Rapid microassays of phagocytosis, bacterial killing, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production by human neutrophils in vitro

Simple, rapid microassays for simultaneous measurement of phagocytosis, bacterial killing, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production by human neutrophils in vitro are described. All assays employ 96-well flat bottom tissue culture plates which were incubated on a microtitre plate shaker at 37 degrees C. The separate evaluation of ingestion and intracellular killing of E. coli and S. aureus was based on the incorporation of [3H]uridine into viable extracellular bacteria. There was good correlation between plate counts of viable bacteria and amount of radiolabel incorporation. Phagocytosis and killing can be measured in a maximum of 100 microliter reaction mixture, requiring only 2.5 X 10(5) neutrophils per test and the assay is complete within 60 min. Assay of superoxide production by stimulated neutrophils was based on superoxide-dependent reduction of ferricytochrome c as measured spectrophotometrically at 550 nm in wells of tissue culture plates containing 150 microliter of reaction mixture. The assay requires only 1.25 X 10(5) neutrophils per test and is complete within 50 min. Quantitation of hydrogen peroxide was based on horseradish peroxidase-dependent oxidation of phenol red. The technique is as for superoxide detection except that the reaction must be terminated by the addition of 1 M NaOH at the desired time intervals. None of the assays require sampling during the incubation period. The principal advantages of the described techniques are increased simplicity and speed, requirement of low numbers of neutrophils and applicability to analysis of large number of samples in parallel.     

A comparative study of the proteolytic enzymes of Trypanosoma brucei, T. equiperdum, T. evansi, T. vivax, Leishmania tarentolae and Crithidia fasciculata

Four types of proteolytic activity were detected in the bloodstream form of each of the four Trypanosoma species: (i) HPAase, active on hide powder azure and detected on polyacrylamide gels containing denatured haemoglobin; (ii) AZCase, active on azocasein; (iii) type 1, active on the chromogenic peptide N-benzoyl-L-prolyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginine p-nitroanilide in the presence of dithiothreitol, and (iv) type 2, active against several nitroanilide derivatives in the absence of dithiothreitol. Studies of the pH optimum, dithiothreitol requirement and inhibitor sensitivities of the proteolytic activities suggested that: (a) HPAase and type 1 activities could be due to the same enzymes, probably a family of cysteine proteinases; (b) AZCase had some characteristics of a cysteine proteinase, but was not identical to HPAase, and (c) type 2 activity could be due to a serine proteinase. Procyclic T. brucei contained relatively low cysteine proteinase activities (HPAase, AZCase and type 1) but high type 2 activity. Their proteolytic enzymes thus were apparently more similar to those in Crithidia fasciculata and Leishmania tarentolae promastigotes than those in T. brucei bloodstream forms.     

萝摩甙抗自由基损伤作用的实验研究

目的:探讨萝摩甙对自由基所致脑损伤的神经元保护作用及机制。方法:复制脑缺血模型及H₂O₂诱导神经元损伤模型,分别测定大鼠脑组织、培养神经元中的丙二醛(MDA)含量以及培养神经元中的乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)漏出率、DNA断裂率和羟自由基清除率,观察萝摩甙对损伤神经元的保护作用。结果:萝摩甙可明显降低脑缺血造成的MDA的升高,亦可明显降低H₂O₂对神经元造成的LDH漏出率、DNA断裂率增加和丙二醛含量的升高,而且随着萝摩甙浓度的升高羟自由基清除率明显升高。结论:萝摩甙可通过清除自由基来保护神经元。     

654—2对家兔红细胞膜Na^＋—K^＋—ATPase活性及血浆LPO含量的影响

日本大耳兔9只,其中6～8月龄5只,2～2.5年龄4只。均喂以2％654-2溶液1ml/天(即20mg)共43天。结果不分年龄统计,LPO含最下降0.827±1.048 nmol/ml(P<0.05)。Na~+-K~+-ATPase活性增加0.057±0.074μmol Pi/mg pro/hr(P<0.05)。认为654-2可能有抗衰老作用,并与普鲁卡因比较,讨论了其降低LPO的可能途径。     

Hydrogen peroxide mediates damage by xanthine and xanthine oxidase in cerebellar granule neuronal cultures

The free radical-generating system of xanthine and xanthine oxidase is commonly used experimentally as a source of superoxide anion, which can produce oxidative stress, leading to cellular damage and death. Models of oxidative stress are important in elucidating pathologies associated with increased levels of reactive oxygen species, including stroke and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. We therefore, examined the effect of the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system on the viability of postnatal cerebellar granule neurones obtained from 8-day old Sprague–Dawley rat pups. Xanthine (100 μM) and xanthine oxidase (0.02 U/ml) applied for 1 or 6 h reduced the viability of cells at 8 div assessed using the alamar blue assay, and induced morphological changes, such as shrinkage of the cell bodies and neurites. Heat-inactivation of xanthine oxidase resulted in complete loss of its activity. Superoxide dismutase (250 U/ml) failed to modify the damage by xanthine and xanthine oxidase, while catalase (250 U/ml) completely prevented it. When applied alone, xanthine oxidase significantly lowered cell viability, an effect that was blocked by allopurinol and catalase, but not by superoxide dismutase. The results indicate that xanthine and xanthine oxidase can produce predominantly hydrogen peroxide instead of the superoxide anion. Cerebellar granule cells in culture may also possess significant levels of endogenous xanthine.     

管花苷B对抗H2O2诱导的PC12细胞凋亡

目的：观察肉苁蓉提取物管花苷B对H₂O₂诱导的PC12细胞损伤的影响。方法：用MTT法检测细胞存活率，以激光共聚焦显微镜荧光染色法检测细胞内活性氧的产生和线粒体膜电位的变化，DNA琼脂糖凝胶电泳和流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡的发生，并用荧光酶标仪测定caspase-3的活性。结果：100 μmol·L^-1 H₂O₂处理细胞24 h显著降低细胞的存活率；诱导细胞发生凋亡，凋亡率达48.0％；细胞内活性氧水平及caspase-3的活性显著升高；而线粒体膜电位却明显降低，红/绿荧光强度的比值由正常的5.97降低为0.41左右。而预先给予1、10或100 mg·L^-1浓度的管花苷B处理细胞12 h，可显著提高细胞存活率；并可有效抑制DNA ladder的发生；流式细胞仪检测凋亡率分别降低到30.9%、18.3%和6.2%；激光共聚焦显微镜结果显示管花苷B可明显降低细胞内活性氧的水平；并可逐渐恢复线粒体的高能量状态；caspase-3的活性不断降低，并呈现了一定的剂量依赖性。结论：管花苷B能显著地抑制H₂O₂诱导的PC12细胞凋亡，其神经细胞保护作用可能与其降低细胞内活性氧水平，维持线粒体膜电位的高能状态和抑制caspase-3的活性有关。     

Is there a role of taurine bromamine in inflammation? Interactive effects with nitrite and hydrogen peroxide

Objective and Design: The myeloperoxidase system of neutrophils generates chlorinating and brominating oxidants in vivo. The major haloamines of the system are taurine chloramine (TauCl) and taurine bromamine (TauBr). It has been demonstrated in vitro that TauCl exerts both antiinflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Much less is known about TauBr. The present study was conducted to compare bactericidal and immunoregulatory capacity of TauBr with that of the major chlorinating oxidants: HOCl and TauCl. Moreover, the effect of nitrites and H₂O₂ on TauBr activity was investigated.Materials: TauBr was prepared by reaction of HOBr with taurine. The reaction was monitored by UV absorption spectra.Methods: Bactericidal activity of TauBr, TauCl and HOCl was tested by incubation of E. coli with the compounds and determined by the pour-plate method. To test the anti-inflammatory activity the compounds were incubated with LPS and IFN- stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages. The production of following mediators was measured: nitrites by Griess reaction; TNF-, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40 using capture ELISA. In some experiments the compounds were incubated with either nitrites or H₂O₂.Results: In our experimental set-up TauBr and HOCl exerted strong bactericidal effects on E. coli (MBC = 110 M and 8 M, respectively), while TauCl (< 1000 M) did not kill test bacteria. However, both, TauBr and TauCl, at noncytotoxic concentrations (< 300 M) inhibited the cytokine and nitric oxide production by macrophages. H₂O₂ completely abolished the biological activities of TauBr but not those of TauCl. Nitrites did not affect any activity of TauBr or TauCl while they diminished the HOCl^– mediated bacterial killing.Conclusion: TauBr, despite very low concentration of Br^– in body fluids, may support TauCl and HOCl in the regulation of inflammatory response and in killing of bacteria by neutrophils. However, TauBr activity in vivo will depend on the presence of H₂O₂ and possible other mediators of inflammation which can compete with target molecules for TauBr.Received 16 August 2004; returned for revision 16 September 2004; accepted by A. Falus 13 October 2004     

Changes in activity of superoxide dismutase in the human endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and in early pregnancy

To investigate the possible role of the superoxide radical andits scavenging system in the human endometrium, the immunohistochemicaldistribution of superoxide dismutase (SOD), activities of SODand lipid peroxide concentrations were studied in the humanendometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and in early pregnancy.The endometrial epithelium showed a positive immunostainingfor Cu, Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD throughout the entire menstrual cycleand in early pregnancy. In the stroma, weak immunostaining forCu, Zn-SOD and moderate immunostaining for Mn-SOD were observedin the predecidual cells in the late secretory phase. Decidualcells in early pregnancy showed strong immunostaining for Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD. Total SOD activity in theendometrium increasedfrom early proliferative phase to mid-late proliferative phaseand further increased in the mid-secretory phase, and decreasedin the late secretory phase. The total SOD activity in the endometriumofearly pregnancy was the same level as that in the mid-secretoryphase. Cu, Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD activitieschanged in a similarmanner to total SOD activity throughout the menstrual cycleand in early pregnancy. Lipid peroxide concentration in theendometrium increased from early proliferative phase to mid-lateproliferativephase and further increased in the late secretoryphase. However, lipid peroxide concentration in theendometriumof early pregnancy was the same as that in the midsecretoryphase. These results suggested thatthe superoxide radical andits scavenging system may play an important role in the regulationof humanendometrial function.     

EGCG对过氧化氢所致神经元过氧化损伤的保护作用

目的研究表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酚(EGCG)对过氧化氢(H2O2)所致神经元过氧化损伤的保护作用。方法分离胚胎18d大鼠大脑皮质神经元,原代培养2d后分为4组:①正常细胞对照组;②药物对照组(正常细胞内加EGCG);③氧化损伤组(正常细胞内加H2O2);④损伤后药物治疗组(氧化损伤30min后加入EGCG)。各组细胞再培养36h后,进行神经元形态观察、细胞活性MTT分析及细胞中丙二醛(MDA)含量的检测。结果氧化损伤组神经元多崩解成碎片,突起不完整,细胞活性显著降低,MDA含量显著升高。而在损伤后药物治疗组,神经元胞体立体感较强,多数突起完整。细胞活性显著增高,而MDA含量则显著下降。结论EGCG可抑制羟基自由基的产生,从而保护H2O2氧化损害的神经     

活性氧对红细胞膜流动性影响的研究

目的 :研究活性氧诱导红细胞发生氧化溶血的机制。方法 :用不同浓度的 H2 O2 作用于离体正常红细胞 ,分别用比色法、硫代巴比妥酸荧光法、荧光偏振法测定红细胞溶血度、红细胞膜脂质过氧化物 (L PO)、红细胞膜微粘度。结果 :5 0 ,10 0 ,12 0 mm ol/ L 浓度的 H2 O2 作用于红细胞后 ,均引起红细胞发生氧化溶血 ,红细胞溶血度、红细胞膜 L PO、红细胞膜微粘度均明显增加 ;H2 O2 在 5 0～ 12 0 mm ol· L- 1浓度范围内 ,红细胞溶血度、红细胞膜 L PO、红细胞膜微粘度的增加与 H2 O2 有明显的量效关系 ;红细胞膜微粘度与红细胞溶血度呈明显正相关 ,红细胞膜 L PO与红细胞膜微粘度呈明显正关。结论 :活性氧引发红细胞膜脂质过氧化导致红细胞膜流动性降低在活性氧诱导红细胞发生氧化溶血的机制中起一定的作用