Response of the cultivated tomato and its wild salt-tolerant relative Lycopersicon pennellii to salt-dependent oxidative stress: The root antioxidative system

The response of the antioxidant system to salt stress was studied in the roots of the cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. M82 (Lem) and its wild salt-tolerant relative L. pennellii (Corr.) D'Arcy accession Atico (Lpa). Roots of control and salt (100 m M NaCl)-stressed plants were sampled at various times after commencement of salinization. A gradual increase in the membrane lipid peroxidation in salt-stressed root of Lem was accompanied with decreased activities of the antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT; EC 1.11.1.6), ascorbate peroxidase (APX; EC 1.11.1.11) and decreased contents of the antioxidants ascorbate and glutathione and their redox states. In contrast, increased activities of the SOD, CAT, APX, monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR; EC 1.6.5.4), and increased contents of the reduced forms of ascorbate and glutathione and their redox states were found in salt-stressed roots of Lpa, in which the level of membrane lipid peroxidation remained unchanged. It seems that the better protection of Lpa roots from salt-induced oxidative damage results, at least partially, from the increased activity of their antioxidative system.     

Salinity up-regulates the antioxidative system in root mitochondria and peroxisomes of the wild salt-tolerant tomato species Lycopersicon pennellii

The effect of salinity on the antioxidative system of root mitochondria and peroxisomes of a cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum (Lem) and its wild salt-tolerant related species L. pennellii (Lpa) was studied. Salt stress induced oxidative stress in Lem mitochondria, as indicated by the increased levels of lipid peroxidation and H(2)O(2). These changes were associated with decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and guaiacol peroxidases (POD) and contents of ascorbate (ASC) and glutathione (GSH). By contrast, in mitochondria of salt-treated Lpa plants both H(2)O(2) and lipid peroxidation levels decreased while the levels of ASC and GSH and activities of SOD, several isoforms of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and POD increased. Similarly to mitochondria, peroxisomes isolated from roots of salt-treated Lpa plants exhibited also decreased levels of lipid peroxidation and H(2)O(2) and increased SOD, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT) activities. In spite of the fact that salt stress decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes in Lem peroxisome, oxidative stress was not evident in these organelles.     

Comparison of mitochondrial ascorbate peroxidase in the cultivated tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, and its wild, salt-tolerant relative, L. pennellii– a role for matrix isoforms in protection against oxidative damage

Mitochondria require robust antioxidant defences to prevent lipid peroxidation and to protect tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes from oxidative damage. Mitochondria from wild, salt‐tolerant tomato, Lycopersicon pennellii (Lpa) did not exhibit lipid peroxidation in response to high salinity (100 mm NaCl), whereas those isolated from cultivated tomato, L. esculentum (Lem), accumulated malondialdehyde. The activity, intraorganellar distribution and salt response of mitochondrial ascorbate peroxidase (mAPX) differed dramatically in the two species. In Lem mitochondria, the majority (84%) of mAPX was associated with membranes, being located either on the inner membrane, facing the intermembrane space, or on the outer membrane. Total mAPX activity did not increase substantially in response to salt, although the proportion of matrix APX increased. In contrast, 61% of Lpa mAPX activity was soluble in the matrix, the remainder being bound to the matrix face of the inner membrane. Salt treatment increased the activity of all mAPX isoforms in Lpa, without altering their intramitochondrial distribution. The membrane‐bound isoforms were detected in mitochondria of both species by western blotting and found to be induced by salt in Lpa. These observations suggest that matrix‐associated APX isoforms could act in concert with other mitochondrial antioxidants to protect against salt‐induced oxidative stress.     

Salinity effects on water relations in Lycopersicon esculentum and its wild salt-tolerant relative species L. pennellii

Cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum (L.) Mill. cv. P-73 and its wild salt tolerant relative L. pennellii (Correll) D'Arcy accession PE-47, were grown during spring-summer 1989 under unheated plastic greenhouse conditions. Plants were submitted to two different salt treatments using 0 and 140 mM NaCI irrigation water. In both tomato species, salinity caused a proportionally larger reduction in leaf area than in leaf weight and, in L. esculentum , a proportionally larger decrease in stem weight than in leaf weight. Daily variations in leaf water potential (Ψ₁) were fundamentally due to changes in the evaporative demand of the atmosphere. Reductions in Ψ₁ due to salinity were consistent only in L. esculentum . In all the conditions studied, leaf turgor was maintained. Leaf conductance (g₁)was higher in L. esculentum than in L. pennellii .Salinity induced a clear reduction in g₁ levels in L. esculentum whereas, in L. pennellii , this reduction was noted only in May. In both species the Ψ^o_s (leaf osmotic potential at full turgor) levels were reduced by salinity. The bulk modulus of elasticity (E) and relative water content at turgor loss point (RWC_tlp) were not affected by salinity. The RWC_tlp values in L. pennellii seem to be controlled by E values.     

The effect of salt stress on lipid peroxidation and antioxidants in the leaf of the cultivated tomato and its wild salt‐tolerant relative Lycopersicon pennellii

The possible involvement of the antioxidative system in the tolerance to salt stress was studied in the cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. M82 (M82) and its wild salt‐tolerant relative L. pennellii (Corn) D'Arcy accession Atico (Lpa). All analyses, except that of monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), were performed of the youngest fully‐expanded leaf of control and salt (100 m M NaCl) stressed plants, 4, 7, 10, 14, 18 and 22 days after completing the stress treatment. In Lpa, constitutive level of lipid peroxidation and activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) were lower while the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) were inherently higher than in M82. Relative to M82, lipid peroxidation was much lower and the activities of SOD, CAT and APX were higher in Lpa at 100 m M NaCl. The activity of DHAR decreased more in Lpa than in M82 under salt stress, and the activity of MDHAR, which was lower in Lpa than in M82 under control conditions, increased much more and to a higher level in salt‐treated Lpa plants. GR activity decreased similarly in the two species under salt stress. The results of these analyses suggest that the wild salt‐tolerant Lpa plants are better protected against active oxygen species (AOS), inherently and under salt stress, than the relatively sensitive plants of the cultivated species.     

Salt stress induces up-regulation of an efficient chloroplast antioxidant system in the salt-tolerant wild tomato species Lycopersicon pennellii but not in the cultivated species

The response of the chloroplastic antioxidant system of the cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum (Lem) and its wild salt-tolerant related species L. pennellii (Lpa) to NaCl stress was studied. An increase in H₂O₂ level and membrane lipid peroxidation was observed in chloroplasts of salt-stressed Lem. In contrast, a decrease in these indicators of oxidative stress characterized chloroplasts of salt-stressed Lpa plants. This differential response of Lem and Lpa to salinity, correlates with the activities of the antioxidative enzymes in their chloroplasts. Increased activities of total superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPX) and several isoforms of non-specific peroxidases (POD) were found in chloroplasts of salt-treated Lpa plants. In these chloroplasts, in contrast, activity of lipoxygenase (LOX) decreased while in those of salt-stressed Lem it increased. Although total SOD activity slightly increased in chloroplasts of salt-treated Lem plants, differentiation between SOD types revealed that only stromal Cu/ZnSOD activity increased. In contrast, in chloroplasts of salt-treated Lpa plants FeSOD activity increased while Cu/ZnSOD activity remained unchanged. These data indicate that salt-dependent oxidative stress and damage, suffered by Lem chloroplasts, was effectively alleviated in Lpa chloroplasts by the selective up-regulation of a set of antioxidative enzymes. Further support for the above idea was supplied by leaf discs experiments in which pre-exposure of Lpa plants to salt-treatment conferred cross-tolerance to paraquat-induced oxidative stress while increased oxidative damage by paraquat-treatment was found in salt-stressed Lem plants.     

Response of the cultivated tomato and its wild salt-tolerant relative Lycopersicon pennellii to salt-dependent oxidative stress: increased activities of antioxidant enzymes in root plastids

Root plastids of the cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum (Lem) exhibited salt-induced oxidative stress as indicated by the increased H 2 O 2 and lipid peroxidation levels which were accompanied with increased contents of the oxidized forms of ascorbate and glutathione. In contrast, H 2 O 2 level decreased, lipid peroxidation level slightly decreased and the levels of the reduced forms of ascorbate and glutathione increased in plastids of L. pennellii (Lpa) species in response to salinity. This better protection of Lpa root plastids from salt-induced oxidative stress was correlated with increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidases (POD), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione- S -transferase (GST) and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPX). In the plastids of both species, activities of SOD, APX, and POD could be resolved into several isozymes. In Lem plastids two Cu/ZnSOD isozymes were found whereas in Lpa an additional FeSOD type could also be detected. In response to salinity, activities of selected SOD, APX, and POD isozymes were increased in Lpa, while in Lem plastids the activities of most of SOD and POD isozymes decreased. Taken together, it is suggested that plastids play an important role in the adaptation of Lpa roots to salinity.     

Re-aeration-induced oxidative stress and antioxidative defenses in hypoxically pretreated lupine roots

The level of free radicals and activities of antioxidative enzymes were examined in roots of lupine seedlings (Lupinus luteus L.) that were deprived of oxygen by subjecting them to root hypoxia for 48 and 72 h and then re-aerated for up to 24 h. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we found that the exposure of previously hypoxically grown roots to air caused the increase in free radicals level, irrespective of duration of hypoxic pretreatment. Immediately after re-aeration the level of free radicals was two times higher than in aerated control. The EPR signal with the g-values at the maximum absorption of 2.0057 and 2.0040 implied that the paramagnetic radicals are derived from a quinone. Directly after re-aeration of hypoxically pretreated roots, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) increased to its highest value, followed by a decline below the initial level, whereas activities of catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) and peroxidase (POX, EC 1.11.1.7) were diminished or only slightly influenced during re-aeration. The electrophoretic patterns of the soluble extracts show 4 isozymes of SOD, 4 isozymes of POX and 1 isozyme of CAT. The level of H2O2 was enhanced or lowered by re-aeration, depending on the previous duration of hypoxia. At the onset of re-aeration products of lipid peroxidation were present at a three-fourth of the levels found in aerobic control. Their levels increased after prolonged exposure to air but remained lower than those in aerobic control even after 24 h of re-aeration. Re-admission of oxygen resulted in about 20% rise in oxygen uptake by root axes segments immediately after transfer of roots from hypoxia and the high uptake rates were observed over whole re-aeration period. Oxygen consumption by root tips was significantly reduced just after transfer from hypoxic conditions as compared to aerated control but after 24 h of re-aeration even approached the control level. The results are discussed in relation to the ability of lupine roots to cope with oxidative stress caused by re-aeration following hypoxic pretreatment.     

Oxidative stress and antioxidants in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants subjected to boron toxicity

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Boron (B) toxicity triggers the formation of reactive oxygen species in plant tissues. However, there is still a lack of knowledge as to how B toxicity affects the plant antioxidant defence system. It has been suggested that ascorbate could be important against B stress, although existing information is limited in this respect. The objective of this study was to analyse how ascorbate and some other components of the antioxidant network respond to B toxicity. METHODS: Two tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivars ('Kosaco' and 'Josefina') were subjected to 0.05 (control), 0.5 and 2 mm B. The following were studied in leaves: dry weight; relative leaf growth rate; total and free B; H(2)O(2); malondialdehyde; ascorbate; glutathione; sugars; total non-enzymatic antioxidant activity, and the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase, ascorbate oxidase and l-galactose dehydrogenase. KEY RESULTS: The B-toxicity treatments diminished growth and boosted the amount of B, malondialdehyde and H(2)O(2) in the leaves of the two cultivars, these trends being more pronounced in 'Josefina' than in 'Kosaco'. B toxicity increased ascorbate concentration in both cultivars and increased glutathione only in 'Kosaco'. Activities of antioxidant- and ascorbate-metabolizing enzymes were also induced. CONCLUSIONS: High B concentration in the culture medium provokes oxidative damage in tomato leaves and induces a general increase in antioxidant enzyme activity. In particular, B toxicity increased ascorbate pool size. It also increased the activity of l-galactose dehydrogenase, an enzyme involved in ascorbate biosynthesis, and the activity of enzymes of the Halliwell-Asada cycle. This work therefore provides a starting point towards a better understanding of the role of ascorbate in the plant response against B stress.     

Growth of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) in response to salicylic acid under water stress

Abstract

Plants of Lycopersicon esculentum L. cv. K-25 were subjected to water stress by withholding water for 10 days at 20 (WS I) and 30 (WS II) days after sowing (DAS). Seedlings were sprayed with double distilled water (DDW) or 10^?5M salicylic acid (SA) at 45 DAS. The water stress at earlier stage of growth (20 day stage) was more inhibitory as compared to the later stage (30 day stage). The plants exposed to water stress exhibited a significant (p<0.05) decline in photosynthetic parameters, membrane stability index (MSI), leaf water potential, activity of nitrate reductase (NR), carbonic anhydrase (CA), chlorophyll and relative water content (RWC). A follow-up treatment with SA protected against the stress generated by water and significantly improved the above parameters. However, proline content and antioxidant enzymes increased under drought as well as under SA treatments.     

Tethering the N-terminus of the prion protein compromises the cellular response to oxidative stress

The role of the N-terminal half of the prion protein (PrPC) in normal cellular function and pathology remains enigmatic. To investigate the biological role of the N-terminus of PrP, we examined the cellular properties of a construct of murine PrP, PrP-DA, in which the N-terminus is tethered to the membrane by an uncleaved signal peptide and which retains the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol anchor. Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells expressing PrP-DA were more susceptible to hydrogen peroxide and copper induced toxicity than wtPrP expressing cells. The PrP-DA expressing cells had an increased level of intracellular free radicals and reduced levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase as compared to the wtPrP expressing cells. The membrane topology, cell surface location, lipid raft localisation, intracellular trafficking and copper-mediated endocytosis of PrP-DA were not significantly different from wtPrP. However, cells expressing PrP-DA accumulated an N-terminal fragment that was resistant to proteinase K. The data presented here are consistent with the N-terminal region of PrPC having a role in the cellular response to oxidative stress, and that tethering this region of the protein to the membrane compromises this function through the accumulation of a protease-resistant N-terminal fragment, similar to that seen in some forms of human prion disease.     

Acquired tolerance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Micro‐Tom) plants to cadmium‐induced stress

The effects of varying concentrations of cadmium (Cd) on the development of Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Micro‐Tom (MT) plants were investigated after 40 days (vegetative growth) and 95 days (fruit production), corresponding to 20 days and 75 days of exposure to CdCl₂, respectively. Inhibition of growth was clearly observed in the leaves after 20 days and was greater after 75 days of growth in 1 mM CdCl₂, whereas the fruits exhibited reduced growth following the exposure to a concentration as low as 0.1 mM CdCl₂. Cd was shown to accumulate in the roots after 75 days of growth but was mainly translocated to the upper parts of the plants accumulating to high concentrations in the fruits. Lipid peroxidation was more pronounced in the roots even at 0.05 mM CdCl₂ after 75 days, whereas in leaves, there was a major increase after 20 days of exposure to 1 mM CdCl₂, but the fruit only exhibited a slight significant increase in lipid peroxidation in plants subjected to 1 mM CdCl₂ when compared with the control. Oxidative stress was also investigated by the analysis of four key antioxidant enzymes, which exhibited changes in response to the increasing concentrations of Cd tested. Catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) activity was shown to increase after 75 days of Cd treatment, but the major increases were observed at 0.1 and 0.2 mM CdCl₂, whereas guaiacol peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) did not vary significantly from the control in leaves and roots apart from specific changes at 0.5 and 1 mM CdCl₂. The other two enzymes tested, glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), did not exhibit any significant changes in activity, apart from a slight decrease in SOD activity at concentrations above 0.2 mM CdCl₂. However, the most striking results were obtained when an extra treatment was used in which a set of plants was subjected to a stepwise increase in CdCl₂ from 0.05 to 1 mM, leading to tolerance of the Cd applied even at the final highest concentration of 1 mM. This apparent adaptation to the toxic effect of Cd was confirmed by biomass values being similar to the control, indicating a tolerance to Cd acquired by the MT plants.     

Role of oxidative stress in the extremely salt-tolerant yeast Hortaea werneckii

Eukaryotic halotolerant microorganisms are important as model organisms to understand the general mechanisms of resistance to environmental salinity. The ability of the extremely halotolerant black yeast Hortaea werneckii to combat oxidative stress was addressed, using hydrogen peroxide to generate the reactive oxygen species. Increasing environmental salinity was found to have no effect on its high ability to degrade hydrogen peroxide but resulted in a decrease in viability in response to externally added hydrogen peroxide, suggesting that the latter property determines the upper limit of the salt tolerance of H. werneckii. A refinement of the model of adaptation of H. werneckii to high-salinity environments is proposed.     

Rapid inactivation of chloroplastic ascorbate peroxidase is responsible for oxidative modification to Rubisco in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) under cadmium stress

To investigate the sensitive site of antioxidant systems in chloroplast under cadmium stress and its consequence on reactive oxygen species production and action, the sub-organellar localization of chloroplast superoxide dismutases (SOD,EC 1.15.1.1) and ascorbic peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11) isoenzymes and changes of enzymes activities under cadmium stress were investigated in tomato seedlings. Two APX isoforms, one thylakoid-bound and one stromal, were detected. Cd at 50 μM induced a moderate increase of SOD activities but a rapid inactivation of both APX isoenzymes. APX inactivation was mainly related to the decrease of ascorbate concentration, as supported by in vitro treatment of exogenous ascorbate and APX kinetic properties under Cd stress. H2O2 accumulation in chloroplast, as a consequence of APX inactivation,was associated with a 60% loss of Rubisco (EC 4.1.1.39) activity, which could be partially accounted for by a 10% loss of Rubisco content. Protein oxidation assay found that the Rubisco large subunit was the most prominent carbonylated protein; the level of carbonylated Rubisco large subunit increased fivefold after Cd exposure. Thiol groups in the Rubisco large subunit were oxidized, as indicated by non-reducing electrophoresis. Treating crude extract with H2O2 resulted in a similar pattern of protein oxidation and thiols oxidation with that observed in Cd-treated plants. Our study indicates that APXs in the chloroplast is a highly sensitive site of antioxidant systems under Cd stress, and the inactivation of APX could be mainly responsible for oxidative modification to Rubisco and subsequent decrease in its activity.     

Salicylic acid negatively affects the response to salt stress in pea plants

We studied the effect of salicylic acid (SA) treatment on the response of pea plants to salinity. Sodium chloride (NaCl)-induced damage to leaves was increased by SA, which was correlated with a reduction in plant growth. The content of reduced ascorbate and glutathione in leaves of salt-treated plants increased in response to SA, although accumulation of the respective oxidised forms occurred. An increase in hydrogen peroxide also occurred in leaves of salt-exposed plants treated with SA. In the absence of NaCl, SA increased ascorbate peroxidase (APX; 100 μm) and glutathione-S transferase (GST; 50 μm) activities and increased catalase (CAT) activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Salinity decreased glutathione reductase (GR) activity, but increased GST and CAT activity. In salt-stressed plants, SA also produced changes in antioxidative enzymes: 100 μm SA decreased APX but increased GST. Finally, a concentration-dependent increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was induced by SA treatment in salt-stressed plants. Induction of PR-1b was observed in NaCl-stressed plants treated with SA. The treatment with SA, as well as the interaction between salinity and SA treatment, had a significant effect on PsMAPK3 expression. The expression of PsMAPK3 was not altered by 70 mm NaCl, but was statistically higher in the absence than in the presence of SA. Overall, the results show that SA treatment negatively affected the response of pea plants to NaCl, and this response correlated with an imbalance in antioxidant metabolism. The data also show that SA treatment could enhance the resistance of salt-stressed plants to possible opportunistic pathogen attack, as suggested by increased PR-1b gene expression.     

Osmotic stress induces loss of glutathione and increases the sensitivity to oxidative stress in H9c2 cardiac myocytes

It has been observed that H9c2 cardiac cells cultured in physiologic solutions exhibit delayed cell death after repeated medium replacements, of which the cause was the relatively mild osmotic challenges during the renewal of the culture medium. Interestingly, the cell damage was associated with altered intracellular GSH homeostasis. Therefore, this study attempted to elucidate the effects of osmotic stress on GSH metabolism. In cells subjected to osmotic stress by lowering the NaCl concentration of the medium, the cell swelling was rapidly counterbalanced, but the intracellular GSH content was significantly lower in 3 h. Meanwhile, the ratio of GSH-to-GSSG was not affected. As expected, osmotic stress also increased the sensitivity to H₂O₂, which was attributable to the decrease of GSH content. The decrease of GSH content was similarly evident when the synthetic pathways of GSH were blocked by BSO or acivicin. It was concluded that osmotic stress induced the decrease of intracellular GSH content by increased consumption and this loss of GSH rendered the cells susceptible to a subsequent oxidative stress.     

Activities of SOD and the ascorbate-glutathione cycle enzymes in subcellular compartments in leaves and roots of the cultivated tomato and its wild salt-tolerant relative Lycopersicon pennellii

The activities of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle enzymes ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and glutathione reductase (GR) and SOD were studied in cell organelles of the cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum (M82) and its wild salt-tolerant related species Lycopersicon pennellii (Lpa). All four enzymes of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle were present in chloroplasts/plastids, mitochondria and peroxisomes of leaf and root cells of both tomato species. In all leaf and root organelles of both species, the activity of MDHAR was similar to, or higher than, that of APX, while the activity of DHAR was one order of magnitude lower than that of MDHAR. Based on these results, it is suggested that in the organelles of both tomato species, ascorbate is regenerated mainly by MDHAR. In both tomato species, GR activity, and to a lesser extent DHAR activity, was found to reside in the soluble fraction of all leaf and root cell organelles, while APX and MDHAR activities were distributed between the membrane and soluble fractions. A higher SOD to APX activity ratio in all Lpa organelles was the major difference between the two tomato species. It is possible that this higher ratio contributes to the inherently better protection of Lpa from salt stress, as was previously reported.     

高寒山区植物根抗氧化酶系统的季节变化与抗冷冻关系

在高寒山区（海拔2900m）和选取4种多年生草本植物,即无芒雀麦（Bromus inermis）、草地早熟禾（Poa sphyondylodes）、花誉麦（Bromus sinensis）和垂重申披碱草（Elymus nutans）,测定了秋末、冬初、冬季、春季气温变化过程中其根中丙二醛（MDA）含量和抗氧酶活力（过氧化氢酶（CAT）、过氧化物酶（POD）、超氧物歧化酶（SOD））和抗坏血酸氧化酶（APX）变化,分析了抗氧酶系统在根抗冷适应中的作用,结果表明,随秋末降温植物根中MDA含量增加,尔后下降,在冬季和翌年春季保持相对稳定。从9月初到10月下旬,4种植物根中SOD、CAT、POD活力平均增加170％、130％和56％。在冬季下降,但仍远高于9月,在春季气温上升过程中酶活力上升。根能在组织结冰状况下生存与其具备完善的保护酶系统,能及时清除氧自由基抑制膜脂过氧化维持膜完整性有关,据降温过程中MDA含量和抗氧酶活力变化,可将根冷适应分为两个阶段,即第1阶段平均气温在0℃以上,抗氧酶活力增强,MDA增加阶段,第2阶段平均气温降至0℃以下,最低气温降到－15℃以下,抗氧酶活力下降,MDA无明显变化阶段。     

Effects of dietary vitamin E and selenium on antioxidative defense mechanisms in the liver of rats treated with high doses of glucocorticoid

The aim of this work was to determine the effects of dietary intake vitamin E and selenium (Se) on lipid peroxidation as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and on the antioxidative defense mechanisms in the liver of rats treated with high doses of prednisolone. Two hundred fifty adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups. The rats were fed a normal diet, but groups 3, 4, and 5 received a daily supplement in their drinking water of 20 mg vitamin E, 0.3 mg Se, and a combination of vitamin E and Se, respectively, for 30 d. For 3 d subsequently, the control group (group 1) was treated with a placebo, and the remaining four groups were injected intramuscularly with 100 mg/kg body weight (BW) prednisolone. After the last administration of prednisolone, 10 rats from each group were killed at 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) enzymes and the levels of glutathione (GSH) and TBARS in their livers were measured. GSH-Px, SOD, and CAT enzyme activities and GSH levels in prednisolone-treatment group (group 2) began to decrease gradually at 4 h, falling respectively to 38%, 55%, and 40% of the control levels by 24 h, and recovering to the control levels at 48 h. In contrast, prednisolone administration caused an increase in the hepatic TBARS, reaching up to four times the levels of the control at 24 h. However, supplementation with vitamin E and Se had a preventive effect on the elevation of the hepatic TBARS and improved the diminished activities of the antioxidative enzymes and the levels of GSH. Therefore, the present study demonstrates the effectiveness of vitamin E and Se in reducing hepatic damage in glucocorticoid-treated rats and suggests that reductions in increased TBARS as a result of prednisolone may be an important factor in the action of vitamin E and Se.