Urinary Bladder Patch Made with Decellularized Vein Scaffold Seeded with Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Model in Rabbits.

Background: To evaluate tissue regeneration of the urinary bladder after the implantation of a decellularized vein sown with autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASC) on luminal surfaces.

Methods: New Zealand rabbits ( = 10) were distributed in two groups: Group Bioscaffold alone (G1)-decellularized vena cava (1 cm) was implanted, and Group Bioscaffold plus ACSs (G2)-decellularized vena cava (1 cm) containing ASCs were implanted. ASCs were expanded, characterized, and maintained for one week in culture with a decellularized vein scaffold.

Synthesis of resilient hybrid hydrogels using UiO-66 MOFs and alginate (hydroMOFs) and their effect on mechanical and matter transport properties.

Herein, we report the preparation of an organic-inorganic hybrid hydrogel architecture using vinyl alginate and UiO-66 MOFs (metal-organic frameworks) modified with acrylic acid (AA) UiO-66AA. UiO-66 MOFs with different crystal sizes (600, 1500, and 2500 nm) were synthesized and the effect on the mechanical and transport properties of the resulting materials, such as water absorption capacity and drug release, were evaluated. HydroMOF showed higher water absorption capacity than the pure hydrogel and enhanced mechanical properties, which depend on crystal size and the amount of UiO-66AA MOF used.

Differential Actions of Estrogen Receptor α and β via Nongenomic Signaling in Human Prostate Stem and Progenitor Cells.

Human prostate stem and progenitor cells express estrogen receptor (ER)α and ERβ and exhibit proliferative responses to estrogens. In this study, membrane-initiated estrogen signaling was interrogated in human prostate stem/progenitor cells enriched from primary epithelial cultures and stem-like cell lines from benign and cancerous prostates. Subcellular fractionation and proximity ligation assays localized ERα and ERβ to the cell membrane with caveolin-1 interactions.

Bionanocomposites based on mesoporous silica and alginate for enhanced drug delivery.

This work reports the preparation, the characterization and the prednisolone release profile of biocompatible hydrogel nanocomposites containing mesoporous silica (SBA) and alginate as a biomaterial for enhanced drug delivery with reduced burst effect and improved mechanical properties. Such systems, which were prepared using specific SBA/alginate-crosslinking chemistry, exhibited interconnecting pore hybrid network owing to both mesoporous silica and hydrogel characteristics. Activated SBA was shown to be a determinant factor in inhibiting initial burst by nearly 90% and the drug was released with minimal burst kinetics.

Hyperglycemic condition during puberty increases collagen fibers deposition in the prostatic stroma and reduces MMP-2 activity.

Puberty is an important period for the growth and maturation of the male reproductive system, and is also a critical window for endocrine or environmental interference. The physiological levels of circulating insulin and hyperglycemic control are important factors for a normal prostate growth. Hyperglycemia during puberty is reported to retard the growth of the prostate gland, with remarkable effects on the epithelial compartment.

Fibrillar collagen genes are not coordinately upregulated with TGF β1 expression in finasteride-treated prostate.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common cause of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in older men. In this regard, recent studies have attempted to define the relationships between prostatic fibrosis, LUTS, and increased expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF β1) in BHP. Therapeutic approaches for BPH such as 5-α-reductase inhibitors and alpha-adrenergic blocking agents increase TGF β1 expression in the prostatic tissue.

Alterations in prostate morphogenesis in male rat offspring after maternal exposure to Di-n-butyl-phthalate (DBP).

Prostate morphogenesis is regulated by androgens hormones and modulated by morphogenetic proteins such as Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs). This study aims to investigate the effects on prostate development in male offspring and differentiation after gestational and lactational maternal exposure to Di-n-butyl-phthalate (DBP), an important environmental contamination. Pregnant Wistar rats received 100 or 500mg/kg of DBP (DBP100 and DBP500), by gavage, from gestation day 15 (GD15) until postnatal day 21 (PND21).

Impairment of microvascular angiogenesis is associated with delay in prostatic development in rat offspring of maternal protein malnutrition.

Experimental data demonstrated the negative impact of maternal protein malnutrition (MPM) on rat prostate development, but the mechanism behind the impairment of prostate growth has not been well understood. Male Sprague Dawley rats, borned to dams fed a normal protein diet (CTR group, 17% protein diet), were compared with those borned from dams fed a low protein diet (6% protein diet) during gestation (GLP group) or gestation and lactation (GLLP). The ventral prostate lobes (VP) were removed at post-natal day (PND) 10 and 21, and analyzed via different methods.

Streptozotocin-Induced Maternal Hyperglycemia Increases the Expression of Antioxidant Enzymes and Mast Cell Number in Offspring Rat Ventral Prostate.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has increased in recent years. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in GDM-increased risk factors to offspring remained poorly understood, some studies suggested an association between an increase in oxidative stress induced by maternal hyperglycemia and complications for both mothers and newborns. Here, we investigated the impact of maternal hyperglycemia followed by maternal insulin replacement during lactation on the expression of antioxidant enzymes and mast cell number in offspring ventral prostate (VP) at puberty.

Cadmium exposure inhibits MMP2 and MMP9 activities in the prostate and testis.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc (Zn(2+)) and calcium (Ca(2+)) dependant endopeptidases, capable of degradation of numerous components of the extracellular matrix. Cadmium (Cd(2+)) is a well known environmental contaminant which could impair the activity of MMPs. In this sense, this study was conducted to evaluate if Cd(2+) intake inhibits these endopeptidases activities at the rat prostate and testicles and if it directly inhibits the activity of MMP2 and MMP9 at gelatinolytic assays when present in the incubation buffer.

Impact of gestational diabetes and lactational insulin replacement on structure and secretory function of offspring rat ventral prostate.

Clinical and experimental studies have shown that exposure to adverse conditions during the critical stages of embryonic, fetal or neonatal development lead to a significantly increased risk of later disease. Diabetes during pregnancy has been linked to increased risk of obesity and diabetes in offspring. Here, we investigated whether mild gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) followed or not by maternal insulin replacement affects the ventral prostate (VP) structure and function in male offspring at puberty and adulthood.

Morphofunctional characterization of decellularized vena cava as tissue engineering scaffolds.

Clinical experience for peripheral arterial disease treatment shows poor results when synthetic grafts are used to approach infrapopliteal arterial segments. However, tissue engineering may be an option to yield surrogate biocompatible neovessels. Thus, biological decellularized scaffolds could provide natural tissue architecture to use in tissue engineering, when the absence of ideal autologous veins reduces surgical options.

Gestational protein restriction delays prostate morphogenesis in male rats.

Maternal malnutrition due to a low-protein diet is associated with functional disorders in adulthood, which may be related to embryonic development failures. The effects of gestational protein restriction on prostate morphogenesis in male offspring were investigated. Pregnant rat dams were divided into normoprotein (NP; fed a normal diet containing 17% protein) and hypoprotein (LP; fed a diet containing 6% protein) groups.

Implications of intrauterine protein malnutrition on prostate growth, maturation and aging.

Aims: Maternal malnutrition by low protein diet is associated with an increased incidence of metabolic disorders and decreased male fertility in adult life. This study aimed to assess the impact of maternal protein malnutrition (MPM) on prostate growth, tissue organization and lesion incidence with aging.

Main Methods: Wistar rat dams were distributed into two groups, which were control (NP; fed a normal diet containing 17% protein) or a restricted protein diet (RP, fed a diet containing 6% protein) during gestation.

Chronic caffeine intake increases androgenic stimuli, epithelial cell proliferation and hyperplasia in rat ventral prostate.

Coffee intake has been associated with a low risk of developing cancer, including prostate cancer, which is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. However, few studies have evaluated the chronic effects of caffeine, which is the most abundant methylxanthine in coffee, on prostate morphology and physiology. In the present study, we investigated the effects of chronic, low-dose caffeine intake on rat prostate morphology from puberty to adulthood.

Caffeine reduces cadmium accumulation in the organism and enhances the levels of antioxidant protein expression in the epididymis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of caffeine (20 mg/L) intake on cadmium (15 mg/L) accumulation in the rat blood, testes, epididymis and prostate as well as cadmium-induced changes to the antioxidant defense system of the epididymis. Caffeine reduced the cadmium concentration in all tissues analyzed. Meanwhile, cadmium reduced catalase activity and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the epididymis.

Lobe variation effects of experimental diabetes and insulin replacement on rat prostate.

We investigated the impact of diabetes with simultaneous and late insulin replacement on rat prostate growth during puberty, paying special attention to different prostatic lobes. Diabetes was induced by administration of streptozotocin (STZ) in 40-day-old male Wistar rats. A subset of diabetic rats underwent simultaneous insulin replacement (3 days after STZ administration), and another subset underwent a late insulin replacement (20 days after STZ administration).

Ultrastructure of the interface between periodontal tissues and titanium mini-implants.

Objective: To describe the ultrastructure of the interface between periodontal tissues and titanium mini-implants in rat mandibles.

Materials And Methods: A titanium mini-implant was placed between the buccal roots of the mandibular first molar of 24 adult rats. After 21, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 days of implantation, the mandibular portion was removed and fixed in cacodylate-buffered 2% glutaraldehyde + 2.