慢性镉暴露对背角无齿蚌肝脏的氧化损伤效应

目的:探明氯化镉(CdCl2)暴露对背角无齿蚌肝脏中抗氧化酶活力及脂质过氧化的影响。方法:根据背角无齿蚌96 h镉离子(Cd²⁺)半致死剂量设置1个对照组和2个处理组(0.1和0.5 mg/L),分别检测镉暴露4周及镉清除4周期间背角无齿蚌肝脏中抗氧化酶[超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPx)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)]的活力和脂质过氧化物丙二醛(MDA)的含量。结果:不同浓度Cd²⁺暴露对背角无齿蚌抗氧化酶活力及脂质过氧化产生不同程度的影响,低浓度Cd²⁺暴露的毒性效应较弱,高浓度Cd²⁺暴露可显著抑制肝脏SOD活力,诱导GPx活力升高,在暴露后期显著抑制CAT活力,MDA含量随着暴露时间的延长而显著升高。结论:慢性Cd²⁺暴露可影响背角无齿蚌肝脏抗氧化酶活力,引起脂质过氧化损伤,且作用机制与急性毒性不同。     

镉胁迫对家蚕脂肪体脂质过氧化物含量及抗氧化酶活性和mRNA表达的影响

【目的】探讨鳞翅目模式昆虫家蚕Bombyx mori作为重金属污染的监测指示生物在镉胁迫下的酶反应及相关的基因表达。【方法】给家蚕幼虫期全龄添食镉(Cd²⁺), 调查不同性别家蚕5龄幼虫脂肪体中脂质过氧化物丙二醛（MDA）的含量, 超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、 过氧化氢酶（CAT）和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）的活性及其基因表达水平的变化。【结果】Cd²⁺胁迫对雌雄家蚕MDA 含量均具有浓度效应关系, MDA含量随Cd²⁺胁迫浓度的升高而增加。Cd²⁺胁迫下, SOD和CAT活性表现为先升后降的变化趋势, Pearson相关性分析显示SOD和CAT活性变化有显著相关性(雄: R=0.770, P=0.001; 雌: R=0.854, P=0.000）。雌性家蚕脂肪体中CAT活性变化和Cat mRNA水平的表达具有正相关性（R=0.712, P=0.003）。雄性家蚕脂肪体中GSH-Px活性随Cd²⁺胁迫浓度的升高而增加, 显示浓度 效应关系, 12.5~50 mg/kg Cd²⁺胁迫组GSH-Px活性与对照相比有显著差异（P<0.05）, 其活性和GSH-Px mRNA水平的表达具有正相关性（R=0.834, P=0.000）; 雌性家蚕脂肪体中GSH-Px活性表现为先升后降的变化趋势, 12.5 mg/kg Cd²⁺胁迫组GSH-Px活性与对照相比有显著增加（P<0.01）。【结论】结果表明, 急性镉胁迫对家蚕脂肪体有明显的毒性作用, 其作用机制与脂质过氧化加剧和抗氧化酶活性变化有关。家蚕对重金属镉的解毒机制有性别相关性。     

重金属离子对凡纳滨对虾肝胰脏、鳃丝和血液SOD活力的影响

研究了3种重金属离子(Cu²⁺、Zn²⁺、Cd²⁺)在96 h内对凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)对肝胰脏、鳃丝和血液超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活力的影响.结果表明,凡纳滨对虾SOD活力在3种重金属离子作用下随取样时间变化显著(P＜0.0),Cu²⁺在实验浓度范围内(0.1～1 mg·L^-1),肝胰脏、鳃丝和血液的SOD活力随时间延长呈一峰值变化,Zn²⁺在10 mg·L^-1时对肝胰脏表现为显著抑制作用,Cd²⁺在0. mg·L^-1时对肝胰脏和鳃丝起显著抑制作用,0.2 mg·L^-1对鳃丝SOD活力无显著变化(P＞0.0),其他浓度Zn²⁺(＜10 mg·L^-1)、Cd²⁺(＜0.2 mg·L^-1)对各组织器官SOD活力的影响随时间延长均呈现先升高后下降的趋势.3种重金属离子对凡纳滨对虾肝胰脏、鳃丝、血液SOD活力的影响呈现明显的剂量-时间效应关系.其SOD活力大小顺序为肝胰脏＞鳃丝＞血液,3种重金属离子对凡纳滨对虾伤害大小顺序为Cd²⁺＞Cu²⁺＞Zn²⁺.     

低氧应激下甘肃鼢鼠与SD 大鼠心脏抗氧化酶和ATP 酶活性的比较

为探讨低氧应激下甘肃鼢鼠心脏对抗氧化损伤和电生理紊乱的可能机制,对甘肃鼢鼠和SD 大鼠在4. 5%氧浓度下分别进行2 h、4 h、6 h、8 h、10 h、16 h 低氧应激,比较常氧和各时程低氧下二者心脏超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)和Ca^{2 +} - ATP 酶、Ca^{2 +} - Mg^{2 +} - ATP 酶、Na ⁺ - K ⁺ - ATP酶活性,以丙二醛(MDA)含量作为机体氧化损伤指标。结果显示,常氧组甘肃鼢鼠GR 活性比SD 大鼠高,SOD、CAT、Ca^{2 +}-ATP 酶、Ca^{2 +} - Mg^{2 +} - ATP 酶和Na ⁺ - K ⁺ - ATP 酶活性及MDA 含量与SD 大鼠相比均无显著性差
异;低氧组甘肃鼢鼠SOD、CAT、GR、Ca^{2 +} - ATP 酶、Ca^{2 +} - Mg^{2 +} - ATP 酶和Na ⁺ - K ⁺ - ATP 酶活性迅速升高,显著高于SD 大鼠,MDA 含量则显著低于SD 大鼠。说明甘肃鼢鼠心脏通过提高抗氧化酶活性清除低氧诱导产生的多余自由基,并通过提高ATP 酶活性保证心电活动正常、心率稳定,应对低氧应激。     

硒和维生素E对皱纹盘鲍血清抗氧化酶活力的影响

利用双因素实验设计研究了在饲料中添加维生素E(VE) (0 ,5 0IU/kg)和硒 (Se) (0 ,0 2 ,0 6 ,1 5mg/kg)对皱纹盘鲍 (HaliotisdiscushannaiIno)血清中过氧化氢酶 (CAT)、超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD)、依赖硒的谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPX)、谷胱甘肽还原酶 (GR)、谷胱甘肽转移酶 (GST)这 5种抗氧化酶活力的影响。结果表明 :Se对皱纹盘鲍血清 5种抗氧化酶活力都有显著影响 (P <0 0 5 ) ,而VE仅对GPX和GR的活力有显著影响 (P <0 0 5 )。VE和Se对CAT、GRX和GR的活力的影响具有显著的交互作用。GPX/SOD、GR/GPX、CAT/SOD这 3个抗氧化的重要指标都表明 ,当饲料中含有 4 5 0IU/kg的VE时 ,添加 0 6mg/kg的硒能使皱纹盘鲍血清中的抗氧化物酶系统总体达到相对平衡 ,从而能有效地抵抗氧化损害。     

缢蛏(Sinonovacula constricta)对海水中镉富集规律的研究

论文利用微波消解-石墨炉原子吸收法,研究在不同Cd²⁺浓度(0.005 mg·L^-1、0.025 mg·L^-1、0.05 mg·L^-1、0.1 mg·L^-1)暴露下缢蛏对水体Cd²⁺的富集规律。结果表明,缢蛏对重金属Cd²⁺有一定的富集能力,其软体组织对Cd²⁺的富集量、富集速率随暴露剂量增加而升高,并在168 h的暴露时间内,体内Cd含量及其富集倍数(BCM)与暴露时间呈显著的正相关关系(P<0.01);缢蛏不同组织对Cd的富集能力(富集量、富集速率、富集倍数)存在显著差异,其消化腺、鳃和肌肉组织对Cd富集能力的大小表现为:消化腺>鳃>肌肉。与其他贝类对Cd的富集情况相比,缢蛏不是Cd的强净积累者。     

低盐胁迫对三疣梭子蟹组织中抗氧化酶和 AT P 酶活力的影响

设定半致死低盐试验组(盐度 7)和正常对照组(盐度 28)对三疣梭子蟹进行 48h 的胁迫, 检测半致死盐度胁迫下不同时间点三疣梭子蟹组织中抗氧化酶和 ATP 酶活力的变化。结果显示, 随着低盐处理时间的延长, 三疣梭子蟹肝胰腺、鳃、肌肉中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活力均呈下降趋势, 极显著低于对照组(P<0.01), 各组织中 SOD、 CAT 活力大小顺序为肌肉 >肝胰腺>鳃; 肝胰腺、鳃中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPX)、谷胱甘肽转硫酶(GST)、谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)、Na+/K+-ATPase 酶和 Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase 酶活力也都被抑制, 活力极显著下降(P<0.01); 而对照组在试验期间各组织酶活均较 平稳, 变化不大。试验结论表明 , 当盐度下降剧烈, 超出机体耐受范围时, 三疣梭子蟹生理机能被抑制, 酶活力反而下降。     

两种外生菌根真菌对镉胁迫的生理生态响应

为了解彩色豆马勃(Pisolithus tinctorius,Pt)和褐环乳牛肝菌(Suillus luteus,Sl)的耐镉(Cd)机制和Cd积累特征，本研究分析了Pt和Sl在3个Cd²⁺浓度(0.1、1.0和10.0 mg·L^-1)下细胞形态、胞外分泌物和抗氧化物质等的生理生态变化。结果表明：Sl细胞发生质壁分离且细胞壁明显增厚，而Pt细胞变形严重且内含物大量流出；Pt和Sl均可分泌异羟肟酸型铁载体；不同有机酸的分泌量因菌株不同而表现出多样性，其中琥珀酸是Pt和Sl主要分泌的有机酸；此外，Pt和Sl抗氧化酶活性及非酶抗氧化物质含量的变化也因菌株不同而异；随Cd²⁺浓度的增加，Pt和Sl抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)活性和抗坏血酸(AsA)含量均有明显的增加趋势；超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)活性及还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量变化不同，其中Pt GSH含量与GR活性呈现相反的变化趋势，低浓度Cd胁迫使Pt和Sl的SOD活性显著增强，Pt的CAT活性先降低后升高。综上所述，Pt和Sl...     

盐度、温度对卵形鲳鲹选育群体肝抗氧化酶活力的影响

通过盐度渐变和温度骤变的方法,分别研究了不同盐度(10、20、30、40)处理和不同温度(18.0℃、21.0℃、24.6℃、29.0℃、32.0℃)处理对卵形鲳鲹(Trachinotus ovatus)选育群体肝超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GPX)活力的影响.在实验结束时,盐度10组酶活力与对照组无显著差异(P＞0.05),盐度20组SOD活力极显著低于对照组(P＜0.01);盐度40组120 h时,SOD和GPX活力极显著低于对照组(P＜0.01),CAT活力与对照组差异不显著(P＞0.05).18.0℃和21.0℃ SOD活力在1、3、6、12、24 h这5个取样时间点均高于对照组,CAT活力在实验结束时(24 h)极显著高于对照组(P ＜0.01);29.0℃SOD和CAT活力在实验结束时(24 h)显著高于对照组(P＜0.05);32.0℃ SOD和CAT活力在5个取样时间点均显著低于对照组(P＜0.05).结果表明,适当的盐度或温度变化可以改变卵形鲳鲹肝抗氧化酶活力,达到机体耐受极限时酶活力下降.     

SIRT2抑制对MPP+诱导的帕金森病细胞模型凋亡和线粒体动态平衡的影响*

探究siRNA敲减沉默信息调节因子2(SIRT2)对1-甲基-4-苯基吡啶离子(MPP⁺)诱导的帕金森病细胞模型细胞损伤的影响和机制。CCK-8法检测不同浓度MPP⁺处理对体外培养小鼠海马神经元HT-22细胞生存率的影响。将细胞分为对照组、MPP⁺最佳浓度处理组(1 mmol/L MPP⁺处理组)、阴性转染组(对照组基础上转染SIRT2阴性序列)、SIRT2 siRNA处理组(损伤组基础上转染SIRT2 siRNA)。观察各组细胞凋亡情况,检测凋亡相关蛋白(Bcl-2、Bax、Caspase-9)、线粒体分裂及融合相关蛋白(Drp1、Fis1、OPA1、Mfn1、Mfn2)。与对照组相比,MPP⁺处理组细胞抑制率均升高,细胞抑制率随MPP⁺浓度增加而逐渐增加(P<0.05)。与SIRT2 siRNA转染组相比,损伤组Bax、Caspase-9、Drp1、Fis1蛋白表达和细胞凋亡率升高,Bcl-2、Mfn1、Mfn2蛋白表达降低(P<0.05)。SIRT2在MPP⁺诱导帕金森病细胞模型中表达升高,抑制SIRT2可减轻MPP⁺诱导帕金森病细胞模型中细胞凋亡并促进线粒体融合,从而对神经元具有一定的保护作用。     

泥蚶谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶基因的全长克隆与表达分析

为了探讨谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（Glutathione peroxidase,GPx）基因在泥蚶应激反应中的作用,研究采用RACE技术克隆了泥蚶GPx基因（TgGPx）cDNA全长,其cDNA全长1195 bp,包含45 bp 5’-UTR,639 bp开放阅读框（ORF）和511 bp 3’-UTR。ORF编码212个氨基酸残基,预测蛋白分子量为24.3 kD,理论等电点为8.33,其中,第53个氨基酸U是由密码子202UGA204编码的硒代半胱氨酸（Se-Cys）。在3’-UTR上存在一段序列,形成一种独特的茎环结构,即SECIS元件。SECIS元件在密码子UGA翻译为Se-Cys的过程中起决定性作用。通过序列比对与系统进化分析,发现软体动物中也存在不同种类的GPx基因,TgGPx与GPx1和GPx2的亲缘关系较近。利用qRT-PCR技术对TgGPx在泥蚶的不同组织以及重金属刺激后的表达量进行分析,结果表明,TgGPx在泥蚶的5个组织中都有表达,但存在组织特异性,在外套膜中的表达量最高,在血细胞中的表达量最低。用重金属铅、铜、镉刺激后,TgGPx在肝胰脏中的表达量显著升高,表明TgGPx在维护机体正常功能方面及泥蚶抵御外界刺激的应激反应中发挥作用。     

Modulation of Glutathione and Glutathione Dependent Antioxidant Enzymes in Mouse Heart Following Doxorubicin Therapy

The toxicity of the antineoplastic agent doxorubicin (DOX) has been shown to be moderated by the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase. It has been reported that acute doses of DOX can cause an inhibition of glutathione peroxidase in cardiac tissue, that may render this tissue especially susceptible to further prooxidant damage. In this study, multiple DOX treatments at a therapeutic dose were assessed for their effect on the antioxidant enzyme status of cardiac and kidney tissue. DOX was administered i.p. (5 mg/kg) once a week for two weeks to male balb/c mice. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPOX) and glutathione reductase (GR) were measured 1, 2 and 7 days following the second DOX treatment in both heart and kidney. Levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) were also measured in cardiac tissue at these same times. Cardiac levels of GPOX and GR showed a time-dependent decrease in activity, with 10% and 12% inhibition for GPOX and GR, respectively, at 7 days post second treatment. Cardiac levels of GSH also showed a significant decrease, approximately 15%, at 7 days post second treatment. Cardiac levels of SOD and CAT as well as kidney levels of all four antioxidant enzymes were not affected by DOX treatment. These data suggest that DOX given in a therapeutic regimen, at a therapeutic dose, can cause decreases in cardiac levels of GPOX, GR and GSH that could render the heart especially susceptible to further oxidative challenge.     

Melatonin protects against delta-aminolevulinic acid-induced oxidative damage in male Syrian hamster Harderian glands

Effects of the prooxidant delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and the antioxidant melatonin (MEL) were investigated in the male Syrian hamster Harderian gland (HG). Rodent Harderian glands are highly porphyrogenic organs, which may be used as model systems for studying damage by delta-aminolevulinic acid and its metabolites, as occurring in porphyrias. Chronic administration of delta-aminolevulinic acid (2 weeks) markedly decreased activities of the porphyrogenic enzymes delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALA-S) and delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D) and of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR) and catalase (CAT), whereas porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG-D) remained unaffected. This treatment led to increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) and oxidatively modified protein (protein carbonyl) as well as to morphologically apparent tissue damage. Melatonin also caused decreases in delta-aminolevulinate synthase, delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and catalase. Despite lower activities of antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl were markedly diminished. The combination of delta-aminolevulinic acid and melatonin led to approximately normal levels of delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase, glutathione reductase, catalase and protein carbonyl, and to rises in superoxide dismutase and porphobilinogen deaminase activities; lipid peroxidation remained even lower than in controls and the appearance of the tissue revealed a protective influence of melatonin. These results suggest that melatonin may have profound effects on the oxidant status of the Harderian gland.     

Estrogen administration, postexercise tissue oxidative stress and vitamin C status in male rats

Estrogen can putatively act as an antioxidant and protect tissues from exercise-induced oxidative stress. To test the in vivo efficacy of estrogen, the effects of 2 weeks of daily estrogen (40 microg x kg(-1) body weight beta-estradiol 3-benzoate) injection on indices of immediate postexercise oxidative stress and antioxidant status were determined in adult male rats, with and without 8 weeks of prior dietary vitamin E deprivation. The treadmill running protocol (60 min at 21 m x min(-1), 12% grade) induced significant oxidative stress as indicated by muscle glutathione status. Estrogen administration had little effect on postexercise tissue glutathione status, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity, and vitamin E levels. Estrogen administration induced significant reductions in muscle, liver, and heart vitamin C concentrations following exercise, as well as in unexercised male rats. Tissue vitamin C loss was not directly mediated through liver glycogen or glutathione status. Thus, estrogen administration generally did not appear to influence postexercise tissue indices of oxidative stress or antioxidant status and may have contributed to a decline in overall antioxidant protection by inducing losses in tissue vitamin C content.     

Lipid peroxidation in pigmented and unpigmented liver tissues: protective role of melanin

The protective role of melanin as an antioxidant biopolymer against lipid peroxidation was investigated. In pigmented frog liver and in albino rat liver the following were tested: thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactive material (to show the induced lipoperoxidation in vitro), fatty acids, and reduced glutathione content. Our results show that susceptibility to the in vitro lipoperoxidation induced by ferrous ions is lower in the tissue containing melanin, though the content of the polyunsaturated fatty acids is higher in pigmented than in unpigmented tissues and reduced glutathione levels are lower in pigmented tissue. Our data support the hypothesis that melanin could reduce lipoperoxidation in pigmented tissue.     

Oxidative damage during chagasic cardiomyopathy development: role of mitochondrial oxidant release and inefficient antioxidant defense

In this study, we evaluated the oxidant status and antioxidant defense capabilities of the heart during the course of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and disease development in a murine model system. Our data show that the extent of protein carbonylation and lipid peroxidation is increased in the heart, but not the skeletal muscle, of infected mice. The level of oxidative injury biomarkers in the myocardium consistently increased with chronic disease severity. The antioxidant defense constituted by catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GSR), and reduced glutathione was increased in murine heart and skeletal tissue in response to the stress of T. cruzi infection. After the initial burst, CAT, GPx, and GSR remained unresponsive to the severity of chronic tissue damage in chagasic hearts. The cardiac level of Mn(2+) superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) was diminished in chagasic mice. Our data suggest that the host responds to acute injuries by activating antioxidant defenses that are of sufficient magnitude to scavenge the reactive oxidants in skeletal tissue. The myocardia of infected mice, however, sustain increased oxidative injuries with disease progression. We surmise that MnSOD deficiencies, resulting in the increased release of mitochondrial free radicals, lead to sustained oxidative stress that exceeds the cardiac antioxidant defense capacity and contribute to persistent oxidative damage in chagasic myocardium.     

Preconditioning with diosgenin and treadmill exercise preserves the cardiac toxicity of isoproterenol in rats

This study was aimed to evaluate the preventive effect of diosgenin and exercise on tissue antioxidant status in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction (MI) in male Wistar rats. Levels of lipid peroxides, reduced glutathione (GSH), and the activities of glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidise and glutathione reductase) and antiperoxidative enzymes (catalase and superoxide dismutase) in the plasma and the heart tissue of experimental groups of rats were determined. Pretreatment with diosgenin and exercise exerted an antioxidant effect against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction by blocking the induction of lipid peroxidation. A tendency to prevent the isoproterenol-induced alterations in the level of GSH, in the activities of glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzymes and antiperoxidative enzymes was also observed. Histopathological findings of the myocardial tissue showed a protective role for combination of diosgenin and exercise in isoproterenol (ISO)-treated rats. Thus, the present study reveals that preconditioning with diosgenin and exercise exerts cardioprotective effect against ISO-induced MI due to its free radical scavenging and antioxidant effects, which maintains the tissue defense system against myocardial damage.     

Glutathione monoethylester prevents mitochondrial glutathione depletion during focal cerebral ischemia

Glutathione is a central component in the antioxidant defences of cells. We have recently reported an early and selective loss of total (reduced plus oxidised) glutathione from mitochondria isolated from rat brain following occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. This mitochondrial glutathione depletion showed an apparent association with the tissue damage that developed during subsequent reperfusion, suggesting that it could be an important determinant of susceptibility to cell loss. In the present study, we have investigated whether in vivo treatment with glutathione ethyl ester can modulate mitochondrial glutathione in the brain and whether this treatment can influence the response to focal ischemia. In further support of our previous findings, middle cerebral artery occlusion caused a duration-dependent partial loss of mitochondrial glutathione. Bilateral injections of glutathione ethyl ester immediately prior to induction of unilateral focal ischemia resulted in a substantial increase in glutathione in mitochondria from the striatum of both the non-ischemic hemisphere (190% of saline-treated controls) and the ischemic hemisphere (240% of controls) at 2h after arterial occlusion. Total tissue glutathione was not affected by the ester treatment at this time. A smaller increase in mitochondrial glutathione was observed at 3h of occlusion in the non-ischemic striatum following ester treatment but at this time point glutathione was not significantly altered in mitochondria from the ischemic hemisphere. Pre-ischemic treatment with glutathione ester did not significantly change the volume of tissue infarction assessed at 48 h following ischemia for 2 or 3h. These studies demonstrate that glutathione ethyl ester is a highly effective modulator of the mitochondrial glutathione pool in the intact brain and provides a useful means for further investigating the role of this antioxidant in the development of tissue damage in ischemia and other brain disorders.     

Antioxidant imbalance in the lungs of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein mutant mice

Recent studies suggest that the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein modulates epithelial reduced glutathione (GSH) transport and when defective creates an antioxidant imbalance. To test whether the CFTR protein modulates lung antioxidant defenses in vivo, epithelial lining fluid (ELF) and lung tissue from CFTR knockout (CFTR-KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were compared for GSH content and the activities of glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase. In the CFTR-KO mice, the ELF concentration of GSH was decreased (51%) compared with that in WT mice. The concentration of GSH in the lung tissue of CFTR-KO mice, however, was not significantly different from that in WT mice. The activities of glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase in the lung tissue of CFTR-KO mice were significantly increased compared with those in WT mice (48 and 28%, respectively). Tissue lipid and DNA oxidation were evaluated by measurement of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, respectively. The levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in the lung tissue of CFTR-KO mice were significantly increased compared with those in WT mice. These data support our hypothesis that a mutation in the CFTR gene can affect the antioxidant defenses in the lung and may contribute to the exaggerated inflammatory response observed in CF.     

Effects of quercetin on antioxidant defense in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

In light of evidence that some complications of diabetes mellitus may be caused or exacerbated by oxidative damage, we investigated the effects of subacute treatment with the antioxidant quercetin on tissue antioxidant defense systems in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats (30 days after streptozotocin induction). Quercetin, 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, was administered at a dose of 10mg/kg/day, ip for 14 days, after which liver, kidney, brain, and heart were assayed for degree of lipid peroxidation, reduced and oxidized glutathione content, and activities of the free-radical detoxifying enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. Treatment of normal rats with quercetin increased serum AST and increased hepatic concentration of oxidized glutathione. All tissues from diabetic animals exhibited disturbances in antioxidant defense when compared with normal controls. Quercetin treatment of diabetic rats reversed only the diabetic effects on brain oxidized glutathione concentration and on hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity. By contrast, a 20% increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation, a 40% decline in hepatic glutathione concentration, an increase in renal (23%) and cardiac (40%) glutathione peroxidase activities, and a 65% increase in cardiac catalase activity reflect intensified diabetic effects after treatment with quercetin. These results call into question the ability of therapy with the antioxidant quercetin to reverse diabetic oxidative stress in an overall sense.