Repeated oral administration of capsaicin increases anxiety-like behaviours with prolonged stress-response in rats

This study was conducted to examine the psycho-emotional effects of repeated oral exposure to capsaicin, the principal active component of chili peppers. Each rat received 1 mL of 0.02% capsaicin into its oral cavity daily, and was subjected to behavioural tests following 10 daily administrations of capsaicin. Stereotypy counts and rostral grooming were significantly increased, and caudal grooming decreased, in capsaicin-treated rats during the ambulatory activity test. In elevated plus maze test, not only the time spent in open arms but also the percent arm entry into open arms was reduced in capsaicin-treated rats compared with control rats. In forced swim test, although swimming duration was decreased, struggling increased in the capsaicin group, immobility duration did not differ between the groups. Repeated oral capsaicin did not affect the basal levels of plasma corticosterone; however, the stress-induced elevation of plasma corticosterone was prolonged in capsaicin treated rats. Oral capsaicin exposure significantly increased c-Fos expression not only in the nucleus tractus of solitarius but also in the paraventricular nucleus. Results suggest that repeated oral exposure to capsaicin increases anxiety-like behaviours in rats, and dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis may play a role in its pathophysiology.     

Effect of weight loss and exercise on angiogenic factors in the circulation and in adipose tissue in obese subjects

Background:

Vascular growth is a prerequisite for adipose tissue (AT) development and expansion. Some AT cytokines and hormones have effects on vascular development, like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF‐A), angiopoietin (ANG‐1), ANG‐2 and angiopoietin‐like protein‐4 (ANGPTL‐4).

Methods:

In this study, the independent and combined effects of diet‐induced weight loss and exercise on AT gene expression and proteins levels of those angiogenic factors were investigated. Seventy‐nine obese males and females were randomized to: 1. Exercise‐only (EXO; 12‐weeks exercise without diet‐restriction), 2. Hypocaloric diet (DIO; 8‐weeks very low energy diet (VLED) + 4‐weeks weight maintenance diet) and 3. Hypocaloric diet and exercise (DEX; 8‐weeks VLED + 4‐weeks weight maintenance diet combined with exercise throughout the 12 weeks). Blood samples and fat biopsies were taken before and after the intervention.

Results:

Weight loss was 3.5 kg in the EXO group and 12.3 kg in the DIO and DEX groups. VEGF‐A protein was non‐significantly reduced in the weight loss groups. ANG‐1 protein levels were significantly reduced 22‐25% after all three interventions (P < 0.01). The ANG‐1/ANG‐2 ratio was also decreased in all three groups (P < 0.05) by 27‐38%. ANGPTL‐4 was increased in the EXO group (15%, P < 0.05) and 9% (P < 0.05) in the DIO group. VEGF‐A, ANG‐1, and ANGPTL‐4 were all expressed in human AT, but only ANGPTL‐4 was influenced by the interventions.

Conclusions:

Our data show that serum VEGF‐A, ANG‐1, ANG‐2, and ANGPTL‐4 levels are influenced by weight changes, indicating the involvement of these factors in the obese state. Moreover, it was found that weight loss generally was associated with a reduced angiogenic activity in the circulation.     

Effect of chronic treatment with Rosiglitazone on Leydig cell steroidogenesis in rats: <Emphasis Type="Italic">In vivo</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">ex vivo</Emphasis> studies

Background  

The present study was designed to examine the effect of chronic treatment with rosiglitazone - thiazolidinedione used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus for its insulin sensitizing effects - on the Leydig cell steroidogenic capacity and expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) in normal adult rats.     

Biodegradation of methyl parathion and <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-nitrophenol: evidence for the presence of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-nitrophenol 2-hydroxylase in a Gram-negative <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serratia</Emphasis> sp. strain DS001

A soil bacterium capable of utilizing methyl parathion as sole carbon and energy source was isolated by selective enrichment on minimal medium containing methyl parathion. The strain was identified as belonging to the genus Serratia based on a phylogram constructed using the complete sequence of the 16S rRNA. Serratia sp. strain DS001 utilized methyl parathion, p-nitrophenol, 4-nitrocatechol, and 1,2,4-benzenetriol as sole carbon and energy sources but could not grow using hydroquinone as a source of carbon. p-Nitrophenol and dimethylthiophosphoric acid were found to be the major degradation products of methyl parathion. Growth on p-nitrophenol led to release of stoichiometric amounts of nitrite and to the formation of 4-nitrocatechol and benzenetriol. When these catabolic intermediates of p-nitrophenol were added to resting cells of Serratia sp. strain DS001 oxygen consumption was detected whereas no oxygen consumption was apparent when hydroquinone was added to the resting cells suggesting that it is not part of the p-nitrophenol degradation pathway. Key enzymes involved in degradation of methyl parathion and in conversion of p-nitrophenol to 4-nitrocatechol, namely parathion hydrolase and p-nitrophenol hydroxylase component “A” were detected in the proteomes of the methyl parathion and p-nitrophenol grown cultures, respectively. These studies report for the first time the existence of a p-nitrophenol hydroxylase component “A”, typically found in Gram-positive bacteria, in a Gram-negative strain of the genus Serratia. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.