Cell and Tissue Journal

Abstract Aim: Organotypic cultures of spinal cord slices from mammalian neonatal and fetal animals are powerful tools for studies of spinal cord injury, neuronal degeneration, and cell death but also motor neuron regeneration. Models in which adult slices are used would be very useful. However, adult spinal cord slices are notoriously difficult to maintain in culture and rapidly deteriorate in vitro. Degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord is a critical phenomenon in spinal cord injuries and certain neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disorder in which motor neurons in the spinal cord and motor cortex are lost. A variety of mechanisms have been proposed as having a role in neuronal apoptosis during spinal cord injury. Oxidative stress has been reported as one of the mechanisms involved in the apoptosis of motor neurons in spinal cord injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. This study was conducted to determine whether quercetin, as a potent antioxidant, can delay apoptosis in motor neurons of cultured spinal cords by reducing oxidative stress.
 Material and methods: The thoracic regions of the spinal cord from adult NMRI mice were sliced using a tissue chopper and divided into three groups: 1) 0-hour, 2) control group, and 3) group treated with quercetin (100 µM). Spinal cord slices in the 2 and 3 groups were incubated for 6 hours at 37°C in a Co₂ incubator. The viability of the spinal cord slices was measured using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The morphological features of apoptosis and the number of motor neurons were examined using Hoechst and propidium iodide staining. The malondialdehyde was measured to determine lipid peroxidation while the FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) was assessed to evaluate total antioxidant capacity in fresh and cultured spinal cord slices. Results were expressed as mean±SD. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tucky’s test was used to assess the statistical significances of the data. In all cases, a statistical probability of p<0.05 was considered significant.
Results: After 6 hours (control group) in culture, the viability of the spinal cord slices, the neuron diameter, and the number of healthy motor neurons significantly decreased compared to the 0-hour group. Also, motor neurons showed the morphological features of apoptosis including cell shrinkage, nuclear and chromatin condensation in the control group. A significant increase in the amount of malondialdehyde and a significant decrease in the total antioxidant capacity was also observed compared with the 0-hour group. After 6 hours, quercetin not only increased the viability and the number of healthy motor neurons in the cultured slices but also reduced the morphological features of apoptosis in the motor neurons compared with the control group. In addition, quercetin significantly reduced the amount of malondialdehyde and increased the total antioxidant power in slices cultured for 6 hours.
Conclusion: Oxidative stress might be considered as one of the mechanisms involved in the apoptosis of motor neurons in cultured spinal cord slices and quercetin, as a potent antioxidant, was able to increase the viability of the cultured spinal cord slices and delay the morphological features of apoptosis in the motor neurons through reducing lipid peroxidation and increasing the total antioxidant capacity.

Abstract -
Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of quercetin on myocardial tissue damage in male Wistar rats during malathion poisoning.
Material and Methods: This study was performed on seven groups of six male rats. After 24 hours of intraperitoneal injection of quercetin, Malathion or a combination of these drugs, the heart of the animals was separated, and tissue slice was prepared. After tissue homogenization, oxidative stress parameters were measured in this area.
Results: Intraperitoneal injection of 200­ mg/kg of malathion significantly induced lipid peroxidation (p < 0.01) and oxidative stress (p < 0.001) as well as necrosis and inflammation in myocardial tissue. However, intra-peritoneal injection of quercetin (50­mg/kg) reduced malathion-induced toxicity on lipid peroxidation (p < 0.001), oxidative stress (p < 0.05), as well as inflammation and myocardial tissue damage.
Conclusion: The results suggest that quercetin is able to improve myocardial tissue damage and restore the rate of oxidative stress in malathion-treated groups to normal levels.
  

Abstract Aim: In the current study, the protective effect of quercetin (as an antioxidant) was investigated on the ovarian tissue and fertility of female rats exposed to cyclophosphamide.
Material and Methods: 24 Wistar rats were divided into four six-membered groups. The first group was treated with cyclophosphamide (30 mg/kg) and the second group was treated with tween solution. The third and fourth groups administered quercetin (50 and 100 mg/kg) with cyclophosphamide (30mg/kg) intraperitonealy for 30 days. The left ovaries of the rats were removed and after sectioning and staining using Hematoxylin-Eosin were examined using light microscopy. In addition, 16 rat were treated in the same way in 4 groups (one male and three female rat in each group), then the mice mating. After birth, growth indexes were studied. All data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA.
Results: Both doses of quercetin significantly increased the number of primordial follicles and diameter of the primary follicles, the number of blood vessels, the number of offspring and their growth indexes, while decreased the number of atretic graffian follicles,. In addition, a significant increase in the diameter of primordial follicles was observed in rats received 100 mg/Kg quercetin compared to rats received only cyclophosphamide.
Conclusion: Quercetin can reduce the side effects of cyclophosphamide on ovarian tissue and improve fertility indexes.
 

Abstract Aim: Ovariectomy decreases epithelial thickness of endometrium, number of cells and mucosal glands and changes other layers of uterus. Quercetin as a flavonoid has several properties, including free radical scavenger and antioxidant. This study has considered quercetin effects on uterus tissue in ovariectomized rats.
Material and Methods: In this study, 25 female Wistar rats were divided in 5 groups (5 samples per group): control, ovariectomized, ovariectomized-treated quercetin, non ovariectomized-treated quercetin, and sham. 15mg/kg bw/day was intraperitonellay injected for 15 days. At the end, after rat euthanization by Ether and removing their uterus, uterus tissues were fixed in formalin saline (10%). The tissue sections were prepared and studied using light microscope after H & E staining.
Results: The thickness of endometrial layer in ovariectomized rats decreased significantly and changed to cubic cells. Cells and glands numbers were significantly decreased in comparison with control. Endometrium thickness, cell and glands numbers significantly increased in ovariectomized-treated quercetin.
Conclusion: The results showed that quercetin can improve changes arising from ovariectomy in uterus tissue as antioxidant, when ovarian hormones are absent.