Total Glutathione Content Research Articles

Tanshinone IIA protects against dopaminergic neuron degeneration via regulation of DJ-1 and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways in a rodent model of Parkinson’s disease

Purpose: To study the potential neuroprotective effects of tanshinone IIA, a diterpene quinone, in an experimental model of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson disease (PD).
 Methods: Mice (C57BL/6) were administered freshly-prepared MPTP at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally, 4 times at 2-h intervals, to induce PD. Doses of 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg tanshinone IIA were administered to the mice as treatments for PD. Pole and Rota-rod tests were carried out to assess muscular coordination and bradykinesia. Protein expressions, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malonaldehyde and other parameters were evaluated.
 Results: Tanshinone IIA at doses of 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg reduced deficits in muscular coordination and improved learning ability of MPTP-treated mice. It also reduced loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)- positive neurons following MPTP-induction. Tanshinone IIA regulated apoptotic pathway proteins, i.e., Bax and Bcl-2, and inhibited the translocation of Cyt C to the mitochondria. Oxidative stress induced by MPTP was significantly inhibited by tanshinone IIA via up-regulation of DJ-1/Nrf2 /HO-1 expression and reduction of ROS and MDA levels. Brain tissue total glutathione content was increased by tanshinone IIA treatment.
 Conclusion: Tanshinone IIA effectively improves antioxidant status and reduces neuronal loss following MPTP treatment. These results indicate that tanshinone IIA exerts protective effects in MPTPinduced PD in mice. Thus, tanshinone IIA has a good potential for use as a therapy for PD.

Effect of dietary Xiao-Chaihu-Decoction on growth performance, immune response, detoxification and intestinal microbiota of pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Xiao-Chaihu-Decoction (XCHD), a classical traditional Chinese medicine with diverse biological activities, is widely applied to prevent and treat many human diseases. Effects of dietary XCHD on growth performance, immune response, detoxification system, intestinal microbiota and resistance against aflatoxin B1(AFB1) of Litopenaeus vannamei was studied. Four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated to contain 0, 1, 2, and 5 g/kg (control, XCHD1, XCHD2 and XCHD3) of XCHD, respectively. Seven hundred and eighty shrimp (1.16 ± 0.09 g) were assigned randomly to 12 tanks (400 L, three tanks each group, 65 shrimp in each tank) for 6 weeks. After sampling, 25 shrimp from each tank were selected for a 2-week AFB1 (2500 μg/kg) challenge experiment. The results indicated that the final weight, weight gain and specific growth rate in XCHD2 and XCHD3 groups were significantly increased compared to control. The protease, amylase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione s-transferase (GST), sulfotransferase (SULT) activities, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and glutathione (GSH) contents in hepatopancreas were significantly increased in XCHD3 groups and the expressions of immune-related genes (Toll, Dorsal and Cru) in hepatopancreas were significantly up-regulated in XCHD2 and XCHD3 groups. High-throughput sequencing analysis revealed that the abundance of Proteobacteria decreased and the abundances of Bacteroidetes increased in XCHD2 and XCHD3 groups. Additionally, AFB1 challenge experiments showed that AFB1 caused histological damage to the hepatopancreas and significantly increased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonylation (PC) in hepatopancreas as well as the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Nevertheless, XCHD could effectively alleviated the growth toxicity, immunosuppression and macromolecular damage caused by AFB1 to shrimp by inhibiting the Phase I enzyme and enhancing Phase II enzyme and antioxidant system.

The Use of Topical Estrogen Supplementation to Combat Arsenic‐Induced Redox Stress in Ovariectomized Murine Models

Background Chronic environmental arsenic exposure is a health hazard that can lead to cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Arsenic exposure stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increasing systemic oxidative stress. Estrogen contains antioxidant properties that assist in the upregulation of various antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione. The present study investigated the effects of estrogen as a therapeutic agent to combat oxidative stress caused by arsenic exposure in ovariectomized murine models. Methods Ovariectomized mice (10 weeks old) (n=24) were randomized to four treatment groups (CON= control, CE=control + estrogen, ARS=arsenic, AE= arsenic + estrogen). Arsenic treated groups (ARS & AE) were exposed to controlled arsenic levels (10µM) via drinking water for 3-wks. Following the arsenic exposure, estrogen supplementation (0.75 µg/g of 0.06% Estradiol Benzoate) was applied topically to respective treatment groups (CE & AE). One week following the first estrogen dosage (3 total doses), mice were euthanized, and skeletal muscle and cardiac tissue were collected. Oxidized and reduced glutathione and catalase (CAT) activity were measured in skeletal muscle. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) were measured in cardiac tissue. A One-way ANOVA was performed with post-hoc comparisons using Least Significant Differences (LSD) for pairwise comparisons. Results For reduced glutathione levels, CE was significantly higher than CON (p = 0.004) and ARS (p = 0.001). CE was also significantly higher than all other groups for GSSG (p < 0.05) for all pairwise comparisons). Catalase activity was significantly higher in AE compared to CON (p = 0.032), and CE (p = 0.001), and ARS (p = 0.009). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) levels did not differ across treatment groups. Conclusion Estrogen treatment increased total glutathione content in the CE group indicated by the high levels of GSH as well as GSSG. Estrogen treatment combined with the arsenic exposure also increased catalase activity levels pointing to higher levels of hydrogen peroxide in the AE group, although this was not measured directly. Taken together, these data suggest estrogen may increase antioxidant capacity by elevating total glutathione and catalase content within skeletal muscle. These data indicate that estrogen alone and estrogen in the presence arsenic may play a role in modulating antioxidant activity in arsenic-induced oxidative damage and may be a potential treatment option for individuals suffering from environmental arsenic exposure.

The impact of chronic exposure to air pollution over oxidative stress parameters and brain histology.

Air pollution (AP) triggers neuroinflammation and lipoperoxidation involved in physiopathology of several neurodegenerative diseases. Our study aims to investigate the effect of chronic exposure to ambient AP in oxidative stress (OS) parameters and number of neurons and microglial cells of the cortex and striatum. Seventy-two male Wistar rats were distributed in four groups of exposure: control group (FA), exposed throughout life to filtered air; group PA-FA, pre-natal exposed to polluted air until weaning and then to filtered air; group FA-PA, pre-natal exposed to filtered air until weaning and then to polluted air; and group PA, exposed throughout life to polluted air. After 150 days of exposure, the rats were euthanized for biochemical and histological determinations. The malondialdehyde concentration in the cortex and striatum was significantly higher in the PA group. The activity of superoxide dismutase was significantly decreased in the cortex of all groups exposed to AP while activity of catalase was not modified in the cortex or striatum. The total glutathione concentration was lower in the cortex and higher in the striatum of the FA-PA group. The number of neurons or microglia in the striatum did not differ between FA and PA. On the other hand, neurons and microglia cell numbers were significantly higher in the cortex of the FA-PA group. Our findings suggest that the striatum and cortex have dissimilar thresholds to react to AP exposure and different adaptable responses to chronically AP-induced OS. At least for the cortex, changing to a non-polluted ambient early in life was able to avoid and/or reverse the OS, although some alterations in enzymatic antioxidant system may be permanent. As a result, it is important to clarify the effects of AP in the cortical organization and function because of limited capacity of brain tissue to deal with threatening environments.

The Unity of Redox and Structural Remodeling of Brown Adipose Tissue in Hypothyroidism

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is important for maintaining whole-body metabolic and energy homeostasis. However, the effects of hypothyroidism, one of the most common diseases worldwide, which increases the risk of several metabolic disorders, on BAT redox and metabolic homeostasis remain mostly unknown. We aimed to investigate the dynamics of protein expression, enzyme activity, and localization of antioxidant defense (AD) enzymes in rat interscapular BAT upon induction of hypothyroidism by antithyroid drug methimazole for 7, 15, and 21 days. Our results showed an increased protein expression of CuZn- and Mn-superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutamyl–cysteine ligase, thioredoxin, total glutathione content, and activity of catalase and thioredoxin reductase in hypothyroid rats, compared to euthyroid control. Concomitant with the increase in AD, newly established nuclear, mitochondrial, and peroxisomal localization of AD enzymes was found. Hypothyroidism also potentiated associations between mitochondria, peroxisomes, and lipid bodies, creating specific structural–functional units. Moreover, hypothyroidism induced protein expression and nuclear translocation of a master regulator of redox-metabolic homeostasis, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and an increased amount of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) protein adducts. The results indicate that spatiotemporal overlap in the remodeling of AD is orchestrated by Nrf2, implicating the role of 4-HNE in this process and suggesting the potential mechanism of redox-structural remodeling during BAT adaptation in hypothyroidism.

Halotolerant bacteria mitigate the effects of salinity stress on soybean growth by regulating secondary metabolites and molecular responses

BackgroundSalinity is a major threat to the agriculture industry due to the negative impact of salinity stress on crop productivity. In the present study, we isolated rhizobacteria and evaluated their capacities to promote crop growth under salt stress conditions.ResultsWe isolated rhizospheric bacteria from sand dune flora of Pohang beach, Korea, and screened them for plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits. Among 55 bacterial isolates, 14 produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 10 produced siderophores, and 12 produced extracellular polymeric and phosphate solubilization. Based on these PGP traits, we selected 11 isolates to assess for salinity tolerance. Among them, ALT29 and ALT43 showed the highest tolerance to salinity stress. Next, we tested the culture filtrate of isolates ALT29 and ALT43 for IAA and organic acids to confirm the presence of these PGP products. To investigate the effects of ALT29 and ALT43 on salt tolerance in soybean, we grew seedlings in 0 mM, 80 mM, 160 mM, and 240 mM NaCl treatments, inoculating half with the bacterial isolates. Inoculation with ALT29 and ALT43 significantly increased shoot length (13%), root length (21%), shoot fresh and dry weight (44 and 35%), root fresh and dry weight (9%), chlorophyll content (16–24%), Chl a (8–43%), Chl b (13–46%), and carotenoid (14–39%) content of soybean grown under salt stress. Inoculation with ALT29 and ALT43 also significantly decreased endogenous ABA levels (0.77-fold) and increased endogenous SA contents (6–16%), increased total protein (10–20%) and glutathione contents, and reduced lipid peroxidation (0.8–5-fold), superoxide anion (21–68%), peroxidase (12.14–17.97%), and polyphenol oxidase (11.76–27.06%) contents in soybean under salinity stress. In addition, soybean treated with ALT29 and ALT43 exhibited higher K+ uptake (9.34–67.03%) and reduced Na+ content (2–4.5-fold). Genes involved in salt tolerance, GmFLD19 and GmNARK, were upregulated under NaCl stress; however, significant decreases in GmFLD19 (3–12-fold) and GmNARK (1.8–3.7-fold) expression were observed in bacterial inoculated plants.ConclusionIn conclusion, bacterial isolates ALT29 and ALT43 can mitigate salinity stress and increase plant growth, providing an eco-friendly approach for addressing saline conditions in agricultural production systems.

The Effects of Low-Dose-Rate γ-irradiation on Forced Swim Test-Induced Immobility and Oxidative Stress in Mice.

The forced swim test (FST) induces immobility in mice. Low-dose (high-dose-rate) X-irradiation inhibits FSTinduced immobility in mice due to its antioxidative function. We evaluated the effects of low-dose γ-irradiation at a low-dose-rate on the FST-induced depletion of antioxidants in mouse organs. Mice received whole-body low-dose-rate (0.6 or 3.0 mGy/h) of low-dose γ-irradiation for 1 week, followed by daily FSTs (5 days). The immobility rate on day 2 compared to day 1 was significantly lower in the 3.0 mGy/h irradiated mice than in sham irradiated mice. The FST significantly decreased the catalase (CAT) activity and total glutathione (t-GSH) content in the brain and kidney, respectively. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and t-GSH content in the liver of the 3.0 mGy/h irradiated mice were significantly lower than those of the non-FST-treated mice. The CAT activity in the lungs of mice exposed to 3.0 mGy/h γ-irradiation was higher than that of non-FST treated mice and mice treated with FST. However, no significant differences were observed in the levels of these antioxidant markers between the sham and irradiated groups except for the CAT activity in lungs. These findings suggest that the effects of low-dose-rate and low-dose γ-irradiation on FST are highly organ-dependent.

Utilization of pelleted and extruded feed by blunt snout bream Megalobrama amblycephala: Insights from growth performance, health status and feed cost.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the utilization of both pelleted feed (PF) and extruded feed (EF) by blunt snout bream Megalobrama amblycephala based on growth performance, stress responses, innate immunity and disease resistance. Both the PF and EF were prepared with the same formula. Fish were divided randomly into 2 groups, including one fed the PF continuously and one offered the EF continuously. The whole feeding trial lasted 8weeks, after which fish were subjected to Aeromonas hydrophila infection. The results showed that the feed intake, feed conversion ratio, hepatic total superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione content, plasma complement 3 and complement 4 levels as well as myeloperoxidase activity of the EF group were all significantly lower than those of the PF group, while the opposite was true for the condition factor, the viscera index, the abdominal fat percentage, nitrogen and energy retention, hepatic malondialdehyde content, plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, lactate, total protein and globulin as well as the activities of plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. In addition, the EF group also obtained relatively low activities of hepatic glutathione peroxidase and plasma acid phosphatase as well as high cumulative mortality rates at 24-96h after Aeromonas hydrophila challenge. Furthermore, the feed cost of culturing this species with EF is lower than that with PF. These findings indicated that compared with PF, EF could increase the feed utilization and economic benefits of blunt snout bream, but reduce its anti-stress ability, non-specific immunity, A. hydrophila resistance and feed cost.

The influence of dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans on macrophage glutathione and lipid metabolism associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae-induced foam cell formation

Triggered by changes in macrophage redox status and lipid metabolism, foam cells represent a hallmark of atherosclerosis. Induction of macrophage foam cell formation by Chlamydia pneumoniae, a gram-negative human pathogen, has been established in various earlier studies in vitro and in vivo. Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by C. pneumoniae and alterations in macrophage lipid metabolism do not require chlamydial replication, making conventional antibiotics useless in the intervention of the process. In this work, we report on the ability of schisandrin B and schisandrin C, two dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, to suppress the C. pneumoniae -induced foam cell formation in RAW264.7 macrophages. This effect was accompanied with the upregulation of PPARγ, a nuclear receptor acting as a major transcriptional regulator of lipid metabolism and inflammatory responses. Schisandrin B and schisandrin C also increased the total intracellular glutathione content of the macrophages. In the case of schisandrin B, this was accompanied with the upregulation of GSH biosynthetic genes glutamate cysteine ligase (both the catalytic and the modifier subunits GCLc and GCLm) as well as gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase GGT1. In addition, schisandrin B and schisandrin C upregulated the expression of a lipid transport protein ABCA1 gene mediating cholesterol efflux from macrophages translating into a reduction in total cholesterol concentration in the schisandrin B -treated cells. Collectively, these data indicate that both schisandrin B and schisandrin C are able to alleviate the pathogenic consequences of C. pneumoniae infection in macrophages by altering the cellular redox balance and lipid trafficking.

Microalgal biomasses have potential as ingredients in microdiets for Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) post-larvae

Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) production presents several nutritional challenges, making this species a good candidate to study the dietary potential of bioactive compounds. Since proper nutrition plays a fundamental role in fish biology, it is necessary to further investigate species-specific and well-balanced diets in order to improve Senegalese sole juvenile farming. Algae have antioxidant properties, high-quality dietary protein, and are a source of bioactive compounds. This study evaluates the effects of dietary microalgal inclusion in both health status and growth performance of Senegalese sole post-larvae. Individuals 41 days after hatching (DAH) were randomly distributed among 12 tanks and four experimental diets were randomly distributed by triplicate groups. A basal diet served as CTRL and the experimental diets were formulated to include 3% of each of the algal biomass (CHLO, Chlorella sp. from heterotrophic production; PHAEO, Phaeodactylum sp.; and NANNO, Nannochloropsis sp.). At 50 DAH, 20 post-larvae/tank were collected and homogenized for analysis of immune and oxidative status, and at 61 DAH the total length, dry weight, and survival were assessed. No changes were observed in survival and total length of individuals, post-larvae fed NANNO, and CHLO dietary treatments increased dry weight at 61 DAH compared with those fed CTRL. While post-larvae immune status was apparently not altered by dietary treatments at 50 DAH, the total glutathione content decreased in fish fed PHAEO and CHLO dietary treatments compared to control diet. The observed results on improvement of growth performance without adverse effects on the immune status and decrease of endogenous total glutathione point to the fact that Nannochloropsis sp., Phaeodactylum sp., and Chlorella sp. could work as potential candidates for inclusion in microdiets for Senegalese sole.

Drought and Pathogen Effects on Survival, Leaf Physiology, Oxidative Damage, and Defense in Two Middle Eastern Oak Species

The charcoal disease agents, Biscogniauxia mediterranea and Obolarina persica are two latent, ascomycetous oak pathogens in the Middle Eastern Zagros forests, where they have devastating effects, particularly during drought. Under greenhouse conditions, we investigated the effects of the two charcoal disease agents individually and in combination with drought on survival, growth, foliar gas-exchange, pigment content, oxidative stress and the antioxidant response of Quercus infectoria and Q. libani, two of the dominant tree species in this region. Commonly, the strongest negative effects emerged in the drought–pathogen interaction treatments. Q. infectoria showed less severe lesions, higher survival, more growth, and less leaf loss than Q. libani under combined biotic and abiotic stress. In both oak species, the combination of pathogen infection and drought resulted in more than 50% reduction in foliar gas-exchange parameters with partial recovery over time in Q. infectoria suggesting a superior defense system. Indeed, enhanced foliar anthocyanin, total soluble protein and glutathione concentrations imply an upregulation of the antioxidant defense system in Q. infectoria under stress while none of these parameters showed a significant treatment response in Q. libani. Consequently, Q. infectoria foliage showed no significant increase in superoxide, lower lipoxygenase activity, and less electrolyte leakage compared to the highly elevated levels seen in Q. libani indicating oxidative damage. Our findings indicate greater drought tolerance and pathogen resilience in Q. infectoria compared to Q. libani. Under future climate scenarios, we therefore expect changes in forest community structure driven by a decline in Q. libani and closely associated organisms.

How Does Mytilus galloprovincialis Respond When Exposed to the Gametophyte Phase of the Invasive Red Macroalga Asparagopsis armata Exudate?

Asparagopsis armata is classified as an invasive species in Europe. Through the exudation of secondary metabolites, this macroalga holds a chemical defence against consumers, with potential toxic effects to native rocky shore communities. This study aims to evaluate the potential impact of A. armata (gametophyte) exudate in a native species, the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, in terms of biochemical and organismal effects. The 96 h-LC50 was 3.667% and based on it, exudate concentrations (0.25; 0.5; 1; 2%) were determined to further sublethal experiments. These sublethal concentrations caused no oxidative damage in the digestive gland since lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation were not affected. Nevertheless, there was a significant rise in the electron transport system activity and total glutathione content in muscle, suggesting an increased non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity and consequent energy consumption to cope with potential pro-oxidant compounds. This might have contributed to the observed decline in cellular energy allocation of the exposed mussels. At the organismal level, clearance capacity declined along the concentration gradient. Moreover, the number of functional byssuses decreased with increasing concentrations and a significant reduction in their attachment strength was observed. These findings suggest that the presence of A. armata may compromise M. galloprovincialis integrity in the invaded coastal areas.

Evaluation of the therapeutic effects of mycophenolate mofetil targeting Nrf-2 and NLRP3 inflammasome in acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis in rats

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that increases the risk of colorectal cancer. UC is highly associated with the disturbance of the immune system leading to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation of intestine. Therefore, the current study was conducted to investigate the potential anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of MMF against acetic acid-induced UC that might be associated with the regulation of Nrf-2 and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling. UC was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by intracolonic instillation of acetic acid. Forty-eight hours post UC induction, MMF (50 mg/kg/day, orally) was given for 8 consecutive days. Then, colon tissues and blood samples were collected. Results showed that MMF significantly attenuated the acetic acid-induced functional, biochemical, and inflammatory injuries in colon. MMF significantly decreased oxidative stress as indicated by the decreased malondialdehyde concentration and the increased total antioxidant capacity, glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase concentrations in colon tissues. MMF also significantly increased Nrf-2 and decreased NLRP3 inflammasome expressions. Moreover, MMF decreased expression of interferon-gamma and increased expression of interferon-alpha. MMF also significantly decreased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. These results suggest that MMF has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects against acetic acid-induced UC through the upregulation of Nrf-2, and INF-α expression in addition to the suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome and subsequent release of IL1β, IL-18 and INF-γ.

Effects of dietary carbohydrate-to-lipid ratio on growth performance, plasma parameters and hepatic antioxidant status in ide (Leuciscus idus, Linnaeus, 1758)

A 60-day feeding trial was carried out to investigate the effects of the dietary carbohydrate-to-lipid ratio (CHO:L) on growth performance, plasma parameters and hepatic antioxidant status in ide (Leuciscus idus). Six isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated to contain various CHO:L ratios from 0.79 to 15.29. The final weight, weight gain (WG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were affected by the dietary CHO:L ratio, and the optimal values were found in fish fed a diet with a 3.66 ratio (P < 0.05). The hepatosomatic index and glycogen content were positively related to the dietary CHO:L ratio, and the whole body lipid content decreased with the increasing dietary CHO:L ratio (P < 0.05). Plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartic transaminase activities and total protein, albumin, total triglyceride and glucose contents were similar among dietary treatment groups (P> 0.05). The lowest total cholesterol content was observed in fish fed with highest dietary CHO:L ratio (P < 0.05). Significantly lower malondialdehyde contents were observed in fish fed diets with 2.23 and 3.66 CHO: L ratios than in those fed diets with 0.79 or 15.29 CHO:L ratios. The highest values of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities, total antioxidant capacity and glutathione content were found in fish fed a diet with a 2.23 CHO:L ratio. The present results indicated that diets with a CHO:L ratio 2.23 is optimal for juvenile ide antioxidant status, and the optimal dietary CHO：L ratio was calculated to be 2.96 and 2.79, respectively, based on the broken-line regression analysis of WG or FCR.

Effects of controlled atmosphere on browning, redox metabolism and kernel quality of fresh in-hull walnut (Juglans regia L.)

The green hull of fresh walnuts (Juglans regia L.) is highly susceptible to browning and accompanied with deterioration of the walnut quality, and the currently available preservation technologies still do not meet the market threshold supply of fresh walnut. This study investigated the effect of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage alone and combination with 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on hull browning and kernel quality of fresh in-hull walnut. Fresh in-hull walnuts were treated with air (Control), CA (5% O2, 7.5% CO2), 1-MCP (0.5 μL L−1) + CA and stored at 0 ± 0.5 °C for 100 d. Browning incidence, hull redox metabolism, kernel color and walnut oil quality were analyzed. The results showed that CA promoted the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), maintained total phenol (TP), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), ascorbic acid (ASA), and glutathione (GSH) contents, inhibited ethylene production, reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and delayed the hull browning. Besides, CA attained the highest kernel quality through inhibited the decrease of kernel color value and moisture content, and reduced acid value (AV) and peroxide value (POV) of walnut oil. While 1-MCP + CA treatment increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes, the combination weakened the other positive effects of CA. However, hull browning and kernel deterioration in 1-MCP + CA were less than that observed in air control. Overall, CA was an effective method for the preservation of fresh in-hull walnut at 0 ± 0.5 °C.

Oxidative stress marker aberrations in children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 87 studies (N\u2009=\u20099109)

There is increasing awareness that oxidative stress may be implicated in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here we aimed to investigate blood oxidative stress marker profile in ASD children by a meta-analysis. Two independent investigators systematically searched Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library and extracted data from 87 studies with 4928 ASD children and 4181 healthy control (HC) children. The meta-analysis showed that blood concentrations of oxidative glutathione (GSSG), malondialdehyde, homocysteine, S-adenosylhomocysteine, nitric oxide, and copper were higher in children with ASD than that of HC children. In contrast, blood reduced glutathione (GSH), total glutathione (tGSH), GSH/GSSG, tGSH/GSSG, methionine, cysteine, vitamin B9, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin E, S-adenosylmethionine/S-adenosylhomocysteine, and calcium concentrations were significantly reduced in children with ASD relative to HC children. However, there were no significance differences between ASD children and HC children for the other 17 potential markers. Heterogeneities among studies were found for most markers, and meta-regressions indicated that age and publication year may influence the meta-analysis results. These results therefore clarified blood oxidative stress profile in children with ASD, strengthening clinical evidence of increased oxidative stress implicating in pathogenesis of ASD. Additionally, given the consistent and large effective size, glutathione metabolism biomarkers have the potential to inform early diagnosis of ASD.

Reduction of oxidative stress and ornithine decarboxylase expression in a human prostate cancer cell line PC-3 by a combined treatment with α-tocopherol and naringenin.

Differentiation of a human aggressive PC-3 cancer cell line was obtained, in a previous investigation, by the synergic effect of α-tocopherol (α-TOC) and naringenin (NG). This combined treatment induced apoptosis and subsequent reduction of the PC-3 cell proliferation and invasion, by a pro-differentiating action. Since one of the peculiar characteristics of NG and α-TOC is their strong antioxidant activity, this study aimed to investigate their potential effect on the activity of the main enzymes involved in the antioxidant mechanism in prostate cancer cells. NG and α-TOC administered singularly or combined in the PC-3 cell line, affected the activity of several enzymes biomarkers of the cellular antioxidant activity, as well as the concentration of total glutathione (GSH + GSSG) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The combined treatment increased the TBARS levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, while decreased the glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), and glyoxalase I (GI) activities. The results obtained indicate that a combined treatment with these natural compounds mitigated the oxidative stress in the human PC-3 cell line. In addition, a significant reduction of both ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) expression and intracellular levels of polyamines, both well-known positive regulators of cell proliferation, accompanied the reduction of oxidative stress observed in the combined α-TOC and NG treatment. Considering the established role of polyamines in cell differentiation, the synergism with NG makes α-TOC a potential drug for further study on the differentiation therapy in prostate cancer patients.

Effects of GGsTop® on Collagen and Glutathione in the Oral Mucosa Using a Rat Model of 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Oral Mucositis.

To evaluate the usefulness of GGsTop® for oral mucositis, a quantitative study focusing on oral mucosal tissues is necessary. In this study, we aimed to quantify collagen and glutathione using a rat model of 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis. Changes in ulcer area and erythrocyte count were measured to confirm the usefulness of GGsTop® for oral mucositis. The effect of GGsTop on collagen was evaluated by observing oral mucosal tissue sections and measuring the collagen concentration in the tissues. The total glutathione concentration and the oxidized glutathione concentration were measured, and the concentration of the reduced form was calculated. GGsTop® shortened the treatment period for oral mucositis without affecting the white blood cell count. In addition, GGsTop® promoted collagen production and alleviated oxidative stress conditions. GGsTop affects collagen and glutathione in the treatment of oral mucositis.

Skin-healing properties of ginsenoside Rd against Ultraviolet-B-induced photooxidative stress through up-regulation of antioxidant components in HaCaT keratinocytes

Background: Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) is a traditional herbal medicine used worldwide today. Ginsenoside Rd (Rd), one of its main ginsenosides, has been ascertained to have various pharmacological efficacies including neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities. Objectives: This work assesses the antioxidant and protective potentials of Rd against ultraviolet (UV)-B-induced skin photooxidative stress in HaCaT keratinocytes. Materials and Methods: Cell viability was detected using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured using dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. Promatrix metalloproteinase-2 (proMMP-2) activity and protein were detected using gelatin zymography and western analysis. Total glutathione (GSH) content and total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were spectrophotometrically determined. Results: Rd, at varying concentrations non-toxic to HaCaT keratinocytes, attenuated the UV-B-induced ROS generation. Rd at 5, 12, and 30 μM attenuated the UV-B-induced proMMP-2 gelatinolytic activities to 59.3% ± 9.5%, 41.3% ± 9.5%, and 13.1% ± 8.9%, respectively, of those of the non-treated control cells. It could also diminish the UV-B-induced proMMP-2 protein levels. Rd at 5, 12, and 30 μM augmented the UV-B-reduced total SOD activities to 1.6 ± 0.2-, 2.4 ± 0.3-, and 3.2 ± 0.2-fold of those of the non-treated control cells, respectively. Rd could up-regulate the UV-B-reduced total GSH. Conclusion: Rd has counteracting properties against elevated ROS and proMMP-2 and attenuated GSH and SOD under UV-B irradiation, implying that it possesses a protective activity against photoaging possibly through up-regulating antioxidant components. These findings suggest that Rd can be considered as a novel natural resource for anti-photoaging functional cosmetics.

Hormone Replacement Therapy and Aging: A Potential Therapeutic Approach for Age-Related Oxidative Stress and Cardiac Remodeling.

Advanced age is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which might be further exacerbated by estrogen deficiency. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) decreases cardiovascular risks and events in postmenopausal women; however, its effects are not fully elucidated in older individuals. Thus, the aim of our study is to examine the impact of HRT on oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis and cardiac remodeling. In our experiment, control (fertile) and aging (~20-month-old) female Wistar rats were used. Aging rats were further divided into estrogen- (E2, 0.1 mg/kg/day per os) or raloxifene- (RAL, 1.0 mg/kg/day per os) treated subgroups. After 2 weeks of treatment, cardiac heme oxygenase (HO) activity, total glutathione (GSH) content, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity, and the concentrations of collagen type I and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-2), as well as the infarct size, were determined. The aging process significantly decreased the antioxidant HO activity and GSH content, altered the MMP-2/TIMP-2 signaling, and resulted in an excessive collagen accumulation, which culminated in cardiovascular injury. However, 2 weeks of either E2 or RAL treatment enhanced the antioxidant defense mechanisms and attenuated cardiac remodeling related to aging. Our findings clearly show that 2-week-long HRT is a potential intervention to bias successful cardiovascular aging via reducing oxidative damage and cardiovascular dysfunction.