نشریه پلاسما و نشانگرهای زیستی
سال شانزدهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 61، زمستان 1401)

Spermatogenesis is highly dependent on energy metabolism and spermatogenesis is very sensitive to compounds that interfere with mitochondrial energy metabolism and cellular respiration control. The purpose of this research was to investigate the role of exercise activity along with stem cells on the expression of some effective genes in mitochondrial biogenesis in azoospermic rats with busulfan.

In this experimental study, 30 8-week-old rats were selected and randomly divided into 6 groups after induction of the azoospermia model. Healthy, sham, azoospermia, azoospermia+exercise, azoospermia+cell group, and azoospermia+cell+exercise group were divided. One month after the creation of the model, one million stem cells were transplanted once into the vas deferens of each mouse. Swimming training was done daily for 30 minutes a day and 5 days a week for 8 weeks. Genes were measured by Real time-PCR method. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. All calculations were done using SPSS/23 statistical software and at a significant level of P≤0.05.

The results showed that the induction of the azoospermia model caused a decrease in the expression of SIRT1 and AMPK genes in testicular tissue, and that exercise combined with cell therapy increased the expression of SIRT1 and AMPK genes in testicular tissue in azoospermic model rats.

In general, the results of the current research indicate that regular aerobic exercise such as low-intensity swimming helps in controlling the effects of infertility diseases through the maintenance and development of mitochondrial biogenesis in improving the spermatogenesis process.

Silymarin is the effective substance of thistle plant, which causes some physiological effects and improves nutritional behavior. This research was conducted to determine the central effects of silymarin on feeding behavior in broiler chickens and to find the mechanism of feed intake and to investigate its relationship with the serotonergic system.

In this research, 30 pieces of broiler chickens cannulated in the brain were used. In the first stage of the research (28 days old), silymarin was injected in the amount of 20 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. After injection, feed and water intake was measured in 30 to 180 minutes. In the second stage of the experiment (34 days), the relationship between silymarin and the serotonergic system was investigated. The treatments included 1- control, 2- methysergide, 3- ketanserin, 4- methysergide + silymarin, and 5- ketanserin + silymarin.

In the first stage, in 60 and 180 minutes, silimarin caused a significant decrease in feed intake (P<0.05). In the second stage, the central injection of the combination of silymarin with methysergide caused a significant decrease in feed consumption, while the central injection of the combination of silymarin with ketanserin had no significant effect on feed consumption. Central injection of silymarin had no effect on water intake in broilers.

The results showed that although central injection of silymarin decreased feed intake in broilers, it did not affect water consumption. Also, the central injection of the combination of silymarin with methysergide decreased feed intake in broilers.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of potato waste on growth performance and carcass traits of broiler chickens.

The study carried out in a completely randomized design with five treatments, four replications, 14 broiler chicks each. The experimental diets were consisted of three levels of potato wastes (0, 15 and 25%) and two levels of multi-enzyme (0 and 0.2%).

Feed intake was not affected by the type of experimental diet during the growth period, the final period and the whole rearing period. Daily weight gain was not significantly different between the experimental groups but at the end of the experiment and the control group was better than other treatments. Growth conversion factor was lower in the potato-treated groups than in the control group. In the final period, the feed conversion ratio in the control group was significantly lower than the other experimental groups and this was also observed throughout the rearing period. It had no effect on carcass percentage, and relative weights of pancreas, liver, bursa Fabricius, spleen and heart. The ratio of intestinal length to live weight in birds fed 25% of potato lesions was higher than other groups. Potato lesions in the diet increased the relative weight of the gizzard and decreased abdominal fat compared to the control group (P<0.05).

According to the results of this study, the use of potato plus enzyme in relation to different levels of non-enzyme potato wastes had a positive effect on HDL cholesterol, intestinal morphometery and body weight gain in broilers.

The lung is one of the important tissues of the body and is constantly in contact with the highest oxygen pressure and air pollution, which is very sensitive to the production of free radicals due to the low capacity of antioxidant enzymes. The aim of the present study was to evaluateeffects of aerobic exercise and ethanolic extract of purslane seed on ATP, O-6-MethylguanineDNA methyltransferase (MGMT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and prooxidant-antioxidant balance(PAB) levels in the lung tissue of rats poisoned with hydrogen peroxide.

In this experimental trial, 72 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into nine groups: (1) control + H2O2 , (2) aerobic exercise, (3) aerobic exercise and 50 mg/kg purslane seed extract, (4) aerobic exercise and 200 mg/kg purslane seed extract, (5) aerobic exercise and 400 mg/kg purslane seed extract, (6) 50 mg/kg purslane seed extract, (7) 200 mg/kg purslane seed extract, (8) 400 mg/kg purslane seed extract, and (9) healthy control. Oxidative stress was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 1 mmol/kg hydrogen peroxide three times a week for eight weeks. Aerobic exercise was performed three sessions a week for eight weeks, and the purslane seed extract was intraperitoneally injected daily at the mentioned doses.

Aerobic exercise and purslane seed extract alone or combined significantly increased ATP, MGMT and significantly reduced MDA and PAB levels in lung tissue of rats exposed to hydrogen peroxide (P<0.05). Moreover, the effect of purslane seed extract was dose dependent.

It seems that aerobic exercise together with consumption of purslane seeds each alone and in combination have interactive effects in reducing oxidative stress, repairing DNA and improving mitochondrial function in the lung tissue of rats poisoned with H2O2.

Appetite modulation is a set of physiological mechanisms that influence the various areas of the central nervous system. Melanocortin, corticotropin, and histaminergic systems have an important role in the central control of food intake in birds. On the other hand, leptin decreases food intake in birds. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explain the synergistic effects of melanocortin, corticotropin, and histaminergic systems with leptin on food intake in neonatal broiler chickens.

A total of one hundred and thirty-two neonatal chicks were randomly divided into three experimental groups. Each experiment had a control group and three treatment groups (n=11 in each group). In all experiments, 3-hour food-deprived birds received intracerebroventricular ‎injections of either control diluent or drug solution. Then, the birds had ad libitum access to the ‎food and fresh water, and then cumulative food intake (gr) was measured based on the ‎percentage of the body. In the first experiment, normal saline, leptin (2.5 µg), histamine (75 nmol) and leptin plus histamine were injected.‎ The other experiments were conducted as experiment 1, but in experiment 2, MTII (MC3/MC4 receptors agonist) (2.45 pmol) and in experiment 3, urocortin (CRF1/CRF2 receptors agonist) (0.1 µg) were injected instead of histamine, either alone or in combination with leptin.

The results of the present study showed that co-injection of histamine and leptin, MTII plus leptin, and urocortin plus leptin significantly reduced food intake in broiler chickens (P<0.001).

According to the results of the present study, there is probably a synergistic effect between melanocortin, corticotropin and histaminergic systems with leptin on food intake control of neonatal broiler chicks.

Staphylococcus aureus is cause of hospital infections and infectious illnesses. Urtica dioica, Portulaca oleracea and Stachys schtschegleevii have more antimicrobial and healing effects. In this project, the antimicrobial and healing effects of plants extracts with silver sulfadiazine were studied on burn infections of Staphylococcus aureus in rats.

 Firstly, ethanolic and acetonic extracts of plants were prepared in the laboratory. Then, the MIC and MBC of the extracts were determined by the dilution method in the Muller Hinton broth. In study of animal model, firstly the bacteria were inoculated with a concentration of (5×105 CFU/ml) to the wound site on rats. After 24 hours, ointments were prepared based on MBC concentration from extracts of mentioned plants for 1g of silver sulfadiazine and was used to treatment.

 In studies conducted on rats, it was found that ethanolic and acetonic extracts of Urtica dioica, as well as the acetonic extract of Portulaca oleracea had more antimicrobial and healing effect on Staphylococcus aureus. But in the wound treated with ethanolic and acetonic extract of Stachys schtschegleevii, bleeding was seen. 

 Ethanolic and acetonic extracts of Urtica dioica and the acetonic extract of Portulaca oleracea had more antimicrobial and restoration effects on burn wound infection. Ethanolic and acetonic extract of Urtica dioica had better healing effects than acetonic extract of Portulaca oleracea. As a result, extract of Urtica dioica could be used in preparation of burn ointments.

  Recent studies suggest that obesity plays an effective role in the occurrence of inflammation; on the other hand, inflammation can affect on function of vascular endothelium. High levels of homocysteine ​​can lead to inflammation and vascular endothelium damage. Nitric oxide is also considered as one of the influencing factors on endothelial function. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of 8 weeks of TRX training on the levels of homocysteine ​​(Hcy) and nitric oxide (NO) in inactive obese women.

In this quasi-experimental study, 28 obese women with a mean age of 44.34 ±0.82 years were randomly divided into TRX (n = 16) and control (n = 16) groups. The experimental group program consisted of TRX training for eight weeks and three days a week for 50-60 minutes. Serum levels of homocysteine, nitric oxide were measured before and 48 hours after the last training session. Independent and dependent t-tests were used to examine the differences between groups and within-group changes.

After eight weeks of TRX training, comparison results within and between groups are displayed that the mean homocysteine index in the exercise group decreased significantly compared to the control group (p = 0.01). Also, exercise led to an increase in nitric oxide levels in obese women, although this increase was not statistically significant.

Based on the findings of the research, it seems that doing TRX training can be effective as an exercise method in reducing inflammation and improving endothelial function in obese women.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the infectious pathogenic bacteria in humans. It is considered the cause of pneumonia. It is colonized in the respiratory system of susceptible people such as immunocompromised and AIDS patients and causes chronic and treatment-resistant infections. The aim of the present study is to prepare a vaccine with a conjugated antigen combination and with the ability to induce antibodies and memory immunity experimentally against Streptococcus pneumoniae type 6 in the BALB/C mouse model.

Streptococcus pneumoniae type 6 strain was cultured in Mueller Hinton agar and at the end of the logarithmic phase of growth, it was extracted and concentrated by normal NaOH. The polysaccharide capsule was attached to diphtheria toxoid using (ADH) adipic acid dihydrazide and EDAC. After chromatography, prepare by mixing the polysaccharide capsule conjugate (CPS-DT) with diphtheria toxoid and alginate solution of the desired antigen. The prepared antigens were injected into 4 groups of 15 mice intraperitoneally with two-week intervals. In serum samples, antibody responses were measured by ELISA method.

According to the results of the ELISA test, total IgG titer increased from 315 to 1680. Also, IgM and IgA antibody titers increased from 90 to 610 and 18 to 28, respectively. The serum antibodies of the group vaccinated with diphtheria toxoid alginate (ALG-DT) increased statistically significantly after each injection. So that the titer of total IgG, IgM and IgA produced against alginate in the groups vaccinated with conjugate showed a significant increase compared to specific alginate in three injections.

The results obtained for the above antibodies were CPS-DT > CPS > DT, and the antibody titer against DT-CPS in IgG was higher than other antibodies, which shows that microparticles Alginate polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae in conjugated form with diphtheria toxoid increases antibodies. The increase in antibody titer in the groups vaccinated with alginate conjugate indicates the activation of T cells and the creation of immune memory. Therefore, the conjugate of alginate and diphtheria toxoid can be a suitable candidate for preparing a vaccine. The results of the antibody titer obtained against Micro CPS-DT in the groups were IgG>IgM>IgA.

  Feeding with a cafeteria diet resulted in increased total body weight and obesity. This research aims to evaluate the effect of a cafeteria diet on the density of dendritic spines of hippocampal and striatum neurons from the end of infancy to the beginning of puberty.

 22-day-old male and female Wistar rats that passed through infancy were randomly divided into two control and cafeteria groups (n=6). The control group had access to standard rat food, but the cafeteria group received a cafeteria diet in addition to standard food for up to 30 days. During the treatment, the rats of both groups were weighed every week. After five weeks after the start of the treatments, the brains of the mice were extracted and prepared for Golgi staining by the Rapid Golgi method. 

 Our results showed that the body weight increased significantly in the cafeteria group compared to the control group (P<0/01). In addition, the results showed that the cafeteria diet significantly reduces the density of dendritic spines in the hippocampus (P<0/01) and striatum (P<0/05) compared to controls. 

 According to the results of the present study, the reduction of dendritic spines in the hippocampus and striatum, two important structures in cognitive behaviors, may cause memory and learning disorders observed in people consuming a high-fat diet.

Although medicinal plants have been used in different ways in feeding poultry, including broiler chickens, the simultaneous use of essential oils and enzymes, especially microbial phytase enzyme, has been used less. Thyme and Mentha are plants that affect the immune system. The positive effects of phytase have been documented in poultry. The purpose of this research is to investigate the mutual effects of essential oils and phytase enzyme on intestinal microflora and immunity level of broiler chickens.

This experiment examines intestinal microflora and immune level (humoral immunity (HI test) and blood cells) using three levels of thyme essential oil, Mentha essential oil and microbial phytase with 8 treatments and 4 repetitions and a total of 32 test units for 42 days. It was done on broilers. Culture methods (MRS-Agar and EMB) and ELISA method and commercial biochemistry kits were used to check intestinal microflora and immune level, respectively.

Examining the main effects showed that the treatments that consumed thyme essential oil had lower coliform population and total aerobic bacteria (TAB) compared to other treatments (p<0.05). The level of humoral immunity showed a significant difference among different experimental groups (p<0.05). The treatments that did not receive essential oils of thyme and Mentha had the lowest ratio of heterophils to lymphocytes (p<0.05).

The results showed that the use of microbial phytase enzyme and thyme essential oil reduces the population of intestinal coliform bacteria and the use of thyme essential oil improves humoral immunity.