Curcumin Mitigates Malathion-Induced Renal Injury: Suppression of Apoptosis and Modulation of NF-κβ/TNF-α and Nrf2, and HO-1 Signaling

Malathion is one of the most used organophosphorus pesticides that is used for many reasons such as agriculture and industry. Human exposure to malathion may occur through various means, such as eating food that has been treated with it. Malathion not only increases oxidative stress but also decreases the antioxidant capacity. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant with many pharmacological actions. Curcumin can act as a free radical scavenger and inhibit the activation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. Curcumin could combat the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant depletion that trigger the apoptotic pathways. This study aims to examine the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects of curcumin. Twenty-four Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups (six rats each): control, curcumin, malathion, and malathion + curcumin groups. At the assigned time, blood samples were used for the assessment of serum creatinine, and the kidneys were excised and washed; parts of them were used for the assessment of total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and glutathione (GSH) activity, other parts were fixed in formalin for further staining. Histopathological evaluation was performed for the fixed specimens after staining with H&E, sirus red, and the immunohistochemical staining for NF-κβ, TNF-α, Caspase-3, Nrf2, and HO-1. Curcumin significantly decreases the serum creatinine after malathion exposure and significantly restores the oxidant/antioxidant balance by increasing TAC and GSH and decreasing TOS, OSI, and MDA. Curcumin exerts its reno-protective effect and restores the histological architecture of the kidney by downregulating the immune expression of NF-κβ, TNF-α, and Caspase-3 and upregulating the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. This study concluded that curcumin protects against nephrotoxicity caused by malathion by exerting its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic capabilities.

Betulin prevents high fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by mitigating oxidative stress and upregulating Nrf2 and SIRT1 in rats

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic hepatic disorder characterized by hepatic lipid accumulation. This study explored the effect of betulin (BE), a terpenoid with promising antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and insulin sensitizing effects, on NAFLD induced by high fat diet (HFD). Rats received HFD and BE (15 and 30 mg/kg) for 12 weeks and blood and liver samples were collected for analyses. HFD caused hyperlipidemia, cholesterol and triglycerides accumulation in the liver, hepatocellular ballooning, fibrosis, insulin resistance (IR), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and NF-kB p65 upregulation. BE ameliorated serum and liver lipids, blood glucose, and insulin, liver LPO, prevented steatosis and fibrosis, suppressed NF-kB p65 and enhanced antioxidants in HFD-fed rats. BE downregulated ACC1 and FAS, and upregulated Nrf2, HO-1 and SIRT1 in the liver of HFD-fed rats. In silico investigations revealed the binding affinity of BE towards NF-kB, Keap1, HO-1 and SIRT1. In conclusion, BE attenuated HFD-induced NAFLD by ameliorating hyperlipidemia, IR, lipogenesis, liver lipid accumulation, and oxidative stress. The protective effect of BE was associated with enhanced Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and SIRT1.

Potential Association between Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Childhood Migraine

Background and Objectives: Migraine is caused by genetic susceptibility that is triggered by environmental as well as biological factors, and it is also linked to many somatic comorbidities, including clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism. We aimed to estimate the potential association between subclinical hypothyroidism (ScH) and migraine in children at our tertiary hospital. Materials and Methods: Using a case−control strategy, 200 children and adolescents were assigned to two equal groups: a case group (patients with migraine) of 100 patients and a control group of 100 patients without migraine. Clinical and biochemical parameters (TSH, FT4) were compared between the groups using statistical analysis. Results: Thyroid function comparison between the groups showed higher TSH but normal FT4 among children with migraine headache compared to the control group, which means more frequent ScH cases among the migraine group relative to the control (17% vs. 2%, p < 0.001). Obesity and overweight were more frequent among patients with migraine than the control group (8 and 5% vs. 2 and 1%, respectively). The (overweight/obese) patients with migraine had about 77% ScH and 15.4% overt hypothyroidism compared to 8% ScH and no overt hypothyroidism among normal body weight migraine patients (p < 0.001). No significant difference in the prevalence of nodular goiter between patients with migraine and controls was found. Conclusions: Based on our results, subclinical hypothyroidism is significantly linked to childhood migraine. Obesity and being overweight are more frequent among patients with migraine. Therefore, it may be logical to test the thyroid function in migraineur children, especially those with high BMI. Further studies are recommended to discover the mechanism of this association in children.

Morphological classification of crista fenestra of round window corridor during pediatric cochlear implantation

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to document the observation of the Crista Fenestra's morphological types (CF) of the round window and to detect its impact during cochlear implant operation.

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective descriptive cohort study.

SETTINGS

We conducted this study at tertiary referral institutions in Egypt.

PATIENTS

This study included 140 children who underwent cochlear implantation.

INTERVENTION

We observed the CF's morphological type during the operation according to (Baki-Elzayat) novel classification of CF anatomy, and the need for drilling in each CI operation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

CF has two main types. Type A, in which CF was present at the same level of round window membrane and attached to it. Type B, in which CF was medial to the Round window membrane.

RESULTS

Type (A) CF was detected in 125 cases (89.28%), while 25 cases (10.71%) showed type (B) CF. Drilling was needed in 10 cases (7.14%), including CF types A.3 and B2. Drilling was not needed in 130 cases (92.85%), including CF type A.1, A.2, and B.1. There was a statistically significant difference in the need for drilling (P-value <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

According to this prospective study, CF had complicated anatomy. Baki-Elzayat classified the CF into two main types. In type A, CF was at the same level of RWM and attached to it. In type B, CF was medial to RWM. We recommended drilling for partial removal of massive CF types (A.3 and B.2) for atraumatic safe insertion of the electrode without deflection. This classification can offer an easy language system for CI surgeons to describe and register CF during their operations and in the surgical files.

Protective effect of thymoquinone against lung intoxication induced by malathion inhalation

Malathion is considered one of the vastest pesticides use all over the world. Malathion-inhalation toxicity commonly occurred in many occupational farmers. Therefore, this study aimed to ameliorate the possible malathion-induced pulmonary toxicity through thymoquinone administration. Forty animals were used to conduct our study, divided into five groups; G1 control group, G2 thymoquinone (50 mg/kg) group, G3 malathion group (animals inhaled 100 mg/ml/m³ for 15 min for 5 days/week for three weeks), G4 and G5 were subjected to the same malathion inhalation protocol beside oral thymoquinone administration at doses of 25 and 50 (mg/kg), respectively. Malathion-inhalation induced marked systemic toxicity as hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity associated with increased serum hepatic and renal enzymes, and hypersensitivity accompanied with increased total IgE serum level. The lung showed severe interstitial pneumonia associated with severe vascular damage and marked eosinophil infiltration. Moreover, the lung showed a marked decrease in the pulmonary surfactant protein, especially SP-D gene expression. While, thymoquinone treatment to malathion-inhaled animals decremented the following; hepatic enzymes and renal function tests, total IgE as well as pneumonia and hypersensitivity pathological features, and augmented the expression of SP-D. In conclusion, thymoquinone could be potentially used in pest control workers to ameliorate the systemic and pulmonary intoxication caused by one of the most field-used pesticides.