Gene, Cell and Tissue
Volume:9 Issue: 4, Oct 2022

Some plants, including Scrophularia striata, have traditionally been used among people of the Zagros region for infection and wound healing. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to investigate the therapeutic and healing effects of S. striata with an emphasis on oxidative stress and gastric ulcer treatment. Antirrhinum majus, with a local name of S. striata, is a wildling and perennial plant from the A. majus family, found in most temperate and tropical regions of Iran, including Ilam. Substances, including cinnamic acid, quercetin, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, nepitrine, phenylpropanoid glycoside (osteoside 1), alcohol allyl, and D-N-octyl phthalate, have been identified in S. striata. People living in Ilam province have been using this plant experimentally for many years in various forms such as edible decoction, incense, and poultice in the treatment of various diseases such as inflammation and infection of the eyes and ears, skin burns, infectious wounds, episiotomy, pain, gastrointestinal disorders, colds, hemorrhoids, and boils. The S. striata extract has a significant positive effect on the size and number of gastric ulcers, and with increasing the concentration of the extract, the size and number of the wounds decrease. In general, the present study showed that the S. striata medicinal plant has a significant restorative effect on skin and gastrointestinal wounds, especially gastric ulcers, but clinical trials are required for the oral and therapeutic use of S. striata.

Various factors may result in peripheral nerve injury leading to permanent functional loss. Here, we review the role of calcium and potassium ions in peripheral nerve regeneration and repair. This narrative review of the literature collected its data by searching Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, EBSCO, Scopus, and Science Direct. Publications were searched with no particular time restriction from 1997 to 2021, including all types of study. About 100 relevant papers were found from 1997, 77 of which were selected for this study. Both beta subunits of sodium channels are expressed in peripheral neurons, and drugs that affect those channels may facilitate nerve repair. Riluzole is a sodium/glutamate antagonist which has recently entered clinical trials for spinal cord injury. Riluzole's neuroprotective effects are due to sodium channel blockade and, subsequently, the prevention of Ca2+ overflow. Besides, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) is a neurotransmitter of potassium channel blockers that increases the rate of functional improvement following peripheral nerve damage by promoting remyelination. Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker that stimulates an endogenous anti-inflammatory response and reduces pro-inflammatory processes, thus causing pain modulation. Inhibition of ROCKs accelerate the regeneration and functional restoration after spinal-cord damage in mammals, and inhibition of the Rho/ROCK pathway has been additionally proven efficacious in animal models of stroke, inflammatory and demyelinating diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, and neuropathic ache. Therefore, the neurite outgrowth of surviving neurons is necessary for nerve regeneration to reinnervate target tissue after nerve damage. One of the critical components of the damage response process is a local translation in axons, and it is critical for the regenerative outcome. On the other hand, it provides new axonal regrowth molecules and induces signals returning to the cell's soma to partake in regenerative pathways and survival.

 Due to the lack of research on pediatric urolithiasis (PU) in Iran, this case-control study aimed to assess the correlation of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms in the Iranian population living in Kerman, Iran.

 This study was conducted on 90 outpatients with urinary calculi (49 female and 41 male subjects with a mean age of 4.55 ± 3.005 years) and 90 healthy children (39 female and 51 male subjects with a mean age of 5.6 ± 3.67 years) without a history of urolithiasis as the control group. Deoxyribonucleic acid was extracted from the blood samples of all patients and healthy subjects, and TaqI genotyping was performed via the restriction fragment length polymorphism method.

 TaqI single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs731236) were shown to be associated with a higher incidence of PU. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that carriers with the C allele of TaqIrs731236 had a considerably higher risk of PU than the control group (odds ratio = 1.94; 95% confidence interval = 1.24 - 2.96; P = 0.004).

 The obtained findings demonstrated that C allele (rs731236) and CC variant genotypes were considerably linked with a higher risk of PU in children in the Iranian population.

 Monitoring cardiac, metabolic, neurological, and aging responses to stressors is critical. This study aimed to investigate the effect of swimming training on HIF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in heart tissue of rats exposed to chronic stress.

 To this end, 30 male Wistar rats (age: 10 - 12 weeks, weight: 220 ± 20 g) were randomly divided into five equal groups of six rats as follows: (1) Con (no treatment for 10 weeks); (2) CS + ST (4 weeks of stress, 4 weeks of swimming); (3) ST (4 weeks of swimming); (4) CS (4 weeks of stress); (5) CS-time (4 weeks of stress, 6 weeks of no treatment). Anxiety-like behaviors were measured by an open field test. Heart tissue was immunohistochemically assessed for HIF-1α expression using a polyclonal antibody. Vascular endothelial growth factor protein levels were also determined using western blot analysis. To analyze the data, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, One-way ANOVA, and Tukey’s post hoc tests were used, and P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

 The results showed that chronic mild stress (CMS) significantly decreased the HIF-1α expression in heart tissue in CS and CS-time groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the result revealed that swimming training significantly increased the level of HIF-1α expression in heart tissue in ST and CS + ST groups (P < 0.05). Although swimming training increased HIF-1α levels in the CS + ST group after a period of four weeks of CMS, these increases were smaller than those observed in ST and control groups (P < 0.05). The results from the One-way ANOVA test also demonstrated that the CMS significantly downregulated the VEGF expression in heart tissue in CS and CS-time groups, whereas swimming training significantly increased its level in ST and CS + ST groups (P < 0.05). Although swimming training increased VEGF levels in the CS + ST group after a period of four weeks of CMS, these increases were smaller than those detected in ST and control groups.

 Although chronic mild stress had the potential to reduce hypoxia-induced factors in heart tissue, swimming training modified these factors.

 Tobacco use in various forms, including hookah, has increased in recent years, especially among young people, who are the group of reproductive age. In the present study, the effect of nicotine on fibronectin expression as a component of basement membrane and extracellular matrix was evaluated in the kidney tissue of neonates whose mothers were exposed to cigarette smoke during pregnancy and lactation period.

 Fibronectin expression on days 1, 7, 14, and 21 after delivery was evaluated in the kidneys of Balb/C mice neonates whose mothers were exposed to cigarette smoking during pregnancy and lactation periods. Immunohistochemical and real-time PCR evaluations were performed, and a comparison was made with the control groups. In the experimental groups, nicotine dissolved in saline was injected subcutaneously at a dose of 2 mg/kg daily until the desired day.

 Our results demonstrated that the expression level of fibronectin increased in nicotine-administrated newborns compared to the healthy controls on days 1 (P = 0.043) and 7 (P = 0.008). The intensity of color reaction on days 1 and 7 was significantly higher in the main kidney structures, including glomeruli and proximal and distal convoluted tubules, in the experimental group than in the control group. The maximum fibronectin expression level was observed on day 7 in the experimental group in comparison with the control group.

 Nicotine may decrease glomerular filtration rate by increasing fibronectin expression in the basement membrane and extracellular matrix, thereby justifying renal failure in infants exposed to nicotine during embryonic and lactation periods.

 Classic galactosemia (CG) is an inborn error of galactose metabolism caused by a deficiency of the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT). This enzyme causes the conversion of uridine diphosphate- glucose (UDP)-glucose and galactose-1-phosphate (Gal-1-P) to glucose-1-phosphate and UDP-galactose. The absence of this enzyme results in the accumulation of the metabolites galactitol and Gal-1-P. The CG is heterogeneous at clinical and molecular levels.

 This study provides some data for the investigation of the introduction of new mutations of the GALT gene that involved the cause of galactosemia in the Iranian population.

 In this cross-sectional study, 31 newborns diagnosed with galactosemia were investigated for the mutations of the GALT gene in Tehran province, Iran, from March 2014 to December 2019. The polymerase chain reaction sequencing method was used to analyze the GALT gene.

 The sequence results showed 11 pathogenic mutations on the GALT gene, including five mutations in exon 10, two mutations in exon 9, two mutations in exon 5, one mutation in exon 6, and one mutation in exon 7. Moreover, six new mutations of the GALT gene were identified in the Iranian population, namely c.442C>T (R148W), c.881T>A (F294Y), c.997C>T (R333W), c.940A>G (N314D), c.1030C>A (Q344K), and c.1018G>A (E340K). Other mutations identified in this study were c.563A>G (Q188R), c.855G>T (K285N), c.626A>C (Y209S), c.404C>T (S135L), and c.958G>A (A320T). The most common mutations in this study were p.Q188R (51.6%), K285N (9.67%), E340K (9.67%), and R148W (6.45%).

 This study identified 11 different pathogenic mutations of the GALT gene in the Iranian population with galactosemia. The identification of the mutations involved in the development of CG in the Iranian population can play an important role in early diagnosis and intervention. The GALT gene mutations identified in this study can be used as screening markers to identify Iranian children with CG.

 The cell membrane acts as a filter, allowing ions to enter and leave the cell. Ionic channels are responsible for passing ions. This task is the responsibility of the ion channel gates, and ion transfer generates the action potential. Potassium channels play a prominent role in gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells and slow-wave production. Potassium channels are involved in acid secretion and gastric contraction. Gastric functional problems such as reflux disease and motility disorder are classified as electrophysiological disorders.

 This study aimed to investigate the effect of potassium channel gates on the electrophysiology of the human gastric smooth muscle cells.

 Three states were considered for the potassium channels gate (Including physiological state, 50% blockage, and 90% blockage) to investigate the effect of the status of the gates, and a slow-wave diagram was obtained in these three states. Then, the value and the time of action potential were compared at five indicator points (initial potential, maximum spike potential, minimum valley potential, maximum plateau potential, and resting potential) in slow-wave.

 The results showed that the maximum effect of the activation parameter of the potassium channel gate (τd,Kni) was in 90% blockage compared to the physiological state, so that the maximum spike potential decreases by 2.43%. Also, a 90% blockage in the fast potassium channel gate inactivation parameter (τf,Kfi) increased the maximum spike potential by 12.6% compared to the physiological state, while the minimum valley potential increased by 3%. In addition, the τf,Kfi parameter reduced the time of occurrence of the maximum plateau potential by 7.9%.

 Potassium channels affect the slow-wave of the human gastric smooth muscle cell in spike, valley, and plateau phases. Using this method and blocking ion channels by pharmacological agents, the effect of ions in different phases of the slow-wave can be investigated. Also, it can help improve the contractile and motility disorders of the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract.

 Apoptosis is a type of programmed cell death in extracellular organisms. High-intensity interval training and curcumin can make some changes in this process.

 This study aimed to investigate the role of intense interval training with curcumin supplementation on BAX and Bcl-2 proteins and caspase-3 enzyme activity in rats.

 In this study, 48 elderly rats were randomly divided into four groups: (1) control, (2) training, (3) curcumin, and (4) training + curcumin. Then, high-intensity interval training group rats ran on the treadmill for eight weeks, five sessions per week, for 30 - 50 min, and curcumin was fed to the supplement group at 25 mg/kg of body weight three times per week for eight weeks. Gene expression levels of BAX and Bcl-2 and myocardial caspase enzyme were measured in the heart tissue. The Shapiro-Wilk test, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey test were used for data analysis.

 Curcumin consumption and intense interval training increased the expression of BAX (P = 0.001), Bcl-2 (P = 0.002), and caspase (P = 0.001). Besides, BAX, Bcl-2, and caspase genes expression significantly changed in the groups compared to the control group. The ratio of BAX to Bcl-2 in the curcumin group and interval training was significantly lower than the other groups. The Tukey post hoc test confirmed a significant difference between the groups and the control group.

 High-intensity interval training did not reduce BAX protein, but the training and curcumin supplementation increased Bcl-2 protein expression and neutralized the BAX effect. Curcumin supplementation combined with intense interval training resulted in synergy and reduced cell programming mortality.