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Inflammation is an important biological event in host defenses against bacterial or viral infections. However, excessive inflammatory responses by aberrantly activated macrophages, producing excess amounts of inflammatory mediators, which disrupt immune homeostasis and result in immunopathological conditions such as sepsis. Sepsis was recognized as a systemic inflammatory response syndrome after serious infections, most commonly with bacteria which have a high mortality rate. Propolis (Prop) could be used as adjuvant therapy in the management of sepsis. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Prop against sepsis-induced in rats. Evaluation of complete blood count, activity of liver function enzymes in serum; alanine and aspartate aminotransferases were recorded. Oxidant/antioxidant markers in liver tissue namely; malonaldehyde, nitrites/nitrates, glutathione disulfide, glutathione levels, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Also, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and prostaglandin E-2 levels in both serum and liver tissue were estimated. Furthermore, interleukin-8, cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase genes expression were determined. Histopathological examination of liver tissue was investigated. Brain neurotransmitters; Dopamine, Norepinephrine and 5- hydroxytryptamine were also determined against sepsis-induced inflammation. The present study indicated that Prop could be an efficient protector that resets sepsis-induced severe oxidative stress, inflammation and improve the immune response of the liver as well as septic neurotoxic problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Development of the amphibian vestibular organ is regulated by molecular and neuronal mechanisms and by environmental input. The molecular component includes inductive signals derived from neural tissue of the hindbrain and from the surrounding mesoderm. The integrity of hindbrain patterning, on the other hand, depends on instructive signals from the isthmus organizer of the midbrain, including the transcription factor XTcf-4. If the development of the vestibular system depends on the integrity of the isthmus as the organizing centre, suppression of isthmus maintenance should modify vestibular morphology and function. We tested this hypothesis by downregulation of the transcription factor XTcf-4. 10 pmol l(-1) XTcf-4-specific antisense morpholino oligonucleotide was injected in one blastomere of two-cell-stage embryos of Xenopus laevis. For reconstitution experiments, 500 pg mRNA of the repressing XTcf-4A isoform or the activating XTcf-4C isoform were co-injected. Overexpression experiments were included using the same isoforms. Otoconia formation and vestibular controlled behaviour such as the roll-induced vestibuloocular reflex (rVOR) and swimming were recorded two weeks later. In 50% of tadpoles, downregulation of XTcf-4 induced (1) a depression of otoconia formation accompanied by a reduction of the rVOR, (2) abnormal tail development and (3) loop swimming behaviour. (4) All effects were rescued by co-injection of XTcf-4C but not, or only partially, by XTcf-4A. (5) Overexpression of XTcf-4A caused similar morphological and rVOR modifications as XTcf-4 depletion, while overexpression of XTcf-4C had no effect. Because XTcf-4C has been described as an essential factor for isthmus development, we postulate that the isthmus is strongly involved in vestibular development.