Captopril exerts myocardial protective effect in coronary microembolization rats by inhibiting oxidative stress injury and alleviating inflammatory response

AIM: To investigate the effects of captopril (CAP) on oxidative stress injury and inflammatory response induced by coronary microembolization (CME) and its related molecular mechanisms. METHODS: The rat model of CME was established by clamping the rat artery and injecting blood microemboli. The rats were divided into control group, CME group and CME+CAP group, with 6 rats in each group. The myocardial tissues of each group were collected. The changes of myocardial structure and the degree of inflammatory response were analyzed by HE staining. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining. The fluorescence intensity of cleaved caspase-3 was detected by immunofluorescence obervation. The protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax were determined by Western blot. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase was measured by ELISA. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by DHE fluorescence staining. RESULTS: CAP significantly reduced the myocardial structural changes (P<0.05), inflammatory cell infiltration (P<0.01), number of apoptotic cardiomyocytes (P<0.01), the protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax (P<0.01), and ROS production levels (P<0.01), but promoted the activity of antioxidant markers SOD and catalase (P<0.01) in the CME rats.CONCLUSION: CAP attenuates CME-induced myocardial injury by resisting oxidative stress and alleviating inflammatory response.     

Expression and functional characterization of glutamine synthetase from giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) under osmotic stress

The freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii naturally lives in the freshwater, though it migrates to the brackish water environment during spawning that claimed to be resistant on a broad range of saline fluxes. However, little is known about the osmoregulatory patterns and the effect of an enzyme glutamine synthetase (GS) in M. rosenbergii under stress. Here, we described the identification and functional characterization of GS from M. rosenbergii (Mr‐GS) at molecular and protein levels. The identified Mr‐GS was comprised of 361 amino acids that phylogenetically shared the highest identity with other crustaceans and predicted to contain Gln‐synt_C and Gln‐synt_N domains at the respective terminal regions. Tissue distribution analysis in M. rosenbergii revealed that the Mr‐GS was highly expressed in muscle, and commonly existed in other examined tissues in the following order gills > heart > stomach > brain > haemolymph. Whereas, the mRNA of Mr‐GS was significantly up‐regulated in the muscle and gill tissues following challenges with either hyper (0 → 13‰), or hypo (13 → 0‰) osmotic stress at 3, 6 and 12 hr. Furthermore, the level of Glutamine concentration was positively correlated with the GS mRNA and protein expression patterns in hyper‐osmotic stress, whereas in hypo‐osmotic stress a slight decrease in the gills and maintained a level in the muscle tissues at 3, 6 and 12 hr post‐treatments. Our findings suggest that Mr‐GS potentially exhibited the osmoregulation responses in the gill and muscle tissues of M. rosenbergii throughout the time of osmotic stress, which will benefit for future study on osmoregulation.     

Trx-1 over-expression attenuates oxidative stress injury in MPP+ -induced PC12 cells by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway

AIM:To investigate the inhibitory effect of thioredoxin 1 (Trx-1) over-expression on oxidative stress injury in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)-induced rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway.METHODS:The PC12 cells were damaged by treatment with MPP⁺ at 1, 3 and 5 mmol/L, and the optimal concentration of 3 mmol/L was selected. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The oxidative stress indexes lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the cell culture supernatant were detected, and the protein expression of Trx-1 was determined by Western blot. Lentiviral infection with Ad-Trx-1-GFP sequence was used to establish a model of MPP⁺-treated PC12 cells with Trx-1 over-expression. The effects of Trx-1 over-expression on the cell viability, oxidative stress responses and NF-κB signaling pathway were determined by MTT assay, commercial kits and Western blot. The effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), an activator of NF-κB signaling pathway, on the viability and oxidative stress of PC12 cells were observed. The NF-κB signaling pathway inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) was used in MPP⁺-treated PC12 cells with Trx-1 over-expression, and the cell viability and oxidative stress responses were measured. RESULTS:The viability of PC12 cells, SOD activity in the supernatant and protein expression of Trx-1 were decreased, while LDH activity and MDA content in the supernatant were increased significantly by treatment with MPP⁺ at 1, 3 and 5 mmol/L. The effect of MPP⁺ at 3 mmol/L and 5 mmol/L was significantly greater than that at 1 mmol/L (P<0.05), and no significant difference between 3 mmol/L and 5 mmol/L was observed (P>0.05). The inhibitory effect of MPP⁺ on the viability of PC12 cells, and the oxidative stress injury and activation of NF-κB signaling pathway induced by MPP⁺ were significantly attenuated by over-expression of Trx-1. The inhibitory effect of MPP⁺ on the viability of PC12 cells and the oxidative stress injury induced by MPP⁺ were promoted by the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway, while the protective effects of Trx-1 over-expression on the MPP⁺-treated PC12 cells were enhanced by the inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION:Over-expression of Trx-1 protects MPP⁺-treated PC12 cells from oxidative stress injury by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway.     

Zerumbone attenuates MPP+-induced cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells by inhibition of oxidative stress

AIM: To investigate the role of zerumbone (ZER) in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺)-induced cytotoxicity of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. METHODS: Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were cultured in vitro and the protective effect of ZER against MPP⁺-induced cytotoxicity was measured by CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The expression of Parkinson disease protein 7 (PARK7) was knocked-down by using PARK7-specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA). The protein levels of PARK7, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: MMP⁺ remarkably reduced the cell viability in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The SH-SY5Y cell injury model was established by treatment with MPP⁺ at 600 μmol/L for 24 h. ZER up-regulated the protein levels of PARK7 and Nrf2 (P<0.05), alleviated apoptosis (P<0.05), and reduced ROS production (P<0.05) in the SH-SY5Y cell injury model. Meanwhile, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) had the similar functions. Moreover, significant reductions in the protein levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 (P<0.05), and obvious increases in apoptosis (P<0.05) and ROS level (P<0.05) were demonstrated in PARK7-knockdown cells. CONCLUSION: ZER protects SH-SY5Y cells against MPP⁺-induced cytotoxi-city, which may be related to activation of PARK7/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, and subsequent attenuation of oxidative stress and apoptosis.     

Exogenous application of allelopathic water extracts helps improving tolerance against terminal heat and drought stresses in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Em. Thell.)

The allelopathic water extracts (AWEs) may help improve the tolerance of crop plants against abiotic stresses owing to the presence of the secondary metabolites (i.e., allelochemicals). We conducted four independent experiments to evaluate the influence of exogenous application of AWEs (applied through seed priming or foliage spray) in improving the terminal heat and drought tolerance in bread wheat. In all the experiments, two wheat cultivars, viz. Mairaj‐2008 (drought and heat tolerant) and Faisalabad‐2008 (drought and heat sensitive), were raised in pots. Both wheat cultivars were raised under ambient conditions in the wire house till leaf boot stage (booting) by maintaining the pots at 75% water‐holding capacity (WHC). Then, managed drought and heat stresses were imposed by maintaining the pots at 35% WHC, or shifting the pots inside the glass canopies (at 75% WHC), at booting, anthesis and the grain filling stages. Drought stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 39%–49%. Foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield of wheat by 26%–31%, while seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 18%–26%, respectively, than drought stress. Terminal heat stress reduced the grain yield of wheat by 38%. Seed priming with AWEs improved the grain yield by 21%–27%; while foliar application of AWEs improved the grain yield by 25%–29% than the heat stress treatment. In conclusion, the exogenous application of AWEs improved the stay green, accumulation of proline, soluble phenolics and glycine betaine, which helped to stabilize the biological membranes and improved the tolerance against terminal drought and heat stresses.     

金花茶对低温胁迫的生理响应及耐寒性分析

为探究金花茶幼苗对低温胁迫的生理响应及其耐寒性,本研究以2 a生金花茶幼苗为材料,进行6~-9℃低温胁迫处理,测定了细胞伤害率(CIR)、丙二醛(MDA)、过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、束缚水(BW)/自由水(FW)、脯氨酸(Pro)、可溶性糖(SS)等指标,并进行了低温半致死温度(LT₅₀)和抗寒生理指标相关性分析。结果表明,3~12 h的低温LT₅₀为-6.62~-3.94℃,且随着时间的延长而升高。随着温度的降低, CIR、SS含量及POD、CAT活性总体呈上升趋势, BW/FW、MDA、Pro含量呈先上升后下降趋势, SOD活性总体呈下降趋势;随着胁迫时间的延长,CIR含量呈上升趋势,3~-9℃的SOD活性、0~-9℃的POD活性、-6~-9℃的BW/FW比值呈下降趋势,6~-6℃的SS含量变化较小,-9℃的SS含量呈下降趋势。相关性分析表明,CIR可作为耐寒性鉴定的主要指标,BW、SS、SOD、POD、CAT可作为辅助指标。本研究结果为金花茶引种区域和耐寒性鉴定指标的确定提供了理论依据。     

盐胁迫下宁夏枸杞Na+吸收及Na+/H+转运蛋白与H+-ATPase基因表达的研究

为从分子水平揭示宁夏枸杞钠的吸收积累机理,本试验采用原子吸收分光光度法和实时荧光定量PCR(RT-qPCR)方法,对盐胁迫下宁夏枸杞根中Na⁺、K⁺含量以及质膜和液泡膜Na⁺/H⁺转运蛋白与H⁺-ATPase基因表达水平进行测定分析。结果表明,相同胁迫时间下,随着NaCl处理浓度的增加,枸杞根系中Na⁺浓度总体呈缓慢增加趋势,K⁺含量呈先增加后减少趋势,Na⁺/K⁺比值呈先减少后增加趋势;编码质膜和液泡膜的Na⁺/H⁺转运蛋白基因LbSOS1、LbNHX1以及液泡膜H⁺-ATPase基因LbVHA-C1表达量均呈升高趋势,质膜H⁺-ATPase基因LbHA1表达量呈先升高后降低趋势。相同NaCl处理浓度下,随着胁迫时间的延长,Na⁺含量总体呈增加趋势,K⁺含量呈先增加后减少趋势,Na⁺/K⁺比值呈增加趋势。LbSOS1、LbNHX1表达量总体呈先升高后降低趋势,LbVHA-C1、LbHA1表达量总体呈降低的趋势。相关性分析显示,不同胁迫时间下,枸杞根中LbSOS1、LbNHX1、LbVHA-C1和LbHA1表达量与Na⁺含量存在一定的正相关或负相关。上述结果表明,在低浓度NaCl胁迫时,维持枸杞体内较高的K⁺/Na⁺比值是宁夏枸杞耐盐的主要方式之一,同时也说明在胁迫初期,质膜和液泡膜的Na⁺/H⁺转运蛋白与H⁺-ATPase参与了枸杞细胞中Na⁺及时排出胞外和区隔于液泡,从而保持了根细胞内Na⁺的稳定性。此外,随着胁迫时间的延长和NaCl处理浓度的增加,LbSOS1、LbNHX1、LbVHA-C1和LbHA1的表达水平均降低,而 Na⁺积累量大幅增加,致使枸杞抗盐性降低。本研究揭示了宁夏枸杞的耐盐机理,为利用宁夏枸杞改良宁夏大面积盐碱地提供了理论依据。