缺氧大鼠肺组织氧化／抗氧化平衡的变化及其与TXA_2／PGI_2平衡的关系

检测缺氧大鼠肺组织丙二醛（ＭＤＡ）、超氧化物歧化酶（ＳＯＤ）和过氧化氢酶（ＣＡＴ）含量以及血浆ＴＸＡ＿２和ＰＧＩ＿２浓度，以探讨氧自由基（ＯＦＲ）及ＴＸＡ＿－ＰＧＩ＿２在缺氧性肺动脉高压中的作用。结果表明：与对照组比较缺氧大鼠肺组织ＭＤＡ明显升高、ＳＯＤ、ＣＡＴ明显降低，ＶｉｔＥ可逆转ＭＤＡ和ＳＯＤ的变化；缺氧大鼠血浆ＴＸＢ＿２高于对照组，其浓度与肺组织ＭＤＡ含量呈正相关（ｒ＝０．６５．Ｐ＜０．０５）。以上结果提示，ＯＦＲ与ＴＸＡ＿２／ＰＲＩ＿２平衡失调相互作用，可能共同参与缺氧性肺动脉高压的发生。

Protective Role of Ca Against NaCl Toxicity in Jerusalem Artichoke by Up-Regulation of Antioxidant Enzymes

The ameliorative effect of external Ca^2＋ on Jerusalem artichoke （Helianthus tuberosus L.） under salt stress was studied through biochemical and physiological analyses of Jerusalem artichoke seedlings treated with or without 10 mol L^-1 CaCl2, 150 mmol L^-1 NaCl, and/or 5 mmol L^-1 ethylene-bis（oxyethylenenitrilo）-tetraacetic acid （EGTA） for five days. Exposure to NaC1 （150 mmol L^-1） decreased growth, leaf chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic rate of Jerusalem artichoke seedlings. NaC1 treatment showed 59% and 37% higher lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage, respectively, than the control. The activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, peroxidase （POD）, and catalase （CAT） were decreased by NaCl, indicating an impeded antioxidant defense mechanism of Jerusalem artichoke grown under salt stress. Addition of 10 mmol L^-1 CaCl2 to the salt solutions significantly decreased the damaging effect of NaC1 on growth and chlorophyll content and simultaneously restored the rate of photosynthesis almost to the level of the control. Ca^2＋ addition decreased the leaf malondialdehyde （MDA） content and electrolyte leakage from NaCl-treated seedlings by 47% and 24%, respectively, and significantly improved the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT in NaCl-treated plants. Addition of EGTA, a specific chelator of Ca2＋, decreased the growth, chlorophyll content, and photosynthesis, and increased level of MDA and electrolyte leakage from NaCl-treated plants and from the control plants. EGTA addition to the growth medium also repressed the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT in NaCl-treated and control seedlings. External Ca2＋ might protect Jerusalem artichoke against NaC1 stress by up-regulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes and thereby decreasing the oxidative stress.

Stress Responses to Rapid Temperature Changes of the Juvenile Sea Cucumber(Apostichopus japonicus Selenka)

Activities of hexokinase （HK）, pyruvate kinase （PK）, superoxide dismutase （SOD） and catalase （CAT） and Hsp70 level were measured to evaluate the response of the commercially important sea cucumber （Apostichopus japonicus Selenka） to rapid temperature changes in laboratory. Animals were subjected to a higher temperature （from 10 to 20℃） （Tinc treatment） or to a lower temperature （from 20 to 10℃） （Tddec treatment） for 72 h. At 1, 3, 12, 24, 72 h of exposure, animals were removed and prepared for further analysis. Results showed that the effect of acute temperature changes on enzyme activities was significant. In Tinc treatment, activities of SOD and CAT increased immediately. The significant enhancement of SOD and CAT activities suggested that oxidative stress increases significantly when ambient temperature increasing from 10 to 20℃. The up-regulation of Flsp70 in Tinc and Tdec treatments indicated that Hsp70 was a bioindicator of thermal stress in the sea cucumber, and the expression pattern depended on the thermal treatment.

Science Letters:Alterations in seedling vigour and antioxidant enzyme activities in Catharanthus roseus under seed priming with native diazotrophs

An experiment was conducted on Catharanthus roseus to study the effect of seed treatments with native diazotrophs on its seedling growth and antioxidant enzyme activities. The treatments had significant influence on various seedling parameters. There is no significant influence on dry matter production with the diazotrophs, Azospirillum and Azotobacter. However, the vital seedling parameters such as germination percentage and vigour index were improved. Azotobacter treatment influenced maximum of 50% germination, whereas Azospirillum and Azotobacter were on par with C. roseus with respect to their vigour index. There was significant difference in the population of total diazotrophs. Azospirillum and Azotobacter between rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of C. roseus had the same trend and were observed at various locations of the study. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX) and catalase (CAT) were increased to a significant extent due to the treatment with diazotrophs.

Antioxidant enzyme activities in different genders and tissues of amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense

Information regarding antioxidant enzymes in amphioxus remains lacking, and this study was carried out to examine the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in different genders and tissues of amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense. Results show that (1) CuZn-SOD, CAT and GPX activities in the whole amphioxus B. belcheri tsing- tauense were basically at the same levels in male and female amphioxus, whereas both T-SOD and Mn-SOD activities in male amphioxus were significantly higher than that in the female (P<0.05); (2) The testis had significantly higher T-SOD and CuZn-SOD activities than the ovary (P<0.05); (3) CuZn-SOD activity was undetectable in the guts of male and female amphioxus; (4) For both male and female am- phioxus, the activities of CAT and GPX in the gonads including testis and ovary were the lowest (P<0.05) among the tissues examined; (5) The gut and gill had the same level GPX activities while the gut had a higher CAT activity; (6) There was no clear difference in CAT and GPX activities in the corresponding tissues between male and female amphioxus. The study on SOD, CAT and GPX activities in different genders and tissues of the protochordate provides data for future comparison of amphioxus antioxidant enzymes with those of invertebrates and vertebrates.

Effects of Shenmai Injection on Blood SOD Activity and MDA Level in Senile Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

In order to approach the effects of Shenmai Injection on SOD activity and MDA level in the senile patients with coronary heart disease, 48 cases, who had stenosis of over 70% in more than one branches of the coronary arteries, were assigned randomly into a treatment group (given Shenmai Injection plus the routine treatment) and a control group (given the routine treatment only). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were determined before treatment and at the end of a 3-week treatment. The results showed that in the treatment group, the SOD activity was significantly increased (P＜0.05) and the MDA level markedly decreased (P＜0.01) in the treatment group. It can be concluded that Shenmai Injection may enhance the antioxidant ability of the senile patients with coronary heart disease.

Effects of α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation in preslaughter diet on antioxidant enzyme activities and fillet quality of commercial-size Sparus macrocephalus

This study examined the effects of dietary α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation on antioxidant enzyme activities and fillet quality in commercial-size Sparus macrocephalus. Three hundred fish [main initial weight （350±12） g] were divided into three groups （E250, E500 and El000） and reared in 9 cages. The fish were fed for 8 weeks with three diets containing different levels of dietary α-tocopheryl acetate （289, 553, 1069 mg/kg）. Over the experimental period, fish were fed to satiation and reached a final mean weight of （465±28） g without significant body weight difference and proximate composition difference. Fillet α-tocopherol was significantly （P〈0.05） different between groups, reaching levels of 14.2, 22.1, 30.9 pg/mg fillet for groups E250, E500 and El000, respectively. Total serum superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity increased significantly （P〈0.05） in fish fed the diets high in α-tocopheryl acetate, but serum glutathione peroxidase （GPX） activity was unaffected. In storage on ice, fillets of fish fed the diets high in α-tocopheryl acetate exhibited significantly lower （P〈0.05） levels of oxidation. These results suggested that increased dietary α-tocopheryl acetate could increase its flesh deposition, increase the activity of SOD and prevent lipid peroxidation ofSparus macrocephalus fillets in retail storage on ice.

Antioxidant and isozyme features of two strains of Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyceae)

Healthy sporophytes of two gametophyte mutants of Laminariajaponica with different heat resistances： kelp 901 （901, with comparatively stronger heat-resistance） and Rongcheng No. I （RC, sensitive to heat stress）, were respectively collected during October to December 2002 from Yantai and Rongcheng Sea Farm in the Shandong Peninsula of China. The contents of some biochemical materials and antioxidant capacity were analyzed under controlled laboratory conditions to identify if there is any relation between the overall antioxidant capacity and the heat-resistance in L. japonica and to understand possible mechanism of heat-resistance. Results show that： （1） the overall antioxidant capacity in healthy sporophyte of 901, such as vitamin E, polyphenol, and ascorbic acid contents and the enzymatic activity of SOD, POD, CAT, Gpx, PPO, and PAL, were not always higher than that of RC under controlled laboratory conditions, and no significance （P〉0.05） was shown in total antioxidant capacity （T-AOC） in 901 and RC. Result suggested that the difference in antioxidant capacity was not a decisive factor for different heat-resistances in L. japonica; （2） the simultaneous assay on isozymes was carried out using vertical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis （PAGE）. Considerable differences in peroxide （PRX）, malate dehydrogenase （MDH）, malic enzyme （ME）, polyphenol oxidase （PPO） and glutamate dehydrogenase （GDH） were obtained in 901 and RC from either the band number, relative mobility （Rf）, or staining intensity, and ME could be used as an indicator to distinguish healthy sporophyte of 901 and RC under controlled laboratory conditions.

Antioxidant role of heme oxygenase-1 in prehepatic portal hypertensive rats

AIM： To study the effect of bilirubin on the oxidative liver status and the activity and expression of heine oxygenase-1 （HO-1） in rat liver injury induced by prehepatic portal hypertension. METHODS： Wistar male rats, weighing 200-250 g, were divided at random into two groups： one group with prehepatic portal hypertension （PH） induced by regulated prehepatic portal vein ligation （PPVL） and the other group corresponded to sham operated rats. Portal pressure, oxidative stress parameters, antioxidant enzymes, HO-1 activity and expression and hepatic sinusoidal vasodilatation were measured. RESULTS： In PPVL rats oxidative stress was evidenced by a marked increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances （TBARS） content and a decrease in reduced glutathione （GSH） levels. The activities of liver antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT） and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） were also diminished while activity and expression of HO-1 were enhanced. Administration of bilirubin （5μmol/kg body weight） 24 h before the end of the experiment entirely prevented all these effects. Pretreatment with Sn-protoporphyrin IX （Sn-PPIX） （100 μg/kg body weight, i.p.）, a potent inhibitor of HO, completely abolished the oxidative stress and provoked a slight decrease in liver GSH levels as well as an increase in lipid peroxidation. Besides, carbon monoxide, another heme catabolic product, induced a significant increase in sinusoidal hepatic areas in PPVL group. Pretreatment of PPVL rats with Sn-PPIX totally prevented this effect CONCLUSION： These results suggest a beneficial role of HO-1 overexpression in prehepatic portal hypertensive rats.

Exacerbation of inflammatory bowel disease by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors:Fact or fiction?

The existence of a possible link between inflammatory bowel disease （IBD） and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs （NSAIDs） has been repeatedly suggested. Recently, a few studies have addressed the issue of a possible, similar effect by selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors （COXIBs）. The present article reviews the available scientific evidence for this controversial subject.

The Toxic Mechanism of High Lethality of Herbicide Butachlor in Marine Flatfish Flounder,Paralichthys olivaceus

The toxic mechanism of herbicide butachlor to induce extremely high lethality in marine flatfish flounder, Paralichthys Olivaceus, was analyzed by histopathological examination, antioxidant enzymes activities and ATP content assay. Histopathological examination of gill, liver and kidney of exposed fishes showed that gill was a target organ of butachlor. The butachlor seriously impaired the respiration of gills by a series of lesions such as edema, lifting and detachment of lamellar epithelium, breakdown of pillar cells, and blood congestion. The dysfunction of gill respiration caused suffocation to the exposed flounder with extremely high acute lethality. Antioxidant enzyme activity assay of the in vitro cultured flounder gill （FG） ceils exposed to butachlor indicated that butachlor markedly inhibited the antioxidant enzyme activities of Superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT） and glutathione peroxidase （GPX）. Furthermore, along with the decline of antioxidant enzyme activities, ATP content in the exposed FG cells decreased, too. This infers that the oxidative stress induced by butachlor can inhibit the production of cellular ATP. Similar decrease of ATP content was also observed in the exposed flounder gill tissues. Taken together, as in FG cells, butachlor possibly induced a short supply of ATP in pillar cells by inhibiting the antioxidant enzyme activities and then affecting the contractibility of the pillar cells, which in turn resulted in the blood congestion and suffocation of exposed flounder.

Dietary supplementation of some antioxidants against hypoxia

The present study aims to clarify the protective effect of supplementation with some antioxidants,such as idebenone(200 mg/kg,ip),melatonin(10 mg/kg,ip) and arginine(200 mg/kg,ip) and their combination,on liver function(T.protein,albumin,alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase),energetic parameters(adenosine triphosphate,adenosine diphosphate,adenosine monophosphate,inorganic phosphate,total adenylate,adenylate energy charge and potential phosphate).The effect on glycolytic and glycogenolytic enzymes(glucose,glycogen,glycogen phosphorylase,pyruvate kinase and phosphofructokinase against hypoxia) was also studied.The drugs were administered 24 and 1 h prior sodium nitrite intoxication.All biochemical parameters were estimated 1 h after sodium nitrite injection.Injection of sodium nitrite(75 mg/kg,sc) produced a significant disturbance in all biochemical parameters of liver function,energetic parameters and glycolytic and glycogenolytic enzymes.Hepatic damage was confirmed by histopathological examination of the liver as compared to controls.The marked changes in hepatic cells induced by sodium nitrite were completely abolished by pretreatment with the drug combination,suggesting potential protection against sodium nitrite-induced hypoxia.It could be concluded that a combination of both idebenone and melatonin or idebenone and arginine provides potential protection against sodium nitrite-induced hypoxia by improving biochemical parameters and preserving liver histology.

Antioxidant System of the Intertidal Mollusk Littorina kurila in Its Natural Habitat

Based on the theory of oxidative stress, it is believed that the induction of antioxidant components of the cellular defense system reflects the adaptive compensatory response of an organism aimed at overcoming stressful conditions. Therefore, this work concentrated on investigating the effect of the low and high tides on the antioxidant system of L. （Littorina） kurila and also compared the antioxidant parameters of two species of gastropods： intertidal--L, kurila and subtidal--L, squalida. The following parameters were evaluated in the hepatopancreas of mollusks： the activity of the antioxidant enzymes SOD （superoxide dismutase）, CAT （catalase）, and GR （glutathione reductase）, the production of ROS （reactive oxygen species）, and the levels of GSH （glutathione） and the lipid peroxidation product-MDA （malondialdehyde）. The results of this work indicate that the state of the antioxidant system of L. kurila reflected the adaptive capacity of the species in the changing environmental conditions.

Antimelanogenic effects of Inula britannica flower petal extract fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum KCCM 11613P

The inhibitory effects of Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented and non-fermented Inula britannica extracts on the tyrosinase activity were comparatively investigated to examine whether and how they improve the whitening activity, and the contents of total flavonoids and polyphenolics as bioactive compounds were determined. The skin whitening activity using in vitro or ex vivo tyrosinase and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine(L-DOPA) staining was examined. The total flavonoid content(TFC) was increased by 13.4% after 72h-fermentation. The viabilities of the B16F10 cells treated with the fermented and non-fermented control extracts were 100.26% and 92.15% at 500μg/ml, respectively. In addition, the inhibition of tyrosinase activity was increased by the fermented samples from 29.33% to 41.74% following fermentation for up to 72h. The tyrosinase activity of the untreated control group was increased to 145.69% in B16F10 cells. The results showed that I. britannica fermented by L. plantarum dose-dependently inhibited tyrosinase activity, which was stimulated by α-melanocyte stimulating hormone. These results suggest that lactic fermented I. britannica extracts can be used as effective skin-whitening materials.

Predator-induced physiological responses in tadpoles challenged with herbicide pollution

Predators induce plastic responses in multiple prey taxa, ranging from morphological to behavioral or physiological changes. In amphibians, tadpoles activate plastic responses to reduce predation risk by reducing their activity rate and altering their morphology, specifically tail depth and pigmentation. Furthermore, there is now evidence that tadpoles＇ defenses are modi- fied when predators combine with other stressful factors such as pollutants or competitors, but our knowledge on the physiologi- cal responses underlying these responses is still scarce. Here we study physiological responses in Pelobates cultripes tadpoles exposed to a natural predator （larvae of the aquatic beetle Dytiscus circumflexus）, non-lethal concentrations of herbicide （gly- phosate, 0.5 mg/L and 1.0 mg/L） or both factors combined. We measured corticosterone levels, standard metabolic rate, oxidative damage （TBARS） and activity of antioxidant enzymes, and immune response （via leukocyte count）. Tadpoles reduced their corti- costerone concentration by ca. 24% in the presence of predator cues, whereas corticosterone did not change in the presence of glyphosate. Two enzymes involved in antioxidant response also decreased in the presence of predators （14.7% and 13.2% respec- tively） but not to glyphosate. Herbicide, however, increased the number of neutrophils and reduced that of lymphocytes, and had an interaction effect with predator presence. Standard metabolic rate did not vary across treatments in our experiment. Thus we show a marked physiological response to the presence of predators but little evidence for interaction between predators and low levels of herbicide. Multiple assessment of the physiological state of animals is important to understand the basis and conse- quences ofphenotypic plasticity