Data on morphometric analysis of the pancreatic islets from C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice

A neuroprotective dose of trehalose is harmless to metabolic organs: comprehensive histopathological analysis of liver, pancreas, and kidney

BACKGROUND

Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide synthesized by lower organisms. It has recently received special attention because of its neuroprotective properties by stimulating autophagy in Parkinson's disease (PD) models. Therefore, evaluating whether trehalose affects metabolic organs is vital to determine its neurotherapeutic safety.

METHODS

We validated the trehalose neuroprotective dosage in a PD model induced with intraperitoneal paraquat administration twice weekly for 7 weeks. One week before paraquat administration, mice were treated with trehalose in the drinking water and continued along with paraquat treatment. Histological and morphometrical analyses were conducted on the organs involved in trehalose metabolism, including the liver, pancreas, and kidney.

RESULTS

Paraquat-induced dopaminergic neuronal loss was significantly decreased by trehalose. After trehalose treatment, the liver morphology, the mononucleated/binucleated hepatocytes percentage, and sinusoidal diameter remained unchanged in each liver lobes. Endocrine and exocrine pancreas's histology was not affected, nor was any fibrotic process observed. The islet of Langerhans's structure was preserved when analyzing the area, the largest and smallest diameter, and circularity. Renal morphology remained undamaged, and no changes were identified within the glomerular basement membrane. The renal corpuscle structure did not suffer alterations in the Bowman's space, area, diameter, circularity, perimeter, and cellularity. Besides, the renal tubular structures's luminal area and internal and external diameter were preserved.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates that systemic trehalose administration preserved the typical histological architecture of the organs involved in its metabolism, supporting its safety as a potential neuroprotective agent.

Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Adipogenic Effect of Harmine in High-Fat-Diet-Induced Diabetes in Mice

One of the most important health issues facing the world today is obesity. It is an important independent risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Harmine offers various pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. The current study aims to investigate Harmine's anti-diabetic and anti-adipogenic properties in albino mice after inducing low-grade inflammation with a high-fat diet (HFD). About forty-eight male albino mice were divided into four groups. Group 1: control mice were injected with daily saline and fed a normal chow diet of 21% protein for 5 months. Group 2: mice were treated daily with IP-injected Harmine (30 mg/kg body weight) and were fed a normal chow diet for 5 months. Group 3: mice were fed HFD to induce type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) for 5 months. Group 4: mice were fed HFD for 14 weeks and treated with Harmine for the last 6 weeks. A figh-fat diet caused a significant increase in body and organ weight, lipid profiles, and destructive changes within the pancreas, kidney, and liver tissue. The administration of Harmine led to a remarkable improvement in the histological and ultrastructural changes induced by HFD. The findings indicate that mice cured using Harmine had lower oxidative stress, a higher total antioxidant capacity, and a reduced lipid profile compared to HFD mice. Harmine led to the hepatocytes partly restoring their ordinary configuration. Furthermore, it was noticed that the pathological incidence of damage in the structure of both the kidney and pancreas sections reduced in comparison with the diabetic group. Additional research will be required to fully understand Harmine and its preventive effects on the two forms of diabetes.

High-fat-diet induced obesity and diabetes mellitus in Th1 and Th2 biased mice strains: A brief overview and hypothesis

Obesity and diabetes mellitus are common metabolic diseases prevalent worldwide. Mice are commonly used to study the pathogenesis of these two conditions. Obesity and diabetes mellitus are induced by administering a high-fat diet in many studies although other diet-induced models are also used. Several factors may influence the outcome of the studies done to study diet-induced obesity in mice. The immune system plays a crucial role in the susceptibility of mice to develop obesity and metabolic disease. In this article, the reasons for differences in susceptibility to develop obesity and diabetes mellitus in mice in response to high-fat-diet feeding and the influence of immunological bias of the mice strain used in studies are evaluated. Mice strains that induce proinflammatory and Th1-type immune responses are found to be susceptible to high-fat-diet-induced obesity. A few studies which directly compared the effect of a high-fat diet on obesity and diabetic phenotype in Th1- and Th2-biased mice strains were briefly analyzed. Based on the observations, it is proposed that the liver and adipose tissue may respond differently to high-fat-diet feeding regimens in Th1- and Th2-biased mice strains. For instance, in Th1-biased mice, adipose tissue fat content was high both in the baseline as well as in response to a high-fat diet whereas in the liver, it was found to be less. It can be inferred that the immune responses to diet-induced models may provide insights into the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes mellitus.

HISTORY OF ORIGIN, ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES, VECTORS OF APPLICATION OF THE DIAPHONIZATION METHOD: CURRENT STATE OF THE PROBLEM

The article deals with the method of diaphonization, which consists in clarification and staining of tissues, organs and whole organisms for long-term storage in the form of preparations as one of the modern methods of morphological research and, in general, a powerful tool for studying the internal structure and topography of organisms. The authors have analyzed the history of the diaphonization method, its advantages and disadvantages. Its advantages include the ability to study the internal anatomy without destroying the object, detailing structures, preserving samples for further research, and the possibility of combining with other modern research methods. Despite its advantages, the diaphonization method also has certain limitations and disadvantages (possible deformation of structures, loss of color, time and space complexity, and limitations in application to certain types of organisms). With its three main application vectors (clinical, experimental, and botanical), the diaphonization method is an essential tool for researchers in many fields, which continues to evolve and find new applications, improving the overall scientific picture of understanding the structure of organisms and contributing to scientific progress. The article also highlights the importance and prospects of combining the diaphonization method with other techniques to determine a more accurate picture of the relative location and structural features of certain tissues, organs, and systems.