PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Kraszpulski

Publications and source records attributed to M Kraszpulski.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Perinatal corticosteroid effect on amygdala and hippocampus volume during brain development in the rat model.

Exposure of the fetus to corticosteroid during brain development has been suggested to cause permanent change in brain structure and has been associated with long term cognitive, behavioral and emotional impairment. We evaluated the effect of perinatal corticosteroid, at a dose similar to that which human fetuses are exposed, on cerebral cortex, corpus collosum, hippocampus, dentate gyrus and amygdala in a rat model. Rat pups were given betamethasone at day 1 (P1). Brain sections from the rat pups at postnatal day 45 (P45) were then analyzed. No differences were noted in the volumes of cerebral cortex, corpus collosum, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, or three nuclei of the amygdala compared to the control and sham groups. We concluded that a single course of betamethasone, at a comparable dose to that which the human fetus is exposed in clinical practice, had no effect on these regional brain volumes at this stage of development.

Amygdala↗
PubMed2001

The load and distribution of beta-amyloid in brain tissue of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Recent findings have underlined the significance of beta-amyloid protein (betaA4) in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In 60 patients with AD, the amount of betaA4 deposition, estimated applying immunohistochemical techniques, was shown to be significantly influenced by apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype (epsilon4/epsilon4 > epsilon4/x > x/x), by the age at onset (presenile > senile), by the age at death (younger > older patients) and by the duration of the disease (long > short). Morphometric analysis revealed that the betaA4 load was highest in the superficial layer of the cortex and a significant influence on the vertical distribution was seen in females but not in males, in familial but not in sporadic cases and in senile but not in presenile cases. Our findings indicate that not only the load but also the vertical distribution of betaA4 within cortex is influenced by risk factors such as ApoE genotype and gender.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed2000

DNA fragmentation, gliosis and histological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

The extent of DNA fragmentation analysed using the TUNEL technique was evaluated in post-mortem human brain tissue. Twenty-four patients with clinical and histopathological diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a short post-mortem delay were analysed. We report an increase in the count of TUNEL-labelled cells as the pathology of AD intensifies. Our results point out a significant correlation between neurofibrillary tangle and senile/neuritic plaque score and TUNEL-labelled cells. Patients with two copies of apolipoprotein (Apo) Eepsilon4 allele had highest number of histopathological hallmarks lesions of AD, whereas the ApoE genotype did not significantly influence the density of TUNEL-positive cells. No significant correlation was found between beta-amyloid protein load and TUNEL-labelled cells. There was no relationship between the age at death, age at onset, extent of astrogliosis or microgliosis and TUNEL-labelled cells in our material.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Hippocampal capillaries in different age groups of chronically ethanol-intoxicated rats. Morphometrical studies.

The influence of chronic ethanol intoxication on the terminal vascularization of particular hippocampal fields and layers was investigated in different age groups of rats. Thirty-six male Wistar rats aged 6 weeks were used in the study. For twelve months 24 of them drank only 25% ethanol--12 starting at 6-week-age and 12 at 3-month-age. The control group of 12 rats drank only water. As an effect of long-term ethanol exposure on hippocampal capillaries we observed the increase in the terminal vessel diameter and the decrease in microvascular length, surface, and volume densities. These changes varied between different age groups and between particular hippocampal regions. The observed age and regional differentiation of ethanol-related microvascular changes did not correlate well with the damaging effects of alcohol on corresponding neuronal elements, which emphasizes the very complicated pathogenesis of ethanol-induced injuries.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Pitfalls in the quantitative estimation of beta-amyloid immunoreactivity in human brain tissue.

The duration of formic acid (FA) pretreatment clearly influences the extent of beta-amyloid immunoreactivity in brain tissue and consequently also the results of quantitative analysis. All of the parameters studied (area fraction, density, and mean size of beta-amyloid deposits) significantly increased with pretreatment of up to 6 h with beta-amyloid antibody obtained from Dako. Longer exposure to FA only marginally increased the mean size of the single deposits, whereas the area fraction and the density of beta-amyloid deposits slightly decreased. Optimal 6-h pretreatment (or even longer) did not reveal any beta-amyloid aggregates in those cases where none was seen with shorter durations of FA pretreatment. Similar results were obtained with beta-amyloid antibody 4G8 obtained from Senetek, whereas beta-amyloid antibody 6E10 was shown to be less dependent upon FA pretreatment. In conclusion, we recommend that the FA pretreatment time should be studied and optimized for each antibody used and always be described when the quantitative analysis of beta-amyloid load is reported.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Microencephaly in children congenitally infected with human immunodeficiency virus--a gross-anatomical morphometric study.

A quantitative technique involving serial sectioning and semiautomatic morphometric analysis was used to assess the severity of the reduction in size of the major brain structures in cerebral hemispheres of children congenitally infected with HIV-1. Cerebral hemispheres from 12 children (18-48 months of age) who died of AIDS were sectioned into 5-mm-thick serial slabs and photographed. The cross-sectional areas of grossly recognizable brain structures were digitized, and the volumes were calculated according to Cavalieri's principle. The results were compared with those of an identically processed group of control brains from non-AIDS children. Analysis of the brain weight showed that there was a significant reduction in supratentorial and infratentorial weight in the AIDS group. The results of the morphometric study revealed that the loss in brain mass was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the total volume of both hemispheres, the entire cortex, white matter, and basal ganglia. Detailed analysis of individual brain structures also showed a significant reduction in volume of all cortical regions and most of the subcortical gray matter (e.g., caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, claustrum, and thalamus). It appears that in the microencephaly observed as a frequent sequel in pediatric AIDS, the loss of brain tissue is global and includes an almost proportional loss of cortex, subcortical gray matter and white matter.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

Interstitial tissue fraction. The prognostic marker in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in children.

OBJECTIVE: To explain the differences in the clinical course of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) in children and to find some prognostic markers at the disease onset that correlate with the disease outcome. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed clinical histories and laboratory findings, reexamined kidney biopsies performed at the disease onset and evaluated volume relations between kidney components in children with the diagnosis of MPGN. RESULTS: Children were divided into three groups based on their final clinical status: I. children without features of active nephropathy, II. children with persistent nephropathy, and III. children who died of kidney disease and those who had chronic renal insufficiency. Reevaluation of kidney biopsies led to a change in the histopathologic diagnosis in several cases in all three groups. Morphometric analysis showed increasing interstitial tissue volume from group I through group III in MPGN and other forms of glomerulonephritis diagnosed after reevaluation. All the morphologic, clinical and laboratory features estimated by means of multivariate analysis of variance showed statistically significant individual characteristics of each group defined by clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: Increased interstitial tissue volume in the kidney biopsy at the disease onset is a negative prognostic factor in MPGN.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1996

Pericapillary and distant axon terminals in the nuclei of the cat amygdala: a morphometric study.

According to some ultrastructural studies, the pericapillary axon terminals in the central nervous system (CNS) are functionally connected with the capillary vessel wall. Thus, it may be expected that the population of pericapillary axon terminals will be morphologically distinct from the terminals at a further distance from the capillary walls. To test this hypothesis, morphometrical analysis of 3,048 axon terminals was performed, comparing terminals situated in the close vicinity of the capillary vessel with those at a distance from the vessels in the lateral, basal, medial, central and cortical nuclei of the amygdaloid body of eight cats. The cross-sectional area and circumference of each identified axon terminal profile were measured, and the shape of synaptic vesicles and the presence of synaptic contacts and granular vesicles were recorded. The statistical evaluation of results was performed by means of the Newman-Keuls' test, Wilcoxon's test, Fisher's contingency-table test and the test for two coefficients of structure. The morphometric examination revealed two ultrastructurally distinct groups of axon terminals, pericapillary and distant terminals, in all the nuclei of the amygdaloid body. The differentiating features were the shape of the synaptic vesicles, the number of synaptic contacts, and the size of the axon terminals. These results further support the hypothesis of a functional connection between axon terminals and the capillary vessel wall in the CNS.

Amygdala↗
PubMed1996

Morphometrical study of rat hippocampus. Light-microscopic features.

The purpose of our study was to evaluate morphometrical parameters of the particular hippocampal fields and layers in rats. Studies were performed on 72 semi-thin Epon specimens, representing the CA1, CA3, CA4 sectors, and dentate gyrus. The material was obtained from 12 adult male Wistar rats fixed by perfusion. The following parameters were examined: size of the terminal vessels; length, surface, and volume densities of the terminal vascularization; profiles and numerical densities of the neurons; size of the neuronal nuclei and distribution of nuclei size classes. The results were verified statistically. The analysis of terminal vessels system showed various differentiation between the layers in all the examined hippocampal fields. The vessels were smaller and their length density was higher in the pyramidal or granular layers than in the polymorphic or molecular ones. The comparison of terminal vascularization among the fields showed some differences only within the pyramidal and granular layers. The smallest terminal vessels were found in dentate gyrus, the biggest - in the CA4 sector, which was also separated by the lowest length density of terminal vascularization. Neuronal density and nuclear size significantly separated each of the analyzed hippocampal fields.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Terminal vessels of dentate gyrus in chronically alcohol-intoxicated rats.

Quantitative changes in the microvasculature of the central nervous system of the rat following chronic ethanol intoxication were studied. For 6 months, 12 rats drank only 25% ethanol and eight control rats only water. After fixation by perfusion, semithin sections of dentate gyrus were obtained. In each one, semiautomatic measurements were made of the length, surface, and volume densities, and the mean area of a terminal vessel cross-section and the results were evaluated statistically. Chronic ethanol intoxication caused an increase in the length and surface density, a decrease in the mean cross-sectional area, whereas the volume density of terminal vessels was unchanged. These results show that the reduction of the mean surface area of terminal vessels after prolonged ethanol intoxication is compensated by the increase of other morphometrically measurable parameters, i.e., length and surface density. As a consequence of these alterations, the volume density remains unchanged. The results indicate great reactivity of the microvascular system of the dentate gyrus in chronically ethanol-intoxicated rats.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Morphological changes of aortal smooth muscle cells exposed to calcitriol in culture.

INTRODUCTION: A number of observations suggest that vitamin D plays an important role in maintaining normal cardiovascular function, through its receptors in cardiac muscle or in aortal smooth muscle cells (SMCs). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of vitamin D active metabolite--calcitriol [1,25(OH)2D3] on aortal SMCs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The cells were isolated from the aortal media of newborn rats by enzymatic digestion and maintained for 6 weeks in primary culture. 1.2 microM of calcitriol was added to the medium every second day. RESULTS: Light microscopic investigations revealed that the control SMCs formed multilayer with characteristic 'hills and valleys'. Uniform cellular growth patterns were observed after calcitriol treatment. Ultrastructural studies indicated more rapid modulation of SMCs from the 'contractile' to the 'synthetic' phenotype following calcitriol treatment. Elastic fibers were more abundant in treated than in control cultures. The scanning electron microscope showed an increase of regular microvilli on the surface of SMCs. Morphometrical analysis of nuclei demonstrated phenotypic heterogeneity in populations of aortal SMCs. These results suggest that 1) calcitriol can induce changes in the phenotype and in the growth pattern of aortal SMCs, which may be associated with the onset or progression of the atherosclerosis process, 2) the basis of phenotypic changes is related to the stimulation of proliferative activity in these cells.

Animals↗