Acanthocytosis and brain damage in area postrema and choroid plexus: Description of novel signs of Loxosceles apachea envenomation in rats

Protective Effectiveness of an Immunization Protocol Against the Toxic Effects of Loxosceles intermedia Venom in Rabbits

Loxosceles spp. (brown spiders) bites are responsible for the development of a syndrome consisting mainly of dermonecrotic lesions, and also systemic effects. Rabbits are one of the main experimental models used for better understanding the systemic and local effects of Loxosceles venom. The aim of this study is to evaluate the toxic and protective effects of rabbits immunized with Loxosceles spp. venom. Male New Zealand rabbits were allocated as a control group (CG; n = 5) that received adjuvant (Montanide) and phosphate-buffer saline (PBS), or as venom group (VG; n = 5) that received 21 μg of Loxosceles venom using Montanide as adjuvant. After five immunization cycles, a trial with 7 μg of Loxosceles intermedia (L. intermedia) venom was performed, and dermonecrotic lesions were measured. The rabbits were then euthanized, and their organs were collected for histopathology analysis. Rabbits that had undergone Loxosceles venom immunization protocol showed minor clinical disturbances during the experimental period. The used immunization protocol protected the rabbits against the toxic effect of the Loxosceles venom because they showed minor clinical disturbances during the experimental period.

The impacts of intrauterine Bisphenol A exposure on pregnancy and expression of miRNAs related to heart development and diseases in animal model

This study aimed to examine the impact of BPA exposure on pregnancy and foetuses on cardiac tissues and the expression of cardiac microRNAs (miRNAs) related to heart development and diseases. Pregnancy is known to be the "critical windows" in determining the offspring physical and cells development in their life after birth. The increment of the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a later stage of life has been reported by few studies demonstrated from prenatal exposure of BPA. BPA has been shown to alter miRNAs expression profiles for organ development, regeneration and metabolic functions. These alterations have been associated with the risk of CVDs. However, the associations between pregnancy outcomes and miRNAs expression in cardiac of mother- and foetuses-exposed to BPA are still not entirely explored. In BPA-exposed pregnant rat groups, a significant weight gained was observed in comparison to control (p < 0.05). Interestingly, significant changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the first and third trimester of BPA-exposed pregnant rats were also observed (p < 0.05). In BPA-exposed pregnant rats, miR-499-5p was significantly altered in the heart (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, altered miR-17-5p, -208-3p, and -210-3p expressions were observed in all heart of the foetuses from BPA-exposed pregnant rats (p < 0.05). In H&E staining, BPA-exposed foetal hearts showed a sign of fibrosis while BPA-exposed pregnant rats showed muscle remnant. Masson trichrome staining further confirmed the presence of fibrosis observed in BPA-exposed foetal heart and reduced expression of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was also observed in BPA-exposed foetal heart. In summary, altered cardiac miRNAs with histological changes were observed in both mother- and foetus-exposed BPA These findings put forward the importance of future work to further understand how prenatal BPA exposure affect foetuses in their later stage of life.