Papers by Amira Abd El-Azim
Nanomedicine, 2019
Aim: To study the potential use of nanoformulations of curcumin (CUR); CUR-loaded pluronic nanomi... more Aim: To study the potential use of nanoformulations of curcumin (CUR); CUR-loaded pluronic nanomicelles (CURnp1), and CUR-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (CURnp2) as antitumor agents in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-bearing animals, and their mechanism of action. Materials & methods: CURnp1 and CURnp2 were prepared, characterized and tested against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-bearing mice. Superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), glutathione, malondialdehyde, histopathological, immunohistochemical studies, cell cycle and caspase-3 were investigated. Results & conclusion: CURnp1 destroyed tumors via increasing superoxide dismutase, CAT and glutathione, decreasing malondialdehyde through inducing apoptosis by decreasing Ki-67 and Bcl2 expression and activating caspase-3 leading to inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle arrest with progression at G1/S phase. The study demonstrated for the first time superiority of CURnp1 over native CUR and CURnp2 as anticancer agents.
Sodium nitrate; Testis; Flow cytometry; Spermatogenesis. KEYWORDS ABSTRACT Nitrate is a common co... more Sodium nitrate; Testis; Flow cytometry; Spermatogenesis. KEYWORDS ABSTRACT Nitrate is a common contaminant in groundwater aquifers. Current study aimed at evaluating the potential testicular toxicity of sodium nitrate in adult mice and treated with garlic oil. Sodium nitrate was given orally to mice at doses of 900 mg/kg/day for 35 consecutive days. Sperm count and motility, viability and testis weight were significantly decreased. Testicular activities of hormones (Testosterone, LH and FSH) were significantly inhibited in NaNO 3 treated group. The proportions of diploid and tetraploid cells decreased in NaNO 3 treatment, but showed an increase after treatment with garlic oil. The decrease in sperm count and motility and other parameters were confirmed by histopathological studies which indicated congested dilated interstitial blood vessels, degenerations in the seminif-erous tubules and intercellular dissociations of germ cells, and necrosis in spermatocytes. In conclusion, exposur...
IET nanobiotechnology, 2020
This study evaluated the biochemical, molecular, and histopathological mechanisms involved in the... more This study evaluated the biochemical, molecular, and histopathological mechanisms involved in the hypoglycaemic effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) in experimental diabetic rats. ZnONPs were prepared by the sol-gel method and characterised by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). To explore the possible hypoglycaemic and antioxidant effect of ZnONPs, rats were grouped as follows: control group, ZnONPs treated group, diabetic group, and diabetic + ZnONPs group. Upon treatment with ZnONPs, a significant alteration in the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and the levels of insulin, haemoglobin A1c, and the expression of cluster of differentiation 4+ (CD4+), CD8+ T cells, glucose transporter type-4 (GLUT-4), tumour necrosis factor, and interleukin-6 when compared to diabetic and their control rats. ZnONPs administration to the diabetic group showed eminent blood glucose control and restoration of the biochemical profile. This rais...
Spirulina platensis is a filamentous cyanobacterium microalga with potent dietary phyto-antioxida... more Spirulina platensis is a filamentous cyanobacterium microalga with potent dietary phyto-antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous properties. The present study aimed to investigate the curative effect of Spirulina platensis against mammary carcinoma in rats induced by 7, 12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). Investigation by light and electron microscopy showed that DMBA treatment induced breast carcinoma and histopathological abnormalities, which were ameliorated by Spirulina platensis supplementation. In the present investigation, histopathologiacal examination of the epithelium of the mammary gland of DMBA-treated rats showed that the developed cancer in treated groups could be classified into three types: 1) Lobular carcinoma in situ, 2) Comedo carcinoma, 3) Carcinoma simplex. Spirulina was found to be a successful anti-cancer therapy decrease uncontrolled cell growth against DMBA carcinogenicity. Moreover, unlike any other anti-cancer drugs or radiotherapy, Spirulina was...
THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, 2007
This work aimed at investigating the protective effects of Spirulina platensis on the dimethylben... more This work aimed at investigating the protective effects of Spirulina platensis on the dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumour in rats and determination of the Estrogen and the proliferation marker Ki67 in the tumour cells by using immunohistochemical staining. At 50 days of age, group 1 remained untreated and used as control. Rats of group 2 were treated with 5% Spirulina platenesis in food, group 3 received 35 mg/kg DMBA i.p. group 4 received 35 mg/kg DMBA i.p and fed on 5% Spirulina. Animals were sacrificed when the largest mammary tumour reached 1 – 2 cm in diameter or after of 6 months of animal age. All the tumours produced by DMBA were ductal carcinoma in all the animals of group 3, but in group 4 two rats had carcinoma in situ mammary tumour. The animals groups 1, 2 and 4 had no tumour and have the same histological and immunostaining features. The Ki67 expression in DMBA group was highly positive (LI= 85+ 10) but in animals of groups 1, 2 and 4, the positiv...
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a slowly progressive disease. The prevalence and incidence of CKD... more Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a slowly progressive disease. The prevalence and incidence of CKD are increasing, making it a worldwide public health problem causing a high economic burden to poor outcomes countries. The clinical complications of CKD include not only cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) but also renal anemia, renal failure and renal osteodystrophy. Here, we assessed the effect of treatment with clove extract (CE) on kidney structure and function using a chronic kidney disease experimental model induced by adenine. Twenty four rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group; clove extract (CE only) group; CKD (adenine only) group and CKD/clove extract (adenine treated with CE) group. After adenine and/or clove extract were given orally to rats for 4 weeks, kidney specimens and blood were collected for further histopathological examination and biochemical analyses. Results showed that adenine treatment caused serious renal pathological damages and increase of blo...
Nitrate is a common contaminant in groundwater aquifers. Current study aimed at evaluating the po... more Nitrate is a common contaminant in groundwater aquifers. Current study aimed at evaluating the potential testicular toxicity of sodium nitrate in adult mice and treated with garlic oil. Sodium nitrate was given orally to mice at doses of 900 mg/kg/day for 35 consecutive days. Sperm count and motility, viability and testis weight were significantly decreased. Testicular activities of hormones (Testosterone, LH and FSH) were significantly inhibited in NaNO3 treated group. The proportions of diploid and tetraploid cells decreased in NaNO3 treatment, but showed an increase after treatment with garlic oil. The decrease in sperm count and motility and other parameters were confirmed by histopathological studies which indicated congested dilated interstitial blood vessels, degenerations in the seminiferous tubules and inter cellular dissociations of germ cells, and necrosis in spermatocytes. In conclusion, exposure of mice to sodium nitrate results in testicular toxicity as evidenced by de...
Frontiers in Bioscience
We have previously characterized the role of p16/Rb in coordinating the early events in UVB-irrad... more We have previously characterized the role of p16/Rb in coordinating the early events in UVB-irradiated skin. As an extension to this work, normal melanocytes and mutant p16-inducible melanoma cell models were employed to elucidate further the coordinated molecular mechanisms occurring during early UVB exposure. Our results showed that melanocytes expressed p16 only at a high UVB dose, with undetectable p53. The Bax/Bcl2 ratio increased at higher dose, indicating that the cells had selected apoptosis program. In the wt-p16 melanoma cells, while low UVB dose upregulated p16, the high dose suppressed it, and further abrogated Cdk6 but not Cdk4. Interestingly, while induction of mutant-p16 increased Cdk4, cdk6 and pRb proteins, UVB exposure did not affect this increase. More interestingly, p16 mutant cells increased their resistance to apoptosis at high UVB-dose, associated with decreased Bax and increased Bcl2 expression. Thus, mutant-p16 appears to dictate a deregulation of cell cycle and increased resistance to apoptosis in melanoma cells. Together, the data indicate a deregulation of p16INK4/Rb pathway as an early event in UVB-induced melanomagenesis.
International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
Objective: We studied correlation between antioxidant properties of Silymarin and Silibinin and t... more Objective: We studied correlation between antioxidant properties of Silymarin and Silibinin and the restoration and recovery of normal structure of islets of Langerhans β-cells and mitochondria in Streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Methods: Rats rendered diabetic and one week after diabetes induction, rats received orally Silymarin or Silibinin (100 mg/Kg). Biochemical parameters: glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, hepatic SOD, GSH and MDA were determined. Furthermore, changes in islets of Langerhans, β-cells as well as mitochondria were recorded using electron microscope. Results: 1) Silymarin and Silibinin treatment(s) of STZ-diabetic rats can correct and reverse the imbalance between ROS and antioxidant defense by restoring and augmentation of its capacity by significantly increasing SOD, GSH and modulating lipid peroxidation (by significantly decreasing MDA). 2) We provided evidence, using EM technique, to prove that hypoglycemic/antidiabetic/therapeutic actions of both Silymarin and Sil...
Nanomedicine
Aim: To study the potential use of nanoformulations of curcumin (CUR); CUR-loaded pluronic nanomi... more Aim: To study the potential use of nanoformulations of curcumin (CUR); CUR-loaded pluronic nanomicelles (CURnp1), and CUR-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (CURnp2) as antitumor agents in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-bearing animals, and their mechanism of action. Materials & methods: CURnp1 and CURnp2 were prepared, characterized and tested against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-bearing mice. Superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), glutathione, malondialdehyde, histopathological, immunohistochemical studies, cell cycle and caspase-3 were investigated. Results & conclusion: CURnp1 destroyed tumors via increasing superoxide dismutase, CAT and glutathione, decreasing malondialdehyde through inducing apoptosis by decreasing Ki-67 and Bcl2 expression and activating caspase-3 leading to inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle arrest with progression at G1/S phase. The study demonstrated for the first time superiority of CURnp1 over native CUR and CURnp2 as anticancer agents.
Nanomedicine
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate, for the first time the potential use of a safe biocompatible n... more Aim: This study aimed to evaluate, for the first time the potential use of a safe biocompatible nanoformulation of silymarin (SM) as antitumor agent and to provide its mechanism of action compared with native SM. Materials & methods: SM was loaded into pluronic nanomicelles and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-tumor-bearing mice were used as experimental model. Biochemical parameters including SOD, CAT and GSH, lipid peroxidation biomarkers (MDA), histopathological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies were applied on the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. Furthermore, the cell cycle as well as caspase-3 were examined. Results & conclusion: Nanoformulated SM (SMnp) destroyed tumors via increasing SOD, CAT and GSH concomitant with decreasing MDA. Moreover, SMnp-induced apoptosis through decreasing Ki-67 and Bcl2 expression, along with the activation of caspase-3, leads to inhibition of proliferation and the arrest of ceel cycle progression at the G1/S phase. Electron microscopy stu...
The American Journal of Pathology, 2014
Spirulina (SP) (Arthrospira platensis; previously Spirulina platensis) is a filamentous blue-gree... more Spirulina (SP) (Arthrospira platensis; previously Spirulina platensis) is a filamentous blue-green microalga (cyanobacterium) with potent dietary phytoantioxidant and anticancerous properties. We investigated the chemopreventive effect of SP against 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced rat breast carcinogenesis, and further studied its underlying mechanisms of action in vitro. Remarkably, SP cleared DMBA-induced rat mammary tumors, which was clearly confirmed by morphological and histological methods. SP supplementation reduced the incidence of breast tumors from 87% to 13%. At the molecular level, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that SP supplementation reduced expression of both Ki-67 and estrogen α. More interestingly, molecular analysis in the in vitro experiments indicated that SP treatment inhibited cell proliferation by 24 hours, which was accompanied by increased p53 expression, followed by increased expression of its downstream target gene, Cdkn1a (alias p21 or p21(Waf1/Cip1)). In addition, SP increased Bax and decreased Bcl-2 expression, indicating induction of apoptosis by 48 hours after SP treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first report of in vivo chemopreventive effect of SP against DMBA-induced breast carcinogenesis in rat, supporting its potential use in chemoprevention of cancer.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the possible protective effect of olive leaf extract o... more Objective: This study aimed to investigate the possible protective effect of olive leaf extract on liver and blood parameters in methotrexate (MTX)-induced toxicity in rats. Methods: Normal control rats were injected I.P with (1 ml of distilled water) once daily. Group II: Rats were injected orally by gavage with olive leaves extract (of 0.5 g/kg body wt) once daily. Group III: Rats were injected intraperitoneally with MTX of 20mg/kg once in the day 12th day. Group IV: Rats were injected orally by gavage with olive leave extract (0.5 g/kg body weight) once daily followed by I.P. injection of MTX a single dose of 20 mg/kg in the 12th day.On the 14 th day, rats were sacrificed by decapitation. Whole blood collected and liver tissues were kept in formalin and glutaraldehyde fixatives for microscopic and ultrastructural examination respectively. Results: This study showed that hepatocellular damage was clearly more evident in the MTX group than the MTX+Olive leaf extract group besides, ...
Canadian Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2014
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the possible protective effect of olive leaf extract o... more Objective: This study aimed to investigate the possible protective effect of olive leaf extract on liver and blood parameters in methotrexate (MTX)-induced toxicity in rats. Methods: Normal control rats were injected I.P with (1 ml of distilled water) once daily. Group II: Rats were injected orally by gavage with olive leaves extract (of 0.5 g/kg body wt) once daily. Group III: Rats were injected intraperitoneally with MTX of 20mg/kg once in the day 12th day. Group IV: Rats were injected orally by gavage with olive leave extract (0.5 g/kg body weight) once daily followed by I.P. injection of MTX a single dose of 20 mg/kg in the 12th day.On the 14 th day, rats were sacrificed by decapitation. Whole blood collected and liver tissues were kept in formalin and glutaraldehyde fixatives for microscopic and ultrastructural examination respectively. Results: This study showed that hepatocellular damage was clearly more evident in the MTX group than the MTX+Olive leaf extract group besides, MTX administration elevated AST , ALT and LDH activities whereas they were depressed with olive leaf extraction administration and this was proofed ultra-structurally. Conclusion: The present study indicates that olive leaf extract may be thetherapeutic benefit agentagainst MTX-cytotoxicity.
The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 2015
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Papers by Amira Abd El-Azim