Retinoprotective effect of donepezil in diabetic mice involves mitigation of excitotoxicity and activation of PI3K/mTOR/BCl2 pathway
LIFE SCIENCES
Authors: Zaitone, Sawsan A.; Alshaman, Reem; Alattar, Abdullah; Elsherbiny, Nehal M.; Abogresha, Noha M.; El-Kherbetawy, Mohammed K.; Elaskary, Abdelhakeem A.; Hashish, Abdullah A.; Rashed, Laila A.; Ahmed, Eman
Abstract
Donepezil (DNPZ) has shown neuroprotective effect in many disorders. The current study tested the putative retinoprotection provided by donepezil in mouse diabetic retinopathy. Swiss albino mice were allocated to, 1] saline control, 2] diabetic, 3&4] diabetic+DNPZ (1 or 4 mg/kg). After induction of diabetes, mice were maintained for 8 weeks then DNPZ therapy was launched for 28 days. Retinas were isolated and used for histopathology and immunohistochemistry for caspase 3 and the anti-apoptotic protein, B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCl2). Retinas were examined for glutamate, acetylcholine and oxidation markers. Western blot analysis measured inflammatory cytokines, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), phosphorylated and total phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and mTOR, BCl2 and cleaved caspase 3. Significant histopathological changes and decreased thickness were found in diabetic retinas (125.52 +/- 2.85 vs. 157.15 +/- 7.55 in the saline group). In addition, retinal glutamate (2.39-fold), inflammatory cytokines and NMDARs proteins (4.9-fold) were higher in the diabetic retinas. Western blot analysis revealed low ratio of phosphorylated/total PI3K (0.21 +/- 0.043 vs. 1 +/- 0.005) and mTOR (0.18 +/- 0.04 vs. 1 +/- 0.005), low BCl2 (0.28 +/- 0.06 vs. 1 +/- 0.005) and upregulated cleaved caspase 3 (5.18 +/- 1.27 vs. 1 +/- 0.05 in the saline group) versus the saline control. DNPZ ameliorated the histopathologic manifestations and to prevent the decrease in retinal thickness. DNPZ (4 mg/kg) improved phosphorylation of PI3K (0.76 +/- 0.12 vs. 0.21 +/- 0.04) and mTOR (0.59 +/- 0.09 vs. 0.18 +/- 0.04) and increased BCl2 (0.75 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.28 +/- 0.06) versus the diabetic control group. This study explained the retinoprotective effect of DNPZ in mouse diabetic retinopathy and highlighted that mitigation of excitotoxicity, improving phosphorylation of PI3K/mTOR and increasing BCl2 contribute to this effect.
Diagnostic Approach for Double-Hit and Triple-Hit Lymphoma Based on Immunophenotypic and Cytogenetic Characteristics of Bone Marrow Specimens
ANNALS OF LABORATORY MEDICINE
Authors: Kim, Heyjin; Kim, Hee-Jin; Kim, Sun-Hee
Abstract
Background: High-grade B-cell lymphoma with rearrangements of MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 (BCL2/BCL6), also known as double-hit lymphoma (DHL) and/or triple-hit lymphoma (THL), is a new entity of B-cell lymphoma in the 2017 WHO Classification. We retrospectively investigated D/THL and their clinico-laboratory features among cases of large B-cell lymphoma involving the bone marrow (BM), including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, and B-cell lymphomas with medium to large lymphoid cells, by additional FISH analysis of BM aspirates. Methods: A total of 111 patients diagnosed with aggressive B-cell lymphomas or B-cell lymphoma involving the BM with medium to large-sized malignant lymphocytes were reviewed from January 2000 to January 2018. Patients with available BM aspirates were evaluated by immunophenotyping by flow cytometry, chromosome, and FISH analysis for MYC and/or BCL2/BCL6 rearrangements. Results: In total, 23/111 (20.7%) showed MYC rearrangement, and eight (7.2%) were reclassified as D/THL on BM after FISH analysis for MYC and BCL2/BCL6. The detection of CD5(-)/CD10(+) based on flow cytometry was strongly associated with D/THL. A complex karyotype with aberrations related to regions in MYC and BCL2/BCL6 was significantly associated with D/THL. When the MYC FISH results of 28 BM aspirates and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue specimens were compared, 14% were discrepant. Conclusions: Immunophenotypic and cytogenetic characteristics facilitate the diagnosis of D/THL in the cases with BM-involving aggressive B-cell lymphomas.