Abstract:

In this study, it was aimed to immunohistochemically evaluate the possible effect of probiotic supplementation on rats fed a high cholesterol diet on mast cell heterogeneity and density in the urinary bladder and on the expression of chymase, tryptase and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) cytokine in the urinary bladder. Three groups were formed in the study. For 8 weeks, Group 1 (control group) was fed regular rat diet. Food for Group 2 (feeding +2% cholesterol) (high cholestrol group) was provided for 8 weeks. For the last four weeks, Group 3 (%2 cholesterol + Lactobacillus acidophilus) (probiotic group) was administered L. acidophilus probiotics. Levels of total cholesterol (TC) was measured by using a spectrophotometric autoanalyzer. Serum TC levels were remarkably increased in group 2 compared to the group 1 (P<0.05). TC decreased significantly (P <0.05) in group 3 compared to group 2. The number of mast cells in the control group and the probiotic group were close to each other. Only safranin O (SO) (+) mast cells was increased in the probiotic group. While there was no difference between control and high cholesterol groups, an increase in the number of tryptase mast cells was found in the probiotic group. The number of chymase mast cells declined in the probiotic group compared to control and high cholesterol groups. There was no significant difference in TNF-α immunoreactivity between the three groups. In conclusion, in this study, possible effects of cholesterol and probiotics on mast cell heterogeneity and expression of chymase, tryptase, TNF-α were revealed.

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