Veterinary Research Forum

Abstract Cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction is an important feature of aged heart. However, there is still no potent agent to ameliorate cardiac function abnormalities in aged hosts. Olive oil (OLO), containing monounsaturated fatty acids, has diverse protective effects on the cardiovascular system, including anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hypertensive effects. We evaluated the beneficial impacts of OLO against aging-related cardiac dysfunction. Wistar rats were randomly allotted into three groups with eight rats, including control, aged rats receiving D-galactose (D-GAL), and aged rats administrated with D-galactose plus OLO (D-GAL + OLO). Aged animals were received D-GAL at a dose of 150.00 mg kg^-1 daily through intra-peritoneal injection for aging induction. The animals in D-GAL + OLO group were co-administrated with oral OLO at a dose of 1.00 mL kg^-1 by gavage feeding daily. The administration term was eight weeks. A histological examination of heart tissue was performed. The heart tissues were also harvested to assay the oxidative stress and molecular parameters. The aged animals showed cardiac hypertrophy, increased malondialdehyde level and Bax expression, and reduced mitofusin 2, phosphatase and tensin homologue-induced putative kinase 1, dynamin-related protein 1, and Bcl2 expressions in comparison with the control animals. The OLO treatment ameliorated all these parameters. Overall, OLO could improve cardiac aging through reducing oxidative stress, enhancing genes mediated mitophagy, and improving genes mediated apoptosis in the heart.

Abstract Zinc as an essential trace element was reported to be involved in regulation of the growth and aging of cells. In this study, rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were exposed to extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) of 50 Hz and 20 mT to evaluate whether exposure to ELF-EMF in the presence of zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) affects the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene expression and aging in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The cell plates were divided into four groups including group I (control without ZnSO₄ and ELF-EMF exposure); group II (ELF-EMF-exposure without ZnSO₄); group III (ZnSO₄ treatment without ELF-EMF exposure) and group ІV (ELF-EMF exposure with ZnSO₄). In the presence of different concentrations of ZnSO₄,cells viability, TERT gene expression and percentage of senescent cells were evaluated using colorimetric assay, real-time PCR and senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity assay, respectively. In this experiment, cells were exposed to ELF-EMF for 30 min per day for 21 days in the presence and absence of ZnSO₄. The results revealed that ELF-EMF leads to a decrease in the expression of TERT gene and increase in the percentage of senescent cells. However, the ZnSO₄ could significantly increase the TERT gene expression and decrease the aging of ELF-EMF-exposed MSCs. It seems that ZnSO₄ may be a beneficial agent to delay aging of ELF-EMF-exposed MSCs due to the induction of TERT gene expression. Zinc as an essential trace element was reported to be involved in regulation of the growth and aging of cells. In this study, rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were exposed to extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) of 50 Hz and 20 mT to evaluate whether exposure to ELF-EMF in the presence of zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) affects the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene expression and aging in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The cell plates were divided into four groups including group I (control without ZnSO₄ and ELF-EMF exposure); group II (ELF-EMF-exposure without ZnSO₄); group III (ZnSO₄ treatment without ELF-EMF exposure) and group ІV (ELF-EMF exposure with ZnSO₄). In the presence of different concentrations of ZnSO₄,cells viability, TERT gene expression and percentage of senescent cells were evaluated using colorimetric assay, real-time PCR and senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity assay, respectively. In this experiment, cells were exposed to ELF-EMF for 30 min per day for 21 days in the presence and absence of ZnSO₄. The results revealed that ELF-EMF leads to a decrease in the expression of TERT gene and increase in the percentage of senescent cells. However, the ZnSO₄ could significantly increase the TERT gene expression and decrease the aging of ELF-EMF-exposed MSCs. It seems that ZnSO₄ may be a beneficial agent to delay aging of ELF-EMF-exposed MSCs due to the induction of TERT gene expression.

Abstract Age related cytochemical changes of thymic endocrine cells were studied in 78 day old chicks at five day interval to age of day 60 employing a panel of cytochemical stains. Methenamine silver revealed cell morphology including cell processes distinctly while diamine silver revealed a stronger argentaffinity in these cells. The cells had greater affinity for diamine silver compared to methenamine silver (Argentaffin), followed by formaldehyde induced auto-fluorescence, argyrophilia, lead hematoxylin and HCl-toluidine. The chromaffin reaction was the weakest. Cytochemically, three different endocrine cell populations i.e. argentaffin cells, argyrophilic cells and amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation series (APUD)/chromaffin cells, formed the resident population of thymic endocrine cells. Occurrence of numerous serotonin storing cells, moderately frequent APUD cells, and fewer chromaffin as well as mast cells suggests for a conspicuous reservoir of amine storing cells in thymus. Morphologically argentaffin cells were of four types i.e. the peripherally granulated spherical cells (Type-I), densely granulated oval cells (Type-II), pyramidal argentaffin cells (Type-III) and diffusely granulated elongated cells (Type-IV). The type-II argentaffin cells were most frequent in the medulla followed by the type-I cells and the type-III cells. The type-IV cells were least in frequency. The age related changes in frequency of these cells are also discussed.