Glutathione-mediated Antioxidative Mechanisms in Sunflower (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus Annuus</Emphasis> L.) Cells in Response to Cadmium Stress

Cadmium (Cd) homeostasis and detoxification in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cells differing in Cd sensitivity/tolerance were studied by analyzing the glutathione-mediated antioxidant mechanism vis-à-vis phytochelatin biosynthesis in vitro. Calluses exposed to Cd-shock/-acclimatization (150μM) were assayed for oxidative stress, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG), phytochelatins (PCs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although Cd did not induce any oxidative stress in Cd-tolerant callus (TCd), it generated oxidative stress in Cd-shock callus (SCd) both in terms of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. GSH/GSSG ratio remained similar to control values in the cadmium-acclimatized calluses. However, after acute treatment, there was a decline in both GSH and GSSG levels in SCd with concomitant reduction in the GSH/GSSG ratio. Analysis of PCs was performed using HPLC and mass spectrometry methods. PC concentration in TCd were approximately twice those that in SCd, showing in both cases a 1:2:1 relative proportion for PC n = 2 (PC2): PC n = 3 (PC3): PC n = 4 (PC4). Calluses growing in the presence of Cd developed an increased resistance to paraquat oxidative stress generation. These results indicated that PCs synthesis was an important mechanism for Cd detoxification in sunflower calluses, but the capacity to grow in the presence of Cd is related to the tissues ability to maintain high intracellular levels of GSH.     

The Y chromosome as a target for acquired and amplified genetic material in evolution

The special properties of the Y chromosome stem form the fact that it is a non-recombining degenerate derivative of the X chromosome. The absence of homologous recombination between the X and the Y chromosome leads to gradual degeneration of various Y chromosome genes on an evolutionary timescale. The absence of recombination, however, also favors the accumulation of transposable elements on the Y chromosome during its evolution, as seen with both Drosophila and mammalian Y chromosomes. Alongside these processes, the acquisition and amplification of autosomal male benefit genes occur. This review will focus on recent studies that reveal the autosome-acquired genes on the Y chromosome of both Drosophila and humans. The evolution of the acquired and amplified genes on the Y chromosome is also discussed. Molecular and comparative analyses of Y-linked repeats in the Drosophila melanogaster genome demonstrate that there was a period of their degeneration followed by a period of their integration into RNAi silencing, which was beneficial for male fertility. Finally, the function of non-coding RNA produced by amplified Y chromosome genetic elements will be discussed.     

The role of natural biopolymers in genotoxicity of mutagens/carcinogens elimination

Nowadays naturally occurring compounds with the potential antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic effects are of great importance for their prospective use in cancer chemoprevention and treatment. The new water soluble derivative of microbial polysaccharide beta-D-glucan-carboxymethyl glucan (CMG) belongs to such a category of natural substances. CMG isolated from the cell wall of baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is included into the class of biopolymers known as biological response modifiers (BRMs) with a broad range of activities, above all ones interfering with cancer therapy. It was demonstrated on four experimental model systems that biological and consequential medicinal importance of CMG is based on the combined application with another active compound. In the Saccharomyces cerevisiae antimutagenicity assay CMG significantly reduced ofloxacin-induced mutagenicity in the yeast strain D7. CMG exerted bioprotective (anti-toxic and antimutagenic) effect after its simultaneos application with methyl methanesulphonate on the repair-deficient strain uvs10 of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In the Vicia sativa simultaneous phytotoxicity and anticlastogenicity assay CMG exerted statistically significant anticlastogenic efect against maleic hydrazide-induced clastogenicity in Vicia sativa L. Only in the Salmonella/microsome assay CMG did not exert statistically significant antigenotoxic effect, despite of the fact that it reduced 9-aminoacridine-induced mutagenicity in S. typhimurium TA97, but his(+) revertants decreasing was statistically significant only at the highest CMG concentration used. The data presented unambiguously documented that even biopolysaccharides (e.g., derivatives of beta-glucan) belonging to the most abundant class of natural biopolymers may contribute to cancer prevention and therapy.     

Stimulation of TNF-alpha release by fungal cell wall polysaccharides

Carboxymethylated derivatives were prepared from the (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan isolated from the cell wall of baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and from the chitin-glucan complex of the mycelium of the industrial filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. The polysaccharides were applied to peritoneal mouse macrophages and after a 2-h incubation the release of TNF-alpha by the stimulated macrophages was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. As the third polysaccharide stimulant, a water-soluble derivative of chitin was assayed and the observed cytokine release was compared with the control experiment. In three concentrations of the polysaccharides applied, carboxymethyl glucan revealed a dramatic increase in the TNF-alpha release, while addition of carboxymethyl chitin-glucan resulted only in a moderate enhancement, and carboxymethyl chitin was inactive. The results indicate that fungal polysaccharides, especially (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, are potent macrophage stimulators and activators of TNF-alpha release, which implies their potential application in antitumor therapy.     

Generation of blood anticoagulant and fibrinolytic activity after intravenous administration of protein C-a in rats

Protein C--vitamin K-dependent protein of the blood coagulation system possessing anticoagulant and fibrinolytic activities was under investigation. Activated partial thromboplastin time was shown to prolong to 214 +/- 8.9% from the first minute after intravenous administration of 0.51 mg per rat bovine protein Ca. After 5 minutes the activity of plasminogen activators increased to 339 +/- 52.8%. Both effects gradually diminished and came back to the starting level within 60-90 minutes. The factor V activity reduced two-fold and didn't return to basal level. We propose that protein Ca reveals its enzymatic activity within first minutes after administration and is blocked then with its inhibitor.     

Skeletal growth and aging parameters due to heredity at different stages of ontogeny

Two hundred and twenty twins of Ukrainian ethnic group have been examined (89 monozygotic (MZ) and 131 dizygotic (DZ) pairs) during peripubertal (42 MZ and 69 DZ) and mature (47 MZ and 69 DZ) age periods. Of them: 94 are male pairs (31 MZ and 62 DZ) and 126 female (58 MZ and 68 DZ) pairs. The program including 16 anthropometric, 48 osteometric and 8 osteoscopic signs has been performed according to the recommendations suggested by D. G. Rokhlin (1936), V. V. Bunak (1941) and B. A. Nikityuk (1968). The hereditary influence on the longitudinal anthropometric signs decreases in mature age with a simultaneous increase of these influences on weight parameters and transversal dimensions of the trunk. Transition from the peripubertal to the mature age is characterised by a decrease of genetic effects on highly-hereditable osteometric signs and an increasing effect of heredity on the skeletal ageing signs. The degree of hereditarily-dependent skeletal ageing is higher in the I mature than in the II mature age, and in the female it is higher than in the male group.     

The generation of active microbicidal forms of oxygen by leukocytes transiting the vascular bed of the lungs

In experiments on dogs using the chemiluminescent method and nitroblue-tetrazole reaction the authors found out that leucocytes while passing through the pulmonary vessels bed, in contrast to the spleen increase the generation of active microbicidal forms of oxygen. Due to this fact we suppose that the lungs may take part in the formation of free radical status and phagocytic antiinfectious defence of the organism.