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Objective(s): Despite prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among childbearing women and development of many animal models for this syndrome, information on its etiology is still scarce. The intrauterine hyperandrogenic environment may underlie changes at the level of hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary organization in female offspring, and PCOS later in life. Letrozole has been shown to mimic reproductive and metabolic characteristics of PCOS in adult rodent models. Therefore, this research aimed to assess the condition in a prenatal letrozole-treated rat model. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight female rats dams receiving letrozole at certain doses during late pregnancy were used in the trial. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (n=21) received letrozole treatment on gestation days 16-18 at doses of 1.25, 1.0, 0.75, 0.5, and 0.25 mg/kg body weight (BW). Results: Prenatal letrozole treatment delayed parturition time and reduced the litter size in pregnant dams (P<0.0001). Late puberty onset, irregular ovarian cyclicity, increased anogenital distance (AGD), body weight gain, serum testosterone concentration, and reduced estradiol levels (P<0.0001) were observed in the female offspring of dams receiving 1.25 and 1 mg/kg BW letrozole. Furthermore, letrozole at 1.25 and 1 mg/kg BW showed increased RFRP and decreased GnRH mRNA expression (P<0.0001). Letrozole treatment at doses of 1 mg/kg BW and lower was not fetotoxic. Conclusion: It was concluded that 1 mg/kg BW letrozole may be suggested for prenatal PCOS induction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric ulcer is among the most serious stomach disorder universally. Several effective drugs are employed in the management of this disease, although there have been adverse effects in some cases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nortriptyline to protect against gastric lesions, induced by indomethacin or cold-stress in rats. Methods: Gastric lesions were induced by oral indomethacin (30 mg/kg) or cold-shock at 2-4°C. Animals were pre-treated with 5, 10 or 20 mg/kg nortriptyline. After 4hr of exposure to indomethacin or cold shock, the stomach was removed for histological examinations and the levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic oxidative stress markers were determined in the tissue samples. Results: The results showed that nortriptyline at 20 mg/kg significantly restored the activity of the oxidative stress markers, such as Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) enzymes. It also decreased the tissue Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. In addition, nortriptyline at 20 mg/kg, ameliorated the gastric tissue damages caused by indomethacin or the cold shock. Conclusion: The results suggest that improvement in gastric mucosal lesions can be mediated by nortriptyline pretreatment, which is likely due to its antioxidant property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): One of the essential problems in burn therapy is performing the permanent replacement of skin in full and deep thickness injuries. Human Wharton's Jelly mesenchymal stem cells (HWJMSCs) have a unique combination of prenatal and postnatal properties. Decellularized human amniotic membrane (DHAM) can be used as a scaffold for HWJMSCs-therapy. We aimed to evaluate the quantity and quality of healing in the early excision burn wound dressing with 3-dimensional and 2- dimensional cell cultures. Materials and Methods: Amniotic and umbilical cords were isolated from the mothers who were candidates for cesarean section. HAM was decellularized using the mechanical and enzymatic method. HWJMSCs were isolated and cultured; cell surface markers were examined for authentication of MSCs and labeled using a viral vector containing the cGFP gene. Burns were created using brass bar in 32 adult male Albino rats and randomly divided into four groups (DHAM+HWJMSCs, injection of HWJMSCs, HWJMSCs was spread on the wound, and DHAM alone). Rats were sacrificed on the 7th and 14th days for pathological examination of the wound. Comparisons between the study groups were made by one-way analysis of variance. Results: Wound healing process in DHAM+HWJMSCs was much more progressed during the first week in comparison to other groups, and exhibited significant differences in re-epithelialization, formation of granulation tissue, and hemorrhage (P<0.05). Conclusion: The utility of the amniotic scaffold seeded by the human mesenchymal stem cells is recommended for accelerating the healing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]