Background: Integrins are transmembrane adhesion receptors that provide the physical link between the actin cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix. It has been well established that integrins play a major role in various cancer stages, such as tumor growth, progression, invasion and metastasis. In breast cancer, integrin alphavbeta3 has been associated with high malignant potential in cancer cells, signaling the onset of widespread metastasis. Many preclinical breast cancer studies are based on established cell lines, which may not represent the cell behavior and phenotype of the primary tumor of origin, due to undergone genotypic and phenotypic changes. In the present study, short-term primary breast cancer cell cultures were developed. Integrin alphavbeta3 localization was studied in correlation with F-actin cytoskeleton by means of immunofluorescence and immunogold ultrastructural localization. Integrin fluorescence intensities were semi-quantitatively assessed by means of computerized image analysis, while integrin and actin expression was evaluated by Western immunoblotting.

The objective of this work is to investigate analytical solutions of some models of cancer tumors using the Laplace residual power series method (LRPSM). The proposed method was effective and required simple calculations to find the analytic series solution, utilizing computer software such as the Mathematica package. Figures and graphs of the attained analytical Maclaurin solutions are presented to depict the procedure. The outcomes we obtained in this research showed the applicability and strength of the proposed approach in studying numerical series solutions of differential equations of fractional orders.

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Introduction: Pre-diabetic precedes the development of full diabetes. Studying and identification changes in pre-diabetic conditions can give the possibility to decline the development of diabetes and treat conditions associated with diabetes such as cardiovascular diseases. Aim: The main objectives of the present study were to investigate the potential of using Urtica pilulifera in treating the pre-diabetic rat model and to investigate its anti-oxidant impact. Methods: The pre-diabetic model was induced in rats through daily giving high sucrose diet (35%) for 30 days. The extraction of U. pilulifera leaves was made as described by previous studies. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups, control group (n=10), pre-diabetic group (n=10), and treated group with the extract of U. pilulifera (n=10). Control group rats received standard diet; pre-diabetic group rats received standard diet and high sucrose (35%) in drinking water, treated group rats received the same conditions as a pre-diabetic group, with intra-peritoneal injection of U. pilulifera injection on daily basis. After one month experiment, blood samples were taken from all rats and tested for glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, GSH, TAC, and MDA. Results: Both glucose and triglycerides levels were significantly increased in pre-diabetic groups, and significantly reduced in the treated group by the extract of U.pilulifera . The cholesterol level was not significantly changed in all groups. The levels of GSH were significantly reduced in the pre-diabetic group compared with the control group. Treatment with the extract of U. pilulifera increased the levels of GSH significantly compared with the pre-diabetic group. The levels of TAC were not significantly changed between the control group and the pre-diabetic group, but significantly increased in the treated group compared with the pre-diabetic group. The levels of MDA significantly increased in the pre-diabetic group compared with the control group, and significantly reduced in the treated group compared with the control group. Conclusion: High sucrose pre-diabetic model is a good model to study diabetes at early stages, and the treatment using U. pilulifera has several benefits in reducing glucose and lipid profile lipids as well as combating oxidative stress.

Introduction. Diabetes is increasingly prevalent at global level and associated with various impacts including the male reproductive system. Aims. This research is aimed at investigating the influence of diabetes on the localization and expression of HSP90 and iNOS in the testicular tissue of diabetic rats. Methods. A diabetic model was developed through a single injection of alloxan monohydrate intraperitoneally (purchased from Sigma-Aldrich) 120 mg/kg body weight following fasting for 12 hrs. The experiment involved two groups, the control and diabetic groups with 10 albino rats in each group. Diabetes was considered if glucose concentration was ≥200 mg/dl. The experiment duration was for one month. After the experiment had finished, all rats were terminated and prepared for routine histological and immunohistochemical examination. Results. The results revealed that diabetes caused morphological changes at histological level in testicular tissue. Immunohistochemical examination showed that diabetes significantly upregulated the expression of both HSP90 and iNOS in the testicular tissue of diabetic rats as compared with that of the control group (p<0.001). Conclusion. Diabetes may induce adverse health effects on the male reproduction through upregulation of HSP90 and iNOS in the testicular tissue of diabetic rats.