats.
[Simvastatin's effect on insulin resistance in rats with diabetes mellitus].
Iskakova, S; Zharmakhanova, G; Bekmukhambetov, Y; Dworacka, M; Dworacki, G
The aim of this experimental study was to estimate the effect of Simvastatin on glycemic variability-related insulin resistance in the course of diabetes mellitus (DM) in rats. Fifty seven male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: I - rats with diabetes mellitus and glycemic variability treated with Simvastatin (20 mg/kg body weight, intragastral during 8 weeks); II - placebo-treated rats with DM and glycemic variability; III - placebo treated rats with DM and IV - nondiabetic control rats. DM was induced by feeding rats with high-fat diet (61%) during five weeks and low-dose of Streptozotocin (30 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). Daily glucose excursions were stimulated by feeding animals twice a day. We measured fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin and HOMAIR was calculated. Higher insulin resistance in diabetic rats is related to greater daily glycemic variability. In our study was installed significant increasing HOMAIR in diabetics rats with glycemic excursions comparison with the control. Our results showed that the simvastatin-treatment decreases the indices glycemic variability and HOMA in diabetic rats with glycemic excursions.
Features of electroretinogram on rat under different color stimulation
Qing-Lin Cao
Full Text Available AIM: To research the feature of normal SD rat and retinal cone dysfunction(RCDrat electroretinogram(ERGunder different color stimulation and to explore its possible diagnostic value. METHODS: Six male SD rats and six RCD rats were used, all of which were mature rats. They were stimulated by red, white, blue and green light and the ERG was recorded. The wavelength of red, green and blue light were 625nm, 525nm and 470nm respectively and the white light was mixed by three color light.RESULTS: The response of ERG in normal SD rat under green and blue light stimulation were stronger than under red and white stimulation. The dark-adapted ERG of RCD rat responsed to color stimulation was similar to the ERG of normal SD rat, but the amplitude under each color stimulation was lower than that of normal SD rat. Light-adapted ERG response was hardly detected waveform.CONCLUSION: Rat is sensitive to blue and green light, which can be used as a suggested light stimulation in the ERG recording. The ERG of RCD rat is not specific for color stimulation, and at present we could not use color ERG as a diagnostic indicator.
Thalidomide affects the skeletal system of ovariectomized rats.
Kaczmarczyk-Sedlak, Ilona; Folwarczna, Joanna; Trzeciak, Henryk I
Apart from having written an inglorious chapter in the history of medicine, thalidomide is currently being intensely studied because of its multidimensional activity. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of thalidomide on the skeletal system in ovariectomized and non-ovariectomized rats. The experiments were carried out with female Wistar rats, divided into eight groups: sham-operated control rats; sham-operated rats receiving thalidomide at doses of 15, 30 or 60 mg/kg, po; ovariectomized control rats; ovariectomized rats receiving thalidomide at doses of 15, 30 or 60 mg/kg, po. The drug was administered for 4 weeks. Body mass gain and the mass of the uterus, liver, spleen and thymus were studied. Macrometric parameters and content of mineral substances, calcium and phosphorus in the femur, tibia and L-4 vertebra and histomorphometric parameters of the femur and tibia were examined. In the femur, the mechanical properties of the whole bone and of the femoral neck were examined. Thalidomide did not affect the skeletal system of the non-ovariectomized rats. Bilateral ovariectomy induced osteoporotic skeletal changes in mature female rats. The effects of thalidomide on the skeletal system of ovariectomized rats depended on the dose used. With a dose of 15 mg/kg, po, thalidomide counteracted some osteoporotic changes induced by estrogen deficiency. With a dose of 60 mg/kg, po, thalidomide intensified the destructive effects of estrogen deficiency on the rat skeletal system.
Neuroprotective Effects of Liraglutide for Stroke Model of Rats
Kenichiro Sato
Full Text Available The number of diabetes mellitus (DM patients is increasing, and stroke is deeply associated with DM. Recently, neuroprotective effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 are reported. In this study, we explored whether liraglutide, a GLP-1 analogue exerts therapeutic effects on a rat stroke model. Wistar rats received occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 90 min. At one hour after reperfusion, liraglutide or saline was administered intraperitoneally. Modified Bederson's test was performed at 1 and 24 h and, subsequently, rats were euthanized for histological investigation. Peripheral blood was obtained for measurement of blood glucose level and evaluation of oxidative stress. Brain tissues were collected to evaluate the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF. The behavioral scores of liraglutide-treated rats were significantly better than those of control rats. Infarct volumes of liraglutide-treated rats at were reduced, compared with those of control rats. The level of derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolite was lower in liraglutide-treated rats. VEGF level of liraglutide-treated rats in the cortex, but not in the striatum significantly increased, compared to that of control rats. In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate neuroprotective effects of liraglutide on cerebral ischemia through anti-oxidative effects and VEGF upregulation.
Incidence of heart failure in infarcted rats that die spontaneously
R.L.G. Flumignan
Full Text Available The present study reports for the first time the incidence of congestive heart failure (CHF in previously infarcted rats that died spontaneously. Previously, pulmonary (PWC and hepatic (HWC water contents were determined in normal rats: 14 control animals were evaluated immediately after sacrifice, 8 placed in a refrigerator for 24 h, and 10 left at room temperature for 24 h. In the infarcted group, 9 rats died before (acute and 28 died 48 h after (chronic myocardial infarction. Thirteen chronic animals were submitted only to autopsy (N = 13, whereas PWC and HWC were also determined in the others (N = 15. Seven rats survived 48 h and died during anesthesia. Notably, PWC differed in normal rats: ambient (75.7 ± 1.3% < control (77.5 ± 0.7% < refrigerator (79.1 ± 1.4% and there were no differences with respect to HWC. No clinical signs of CHF (dyspnea, lethargy or foot edema were observed in infarcted rats before death. PWC was elevated in all chronic and anesthetized rats. HWC was increased in 48% of chronic and in all anesthetized rats. Our data showed that PWC needs to be evaluated before 24 h post mortem and that CHF is the rule in chronic infarcted rats suffering natural death. The congestive syndrome cannot be diagnosed correctly in rats by clinical signs alone, as previously proposed.
Metabolic responses to head-down suspension in hypophysectomized rats
Woodman, C. R.; Tipton, C. M.; Evans, J.; Linderman, J. K.; Gosselink, K.; Grindeland, R. E.
Rats exposed to head-down suspension (HDS) exhibit reductions in maximal O2 consumption (VO2max) and atrophy of select hindlimb muscles. This study tested the hypothesis that an endocrine-deficient rat exposed to HDS would not exhibit reductions in VO2max or hindlimb muscle mass. Hypophysectomized (HYPX) and sham-operated (SHAM) rats were tested for VO2max before and after 28 days of HDS or cage control (CC) conditions. No significant reductions in VO2max were observed in HYPX rats. In contrast, SHAM-HDS rats exhibited a significant reduction in absolute (-16%) and relative (-29%) measures of aerobic capacity. Time course experiments revealed a reduction in VO2max in SHAM-HDS rats within 7 days, suggesting that cardiovascular adjustments to HDS occurred in the 1st wk. HDS was associated with atrophy of the soleus (-42%) in SHAM rats, whereas HYPX rats exhibited atrophy of the soleus (-36%) and plantaris (-13%). SHAM-HDS rats had significantly lower (-38%) soleus citrate synthase activities per gram muscle mass than SHAM-CC, but no significant differences existed between HYPX-HDS and -CC rats. HDS rats had an impaired ability to thermoregulate, as indicated by significantly greater temperature increases per unit run time, compared with their CC counterparts. Pretreatment plasma epinephrine levels were significantly lower in HYPX than in SHAM rats. Norepinephrine concentration was similar for all groups except HYPX-HDS, in which it was significantly higher. HDS had no significant effect on thyroxine or triiodothyronine. SHAM-HDS rats had significantly lower concentrations of testosterone and growth hormone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).
Origins of albino and hooded rats: implications from molecular genetic analysis across modern laboratory rat strains.
Takashi Kuramoto
Full Text Available Albino and hooded (or piebald rats are one of the most frequently used laboratory animals for the past 150 years. Despite this fact, the origin of the albino mutation as well as the genetic basis of the hooded phenotype remained unclear. Recently, the albino mutation has been identified as the Arg299His missense mutation in the Tyrosinase gene and the hooded (H locus has been mapped to the ∼460-kb region in which only the Kit gene exists. Here, we surveyed 172 laboratory rat strains for the albino mutation and the hooded (h mutation that we identified by positional cloning approach to investigate possible genetic roots and relationships of albino and hooded rats. All of 117 existing laboratory albino rats shared the same albino missense mutation, indicating they had only one single ancestor. Genetic fine mapping followed by de novo sequencing of BAC inserts covering the H locus revealed that an endogenous retrovirus (ERV element was inserted into the first intron of the Kit gene where the hooded allele maps. A solitary long terminal repeat (LTR was found at the same position to the ERV insertion in another allele of the H locus, which causes the so called Irish (h(i phenotype. The ERV and the solitary LTR insertions were completely associated with the hooded and Irish coat patterns, respectively, across all colored rat strains examined. Interestingly, all 117 albino rat strains shared the ERV insertion without any exception, which strongly suggests that the albino mutation had originally occurred in hooded rats.
Effects of rat cytomegalovirus on the nervous system of the early rat embryo.
Sun, Xiuning; Guan, YingJun; Li, Fengjie; Li, Xutong; Wang, Xiaowen; Guan, Zhiyu; Sheng, Kai; Yu, Li; Liu, Zhijun
The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV) infection on the development of the nervous system in rat embryos, and to evaluate the involvement of Wnt signaling pathway key molecules and the downstream gene neurogenin 1 (Ngn1) in RCMV infected neural stem cells (NSCs). Infection and control groups were established, each containing 20 pregnant Wistar rats. Rats in the infection group were inoculated with RCMV by intraperitoneal injection on the first day of pregnancy. Rat E20 embryos were taken to evaluate the teratogenic rate. NSCs were isolated from E13 embryos, and maintained in vitro. We found: 1) Poor fetal development was found in the infection group with low survival and high malformation rates. 2) The proliferation and differentiation of NSCs were affected. In the infection group, NSCs proliferated more slowly and had a lower neurosphere formation rate than the control. The differentiation ratio from NSCs to neurons and glial cells was significantly different from that of the control, showed by immunofluorescence staining. 3) Ngn1 mRNA expression and the nuclear β-catenin protein level were significantly lower than the control on day 2 when NSCs differentiated. 4) The Morris water maze test was performed on 4-week pups, and the infected rats were found worse in learning and memory ability. In a summary, RCMV infection caused abnormalities in the rat embryonic nervous system, significantly inhibited NSC proliferation and differentiation, and inhibited the expression of key molecules in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway so as to affect NSCs differentiation. This may be an important mechanism by which RCMV causes embryonic nervous system abnormalities.
Effects of Rat Cytomegalovirus on the Nervous System of the Early Rat Embryo
Xiuning Sun; YingJun Guan; Fengjie Li; Xutong Li; Xiaowen Wang; Zhiyu Guan; Kai Sheng; Li Yu; Zhijun Liu
The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of rat cytomegalovirus(RCMV) infection on the development of the nervous system in rat embryos,and to evaluate the involvement of Wnt signaling pathway key molecules and the downstream gene neurogenin 1(Ngn1) In RCMV infected neural stem cells(NSCs).Infection and control groups were established,each containing 20 pregnant Wistar rats.Rats in the infection group were inoculated with RCMV by intraperitoneal injection on the first day of pregnancy.Rat E20 embryos were taken to evaluate the teratogenic rate.NSCs were isolated from E13 embryos,and maintained in vitro.We found:1) Poor fetal development was found in the infection group with low survival and high malformation rates.2) The proliferation and differentiation of NSCs were affected.In the infection group,NSCs proliferated more slowly and had a lower neurosphere formation rate than the control.The differentiation ratio from NSCs to neurons and glial cells was significantly different from that of the control,showed by immunofluorescence staining.3) Ngn1 mRNA expression and the nuclear β-catenin protein level were significantly lower than the control on day 2 when NSCs differentiated.4) The Morris water maze test was performed on 4-week pups,and the infected rats were found worse in learning and memory ability.In a summary,RCMV infection caused abnormalities in the rat embryonic nervous system,significantly inhibited NSC proliferation and differentiation,and inhibited the expression of key molecules in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway so as to affect NSCs differentiation.This may be an important mechanism by which RCMV causes embryonic nervous system abnormalities.
Generation and characterization of rat liver stem cell lines and their engraftment in a rat model of liver failure.
Kuijk, Ewart W; Rasmussen, Shauna; Blokzijl, Francis; Huch, Meritxell; Gehart, Helmuth; Toonen, Pim; Begthel, Harry; Clevers, Hans; Geurts, Aron M; Cuppen, Edwin
The rat is an important model for liver regeneration. However, there is no in vitro culture system that can capture the massive proliferation that can be observed after partial hepatectomy in rats. We here describe the generation of rat liver stem cell lines. Rat liver stem cells, which grow as cystic organoids, were characterized by high expression of the stem cell marker Lgr5, by the expression of liver progenitor and duct markers, and by low expression of hepatocyte markers, oval cell markers, and stellate cell markers. Prolonged cultures of rat liver organoids depended on high levels of WNT-signalling and the inhibition of BMP-signaling. Upon transplantation of clonal lines to a Fah(-/-) Il2rg(-/-) rat model of liver failure, the rat liver stem cells engrafted into the host liver where they differentiated into areas with FAH and Albumin positive hepatocytes. Rat liver stem cell lines hold potential as consistent reliable cell sources for pharmacological, toxicological or metabolic studies. In addition, rat liver stem cell lines may contribute to the development of regenerative medicine in liver disease. To our knowledge, the here described liver stem cell lines represent the first organoid culture system in the rat.
The local effect of octreotide on mechanical pain sensitivity is more sensitive in DA rats than DA.1U rats.
Yao, Fan-Rong; Wang, Hui-Sheng; Guo, Yuan; Zhao, Yan
A recent study by the authors indicated that major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are associated with the differences in basal pain sensitivity and in formalin model between Dark-Agouti (DA) and novel congenic DA.1U rats, which have the same genetic background as DA rats except for the u alleles of MHC. The objective of the present study is to investigate whether there is a difference in the pristane-induced arthritis (PIA) model and local analgesic effect of octreotide (OCT) between DA and DA.1U rats. The hindpaw mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and heat withdrawal latency (HWL) were observed. The C unit firings of the tibial nerve evoked by non-noxious and noxious toe movements were recorded by electrophysiological methods in normal and PIA models in DA and DA.1U rats before and after local OCT administration. The expression of somatostatin receptor 2A (SSTR2A) was observed by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrate that DA rats have a higher mechanical sensitivity than DA.1U rats after PIA. Local OCT administration significantly elevated MWT in DA rats under normal and PIA sate, but not in DA.1U rats. The electrophysiological experiments showed OCT significantly attenuated the firings of C units evoked by non-noxious and noxious stimulation in DA rats more than those in DA.1U rats both in normal and PIA states. In addition, the expression of SSTR2A in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord was significantly higher in DA than in DA.1U rats. All of the findings suggest a higher local analgesic effect of OCT in DA rats than DA.1U rats, which might be associated with the MHC genes.
[Neurotoxicity of 1-bromopropane in rats].
Ohnishi, A; Ishidao, T; Kasai, T; Arashidani, K; Hori, H
Neurotoxicity of 1-bromopropane (1-BP) used as an alternative solvent of fluorocarbons was experimentally studied. Eight rats in the experimental group were exposed to 1-BP at 1500 ppm for six hours a day, five days a week for four weeks in an exposure chamber. Another eight rats in the control group were exposed to room air in a similar exposure chamber as those in the experimental group. During the latter half of the fourth week of exposure, all the rats in the experimental group showed a loss of body weight and ataxic gait compared with control rats. At the end of the fourth week, the rats in both groups were perfused through the ascending aorta and fixed. The cerebellum, medulla oblongata, spinal cord and peripheral nerve were processed for histopathological studies. No statistically significant difference in the frequency of axonal degeneration in both peroneal and sural nerves was found between the experimental and control groups. In the cerebellum, the frequency of degeneration of Purkinje cells in both the vermis and hemisphere was higher in the experimental group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the frequency of myelin ovoids in the fifth thoracic and in the third cervical posterior columns of the spinal cord between control and experimental groups. There was also no significant difference in the frequency of axonal swelling in the nucleus gracilis of the medulla oblongata between control and experimental groups. Ataxic gait was considered to be induced by degeneration of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum due to 1-BP exposure. However, degenerative findings of nerve fibers in the peripheral nerve, spinal posterior column and nucleus gracilis of the medulla oblongata due to 1-BP exposure were not evident. At the end of the fourth week of exposure, rats in the experimental group showed loss of body weight and markedly decreased motor activities, and it was considered that they would die if we continued the exposure
Toxicogenomics of resveratrol in rat liver.
Hebbar, Vidya; Shen, Guoxiang; Hu, Rong; Kim, Bok-Ryang; Chen, Chi; Korytko, Peter J; Crowell, James A; Levine, Barry S; Kong, A-N Tony
Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound found in grape skin and peanuts has been shown to prevent many diseases including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. To better understand resveratrol's potential in vivo toxicity, we studied the dose response using cDNA stress arrays coupled with drug metabolizing enzymatic (DME) assays to investigate the expression of stress-responsive genes and Phase I and II detoxifying enzymes in rat livers. Male and female CD rats were treated with high doses of resveratrol (0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 gm/kg/day) for a period of 28 days. Total RNA from rat liver was reverse-transcribed using gene-specific primers and hybridized to stress-related cDNA arrays. Among female rats, Phase I DME genes were repressed at 0.3 and 1.0 gm/kg/day doses, while genes such as manganese superoxide dismutase, cytochrome P450 reductase, quinone oxidoreductase and thiosulfate sulfurtransferase demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in gene expression. The modulation of these liver genes may implicate the potential toxicity as observed among the rats at the highest dose level of resveratrol. Real-Time PCR was conducted on some of the Phase II DME genes and anti-oxidant genes to validate the cDNA array data. The gene expression from real-time PCR demonstrated good correlation with the cDNA array data. UGT1A genes were amongst the most robustly induced especially at the high doses of resveratrol. We next performed Phase I and Phase II enzymatic assays on cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (UGT). Induction of Phase II detoxifying enzymes was most pronounced at the highest dose of resveratrol. CYP1A1 activity demonstrated a decreasing trend among the 3 dose groups and CYP2E1 activity increased marginally among female rats over controls. In summary, at lower doses of resveratrol there are few significant changes in gene expression whereas the
Comparative study of renal sodium transport between ouabain-hypertensive rats and ouabain-nonhypertensive rats
GE Heng; Lü Zhuo-ren
Objective: To compare renal sodium transport, using fractional excretions of lithium(FEii)as a marker of proximal tubule sodium reabsorption, between hypertensive and non-hypertensive ouabaintreated rats and further to elucidate the role of ouabain in pathogenesis of hypertension. Methods:Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighting 180-200 g were randomly divided into normal control group and ouabain treated group. Rats were infused with 1 ml/kg · d normal saline or 27.8 μg/kg · d ouabain intraperitoneally once a day respectively. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate and body weight were recorded weekly. Rats were sacrificed 6 weeks after treatment. Blood and 24-hour urine sample were collected to measure the serum and urinary concentration of sodium, trace lithium and creatinine. Endogenous creatinine clearance rate (Ccr), fractional excretions of sodium (FENa), fractional excretions of lithium (FELi) and fractional reabsorption of sodium in the postproximal tubules (FDRNa) were calculated.Ouabain levels of plasma and renal tissue, plasma renin activity, angiotensin Ⅱ and aldosterone concentration were determined. Results: 65% of the ouabain-treated rats achieved significantly higher SBP after 4weeks, compared with that of the saline control groups or self baseline (P<0. 01). But in the other 35%of the ouabain-treated rats, their SBP was similar with control group during the experiment (P>0. 05).The body weight, heart rate and food intake between the 3 groups were no significant differences (P>0.05). FELi and FDRNa were significantly lower in ouabain-hypertensive group compared with ouabain-nonhypertensive group and control group(P<0.01 and P<0.05). The FELi and FDRNa of ouabain-nonhypertensive groups were similar with control group(P>0.05). Ccr and FENa were comparable between the 3 groups (P>0. 05). Plasma and renal tissue ouabain levels, plasma renin activity, angiotensin Ⅱ and aldosterone contents in ouabain-hypertensive rats were
Effect of testicular capsulotomy on fertility of rats
Da-Nian QIN; Mary A. Lung
To demonstrate the effect of capsulotomy on the fertility of male rats. Methods: Testicular capsulotomy was carried out in immature (21 days) and adult (60 days) male rats. The fertility of them was assessed by cohabitation with proestrus females overnight and 20 days later, the females were examined for impregnation. Morphological changes at the site of the capsulotomy were observed under light microscope. Results: In rats capsulotomized at Day 60, the fertility was gradually depressed and all the rats completely lost their fertility 2 months post - operation. At that time, a partial regeneration of the capsule at the site of capsulotomy was observed. Immature rats capsulotomized at Day 21 were found to possess normal fertility at maturity. The capsulotomy site was almost completely recovered 60days post-operation. Conclusion: In male rats, testicular capsulotomy at the age of Day 60 will damage fertility.However, when capsulotomy is performed at Day 21, fertility is preserve.
Cysteamine depletes prolactin in young and old hyperprolactinemic rats
Simpkins, J.W.; Estes, K.S.; Millard, W.J.; Sagar, S.M.; Martin, J.B.
Studies were undertaken to evaluate the effects of cysteamine on serum and anterior pituitary concentrations of prolactin in hyperprolactinemic female rats. Serum prolactin was elevated in young (4 to 5 months old) rats by implantation of 17 beta-estradiol while 26- to 28-month-old rats were in constant estrus and exhibited an age-related hyperprolactinemia. At 4 h after treatment with cysteamine (90 mg/kg body wt) serum and anterior pituitary prolactin concentrations were reduced in young animals by 98 and 85%, respectively. In old constant-estrous rats, cysteamine reduced serum prolactin by 92% and anterior pituitary prolactin by 82%. In young pseudopregnant rats, cysteamine induced a prompt resumption of estrous cycles. These studies indicate that cysteamine is an effective depletor of serum and pituitary prolactin in hyperprolactinemic rats.
Epidermal growth factor in rat milk is dependent on insulin
Thulesen, J; Poulsen, Steen Seier; Nexo, E;
decreased when compared to the control group. In contrast, the total protein concentration in milk from the untreated diabetic rats was similar to the concentration in milk from the control rats. Insulin-treatment of diabetic rats almost completely reversed the decrease in the milk volume......Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was measured in milk from four groups of rats: untreated diabetic, insulin-treated diabetic, insulin-treated normal and control rats. In the untreated diabetic group the volume of milk, and the concentration of EGF and the total output of EGF were significantly...... of EGF from the mammary glands is dependent on insulin and that the decrement in milk-EGF from diabetic rats is selective when compared to the content of protein in milk....
Control of glomerular hypertension by insulin administration in diabetic rats.
Scholey, J W; Meyer, T W
Micropuncture studies were performed in Munich Wistar rats made diabetic with streptozotocin and in normal control rats. Diabetic rats received daily ultralente insulin to maintain moderate hyperglycemia (approximately 300 mg/dl). Group 1 diabetic rats studied after routine micropuncture preparation exhibited elevation of the single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR) due to increases in the glomerular transcapillary hydraulic pressure difference and glomerular plasma flow rate. In group 2 diabetic rats infusion of insulin to achieve acute blood glucose control normalized the glomerular transcapillary pressure gradient while increasing the glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient, so that SNGFR remained elevated. Persistent elevation of SNGFR despite normalization of the transcapillary pressure gradient was also observed in group 3 diabetic rats infused with insulin plus sufficient dextrose to maintain hyperglycemia. These studies indicate that glomerular capillary hypertension in diabetes is an acutely reversible consequence of insulin deficiency and not the result of renal hypertrophy. PMID:2649514
LU Ying-li; YE Ting-ting; XIA Fang-zhen; WANG Ning-jian; YANG Hua; CHEN Yi
Objective To acquire oval cells (progenitor stem cells) from adult rat liver of different models including diabetic rats. Methods Thirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into 5 groups randomly: control, 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF), 2-AAF+partial hepatectomy (PH), 2-AAF+carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), and diabetic groups. As two-step collagenase perfusion protocol of Seglen, oval cells were isolated by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. Thy1.1 positive cells were sorted by flow cytometry, and then cultured in Dulbeccos minimum Eagles medium (DMEM). Immunofluorescence staining was applied to labelling Thy1.1. Results Different rates of Thy1.1 positive oval cells were found in different rat model groups: 0.5% in 2-AAF, 0.3% in 2-hAAF+PH, 0.2% in 2-AAF+CCl4 , 0.1% in diabetic, and 0.0% in control. Isolated cells adhered to plate with fusiform or polygon as epithelial cells. Conclusion Progenitor stem cells exist in injured liver tissue including those from diabetic rats.
Sulindac Prevents Esophageal Adenocarcinomas Induced by Gastroduodenal Reflux in Rats
Kim, Sung Wook; Jang, Tae Jung; Jung, Ki Hoon; Suh, Jung Il
Purpose It is known that cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression is increased in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinomas. We studied COX-2 expression and the effect sulindac has on the genesis of Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma in rats undergoing esophagogastroduodenal anastomosis (EGDA). Materials and Methods Fifty-one rats were divided into a control group (n = 27), a 500 ppm sulindac-treated group (n = 15) and 1000 ppm sulindac-treated group (n = 9). Randomly selected rats were...
Histomorphometric changes of small intestine in pregnant rat
Food intake of rats increases during pregnancy. This requires changes in the structure of the small intestine to absorb additional food. The aim of the present study was to investigate the morphological changes in the layers of small intestine in rats during pregnancy. Duodenum, jejunum and ileum of 18 pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (day 7, 14 and 21 of pregnancy) were collected. Villous height and width and thickness of lamina propria, tunica muscularis entirely and separately (circular and lo...
Rapid avoidance acquisition in Wistar-Kyoto rats.
Servatius, R J; Jiao, X; Beck, K D; Pang, K C H; Minor, T R
The relationship between trait stress-sensitivity, avoidance acquisition and perseveration of avoidance was examined using male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Behavior in an open field was measured prior to escape/avoidance (E/A) acquisition and extinction. E/A was assessed in a discrete trial lever-press protocol. The signal-shock interval was 60s with subsequent shocks delivered every 3s until a lever-press occurred. A 3-min flashing light safety signal was delivered contingent upon a lever-press (or failure to respond in 5 min). WKY rats displayed phenotypic low open field activity, but were clearly superior to SD rats in E/A performance. As avoidance responses were acquired and reached asymptotic performance, SD rats exhibited "warm up", that is, SD rats rarely made avoidance responses on the initial trial of a session, even though later trials were consistently accompanied with avoidance responses. In contrast, WKY rats did not show the "warm up" pattern and avoided on nearly all trials of a session including the initial trial. In addition to the superior acquisition of E/A, WKY rats demonstrated several other avoidance features that were different from SD rats. Although the rates of nonreinforced intertrial responses (ITRs) were relatively low and selective to the early safety period, WKY displayed more ITRs than SD rats. With removal of the shocks extinction was delayed in WKY rats, likely reflecting their nearly perfect avoidance performance. Even after extensive extinction, first trial avoidance and ITRs were evident in WKY rats. Thus, WKY rats have a unique combination of trait behavioral inhibition (low open field activity and stress sensitivity) and superior avoidance acquisition and response perseveration making this strain a good model to understand anxiety disorders.
Potentiation of the hypotensive effect of adrenomedullin in pregnant rats.
Makino, I; Shibata, K; Makino, Y; Kangawa, K; Kawarabayashi, T
The hypotensive effect of adrenomedullin, a potent vasodilator peptide, was examined in conscious pregnant (6, 13 and 20 days of pregnancy) and non-pregnant rats. The intravenous administration of adrenomedullin (0.01-3.0 nmol/kg) produced a dose-dependent depressor response in pregnant and non-pregnant rats. At low doses (0.01-0.1 nmol/kg), the maximum decrease in blood pressure was significantly higher in pregnant rats (20 days pregnant) than in non-pregnant rats. At high doses, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. Furthermore, the administration of adrenomedullin did not significantly affect the basal mean blood pressure (MBP) at any dose when compared to the non-pregnant group at 6 and 13 days of pregnancy. In the ovariectomized rats, the depressor responses in 17beta-estradiol-treated, progesterone-treated and 17beta-estradiol+progesterone-treated rats were not significantly different from that in the control rats, suggesting that the augmented effect on the depressor response to adrenomedullin in pregnant rats may not be due to hormonal changes during pregnancy. The adrenomedullin receptor mRNA level of the descending thoracic aorta was significantly higher in the late-pregnancy rats (20 days of pregnancy). However, the levels did not show any difference between the early-pregnant rats (6 and 13 days of pregnancy) and the non-pregnant rats. These findings suggested that the changes in the depressor response to adrenomedullin which occur at term in pregnant rats may be mediated by changes of adrenomedullin receptor gene expression rather than by sex hormones.
Striatal grafts in a rat model of Huntington's disease
Guzman, R; Meyer, M; Lövblad, K O;
Survival and integration into the host brain of grafted tissue are crucial factors in neurotransplantation approaches. The present study explored the feasibility of using a clinical MR scanner to study striatal graft development in a rat model of Huntington's disease. Rat fetal lateral ganglionic...... eminences grown as free-floating roller-tube cultures can be successfully grafted in a rat Huntington model and that a clinical MR scanner offers a useful noninvasive tool for studying striatal graft development....
Oral methylphenidate establishes a conditioned place preference in rats
Wooters, Thomas E.; Walton, Matthew T.; Bardo, Michael T.
Emerging data suggest that illicit methylphenidate abuse is a growing problem. Although abuse of the drug typically occurs by the intranasal route, oral (per os; p.o.) methylphenidate also has abuse potential. The present study compared the effects of p.o. and intraperitoneal (i.p.) methylphenidate in rats using the conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure. Young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to consume oyster crackers injected initially with saline. Next, rats were randomly...
Leptin Influences Healing in the Sprague Dawley Rat Fracture Model
Liu, Pengcheng; Cai, Ming
Background Leptin plays a crucial role in bone metabolism, and its level is related to bone callus formation in the fracture repair process. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of recombinant leptin on the healing process of femoral fractures in rats. Material/Methods Forty-eight male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats with an average body weight of 389 g (range: 376–398 g) and an average age of 10 weeks were included in this animal research, and all rats were randomly divided into two major groups. Then standardized femur fracture models were implemented in all SD rats. Rats in the control group were treated with only 0.5 mL of physiological saline, and rats in the experimental group were treated with recombinant leptin 5 μg/kg/d along with the same 0.5 mL of physiological saline for 42 days intraperitoneally. At the same time, each major group was evenly divided into three parallel subgroups for each parallel bone evaluation separately at the second, fourth, and sixth weeks. Each subgroup included eight rats. Results The total radiological evaluation results showed that the healing progress of femoral fracture in the experimental group was superior to that in the control group from the fourth week. At the sixth week, experimental group rats began to present significantly better femoral fracture healing progress than that of the control group rats. Results of biomechanics show the ultimate load (N) and deflection ultimate load (mm) of the experimental group rats was significantly increased compared with that of the control group rats from the fourth week. Conclusions Our results suggest that leptin may have a positive effect on SD rat femur fracture healing. PMID:28088810
Energy intake of rats fed a cafeteria diet.
Prats, E; Monfar, M; Castellà, J; Iglesias, R; Alemany, M
The proportion of lipid, carbohydrate and protein energy self-selected by male and female rats from a cafeteria diet has been studied for a 48-day period (36-day in female rats). The diet consisted in 12 different items and was offered daily, in excess and under otherwise standard conditions, to rats--caged in groups of three--from weaning to adulthood. Groups of control animals were studied in parallel and compared with the cafeteria groups. Cafeteria diet fed groups of rats ingested more energy and lowered their metabolic efficiency with age. Male rats ate more than females and increased their body weight even after female practically stopped growing. There was a wide variation in the aliments consumed each day by the cafeteria-fed rats. However, the proportion of lipid, protein and carbohydrate the rats ate remained constant. Male rats ingested more lipid than females. Carbohydrate consumption was constant in control and cafeteria fed groups of rats independently of sex. Protein consumption was higher in cafeteria rats than in controls, but the differences were not so important as with liquid. Fiber content of the cafeteria diet was lower than that of the control diet. The cafeteria diet selected by the rats was, thus, hypercaloric and hyperlipidic, with practically the same amount of carbohydrate than the control diet, slightly hyperproteic and, nevertheless, remarkably constant in its composition with respect to time. Cafeteria rats had a higher water intake than controls. All these trends were maintained despite the observed changes in the animals' tastes and their differential consumption of the ailments of the diet.
The disposition of quinfamide in the rat.
Baker, J F; O'Melia, P E; Benziger, D P; Clemans, S D; Edelson, J
The disposition of quinfamide 1-(dichloroacetyl)-6-(2-furoyloxy)-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroquinoline, an enteric anti-amoebic agent, was studied in the rat. A peak blood level equivalent to 2.3 micrograms/ml of quinfamide was observed at 7 hr following a 20 mg/kg oral dose. Urinary recovery of radioactivity was much higher (84%) following intravenous than oral (48%) administration. Drug levels, in all of the tissues examined. were low. The major pathways of quinfamide metabolism in the rat involve hydrolysis of one or both ester groups, acetylation of the de-acylated product to 1-acetyl-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydro-6-quinolinol, oxidation of this to the 1-glycolyl metabolite, and aromatization to 6-hydroxyquinoline.
Propranolol modifies platelet serotonergic mechanisms in rats.
Zółtowski, R; Pawlak, R; Matys, T; Pietraszek, M; Buczko, W
Though the mechanisms for the vascular actions of vasodilatory beta-blockers are mostly determined, some of their interactions with monoaminergic systems are not elucidated. Because there are evidences supporting a possible involvement of serotonin (5-HT) in the actions of beta-blockers, we studied the effect of propranolol on peripheral serotonergic mechanisms in normotensive and Goldblatt two-kidney - one clip (2K1C) hypertensive rats. In both groups of animals propranolol decreased systolic blood pressure, significantly increased whole blood serotonin concentration and at the same time it decreased platelet serotonin level. The uptake of the amine by platelets from hypertensive animals was lower than that of normotensive animals and it was decreased by propranolol only in the latter. In both groups propranolol inhibited potentiation of ADP-induced platelet aggregation by serotonin. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that propranolol modifies platelet serotonergic mechanisms in normotensive and renal hypertensive rats.
Fixation of tritium gas by rats
Ichimasa, Y.; Ichimasa, M.; Shiba, T.; Oda, M.; Akita, Y.
The oxidation rate of tritium gas (HT) in the rat was determined using a one-way circuit inhalation apparatus. To eliminate tritiated water (HTO) produced by the apparatus, three traps (a -60/sup 0/C cold trap, a silica gel column and molecular sieves) were used. The oxidation rate was found to be 15.2 Bq per kg of blood per hour for each Bq or HT per ml of inhaled air. This rate was approximately one-third that obtained previously by other workers using a closed circuit inhalation system. No significant differences in tritium concentration were detected between blood and tissues. The fixation of HT by rat faecal suspension under aerobic and anaerobic conditions was determined. Fixation under anaerobic conditions was greater than under aerobic conditions.
Microarray Analysis of the Developing Rat Mandible
Hideo KABURAGI; Naoyuki SUGANO; Maiko OSHIKAWA; Ryosuke KOSHI; Naoki SENDA; Kazuhiro KAWAMOTO; Koichi ITO
To analyze the molecular events that occur in the developing mandible, we examined the expression of 8803 genes from samples taken at different time points during rat postnatal mandible development.Total RNA was extracted from the mandibles of 1-day-old, 1-week-old, and 2-week-old rats. Complementary RNA (cRNA) was synthesized from cDNA and biotinylated. Fragmented cRNA was hybridized to RGU34A GeneChip arrays. Among the 8803 genes tested, 4344 were detectable. We identified 148 genes with significantly increased expression, and 19 genes with significantly decreased expression. A comprehensive analysis appears to be an effective method of studying the complex process of development.
Coenzyme metabolism in rat liver transketolase
Gorbach, Z.V.; Kubyshin, V.L.; Maglysh, S.S.; Zabrodskaya, S.V.
On the basis of the results of kinetic investigations, two binding sites for hydroxythiamine diphosphate were determined in apotransketolase, with sharply differing values of K/sub i/: (7-22) x 10/sup -9/ and (13.0-19.7) x 10/sup -8/ M. A study was made of the turnover rate of thiamine diphosphate in holotransketolase in rat liver tissue by a radioisotope method, using (/sup 14/C) thiamine as the labeled precursor. The half-substitution time and rate constant of degradation of the coenzyme in transketolase are close in absolute values to the analogous indices for the protein portion of the enzyme and constitute 153 h and 0.108 day/sup -1/, respectively. Rat liver transketolase exists in vivo in the form of a substituted ..cap alpha..-carbanion. Replacement of thiamine diphosphate by hydroxythiamine diphosphate in the holoenzyme has no effect on the formation of the intermediate ..cap alpha..-carbanion form of the enzyme.
Testosterone and muscle hypertrophy in female rats
Kuhn, F. E.; Max, S. R.
The effects of chronic treatment with testosterone propionate (TP) on compensatory muscle hypertropy in female rats are examined. The 48 female rats were placed in one of four test groups: (1) no overload (synergist removal), no TP, (2) overload, no TP, (3) no overload + TP, and (4) overload + TP. The technique used to administer the TP is described. The preparation of the plantaris muscle, the analysis of pyruvate oxidation and the determination of malate and lactate dehydrogenases and the noncollogen protein are explained. The results which reveal the effect of overload and TP on body weight, noncollogen protein concentration, lactate and malate dehydrogenase activities, and pyruvate oxidation are presented and discussed. It is concluded that in terms of body weight, protein content, pyruvate, glycolysis, and oxidative metabolisms chronic TP treatments do not change compensatory muscle hypertropy.
A teratology assessment of nimesulide in rats
WuLM; WangGH
Nimesulide(NIM) was administered by gavage to Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats from day 6 to day 15 of getation,at level of 15,30 and 100mg·kg-1·d-1.Maternal weight gain was depressed,and the incidences of fetal absorption and lethal fetal were couned in all groups receiving NIM.Malformation of internal organs,appearance of fetuses and retardation of fetal development were not oberved.NIM had little effect on skeletal development,except increasing width of fontanel at high dose(100mg·kg-1).NIM produced low levels of embryotoxicity and fetotoxicity.But no teratogenic effects of NIM were observed in SD rats.
Decalcification of calcium polycarbophil in rats.
Yamada, T; Saito, T; Takahara, E; Nagata, O; Tamai, I; Tsuji, A
The in vivo decalcification of calcium polycarbophil was examined. The decalcification ratio of [45Ca]calcium polycarbophil in the stomach after oral dosing to rats was more than 70% at each designated time and quite closely followed in the in vitro decalcification curve, indicating that the greater part of the calcium ion is released from calcium polycarbophil under normal gastric acidic conditions. The residual radioactivity in rat gastrointestine was nearly equal to that after oral administration of either [45Ca]calcium chloride + polycarbophil. The serum level of radioactivity was nearly equal to that after oral dosing of [45Ca]calcium lactate. These results indicate that the greater part of orally administered calcium polycarbophil released calcium ions to produce polycarbophil in vivo.
Testicular development and reproductivity in rats
Bing, Wang; Masahiro, Murakami; Kiyomi, Eguchi-Kasai; Kumie, Nojima; Yi, Shang; Kaoru, Tanaka; Kazuko, Fujita [National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Inage-ku, Chiba (Japan); Coffigny, H. [CEA Fontenay-aux-Roses, Dir. des Sciences du Vivant, 92 (France)
Effects on gonads in prenatal male fetuses, and on the postnatal testicular development and reproductivity of male offspring were studied following exposure of pregnant Wistar rats to either accelerated carbon-ion beans with a Let value of about 13 keV/L]m or neon-ion beams with a Let value of about 30 keV/I Im at a dose range from 0.1 Gy to 2.0 Gy on gestation day 15. Induction of apoptosis in fetal gonocytes was evaluated pathologically in male gonads. Mean number of pups, pre-weaning mortality, and the age for testis descent in offspring were examined. Testis weight and the ratio of it to body weight were measured on postnatal days 30, 60 and 90, respectively. Development of testicular tubules was analyzed histologically. In addition, in the male offspring, the successful mating rates with non-irradiated female rats, the mean number of pups descended, and, the weaning rates of the pups were investigated. The effects of X-rays at 200 kVp estimated for the same biological end points were studied for comparison. For heavy ions, a dose of 2.0 Gy caused 100% pre-weaning mortality. For some endpoints, such as pre-weaning mortality, testis weight, and ratio of testis weight to body weight, significant alteration was observed in offspring prenatally received only 0.1 Gy of accelerated neon ions; while for the most endpoints regarding the effects from carbon ions or X rays, a significant alteration could be observed only when a dose was at 0.5 Gy or more. In this dose range, apoptosis in gonocytes of fetal gonads was significantly induced in a dose-dependent manner with a peak at around 12 to 18 hr after irradiation; in the prenatally irradiated pups, statistical significances for increased prenatal death, delayed accomplishment in testis descent, low testis weight, changed ratios of testis weight to body weight, and increased malformed testicular tubules were recorded. When the dose was at 1.0 Gy or 1.5 Gy, marked decrease in successful mating rates was also observed
Testosterone and muscle hypertrophy in female rats
Kuhn, F. E.; Max, S. R.
The effects of chronic treatment with testosterone propionate (TP) on compensatory muscle hypertropy in female rats are examined. The 48 female rats were placed in one of four test groups: (1) no overload (synergist removal), no TP, (2) overload, no TP, (3) no overload + TP, and (4) overload + TP. The technique used to administer the TP is described. The preparation of the plantaris muscle, the analysis of pyruvate oxidation and the determination of malate and lactate dehydrogenases and the noncollogen protein are explained. The results which reveal the effect of overload and TP on body weight, noncollogen protein concentration, lactate and malate dehydrogenase activities, and pyruvate oxidation are presented and discussed. It is concluded that in terms of body weight, protein content, pyruvate, glycolysis, and oxidative metabolisms chronic TP treatments do not change compensatory muscle hypertropy.
Insulin Expression in Rats Exposed to Cadmium
Objectives To investigate the effects of cadmium exposure on insulin expression in rats. Methods Eighteen adult SD assessed. The levels of cadmium and zinc in pancreas, blood and urine glucose, serum insulin and urine NAG (N-acyetyl-β-glucosaminidase) were determined. The gene expressions of metallothionein (MT) and insulin were also measured,and the oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were carried out. Results The contents of cadmium in pancreas in cadmium-treated rats were higher than that in the control group, which was associated with slight increase of zinc in pancreas.not change significantly after cadmium administration, and the UNAG had no change in Cd-treated group. The gene expression the change of the expression of insulin, MT-Ⅰ and MT-Ⅱ genes. Cadmium can influence the biosynthesis of insulin, but does not induce the release of insulin. The dysfunction of pancreas occurs earlier than that of kidney after administration of cadmium.
Vitamin K requirement in Danish anticoagulant-resistant Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)
Markussen, Mette D.; Heiberg, Ann-Charlotte; Nielsen, Robert;
Norway rats, Rattus norvegicus, Denmark, anticoagulant rodenticide resistance, vitamin K requirement......Norway rats, Rattus norvegicus, Denmark, anticoagulant rodenticide resistance, vitamin K requirement...
cav-p60 expression in rat muscle tissues. Distribution of caveolar proteins
Voldstedlund, M.; Vinten, Jørgen; Tranum-Jensen, Jørgen
Caveolae, Caveolin, muscle, endothel, electron microscopy, immunofluorescence microscopy, rat (Wistar)......Caveolae, Caveolin, muscle, endothel, electron microscopy, immunofluorescence microscopy, rat (Wistar)...
Ultrastructure of the endolymphatic sac in rat with a proposal for a new cell nomenclature
Qvortrup, Klaus; Rostgaard, Jørgen; Bretlau, P.
Anatomy, endolymphatic sac, ultrastructure, rat, nomenclature, methods, tubulocisternal endoplasmic reticulum......Anatomy, endolymphatic sac, ultrastructure, rat, nomenclature, methods, tubulocisternal endoplasmic reticulum...
Exenatide Induces Impairment of Autophagy Flux to Damage Rat Pancreas.
Li, Zhiqiang; Huang, Lihua; Yu, Xiao; Yu, Can; Zhu, Hongwei; Li, Xia; Han, Duo; Huang, Hui
The study aimed to explore the alteration of autophagy in rat pancreas treated with exenatide. Normal Sprague-Dawley rats and diabetes-model rats induced by 2-month high-sugar and high-fat diet and streptozotocin injection were subcutaneously injected with exenatide, respectively, for 10 weeks, with homologous rats treated with saline as control. Meanwhile, AR42J cells, pancreatic acinar cell line, were cultured with exenatide at doses of 5 pM for 3 days. The pancreas was disposed, and several sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expressions of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) and cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 in rat pancreas, and Western blot was used to test the expressions of GLP-1R, light chain 3B-I and -II, and p62 in rat pancreas and AR42J cells. The data were expressed as mean (standard deviation) and analyzed by unpaired Student's t-test. Exenatide can induce pathological changes in rat pancreas. The GLP-1R, p62, light chain 3B-II, and cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 in rat pancreas and AR42J cells treated with exenatide were significantly overexpressed. Exenatide can activate and upregulate its receptor, GLP-1R, then impair autophagy flux and activate apoptosis in the pancreatic acinar cell, thus damaging rat pancreas.
Metabonomic study of rats exposed to cigarette sidestream smoke
LIAN Wen-liu; SHI Xian-zhe; LUO Jia; REN Feng-lian
A metabonomic approach was undertaken in order to detect urinary endogenous and exogenous metabolites and to evaluate the effects of passive exposure to cigarette sidestream smoke on rats. Urinary samples from three groups of rats were determined including control rats, rats treated with blended cigarettes (nonmenthol cigarettes) and rats treated with menthol cigarettes. The total urinary 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), total 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HOP) and 3-hydroxybenzo[a] pyrene (3-HOBaP) were determined for assessing exposure to cigarette sidestream smoke toxins. Urinary endogenous metabolites in the three groups of rats were also analyzed and the data were processed by chemometrics. Eleven endogenous metabolites were found and identified. Their relative levels were compared among the three groups. The results show that cigarette sidestream smoke has complex effect on rats. Blended cigarette group makes difference to menthol cigarette group in the rats' urinary metabolic changes. Menthol adding to cigarettes has positive and negative effects on rats, respectively. The urinary metabolic profiling of menthol cigarette group is closer to that of control group.
Effect of adrenalectomy and hydrocortisone on ventral prostate of rats
Neena Nair; R.S. Bedwal; R.S. Mathur
Aim: To study the effects of adrenalectomy and hydrocortisone on the ventral prostate of SD rats. Methods: In adrenalectomised (ADX) and ADX + hydrocortisone (1, 2, or 4 mg) treated rats, the prostatic histology and the cholesterol, protein, zinc, and copper levels and the enzymic profile (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, aryl sulphatase, lactic dehydrogenase, and leucine aminopeptidase) in the prostatic tissue were determined; the serum hormonal profile (testosterone, FSH and LH) was also assayed. Results: Adrenalectomy caused a progressive degeneration in prostatic structure that was not reversed by hydrocortisone treatment. The serum testosterone were significantly lower in ADX than in sham operated rats and lower in ADX + hydrocortisone than in ADX-C rats ( P < 0.01) The serum FSH and LH were below the detection limit of 1 mIU/mL. The enzymatic activity was higher in ADX than in sham operated rats and higher in ADX + hydrocortisone than in ADX-C rats ( P <0.05-0.01). The prostatic zinc levels were significantly higher in sham operated than in ADX, and higher in ADX-C than in ADX + hydrocortisone rats ( P < 0.05 -0.01). The prostatic copper level was significantly lower in sham operated than in ADX, and lower in ADX-C than in the ADX + hydrocortisone rats ( P < 0.01). Conclusion: In rats, adrenalectomy leads to pathological and functional changes of the prostate. Hydrocortisone treatment at the doses employed did not reverse these changes.
Sargassum polycystum extract attenuates oxidative stress on diabetic rats
Muhamad Firdaus; Setyawati Soeharto
ABSTRACT Objective:To evaluate hypoglycemic, free radical scavenging and improving antioxidant enzymes activities on diabetic-induced streptozotocin rats bySargassum polycystum (S. polycystum) extract. Methods: The seaweed extract was obtained by maceration, concentration and freeze drying, respectively. Acute toxicity was investigated on 25 rats. Forty eight of rats were used to study anti-stress oxidative of extract and divided into eight groups, where the first and fifth group were normal and diabetic control. The normal and diabetic treated groups were administered orally with extracts ofS. polycystum for 28 days. The blood glucose and body weight of rats were observed each week. The blood was obtained for determination of malondialdehide, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, respectively. Results:Extract ofS. polycystum revealed no mortality and it was grouped as relatively non-toxic substance. The normal rats revealed difference statistically to the diabetic rats. The diabetic rats treated extract showed decreasing of blood glucose level and increasing of body weight. The diabetic rats were treated with 450 mg/kg of extract showed the higher oxidative stress augmentation than other diabetic treatments. It was caused free radical scavenging and induction of antioxidant enzymes activity by brown seaweed extract. Conclusions: The extract ofS. echinocarpum reduce oxidative stress on diabetic-induced streptozotocin rats and demonstrate as candidate of antioxidant diabetic substances.
The uremic environment and muscle dysfunction in man and rat
Harrison, Adrian Paul; Nielsen, Arne Høj; Eidemak, I.;
patients prior to and after a session of hemodialysis (HD) treatment, alongside in vitro measurements of muscle function in isolated rat muscles incubated in normal or uremic conditions approximating to those found in uremic rats (rat uremic: RU) or uremic humans (human uremic: HU). Results: HD......-twitch). In isolated rat muscles, a uremic environment had no significant effect on slow-twitch soleus during field stimulation, however, in fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus, a significant 23% (RU) and 22% (HU) faster rate of decline in force was measured, compared to controls (p
Database of Physiological Parameters for Early Life Rats and Mice
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Database of Physiological Parameters for Early Life Rats and Mice provides information based on scientific literature about physiological parameters. Modelers...
Dietary subacute toxicity of ethylene thiourea in the laboratory rat
Freudenthal, R.I.; Kerchner, G.; Persing, R.; Baron, R.L.
Ethylene thiourea (ETU) was fed to groups of rats at 0, 1, 5, 125 or 625 ppM for up to 90 days. Other groups of rats received either propylthiouracil (PTU; 125 ppM) or amitrole (50 ppM) in their diets as positive controls. Only those rats which received ETU at 125 or 625 ppM and those ingesting PTU or amitrole demonstrated a measurable toxic response. This toxicity was reflected as an alteration in thyroid function and a significant change in thyroid morphology. Ingestion of 625 ppM ETU or 125 ppM PTU resulted in very substantial decrease in serum triiodothyronine (T-3) and thyroxine (T-4). Marked increases in serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were found in the 625 and 125 ppM ETU rats, the 125 PTU rats, and the rats receiving amitrole, each time this hormone was measured. Rats which ingested 625 ppM ETU also exhibited a decrease in iodide uptake by the thyroid. While a statistically significant increase in serum T-4 and degree of thyroid hyperplasia was observed for rats ingesting 25 ppM ETU for 60 days, normal thyroid hormone levels and thyroid morphology was found in rats on 25 ppM ETU for either 30 or 90 days. Based on diochemical and microscopic changes examined, the no-effect level for dietary ETU in this 90-day study is considered to be 25 ppM.
Man is a Puppet, Soul is a Rat
Rösing, Lilian Munk
Ratatouille is the Pixar film that seems to have the most imaginative answer to the question, what animates the human being? A small rat hidden under the hat, directing man as a puppet. The marionette as a metaphor for the human being is not new in the Western history of thought, but the rat...... of the rat as an allegory of the victimized ethnical other. The rat is further understood as a figure who transfers unto the leading male character his father's desire. Finally the article examines how the film deals with the theme of "love", partly as something induced by the Parisian setting, partly...
Influence of Samarium on Learning and Memory Function of Rats
Sixty-four Spraque-Dawley(SD)big rats with weaning weight of (195±15) g were randomly divided into 4 groups with 8 males and 8 females each group. One group drunk with de-ionized water served as control and was also used for analysis of the background. The other three groups rats were raised by de-ionized water containing low, middle and high concentrations of Sm for four months, then learning and memory tests were carried out in Y-electric maze. Compared with the control rats, the learning and memory of rats in low and middle groups shows a deterioration trend, exhibiting the function degradation of rats' brain. It may results from the rare earth elements through blood-brain barrier affecting the normal physiological functions of rats' brain. In addition, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in rats' brain decreases, while the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration increases. The decreased SOD activity and the increased MDA mean the degeneration the ability of anti-oxidation in rats' brain, which are accordance with the degradation of learning and memory function of rats in low and middle Sm groups.
Rat1p maintains RNA polymerase II CTD phosphorylation balance
Jimeno-González, Silvia; Schmid, Manfred; Malagon, Francisco; Haaning, Line Lindegaard; Jensen, Torben Heick
In S. cerevisiae, the 5′-3′ exonuclease Rat1p partakes in transcription termination. Although Rat1p-mediated RNA degradation has been suggested to play a role for this activity, the exact mechanisms by which Rat1p helps release RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) from the DNA template are poorly understood. Here we describe a function of Rat1p in regulating phosphorylation levels of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest RNAPII subunit, Rpb1p, during transcription elongation. The rat1-1 mutant exhibits highly elevated levels of CTD phosphorylation as well as RNAPII distribution and transcription termination defects. These phenotypes are all rescued by overexpression of the CTD phosphatase Fcp1p, suggesting a functional relationship between the absence of Rat1p activity, elevated CTD phosphorylation, and transcription defects. We also demonstrate that rat1-1 cells display increased RNAPII transcription kinetics, a feature that may contribute to the cellular phenotypes of the mutant. Consistently, the rat1-1 allele is synthetic lethal with the rpb1-E1103G mutation, causing increased RNAPII speed, and is suppressed by the rpb2-10 mutation, causing slowed transcription. Thus, Rat1p plays more complex roles in controlling transcription than previously thought. PMID:24501251
Chemical Renal Denervation in the Rat
Consigny, Paul M., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Davalian, Dariush, E-mail: email@example.com [Abbott Vascular, Innovation Incubator (United States); Donn, Rosy, E-mail: email@example.com; Hu, Jie, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Abbott Vascular, Bioanalytical and Material Characterization (United States); Rieser, Matthew, E-mail: email@example.com; Stolarik, DeAnne, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Abbvie, Analytical Pharmacology (United States)
Introduction: The recent success of renal denervation in lowering blood pressure in drug-resistant hypertensive patients has stimulated interest in developing novel approaches to renal denervation including local drug/chemical delivery. The purpose of this study was to develop a rat model in which depletion of renal norepinephrine (NE) could be used to determine the efficacy of renal denervation after the delivery of a chemical to the periadventitial space of the renal artery. Methods: Renal denervation was performed on a single renal artery of 90 rats (n = 6 rats/group). The first study determined the time course of renal denervation after surgical stripping of a renal artery plus the topical application of phenol in alcohol. The second study determined the efficacy of periadventitial delivery of hypertonic saline, guanethidine, and salicylic acid. The final study determined the dose–response relationship for paclitaxel. In all studies, renal NE content was determined by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results: Renal NE was depleted 3 and 7 days after surgical denervation. Renal NE was also depleted by periadventitial delivery of all agents tested (hypertonic saline, salicylic acid, guanethidine, and paclitaxel). A dose response was observed after the application of 150 μL of 10{sup −5} M through 10{sup −2} M paclitaxel. Conclusion: We developed a rat model in which depletion of renal NE was used to determine the efficacy of renal denervation after perivascular renal artery drug/chemical delivery. We validated this model by demonstrating the efficacy of the neurotoxic agents hypertonic saline, salicylic acid, and guanethidine and increasing doses of paclitaxel.
Biochanin A induction of sulfotransferases in rats.
Chen, Yue; Huang, Chaoqun; Zhou, Tianyan; Zhang, Shunfen; Chen, Guangping
Biochanin A (BCA) is a dietary isoflavone present in red clover (Trifoliumn pretense) and many herbal products. BCA has been reported to have chemopreventive actions against various cancers including prostate, breast, colon cancer, and so on. Sulfotransferases are a family of phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes, which are important for xenobiotic detoxification and regulation of biological signaling molecule biological activities. Sulfotransferase gene expressions are regulated by different hormones and xenobiotics. Improper regulation of sulfotransferases leads to improper functions of biological signaling molecules, which in turn can cause cancer or other diseases. BCA inhibits the enzyme activities of the phase I drug-metabolizing enzymes CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 in Chinese hamster ovary cells and induces the phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes UDP-glucuronosyltransferases in human prostate cancer cells. BCA induction of sulfotransferases has not been studied. This investigation evaluates the in vivo regulation of sulfotransferases at protein and mRNA levels in the liver and intestine of Sprague-Dawley rats treated with BCA (0, 2, 10, and 50 mg/kg/day) for 7 days. Our experimental results demonstrate for the first time that chronic BCA treatment can significantly induce the expression of rat sulfotransferase 1A1 (rSULT1A1, AST-IV), sulfotransferase 2A1 (rSULT2A1, STa), and rat estrogen sulfotransferase (rSULT1E1, EST) in rat liver and intestine. Our Western blot results are in good agreement with real-time RT-PCR data, suggesting that BCA induction of sulfotransferases occurs at the transcriptional level.
D-RATS 2011: RAFT Protocol Overview
Utz, Hans
A brief overview presentation on the protocol used during the D-RATS2011 field test for file transfer from the field-test robots at Black Point Lava Flow AZ to Johnson Space Center, Houston TX over a simulated time-delay. The file transfer actually uses a commercial implementation of an open communications standard. The focus of the work lies on how to make the state of the distributed system observable.
[Cycloferon in treating duodenal ulcers in rats].
Bul'on, V V; Khnychenko, L K; Sapronov, N S; Kuznetsova, N N; Anikin, V B; arinenko, R Iu; Kovalenko, A L; Alekseeva, L E
The possibility of using cycloferon (interferon inductor) for a complex treatment (in combination with the main drug solcoseryl possessing pronounced therapeutic properties) of duodenum ulcers was experimentally studied in male rats. The experiments showed a considerable difference in the interferon status of animals with model duodenum ulcers treated with cycloferon, solcoseryl, their combination, and placebo (control). The healing effect of solcoseryl administered in combination with cycloferon exceeded that of each component administered separately.
Carbohydrate metabolism of rats with biliary obstruction.
Full Text Available Carbohydrate metabolism of rats with obstructive jaundice caused by bile duct ligation was studied by intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT and by liver perfusion. The altered levels of carbohydrate-metabolizing enzyme were examined in relation to the glucose metabolism of the cholestatic rats. In the IVGTT, the rate of fractional glucose removal was increased with increases in plasma insulin and glucagon and with a decrease in non-esterified fatty acid. In liver perfusion, neither the glucose uptake nor insulin extraction by the whole liver of icteric rats was different from the control. The increased rate of glucose removal in IVGTT may be due to enhanced glucose utilization by peripheral tissues resulting from hypersecretion of insulin. In liver perfusate supplemented with glucose, a decrease in the glucose uptake per unit liver weight was observed in relation to the lowered glucokinase activity. Formation of glycogen from glucose and of glucose from lactate was also impaired, indicating inhibition of the gluconeogenic system or relative hyperfunction of the glycolytic system, which may further contribute to the reduction in glycogen content. These metabolic disorders correlated well with the changes in activities of key carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes, which showed a characteristic pattern consistent with the loss of differentiated hepatic functions. Uptake of glucose and its conversion to glycogen were reduced in the cholestatic liver in close association with altered activities of some of related enzymes. However, due to increased utilization by the peripheral tissues, the total amount of glucose utilized in the whole rat was not reduced.
Developmental neurotoxicity of propylthiouracil in rats
Petersen, Marta Axelstad; Hansen, Pernille Reimer; Christiansen, Sofie
. The overall aim was to provide detailed knowledge on the relationship between effects on thyroid hormone levels and long-lasting developmental neurotoxicity effects. Groups of 16–18 pregnant rats (HanTac:WH) were dosed with PTU (0, 0.8, 1.6 or 2.4 mg/(kg day)) from gestation day 7 to postnatal day (PND) 16...... behaviour and hearing function. This supports that exposure to TDC's in general may cause long-lasting developmental neurotoxicity....
Cocaine and "pharmacological kindling" in the rat.
Stripling, J S
The concept of "pharmacological kindling" has been used to explain the behavioral sensitization to cocaine produced by repeated administration of subconvulsive doses. This idea was tested by the repeated administration of cocaine to rats followed by electrical kindling of the olfactory bulb (a site at which cocaine has prominent electrophysiologic effects). No significant effect of cocaine on kindling was found. The relationship of this finding to studies using other drugs is discussed.
Foss, W; Krechniak, J
The dynamics of absorption, distribution, biotransformation, and excretion of propoxur in rat was studied. The animals were given single doses of propoxur: a) 5 mg/kg intravenously (i.v.), b) 5 mg/kg 14-C labelled compound (1.5 muCi) intravenously, c) 50 mg/kg orally. The concentrations of propoxur and its metabolite 2-isopropoxyphenol were determined in blood, liver, kidneys, brain and urine. Pharmacokinetic data concerning absorption, distribution and excretion were calculated.
Proteomic profiling of the rat hypothalamus
Pedroso Amanda P
Full Text Available Abstract Background The hypothalamus plays a pivotal role in numerous mechanisms highly relevant to the maintenance of body homeostasis, such as the control of food intake and energy expenditure. Impairment of these mechanisms has been associated with the metabolic disturbances involved in the pathogenesis of obesity. Since rodent species constitute important models for metabolism studies and the rat hypothalamus is poorly characterized by proteomic strategies, we performed experiments aimed at constructing a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE profile of rat hypothalamus proteins. Results As a first step, we established the best conditions for tissue collection and protein extraction, quantification and separation. The extraction buffer composition selected for proteome characterization of rat hypothalamus was urea 7 M, thiourea 2 M, CHAPS 4%, Triton X-100 0.5%, followed by a precipitation step with chloroform/methanol. Two-dimensional (2-D gels of hypothalamic extracts from four-month-old rats were analyzed; the protein spots were digested and identified by using tandem mass spectrometry and database query using the protein search engine MASCOT. Eighty-six hypothalamic proteins were identified, the majority of which were classified as participating in metabolic processes, consistent with the finding of a large number of proteins with catalytic activity. Genes encoding proteins identified in this study have been related to obesity development. Conclusion The present results indicate that the 2-DE technique will be useful for nutritional studies focusing on hypothalamic proteins. The data presented herein will serve as a reference database for studies testing the effects of dietary manipulations on hypothalamic proteome. We trust that these experiments will lead to important knowledge on protein targets of nutritional variables potentially able to affect the complex central nervous system control of energy homeostasis.
Oral gavage in rats: animal welfare evaluation.
Turner, Patricia V; Vaughn, Elizabeth; Sunohara-Neilson, Janet; Ovari, Jelena; Leri, Francesco
The effect of chronic daily orogastric gavage with water (5 mL/kg) on behavior and physiology was evaluated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Treatment groups included: unmanipulated control, restraint control, dry gavage, and gavage, with all rats singly housed (n = 9 or 10 per group). In addition, a group of pair-housed rats (n = 18) was included to determine whether social housing affected response to gavage. Weekly body weights and food consumption were recorded as well as use of a nylon chew toy for enrichment. Feces were collected biweekly at the end of the light and dark phases for fecal corticoid metabolite determinations. After 28 d of treatment, animals underwent conditioned place preference testing to evaluate sensitivity to motivational properties of the anxiolytic drug chlordiazepoxide (5.6 mg/kg SC). Brain and paired adrenal gland weights were collected at necropsy. Week 2 total fecal corticosterone levels were elevated in all groups and attributed to a fire alarm accidentally tripped during building renovations. No differences occurred in body weight or food consumption between any groups. All groups used a nylon chew toy given for enrichment and demonstrated mild preference for the drug-associated chamber. Fecal weights and corticoid metabolite levels were similar between all groups at week 4 and showed normal diurnal variation. No biologically significant variations were noted in brain or paired adrenal gland to body weight ratios. We conclude that orogastric gavage of aqueous solutions at 5 mL/kg does not negatively affect the welfare of laboratory rats acclimated to handling.
Attention and stimulus processing in the rat.
Muir, J L
There is little doubt that rats are an essential species in laboratory testing. Given the substantial amount of anatomical and pharmacological information which is available for this species, rats are the animal of choice for many initial neurobiological investigations of the basic mechanisms of learning and memory as well as for pharmacological screening. Indeed, the study of brain-behaviour interactions is greatly facilitated in the rat given the ease with which brain transmitter systems and structures can be selectively manipulated, in contrast to the technical difficulties involved in undertaking such techniques in non-human primates. However, when considering the processing of information that occurs during cognitive processes such as learning and memory it is important to remember that fundamental to such processes are mechanisms of attention. When considering the concept of attentional functioning, it is important to keep in mind that attention is not a unitary construct but consists of several distinct mechanisms: vigilance, divided attention and selective attention, not all of which have been adequately modelled in the rat. Furthermore, attentional processes are also involved in learning operant discrimination tasks and appear to be quite different from those involved in maintaining high levels of trained performance. Consideration of discrimination learning is important given that firstly, during such learning the animal must select from the environment those stimuli which are relevant and secondly, that this type of learning is obviously inherent in many other tests used to assess cognitive function, such as delayed matching-to-sample procedures. Such issues will therefore form the basis of the following discussion.
Autoradiographic studies of the rat renotropic system.
Castillo, O; Robertson, D; Goldin, H; Preuss, H G
Rat sera, 10-30 h after unilateral nephrectomy (UNI), enhance 3H-thymidine ("3H-Tdr) incorporation into DNA of incubating renal tissue from control rats. Stimulation is even greater when extracts from remaining growing kidneys 20 h after UNI are combined with sera from rats after UNI. UNI extracts, i.e., extracts from the kidney remaining after uninephrectomy, are nonstimulatory alone. UNI sera and UNI sera plus UNI extracts could theoretically augment 3H-Tdr incorporation into renal DNA via dilutional means rather than enhanced DNA synthesis. To determine if our results were secondary to enhanced DNA synthesis, we performed our in vitro assay using the labelling of nuclei via autoradiography as another index. The addition of UNI sera compared to sera from sham-operated rats (SHAM) in seven paired experiments enhanced incorporation of 3H-Tdr into DNA by 30% (p less than 0.02) and the addition of both UNI sera and UNI extracts compared to SHAM sera and SHAM extracts enhanced incorporation by 48% (p less than 0.001). Unlike a dilutional effect, nuclear labelling also increased in these same seven experiments: UNI sera versus SHAM sera increased 25% (p less than 0.05) and UNI sera + UNI extracts versus SHAM sera + SHAM extracts increased 37% (p less than 0.01). We conclude that UNI sera and UNI sera + UNI extracts enhance 3H-Tdr incorporation into DNA by augmenting DNA synthesis, driving cells into the "S" phase. The use of 3H-Tdr incorporation into DNA in our assay does estimate DNA synthesis.
Ultrasonic Vocalizations by Adult Rats (Rattus norvegicus)
begun. Diazepam , chlordiazepoxide , morphine, or naloxone was administered I.P. prior to placing the rat in the tailshock apparatus. Four different...by chlordiazepoxide and diazepam . Drug Dev. Res., 5, 185-193 (1985). Gardner, C.R., and Budhram, P. Effects of agents which interact with central... diazepam , and chlorpromazine, attenuate these vocalizations. Recent work by Kaltwasser (1990) examined the occurrence of vocalizations in response to
Characterizing a Rat Brca2 Knockout Model
this treatment (Figure 2b). Aspermatogenesis Meiosis in Brca2/ rats proceeds normally through leptotene and early zygotene (Figure 3a) with 40...Zygotene Late Zygotene Scp3Scp3 Scp3 Scp3 Scp1 CREST CRESTCREST Merge a b Figure 3 (a) Meiosis in Brca2/ spermatocytes does not progress beyond late...control of noncrossover and crossover recombination during meiosis . Cell 106: 47–57. Barlow C, Liyanage M, Moens PB, Tarsounas M, Nagashima K, Brown K
A model of subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats
Liao-liaoLI; Xiao-liangWANG
AIM: To build a simple and repeatable animal model of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS: SAH was introduced by passing a nylon thread up through the right internal carotid artery and piercing a hone in the right anterior cerebral artery. At 12 and 24 h, the rats were evaluated with rotarod test and the behavior scale (5-point scale). RESULTS: The ratswere trained through rotarod test and then randomly divided into
Experimental model to induce obesity in rats
von Diemen,Vinicius; Trindade, Eduardo Neubarth; Trindade, Manoel Roberto Maciel
The etiology of obesity is multifactorial and is becoming a problem of public health, due to its increased prevalence and the consequent repercussion of its comorbidities on the health of the population. The great similarity and homology between the genomes of rodents and humans make these animal models a major tool to study conditions affecting humans, which can be simulated in rats. Obesity can be induced in animals by neuroendocrine, dietary or genetic changes. The most widely used models ...
Pharmacokinetics of Tyrosol Metabolites in Rats
Da-Hye Lee; Yang-Ji Kim; Min Jung Kim; Jiyun Ahn; Tae-Youl Ha; Sang Hee Lee; Young Jin Jang; Chang Hwa Jung
Tyrosol is considered a potential antioxidant; however, little is known regarding the pharmacokinetics of its metabolites. To study the pharmacokinetics of tyrosol-derived metabolites after oral administration of a single dose of tyrosol, we attempted to identify tyrosol metabolites in rat plasma by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Two tyrosol metabolites (M1 and M2) were detected in the plasma. M1 was identified as...
Integration of the Rat Recombination and EST Maps in the Rat Genomic Sequence and Comparative Mapping Analysis With the Mouse Genome
Wilder, Steven P.; Bihoreau, Marie-Thérèse; Argoud, Karène; Watanabe, Takeshi K.; Lathrop, Mark; Gauguier, Dominique
Inbred strains of the laboratory rat are widely used for identifying genetic regions involved in the control of complex quantitative phenotypes of biomedical importance. The draft genomic sequence of the rat now provides essential information for annotating rat quantitative trait locus (QTL) maps. Following the survey of unique rat microsatellite (11,585 including 1648 new markers) and EST (10,067) markers currently available, we have incorporated a selection of 7952 rat EST sequences in an i...
Resveratrol Pretreatment Ameliorates TNBS Colitis in Rats.
Yildiz, Gulserap; Yildiz, Yuksel; Ulutas, Pinar A; Yaylali, Asl; Ural, Muruvvet
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic intestinal inflammatory disease in humans constituting a major health concern today whose prevalence has been increasing over the world. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and disturbed capacity of antioxidant defense in IBD subjects have been reported. Antioxidants may play a significant role in IBD treatment. This study aimed at evaluating ameliorative effects of intraperitoneal resveratrol pretreatment on trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in rats. Thirty five Wistar-Albino female rats were divided equally into five groups. Inflammation was induced by the intrarectal administration of TNBS under anesthesia. Intraperitoneal administration of resveratrol (RSV) at a concentration of 10mg/kg/day for 5 days before the induction of colitis significantly reduced microscopy score and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH Px) activity compared to TNBS and vehicle groups. Also an insignificant increase in catalase (CAT) activity was observed in the RSV treated group compared to TNBS and vehicle groups. In this paper, the most recent patent on the identification and treatment of IBD was indicated. In conclusion, antioxidant RSV proved to have a beneficial effect on TNBS colitis in rats. In light of these advantageous results, the RSV can be considered as adjuvant agent in IBD treatments.
Solcoseryl stimulates behavioural activity of rats.
Braszko, J J; Winnicka, M M; Wiśniewski, K
The influence of Solcoseryl (S), a protein-free extract of calves' blood given intraperitoneally (i.p.) on the behavioural measures of activity of the central nervous system of male Wistar rats was examined. The drug (1.0 ml/kg i.p.) given 60 min before testing the animals in electromagnetic motimeter significantly enhanced overall and vertical motility of rats. S at the doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 ml/kg did not significantly influence the activity of rats in "open field". 1.0 ml/kg of S given 15, 45 and 60 min before thiopental (30 mg/kg i.p.) did not change the onset and time of sleep following the latter drug, except for the significant shortening of the time of sleep of animals injected with S 15 min before thiopental. S at the dose of 1.0 ml/kg did not change stereotypies produced by apomorphine (2.0 mg/kg i.p.) and amphetamine (6.5 mg/kg i.p.) but decreased intensity of haloperidol (1.0 mg/kg i.p.) catalepsy.
Clopidogrel delays gastric ulcer healing in rats.
Luo, Jiing-Chyuan; Huo, Teh-Ia; Hou, Ming-Chih; Lin, Hsiao-Yi; Li, Chung-Pin; Lin, Han-Chieh; Chang, Full-Young; Lee, Fa-Yauh
Clopidogrel is not safe enough for the gastric mucosa in patients with high risk of peptic ulcer. This study aimed to explore if clopidogrel delays gastric ulcer healing and elucidate the involved mechanisms. Gastric ulcer was induced in rats and the ulcer size, mucosal epithelial cell proliferation of the ulcer margin, expression of growth factors [epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor] and their receptors, and signal transduction pathways for cell proliferation were measured and compared between the clopidogrel-treated group and untreated controls. For the in vitro part, rat gastric mucosal epithelial cell line (RGM-1 cells) was used to establish EGF receptor over-expressed cells. Cell proliferation and molecular change under EGF treatment (10ng/ml) with and without clopidogrel (10(-6)M) were demonstrated. Ulcer size was significantly larger in the clopidogrel-treated group compared to the control and mucosal epithelial cell proliferation of the ulcer margin was significantly decreased in the clopidogrel-treated group (Pulcer-induced gastric epithelial cell proliferation and ulcer-stimulated expressions of EGF receptor and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (PERK) at the ulcer margin (Pgastric ulcer healing in rats via inhibiting gastric epithelial cell proliferation, at least by inhibition of the EGF receptor-ERK signal transduction pathway.
Effects of Metallothionein on Isolated Rat Heart
SUN Zhongdong; XIA Jiahong; DONG Nianguo; DU Xinling; CHI Yifan; YANG Tienan; YANG Chenyuan
To investigate the effects of metallothionein (MT) on isolated rat heart, 16 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups. In control group (group C), distilled water was injected intraperitoneally and 24 h later isolated hearts were perfused with Langendorff and stored at 4℃ for 3 h with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solutions, and then isolated hearts were perfused for 2 h by Langendorff. In experimental group (group E), 3.6% ZnSO4 was injected intraperitoneally, 24 h later isolated hearts were perfused by Langendorff and stored at 4℃ for 3 h with HTK solutions, and then the isolated herts were perfused for 2 h with Langendorff. MT content, the recovery of hemodynamics, myocardial water content (MWC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) leakage, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, myocardial cell Ca2+ content, Ca2+-ATPase activity of mitochondria ([Ca2+-ATPase]m) and its Ca2+ content ([Ca2+]m), synthesizing ATP activity of mitochondria ([ATP]m), and the ultrastructure of cells were examined. There were a significant increase in group E in hemodynamic recovery, ATP content, SOD activity, [Ca2+-ATPase]m activity, [ATP]m activity, and substantial reduction in MWC, LDH and CK leakage, MDA content, myocardial cell Ca2+ content, [Ca2+]m content,and the ultrastructural injury were obviously milder than that of group C. This study demonstrated that MT has protective effects on isolated rat heart.
Growth hormone aggregates in the rat adenohypophysis
Farrington, M.; Hymer, W. C.
Although it has been known for some time that GH aggregates are contained within the rat anterior pituitary gland, the role that they might play in pituitary function is unknown. The present study examines this issue using the technique of Western blotting, which permitted visualization of 11 GH variants with apparent mol wt ranging from 14-88K. Electroelution of the higher mol wt variants from gels followed by their chemical reduction with beta-mercaptoethanol increased GH immunoassayability by about 5-fold. With the blot procedure we found 1) that GH aggregates greater than 44K were associated with a 40,000 x g sedimentable fraction; 2) that GH aggregates were not present in glands from thyroidectomized rats, but were in glands from the thyroidectomized rats injected with T4; 3) that GH aggregates were uniquely associated with a heavily granulated somatotroph subpopulation isolated by density gradient centrifugation; and 4) that high mol wt GH forms were released from the dense somatotrophs in culture, since treatment of the culture medium with beta-mercaptoethanol increased GH immunoassayability by about 5-fold. Taken together, the results show that high mol wt GH aggregates are contained in secretory granules of certain somatotrophs and are also released in aggregate form from these cells in vitro.
Vascularized tail bone grafts in rats.
Sempuku, T; Tamai, S; Mizumoto, S; Yajima, H
A new experimental model for vascularized corticocancellous bone grafts was established by investigation of vascular anatomy of the tail in 15 adult Fischer 344 rats and determination of the viability of vascularized tail bone grafts into the abdominal wall in 22 7-week-old rats. The tail bones of 40 rats were then raised on the pedicle of the caudal artery and its venae comitantes, transferred to a resected portion in the femur, and observed for 16 weeks. The vascularized graft showed marked reactive periosteal bone formation during the first and second weeks following transfer, and thereafter, the graft continued to show active bone formation. In transverse section, the sharp processes became rounded. In the cancellous bone, both bone resorption and bone formation were noticeably activated early after transfer, although resorption predominated and the amount of the cancellous bone consequently diminished. The nonvascularized grafts showed "creeping substitution." The results suggest that morphologic adaptation occurs if living (i.e., vascularized) tail bones are transferred to long-bone femurs.
Postprandial hemodynamics in the conscious rat
Anzueto Hernandez, L.; Kvietys, P.R.; Granger, D.N.
The postprandial intestinal hyperemia was studied in conscious and anesthetized rats using the radioactive microsphere technique. Carbohydrate, protein, lipid, and mixed meals, and the vehicle (Tyrode's solution), were placed in the stomach via a gastrostomy tube. In conscious rats, blood flow increased by 40-80% in the duodenum and jejunum 1 h after either a carbohydrate, lipid, protein, or mixed meal. Tyrode's solution produced a comparable hyperemia. Blood flow in the distal bowel segments (ileum, cecum, and colon) was significantly increased only by Tyrode's solution and the carbohydrate meal. The proximal intestinal hyperemia produced by the mixed meal in conscious animals was significantly attenuated by vagotomy yet unaltered by atropine pretreatment. In contrast to the results obtained from conscious rats, the mixed meal did not significantly alter intestinal blood flow in anesthetized animals. The results of this study indicate that the postprandial intestinal hyperemia is much greater in conscious than anesthetized animals. This difference may result from the higher resting blood flows in the latter group. The hyperemic response in conscious animals may be mediated by the vagus nerve.
Forced swim test behavior in postpartum rats.
Craft, R M; Kostick, M L; Rogers, J A; White, C L; Tsutsui, K T
This study was undertaken to determine whether depression-like behavior can be observed in gonadally intact females that have experienced normal pregnancy. When tested on the forced swim test (FST) on postpartum days 1-7, previously pregnant rats spent slightly more time immobile, significantly less time swimming and diving, and defecated more than virgin controls. Subchronic treatment with nomifensine (DA reuptake inhibitor, 2.5mg/kg) but not sertraline (serotonin reuptake inhibitor, 10mg/kg) or desipramine (norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, 10mg/kg) significantly decreased immobility on postpartum day 2. In rats pre-exposed to the FST in mid-pregnancy, neither subchronic nor chronic treatment with desipramine or sertraline decreased immobility on postpartum day 2; in contrast, chronic desipramine significantly decreased immobility in virgin controls. These results indicate that postpartum female rats, compared to virgin controls, show a reduction in some "active coping behaviors" but no significant increase in immobility when tested during the early postpartum period, unlike ovariectomized females that have undergone hormone-simulated pregnancy (HSP). Additionally, immobility that is increased by FST pre-exposure is not readily prevented by treatment with standard antidepressant medications in postpartum females. Depression-like behaviors previously observed in females that have undergone HSP may result from the more dramatic changes in estradiol, prolactin or corticosterone that occur during the early "postpartum" period, compared to the more subtle changes in these hormones that occur in actual postpartum females. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Chronopharmacokinetics of puerarin in diabetic rats
C T Zhang
Full Text Available Puerarin injection has been widely used for clinic treatment of diabetes recently. To assess the relationship between the administration time of puerarin and the blood concentration of puerarin as well as its pharmacokinetic parameters, the diabetic rat model was used in current study. The rats were randomly divided into morning and evening groups according to the administration time. After the puerarin injection, blood glucose was tested in order to know whether the efficiency of puerarin was influenced by its concentration and pharmacokinetic parameters. Our results show that the average concentration of puerarin in the evening group is significantly higher than that in the morning group. The numbers of t 1/2α, t 1/2β, CL and AUC (0-∞ are significantly different between the morning and evening groups. The blood glucose level in the evening group was lower than that in the morning group. The speed of its onset is higher and the blood glucose level declines much more significantly in the evening group. These findings suggest that the concentration and pharmacokinetic parameters of puerarin affect its efficiency in diabetic rats. Therefore, it might be better to give puerarin in evening than in the morning for the mellitus treatment.
Anandamide mediates cognitive judgement bias in rats.
Kregiel, J; Malek, N; Popik, P; Starowicz, K; Rygula, R
In the present study, we investigated the effects of acute pharmacological manipulation of the endocannabinoid (EC) system on the valence of cognitive judgement bias of rats in the ambiguous-cue interpretation (ACI) paradigm. To accomplish this goal, after initial behavioural training, different groups of rats received single, systemic injections of the irreversible anandamide (AEA) hydrolysis inhibitor URB597, the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) inverse agonist AM251, the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) inverse agonist AM630, the combination of URB597 and AM251, and a combination of URB597 and AM630 and were subsequently tested with the ACI paradigm. We report that URB597 at a dose of 1 mg/kg significantly biased animals towards positive interpretation of the ambiguous cue and that this effect was abolished by pre-treatment with AM251 (1 mg/kg) or AM630 (1 mg/kg). The CB1 and CB2 inverse agonists administered alone (1 mg/kg) had no statistically significant effects on the interpretation of the ambiguous cue by rats. Our findings suggest involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the mediation of optimistic judgement bias.
Effects of optimism on motivation in rats.
Rygula, Rafal; Golebiowska, Joanna; Kregiel, Jakub; Kubik, Jakub; Popik, Piotr
In humans, optimism is a cognitive construct related to motivation; optimists exert effort, whereas pessimists disengage from effort. In this study, using a recently developed ambiguous-cue interpretation (ACI) paradigm we took the unique opportunity to investigate whether "optimism" as a trait is correlated with motivation in rodents. In a series of ACI tests (cognitive bias screening, CBS), we identified rats displaying "pessimistic" and "optimistic" traits. Subsequently, we investigated the trait differences in the motivation of these rats to gain reward and to avoid punishment using a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement paradigm. Although "optimistic" and "pessimistic" animals did not differ in their motivation to avoid punishment, the "optimistic" rats were significantly more motivated to gain reward than their "pessimistic" conspecifics. For the first time, we showed an association between cognitive judgment bias and motivation in an animal model. Because both investigated processes are closely related to mental health and wellbeing, our results may be valuable for preclinical modeling of many psychiatric disorders.
Rat Model of Parkes Weber Syndrome.
Krzysztof Bojakowski
Full Text Available The Parkes Weber syndrome is a congenital vascular malformation, characterized by varicose veins, arterio-venous fistulas and overgrown limbs. No broadly accepted animal model of Parkes Weber syndrome has been described. We created side-to-side arterio-venous fistula between common femoral vessels with proximal non-absorbable ligature on common femoral vein limiting the enlargement of the vein diameter in Wistar rats. Contralateral limb was sham operated. Invasive blood pressure measurements in both iliac and inferior cava veins were performed in rats 30 days after fistula creation. Tight circumference and femoral bone length were measured. Histopathology and morphology of soleus muscle, extensor digitorum longus muscle, and the common femoral vessel were analyzed. 30 days following arterio-venous fistula creation, a statistically significant elevation of blood pressure in common iliac vein and limb overgrowth was observed. Limb enlargement was caused by muscle overgrowth, varicose veins formation and bone elongation. Arterio-venous fistula with proximal outflow limitation led to significant increase of femoral vein circumference and venous wall thickness. Our study indicates that the described rat model mimics major clinical features characteristic for the human Parkes Weber syndrome: presence of arterio-venous fistula, venous hypertension and dilatation, varicose veins formation, and the limb hypertrophy. We reveal that limb overgrowth is caused by bone elongation, muscle hypertrophy, and venous dilatation. The newly established model will permit detailed studies on the mechanisms underlying the disease and on the efficacy of novel therapeutic strategies for the Parkes Weber syndrome treatment.
Arsenic-cadmium interaction in rats.
Díaz-Barriga, F; Llamas, E; Mejía, J J; Carrizales, L; Santoyo, M E; Vega-Vega, L; Yáñez, L
Simultaneous exposure to cadmium and arsenic is highly probable in the urban area of San Luis Potosi, Mexico due to common localization of copper and zinc smelters. Therefore, in this work, rats were intraperitoneally exposed either to cadmium or arsenic alone, or simultaneously to both metals. The effects of these treatments on three different toxicological parameters were studied. Cadmium modified the LD50 of arsenic and conversely arsenic modified the LD50 for cadmium. At the histopathological level, arsenic appeared to protect against the cadmium effects, especially on testes. This protective effect seemed to be related to the glutathione levels found in this tissue: rats exposed to both arsenic and cadmium, presented glutathione values intermediate to those observed after exposure to either metal alone; arsenic had the highest value and cadmium the lowest. In liver, rats exposed to arsenic, cadmium or arsenic and cadmium, presented glutathione values below those in the saline group, with the lowest value corresponding to the arsenic and cadmium treatment. The results appear to support the proposed interaction between arsenic and cadmium and coexposure to both metals seems to alter certain effects produced by either metal alone.
Effects of optimism on motivation in rats
Rafal eRygula
Full Text Available In humans, optimism is a cognitive construct related to motivation; optimists exert effort, whereas pessimists disengage from effort. In this study, using a recently developed ambiguous-cue interpretation (ACI paradigm we took the unique opportunity to investigate whether 'optimism' as a trait is correlated with motivation in rodents. In a series of ACI tests (cognitive bias screening, CBS, we identified rats displaying 'pessimistic' and 'optimistic' traits. Subsequently, we investigated the trait differences in the motivation of these rats to gain reward and to avoid punishment using a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement paradigm. Although 'optimistic' and 'pessimistic' animals did not differ in their motivation to avoid punishment, the 'optimistic' rats were significantly more motivated to gain reward than their 'pessimistic' conspecifics. For the first time, we showed an association between cognitive judgment bias and motivation in an animal model. Because both investigated processes are closely related to mental health and wellbeing, our results may be valuable for preclinical modeling of many psychiatric disorders.
Obesity-resistant S5B rats showed great cocaine conditioned place preference than the obesity-prone OM rats
Thanos, P.K.; Wang, G.; Thanos, P.K..; Kim, R.; Cho, J.; Michaelides, M.; Anderson, B.J.; Primeaux, S.D.; Bray, G.A.; Wang, G.-J.; Robinson, J.K.; Volkow, N.D.
Dopamine (DA) and the DA D2 receptor (D2R) are involved in the rewarding and conditioned responses to food and drug rewards. Osborne-Mendel (OM) rats are genetically prone and S5B/P rats are genetically resistant to obesity when fed a high-fat diet. We hypothesized that the differential sensitivity of these two rat strains to natural rewards may also be reflected in sensitivity to drugs of abuse. Therefore, we tested whether OM and S5B/P rats showed a differential preference to cocaine using conditioned place preference (CPP). To also evaluate whether there is specific involvement of the D2R in this differential conditioning sensitivity, we then tested whether the D2R agonist bromocriptine (BC) would differentially affect the effects of cocaine in the two strains. OM and S5B/P rats were conditioned with cocaine (5 or 10 mg/kg) in one chamber and saline in another for 8 days. Rats were then tested for cocaine preference. The effects of BC (0.5, 1, 5, 10, 20 mg/kg) on cocaine preference were then assessed in subsequent test sessions. OM rats did not show a significant preference for the cocaine-paired chamber on test day. Only the S5B/P rats showed cocaine CPP. Later treatment with only the highest dose of BC resulted in reduced cocaine CPP in S5B/P rats when treated with 5 mg/kg cocaine and in OM rats treated with 10 mg/kg cocaine. Our results indicated that obesity-resistant S5B rats showed greater cocaine CPP than the obesity-prone OM rats. These findings do not support a theory of common vulnerability for reinforcer preferences (food and cocaine). However, they show that BC reduced cocaine conditioning effects supporting at least a partial regulatory role of D2R in conditioned responses to drugs.
Strain differences in toxic effects of long-lasting isoflurane anaesthesia between Wistar rats and Sprague Dawley rats.
Siller-Matula, J M; Jilma, B
We investigated if long-lasting (5 h) anaesthesia with isoflurane has different pharmacological effects in two different rat strains: Wistar and Sprague Dawley. The mean blood pressure was 34% higher in Sprague Dawley rats as compared to the Wistar rats (p = 0.04). In Wistar rats, the pH value decreased to 7.1, lactate increased by 53%, creatinine increased 2.7-fold, alanine amino transferase and aspartate amino transferase increased more than 4-fold and lactate dehydrogenase increased 9-fold (p ketamin/xylazine in the described study design.
Differential expression of parvalbumin interneurons in neonatal phencyclidine treated rats and socially isolated rats
Kaalund, Sanne Simone; Riise, Jesper; Broberg, Brian
of parvalbumin-positive interneurons (PV(+) interneurons). In this study we examined PV(+) expression in two rat models of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia, the environmental social isolation (SI) and pharmacological neonatal phencyclidine (neoPCP) models. Using a stereological method, the optical...... cells (p = 0.024) in the mPFC of neonatal phencyclidine rats. We observed no alterations in the total number of neurons, hippocampal PV(+) interneurons, parvalbumin mRNA expression or volume of the mPFC or HPC in the two models. Thus, as the total number of neurons remains unchanged following...
Changes in intracellular calcium in brain cells of aged rats
Yu Li; Yunpeng Cao
BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that voltage-dependent calcium influx, and enhancement of certain calcium-dependent processes in neurons, is related to aging. OBJECTIVE: To observe changes in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) in neurons of aged rats, and to compare with young rats. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A randomized control experiment of neurophysiology was performed at the Central Laboratory of School of Pharmaceutical Science, China Medical University from June to August 2004. MATERIALS: Ten male, healthy, Wistar rats, 19 months old, were selected for the aged group. Ten male, 3-month-old, Wistar rats were selected for the young control group. Fura-2/AM was provided by the Institute of Pharmaceutical Research of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and the F-2000 fluorospectrophotometer was a product of Hitachi, Japan. METHODS: Fluorescence Fura-2 spectrophotometer was used to measure [Ca2+]i in acutely dissociated brain cells of aged and young rats. The concentration of extracellular potassium was controlled by adding different volumes of chloridated potassium solution of high concentration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: [Ca2+]i in neurons of young and aged rats in the presence of 1 mmol/L extracellular calcium concentration and 0 mmol/L (resting state), 5, 10, 20, and 40 mmol/L extracellular potassium. Absolute increase of [Ca2+]i in neurons of young and aged rats when extraceUular potassium was 5,10,20, 40 mmol/L. RESULTS: In the presence of 1 mmol/L extracellular Ca2+ and 0 mmol/L (resting state), 5, 10, 20, and 40 mmol/L extracellular potassium, [Ca2+]i in the neurons of aged rats was significantly less than that in young rats (P 0.05). CONCLUSION: The overload of [Ca2+]i in neurons of aged rats is greater than that of young rats under the same circumstances.
Inhibition of thromboxane synthesis attenuates insulin hypertension in rats.
Keen, H L; Brands, M W; Smith, M J; Shek, E W; Hall, J E
Chronic insulin infusion in rats increases mean arterial pressure (MAP) and reduces glomerular filtration rate (GFR), but the mechanisms for these actions are not known. This study tested whether thromboxane synthesis inhibition (TSI) would attenuate the renal and blood pressure responses to sustained hyperinsulinemia. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were instrumented with arterial and venous catheters, and MAP was measured 24 h/day. After 4 days of baseline measurements, endogenous synthesis of thromboxane was suppressed in 7 rats by infusing the thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, U63557A, intravenously (30 microg/kg/min) for the remainder of the experiment; 7 other rats received vehicle. Baseline MAP was not significantly different between vehicle and TSI rats (96 +/- 1 v 99 +/- 1 mm Hg). After 3 days of U63557A or vehicle, a 5-day control period was started, followed by a 7-day infusion of insulin (1.5 mU/kg/min, intravenously). Glucose (22 mg/kg/min, intravenously) was infused along with insulin to prevent hypoglycemia. In the control period, MAP was not different between vehicle and TSI rats (99 +/- 2 v 100 +/- 1 mm Hg), but MAP increased throughout the 7-day infusion period only in the vehicle rats with an average increase in blood pressure of 7 +/- 2 mm Hg. In the control period, GFR was lower in vehicle rats compared with TSI rats (2.5 +/- 0.1 v 3.1 +/- 0.2 mL/min, P = .06), and the decrease to 81% +/- 4% and 91% +/- 6% of control, respectively, during insulin was significant only in the vehicle rats. All variables returned toward control during a 6-day recovery period. These results suggest that full expression of hypertension and renal vasoconstriction during hyperinsulinemia in rats is dependent on a normal ability to synthesize thromboxane.
[Pathologic changes of spontaneous tumors in Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats].
He, Y N; Zhang, S C; Zhang, H M
Objective: To investigate the spontaneous neoplastic lesions and their incidences in Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Wistar rats, and to accumulate background data for carcinogenicity studies. Methods: One hundred and eighty SD rats and 240 Wistar rats (4-week old) , half in each sex, were used in this study. The rats were housed routinely under specific pathogen-free environment and euthanized after 104 weeks. Histopathological examination was undertaken for all animals including deaths and scheduled euthanasia. The types and incidences of spontaneous tumors were gathered statistically. Results: Total 411 rats (176 SD rats and 235 Wistar rats) were examined in this study. The total tumor incidence of the 411 rats was 57.7%(237/411). The total tumor incidence in SD rats was 55.7%(98/176), benign tumor incidence was 48.9%(86/176) and malignant tumor incidence was 15.9%(28/176). The total tumor incidence in Wistar rats was 59.1%(139/235), benign tumor incidence was 51.5%(121/235) and malignant tumor incidence was 14.5%(34/235). The main benign tumors were pituitary adenoma (23.3% in SD rats, 12.3% in Wistar rats), breast fibroadenoma (21.3% in SD rats, 12.9% in Wistar rats) and breast adenoma (16.9% in SD rats, 9.5% in Wistar rats) in females; testis Leydig cell tumor (0 in SD rats, 14.3% in Wistar rats) in males. The main malignant tumors were breast carcinoma (10.1% in SD rats, 3.4% in Wistar rats) and uterine leiomyosarcoma (0 in SD rats, 2.6% in Wistar rats) in females; squamous cell carcinoma of skin (2.3% in SD rats, 0.9% in Wistar rats); subcutaneous fibrosarcoma (1.1% in SD rats, 2.1% in Wistar rats); brain malignant glioma (1.1% in SD rats, 1.7% in Wistar rats). Conclusions: In the study, a high incidence of spontaneous tumors is reported in both SD and Wistar rats housed for 2 years. The incidence of benign tumors is higher than that of malignant rumors. The benign tumors mainly are pituitary adenoma, breast fibroadenoma and breast adenoma in females, and testis
Isoproterenol effects evaluated in heart slices of human and rat in comparison to rat heart in vivo
Herrmann, Julia E.; Heale, Jason; Bieraugel, Mike; Ramos, Meg [Drug Safety Evaluation, Allergan Inc., 2525 Dupont Dr, Irvine, CA 92612 (United States); Fisher, Robyn L. [Vitron Inc., Tucson, AZ (United States); Vickers, Alison E.M., E-mail: email@example.com [Drug Safety Evaluation, Allergan Inc., 2525 Dupont Dr, Irvine, CA 92612 (United States)
Human response to isoproterenol induced cardiac injury was evaluated by gene and protein pathway changes in human heart slices, and compared to rat heart slices and rat heart in vivo. Isoproterenol (10 and 100 μM) altered human and rat heart slice markers of oxidative stress (ATP and GSH) at 24 h. In this in vivo rat study (0.5 mg/kg), serum troponin concentrations increased with lesion severity, minimal to mild necrosis at 24 and 48 h. In the rat and the human heart, isoproterenol altered pathways for apoptosis/necrosis, stress/energy, inflammation, and remodeling/fibrosis. The rat and human heart slices were in an apoptotic phase, while the in vivo rat heart exhibited necrosis histologically and further progression of tissue remodeling. In human heart slices genes for several heat shock 70 kD members were altered, indicative of stress to mitigate apoptosis. The stress response included alterations in energy utilization, fatty acid processing, and the up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, a marker of increased oxidative stress in both species. Inflammation markers linked with remodeling included IL-1α, Il-1β, IL-6 and TNFα in both species. Tissue remodeling changes in both species included increases in the TIMP proteins, inhibitors of matrix degradation, the gene/protein of IL-4 linked with cardiac fibrosis, and the gene Ccl7 a chemokine that induces collagen synthesis, and Reg3b a growth factor for cardiac repair. This study demonstrates that the initial human heart slice response to isoproterenol cardiac injury results in apoptosis, stress/energy status, inflammation and tissue remodeling at concentrations similar to that in rat heart slices. - Highlights: • Human response to isoproterenol induced cardiac injury evaluated in heart slices. • Isoproterenol altered apoptosis, energy, inflammation and remodeling pathways. • Human model verified by comparison to rat heart slices and rat heart in vivo. • Human and rat respond to isoproterenol
Rat fetal ventral mesencephalon grown as solid tissue cultures
Höglinger, G U; Sautter, J; Meyer, Morten;
Free-floating roller tube (FFRT) cultures of fetal rat and human nigral tissue are a means for tissue storage prior to grafting in experimental Parkinson's disease. In the present study, FFRT cultures prepared from embryonic-day-14 rat ventral mesencephalon were maintained for 4, 8, 12, or 16 days...
Thrombolytic and anticoagulation treatment in a rat embolic stroke model
Rasmussen, Rune Skovgaard; Overgaard, K; Meden, P
OBJECTIVES: The effects of pentasaccharide (PENTA), given alone or combined with thrombolysis using recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), on infarct size and clinical outcome were evaluated in a rat embolic stroke model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-two rats were embolized unilaterally...
The rat as an animal model of Alzheimer's disease
Benedikz, Eirikur; Kloskowska, Ewa; Winblad, Bengt
As a disease model, the laboratory rat has contributed enormously to neuroscience research over the years. It has also been a popular animal model for Alzheimer's disease but its popularity has diminished during the last decade, as techniques for genetic manipulation in rats have lagged behind...... as an animal model of Alzheimer's disease....
Transmission and pathogenicity of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) among rats
Spyrou, V.; Maurice, H.; Billinis, C.; Papanastassopoulou, M.; Psalla, D.; Nielen, M.; Koenen, F.; Papadopoulos, O.
Due to the probable role played by rodents as a reservoir for the transmission of the EMC virus to pigs, the experiment reported here was performed in order to assess the transmission rate of EMCV within a rat population. Twenty-five eight-week-old Wistar rats housed in individual plastic cages were
Microradiography to evaluate bone growth into a rat mandibular defect
Schortinghuis, J; Ruben, JL; Meijer, HJA; Bronckers, ALJJ; Raghoebar, GM; Stegenga, B; Schortinghuisa, Jurjen; Rubenb, Jan L.; Meijera, Henny J.A.; Bronckersc, Antonius L.J.J.; Raghoebara, Gerry M.
Microradiography has been evaluated to measure bone heating into a 5.0 mm outer diameter mandibular defect in the rat. This method provides high-resolution radiographs of the defects that can be used for an accurate measurement of bone defect heating. In 12 rats, the defect widths of 42-day-old
Avocado oils and hepatic lipid metabolism in growing rats.
Werman, M J; Neeman, I; Mokady, S
The effect of various avocado oils on liver metabolism was studied in growing female rats. The rats were fed diets containing 10% (w/w) avocado oil for 4 wk. In comparison with rats fed refined avocado oil obtained from cored fruit by centrifugal separation, rats fed unrefined avocado oil obtained by organic solvent extraction from intact fruit, or its unsaponifiable components, showed a significant increase in total liver lipogenesis as well as in phospholipid and triglceride synthesis. Rats fed avocado-seed oil exhibited enhanced [1-14C]acetate incorporation into total liver lipids but showed the same distribution of label in the three main lipid classes as that of rats fed refined avocado oil. In addition, a significant reduction of triglycerides and protein content of plasma very-low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein fractions was observed in rats fed avocado-seed oil as compared with rats fed refined oil. Electron micrographs suggested that the alterations in hepatic lipogenesis are related to the marked proliferation of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, which is known to be associated with induction of enzymes involved with lipid biosynthesis. The differences between the animals fed seed oil and those fed the unrefined oils, in the distribution of label within the main lipid classes, indicate that more than one factor is involved in the alterations caused by these oils.
A Clinically Relevant Frailty Index for Aging Rats.
Miller, Marshall G; Thangthaeng, Nopporn; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara
Frailty is a clinical syndrome that is increasingly prevalent during aging. Frailty involves the confluence of reduced strength, speed, physical activity, and endurance and is associated with adverse health outcomes. The present study adapts existing clinical and preclinical indices of frailty to the Fischer (F344) rat. Male F344 rats (n = 133; 17 mo) completed a battery of behavioral tasks, including forelimb wire suspension (strength), rotarod (speed), open field (physical activity), and inclined screen (endurance). Rats that performed poorly (lowest quintile) on two tasks were considered mildly frail (17.29%, n = 23), and rats that performed poorly on 3-4 tasks were considered frail (2.26%, n = 3). Logistic regression of 100-day survival revealed that mildly frail rats were 3.8 times and frail rats were 27.5 times more likely to die during that period than nonfrail rats (p = .038; 95% confidence interval: 2.030, 372.564). The selected criterion tests, cutoff points, and index provide a potential tool for identifying frailty in aged F344 rats, which is consistent with existing frailty indices for humans and mice. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.
Interaction of late pregnancy and lactation in rats
Koiter, TR; Moes, H; Valkhof, N; Wijkstra, S
The effect of pregnancy on lactation was studied during the third week of lactational pregnancy in postpartum pregnant rats with a delay in implantation of only 1 day (1d-LP rats). In an experimental design in which the suckling litter was prevented from consuming solid food, lactational performance
Using Giant African Pouched Rats ("Cricetomys Gambianus") to Detect Landmines
Poling, Alan; Weetjens, Bart J.; Cox, Christophe; Beyene, Negussie W.; Sully, Andrew
Within the past decade, giant pouched rats have been used successfully to detect landmines. This manuscript summarizes how these rats are trained and used operationally. The information provided is intended to be of practical value toward strengthening best practices in using "Cricetomys" for humanitarian purposes while simultaneously…
Small RNA expression and strain specificity in the rat
Linsen, S.E.V.; de Wit, E.; de Bruijn, E.; Cuppen, E.
BACKGROUND: Digital gene expression (DGE) profiling has become an established tool to study RNA expression. Here, we provide an in-depth analysis of small RNA DGE profiles from two different rat strains (BN-Lx and SHR) from six different rat tissues (spleen, liver, brain, testis, heart, kidney). We
Agmatine ameliorates adjuvant induced arthritis and inflammatory cachexia in rats.
Taksande, Brijesh G; Gawande, Dinesh Y; Chopde, Chandrabhan T; Umekar, Milind J; Kotagale, Nandkishor R
The present study investigated the pharmacological effect of agmatine in Complete Freud Adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis and cachexia in rats. The rats were injected with CFA (0.1ml/rat) to induced symptoms of arthritis. Day 8 onwards of CFA administration, rats were injected daily with agmatine for next 7days, and arthritis score, body weights and food intake were monitored daily (g). Since cachexia is known to produce severe inflammation, malnutrition and inhibition of albumin gene expression, we have also monitored the total proteins, albumin, TNF-α and IL-6 levels in arthritic rats and its modulation by agmatine. In the present study, CFA treated rats showed a progressive reduction in both food intake and body weight. In addition analysis of blood serum of arthritis animals showed a significant reduction in proteins and albumin and significant elevation in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and Interleukins (IL)-6. Chronic agmatine (20-40mg/kg, ip) treatment not only attenuated the signs of arthritis but also reverses anorexia and body weight loss in CFA treated rats. In addition, agmatine restored total protein and albumin and reduces TNF-α and IL-6 levels in arthritis rats. These results suggest that agmatine administration can prevent the body weights loss and symptoms of arthritis via inhibition of inflammatory cytokines.
Chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity study of erythritol in rats
Lina, B.A.R.; Bos-Kuijpers, M.H.M.; Til, H.P.; Bär, A.
The potential toxicity and carcinogenicity of erythritol, a low-calorie sugar substitute, were examined in Wistar Crl:(WI) WU BR rats. Groups of 50 rats of each sex consumed diets with 0, 2, 5, or 10% erythritol, or 10% mannitol, for a period of 104-107 weeks. To each of these main groups, two
Embryotoxicity and teratogenicity study with erythritol in rats
Smits- Prooije, A.E. van; Waalkens-Berendsen, D.H.; Bär, A.
The embryotoxicity/teratogenicity of erythritol, a low-calorie polyol sugar substitute, was examined in Wistar Crl:(WI) WU BR rats. Erythritol was fed at dietary concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5, and 10% to groups of 32 female rats from Day 0 to 21 of gestation. The treatment was generally well tolerated
Two-generation reproduction study of erythritol in rats
Waalkens-Berendsen, D.H.; Smits- Prooije, A.E. van; Wijnands, M.V.M.; Bär, A.
Erythritol was fed at dietary concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5, or 10% to Crl:(WI) WU BR rats of both sexes through two successive generations (F0 and F1). Twenty-four rats of each sex were mated in each group. For each generation one litter was reared until the pups were 21 days old. In the 10%
Cerebral blood flow response to propranolol in streptozotocin diabetic rats
Lass, Preben; Knudsen, G M
The influence of propranolol on cerebral blood flow (CBF) was tested in streptozotocin diabetic rats and in control animals. Resting CBF values were 40% lower in the diabetic rats compared with controls. Intravenous injection of propranolol (2 mg kg-1) decreased CBF significantly in the control...
Unfocused extracorporeal shock waves induce anabolic effects in osteoporotic rats
van der Jagt, Olav P.; Waarsing, Jan H.; Kops, Nicole; Schaden, Wolfgang; Jahr, Holger; Verhaar, Jan A. N.; Weinans, Harrie
Unfocused extracorporeal shock waves (UESW) have been shown to have an anabolic effect on bone mass. Therefore we investigated the effects of UESW on bone in osteoporotic rats with and without anti-resorptive treatment. Twenty-week-old rats were ovariectomized (n=27). One group was treated with sali
Renal adaptation to metabolic acidosis in senescent rats
Prasad, R.; Kinsella, J.L.; Sacktor, B. (National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD (USA))
In this study, the authors compared results obtained in senescent rats with young rats given an equivalent acid load. They examined the renal changes by giving equivalent acid loads for 48 h to both 6- and 24-mo-old rats. The basal excretion of ammonium was the same in both groups, whereas titratable acids, phosphate, and Ca{sup 2+} excretions were increased in the senescent animal. After administration of the acid load, ammonium, phosphate, Ca{sup 2+}, and titratable acid excretions increased in both age groups, but there were greater absolute increases in ammonium and titratable acid excretions in the young rats. The total acid excreted by the 24-mo rats was reduced 50 (day 1) and 25% (day 2) compared with the young rats, which was reflected by the more severe acidosis in those animals. The portion of total acid excreted as titratable acids in senescent animals was also increased during acidosis when compared with the young animals. In isolated proximal tubule brush-border membrane vesicles, acidosis increased Na{sup +}-H{sup +} exchange and decreased Na{sup +}-dependent phosphate transport in both age groups. They also found that the basal activity of the Na{sup +}-H{sup +} exchanger was not changed with age but the Na{sup +} dependent phosphate transporter was less in the 24-mo rat. The results suggest that physiological regulation of these renal processes remains intact in the aged rat but the responses may be reduced or delayed in the senescent animal.
Gabapentin prevents hyperalgesia during the formalin test in diabetic rats.
Ceseña, R M; Calcutt, N A
The anticonvulsant agent gabapentin exhibits antihyperalgesic properties in animal models of neuropathic pain. Diabetic rats display increased nocifensive behavior during the formalin test of persistent chemical irritation to the paw, suggesting the presence of abnormal pain processing mechanisms. We therefore, investigated the efficacy of gabapentin on formalin-evoked behavior in diabetic rats. Diabetic rats showed increased (P < 0.05) flinching during the normally quiescent phase of the 5.0% formalin test. Gabapentin (50 mg/kg i.p. 30 min pre-test) suppressed flinching during phases 1 and 2 of the formalin test in both control and diabetic rats but not the increased flinching of diabetic rats during the quiescent phase. When 0.5% formalin was used, diabetic rats exhibited increased flinching during both the quiescent phase and phase 2. Gabapentin was without effect in controls but suppressed (P < 0.01) the increased flinching in diabetic rats. Gabapentin displays efficacy against abnormal sensory processing in diabetic rats and may be of benefit for treating painful diabetic neuropathy.
Raloxifene effects on thyroid gland morphology in ovariectomized rats.
de Araujo, Luiz Felipe Bittencourt; Grozovsky, Renata; de Campos Pinheiro, Mônica; de Carvalho, Jorge José; Vaisman, Mário; Carvalho, Denise P
We aimed to analyze the effects of raloxifene and estrogen on thyroid gland morphology of ovariectomized rats. Raloxifene treatment led to effects similar to those of estrogen on thyroid glands from ovariectomized rats, so that both were able to normalize the changes detected after ovariectomy.
Increased Expression of Interleukin-18 in Lenses of Ovariectomized Rats.
Nagai, Noriaki; Ogata, Fumihiko; Kawasaki, Naohito; Ito, Yoshimasa
Previous studies showed an increased prevalence of cataracts in postmenopausal women. In this study, we investigated changes in the levels of calcium ion (Ca(2+)) and interleukin (IL)-18, which are factors in cataract development, in the lenses of ovariectomized (OVX) rats, a model of postmenopausal woman. Although the Ca(2+) content in the blood of OVX rats increased 1 month after ovariectomy and subsequently decreased, the Ca(2+) content in the lenses was unchanged in OVX rats 1-3 months after ovariectomy. The Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in the lenses of OVX rats peaked 1 month after ovariectomy, and the behavior of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in lenses of OVX rats was similar to that of the Ca(2+) concentration in the blood. It is possible that hypercalcemia increases the Ca(2+) inflow into the lens; however, the enhanced Ca(2+)-ATPase activity prevents the Ca(2+) level from rising. On the other hand, we found that the levels of both IL-18 and interferon (IFN)-γ in the lenses of OVX rats were significantly increased as compared with the lenses of sham (control) rats during the period 1-3 months after surgery. These results suggest that the expression of IFN-γ via IL-18 in the lenses of OVX rats is induced by ovariectomy, and that excessive IL-18 and IFN-γ production in the lenses may be related to cataract development in postmenopausal women. These findings support those of previous studies that assessed lens opacification in postmenopausal women.
Hypercalcemia Leads to Delayed Corneal Wound Healing in Ovariectomized Rats.
Nagai, Noriaki; Ogata, Fumihiko; Kawasaki, Naohito; Ito, Yoshimasa; Funakami, Yoshinori; Okamoto, Norio; Shimomura, Yoshikazu
Hypercalcemia is often observed in postmenopausal women as well as in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism or malignant tumors. In this study, we investigated the relationship between calcium ion (Ca(2+)) levels in lacrimal fluid and the rate of corneal wound healing in hypercalcemia using ovariectomized (OVX) rat debrided corneal epithelium. We also determined the effects of Ca(2+) levels on cell adhesion, proliferation and viability in a human cornea epithelial cell line (HCE-T). The calcium content in bones of OVX rats decreased after ovariectomy. Moreover, the Ca(2+) content in the blood of OVX rats was increased 1 month after ovariectomy, and decreased. The Ca(2+) content in the lacrimal fluid of OVX rats was also increased after ovariectomy, and then decreased similarly as in blood. Corneal wound healing in OVX rats was delayed in comparison with Sham rats (control rats), and a close relationship was observed between the Ca(2+) levels in lacrimal fluid and the rate of corneal wound healing in Sham and OVX rats (y=-0.7863x+8.785, R=0.78, n=25). In addition, an enhancement in Ca(2+) levels caused a decrease in the viability in HCE-T cells. It is possible that enhanced Ca(2+) levels in lacrimal fluid may cause a decrease in the viability of corneal epithelial cells, resulting in a delay in corneal wound healing. These findings provide significant information that can be used to design further studies aimed at reducing corneal damage of patients with hypercalcemia.
Differentiation ability of rat postnatal dental pulp cells in vitro.
Zhang, W.; Walboomers, X.F.; Wolke, J.G.C.; Bian, Z.; Fan, M.W.; Jansen, J.A.
The current rapid progression in stem cell research has enhanced our knowledge of dental tissue regeneration. In this study, rat dental pulp cells were isolated and their differentiation ability was evaluated. First, dental pulp cells were obtained from maxillary incisors of male Wistar rats. Immuno
Background/Aims: Hyperbilirubinemia associated with sepsis is frequently observed in humans. In this study, an experimental rat model was developed to study bilirubin metabolism and transport during endotoxemia. Methods: Rats were injected intravenously with a single bolus of lipopolysaccharide (1 m
Composition of Muscle Fiber Types in Rat Rotator Cuff Muscles.
Rui, Yongjun; Pan, Feng; Mi, Jingyi
The rat is a suitable model to study human rotator cuff pathology owing to the similarities in morphological anatomy structure. However, few studies have reported the composition muscle fiber types of rotator cuff muscles in the rat. In this study, the myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms were stained by immunofluorescence to show the muscle fiber types composition and distribution in rotator cuff muscles of the rat. It was found that rotator cuff muscles in the rat were of mixed fiber type composition. The majority of rotator cuff fibers labeled positively for MyHCII. Moreover, the rat rotator cuff muscles contained hybrid fibers. So, compared with human rotator cuff muscles composed partly of slow-twitch fibers, the majority of fast-twitch fibers in rat rotator cuff muscles should be considered when the rat model study focus on the pathological process of rotator cuff muscles after injury. Gaining greater insight into muscle fiber types in rotator cuff muscles of the rat may contribute to elucidate the mechanism of pathological change in rotator cuff muscles-related diseases. Anat Rec, 299:1397-1401, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sleep deprivation in pigeons and rats using motion detection.
Newman, Sarah M; Paletz, Elliott M; Obermeyer, William H; Benca, Ruth M
Forced sleep deprivation results in substantial behavioral and physiologic effects in mammals. The disk-over-water (DOW) method produces a syndrome characterized by increased energy expenditure and a robust preferentially rapid-eye-movement sleep rebound upon recovery or eventual death after several weeks of sleep deprivation. The DOW has been used successfully only in rats. This paper presents a method to enforce long-term controlled sleep deprivation across species and to compare its effects in rats and pigeons. A conveyor was substituted for the DOW disk. Behavior rather than electroencephalography was used to trigger arousal stimuli, as in gentle-handling deprivation. Rats and pigeons were deprived using this apparatus, and the results were compared with each other and with published reports. The physiologic consequences and recovery sleep in rats were like those published for DOW rats. Magnitude of sleep loss and recovery patterns in pigeons were similar to those seen in rats, but expected symptoms of the sleep deprivation syndrome were absent in pigeons. The use of a motion trigger allowed us to measure and, thus, to assess the quality and impact of the procedure. Prolonged and controlled sleep deprivation can be enforced using automated motion detection and a conveyor-over-water system. Pigeons and rats, deprived of sleep to the same extent, showed similar patterns of recovery sleep, but pigeons did not exhibit the hyperphagia, weight loss, and debilitation seen in rats.
Repeated administration of adenosine increases its cardiovascular effects in rats.
Vidrio, H; García-Márquez, F; Magos, G A
Hypotensive and negative chronotropic responses to adenosine in anesthetized rats increased after previous administration of the nucleoside. Bradycardia after adenosine in the isolated perfused rat heart was also potentiated after repeated administration at short intervals. This self-potentiation could be due to extracellular accumulation of adenosine and persistent stimulation of receptors caused by saturation or inhibition of cellular uptake of adenosine.
Abortifacient activity of a medicinal plant "moringa oleifera" in rats.
Sethi, N; Nath, D; Shukla, S C; Dyal, R
Dried powder of leaf extract of common Indian plant Moringa Oleifera of Moringaceae family was tested experimentally in albino rats in our laboratory for its antifertility activity. Cant per cent abortifacient activity was found when administered orally in aqueous solution at dose of 175 mg/kg body weight daily to Charles foster strain albino rats from days 5-10 post mated.
Dihydroartemisinin-Stimulated Hyperplasia of Rat Lung Smooth Muscles
Utoh-Nedosa U. Anastasia
Full Text Available Problem statement: Dihydroartemisinin was shown to produce two types of inhibitory effects on the cardiac muscles of rats. It was also shown to stimulate haemopoiesis in the lungs, liver, spleen, intestine and kidney of rats. This study attempted to find out the nature of the effect of oral dihydroartemisinin on the lungs of Wistar albino rats. Approach: The effects of dihydroartemisinin on the tissues of the lungs of wistar albino rats were investigated with five doses of Dihydroartemisinin (DHA administered for 5 days by oral intubation. The five tested doses were 1 mg kg-1, a repeated dose of 1, 2, 60 and 80 mg kg-1 DHA. Results: Histopathological examination of the tissue micrographs of the lungs of the dihydroartemisinin treated rats showed that in comparism with those of the controls, DHA had no adverse effects on the tissues of the lungs of the rats but rather produced a direct stimulatory effect on the smooth muscles of the lungs. This stimulation caused hyperplasia of these tissues which was observable histologically in tissue micrographs of the lungs. These effects of dihydroartemisinin on the tissues of the lungs of Wistar albino rats were dose, repetition and time dependent. Conclusion: These growth hormone-like stimulatory effects of dihydroartemisinin on the smooth muscles of the lungs suggest that DHA enhanced the functioning capacity of the lungs of the DHA-treated rats. These results suggest that dihydroartemisinin has possible respiration enhancement effects.
Psychopharmacology of male rat sexual behavior: modeling human sexual dysfunctions?
Olivier, B.; Chan, J.S.; Pattij, T.; Jong, T.R. de; Oosting, R.S.; Veening, J.G.; Waldinger, M.D.
Most of our current understanding of the neurobiology, neuroanatomy and psychopharmacology of sexual behavior and ejaculatory function has been derived from preclinical studies in the rat. When a large population of male rats is tested on sexual activity during a number of successive tests, over tim
Two-generation reproduction study of erythritol in rats
Waalkens-Berendsen, D.H.; Smits- Prooije, A.E. van; Wijnands, M.V.M.; Bär, A.
Erythritol was fed at dietary concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5, or 10% to Crl:(WI) WU BR rats of both sexes through two successive generations (F0 and F1). Twenty-four rats of each sex were mated in each group. For each generation one litter was reared until the pups were 21 days old. In the 10% erythrit
Repeated dose of ketamine effect to the rat hippocampus tissue
Mehtap Okyay Karaca
Full Text Available Aim: We aimed to determine the neurotoxic effect of repeated ketamine administration on brain tissue and if neurotoxic effect was present, whether this effect continued 16 days later using histological stereological method, a quantitative and objective method. Materials and Methods: Female rats were divided into three groups, each containing five rats. Rats in Group I were given 0.9% saline solution 4 times a day for 5 days. The rats in Groups II and III were given ketamine as intraperitoneal injections. Rats in Groups I and II were sacrificed on 5 th day while the ones in Group III on 21 st day. Cornu ammonis (CA and gyrus dentatus (GD regions in hippocampus tissue of rats were studied using optic fractionation method. Findings: There were significantly less number of cells in hippocampal CA and GD regions of rats from Groups II and III compared to the ones from Group I. Difference in cell number was also significantly higher in Group III than in Group II, but this difference was not as pronounced as the one between Groups III and I. Conclusion: Repeated ketamine doses caused neurotoxicity in rat hippocampus.
Factors modulating social influence on spatial choice in rats.
Bisbing, Teagan A; Saxon, Marie; Sayde, Justin M; Brown, Michael F
Three experiments examined the conditions under which the spatial choices of rats searching for food are influenced by the choices made by other rats. Model rats learned a consistent set of baited locations in a 5 × 5 matrix of locations, some of which contained food. In Experiment 1, subject rats could determine the baited locations after choosing 1 location because all of the baited locations were on the same side of the matrix during each trial (the baited side varied over trials). Under these conditions, the social cues provided by the model rats had little or no effect on the choices made by the subject rats. The lack of social influence on choices occurred despite a simultaneous social influence on rats' location in the testing arena (Experiment 2). When the outcome of the subject rats' own choices provided no information about the positions of other baited locations, on the other hand, social cues strongly controlled spatial choices (Experiment 3). These results indicate that social information about the location of food influences spatial choices only when those cues provide valid information that is not redundant with the information provided by other cues. This suggests that social information is learned about, processed, and controls behavior via the same mechanisms as other kinds of stimuli. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
Sympathetic neuroaxonal dystrophy in the aged rat pineal gland.
Schmidt, Robert E; Dorsey, Denise A; Parvin, Curtis A; Beaudet, Lucie N
Dysfunction of circadian melatonin production by the pineal gland in aged humans and rats is thought to reflect the functional loss of its sympathetic innervation. Our ultrastructural neuropathologic studies of the sympathetic innervation of the pineal gland of aged (24 months old) Fischer-344 and Sprague-Dawley rats showed loss of nerve terminals as well as the development of neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD), an ultrastructurally distinctive distal axonopathy, far in excess of that in young control rats. Immunolocalization of tyrosine hydroxylase confirmed the age-related loss of normal noradrenergic innervation and development of NAD. NAD was more frequent in aged female rats compared to males and was particularly severe in aged female Sprague-Dawley rats compared to Fischer-344 rats. Pineal NGF content was significantly increased or unchanged in female and male aged Fischer-344 rats, respectively, compared to young controls. The rat pineal is a sensitive experimental model for the quantitative ultrastructural examination of age-related neuropathological changes in nerve terminals of postganglionic noradrenergic sympathetic axons, changes which may reflect similar changes in the diffusely distributed sympathetic innervation of other targeted endorgans.
Embryotoxicity and teratogenicity study with α-cyclodextrin in rats
Waalkens-Berendsen, D.H.; Bär, A.
The embryotoxicity/teratogenicity of α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) was examined in Wistar Crl:(WI)WU BR rats. α-CD was fed at dietary concentrations of 0, 1.5, 5, 10, or 20% to groups of 25 pregnant female rats from day 0 to 21 of gestation. An additional group received a diet with 20% lactose. The addition
Embryotoxicity and teratogenicity study with α-cyclodextrin in rats
Waalkens-Berendsen, D.H.; Bär, A.
The embryotoxicity/teratogenicity of α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) was examined in Wistar Crl:(WI)WU BR rats. α-CD was fed at dietary concentrations of 0, 1.5, 5, 10, or 20% to groups of 25 pregnant female rats from day 0 to 21 of gestation. An additional group received a diet with 20% lactose. The
The laboratory rat: Relating its age with human′s
Pallav Sengupta
Full Text Available By late 18 th or early 19 th century, albino rats became the most commonly used experimental animals in numerous biomedical researches, as they have been recognized as the preeminent model mammalian system. But, the precise correlation between age of laboratory rats and human is still a subject of debate. A number of studies have tried to detect these correlations in various ways, But, have not successfully provided any proper association. Thus, the current review attempts to compare rat and human age at different phases of their life. The overall findings indicate that rats grow rapidly during their childhood and become sexually mature at about the sixth week, but attain social maturity 5-6 months later. In adulthood, every day of the animal is approximately equivalent to 34.8 human days (i.e., one rat month is comparable to three human years. Numerous researchers performed experimental investigations in albino rats and estimated, in general, while considering their entire life span, that a human month resembles every-day life of a laboratory rat. These differences signify the variations in their anatomy, physiology and developmental processes, which must be taken into consideration while analyzing the results or selecting the dose of any research in rats when age is a crucial factor.
SNP and haplotype mapping for genetic analysis in the rat.
Saar, K.; Beck, A.; Bihoreau, M.; Birney, E.; Brocklebank, D.; Chen, Y.; Cuppen, E.; Demonchy, S.; Dopazo, J.; Flicek, P.; Foglio, M.; Fujiyama, A.; Gut, I.G.; Gauguier, D.; Guigo, R.; Guryev, V.; Heinig, M.; Hummel, O.; Jahn, N.; Klages, S.; Kren, V.; Kube, M.; Kuhl, H.; Kuramoto, T.; Kuroki, Y.; Lechner, D.; Lee, Y.A.; Lopez-Bigas, N.; Lathrop, G.M.; Mashimo, T.; Medina, I.; Mott, R.; Patone, G.; Perrier-Cornet, J.A.; Platzer, M.; Pravenec, M.; Reinhardt, R.; Sakaki, Y.; Schilhabel, M.; Schulz, H.; Serikawa, T.; Shikhagaie, M.; Tatsumoto, S.; Taudien, S.; Toyoda, A.; Voigt, B.; Zelenika, D.; Zimdahl, H.; Hubner, N.
The laboratory rat is one of the most extensively studied model organisms. Inbred laboratory rat strains originated from limited Rattus norvegicus founder populations, and the inherited genetic variation provides an excellent resource for the correlation of genotype to phenotype. Here, we report a s
Acute Oral Toxicity of Nitroguanidine in Male and Female Rats
Baker HJ, Lindsey JR, Weisbroth SH, eds. Mycoplasmal and rickettsial diseases. In: The laboratory rat . Volume I. Biology and...were used for Limit Test animals. Pretest conditioning: Cuarantine/acclimation 10-24 Aug 84. Justification: The laboratory rat has proven to be
Mapping Mammary Carcinoma Suppressor Genes in the Laboratory Rat
AD GRANT NUMBER DAMDI7-94-J-4040 TITLE: Mapping Mammary Carcinoma Suppressor Genes in the Laboratory Rat PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Michael Gould, Ph.D...Carcinoma Suppressor Genes in the Laboratory Rat DAMDI7-94-J-4040 6. AUTHOR(S) Michael Gould, Ph.D. Hong Lan, Ph.D. 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND
Ceftriaxone attenuates hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats
Huang Yen
Full Text Available Abstract Background Perinatal brain injury is the leading cause of subsequent neurological disability in both term and preterm baby. Glutamate excitotoxicity is one of the major factors involved in perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE. Glutamate transporter GLT1, expressed mainly in mature astrocytes, is the major glutamate transporter in the brain. HIE induced excessive glutamate release which is not reuptaked by immature astrocytes may induce neuronal damage. Compounds, such as ceftriaxone, that enhance the expression of GLT1 may exert neuroprotective effect in HIE. Methods We used a neonatal rat model of HIE by unilateral ligation of carotid artery and subsequent exposure to 8% oxygen for 2 hrs on postnatal day 7 (P7 rats. Neonatal rats were administered three dosages of an antibiotic, ceftriaxone, 48 hrs prior to experimental HIE. Neurobehavioral tests of treated rats were assessed. Brain sections from P14 rats were examined with Nissl and immunohistochemical stain, and TUNEL assay. GLT1 protein expression was evaluated by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Results Pre-treatment with 200 mg/kg ceftriaxone significantly reduced the brain injury scores and apoptotic cells in the hippocampus, restored myelination in the external capsule of P14 rats, and improved the hypoxia-ischemia induced learning and memory deficit of P23-24 rats. GLT1 expression was observed in the cortical neurons of ceftriaxone treated rats. Conclusion These results suggest that pre-treatment of infants at risk for HIE with ceftriaxone may reduce subsequent brain injury.
Hypoxic neuropathy versus diabetic neuropathy : an electrophysiological study in rats
Gispen, W.H.; Hendriksen, P.H.; Oey, P.L.; Wieneke, G.H.; Huffelen, A.C. van
In the experimental rat model of diabetes a slowing of nerve conduction velocity and a resistance to ischemic conduction failure have been found as an indication of polyneuropathy. The same electrophysiological abnormalities have been demonstrated in a model in which healthy rats are kept under hypo
Effect of jianpiyiwei capsule on gastric precancerous lesions in rats
Xue-Ying Shi; Feng-Zhi Zhao; Xin Dai; Lian-Sheng Ma; Xiu-Yu Dong; Jie Fang
AIM:To evaluate the therapeutic effect of compoundChinese drugs, Jianpiyiwei capsule (JPYW) on gastricprecancerous lesions in rats and to explore itsmechanism of action.METHODS:Model of gastric precancerous lesions wasconstructed in male Wistar rats: a metal spring wasinserted and fixed through pyloric sphincter. One weekafter recovery, each rat was given 50-60 ℃ hot pastecontainingt50 g/L NaCl 2 mL orally, twice a week for15 weeks.Then 10 normal and 11 model rats wereanaesthetized, after the measurement of gastricmucosa blood flow (GMBF), the rats were killed andthe mucosal hexosamines and malonic dialdehyde(MDA) were measured. The morphological changes ofgastric mucosa were observed macroscopically andmicroscopically, and by an automatic imaging analysissystem. Other rats were treated with JPYW 1.5 g/kg.d-1or 4.5 g/kg@d-1, or distilled water as negative controlrespectively (n=-10 in each group). After 12 weeks, allthe rats were examined as above.RESULTS: The gastric mucosa of model rats showedchronic atrophic gastritis with dysplasia and intestinalmetaplasia (IM), GMBF and hexosamine content werereduced significantly and MDA was increased ascompared to the normal group (P<0.01). After 12 weekstreatment, the pathological changes of the negativecontrol group became worsened, while in JPYW treatedgroups the changes were modified with significantincrease of GMBF and reduction of MDA, although thehexosamine concentration increased only mildly.CONCLUSION: JPYW increases GMBF and reduces MDAcontent in gastric mucosa and has therapeutic effectson gastric precancerous lesions.
Transplantation of human hepatocytes into tolerized genetically immunocompetent rats
Edwin C. Ouyang; Catherine H. Wu; Cherie Walton; Kittichai Promrat; George Y. Wu
AIM To determine whether normal geneticallyirnmunocornpetent rodent hosts could bemanipulated to accept human hepatocytetransplants with long term survival withoutirnrnunosuppression.METHODS Tolerance towards humanhepatocytes was established by injection ofprimary human hepatocytes or Huh7 humanhepatoma cells into the peritoneal cavities offetal rats. Corresponding cells weresubsequently transplanted into newborn rats viaintrasplenic injection within 24 h after birth.RESULTS Mixed lymphocyte assays showedthat spleen cells from non-tolerized rats werestimulated to proliferate when exposed to humanhepatocytes, while cells from tolerized ratswere not. Injections made between 15 d and 17 dof gestation produced optimal tolerizaton.Transplanted human hepatocytes in rat liverswere visualized by immunohistochemicalstaining of human albumin. By dot blotting ofgenomic DNA in livers of tolerized rats 16 weeksafter hepatocyte transplantation, it was foundthat approximately 2.5 × 105 human hepatocytessurvived per rat liver. Human albumin mRNA wasdetected in rat livers by RT-PCR for 15 wk, andhuman albumin protein was also detectable in ratserum.CONCLUSION Tolerization of an immuno-competent rat can permit transplantation, andsurvival of functional human hepatocytes.
Interaction of late pregnancy and lactation in rats
Koiter, TR; Moes, H; Valkhof, N; Wijkstra, S
The effect of pregnancy on lactation was studied during the third week of lactational pregnancy in postpartum pregnant rats with a delay in implantation of only 1 day (1d-LP rats). In an experimental design in which the suckling litter was prevented from consuming solid food, lactational performance
Neural regulation and dynamics of prolactin secretion in the rat.
Wiersma, J.
The subject of this thesis was an investigation of the neural regulation and dynamics of prolactin (Prl) secretion. Experimentation was performed with freely behaving undisturbed male and female rats, chronically fitted with an atrial blood sampling catheter. In some studies rats were also equip
Semidominant heridity of absence-like seizures in tremor rat.
CaiJi-qun; KumatoshiIshihara; RyosukeHanaya; YoshihiroKiura; KaoruKurisu; TadaoSerikawa; MasashiSasa
The tremor rat (tm/tm) exhibits absence-like seizures characterized by 5 -7 Hz spike-wave complexes in cortical and hippocampal EEG. Recently, the TM rat has been found to be devoid of the asp) artoacylase (asp gene responsible for metabolizing N-acetyl aspartate. Electrophysiological studies were performed to determine whether the tm gene was
YEWei-San; HUANGYu-Ling; DENYan-Chun; XUEShe-Pu
Forty four adult male rats weighing about 250 g were divided into 3 groups: Group 1 received GTW at a does of 10 mg/kg/d, Group 2, 20mg/kg/d, and Group 3 was givea 1% carboxymethy! cellulose as control. The rats were sacrificed on week
Intelligence-Augmented Rat Cyborgs in Maze Solving
Yu, Yipeng; Pan, Gang; Gong, Yongyue; Xu, Kedi; Zheng, Nenggan; Hua, Weidong; Zheng, Xiaoxiang; Wu, Zhaohui
Cyborg intelligence is an emerging kind of intelligence paradigm. It aims to deeply integrate machine intelligence with biological intelligence by connecting machines and living beings via neural interfaces, enhancing strength by combining the biological cognition capability with the machine computational capability. Cyborg intelligence is considered to be a new way to augment living beings with machine intelligence. In this paper, we build rat cyborgs to demonstrate how they can expedite the maze escape task with integration of machine intelligence. We compare the performance of maze solving by computer, by individual rats, and by computer-aided rats (i.e. rat cyborgs). They were asked to find their way from a constant entrance to a constant exit in fourteen diverse mazes. Performance of maze solving was measured by steps, coverage rates, and time spent. The experimental results with six rats and their intelligence-augmented rat cyborgs show that rat cyborgs have the best performance in escaping from mazes. These results provide a proof-of-principle demonstration for cyborg intelligence. In addition, our novel cyborg intelligent system (rat cyborg) has great potential in various applications, such as search and rescue in complex terrains. PMID:26859299
Oral versus postingestive origin of polysaccharide appetite in the rat.
Sclafani, A; Nissenbaum, J W
Previous studies have revealed that rats consume substantial amounts of polysaccharide solutions, even if the solutions are made bitter with the addition of sucrose octa acetate (SOA). The present experiment used the gastric sham-feeding preparation to determine if it is the orosensory or postingestive properties of polysaccharides that motivate rats to consume polysaccharide (Polycose) solutions. In Experiment 1, food deprived rats sham fed less of a 0.05% SOA + 32% Polycose solution than they did of a 32% glucose solution, but their SOA-Polycose intake was still considerable (44 ml/hr). The same rats refused to sham feed SOA-gum and SOA-sugar solutions that were similar to the SOA-Polycose solution in bitter taste, viscosity and free sugar content. In Experiment 2, rats sham fed as much of a 32% Polycose solution as they did of a 32% sucrose solution. Despite the gastric fistula, some of the ingested Polycose was absorbed as evidenced by an increase in the rats' blood glucose levels. The addition of acarbose, a drug that inhibits polysaccharide digestion, to the Polycose solution blocked the increase in blood glucose, but did not reduce the rats' sham feeding of the solution. These findings indicate that it is the orosensory (presumably taste) properties of polysaccharide solutions, not their postingestive effects, that initially attract rats to the solutions. The results question the assumption that polysaccharides are "tasteless" to animals.
Social buffering ameliorates conditioned fear responses in female rats.
Ishii, Akiko; Kiyokawa, Yasushi; Takeuchi, Yukari; Mori, Yuji
The stress experienced by an animal is ameliorated when the animal is exposed to distressing stimuli along with a conspecific animal(s). This is known as social buffering. Previously, we found that the presence of an unfamiliar male rat induced social buffering and ameliorated conditioned fear responses of a male rat subjected to an auditory conditioned stimulus (CS). However, because our knowledge of social buffering is highly biased towards findings in male subjects, analyses using female subjects are crucial for comprehensively understanding the social buffering phenomenon. In the present studies, we assessed social buffering of conditioned fear responses in female rats. We found that the estrus cycle did not affect the intensity of the rats' fear responses to the CS or their degree of vigilance due to the presence of a conspecific animal. Based on these findings, we then assessed whether social buffering ameliorated conditioned fear responses in female rats without taking into account their estrus cycles. When fear conditioned female rats were exposed to the CS without the presence of a conspecific, they exhibited behavioral responses, including freezing, and elevated corticosterone levels. By contrast, the presence of an unfamiliar female rat suppressed these responses. Based on these findings, we conclude that social buffering can ameliorate conditioned fear responses in female rats.
SNP and haplotype mapping for genetic analysis in the rat
Saar, Kathrin; Beck, Alfred; Bihoreau, Marie-Thérèse; Birney, Ewan; Brocklebank, Denise; Chen, Yuan; Cuppen, Edwin; Demonchy, Stephanie; Dopazo, Joaquin; Flicek, Paul; Foglio, Mario; Fujiyama, Asao; Gut, Ivo G; Gauguier, Dominique; Guigo, Roderic; Guryev, Victor; Heinig, Matthias; Hummel, Oliver; Jahn, Niels; Klages, Sven; Kren, Vladimir; Kube, Michael; Kuhl, Heiner; Kuramoto, Takashi; Kuroki, Yoko; Lechner, Doris; Lee, Young-Ae; Lopez-Bigas, Nuria; Lathrop, G Mark; Mashimo, Tomoji; Medina, Ignacio; Mott, Richard; Patone, Giannino; Perrier-Cornet, Jeanne-Antide; Platzer, Matthias; Pravenec, Michal; Reinhardt, Richard; Sakaki, Yoshiyuki; Schilhabel, Markus; Schulz, Herbert; Serikawa, Tadao; Shikhagaie, Medya; Tatsumoto, Shouji; Taudien, Stefan; Toyoda, Atsushi; Voigt, Birger; Zelenika, Diana; Zimdahl, Heike; Hubner, Norbert
The laboratory rat is one of the most extensively studied model organisms. Inbred laboratory rat strains originated from limited Rattus norvegicus founder populations, and the inherited genetic variation provides an excellent resource for the correlation of genotype to phenotype. Here, we report a s
Nociception and Conditioned Fear in Rats: Strains Matter
Schaap, M.W.H.; van Oostrom, H.; Doornenbal, A.; van 't Klooster, J.; Baars, A.M.; Arndt, S.S.; Hellebrekers, L.J.
When using rats in pain research, strain-related differences in outcomes of tests for pain and nociception are acknowledged. However, very little is known about the specific characteristics of these strain differences. In this study four phylogenetically distant inbred rat strains, i.e. Wistar Kyoto
The Special Status of Actions in Causal Reasoning in Rats
Leising, Kenneth J.; Wong, Jared; Waldmann, Michael R.; Blaisdell, Aaron P.
A. P. Blaisdell, K. Sawa, K. J. Leising, and M. R. Waldmann (2006) reported evidence for causal reasoning in rats. After learning through Pavlovian observation that Event A (a light) was a common cause of Events X (an auditory stimulus) and F (food), rats predicted F in the test phase when they observed Event X as a cue but not when they generated…
Preganglionic innervation of the pancreas islet cells in the rat
The position and number of preganglionic somata innervating the insulin-secreting β-cells of the endocrine pancreas were investigated in Wistar rats. This question was approached by comparing the innervation of the pancreas of normal rats with the innervation of the pancreas in alloxan-induced diabe
Effect of dental materials on gluconeogenesis in rat kidney tubules
Reichl, F.X.; Durner, J.; Mückter, H.; Elsenhans, B.; Forth, W.; Kunzelmann, K.H.; Hickel, R.; Spahl, W.; Hume, W.R.; Moes, G.W.
The effect of dental composite components triethyleneglycoldimethacrylate (TEGDMA) and hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) as well as mercuric chloride (HgCl2) and methylmercury chloride (MeHgCl) on gluconeogenesis was investigated in isolated rat kidney tubules. From starved rats kidney tubules were pr
Gel-based proteomics of liver cancer progression in rat
Albrethsen, Jakob; Miller, Leah M; Novikoff, Phyllis M
carcinoma (HCC) and we identify novel candidate proteomic aberrations for further analysis in human HCC. In particular, increased levels of HSP70, HSP90, AKR1B1, AKR7A3, GCLM, ANXA5, VDBP, RGN and SULT1E1 were associated specifically with rat hepatomas, or with liver cancer progression in rat. In addition...
Functional influence on sutural bone apposition in the growing rat.
Katsaros, C.; Zissis, A.; Bresin, A.; Kiliaridis, S.
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to quantify the influence of reduced masticatory muscle function on sutural bone apposition in the growing rat. METHODS: Twenty-six growing male albino rats were randomly divided into 2 equal groups; 1 (hard-diet group) received the ordinary diet of hard pelle
A Rat Excised Larynx Model of Vocal Fold Scar
Welham, Nathan V.; Montequin, Douglas W.; Tateya, Ichiro; Tateya, Tomoko; Choi, Seong Hee; Bless, Diane M.
Purpose: To develop and evaluate a rat excised larynx model for the measurement of acoustic, aerodynamic, and vocal fold vibratory changes resulting from vocal fold scar. Method: Twenty-four 4-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to 1 of 4 experimental groups: chronic vocal fold scar, chronic vocal fold scar treated with 100-ng basic…
Intelligence-Augmented Rat Cyborgs in Maze Solving.
Yipeng Yu
Full Text Available Cyborg intelligence is an emerging kind of intelligence paradigm. It aims to deeply integrate machine intelligence with biological intelligence by connecting machines and living beings via neural interfaces, enhancing strength by combining the biological cognition capability with the machine computational capability. Cyborg intelligence is considered to be a new way to augment living beings with machine intelligence. In this paper, we build rat cyborgs to demonstrate how they can expedite the maze escape task with integration of machine intelligence. We compare the performance of maze solving by computer, by individual rats, and by computer-aided rats (i.e. rat cyborgs. They were asked to find their way from a constant entrance to a constant exit in fourteen diverse mazes. Performance of maze solving was measured by steps, coverage rates, and time spent. The experimental results with six rats and their intelligence-augmented rat cyborgs show that rat cyborgs have the best performance in escaping from mazes. These results provide a proof-of-principle demonstration for cyborg intelligence. In addition, our novel cyborg intelligent system (rat cyborg has great potential in various applications, such as search and rescue in complex terrains.
Intelligence-Augmented Rat Cyborgs in Maze Solving.
Yu, Yipeng; Pan, Gang; Gong, Yongyue; Xu, Kedi; Zheng, Nenggan; Hua, Weidong; Zheng, Xiaoxiang; Wu, Zhaohui
Cyborg intelligence is an emerging kind of intelligence paradigm. It aims to deeply integrate machine intelligence with biological intelligence by connecting machines and living beings via neural interfaces, enhancing strength by combining the biological cognition capability with the machine computational capability. Cyborg intelligence is considered to be a new way to augment living beings with machine intelligence. In this paper, we build rat cyborgs to demonstrate how they can expedite the maze escape task with integration of machine intelligence. We compare the performance of maze solving by computer, by individual rats, and by computer-aided rats (i.e. rat cyborgs). They were asked to find their way from a constant entrance to a constant exit in fourteen diverse mazes. Performance of maze solving was measured by steps, coverage rates, and time spent. The experimental results with six rats and their intelligence-augmented rat cyborgs show that rat cyborgs have the best performance in escaping from mazes. These results provide a proof-of-principle demonstration for cyborg intelligence. In addition, our novel cyborg intelligent system (rat cyborg) has great potential in various applications, such as search and rescue in complex terrains.
Embryotoxicity and teratogenicity study with erythritol in rats
Smits- Prooije, A.E. van; Waalkens-Berendsen, D.H.; Bär, A.
The embryotoxicity/teratogenicity of erythritol, a low-calorie polyol sugar substitute, was examined in Wistar Crl:(WI) WU BR rats. Erythritol was fed at dietary concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5, and 10% to groups of 32 female rats from Day 0 to 21 of gestation. The treatment was generally well tolerated
Embryotoxicity and teratogenicity study with γ-cyclodextrin in rats
Waalkens-Berendsen, D.H.; Verhagen, F.J.J.; Bär, A.
The embryotoxicity/teratogenicity of γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) was examined in Wistar Crl:(WI)WU BR rats. γ-CD was fed at dietary concentrations of 0, 1.5, 5, 10, and 20% to groups of 25 pregnant female rats from day 0 to 21 of gestation. A comparison group received a diet with 20% lactose. The addition
Dynamic autoregulation and renal injury in Dahl rats
Karlsen, F M; Andersen, C B; Leyssac, P P
was preserved during a low salt diet and in rats exposed to a late-onset hypertension of short duration, only partly preserved if the late-onset hypertension was of a longer duration, and abolished in early-onset hypertension. All Dahl S rats on a high salt diet showed severe morphological changes in the kidney...
Increased hepatic glycogen synthetase and decreased phosphorylase in trained rats
Galbo, H; Saugmann, P; Richter, Erik
Rats were either physically trained by a 12 wk swimming program or were freely eating or weight matched, sedentary controls. Trained rats had a higher relative liver weight and total hepatic glycogen synthetase (EC 220.127.116.11) activity and a lower phosphorylase (EC 188.8.131.52) activity than the other...
Central insulin and macronutrient intake in the rat
Chavez, M; Riedy, CA; VanDijk, G; Woods, SC; Riedy, Christine A.; Woods, Stephen C.
When rats are maintained on a standard laboratory diet, the infusion of low doses of insulin into the cerebroventricular system causes a reduction of food intake and body weight. It was recently reported that, if rats are maintained on a high-fat diet (56% calories as fat), they are insensitive to t
Developmental immunotoxicity of Diazepam in prenatally exposed weanling Wistar rats
Loveren H van; Piersma AH; Jong WH de; Waal EJ de; LPI; LEO; LGM
A prenatal developmental toxicity study was conducted in rats receiving the pharmaceutical Diazepam from gestation days 14 to 20. Reports from the literature claim that Diazepam has impaired the immune function in the offspring of rats receiving treatment during the third trimester of gestation. Dia
Prenatal Exposure to Nicotine in Pregnant Rat Increased Inflammatory Marker in Newborn Rat
Yosouf Mohsenzadeh
Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate any inflammatory effect of nicotine on rat embryo by exposing their mothers to different dosages of nicotine during pregnancy. During this experimental study, 32 pregnant healthy Wistar rats were divided into 4 equal groups, including a control and 3 nicotine exposure groups. Injections were performed subcutaneously starting at the first day of pregnancy until parturition. As the dosages of nicotine were increased, the weight gain by pregnant rats and the mean weight of their newborns were significantly reduced. Mean ± SD of hs-CRP was significantly higher among groups exposed to various dosages of nicotine (2, 4, and 6 mg/kg compared to the control group (P<0.0001 and its increasing rate was also dose dependent. Mean ± SD serum level of IL-6 and TNF-α among all groups exposed to nicotine, except for 2 mg/kg nicotine injected group, was increased significantly (P<0.0001. Mean ± SD of serum level of TGF-β and nitrite oxide among exposure groups showed significant differences compared to the control group only at the dosage of 6 mg/kg (P<0.0001. The current study showed that exposing pregnant rats to nicotine causes a dose dependent increase in the rate of all the studied inflammatory serum markers among their newborns.
Detection of histidine decarboxylase in rat aorta and cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells.
Tippens, A S; Davis, S V; Hayes, J R; Bryda, E C; Green, T L; Gruetter, C A
Having previously demonstrated release of histamine from mast-cell-deficient rat aorta, the objective of this study was to determine and localize histamine synthesis capability in the aorta by detecting histidine decarboxylase (HDC), the enzyme that catalyzes histamine formation. Experiments were conducted with nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (nRT-PCR) to detect HDC mRNA and with immunofluorescence and western blot analysis to detect HDC protein in rat aorta, cultured rat aortic smooth muscle (RASMC) and endothelial cells (RAEC). Gel electrophoresis of nRT-PCR products indicated HDC mRNA in liver, aorta and RASMC but not in RAEC or kidney. Sequence analysis confirmed that the band observed in RASMC was the target HDC amplicon. Immunofluorescence indicated the presence of HDC protein in RASMC and not in RAEC. Western Blot analysis revealed HDC protein (55 kDa) in liver, aorta, RASMC but not in RAEC or kidney. The results of this study are the first to demonstrate the presence of HDC mRNA and protein in rat aorta and more specifically in RASMC, indicative of their capability to synthesize histamine. Copyright 2004 Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel
Ultrastructural localization of silver in rat testis and organ distribution of radioactive silver in the rat
Ernst, E; Rungby, J; Baatrup, E
The deposition of silver after a single intravenous injection (2 micrograms Ag g-1 body weight) was studied in the testes of Wistar rats 24 h and 1 and 2 weeks after dosing with radiolabelled 110AgNo3 (2 micrograms Ag and 1.2 kBq g-1 body weight). Also, the temporal accumulation of silver during ...
Rat Genome Database: a unique resource for rat, human, and mouse quantitative trait locus data.
Nigam, Rajni; Laulederkind, Stanley J F; Hayman, G Thomas; Smith, Jennifer R; Wang, Shur-Jen; Lowry, Timothy F; Petri, Victoria; De Pons, Jeff; Tutaj, Marek; Liu, Weisong; Jayaraman, Pushkala; Munzenmaier, Diane H; Worthey, Elizabeth A; Dwinell, Melinda R; Shimoyama, Mary; Jacob, Howard J
The rat has been widely used as a disease model in a laboratory setting, resulting in an abundance of genetic and phenotype data from a wide variety of studies. These data can be found at the Rat Genome Database (RGD, http://rgd.mcw.edu/), which provides a platform for researchers interested in linking genomic variations to phenotypes. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) form one of the earliest and core datasets, allowing researchers to identify loci harboring genes associated with disease. These QTLs are not only important for those using the rat to identify genes and regions associated with disease, but also for cross-organism analyses of syntenic regions on the mouse and the human genomes to identify potential regions for study in these organisms. Currently, RGD has data on >1,900 rat QTLs that include details about the methods and animals used to determine the respective QTL along with the genomic positions and markers that define the region. RGD also curates human QTLs (>1,900) and houses>4,000 mouse QTLs (imported from Mouse Genome Informatics). Multiple ontologies are used to standardize traits, phenotypes, diseases, and experimental methods to facilitate queries, analyses, and cross-organism comparisons. QTLs are visualized in tools such as GBrowse and GViewer, with additional tools for analysis of gene sets within QTL regions. The QTL data at RGD provide valuable information for the study of mapped phenotypes and identification of candidate genes for disease associations.
Efficient single nucleotide polymorphism discovery in laboratory rat strains using wild rat-derived SNP candidates
Smits, B.M.; Guryev, V.; Zeegers, D.; Wedekind, D.; Hedrich, H.J.; Cuppen, E.
BACKGROUND: The laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus) is an important model for studying many aspects of human health and disease. Detailed knowledge on genetic variation between strains is important from a biomedical, particularly pharmacogenetic point of view and useful for marker selection for genet
Impact of oxidative stress on pregnancy outcome in albino rats
R.S. Al-Naemi
Full Text Available Accumulative reports documented that oxidative stress is implicated in many human and animal diseases. However, the reports concerning the effect of oxidative stress on pregnancy outcome are limited and scarce. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of oxidative stress on pregnancy outcome and to assess the antioxidant effect of vitamin C and E on oxidative stress parameters in blood and placental tissue samples in experimental pregnant animals model exposed to oxidative stress. Wister Albino rats were used in this work to investigate the effects of oxidative stress exposure (addition of H2O2 to the drinking water on pregnancy outcome. Rats were divided into 5 groups, as follows: Group I (included 7 normal pregnant rats which served as control group. Group II (exposed to 1 % H2O2 included 7 pregnant rats, the rats were allowed to become pregnant and received (1% H2O2 in drinking water from day 7th till the day 19th of pregnancy. Group III (exposed to 3% H2O2 included 8 pregnant rats. Same as group 2, but the rats were exposed to a higher concentration of H2O2 (3% in drinking water. Group IV (included 8 pregnant rats. Pregnant rats received vitamins C and E without induction of oxidative stress. Group V (included 8 pregnant rats.induction of oxidative stress by 1% H2O2 with vitamins supplementation in the pregnant rats. Serum total antioxidants capacity (TAC, serum and placental tissue oxidative stress biomarker; 8-iso prostaglandin F2α (8-Isoprostane were measured using specific ELISA kits. Also placental tissues of pregnant rats were isolated and put directly in 10% formalin prepared for histopathological examination. Results revealed a significant decrease in the median values of the body weight and total serum antioxidants capacity (TAC in groups II and III of rats compared with the control group. A significant higher median value of TAC obtained in the groups IV and V when compared with the control group. Significant higher
Spontaneously hypertensive rats have more orexin neurons in their medial hypothalamus than normotensive rats.
Clifford, Liam; Dampney, Bruno W; Carrive, Pascal
What is the central question of this study? Blockade of orexin receptors reduces blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) but not in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, suggesting that upregulation of orexin signalling underlies the hypertensive phenotype of the SHR. However, it is not known what causes this upregulation. What is the main finding and its importance? Using orexin immunolabelling, we show that SHRs have 20% more orexin neurons than normotensive WKY and Wistar rats in the medial hypothalamus, which is a good match to their blood pressure phenotype. In contrast, there is no such match for the orexin neurons of the lateral hypothalamus. Essential hypertension may be linked to an increase in orexin neurons in the medial hypothalamus. The neuropeptide orexin contributes to the regulation of blood pressure as part of its role in the control of arousal during wakefulness and motivated behaviour (including responses to psychological stress). Recent work shows that pharmacological blockade of orexin receptors reduces blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) but not in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. It is not clear why orexin signalling is upregulated in the SHR, but one possibility is that these animals have more orexin neurons than their normotensive WKY and Wistar relatives. To test this possibility, SHRs, WKY and Wistar male rats (6-16 weeks old) were killed, perfused and their brains sectioned and immunolabelled for orexin A. Labelled neurons were plotted and counted in the six best labelled hemisections (120 μm apart) of each brain. There were significantly more orexin neurons (+20%) in the medial hypothalamus (medial to fornix) of SHRs compared with WKY and Wistar rats (126 ± 4 versus 106 ± 5 and 104 ± 5 per hemisection, respectively, P hypothalamus did not match the blood pressure phenotypes (69 ± 2 versus 50 ± 3 and 76 ± 4, respectively). The results support the idea that orexin signalling is upregulated
Effect of ETBE on reproductive steroids in male rats and rat Leydig cell cultures.
de Peyster, Ann; Stanard, Bradley; Westover, Christian
These experiments were conducted to follow up on a report of testis seminiferous tubular degeneration in Fischer 344 rats treated with high doses of ethyl t-butyl ether (ETBE). Also, high doses of a related compound, methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE), had been shown to reduce circulating testosterone (T) in rats. Isolated rat Leydig cells were used to compare hCG-stimulated T production following exposure to ETBE, MTBE, and their common main metabolite, TBA. In addition, male Fischer 344 rats were gavaged daily with 600 mg/kg, 1200 mg/kg or 1800 mg/kg ETBE in corn oil (n=12) for 14 days, the 1200 mg/kg dose chosen for comparison with a prior 14-day MTBE gavage experiment. In cell culture experiments, TBA was more potent than either ETBE or MTBE, both of which caused similar inhibition of T production at equimolar concentrations. In the in vivo study, no significant plasma T reduction was seen 1h after the final 1200 mg/kg ETBE dose, whereas 1200 mg/kg MTBE had significantly lowered T when administered similarly to Sprague-Dawley rats. Some rats treated with 1800 mg/kg ETBE had noticeably lower T levels, and the group average T level was 66% of corn oil vehicle control (p>0.05) with high variability also evident in ETBE-treated rats. 17beta-Estradiol had been increased by 1200 mg/kg MTBE, and was elevated in the 1200 and 1800 mg/kg ETBE dose groups (p<0.05), both groups also experiencing significantly reduced body weight gain. None of these effects were seen with 600 mg/kg/day ETBE. No definitive evidence of androgen insufficiency was seen in accessory organ weights, and no testicular pathology was observed after 14 days in a small subset of 1800 mg/kg ETBE-treated animals. Like MTBE, ETBE appears to be capable of altering reproductive steroid levels in peripheral blood sampled 1h after treatment, but only with extremely high doses that inhibit body weight gain and may produce mortality.
Heme Oxygenase-1 Promotes Delayed Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats.
Chen, Qing-Ying; Wang, Guo-Guang; Li, Wei; Jiang, Yu-Xin; Lu, Xiao-Hua; Zhou, Ping-Ping
Diabetic ulcers are one of the most serious and costly chronic complications for diabetic patients. Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress may play an important role in diabetes and its complications. The aim of the study was to explore the effect of heme oxygenase-1 on wound closure in diabetic rats. Diabetic wound model was prepared by making an incision with full thickness in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Wounds from diabetic rats were treated with 10% hemin ointment for 21 days. Increase of HO-1 protein expression enhanced anti-inflammation and antioxidant in diabetic rats. Furthermore, HO-1 increased the levels of VEGF and ICAM-1 and expressions of CBS and CSE protein. In summary, HO-1 promoted the wound closure by augmenting anti-inflammation, antioxidant, and angiogenesis in diabetic rats.
Heme Oxygenase-1 Promotes Delayed Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats
Qing-Ying Chen
Full Text Available Diabetic ulcers are one of the most serious and costly chronic complications for diabetic patients. Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress may play an important role in diabetes and its complications. The aim of the study was to explore the effect of heme oxygenase-1 on wound closure in diabetic rats. Diabetic wound model was prepared by making an incision with full thickness in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Wounds from diabetic rats were treated with 10% hemin ointment for 21 days. Increase of HO-1 protein expression enhanced anti-inflammation and antioxidant in diabetic rats. Furthermore, HO-1 increased the levels of VEGF and ICAM-1 and expressions of CBS and CSE protein. In summary, HO-1 promoted the wound closure by augmenting anti-inflammation, antioxidant, and angiogenesis in diabetic rats.
Histopathological effects of doxorubicin on pancreas in male albino rats
I.A. Ali
Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the histopathological side effects of doxorubicin on pancreas tissue in male albino rats Rattus norvegicus. This study were used 55 adult rats (2.5-3.5 month of age. The rats divided into two groups, the first group include (35 rats. The second group were (20 rats. Microscopial examination of pancreas lesion demonstrated oedema around the acini, swelling of the epithelial cells of acini, occurance of cystic fibrosis (mucoviscidosis at the concentration of (4,5 mg/kg of body weight ,occurrence of small islets that form of few cells and exocrine-endocrine transformation. There were thickness in the walls of blood vessels, thrombus, congestion of blood vessels, we conclude, that doxorubicin had histopathological effect on pancreas in sub-acute doses more than chronic doses.
[Adrenergic innervation and norepinephrine content in postnatal rat uterus].
Itoh, M
Using fluorescent histochemical method and high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detector, we investigated adrenergic innervation and norepinephrine content in the rat uterus in the process of the growth. The adrenergic nerve terminals in the rat uterus developed with age and reached to adult level at 7 weeks of age after birth, although the short adrenergic ganglionic cells and small intense fluorescent cells were present even at birth. Norepinephrine content per organ also increased with age and reached to adult level at 10 weeks of age after birth, while NE content per gram wet tissue weight had a peak in 3-day-old rat uterus. These morphological and biochemical data revealed that the sympathetic nervous system in rat uterus matures in 7 to 10 weeks after birth, while the short adrenergic nervous system is accomplished in earlier stage. The maturation of adrenergic innervation in the uterus was considerably later than in the other organs of rat and developed with the sexual maturation.
Hypoxia and the initiation of erythropoietin production. [Rats
Schooley, J.C.; Mahlmann, L.J.
The initiation of erythropoietin production in rats by hypoxia is dependent upon the magnitude of the hypoxic exposure, the position of the oxygen dissociation curve at the time of the hypoxic exposure, and the animal's endocrine status. Normal male rats produce more erythropoietin and elevate their intraerythrocytic 2,3-DPG levels more than female rats exposed to the same degree of hypoxia. Hypophysectomized rats produce erythropoietin following severe hypoxic exposure, but do not elevate their 2,3-DPG levels above control values. Respiratory acidosis in rats produced by breathing 10 percent CO/sub 2/ or by the injection of acetazolamide inhibits the initiation of erythropoietin production by hypoxic environments, but this inhibition is minimal in animals with metabolic acidosis produced by ureterligation. Changes in serum erythropoietin levels and the in vitro P/sub 50/ appear to be two separate but interrelated physiological events which occur during the adaptation of animals to hypoxic environments.
Ovariectomized rats as a model of postmenopausal osteoarthritis
Høegh-Andersen, Pernille; Tankó, László B; Andersen, Thomas L
inhibited the ovariectomy-induced acceleration of cartilage and bone turnover and significantly suppressed cartilage degradation and erosion seen in vehicle-treated OVX rats. The study indicates that estrogen deficiency accelerates cartilage turnover and increases cartilage surface erosion. OVX rats provide......We aimed to assess the effect of ovariectomy on cartilage turnover and degradation, to evaluate whether ovariectomized (OVX) rats could form an experimental model of postmenopausal osteoarthritis. The effect of ovariectomy on cartilage was studied using two cohorts of female Sprague-Dawley rats...... for collagen type II degradation products (CTX-II), and bone resorption was quantified in serum using an assay for bone collagen type I fragments (CTX-I). Surface erosion in the cartilage of the knee was more severe in OVX rats than in sham-operated animals, particularly in the 7-month-old cohort (P = 0...
Parathyroid hormone dependent T cell proliferation in uremic rats
Lewin, E; Ladefoged, Jens; Brandi, L
Chronic renal failure (CRF) is combined with an impairment of the immune system. The T cell may be a target for the action of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Rats with CRF have high blood levels of PTH. Therefore, the present investigation examined some aspects of the T cell function in both normal...... and CRF rats before and after parathyroidectomy and after an isogenic kidney transplantation. The T cell proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation was significantly higher in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures obtained from CRF rats than from normal rats. After...... parathyroidectomy the T cells of normal as well as of uremic rats could still be significantly stimulated by PHA, but now no significant difference was seen. When CRF was reversed after an isogenic kidney transplantation and PTH reversed to levels in the normal range, the T cell proliferative response to PHA...
Carvedilol protected diabetic rat hearts via reducing oxidative stress
HUANG He; SHAN Jiang; PAN Xiao-hong; WANG Hui-ping; QIAN Ling-bo
Oxidative stress plays a dominant role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. Bcl-2 gene has close connection with antioxidant stress destruction in many diseases including diabetes. Carvedilol, an adrenoceptor blocker, also has antioxidant properties. To study the effect of carvedilol on the antioxidant status in diabetic hearts, we investigated carvedilol-administrated healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. After small and large dosage carvedilol-administered for 5 weeks, hemodynamic parameters, the levels of malondialdehyde, activities of antioxidant enzymes and expression of Bcl-2 mRNA in the cardiac tissues were measured. The diabetic rats not only had cardiac disfunction, weaker activities of antioxidant enzymes, but also showed lower expression of Bcl-2. Carvedilol treatment increased activities of antioxidant enzymes and expression of Bcl-2 in healthy rats as well as diabetic rats. These results indicated that earvedilol partly improves cardiac function via its antioxidant properties in diabetic rats.
Neurotoxic behavioral effects of Lake Ontario salmon diets in rats
Hertzler, D.R. (State Univ. of New York, Oswego (USA))
Six experiments were conducted to examine possible neurotoxic effects of the exposure to contaminants in Lake Ontario salmon administered through the diets of rats. Rats were fed different concentrations of fish (8%, 15% or 30%) in one of three diet conditions: Lake Ontario salmon, Pacific Ocean salmon, or laboratory rat chow only. Following 20 days on the diets, rats were tested for five minutes per day in a modified open field for one or three days. Lake Ontario salmon diets consistently produced significantly lower activity, rearing, and nosepoke behaviors in comparison with ocean salmon or rat chow diet conditions. A dose-response effect for concentration of lake salmon was obtained, and the attenuation effect occurred in males, females, adult or young animals, and postweaning females, with fish sampled over a five-year period. While only two of several potential contaminants were tested, both fish and brain analyses of mirex and PCBs relate to the behavioral effects.
Improved maze learning through early music exposure in rats.
Rauscher, F H; Robinson, K D; Jens, J J
Rats were exposed in utero plus 60 days post-partum to either complex music (Mozart Sonata (k. 448)), minimalist music (a Philip Glass composition), white noise or silence, and were then tested for five days, three trials per day, in a multiple T-maze. By Day 3, the rats exposed to the Mozart work completed the maze more rapidly and with fewer errors than the rats assigned to the other groups. The difference increased in magnitude through Day 5. This suggests that repeated exposure to complex music induces improved spatial-temporal learning in rats, resembling results found in humans. Taken together with studies of enrichment-induced neural plasticity, these results suggest a similar neurophysiological mechanism for the effects of music on spatial learning in rats and humans.
Phenobarbital (PB)-induced changes in blood coagulationrelated parameters in pregnant rats, lactating rats and pups.
Mochizuki, Masahiro; Shimizu, Satomi; Kidokoro, Yuri; Kamata, Takashi; Kitazawa, Takahiro; Kishi, Daisuke; Okazaki, Emi; Nishihata, Yoshito; Ohishi, Takumi
Effects of repeated administration of phenobarbital (PB) on blood coagulation-related parameters were examined in non-pregnant, pregnant and lactating rats, and also in pups born to PB-treated lactating dams. PB was orally administered at a dose level of 80 mg/kg/day to pregnant (from gestation day (GD) 13), postpartum (from postpartum day (PPD) 7) and non-pregnant rats (from 13 weeks of age) for 7 days. Blood was collected on GD20 or PPD14 to perform blood coagulation examination. Concurrently, the blood coagulation parameters were examined in the pups. Increases in liver weight and/or hepatic cytochrome P450 content were observed in the PB-treated non-pregnant, pregnant and lactating rats. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was prolonged and anti-thrombin III (ATIII) concentration was increased in the lactating rats, while there were no changes in prothrombin time (PT) or APTT in the non-pregnant and pregnant rats. Moreover, prolongation of PT and APTT and decreases in factors VII and IX activities were observed in their pups. Thus, prolongation of blood coagulation time was confirmed in both dams and their pups following PB-administration to lactating dams. Effects of vitamin K(2) (VK(2)) on PB-induced changes in blood coagulation-related parameters of both dams and their pups were examined by co-administration with PB and VK(2) to lactating dams. PT and APTT were comparable to the control and PB-induced prolongation of blood coagulation time was improved in the pups while APTT was prolonged in dams, suggesting that VK(2) was beneficial to pups but not to dams.
Lemon juice has protective activity in a rat urolithiasis model
Oussama Abdelkhalek
Full Text Available Abstract Background The use of herbal medicines (medicinal plants or phytotherapy has recently gained popularity in Europe and the United States. Nevertheless the exact mechanism of the preventive effects of these products is still far to be clearly established, being its knowledge necessary to successfully apply these therapies to avoid stone formation. Methods The effect of oral lemon juice administration on calcium oxalate urolithiasis was studied in male Wistar rats. Rats were rendered nephrolithic by providing drinking water containing 0.75% ethylene glycol [v/v] (EG and 2% ammonium chloride [w/v] (AC for 10 days. In addition to EG/AC treatment, three groups of rats were also gavage-administered solutions containing 100%, 75% or 50% lemon juice [v/v] (6 μl solution/g body weight. Positive control rats were treated with EG/AC but not lemon juice. Negative control rats were provided with normal drinking water, and were administered normal water by gavage. Each group contained 6 rats. After 10 days, serum samples were collected for analysis, the left kidney was removed and assessed for calcium levels using flame spectroscopy, and the right kidney was sectioned for histopathological analysis using light microscopy. Results Analysis showed that the rats treated with EG/AC alone had higher amounts of calcium in the kidneys compared to negative control rats. This EG/AC-induced increase in kidney calcium levels was inhibited by the administration of lemon juice. Histology showed that rats treated with EG/AC alone had large deposits of calcium oxalate crystals in all parts of the kidney, and that such deposits were not present in rats also treated with either 100% or 75% lemon juice. Conclusion These data suggest that lemon juice has a protective activity against urolithiasis.
The effects of exposure to electromagnetic field on rat myocardium.
Kiray, Amac; Tayefi, Hamid; Kiray, Muge; Bagriyanik, Husnu Alper; Pekcetin, Cetin; Ergur, Bekir Ugur; Ozogul, Candan
Exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) causes increased adverse effects on biological systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EMF on heart tissue by biochemical and histomorphological evaluations in EMF-exposed adult rats. In this study, 28 male Wistar rats weighing 200-250 g were used. The rats were divided into two groups: sham group (n = 14) and EMF group (n = 14). Rats in sham group were exposed to same conditions as the EMF group except the exposure to EMF. Rats in EMF group were exposed to a 50-Hz EMF of 3 mT for 4 h/day and 7 days/week for 2 months. After 2 months of exposure, rats were killed; the hearts were excised and evaluated. Determination of oxidative stress parameters was performed spectrophotometrically. To detect apoptotic cells, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining and caspase-3 immunohistochemistry were performed. In EMF-exposed group, levels of lipid peroxidation significantly increased and activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase decreased compared with sham group. The number of TUNEL-positive cells and caspase-3 immunoreactivity increased in EMF-exposed rats compared with sham. Under electron microscopy, there were mitochondrial degeneration, reduction in myofibrils, dilated sarcoplasmic reticulum and perinuclear vacuolization in EMF-exposed rats. In conclusion, the results show that the exposure to EMF causes oxidative stress, apoptosis and morphologic damage in myocardium of adult rats. The results of our study indicate that EMF-related changes in rat myocardium could be the result of increased oxidative stress. Further studies are needed to demonstrate whether the exposure to EMF can induce adverse effects on myocardium.
The course of Schistosoma mansoni infection in thymectomized rats.
Cioli, D; Dennert, G
Inbred rats were thymectomized, irradiated, and reconstituted with T cell-free bone marrow cells. Thymectomized-reconstituted (B rats) and control rats were infected with Schistosoma mansoni cercariae and the number of worms recovered was determined at various times after infection. The extent of immunosuppression was assessed by two criteria: 1) response to an injection of sheep erythrocytes (plaque assay, hemagglutination, hemolysis); 2) response to schistosome antigens (passive hemagglutination). Humoral responses to worm antigens were completely suppressed in almost all instances and anti-sheep erythrocyte responses showed a more variable but always very definite depression in B rats. The number of worms in B rats was about 4 times higher than in control animals at 5 weeks and about 3 times higher at 6 weeks. In a different experiment, rats were perfused at 4, 6, and 9 weeks after infection and the number of worms was found to be consistently higher in B rats, by a factor of about 2 at 4 weeks to a factor of about 4 or 6 at subsequent times. Although B rats had more worms than controls even at 9 weeks, a slow drop in their worm burden was noticeable with time in both experiments. Moreover, the size of worms in B rats was smaller than in controls and even 9-week-old worms failed to develop to normal size and appearance and could not be shown to produce fertile eggs. These experiments show a definite involvement of the immune system in the "self-cure" phenomenon, but may at the same time suggest that other non-immune mechanisms are involved in determining the pattern of S. mansoni infection in the rat.
Olive Oil effectively mitigates ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats
Saleh Hanan A
Full Text Available Abstract Background Osteoporosis, a reduction in bone mineral density, represents the most common metabolic bone disease. Postmenopausal women are particularly susceptible to osteoporosis when their production of estrogen declines. For these women, fracture is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effects of olive oil supplementation against osteoporosis in ovariectomized (OVX rats. Methods We studied adult female Wistar rats aged 12-14 months, divided into three groups: sham-operated control (SHAM, ovariectomized (OVX, and ovariectomized rats supplemented with extravirgin olive oil (Olive-OVX orally for 12 weeks; 4 weeks before ovariectomy and 8 weeks after. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected. Plasma levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase (ALP, malondialdehyde (MDA, and nitrates were assayed. Specimens from both the tibia and the liver were processed for light microscopic examination. Histomorphometric analysis of the tibia was also performed. Results The OVX-rats showed a significant decrease in plasma calcium levels, and a significant increase in plasma ALP, MDA, and nitrates levels. These changes were attenuated by olive oil supplementation in the Olive-OVX rats. Light microscopic examination of the tibia of the OVX rats revealed a significant decrease in the cortical bone thickness (CBT and the trabecular bone thickness (TBT. In addition, there was a significant increase in the osteoclast number denoting bone resorption. In the Olive-OVX rats these parameters were markedly improved as compared to the OVX group. Examination of the liver specimens revealed mononuclear cellular infiltration in the portal areas in the OVX-rats which was not detected in the Olive-OVX rats. Conclusions Olive oil effectively mitigated ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats, and is a promising candidate for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Intrasplenic transplantation of allogeneic hepatocytes prolongs survival in anhepatic rats.
Arkadopoulos, N; Lilja, H; Suh, K S; Demetriou, A A; Rozga, J
To examine whether hepatocytes transplanted in the spleen can function as an ectopic liver, we performed hepatocyte transplantation in rats that were rendered anhepatic. Total hepatectomy was performed by using a novel single-stage technique. Following hepatectomy, Group 1 rats (n = 16) were monitored until death to determine survival time without prior intervention. Group 2 anhepatic rats (n = 20) were sacrificed at various times to measure blood hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) levels. Group 3 (n = 16) rats received intrasplenic injection of isolated hepatocytes (2.5 x 10(7) cells/rat) followed by total hepatectomy after 3 days. Group 4 (n = 12) sham-transplanted rats received intrasplenic saline infusion, and after 3 days they were rendered anhepatic. Group 2, 3, and 4 rats were maintained on daily Cyclosporine A (10 mg/kg; intramuscularly). Group 1 anhepatic rats survived for 22.4 +/- 5.2 hours (standard deviation). The anhepatic state was associated with a progressive and statistically significant rise in blood HGF and TGF-beta1 levels. Rats that received hepatocyte transplantation before total hepatectomy had a significantly longer survival time than sham-transplanted anhepatic controls (34.1 +/- 8.5 vs. 15.5 +/- 4.8 hrs, P ammonia, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, and TGF-beta1 levels when compared with sham-transplanted controls. In conclusion, intrasplenic transplantation of allogeneic hepatocytes prolonged survival, improved blood chemistry, and lowered blood TGF-beta1 levels in rats rendered anhepatic.
Effects of rat urotensin II on coronary flow and myocardial eNOS protein expression in isolated rat heart
LingLI; Wen-junYUAN; Ding-fengSU
AIM: To examine the effects of urotensin Ⅱ, a recently discovered endogenous peptide, on coronary flow (CF),cardiac function, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression in isolated rat hearts. METHODS: Heart was isolated and perfused retrogradely via the aorta in Langendorff mode. Rat urotensin Ⅱ was administered in the perfusion solution. The eNOS content in myocardium was determined by Western blot. RESULTS: Rat urotensin Ⅱ had no effect on the heart rate, left ventricular systolic pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, or±dp/dt max. While rat urotensin Ⅱ dose-dependently increased CF. CF was increased by 11.43%, 6.67%, 6.62%,6.56%, 6.36%, and 5.86% respectively in a time-dependent manner at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 min after injection of rat urotensin Ⅱ 6.66×10-2μg. The maximal effect on CF was found at 5 min following urotensin Ⅱ administration.NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) did not prevent the increased CF in response to urotensin Ⅱ. Rat urotensin Ⅱ dose-dependently increased the cardiac eNOS protein expression and this effect was not inhibited by L-NAME. CONCLUSION: Rat urotensin Ⅱ did not alter cardiac function but increased CF and the amount of myocardial eNOS protein in the isolated rat heart. The increased CF was independent of the involvement of eNOS.
Lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of IP-10 mRNA in rat brain and in cultured rat astrocytes and microglia
Ren, LQ; Gourmala, N; Boddeke, HWGM; Gebicke-Haerter, PJ
Using mRNA differential display technique, we have found a differentially expressed band in rat brain, designated HAP(2)G1, which was the strongest one induced in response to peripheral administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Sequence analysis showed that HAP(2)G1 cDNA is the rat homologue of th
Caloric restriction increases internal iliac artery and penil nitric oxide synthase expression in rat: Comparison of aged and adult rats
Emin Ozbek
Full Text Available Because of the positive corelation between healthy cardiovascular system and sexual life we aimed to evaluate the effect of caloric restriction (CR on endothelial and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (eNOS, nNOS expression in cavernousal tissues and eNOS expression in the internal iliac artery in young and aged rats. Young (3 mo, n = 7 and aged (24 mo, n = 7 male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 40% CR and were allowed free access to water for 3 months. Control rats (n = 14 fed ad libitum had free access to food and water at all times. On day 90, rats were sacrified and internal iliac arteries and penis were removed and parafinized, eNOS and nNOS expression evaluated with immunohistochemistry. Results were evaluated semiquantitatively. eNOS and nNOS expression in cavernousal tis- sue in CR rats were more strong than in control group in both young and old rats. eNOS expression was also higher in the internal iliac arteries of CR rats than in control in young and old rats. As a result of our study we can say that there is a positive link between CR and neurotransmitter of erection in cavernousal tissues and internal iliac arteries. CR has beneficial effect to prevent sexual dysfunction in young and old animals and possible humans.
Rats with Chronic, Stable Pulmonary Hypertension Tolerate Low Dose Sevoflurane Inhalation as Well as Normal Rats Do.
Xiaoqing Yin
Full Text Available The effects of low concentration of sevoflurane on right ventricular (RV function and intracellular calcium in the setting of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH have not been investigated clearly. We aim to study these effects and associated signaling pathways in rats with PAH.Hemodynamics were assessed with or without sevoflurane inhalation in established PAH rats. We analysis the classic RV function parameters and RV-PA coupling efficiency using steady-state PV loop recordings. The protein levels of SERCA2, PLB and p-PLB expression was analyzed by western blot to assess their relevance in PAH.Rats with PAH presented with RV hypertrophy and increased pulmonary arterial pressure. The values of Ea, R/L ratio, ESP, SW, PRSW, +dP/dtmax and the slope of the dP/dtmax-EDV relationship increased significantly in PAH rats (P<0.05. Sevoflurane induced a concentration-dependent decrease of systemic and pulmonary blood pressure, HR, RV contractility, and increased the R/L ratio in both groups. Sevoflurane reduced the expression of SERCA2 and increased the expression of PLB in both groups. Interestingly, sevoflurane only reduced the p-PLB/PLB ratio in PAH rats, not in normal rats.Rats with chronic, stable pulmonary hypertension tolerate low concentrations of sevoflurane inhalation as well as normal rats do. It may be related to the modulation of the SERCA2-PLB signaling pathway.
Disposition of 14C-erythritol in germfree and conventional rats
Ommen, B. van; Bie, B. de; Bar, A.
The metabolism and disposition of U-14C-erythritol was examined in four groups of three male and three female, nonfasted rats each. The rats of groups A and D were germfree; the rats of groups B and C were kept under conventional conditions. The rats of group B received an erythritol-supplemented
Traveling Companions Add Complexity and Hinder Performance in the Spatial Behavior of Rats
Dorfman, Alex; Nielbo, Kristoffer Laigaard; Eilam, David
-mate. It was found that the presence of another rat substantially altered the rats' spatial behavior. Lone rats collected the food items faster while traveling a shorter distance, reflecting a higher efficiency of task completion. When accompanied by a partner, however, the rats traveled together, visiting the same...
Effects of natural moxibustion on cytokines and specific transcrption factors in asthma rats
Objective To explore the mechanism of natural moxibustion on regulating immune imbalance in asthma rats.Methods Seventy SD male rats were divided into a normal group,a placebo group,a small-cake for longcourse moxibustion group and a small-cake for shortcourse moxibustion group,ten rats in each.The rat mod-
Operative procedures in warm humidified air: Can it reduce adhesion formation? A randomized experimental rat model
Arild de Vries
Conclusions: Rats in the study group had higher total adhesion, extent, severity and tenacity scores postoperatively compared to rats in the control group. A possible reason could be the observed higher bacterial load amongst the rats of the study group compared to the rats of the control group.
Resistance to anticoagulants in rats (Rattus norvegicus) in sewers in an urban area
Lodal, Jens
. Therefore a project for studying resistance levels in sewer rats was undertaken in an urban area of a municipality in southern Zealand from where surface rats had been tested during the foregoing years. Rats resistant to difenacoum represented the highest level of resistance in the municipality. Rats were...
DDT increases hepatic testosterone metabolism in rats
Sierra-Santoyo, Adolfo; Albores, Arnulfo; Cebrian, Mariano E. [Cinvestav-IPN, Seccion de Toxicologia, Mexico (Mexico); Hernandez, Manuel [Cinvestav-IPN, Departamento de Biologia Celular (Mexico)
DDT and its metabolites are considered as endocrine disruptors able to promote hormone-dependent pathologies. We studied the effects of technical-grade DDT on hepatic testosterone metabolism and testosterone hydroxylase activity ratios in the rat. Male and female Wistar rats were treated by gavage with a single dose of technical-grade DDT (0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mg/kg body weight) and killed 24 h later. Hepatic microsomes were incubated with [4-{sup 14}C]-testosterone and the metabolites were separated by thin-layer chromatography and quantified by radio scanning. DDT increased testosterone biotransformation and modified the profile of metabolites produced in a sex-dependent manner. Males treated with a representative dose (10 mg/kg) produced relatively less androstenedione (AD), 2{alpha}-hydroxytestosterone (OHT), and 16{alpha}-OHT but higher 6{beta}-OHT whereas treated females produced less 7{alpha}-OHT and AD but higher 6{beta}-OHT and 6{alpha}-OHT than their respective controls. In both sexes DDT decreased the relative proportion of AD and increased that of 6{beta}-OHT suggesting that the androgen-saving pathway was affected. The testosterone 6{alpha}-/15{alpha}-OHT ratio, a proposed indicator of demasculinization, was increased in treated males. This effect was in agreement with the demasculinizing ability proposed for DDT. The effects on 6{alpha}-/16{alpha}-OHT and 6-dehydrotestosterone/16{alpha}-OHT ratios followed a similar tendency, with the ratio 6{alpha}-/16{alpha}-OHT being the most sensitive marker. Interestingly, these ratios were reduced in treated females suggesting that technical-grade DDT shifted testosterone hydroxylations toward a more masculine pattern. Thus, technical-grade DDT altered the hepatic sexual dimorphism in testosterone metabolism and decreased the metabolic differences between male and female rats. (orig.)
Sensory innervation of rat contracture shoulder model.
Ochiai, Nobuyasu; Ohtori, Seiji; Kenmoku, Tomonori; Yamazaki, Hironori; Ochiai, Satoko; Saisu, Takashi; Matsuki, Keisuke; Takahashi, Kazuhisa
To date, few studies have investigated the cause of pain experienced by patients with frozen shoulder. The purposes of this study were to establish a rat contracture model and clarify the innervation pattern of the glenohumeral (GH) joint and subacromial bursa (SAB) using immunohistochemistry in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. The rat contracture models were made by tying the animal's humerus and scapula with No. 2-0 FiberWire (Arthrex, Naples, FL, USA). Contracture was confirmed on x-ray images taken 8 weeks after the operation. Subsequently, two kinds of neurotracers, Fluoro-Gold (FG) (Fluorochrome, Denver, CO, USA) and 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR, USA), were used to detect the GH joints and SAB separately. FG tracers were injected into GH joints, and DiI tracers were injected into the SAB. At 7 days after injection, DRGs were harvested between C1 and T1. Immunohistochemistry by use of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was performed. CGRP is thought to be one of the causes of pain sensation in joint disease. We evaluated the percentages of FG-labeled CGRP-immunoreactive (CGRP-ir) neurons in the total number of FG-labeled neurons and of DiI-labeled CGRP-ir neurons in the total number of DiI-labeled neurons. Abduction and total arc of the rotation were statistically significantly decreased in the contracture group. Furthermore, the percentage of CGRP-ir DRG neurons was significantly higher in the contracture group in both the GH joint and SAB. These results show that pain sensation in rat shoulder contracture may be induced by the up-regulation of CGRP expression in DRG neurons. Copyright © 2013 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.
Iloprost inhibits fracture repair in rats.
Doğan, Ali; Duygun, Fatih; Kalender, A Murat; Bayram, Irfan; Sungur, Ibrahim
Previous studies have shown that prostaglandins (PGs) dramatically stimulate healing processes in bone. However, the effect of prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) on fracture healing remains unclear. To investigate the effect of PGI2, a study on fracture healing process in closed tibia fractures was designed. Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomized into two groups. On the first day, their right tibias were fractured by three-point bending technique. The study group (n = 18) received a single injection of 10 µg/kg iloprost for 5 days, while the control group (n = 18) received saline solution in the same way. On the 7th, 14th and 28th days following the fracture, six rats were sacrificed and their right legs were harvested in each group. The progression of fracture healing was assessed for each specimen by the scores of radiography (by Lane-Sandhu) and histology (by Huo et al). On the 7th day, the radiographic and histologic scores were equal. On the 14th day radiographic total score was 6 and histologic total score was 23 in the iloprost group, whereas radiographic total score was 11 and histologic total score was 33 in the control group. On the 14th day radiographic and histologic scores were significantly decreased in the iloprost group compared to the control group (P iloprost group, whereas radiographic total score was 15 and histologic total score was 40 in the control group. On the 28th day although there was a decrease in radiographic and histologic scores of the iloprost group acording to control group, it was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Iloprost delays fracture healing in early stage in rats.
Iloprost inhibits fracture repair in rats
Ali Do(g)an; Fatih Duygun; A.Murat Kalender; Irfan Bayram; Ibrahim Sungur
Background Previous studies have shown that prostaglandins (PGs) dramatically stimulate healing processes in bone.However,the effect of prostaglandin l2 (PGI2) on fracture healing remains unclear.To investigate the effect of PGI2,a study on fracture healing process in closed tibia fractures was designed.Methods Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomized into two groups.On the first day,their right tibias were fractured by three-point bending technique.The study group (n=18) received a single injection of 10 μg/kg iloprost for 5 days,while the control group (n=18) received saline solution in the same way.On the 7th,14th and 28th days following the fracture,six rats were sacrificed and their right legs were harvested in each group.The progression of fracture healing was assessed for each specimen by the scores of radiography (by Lane-Sandhu) and histology (by Huo et al).Results On the 7th day,the radiographic and histologic scores were equal.On the 14th day radiographic total score was 6 and histologic total score was 23 in the iloprost group,whereas radiographic total score was 11 and histologic total score was 33 in the control group.On the 14th day radiographic and histologic scores were significantly decreased in the iloprost group compared to the control group (P <0.05).On the 28th day radiographic total score was 12 and histologic total score was 37 in the iloprost group,whereas radiographic total score was 15 and histologic total score was 40 in the control group.On the 28th day although there was a decrease in radiographic and histologic scores of the iloprost group acording to control group,it was not statistically significant (P >0.05).Conclusion Iloprost delays fracture healing in early stage in rats.
DDT increases hepatic testosterone metabolism in rats.
Sierra-Santoyo, Adolfo; Hernández, Manuel; Albores, Arnulfo; Cebrián, Mariano E
DDT and its metabolites are considered as endocrine disruptors able to promote hormone-dependent pathologies. We studied the effects of technical-grade DDT on hepatic testosterone metabolism and testosterone hydroxylase activity ratios in the rat. Male and female Wistar rats were treated by gavage with a single dose of technical-grade DDT (0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mg/kg body weight) and killed 24 h later. Hepatic microsomes were incubated with [4-14C]-testosterone and the metabolites were separated by thin-layer chromatography and quantified by radio scanning. DDT increased testosterone biotransformation and modified the profile of metabolites produced in a sex-dependent manner. Males treated with a representative dose (10 mg/kg) produced relatively less androstenedione (AD), 2alpha-hydroxytestosterone (OHT), and 16alpha-OHT but higher 6beta-OHT whereas treated females produced less 7alpha-OHT and AD but higher 6beta-OHT and 6alpha-OHT than their respective controls. In both sexes DDT decreased the relative proportion of AD and increased that of 6beta-OHT suggesting that the androgen-saving pathway was affected. The testosterone 6alpha-/15alpha-OHT ratio, a proposed indicator of demasculinization, was increased in treated males. This effect was in agreement with the demasculinizing ability proposed for DDT. The effects on 6alpha-/16alpha-OHT and 6-dehydrotestosterone/16alpha-OHT ratios followed a similar tendency, with the ratio 6alpha-/16alpha-OHT being the most sensitive marker. Interestingly, these ratios were reduced in treated females suggesting that technical-grade DDT shifted testosterone hydroxylations toward a more masculine pattern. Thus, technical-grade DDT altered the hepatic sexual dimorphism in testosterone metabolism and decreased the metabolic differences between male and female rats.
Rat liver metabolism of dicarboxylic acids.
Vamecq, J; Draye, J P; Brison, J
Recently, we demonstrated in rat liver that dicarboxylic acids containing more than five carbons can be activated by a microsomal dicarboxylyl-CoA synthetase (J. Vamecq, E. de Hoffmann, and F. Van Hoof. Biochem. J. 230: 683-693, 1985). The products of this reaction, dicarboxylyl-CoA esters, were found to be substrates for an H2O2-generating dicarboxylyl-CoA oxidase. In the present work we report that 1) the catalytic center or the essential domains of dicarboxylyl-CoA synthetase are located at the cytosolic aspect of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane; 2) dicarboxylyl-CoA oxidase is optimally active on dodecanedioyl-CoA and is a peroxisomal enzyme; 3) cyanide-insensitive dodecanedioyl-CoA oxidation (NADH production) is catalyzed by rat liver homogenates. Cell fractionation studies disclose that, similar to dodecanedioyl-CoA oxidase (H2O2 production), the cyanide-insensitive dodecanedioyl-CoA oxidizing activity also belongs to peroxisomes; 4) a dodecanedioyl-CoA oxidoreductase reaction can be assayed by the dichlorphenolindophenol procedure in rat liver homogenates, and the activity is abundant in peroxisomal, mitochondrial, and soluble fractions; 5) by contrast with monocarboxylyl-CoA esters, the dicarboxylyl-CoAs are apparently not substrates for mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation; however, the use of dicarboxylylcarnitine esters as direct substrate for mitochondria suggests the existence of an active beta-oxidation of dicarboxylates in these organelles, which is further confirmed by experiments in which mitochondria are permeabilized with digitonin; 6) the in vivo oxidation of infused dodecanedioic acid results in a rapid appearance in urine of medium-chain dicarboxylic acids, with only 30-50% of the infused dose recovered in urine.
Lubiprostone Stimulates Duodenal Bicarbonate Secretion in Rats
Mizumori, Misa; Akiba, Yasutada; Kaunitz, Jonathan D.
Background Lubiprostone, a bicyclic fatty acid, is used for the treatment of chronic constipation. No published study has addressed the effect of lubiprostone on intestinal ion secretion in vivo. Aim The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that lubiprostone augments duodenal HCO3 − secretion (DBS). Methods Rat proximal duodenal loops were perfused with pH 7.0 Krebs, control vehicle (medium-chain triglycerides), or lubiprostone (0.1–10 μM). We measured DBS with flow-through pH and CO2...
Magnetic resonance imaging of rat fetuses
Igarashi, Yo; Kawanishi, Hiroaki (Imamichi Institute for Animal Reproduction, Ibaraki (Japan)); Hasegawa, Kenichi; Otsu, Shinichi
The internal structures of rat fetuses on day 18.0 of pregnancy were studied by magnetic resonance imaging in 1-mm sagittal slices. Each organ was represented as white to gray images different in tone according to the [sup 1]H proton content and the relaxation time. In solid organs, portions with high cell density were seen as white areas and those with low cell density as gray areas. In the tubular organs, the margins were imaged as white and the lumina as gray. (author).
Stroke-prone renovascular hypertensive rats
曾进胜; 贷如训; 苏镇培
Purpose To summarized the methods for establishment, characteristics of vascular lesions in brain and heart and thc application of stroke-pronc renovascular hypertensive rats (RHRSP). Background Spontaneously hypcrtensivc rats (STR) and subtypes of SH R, especially stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) are considered as most important animal models at present for the studies of hypertension and its complications in heart and brain, evcn SHRSP arc considered as thc unique animal model in which prcvention of stroke can be studied cxperimentally Howcver, the applications of SHR and SHRSP are limited because of the effects of genetic deficits and thc difficulties with breeding Theretore, most of the researches on experimental stroke have been performed on the animal models with normotcnsion and normal structure of cerebral vessels. In fact, there are great differences in structure of cerebrovesscls, autoregulation of cerebral blood flow and extent of lesions in brain tissue, even the reaction to the medication after ischemia between the animals with extcnsive arteriosclerosis and with normal cerebral blood vessels. Obviously, thc relevancc of experimental stroke on normal animals to the stroke on cerebral arteriosclerotic patients clinically remains dubious. Data sources and methods Most published original articles about RHRSP in our laboratory were reviewed Results After the renal arteries were constricted bilaterally with ring-shape silver clips, the stroke-prone rcnovascular hypertensive rats were established. Hypertension was produced in all RHRSP(100%).The peak of blood pressure in RHRSP reached 29.1 ±3.0kPa. The lesions of cerebral arteries and arterioles and the damage of cerebral capillary structure by hypertension were observed in the RHRSP. The incidence of spontaneous stroke was 56.4% with in 40 weeks after the renal artery constriction. Left ventricular hypertrophy and small coronary arterial lesions in myocardium were discovered in all
Hyperproteic diet and pregnancy of rat.
Greco, A M; Sticchi, R; Gambardella, P; D'Aponte, D; Ferrante, P
We have studied the effects of a purified diet enriched with animal protein (casein 40%, lactalbumin 20%) on different stages of rat pregnancy. We observed that hyperproteic diet, especially when administered from the first day of pregnancy, induces morphological alterations of liver, adrenal cortex, heart and kidney. Moreover, haematic dosages, carried out on 15th day of pregnancy, have shown moderate but significant increase of glucose and triglycerides and significant decrease of circulating aldosterone and corticosterone as well. Finally an early administration of hyperproteic diet causes less numerous litters and high mortality rate at birth.
Xenotransplantation of piscine islets into hyperglycemic rats
Weber, C.; Weil, R. III; McIntosh, R.; Hogle, H.; Warden, G.; Reemtsma, K.
Xenotransplantation of piscine islets into hyperglycemic rats usually lowers the blood sugar level of the recipient. The duration of this effect is prolonged by irradiation of the host or by enclosing donor tissue in synthetic envelopes. This prolongation appears to be related to interference with the host's ability to reject the graft; the duration of the prolongation may be limited by the host tissue reaction surrounding the envelope. The availability of anatomically separate piscine islet tissue makes it potentially useful for xenotransplantation into mammals.
Development of exoskeletal robotic limbs for a rat controlled by neural signals based on a vehicular neuro-robotic platform RatCar.
Fukayama, Osamu; Otsuka, Hiroshi; Hashimoto, Ryuta; Suzuki, Takafumi; Mabuchi, Kunihiko
A pair of exoskeletal limbs for a rat has been developed based on a vehicular Brain-Machine Interface "Rat-Car". The "RatCar" is a whole-body motor prosthesis system for a rat developed by the authors, estimating locomotion velocity according to neural signals pattern to move the rat body by the vehicle instead of its original limbs. In this paper, exoskeletal limbs have displaced the wheels for more natural modality of body control. The system was tested by applying peripheral nerve signals from a behaving rat.
Feeding flaxseed oil but not secoisolariciresinol diglucoside results in higher bone mass in healthy rats and rats with kidney disease.
Weiler, H A; Kovacs, H; Nitschmann, E; Bankovic-Calic, N; Aukema, H; Ogborn, M
Flaxseed's oil and lignan, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), are implicated in attainment of health and treatment of renal injury and osteoporosis. To test for these benefits, weanling Han:SPRD-cy rats (n=171) with or without kidney disease were randomized to diets made with either corn oil or flaxseed oil and with or without SDG for 12 weeks. In females, weight was lower with the SDG diet. In males fed flaxseed oil, lean mass was higher and fat % was lower. In both sexes, fat % was lower in diseased rats. Bone mineral content (BMC) and density were higher in rats fed flaxseed oil and lower in diseased rats, additionally; BMC was lower in SDG-supplemented females. The benefit of flaxseed oil on body composition is sex specific but the effect on bone mass is not. Lastly, reduced weight due to early rat kidney disease is not due to loss of lean body mass.
Increased periodontal bone loss in temporarily B lymphocyte-deficient rats
Klausen, B; Hougen, H P; Fiehn, N E
readily, but the spirochete strain could not be established permanently in the oral cavity of the rats, 95% of the inoculated rats raised serum IgG or IgM antibody against one or more of the microorganisms; nude rats tended to raise less antibody than the three other experimental groups. Inoculated rats...... had significantly less periodontal bone support than controls. Anti-mu treated inoculated rats had significantly less periodontal bone support than nude and normal rats, whereas no difference was found between normal, nude, and thymus-grafted rats. It is concluded that permanent T...
Fish oil versus arachis oil food supplementation in relation to pregnancy duration in rats
Olsen, S.F.; Hansen, Harald S.; Jensen, B.
Throughout pregnancy, Lewis rats were fed standard rat chow supplemented with 15% (w/w) of either MaxEPA fish oil (FO) or arachis oil (AO); a third group was fed standard rat chow only (St) (n = 15, 15, and 16 rats, respectively). Compared to AO-rats, FO-rats had substantially higher levels of n-3...... may be related to the lower maternal weight gain during pregnancy and the lower food consumption observed in FO-rats (p 0.1). The findings are compatible with the hypothesis that gestational age...
Identification of rat mammary tumor-1 gene (RMT-1), which is highly expressed in rat mammary tumors.
Chiou, S; Yoo, J; Loh, K C; Guzman, R C; Gopinath, G R; Rajkumar, L; Chou, Y C; Yang, J; Popescu, N C; Nandi, S
Full-term pregnancy early in life results in a permanent reduction in lifetime breast cancer risk in women. Parous rats and mice are also refractory to chemical carcinogenesis. Therefore, investigation of the differences between mammary glands from virgin and parous rats would provide valuable information regarding the protective effects of early full-term pregnancy. In this report, we examined the gene expression patterns in mammary glands from virgin and parous Lewis rats. Using differential display technology, a novel 4.2 kb cDNA, designated rat mammary tumor-1 (RMT-1) was isolated. Northern blot analysis of RMT-1 showed that RMT-1 expression was higher in the pre-pubertal and pubertal stages during rat mammary gland development while it was down-regulated in mammary glands from mature virgin and parous rats. RMT-1 expression was highest in rat mammary cancers compared with either the mammary glands of virgin or parous rats. At the Northern blot sensitivity level, RMT-1 expression was found only in the mammary gland. Northern blot analysis also showed that the expression of this gene was found in 74% of N-methyl-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced mammary cancers while it was not found in MNU-induced cancers from other organs. The examination of the RMT-1 gene structure revealed that it consists of five exons spanning 5.9 kb. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, the gene was localized on rat chromosome 1 band q 43-51. The present data show that there is a correlation between high RMT-1 expression and rat mammary carcinogenesis or decreased RMT-1 expression and parity associated refractoriness to chemically induced mammary carcinogenesis. However, whether or not RMT-1 gene has a functional role in these processes remains to be investigated.
K. Yu. Maksimova
Full Text Available The aim of this work was the analysis of structural changes with age in the hippocampus of senescenceaccelerated OXYS rats when signs of accelerated brain aging are missing (age 14 days, developments (age 5 months, and active progresses (age 15 months. The study was performed on 15 OXYS rats and 15 Wistar rats (as a control. After dislocation, brains were dissected, fixed with 10% formalin, embedded in paraffin, and serially cut in coronal sections (5μm thickness. These sections were stained with Cresyl violet and examined with a photomicroscope (Carl Zeiss Axiostar plus, Germany. The total number of hippocampal pyramidal cells in the CA1, CA3 and the dentate gyrus regions were estimated in 14-dayold, 5and 15-month-old OXYS and Wistar rats (n = 5 on the 5 slices of each brain sections. The number of neurons with chromatolysis, hyperchromatic with darkly stained cytoplasm and shrunken neurons were calculated as degenerative neurons. The pictures obtained with the program Carl Zeiss Axio Vision 8.0 with increasing 10 100, determined the average area bodies and nuclei of neurons (mkm2. The significant structural changes of neurons in the CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus regions of the hippocampus in OXYS rats at 5 month of age are revealed by light microscopy. This results indicates the early develop neurodegeneration in OXYS rats. The most pronounced morphological changes occur in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of OXYS rats and irreversible. The degenerative changes of neurons in the hippocampus increases by the age of 15 months. Morphometric analysis of the average area of bodies and the nuclei of hippocampal neurons in CA1, CA3 and the dentate gyrus regions of OXYS and Wistar rats at 14 days of age showed no significant interline differences. At 5 months of age in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of OXYS rats was determined a significantly lower average body size and nuclei of pyramidal neurons compared with Wistar rats. With age, these
Binding of thyroglobulin (Tg) to the low-density lipoprotein receptor-associated protein (RAP) during the biosynthetic pathway prevents premature Tg interactions with sortilin.
Botta, R; Lisi, S; Rotondo Dottore, G; Vitti, P; Marinò, M
Sortilin, a Vps10p family member, is expressed by thyroid epithelial cells (TEC), where it binds to internalized thyroglobulin (Tg) molecules. Premature binding of Tg to sortilin during biosynthesis may cause intracellular retention of Tg. Such a premature interaction may be prevented by one or more inhibitor/s. Because both sortilin and Tg bind to the low-density lipoprotein receptor-associated protein (RAP), we investigated whether RAP serves such a function. Immunofluorescence staining for sortilin, Tg, and RAP was performed in FRTL-5 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments were performed in extracts from FRTL-5 or COS-7 cells, the former co-transfected with Tg and/or RAP and/or sortilin, or in thyroid extracts from RAP KO mice. Tg and sortilin did not co-localize in FRTL-5 cells following inhibition of protein synthesis, suggesting that newly synthesized, endogenous sortilin and Tg do not interact, in confirmation of which an anti-sortilin antibody did not co-precipitate Tg in FRTL-5 cells. In contrast, Tg co-localized with RAP in FRTL-5 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation of Tg with an anti-sortilin antibody in COS-7 cells transfected with sortilin and Tg was abolished when cells were co-transfected with RAP, indicating that RAP prevents binding of Tg to sortilin during biosynthesis, in confirmation of which an anti-sortilin antibody co-precipitated Tg in thyroid extracts from RAP KO mice to a greater extent than in thyroid extracts from WT mice. Tg does not bind prematurely to sortilin because of its interaction with RAP during protein biosynthesis. These findings add new information to the knowledge of thyroid physiology.
Effect of amlodipine on renin secretion and renin gene expression in rats.
Schricker, K.; Hamann, M.; Macher, A.; Krämer, B. K.; Kaissling, B; Kurtz, A.
1. This study was done to characterize the influence of calcium channel blockade on renin secretion and renin gene expression in normal rats and rats with renovascular hypertension. To this end we studied the effects of the 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative, amlodipine, on plasma renin activity and renal renin m-RNA levels in normal rats and rats with unilateral renal hypoperfusion induced by applying 0.2 mm left renal artery clips over four days. 2. In normotensive rats, amlodipine significantl...
Accumbal FosB/DeltaFosB immunoreactivity and conditioned place preference in alcohol-preferring AA rats and alcohol-avoiding ANA rats treated repeatedly with cocaine.
Marttila, Kristiina; Petteri Piepponen, T; Kiianmaa, Kalervo; Ahtee, Liisa
Transcription factor DeltaFosB has been implicated in the psychomotor responses and rewarding effects of drugs of abuse. In the present study, we compared the effects of cocaine on the expression of DeltaFosB-like proteins by immunohistochemistry in striatal brain areas of alcohol-preferring (AA) and alcohol-avoiding (ANA) rats. Cocaine was administered using a previously verified treatment paradigm that sensitized the locomotor response to cocaine in AA but not in ANA rats. We also studied the rewarding effects of cocaine with a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in both lines of rats. Cocaine treatment increased the FosB/DeltaFosB immunoreactivity (IR) in the nucleus accumbens of AA rats but not in ANA rats. In addition, after repeated saline injections the accumbal FosB/DeltaFosB IR was significantly greater in saline-injected AA rats than in ANA rats. In the caudate-putamen cocaine significantly increased FosB/DeltaFosB IR, but no differences were found between the rats of two lines. In the CPP experiment, AA rats treated with cocaine 2.5 mg/kg preferred the cocaine-associated compartment, in contrast to ANA rats, which did not show such a preference. In conclusion, our findings show that AA rats are more sensitive to cocaine than ANA rats, and suggest that one possible mediator for this increased sensitivity could be the increased expression of fosB-derived proteins in the nucleus accumbens of AA rats.
Analysis of metabolites in plasma reveals distinct metabolic features between Dahl salt-sensitive rats and consomic SS.13(BN) rats.
Wang, Le; Hou, Entai; Wang, Zhengjun; Sun, Na; He, Liqing; Chen, Lan; Liang, Mingyu; Tian, Zhongmin
Salt-sensitive hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disorders. Our previous proteomic study revealed substantial differences in several proteins between Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) rats and salt-insensitive consomic SS.13(BN) rats. Subsequent experiments indicated a role of fumarase insufficiency in the development of hypertension in SS rats. In the present study, a global metabolic profiling study was performed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in plasma of SS rats (n=9) and SS.13(BN) rats (n=8) on 0.4% NaCl diet, designed to gain further insights into the relationship between alterations in cellular intermediary metabolism and predisposition to hypertension. Principal component analysis of the data sets revealed a clear clustering and separation of metabolic profiles between SS rats and SS.13(BN) rats. 23 differential metabolites were identified (PSS rats. Pyruvate, which connects TCA cycle and glycolysis, was also increased in SS rats. Moreover, lower activity levels of fumarase, aconitase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and succinyl-CoA synthetase were detected in the heart, liver or skeletal muscles of SS rats. The distinct metabolic features in SS and SS.13(BN) rats indicate abnormalities of TCA cycle in SS rats, which may play a role in predisposing SS rats to developing salt-sensitive hypertension.
Studies of aluminum in rat brain
Lipman, J.J.; Brill, A.B.; Som, P.; Jones, K.W.; Colowick, S.; Cholewa, M.
The effects of high aluminum concentrations in rat brains were studied using /sup 14/C autoradiography to measure the uptake of /sup 14/C 2-deoxy-D-glucose (/sup 14/C-2DG) and microbeam proton-induced x-ray emission (microPIXE) with a 20-..mu..m resolution to measure concentrations of magnesium, aluminum, potassium, and calcium. The aluminum was introduced intracisternally in the form of aluminum tartrate (Al-T) while control animals were given sodium tartrate (Na-T). The /sup 14/C was administered intravenously. The animals receiving Al-T developed seizure disorders and had pathological changes that included cerebral cortical atrophy. The results showed that there was a decreased uptake of /sup 14/C-2DG in cortical regions in which increased aluminum levels were measured, i.e., there is a correlation between the aluminum in the rat brain and decreased brain glucose metabolism. A minimum detection limit of about 16 ppM (mass fraction) or 3 x 10/sup 9/ Al atoms was obtained for Al under the conditions employed. 14 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
[Experimental sialadenitis in castrated rats administered estrogens].
Fonseca, M M; Rins de David, M L; Gendelman, H
Salivary glands are dependent on sexual hormones. The aim of the present work is to study the behavior of inflammatory response induced in animals that were castrated and injected with estrogens. Male adult wistar castrated rats (60-90 days) were used. A phlogogen pellet (zinc-oxide-turpentine essence) was placed between their sublingual and submaxillary glands and they were daily injected with 5 units of estrogen. The rats were killed after 8 and 12 days of treatment; submandibular pack was weighed, dissected and fixed in phormol Ph7 for its morphohistochemical study. Phlogogen pellet breaks out an acute inflammatory response that appears attenuated in castrated animals. Such character is enhanced when estrogens are used, disappearing ductal ectasis, becoming evident a granulation tissue of strange body in phagocytic activity and in contact with the pellet. As a consequence its follows that estrogen administration in castrated animals attenuates acute inflammatory response broken out by phlogogen pellet, determining characters with tendency to chronicity and giant cells differentiation of strange body.
Rapid whisker movements in sleeping newborn rats.
Tiriac, Alexandre; Uitermarkt, Brandt D; Fanning, Alexander S; Sokoloff, Greta; Blumberg, Mark S
Spontaneous activity in the sensory periphery drives infant brain activity and is thought to contribute to the formation of retinotopic and somatotopic maps. In infant rats during active (or REM) sleep, brainstem-generated spontaneous activity triggers hundreds of thousands of skeletal muscle twitches each day; sensory feedback from the resulting limb movements is a primary activator of forebrain activity. The rodent whisker system, with its precise isomorphic mapping of individual whiskers to discrete brain areas, has been a key contributor to our understanding of somatotopic maps and developmental plasticity. But although whisker movements are controlled by dedicated skeletal muscles, spontaneous whisker activity has not been entertained as a contributing factor to the development of this system. Here we report in 3- to 6-day-old rats that whiskers twitch rapidly and asynchronously during active sleep; furthermore, neurons in whisker thalamus exhibit bursts of activity that are tightly associated with twitches but occur infrequently during waking. Finally, we observed barrel-specific cortical activity during periods of twitching. This is the first report of self-generated, sleep-related twitches in the developing whisker system, a sensorimotor system that is unique for the precision with which it can be experimentally manipulated. The discovery of whisker twitching will allow us to attain a better understanding of the contributions of peripheral sensory activity to somatosensory integration and plasticity in the developing nervous system. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Erythropoietin stimulates patellar tendon healing in rats.
Uslu, Mustafa; Kaya, Ertuğrul; Yaykaşlı, Kürşat Oğuz; Oktay, Murat; Inanmaz, Mustafa Erkan; Işık, Cengiz; Erdem, Havva; Erkan, Melih Engin; Kandiş, Hayati
Erythropoietin (EPO), regulating erythropoiesis, is used to provide protective and regenerative activity in non-haematopoietic tissues. There is insufficient knowledge about the role of EPO activity in tendon healing. Therefore, we investigated the effect of EPO treatment on healing in rat patellar tendons. One hundred and twenty-six, four-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: 1, no treatment; 2, treatment with isotonic saline (NaCl) and 3, treatment with EPO. Each group was randomly subdivided into two groups for sacrifice at three (1a, 2a, 3a) or six weeks (1b, 2b, 3b). Complete incision of the left patellar tendon from the distal patellar pole was performed. We applied body casts for 20 days after the incised edges of the patellar tendon were brought together with a surgical technique. Both legs were harvested and specimens from each group underwent histological, biomechanical, and protein mRNA expression analyses. There were statistically significant differences in the ultimate breaking force between the EPO group and others at both weeks three and six (prats compared to the control groups biomechanically, histopathologically and with tissue protein mRNA expression. This is the first experimental study to analyze the relationship between EPO treatment and the patellar tendon repair process by biomechanical, histopathological, and tendon tissue mRNA expression methodologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
[Pharmacokinetics of zinc acexamate (ZAC) in rats].
Li, H Y; Liu, X M; Ji, X J
Zinc acexamate (ZAC) is a new antiulcer drug. This paper reports the pharmacokinetics of ZAC in rats after single oral administration. The concentrations in biological samples were detected by spectrophotometry. This study shows that the concentration-time curve of ZAC in blood conformed to a single-compartment open model after 250, 500 and 750 ng.kg-1 ig. ZAC absorption was fast and the peak plasma level appeared in 1.5 h. The Cmax, AUC and CL/F were shown to be dose dependent. Two hours after oral administration of ZAC to normal rats, the highest level of ZAC was present in the gastrointestinal tract, while appreciable ZAC was present in the kidney, liver, plasma and lung. The level of ZAC in heart, spleen and brain was lower, no drug was detected in muscles and uterus. Six hours after oral administration, the drug concentration in various tissues decreased rapidly, but that of the gastrointestinal decreased very slowly. Feces excretion was an important route of excretion. ZAC excretion was about 11.7% of the administered dosage in feces within 48 h period, and the excreted amount from urine and bile was very small.
Radiation damage in rat kidney microvasculature.
Nelson, A C; Shah-Yukich, A; Babayan, R
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with a specialized polymer injection casting technique permits the analysis of radiation induced damage in rat kidney glomeruli. A lead shielding device is constructed to enable the irradiation of the living rat left kidney, while the remainder of the animal is shielded from the dose, the right kidney serves as a control. The source of radiation is 137Cs which produces 0.66 MeV gamma-rays to achieve a kidney dose of 100 rad and 5000 rad in these experiments. Radiation damage to kidney glomeruli is assessed at intervals of 0, 1, 3 and 7 days post-irradiation at the two dose levels. It is found that radiation damage to kidney glomeruli is expressed morphologically at 7 days post-irradiation at the 100 rad dose level, while glomerular damage is apparent as early as 3 days post-irradiation at the 5000 rad dose level. Moreover, by 7 days post-irradiation with a 5000 rad dose, the kidney glomerulus thoroughly degenerates to a leaky fused mass of vessels. From a morphological viewpoint, kidney glomeruli are significantly more sensitive to radiation than surrounding vasculature. The methods developed here for assessment of radiation damage are highly repeatable and could serve as a standard technique in radiobiology.
Nuclear microscopy of rat colon epithelial cells
Ren, M., E-mail: email@example.com [Centre for Ion Beam Applications (CIBA), Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542 (Singapore); Rajendran, Reshmi [Lab of Molecular Imaging, Singapore Bioimaging Consotium, 11 Biopolis Way, 02-02 Helios, Singapore 138667 (Singapore); Ng, Mary [Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore (Singapore); Udalagama, Chammika; Rodrigues, Anna E.; Watt, Frank [Centre for Ion Beam Applications (CIBA), Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542 (Singapore); Jenner, Andrew Michael [Illawara Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), University of Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia)
Using Nuclear microscopy, we have investigated iron distributions in the colons of Sprague Dawley rats, in order to elucidate heme uptake. Four groups of five Sprague Dawley rats (mean weight 180 g) were fed different purified diets containing either heme diet (2.5% w/w hemoglobin), high fat diet (HFD) (18% w/w fat, 1% w/w cholesterol), 'western' diet (combination of hemoglobin 2.5% and 18% fat, 1% cholesterol) or control diet (7% w/w fat). After 4 weeks, animals were sacrificed by exsanguination after anaesthesia. Thin sections of frozen colon tissue were taken, freeze dried and scanned using nuclear microscopy utilising the techniques PIXE, RBS and STIM. The new data acquisition system (IonDaq) developed in CIBA was used to obtain high resolution images and line scans were used to map the iron distributions across the colon boundaries. The nuclear microscope results indicate that when HFD is given in addition to heme, the iron content of the epithelial cells that line the colon decreases, and the zinc in the smooth muscle wall increases. This implies that the level of heme and fat in diet has an important role in colon health, possibly by influencing epithelial cells directly or changing luminal composition such as bacterial flora or levels of metabolites and cytotoxins.
Glucose metabolism in rat retinal pigment epithelium.
Coffe, Víctor; Carbajal, Raymundo C; Salceda, Rocío
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is the major transport pathway for exchange of metabolites and ions between choroidal blood supply and the neural retina. To gain insight into the mechanisms controlling glucose metabolism in RPE and its possible relationship to retinopathy, we studied the influence of different glucose concentrations on glycogen and lactate levels and CO(2) production in RPE from normal and streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats. Incubation of normal RPE in the absence of glucose caused a decrease in lactate production and glycogen content. In normal RPE, increasing glucose concentrations from 5.6 mM to 30 mM caused a four-fold increase in glucose accumulation and CO(2) yield, as well as reduction in lactate and glycogen production. In RPE from diabetic rats glucose accumulation did not increase in the presence of high glucose substrate, but it showed a four- and a seven-fold increase in CO(2) production through the mitochondrial and pentose phosphate pathways, respectively. We found high glycogen levels in RPE which can be used as an energy reserve for RPE itself and/or neural retina. Findings further show that the RPE possesses a high oxidative capacity. The large increase in glucose shunting to the pentose phosphate pathway in diabetic retina exposed to high glucose suggests a need for reducing capacity, consistent with increased oxidative stress.
Tracheotomy in growing rats: histological aspects
Manna Mônica Cecília Bochetti
Full Text Available PURPOSE: To compare morphologically three different types of tracheotomy in growing rats, applying microsurgical technique. METHODS: EPM-1 Wistar growing rats (n=57 weighing 88gm and aged 35 days were randomized in four groups, according tracheotomy incision type (longitudinal, transverse and tracheal segment excision, and sham group. Following intramuscular anesthesia with ketamine and xylazine, the trachea was exposed and incised, according to the group, and a hand-made endotracheal cannula was inserted into the organ, under sterile conditions. This cannula was removed after 7 days, and animals have been sacrificed 30 days later. Tracheas samples were submitted to histological study, stained by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichrome, evaluating fibrosis, inflammatory infiltrate and epidermoid metaplasia. RESULTS: There was more frequency of inflammatory infiltrate at the tracheal epithelium in the tracheal segment excision group (87% compared to the longitudinal (40% and transverse (36% incision groups (p=0.009. Evaluating epidermoid metaplasia, tracheal segment excision and the longitudinal groups presented 33% and 40%, respectively, compared to 0% of the transverse group (p=0.03. Concerning to fibrosis, in a global comparison (p=0.1 among the three groups there was no difference, however, compared to the longitudinal group the transverse group showed lower level of fibrosis (p=0.04. Sham group did not present any relevant morphologic alterations and it was used as reference pattern. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our data show that tracheal segment excision promotes more epithelium aggression and transverse tracheal incision shows less morphologic alterations.
Ozone inhalation modifies the rat liver proteome
Whitney S. Theis
Full Text Available Ozone (O3 is a serious public health concern. Recent findings indicate that the damaging health effects of O3 extend to multiple systemic organ systems. Herein, we hypothesize that O3 inhalation will cause downstream alterations to the liver. To test this, male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 0.5 ppm O3 for 8 h/day for 5 days. Plasma liver enzyme measurements showed that 5 day O3 exposure did not cause liver cell death. Proteomic and mass spectrometry analysis identified 10 proteins in the liver that were significantly altered in abundance following short-term O3 exposure and these included several stress responsive proteins. Glucose-regulated protein 78 and protein disulfide isomerase increased, whereas glutathione S-transferase M1 was significantly decreased by O3 inhalation. In contrast, no significant changes were detected for the stress response protein heme oxygenase-1 or cytochrome P450 2E1 and 2B in liver of O3 exposed rats compared to controls. In summary, these results show that an environmentally-relevant exposure to inhaled O3 can alter the expression of select proteins in the liver. We propose that O3 inhalation may represent an important unrecognized factor that can modulate hepatic metabolic functions.
Factors affecting thermogenic drinking in rats.
Nelson, E L; Fregly, M J; Tyler, P E
After as little as 6 h of exposure to cold air, drinking was induced in rats following transfer from air at 5 degreesC to air at 26 degreesC. Drinking began within 15 min after transfer from the cold enviroment and lasted approximately 1 h. The stimulus for initiation of drinking was most likely the temperature change resulting from the transfer, since an ambient temperature difference of 10 centigrade degrees or more was required to initiate a drinking response after transfer from air at 5 degreesC. Thermogenic drinking was not thwarted by preventing access to water for either 1 or 2h following transfer to warm air, but either intragastric or intraperitoneal administration of a water load equal to 3% of body weight inhibited water intake following transfer.The characteristics of the drinking response following transfer than 5 to 26 degrees C were similiar to those observed following 24 h of dehydration at 26 degrees C. Thus, the cold-exposed rat is relatively dehydrated compared with controls.
Kavalactone metabolism in rat liver microsomes.
Fu, Shuang; Rowe, Anthony; Ramzan, Iqbal
The specific CYP enzymes involved in kavalactone (KLT) metabolism and their kinetics have not been fully examined. This study used rat liver microsomes (RLM) to determine kavain (KA), methysticin (MTS) and desmethoxyyangonin (DMY) enzyme kinetic parameters, to elucidate the major CYP450 isoforms involved in KLT metabolism and to examine gender differences in KLT metabolism. Formation of the major KLT metabolites was first-order, consistent with classic enzyme kinetics. In both male and female RLM, clotrimazole (CLO) was the most potent inhibitor of KA and MTS metabolism. This suggests CYP3A1/3A23 (females) and CYP3A2 (males) are the main isoenzymes involved in the metabolism of these KLTs in rats, while the roles of CYP1A2, -2 C6, -2 C9, -2E1 and -3A4 are limited. Desmethoxyyangonin metabolism was equally inhibited by cimetidine (CIM) and CLO in females, and CIM and nortriptyline in males. This implies that DMY metabolism involves CYP2C6 and CYP2C11 in males, and CPY2C12 in females. CYP3A1/3A23 may also be involved in females.
[Development of the habenulointerpeduncular tract in rats].
Klepukov, A A; Makarenko, I G
Development of the habenulointerpeduncular tract has been carried out on fixed brain preparations obtained from 21 day rat embryos and from neonatal animals on the 0 and 9 days of postnatal development by diffusion oflipophilic fluorescent carbocyanine dye DiI (1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate) through neuron membranes. The marker was introduced into the nuclei of the habenula, the interpeduncular nucleus, and into the area of raphe nuclei. Neurons and fibers that contained Dil were identified on vibratome sections by fluorescent and confocal microscopy. we have found that reciprocal links between the lateral habenula nucleus and raphe nuclei are formed in the prenatal period by stage E21. Raphe nuclei innervating neurons were located in dorso- and ventrocaudal parts of the lateral habenula nucleus. Projections of the medial habenula nucleus onto interpeduncular nucleus were found only in the postnatal P2 period. Neurons that provide a source of these projections form characteristic assemblies inside the medial habenula nucleus. Therefore, the present study for the first time describes heterogenic formation of different projection systems that are involved in the habenulointerpeduncular tract of rats at perinatal ontogenesis.
Chromium increases pancreatic metallothionein in the rat.
Solis-Heredia, M J; Quintanilla-Vega, B; Sierra-Santoyo, A; Hernández, J M; Brambila, E; Cebrián, M E; Albores, A
The ability of chromium (Cr) salts to increase metallothionein (MT) levels in rat liver, kidney and pancreas, and its relationship with the presence of toxic effects are reported here. Rats were injected subcutaneously with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 mg K2Cr2O7/kg and sacrificed 24 h later. Total Cr accumulation followed a dose-dependent pattern, levels in kidney being higher than those in liver or pancreas, suggesting different tissue bioavailabilities and accumulation patterns. Cr(IV) administration resulted in a tissue-specific MT induction: pancreas and liver showed five- and 3.5-fold MT increases, respectively; no increase was observed in the kidney. A positive correlation was observed between zinc and MT concentrations in liver, and between total Cr and MT concentrations in pancreas. Serum alpha-amylase activity showed a dose-dependent increase starting from 20 mg/kg, whereas serum glucose levels increased at doses higher than 30 mg/kg. Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities were increased in a dose-dependent manner, from 20 and 30 mg/kg, respectively. Our results showed that treatment with Cr(VI) can induce MT synthesis in pancreas and suggests a subsequent binding of Cr to MT. Also, pancreas is a target organ for Cr toxicity, and the usefulness of alpha-amylase activity as a sensitive biomarker of Cr toxicity in human exposed populations merits further study.