Superoxidase Dismutase Activity Research Articles

Effect of dietary protein to energy ratios on growth, digestive enzyme activity and body composition of captive juvenile spiny lobsters, Panulirus ornatus (Fabricius, 1798)

Abstract An evaluation of six dietary protein-to-energy (P/E) ratios was conducted to the early juvenile lobsters (Panulirus ornatus) by investigating the ratio effects on physiology, digestive enzyme activities, body composition, and amino acid profiles. Juvenile lobsters (0.25±0.01 g) were individually kept in aquaria and treated with six isoenergetic formulated diets of P/E ratios of 21.8, 22.5, 23.5, 24.6, 25.3 and 26.6 mg KJ−1. After 8 weeks of feeding experiment, the differentiation on dietary P/E ratios was found to have affected the specific growth rates, but not the survival, moult increment, moulting rate, moult interval and average daily moulting rate of juvenile lobsters. The dietary P/E ratio also influenced the protease, lipase, super oxidase dismutase activities, and body composition of juvenile lobster. The increase in dietary protein levels significantly affected the increase of the specific growth rate, while increased dietary lipid levels only affected the length increments. Both protein and lipid content were found in the whole body of the juveniles which reflected the treated dietary composition. Results indicated that a P/E ratio of 26.6 mg KJ−1 (55% dietary protein and 9% dietary lipids) can yield the maximum growth and digestive enzyme activities from among the studied diets.

Heat-stable spores of carotenoid-producing Bacillus marisflavi and non-pigmented Bacillus subtilis cooperatively promote growth, quality, and gut microbiota of white-leg shrimp.

We evaluated the benefits of heat-stable carotenoid-producing Bacillus marisflavi SH8 spores individually and in combination with non-pigmented Bacillus subtilis SH23 spores on growth, colour change, nutritional content, innate immunity, and gut microbiota of white-leg shrimp. White-leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei; n= 30 per tank; 2 tanks per group) were provided feed without (control group) or with SH8, SH23, or mixed spores (total, 1× 106 cfu/g pellet) for 28 d. The SH8 and SH8-23 combination groups had significantly higher specific growth rates (9.6 and 11.0%), improved red-colour score (4 scores), astaxanthin concentration (1.8- and 2.3-fold), lipid contents (30 and 50%), and superoxidase dismutase activity (8.5 and 12.3%) than that of the control group. Analysis of shrimp's gut microbiome using 16S rRNA metagenome sequencing revealed increased abundance of four useful species and reduced abundance of four harmful species in the combination group than in the control group. Heat-stable Bacillus spore combination improved growth parameters, nutrient content, red-colour score, live counts, and abundance of useful bacteria in the gut of L. vannamei. This is the first study to show the benefits of combining highly heat-stable pigmented and non-pigmented Bacillus spores and their possible mechanisms in a shrimp model.

Evaluation of freshwater heavy metals accumulation effect on oxidative stress, Metallothionein biosynthesis and histopathology of Procambarus clarkii (Girard,1985) collected from three locations in the Delta region, Egypt

BackgroundIn this study, the effect of heavy metals accumulation influence was evaluated on adult crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Decapoda, Astacidea) collected from three different Governmental locations (Kafr El-Shaikh, El-Menofya, and El-Gharbiya) of the Egyptian Delta. The activity of super oxidase dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) of gills, hepatopancreas, and muscle tissue were measured. SDS Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and West blotting technique were performed to detect MT Protein expression.ResultsThe results revealed that Kafr El-Shaikh reflected the highest Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase, and Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity levels (97.2 u/100 mg, 28.5 u/100 mg, and 8.3 nmol mg (-1) protein min (-1) respectively. Superior protein polymorphism % (30%) remarked collected Freshwater crayfish P. clarkii from Kafr El-Shaikh location. Varied protein polymorphism % was shown between collected crayfish from El-Menofya, and El-Gharbiya locations (5.5 and 6.2 respectively) Increasing Metallothioneins intensity (15.4%) for collected Freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii from Kafr El-Shaikh Location.ConclusionHeavy metal stress influences antioxidant status and also induces increasing Metallothioneins intensity, especially samples that were collected from the Kafr El-Shaikh area.

Trehalose regulates the quality and antioxidant capacity of cherry tomato during postharvest ripening

Trehalose has been extensively studied in the application of fruit preservation, but little has been reported in cherry tomato preservation. The present work investigated the effects of postharvest trehalose treatment on cherry tomato spoilage rate, antioxidant capacity, and fruit quality through the application of 0.5 and 1% (w/v) trehalose. Our results indicated that trehalose treatment could reduce rot from 44.5 to 18.5%, maintain the fruit flavour and quality, and delay the decrease in antioxidant content. At 15 d postharvest, the diphenyl-picryl hydrazide (DPPH) scavenging capacity, superoxide anion (·O2-) production, and malonaldehyde (MDA) content were 78.1%, 1.04 mmol.min-1.kg-1, and 0.8 μmol.kg-1 in cherry tomato treated with 0.5% (w/v) trehalose, respectively. Trehalose-treated fruits maintained higher antioxidant capacities as compared to the control. Moreover, trehalose treatment increased the activities of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and inhibited the activity of lipoxygenase (LOX). The expression of encoding antioxidant genes was generally upregulated under trehalose treatment. However, the expression of SlLOX gene was significantly lower during storage, at only one-tenth of the control at 9 d. In conclusion, trehalose treatment had positive effects on decreasing decay incidence by increasing antioxidant capacity in cherry tomato.

Iron Complexes with Antarctic Krill-Derived Peptides Show Superior Effectiveness to Their Original Protein-Iron Complexes in Mice with Iron Deficiency Anemia.

Antarctic krill protein-iron complex and peptide-iron complex were acquired to investigate their iron bioavailability, expression of iron-regulated genes, and in vivo antioxidant capacity. Results indicated that the Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex significantly increased the hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron (SI), and iron contents in the liver and spleen in iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) mice (p < 0.05) compared with those of the Antarctic krill protein-iron complex. Despite the gene expressions of the divalent metal transporter 1(DMT1), the transferrin (Tf), and the transferrin receptor (TfR) being better regulated by both Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex and protein-iron complex, the relative iron bioavailability of the Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex group (152.53 ± 21.05%) was significantly higher than that of the protein-iron complex group (112.75 ± 9.60%) (p < 0.05). Moreover, Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex could enhance the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), reduce the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in IDA mice compared with the protein-iron complex, and reduce the cell damage caused by IDA. Therefore, these results indicated that Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex could be used as a highly efficient and multifunctional iron supplement.

Fitness assessment of Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819 after exposure to herbicide metabolite propachlor ESA

The lack of data on the chronic effects of chloroacetanilide herbicide metabolites on non-target aquatic organisms creates a gap in knowledge about the comprehensive impacts of excessive and repeated pesticide use. Therefore, this study evaluates the long-term effects of propachlor ethanolic sulfonic acid (PROP-ESA) after 10 (T1) and 20 (T2) days at the environmental level of 3.5 μg.L−1 (E1) and its 10x fold multiply 35 μg.L−1 (E2) on a model organism Mytilus galloprovincialis. To this end, the effects of PROP-ESA usually showed a time- and dose-dependent trend, especially in its amount in soft mussel tissue. The bioconcentration factor increased from T1 to T2 in both exposure groups – from 2.12 to 5.30 in E1 and 2.32 to 5.48 in E2. Biochemical haemolymph profile and haemocyte viability were not affected by PROP-ESA exposure. In addition, the viability of digestive gland (DG) cells decreased only in E2 compared to control and E1 after T1. Moreover, malondialdehyde levels increased in E2 after T1 in gills, and DG, superoxidase dismutase activity and oxidatively modified proteins were not affected by PROP-ESA. Histopathological observation showed several damages to gills (e.g., increased vacuolation, over-production of mucus, loss of cilia) and DG (e.g., growing haemocyte trend infiltrations, alterations of tubules). This study revealed a potential risk of chloroacetanilide herbicide, propachlor, via its primary metabolite in the Bivalve bioindicator species M. galloprovincialis. Furthermore, considering the possibility of the biomagnification effect, the most prominent threat poses the ability of PROP-ESA to be accumulated in edible mussel tissues. Therefore, future research about the toxicity of pesticide metabolites alone or their mixtures is needed to gain comprehensive results about their impacts on living non-target organisms.

Adult corals are uniquely more sensitive to manganese than coral early-life stages.

Manganese is an essential element and generally considered to be one of the least toxic metals to aquatic organisms, with chronic effects rarely seen at concentrations below 1000 µg/L. Anthropogenic activities lead to elevated concentrations of manganese in tropical marine waters. Limited data suggests that manganese is more acutely toxic to adult than to early life-stages of scleractinian corals in static renewal tests. However, to enable the inclusion of sufficient sensitive coral data in species sensitivity distributions to derive water quality guideline values (GVs) for manganese, we determined the acute toxicity of manganese to the adult scleractinian coral, Acropora muricata, in flow-through exposures. The 48-h EC50 was 824 µg Mn/L (based on time-weighted average, measured, dissolved manganese). The endpoint was tissue sloughing, a lethal process by which coral tissue detaches from the coral skeleton. Tissue sloughing was unrelated to superoxidase dismutase activity in coral tissue, and occurred in the absence of bleaching, i.e., toxic effects were observed for the coral host, but not for algal symbionts. We confirm that adult scleractinian corals are uniquely sensitive to manganese in acute exposures at concentrations 10 to 340 times lower than those reported to cause acute or chronic toxicity to coral early life stages, challenging the traditional notion that early life stages are more sensitive than mature organisms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;00:0-0. © 2023 SETAC.

Fishmeal replacement by mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) in diet of farmed Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei): effects on growth performance, serum biochemistry, and immune response

Reducing the use of fishmeal (FM) in shrimp feed means significant savings in the amount of FM consumed globally and subsequently reducing production costs and environmental impacts. Insect meal (IM) is one of the protein sources to replace FM in aquafeeds. In this regard, this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of replacing FM with mealworm (MW,Tenebrio molitor) on the growth performance, haemolymph biochemical responses, and innate immunity ofLitopenaeus vannamei. Shrimps with a mean weight of 7.41 ± 0.13 gram were cultured in 300-liter fiberglass tanks (with a useful drainage volume of 200 liters) with a density of 20 shrimp per tank over a period of 60 days. Dietary treatments, including the control treatment (no mealworm; T0), 15% (T15), 30% (T30), 60% (T60), and 100% (T100) level of replacing FM with mealworm (MW), each with three replications, were investigated in the form of a randomized design. The results of this study showed a significant difference in body weight gain (BWG), feed efficiency (FE), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and hepatopancreas index (HPI) among the treatments (P&lt; 0.05). With the increase of the replacement of FM with MW up to 30%, BWG, FE, and HPI were significantly increased then reduced. The levels of cholesterol (Chol), triglycerides (Tg), and glucose (Glu) showed a decreasing trend with increasing replacement of FM with MW and revealed a significant difference with the control treatment at high levels of replacement (P&lt; 0.05). Besides, the results showed that replacing FM with MW had a significant effect on the activities of superoxidase dismutase (SOD), phenol oxidase (PO), lysozyme (LZM), acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and the total count of hemocytes (THC) in the practical diets compared to the control group (P&lt; 0.05). Overall, the findings suggest that MW is a promising alternative protein source forL. vannamei, as it enhances both growth performance and the immune system. The study recommends the use of MW in the diet of farmed species in the aquaculture industry, given its lack of adverse impacts on growth performance and its potential to reduce environmental consequences resulting from its production. The results also underscore the importance of exploring alternative protein sources to reduce dependence on FM and enhance sustainability in the aquaculture industry.

Exogenous spermidine and calcium alleviate waterlogging stress in cherry tomato at the seedling stage

• Waterlogging destroyed the cherry tomato photosynthetic system and suppressed growth. • Spd maintained high antioxidant enzyme activities under waterlogging conditions. • Ca 2+ increased the Pro and soluble sugar contents under waterlogging conditions. • The protective effect of exogenous Spd was greater than that of Ca 2+ . The cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedling stage frequently experiences waterlogging due to heavy autumn rainfall in tropical areas, which impairs cherry tomato growth and development. In this study, we investigated the effects of exogenous spermidine and calcium on the morphological, physiological and biochemical traits of two popular cherry tomato cultivars (Hongfei6: flooding-insensitive and Qianxi: flooding-sensitive) to 14 days of waterlogging at the 4 expanded leaves stage under a controlled environment. Overall, waterlogging significantly increased the rate of superoxide radical production, destroyed the photosynthetic system, reduced dry matter accumulation, and suppressed growth in the two cultivars. After foliar spraying once with spermidine or calcium of plants under waterlogging, an extensive lysigenous aerenchyma in the roots formed. Also, the actual photochemical efficiency and potential efficiency (F v /F m ) of photosystem II in the light, the activities of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD), and Pro and soluble sugar contents in the leaves increased. Thus, plant height, stem diameter, root length, root surface, root volume and plant dry weight were increased after spermidine or calcium application. Compared with the exogenous calcium, the exogenous spermidine could better maintain the integrity of root cells and the normal morphology and function of the root, increase the activities of SOD and POD and plant dry weight. Thus, exogenous spermidine and calcium suppress waterlogging stress with distinct mechanisms and that the protective effect of exogenous spermidine is greater than that of calcium.

Duodenojejunal Omega Switch Surgery Reduces Oxidative Stress Induced by Cafeteria Diet in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Over-nutrition with cafeteria diet leads to glycemic control failure and subsequent obesity. Bariatric surgery remains the ultimate treatment option, and when complemented with specific dietary protocol, it may mitigate the effects of oxidative stress induced by a cafeteria diet. The study measured antioxidant marker activity: superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and ceruloplasmin (CER), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and lipid peroxidation marker concentrations: lipofuscin (LS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), in the plasma of 56 Sprague-Dawley rats fed with a cafeteria (HFS) or a control (CD) diet and subjected to duodenojejunal omega switch (DJOS) or control (SHAM) surgery. The diet change after the surgery (CD/HFS or HFS/CD) strongly influenced SOD activity in DJOS- and SHAM-operated rats, but SOD activity was always higher in SHAM-operated rats. Every dietary protocol used in the study increased CER activity, except for the CD/CD combination. Cafeteria diet consumed before or after either of surgeries led to decrease in TAC levels. DJOS and no change in diet reduced MDA levels. DJOS reduced LS levels, but its beneficial effect was deteriorated by selected dietary protocols. The cafeteria diet negatively affected the positive impact of DJOS surgery, but SOD, CER, MDA, and LS were significantly lower in rats that underwent DJOS, suggesting that eight weeks of dietary treatment before and after the surgery did not totally dilapidate the effects of the bariatric treatment.

Oxymatrine Alleviates Gentamicin-Induced Renal Injury in Rats.

Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic commonly used to treat Gram-negative bacterial infections that possesses considerable nephrotoxicity. Oxymatrine is a phytochemical with the ability to counter gentamicin toxicity. We investigated the effects and protective mechanism of oxymatrine in rats. The experimental groups were as follows: Control, Oxymatrine only group (100 mg/kg/d), Gentamicin only group (100 mg/kg/d), Gentamicin (100 mg/kg/d) plus Oxymatrine (100 mg/kg/d) group (n = 10). All rats were treated for seven continuous days. The results indicated that oxymatrine alleviated gentamicin-induced kidney injury, and decreased rats’ kidney indices and NAG (N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase), BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and CRE (creatine) serum levels. The oxymatrine-treated group sustained less histological damage. Oxymatrine also relived gentamicin-induced oxidative and nitrative stress, indicated by the increased SOD (superoxidase dismutase), GSH (glutathione) and CAT (catalase) activities and decreased MDA (malondialdehyde), iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) and NO (nitric oxide) levels. Caspase-9 and -3 activities were also decreased in the oxymatrine-treated group. Oxymatrine exhibited a potent anti-inflammatory effect on gentamicin-induced kidney injury, down-regulated the Bcl-2ax and NF-κB mRNAs, and upregulated Bcl-2, HO-1 and Nrf2 mRNAs in the kidney tissue. Our investigation revealed the renal protective effect of oxymatrine in gentamicin-induced kidney injury for the first time. The effect was achieved through activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathways. The study underlines the potential clinical application of oxymatrine as a renal protectant agent for gentamicin therapy.

Evaluation of the allelopathic potential of Trianthema portulacastrum L. on Convolvulus arvensis L

BackgroundAs the crop season progresses and plants size increases, weeds also begin to compete with the essential resources available for plant growth. Once weeds initiate to deprive the crop of these essential resources, the crop yield potential can be negatively impacted. Weeds infestations not only caused a severe impact on the yield but also provide shelter for various pathogens. Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed) is a serious detrimental weed to various crops. Among weed control methods, herbicidal control through synthetic chemicals is the most popular method but excessive usage of herbicides is a health hazard and causes environmental pollution along with resistance problems in weeds. Therefore, allelopathy is an eco-friendly biological control method. The objective of this research was to study the allelopathic influence of Trianthema portulacastrum (horse purslane) on the growth of C. arvensis. To meet the objectives, root and shoot length, leaf area, chlorophylls (a and b), total soluble sugars, proline, superoxidase dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities were assessed. ResultsResults intimate that water extracts of root and shoot of T. portulacastrum significantly (p ≤ 0.05) inhibited growth parameters. But the allelopathic effect of shoot extract was more toxic than the root extract and maximum growth inhibition was found in 100% shoot extract. This inhibition of the growth of C. arvensis was coupled with a significant increase in soluble sugars and proline. In addition, growth reduction was associated with a decrease in photosynthetic pigments and activities of SOD and CAT. Shoot extract treatments caused almost equal inhibitory action in the growth of C. arvensis with herbicide treatment. ConclusionThe results indicated that shoot extract of T. portulacastrum could be used as a bio-herbicide against C. arvensis.

Artemisia annua L. Aqueous Extract Promotes Intestine Immunity and Antioxidant Function in Broilers.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Artemisia annua L. aqueous extract (AAE) on intestinal immune and antioxidative function of broilers. A total of 200 one-day-old Arbor Acre broilers were randomly allotted into five dietary treatment groups, with five replicates per treatment and eight broilers per replicate. The five treatment diets were formulated by adding, respectively, 0 (control group), 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g/kg AAE in the basal diet. The results showed that dietary inclusion of AAE quadratically decreased interleukin (IL)-1β content, linearly decreased IL-6 content in the small intestine through regulating the nuclear factor-kappa B signal pathway, and quadratically increased immunoglobulin (Ig)M and sIgA content in ileum and jejunum. Besides, there was a quadratic decrease in the gene expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) in ileum on day 21, and the gene expression of IL-6 and TLR4 in duodenum on day 42, thereby improving small intestinal immune function in broilers. Additionally, dietary inclusion of AAE improves antioxidative function through the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signal pathway in the small intestinal mucosa of broilers, especially, quadratically increased catalase (CAT) and superoxidase dismutase activity in ileum, and total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase activity in duodenum, and quadratically decreased malondialdehyde concentration in ileum, besides, linearly increased heme oxygenase-1 and Nrf2 gene expression in jejunum and ileum on day 42, quadratically increased CAT gene expression in the small intestine. Furthermore, regression analyses of the above parameters showed that the optimal dose range of AAE in the diet of broilers was 1.12–1.38 g/kg.

A Dietary Supplement Containing Micronutrients, Phosphatidylserine, and Docosahexaenoic Acid Counteracts Cognitive Impairment in D-Galactose-Induced Aged Rats.

At present, it is a trend to use dietary supplements to prevent age-related cognitive impairment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a dietary supplement enriched with micronutrients, phosphatidylserine, and docosahexaenoic acid on cognitive performance using a D-galactose (D-gal) induced aging rat model. Seven-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups, including the control group, D-gal model group, and low-dose (2 g/kg body weight), medium-dose (6 g/kg body weight), and high-dose (10 g/kg body weight) dietary supplement intervention groups, which were investigated for 13 weeks. The dietary supplement intervention was found to improve cognitive performance in Morris water maze test, increase superoxidase dismutase activity, reduce malondialdehyde activity, decrease tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 concentrations, inhibit the activation of astrocytes, and elevate brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein and mRNA expression in the brains of D-gal-induced aged rats. This dietary supplement customized for the aged can be applied to the restoration of cognitive performance by enhancing antioxidant and anti-neuroinflammatory abilities, up-regulating neurotrophic factors, and inhibiting the activation of astrocytes. These results will be useful for future studies focused on implementation in humans.

Evaluation of the neuroprotective activity of P. amarus in attenuating arsenic-induced neurotoxicity - an in vivo study

BackgroundArsenic is viewed as a bizarre and frightful element in human history. Recent studies showed that even low levels of arsenic can cause neurological damage. Phyllanthus amarus is an important medicinal herb proved to have neuro protective effect in experimental animals. This pre-clinical study used an animal model of arsenic toxicity and screened the different neuroprotective mechanisms of Phyllanthus amarus ethanolic extract. PurposeTo assess the effect of Phyllanthus amarus ethanolic extract on various biochemical parameter's in the brain of arsenic administered Wistar albino rats. MethodologyThe neuroprotective activity of P. amarus against arsenic induced toxicity was studied in Wistar albino rats. The experimental animals (n=24) were divided into four groups of 6 rats each. Rats in group I received distilled water, whereas rats in groups II, III, and IV received arsenic as sodium arsenite salt (40 mg/kg b.w) in drinking water daily for 28 days. In addition, rats from groups III, and IV also received P. amarus ethanolic extract 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w, by intragastric route, once daily for a period of 28 days. At the end of the experiment rats were subjected to various neurobehavioral tests such as Elevated plus maze, Light dark arena, Forced swim test and Tail suspension test. After 24 h of the last treatment, the animals were euthanized and brain tissue was assayed for various biochemical parameters. ResultsANOVA and Post hoc testing of behavioral and biochemical data (Dunnett's t-test and Student unpaired T test) showed co-administration of P. amarus ethanolic extract significantly reversed anxiety and depression-like behaviors in experimental animals. P. amarus ethanolic extract effectively reduced acetyl cholinesterase activity in the brain, and it also increased the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brains of arsenic-treated animals as compared to only arsenic treated group. P. amarus ethanolic extract significantly decreased lipid peroxidase and increased brain catalase and super oxidase dismutase activities. ConclusionBased on the pharmacological, and biochemical analysis the plant extracts of P. amarus have shown protective effects against arsenic induced neurotoxicity.

Leonurine: A compound with the potential to prevent acute lung injury.

Sepsis is an intense immune response to infection that contributes to the pathophysiological process of acute lung injury (ALI). Inflammation and oxidative stress serve an important role in the development of ALI. Leonurine (LEO) is a natural phenolic alkaloid extracted from Leonurus cardiaca, which possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the effect of LEO on sepsis-induced ALI and to investigate its underlying mechanism. MTT and Cell Counting Kit-8 assays were performed to measure cell viability. The levels of reactive oxygen species, lactate dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde, as well as the activity of superoxidase dismutase, were quantified using commercial assay kits. The expression levels of specific inflammatory cytokines were measured by using ELISA. In addition, western blotting was employed to assess the expression levels of cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1. The findings demonstrated that LEO increased the viability of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BEAS-2B human lung epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, LEO suppressed LPS-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokine release in BEAS-2B cells. Treatment with Nrf2 inhibitor reversed the effects of LEO treatment on LPS-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory response in BEAS-2B cells. Taken together, the data of the present study indicated that LEO attenuated LPS-induced ALI through the inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation regulated by the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Therefore, LEO may be a novel and effective agent for the prevention of sepsis-induced ALI.

Ebb-and-Flow Subirrigation Improves Seedling Growth and Root Morphology of Tomato by Influencing Root-Softening Enzymes and Transcript Profiling of Related Genes

Ebb-and-flow subirrigation is a promising strategy to increase water use efficiency, avoid waterlogging or drought conditions, and promote the overall growth of vegetable crops. The aim of this study was to evaluate the seedling growth, root morphology, activities of root-softening enzymes, and transcript profiling of those enzyme-related genes in tomato under top sprinkle irrigation and ebb-and-flow subirrigation. The results showed that ebb-and-flow subirrigation could significantly improve stem diameter, root fresh weight, root dry weight, root volume, and root diameter of tomato by 9.42%, 45.92%, 44.82%, 15.61%, and 9.41%, as compared with top sprinkle irrigation, respectively. The ebb-and-flow subirrigation also maintained the root activity and photosynthetic rate of tomato seedlings. The activities of superoxidase dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and ascorbate peroxidase of tomato roots under ebb-and-flow subirrigation were remarkably increased, while the malondialdehyde content was decreased compared with the plants grown under top sprinkle irrigation. Correlation analysis among activities of root-softening enzymes and transcriptomic profiling of their biosynthesis-related genes revealed that 10 genes might be responsible for regulation of studied enzymes. Overall, ebb-and-flow subirrigation could significantly promote the growth of tomato seedlings, so as to maintain high activity and promote the cultivation of high-quality and strong seedlings.

Assessing the impact of current tropospheric ozone on yield loss and antioxidant defense of six cultivars of rice using ethylenediurea in the lower Gangetic Plains of India.

Climate change influences the current tropospheric ozone (O3) budget due to industrialization and urbanization processes. In recent years, the impact of elevated O3 on crop development and yield loss has emerged as one of the most important environmental issues, particularly in rural and suburban areas of the lower Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. The impact of the current tropospheric ozone (O3) on the crop yield, photosynthetic yield, and enzymatic antioxidants of six rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars (IR 36, MTU 1010, GB 3, Khitish, IET 4786, and Ganga Kaveri) was investigated with and without the application of ethylenediurea (EDU). The results revealed that O3 stress significantly affected crop yield, photosynthetic yield, and antioxidant enzymes. The findings showed that O3 toxicity induces oxidative stress biomarkers, i.e., malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and was manifested by increasing the enzymatic antioxidants, i.e., superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in four rice cultivars (IR 36, GB 3, IET 4786, and Ganga Kaveri). At the same time, the results also illustrated that the rice cultivars MTU 1010 and Khitish are more tolerant to O3 stress as they had less oxidative damage, greater photosynthetic SPAD value, SOD and CAT activities, and lower MDA activity. The results also elucidated that the application of EDU decreased O3 toxicity in sensitive cultivars of rice by increasing antioxidant defense systems. The current O3 level is likely to show an additional increase in the near future, and the use of tolerant genotypes of rice may reduce the negative impacts of O3 on rice production.

Evaluation of haemato-biochemical changes, oxidative stress response and stress related gene expressions in juvenile Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822) in response to Mycobacterium fortuitum infection

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria present in aquaculture systems can infect and influence the physio-chemical blood parameters of captive fish. The aim of this study was to examine the changes in haematological and biochemical parameters along with expression of stress related genes in response to Mycobacterium fortuitum infection in the Indian major carp, rohu Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822). Juveniles of L. rohita were experimentally infected with M. fortuitum strain ATCC 6841, by immersion challenge at three different dosages of 5x105 cfu fish-1 (group T2 ), 5x106 cfu fish-1 (group T3 ) and 5x107 cfu fish-1 (group T4 ) along with a control group. After 60 days post-infection, fishes in groups T2 , T3 and T4 were observed with necrotic lesions in skin and M. fortuitum was recovered from moribund fishes. Heat shock protein (hsp) gene expression analysis was performed in liver tissues by RT-PCR and hsps were analysed by Western Blotting in fishes of all treatment groups and control. Significant changes (p&lt;0.05) were found in haemato-biochemical parameters including glucose, cortisol, blood parameters, liver enzymes, serum proteins and catalase and superoxidase dismutase activity along with mRNA expression of hsp genes viz, hsp60, hsp70, hsp78, hsp90 and hsp47 within groups T3 and T4 in comparison to control. The results suggest the pathogenicity of M. fortuitum (ATCC 6841) to L. rohita by promoting stress parameters and the transcription level of stress related genes. Keywords: Fish tuberculosis, Heat shock protein, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacteriosis, Rohu

Protective effect of parecoxib sodium against ischemia reperfusion‑induced intestinal injury.

Ischemia reperfusion (I/R)-induced intestinal injury is a pathophysiological process leading to oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, and revealing its underlying mechanisms is essential for developing therapeutic strategies. Cyclooxygenase (COX) has been reported to be involved in I/R injury. Parecoxib sodium, a selective inhibitor for COX-2, exerts protective effects, such as reducing I/R-induced injuries in the heart, kidney and brain. However, the potential role of parecoxib sodium in protecting the small intestine against I/R-induced injury has rarely been investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to elucidate the effects and potential mechanisms of parecoxib sodium in I/R-induced intestinal injury. In total, 60 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control (sham operation) group, intestinal I/R group, 10 mg/kg parecoxib sodium-pre-treated I/R (I/R + Pare/10) group and the 20 mg/kg parecoxib sodium-pre-treated I/R (I/R + Pare/20) group. A regular I/R model was established to induce the intestinal injury in rats. Parecoxib sodium at 10 or 20 mg/kg was intraperitoneally administered into rats in both I/R + Pare groups once daily for 5 consecutive days prior to ischemia. Blood samples and small intestinal tissues were collected at 2 h after reperfusion. Changes in the levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 and IL-10, as well as the total antioxidant capacity were determined using ELISA, as were the activities of superoxidase dismutase and myeloperoxidase. Furthermore, the protein expression levels of total caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax were examined via western blot analysis. In addition, the daily survival rate post-reperfusion was examined for 7 days. It was revealed that parecoxib sodium increased the levels of antioxidants and suppressed the intestinal oxidative injury induced by I/R. Moreover, parecoxib sodium downregulated the expression levels of the proinflammatory factors, but upregulated the expression levels of anti-inflammatory factors. The results also demonstrated that parecoxib sodium attenuated I/R-induced apoptosis and increased the survival rate of rats. Thus, administration of parecoxib sodium prior to intestinal I/R attenuated intestinal injury and increased the rat survival rate by inhibiting I/R-induced inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis.