Chemopreventive Efficacy of Thymoquinone in Chemically Induced Urinary Bladder Carcinogenesis in Rat

Figure 7

Photomicrograph of urinary bladder at week 20 from groups (G1-G5 are used for simplicity in the photomicrograph). G1, negative control group receiving only water for 20 weeks, displays no significant morphological changes, evident by normally arranged mucosal surface consist of transitional epithelium (EP), together with typically appeared lamina propria with some mild vascular congestion (BV) and smooth muscle fibers. G2, positive cancer group receiving N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN) for 9 weeks, shows highly significant preneoplastic glandular-like growth (NG), manifest by large acinar-like proliferation, together with infiltration growth (IG) toward the lamina propria; moreover, the area has been infiltrated with many mononuclear inflammatory cells (yellow arrows). Additionally, there is moderate vascular congestion within the lamina propria (black arrows). G3, preventive group receiving BBN for 9 weeks with thymoquinone 25 mg/kg for 10 weeks, demonstrates significant high-grade epithelial dysplasia (ED) together with papillary-like pattern of preneoplastic growth (PG). Additionally, presence of clear cellular swelling within the lining epithelium of the bladder (yellow arrows). G4, preventive group receiving BBN for 9 weeks with thymoquinone 50 mg/kg for 10 weeks, reveals low-grade epithelial dysplasia (yellow arrow) together with moderate papillary-like growth (PG) within the dysplastic epithelia, as well as the presence of preneoplastic pattern of growth (NG). Besides, the section shows mild vascular congestion (BV). G5, preventive-treatment group receiving BBN for 9 weeks with thymoquinone 50 mg/kg for 20 weeks, displays significantly low-grade epithelial dysplasia (ED) with no evidence of preneoplastic growth, along with apparent cellular swelling within the lining epithelium (yellow arrows). In addition, the section demonstrates typically intact lamina propria (LP) with mild inflammatory cells and normally appeared smooth muscle fibers (SM). H&E. Scale bar: 4 mm.