موش صحرایی

Aging is a gradual and progressive process accompanied by fundamental changes in the structure of skeletal muscles. These alternations include decreased muscle mass and strength, leading to serious challenges in the lives of the elderly. This study investigated the effects of concurrent training and capsaicin administration on the expression of IGF-1 and FOXO3 genes in aging male aged Wistar rats.

In this experimental study, 32 male Wistar rats (22-month-old) were randomly assigned to four groups: control, capsaicin administration, concurrent training, and capsaicin administration combined with concurrent training. Concurrent trainings were performed following the standard protocol for a duration of 8 weeks. Moreover, the participants received a capsaicin supplement of 5 mg per kg of body weight via gavage. The research indices were measured using Real-time PCR, and the data were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance at a significance level of alpha less than 0.5 percent.

Based on the statistical results, compared to the control group, both combined exercise (P=0.011) and capsaicin consumption (P=0.001) independently led to a significant decrease in FOXO3 expression. Furthermore, capsaicin consumption on its own led to a notable increase in IGF-1 expression (P=0.001). Conversely, there was no significant difference observed in the expression levels of both FOXO3 and IGF-1 among the other groups (P<0.05).

Based on the findings, capsaicin consumption during combined training is associated with improvements in signaling pathways that promote hypertrophy in the quadriceps muscles of aged rats. Understanding the underlying mechanisms responsible for these changes requires further cellular-molecular studies.

Itaconic acid has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune system-modulating effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of itaconic acid on blood coagulation and blood parameters in rats.

In this experiment, a total of 30 rats were examined. The control group consisted of healthy rats, for whom no intervention was performed, and they only received daily intraperitoneal injections of sunflower oil for 7 days. The aspirin group received a daily intraperitoneal injection of 26 mg/ml aspirin for 7 days. The itaconic acid group received daily intraperitoneal injections of itaconic acid with doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg per kilogram of body weight for 7 days. Coagulation tests such as CT, BT, PT, and aPTT, as well as hematological factors, were investigated.

Rats were given 5, 10, or 20 mg per kg of itaconic acid per body weight. As a result, there was an increase in the mean BT time compared to healthy rats (P < 0.05). No significant effects were observed on other investigated factors.

Itaconic acid did not cause significant changes in blood parameters, including platelet count, but significantly prolonged BT time in rats. It also had no significant effect on CT, PT, and aPTT.

The diagnostic and therapeutic applications of radioiodine and X-rays have raised attention to the biological hazards of these agents. This study aimed to investigate the changes in melatonin hormone levels following exposure to radioiodine and X-ray radiation.
Sixty male rats were randomly divided into three equal groups: a control group, a group receiving 1 mCi of iodine-131 for 2 weeks, and a group exposed to X-ray radiation once. After anesthetization, blood samples were collected from the hearts of the rats, and serum melatonin levels were measured.
Data analysis revealed a significant decrease in melatonin levels in the group treated with iodine-131 compared to the control group. However, no significant change in melatonin levels was observed in the X-ray exposure group compared to the control group.
The findings indicate that exposure to radioiodine leads to a significant reduction in the melatonin hormone levels, whereas X-ray exposure does not significantly affect melatonin levels.

 Human food sources are always threatened by countless harmful factors, including residues of toxins and pesticides used in agriculture; in the meantime, the systemic fungicide Tricyclazole (TCZ) has received much attention due to its cytotoxic effects.Hence, the purpose of the present study was to determine and evaluate the histopathological changes of tricyclazole toxin on brain tissue in Wistar rats.

The present experimental study conducted in 2022 which lasted for 28 days to qualitatively examine pathological lesions and quantitatively count brain neurons, 32 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of eight, including: a control group,and groups receiving toxin orally at doses of (A) 50, (B) 37.5, and (C) 25 (mg/kg body weight). After sampling the brain tissue, the slides were examined with Nissl and hematoxylin-eosin staining and then the data were analyzed using SPSS-26 statistical software, followed by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple comparison test.

Investigations carried out in the groups receiving the poison indicated pathological lesions, including necrosis of neurons and an increase in microglia cells in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, followed by the results of cell counting indicating a significant decrease in the number of neurons in the cerebral cortex A (157/20 ± 4/68), B(167/20 ± 4/94) and C (186/60 ± 5/46) and different hippocampus areas (CA1-4, DG) in all groups compared to the control group (p<0.05).

The results of the present study revealed that the antifungal combination of tricyclazole caused damage and pathological death of neurons in the cerebral cortex and different areas of the hippocampus and decreased the number of cells in these areas; that the severity of the lesions was directly related to increasing the dose.

Aging is characterized by gradual decrease in volume and mass of muscle skeletal, resulting in impaired physical and physiological function. Exercise is the most effective way to the improvement of muscle function and is one of the stimulants of changing homeostasis in skeletal muscle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of resistance training on Rheb and mTOR proteins of Extensor digitorum longus muscle in elderly rats.

In this experimental study, 16 elderly male Sprague Dawley rats (20 months old and mean weight 300-450 gr) were placed in two groups: control (n=8 rats) and resistance training (n=8 rats). Resistance training consisted of 8 weeks and 3 weekly sessions of climbing a one-meter vertical ladder with 26 steps and two cm of space between each step with slope 85 degrees. Each session included three shifts with five repetitions, with one minute rest between each repetition and two minutes rest between each set. In the first week, the amount of weights attached to the rats was 50 percent of their body weight, which gradually increased by 10 percent each week and reached 100 percent of their body weight in the eighth week. The rats were anesthetized 48 hours after the last training session. The content of Rheb and mTOR proteins in the extensor digitorum longus muscle was measured by Western blotting.

The results showed that eight weeks of resistance training caused significant increase in the mean proteins content of Rheb (P=0.001) and mTOR (P=0.013) in the EDL muscle of elderly rats compared to the control group (1.00).

According to the results of the present study, resistance training may help improve the factors involved in the synthesis of protein in skeletal muscle during aging.

Pam3cys is a weak agonist of toll-like receptors type 1 and 2 and is able to inhibit learning and memory impairment in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and increasing the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. This arrangement is effective in improving memory performance. Considering the improving effect of Pam3cys on learning and memory impairment of Alzheimer's disease in an animal model, in this study, the effect of Pam3cys drug alone on the spatial memory of rats was investigated

In this experimental study, 48 male Wistar rats (age, 45-days old; weight, 220-270 g) were randomly divided into six groups (n = 8) as follows: There were two control groups of 7 and 28 days, two sham groups of 7 and 28 days, and two drug groups of 7 and 28 days. The spatial memory learning process of all mice was done using the Morris water maze for five days and four training sessions every day to find the hidden platform. At the last day of the learning period, the drug was injected intraventricularly with phosphate buffer (sham group) or Pam3cys (1 μg/5μl per mouse). 7 and 28 days after the injection, the memory of the rats was measured by measuring the time, speed and distance traveled in the target quarter of the maze.

In the learning phase, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the time spent and the distance traveled in the target quarter of the circle. At 7 and 28 days after the learning period, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of memory recall between the group of animals that received Pam3cys and the group of control animals as well as sham animals without receiving the drug (p > 0.05).

Pam3cys with the dose used in this study has no effect on the spatial memory performance of rats in the short and long term. Also, due to the lack of effect on healthy rats, it can be used as a safe medicine in disease conditions.

Ketamine, a derivative of phencyclidine, is utilized as an anesthetic agent in surgical procedures. Like other medications, it can be associated with various adverse effects on different organs in the body. This study was conducted to determine the effect of injectable ketamine on the histopathological changes in the liver in neonates born to pregnant rats subjected to short-term and long-term anesthesia.

In this experimental study, 15 pregnant female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups of 5 each: A control group, a short-term anesthesia group (receiving an intraperitoneal injection of ketamine at a dosage of 25 mg/kg/bw), three times per week for 4 weeks), and a long-term anesthesia group (receiving an intraperitoneal injection of ketamine at a dosage of 75 mg/kg/bw, once per week for 4 weeks). Following parturition and during the lactation period, when the neonatal rats reached two weeks of age, they were initially anesthetized and sacrificed for tissue sampling via intraperitoneal injection of 7 units of ketamine and 3 units of xylazine. Tissue samples, with a thickness of 5 to 6 microns, were sectioned and examined using light microscope after fixation in formalin.

In the short-term anesthesia group, dilation of the centrilobular veins and fluid accumulation were observed, with an intensity score of 2. Additionally, some hepatocytes exhibited degenerative-necrotic changes, characterized by acidophilic and dark cytoplasm, with an intensity score of 1. In the long-term anesthesia group, the liver tissue showed hyperemic changes in the portal space with a score of 1, as well as increased dilation of sinusoidal spaces and centrilobular veins of varying sizes and irregularities, also with an intensity score of 1. Fluid and blood accumulation were also noted in some of these structures. In the control group, cellular structures were maintained with complete regularity, and the intensity score of changes was determined to be zero.

Ketamine administration to pregnant rats can induce histopathological changes in the liver tissue of their offspring. These detrimental changes were more pronounced in the long-term group compared to both the short-term and control group.

Studies have shown that gasoline vapors can affect psychological behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the effects of gasoline vapor inhalation on anxiety in male rats.

In this experimental study, 28 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: a control group and three exposure groups receiving daily gasoline vapor for 1, 2, or 3 hours over five weeks. Anxiety levels were assessed using the elevated plus maze during the first, third, and fifth weeks. Data were analyzed using one-way repeated-measures ANOVA for within-group comparisons and one-way between-subjects ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test for between-group comparisons.

The findings indicated a significant increase in anxiety levels in the groups exposed to gasoline vapor for 1, 2, and 3 hours over the study period (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in the third and fifth weeks, anxiety levels in all exposure groups were significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed between the exposure groups and the control group in the first week.

Gasoline vapor inhalation can act as an effective anxiety-inducing factor in rats. This effect is likely due to volatile solvents in gasoline vapors, which may cause oxidative stress, leading to brain dysfunction and anxiety. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effects of gasoline vapor on anxiety levels.

Toxicological studies on silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have great importance due to their extensive biomedical applications. Because of high antioxidant property of Ziziphora clinopodioides, the aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of this plant against Ag-NPs-induced toxicity.

In this experimental study, 30 male rats weighing 200±20 g were divided into 5 groups of 6 which included the control group, the group receiving Ag-NPs with a dose of 200 ppm, the groups receiving the hydroalcoholic extract of Ziziphora clinopodioides with doses of 20, 60, and 180 mg/kg along with Ag-NPs (200 ppm). The compounds were administered orally once a day for 30 days. At the end of the treatment period, blood samples were collected and serum activity of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and serum concentration of urea and creatinine were evaluated. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s post hoc test.

The results indicated that administration of Ag-NPs significantly increased the serum activity of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and serum concentration of urea and creatinine compared to the control group (p<0.05). These changes were improved during treatment with the extract of Ziziphora clinopodioides in different doses compared to the group receiving Ag-NPs (p<0.05).

Based on the results of the present study, the Ziziphora clinopodioides may be effective in preventing the toxicity of Ag-NPs.

Hypoxia, particularly in adipose tissue, is involved in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes. Hyperoxia, oxygen administration, has been proposed as a potential treatment for this condition. However, one complication associated with hyperoxia is the decreased bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO). This study investigates the effect of hyperoxia on NO-producing enzymes (NO synthase, NOS) and the L-arginine-degrading enzyme (arginase) in epididymal adipose tissue of type 2 diabetic rats.

Type 2 diabetes was induced in 12 male rats using a  high-fat diet combined with a low dose of streptozotocin. The rats were then divided into two groups: hyperoxia (received 95% oxygen for five weeks) and control group exposed to air containing 21% oxygen). After five weeks, the animals were anesthetized, and epididymal adipose tissue was isolated. Protein levels of endothelial NOS (eNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS), and arginase, as well as concentrations of nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) and lactate, were measured.

Hyperoxia resulted in a 28% reduction in fasting serum glucose, decreased lactate concentration, decreased eNOS protein levels (11.1±5.2 vs. 8.4±1.3 ng/mg protein, P=0.041), decreased NOx levels (18.2±1.0 vs. 12.1±1.2 nmol/mg protein, P=0.027), and increased arginase protein levels (1.3±0.14 vs. 2.2±0.31 ng/ mg protein, P=0.028) in adipose tissue.

Hyperoxia reduced fasting serum glucose in type 2 diabetic rats but simultaneously decreased NO bioavailability in visceral adipose tissue, which associated with reduced eNOS protein and increased arginase protein levels.

Nitrite is a nitric oxide (NO) donor that increases insulin secretion from pancreatic islets in rats with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The underlying mechanism of this effect is the reduction of oxidative stress. This study aims to investigate the effect of nitrite on the expression of two genes involved in the oxidative stress process caused by T2D in the pancreatic islets of rats.

T2D was induced in male rats by administering a high-fat diet along with a low dose of streptozotocin (25 mg/kg). The rats were divided into three groups (n=6 per group): control, T2D, and T2D+nitrite. The T2D+nitrite group received drinking water containing sodium nitrite (50 mg/L) for eight weeks. At the end of the study, mRNA levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and peroxiredoxin-4 (Prdx4) were measured in the isolated pancreatic islets.

In the pancreatic islets isolated from T2D rats, mRNA expression levels of Nrf2 and Prdx4 were significantly lower by 55% (P=0.005) and 77% (P<0.001), respectively, compared to the control group. Nitrite administration in T2D rats resulted in a 61% increase in Nrf2 expression (P=0.050) and a 94% increase in Prdx4 expression (P=0.009) in the isolated pancreatic islets.

The beneficial effects of nitrite in reducing oxidative stress induced by T2D in the pancreatic islets of rats are associated with increased mRNA expression of Nrf2 and Prdx4.

Neuropathic pain is one of the most important chronic and pathological problems that can cause disruptions in human life. Some studies indicated that the release of inflammatory cytokines and increased oxidative activity can increase nerve damage. Adalimumab is a human anti-monoclonal drug that can cause therapeutic effects in different diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the analgesic effects of adalimumab in the chronic constriction injury (CCI) experimental pain model in rats.

A total of 20 male Wistar rats were utilized in this study and were randomly assigned to four groups: the first group served as the control, the second group underwent CCI, the third group received CCI in conjunction with adalimumab (5 mg/kg), and the fourth group received CCI with adalimumab (10 mg/kg). Behavioral assessments were conducted 4, 7, and 14 days post-CCI induction. The spinal cords were extracted after these assessments, and the supernatants were analyzed for inflammatory and oxidative enzymes. Data analysis was performed using Prism GraphPad statistical software.

The analysis of the obtained data indicated that the injection of adalimumab in the third and fourth groups decreased the activity of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP. In addition, it decreased the activity of MDA and increased the SOD and CAT enzymes. Moreover, adalimumab significantly improved the outcomes of thermal allodynia, mechanical allodynia, and thermal hyperalgesia in the CCI rats treated with this medication.

The administration of adalimumab can be used to treat or reduce neuropathic pain with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, along with neuroprotective effects.

Hypoxia is a common stressor during childbirth, while hyperthermia-induced seizures are prevalent in infancy and childhood. This study aims to investigate the impact of hypoxia induction at parturition on the severity of hyperthermia seizures, as well as cognition and motor coordination in rats.

In this experimental study, 28 male Wistar rats were utilized. Four groups (7 rats each) included: control, hyperthermia (15 minutes of exposure to hot air at 41°C), hypoxia (7% oxygen and 93% nitrogen for 1 hour), and hypoxia combined with hyperthermia. We evaluated the number of tonic-clonic seizures and seizure threshold. Behavioral assessments in adult male offspring were conducted using new object recognition, open field, rotarod, inverted grid, and parallel bar tests.

In the hyperthermia + hypoxia group, the number of tonic-clonic seizures increased while the seizure threshold decreased (P < 0.05). Cognition in adult rats from the hypoxia + hyperthermia group was significantly impaired compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The distance traveled and speed in the open field (P<0.01), and balance on the rotarod rod (P<0.001), were significantly reduced in the hypoxia + hyperthermia group compared to controls. In the inverted grid and parallel bar tests, the duration of balance maintenance was significantly shorter in the hyperthermia + hypoxia group compared to controls (P < 0.01).

The findings of this study indicate that hypoxia at parturition leads to increased seizure activity in hyperthermic rats and results in behavioral disturbances in adulthood.

Various exercises have been studied to reduce the complications caused by the use of doxorubicin and other chemotherapy drugs on healthy body organs; But a limited number of these studies have compared the effect of different sports programs; Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare running and swimming on some liver enzymes of rats induced by doxorubicin.

36 adult male desert mice weighing 230 to 280 grams were randomly divided into 6 groups of 6: resting sham (SH), treadmill sham (SHT), swimming sham (SHS), doxorubicin rest (D), doxorubicin treadmill (DT), doxorubicin swimming (DS) were divided. The sports groups did the exercise program 5 sessions a week for 6 weeks. 24 hours after the last exercise session, blood was taken from the left ventricle of the animal with a syringe. To analyze the data, descriptive analysis and one-way analysis of variance, ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test at a significance level of 0.05.

Doxorubicin injection caused a significant increase in ALP, SGPT, and SGOT enzymes, both running and swimming exercises caused a significant decrease in ALP, SGPT, and SGOT enzymes, but there was no significant difference between the running and swimming groups on the reduction of the studied enzymes.

Based on the results of the present study, it seems that endurance sports activities are a good way to reduce hepatotoxicity caused by doxorubicin injection in cancer patients, and none of the swimming and running exercises are preferable to the other.

One of the common drugs used in modern anesthesia, especially during pregnancy, is ketamine, which is used to control chronic pain by inhibiting the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the effects of injected ketamine on the histological changes of the hearts of rats born to exposed mothers.

This study was conducted as a laboratory experiment on 15 female Wistar rats. These rat were divided into three groups of 5 including control, short-term and long-term groups, and after induction of fertility, 10 baby rats were randomly selected from each group and subjected to cardiac tissue dissection and sampling.

In the short-term dose group, cellular characteristics and heart tissue were normal, and no clear changes were observed compared to the control group, but in some areas, there were small intercellular spaces with a decrease in density. In the long-term dose group, a slight inflammatory process was seen in some areas, but there were no changes in the cells, cytoplasm, and nuclei.

Although the long-term exposure of mother rat to ketamine can cause mild inflammation and moderate hyperemia in the heart tissue of newborn rat, and the short-term exposure of mother rat to ketamine causes mild changes in heart muscle tissue like long-term exposure but these changes have not been noticeable.

Empathy is critical for social interactions. Nevertheless, the sharing of excessive negative emotions may affect the behaviors of the observer and demonstrator in social equality and inequality conditions. The present study investigated the effects of chronic empathic and reversed empathic stress on anxiety-like behaviors and their correlation with serum corticosterone levels in male rats.

Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into six groups: Control, Pseudo-Observer, Pseudo-Demonstrator, Observer, Demonstrator, and Co-Demonstrator. Various types of stress included dyadic stress in social inequality conditions, such as empathic and reversed-empathic (restrained) stress, dyadic stress in social equality (receiving common stress), and single stress (restrained and unrestrained) as sham stress groups. All of these stressors were induced for 2h/day for 21 days. The time spent in the open arms and the number of entries in the open arms were measured during the elevated plus maze test to assess anxiety-like behavior. The correlations between serum corticosterone levels and OAT% were evaluated for all experimental groups.

The percent of total time spent in the open arms and the number of open arm entries were significantly decreased in all stressed groups. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between serum corticosterone levels and the percent of total time spent in the open arms in all experimental groups, except the control and pseudo-observer groups.

According to the present findings, chronic empathic stress (observing others' psychological stress or distress) could induce anxiety in the observers. In addition, the reversed empathic stress (receiving restraint stress in the presence of a familiar cagemate in social inequality condition) can be unexpectedly effective in the induction of anxiety. It seems that the gradual changes in serum corticosterone levels play an essential role in the development of anxiety-like behaviors.

Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, increased levels of fasting glucose, and obesity, conditions that often occur together. One common method for inducing metabolic syndrome in rats is diet manipulation, mimicking unhealthy dietary patterns in humans. This review aimed to provide a practical guide for creating a rat model of metabolic syndrome by administrating a high-carbohydrate diet. Metabolic syndrome induction by administrating a high-carbohydrate diet is a simple, common, rapid, practical, and cheap method that does not require advanced equipment. In rat models of metabolic syndrome created by the administration of high-carbohydrate diets, parameters such as the type of carbohydrate used (fructose or sucrose), the dose and duration of sugar administration (5 to 48 weeks), the administration route (drinking water or solid food), and model verification parameters (obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, insulin resistance, and hyperglycemia) should be taken into consideration. According to the practical guide developed in this study, administering 20-30% sucrose in the drinking water of rats for 10-15 weeks can reliably create a metabolic syndrome model confirmed by elevated fasting serum levels of triglycerides, insulin, and glucose, as well as insulin resistance. If the administration of 20-30% sucrose in drinking water continues for at least 25 weeks (up to 40 weeks), a rat model of metabolic syndrome will be created presenting with obesity and hypertension. It is noteworthy that the confirmation of model creation requires comparison with both basic conditions and control rats.

Impaired endometrial receptivity and implantation failure have been reported in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying impaired implantation in women with PCOS remain unclear. In this study, the relative expression of the CYP19 gene in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs), as well as SOCS3, HOXA9, and HOXA11 genes in the uterine tissue (genes involved in the implantation process) were examined in the adult rat model of PCOS compared to controls.

Five milligrams of free testosterone was subcutaneously injected into pregnant rats on the 20th day of pregnancy, and pregnant rats in the other group only received solvent. Female offspring who were exposed to androgen during their fetal life were considered as a rat model of PCOS, and female offspring from the other group were considered as the control group (n=8 in each group). The relative expression of the CYP19 gene in ovarian GCs and SOCS3, HOXA9, and HOXA11 genes in the uterus were measured using SYBR-Green real-time PCR.

A significant decrease in the relative expression of the CYP19 gene was observed in the ovarian GCs of the rat model of PCOS compared to controls (p=0.02). In addition, the relative expression of SOCS3 (p<0/001), HOXA9 (p=0.018), and HOXA11 (p=0.007) genes significantly decreased in the uterine tissue of PCOS rats compared to the controls.

Reduced expression of the CYP19 gene in ovarian GCs, SOCS3, HOXA9, and HOXA11 in the uterine tissue may be one of the molecular mechanisms underlying implantation failure in PCOS subjects.