Preclinical studies have shown positive effects of statins against specific cancers. This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effect of simvastatin in 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer. Female albino mice were divided into two groups, with or without DMBA administration. After tumor appearance, DMBA-treated group was further divided into four groups (D1-D4) as control (D1), treated with simvastatin at 80 and 40 mg/kg/day, orally (D2 and D3) and tamoxifen (50 mg/kg/day, orally) treated group (D4). After 4 weeks, animals were sacrificed, serum samples were collected and tumors were dissected for histopathological study and determination of selected parameters. The tumor marker carcinoma antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), oxidative stress parameters and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels were analyzed in serum and tumors in experimental groups. Tamoxifen and high dose of simvastatin improved parameters of mammary carcinogenesis including mean tumor volume, body weight and percent of mortality as compared to mice with breast tumors without treatment (D1). Additionally, simvastatin usage increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level, paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity in serum and decreased total oxidant status (TOS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in tumors similar to tamoxifen. No significant decrease was found in serum CA 15-3 and tumor PGE2 levels in simvastatin and tamoxifen treated groups as compared to D1 group. These data suggest that simvastatin has anticancer effects which are relatively similar to that of tamoxifen in an animal model of breast cancer.

Salmonella infections have become a major health concern in recent decades. This pathogen has evolved to become resistant to antibiotics, which has caused problems in its treatment. As such, finding a novel preventive method is important in the treatment and management of this infection. In recent years, uses of probiotics, especially spore-former genera such as Bacillus spp. has become increasingly popular. In this study spores of two probiotic bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus coagulans were fed to rats for three weeks through their daily water intake after which Salmonella Typhimurium was gavaged to the rats. On days 1, 3, 5 and 7 after gavaging, the number of Salmonella was counted in liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, feces and content of ileum and cecum. Hematological and biochemical parameters, inflammatory mediators, total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde were also measured. The results showed that B. subtilis and B. coagulans caused delation in infiltration of Salmonella into the lymph nodes, spleen and liver, reduction of the inflammatory mediators, and decreases in oxidative stress, hematological and biochemical changes. The overall count of Salmonella in the above mentioned parameters has also decreased and a faster return to normal base were also witnessed. The results showed that the use of B. subtilis and B. coagulans can potentially help boost the body's immune system, to combat the effects of exposure to the Salmonella pathogen. Salmonella infections are considered to be a serious and harmful infection affecting humans and animals and a great concern for human health 1. Direct contact with infected animals or their products makes humans infected. Among Salmonella spp., Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) are the main serovars that cause human salmonellosis 2. Salmonellosis causes a lot of costs, which includes treatment costs, productivity reduction, the value of premature death and also economic losses because of the livestock and poultry death 3. Preventative measures such as usage of probiotics in animals can control and reduce Salmonella infection, and its costs 4,5. Probiotics are live microorganisms, which have health benefits if administered in adequate amounts 6,7. Most of the reported research on probiotics have focused on the various strains of Lactobacillus. In recent years, uses of spore-forming bacteria and especially Bacillus spp., as probiotics have increased 8. The bacteria's ability to form spore results in higher resistance during the production and storage processes, as well as gastric (pH, digestive enzymes) and intestinal environmental conditions 9. Through direct contact with epithelial cells, also immune cells, activation of gut microflora and modification of its composition, innate and adaptive immunity are influenced by probiotics 10. Modulation of pro-inflammatory (like IFN-γ and TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) is one of the principal mechanisms that probio...

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Background Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) are found in the outer membranes of gram-negative bacteria, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli. 1 Injection of LPS evokes proinflammatory response, and in the blood may result in fever, shock, organ failure, and death. 2 LPS is used in the modeling of endotoxemia in experimental models. 3 Two cyclooxygenase enzymes are known. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) regulates release of prostaglandins important for the inflammatory response. 4 Expression of COX-2 is increased after exposure to LPS. 5 Monitoring the serum levels of cytokines such as interlukin-1 (IL-1), interlukin-6 (IL-6), or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) may be an effective method for the evaluation of inflammatory response and early detection of acute phase reactions. 6-8 Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-6 were induced by endotoxins like LPS, leading to inflammation and coagulation cascades. These cytokines may trigger the expression of tissue factors in monocytes and endothelial cells. 9 C-reactive protein (CRP) is produced by the liver in response to inflammation regulated by IL-6, IL-1, and TNF-α. 10 IL-6in LPS challenge and inflammation induces weight loss, hypoglycemia and fibrinogen production. 11 Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used as analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and antipyretics. 12 NSAIDs block the action of COX, thereby reducing symptoms of inflammation. 13 Ruetten and Thiemermann in a recent study demonstrated that the expression of COX-2 caused by LPS in the rat was prevented by dexamethasone. 14 Yazar et al showed that flunixin meglumine inhibited the increase of inflammatory cytokine levels (TNFα and IL-1) in LPSinduced endotoxic mice. 15 Diclofenac, as an NSAID, has been widely used as the anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic drug. The potency of diclofenac is substantially greater than that

Background The gastrointestinal helminth, Teladorsagia circumcincta, is one of the major health risks and production-limiting diseases in small ruminant populations, particularly in temperate regions. With the increasing importance of disease management and recruited anthelmintic resistant types, accurate approaches are needed for the diagnosis of the infection in the host. Due to uncertain results using faecal examinations, the ELISA method was indicated for the detection of nematode antigenic materials. Despite some promising results, problems were described in terms of test specificity and cross-reactions. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the IgG response to worm somatic and excretory/secretory (ES) products using western blot analysis and an indirect ELISA for the detection of T. circumcincta infection in sheep. Results Based on the immuno-reactivity analysis, immunogenic fractions with molecular weights (MWs) of approximately 60, 75 and 100 kDa were detected in somatic content and two antigens of about 63 and 75 kDa in ES material. Accordingly, a specific product at 75 kDa had the strongest reaction and appeared as the most common antigenic protein. In ELISA, all the sera from the infected sheep revealed the OD rates above the calculated cut-off value with about two-fold greater average. Negative control samples were also specifically recognized with the mean OD rate of about 1/3 of the estimated cut-off value. The cross-reaction test, using rabbit anti-T. circumcincta IgG, did not show reactivity with the ES antigens of other prevalent nematodes including Haemonchus contortus, Protostrongylus rufescens and Marshallagia marshalli. In contrast, a strong positive reaction was observed with the somatic antigens of M. marshalli. Conclusions The results of this study indicated that the indirect ELISA method using the ES content enables distinguishing the T. circumcincta infected sheep with high specificity. Those antigenic ES peptides with 63 and particularly 75 kDa MWs should be further investigated due to the potential for serological diagnostic methods and immunoprotective targets in the host.