Kisspeptin is an important hormone involved in the stimulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis. The HPG axis can be suppressed in certain conditions such as stress, which gives rise to the activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, the physiological role of kisspeptin in the interaction of HPG and HPA axis is not fully understood yet. This study was conducted to investigate the possible effects of central kisspeptin injection on HPG axis as well as HPA axis activity. Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups as followed: sham (control), kisspeptin (50 pmol), P234 (1 nmol), kisspeptin + p234, kisspeptin + antalarmin (0.1 mu g), kisspeptin + astressin 2B (1 mu g), and kisspeptin + atosiban (300 ng/rat) (n = 10 each group). At the end of the experiments, the hypothalamus, pituitary, and serum samples of the rats were collected. There was no significant difference in corticotropic-releasing hormone immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, serum adrenocorticotropic hormone, and corticosterone levels among all groups. Moreover, no significant difference was detected in pituitary oxytocin level. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels of the kisspeptin, kisspeptin + antalarmin, and kisspeptin + astressin 2B groups were significantly higher than the control group. Serum testosterone levels were significantly higher in the kisspeptin kisspeptin + antalarmin, kisspeptin + astressin 2B, and kisspeptin + atosiban groups compared to the control group. Our findings suggest that central kisspeptin injection causes activation in the HPG axis, but not the HPA axis in male rats.

Amaç:İrisin enerji metabolizması yollarının düzenlenmesinde rol alan ve Tip 2 diyabet(T2DM)’li kişilerde kandaki miktarı azalan bir hormondur. Metformin de yakıt ve enerji metabolizmasını etkileyen ve Tip 2 diyabet tedavisinde çok yaygın olarak kullanılan bir ilaçtır. Bu bilgilerden hareketle bu çalışmada, metformin kullanımının serum irisin seviyesi üzerine etkisinin aydınlatılması amaçlanmıştır.Yöntemler:Endokrinoloji ve Metabolizma Hastalıkları Bilim Dalı' na başvuran ve OGTT sonucu glukoztoleransının bozulmuş olduğu belirlenen 20 kişi çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Egzersiz ve beslenme gibi hayat tarzlarında değişiklik ve metformin kullanılması tavsiye edilen bu kişilerden 1 aylık dönemin ardından tekrar kan alınmıştır. Ayrıca, hasta grubuyla yaş ve cinsiyet olarak eşleşen sağlıklı kişilerden oluşan bir kontrol grubu oluşturulmuş (n=20 ), bu iki gruptan alınan kan örneklerindeki irisinseviyeleri ELISA metoduyla ölçülmüştürBulgular:Hasta grubunun tedavi öncesi kan örneklerindeki irisin seviyeleri ile bir ay boyunca tavsiye edilen tedavileri sonrası alınan kan örneklerindeki irisin seviyeleri arasında önemli bir farklılık olmadığı gözlemlenmiştir (p=0.780). Kontrol grubuyla tedavi gören grup arasında da benzer bir sonuç elde edilirken (p=0.170), kontrol grubuyla hasta grubunun tedavi öncesi örneklerindeki irisin miktarları karşılaştırıldığında, kontrol grubunun serum irisin değerinin anlamlı derecede daha fazla olduğu bulunmuştur (p=0.002).Sonuç:Sonuç olarak, hayat tarzının değiştirilerek alınan metforminin T2DM’li hastaların kanlarındaki irisin seviyesini değiştirip, değiştirmediği konusunda net bir kanaate varılamamıştır.

Ciglitazone is a compound belonging to the thiazolidinedione (TZD) class and has hypoglycemic effects. Although ciglitazone is not used as a drug, it has been used as a template for the development of other TZD group drugs. Like many TZD group drugs, ciglitazone causes anemia. In this study, the effects of ciglitazone on the enzyme activities of Glucose-6- Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) and Carbonic Anhydrase II (CA II), which have important functions in maintaining erythrocyte functions and integrity, were investigated in vitro. Pure human erythrocyte CA II and G6PD enzymes were used for activity measurements. Both esterase and hydratase activities were measured for CA II. The result of activity measurements, it was observed that ciglitazone inhibited CA II (IC50 =0.0063 mM for hydratase activity, and IC50 =0.047 mM for esterase activity) and G6PD (IC50 = 0.067 mM) activities. As a result, it was concluded that these enzyme inhibitions may be important in the anemia-causing mechanisms of cigitazone.

The potential harmful effects of cancer treatments on reproductive function have now been clearly recognized. Exposure to chemotherapy is considered a risk factor for premature ovarian failure and causes infertility. This study investigated the prophylactic effects of gallic acid (GA) against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced ovarian damage in rats. Thirty-two adult female Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned into four groups (control, CP, GA, and CP + GA). No procedure was applied to the control group. The CP group received 150 mg/kg CP via the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route on day 7 of the experiment. The GA group received 20 mg/kg GA daily for seven days from day 1 of the experiment via oral gavage. The CP + GA received 20 mg/kg GA daily for seven days from day 1 of the experiment via oral gavage and 150 mg/kg i.p. CA on day 7 of the experiment. All rats were sacrificed on day 8. Sections taken from the ovaries were stained using hematoxylin-eosin, Masson's trichrome, Periodic Acid-Schiff, and the TUNEL method. Histopathological examination of ovarian tissues and follicle counting were performed. Glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), tissue anti-müllerian hormone (AMH), and serum AMH levels were examined during biochemical investigation. Follicular cell degeneration increased significantly in the CP group compared to the control and GA groups (p < 0.001 for both). Follicular cell degeneration in the CP + GA group was significantly lower than in the CP group (p = 0.003), but higher than in the control and GA groups (p = 0.005, p = 0.015 and p = 0.029, respectively). The GA and control groups exhibited similar morphologies. The apoptotic index was higher in the CP group than in the control and CP + GA groups (p = 0.032 and p = 0.032, respectively). Primordial follıcle cell numbers decreased significantly in the CP group compared to the control and CP + GA groups (p = 0.015 and p = 0.029, respectively). Unilaminar primary follicle cell numbers were lower and atretic cell numbers were higher in the CP group than in the control and GA groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively). The numbers of unilaminar primary follicles were lower in the CP + GA group than in the control group (p = 0.009), while atretic follicle numbers were higher than in the control and GA groups (p < 0.001 for both). Atretic follicle numbers were also higher in the CP + GA group than in the control and GA (p = 0.009 and p = 0.008, respectively). MDA levels were higher in the CP than in the control and GA groups (p = 0,003 and p = 0.001, respectively). MDA levels in the CP + GA decreased compared to the CP group (p = 0.002). SOD activity decreased in the CP group compared to the control, CP + GA, and GA groups (p = 0.003, p = 0.006 and p = 0.038, respectively). Tissue CAT activity was lower in the CP group than in the control group (p = 0.038). Tissue CAT activity increased in the CP + GA group compared to the control and CP groups (p < 0.001 for both). Tissue CAT activity also increased in the GA group compared to the control and CP groups (p = 0.001 for both). Tissue AMH was lower in the CP group compared to the control group (p = 0.015), while serum AMH was higher in the GA group than in the other groups (p = 0.003, p = 0.003, and p = 0.022, respectively). No intergroup difference was observed in GPX levels. GA can be effective in preventing follicle cell damage caused by CP in the ovary.