Superoxide Dismutase Activity Research Articles

The variation of summer heat resistance was associated with leaf transpiration rate in relatively large-leaf Rhododendron plants in southwest China.

The summer heat is a vital factor limiting the introduction of relatively large-leaf Rhododendron plants to low-altitude areas, making it crucial to evaluate the resistance of different germplasm to summer heat. A pot experiment was conducted in 2023 to investigate the temporal changes in the photosynthetic characteristics, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of 14 representative relatively large-leaf Rhododendron germplasm. The results showed the R. irroratum and 'Hotspur Red' exhibited the highest heat damage index (HDI), while R. jiulongshanense and 'Moser Maroon' had the lowest HDI among the 14 Rhododendron germplasm. The photosynthesis rate and Fv/Fm (maximum photochemical efficiency) initially decreased and then recovered in all germplasm except R. irroratum. In contrast, the leaf transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll content gradually increased. Hydrogen peroxide concentration first decreased and then increased, while malondialdehyde concentration initially increased and then decreased. Additionally, the superoxide anion content gradually increased. The activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase (CAT) initially increased and then decreased. The HDI was positively correlated with CAT activity (r = 0.28, P < 0.05) but negatively correlated with photosynthesis rate (r = -0.26, P < 0.05), leaf transpiration rate (r = -0.27, P < 0.05), and Fv/Fm (r = -0.43, P < 0.001). Variation in summer heat resistance, as indicated by HDI, was observed among the 14 Rhododendron germplasm. This heat resistance was mainly associated with leaf transpiration rate and Fv/Fm. The indirect role of antioxidant enzymes in maintaining reactive oxygen species homeostasis in summer heat resistance was observed. The results provide a reference for introducing and cultivating relatively large-leaf Rhododendron plants to low-altitude areas.

Evaluation of the Impact of Selected Metallic Contaminants on Wild Rutilus rutilus Through Integrated Antioxidant Biomarker Responses.

The application of biomarkers is often used to better understand the assessment of the toxicity in aquatic organisms within their natural environment. To this end, we examined the gills and liver of roach (Rutilus rutilus) to measure changes in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and the phase II biotransformation enzyme glutathione-S-transferase (GST), as well as changes in the concentration of lipid peroxides (LPOs). Roach were collected at two localities, Veliko Ratno ostrvo and Višnjica (VIS), on the Danube River, where the concentrations of dissolved metals (Cu, Cd, Zn, Fe, Mn, Hg, Ni, As, Pb) in both fish tissues were quantified. This paper describes the integrated reaction of antioxidant enzymes and LPO levels of roach from two sampling localities in the Danube River. Principal component analysis revealed obvious differences of the antioxidant biomarkers investigated between tissues and localities, while integrated biomarker response showed that the liver of the VIS locality had the stronger antioxidant biomarker response. Despite the concordant hypothesized antioxidant induction at the VIS locality in both tissues studied, the effects as a sign of contaminant exposure appear to be mediated in part by suppression of the antioxidant system, with CAT and GST as potential candidate tissue toxicity biomarkers of contaminants.

Effect of hydrogen peroxide pre-treatment on enhancing the cellular resistance of Tetrahymena pyriformis exposed to ionizing radiation

This study investigated the stimulatory effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) pre-treatment on cellular resistance to damage induced by ionizing radiation (IR), using Tetrahymena pyriformis as a model organism. The effects were evaluated on cell number, the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and lipid peroxidation. After 24 h of exposure to IR, cells pre-treated with H2O2 exhibited a marked improvement in cell viability, with increases of 42.2 and 58.5% for the 1-h and 24-h pre-treated cells, respectively, compared to the control cells without pre-treatment. Additionally, measurements of CAT and SOD activities revealed a significant decrease in pre-treated cells after irradiation compared to the control cells. Moreover, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation, decreased in pre-treated cells after irradiation, indicating a positive effect of H2O2 pre-treatment on the resistance of T. pyriformis cells to IR-induced damage.

Impact of salt stress on physiological traits in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Salt stress is a major abiotic factor that limits plant growth and development globally, primarily due to the use of low-quality irrigation water and soil salinization caused by seawater intrusion. This study examines physiological parameters, antioxidant enzymes and the K/Na ratio in response to salt stress in various tomato genotypes at a salinity level of 8 dS m-1 during the vegetative stage. Specifically, it investigates superoxide dismutase activity, relative water content, electrolyte leakage, proline content, chlorophyll fluorescence and potassium and sodium ion content in roots, shoots and leaves. The results revealed significant variation in salt tolerance among the different genotypes. Genotypes LE-14 and LE-1 demonstrated superior performance under salt stress, displaying higher relative water content, reduced electrolyte leakage, increased superoxide dismutase activity, elevated proline content and favorable K/Na ratios. Principal component analysis showed significant eigenvalues, accounting for 72.5% of the total variability. These findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of salt tolerance in tomato crops and highlight the potential of LE-14 and LE-1 for cultivation in saline environments. The study emphasizes the importance of conducting field trials to validate these results for sustainable production in saltaffected areas.

Effects of increasing dietary zinc oxide levels on the hepatic mitochondrial energy metabolism, oxidative balance and antioxidant system in weaned piglets.

This study compared different levels of dietary zinc oxide (ZnO) on mitochondria ATP synthesis and the cellular and systemic redox balance in weaned pigs. One hundred twenty weaned piglets (7.96 ± 1.17kg, 21 days of age) were randomly allocated in one of three diets containing different Zn levels (as ZnO); 100 (100Zn), 1000 (1000Zn) and 3000mg/kg (3000Zn), and were slaughtered at day 21, 23, 35 or 42 for the collection of blood and liver samples. Dietary copper (Cu) levels were constant at 131mg/kg. Hepatic mitochondrial concentrations of Zn and Cu, hepatic mitochondria respiration, antioxidant response and the hepatic expression of related genes were analyzed. Piglets fed 3000Zn had the highest Zn (P < 0.01) and the lowest Cu concentrations (P = 0.01) in hepatic mitochondria. The hepatic oxygen consumption rate for maximal respiration was the highest in 3000Zn piglets (P < 0.05) whereas hepatic cytochrome c oxidase activity tended to be lower (P = 0.06) and intracellular ATP concentrations was the lowest (P = 0.01). Mitochondrial Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) activity was the lowest (P < 0.01) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity tended to be the lowest (P = 0.07) for 3000Zn piglets. The mRNA expression of the antioxidant related genes copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase (CCS) was highest (P = 0.01) in 3000Zn piglets and tended to be the highest (P = 0.07) for glutathione synthetase (GSS). Plasma carbonyls concentrations (P = 0.02) and GPx activity (P = 0.01) were the highest while SOD activity was not impacted (P = 0.55) in 3000Zn piglets. In conclusion, supplementing 3000mg Zn/kg had detrimental impacts on mitochondria Zn and Cu homeostasis, resulting in a dysfunctional mitochondria respiratory chain and disturbed antioxidant response in post-weaning piglets.

Dietary steviol glycosides mixture supplementation modulates the gene expression of gut chemoreceptors and enhances the antioxidant capacity in weaned piglets

BackgroundStevia glycosides (SGs) have been widely used as an ideal sugar alternative in the food industry. However, the potential application of SGs mixture in the diets of weaned piglets remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary SGs mixture supplementation on growth performance, gene expression of gut chemoreceptors, and antioxidant capacity in weaned piglets.MethodsA total of 216 weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, 7.36 ± 0.04 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to 6 groups (6 pens/group with 6 piglets/pen), and were fed with the basal diet supplemented with 0, 100, 150, 200, 250, or 300 mg/kg SGs mixture for 42 days. The serum, liver, longissimus thoracis, and jejunal samples were collected on day 43.ResultsThe results showed that inclusion the SGs mixture in the diet did not have a significant impact on growth performance from days 1 to 28 (P > 0.05). But increasing the concentration of SGs mixture tended to linearly decrease the average daily gain from days 1 to 42 (P = 0.052). However, 150 mg/kg SGs mixture supplementation significantly increased the mRNA expression of taste receptor family 1 member 2 (T1R2) and glucose transporters 2 (GLUT2) in the jejunum (P < 0.05), while 150 and 200 mg/kg SGs mixture supplementation significantly increased T1R3 mRNA expression (P < 0.05). Moreover, 150 mg/kg SGs mixture supplementation significantly reduced serum malondialdehyde content (P < 0.05). Increasing the concentration of SGs mixture linearly and quadratically increased serum total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, as well as hepatic T-SOD, GSH-Px activity, and muscle total antioxidant capacity contents (P < 0.05). Furthermore, piglets fed a diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg SGs mixture had higher serum T-SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px activities compared with the other treatments (P < 0.05).ConclusionsTherefore, our results suggest that dietary 100 ~ 150 mg/kg SGs mixture supplementation modulates gene expression of sweet taste recognition receptors and glucose transporters, while also enhancing the antioxidant capacity of weaned piglets.

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Lysine Malonylation in Response to Salicylic Acid in the Roots of Platycodon grandiflorus

Salicylic acid, as a plant hormone, significantly affects the physiological and biochemical indexes of soluble sugar, malondialdehyde content, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in Platycodon grandiflorus. Lysine malonylation is a post-translational modification that involves various cellular functions in plants, though it is rarely studied, especially in medicinal plants. In this study, the aim was to perform a comparative quantitative proteomic study of malonylation modification on P. grandiflorus root proteins after salicylic acid treatment using Western blot with specific antibodies, affinity enrichment and LC-MS/MS analysis methods. The analysis identified 1907 malonyl sites for 809 proteins, with 414 proteins and 798 modification sites quantified with high confidence. Post-treatment, 361 proteins were upregulated, and 310 were downregulated. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that malonylation in P. grandiflorus is primarily involved in photosynthesis and carbon metabolism. Physiological and biochemical analysis showed that salicylic acid treatment increased the malondialdehyde levels, soluble protein, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase activity but did not significantly affect the total saponins content in P. grandiflorus. These findings provide an important basis for exploring the molecular mechanisms of P. grandiflorus following salicylic acid treatment and enhance understanding of the biological function of protein lysine malonylation in plants.

MiR-223-3p Targets KIF4A and Promotes the Oxidative Stress-Mediated Apoptosis of Breast Cancer Cells.

Background: The abnormal expression of kinase family member 4A (KIF4A) is linked to breast cancer progression, with numerous miRNAs exhibiting abnormal expression. Thus, there is an urgent need to investigate the mechanisms of action of miRNAs and their target genes for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A bioinformatics analysis was conducted to screen for KIF4A, a key gene involved in oxidative stress in breast cancer cells. Using CCK8, EdU, cell healing, and Transwell assays, the knockdown of KIF4A was found to effectively inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells. Dual-luciferase assay and Western blotting confirmed that miR-223-3p targets and regulates KIF4A expression. The impact of miR-223-3p and KIF4A on oxidative stress in breast cancer cells was assessed through reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) measurements. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate tumor cell apoptosis. Results: Our results suggest that KIF4A is a downstream target of miR-223-3p. miR-223-3p inhibits the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer cells by directly targeting and downregulating KIF4A. Importantly, we found that miR-223-3p and KIF4A play important roles in regulating oxidative stress and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Specifically, miR-223-3p promoted apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of KIF4A, increasing the accumulation level of ROS and MDA, and inhibiting the activity of SOD while KIF4A was overexpressed.

Grape Seed Extract Pretreatment Prevents Mitochondrial Dysfunction and NLRP3 Inflammasome-Induced Inflammatory Response in Glial Cells Exposed to Paroxetine and Quinolinic Acid.

Depression is a neuropsychiatric disorder that affects thousands of people around the world. Drug therapy is the main approach for treating this disease, but its use can cause side effects on cells. This study aimed to examine the impact of antidepressant drugs from different classes on glial (BV-2) cells in the presence or absence of grape seed extract (GSE) and quinolinic acid (QA; 1.5mM). Cells were treated with GSE (50μg/mL; 23h) and then exposed to non-cytotoxic concentrations of bupropion, imipramine, paroxetine, trazodone, and venlafaxine (27-181µM; 1h). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted to demonstrate the best combination of drug and extract treatment. Cell viability, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) levels, oxidative damage to lipids (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, apoptosis, and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) genetic expression were evaluated by spectrophotometry, qRT-PCR, or flow cytometry. Mitochondrial markers (CI: NADH-CoQ reductase and CIV: cytochrome c oxidase) were also studied. GSE prevented the increment in levels of ROS (13.73-72.11%), TBARS (44.1-92.77%), NO (9.5-16%), SOD (68.44-212.29%) activity, and apoptosis (10.06-17.3%) caused by antidepressant drugs. Furthermore, it prevented impairments in complexes I (22-71.5%) and IV (7.5-92.5%) activities and ATP production (8-46%). GSE also prevented the NLRP3 overexpression in BV-2 activated by QA (62%), and paroxetine (46%), defined by PCA. Our study evidences that GSE can restore redox equilibrium and prevent inflammation caused by antidepressants and/or QA in a glial microenvironment.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles ameliorate Arabidopsis thaliana root damage under UV-B stress by modulating the cell cycle and auxin pathways.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) have been widely applied worldwide. In the field of agriculture, they have gained attention for their ability to promote seed germination, root elongation, and biomass accumulation in plants, as well as to increase plant resistance to various abiotic stresses. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Limited research has been conducted on whether CeO2-NPs can help plants mitigate damage caused by UV-B stress. In this study, Arabidopsis thaliana was selected as the research subject to investigate the effects of CeO2-NPs on the resistance of plant roots to UV-B stress at both the physiological and molecular levels. Our findings demonstrated that 120mg/mL CeO2-NPs significantly alleviated UV-B-induced damage to the root system of Arabidopsis thaliana. Specifically, CeO2-NPs increased the activities of the root tip antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), reducing oxidative stress. The results from GUS staining and GFP fluorescence assays conducted on the transgenic lines CYCB1;1-GUS, DR5-GUS, QC25-GUS, and WOX5-GFP indicated that CeO2-NPs could increase the cell division activity, auxin accumulation, and stem cell niche activity of Arabidopsis thaliana root tips under UV-B stress. Furthermore, observations of GFP fluorescence in the transgenic lines PIN1-GFP, PIN2-GFP, and PIN7-GFP revealed that CeO2-NPs promoted root growth by inducing the accumulation of auxin transporters. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that under UV-B stress, CeO2-NPs upregulated the expression of genes related to antioxidant enzymes, the cell cycle and auxin biosynthesis-related genes in Arabidopsis thaliana root tips while downregulating the expression of genes related to DNA damage repair and stress response. Therefore, CeO2-NPs have potential value for promoting plant growth and mitigating UV-B stress.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ameliorated the negative effects of a low-protein diet on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune status, and gut microbiota of laying chicks

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of adding Lactiplantibacillus plantarum to a low-protein diet on the growth performance, ability immune status, and intestinal microbiota of 0–21-day-old layer chickens. A total of 180 one-day-old healthy Hy-line brown laying chicks were randomly divided into three groups with three replicates each of 20 chicks. The control group was fed a basal diet containing 19% protein, the low-protein (LP) group was fed a diet containing 17% protein, and the probiotic (LPL) group was fed with the 17% protein diet supplemented with L. plantarum (1.0 × 109 CFU/kg). The growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune status, and gut microbiota of laying chickens were detected. We found that L. plantarum supplementation increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgG, and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in serum of 17% protein +1.0 × 109 CFU/kg L. plantarum (LPL) compared to the 19% protein group (control). Furthermore, L. plantarum supplementation increased the liver index, GSH-Px and T-AOC activity in serum, and changed the microflora structure, diversity, and polyketose unit bioanabolic metabolism of 17% protein +1.0 × 109 CFU/kg L. plantarum (LPL) compared to the 17% protein group (LP). In conclusion, L. plantarum supplementation could compensate for the adverse effects of low-protein diets in chicks, and the combination of a low-protein diet and L. plantarum is a feasible way to reduce protein in the diet.

The relative impact of ligand flexibility and redox potential on the activity of Cu superoxide dismutase mimics.

Two copper(II) complexes, [Cu(salbn)] and [Cu(py2bn)(OAc)]ClO4, formed with the Schiff-base ligands 1,4-bis(salicylidenamino)butane (H2salbn) and 1,4-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyleneamino)butane (py2bn), have been prepared and characterized in solid state and in solution, and their ability to catalyse the dismutation of O2˙- has been evaluated in homogeneous medium and immobilized in a mesoporous matrix. The crystal structures show that [Cu(salbn)] possesses a distorted square-planar geometry, while [Cu(py2bn)(OAc)]ClO4 adopts a cis-distorted octahedral geometry. The two complexes experience structural changes in solution, and different spectroscopies were used to examine them. Moreover, their redox potentials are strongly affected by the solvent. In water, the complexes exist as [Cu(salbn)(H2O)] and [Cu(py2bn)(H2O)]2+ with Cu(II)/Cu(I) reduction potential at -361 mV and -229 mV, respectively, well different from redox potentials measured in acetonitrile. Although with a more unfavourable redox potential, [Cu(salbn)(H2O)] reacts with O2˙- faster than [Cu(py2bn)(H2O)]2+, with catalytic rate constants of 3.3 × 107 and 2.9 × 107 M-1 s-1, respectively, at pH = 7.8. Both complexes exhibit higher superoxide dismutase activity than the analogues with a shorter central alkyl chain. The observed catalytic rates essentially correlate with the ligand flexibility, rather than with the redox potential, which is also supported by the slower O2˙- dismutation rate when the complexes are immobilized by encapsulation into the channels of well-ordered mesoporous SBA-15 silica where the pore modifies the complex structures and restraints the ligand rearrangement.

A Maize Calmodulin-like 3 Gene Positively Regulates Drought Tolerance in Maize and Arabidopsis

Drought stress is one of the important abiotic stresses that affects maize production. As an important Ca2+ sensor, calmodulin-like proteins (CMLs) play key roles in plant growth, development, and stress response, but there are a limited number of studies regarding CMLs in response to drought stress. In this study, a Calmodulin-like gene, namely ZmCML3, was isolated from maize (Zea mays L.). The coding sequence (CDS) of ZmCML3 was 474 bp and a protein of 158 aa which contains three EF-hand motifs. ZmCML3 was localized within the nucleus and plasma membrane. The expression of ZmCML3 was induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000, NaCl, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and abscisic acid (ABA). Overexpression of ZmCML3 resulted in enhanced drought tolerance in maize through increasing proline (Pro) content and the activity of peroxide (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Meanwhile, ZmCML3 also positively regulated the expression of drought stress-responsive genes in maize under drought stress treatment. Taken together, ZmCML3 acts as a positive regulator in maize response to drought stress. These results will provide theoretical basis for breeding drought tolerance maize variety.

Exogenous ATP Functions in Alleviating the Decrease in Quality of Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) Fruits After Harvest

ABSTRACTOur current study investigated the effects of exogenous ATP (adenosine triphosphate) on the post‐harvest quality of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) fruits. The results demonstrated that treatment with exogenous ATP effectively alleviated the decreases in fruit firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C content and soluble protein of the harvested grape fruits. Furthermore, exogenous ATP also significantly enhanced the content of the titratable acidity (TA) of grape fruits after harvest. This was reflected by the observations that ATP treatment increased the hardness, TSS content, vitamin C content and soluble protein content of the harvested grape fruits by 14.39%, 6.29%, 31.05% and 15.18% on average during 8 days of storage, respectively, compared to the controls. In addition, the harvested grape fruits treated with exogenous ATP had higher activities of SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT (catalase) and higher contents of total phenolics and flavonoids compared to the controls. This was reflected by the observations that ATP treatment increased the SOD activity, CAT activity, flavonoid content and total phenol content by 39.79%, 19.43%, 17.74% and 15.06% on average during 8 days of storage, respectively, compared to the controls. These observations highlighted that exogenous ATP can function in alleviating the decrease in quality of grape fruits after harvest and increasing the antioxidative ability of harvested grape fruits during the storage period. Consequently, treatment with exogenous ATP could offer an efficacious approach for preserving the quality of grape fruits during the storage period.

Lipid mediators obtained from docosahexaenoic acid by soybean lipoxygenase alleviate ovalbumin‑induced allergic asthma in mice by reducing airway inflammation and oxidative stress.

Asthma is a chronic allergic respiratory disease lacking effective therapies. The present study investigated the anti‑asthmatic properties of lipid mediators using an ovalbumin (OVA)‑induced allergic asthma model. Lipid mediators (LM; 17S‑monohydroxy docosahexaenoic acid, resolvin D5 and protectin DX at a ratio of 3:47:50) were derived from docosahexaenoic acid through soybean lipoxygenase. LM treatment significantly alleviated major features of allergic asthma, including inflammatory cell infiltration, with a particular reduction in eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, downregulation of Th2 cytokine expression, attenuation of airway remodeling, and oxidative stress, thereby closely resembling the normal condition. Additionally, a significant increase in the serum levels of interleukin‑6 [167.12±6.25 pg/ml; P<0.0001 vs. negative control (NC) group], tumor necrosis factor‑α (109.17±7.17 pg/ml; P<0.0001 vs. NC group) and IgE (90.24±5.98 ng/ml; P<0.0001 vs. NC group) was observed following OVA challenge; however, oral administration of LM resulted in a notable reduction in these levels to 99.45±6.12 pg/ml (P<0.001 vs. OVA group), 62.51±4.03 pg/ml (P<0.001 vs. OVA group) and 56.50±2.70 ng/ml (P<0.001 vs. OVA group), respectively. Furthermore, the heightened expression of Th2‑related cytokines induced by OVA was observed to be restored closely to normal conditions following LM treatment, as demonstrated for both gene and protein expression levels. Histological analysis demonstrated that LM mitigated inflammatory cell infiltration while reducing mucus secretion. Additionally, LM effectively ameliorated oxidative stress in OVA‑induced asthma, with a significant increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase (~185% vs. OVA group; P<0.001), elevated levels of glutathione (~74% higher than the OVA group; P<0.001) and reduced content of malondialdehyde (~40% lower than the OVA group; P<0.001) in lung tissues. Collectively, these findings suggested that LM effectively protected lung tissues from inflammation and oxidative stress, thereby representing a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of allergic asthma.

Is Ferric the Same as Ferrous? Effect of Nutritionally Relevant Iron Species in C. elegans: Bioavailability, Iron Homeostasis, Oxidative Stress, and Cell Death.

Iron (Fe) is present in foods and food supplements in a wide variety of Fe species. Caution needs to be paid in the case of overdosing on this essential trace element as adverse effects like neurodegenerative diseases are associated with increased iron levels in the brain. However, knowledge regarding the species-specific effects of nutritionally relevant Fe species is limited. Therefore, we treated the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) with an overdose of the Fe species iron(III) ammonium citrate (FAC), iron(II) gluconate (FeGlu), and iron(II) chloride (FeCl2) for 5 and 24 h. While the bioavailability of Fe was highest with FeCl2 and lowest with FAC, the effects on tested endpoints, such as superoxide dismutase activity, translocation of the transcription factor daf-16 (human FOXO3), mitochondrial reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and apoptotic cells were similar. This study provides further insights into Fe-species-specific effects on genes related to Fe homeostasis of C. elegans by studying gene expression and investigating C. elegans mutants lacking smf-3, ftn-1, ftn-2, dcytb (f55h2.5), and cp (f21d5.3). Thus, these findings underline the significance of the oxidation state and ligand of Fe species with respect to bioavailability while also identifying the key genes involved in Fe homeostasis in C. elegans.

Comprehensive genome-wide analysis of ARF transcription factors in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata): the positive regulatory role of DgARF7 in drought resistance

Auxin response factor (ARF), a transcription factor, is crucial in controlling growth, development, and response to environmental stress. Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) is an economically significant, widely cultivated forage grass. However, information on the genome-wide information and functional characterization of ARFs in orchardgrass is limited. This study identified 27 ARF genes based on the orchardgrass genome database. These DgARFs were unevenly distributed across the seven orchardgrass chromosomes and clustered into four classes. Phylogenetic analysis with multispecies of ARF proteins indicated that the ARFs exhibit a relatively conserved evolutionary path. Focusing on hormone signaling responses, DgARF7 demonstrated a potential positive regulatory role in response to 3-indole acetic acid, methyl jasmonate, gibberellin, salicylic acid, and abscisic acid signals. Additionally, exposure to drought stress induced noticeable oscillatory changes in DgARF7 gene. Notably, DgARF7 enhanced drought tolerance through heterologous expression in yeast and overexpression in Arabidopsis. Overexpressed Arabidopsis lines of DgARF7 exhibited a markedly higher relative water content and superoxide dismutase activity, while the malondialdehyde content was significantly decreased compared to wild type under drought stress. DgARF7 also accelerated flowering time by inducing the flowering-related gene expression levels in Arabidopsis. This research provides important insights into the role of DgARF7 in orchardgrass and provides further understanding in molecular breeding.

Condensed tannin from Caragana korshinskii extraction and protection effects on intestinal barrier function in mice

Caragana korshinskii tannins (CKT) were extracted by response surface methodology and the protection effect of CKT on the jejunal mucosal barrier function of mice was investigated. Firstly, this work presents the extraction, purification and characterization of CKT. The results show that the extraction conditions were as follows: extraction temperature was 52°C, extraction time was 95 min, liquid-solid ratio was 20:1 and acetone volume fraction was 62%. The extraction yield of the CKT was 5.34%. The CKT has a typical polyphenol peak with a molecular weight of 8.662 kDa and is composed of epigallocatechin, catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epicatechin-3-o-gallate and catechin gallate with a molar ratio of 1:8.88:2.65:1.55:1.92:0.49:0.14. Additionally, the CKT showed strong antioxidants capacity in vitro. Secondly, the protection effect of CKT on the growth performance and mucosal barrier function of the mouse jejunum was examined. Totally, sixty KM mice were randomly divided into six treatment groups (n = 10) using a single-factor completely randomized experimental design. The treatment groups were intragastrically administered with 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW of CKT aqueous solution once a day. The gavage volume was set at 0.2 mL per 10 g of body weight, administered daily for 21 days. The results showed that CKT significantly improved growth performance and physiological state of mouse intestine. CKT strengthened the intestinal physical barrier by upregulating the expression of Occludin and ZO-1 and decreasing the levels of serum diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactate (D-LA). Regarding biochemical barrier, CKT could upregulate the activity and gene expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and decreasing the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in jejunum tissues. Generally, CKT may be used as a functional feed additive to regulate intestinal mucosal function, thereby enhancing the health of the intestine and host.

Renal Protective Effect of Resveratrol against Vincristine-Induced Oxidative Stress in Female Mice

Introduction: Vincristine (VIN) is a broad-spectrum anticancer drug used to treat various cancers. Resveratrol (Res) is a natural polyphenol found in numerous plant sources. Many studies have reported anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects of resveratrol. In this study, the effect of resveratrol on kidney damage caused by vincristine in female mice has been investigated. Methods: In this study, 36 female mice weighing 25-30 grams were randomly divided into four groups (n=9): 1) Control group, 2) Vin- group, 3) Vin-Res group and 4) Res group. The mice received vincristine at 3 mg/kg once a week for 4 weeks and resveratrol at 30 mg/kg daily for 28 days through gavage. At the end of the study, the fat peroxidation index (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in kidney tissue were measured. Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation, and the significant differences among groups were analyzed using SPSS16, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey's post hoc test. Results: The findings indicated that in the vincristine group, levels serum of urea, creatinine, and MDA in kidney tissue were increased significantly compared to the control group (P=0.001).the TAC level and the activity level of GPX (P=0.001) and SOD (P=0.009) enzymes in the kidney tissue were significantly decreased in the vincristine group when compared to the control group (P=0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the protective effects of resveratrol were probably attributed to its antioxidant properties and that it could reduce the kidney damage induced by vincristine.

HACE1 protects against myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury via inhibition of mitochondrial fission in mice

BackgroundHECT domain and Ankyrin repeat Containing E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase 1 (HACE1) has been found to be associated with mitochondrial protection. Mitochondrial damage is a critical contributor to myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (I/RI). However, little is known about the role of HACE1 in the pathogenesis of myocardial I/RI.MethodsMale C57BL6 mice with HACE1 knockout (KO) were subjected to 30 min of ischemia via ligation of the left anterior descending artery, followed by 0, 2, 6, or 24 h of reperfusion. The mice were evaluated for myocardial histopathological injury, serum troponin I (cTnI) levels, oxidative stress injury, apoptosis and cardiac function. Prior to ischemia, Mdivi-1(1.2 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered.ResultsThe study revealed that increased expression of HACE1 was associated with myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/RI), and that knockout of HACE1 resulted in more severe myocardial damage and cardiac dysfunction during I/R(P < 0.05). The HACE1 knockout group exhibited higher levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), greater mitochondrial fission, and dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), leading to more apoptosis and severe cardiac dysfunction compared to the wild-type I/R group(P < 0.05). On the other hand, HACE1 knockout further reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the myocardium(P < 0.05), further supporting the findings. However, the adverse effects were almost completely eliminated by pharmacological blockade of the dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) inhibitor, Mdivi-1, which inhibits mitochondrial fission during cardiac I/R(P < 0.05).ConclusionCollectively, our data show that myocardial I/RI is associated with HACE1 downregulation and Drp1 activation, causing cardiomyocytes to undergo cell death. Therefore, HACE1 could be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of myocardial I/RI.