中成药甘舒胶囊对抗氧化应激诱导的肝细胞损伤

目的探讨中药甘舒胶囊对抗氧化应激损伤的肝细胞保护作用。方法在Chang肝细胞建立氧化应激(H2O2)损伤的实验模型,应用甲氮甲唑蓝(MTT)检测法。PI染色流式细胞仪(FCM)及Hoechst 33258染色法等检测甘舒对抗H2O2诱导Chang肝细胞的细胞毒性及凋亡的细胞保护作用。结果H2O2呈浓度依赖性地降低Chang肝细胞的存活率;在自身不影响Chang肝细胞存活率的浓度(1～100μg/ml)范围内,甘舒呈浓度依赖性地对抗300μmol/L和400μmol/LH2O2对肝细胞存活率的抑制作用;另方面,在0～800μmol/L浓度范围内,H2O2呈浓度依赖性地增加Chang肝细胞的凋亡率;100μg/ml、500μg/ml和1mg/ml的甘舒本身不影响肝细胞的凋亡率,但却能显著地抑制300μmol/LH2O2诱导的肝细胞凋亡。结论中药甘舒胶囊具有抗氧化应激作用,可显著对抗氧化应激(H2O2)诱导的肝细胞损伤。     

Borneol administration protects primary rat hepatocytes against exogenous oxidative DNA damage

Experimental evidences suggest that most essential oils possess a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities that may protect tissues against oxidative damage. In this study, we investigated DNA-protective effect of borneol, a component of many essential oils, against oxidative DNA damage induced in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Borneol was added to drinking water of Sprague-Dawley rats and DNA resistance against oxidative agents was compared in hepatocytes originated from control and borneol-treated rats. Oxidative stress induced by visible light-excited methylene blue (MB/VL) or 2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphthoquionone (DMNQ) resulted in increased levels of DNA lesions measured by the modified single cell gel electrophoresis. Borneol (17 or 34 mg/kg body weight) added to drinking water of rats for 7 days reduced the level of oxidative DNA lesions induced in their hepatocytes by MB/VL or DMNQ. To explain the increased resistance of DNA towards oxidative stress, we measured the base-excision repair (BER) capacity in liver cell extracts of control and borneol-supplemented rats on DNA substrate of HepG2 cells containing oxidative damage. Our results showed that administration of borneol in drinking water had no effect on incision activity of hepatocytes isolated from supplemented rats. The spectrophotometric assessment of enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and the flow cytometric assessment of total intracellular glutathione (iGSH) in primary hepatocytes of borneol-supplemented rats showed no changes in SOD and GPx activities but higher iGSH content particularly in hepatocytes of higher borneol dose (34 mg/kg) supplemented rats in comparison to control animals. Despite the fact that borneol had no effect either on BER of oxidative DNA damage or on the levels of antioxidant enzymes and manifested no reducing power and radicals scavenging activity, it increased significantly the level of non-enzymatic antioxidant iGSH which could reduce the oxidative DNA lesions induced by MB/VL or DMNQ.     

6-Hydroxymelatonin protects against cyanide induced oxidative stress in rat brain homogenates

Both 6-hydroxymelatonin and N-acetyl-N-formyl-5-methoxykynurenamine are photodegradants and enzymatic metabolites of melatonin and are known to retain equipotent activity against potassium cyanide-induced superoxide generation compared to melatonin. It is not clear whether one or both of these metabolites is responsible for this effect. The present study therefore investigates the possible manner in which 6-hydroxymelatonin protects against oxidative stress induced by cyanide in rat brain homogenates. We examined the ability of 6-hydroxymelatonin to scavenge KCN-induced superoxide anion generation as well as lipid peroxidation. In addition, we also examined the effect of this indole on lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH) as well as mitochondrial electron transport using dichlorophenol-indophenol as an electron acceptor. The results of this study show that 6-hydroxymelatonin significantly reduces KCN-induced superoxide anion generation, which is accompanied by a commensurate reduction in lipid peroxidation. Partial reversal of the KCN-induced reduction in mitochondrial electron transport is accompanied by a similar reversal of mitochondrial LDH activity blunted by KCN. It can thus be proposed that 6-hydroxymelatonin is potentially neuroprotective against KCN-induced neurotoxicity.     

CdCl2诱导大鼠BMSCs凋亡和DNA损伤的研究

目的研究化学毒性物质氯化镉(cadmium chloride,CdCl2)对骨髓间充质干细胞(bone marrow mesenchymal stemcells,BMSCs)形态学、MTT检测结果、细胞凋亡及DNA稳定性的影响。方法用MTT法筛选CdCl2对BMSCs抑制作用的最佳浓度;将BMSCs(F3)分为对照组及CdCl2最佳浓度(200μmol/L)干预组,培养24 h后用MTT法检测BMSCs的生存情况,用流式细胞仪(flow-cytometer,FCM)检测细胞凋亡情况,用单细胞凝胶电泳技术(SCGE)检测BMSCs的DNA损伤情况。结果 CdCl2可对BMSCs在6.25~200μmol/L有明显的抑制作用,细胞给药12及24 h后,存在剂量-效应关系和时间-效应关系,CdCl2对BMSCs抑制作用最强的浓度为200μmol/L(24 h);显微镜下观察,对照组细胞呈成纤维细胞样贴壁生长,胞体透亮,折光性强;CdCl2诱导组细胞呈凸起回缩,细胞变小、变圆,贴壁不牢,悬浮细胞增多;与对照组比较,CdCl2诱导组细胞存活率明显降低,细胞凋亡明显增加,细胞的DNA拖尾率、平均尾长显著增加(P<0.01)。结论 CdCl2在质量浓度为6.25~200μmol/L时对BMSCs有明显的抑制作用;对BMSCs抑制作用最强的浓度为200μmol/L(24 h),且可引起大鼠BMSCs凋亡及DNA的损伤。     

Zinc-histidine complex protects cultured cortical neurons against oxidative stress-induced damage

The levels of zinc in the brain are directly affected by dietary zinc and deficiency has been associated with alcohol withdrawal seizures, excitotoxicity, impaired learning and memory and an accelerated rate of dysfunction in aged brain. Although zinc is essential for a healthy nervous system, high concentrations of zinc are neurotoxic, thus it is important to identify the most effective forms of zinc for treatment of conditions of the central nervous system. Accumulating evidence suggests that zinc-histidine complex (Zn(His)(2)) has greater biological potency and enhanced bioavailability compared with other zinc salts and also has antioxidant potential. Therefore, in this study we investigated the ability of zinc-histidine to protect cultured cortical neurons against hydrogen peroxide-induced damage. Pre-treating neurons for 18 h with subtoxic concentrations of zinc-histidine (5-25 microM) improved neuronal viability and strongly inhibited hydrogen peroxide-induced (75 microM, 30 min) cell damage as assessed by MTT turnover and morphological analysis 24h later. Low concentrations of zinc-histidine were more neuroprotective than zinc chloride. There was evidence of an anti-apoptotic mechanism of action as zinc-histidine inhibited hydrogen peroxide-induced caspase-3 activation and c-jun-N-terminal kinase phosphorylation. In summary, zinc supplementation with zinc-histidine protects cultured neurons against oxidative insults and inhibits apoptosis which suggests that zinc-histidine may be beneficial in the treatment of diseases of the CNS associated with zinc deficiency.     

Caffeine protects against alcoholic liver injury by attenuating inflammatory response and oxidative stress

Objective and design  

The present investigation was designed to determine the effects of caffeine on alcohol-induced hepatic injury in mice.     

Short-term levosimendan treatment protects rat testes against oxidative stress

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of short-term levosimendan exposure on oxidant/antioxidant status and trace element levels in the testes of rats under physiological conditions. Twenty male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into two groups of 10 animals each. Group 1 was not exposed to levosimendan and served as control. Levosimendan (12 µg/kg) diluted in 10 mL 0.9% NaCl was administered intraperitoneally to group 2. Animals of both groups were sacrificed after 3 days and their testes were harvested for the determination of changes in tissue oxidant/antioxidant status and trace element levels. Tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly lower in the levosimendan group (P < 0.001) than in the untreated control group and superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were significantly higher in the levosimendan group (P < 0.001). Carbonic anhydrase, catalase and GSH levels were not significantly different from controls. Mg and Zn levels of testes were significantly higher (P < 0.001) and Co, Pb, Cd, Mn, and Cu were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in group 2 compared to group 1. Fe levels were similar for the two groups (P = 0.94). These results suggest that 3-day exposure to levosimendan induced a significant decrease in tissue MDA level, which is a lipid peroxidation product and an indicator of oxidative stress, and a significant increase in the activity of an important number of the enzymes that protect against oxidative stress in rat testes.     

Acrylonitrile-induced oxidative DNA damage in rat astrocytes

Chronic administration of acrylonitrile results in a dose-related increase in astrocytomas in rat brain, but the mechanism of acrylonitrile carcinogenicity is not fully understood. The potential of acrylonitrile or its metabolites to induce direct DNA damage as a mechanism for acrylonitrile carcinogenicity has been questioned, and recent studies indicate that the mechanism involves the induction of oxidative stress in rat brain. The present study examined the ability of acrylonitrile to induce DNA damage in the DI TNC1 rat astrocyte cell line using the alkaline Comet assay. Oxidized DNA damage also was evaluated using formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase treatment in the modified Comet assay. No increase in direct DNA damage was seen in astrocytes exposed to sublethal concentrations of acrylonitrile (0-1.0 mM) for 24 hr. However, acrylonitrile treatment resulted in a concentration-related increase in oxidative DNA damage after 24 hr. Antioxidant supplementation in the culture media (alpha-tocopherol, (-)-epigallocathechin-3 gallate, or trolox) reduced acrylonitrile-induced oxidative DNA damage. Depletion of glutathione using 0.1 mM DL-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine increased acrylonitrile-induced oxidative DNA damage (22-46%), while cotreatment of acrylonitrile with 2.5 mM L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, a precursor for glutathione biosynthesis, significantly reduced acrylonitrile-induced oxidative DNA damage (7-47%). Cotreatment of acrylonitrile with 0.5 mM 1-aminobenzotriazole, a suicidal inhibitor of cytochrome P450, prevented the oxidative DNA damage produced by acrylonitrile. Cyanide (0.1-0.5 mM) increased oxidative DNA damage (44-160%) in astrocytes. These studies demonstrate that while acrylonitrile does not directly damage astrocyte DNA, it does increase oxidative DNA damage. The oxidative DNA damage following acrylonitrile exposure appears to arise mainly through the P450 metabolic pathway; moreover, glutathione depletion may contribute to the induction of oxidative DNA damage by acrylonitrile.     

Moderate wine consumption protects against hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage

We have tested the hypothesis that moderate wine drinking canprotect somatic cells against the DNA-damaging effect of hydrogenperoxide which is an endogenous source of reactive oxygen metabolites.In this preliminary investigation, four male volunteers wereplaced on a plantpolyphenol- free (PPF) diet to ensure thatthe wine provided was the only main source of plant phenoliccompounds. After 48 h on the PPF diet the volunteers were requiredto consume 300 ml of red or white wine and blood samples collected1, 3, 8 and 24 h post-consumption while still on a PPF diet.Plasma was isolated from the blood samples and stored frozenfor subsequent assays. In the subsequent assays, fresh lymphocytesfrom each donor were incubated in their corresponding plasmafrom the various intervention time-points for 30 min. The capacityof the plasma to prevent damage to DNA in lymphocytes by hydrogenperoxide was assessed using the cytokinesis-block micronucleustechnique. The data from this preliminary investigation indicatedthat there was a strong inhibition (>70%) of hydrogen peroxide-inducedmicronucleated cells by the plasma samples from the blood collected1 h after consumption of wine as compared to plasma samplesfrom blood immediately before the consumption of wine. Thisprotective effect was apparent for both red and white wine althoughstatistical significance (P = 0.0068) was achieved only in thewhite wine intervention. A higher degree of statistical significance(P = 0.0008) was achieved when the data for samples followingthe consumption of red and white wine were combined. There wasno difference in the hydrogen-peroxide-induced micronucleatedcell frequency when comparing results immediately before startingon the PPF diet, before consumption of wine, 8 h after or 24h after wine consumption. The hydrogen peroxide-induced micronucleatedcell frequency in cells incubated with plasma from blood collected3 h after wine consumption was intermediate to that observedfor plasma after 1 and 8 h after wine intake. The protectiveeffect of plasma against DNA damage cannot be readily explainedby the red wine content of phenolic compounds because resultsfor red wine were similar to those for white wine even thoughwhite wine had a much lower level of total polyphenols. A possibleexplanation could be that alcohol, glycerol and ascorbate inwine together with specific wine phenolic compounds that arealso equally present in red and white wine (e.g. hydroxycinnamates)may have contributed to the observed protection of nuclear materialfrom hydrogen peroxide-derived reactive oxygen metabolites.This explanation is supported by data from in vitro experimentsshowing that incubation of lymphocytes either with alcohol orwine stripped of phenolic compounds resulted in a statisticallysignificant (P < 0.05) dose-related reduction (up to 87%reduction) in hydrogen peroxide-induced micronucleated cellfrequency. ³To whom correspondence should be addressed     

Superoxide dismutase protects cells from DNA damage induced by trivalent methylated arsenicals

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) catalyzes the conversion of superoxide to hydrogen peroxide. Heterozygous mice of strain B6;129S7‐Sod1^tm1Leb/J were obtained from Jackson Laboratories and bred to produce offspring that were heterozygous (+/Sod1^tm1Leb), homozygous wild‐type (+/+), and homozygous knockout (Sod1^tm1Leb/Sod1^tm1Leb) for the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Sod1) gene. Splenocytes from these mice were exposed to several concentrations of either sodium arsenite (As3 [0–200 μM]), monomethylarsonous acid (MMA3 [0–10 μM]), or dimethylarsinous acid (DMA3 [0–10 μM]) for 2 hr. Cells were then examined for DNA damage using the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis assay. Methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) was used as a positive control. Splenocytes from each of the three genotypes for Sod1 were equally sensitive to MMS and As3. However, at equimolar concentrations, DMA3 and MMA3 produced significantly more DNA damage in the homozygous knockout mouse splenocytes than in the splenocytes from the wild‐type or heterozygous mice. These findings suggest that superoxide is involved either directly or indirectly in producing DNA damage in cells exposed to trivalent methylated arsenicals. These arsenicals may generate reactive oxygen species that damage DNA. This DNA damage may be a key factor in initiating cancer in vivo. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2011. Published 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Thalidomide protects against ischemic neuronal damage induced by focal cerebral ischemia in mice

We aimed to examine whether thalidomide might inhibit the neuronal damage resulting from focal cerebral ischemia, and if so to explore the neuroprotective mechanism. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in mice, and thalidomide was intraperitoneally administered a total of three times (at 10 min before, just before, and 1 h after MCAO). Thalidomide significantly reduced (a) the infarct area and volume at 24 and 72 h after MCAO and (b) the neurological score at 72 h after MCAO. Brains were also histochemically assessed for apoptosis and lipid peroxidation using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining and an antibody recognizing 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), respectively. Thalidomide reduced both the number of TUNEL-positive cells and the oxidative damage. However, post-treatment of thalidomide [20 mg/kg, three times (at just after, 1 h after, 3 h after MCAO)] did not reduce the infarct volume. In an in vitro study, we examined the effects of thalidomide on lipid peroxidation in mouse brain homogenates and on the production of various radical species. Thalidomide inhibited both the lipid peroxidation and the production of H₂O₂ and O₂ · ⁻ (but not HO⁻) radicals. We also measured the brain concentration of TNF-α by ELISA. The TNF-α level in the brain was significantly increased at 9–24 h after MCAO. However, thalidomide did not reduce the elevated TNF-α level at either 12 or 24 h after MCAO. These findings indicate that thalidomide has neuroprotective effects against ischemic neuronal damage in mice, and that an inhibitory action of thalidomide against oxidative stress may be partly responsible for these neuroprotective effects.     

红藻氨酸诱导PC12细胞凋亡及阿魏酸对神经元的保护作用

 目的： 探讨阿魏酸(ferulic acid, FA)对红藻氨酸(kainic acid, KA)诱导的PC12细胞凋亡的作用及其机制。方法：采用50 μmol/L KA诱导PC12细胞凋亡建立阿尔茨海默病神经细胞模型,然后将处理后的PC12细胞分为KA模型组和KA＋FA (25、50和100 μmol/L)处理的低、中、高剂量组,同时设立正常对照组。采用MTT比色法检测PC12细胞的存活率;采用免疫细胞化学法观察PC12细胞中凋亡蛋白Bcl-2、Bax和细胞色素C (Cyt C)的表达;annexin Ⅴ+PI双染流式细胞术检测PC12的细胞凋亡率;蛋白免疫印记技术检测PC12细胞中Bcl-2、Bax和Cyt C的表达水平。结果：MTT法和免疫细胞化学检测显示,与正常组相比,模型组PC12细胞的存活率明显下降,且细胞中Bcl-2表达减少(P<0.01),而Bax和Cyt C表达升高,Bcl-2/Bax比值下降(P<0.01),流式细胞术检测细胞的凋亡率显示,模型组细胞的凋亡率显著上升(P<0.01)。蛋白印迹术检测显示,模型组细胞中Bcl-2表达量减少,Bax和Cyt C表达量升高,与正常组比较差异显著(均P<0.01)。当采用FA干预后,与模型组相比,25、50和100 μmol/L组细胞的存活率明显上升,细胞凋亡率减少,而且能增加Bcl-2阳性百分率和表达水平,明显减少Bax和Cyt C阳性百分率和表达水平,使Bcl-2/Bax比值增加 (P<0.05或P<0.01)。结论：KA在50 μmol/L时可明显诱导PC12发生凋亡,FA在25～100 μmol/L时能显著抑制KA诱导的PC12细胞凋亡,其神经保护机制可能是通过抑制Bax和Cyt C的表达,升高Bcl-2表达和Bcl-2/Bax比值,从而阻断内源性细胞凋亡通路而提高神经细胞的存活率。     

Inhibitors of iNOS protects PC12 cells against the apoptosis induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation

It has been shown that deletion of the gene encoding the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) results in a reduction of ischemia-induced apoptotic cell death, suggesting the detrimental role of iNOS. The signaling pathways by which iNOS mediates apoptotic cell death under ischemic conditions remain unclear. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of iNOS-mediated apoptotic cell death in ischemia may offer opportunities for potential therapeutic intervention. In the current study, undifferentiated rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells, exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) followed by reperfusion (adding back oxygen and glucose, OGD-R), were used as an in vitro model of ischemia. The iNOS expression and activity were increased during OGD-R. OGD-R-induced apoptosis was demonstrated by the increase of LDH release, cytosolic release of cytochrome C and caspase-3 activity. Inhibition of iNOS activity by selective iNOS inhibitors, aminoguanidine and 1400W, reduces OGD-R-induced apoptotic cell death, as demonstrated by the decrease of LDH release, cytochrome C release, and caspase-3 activity. These results suggest the critical role of iNOS in mediating apoptosis under ischemic conditions, likely through the induction of caspase-3 activity.     

二十二碳六烯酸抑制氧化应激状态下人视网膜色素上皮细胞凋亡

 目的: 观察二十二碳六烯酸(docosahexaenoic acid,DHA)对外源性H₂O₂诱导人视网膜色素上皮细胞凋亡的影响及分子机制。方法: 体外培养人视网膜色素上皮细胞系ARPE-19,加入终浓度为12.5 mol/L的H₂O₂诱导氧化应激,随后用30~100μmol/L DHA作用细胞4~24 h;real-time PCR和Western blot分别检测血红素氧合酶-1(heme oxygenase-1,HO-1) mRNA和蛋白的表达;比色法分析HO-1酶活性;荧光探针检测活性氧簇(reactive oxygen species,ROS)的产生;免疫荧光检测转录因子NF-E2相关因子2(NF-E2-related factor 2,Nrf2)的核转位。最后通过HO-1 siRNA干扰后,流式细胞术观察其对ARPE-19细胞凋亡的影响。结果: DHA能以浓度依赖性方式诱导ARPE-19细胞表达HO-1 mRNA和蛋白,同时,HO-1的酶活性也随着DHA浓度的递增而增强;DHA处理也能诱导Nrf2核转位。此外,H₂O₂处理可促进ARPE-19细胞凋亡,并诱导其产生ROS。同时给予100μmol/L DHA处理后,细胞凋亡率和ROS生成显著降低。转染HO-1 siRNA或用HO-1抑制剂ZnPP处理后,可明显降低DHA对细胞凋亡率和ROS的抑制作用。结论: DHA可能通过Nrf2途径诱导视网膜色素上皮细胞表达HO-1,从而发挥对细胞的保护作用。     

GYY4137 protects against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury by attenuating oxidative stress and apoptosis in rats

Hydrogen sulfide（H₂S） is a gasotransmitter that regulates cardiovascular functions.The present study aimed to determine the protective effect of slow-releasing H₂S donor GYY4137 on myocardial ischemia and reperfusion（I/R） injury and to investigate the possible signaling mechanisms involved.Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with GYY4137 at 12.5 mg/（kg·day）,25 mg/（kg·day） or 50 mg/（kg·day） intraperitoneally for7 days.Then,rats were subjected to 30 minutes of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion followed by reperfusion for 24 hours.We found that GYY4137 increased the cardiac ejection fraction and fractional shortening,reduced the ischemia area,alleviated histological injury and decreased plasma creatine kinase after myocardial I/R.Both H₂S concentration in plasma and cystathionine-γ-lyase（CSE） activity in the myocardium were enhanced in the GYY4137 treated groups.GYY4137 also decreased malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase levels in serum,attenuated superoxide anion level and suppressed phosphorylation of mitogen activated protein kinases in the myocardium after I/R.Meanwhile,GYY4137 increased the expression of Bcl-2 but decreased the expression of Bax,caspase-3 activity and apoptosis in the myocardium.The data suggest that GYY4137 protects against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury by attenuating oxidative stress and apoptosis.     

Alpinia protocatechuic acid protects against oxidative damage in vitro and reduces oxidative stress in vivo

In this study, the neuroprotective effects of Alpinia protocatechuic acid (PCA), a phenolic compound isolated from the dried fruits of Alpinia Oxyphylla Miq. was found. The protective effect of Alpinia PCA against H₂O₂-induced oxidative damage on PC12 cells was investigated by measuring cell viability via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays. Rats were injected intraperitoneally with Alpinia PCA at a dose of 5 mg/kg per day for 7 days, behavioral testing was performed in Y-maze. In order to make clear the neuroprotective mechanism of Alpinia PCA, the activities of endogenous antioxidants and the content of lipid peroxide in brain were assayed. The results proved that Alpinia PCA significantly prevented the H₂O₂-induced reduction in cell survival, improved the cognition of aged rats, reduced the content of lipid peroxide, increased the activity of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. All these suggested that Alpinia PCA was a potential neuroprotective agent and its neuroprotective effects were achieved at least partly by promoting endogenous antioxidant enzymatic activities and inhibiting free radical generation.     

Insulin protects against hepatocyte ultrastructural damage induced by type 1 diabetes mellitus in rats

Diabetic complications that affect vital organs such as the heart and liver represent a major public health concern. The potential protective effects of the hormone insulin against hepatocyte ultrastructural alterations induced secondary to type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in a rat model of the disease have not been investigated before. Therefore, rats were injected once with 65 mg/kg streptozotocin (T1DM group) and the protection group (T1DM+Ins) received a daily injection of insulin 48 h post diabetic induction by streptozotocin and continued until being sacrificed at week 8. The harvested liver tissues were examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and blood samples were assayed for biomarkers of liver injury enzyme, glycemia, lipidemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress. TEM images showed that T1DM induced profound hepatocyte ultrastructural alterations as demonstrated by pyknotic nucleus, condensation of chromatin, irregular nuclear membrane, swollen mitochondria, dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, damaged intercellular space, and accumulation of few lipid droplets inside the hepatocyte cytoplasm, which were substantially protected with insulin. In addition, the blood chemistry profile complements the TEM data as demonstrated by an increase in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), dyslipidemia, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and malondialdehyde (MDA) by T1DM that were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced with insulin injections. Thus, we conclude that insulin effectively protects against T1DM-induced liver injury in rats for a period of 8 weeks, possibly due to the inhibition of inflammation, oxidative stress, and dyslipidemia.     

Chlorpyrifos-induced DNA damage in rat liver and brain

Chlorpyrifos (O,O'-diethyl-O-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl phosphorothionate, CPF) is a broad spectrum organophosphate pesticide used to control a variety of pests. The present study was undertaken to test the in vivo genotoxic potential of CPF in rats, using the single cell gel electrophoresis (or comet) assay. The rats were administered 50 mg and 100 mg CPF/kg body weight daily for 1, 2, and 3 days as well as 1.12 mg and 2.24 mg CPF/kg body weight for 90 days. The level of DNA damage was estimated by scoring 100 cells per animal, dividing into five types: types 0, I, II, III, and IV. The results clearly indicate that exposure to CPF, acutely or chronically, caused a dose-dependent increase in DNA damage in the liver and brain of rats. From the present study, it can be concluded that CPF exhibits genotoxic potential in vivo.     

Serotonin protects NK cells against oxidatively induced functional inhibition and apoptosis.

High concentrations of the neurotransmitter serotonin can be found in inflamed and ischemic peripheral tissues, but the role of serotonin in immunoregulation is largely unknown. Here we report that serotonin protected human natural-killer (NK) cells from oxidatively induced inhibition inflicted by autologous monocytes in vitro. Serotonin protected NK cells from monocyte-mediated apoptosis and suppression of cytotoxicity and maintained the activation of NK cells induced by interleukin-2 despite the presence of inhibitory monocytes. A detailed analysis of these protective effects revealed that serotonin scavenged reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived from the H(2)O(2)-myeloperoxidase (-MPO) system. Serotonin shared this scavenger activity with its precursor, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP); however, serotonin was >10-fold more potent than 5-HTP in protecting NK cells against functional inhibition and apoptosis. We propose that serotonin, by scavenging peroxidase-derived ROS, may serve to protect NK cells from oxidative damage at inflammatory sites.