Mona Hussien Raafat

Background: An efficient alternate source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was obtained from umbilical cord blood (UCB). Therefore, this work was designed to assess the role of human UCB-derived MSCs versus their conditioned medium (CM) on the regeneration of beta cells of the pancreas in a rat model of diabetes.Materials and Methods: Forty adult male Wistar rats were divided equally into 4 groups: Group I (control) and Group II (diabetic). Each rat was injected with a single dose of 35 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneally. After being diabetics, they were left without treatment. Group III (UCB-MSCs treated) was injected with 1x106 cells/ml of UCB-MSCs once into the tail vein after confirmation of being diabetic. Group IV (CM treated) was injected intramuscularly with 0.5 ml of CM once per week after being diabetic. After 2 weeks and 4 weeks of being diabetic, the pancreas specimens from all groups were processed for H&E stain and immunohistochemically for anti-insulin and anti-caspase-3 antibodies. Results: The diabetic group showed distortion of the architecture of Langerhans islets, resulting in a decrease in the size of the islets and the appearance of many empty spaces within them. There was a significant reduction in body weight, serum insulin, serum C-peptide level, and insulin immunohistochemically stained positive cells. Moreover, a significant rise in blood glucose and in caspase-3 immunohistochemically stained positive cells was found. UCB-MSCs and CM-treated subgroups showed an obvious histological and biochemical improvement when compared to the diabetic group.Conclusion: Transplantation of UCB-MSCs was more efficient in the regeneration of pancreatic beta cells than injection of conditioned medium in the rat model of diabetes. However, CM could still prevent the degeneration of beta cells in islets of Langerhans, as indicated by its anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effect

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents the most common form of chronic liver disease that urgently needs effective therapy. Rosavin, a major constituent of the Rhodiola Rosea plant of the family Crassulaceae, is believed to exhibit multiple pharmacological effects on diverse diseases. However, its effect on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the progressive form of NAFLD, and the underlying mechanisms are not fully illustrated. Aim: Investigate the pharmacological activity and potential mechanism of rosavin treatment on NASH management via targeting hepatic cell death-related (HSPD1/TNF/MMP14/ITGB1) mRNAs and their upstream noncoding RNA regulators (miRNA-6881-5P and lnc-SPARCL1-1:2) in NASH rats. Results: High sucrose high fat (HSHF) diet-induced NASH rats were treated with different concentrations of rosavin (10, 20, and 30 mg/kg/day) for the last four weeks of dietary manipulation. The data revealed that rosavin had the ability to modulate the expression of the hepatic cell death-related RNA panel through the upregulation of both (HSPD1/TNF/MMP14/ITGB1) mRNAs and their epigenetic regulators (miRNA-6881-5P and lnc-SPARCL1-1:2). Moreover, rosavin ameliorated the deterioration in both liver functions and lipid profile, and thereby improved the hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis, as evidenced by the decreased protein levels of IL6, TNF-α, and caspase-3 in liver sections of treated animals compared to the untreated NASH rats. Conclusion: Rosavin has demonstrated a potential ability to attenuate disease progression and inhibit hepatic cell death in the NASH animal model. The produced effect was correlated with upregulation of the hepatic cell death-related (HSPD1, TNF, MMP14, and ITGB1) mRNAs—(miRNA-6881-5P—(lnc-SPARCL1-1:2) RNA panel.

Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic skin inflammatory disease. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and their derived exosomes are known for their immunomodulatory properties.Aim of the Work: To investigate the effect of locally injected BM-MSCs and their derived exosomes in female albino rats subjected to imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation.Materials and Methods: Fifty albino rats (40 females and 10 males) were used. The female animals were randomly classified into four groups; group I (control group), group II (IMQ group) where the rats received topical IMQ once daily for 5 consecutive days, group III (IMQ + BM-MSCs) where the rats received a dose of 1 million BM-MSCs on the first day only in addition to topical IMQ, and group IV (IMQ + BM-MSCs-derived exosomes) where the rats received purified concentrate of exosomes derived from BM-MSCs in addition to topical IMQ. The 10 male albino rats served as the source of BM-MSCs and their derived exosomes. After 5 days, all animals were sacrificed, and skin specimens were processed for light microscopic studies: H&E and immunohistochemical staining for Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and Y-chromosome identification using Real-time PCR. Morphometric measurements and statistical analysis were done for the mean epidermal thickness, the mean count of PCNA-positive keratinocytes in the epidermis, and the mean area of dermal PCNA-positive reaction.Results: The general observations and microscopic examination of sections obtained from group II rats revealed psoriasis-like skin inflammatory reactions including acanthosis, parakeratosis, and marked inflammatory infiltrate. There was a statistically significant increase in the epidermal thickness and PCNA-positive reactions in group II compared to other groups. Groups III and IV showed significant improvement, however, group III showed almost normal histological structure.Conclusion: BM-MSCs and purified exosomes concentrate were shown to significantly ameliorate psoriasis-like inflammatory changes in the skin of animal models.

Background: obesity is a worldwide problem which leads to increased morbidity and rate of deaths. Clinical use of some therapeutic options for the prevention of overweightness is limited due to their dangerous side effects. Orthoboric acid is a new safe and beneficial treatment for prevention of high fat diet induced obesity. Aim: study the effect of orthoboric acid on adipogenesis in rats. Materials and methods: the study included 30 adult male albino rats. The rats were divided into 4 main groups. Group I: control. Group II (High Fat Diet ′′HFD′′ group): IIa (HFD 8 weeks), IIb (HFD 12 weeks). Group III (HFD and orthoboric acid group) for 8 weeks. Group IV (HFD for 12 weeks but starting from the 8th week the rats were given orthoboric acid daily for 4 weeks). Orthoboric acid was used at dose of 2.5 mg given orally via intragastric tube. Body weights of all rats were recorded weekly during the experiment. Adipose tissue specimens were collected at the end of experiment and processed for H&E, oil red O stain and anti β - catenin immunohistochemistry. Morphometric and statistical analysis were also done. Results: HFD group showed significant increase in body weight and in size of adipocytes compared to the control group meanwhile, groups of orthoboric acid showed a significant decrease in body weight and size of adipocytes relative to HFD group. As regard effect of orthoboric acid on adipogenesis, groups treated with orthoboric acid showed positive immunohistochemical reaction for β- catenin with subsequent decrease in lipid accumulation confirmed with less optically dense oil red O staining compared to HFD group. Conclusions: low dose of oral orthoboric acid was able to reduce body weight. Therefore, it can be considered as a suitable treatment for obesity due to its vital role in inhibition of adipogenesis.

Background: Liver cirrhosis is an important lethal health problem all over the world. Liver transplantation is the first efficient treatment. Unfortunately, it is limited due to many obstacles. Therefore, alternative treatments are required for cirrhosis. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a challenging measure for treatment of cirrhosis. Aim of the work: To assess the effect of PRP on experimentally induced liver fibrosis in albino rats.Material and Methods: Twenty-four adult female rats were included in this study. They were divided into three groups: Group I: a control group and included 6 adult rats that received 0.5 ml of olive oil. Group II: consisted of 12 rats. They were subdivided into subgroup IIA: it included 6 rats that received carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) for six weeks and were sacrificed after the last injection for induction of fibrosis, subgroup IIB: it included 6 rats that were left for spontaneous recovery for four weeks after the last CCL4 injection. Group III: it consisted of 6 rats that were subjected to fibrosis then they received PRP (1 ml/kg) twice weekly for four weeks and then were sacrificed. Liver specimens were prepared for histological and immune-histochemical techniques. Morphometrical and statistical studies were done. Results: CCL4 injection resulted in multiple injuries in hepatocytes including vacuolations in the cytoplasm and pyknotic nuclei. In addition, it resulted in hepatic fibrosis especially surrounding the central vein and portal areas. Treatment by PRP resulted in an obvious histological improvement in hepatic structure including apparently normal liver cells with acidophilic cytoplasm and vesicular nuclei and significant decrease (P

Introduction and Aim of the Study: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by joint pain and progressive loss of articular cartilage. This study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on the knee joint in a rat model of OA. Materials and Methods: Forty adult male albino rats, weighing 200-250 gm, were used in this study, ten rats used as donors to obtain PRP. The other thirty rats were divided into two main groups. Group I: The control group (15 rats) in which the rats were subdivided into three subgroups. Subgroups IA and IB were sacrificed 4 and 6 weeks after the beginning of the experiment. Subgroup IC left for 4 weeks then received intra-articular injection of PRP in the right knee joint which was repeated three times per week for 2 weeks then the animals were sacrificed. Group II (The experimental group) (15 rats) in which OA was induced by surgical induction of cartilaginous defect in the right knee joints. The rats of group II were subdivided into three subgroups. Subgroups IIA and IIB were sacrificed 4 and 6 weeks after induction of OA respectively. Subgroup IIC received intra-articular injection of PRP (0.2 ml) in the right knee joints 4 weeks after surgery. The injection was repeated three times per week for 2 weeks then the animals were sacrificed. The right joints from all groups were collected, decalcified and processed for histological studies. Specimens were also processed for transmission electron microscopic study. Morphometric and statistical measurements were done.Results: Histological examination of the right knee joints of OA groups (subgroups IIA and IIB) resulted in thickening of the intimal lining of the synovial membrane, cellular infiltration, increased collagen content of the subintimal and moderate expression of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF). The articular cartilage showed surface erosions, thinning of cartilage, chondrocytes and ground substance loss. Injection of PRP resulted in improvement of the structure of the articular cartilage and the synovial membrane with strong expression of PDGF.Conclusion: Intra-articular injection of PRP resulted in a significant improvement in the histological structure of the knee joint in a rat model of OA.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus represents one of the most prevalent chronic diseases and a major public health challenge worldwide. It leads to serious consequences in several tissues including gastrointestinal tract. Bee venom (BV) is a traditional medicine used for treating various diseases. Aim: to investigate the effects of diabetes on gastric fundic mucosal changes and to evaluate the possible therapeutic role of BV on these changes in a rat model of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes mellitus. Materials and methods: Thirty adult male albino Wister rats were divided into four groups. Group I (control), group II (BV): received intraperitoneal injection (IP) of 0.5mg/kg BV twice weekly for four weeks, group III (diabetic): received single IP of 45mg/kg STZ and group IV (diabetic-BV treated): one week after confirmation of diabetes, rats received BV for four weeks (as group II). At the end of the experiment, samples of the fundus of the stomach were collected from all rats. The specimens were processed for light and transmission electron microscopic studies. Morphometric and statistical studies were also performed.Results: diabetic rats showed sloughing of fundic epithelium, significant decrease in mucous secreting cells, significant increase in collagen fibers and increase inflammatory cells in lamina propria. Cells of fundic glands were seen with karyolitic nuclei and dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum. Administration of BV showed improvement of histological structural changes induced by diabetes. Conclusions: BV have relevant therapeutic role in the fundic mucosa induced by diabetes. So, it could potentially provide possible solution for gastric changes associated with diabetes.

Connexin 43 (Cx43) is a potential target for accelerating wound healing. This study aimed at evaluating the therapeutic efficiency of topical application of Gap27, a Cx43 mimetic peptide, on corneal tissue reorganization during wound healing in streptozocin-induced Diabetes in albino rats and its effect on the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Fifty adult male albino Wistar rats were divided equally into two groups: non-diabetic and diabetic. Twenty rats from each group were subjected to corneal injury: 10 untreated and 10 treated with Gap27. The remaining five rats from each group served as negative controls (intact corneas). All rats were sacrificed 3 days after injury. Histological studies were performed to assess signs of cell degeneration, the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Histomorphometric studies were performed to quantify the expression of Cx43. Gap27 promoted corneal wound healing in non-diabetic and diabetic rats. It reduced mononuclear cell infiltration and improved corneal tissue remodeling. However, minor structural changes were still seen in diabetic corneas after treatment with Gap27. Blocking Cx43 was a valuable tool to restore corneal tissue structure, reduce the infiltration of inflammatory cells in non-diabetic and diabetic rats.