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Much effort has been made to control schistosomiasis infection in Egypt. However, enduring effects from such strategies have not yet been achieved. In this study, we sought to determine the genetic variability related to the interaction between Biomphalaria alexandrina snails and Schistosoma mansoni. Using RAPD-PCR with eight (10 mers) random primers, we were able to determine the polymorphic markers that differed between snails susceptible and resistant to Schistosoma mansoni infection using five primers out of the eight. Our results suggest that the RAPD-PCR technique is an efficient means by which to compare genomes and to detect genetic variations between schistosomiasis intermediate hosts. The RAPD technique with the above-noted primers can identify genomic markers that are specifically related to the Biomphalaria alexandrina/Schistosoma mansoni relationship in the absence of specific nucleotide sequence information. This approach could be used in epidemiologic surveys to investigate genetic diversity among Biomphalaria alexandrina snails. The ability to determine resistant markers in Biomphalaria alexandrina snails could potentially lead to further studies that use refractory snails as agents to control the spread of schistosomiasis.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hematopoietic factor with multiple protective effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential effect of EPO administration on renal functions and hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1a) in diabetic rat kidneys. The current study was carried out on 40 male albino rats divided into four groups (n = 10 in each). Group I served as normal control, group II was the diabetic control, group III rats received EPO on the same day of diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM), while group IV received the first dose of EPO 2 weeks after the diagnosis of DM. The results showed that EPO supplementation leads to a significant decrease in serum urea, urinary protein and creatinine clearance as well as a significant increase in renal HIF-1a in group III and IV rats compared to the diabetic control group (group II). However, fasting blood glucose was significantly decreased in group III as compared to the diabetic control group in the third week, but no significant difference was reported in the fourth week among groups II, III and IV. Conclusion: EPO administration leads to the improvement of renal functions and increased levels of HIF-1a in diabetic rats.

The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of age, physical exercise, caloric diet restriction (CR), and vitamin E supplementation on some markers of oxidative stress, DNA damage, apoptosis and liver function in different age groups of rats. The present study included 120 male "Wistar rats", divided into 3 age groups; 12, 18 and 24 months old. Each group was further subdivided into 4 subgroups; 10 rats each. The first subgroup as a control, the second underwent exercise training, the third was kept on CR and the last was supplemented with vitamin E. The measured biochemical parameters included; serum malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as % DNA fragmentation levels, the active caspase-3 concentration and the monoamine oxidaseβ (MAO-β) enzyme activity in the brain of all studied rats. In addition, hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase enzyme activities were assessed. The results of this study showed that; the aging process was associated with significantly increased serum MDA, decreased hepatic SOD activity, increased brain DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation as well as decreased cytochrome c reductase activity of liver. However, exercise, CR, and vitamin E supplementation caused a significant decrease in serum MDA and increase in hepatic cytochrome c reductase activity in old group. In addition, exercise could increase SOD and lower caspase-3 in old rats, while CR had no significant effect on both of them. Neither age nor any of the used intervention trials had an effect on brain MAOβ activity. It is suggested that the age-induced oxidative stress, DNA damage and improper hepatic metabolism could be partially attenuated by exercise, CR, and/or vitamin E supplementation. All these beneficial effects might be mostly effective in older age.