The influence of chromium chloride consumption on lipid peroxidation and activity of the antioxidant defense in rat tissues

The effect of food supplementation with chromium (CrCl₃ · 6H₂O) on intensity of peroxide processes and activity of antioxidant enzymes has been investigated in some rat tissues. Food supplementation with 200 μg/kg CrCl₃ · 6H₂O for 30 days resulted in the increase of tissue chromium. The tissue chromium content of chromium-treated rats decreased in the following order: spleen, heart, kidney, lung, brain, liver, skeletal muscles. All organs and tissues (except skeletal muscles) of chromium-treated rats were characterized by decreased content of lipid peroxidation (LPO) products: hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The maximal reduction in LPO products was observed in spleen, kidney, liver, and lung. Treatment with chromium also caused an increase in the activity of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and calatase in all tissues and organs studied. In the brain and kidney an increase in the content of reduced glutathione was observed. Superoxide dismutase activity was higher in myocardium and skeletal muscles, basically equal in lung and liver, while in other organs (brain, kidney, spleen) of experimental animals it was lower than in control animals. Results of this study suggest that chromium exhibits tissue/organ-specific regulatory effects on enzymes of the antioxidant defense     

小鼠组织中过氧化氢酶的活性与年龄的关系

为观察小鼠组织中过氧化氢酶的活性与年龄的关系,采用高锰酸钾滴定法测定不同年龄(1、4、18月龄)小鼠肝、肾、肺、心、脾、胃、脑组织中过氧化氢酶的活性。结果显示:小鼠过氧化氢酶在不同组织中活性不同,活性高低顺序基本表现为:肝>肾>肺>心、脾、胃>脑;小鼠肺、心、脾、胃、脑各组织中过氧化氢酶的活性在1～4月龄间随年龄增加而增加,在4～18月龄间随年龄增加而降低;小鼠肝、肾组织中过氧化氢酶的活性在1～4月龄间与年龄相关性不显著,在4～18月龄间随年龄增加而降低。结果表明,小鼠肝、肾、肺、心、脾、胃、脑等组织中过氧化氢酶的活性随年龄变化而变化,机体过氧化氢酶活性的降低与机体衰老密切相关。     

Carbohydrate contents, and glycosidase and glycosyl transferase activities in tissues from streptozotocin diabetic mice

The contents of hexoses and hexosamines in brain, liver, and kidney of streptozotocin diabetic mice are significantly increased in comparison to the controls. These differences for hexoses contents in the heart are not significant. N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and beta-D-glucosidase activities in brain, liver and kidney of diabetic mice are significantly higher when compared to the controls. However, beta-D-galactosidase activity is significantly lower in brain, liver, spleen and kidney of the diabetic mice, in comparison to the controls and similar in heart. alpha-D-Mannosidase activity of diabetic mice is significantly increased in spleen and heart and significantly decreased in liver and kidney. alpha-L-Fucosidase of diabetic mice shows higher activities, with significant differences, in liver and spleen; however, in heart and kidney the activities are significantly lower. Brain sialyltransferase and galactosyltransferase activities are significantly increased in diabetic mice; but for heart and kidney these differences are not significant. The activity for brain and kidney fucosyltransferase is not significant and that for the other assayed organs is significantly higher in comparison to the controls.     

Lysosomal cathepsins B, L, and D in the development of murine experimental leukemias

Lysosomal proteases are actively involved into pathogenesis of malignant tumors. Impairments in the interaction between proteases and their inhibitors are implicated in the processes of tumor invasion and metastasis. Among proteases associated with malignant growth, cysteine cathepsins B and L and aspartic cathepsin D are considered to play the major role in the tumor development. The present study was designed to investigate the activity of cathepsins B, L, and D during the development and treatment of murine experimental leukemias and to determine correlation between these proteases and course of pathological process as well as efficiency of the chemotherapeutic treatment. P-388 leukemia was characterized by a more aggressive development and unfavorable prognosis than L1210/1 leukemia. In mice with P-388 leukemia the activity of lysosomal cathepsins B, D, and L in the tumor tissue, liver and spleen, as well as the activity of cathepsins B and L in serum were lower than activities of these enzymes in mice with L1210/1 leukemia. Changes in the activity of cathepsins in liver and spleen of leukemic mice reflected a level of aggressiveness of the tumor development and invasion of these organs with tumor cells. Treatment of these experimental leukemias resulted in the increase of cathepsin B, L and D activity in the tumor tissue, liver, spleen and the increase in cathepsin B and L activity in serum. The highest protease activity was detected in the groups of mice characterized by the highest inhibition of the tumor growth. These data demonstrate that lysosomal proteases are involved in the progression of murine experimental leukemias and elimination of tumor cells in the result of treatment. Thus, determination of the activity of cysteine and aspartic proteases can be used for evaluation of cancer malignancy, tumor sensitivity for chemotherapy and efficiency of treatment.     

洞庭湖区社鼠脏器重量的比较

对洞庭湖区社鼠(Niviventer confucianus)野外自然种群脏器的重量指标进行了测定,并比较了其在年龄组、性别、季节及生境间的差异。结果表明,社鼠内脏(心、肺、肝、脾、肾脏)随着年龄组的增加,重量有明显的增加,其重量与体重有极其显著的相关性。两性间的脏器重量指标没有显著性差异。脏器季节变化的共同特征是夏季脏器重量较低,四季间比较,仅有心脏重量有显著的季节变化。生境间心脏和肾脏重量的变化相对较大,达显著水平。参与繁殖与未参与繁殖的雌鼠相比,心、肺、肝、肾脏的各项指标均较高,脾脏则相反,但均未有显著性差异。总的来看,洞庭湖社鼠种群的脏器指标相对稳定,尽管重量指标随着年龄组而增加,受性别、季节、生境及繁殖行为的影响相对较小。     

Postnatal changes of cathepsin D activity in rat liver and brain

Total and specific activity of cathepsin D (EC. 3.4.23.5) were measured in rat liver and brain from 1 to 98 days of age. The activity of cathepsin D in the liver of adult and newborn rats was the same while in the rat brain it was higher in adult than in newborn rats. In the liver maximum specific activity of cathepsin D occurred on the 10th postnatal day and minimum on the fourth day of age. In the brain maximum specific activity of the enzyme occurred on the 14th postnatal day. Total activity of cathepsin D increased after birth in rat liver and brain. These results are discussed in relation to the functional role of cathepsin D in the rat liver and the brain.     

Soluble endothelin degradation enzyme activities in various rat tissues.

From soluble extract of rat kidney we have previously identified an endothelin degradation enzyme that rapidly and specifically cleaves off the C-terminal tryptophan of endothelin-1, resulting in a peptide that is three orders of magnitude weaker in potency than endothelin-1 in causing smooth muscle contraction. The tissue distribution of this enzyme was examined, and the soluble extracts of rat kidney were found to contain the highest enzyme activity, followed by the spleen and the liver. In contrast, no enzyme activity was detected in the soluble extracts of brain, heart, and lung. The biochemical properties of the partially purified enzyme from kidney were further investigated. The optimal pH of the enzyme was between 5 and 7. The endothelin degrading activity was effectively blocked by thiol protease inhibitors such as benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Ala-diazomethyl ketone and p-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid, as well as by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, but not by metalloprotease and other serine protease inhibitors. This enzyme displayed a clear difference in substrate specificity when compared with other thiol proteases such as cathepsin B, cathepsin H, and cathepsin L, known to be present in the kidney. These results suggest that a novel protease with endothelin degrading activity is widely distributed in a number of tissues.     

Unique cathepsin D-type proteases in rat thoracic duct lymphocytes and in rat lymphoid tissues.

Two unique cathepsin D-type proteases apparently present only in rat thoracic duct lymphocytes and in rat lymphoid tissues are described. One, termed H enzyme, has an apparent molecular weight of similar to95,000; the other, termed L enzyme, has an apparent molecular weight of similar to45,000, in common with that of most cathepsins D from other tissues and species. Both enzymes differ from cathepsin D, however, by a considerably greater sensitivity to inhibition by pepstatin and by a smaller degree of inhibition by an antiserum which inhibits rat liver cathepsin D. H enzyme is converted to L enzyme by treatment with beta-mercaptoethanol; the relationship between the two enzymes remains unknown. H and L enzyme have been detected in rat lymphoid tissues and in mouse spleen, but they are not present in other rat tissues (liver, kidney, adrenals), rabbit tissues, calf thymus, bovine spleen, or human tonsils. As measured on acid-denatured bovine hemoglobin as substrate, both enzymes have pH activity curves identical with that of rat liver cathepsin D, with optimal activity at pH 3.6. Activity on human serum albumin is much less and also shows an optimum at pH 3.6; hence, neither enzyme has the properties of cathepsin E. Thiol-reactive inhibitiors have no effect on the activity of H and L enzyme; thus they do not belong to the B group of cathepsins. Additional information, discussed in this paper, leads us to conclude that partially purified H and L enzymes are cathepsin D-type proteases.     

Tissue alterations in Microtus montanus chronically infected with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense

Changes in liver, spleen, kidneys, heart, and brain are reported for Microtus montanus chronically infected with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. An increase in body weight of infected animals was attributable to a significant increase in total mass of spleen, liver and kidney. Cellular infiltrate consisting primarily of lymphocytes and plasma cells was observed in all organs and was particularly evident in intralobular connective tissue of the liver, adipose tissue of the hilum, and adjacent medullary region of the kidney, spleen, and the meninges. Disruption of normal metabolism and the pathological changes observed in liver and kidney suggest that the survival of trypanosome-infected voles is dependent largely on the physiological response occurring in these organs.     

Differential expression pattern of heat shock protein 70 gene in tissues and heat stress phenotypes in goats during peak heat stress period

It has been established that the synthesis of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is temperature-dependent. The Hsp70 response is considered as a cellular thermometer in response to heat stress and other stimuli. The variation in Hsp70 gene expression has been positively correlated with thermotolerance in Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, rodents and human. Goats have a wide range of ecological adaptability due to their anatomical and physiological characteristics; however, the productivity of the individual declines during thermal stress. The present study was carried out to analyze the expression of heat shock proteins in different tissues and to contrast heat stress phenotypes in response to chronic heat stress. The investigation has been carried out in Jamunapari, Barbari, Jakhrana and Sirohi goats. These breeds differ in size, coat colour and production performance. The heat stress assessment in goats was carried out at a temperature humidity index (THI) ranging from 85.36–89.80 over the period. Phenotyping for heat stress susceptibility was carried out by combining respiration rate (RR) and heart rate (HR). Based on the distribution of RR and HR over the breeds in the population, individual animals were recognized as heat stress-susceptible (HSS) and heat stress-tolerant (HST). Based on their physiological responses, the selected animals were slaughtered for tissue collection during peak heat stress periods. The tissue samples from different organs such as liver, spleen, heart, testis, brain and lungs were collected and stored at ?70 °C for future use. Hsp70 concentrations were analyzed from tissue extract with ELISA. mRNA expression levels were evaluated using the SYBR green method. Kidney, liver and heart had 1.5–2.0-fold higher Hsp70 concentrations as compared to other organs in the tissue extracts. Similarly, the gene expression pattern of Hsp70 in different organs indicated that the liver, spleen, brain and kidney exhibited 5.94, 4.96, 5.29 and 2.63-fold higher expression than control. Liver and brain tissues showed the highest gene expression at mRNA levels as compared to kidney, spleen and heart. HST individuals had higher levels of mRNA level expression than HSS individuals in all breeds. The Sirohi breed showed the highest (6.3-fold) mRNA expression levels as compared to the other three breeds, indicating the better heat stress regulation activity in the breed.     

Changes in drug-metabolizing activities in the livers of suckling rats as a result of treatment of the lactating mothers with phenobarbitone and chlorpromazine

1. The activities in rat tissues of 3-oxo acid CoA-transferase (the first enzyme involved in acetoacetate utilization) were found to be highest in kidney and heart. In submaxillary and adrenal glands the activities were about one-quarter of those in kidney and heart. In brain it was about one-tenth and was less in lung, spleen, skeletal muscle and epididymal fat. No activity was detectable in liver. 2. The activities of acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase were found roughly to parallel those of the transferase except for liver and adrenal glands. The high activity in the latter two tissues may be explained by additional roles of thiolase, namely, the production of acetyl-CoA from fatty acids. 3. The activities of the two enzymes in tissues of mouse, gerbil, golden hamster, guinea pig and sheep were similar to those of rat tissues. The notable exception was the low activity of the transferase and thiolase in sheep heart and brain. 4. The activities of the transferase in rat tissues did not change appreciably in starvation, alloxan-diabetes or on fat-feeding, where the rates of ketone-body utilization are increased. Thiolase activity increased in kidney and heart on fat-feeding. 5. The activity of 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase did not change in rat brain during starvation. 6. The factors controlling the rate of ketone-body utilization are discussed. It is concluded that the activities of the relevant enzymes in the adult rat do not control the variations in the rate of ketone-body utilization that occur in starvation or alloxan-diabetes. The controlling factor in these situations is the concentration of the ketone bodies in plasma and tissues.     

Distribution of cathepsins B and H in rat tissues and peripheral blood cells

The concentrations of cathepsins B and H in various tissues and peripheral blood cells of rats were determined by means of sensitive immunoassays. The minimum detectable amounts of cathepsins B and H were 30 pg and 20 pg/assay, respectively, and the presence of endogenous thiol proteinase inhibitors did not interfere with the immunoassays. Cathepsin B was found at high levels in the kidney, vagina, spleen, and adrenal gland, and cathepsin H at high levels in the kidney, vagina, liver, lung, and spleen. Low levels of cathepsins B and H were present in the heart, skeletal muscle, and testis. The ratios of cathepsins B and H in various organs were different: the brain and adrenal gland contained much higher levels of cathepsin B than of cathepsin H, whereas the lung and liver contained higher levels of cathepsin H than of cathepsin B. In several organs such as the kidney, spleen, liver, and lungs, the level of cathepsins B plus H was much higher than that of thiol proteinase inhibitors (TPI-alpha + TPI-beta), whereas in tissues containing large amounts of TPI-alpha, such as the skin, esophagus and stomach, the level of inhibitors was higher than that of cathepsins B plus H. Of the peripheral blood cells tested, macrophages had the highest contents of cathepsins B and H, and so their level of cathepsins B plus H was much higher than that of TPI-alpha plus TPI-beta, whereas lymphocytes and neutrophils contained comparable amounts of proteinases and inhibitors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Alterations in antioxidant enzymes and oxidative damage in experimental diabetic rat tissues: Effect of vanadate and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum)

With the premise that oxygen free radicals may be responsible for the severity and complications of diabetes, the level of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) as well as the oxidative damage were examined in the tissues of control, diabetic and treated rats. After three weeks of diabetes, the activity of CAT was significantly increased in heart in diabetes (about 6-fold) but decreased in liver. The SOD activity decreased significantly in liver but increased in brain. The activity of GPx decreased significantly in liver and increased in kidney. A significant increase was observed in oxidative damage in heart and kidney and a small increase in brain with decrease in liver and muscle. Vanadate and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) administration to diabetic animals showed a reversal of the disturbed antioxidant levels and peroxidative damage. Results suggest that oxidative stress play a key role in the complications of diabetes. Vanadate and fenugreek seeds showed an encouraging antioxidant property and can be valuable candidates in the treatment of the reversal of the complications of diabetes.     

Mouse cathepsin M, a placenta-specific lysosomal cysteine protease related to cathepsins L and P

The complete nucleotide sequence of a novel cathepsin cDNA derived from mouse placenta was determined and is termed cathepsin M. The predicted protein of 333 amino acid is a member of the family C1A proteases and is related to mouse cathepsins L and P. Mouse cathepsin M is highly expressed in placenta, whereas no detectable levels were found in lung, spleen, heart, brain, kidney, thymus, testicle, liver, or embryo. Phylogenic analyses of the sequences of human and mouse cathepsins show that cathepsin M is most closely related to cathepsins P and L. However, the differences are sufficiently large to indicate that the enzymes will be found in other species. This is in contrast to human cathepsins L and V, which probably resulted from a gene duplication after divergence of mammalian species.     

Chronological changes in tissue copper, zinc and iron in the toxic milk mouse and effects of copper loading

The toxic milk (tx) mouse is a rodent model for Wilson disease, an inherited disorder of copper overload. Here we assessed the effect of copper accumulation in the tx mouse on zinc and iron metabolism. Copper, zinc and iron concentrations were determined in the liver, kidney, spleen and brain of control and copper-loaded animals by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Copper concentration increased dramatically in the liver, and was also significantly higher in the spleen, kidney and brain of control tx mice in the first few months of life compared with normal DL mice. Hepatic zinc was increased with age in the tx mouse, but zinc concentrations in the other organs were normal. Liver and kidney iron concentrations were significantly lower at birth in tx mice, but increased quickly to be comparable with control mice by 2 months of age. Iron concentration in the spleen was significantly higher in tx mice, but was lower in 5 day old tx pups. Copper-loading studies showed that normal DL mice ingesting 300 mg/l copper in their diet for 3 months maintained normal liver, kidney and brain copper, zinc and iron levels. Copper-loading of tx mice did not increase the already high liver copper concentrations, but spleen and brain copper concentrations were increased. Despite a significant elevation of copper in the brain of the copper-loaded tx mice no behavioural changes were observed. The livers of copper-loaded tx mice had a lower zinc concentration than control tx mice, whilst the kidney had double the concentration of iron suggesting that there was increased erythrocyte hemolysis in the copper-loaded mutants.     

Toxic effects of different concentrations of dimethoate on lysosomal enzymes of female albino rats.

The effect of three different concentrations of dimethoate on the activity of certain lysosomal enzymes, viz. beta-glucuronidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, cathepsin B and cathepsin D in serum, skin, liver, kidney and spleen and the stability of liver and kidney lysosomes was studied in female albino rats. The activity of beta-glucuronidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, cathepsin D was found to increase in serum and tissues in higher concentration (2.25 mg/100 g body weight) of dimethoate treated rats. A significant increase in the rate of release of beta-glucuronidase was found in the liver and kidney of higher concentration of dimethoate treated rats compared to controls. The results demonstrate that the activity of lysosomal enzymes increased in higher concentration of dimethoate treated rats than the lower concentration (0.56 mg/100 g body weight) of dimethoate treated rats.     

Effects of clofibric acid and tiadenol on cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase and peroxisomal beta-oxidation in liver and extrahepatic tissues of rats

The effects of two peroxisome proliferators, p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (clofibric acid) and 2,2'-(decamethylenedithio)diethanol (tiadenol), on cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase and peroxisomal beta-oxidation were studied in several organs of rat. Among organs of control rats, the brain had the highest activity of long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase, followed by testis, and a low activity was found in other tissues. Administration of the peroxisome proliferators caused a marked increase in activity of long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase in both liver and intestinal mucosa and a slight increase in the activity in kidney, but little affected acyl-CoA hydrolase activity in either brain, testis, heart, spleen and skeletal muscle. In accordance with the change in the activity of acyl-CoA hydrolase, the activity of peroxisomal beta-oxidation was markedly increased in liver, intestinal mucosa and kidney, and a slight increase was found in brain and testis, whereas peroxisome proliferators little affected the activity in other organs tested. Gel filtration of cytosol from intestinal mucosa showed that clofibric acid caused an appearance of a new peak in intestinal mucosa. Although cytosol of liver, intestinal mucosa, brain and testis contained two 4-nitrophenyl acetate esterases with different molecular weights (about 105,000 and about 55,000), these esterases are different from cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolases of these four organs in respect of molecular weight. The administration of clofibric acid little affected cytosolic 4-nitrophenyl acetate esterases. Comparative studies on cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolases from these four organs showed that liver hydrolase I (molecular weight of about 80,000) had properties similar to those of brain and testis enzymes. On the other hand, intestinal mucosa enzyme was different from either hepatic hydrolase I or II (molecular weight of about 40,000). The results from the present study suggest that inductions of peroxisomal beta-oxidation and cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolases are essential responses of rats to peroxisome proliferators not only in liver but also in intestinal mucosa and that induced hydrolases are not attributable to non-specific esterases.     

Immunochemical studies of the combining sites of the two isolectins, A4 and B4, isolated from Bandeiraea simplicifolia

The tissue distribution and the effects of starvation and streptozotocin-induced diabetes on insulin B chain-degrading neutral peptidase activity in the rat have been studied. The neutral peptidase activity in tissue extracts was determined by measuring the formation of trichloroacetic acid-soluble radioactivity from ¹²⁵I-labeled B chain of insulin in 0.1 m Tris buffer (pH 7.2). Inhibition by several different compounds (EDTA, dithiothreitol, and potassium phosphate) which are known to inhibit the purified enzyme and the effects of pH suggest that the B chain-degrading activity measured in each of 12 tissue extracts may be similar to the neutral peptidase recently purified from rat kidney (P. T. Varandani and L. A. Shroyer, 1977, Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 181, 82–93). Neutral peptidase activity was observed in all tissues examined and varied in the order kidney ? intestine > pancreas, testis > liver > thymus > heart, skeletal muscle, diaphragm > lung, spleen > fat. Neutral peptidase activity in kidney, liver, fat, and skeletal muscle from diabetic animals was significantly depressed when compared with the levels in these tissues from normal animals. Insulin treatment of diabetic animals raised the neutral peptidase activity in kidney, liver, and fat to levels equivalent to or even exceeding normal levels; however, activity in skeletal muscle persisted at depressed levels. Heart muscle neutral peptidase activity was not significantly affected in either diabetes or starvation. In the liver, starvation reduced the level of neutral peptidase activity while subsequent refeeding raised the activity to a level exceeding the control. Opposite effects were observed in kidney: starvation increased neutral peptidase activity while refeeding brought the activity back to normal levels. Only small decreases in neutral peptidase activity were observed in fat and skeletal muscle after 24 h starvation, but were not evident after 64 h starvation. The changes in neutral peptidase activity correlated well with the changes in glutathione-insulin transhydrogenase activity previously reported in liver and kidney.