This study examined if wheat germ oil (WGO) has gastroprotective impacts against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Rats were assigned into control, WGO, ethanol, omeprazole + ethanol, and WGO + ethanol. WGO prevented gastric ulceration and damage induced by ethanol, the same effect induced by omeprazole, a widely known medication used for gastric ulcer treatment. WGO reduced gastric ulcer index, nitric oxide, and malondialdehyde levels in the stomach. WGO boosted the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Bcl2, and the antioxidants. WGO showed inflammatory and anti-inflammatory impacts through the control of interleukin (IL)-1β, Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and IL-10 that were altered in ethanol-administered rats. Ethanol up-regulated caspase-3 and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) expression and showed histopathological changes such as necrosis and mucosal degeneration that were mitigated by pre-administration of WGO. Moreover, WGO decreased gastric immunoreactivity of NF-kB and increased transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) that were associated with upregulation of Nrf2, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and antioxidant expression and production. In conclusion, WGO reduced ethanol-induced stomach toxicity by regulating genes involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptotic/antiapoptotic pathways.

Background The Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) represented a great risk to public health. In this study, 60 STEC strains recovered from broiler and duck fecal samples, cow’s milk, cattle beef, human urine, and ear discharge were screened for 12 virulence genes, phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance, and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA). Results The majority of strains harbored Shiga toxin 1 (stx1) and stx1d, stx2 and stx2e, and ehxA genes, while a minority harbored stx2c subtype and eaeA. We identified 10 stx gene combinations; most of strains 31/60 (51.7%) exhibited four copies of stx genes, namely the stx1, stx1d, stx2, and stx2e, and the strains exhibited a high range of multiple antimicrobial resistance indices. The resistance genes blaCTX-M-1 and blaTEM were detected. For the oxytetracycline resistance genes, most of strains contained tetA, tetB, tetE, and tetG while the tetC was present at low frequency. MLVA genotyping resolved 26 unique genotypes; genotype 21 was highly prevalent. The six highly discriminatory loci DI = 0.9138 are suitable for the preliminary genotyping of STEC from animals and humans. Conclusions The STEC isolated from animals are virulent, resistant to antimicrobials, and genetically diverse, thus demands greater attention for the potential risk to human.

Introduction: The high levels of angiotensin II (Ang II) can modify the vascular tone, enhance vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation and hypertrophy and increase the inflammatory cellular infiltration into the vessel wall. The old herbal nonpharmacological agent, Hibiscus (HS) sabdariffa L has multiple cardioprotective impacts; thus, we investigated the role of HS extract in amelioration of renovascular hypertension (RVH)-induced aortic remodeling.Materials and methods: Thirty-five rats (7/group) were randomly allocated into 5 groups; group: I: Control-sham group, and RVH groups; II, III, IV, and V. The rats in RVH groups were subjected to the modified Goldblatt two-kidneys, one clip (2K1C) for induction of hypertension. In group: II, the rats were left untreated whereas in group III, IV, and V: RVH-rats were treated for 6 weeks with low dose hibiscus (LDH), medium dose hibiscus (MDH), and high dose hibiscus (HDH) respectively.Results: We found that the augmented pro-contractile response of the aortic rings was ameliorated secondary to the in-vivo treatment with HS dose dependently. The cyclophilin A (CyPA) protein levels positively correlated with the vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and ERK1/2, which, in turn, contribute to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Daily HS intake modified aortic renovation by enhancing the antioxidant capacity, restraining hypertrophy and fibrosis, downregulation of the metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript (MALAT1), and cyclophilin A (CyPA)/ERK1/2 levels.Discussion: Adding to the multiple beneficial effects, HS aqueous extract was able to inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation induced by 2K1C model. Thus, adding more privilege for the utilization of the traditional herbal extracts to attenuate RVH-induced aortopathy.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is commonly a result of renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), which produces clinical complications characterized by the rapid deterioration of renal function, leading to chronic kidney disease and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. Currently, only supportive treatment is available. AKI, which is accompanied by immune activation and inflammation, is caused by proximal tubular injury. The present study investigated the role of tubular epithelial cells as drivers of inflammation in renal IRI and their potential function as antigen-presenting cells, as well as the molecular mechanisms by which peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonists [such as pioglitazone (Pio)] exert reno-protective action in renal IRI. A total of 50 Wistar male albino rats were divided into five groups: Sham + DMSO, Sham + Pio, IRI + DMSO, IRI + prophylactic preoperative (pre) Pio and IRI + postoperative Pio. The histopathological changes in renal tissue samples and the renal epithelial cell expression of CD86, miRNA-124, STAT3, pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Arginase-II were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blotting and ELISA respectively. IRI was a potent inducer for CD86 immunoexpression. An ameliorative action of Pio was demonstrated via decreased CD86 immunoexpression, upregulation of miRNA-124, decreased STAT3 expression and beneficial anti-inflammatory effects. The tubular epithelium served a notable role in the inflammatory response in renal IRI. Pio exerted its anti-inflammatory effects via PPARγ/miRNA-124/STAT3 signaling.

Trichinellosis is a resurgent parasite that affects people globally. Acid suppressing drugs (ASDs) are among the most frequently prescribed and generally safe medications in many distinct processes (changes defense mechanisms as gut microbiota and immunology). The study evaluated the antacids effect of aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide in treating Trichinella spiralis in experimental infected mice. Mice (128) were divided into four groups GI: negative control (non-infected untreated), GII: positive control (infected untreated), GIII: mice were infected and treated with albendazole and GIV: mice were infected and treated with antacids. Half of them were sacrificed on 7 th day post infection (PI) for intestinal phase and second half were sacrificed on 35 th day PI for muscular phase. Treatment efficiency was assessed by parasitological, biochemical and histopathological examinations.The results showed that antacids treated mice gave highest number of T. spiralis adult count in intestine and larval count in muscle. Antacids increased the infection (30.5%, 32.5%) respectively compared to infected control. Biochemically showed higher level of IL4, IL10, MDA and lower level of GSH than infected control.