Cat Gene Research Articles

‘Biotic’ potential of the red yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa strain JM-01 on the growth, shell pigmentation, and immune defense attributes of the shrimp, Penaeus vannamei

A 6-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa JM-01 in different forms (i.e. LC, live cells; FS, fermentation supernatant; CLS, compound of live cells with fermentation supernatant; SKE, sonication-killed cell-free extracts; HK, heat-killed cells; control, basal diet without R. mucilaginosa) on the growth performance, shell pigmentation, immune responses, and disease resistance of the shrimp Penaeus vannamei. The results indicated that the final weight and specific growth rate of shrimp were significantly improved and the feed conversion ratio was significantly reduced in the CLS and HK groups compared to the control. The redness and yellowness of the ventral body color and shell astaxanthin contents in the LC, CLS, SKE, and HK groups were significantly elevated relative to the control, while the lightness was significantly reduced. The challenge test to Vibrio parahaemolyticus demonstrated that the cumulative mortality was significantly lower than the control in all experimental groups. Compared to the control, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, total superoxide dismutase, lysozyme, total nitric oxide synthase, and catalase activities and total antioxidant capacity and phenoloxidase contents in the serum of shrimp were significantly higher in all experimental groups except the FS group. The relative expression levels of the proPO, SOD, CAT, LZM, Imd, Toll, Relish, TOR, 4E-BP, elF4E1α and elF4E2 genes in the shrimp intestine were significantly enhanced in the LC, CLS, SKE, and HK groups, but only partially induced in the FS group. When the growth performance, body color, astaxanthin contents, and immune responses of shrimp were considered collectively, the compound of live cells with fermentation supernatant exhibited the greatest beneficial effect. However, the postbiotics, i.e. heat-killed cells or sonication-killed cell-free extracts, would be more suited than probiotics in shrimp farming practice, considering the shell-life for storage and the convenience for transportation.

Effect of Aerobic Training and Use of Nanomicelle Curcumin on Gene Expression of GPX, Cat, SOD and MDA Enzymes in Heart Tissue of Balb C Female Mice with Induced Breast Cancer in Treatment Phase with Doxorubicin

Introduction:Doxorubicin is a universal drug in treatment of all types of cancers, which is limited in its use due to various side effects in body tissues, so the present study investigated effect of aerobic exercise and use of curcumin nanomicelles on gene expression of the enzymes (GlutathionePeroxidase) GPX, (Catalase) Cat (Superoxidedismutase) SOD and (Malondialdehyde) MDA was investigated in the heart tissue of BalbC female rats with induced breast cancer in the treatment phase of doxorubicin.
 method: This research was practical, it was experimental in terms of control of variables and it was a laboratory in terms of place of implementation. Thirty-six BalbC mice were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=6): healthy, patient, doxorubicin patient, doxorubicin patient and aerobic exercise, doxorubicin patient and nanocurcumin supplement, and doxorubicin patient, aerobic exercise and supplementation. Breast cancer induction was done with MC4-L2 cells. Doxorubicin 2mg/kg was injected subcutaneously 6 times on days 1,7,14,21,28 and 35. Aerobic program consisted of 5 sessions per week for 42 days with an increase in the speed of the treadmill every two weeks, including 14, 16 and 18meters per minute and the use of nanocurcumin at a dose of 100mg/kg.The data collected with SPSS version16 and two-way analysis of variance and for the normality of the frequency distribution with skewness and non-parametric Kolmogorov-Smirnov test were performed with a significance level of P ≤ 0.05.
 Results: Six weeks of aerobic training had no effect on the expression of GPX, MDA and SOD genes in the target groups, but it significantly increased the expression of Catgene (P ≤ 0.05). The use of nanocurcurmin supplement for 6 weeks decreased the expression of MDA gene and significantly increased the expression of GPX, SOD and Catgenes. Six weeks of aerobic training along with nanocorcurmin supplementation significantly increased Cat gene expression (P≤0.05), but had no effect on GPX, MDA and SOD gene expression.
 Conclusion: Aerobic exercises and the use of nanocurcurmin supplement separately or at the same time can be effective in reducing the cardiac toxicity of doxorubicin in the patients with breast cancer.

Experimental and theoretical insights about the effect of some newly designed azomethine group‐contained macroheterocycles on oxidative stress and DNA repair gene profiles in neuroblastoma cell lines

We report herein the synthesis of new azomethine group containing forty-, sixty-eight- and seventy-two-membered macroheterocyclic compounds and the investigation of their activity against the neuroblastoma cell line. The synthesis of targeted compounds was done by condensation of dialdehydes with polyamines and their structures were investigated by 1H and 13C NMR and MALDI MS methods. Anticancer activity of these newly synthesized molecules was studied in the neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cell line at eight different concentrations (1–100 µg/ml) for 24 h, 48 ​​hrs and 72 h by MTT method. In addition to it, oxidative stress (GPX1, PRDX1, CAT, SOD1, NQO1) and DNA repair (ATR, ERCC1, CDKN1A, PRKDC) gene profiles were also investigated by RT-PCR method. It was found that all synthesized compounds showed the highest activity after 72 h of incubation. PRDX1 gene expression in the case of all investigated compounds was found to be higher than the control group, whereas ABCB1 (MDR) gene expression increased only in the case of molecule 1. Results also demonstrate that the expression levels of GPX and SOD1 genes were high in the case of molecule 2, whereas molecule 1 manifested low expression levels of ERCC1, ATR, CDKN1A, PRKDC, GPX1, ABCB1(MDR), CAT, SOD1 and NQO1 genes. Along with experimental studies, theoretical studies were also carried out. The String v11 program was used to determine the interaction of proteins involved in oxidative stress and DNA repair mechanisms with other proteins. The results of the molecular docking analysis were found to be in good agreement with the experiments.

Physiological and Molecular Effects of Calcium and Salicylic Acid on Fusarium graminearum-Infected Wheat Seedlings

Fusarium graminearum is among the most virulent pathogens attacking wheat plants and significantly lowering its production globally. The present work aims to shed light on the interactions between two priming solutions, calcium (Ca) or salicylic acid (SA), and F. graminearum inoculation depending on the growth rate, physiological attributes, and molecular responses in wheat seedlings. In a pot experiment, F. graminearum-pre-inoculated or inoculum-free sandy soil was used to germinate wheat kernels after priming them for 12 h in distilled water, 5-mM CaCl2, or 0.05-mM SA. The results demonstrated that F. graminearum inoculation decreased growth rate and chlorophyll content, but promoted carotenoids, stress markers (electrolytes leakage, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radical), antioxidant molecules (AsA, phenols, and flavonoids), osmolytes (GB, amino acids, and proline), and the antioxidant enzymes (CAT, GPX, SOD, PPO, and PAL). Additionally, the fungal infestation boosted the expression of CAT, GR, PR4, MT, and PCS genes. However, presoaking wheat kernels in Ca or SA solutions has contributed to mitigating the negative effects of fungal inoculation by restoring growth rate, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant capacity. It has also decreased the induced oxidative stress and downregulated the gene expression of F. graminearum-inoculated wheat seedlings. Consequently, by minimizing the negative repercussions of F. graminearum infestation, priming with Ca or SA could be used to appropriately stimulate growth and readjust the oxidative status of wheat seedlings.

Prevalence and Characterization of Salmonella Isolated from Chickens in Anhui, China.

Salmonella is one of the most important zoonotic pathogens that can cause both acute and chronic illnesses in poultry flocks, and can also be transmitted to humans from infected poultry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular characteristics of Salmonella isolated from diseased and clinically healthy chickens in Anhui, China. In total, 108 Salmonella isolates (5.66%) were successfully recovered from chicken samples (n = 1908), including pathological tissue (57/408, 13.97%) and cloacal swabs (51/1500, 3.40%), and S. Enteritidis (43.52%), S. Typhimurium (23.15%), and S. Pullorum (10.19%) were the three most prevalent isolates. Salmonella isolates showed high rates of resistance to penicillin (61.11%), tetracyclines (47.22% to tetracycline and 45.37% to doxycycline), and sulfonamides (48.89%), and all isolates were susceptible to imipenem and polymyxin B. In total, 43.52% isolates were multidrug-resistant and had complex antimicrobial resistance patterns. The majority of isolates harbored cat1 (77.78%), blaTEM (61.11%), and blaCMY-2 (63.89%) genes, and the antimicrobial resistance genes in the isolates were significantly positively correlated with their corresponding resistance phenotype. Salmonella isolates carry high rates of virulence genes, with some of these reaching 100% (invA, mgtC, and stn). Fifty-seven isolates (52.78%) were biofilm-producing. The 108 isolates were classified into 12 sequence types (STs), whereby ST11 (43.51%) was the most prevalent, followed by ST19 (20.37%) and ST92 (13.89%). In conclusion, Salmonella infection in chicken flocks is still serious in Anhui Province, and not only causes disease in chickens but might also pose a threat to public health security.

THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF PARABEN AND ITS EFFECTS ON HEALTH

Parabens are a group of alkyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and usually include methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, butyl paraben, isobutyl paraben, isopropyl paraben and benzyl paraben. Parabens (or their salts) are widely used as preservatives in cosmetics and medicine due to their relatively low toxicity and long history of safe use. Testing of parabens has shown, to varying degrees, that individual paraben compounds have weak estrogenic activity in some in vitro screening tests, such as estrogen receptor ligand binding, regulation of CAT gene expression, and proliferation of MCF-7 cells. Reported in vivo effects include uterine weight gain (eg, butyl, isobutyl, and benzyl parabens) and male reproductive tract effects (eg, butyl and propyl parabens). However, in relation to estrogen as a control during in vivo studies, parabens are much less active than estrogen. While exposure to sufficient doses of exogenous estrogens can increase the risk of certain adverse effects, it is hypothesized that similar risks may arise from exposure to much weaker endocrine-active chemicals (EACs) is still speculation. In evaluating the possibility that exposure to weakly active EACs may be associated with adverse effects due to their endocrine mode of action, it is important to consider both the dose and potency of these compounds compared to estrogen. In this review, a comparative approach involving dose and potency is used to assess whether in utero or adult exposure to parabens may be associated with adverse effects due to their estrogen-modulating mode of action. Keywords: parabens, p-Hydroxybenzoates, PHBA, paraben applications, Methyl paraben.

Oxidized Low-Density Lipoproteins Trigger Hepatocellular Oxidative Stress with the Formation of Cholesteryl Ester Hydroperoxide-Enriched Lipid Droplets.

Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDLs) induce oxidative stress in the liver tissue, leading to hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Precise information on the role of oxLDL in this process is needed to establish strategies for the prevention and management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Here, we report the effects of native LDL (nLDL) and oxLDL on lipid metabolism, lipid droplet formation, and gene expression in a human liver-derived C3A cell line. The results showed that nLDL induced lipid droplets enriched with cholesteryl ester (CE) and promoted triglyceride hydrolysis and inhibited oxidative degeneration of CE in association with the altered expression of LIPE, FASN, SCD1, ATGL, and CAT genes. In contrast, oxLDL showed a striking increase in lipid droplets enriched with CE hydroperoxides (CE-OOH) in association with the altered expression of SREBP1, FASN, and DGAT1. Phosphatidylcholine (PC)-OOH/PC was increased in oxLDL-supplemented cells as compared with other groups, suggesting that oxidative stress increased hepatocellular damage. Thus, intracellular lipid droplets enriched with CE-OOH appear to play a crucial role in NAFLD and NASH, triggered by oxLDL. We propose oxLDL as a novel therapeutic target and candidate biomarker for NAFLD and NASH.

A novel C-type lectin for Litopenaeus vannamei involved in the innate immune response against Vibrio infection

C-type lectins (CTLs), as a member of pattern recognition receptors, play a vital role in the innate immune response of invertebrates to eliminate micro-invaders. In this study, a novel CTL of Litopenaeus vannamei, namely, LvCTL7, was successfully cloned, with an open reading frame of 501 bp and a capability to encode 166 amino acids. Blast analysis showed that the amino acid sequence similarity between LvCTL7 and MjCTL7 (Marsupenaeus japonicus) was 57.14%. LvCTL7 was mainly expressed in hepatopancreas, muscle, gill and eyestalk. Vibrio harveyi can significantly affect LvCTL7 expression level in hepatopancreases, gills, intestines and muscles (p < 0.05). LvCTL7 recombinant protein can bind to Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Vibrio parahaemolyticus and V. harveyi). It can cause the agglutination of V. alginolyticus and V. harveyi, but it had no effect on Streptococcus agalactiae and B. subtilis. The expression levels of SOD, CAT, HSP 70, Toll 2, IMD and ALF genes in the challenge group added with LvCTL7 protein were more stable than those in the direct challenge group (p < 0.05). Moreover, knockdown of LvCTL7 by double-stranded RNA interference downregulated the expression levels of genes (ALF, IMD and LvCTL5) that protect against bacterial infection (p < 0.05). These results indicated that LvCTL7 had microbial agglutination and immunoregulatory activity, and it was involved in the innate immune response against Vibrio infection in L. vannamei.

Influences of l-ascorbic acid on cytotoxic, biochemical, and genotoxic damages caused by copper II oxide nanoparticles in the rainbow trout gonad cells-2

In parallel with the raising use of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) in various industrial and commercial practices, scientific reports on their release to the environment and toxicity are increasing. The toxicity of CuO NPs is mostly based on their oxidative stress. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the efficacy of well-known therapeutic agents as antioxidants against CuO NPs damage. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of this damage and to display whether l-ascorbic acid could preserve against the cell toxicities induced by CuO NPs in the rainbow trout gonad cells-2 (RTG-2). While CuO NPs treatment significantly diminished cell viability, the l-ascorbic acid supplement reversed this. l-ascorbic acid treatment reversed the changes in expressions of sod1, sod2, gpx1a, and gpx4b genes while playing a supportive role in the changes in the expression of the cat gene induced by CuO NPs treatment. Moreover, CuO NPs treatment caused an upregulation in the expressions of growth-related genes (gh1, igf1, and igf2) and l-ascorbic acid treatment further increased these effects. CuO NPs treatment significantly up-regulated the expression of the gapdh gene (glycolytic enzyme gene) compared to the control group, and l-ascorbic acid treatment significantly down-regulated the expression of the gapdh gene compared to CuO NPs treatment. The genotoxicity test demonstrated that l-ascorbic acid treatment increased the genotoxic effect caused by CuO NPs by acting as a co-mutagen. Based on the findings, l-ascorbic acid has the potential to be sometimes inhibitory and sometimes supportive of cellular mechanisms caused by CuO NPs.

ПОЛИМОРФИЗМЫ ГЕНОВ ФЕРМЕНТОВ АНТИОКСИДАНТНОЙ СИСТЕМЫ SOD2 (C47T, rS4880) И CAT (G262A, rS1001179) В ПАТОГЕНЕЗЕ ХРОНИЧЕСКОГО ГЕПАТИТА С

Introduction. An important component in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C is the imbalance in oxidant and antioxidant systems. It is known that mutations in genes of antioxidant enzymes can lead to changes in antioxidant potential. Aim. To determine correlations of polymorphic variants of SOD2 (C47T, rs4880), CAT (G262A, rs1001179) superoxide dismutase and catalase genes with antioxidant system activity and features of clinical course of chronic hepatitis C. Material and Methods. The study of single nucleotide variants of genes of antioxidant enzymes of superoxide dismutase SOD2 (C47T) and catalase CAT (G262A) was undertaken in 90 patients with chronic hepatitis C and 64 healthy controls. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid from the epithelium of the inner surface of the cheek using ‘SNP-screen ‘ diagnostic reagents was analysed. The levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, alanine aminotransferase enzymes and degree of liver fibrosis were determined in the group of chronic hepatitis C patients. Correlations between investigated indexes were studied. Results and discussion. The distribution of alleles and genotypes of single nucleotide variants of catalase CAT (G262A) and superoxide dismutase SOD2 (C47T) genes among healthy subjects and chronic hepatitis C patients (p&gt;0,05) had no significant difference (p&gt;0,05), which testified to absence of influence of the studied gene variants on the risk of hepatitis C virus infection. We revealed statistically significant correlation of single-nucleotide variants of SOD2 (C47T) and CAT (G262A) genes with the development of chronic hepatitis C. Patients having G allele (genotypes GG and GA) of CAT (G262A) single nucleotide variants had low level of catalase enzyme, high level of alanine aminotransferase and high degree of F3-F4 fibrosis (correlation coefficient = -0,88*, p˂0,01). In patients with CC genotype SOD2 (C47T) a strong correlation with serum superoxide dismutase activity, severity of cytolysis syndrome (increased alanine aminotransferase) and degree of liver fibrosis (correlation coefficient = +0,70; p˂0,01) was established. Conclusion. In infection with hepatitis C virus polymorphic variants of SOD2 (C47T) and CAT (G262A) antioxidant system enzyme genes are the risk factors of hepatitis C progression, influencing catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity, cytolysis syndrome development, determining liver fibrosis formation.

DNA Methylation Profile of CD14+ Monocytes Changes in Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system, which is characterized by significant clinical heterogeneity. Primary progressive MS (PPMS) develops in 10-15% of patients. Unlike the most common relapsing-remitting form of MS, PPMS involves steady progress of neurodegeneration and, as a consequence, a persistent gradual increase in neurological symptoms. The peculiarities of epigenetic regulation of gene expression may be one of the reasons for the differences in the pathogenesis of the two MS forms. DNA methylation is one of the key epigenetic mechanisms, which remains almost unexplored in different cell populations of PPMS patients. The goal of this work was to identify differential methylation profiles of the CpG sites in the CD14+ monocyte DNA, which characterize PPMS. A genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in PPMS patients and healthy individuals has identified 169 differentially methylated positions (DMPs), 90.5% of which were hypermethylated in PPMS patients. More than half of all DMPs are located in/near known genes and within CpG islands and their neighboring regions, which indicates their high functional significance. We have found six differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the OR2L13, CAT, LCLAT1, HOXA5, RNF39, and CRTAC1 genes involved in inflammation and neurodegeneration, which indicates active epigenetic regulation of their expression.

Does dietary exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol alter biomarkers related with endocrine disruption and oxidative stress in the adult triploid of Danio rerio?

This study was conducted to investigate a comprehensive effect of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) with the emphasis on endocrine disruption, oxidative stress and detoxification processes at different levels. Adult male triploid zebrafish were exposed to EE2 administered in feed at two concentrations – 10 and 1000 μg/kg for six weeks. The estrogenic potential of EE2 was evaluated using an analysis of vitellogenin, gene expression focused on reproductive disorders and gonad histological examination. The alterations in antioxidant and detoxification status were assessed using analyses of enzyme activities and changes in transcriptional levels of selected genes. The most significant changes were observed especially in fish exposed to a high concentration of EE2 (i.e., 1000 μg/kg). Such high concentration caused extensive mortality (25 %) mainly in the second half of the experiment followed by a highly significant decrease in the length and body weight. Similarly, highly significant induction of vitellogenin level and vtg1 mRNA expression (about 43,000-fold compared to the control) as well as a significant downregulation of gonad aromatase expression (cyp19a1a) and histological changes in testicular tissue were confirmed in this group. In the group exposed to environmentally relevant concentration of EE2 (i.e., 10 μg/kg), no significant differences in vitellogenin were observed, although all fish were positive in the detection of vitellogenin compared to control, where only 40 % of individuals were positive. In addition, the high concentration of EE2 resulted in significant alterations in most monitored antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes with the exception of catalase, followed by strongly significant upregulation in mRNA expression of gsr, gpx1a, cat and cyp1a genes. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the glutathione reductase activity was recorded in fish exposed to 10 μg EE2/kg. To our knowledge, this is the first study which reports the effects of subchronic per oral exposure to EE2 in adult triploid zebrafish.

Salinity alleviator bacteria in rice (Oryza sativa L.), their colonization efficacy, and synergism with melatonin.

In this study, rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria were tested for the alleviation of salinity stress in rice. Endophytic isolates were taken from previous studies based on their salt stress-alleviating traits. The rhizospheric bacteria were isolated from rice and screened based on salt tolerance and plant growth-promoting traits. Molecular identification indicated the presence of class Gammaproteobacteria, Bacillota, and Actinomycetia. Two-two most potential isolates each from rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria were selected for in planta trials. Results showed that microbial inoculation significantly improved germination and seedling vigor under elevated salinity. The confocal scanning laser microscopy showed higher bacterial colonization in inoculated rice roots than in control. Based on this experiment, rhizospheric bacteria Brevibacterium frigoritolerans W19 and endophytic Bacillus safensis BTL5 were selected for pot trial along with a growth-inducing compound melatonin 20 ppm. Inoculation of these two bacteria improved the levels of chlorophyll, proline, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, polyphenol oxidase, root-shoot length, and dry weight under elevated salt concentration. The gene expression studies showed modulation of SOD1, CATa, NHX1, and PAL1 genes by the bacterial strains and melatonin application. The inoculation was found to have additive effects with 20 ppm melatonin. This enhancement in dry matter accumulation, compatible solute production, and oxidative stress regulation could help plants in mitigating the ill effects of high salinity. Exploring such a combination of microbes and inducer molecules could be potentially useful in developing stress-alleviating bioformulations.

Evaluation of biochemical and molecular response of onion breeding lines to drought and salt stresses

Onion is the most important crop in the Alliaceae family which is diversely used all over the world. Türkiye is the 5th largest onion producer with the production of 2.24 million tons, but onion production is under threat due to climatic changes especially in the Anatolia region. Therefore, in the present study, six onion breeding lines were investigated to quantify the biochemical and gene expressional changes under drought and salt stresses. Plants were divided into control, salt stress, and drought stress to apply stress treatment under semi-controlled greenhouse conditions. Current study showed that salt stress restricted the uptake of minerals from the soil. Study also revealed that under both stresses the chlorophyll a and b contents were stable in K41, U47 and U49 breeding lines. Moreover, gene expression for stress related genes showed that K41 and U47 breeding lines showed tolerance to drought and salt stress by adequately regulating their SOD, CAT, AOX, WRKY70 and NAC29 gene expressions, moreover highest antioxidant enzymatic activity was also observed in these breeding lines under drought and salt stress. The H2O2 concentration was highest in the sensitive breeding lines suggesting the sensitivity to both stresses. PCA analysis revealed that breeding lines K41, U47 and U49 showed tolerance to both stresses. These results can further used to understand onion stress tolerance mechanism and it may enable onion breeders for the development of abiotic stress resilient onion cultivars.

Variability in oxidative stress-related genes (SOD2, CAT, GPX1, GSTP1, NOS3, NFE2L2, and UCP2) and susceptibility to migraine clinical phenotypes and features.

Migraine is a complex disorder with genetic and environmental inputs. Cumulative evidence implicates oxidative stress (OS) in migraine pathophysiology while genetic variability may influence an individuals' oxidative/antioxidant capacity. Aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of eight common OS-related genetic variants [rs4880 (SOD2), rs1001179 (CAT), rs1050450 (GPX1), rs1695 (GSTP1), rs1138272 (GSTP1), rs1799983 (NOS3), rs6721961 (NFE2L2), rs660339 (UCP2)] in migraine susceptibility and clinical features in a South-eastern European Caucasian population. Genomic DNA samples from 221 unrelated migraineurs and 265 headache-free controls were genotyped for the selected genetic variants using real-time PCR (melting curve analysis). Although allelic and genotypic frequency distribution analysis did not support an association between migraine susceptibility and the examined variants in the overall population, subgroup analysis indicated significant correlation between NOS3 rs1799983 and migraine susceptibility in males. Furthermore, significant associations of CAT rs1001179 and GPX1 rs1050450 with disease age-at-onset and migraine attack duration, respectively, were revealed. Lastly, variability in the CAT, GSTP1 and UCP2 genes were associated with sleep/weather changes, alcohol consumption and physical exercise, respectively, as migraine triggers. Hence, the current findings possibly indicate an association of OS-related genetic variants with migraine susceptibility and clinical features, further supporting the involvement of OS and genetic susceptibility in migraine.

Neurotoxicity of acrylamide in adult zebrafish following short-term and long-term exposure: evaluation of behavior alterations, oxidative stress markers, expression of antioxidant genes, and histological examination of the brain and eyes.

In the present work, 224 adult female zebrafish (56 fish in each group) were randomly divided into four groups (two control groups and two toxicity groups) as per duration of exposure (7 and 21days). All fish of the two toxicity groups were exposed to 0.610mM acrylamide (ACR) concentration for 7 and 21days. The effects of ACR exposure on behavior, oxidative stress biomarkers, molecular expression of antioxidant genes (sod, cat, and nrf2), and histopathological examination of the brain and eye were examined. Our result shows that ACR exposure for 7days produced an anxiety-like behavior in zebrafish. Short-term exposure of ACR resulted in alterations of oxidative stress markers (SOD and CAT activity, and the level of GSH and MDA) in the brain and eye of zebrafish. However, the antioxidant defense system of adult female zebrafish could be able to counteract the free radicals generated in long-term ACR exposure as indicated by non-significant difference in oxidative insult following short-term and long-term exposure. ACR exposure downregulated the mRNA expression of the sod, cat, and nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) genes in the brain and eye without significant difference between the two toxicity groups. Mild histological changes in the dorsal telencephalic area, tectum opticum, medulla, and hypothalamus area of the brain of zebrafish have been observed following short-term and long-term ACR exposure. In the eye, marked histological changes in the retinal pigmented epithelium layer (RPE), structural changes of the photoreceptor layer (PRL) with disorganized layer of rods and cones, and reduction of the relative thickness of the RPE, PRL, outer nuclear layer (ONL), and inner nuclear layer (INL) have been noted following ACR exposure for 21days as compared to 7days. ACR produced neurobehavioral aberrations and oxidative stress within 7days of exposure, while various histological changes in the brain and eyes have been observed following long-term exposure (21days) to ACR.

Extender Supplementation with Glutathione (GSH) and Taurine Improves In Vitro Sperm Quality and Antioxidant Status of New Zealand Rabbits during Chilled Storage for up to 72 hours.

This study assessed the influence of supplementing the rabbit semen extender with various concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and taurine at 24, 48, and 72 h postchilling at 5°C. Semen samples were collected from 20 New Zealand bucks, and ejaculates with standard color, motility (>85%), about 0.5 mL volume, and ∼400 × 106/mL concentration were used and diluted with extenders supplemented with 0.5, 1, and 2 mM of GSH and 1, 5, and 10 mM of taurine and chilled at 5°C. Nonsupplemented samples were used as a control. Sperm's progressive motility, acrosome reaction, and extracellular oxidative stress biomarkers such as MDA contents and GPx, SOD, and CAT concentrations and intracellular transcriptomic levels of SOD and CAT genes were assessed. GSH and taurine supplementation improved the sperm's kinetics by reducing cooling-associated stress, which was ascertained by lowering MDA concentration and increasing SOD, CAT, and GPx concentrations (P < 0.05). Increasing the levels of antioxidant enzymes in the extender was due to the increasing mRNA copies of the SOD and CAT genes (P < 0.05). Furthermore, GSH and taurine maintained the fructose levels in the extender and lowered the GPT levels, which implies sperm membrane stability is maintained through GSH and taurine supplementation. GSH and taurine supplementation to the extender had protective influences on the in vitro rabbit semen quality during chilled storage for up to 72 h, which were remarkable with increasing supplementation dose and cooling time at 5°C.

Alchornea laxiflora as therapeutic agent in the treatment of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection using experimental wistar rats; invivo and gene expression studies

Aims: African trypanosomosis is a zoonotic tropical disease of Sub-Saharan Africa. Its etiology is a group of extracellular protozoans of the genera Trypanosoma which has numerous species including Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Inavailability of vaccines and numerous side effects arising from few available antitrypanosomal drugs gives the indication for search for local alternatives. This experimental study investigates the antitrypanosomal efficacy of chloroform extract of A. laxiflora leaves in wistar albino rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Place and Duration of Study: Animal Parasitology and Microbiology Research Unit, Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, between July and November, 2022. Methodology: Thirty-six rats of both sexes were infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei and treated with Alchornea laxiflora extracts intraperitoneally at dosages of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg for three consecutive days. Diminacene aceturate at 3.5mg/kg as single dose was used as positive control. Daily parasiteamia, rectal temperature and body weight were monitored for 26 days. Antioxidant (SOD, CAT, Nrf2) and pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-6) gene expressions were determined. Results: Treatment with Alchornea laxiflora caused significant (p &lt; 0.05) decrease in parasitemia of infected rats compared to negative control. Increase in weight gain was recorded after the initial weight loss post infection. There was prolongation of survival days to 22days at 400mg/kg treatment dose compared to 7days in the untreated control. Significant (p &lt; 0.05) dose dependent upward regulation of SOD, CAT and Nrf2 antioxidant genes and down-regulation of TNF-α and IL-6 inflammatory genes were observed in all treatment groups compared to the untreated control in the spleen and liver. Conclusion: These observations suggest that A. laxiflora extract possess excellent anti-trypanosomal properties with the downregulation of pro inflammatory genes and up-regulation of antioxidant genes

Redox profile and mediators of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the placenta of rats during pregnancy.

Proliferation, differentiation, migration and apoptosis of trophoblastic cells are influenced by hypoxia, as well as adequate modulation of oxidative stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway. We aimed to evaluate the expression profile of redox and UPR mediators in the placenta of rats throughout pregnancy. Placental expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α), 8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (Cat), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), 78 kD glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) and C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP), as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxynitrite production, were evaluated in Wistar rats on the 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 18th day of pregnancy (DP). Increased immunostaining of HIF1α was observed on the 16th and 18th DP, while 8-OHdG and ROS production were greater on the 14th DP. SOD1 and Cat had increased immunostaining on the 14th and 18th DP, while staining of GPX1/2, GRP78 and CHOP was greater on the 18th DP. With regard to gene expression, Hif1α and Sod1 showed increased mRNA expression on the 12th and 16th DP, while Gpx1 had increased expression on the 10th and 16th DP. Cat, Perk and Grp78 gene expression was greater on the 14th DP, unlike Atf6, which showed greater expression on the 12th DP. In contrast, Chop maintained increased expression from the 12th to the 18th DP. The placental expression of redox and UPR mediators in rats is influenced by gestational age, with greater expression in periods of greater HIF1α and 8-OHdG expression and at the end of the pregnancy. This study provides data on the physiological modulation of redox and UPR mediators during placental development in rats.

Potential roles of 4HNE-adducted protein in serum extracellular vesicles as an early indicator of oxidative response against doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in rats

Late-onset cardiomyopathy is becoming more common among cancer survivors, particularly those who received doxorubicin (DOXO) treatment. However, few clinically available cardiac biomarkers can predict an unfavorable cardiac outcome before cell death. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases and others. This study aimed to measure dynamic 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE)-adducted protein levels in rats treated chronically with DOXO and examine their link with oxidative stress, antioxidant gene expression in cardiac tissues, and cardiac function. Twenty-two male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to receive intraperitoneal injection of normal saline (n = 8) or DOXO (3 mg/kg, 6 doses, n = 14). Before and after therapy, serum EVs and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were determined. Tunable resistive pulse sensing was used to measure EV size and concentration. ELISA was used to assess 4HNE-adducted protein in EVs and cardiac tissues. Differential-display reverse transcription-PCR was used to quantitate cardiac Cat and Gpx1 gene expression. Potential correlations between 4HNE-adducted protein levels in EVs, cardiac oxidative stress, antioxidant gene expression, and cardiac function were determined. DOXO-treated rats showed more serum EV 4HNE-adducted protein than NSS-treated rats at day 9 and later endpoints, whereas NT-proBNP levels were not different between groups. Moreover, on day 9, surviving rats' EVs had higher levels of 4HNE-adducted protein, and these correlated positively with concentrations of heart tissue 4HNE adduction and copy numbers of Cat and Gpx1, while at endpoint correlated negatively with cardiac functions. Therefore, 4HNE-adducted protein in serum EVs could be an early, minimally invasive biomarker of the oxidative response and cardiac function in DOXO-induced cardiomyopathy.