Journal of Cell and Molecular Research

10-14

Authors: Asghar Mosleh Arany

This study examines the assumption that plant resistance to herbivory has fitness costs. To assess costs, a standard method was used for examining the significant negative genetic correlation between the resistance character and damage in the presence of herbivory and with fitness in the absence of herbivory. Seeds of five plants from four genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana were sown under controlled conditions in a growth chamber. Half of the resulting two months-old rosettes were used for glucosinolate analysis and for herbivory assessment. The other half were transplanted into an enclosure in the natural habitat of this plant and their fitness (fruit number) were measured after harvesting the plants. Caterpillars from Spodoptera exigua were obtained from lab culture for herbivory assessment. Two second-instar caterpillars from S. exigua were placed on each of the rosettes. Larval weight of caterpillars was measured after 5 days. One hundred mg dry mass of leaves from 5 rosettes of each genotypes were used for HPLC analysis. There were genetic variations in types and quantities of glucosinolate between genotypes. The results from herbivory assessment showed that the larval weight of S. exigua fed on some genotypes was significantly lower than others, and therefore there was genetic variation in resistance to herbivore for A. thaliana genotypes. The statistical analysis showed that the larval weight of S. exigua was negatively correlated with the total glucosinolate concentration and with fruit number. Therefore, under the condition of this experiment, glucosinolates reduced damage by S. exigua and exhibited significant fitness costs.

29-34

Authors: Fatemeh Rostami and Ali Akbar Ehsanpour

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) auxiliary buds c.v. White Desiree were cultured in MS medium containing 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 µM concentrations of silver thiosulfate (STS) under in vitro condition. After eight weeks, the effect of silver ions (Ag+) in the form of silver thiosulfate complex (STS), as an ethylene action inhibitor, on chlorophyll contents of leaves, ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase and catalase activities of roots and leaves were studied. Application of silver (STS) in culture medium increased chlorophyll content comparing to the control plants significantly. After treatments of potato plants with STS, ascorbate peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase activities in roots were higher than shoots while catalase activity was higher in leaves than roots. However, increasing of STS concentration in the culture medium resulted in higher activities of antioxidant enzymes with some variations.

42-48

Authors: Maryam Shahrtash, Sasan Mohsenzadeh and Hasan Mohabatkar

In recent years, several plant species have been used as bioindicators, and several tests have been developed to evaluate the toxicity of the environmental contaminants. In this study, the root length and DNA band pattern of root tips in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings were exposed at different concentration of cadmium pollutant (40 and 80 mg L−1). The results indicated that the root length of maize seedlings reduced with an increasing cadmium concentration. A random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis from the extracted DNA was carried out using twenty three 10-base pair random primers. Eleven primers produced 72 bands between 221-3044 base pairs in gel electrophoresis. DNA damage became evident as the presence and/or absence of DNA fragments in the treated samples compared to the control groups. The number of disappearing bands in profiles increased from 33 at 40 mgL-1 of cadmium concentration to 45 after exposure to 80 mg L−1 cadmium concentration compared to total bands in control. Three new bands appeared in 40 mgL-1 of cadmium concentration but five in 80 mgL-1 of cadmium concentration. The results showed that RAPD analysis could be a useful tool for detection of genotoxic effects of cadmium toxicity on plants.

68-71

Authors: Ali Akbar Ehsanpour and Lila Arab

Sex determination in Pistacia as a dioecious plant is economically desirable. Identification of the male and female plants has a great value for Pistacia yield production. In the present study, leaf samples from four female plants from cultivars of Pistacia including Akbary, Akbar Aghaei, Fandoghi, and Kalleh Ghochi as well as male plants were used for RAPD PCR amplification. Among 32 primers with 10 mer two primers (FPKI106 and FPK105) were able to discriminate between female and male plants. Few bands were detected in the DNA pattern of male while they were absent in the female individuals. The PCR conditions were reproducible and can be recommended for sex determination of Pistacia vera cultivars.

77-83

Authors: Farhang Haddad, Ali Moghimi, Abbas Salmani, Mohammad Farhad Rahimi, Mohammad Reza Gawam-Nasiri

Study of the different aspects of protection against the exposure of ionizing radiation has always been an active area of research. High cost and toxicity of radioprotective drugs have limited their use. So, search for new drugs with a high degree of protection and lower cost and side effects seem a necessity. In this study radioprotective effect of aqueous as well as alcoholic extracts of the Mann of Cotoneaster nummularia( Shirkhesht), regarding their high accessibility and possibly low side effects, against 2 Gy Gamma irradiation, was analyzed using micronucleus assay on bone marrow cells of male mice (Balb/c). Different doses of 250, 500, 1000 mg/kg/BW for aqueous and 3750, 7500, 15000 mg/kg/BW for alcoholic extract of Shirkhesht were administered IP for five constitutive days prior to 2 Gy gamma irradiation. The result compared with the known radioprotective effect of vitamin E after the same treatment schedule. High frequency of micronucleus was observed in non treated gamma-exposed mice, which represented the clastogenic effect of irradiation. Vitamin E, aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Shirkhesht treated mice represented a 5.56, 3.32 and 2.1 times decrease in the gamma-induced micronucleus frequency respectively. The data suggest a radioprotective effect of shirhkesht compared to vitamin E.

91-96

Authors: Mohammad Reza Nikravesh, Mehdi Jalali, Abbas Ali Moeen, Mohammad Hassan Karimfar, Shahin Saidi Nejat, Shabnam Mohammadi and Houshang Rafighdoost

Basement membrane of glomerular mesangium (BMG) is a thin membrane which helps to support the capillary loops in a renal glomerulus and type IV collagen is require for complete BM formation during glomerulogenesis. In this investigation specific antibody of type IV collagen has been used in light microscopy to study development of BMG of the embryonic and postnatal mouse glomerular mesangium. In this study, 20 female Balb/C mice were selected randomly and finding vaginal plug was assumed as day zero of pregnancy. 12 pregnant mice were sacrified by cervical dislocation in one of gestational days 13-18, their fetuses were fixed and serially sectioned. Immunohistochemical Study for tracing of collagen type IV in BMG was carried out. The same processes were carried out for kidneys preparation of pups on 5, 10, 15 and 20 days after birth (2 mothers for each day). The result of the present study revealed that collagen IV reaction was weak on day 15 of gestation. The amount of collagen increased continuously until next days of fetal life and primary of 10 days postnatal in BMG. After this period, collagen IV showed no significant change in newborns. These data indicate that collagen IV appears just during the glomerular vasculogenesis and because of continuity and glomerular endothelial cell differentiation, type IV collagen, is the major structural protein in BMG, have been implicated in these processes.

19-27

Authors: Hamid Reza Esmaeili* and Zeinab Gholami

The normal and lateral line cycloid scales of a cyprinid fish; Alburnoides bipunctatus (Blotch, 1782) have been subjected to SEM to study their detailed structure. It shows the general architectural pattern of a cycloid cyprinid scale. The focus of the scale is clear and sharp located in the anterior field. Circuli are observed in all fields. Primary radii which originate from very near the focus divide the posterior field of scale into compartments. Originating far away from the focus, the secondary radii are seen. But the tertiary radii are few. The anterior radii are absent. Lepidonts (teeth-like structures) are absent or are very week on the circuli. Tubercles (granules) at the posterior filed of scale are not well developed. Many resorbtion regions are seen on the scale. Presence of a long, straight, S-shape or J-shape central canal originating from the upper margin of anterior region which in most cases extending down to the posterior margin is characteristic feature of lateral line scale. The architectural specification of scales such as focus shape and position, circuli, chromatophore, lepidonts and lateral line canal might be used as important taxonomic tools.

35-40

Authors: Fatemeh Aghaei Borashan, Mino Ilkhanipoor, Mohammad Hashemi and Farah Farrokhi

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by joint swelling, synovial inflammation and joint destruction. Curcumin (diferuolymethane) is the most active component of Curcuma longa L. Several clinical trials have indicated curcumin to be a notable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound. Therefore the aim of this study is investigating the effects of curcumin on levels of inflammation and inflammatory biomarkers in arthritic rats. Arthritis was induced by subcutaneous injection of Freund’s complete adjuvant (0.5 mL) into the right hind paw of Wistar male rats. Animals were divided into four groups (n=8). GroupI acted as control, group II arthritic rats received vehicle, group III arthritic rats were treated with curcumin (30 mg/kg, orally) and another group arthritic rats were treated with indomethacin (3 mg/kg, orally) seven days after injection of Freund’s Complete Adjuvant for 15 days. The changes caused by chronic inflammation were evaluated by measurement of the ankle circumference three times per week. At the end of the experimental period, blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture to determine erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C.reactive protein levels and White blood cells count. An increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C. reactive protein concentrations, White blood cells count and ankle circumference was observed in arthritic rats compared with control rats (p<0.05). Curcumin significantly decreased inflammation and inflammatory biomarkers in arthritic rats (p<0.05).These results suggest that curcumin can possess beneficial effects in alleviating arthritic symptoms in Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis model.

47-50

Authors: Kiarash Ghazvini; Edriss MirzaHesabi; Mohammad Mehdi Akbarein

In this study bactericidal activity of a malodor neutralizer containing silver nanoparticles manufactured in Iran has been tested. For this purpose different concentrations of the product encounter with Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus then the activity were evaluated in different contact times. The products containing at least 200 ppm of silver nanoparticles were effective on all of bacterial strains and higher exposure time increased its antibacterial activity. Bactericidal activity against spore of Bacillus cereus was less obvious in comparison with other bacteria. It seems that silver nanoparticle is a valuable antibacterial agent even in presence of aromatic fragments and could be applied as disinfectant in many situations.

57-60

Authors: Seyed Moosa Moosavi Koohi, Jalil Khara and Reza Heidari

Basil plants (Ocimum basilicum L.) were sprayed with salicylic acid (1mM) and exposed to Ultraviolet-C (UV- C) radiation (40 Wm-2) after emergence of six developed leaves. Plants were grown for 18 days and exposed to UV-C for 5 mind-1 alternatively. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoide were considered for analysis of photosynthetic pigments. The results showed that the photosynthetic pigments were decreased under UV-C radiation. Decreasing of photosynthetic pigments under UV-C radiation was significantly alleviated by salicylic acid treatment.