Biodistribution and toxicity assessment of copper nanoparticles in the rat brain

AimsThe increase in the usage of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) in the industrial and medical fields has raised concerns about their possible adverse effects. The present study aims to investigate the potential adverse effects of Cu NPs on the brain of adult male Wistar rats through the estimation of some oxidative stress parameters and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity.Basic proceduresCu NPs were prepared and characterized using different techniques: Dynamic Light Scattering, X-Ray Diffraction, Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier transform Infrared Spectroscopy, in addition to Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. Rats were divided into two groups: Cu NPs-treated group (IV injected with 15 mg/kg ˷ 13 nm Cu NPs for 2 successive days) and a control group (injected with saline). Rats of the 2 groups were decapitated simultaneously after 48 h of the last injection. The Cu content in different brain areas was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Moreover, the effect of Cu NPs on brain edema was evaluated. The behavior of rats in an open-field was also examined 24 h post the last injection.Main findingsSignificant increases of Cu content in the cortex, cerebellum, striatum, thalamus and hippocampus were found. Moreover, Cu NPs lead to the induction of oxidative stress condition in the thalamus, hypothamaus and medulla. In addition, Cu NPs induced significant increases in AChE activity in the medulla, hippocampus, striatum besides midbrain. Cu NPs-injected rats showed also decreased exploratory behaviour.Principal conclusionThe results obtained in the present study point to the importance of toxicity assessments in evaluating the efficiency of Cu NPs for the safe implementation in different applications.     

Aspirin-induced AMP-activated protein kinase activation regulates the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats

Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), used to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, plays an important role in the regulation of cellular proliferation. However, mechanisms responsible for aspirin-induced growth inhibition are not fully understood. Here, we investigated whether aspirin may exert therapeutic effects via AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from wistar kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Aspirin increased AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylation in a time- and dose-dependent manner in VSMCs from WKY and SHR, but with greater efficacy in SHR. In SHR, a low basal phosphorylation status of AMPK resulted in increased VSMC proliferation and aspirin-induced AMPK phosphorylation inhibited proliferation of VSMCs. Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, and AMPK siRNA reduced the aspirin-mediated inhibition of VSMC proliferation, this effect was more pronounced in SHR than in WKY. In VSMCs from SHR, aspirin increased p53 and p21 expression and inhibited the expression of cell cycle associated proteins, such as p-Rb, cyclin D, and cyclin E. These results indicate that in SHR VSMCs aspirin exerts anti-proliferative effects through the induction of AMPK phosphorylation.     

丁苯酞对慢性酒精中毒大鼠海马、杏仁核H2S/CBS通路及学习记忆能力的影响*

目的: 探讨丁苯酞(NBP)对慢性酒精中毒大鼠学习与记忆相关的能力、海马及杏仁核内硫化氢(H₂S)含量、胱硫醚-β-合成酶(CBS)表达和线粒体ATP酶活性的影响。方法: 随机将90只SD雄性大鼠均分为3组:空白对照组(NC)、模型组(M)和治疗组。除对照组外,其余两组均将含6%(v/v)酒精的水溶液作为唯一饮水来源。喂养14d后,治疗组按5mg/Kg比例腹腔注射NBP,每日一次,连续14d,其余两组注射等剂量生理盐水;对照组随后使用Morris水迷宫法,通过观察和记录动物入水后搜索藏在水下平台所需时间、采用策略和它们的游泳轨迹,从而可分析和推断动物的学习、记忆等方面的能力,并检测海马和杏仁核组织中H₂S浓度、CBS表达及线粒体ATP酶活性。结果: 与正常对照组大鼠相比,模型组大鼠第2-4日潜伏期、游泳距离均增加,海马及杏仁核内H₂S含量、CBS平均光密度值均升高,海马以及杏仁核组织中线粒体ATP酶活性均降低,且均有极显著性差异(P＜0.01)。与模型组大鼠相比较,NBP治疗组大鼠学习记忆成绩第2-4日潜伏期、游泳距离减小,海马及杏仁核H₂S含量、CBS平均光密度值均降低,海马以及杏仁核组织中线粒体ATP酶活性均提高,且均有极显著性差异(P＜0.01)。结论: NBP能够减轻酒精对大鼠的学习与记忆能力的影响,可能与NBP影响海马、杏仁核内H₂S浓度和CBS的表达以及线粒体ATP酶活性有关。     

The protective effects of T cell deficiency against brain injury are ischemic model-dependent in rats

Previous studies have reported that T cell deficiency reduced infarct sizes after transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) suture occlusion in mice. However, how reperfusion and different models affect the detrimental effects of T cells have not been studied. We investigated the effects of T cell deficiency in nude rats using two stroke models and compared their infarct sizes with those in WT rats. In the distal MCA occlusion (MCAo) model, the distal MCA was permanently occluded and the bilateral common carotid arteries (CCAs) were transiently occluded for 60 min. In the suture MCAo model, the MCA was transiently occluded for 100 min by the insertion of a monofilament suture. Our results showed that T cell deficiency resulted in about a 50% reduction in infarct size in the suture MCAo model, whereas it had no effect in the distal MCAo model, suggesting the protective effects of T cell deficiency are dependent on the ischemic model used. We further found more total T cells, CD4 T cells and CD8 T cells in the ischemic brains of WT rats in the suture MCAo model than in the distal MCAo model. In addition, we detected more CD68-expressing macrophages in the ischemic brains of WT rats than in nude rats in the suture MCAo but not the distal MCAo model. Lymphocyte reconstitution in nude rats resulted in larger infarct sizes in the suture MCAo, but not in the distal MCAo stroke model. The results of regional CBF measurement indicated a total reperfusion in the MCAo model but only a partial reperfusion in the distal MCAo model. In conclusion, the protective effects of T cell deficiency on brain injury are dependent on the ischemic model used; likely associated with different degrees of reperfusion.     

Can rats prey on gull eggs? An experimental approach

Black rat Rattus rattus populations can reach high densities on the Mediterranean islands, as has been the case on the Chafarinas Islands (Western Mediterranean coast) in the last decade. This archipelago holds the second largest breeding population of Audouin's gull Larus audouinii and an important population of yellow-legged gull Larus cachinnans. Circumstantial evidences of rat predation upon Audouin's gull eggs led to conservation concerns about the impact of rat predation on gull productivity. We studied the impact of rats on gull nests experimentally by building artificial nests into the breeding area of yellow-legged gulls. Two kinds of eggs were placed in the artificial nests: manipulated eggs, in which the shell had been previously opened, and intact (unmanipulated) eggs. Rats preyed extensively on opened eggs but only once on intact eggs, apparently due to lack of skills to prey on intact eggs, suggesting that rats do not normally have access to fresh gull eggs. Rats inhabiting breeding areas of gulls can scavenge on broken eggs rolled out of the nest or on eggs with softened shells after nest desertion, but it is unlikely that they prey on natural gull nests guarded by parents. We suggest that introduced black rats on Mediterranean islands can only marginally affect the productivity of gulls owing to egg predation.     

Chronic alcohol consumption,type 2 diabetes mellitus,insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and growth hormone (GH) in ethanol-treated diabetic rats

Aims

Alcohol has deleterious influences on glucose metabolism which may contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and growth hormone (GH), which interact with insulin to modulate metabolic control, have been shown to be related to impaired glucose tolerance. This study was conducted to assess the possibility that altered circulating IGF-I and GH levels contribute to the exacerbation of T2DM by alcohol use in type 2 diabetic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats and non-diabetic Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats.

Main method

OLETF rats were pair-fed a Lieber-DeCarli Regular Ethanol diet and LETO rats were pair-fed a control diet for 6 weeks. At 6 weeks, an Intraperitoneal Glucose Tolerance Test (IP-GTT) was performed and IGF-I and GH levels were evaluated.

Key findings

Prior to an IP-GTT, OLETF-Ethanol (O-E) group had significantly a decrease in the mean glucose levels compared to OLETF-Control (O-C) group. At 120 min post IP-GTT, the O-E group had significantly an increase in the mean glucose levels compared to O-C group. The serum IGF-I levels were significantly lower and the serum GH levels were significantly higher in the O-E group than in L-C group.

Significance

These results suggest that IGF-I and GH are prominent in defining the risk and development of T2DM, and may be adversely affected by heavy alcohol use, possibly mediating its diabetogenic effects. Thus, the overall glucose intolerance in the setting of alcoholism may be attributable to inappropriate alteration of IGF-I and GH levels.     

离体大鼠主动脉内皮细胞氧化应激损伤模型的建立及评价

目的：建立离体大鼠主动脉内皮细胞氧化应激损伤模型,为细胞损伤及细胞凋亡的调控研究提供基础。方法：大鼠断头处死在无菌条件下开胸取主动脉,经组织块培养法后传代培养得到充足主动脉内皮细胞,接种于96孔板或爬片培养,每组设6个复孔,用于之后的各项试验检测。以不加H₂O₂的组作为对照组,以不同浓度的H₂O₂（100、200、300、400、500 μmol/L）作用于内皮细胞相同时间12 h,来筛选最佳作用浓度;依据结果以相同浓度的H₂O₂（100和200 μmol/L）分别作用不同时间（3、6、9、12及24 h）,来筛选最佳作用时间。通过免疫荧光法鉴定、细胞存活率检测、生化指标（LDH-L、NO、MDA、SOD）检测及内皮细胞凋亡指数等变化,评价及验证模型的建立。结果：对细胞内Ⅷ型胶原抗原进行免疫荧光染色后鉴定血管内皮细胞培养成功;在12 h的相同作用时间下,随着H₂O₂浓度的加大,细胞存活率呈显著下降（77.63%±5.20%~40.90%±2.10%）;相同浓度（100 μmol/L组和200 μmol/L组）随着作用时间的增加,细胞存活率呈显著递减（100 μmol/L组为86.83%±12.11%~44.26%±5.70%,200 μmol/L组为78.28%±11.98%~34.45%±5.87%）;以H₂O₂浓度为100 μmol/L作用3、6、9、12及24 h,培养液中生化指标在9 h后LDH-L与MDA呈显著递增,NO与SOD呈显著递减;在H₂O₂浓度为100 μmol/L与作用时间12 h的条件下,流式检测结果显示内皮细胞凋亡率为16.92%±2.37%,显著高于对照组2.68%±0.47%（P<0.01）; TUNEL检测内皮细胞凋亡指数为17.65%±2.36%,显著高于对照组的3.23%±0.57%（P<0.01）。结论：该方法成功建立了体外血管内皮细胞氧化应激损伤模型,探索了轻重适度的诱导细胞损伤和细胞凋亡的造模方法,可以成为开展多种血管内皮细胞损伤及凋亡调控机制研究的基础。     

Degradation of Dithiocarbamate Fungicide Polycarbamate in Upland Soils

Oligo-L-methionine ethylester (OMOEt) prepared by the papain-catalyzed oligomerization of L-methionine ethylester (MetOEt) is a mixture of pentamer to dodecamer and has nearly the same supplementary effect as free methionine (Met) for the growth of rats when added to a low casein diet, but its supplementary effect to a low-soy protein isolate (SPI) diet is not consistent and depends on the degree of polymerization. Rats were fed for 2wk with an 8% casein or 10% SPI diet supplemented with 0.3% L-Met, each chemically synthesized Met_nOEt with a polymerization degree (n) of 6, 7, 8, or 9, or with OMOEt prepared by papain-catalyzed polymerization of MetOEt. Met₆OEt, Met₇OEt, and Met₈OEt had nearly the same supplementary effect on the growth of rats, as did free Met, both with the 8% casein and 10% SPI diets. The supplementary effect of Met₉OEt was not significantly lower than that of Met when added to the 8% casein diet, but was significantly lower when added to the 10% SPI diet. The digestibility of Met₉OEt supplemented to the 8% casein and 10% SPI diets was 50.5% and 35.6%, respectively. It appears likely that there is a gap in the bioavailability of oligomethionine between the octamer and nonamer when added to a low-protein diet, probably due to the rigidity of the structure increasing with the polymerization degree by α-helix formation. Although the differences in absorption rate of Met from OMOEt for a short time after feeding has been related to the different effects of supplemented OMOEt, the absorption rate of OMOEt for 30 min after feeding was not considered to be the main cause of the differential effects of OMOEt in this experiment.     

Age-associated responses in susceptible and resistant rats to infection with Fasciola hepatica

Rajasekariah G. R. and Howell M. J. 1981. Age-associated responses in susceptible and resistant rats to infection with Fasciola hepatica. International Journal for Parasitology11: 59–65. Groups of susceptible (5-week-old) and age resistant (25-week-old) outbred male Wistar rats were infected with metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica and the establishment of the parasite was assessed in terms of worm reocvery, and haematological, histopathological and immunological criteria, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after infection. Apart from 2 weeks after infection, there was a significant difference between groups in the recovery of F. hepatica, with resistant rats infected with consistently fewer parasites than susceptible animals. The juvenile worms which invaded the livers of resistant rats elicited a number of host reactions, marked by an intensive cellular infiltration into migratory tracks of the parasite, heavy deposition of fibrous tissue in the liver parenchyma and a rapid antibody response. These responses were not as striking in susceptible animals even though more worms were present. The ability of resistant rats to mount an enhanced response seems related to the maturation of their haemopoietic system.     

Prioritizing the world's islands for vertebrate-eradication programmes

In the last 400 years, more species have become extinct on small islands than on continents. Yet, scant attention has hitherto been paid to prioritizing island restorations. Nevertheless, considerable conservation effort is now devoted to removing a major cause of these extinctions – invasive alien vertebrates. Because modern techniques allow the clearance of invasive vertebrates from quite large islands (up to 1000 km²), many islands are candidates for restoration. A robust strategy for allocating available funds is urgently needed. It requires, for each candidate island, an objective estimation of conservation gain and a method for predicting its financial cost. Our earlier work showed that a good first-pass estimate of vertebrate eradication costs can be made using just island area and target species. Costs increase with island area, while rodents are more expensive per unit area than ungulates. Here, we develop a method for assessing the conservation benefit of a proposed eradication and apply the method to threatened birds, but not other taxa. The method, combining information on how threatened a species is, on the impact of alien vertebrates on that species and on the islands on which the species occurs, allows us to present a means of determining which islands yield the greatest conservation benefit per unit of expenditure on vertebrate eradication. In general, although greater overall benefit would accrue to birds from eradication of invasive vertebrates on larger islands, benefit per unit of expenditure is the highest on relatively small islands, and we identify those that should be priority targets for future eradications. Crucially, this quantitative assessment provides considerable efficiency gains over more opportunistic targeting of islands. The method could be adapted to prioritize islands on a regional or national basis, or with different conservation gains in mind.