Concentration of 17 trace elements in serum and whole blood of plains viscachas (Lagostomus maximus) by ICP-MS, their reference ranges, and their relation to cataract

The reference ranges of the trace elements Al, As, Be, B, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Li, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in sera of a group of free-ranging plains viscachas of the pampa grasslands of Argentina. The values were compared with those of a small group of captive plains viscachas of the Zurich Zoo with diabetes and bilateral cataracts. In addition, a method for digestion of whole-blood samples is described for the trace element determination. Significant differences in the concentration of trace elements in the two groups of animals are discussed. No correlation was found between the levels of selenium and of other trace elements compared to the formation of cataracts.     

Embryology of the Theaceae - anther and ovule development of Camellia, Franklinia, and Schima

The anther and ovule development of Camellia, Franklinia, and Schima (Theaceae, Camellioideae) were observed. The three genera share the following embryological traits: anther wall formation of basic type, tapetum of glandular type, walls of endothecial cells with secondary thickening, and production of pseudopollen grains in connective, which are dispersed into pollen sacs at anthesis, ovule bitegmic-tenuinucellate, micropyle formed by inner integument alone, hypostase present, and both integuments generally five-to-seven cell layered. One autapomorphy of the Camellioideae found in the present study is the production of pseudopollen. The three genera surveyed differ with respect to the number of middle layers in the anther, the presence or absence of stomata on connective epidermis, morphology of pseudopollen, type of embryo sac formation, form of ovule, ovular vasculature, and the proliferation of ovular epidermis, etc. Among the three genera, Franklinia and Schima are presumed to be closer embryologically, and Schima possesses more numerous specialized features.     

Molecular phylogeny of the gobioid fishes (Teleostei: Perciformes: Gobioidei)

The phylogeny of groups within Gobioidei is examined with molecular sequence data. Gobioidei is a speciose, morphologically diverse group of teleost fishes, most of which are small, benthic, and marine. Efforts to hypothesize relationships among the gobioid groups have been hampered by the prevalence of reductive evolution among goby species; such reduction can make identification of informative morphological characters particularly difficult. Gobies have been variously grouped into two to nine families, several with included subfamilies, but most existing taxonomies are not phylogenetic and few cladistic hypotheses of relationships among goby groups have been advanced. In this study, representatives of eight of the nine gobioid familes (Eleotridae, Odontobutidae, Xenisthmidae, Gobiidae, Kraemeriidae, Schindleriidae, Microdesmidae, and Ptereleotridae), selected to sample broadly from the range of goby diversity, were examined. Complete sequence from the mitochondrial ND1, ND2, and COI genes (3573 bp) was used in a cladistic parsimony analysis to hypothesize relationships among the gobioid groups. A single most parsimonious topology was obtained, with decay indices indicating strong support for most nodes. Major phylogenetic conclusions include that Xenisthmidae is part of Eleotridae, and Eleotridae is paraphyletic with respect to a clade composed of Gobiidae, Microdesmidae, Ptereleotridae, Kraemeriidae, and Schindleriidae. Within this five-family clade, two clades are recovered. One includes Gobionellinae, which is paraphyletic with respect to Kraemeriidae, Sicydiinae, Oxudercinae, and Amblyopinae. The other contains Gobiinae, also paraphyletic, and including Microdesmidae, Ptereleotridae, and Schindleriidae. Previous morphological evidence for goby groupings is discussed; the phylogenetic hypothesis indicates that the morphological reduction observed in many goby species has been derived several times independently.     

Comparative morphology and evolutionary pathways of the mouthparts in spore-feeding Staphylinoidea (Coleoptera)

This study surveys the external morphology of the mouthparts in the guild of spore‐feeders among the coleopterous superfamily Staphylinoidea, evaluating the influence of different phylogenetic and ecological starting points on the formation of their mouthparts. Our emphasis is on a scanning electron microscope analysis (SEM) of the involved trophic structures in spore‐feeding larvae and adults of the Ptiliidae, Leiodidae and Staphylinidae, describing the fine structure of their main functional elements. Functionally, mouthpart structures resemble brushes, brooms, combs, rakes, rasps, excavators, knives, thorns, cram‐brushes, bristle troughs, blocks and differently structured grinding surfaces. Their different involvement in the various aspects of the feeding process (i.e. food gathering, transporting, channelling and grinding) is deduced from our SEM analyses plus direct video observations. We infer five different patterns of food transport and processing, discriminating adults of ptiliids, leiodids plus staphylinids (excluding some aleocharines), several aleocharine staphylinids, and the larvae of leiodids and staphylinids. The structural diversity of the mouthparts increases in the order from (1) Ptiliidae, (2) Leiodidae towards (3) Staphylinidae, reflecting the increasing systematic and ecological diversity of these groups. Comparisons with non‐spore‐feeders show that among major lineages of staphylinoids, shifts from general microphagy to sporophagy are not necessarily constrained by, nor strongly reflected in, mouthpart morphology. Nevertheless, in several of these lineages the organs of food intake and grinding have experienced particular fine‐structural modifications, which have undergone convergent evolution, probably in response to specialized mycophagy such as spore‐feeding. These modifications involve advanced galeal rakes, galeal or lacinial ‘spore brushes’ with arrays of stout bristles, reinforced obliquely ventrad orientated prosthecal lobes and the differentiations of the molar grinding surfaces into stout teeth or tubercles. In addition, several staphylinids of the tachyporine and oxyteline groups with reduced mandibular molae have evolved secondary trituration surfaces, which in some aleocharines are paralleled by considerable re‐constructions of the labium–hypopharynx.     

中国鬼伞类真菌的分类

鬼伞类真菌涉及蘑菇科的鬼伞属Coprinus以及小脆柄菇科的小鬼伞属Coprinellus、拟鬼伞属Coprinopsis、近地伞属Parasola、刺毛鬼伞属Tulosesus和心孢鬼伞属Narcissea。基于标本研究和文献记载,确认我国该类真菌57种：小鬼伞属9种,刺毛鬼伞属10种,心孢鬼伞属3种,拟鬼伞属25种,近地伞属8种,鬼伞属2种。本文记载1个新组合——速亡型心孢鬼伞Narcissea ephemeroides,中国新记录种11个：黄鳞小鬼伞Coprinellus ellisii、甜味小鬼伞Coprinellus saccharinus、锐突拟鬼伞Coprinopsis acuminata、非洲雪白拟鬼伞Coprinopsis afronivea、美丽拟鬼伞Coprinopsis bellula、钟孢拟鬼伞Coprinopsis mitraespora、麻醉拟鬼伞Coprinopsis narcotica、厚壁拟鬼伞Coprinopsis pachyderma、近雪白拟鬼伞Coprinopsis pseudonivea、施罗特近地伞Parasola schroeteri和刺毛近地伞Parasola setulosa。编制了中国鬼伞类真菌分种检索表,对新组合和中国新记录种进行形态学描述,并提供线条图。结合ITS和LSU序列片段,采用了最大似然法和贝叶斯分析法建立系统发育树,反映各类群之间的系统演化关系。     

前翅鞘翅型的蝽类昆虫

鞘翅型蝽类昆虫前翅发达,与甲虫的前翅相似。类群涉及鞭蝽型、蝎蝽型、细蝽型、臭虫型、蝽型中的栉蝽科、裂蝽科、小潜蝽科、固蝽科、蚤蝽科、涯蝽科、网蝽科、盲蝽科、长蝽科、缘蝽科共10个科。它们的生境多样,包括水底小石块下面、水生植物上、海岸潮间区石隙中、蚂蚁巢穴中、沙漠灌木植物上、土中、沙砾中、枯枝落叶层和苔藓上,这些生境的共同点是其对前翅的保护功能的选择压力明显大于对前翅飞行功能的选择压力。此类昆虫的前翅特化的类型分为两类,一类膜区完全退化或极度退化,由革区和爪区(愈合或不愈合)构成鞘质前翅的主体;另一类膜区发达,占鞘质前翅的主体;大部分前翅鞘质化的蝽类属于第一种类型;仅个别长蝽科的昆虫属于第二类,如巨膜长蝽Jakowleffiasetulosa(Jakowleff)。     

辽宁省高等植物多样性编目

为给辽宁植物多样性保护提供本底数据, 更准确地评价植物濒危及保护等级, 以及更好地给农学、林学、生态学、系统学等研究提供可靠的基础性数据, 本文首次将几代人在辽宁境内发现的高等植物进行汇总、编目, 包括苔藓植物和维管束植物。苔藓植物根据正式发表的文献和中国科学院沈阳应用生态研究所东北生物标本馆(IFP)馆藏采自辽宁省全域的苔藓植物标本编制。维管束植物主要根据5个方面的信息整理: 作者多年野外调查的一手资料、文献、同行交流、公众提供信息、标本等。编目内容包括辽宁省高等植物总名录、辽宁省栽培植物名录、辽宁省外来植物名录、辽宁省仅有栽培植物的科属目录、辽宁省仅有外来植物的科属目录; 编目中涉及的物种均有科属地位、中文名、拉丁名、生境、产地(县级), 总名录中附有每个物种的信息凭证, 包括标本信息、文献信息或照片依据。本编目共计收录植物254科1,176属3,241种73亚种447变种119变型。其中, 苔藓植物为辽宁地区首次披露名录信息, 计83科205属491种4亚种7变种(含藓类52科156属373种1亚种5变种, 苔类29科46属114种3亚种2变种, 角苔类2科3属4种)。维管束植物虽非首次披露名录信息, 但与以往发布的维管束植物名录相比, 本次收录的种类数最多, 计171科971属2,750种69亚种440变种119变型(含石松类植物2科3属13种, 蕨类植物17科39属83种2亚种7变种, 裸子植物5科19属47种1亚种13变种2变型, 被子植物147科910属2,607种66亚种420变种117变型)。经统计, 辽宁省所有苔藓植物均为本土野生植物。维管束植物中, 野生植物计149科741属2,077种62亚种378变种93变型(含石松类植物2科3属13种, 蕨类植物17科39属83种2亚种7变种, 裸子植物4科8属12种6变种1变型, 被子植物145科133属1,969种60亚种365变种92变型), 栽培植物计104科390属673种7亚种62变种26变型(含裸子植物5科17属35种1亚种7变种1变型, 被子植物99科373属638种6亚种55变种25变型); 本土植物计158科796属2,235种65亚种421变种116变型(含石松类植物2科3属13种, 蕨类植物17科39属83种2亚种7变种, 裸子植物5科14属29种12变种2变型, 被子植物134科740属2,110种63亚种402变种114变型), 外来植物计88科316属515种4亚种19变种3变型(含裸子植物3科10属18种1亚种1变种, 被子植物85科306属497种3亚种18变种3变型)。本编目仅是辽宁省高等植物的阶段性汇总, 尚需要根据野外工作的拓展和研究工作的深入不断完善。     

Hormone measures in finger-prick blood spot samples: New field methods for reproductive endocrinology

Comparative endocrine studies have notably advanced understanding of ecological factors that contribute to variation in human reproductive function. Such research has relied on methodological advances that permit hormone determinations in samples that are easily and safely collected, stored, and transported, most recently on measurement of steroids in saliva. This report seeks to further expand the scope of endocrine research by demonstrating the value of blood spot samples collected by finger prick. As a sampling strategy, finger-prick blood spot collection offers the advantages of short collection time, low invasiveness, repeatability, absence of postcollection processing, low biohazard risk, and ease of sample storage and transport. We document good sample stability and present sensitive assay methods for a range of steroids and proteins (FSH, LH, PRL, T, E2, DHEAS, androstenedione, cortisol, SHGB) in blood spots that require sample volumes of 3–12 μl and display good reliability, specificity, precision, accuracy, and convertibility of results to plasma/serum equivalent concentrations. Laboratory evaluation was augmented by a feasibility study at a remote site in Papua New Guinea that confirmed validity and stability of blood spot collections under field conditions. Research applications of blood spot sampling are illustrated with a series of studies, including cross-sectional surveys for developmental and life span endocrinology, a longitudinal, population-based developmental epidemiologic study of puberty, and serial sampling in a dynamic study of neuroendocrine response to suckling. We conclude that the sampling features and wide range of measurable biomolecules of blood spots do constitute a methodological advance for endocrine research. Am J Phys Anthropol 104:1–21, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Utility of mass spectrometry for proteome ana lysis: part I. Conceptual and experimental approaches

This article is the first in a series of reviews intended as a tutorial providing the inexperienced, as well as the experienced, reader with an overview of principles of peptide and protein fragmentation in mass spectrometers for protein identification, surveying of the different types of instrument configurations and their combinations for protein identification. The first mass spectrometer was developed in 1899, but it took almost a century for the instrument to become a routine analytical method in proteomic research when fast atom bombardment ionization was developed, followed shortly by soft desorption/ionization methods, such as MALDI and electrospray ionization, to volatize biomolecules with masses of tens of kiloDaltons into the gas phase under vacuum pressure without destroying them. Thereafter, other soft ionization techniques that offered ambient conditions were also introduced, such as atmospheric pressure MALDI, direct analysis in real time, atmospheric-pressure solid analysis probe and hybrid ionization, sources of MALDI and electrospray ionization (e.g., two-step fused droplet electrospray ionization, laser desorption atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization, electrosonic spray ionization, desorption electrospray ionization, and electrospray-assisted laser desorption/ionization). The five basic types of mass analyzers currently used in proteomic research are the quadrupole, ion trap, orbitrap, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance and TOF instruments, which differ in how they determine the mass-to-charge ratios of the peptides. They have very different design and performance characteristics. These analyzers can be stand alone or, in some cases, put together in tandem or in conjunction with ion mobility mass spectrometry to take advantage of the strengths of each. Several singly or multiply charged fragment ion types, such as b, y, a, c, z, v, y and immonium ions are produced in the gas phase of the spectrometer. In the bottom-up sequencing approach for protein identification in a shotgun proteomic experiment, proteolytic digestion of proteins is accomplished by cleavage of the different bonds along the peptide backbone and/or side chain through a charge-directed transfer to the vicinity of the cleavage side. These various mass spectrometers and the types of ions produced have become important analytical tools for studying and analyzing proteins, peptides and amino acids.     

非人灵长类动物种质冷冻保存研究进展和展望

非人灵长类动物是生物多样性的重要组成部分,也是生物医学研究的珍贵实验动物,然而,由于人类活动、栖息地破坏、狩猎和遗传隔离等原因,许多非人灵长类动物的野生种群数量急剧下降,甚至处于灭绝的边缘。种质冷冻保存对拯救非人灵长类动物和保存遗传物质资源具有重要意义。本文综述了新大陆猴、旧大陆猴和巨猿等类群动物精子、卵子、胚胎和性腺组织等种质冷冻保存的研究进展,介绍了狨猴、松鼠猴、恒河猴、食蟹猴和黑猩猩等种质冷冻保存的主要方法,并对未来种质冷冻保存的研究方向进行了讨论。     

Sugars in crop plants

We review current knowledge of the most abundant sugars, sucrose, maltose, glucose and fructose, in the world's major crop plants. The sucrose‐accumulating crops, sugar beet and sugar cane, are included, but the main focus of the review is potato and the major cereal crops. The production of sucrose in photosynthesis and the inter‐relationships of sucrose, glucose, fructose and other metabolites in primary carbon metabolism are described, as well as the synthesis of starch, fructan and cell wall polysaccharides and the breakdown of starch to produce maltose. The importance of sugars as hormone‐like signalling molecules is discussed, including the role of another sugar, trehalose, and the trehalose biosynthetic pathway. The Maillard reaction, which occurs between reducing sugars and amino acids during thermal processing, is described because of its importance for colour and flavour in cooked foods. This reaction also leads to the formation of potentially harmful compounds, such as acrylamide, and is attracting increasing attention as food producers and regulators seek to reduce the levels of acrylamide in cooked food. Genetic and environmental factors affecting sugar concentrations are described.     

Epididymal compounds and their influence on the metabolism and survival of spermatozoa

Epididymal fluid, which is derived from testicular fluid, contains several unusual compounds. Little information is available on the composition of the testicular fluid of primates, but the fluid of the ram, bull, boar, and rat contains high concentrations of inositol and certain amino acids. Analyses have been made of epididymal fluid collected from the cauda epididymis of the Rhesus monkey and several nonprimate species (e.g., ram, bull, dog, stallion, rabbit, guinea pig, rat, and hamster), but similar information on the human is lacking. Cauda epididymal fluid appears to be similar in composition from one mammalian species to another. However, the epididymal plasma differs considerably from blood, lymph, and other extracellular fluids. The environment of spermatozoa in the epididymis is, therefore, highly specialized, and presumably in some way contributes to the prolonged survival of spermatozoa in this organ, and provides substrates for the metabolism of the spermatozoa. The chief characteristics of the cauda epididymal plasma are the low concentration of inorganic ions and the high levels of several unusual organic constituents namely, glycerylphosphorylcholine, carnitine, sialic acid, amino acids, glycosidases, and phosphatases. At least one antifertility compound, namely, orally administered α-chlorohydrin, appears to be concentrated in the epididymis. Studies on laboratory animals, domestic species, and man, suggest that it inhibits enzymes of the glycyolytic pathway in spermatozoa, and this may be the basis for its antifertility activity.     

From the creation of the Veterinary Schools to the evolution of the notion of contagion in the 19th and 20th centuries

The creation of the Veterinary Schools in the 18th century would reveal a plethora of scientists, some of whom would be the precursors of Pasteur, some rivals, others followers collaborators or friends of the Master. Among the precursors let us name Chabbert, Huzard, Girard, Delafond, Renault, Toussaint, Galtier ; among the rivals: Chauveau, Arloing, Cornevin and Thomas; among the followers, collaborators or friends of Pasteur: Bouley, at first a resolute spontaneist, then the most fervent in defense of Pasteur (President of the Academy of Medicine and of the Academy of Sciences) and Nocard, Director of the School in Alfort, an important collaborator of Pasteur. Later, there was Leclainche, who created the International Office of Epizootics, and who was President of the Academy of Sciences; Guérin, who with Calmette developed the BCG vaccination; Ramon, the father of anatoxins (vaccines against diphtheria, and tetanus, combined vaccines, adjuvants to immunity). Thus, the creation of the Veterinary Schools contributed not only to the evolution of the notion of contagion, to the amelioration of animal health and the economics of agricultural production, but also to serious advances in human care, and to the protection of public health.     

Floral elaiophore structure in four representatives of the Ornithocephalus clade (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae)

Background and Aims A significant number of species assigned to the Neotropical orchid sub-tribe Oncidiinae reward insect pollinators with oil produced in floral glands termed elaiophores. The latter may be glabrous (epithelial elaiophores) or hirsute (trichomal elaiophores). Although the detailed anatomy and ultrastructure of epithelial elaiophores have been studied for a number of genera, such as Oncidium Sw., Gomesa R. Br. and Trichocentrum Poepp. & Endl., hitherto, trichomal elaiophores have been investigated only for a single species of Oncidiinae, Ornithocephalus ciliatus Lindl. Furthermore, this is the only representative of the Ornithocephalus clade to be investigated to date. Here, an examination is made of the elaiophore anatomy and ultrastructure of a further four species currently assigned to this clade (Ornithocephalus gladiatus Hook., Phymatidium falcifolium Lindl., Zygostates grandiflora (Lindl.) Mansf. and Zygostates lunata Lindl.) and the results compared with those obtained for other Oncidiinae. Methods Elaiophore structure was examined for all species at three stages of flower development: closed bud, first day of anthesis and final stage of anthesis, using light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and histochemistry. Key Results Elaiophores of O. gladiatus occur upon the lateral lobes of the labellum and display characters intermediate between those of typical epithelial and trichomal elaiophores, in that they are largely glabrous, consisting mainly of cuboidal epidermal cells, but bear short, unicellular hairs proximally. By contrast, the elaiophores of all the other species investigated occur on the callus and are of the trichomal type. In P. falcifolium, these unicellular hairs are capitate. In all species, oil secretion commenced at the closed floral bud stage. Ultrastructurally, the mainly trichomal elaiophores of the four representatives of the Ornithocephalus clade closely resembled the epithelial elaiophores of other Oncidiinae, in that their cells displayed an organelle complement typical of lipid-secreting cells. However, in some taxa, a number of noteworthy characters were present. For example, the elaiophore cuticle of O. gladiatus and P. falcifolium was bi-layered, the outer layer being lamellate, the inner reticulate. The cuticle of Z. grandiflora and Z. lunata was also lamellate, but here, a reticulate layer was absent. Accumulation of secreted oil resulted in the localized distension of the cuticle. Cuticular cracks and pores, however, were absent from all species. The walls of the secretory cells of Z. grandiflora were also atypical in that they had short protuberances or ingrowths, and contained cavities which are thought to be involved in the secretory process. Conclusions Of the species investigated, most displayed similar anatomical organization, their trichomal elaiophores occurring on the labellar callus. They, thus, differ from many other members of the Oncidiinae, where epithelial elaiophores are found either on the callus, or on the lateral lobes of the labellum. However, ultrastructurally, all elaiophores, whether those of representatives of the Ornithocephalus clade, or those of other oil-secreting Oncidiinae, possessed a similar complement of organelles, regardless of whether the elaiophores were trichomal or epithelial. In view of the latter, and the similar chemical composition of oils derived from all Oncidiinae investigated to date, it is probable that position and type of elaiophore, and possibly the structure of the overlying cuticle, play an important role in pollinator selection in these oil-secreting orchids.     

Aspects of the functional morphology in the cranial and cervical skeleton of the sabre-toothed cat Paramachairodus ogygia (Kaup, 1832) (Felidae, Machairodontinae) from the Late Miocene of Spain: implications for the origins of the machairodont killing bite

The skull and cervical anatomy of the sabre-toothed felid Paramachairodus ogygia (Kaup, 1832) is described in this paper, with special attention paid to its functional morphology. Because of the scarcity of fossil remains, the anatomy of this felid has been very poorly known. However, the recently discovered Miocene carnivore trap of Batallones-1, near Madrid, Spain, has yielded almost complete skeletons of this animal, which is now one of the best known machairodontines. Consequently, the machairodont adaptations of this primitive sabre-toothed felid can be assessed for the first time. Some characters, such as the morphology of the mastoid area, reveal an intermediate state between that of felines and machairodontines, while others, such as the flattened upper canines and verticalized mandibular symphysis, show clear machairodont affinities.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 144 , 363−377.     

利用培养特征和生理特性鉴别担子菌菌种的研究

担子菌菌种多是菌丝型的培养物,在长期保藏中如发生错误也较难辨别。本文报道了以培养特征和生理特性作为保藏的担子菌菌种的特征集要,并根据集要制定出鉴别他们的检索表。通过对48属、71种、142株菌种的实验结果,利用培养特征和生理特性鉴别保藏的担子菌菌种是可行的。     

The effect of aging on the mineral status of female mice

To clarify the effect of aging on the mineral status of female mice, mineral concentrations in their tissues were determined. Five 2-mo-old, five 6-mo-old, and five 10-mo-old female B10BR mice were fed a commercial diet. Iron, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium concentrations in the blood, liver, kidney, heart, brain, lung, and spleen of the mice were determined using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Iron concentrations in the liver, kidney, heart, brain, and spleen increased with age. Significant differences were detected between mice 2 and 6 mo of age and between mice 2 and 10 mo of age. Zinc concentrations in the heart and lung decreased significantly with age. Zinc concentrations in the heart and lung of 10-mo-old mice were significantly lower than those of 2-mo-old mice. It is noteworthy that the copper concentration in the brain of 10-mo-old mice was markedly higher compared with that of younger mice. Calcium accumulation was apparent in the kidney of mice at 10 mo.     

Hepatic oxidative stress,up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines,apoptotic and oncogenic markers following 2-methoxyethanol administrations in rats

2-methoxyethanol (2-ME) is an organic solvent widely used in the manufacture of brake fluids, paints, resins, varnish, nail polish, acetate cellulose, wood coloring, and as a plasticizer in plastics manufacturing. We therefore, investigated its effect on the liver, in a time-course study in male Wistar rats. Animals were orally administered 50 mg/kg body weight of 2-ME for a period of 7, 14, and 21 days. Following 7 days of administration of 2-ME, there was a significant increase in the level of Bax, c-Myc, K-Ras, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MDA and GPx activity, while the levels of Bcl-2, NO and GSH were significantly reduced compared with control. At the end of 14 days exposure, Bcl-2, and GSH levels, as well as GST activity, were significantly decreased, while levels of Bax, c-Myc, K-Ras, caspase-3, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MDA and NO were significantly increased compared with control. After 21 days of 2-ME administration, Bcl-2, IL-10, and GSH levels, as well as SOD and GST activities, were significantly decreased, while levels of Bax, c-Myc, K-Ras, caspase-3, p53, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MDA and NO were significantly increased compared with control. Lastly, liver histopathology confirmed and corroborated the biochemical findings reported above. We therefore, advised that exposures to 2-ME should be strictly avoided as it could trigger hepatic damage through the disorganization of the antioxidant system, up-regulation of inflammatory, apoptotic, and oncogenic markers in rats.