To assess the toxicity of heavy metal pollution to marine intertidal shellfish, enzymatic responses and lipid peroxidation were investigated in the clam Mactra vereformis exposed to cadmium under laboratory conditions...To assess the toxicity of heavy metal pollution to marine intertidal shellfish, enzymatic responses and lipid peroxidation were investigated in the clam Mactra vereformis exposed to cadmium under laboratory conditions. Three antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione peroxidase, GPx), two immune defense enzymes (acid phosphatase, ACP; alkaline phosphatase, ALP), and one lipid peroxidation product (malondialdehyde, MDA) were measured in the gills and the hepatopancreas of the clam exposed to 0, 25, 75, and 125 μg/L cadmium for 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 d. The results show that the concentrations of antioxidant enzymes in the organs soared to a peak value on the first day and then decreased afterwards in most cases. CAT and GPx activities in the hepatopancreas were higher than in the gills, but the SOD activity was lower in the hepatopancreas. ACP activity was unchanged until Day 3 in the hepatopancreas and until Day 5 in gills, when it began to increase. ALP activity showed no significant relationship with Cd treatment. MDA concentrations increased in the two tissues after Cd exposure, peaked on Day 3 in gills, and on Day 5 in hepatopancreas. These observations show that changes in the activities of antioxidant enzymes and ACP reflect the time course of oxidative stress in the clam caused by Cd, and could be used as potential biomarkers for ecotoxicological bioassays of heavy metals.展开更多
We prepared the Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanoparticles(NPs)through a simple electrostatic self‐assembly method with a3:97weight ratio to investigate their Fenton,photo‐Fenton and oxidative functionalities besides photocatalytic...We prepared the Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanoparticles(NPs)through a simple electrostatic self‐assembly method with a3:97weight ratio to investigate their Fenton,photo‐Fenton and oxidative functionalities besides photocatalytic functionality.We observed an improvement of the Fenton and photo‐Fenton activities of the Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanocomposites.This improvement was attributed to efficient charge transfer between Fe3O4and g‐C3N4at the heterojunctions,inhibition of electron‐hole recombination,a high surface area,and stabilization of Fe3O4against leaching by the hydrophobic g‐C3N4.The obtained NPs showed a higher degradation potential for rhodamine B(RhB)dye than those of Fe3O4and g‐C3N4.As compared to photocatalysis,the efficiency of RhB degradation in the Fenton and photo‐Fenton reactions was increased by20%and90%,respectively.Additionally,the horseradish peroxidase(HRP)activity of the prepared nanomaterials was studied with3,3,5,5‐tetramethylbenzidinedihydrochloride(TMB)as a substrate.Dopamine oxidation was also examined.Results indicate that Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanocomposites offers more efficient degradation of RhB dye in a photo‐Fenton system compared with regular photocatalytic degradation,which requires a long time.Our study also confirmed that Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanocomposites can be used as a potential material for mimicking HRP owing to its high affinity for TMB.These findings suggest good potential for applications in biosensing and as a catalyst in oxidation reactions.展开更多
AIM: To investigate effects of iron on oxidative stress, heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) and hepatitis C viral (HCV) expression in human hepatoma ceils stably expressing HCV proteins. METHODS: Effects of iron on oxidat...AIM: To investigate effects of iron on oxidative stress, heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) and hepatitis C viral (HCV) expression in human hepatoma ceils stably expressing HCV proteins. METHODS: Effects of iron on oxidative stress, HMOX1, and HCV expression were assessed in CON1 cells. Measurements included mRNA by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and protein levels by Western blots. RESULTS: Iron, in the form of ferric nitrilotriacetate,increased oxidative stress and upegulated HMOX1 gene expression. Iron did not affect mRNA or protein levels of Bach1, a repressor of HMOXl. Silencing the up-regulation of HMOXl nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) by Nrf2-siRNA decreased FeNTA-mediated up-regulation of HMOXl mRNA levels. These iron effects were completely blocked by deferoxamine (DFO). Iron also significantly decreased levels of HCV core mRNA and protein by 80%-90%, nonstructural 5A mRNA by 90% and protein by about 50% in the Con1 full length HCV replicon cells, whereas DFO increased them. CONCLUSION: Excess iron up-regulates HMOXl and down-regulates HCV gene expression in hepatoma cells. This probably mitigates liver injury caused by combined iron overload and HCV infection.展开更多
AIM: To examine the relationships between γ -glutamyltransferase (GGT), alanine-aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate-aminotransferase (AST) and various metabolic parameters, C-reactive protein (CRP) and an oxidative stre...AIM: To examine the relationships between γ -glutamyltransferase (GGT), alanine-aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate-aminotransferase (AST) and various metabolic parameters, C-reactive protein (CRP) and an oxidative stress marker (nitrotyrosine, NT) in subjects without any metabolic abnormalities from a population-based sample.METHODS: Two hundred and five subjects with normal body mass index (BMI), glucose tolerance, and without any metabolic abnormality were studied out of 1339subjects, without known liver diseases, alcohol abuse or use of hepatotoxic drugs, who are representative of the 45-64 aged population of Asti (north-western Italy).RESULTS: In all patients metabolic parameters and hs-CRP levels linearly increase from the lowest to the highest ALT and GGT tertiles, while in subjects without metabolic abnormalities, there is a significant association between fasting glucose, uric acid, waist circumference,hs-CRP, triglyceride values, and GGT levels. In these subjects, male sex, higher hs-CRP and glucose levels are associated with GGT levels in a multiple regression model, after adjustments for multiple confounders.In the same model, median NT levels are significantly associated with the increasing GGT tertile (β = 1.06;95%CI 0.67-1.45), but not with the AST and ALT tertiles.In a multiple regression model, after adjusting for age,sex, BMI, waist, smoking, and alcohol consumption, both NT (β = 0.05; 95%CI 0.02-0.08) and hs-CRP levels (β =0.09; 95%CI 0.03-0.15) are significantly associated with fasting glycemia.CONCLUSION: GGT, an easy, universally standardized and available measurement, could represent an early marker of sub-clinical inflammation and oxidative stress in otherwise healthy individuals. Prospective studies are needed to establish if GGT could predict future diabetes in these subjects.展开更多
AIM:The generation of oxygen free radicals has been implicated in the pathogenesis of experimental pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to determine the role of oxygen free radicals in patients with acute pancreati...AIM:The generation of oxygen free radicals has been implicated in the pathogenesis of experimental pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to determine the role of oxygen free radicals in patients with acute pancreatitis. METHODS:The plasma levels of C-reactive protein(CRP), lipid peroxide(LPO),myeloperoxidase(MPO)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)were measured in 13 patients with acute pancreatitis and 14 healthy volunteers. RESULTS:Among the patients with acute pancreatitis,there were higher plasma levels of LPO and MPO and lower SOD activity in patients with severe pancreatitis than in those with mild pancreatitis.However,there was no significant difference in the serum marker of oxidative stress no matter what the etiology was.The LPO level was especially correlated with the concentration of serum CRP and CT severity index. CONCLUSION:The oxygen free radicals may be closely associated with inflammatory process and the severity of acute pancreatitis.Especially,the concentration of plasma LPO is a meaningful index for determining the severity of the disease.展开更多
Sea cucumbers are traditional marine food and Chinese medicine in Asia. The rapid expansion of sea cucumber market has resulted in various problems, such as commercial fraud and mislabeling. Conventionally, sea cucumb...Sea cucumbers are traditional marine food and Chinese medicine in Asia. The rapid expansion of sea cucumber market has resulted in various problems, such as commercial fraud and mislabeling. Conventionally, sea cucumber species could be distinguished by their morphological and anatomical characteristics; however, their identification becomes difficult when they are processed. The aim of this study was to develop a new convenient method of identifying and distinguishing sea cucumber species. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene(COI) was used to identifing five sea cucumber species(Apostichopus japonicus, Cucumaria frondosa, Thelenota ananas, Parastichopus californicus and Actinopyga lecanora). A 692 bp fragment of COI was searched for BamHI, KpnI, PstI, XbaI and Eco31 I restriction sites with DNAMAN 6.0, which were then used to PCR-RFLP analysis. These five sea cucumber species can be discriminated from mixed sea cucumbers. The developed PCR-RFLP assay will facilitate the identification of sea cucumbers, making their source tracing and quality controlling feasible.展开更多
Flooding/submergence of rice fields is a severe problem in South and South-East Asia, affecting more than 20 million hectares of rice every year. Submergence creates hypoxic or anoxic condition causing poor germinatio...Flooding/submergence of rice fields is a severe problem in South and South-East Asia, affecting more than 20 million hectares of rice every year. Submergence creates hypoxic or anoxic condition causing poor germination, seedling establishment,and enormous yield loss. Standing water in the field from weeks to months also leads to significant yield losses when large part of aerial tissues is under water. For flash flooding, a rice variety FR1A3 with tolerant gene(SUB1A) was identified. SNORKEL1 and SNORKEL2 have been identified for their ability to survive deep-water flooding by rapid elongation. Submergence stress has also been reported to adversely affect cell division and damage cellular and organelle membranes. Research on antioxidative enzymes response and genes that confer tolerance to prolonged flooding is in progress. Here we review the different anoxia responsive genes and the potential involvement of antioxidative enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase, which occur in cells of rice plant exposed to submergence stress.展开更多
AIM: To determine whether the carbon monoxide (CO)-releasing molecules (CORM)-Iiberated CO sup- press inflammatory responses in the small intestine of septic mice. METHODS: The C57BL/6 mice (male, n = 36; weigh...AIM: To determine whether the carbon monoxide (CO)-releasing molecules (CORM)-Iiberated CO sup- press inflammatory responses in the small intestine of septic mice. METHODS: The C57BL/6 mice (male, n = 36; weight 20±2 g) were assigned to four groups in three re- spective experiments. Sepsis in mice was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) (24 h). Tricarbonyl- dichlororuthenium (Ⅱ) dimer (CORM-2) (8 mg/kg, i. v.) was administrated immediately after induction of CLP. The levels of inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] in tis- sue homogenates were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the tissues were determined. The levels of nitric oxide (NO) in tissue homogenate were measured and the expression levels of intercellular adhesion mol- ecule 1 (ICAM-1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the small intestine were also assessed. NO and IL-8 levels in the supernatants were determined after the human adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2 was stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (10 g/mL) for 4 h in vitro. RESULTS: At 24 h after CLP, histological analysis showed that the ileum and jejunum from CLP mice in- duced severe edema and sloughing of the villous tips, as well as infiltration of inflammatory cells into the mu- cosa. Semi-quantitative analysis of histological samples of ileum and jejunum showed that granulocyte infil- tration in the septic mice was significantly increased compared to that in the sham group. Administration of CORM-2 significantly decreased granulocyte infiltration. At 24 h after CLP, the tissue MDA levels in the mid- ileum and mid-jejunum significantly increased com- pared to the sham animals (103.68 ± 23.88 nmol/ml vs 39.66 ± 8.23 nmol/mL, 89.66±9.98 nmol/mL vs 32.32 ± 7.43 nmol/mL, P 〈 0.01). In vitro administra- tion of CORM-2, tissue MDA levels were significantly decreased (50.65±11.46 nmol/mL, 59.32 ± 6.62 nmol/mL, P 〈 0.05). Meanwhile, the tissue IL-1β and TNF-α levels in the mid-ileum significantly increased compared to the sham animals (6.66±1.09 pg/mL vs 1.67±0.45 pg/mL, 19.34±3.99 pg/mL vs 3.98 ± 0.87 pg/mL, P 〈 0.01). In vitro administration of CORM-2, tissue IL-1β and TNF-α levels were significantly de- creased (3.87 ± 1.08 pg/mL, 10.45±2.48 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05). The levels of NO in mid-ileum and mid-jejunum tissue homogenate were also decreased (14.69 ± 2.45 nmol/mL vs 24.36 ± 2.97 nmol/mL, 18.47 ± 2.47 nmol/mL vs 27.33 ± 3.87 nmol/mL, P 〈 0.05). The ex- pression of iNOS and ICAM-1 in the mid-ileum of septic mice at 24 h after CLP induction significantly increased compared to the sham animals. In vitro administration of CORM-2, expression of iNOS and ICAM-1 were sig- nificantly decreased. In parallel, the levels of NO and IL-8 in the supernatants of Caco-2 stimulated by LPS was markedly decreased in CORM-2-treated Caco-2 cells (2.22 ± 0.12 nmol/mL vs 6.25±1.69 nmol/mL, 24.97 ± 3.01 pg/mL vs 49.45± 5.11 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05). CONCLUSION: CORM-released CO attenuates the inflammatory cytokine production (IL-1β and TNF-α), and suppress the oxidative stress in the small intestine during sepsis by interfering with protein expression of ICAM-1 and iNOS.展开更多
An environment friendly bio-surfactant of rhamnolipid(RL) was used as a solvent. The enzymatic reaction of oleic acid catalyzed by lipase and lignin peroxidase(lip) was evaluated. The optimum conditions of enzymatic r...An environment friendly bio-surfactant of rhamnolipid(RL) was used as a solvent. The enzymatic reaction of oleic acid catalyzed by lipase and lignin peroxidase(lip) was evaluated. The optimum conditions of enzymatic reaction catalyzed by lipase(lip) were water to amphiphile molar ratio of 30(20), RL of 60(60) critical micelle concentration(CMC), pH of 7.0(3.0) and temperature of 40(30) °C, respectively. The change of enzyme conformation indicates that, for catalytic of lipase, water content is the most important factor of the enzymatic reaction of oleic acid, and p H for lip. With individual optimum conditions, the enzymatic efficiency of oleic acid catalyzed by lipase is higher than that by lip. In the presence of ethanol, the enzymatic reaction of oleic acid catalyzed by lipase suits Ping-Pong Bi-Bi mechanism. As an alternative to chemical reversed micelles, the RL reversed micelles are promising methods to enzymatic reaction of oleic acid.展开更多
Hydrilla verticillata (I.f.) Royle twigs were exposed to CdCI2 (50, 100, 200 and 500 BM) under continuous light for 48 hrs and the physiological parameters like photosynthetic pigment (chlorophylls a, b and carot...Hydrilla verticillata (I.f.) Royle twigs were exposed to CdCI2 (50, 100, 200 and 500 BM) under continuous light for 48 hrs and the physiological parameters like photosynthetic pigment (chlorophylls a, b and carotenoids) contents, activities of antioxidative enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) along with lipid peroxidation level were determined. With respect to increase in Cd concentration in the medium and exposure duration, decrease in pigment contents, and decrease in the activities of SOD, CAT and POX were found. The increased levels of lipid peroxidation indicated the prevalence of oxidative stress situation in the tissues which might be one of the reasons behind Cd induced toxicity in Hydrilla verticillata. Since there was significant decrease in the activities of key antioxidative ezymes, the study suggests that Hydrilla verticillata may not be effective for phytoremediation of cadmium in these concentration ranges.展开更多
Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is mainly expressed in neurons,to some extent in astrocytes and neuronal stem cells.The alternative splicing of nNOS mRNA generates 5 isoforms of nNOS,including nNOS-,nNOS-,nNOS...Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is mainly expressed in neurons,to some extent in astrocytes and neuronal stem cells.The alternative splicing of nNOS mRNA generates 5 isoforms of nNOS,including nNOS-,nNOS-,nNOS-,nNOS-and nNOS-2.Monomer of nNOS is inactive,and dimer is the active form.Dimerization requires tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4),heme and L-arginine binding.Regulation of nNOS expression relies largely on cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) activity,and nNOS activity is regulated by heat shock protein 90 (HSP90)/HSP70,calmodulin (CaM),phosphorylation and dephosphorylation at Ser847 and Ser1412,and the protein inhibitor of nNOS (PIN).There are primarily 9 nNOS-interacting proteins,including post-synaptic density protein 95 (PSD95),clathrin assembly lymphoid leukemia (CALM),calcium/calmodulindependent protein kinase II alpha (CAMKIIA),Disks large homolog 4 (DLG4),DLG2,6-phosphofructokinase,muscle type (PFK-M),carboxy-terminal PDZ ligand of nNOS (CAPON) protein,syntrophin and dynein light chain (LC).Among them,PSD95,CAPON and PFK-M are important nNOS adapter proteins in neurons.The interaction of PSD95 with nNOS controls synapse formation and is implicated in N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced neuronal death.nNOS-derived NO is implicated in synapse loss-mediated early cognitive/motor deficits in several neuropathological states,and negatively regulates neurogenesis under physiological and pathological conditions.展开更多
Enzymes involved in collagen biosynthesis, including lysyl oxidase (LOX), have been proposed as potential therapeutic targets for idio- pathic pulmonary fibrosis. LOX expression is significantly upregulated in bleom...Enzymes involved in collagen biosynthesis, including lysyl oxidase (LOX), have been proposed as potential therapeutic targets for idio- pathic pulmonary fibrosis. LOX expression is significantly upregulated in bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis, and knockdown of LOX expression or inhibition of LOX activity alleviates the lung fibrosis. Unexpectedly, treatment of the mice with LOX inhibitor at the inflammatory stage, but not the fibrogenic stage, efficiently reduces collagen deposition and normalizes lung architecture. Inhibition of LOX impairs inflammatory ceU infiltration, TGF-β signaling, and myofibroblast accumulation. Furthermore, ectopic expres- sion of LOX sensitizes the fibrosis-resistant Balb/c mice to BLM-induced inflammation and lung fibrosis. These results suggest that LOX is indispensable for the progression of BLM-induced experimental lung fibrosis by aggravating the inflammatory response and subse- quent fibrosis process after lung injury.展开更多
Three new nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(NAD) analogs were synthesized,and their characteristics as cofactors for Escherichia coli malic enzyme(ME) and its double mutant ME L310R/Q401C were analyzed.Each pair of th...Three new nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(NAD) analogs were synthesized,and their characteristics as cofactors for Escherichia coli malic enzyme(ME) and its double mutant ME L310R/Q401C were analyzed.Each pair of the NAD analog and the double mutant showed good orthogonality to the natural pair of NAD and ME in terms of catalyzing oxidative decarboxylation of L-malic acid.Results indicated that molecular interactions between redox enzyme and cofactor could be further explored to generate new bioorthogonal redox systems.展开更多
Tailings of a Pb and Zn mine as a metal-contaminated area (Zone 1) with two pioneer plant species, Peganum harmala and Zygophyllum fabago, were investigated and compared with a non-contaminated area (Zone 2) in th...Tailings of a Pb and Zn mine as a metal-contaminated area (Zone 1) with two pioneer plant species, Peganum harmala and Zygophyllum fabago, were investigated and compared with a non-contaminated area (Zone 2) in the vicinity. Total concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cu in the soil of Zone 1 were 1 416, 2 217, and 426 mg kg-1, respectively, and all exceeded their ranges in the normal soils. The soil pH was in the neutral range and most of the physical and chemical characteristics of the soils from both zones were almost similar. The species Z. fabago accumulated higher Cu and Zn in its aerial part and roots than the normal plants. On the other hand, their concentrations did not reach the criteria that the species could be considered as a metal hyperaccumulator. The species P. harmala did not absorb metals in its roots; accordingly, the accumulation factor values of these metals were lower than 1. The contents of chlorophyll, biomass, malondialdehyde, and dityrosine in these two species did not vary significantly between the two zones studied. In Zone 1, leaf vacuoles of Z. fabago stored 35.6% and 43.2% of the total leaf Cu and Zn, respectively. However, in this species, the levels of phytochelatins (PCs) and glutathione (GSH) and antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly higher in Zone 1 than in Zone 2. In conclusion, metal exclusion in P. harmala and metal accumulation in Z. fabago were the basic strategies in the two studied pioneer species growing on the metal-contaminated zone. In response to metal stress, elevation in antioxidant enzyme activities, increases in the PCs and GSH levels in the aerial parts, and metal storage within vacuoles counteracted each other in the invasion mechanism of Z. ]abago.展开更多
The excellent bactericidal performance of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has led to their wide applications, resulting in increasing concerns about their potential environmental impacts. This study evaluated the infl...The excellent bactericidal performance of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has led to their wide applications, resulting in increasing concerns about their potential environmental impacts. This study evaluated the influences of different concentrations of Ag NPs (0, 1, 10, and 100 μg g^-1 dry soil) on the ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in soil at cultivation temperatures of 25 and 5 ℃ for 37 d. The results showed that 1μg g^-1 dry soil of Ag NPs had no acute effects on the ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. However, 10 and 100μg g^-1 dry soil of Ag NPs levels were found to significantly inhibit the activities of soil nitrification, with a decrease of 69.89% and 94.55%, respectively, at 25 ℃ and 61.65% and 83.79%, respectively, at 5℃ compared to the control (0 μg g^-1 dry soil of Ag NPs). These levels of Ag NPs also obviously decreased soil urease activity from about 380.47 ± 0.07 (at 5℃) and 529.76 ± 13.44 (at 25℃) mg N g^-1 dry soil d^-1 to 61.70 ± 2.97 and 68.29 ± 8.22 mg N g^-1 dry soil d^-1, respectively, after 37 d of cultivation. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria. For the same exposure time, the effects of Ag NPs on the activities of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms and urease decreased with decreasing temperature. The threshold concentration of Ag NPs that induced negative effects on ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms was higher at 5 -C than at 25 -C. Therefore, the temperature has a major impact on the toxicity of Ag NPs to ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms and on the urease activity, with toxicity being reduced with decreasing temperature.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2007CB407305)the Tianjin Program for Marine Development by Reliance on Science and Technology (No. kx2010-4)+2 种基金the National Marine Public Welfare Research Project of China (No. 200805069)the Natural Science Fundation for Creative Research Groups (No. 40821004)the Knowledge Innovation Key Projects of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZCX2-YW-Q07-03)
文摘To assess the toxicity of heavy metal pollution to marine intertidal shellfish, enzymatic responses and lipid peroxidation were investigated in the clam Mactra vereformis exposed to cadmium under laboratory conditions. Three antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione peroxidase, GPx), two immune defense enzymes (acid phosphatase, ACP; alkaline phosphatase, ALP), and one lipid peroxidation product (malondialdehyde, MDA) were measured in the gills and the hepatopancreas of the clam exposed to 0, 25, 75, and 125 μg/L cadmium for 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 d. The results show that the concentrations of antioxidant enzymes in the organs soared to a peak value on the first day and then decreased afterwards in most cases. CAT and GPx activities in the hepatopancreas were higher than in the gills, but the SOD activity was lower in the hepatopancreas. ACP activity was unchanged until Day 3 in the hepatopancreas and until Day 5 in gills, when it began to increase. ALP activity showed no significant relationship with Cd treatment. MDA concentrations increased in the two tissues after Cd exposure, peaked on Day 3 in gills, and on Day 5 in hepatopancreas. These observations show that changes in the activities of antioxidant enzymes and ACP reflect the time course of oxidative stress in the clam caused by Cd, and could be used as potential biomarkers for ecotoxicological bioassays of heavy metals.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51572253,21771171)Scientific Research Grant of Hefei Science Center of CAS(2015SRG-HSC048)+1 种基金cooperation between NSFC and Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research(51561135011)CAS-TWAS Scholarship Program~~
文摘We prepared the Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanoparticles(NPs)through a simple electrostatic self‐assembly method with a3:97weight ratio to investigate their Fenton,photo‐Fenton and oxidative functionalities besides photocatalytic functionality.We observed an improvement of the Fenton and photo‐Fenton activities of the Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanocomposites.This improvement was attributed to efficient charge transfer between Fe3O4and g‐C3N4at the heterojunctions,inhibition of electron‐hole recombination,a high surface area,and stabilization of Fe3O4against leaching by the hydrophobic g‐C3N4.The obtained NPs showed a higher degradation potential for rhodamine B(RhB)dye than those of Fe3O4and g‐C3N4.As compared to photocatalysis,the efficiency of RhB degradation in the Fenton and photo‐Fenton reactions was increased by20%and90%,respectively.Additionally,the horseradish peroxidase(HRP)activity of the prepared nanomaterials was studied with3,3,5,5‐tetramethylbenzidinedihydrochloride(TMB)as a substrate.Dopamine oxidation was also examined.Results indicate that Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanocomposites offers more efficient degradation of RhB dye in a photo‐Fenton system compared with regular photocatalytic degradation,which requires a long time.Our study also confirmed that Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanocomposites can be used as a potential material for mimicking HRP owing to its high affinity for TMB.These findings suggest good potential for applications in biosensing and as a catalyst in oxidation reactions.
基金Supported by Grant(DK RO1 38825) and contracts(DK NO129236 and UO1 DK 06193)from the National Institutes of Health(NIDDK)
文摘AIM: To investigate effects of iron on oxidative stress, heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) and hepatitis C viral (HCV) expression in human hepatoma ceils stably expressing HCV proteins. METHODS: Effects of iron on oxidative stress, HMOX1, and HCV expression were assessed in CON1 cells. Measurements included mRNA by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and protein levels by Western blots. RESULTS: Iron, in the form of ferric nitrilotriacetate,increased oxidative stress and upegulated HMOX1 gene expression. Iron did not affect mRNA or protein levels of Bach1, a repressor of HMOXl. Silencing the up-regulation of HMOXl nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) by Nrf2-siRNA decreased FeNTA-mediated up-regulation of HMOXl mRNA levels. These iron effects were completely blocked by deferoxamine (DFO). Iron also significantly decreased levels of HCV core mRNA and protein by 80%-90%, nonstructural 5A mRNA by 90% and protein by about 50% in the Con1 full length HCV replicon cells, whereas DFO increased them. CONCLUSION: Excess iron up-regulates HMOXl and down-regulates HCV gene expression in hepatoma cells. This probably mitigates liver injury caused by combined iron overload and HCV infection.
基金Supported by a grant: "Progetto di Ricerca Sanitaria Finalizzata,Regione Piemonte, 2003"
文摘AIM: To examine the relationships between γ -glutamyltransferase (GGT), alanine-aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate-aminotransferase (AST) and various metabolic parameters, C-reactive protein (CRP) and an oxidative stress marker (nitrotyrosine, NT) in subjects without any metabolic abnormalities from a population-based sample.METHODS: Two hundred and five subjects with normal body mass index (BMI), glucose tolerance, and without any metabolic abnormality were studied out of 1339subjects, without known liver diseases, alcohol abuse or use of hepatotoxic drugs, who are representative of the 45-64 aged population of Asti (north-western Italy).RESULTS: In all patients metabolic parameters and hs-CRP levels linearly increase from the lowest to the highest ALT and GGT tertiles, while in subjects without metabolic abnormalities, there is a significant association between fasting glucose, uric acid, waist circumference,hs-CRP, triglyceride values, and GGT levels. In these subjects, male sex, higher hs-CRP and glucose levels are associated with GGT levels in a multiple regression model, after adjustments for multiple confounders.In the same model, median NT levels are significantly associated with the increasing GGT tertile (β = 1.06;95%CI 0.67-1.45), but not with the AST and ALT tertiles.In a multiple regression model, after adjusting for age,sex, BMI, waist, smoking, and alcohol consumption, both NT (β = 0.05; 95%CI 0.02-0.08) and hs-CRP levels (β =0.09; 95%CI 0.03-0.15) are significantly associated with fasting glycemia.CONCLUSION: GGT, an easy, universally standardized and available measurement, could represent an early marker of sub-clinical inflammation and oxidative stress in otherwise healthy individuals. Prospective studies are needed to establish if GGT could predict future diabetes in these subjects.
文摘AIM:The generation of oxygen free radicals has been implicated in the pathogenesis of experimental pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to determine the role of oxygen free radicals in patients with acute pancreatitis. METHODS:The plasma levels of C-reactive protein(CRP), lipid peroxide(LPO),myeloperoxidase(MPO)and superoxide dismutase(SOD)were measured in 13 patients with acute pancreatitis and 14 healthy volunteers. RESULTS:Among the patients with acute pancreatitis,there were higher plasma levels of LPO and MPO and lower SOD activity in patients with severe pancreatitis than in those with mild pancreatitis.However,there was no significant difference in the serum marker of oxidative stress no matter what the etiology was.The LPO level was especially correlated with the concentration of serum CRP and CT severity index. CONCLUSION:The oxygen free radicals may be closely associated with inflammatory process and the severity of acute pancreatitis.Especially,the concentration of plasma LPO is a meaningful index for determining the severity of the disease.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31101281 and 31071525)National Marine Public Welfare Scientific Research Project of China (No. 201105029)
文摘Sea cucumbers are traditional marine food and Chinese medicine in Asia. The rapid expansion of sea cucumber market has resulted in various problems, such as commercial fraud and mislabeling. Conventionally, sea cucumber species could be distinguished by their morphological and anatomical characteristics; however, their identification becomes difficult when they are processed. The aim of this study was to develop a new convenient method of identifying and distinguishing sea cucumber species. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene(COI) was used to identifing five sea cucumber species(Apostichopus japonicus, Cucumaria frondosa, Thelenota ananas, Parastichopus californicus and Actinopyga lecanora). A 692 bp fragment of COI was searched for BamHI, KpnI, PstI, XbaI and Eco31 I restriction sites with DNAMAN 6.0, which were then used to PCR-RFLP analysis. These five sea cucumber species can be discriminated from mixed sea cucumbers. The developed PCR-RFLP assay will facilitate the identification of sea cucumbers, making their source tracing and quality controlling feasible.
文摘Flooding/submergence of rice fields is a severe problem in South and South-East Asia, affecting more than 20 million hectares of rice every year. Submergence creates hypoxic or anoxic condition causing poor germination, seedling establishment,and enormous yield loss. Standing water in the field from weeks to months also leads to significant yield losses when large part of aerial tissues is under water. For flash flooding, a rice variety FR1A3 with tolerant gene(SUB1A) was identified. SNORKEL1 and SNORKEL2 have been identified for their ability to survive deep-water flooding by rapid elongation. Submergence stress has also been reported to adversely affect cell division and damage cellular and organelle membranes. Research on antioxidative enzymes response and genes that confer tolerance to prolonged flooding is in progress. Here we review the different anoxia responsive genes and the potential involvement of antioxidative enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase, which occur in cells of rice plant exposed to submergence stress.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.30772256,No.81071546 and No.81272148
文摘AIM: To determine whether the carbon monoxide (CO)-releasing molecules (CORM)-Iiberated CO sup- press inflammatory responses in the small intestine of septic mice. METHODS: The C57BL/6 mice (male, n = 36; weight 20±2 g) were assigned to four groups in three re- spective experiments. Sepsis in mice was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) (24 h). Tricarbonyl- dichlororuthenium (Ⅱ) dimer (CORM-2) (8 mg/kg, i. v.) was administrated immediately after induction of CLP. The levels of inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] in tis- sue homogenates were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the tissues were determined. The levels of nitric oxide (NO) in tissue homogenate were measured and the expression levels of intercellular adhesion mol- ecule 1 (ICAM-1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the small intestine were also assessed. NO and IL-8 levels in the supernatants were determined after the human adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2 was stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (10 g/mL) for 4 h in vitro. RESULTS: At 24 h after CLP, histological analysis showed that the ileum and jejunum from CLP mice in- duced severe edema and sloughing of the villous tips, as well as infiltration of inflammatory cells into the mu- cosa. Semi-quantitative analysis of histological samples of ileum and jejunum showed that granulocyte infil- tration in the septic mice was significantly increased compared to that in the sham group. Administration of CORM-2 significantly decreased granulocyte infiltration. At 24 h after CLP, the tissue MDA levels in the mid- ileum and mid-jejunum significantly increased com- pared to the sham animals (103.68 ± 23.88 nmol/ml vs 39.66 ± 8.23 nmol/mL, 89.66±9.98 nmol/mL vs 32.32 ± 7.43 nmol/mL, P 〈 0.01). In vitro administra- tion of CORM-2, tissue MDA levels were significantly decreased (50.65±11.46 nmol/mL, 59.32 ± 6.62 nmol/mL, P 〈 0.05). Meanwhile, the tissue IL-1β and TNF-α levels in the mid-ileum significantly increased compared to the sham animals (6.66±1.09 pg/mL vs 1.67±0.45 pg/mL, 19.34±3.99 pg/mL vs 3.98 ± 0.87 pg/mL, P 〈 0.01). In vitro administration of CORM-2, tissue IL-1β and TNF-α levels were significantly de- creased (3.87 ± 1.08 pg/mL, 10.45±2.48 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05). The levels of NO in mid-ileum and mid-jejunum tissue homogenate were also decreased (14.69 ± 2.45 nmol/mL vs 24.36 ± 2.97 nmol/mL, 18.47 ± 2.47 nmol/mL vs 27.33 ± 3.87 nmol/mL, P 〈 0.05). The ex- pression of iNOS and ICAM-1 in the mid-ileum of septic mice at 24 h after CLP induction significantly increased compared to the sham animals. In vitro administration of CORM-2, expression of iNOS and ICAM-1 were sig- nificantly decreased. In parallel, the levels of NO and IL-8 in the supernatants of Caco-2 stimulated by LPS was markedly decreased in CORM-2-treated Caco-2 cells (2.22 ± 0.12 nmol/mL vs 6.25±1.69 nmol/mL, 24.97 ± 3.01 pg/mL vs 49.45± 5.11 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05). CONCLUSION: CORM-released CO attenuates the inflammatory cytokine production (IL-1β and TNF-α), and suppress the oxidative stress in the small intestine during sepsis by interfering with protein expression of ICAM-1 and iNOS.
基金Projects(50978087,51009063,50978088)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘An environment friendly bio-surfactant of rhamnolipid(RL) was used as a solvent. The enzymatic reaction of oleic acid catalyzed by lipase and lignin peroxidase(lip) was evaluated. The optimum conditions of enzymatic reaction catalyzed by lipase(lip) were water to amphiphile molar ratio of 30(20), RL of 60(60) critical micelle concentration(CMC), pH of 7.0(3.0) and temperature of 40(30) °C, respectively. The change of enzyme conformation indicates that, for catalytic of lipase, water content is the most important factor of the enzymatic reaction of oleic acid, and p H for lip. With individual optimum conditions, the enzymatic efficiency of oleic acid catalyzed by lipase is higher than that by lip. In the presence of ethanol, the enzymatic reaction of oleic acid catalyzed by lipase suits Ping-Pong Bi-Bi mechanism. As an alternative to chemical reversed micelles, the RL reversed micelles are promising methods to enzymatic reaction of oleic acid.
文摘Hydrilla verticillata (I.f.) Royle twigs were exposed to CdCI2 (50, 100, 200 and 500 BM) under continuous light for 48 hrs and the physiological parameters like photosynthetic pigment (chlorophylls a, b and carotenoids) contents, activities of antioxidative enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) along with lipid peroxidation level were determined. With respect to increase in Cd concentration in the medium and exposure duration, decrease in pigment contents, and decrease in the activities of SOD, CAT and POX were found. The increased levels of lipid peroxidation indicated the prevalence of oxidative stress situation in the tissues which might be one of the reasons behind Cd induced toxicity in Hydrilla verticillata. Since there was significant decrease in the activities of key antioxidative ezymes, the study suggests that Hydrilla verticillata may not be effective for phytoremediation of cadmium in these concentration ranges.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No. 30971021,81030023 and 30901550)
文摘Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is mainly expressed in neurons,to some extent in astrocytes and neuronal stem cells.The alternative splicing of nNOS mRNA generates 5 isoforms of nNOS,including nNOS-,nNOS-,nNOS-,nNOS-and nNOS-2.Monomer of nNOS is inactive,and dimer is the active form.Dimerization requires tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4),heme and L-arginine binding.Regulation of nNOS expression relies largely on cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) activity,and nNOS activity is regulated by heat shock protein 90 (HSP90)/HSP70,calmodulin (CaM),phosphorylation and dephosphorylation at Ser847 and Ser1412,and the protein inhibitor of nNOS (PIN).There are primarily 9 nNOS-interacting proteins,including post-synaptic density protein 95 (PSD95),clathrin assembly lymphoid leukemia (CALM),calcium/calmodulindependent protein kinase II alpha (CAMKIIA),Disks large homolog 4 (DLG4),DLG2,6-phosphofructokinase,muscle type (PFK-M),carboxy-terminal PDZ ligand of nNOS (CAPON) protein,syntrophin and dynein light chain (LC).Among them,PSD95,CAPON and PFK-M are important nNOS adapter proteins in neurons.The interaction of PSD95 with nNOS controls synapse formation and is implicated in N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced neuronal death.nNOS-derived NO is implicated in synapse loss-mediated early cognitive/motor deficits in several neuropathological states,and negatively regulates neurogenesis under physiological and pathological conditions.
基金This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2010CB912102 and 2010CB529703) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31190061, 31371408, and 81430067). G.G. is a scholar of the SA-SIBS Scholarship Program.
文摘Enzymes involved in collagen biosynthesis, including lysyl oxidase (LOX), have been proposed as potential therapeutic targets for idio- pathic pulmonary fibrosis. LOX expression is significantly upregulated in bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis, and knockdown of LOX expression or inhibition of LOX activity alleviates the lung fibrosis. Unexpectedly, treatment of the mice with LOX inhibitor at the inflammatory stage, but not the fibrogenic stage, efficiently reduces collagen deposition and normalizes lung architecture. Inhibition of LOX impairs inflammatory ceU infiltration, TGF-β signaling, and myofibroblast accumulation. Furthermore, ectopic expres- sion of LOX sensitizes the fibrosis-resistant Balb/c mice to BLM-induced inflammation and lung fibrosis. These results suggest that LOX is indispensable for the progression of BLM-induced experimental lung fibrosis by aggravating the inflammatory response and subse- quent fibrosis process after lung injury.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2012CB721103)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21102143)
文摘Three new nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(NAD) analogs were synthesized,and their characteristics as cofactors for Escherichia coli malic enzyme(ME) and its double mutant ME L310R/Q401C were analyzed.Each pair of the NAD analog and the double mutant showed good orthogonality to the natural pair of NAD and ME in terms of catalyzing oxidative decarboxylation of L-malic acid.Results indicated that molecular interactions between redox enzyme and cofactor could be further explored to generate new bioorthogonal redox systems.
基金Supported by the Tarbiat Moallem University,Iran
文摘Tailings of a Pb and Zn mine as a metal-contaminated area (Zone 1) with two pioneer plant species, Peganum harmala and Zygophyllum fabago, were investigated and compared with a non-contaminated area (Zone 2) in the vicinity. Total concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cu in the soil of Zone 1 were 1 416, 2 217, and 426 mg kg-1, respectively, and all exceeded their ranges in the normal soils. The soil pH was in the neutral range and most of the physical and chemical characteristics of the soils from both zones were almost similar. The species Z. fabago accumulated higher Cu and Zn in its aerial part and roots than the normal plants. On the other hand, their concentrations did not reach the criteria that the species could be considered as a metal hyperaccumulator. The species P. harmala did not absorb metals in its roots; accordingly, the accumulation factor values of these metals were lower than 1. The contents of chlorophyll, biomass, malondialdehyde, and dityrosine in these two species did not vary significantly between the two zones studied. In Zone 1, leaf vacuoles of Z. fabago stored 35.6% and 43.2% of the total leaf Cu and Zn, respectively. However, in this species, the levels of phytochelatins (PCs) and glutathione (GSH) and antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly higher in Zone 1 than in Zone 2. In conclusion, metal exclusion in P. harmala and metal accumulation in Z. fabago were the basic strategies in the two studied pioneer species growing on the metal-contaminated zone. In response to metal stress, elevation in antioxidant enzyme activities, increases in the PCs and GSH levels in the aerial parts, and metal storage within vacuoles counteracted each other in the invasion mechanism of Z. ]abago.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51479034)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (No. 2242016R30008)
文摘The excellent bactericidal performance of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has led to their wide applications, resulting in increasing concerns about their potential environmental impacts. This study evaluated the influences of different concentrations of Ag NPs (0, 1, 10, and 100 μg g^-1 dry soil) on the ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in soil at cultivation temperatures of 25 and 5 ℃ for 37 d. The results showed that 1μg g^-1 dry soil of Ag NPs had no acute effects on the ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms. However, 10 and 100μg g^-1 dry soil of Ag NPs levels were found to significantly inhibit the activities of soil nitrification, with a decrease of 69.89% and 94.55%, respectively, at 25 ℃ and 61.65% and 83.79%, respectively, at 5℃ compared to the control (0 μg g^-1 dry soil of Ag NPs). These levels of Ag NPs also obviously decreased soil urease activity from about 380.47 ± 0.07 (at 5℃) and 529.76 ± 13.44 (at 25℃) mg N g^-1 dry soil d^-1 to 61.70 ± 2.97 and 68.29 ± 8.22 mg N g^-1 dry soil d^-1, respectively, after 37 d of cultivation. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria. For the same exposure time, the effects of Ag NPs on the activities of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms and urease decreased with decreasing temperature. The threshold concentration of Ag NPs that induced negative effects on ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms was higher at 5 -C than at 25 -C. Therefore, the temperature has a major impact on the toxicity of Ag NPs to ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms and on the urease activity, with toxicity being reduced with decreasing temperature.