Iman Shafiei, Marziyeh Ajdary, Amir Haghparast, Fatemeh Mashhadiabbas, Abbas Haghparast,
Volume 11, Issue 4 (July & August - Special Issue on Memory, Reward & Stress 2020)
Abstract
Introduction: The use of opioids such as morphine has anti-pain effects along with some side effects on body organs. Opioids such as morphine can be transferred from mother to child through the placenta and or breastfeeding. This study aimed to assess the effect of morphine on mineral content and histological changes of incisor teeth of rats born to morphine-addicted mothers.
Methods: In this experimental animal study, 24 pregnant rats were randomly divided into 6 groups of control, morphine, zinc, vitamin D, morphine plus zinc, and morphine plus vitamin D. After completion of the breastfeeding period, two babies were randomly selected among the newborns of each mother rat. Mineral content was analyzed using the Rontec device. The obtained data were analyzed by Newman-Keuls multiple comparisons test in Prism 5.
Results: Results showed a significant reduction in fluorine content in the experimental groups compared with the control group (P<0.05). The magnesium content in the experimental groups was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). Microscopic assessment of the slides showed a significantly less enamel maturation in the experimental groups compared with the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Morphine use by mothers decreased the fluorine content of tooth structure and retarded the maturity of the enamel of infants.
Negar Noorbakhsh, Hamid Galehdari, Mohammad Shafiei,
Volume 13, Issue 3 (May & Jun 2022)
Abstract
Introduction: Sialic acid is pivotal in various critical physiological events at molecular and cellular levels and pathological processes. Changes in sialic acid concentration are observed in many pathological processes; for example, some available data exist on the evaluated level of sialic acid and neurodegenerative prevalence. Presumably, sialic acid can play a significant role in regulating a diverse range of uncovered neurodegeneration factors and downstream targets. matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9) is one factor that changes the exposure of different concentrations of sialic acid solution. Hence, we aimed to examine the possible effect of sialic acid solution exposure on the glial cell line in the expression patterns of miR-320a and let-7e as two upstream factors.
Methods: Human glial cell line was prepared from the Pasteur Institute of Iran and cultured in a dulbecco’s modified eagle medium (DMEM) with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). The IC50 value of sialic acid was obtained by colorimetric assay for assessing cell metabolic activity 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl (MTT), and the glial cell line was treated with sialic acid in 300, 500, 1000 µg/mL for 24 h to investigate the effect of the sialic acid ligand on the expression pattern of the miR-320a and let-7e. Total RNA was isolated from approximately 10×106 glial cells and was used from each sample for complementary dna (cDNA) synthesis. For quantitative analysis of miR-320a and let-7e, we used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and for statistical analysis, the SPSS v. 21 software was applied.
Results: Analyzing the real-time data revealed that the expression of miR-320a and let-7e was significantly increased (P<0.0001) in 300, 500, and 1000 µg/mL treated glial cells by sialic acid compared to the control group.
Conclusion: A possible linkage of sialic acid on miR-320a and let-7e regulation was observed in the glial cell line as proinflammatory factors in the inflammation pathway.
Elnaz Azizi, Fatemeh Ayoobi, Ali Shamsizadeh, Amir Moghadam-Ahmadi, Seyed Ali Shafiei, Alireza Khoshdel, Mohammad Reza Mirzaei,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (July & August: Special Issue on Cognitive Sciences 2022)
Abstract
Introduction: Lack of high-quality sleep causes severe side effects like anxiety and changes in plasma concentration of oxalate. The current study investigated the impact of local extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) on inducing sleep (sleepiness) and anxiety in male rats.
Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male rats were divided into four groups (n=10 for each group). The ELF-MF exposure (0, 10, and 18 Hz) was applied with an intensity of 200µT for three days (10 min/d). The sham-treated animal did not receive ELF-MF. Serum levels of oxalic acid (OA) and sleepiness were measured before and after the last exposure to ELF-MF or sham. Anxiety, sleepiness, and OA were measured using the elevated plus maze, open-field test (OFT), and ELISA test.
Results: A comparison of oxalate levels before and after exposure to ELF-MF revealed that ELF-MF (10 Hz) decreased the serum level of oxalate (P<0.05). Comparing open/closed arm entry (in an elevated plus maze) between before and after exposure to ELF-MF revealed significant differences. Also, frequency, velocity, and distance moved were decreased in the open-field test.
Conclusion: Results of the present study demonstrated that ELF-MF with short-time exposure may modulate the metabolism of OA and may modulate anxiety-like behavior or kind of induction of sleepiness in male rats.
