Vitamin C restores ovarian follicular reservation in a mouse model of aging

Mohammad-Amin Abdollahifar,Nahid Azad,Ensieh Sajadi,Zahra Shams Mofarahe,Fatemeh Zare,Ali Moradi,Fatereh Rezaee,Mohammad Gholamin,Shabnam Abdi 대한해부학회 2019 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.52 No.2

Ovarian aging is related to the reduction of oocyte quality and ovarian follicles reservation leading to infertility. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant which may counteract with adverse effects of aging in the ovary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible effect of vitamin C on NMRI mice ovarian aging according to the stereological study. In this experimental study, 36 adult female mice (25–30 g) were divided into two groups: control and vitamin C. Vitamin C (150 mg/kg/day) were administered by oral gavage for 33 weeks. Six animals of each group were sacrificed on week 8, 12, and 33, and right ovary samples were extracted for stereology analysis. Our data showed that the total volume of ovary, cortex, medulla and corpus luteum were significantly increased in vitamin C group in comparison to the control groups (P≤0.05). In addition, the total number of primordial, primary, secondary, and antral follicles as well as granulosa cells were improved in vitamin C group in compared to the control groups (P≤0.05). No significant difference was observed in total volume of oocytes in antral follicles between control and vitamin C groups. Our data showed that vitamin C could notably compensate undesirable effects of ovarian aging in a mouse model.

Evaluation of sHLA-G levels in serum of patients with prostate cancer identify as a potential of tumor marker

Mohammad Hassan Heidari,Abolfazl Movafagh,Mohammad Amin Abdollahifar,Shabnam Abdi,Mohamadreza Mashhoudi Barez,Hadi Azimi,Afshin Moradi,Amin Bagheri,Matineh Heidari,Jafar Hessam Mohseni,Maryam Tadayon 대한해부학회 2017 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.50 No.1

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer type in men and is the second cause of death, due to cancer, in patients over 50, after lung cancer. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a widely used tumor marker for prostate cancer. Recently, PSA is discovered in non-prostatic cancer tissues in men and women raising doubts about its specificity for prostatic tissues. PSA exists in low serum level in healthy men and in higher levels in many prostate disorders, including prostatitis and prostate cancer. Thus, a supplementary tumor marker is needed to accurately diagnose the cancer and to observe the patient after treatment. Recently, soluble human leukocyte antigen-G (sHLA-G) has been introduced as a new tumor marker for different cancer types, including colorectal, breast, lung, and ovary. The present descriptive-experimental study was carried out including patients with malignant prostate tumor, patients with benign prostate tumor, and a group of health men as the control group, as judged by an oncologist as well as a pathologist. After sterile blood sampling, sHLA-G was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in each group. The data was then analyzed using one-way ANOVA. P≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The results showed that the mean of sHLA-G level was high in patients. Also, it was found that there was a significant difference in sHLA serum level between the three groups. The data revealed that sHLA-G can be a novel upplementary tumor marker in addition to PSA to diagnose prostate cancer.

Recognition of a rare intrathoracic rib with computed tomography:

Mohammad Amin Abdollahifar,Shabnam Abdi,Mohammad Bayat,Reza Masteri Farahani,Hojjat Allah Abbaszadeh 대한해부학회 2017 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.50 No.1

One of the uncommon congenital variations is intrathoracic rib which a normal, a bifid, or an accessory rib lies within the thoracic cavity that is founded accidentally. Clinically, in most cases they are without symptoms; however, it may cause intrathoracic problems therefore it is important for radiologists and physicians to identify to prevent of excessive intervention and treatment during imaging diagnostic techniques of thoracic problems. In this report, we provide the case of a rare presentation of an intrathoracic rib in a 3-year-old boy arising from the inferior portion of a second rib based on findings from computed tomography. To our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of this type of intrathoracic rib that demonstrated with computed tomography.

Curcumin Can Prevent the Changes in Cerebellar Structure and Function Induced by Sodium Metabisulfite in Rat

Ali Noorafshan,Mohammad Amin Abdollahifar,Aghdas Poostpasan,Saied Karbalay-Doust,Ali Rashidiani-Rashidabadi,Reza Asadi-Golshan 한국뇌신경과학회 2013 Experimental Neurobiology Vol.22 No.4

Sulfites are used as anti-microbial and anti-oxidant agents in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Curcumin, a flavonoid, is anAsian spice that shows neuroprotective activities. The current study aimed to stereologically assess the rats’ cerebellar cortex androtarod performance following sulfite exposure and determine the possible neuroprotective potential of curcumin. The rats weredivided into five groups: distilled water, olive oil, curcumin (100 mg/kg/day), sodium metabisulfite (25 mg/kg/day), and sodiummetabisulfite+curcumin. At 56 days after treatment, rotarod performance was tested, and then the cerebellum was removed forstereological analysis. The study results revealed 31%, 36%, 19% and 24% decrease in the total volume of the cerebellum, cortex, thetotal number of the Purkinje cells and length of the nerve fibers in the cortex per Purkinje, respectively in the sodium metabisulfite-treated rats compared to the distilled water group (p<0.01). The pre-trained animals on the rotarod apparatus were tested first on thefixed speed rotarod protocol followed by the accelerating rotarod protocol two days later. The results showed a significant decreasein the latency to fall in both test in sulfite-treated rats. The sulfite effects on the structural parameters and rotarod performance weresignificantly protected by the concomitant curcumin treatment (p<0.001). Sulfite can induce structural and functional changes inthe rats’ cerebellum and concomitant curcumin prescription plays a neuroprotective role.

Stress Changes the Spatial Arrangement of Neurons and Glial Cells of Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Sertraline and Curcumin Prevent It

Ali Noorafshan,Mohammad Amin Abdollahifar,Saied Karbalay-Doust 대한신경정신의학회 2015 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.12 No.1

ObjectiveaaThe present study explored the three-dimensional spatial arrangements of the neurons and glial cells within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats. MethodsaaIt evaluated the arrangement for differences after stress with or without treatment with curcumin and sertraline using second-order stereology. Orientator method was applied to obtain isotropic uniform random sections of mPFC. The pair correlation g(r) and cross-correlation functions were estimated by counting dipole probes superimposed on histological sections of mPFC. ResultsaaThe mean total volume of neurons and glial cells was 0.80 (0.05) and 0.40 (0.07), respectively in the control group. The corresponding values decreased by 50% in the stressed group. The curve of g(r) for the neurons and glial cells showed a wider gap between the stressed rats’ mPFC. Theses indicate a negative correlation (repulsion) between the neurons and glial cells in the stressed rats. Evaluation of the cross-correlation function of the neurons and glial cells also showed a negative correlation in the stressed group. The estimated values of the global degree of order in the spatial point pattern for neurons and glial cells were 0.62 and 0.20 in control and stressed animals, respectively. Curcumin and sertraline protected the spatial arrangements of the cells after stress induction in rats. In addition, the volume of the neurons and glial cells remained unchanged after stress. ConclusionaaDissociation of the neurons and glial cells can is seen at some places in the stressed rats’ cortex. However, the spatial arrangement of the cells was remained unchanged in curcumin+stress and sertraline+stress rats.

Protective Effects of Curcumin and Sertraline on the Behavioral Changes in Chronic Variable Stress-Induced Rats

Ali Noorafshan,Mohammad Amin Abdollahifar,Saied Karbalay-Doust,Reza Asadi-Golshan,Ali Rashidian-Rashidabadi 한국뇌신경과학회 2013 Experimental Neurobiology Vol.22 No.2

Behavioral characteristics of the animal models and humans are impaired in chronic stress. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the protective effects of sertraline and curcumin on stress-induced learning and memory impairment, anxiety and anhedonia in rats. Male rats were divided into seven groups: stress+water, stress+olive oil, stress+curcumin (100 mg/kg/day), stress+sertraline (10 mg/kg/day), curcumin, sertraline, and control groups. The rats were exposed to chronic variable stress for 56 days. At the end of 40 days and while the previous treatments were continued, the rats were tested in the eight radial maze, elevated plus maze, and sucrose consumption for learning and memory, anxiety, and anhedonia, respectively. In comparison to the non-stressed group, stress+water and stress+olive oil groups revealed a significantly lower percent of correct choices and higher reference and working memory errors during learning and retention phases (p<0.001). In addition these stress groups showed a significant lower percent of the open arms time and open arms entries in the elevated plus maze and consuming less sucrose solution. In addition, the stress+curcumin and stress+sertraline groups showed a better performance in the evaluated parameters of the radial arm maze, elevated plus maze, and sucrose consumption tests. It appears that curcumin and sertraline have the similar effectiveness on behavioral changes in chronic variable stress-induced rats.

Application of stereological methods for unbiased estimation of sperm morphology in the mice induced by busulfan

Sakineh Panahi,Mohammad-Amin Abdollahifar,Abbas Aliaghaei,Hamid Nazarian,Shahrokh Paktinat,Shabnam Abdi,Reza Mastery Farahani 대한해부학회 2017 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.50 No.4

Busulfan is an anticancer drug, which causes the apoptosis germ cells and azoospermia in humans and animals. Abnormal morphology of spermatozoa related to the male infertility. The sperm morphology is evaluation of sperm size, shape and appearance characteristics should be assessed by carefully observing a stained sperm sample under the microscope. Evaluation of sperm morphology has been considered as one of the most important factors for a successful fertilization and determining sperm quality. The mice were assigned to tow experimental groups: control and busulfan. Each group included six mice that were housed under standard conditions. The volume was estimated using the nucleator method. The sperm’s flegellum and mid-piece length was estimated by counting the number of intersections between the tails and Merz grid test line in an unbiased counting frame, superimposed on live images of sperms. Our results demonstrated a significant different in the volume and surface of the sperm’s head and the length of the sperm’s flagellum in the control and busulfan groups. Busulfan can effect on the volume of the sperm’s head and the length of the sperm’s flagellum in rat.

Stereological Comparison of the Effects of Pentoxifylline, Captopril, Simvastatin, and Tamoxifen on Kidney and Bladder Structure After Partial Urethral Obstruction in Rats

Mehdi Shirazi,Mohammad-Reza Soltani,Zahra Jahanabadi,Mohammad Amin Abdollahifar,Nader Tanideh,Ali Noorafshan 대한비뇨의학회 2014 Investigative and Clinical Urology Vol.55 No.11

Purpose: Limited studies have shown antifibrotic effects of pentoxifylline, captopril,simvastatin, and tamoxifen. No comparisons are available of the effects of these drugson prevention of renal and bladder changes in partial urethral obstruction (PUO). Materials and Methods: The rats were divided into six groups (n=7). The sham-operatedrats (group I) only underwent laparotomy and did not receive any treatments. The PUOgroups (group II–VI) received normal saline (PUO+NS), pentoxifylline (100 mg/kg/d;PUO+PEN), captopril (35 mg/kg/d; PUO+CAP), simvastatin (15 mg/kg/d; PUO+SIM),or tamoxifen (10 mg/kg/d; PUO+TAM) by gavage for 28 days. Then, the volume and/orlength of the kidney components (tubules, vessels, and fibrous tissue) and the bladdercomponents (epithelial and muscular layers, fibrous tissue, fibroblast and fibrocytenumber) were quantitatively evaluated on the microscopic sections by use of stereologicaltechniques. Results: The volume of renal and bladder fibrosis was significantly ameliorated in thePUO+PEN group, followed by the PUO+CAP, PUO+SIM, and PUO+TAM groups. Also,the volume and length of the renal tubules and vessels and bladder layers were moresignificantly protected in the PUO+PEN group, followed by the PUO+CAP, PUO+SIM,and PUO+TAM groups. Conclusions: Treatment of PUO with PEN was more effective in the prevention of renaland bladder fibrosis and in the preservation of renal and bladder structures.

Curcumin, the Main Part of Turmeric, Prevents Learning and Memory Changes Induced by Sodium Metabisulfite, a Preservative Agent, in Rats

Ali Noorafshan,Reza Asadi-Golshan,Saied Karbalay-Doust,Mohammad Amin Abdollahifar,Ali Rashidiani-Rashidabadi 한국뇌신경과학회 2013 Experimental Neurobiology Vol.22 No.1

Sodium metabisulfite is used as a disinfectant, antioxidant, and preservative agent in the food, beverage, and drug industries. Neurons are highly sensitive to sulfite toxicity. Curcumin is the main part of turmeric and has neuroprotective effects on a variety of nervous system damages. The present study aimed to investigate the possible protective role of curcumin in learning and memory after exposure to sulfite in rats. The rats were divided into five groups receiving distilled water (solvent of the sulfite), olive oil (solvent of the curcumin), sodium metabisulfite (25 mg/kg/day), curcumin (100 mg/kg/day), and sulfite + curcumin. All the animals received daily gavages for 8 weeks. At the end of the 8th week, learning and memory were assessed in a partially-baited eight arm radial maze. The animals treated with sulfite showed fewer correct choices and more reference and working memory errors during the learning phase, at the end of the learning phase, and during the retention testing (p<0.001). The study results demonstrated that sulfite-exposure was associated with impaired learning and memory in rats. Adding curcumin to the rat nutrition plays a protective role in learning and memory after exposure to sulfite.

Exploring amygdala structural changes and signaling pathways in postmortem brains: consequences of long-term methamphetamine addiction

Zahra Azimzadeh,Samareh Omidvari,Somayeh Niknazar,Saeed Vafaei-Nezhad,Navid Ahmady Roozbahany,Mohammad-Amin Abdollahifar,Foozhan Tahmasebinia,Gholam-Reza Mahmoudiasl,Hojjat Allah Abbaszadeh,Shahram Da 대한해부학회 2024 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.57 No.1

Methamphetamine (METH) can potentially disrupt neurotransmitters activities in the central nervous system (CNS) and cause neurotoxicity through various pathways. These pathways include increased production of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species, hypothermia, and induction of mitochondrial apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the long-term effects of METH addiction on the structural changes in the amygdala of postmortem human brains and the involvement of the brain- cAMP response element-binding protein/brain-derived neurotrophic factor (CREB/BDNF) and Akt-1/GSK3 signaling pathways. We examined ten male postmortem brains, comparing control subjects with chronic METH users, using immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction (to measure levels of CREB, BDNF, Akt-1, GSK3, and tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α]), Tunnel assay, stereology, and assays for reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione disulfide (GSSG), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX). The findings revealed that METH significantly reduced the expression of BDNF, CREB, Akt-1, and GPX while increasing the levels of GSSG, ROS, RIPK3, GSK3, and TNF-α. Furthermore, METH-induced inflammation and neurodegeneration in the amygdala, with ROS production mediated by the CREB/BDNF and Akt-1/GSK3 signaling pathways.