Browsing by Subject "Corticosteroids"

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    Structure and hormonal output of the adrenal gland after experimental estrogenization of male rats
    (Universidad de Murcia, Departamento Histología e Histopatología, 2025) Pavle Ćosić; Svetlana Trifunović; Branka Šošić-Jurjević; Marko Miler; Branko Filipović; Milica Manojlović-Stojanoski; Vladimir Ajdžanović; Histología e Histopatología
    Orchidectomy and estrogenization of the male represent a procedure that is applicable in sex reassignment or in prostate cancer therapy. This approach has an influence on the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis and thus affects cardiovascular function and metabolism. We utilized orchidectomized rats to evaluate the effects of estradiol on the structure and hormonal output of the adrenal gland. Adult Wistar rats were divided into sham-operated (SO; n=7), orchidectomized (Orx; n=7), and estradiol-treated orchidectomized (Orx+E; n=7) groups. Estradiol-dipropionate (0.625 mg/kg b.m.) was administered subcutaneously for three weeks, while the SO and Orx groups received vehicle alone. Set objectives were achieved using histochemistry/immunohistochemistry, stereology, and immunoassays. In Orx+E rats, the hormonal milieu was characterized by decreased testosterone and increased ACTH, compared with the Orx group. Also, orchidectomy and estradiol treatment provoked a significant increase in adrenal cortex volume and volume of ZF per se, with increased cell and nuclei volumes in all three adrenocortical zones (ZG, ZF, and ZR), in comparison with Orx rats. Concentrations of aldosterone in blood, as well as corticosterone in blood and adrenal tissue were increased, while circulating DHEA was decreased (with increased immuno-expression of adrenocortical CYP 17 enzyme), all in Orx+E compared with Orx animals. The wide zonal distribution of VEGF and the pronounced blood supply within the ZF of Orx+E animals acted to support the synthesis and secretion of corticosteroids. These results seem cautionary in the context of young male estrogenization, given the negative impact of high mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids on cardiovascular function and metabolism.
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    Therapeutic effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) compared to pirfenidone on corticosteroid resistance in a mouse model of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
    (2022) Fikry, Heba; Saleh, Lobna A.; Gawad, Sara Abdel
    Introduction. Acute exacerbation-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) is a life-threatening condition. In the treatment of AE-IPF, corticosteroid medication is commonly utilized. However, there is insufficient evidence to justify its usage. Pirfenidone (PFD) has recently been discovered to be effective in the treatment of AE-IPF patients. However, regenerative therapy, such as stem cell therapy or tissue engineering, is necessary due to ineffective and limited therapies. Combining MSC transplantation with pharmacological therapy may also give additional benefits; nevertheless, its use must be proven experimentally. As a result, the goal of this study was to assess the therapeutic effects of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) on corticosteroid resistance in an animal model of AE-IPF caused by bleomycin compared to PFD. Materials and methods. Seventy C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into seven groups, control, BLM, methylprednisolone (MP), PFD, AD-MSCs, PFD +MP, and AD-MSCs +MP. Results. In terms of survival, collagen deposition, the acute lung injury score (ALI), and the Ashcroft score, AD-MSCs exceeded PFD. AD-MSCs + MP provided protection and preserved the lung's architecture in BLM-induced AE. In addition, AD-MSCs successfully decreased chemokine (CC motif) ligand-2 (CCL2) positive cells and lower pro-fibrotic and proinflammatory cytokines. Conclusions. AD-MSCs enhanced histological structure, Ashcroft and ALI scores, lung collagen deposition, survival, and cytokines in an animal model of AE-IPF. As a result, we believe that AD-MSCs may be more therapeutically helpful for AE-IPF than presently available therapies, either alone or in conjunction with MP.