The Effect of Mercury Chloride and Boric Acid on Rat Erythrocyte Enzymes

Zinc (Zn) plays crucial roles in mammalian metabolism. There is increasing interest about the potential beneficial effects of Zn on the prevention or treatment of non-communicable diseases. This review critically analyzes the information related to the role of Zn on the metabolic syndrome (MetS) as well as type 2 diabetes (T2D), and summarizes the biological basis of these potential effects of Zn. There are several mechanisms by which Zn may help to prevent the development or progression of MetS and T2D, respectively. Zn is involved in both insulin secretion and action in peripheral tissues. Specifically, Zn has insulin-mimetic properties that increase the activity of the insulin signaling pathway. Zn modulates long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids levels through its action on the absorption of essential fatty acids in the intestine and its subsequent desaturation. Zn is also involved in both the assembly of chylomicrons and lipoproteins as well as their clearance, and thus, plays a role in lipolysis regulation. Finally, Zn has been found to play a role in redox metabolism, and in turn, on blood pressure. The evidence related to the association between Zn status and occurrence of MetS is inconsistent. Although there are several studies reporting an inverse relationship between Zn status or dietary Zn intake and MetS prevalence, others found a direct relationship between Zn status and MetS prevalence. Intervention studies also provide confusing information about this issue, making it hard to reach firm conclusions. Zn as part of the treatment for patients with T2D has been shown to have positive responses in terms of glucose control outcomes, but only among those with Zn deficiency.

     

Neurotoxic Effects of Methamphetamine on Rat Hippocampus Pyramidal Neurons

Methamphetamine (MAP) is known to alter behavior and cause deficits in learning and memory. While the major site of action of MAP is on mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways, the effects on learning and memory raise the possibility of important actions in the hippocampus. We have studied electrophysiologic and morphologic effects of MAP in the CA1 region of hippocampus from young male rats chronically exposed to MAP, male rats exposed during gestation only and the effects of bath perfusion of MAP onto brain slices from control rats. Pyramidal neurons in brain slices from chronically exposed rats had reduced membrane potential and membrane resistance. Long-term potentiation (LTP) was reduced as compared to control, but when MAP was acutely perfused over control slices the amplitude of LTP was increased. LTP in young adult animals that had been gestationally exposed to MAP showed reduced LTP as compared to controls. Morphologically CA1 pyramidal neurons in chronically exposed animals showed a high prevalence of extensive blebbing of dendrites. We conclude that the NMDA receptor and the process of LTP are also targets of MAP dysfunction, at least in the hippocampus.     

Effects of Acute Perinatal Asphyxia in the Rat Hippocampus

In the present work, we have used a rat animal model to study the early effects of intrauterine asphyxia occurring no later than 60 min following the cesarean-delivery procedure. Transitory hypertonia accompanied by altered posture was observed in asphyxiated pups, which also showed appreciably increased lactate values in plasma and hippocampal tissues. Despite this, there was no difference in terms of either cell viability or metabolic activities such as oxidation of lactate, glucose, and glycine in the hippocampus of those fetuses submitted to perinatal asphyxia with respect to normoxic animals. Moreover, a significant decrease in glutamate, but not GABA uptake was observed in the hippocampus of asphyctic pups. Since intense ATP signaling especially through P2X₇ purinergic receptors can lead to excitotoxicity, a feature which initiates neurotransmission failure in experimental paradigms relevant to ischemia, here we assessed the expression level of the P2X₇ receptor in the paradigm of perinatal asphyxia. A three-fold increase in P2X₇ protein was transiently observed in hippocampus immediately following asphyxia. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to delineate whether the P2X₇ receptor subtype is involved in the pathogenesis, contributing to ongoing brain injury after intrapartum asphyxia. In that case, new pharmacologic intervention strategies providing neuroprotection during the reperfusion phase of injury might be identified.     

Regulation of Heme Oxygenase Activity in Rat Liver during Oxidative Stress Induced by Cobalt Chloride and Mercury Chloride

Activities of heme oxygenase and tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase and cytochrome P450 content in liver as well as absorption of the Soret band and optical density at 280 nm in serum were determined 2 and 24 h after administration of HgCl₂ and CoCl₂ and after co-administration of the metal salts with a-tocopherol. Administration of HgCl₂ and CoCl₂ increased the contents of hemolysis products in the serum, induced heme oxygenase, and decreased cytochrome P450 content in the liver. Injection of HgCl₂ increased the activity of tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase holoenzyme and enzyme saturation with the heme, but administration of CoCl₂ decreased these parameters. Pretreatment with a-tocopherol completely blocked the changes induced by HgCl₂ after 24 h. Induction of heme oxygenase induced by CoCl₂ was not blocked by a-tocopherol, but this antioxidant normalized the increase in the level of hemolysis products in the serum and decrease in tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase holoenzyme activity and cytochrome P450 content. Mechanisms of regulation of heme oxygenase by mercury and cobalt ions are discussed.     

雷公藤甲素对KA损伤大鼠星形胶质细胞的影响

目的:观察海人藻酸(Kainic acid,KA)海马内注射后星形胶质细胞的变化及雷公藤甲素(TRP)对其的影响。方法:90只SD大鼠(200～220g)随机分为3组:右侧海马注射生理盐水后生理盐水灌胃作为对照组(NS NS),右侧海马注射海人藻酸后生理盐水灌胃干预组(KA NS),右侧海马注射海人藻酸后雷公藤甲素灌胃干预组(KA TRP)。动物存活1天,3天,5天,7天,14天后免疫组织化学结合图像分析技术观察海马内星形胶质细胞形态和数目的变化。结果:(KA NS)组海马内星形胶质细胞数目明显增多,胞体明显增大,突起变短,变粗,与(NS NS)组相比差别具有显著性(p<0.05);(KA TRP)组星形胶质细胞数量明显减少,胞体变小,突起变细长,与(KA NS)组相比差别具有显著性(P<0.05)。结论:KA注射后可导致大鼠海马内星形胶质细胞的激活,雷公藤甲素对KA诱导的星形胶质细胞的活化有抑制作用。     

Chronic Administration of Lithium Chloride Increases Immunodetectable Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein in the Rat Hippocampus

Abstract: We studied the effect of treating rats with lithium salts on the content and in vitro phosphorylation rate of the astrocyte cell marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), in brain slices. Rats were fed a diet incorporating lithium chloride until the concentration of Li⁺ in serum reached 0.6–1.2 m M , a range similar to that achieved in clinical practice. Hippocampal tissue was analyzed for immunoreactive GFAP by a dot assay, and slices of hippocampus and caudate nucleus were labeled with [³²P]-phosphate to determine the in vitro rate of phosphorylation of GFAP. Compared with controls, the level of immunoreactive GFAP in the hippocampus from lithium-treated rats was increased 34%, and GFAP in hippocampal slices incorporated 39% more ³²P. This effect of lithium was apparently not confined to the hippocampus because the in vitro rate of phosphorylation of GFAP in caudate slices was also increased in the treated rats.     

Modulatory Effects of Perineuronal Oligodendrocytes on Neuronal Activity in the Rat Hippocampus

Action potentials are fundamental to relaying information from region to region in the nervous system. Changes in action potential firing patterns in neural circuits influence how the brain processes information. In our previous study, we focused on interneuron/perineuronal astrocyte pairs in the hippocampal CA1 region and reported that direct depolarization of perineuronal astrocytes modulated the firing pattern of interneurons. In the current study, we investigated the morphological and electrophysiological properties of perineuronal oligodendrocytes, and examined their modulatory effects on interneuronal firing in the CA1 region. Perineuronal oligodendrocytes only had a few processes, which were crooked, intricately twisted, and twined around the soma and proximal region of the main processes of adjacent interneurons. Whole-cell current patterns of perineuronal oligodendrocytes were homogenous and the current–voltage relationship showed remarkable outward rectification. Although the K⁺ channel blockers, tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine, clearly blocked outward currents, Ba²⁺ did not significantly alter whole-cell currents. Unlike perineuronal astrocytes, the depolarization of perineuronal oligodendrocytes had no effect on interneuronal firing; however, when the interneurons were firing at a higher frequency, the hyperpolarization of perineuronal oligodendrocytes suppressed their action potentials. The suppressive effects of perineuronal oligodendrocytes were inhibited in the presence of a low concentration of tetraethylammonium, which selectively blocked deep and fast afterhyperpolarization. These results suggest that perineuronal oligodendrocytes suppress interneuronal firing through their influence on K⁺ channels, which are responsible for deep and fast afterhyperpolarization.     

氧化还原对成年大鼠海马CA1区锥体神经元外向整流氯通道的调控作用

采用膜片钳内面向外式记录技术,研究急性分离成年大鼠海马CAl区锥体神经元外向整流氯离子通道的氧化还原调控。发现细胞内侧给予氧化剂DTNB(5,5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid),可显著减弱氯通道的活动,IC50值为(28.05±2.42)μmol/L;还原剂DTT(dithiothreitol)对氯通道没有明显影响,但可逆转DTNB引起的抑制效应。说明DTNB不改变通道电导,其引起的通道活动减弱是由氯通道关闭时间延长而开放时间缩短所致。研究还发现,另一对氧化型和还原型谷胱甘肽具有与DTNB和DTT同样的效应。本研究结果显示,成年大鼠海马CA1区锥体神经元外向整流氯通道可以被细胞内氧化还原剂所调控。     

The Effect of Ethionine Feeding on the Retention of A Single Per Os Dose of Methyl Mercury on Rat

Six adult female rats were daily fed a diet containing DL-ethionine during three weeks. One daily rat dose was 30 mg of ethionine. Six similar rats, the controls, were kept on the same diet without ethionine. On the 21st day of the experiment all rats were given one dose of 203Hg labeled methyl mercury by stomach tube. Each rat received 163 µg in terms of metallic mercury. Ninety hrs. after the mercury administration all rats were sacrificed and the mercury contents of the brains, livers, caudal femoral muscles, erythrocytes and blood plasma were determined. The mean plasma mercury content was significantly (P<0.01) greater in the ethionine fed rats when compared to the controls.     

Formation of Methyl Mercury by Bacteria

Twenty-three Hg2+-resistant cultures were isolated from sediment of the Savannah River in Georgia; of these, 14 were gram-negative short rods belonging to the genera Escherichia and Enterobacter, six were gram-positive cocci (three Staphylococcus sp. and three Streptococcus sp.) and three were Bacillus sp. All the Escherichia, Enterobacter, and the Bacillus strain were more resistant to Hg2+ than the strains of staphylococci and streptococci. Adaptation using serial dilutions and concentration gradient agar plate techniques showed that it was possible to select a Hg2+-resistant strain from a parent culture identified as Enterobacter aerogenes. This culture resisted 1,200 mug of Hg2+ per ml of medium and produced methyl mercury from HgCl2, but was unable to convert Hg2+ to volatile elemental mercury (Hg0). Under constant aeration (i.e., submerged culture), slightly more methyl mercury was formed than in the absence of aeration. Production of methyl mercury was cyclic in nature and slightly decreased if DL-homocysteine was present in media, but increased with methylcobalamine. It is concluded that the bacterial production of methyl mercury may be a means of resistance and detoxification against mercurials in which inorganic Hg2+ is converted to organic form and secreted into the environment.     

成年大鼠海马CA1区锥体神经元外向整流氯离子单通道特性

采用膜片钳内面向外式技术,在急性分离成年大鼠海马CAl区锥体细胞上记录到了外向整流氯离子通道（outwardly rectifying chloride channel,ORCC）.长时间去极化（≥60 mV）刺激后,在30%的游离膜片上记录到有外向整流特性的单通道氯电流,膜电位在－60 mV到0 mV之间的单通道电导为(16.58±1.54) pS（n=10）,而在0 mV到+60 mV之间电导为（40.92±3.17） pS.通道开放概率有明显的电压依赖性(膜电位－60 mV时,P_o=0.44±0.12;膜电位为+60 mV时,P_o=0.86±0.06, n=10).在对称Cl^－浓度（150 mmol/L）时,通道翻转电位为(－4.17±1.84) mV.当溶液中部分NaCl被葡萄糖酸钠替代后,翻转电位为：(－34.23±4.86) mV (［Cl^－］_i/［Cl^－］_o=(30 mmol/L)/(150 mmol/L)),接近氯离子通道的理论值,这表明通道具有氯离子选择性.浴槽液中分别加入氯通道阻断剂DIDS和SITS可以使+40 mV的通道开放概率从(0.83±0.06)和(0.86±0.06)分别降低到(0.12±0.05)和(0.13±0.04)（n=5）,冲洗后可使开放概率基本恢复.上述研究结果显示,在成年大鼠海马CA1神经元上存在外向整流氯离子通道.     

HBO治疗对急性CO中毒后海马不同分区神经细胞凋亡的作用研究

目的:通过研究高压氧(HBO)治疗急性CO中毒大鼠海马不同分区神经细胞凋亡情况,探讨HBO治疗急性CO中毒的应用及机理。方法:利用雄性SD大鼠,建立急性CO中毒模型。应用免疫组织化学以及免疫荧光的方法,测定在染毒和CO中毒HBO治疗后1 d、3 d、7 d、14 d和21d Bcl-2、caspase-3、Neu N、BAX和MMP-9的表达水平的变化。结果:海马CA3区神经细胞对急性CO中毒与HBO治疗比CA1和CA2区更加敏感;急性CO中毒后,海马各区神经细胞凋亡程度随1 d、3 d、7 d、14 d和21 d时间延长而加重;BAX、caspase-3和Bcl-2等凋亡相关因子的表达水平与MMP-9的变化趋势一致:在1d开始增多,3d达到最大值,7d开始减少,14 d与21 d与正常组类似;CO中毒大鼠进行HBO治疗后,海马各区MMP-9、BAX、caspase-3和Bcl-2的表达水平明显降低;且HBO治疗7 d后,海马各区这些凋亡相关因子的表达降低最为明显。结论:海马CA3区神经细胞对急性CO中毒及HBO治疗敏感;海马神经细胞凋亡可能与神经细胞表达MMP-9降解神经细胞周围的基质,表达BAX、caspase-3和Bcl-2等凋亡相关因子促进凋亡发生有关;HBO治疗可降低MMP-9以及BAX、caspase-3和Bcl-2等凋亡因子的表达,抑制神经细胞的凋亡;HBO治疗7d对神经细胞凋亡的抑制作用最明显。     

Effects of Septal Grafts on Acetylcholine Release from Rat Hippocampus After 192 IgG-Saporin Lesion

The cholinergic inputs to the rat hippocampus were lesioned by intraseptal injections of 192 IgG-saporin. After 15 days, fetal septal cells were grafted into the hippocampus. Thirteen months later, hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) release was studied by microdialysis. Lesioning reduced basal ACh release (100%) to 20% of normal, which was compensated for by the graft (71%). Infusion of the serotonin uptake inhibitor citalopram (100 M) enhanced ACh release to the same extent (% of basal release) in all rat groups. Systemic injection of 8-OH-DPAT (0.5 mg/kg, SC), an agonist of 5-HT_1A receptors, caused a smaller ACh release than citalopram. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) staining and densitometric quantification revealed that the lesion-induced reduction of the AChE-staining density was compensated for by septal grafting. In conclusion, both histochemical and biochemical methods showed that cholinergic hippocampal parameters were drastically impaired by 192 IgG-saporin lesions, but were almost completely restored by septal grafting. The graft responded to intrinsic serotonergic regulation.     

Direct Absorption of Methyl Mercury by Lymph

Methyl mercury is contained in fish and seafood products and is taken up into the body in food. While the central nervous system is known as a target organ, methyl mercury also induces autoimmunity and acts as a potent immunosuppressor. The aim of the present study is to know whether methyl mercury is directly absorbed by lymph. Conscious rats were infused with methyl mercury (4 mg/kg) via duodenal tubing as a single pulse infusion, followed by the continuous infusion of saline, and lymphatic fluids were continuously collected from the thoracic lymph duct every 30 min until 360 min after infusion. Mercury was detected immediately after infusion, and total mercury contents in lymph gradually increased until 90–120 min, remained steady, and then gradually decreased until 360 min; however, the amount of mercury collected during 330–360 min was about twofold higher than during 0–30 min. The amount of cumulative mercury in lymph at 360 min was 1.4 μg. In contrast, blood mercury concentration was 2.4 μg/ml 5 min after infusion, with the value at 360 min being 12.6 times higher than at 5 min. Plasma mercury concentration was 56 ng/ml at 5 min, with hundreds of nanograms per milliliter of mercury detected until 360 min. From the present study, it is concluded that some methyl mercury is directly absorbed by lymph and remains steady 6 h after infusion.     

Effects of Fluoride on Synaptic Membrane Fluidity and PSD-95 Expression Level in Rat Hippocampus

The objective of this study is to investigate the neurotoxicity of drinking water fluorosis on rat hippocampus. Just weaning male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups and given 15, 30, and 60 mg/L NaF solution and distilled water, respectively, for 9 months. The fluidity of brain synaptic membrane and expression level of postsynaptic density 95 (PSD-95) were tested. Results showed that the fluidity of brain synaptic membrane decreased gradually with increasing of fluoride concentration, and it was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in moderate-fluoride group compared with control group, and expression level of PSD-95 was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in moderate-fluoride group when compared with that of control group. These results indicate that decrease of synaptic membrane fluidity and PSD-95 expression level may be the molecular basis of central nervous system damage caused by fluoride intoxication; PSD-95 in CA3 region of hippocampus is probably a target molecule for fluoride.