Adrenaline stimulates H2O2 generation in liver via NADPH oxidase

It is known that adrenaline promotes hydroxyl radical generation in isolated rat hepatocytes. The aim of this work was to investigate a potential role of NADPH oxidase (Nox) isoforms for an oxidative stress signal in response to adrenaline in hepatocytes. Enriched plasma membranes from isolated rat liver cells were prepared for this purpose. These membranes showed catalytic activity of Nox isoforms, probably Nox 2 based on its complete inhibition with specific antibodies. NADPH was oxidized to convert O₂ into superoxide radical, later transformed into H₂O₂. This enzymatic activity requires previous activation with either 3 mM Mn²⁺ or guanosine 5′-0-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTPγS) plus adrenaline. Experimental conditions for activation and catalytic steps were set up: ATP was not required; S_0.5 for NADPH was 44 μM; S_0.5 for FAD was 8 μM; NADH up to 1 mM was not substrate, and diphenyleneiodonium was inhibitory. Activation with GTPγS plus adrenaline was dose- and Ca²⁺-dependent and proceeded through α₁-adrenergic receptors (AR), whereas β-AR stimulation resulted in inhibition of Nox activity. These results lead us to propose H₂O₂ as additional transduction signal for adrenaline response in hepatic cells.     

Fluidity and oxidative stress in erythrocytes from very low birth weight infants during their first 7 days of life

Objective: To study the evolution of lipid peroxidation, enzymatic antioxidants response, lipid profile and membrane fluidity in erythrocytes from very low birth weight (VLBW) infants during their first 7 days of extra-uterine life.

Study design: One hundred and twenty infants were selected and divided in two groups according to their weight and gestational age. Hydroperoxides, fatty-acid profile, fluidity (DPH and TMA-DPH) and catalase, SOD and GPx activities were measured in erythrocytes.

Results: VLBW group showed higher concentration of hydroperoxides and lower membrane fluidity during the first 72 h, lower SOD activity during the first 3 h and higher GPx activity during the first 7 days of life. Also, this group showed lower n-3 polyunsaturated fatty-acids percentage with respect to the term group.

Conclusion: Erythrocytes from VLBW infants showed higher oxidative damage and lower fluidity in their membranes, at least during the first 3 days of extra-uterine life, which may cause alterations in their functions and flexibility.     

Analisi citologica di alcune specie del genere Vicia

Abstract

Karyology of some species of Vicia. The species studied are: Vicia articulata, Vicia monantha, Vicia narbonensis and Vicia ervilia.

The chromosome number 2n = 14 counted for the first three species agrees with that reported in literature; that of Vicia monantha (2n=14) agrees with that quoted by Heitz, while Senn finds 2n=12.

Karyotypes of V. narbonensis and V. ervilia show appreciable differences from those reported in literature.     

La componente lipidica dell'essudato stigmatico di Citrus limon (L.) Burm

Abstract

The lipidic component of Citrus limon (L.) Burm. stigmatic exudate. Chromatographic methods (Gas Chromatography and Thin Layer Chromatography) were used to investigate the lipids present in the stigmatic secretion of Citrus limon.

12 fatty acids, ranging from C 12 to C 24, were identified; they form 7 classes of different lipids, 3 of them having unsaturated components.     

The Impact of Different Antioxidant Agents alone or in Combination on Reactive Oxygen Species,Antioxidant Enzymes and Cytokines in a Series of Advanced Cancer Patients at Different Sites: Correlation with Disease Progression

In the present study we tested the ability of different antioxidant agents, used alone or in combination, to reduce the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and to increase the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. Moreover, we tested the ability of such antioxidant agents to reduce the serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF &#102 . Fifty-six advanced stage cancer patients with tumors at different sites were included in the study: they were mainly stage III (12.5%) and stage IV (82.1%). The study was divided into two phases. In the 1 st phase 28 patients were divided into five groups and a single different antioxidant agent was administered to each group. The selected antioxidant agents were: alpha lipoic acid or carboxycysteine-lysine salt, amifostine, reduced glutathione, vitamin A plus vitamin E plus Vitamin C. In the 2 nd phase of the study 28 patients were divided into five groups and a combination of two different antioxidant agents was administered to each group. The antioxidant treatment was administered for 10 consecutive days. The patients were studied at baseline and after antioxidant treatment. Our results show that all single antioxidants tested were effective in reducing the ROS levels and three of them in increasing GPx activity, too. Among the combinations of antioxidant agents, three were effective in reducing ROS, while three were effective in increasing GPx activity (arm 4 was effective in both instances). Comprehensively, the "antioxidant treatment" was found to be effective both on ROS levels and GPx activity. Moreover, the antioxidant treatment was able to reduce serum levels of IL-6 and TNF &#102 . Furthermore, a correlation was shown between the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status of patients and blood levels of ROS, GPx activity, serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines.     

A study of the anti‐plasmodium activity of angiotensin II analogs

Controlling the dissemination of malaria requires the development of new drugs against its etiological agent, a protozoan of the Plasmodium genus. Angiotensin II and its analog peptides exhibit activity against the development of immature and mature sporozoites of Plasmodium gallinaceum. In this study, we report the synthesis and characterization of angiotensin II linear and cyclic analogs with anti‐plasmodium activity. The peptides were synthesized by a conventional solid‐phase method on Merrifield's resin using the t‐Boc strategy, purified by RP‐HPLC and characterized by liquid chromatography/ESI (+) MS (LC‐ESI(+)/MS), amino acid analysis, and capillary electrophoresis. Anti‐plasmodium activity was measured in vitro by fluorescence microscopy using propidium iodine uptake as an indicator of cellular damage. The activities of the linear and cyclic peptides are not significantly different (p < 0.05). Kinetics studies indicate that the effects of these peptides on plasmodium viability overtime exhibit a sigmoidal profile and that the system stabilizes after a period of 1 h for all peptides examined. The results were rationalized by partial least‐square analysis, assessing the position‐wise contribution of each amino acid. The highest contribution of polar amino acids and a Lys residue proximal to the C‐terminus, as well as that of hydrophobic amino acids in the N‐terminus, suggests that the mechanism underlying the anti‐malarial activity of these peptides is attributed to its amphiphilic character. Copyright © 2013 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intestinal perfusion indicates high reliance on paracellular nutrient absorption in an insectivorous bat Tadarida brasiliensis

Flying vertebrates have been hypothesized to have a high capacity for paracellular absorption of nutrients. This could be due to high permeability of the intestines to nutrient-sized molecules (i.e., in the size range of amino acids and glucose, MW 75–180 Da). We performed intestinal luminal perfusions of an insectivorous bat, Tadarida brasiliensis. Using radio-labeled molecules, we measured the uptake of two nutrients absorbed by paracellular and transporter-mediated mechanisms (l-proline, MW 115 Da, and d-glucose, MW 180 Da) and two carbohydrates that have no mediated transport (l-arabinose, MW 150 Da, and lactulose, MW 342 Da). Absorption of lactulose (0.61 ± 0.06 nmol min^? 1 cm^? 1) was significantly lower than that of the smaller arabinose (1.09 ± 0.04 nmol min^? 1 cm^? 1). Glucose absorption was significantly lower than that of proline at both nutrient concentrations (10 mM and 75 mM). Using the absorption of arabinose to estimate the portion of proline absorption that is paracellular, we calculated that 25.1 ± 3.0% to 66.2 ± 7.8% of proline absorption is not transporter-mediated (varying proline from 1 mM to 75 mM). These results confirm our predictions that 1) paracellular absorption is molecule size selective, 2) absorption of proline would be greater than glucose absorption in an insectivore, and 3) paracellular absorption represents a large fraction of total nutrient absorption in bats.