A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF STATIC AND EXTREMELY LOW FREQUENCY MAGNETIC FIELDS ON LIPID PEROXIDATION PRODUCTS IN SUBCELLULAR FIBROBLAST FRACTIONS

Cultured fibroblasts isolated from murine livers by tissue trypsinization were exposed to a static magnetic field (0.490 T) and to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field (50 Hz, 0.020 T). The cultures were exposed to magnetic fields on four consecutive days for exposure times of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 min. After such exposures and obtaining of fibroblast subcellular fractions, lipid peroxidation product—malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured. Increased peroxidation of fibroblasts' membrane structures exposed to an ELF magnetic field was observed in subcellular fractions—microsomal, mitochondrial, and nuclear. No changes in peroxidation of membrane structures were found in fibroblasts exposed to a static magnetic field.     

Dual character of Toll-like receptor signaling: Pro-tumorigenic effects and anti-tumor functions

As a major class of pattern-recognition receptors, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in defense against invading pathogens. Increasing evidence demonstrates that, in addition to infection, TLRs are involved in other important pathological processes, such as tumorigenesis. Activation of TLRs results in opposing outcomes, pro-tumorigenic effects and anti-tumor functions. TLR signaling can inhibit apoptosis and promote chronic inflammation-induced tumorigenesis. TLR activation in tumor cells and immune cells can induce production of cytokines, increase tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis resistance, promote invasion and metastasis, and inhibit immune cell activity resulting in tumor immune escape. In contrast, the engagement of other TLRs directly induces growth inhibition and apoptosis of tumor cells and triggers activation of immune cells enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. Thus, the interpretation of the precise function of each TLR in tumors is very important for targeting TLRs and using TLR agonists in tumor therapy. We review the role of TLR signaling in tumors and discuss the factors that affect outcomes of TLR activation.     

Tiller number is altered in the ascorbic acid-deficient rice suppressed for l-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase

The tiller of rice (Oryza sativa L.), which determines the panicle number per plant, is an important agronomic trait for grain production. Ascorbic acid (Asc) is a major plant antioxidant that serves many functions in plants. l-Galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GLDH, EC 1.3.2.3) is an enzyme that catalyzes the last step of Asc biosynthesis in plants. Here we show that the GLDH-suppressed transgenic rices, GI-1 and GI-2, which have constitutively low (between 30% and 50%) leaf Asc content compared with the wild-type plants, exhibit a significantly reduced tiller number. Moreover, lower growth rate and plant height were observed in the Asc-deficient plants relative to the trait values of the wild-type plants at different tillering stages. Further examination showed that the deficiency of Asc resulted in a higher lipid peroxidation, a loss of chlorophyll, a loss of carotenoids, and a lower rate of CO₂ assimilation. In addition, the level of abscisic acid was higher in GI-1 plants, while the level of jasmonic acid was higher in GI-1 and GI-2 plants at different tillering stages. The results we presented here indicated that Asc deficiency was likely responsible for the promotion of premature senescence, which was accompanied by a marked decrease in photosynthesis. These observations support the conclusion that the deficiency of Asc alters the tiller number in the GLDH-suppressed transgenics through promoting premature senescence and changing phytohormones related to senescence.     

Hydrogen sulfide donor sodium hydrosulfide-improved heat tolerance in maize and involvement of proline

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has long been considered as a phytotoxin, but nowadays as a cell signal molecule involved in growth, development, and the acquisition of stress tolerance in higher plants. In the present study, hydrogen sulfide donor, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), pretreatment markedly improved germination percentage of seeds and survival percentage of seedlings of maize under heat stress, and alleviated an increase in electrolyte leakage of roots, a decrease in tissue vitality and an accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in coleoptiles of maize seedlings. In addition, pretreatment of NaHS could improve the activity of Δ¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) and lower proline dehydrogenase (ProDH) activity, which in turn induced accumulation of endogenous proline in maize seedlings. Also, application of proline could enhance endogenous proline content, followed by mitigated accumulation of MDA and increased survival percentage of maize seedlings under heat stress. These results suggest that sodium hydrosulfide pretreatment could improve heat tolerance of maize and the acquisition of this heat tolerance may be involved in proline.     

Hydrogen sulfide protects SH-SY5Y neuronal cells against d-galactose induced cell injury by suppression of advanced glycation end products formation and oxidative stress

d-Galactose is widely used as an agent to cause aging effects in experimental animals. The present study aims to investigate the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells exposed to d-galactose. Cells were pretreated with NaHS, an H₂S donor, and then exposed to d-galactose (25–400 mM for 48 h). We found that NaHS pretreatment significantly reversed the d-galactose-induced cell death and cellular senescence. MTT assay shows that NaHS significantly increased cell viability from 62.31 ± 1.29% to 72.34 ± 0.46% compared with d-galactose (200 mM) treatment group. The underlying mechanism appeared to involve a reduction by NaHS in the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are known to contribute to the progression of age-related diseases. In addition, NaHS decreased the elevation of reactive oxygen species from 151.17 ± 2.07% to 124.8 ± 2.89% and malondialdehyde from 1.72 ± 0.07 to 1.10 ± 0.08 (nmol/mg protein) in SH-SY5Y cells after d-galactose exposure. NaHS also stimulated activities of superoxide dismutase from 0.42 ± 0.05 to 0.73 ± 0.04 (U/mg protein) and glutathione peroxidase from 3.98 ± 0.73 to 14.73 ± 0.77 (nmol/min/mg protein) and upregulated the gene expression levels of copper transport protein ATOX1, glutathione synthetase (GSS) and thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1) while down-regulated aldehyde oxidase 1 (AOX1). In summary, our data indicate that H₂S may have potentially anti-aging effects through the inhibition of AGEs formation and reduction of oxidative stress.     

Oxidative-damage effect of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on mouse hepatic and brain cells in vivo

To assess the biological safety of Fe3O4 nanoparticles （NPs）, the oxidative-damage effect of these NPs was studied. Twenty-five Kunming mice were exposed to Fe3O4 NPs by intraperitoneai injection daily for 1 week at doses of 0, 10, 20, and 40 mg.kg1. Five Kunming mice were also injected with 40 mg.kg 1 ordinary Fe3O4 particles under the same physiological conditions. Biomarkers of reactive oxygen species （ROS）, glutathione （GSH）, and malondialdehyde （MDA） in the hepatic and brain tissues were detected. Results showed that no significant difference in oxidative damage existed at concentrations lower than 10 mg.kg i for NPs compared with the control group. Fe3O4 NP concentration had obvious dose-effect relationships （P〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01） with ROS level, GSH content, and MDA content in mouse hepatic and brain tissues at〉20 mg.kg 1 concentrations. To some extent, ordinary Fe3O4 particles with 40mg.kg -1 concentration also affected hepatic and brain tissues in mice. The biological effect was similar to Fe3O4 NPs at 10 mg. kg-1 concentration. Thus, Fe3O4 NPs had significant damage effects on the antioxidant defense system in the hepatic and brain tissues of mice, whereas ordinary Fe3O4 had less influence than Fe3O4 NPs at the same concentration.     

妊娠期糖尿病患者氧化应激水平变化及临床意义*

目的:研究GDM孕妇与正常孕妇血清MDA、SOD及GSH水平变化,探索它们与GDM之间的相互关系,追踪各组妊娠结局研究其临床意义。方法:选取175例孕妇为研究对象,分为GDM组(93例)和对照组(82例)。采用微量法测定血清丙二醛(MDA)、谷胱甘肽(GSH)及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)水平,并对妊娠结局进行相关性分析。结果:(1) GDM组年龄、孕前体重、BMI值均高于对照组,GSH和SOD水平均低于对照组,MDA水平高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);(2) GDM组MDA水平与孕前体重呈负相关(r=-0.3547,P0.05),SOD水平与新生儿出生体重呈正相关(r=0.3292,P0.05),SOD值与早产之间有密切联系(足月产12.68±0.85 vs.早产8.08±1.18, P 0.05),GSH、SOD水平与孕前体重之间,MDA、GSH水平与新生儿出生体重之间,MDA、GSH水平与早产之间均无明显相关性(P0.05),MDA、GSH和SOD水平与剖宫产及胎膜早破均无明显相关性(P0.05)。结论:GDM存在明显的氧化应激反应,GSH、MDA与SOD可以作为评估GDM氧化应激的有效标志物,其与不良妊娠结局有关。     

Opposing roles of RNA receptors TLR3 and RIG-I in the inflammatory response to double-stranded RNA in a Kaposi's sarcoma cell line

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is strongly associated with KS herpes virus infection, and inflammation plays an important role in this disease. We have shown that human KS biopsy-derived SLK cells, which are of endothelial origin and form KS-like tumors in nude mice, express the viral RNA pattern recognition receptors Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I), and melanoma-differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5). Furthermore, SLK cells have enhanced release of IL-6, IL-8 (CXCL8), RANTES (CCL5), and IP-10 (CXCL10) proteins in response to the synthetic viral RNA analog poly(I:C). SiRNA knockdowns demonstrated that TLR3 mediates this inflammatory response to poly(I:C) in SLK cells. Furthermore, knockdown of the RNA receptor RIG-I resulted in enhanced chemokine release, in a TLR3 pathway-dependent manner. Thus, exposure of KS cells to viral RNA ligands can result in a TLR3-mediated increase in the secretion of inflammatory proteins associated with KS cell growth that may contribute to disease.     

Effects of salinity and temperature stress on Ecophysiological characteristics of exotic cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora

Salintiy and temperature are two important ecological factors which affect the distribution and abundance of Spartina alerniflora Loisel. To find out how cordgrass adapts to the environmental conditions in the introduced range, we studied the dynamics of a series of important physiological components including superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), soluble sugar and free proline under different salinity and temperature stresses. The results showed that low NaCl concentration (lower than 100 mmol·L⁻¹) enhanced the growth of S. alterniflora. On the contrary, high NaCl concentration (higher than 100 mmol·L⁻¹) inhibited the growth of S. alterniflora. To a certain extent, S. alterniflora was able to be acclimated to the osmotic pressure created by external solution concentration by adjusting the activities of POD, SOD and CAT, and the contents of free proline and soluble sugar. S. alterniflora varied in its responses to environment in different parts of the plant under 5°C and 38°C temperature stress. Compared with roots, leaves accumulated more soluble sugar, and CAT activities in leaves were higher, whereas SOD and POD activities in leaves were much lower than those in roots.     

SOD融合蛋白降低阿尔兹海默症小鼠脑内氧化水平及改善认知功能

摘要 目的：观察SOD融合蛋白对阿尔茨海默症（Alzheimer''s Disease,AD）小鼠学习记忆能力及大脑氧化应激水平影响,探究小鼠行为改变与脑内氧化应激水平之间的关系。方法：选用32只KM雄性小鼠,适应性饲养7天后,随机分为4组：假手术组（S组）,模型组（M组）,SOD干预模型组（SM组）和SOD融合蛋白干预模型组（PM组）。实验第8天进行Y迷宫和黑白箱测试,9-23天,通过小鼠连续腹腔内注射等量生理盐水（S和M组）、6 mg/kg SOD（SM组）或6 mg/kg SOD融合蛋白（PM组）进行预防干预。其中,实验第16天,通过5 μL微量注射器将生理盐水（S组,2 μL/只）及Aβ1-42寡聚体（M组、SM组及PM组,2 μL/只）注射于小鼠右侧脑室,制备AD动物模型。第24天及31天进行Y迷宫和黑白箱测试。行为学测试结束后,随机选取一侧大脑半球用ELISA法测定脑组织匀浆中的SOD和MDA水平。结果：1）行为学测试：第8天,各处理组间差异无统计学意义,第24及第31天,与S组相比,M组小鼠Y迷宫新颖臂探索距离、探索次数及探索时间及黑白箱测试白箱探索距离、探索次数及探索时间均明显增加（P<0.05）;与M组相比,PM组小鼠Y迷宫新颖臂探索距离、探索次数及探索时间及白箱探索距离、探索次数及探索时间均明显减少（P<0.05）;SM组与M组相比差异无统计学意义。2）小鼠脑组织匀浆中SOD和MDA测定：与S组相比,M组SOD活性明显下降而MDA表达明显升高（P<0.05）,与M组相比,PM组SOD活性明显增加而MDA表达明显下降（P<0.05）,SM组与M组相比差异无统计学意义。3）SOD活性与Y迷宫新颖臂探索距离、探索次数和探索时间以及黑白箱中白箱探索距离、探索次数和探索时间呈负相关,而MDA表达与Y迷宫新颖臂探索距离、探索次数和探索时间以及黑白箱中白箱探索距离、探索次数和探索时间呈正相关。结论：SOD融合蛋白腹腔内注射可明显减轻Aβ1-42诱导的氧化应激及改善AD小鼠的行为恶化。SOD融合蛋白的抗氧化功能可能是预防AD的有效方法。