Papers by Ioannis Taitzoglou
Innovative Journal of Medical and Health Science, 2020
This experimental animal study aimed to assess the potentially positive effect ofthe administrati... more This experimental animal study aimed to assess the potentially positive effect ofthe administration of beta-blocker propranolol on the osseointegration procedure ofstainless-steel bone implants. It was performed in two groups (study, control), consistingof 15 adult (12-weeks old) male Wistar albino rats each. In the proximal metaphysisof each tibia of all animals, a custom designed stainless-steel screw was implantedunder sedation on day 0. Starting on the first postoperative day, study group animalsreceived 2.5mg/kgr (1mg/ml) of propranolol daily intraperitoneally. Controlgroup received the same volume of saline. On day 29, all animals were euthanized,both tibias from each animal were harvested and the implants’ pullout-strength andremoval torque were assessed. All animals completed the study and all harvestedtibias were suitable for evaluation. Both parameters were different between the twogroups, favoring the study group, albeit in a non-statistically significant manner. Thepullo...
Cirugía y Cirujanos, 2020
Synbiotics administration leads to attenuated mucosal inflammatory neutrophil infiltration and in... more Synbiotics administration leads to attenuated mucosal inflammatory neutrophil infiltration and increased hematocrit in experimental ulcerative colitis La administración de simbióticos conduce a la infiltración atenuada de neutrófilos inflamatorios de la mucosa y al aumento del hematocrito en la colitis ulcerosa experimental
Journal of Biological Research-Thessaloniki, 2020
Background Diabetes is regarded as an epidemiological threat for the twenty-first century. Phytoc... more Background Diabetes is regarded as an epidemiological threat for the twenty-first century. Phytochemicals with known pharmaceutical properties have gained interest in the field of alleviating secondary complications of diseases. Such a substance is crocin, a basic constituent of saffron (Crocus sativus). The present study aimed at examining the beneficial effects of per os crocin administration on the antioxidant status, blood biochemical profile, hepatic gene expression and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 activity (PAI-1) in the liver, kidney and plasma (an important marker of pre-diabetic status and major factor of thrombosis in diabetes) of healthy rats, as well as of rats with nicotinamide-streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Results Diabetes disrupted the oxidation-antioxidation balance, while crocin improved the antioxidant state in the liver by significantly affecting SOD1 gene expression and/or by restoring SOD and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels. In the kidney, crocin...
Antioxidants, 2019
Whey protein, a by-product of the cheese industry, can be putatively used as a functional food du... more Whey protein, a by-product of the cheese industry, can be putatively used as a functional food due to its beneficial health properties. The main objective of the present study was to assess in vivo the effect of a sheep/goat whey protein on the plasma amino acid profile and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a regulator of skeletal myogenesis. A control group was fed with a standard commercial diet while the experimental group received a standard commercial diet plus sheep/goat whey protein for 28 days. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was conducted to determine plasma amino acid levels while the expression of p70-S6 Kinase 1 (p70-S6K1) in liver and quadriceps muscles was quantified and used as a biomarker of mTOR activity. The results obtained showed a decrease in the levels of essential and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the experimental group. Furthermore, p70-S6K1 expression was decreased in the liver of rats consumed whey protein. In conclusio...
Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, Jan 2, 2018
This study assessed the potential adverse health effects of long-term low-dose exposure to chemic... more This study assessed the potential adverse health effects of long-term low-dose exposure to chemical mixtures simulating complex real-life human exposures. Four groups of Sprague Dawley rats were administered mixtures containing carbaryl, dimethoate, glyphosate, methomyl, methyl parathion, triadimefon, aspartame, sodium benzoate, calcium disodium ethylene diamine tetra-acetate, ethylparaben, butylparaben, bisphenol A, and acacia gum at doses of 0, 0.25, 1 or 5 times the respective Toxicological Reference Values (TRV): acceptable daily intake (ADI) or tolerable daily intake (TDI) in a 24 weeks toxicity study. Body weight gain, feed and water consumption were evaluated weekly. At 24 weeks blood was collected and biochemistry parameters and redox status markers were assessed. Adverse effects were observed on body weight gain and in hepatotoxic parameters such as the total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), especially in low dose and affecting mainl...
In vivo (Athens, Greece)
Human exposure to engineered nanoparticles has been linked to pleural effusion, inflammation and ... more Human exposure to engineered nanoparticles has been linked to pleural effusion, inflammation and fibrosis. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in medical and domestic products, increasing the risk of occupational and domestic exposure. We assessed the influence of AgNPs on adhesion and proliferation of sheep primary pleural mesothelial cells. Cells were used for cell adhesion (90 min) and proliferation experiments (3 days) while exposed to 20 nm and 60 nm AgNPs (0.2 μg/ml and 2 μg/ml) using colorimetric assays. Exposure to 0.2 μg/ml of 20 nm and 60 nm AgNPs significantly increased cell adhesion, while at 2 μg/ml this effect was not elicited. Cell proliferation was significantly increased by both 20 nm and 60 nm AgNPs at 0.2 μg/ml, while at 2 μg/ml this effect was only elicited by the 60 nm AgNPs. AgNPs alter the adhesive and proliferative properties of primary pleural mesothelial cells.
Metabolites, 2017
Aging is an inevitable condition leading to health deterioration and death. Regular physical exer... more Aging is an inevitable condition leading to health deterioration and death. Regular physical exercise can moderate the metabolic phenotype changes of aging. However, only a small number of metabolomics-based studies provide data on the effect of exercise along with aging. Here, urine and whole blood samples from Wistar rats were analyzed in a longitudinal study to explore metabolic alterations due to exercise and aging. The study comprised three different programs of exercises, including a lifelong protocol which started at the age of 5 months and ended at the age of 21 months. An acute exercise session was also evaluated. Urine and whole blood samples were collected at different time points and were analyzed by LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry). Based on their metabolic profiles, samples from trained and sedentary rats were differentiated. The impact on the metabolome was found to depend on the length of exercise period with acute exercise also showing significant changes. Metabolic alterations due to aging were equally pronounced in sedentary and trained rats in both urine and blood analyzed samples.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2016
Background: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD +) and its phosphorylated form (NADP +) are ke... more Background: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD +) and its phosphorylated form (NADP +) are key molecules in ubiquitous bioenergetic and cellular signaling pathways, regulating cellular metabolism and homeostasis. Thus, supplementation with NAD + and NADP + precursors emerged as a promising strategy to gain many and multifaceted health benefits. In this proof-of-concept study, we sought to investigate whether chronic nicotinamide riboside administration (an NAD + precursor) affects exercise performance. Methods: Eighteen Wistar rats were equally divided in two groups that received either saline vehicle or nicotinamide riboside at a dose of 300 mg/kg body weight/day for 21 days via gavage. At the end of the 21-day administration protocol, both groups performed an incremental swimming performance test. Results: The nicotinamide riboside group showed a tendency towards worse physical performance by 35 % compared to the control group at the final 10 % load (94 ± 53 s for the nicotinamide riboside group and 145 ± 59 s for the control group; P = 0.071). Conclusion: Our results do not confirm the previously reported ergogenic effect of nicotinamide riboside. The potentially negative effect of nicotinamide riboside administration on physical performance may be attributed to the pleiotropic metabolic and redox properties of NAD + and NADP + .
International Journal of Experimental Pathology, 2015
Oxidative damage is a central feature of ulcerative colitis. Here, we tested whether the antioxid... more Oxidative damage is a central feature of ulcerative colitis. Here, we tested whether the antioxidant Mesna, when administered alone or in combination with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), affects the outcome of dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in rats. After the induction of colitis, DSS-treated rats were further treated orally (p.o), intraperitoneally (i.p) or intrarectally (i.r) for either 7 or 14 days with Mesna, n-3 PUFAs or both. Rats were euthanized at the end of each treatment period. Clinical disease activity index was recorded throughout the experiment. At necropsy colorectal gross lesions were scored. Colitis was scored histologically, and the expression of myeloperoxidase (MPO), caspase-3, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclear factor jB (NF-jΒ) in colonic tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Mesna alone was sufficient to significantly reduce colorectal tissue damage when administered orally or intraperitoneally. Orally coadministered n-3 PUFAs enhanced this effect, resulting in the significant suppression of DSS colitis after 7 days, and a remarkable recovery of colorectal mucosa was evident after 14 days of treatment. The amelioration of colon pathology co-existed with a significant decrease in MPO expression, overexpression of iNOS and reduction of nuclear NF-jB p65 in inflammatory cells, and the suppression of apoptosis in colonic epithelial cells. The simultaneous administration of Mesna and n-3 PUFAs is particularly effective in ameliorating DSS colitis in rats, by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, probably through a mechanism that involves the inhibition of NF-jB and overexpression of iNOS.
Revista Española de Enfermedades Digestivas, 2011
Purpose: omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and can be benefic... more Purpose: omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and can be beneficial in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as ulcerative colitis. Dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) colitis in rats appears to mimic nearly all of the morphological characteristics and lesion distributions of ulcerative colitis. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of omega 3 fatty acids in the treatment of experimental ulcerative colitis. Methods: thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly assigned to group A or group B receiving 5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in their drinking water for eight days. For the next eight days post-DSS, group A animals received tap-water, and group B animals were fed a nutritional solution containing high levels of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ProSure ® , Abbott Laboratories, Zwolle, Netherlands) once per day, administrated with a orogastric feeding tube. Results: animals fed an omega 3 rich diet exhibited a statistically significant increase in hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, compared to animals drinking tap water, and a trend towards histopathological and clinical improvement, with the administration of omega 3 fatty acids ameliorating epithelial erosion by day 8 post-DSS, but no statistically significant difference was observed between group A and group B animals at 4 or 8 days post-DSS. Also, a statistically significant increase in neutrophil infiltration was observed, as depicted by myelohyperoxidase activity. Conclusion: our findings support a positive role of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation in an experimental model of ulcerative colitis despite the increased colonic neutrophil infiltration. Further studies are needed in order to investigate the role of increased neutrophils in colonic mucosa.
In vivo (Athens, Greece)
This study was undertaken to investigate if low-dose dietary administration of tannic acid exerts... more This study was undertaken to investigate if low-dose dietary administration of tannic acid exerts its chemopreventive activity on hepatocarcinogenesis in male C3H mice through changes of plasminogen activator activity (PAA), plasminogen activator inhibition (PAI) or plasmin inhibition (Pl) in the liver of C3H hepatoma bearing male mice. Tannic acid was administered in the drinking water of hepatoma bearing C3H mice, in a concentration of 0.0075% (group B), 0.015% (group C) and 0.03% (group D) for 9 months. PAA, PAI and PI were measured by spectrophotometric methods in macroscopically healthy liver regions. Tannic acid induced a decrease of PAA (53%) and an increase of PAIs (50%) in the livers of group D while tannic acid received mice showed a dramatic decrease in liver carcinomas incidence (0% vs 33.3% in the control group). The decrease of PAA in the liver of C3H hepatoma bearing male mice, might be correlated with the chemopreventive activity of tannic acid in hepatoma development.
Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France), 1999
Glucocorticoids are a very potent therapy for the treatment of asthma as well for lung maturation... more Glucocorticoids are a very potent therapy for the treatment of asthma as well for lung maturation in the prematurely newborn animals and human. It has been demonstrated that glucocorticoid receptors antagonize the actions of inflammatory mediators through control of the specific DNA binding of the transcriptions factors c-Jun and c-Fos, and also decrease the mRNA and protein levels of these two transcription factors in a number of in vivo and in vitro studies. Additionally, glucocorticoids promote maturation of immature lungs, thereby increasing the production of surfactant proteins which are responsible for prevention of alveolar collapse. In the present study, the expression of c-Jun and the influence of dexamethasone on mRNA levels of c-Jun in different developmental stages in the rat lung, was examined. It was found that dexamethasone stimulated c-Jun expression throughout late gestational period, by approximately 50%. On day 16 postnatal, when developmental changes in the newbo...
Journal of Biological Research-Thessaloniki, 2014
Background: Grape extracts of the Greek species Vitis vinifera possess potent antioxidant propert... more Background: Grape extracts of the Greek species Vitis vinifera possess potent antioxidant properties in vitro. The freeze/thaw process and the preparation of semen during assisted reproductive techniques can adversely affect the functional integrity of spermatozoa. The objective was to assess the effect of three different concentrations (1 μg ml −1 , 2 μg ml −1 and 5 μg ml −1) of a polyphenol-rich grape pomace extract on motility, viability, acrosomal and lipid peroxidation status of thawed bovine spermatozoa after 2 and 4 hrs of incubation. Results: The results indicate that the percentage of "Rapid" spermatozoa remained significantly increased (p <0.05) in the presence of 5 μg ml −1 of the extract, compared to the control after 2 hrs of incubation. Additionally, the incubation of spermatozoa with 2 μg ml −1 and 5 μg ml −1 of the extract for 2 hrs resulted in a significantly better maintenance of viable spermatozoa with intact acrosome (p <0.05). The other parameters did not show statistically significant changes. Moreover, the presence of 2 μg ml −1 and 5 μg ml −1 of the extract kept the levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA) production in significantly lower level, compared to the other groups, after 2 hrs and 4 hrs of incubation (p <0.05). Particularly, a dose-dependent effect was noticed after 2 hrs of incubation. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the grape pomace extract exerts a powerful antioxidant role, by suppressing lipid peroxidation, and provides protection in terms of motility and acrosomal integrity, which are correlated with in vivo fertility. The optimal extract concentration is 5 μg ml −1 .
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Pharmacology, Toxicology and Endocrinology, 1999
Sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) is a protein that binds sex steroids in the serum of many spe... more Sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) is a protein that binds sex steroids in the serum of many species. SHBG binds androgens and estrogens in humans and primates with high affinity, but behaves as an androgen binding protein in other species. Here we purified SHBG from ewe and ram sera to homogeneity, by a simple and rapid method. The K D of the purified protein was found to be 3.63 nM for testosterone and around 600 nM for estradiol. We also studied the effect of pregnancy on SHBG levels in ewes and the effect of exogenous estradiol administration either orally or parenterally on SHBG levels in rams. Basal levels of SHBG in sheep are not affected by pregnancy or exposure to exogenous estradiol. It is concluded that SHBG regulation of expression in ewes and rams differs from that in humans in that it is not affected by estrogen and possibly is species specific.
The Open Sports Medicine Journal, 2008
Objectives: Self-report measures of anxiety have dominated the research on anxiety-performance re... more Objectives: Self-report measures of anxiety have dominated the research on anxiety-performance relationship. However, a combination of psychological and physiological indices is thought to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the experience of this psychological state. The purpose of the current study was twofold: First, to examine the relationship among psychological and physiological measures of state anxiety, and secondary, to examine the way and extent that different estimates of anxiety can predict swimming performance, and related psychological variables such as perceived importance of competition and intention to apply effort. Methods: The study's sample consisted of 45 adolescent swimmers with a mean age of 13.8 years (SD = 2.31) participating in the Winter Swimming Championship of Northern Greece. CSAI-2 was used to measure state anxiety, while systolic-diastolic arterial pressure, heart rate, salivary cortisol, and plasma t-PA were selected as the physiological indices. Furthermore, perceived importance of competition and intention to apply effort were used as psychological variables associated with swimming performance. A two-way prospective design was used. The first measurement took place one week prior the competition, in a resting day, and the second one the day of the competition. Results: The results indicated that the different anxiety indices were not correlated to each other. Salivary cortisol was a significant predictor of swimming performance (R 2 = .16 F (1,43) = 8.48, p < .01) but not linked to psychological variables such as perceived importance of competition and intention to apply effort. Conclusion: The findings of the present study support the multidimensional estimation of anxiety, in order to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the anxiety-performance relationship.
Veterinary Research, 2006
In order to study the effects of sheep teat disorders on the protection of the mammary gland, we ... more In order to study the effects of sheep teat disorders on the protection of the mammary gland, we used a Mannheimia haemolytica isolate, which did not cause clinical mastitis when deposited into intact teats. In the first experiment, this was deposited into the duct of teats with orf (Group A, n = 5) or papilloma (Group B, n = 3). In the second, teats were chapped and then, the organism was deposited into the duct (Group C, n = 7) or on the skin (Group D, n = 4). Ewes with healthy teats were controls (Group E, deposition into duct, n = 5; Group F, deposition on skin, n = 2). The ewes in Groups A, B or C developed clinical mastitis 5 h later, whilst the ewes in Group D developed it 2 d later; no control ewe developed clinical mastitis. In ewes with teat lesions, the organism was isolated from secretion samples and the California Mastitis Test became positive 5 h after challenge; neutrophils and lymphocytes were seen in Giemsa-stained secretion films from Group A or B ewes, whilst macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes in films from Group C or D ewes; neutrophils were predominating in films from Group E or F ewes. Inside the teats of Group A, B, C or D ewes, folds, hyperaemia and mucosal thickness were seen; histologically, subepithelial leucocytic infiltration was seen. In Group A or B ewes, no evidence of lymphoid tissue at the teat duct-cistern border was found. In Group C or D ewes, intense erosion and ulceration of the teat skin and conspicuous lymphoid tissue at the teat duct-cistern border, were evident; lesions characteristic of haemorrhagic mastitis were in the mammary parenchyma. In control ewes, subepithelial leucocytic infiltration in the teat duct and lymphoid tissue as above, were evident. We postulate that teat lesions can be predisposing factor to mastitis, by adversely affecting defences and speeding the process of infection and making it more severe. mastitis / sheep / teat / predisposing factor / orf
Veterinary Research, 2005
The objectives of the work described in this paper were: (i) to study the outcome of challenging ... more The objectives of the work described in this paper were: (i) to study the outcome of challenging ewes with Mannheimia haemolytica, at different sites of their teats, (ii) to compare the effects of two different isolates of the organism and (iii) to describe the features of the resulting lesions. Thirty-two ewes were used in the study and allocated into one of two groups (A or B, n = 16); they were challenged with one of two isolates of M. haemolytica, respectively, strain ES26L of known pathogenicity or strain VSM08L from the teat duct of a healthy ewe. Each group was further divided into four equal subgroups: the ewes in the A1/B1 subgroups were intramammarily challenged; one teat of the ewes in the A2/B2 subgroups was immersed into a broth-culture of the organisms; one teat of the ewes in the A3/B3 subgroups was inoculated 2 mm-deep, whilst one teat of the ewes in the A4/B4 subgroups was inoculated 6 mm-deep. The animals were monitored clinically, bacteriologically and cytologically before and after challenge; one animal in each subgroup was euthanised 2, 4, 7 and 11 days after challenge. All ewes in the A1/B1 subgroups developed clinical mastitis, whilst of the other animals, only one ewe in each of the A4/B4 subgroups did. Neither of the two strains used was associated with more positive bacteriological or CMT results; the A2/B2 subgroups were associated with less positive results than the A3/B3 and A4/B4 subgroups. In some ewes of the A2/B2 subgroups, mild leucocytic infiltration in the teat was evident; in the ewes of the A3/B3 subgroups, leucocytic infiltration (neutrophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells) was seen, as well as a lymphoid hyperplasia at the border between the teat duct and teat cistern; in ewes of the A4/B4 subgroups, intense subepithelial leucocytic infiltration was the salient feature. No differences were found in the severity of lesions between the two strains used or the three treatments carried out. Although strain VSM08L had been isolated from the teat duct of a healthy ewe, it caused mastitis when inoculated intramammarily; although strain ES26L is of known pathogenicity for the mammary gland, it did not cause clinical mastitis when deposited 2 mm-deep into the teat. These findings point to a protective role of the teat of ewes, which appear to limit bacterial penetration from the teat duct or cistern to the mammary gland. The lymphoid tissue, at the border between the teat duct-teat cistern, may play a significant protective role.
Thrombosis Research, 1977
Abstract Cycloheximide is a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis. Its effects on endotoxin induc... more Abstract Cycloheximide is a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis. Its effects on endotoxin induced human neutrophil tissue factor production in vitro and endotoxin induced disseminated intravascular clotting (DIC) in rabbits were examined. Endotoxin added to citrated whole human blood led to the production of tissue factor except when neutrophils were absent from the blood. The production of this tissue factor was inhibited by cycloheximide. Cycloheximide added after the tissue factor was formed had no effect. We concluded that neutrophil production of tissue factor depends on protein synthesis. Eight steroid prepared rabbits were given intravenous cycloheximide prior to and after endotoxin injection. None of the rabbits developed DIC as measured by change in fibrinogen level or development of glomerular capillary thrombi. Six rabbits given endotoxin alone showed a 37% mean drop in fibrinogen level and four showed glomerular capillary thrombi. Rabbits treated with cycloheximide alone did not show any glomerular fibrin or change in fibrinogen level. They were capable of developing DIC since infusion of endotoxin and rabbit brain tissue factor caused a fall in fibrinogen level and development of glomerular fibrin. This adds further evidence that neutrophil production of tissue factor is necessary for endotoxin induced DIC.
Theriogenology, 2013
The objective of the present study was to explore the potential relationships of ovine sperm chro... more The objective of the present study was to explore the potential relationships of ovine sperm chromatin integrity, quantified using the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), to the heat load of the scrotum and the discomfort felt by the animals because of fluctuations of microclimatic factors at different time periods before ejaculation. Ejaculates were collected once per week from five Chios rams and four East Friesian rams for 12 months and stored in liquid nitrogen. Frozen-thawed semen samples were analyzed using the SCSA, to determine the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and the percentage of cells outside the main sperm population (%DFI) in each one of the samples. Scrotal surface temperature (SST) of each ram was measured using an infrared thermometer on a daily basis. Ambient air temperature and relative humidity were recorded at hourly intervals throughout the experimental period and temperaturehumidity index (THI) was used to assess the discomfort felt by the rams. Mean values of SST (SST mean) and THI (THI mean) were computed for eight different time periods (up to 61 days) preceding each ejaculation day (Day 0). A linear mixed-effect model analysis was performed to describe the relation of SCSA parameters to collection month, SST mean, and THI mean of different time periods before ejaculation. The results of the statistical analysis revealed a relation of %DFI to the SST mean of the last 12 days preceding ejaculation, namely the period that resembled the phase of epididymal maturation. On the contrary, the variation of DFI was most adequately described by the linear mixed-effect model applied for Days 54 to 48 before ejaculation, which resembled the phase of spermatogonial mitoses. The effect of collection month was significant for DFI and %DFI, with semen samples collected in September and February exhibiting the lowest DFI values; a less profound seasonal pattern was detected for %DFI. The effect of THI mean on DFI and %DFI was proven nonsignificant in regard to all time periods. In conclusion, a relation of SCSA parameters to SST mean of different periods before ejaculation was shown in the present study, implying an effect of scrotal microenvironment on intratesticular and epididymal sperm population. In contrast, we failed to detect any effect of microclimate-induced discomfort felt by the animals on the chromatin integrity of frozen-thawed ram spermatozoa.
Uploads
Papers by Ioannis Taitzoglou