The aim of this study was to an alyze the effect of indapamide and its combination with ACE inhi bitor (captopril) and antioxidant (ProvinolsTM) on both myocardial hypert rophy and fibrosis. Wistar rats were treated with L-NAME (40 mg/kg/day, L); L-NAME plus indapamide (1 mg/kg/day), or captopril (10 mg/kg/day), or ProvinolsTM (40 mg/kg/day), or combination of indapamide with captopril, and indapamide with Provinols TM for 7 weeks. Blood pressure (BP), LV hypertrophy an d fibrosis were determined. The content of collagens type I and III was evaluated morphometrically after picrosirius red staining. L-NAME treatment led to increased BP, LV hypertroph y, total fibrosis and relative content of collagens without th e change in collagen type I/III ratio. Indapamide and captopri l decreased BP, LV hypertrophy and the collagen ratio without affecting total fibrosis, while ProvinolsTM reduced BP, the collagen ratio and fibrosis without affecting LV hypertrophy. The combinations decreased all the parameters. Decrease of LV hypertrophy was achieved by drugs with the best reducing effect on BP, fibrosis reduction was reached by the antioxidant treatment with only partial effect on BP. Thus, the combination of an tihypertensive and antioxidant treatment may represent a powerful tool in preventing myocardial remodeling induced by hypertension., L. Hlavačková ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
To evaluate whether the response of hematopoietic cells to interleukin-17 (IL-17) depends on the tissue microenvironment in which hematopoiesis occurs, the influence of recombinant mouse IL-17 on spleen hematopoietic cells and cytokine release was assessed in normal mice in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, IL-17 did not significantly affect the growth of granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) and erythroid (BFU-E and CFU-E) derived colonies. A single injection of IL-17 in vivo exhibited stimulatory effects on hematopoietic cells from both granulocytic and erythroid lineages. The increased number of metamyelocytes 48 h after treatment imply to the IL-17-induced stimulation of granulopoiesis. The number of BFU-E was increased at 24 h, while the number of CFU-E increased 6 h and 24 h after treatment. Since the same treatment in the bone marrow decreased the number of CFU-E, it may be concluded that the local microenvironment plays an important role in IL-17-mediated effects on CFU-E. IL-17 increased the release of IL-6 both in vitro and in vivo, but showed tendency to suppress the constitutive secretion of IL-10 by spleen cells. Our results suggest the complexity of target cell response and interplay of secondary induced cytokines by IL-17 in different hematopoietic organs., G. Jovčić, D. Bugarski, A. Krstić, M. Vlaški, M. Petakov, S. Mojsilović, N. Stojanović, P. Milenković., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The purpose of this study was to follow up the changes in antioxidative adaptive mechanisms induced by various periods of small intestinal ischemia in Wistar rats. The superior mesenteric artery was occluded for 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 min. After the respective ischemic intervals, a reperfusion was set for 120 min. Samples of the serum and intestinal mucosa were taken at the end of ischemia or at the end of reperfusion. Total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP) of the serum and the oxidative burst of neutrophils were evaluated using luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence. Individual antioxidants in the serum and the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) in both serum and intestinal mucosa were measured spectrophotometrically. Increased activation of circulating neutrophils was found after the reperfusion irrespective of the duration of ischemia. TRAP of the serum was increased at the end of the ischemia lasting from 30 to 90 min. This effect was further enhanced by the subsequent reperfusion period. Ascorbate and urate contributed considerably to the TRAP value especially after reperfusion following 60 and 90 min of ischemia. On the other hand, no significant changes in albumin and bilirubin serum concentrations were observed. Contrary to the mobilized antioxidative mechanisms, increased lipid peroxidation was observed in both serum and mucosa samples.
The endocrine response is an important component of the physiological response to blood loss. There is some variability in reported levels of certain hormones during hemorrhage such as the stress hormone adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). Therefore, the effect of two an esthetic agents, ketamine and saffan, on ACTH and β-endorphin levels during hemorrhage was assessed in 12 minipigs. The animals were divided into two groups, group I saffan and group II ketamine (n=6). Pigs were subjected to a continuous fixed volume hemorrhage under one of the above anesthetics while spontaneously breathing. Blood pressure and heart rate responses were recorded together with β-endorphin and ACTH levels both before and at 10, 20, 30, 40 min after the onset of bleeding. ACTH levels were higher in the ketamine-anesthetized pigs and rose significantly faster with falling blood pressure than ACTH measured in pigs under saffan anesthesia. In contrast, the hemorrhage induced β-endorphin increase was not significantly different between the two anesthetic groups. These results indicate that choice of anesthetic agent is important when investigating the hormone response to hemorrhage and may account for the variable hormone levels in the published literature to date., T. Ruan-O´Hora, W. J. Hall, F. Markos., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
This study aimed to investigate alterations in hemorheology induced by L-carnosine, an anti- oxidant dipeptide, and to determine their relationship to oxidative stress in density-separated erythrocytes of aged and young rats. 28 male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups as aged (Aca), young (Yca) L-carnosine groups (250 mg/kg L-carnosine, i.p.) and aged (As), young (Ys) control groups (saline, i.p.). Density separation was further performed to these groups in order to separate erythrocytes according to their age. Blood samples were used for the determination of erythrocyte deformability, aggregation; and oxidative stress parameters. Erythrocyte deformability of Yca group measured at 0.53 Pa was lower than Aca group. Similarly, deformability of least-dense (young) erythrocytes of Yca group was decreased compared to least-dense erythrocytes of Aca groups. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of Aca group was higher and oxidative stress index (OSI) lower than As group. Although L-carnosine resulted in an enhancement in TAC of aged rats, this favorable effect was not observed in erythrocyte deformability and aggregation in the dose applied in this study. and G. Erken, M. Bor-Kucukatay, E. KilicToprak, B. Akdag, V. Kucukatay
Fat-enriched diet is strongly associated with cataract development. Laurus nobilis shows antioxidant activity. Herein we evaluated the effect of Laurus nobilis oral administration on the blood and lenses antioxidant activity in rabbits under fat-enriched diet. Sixty rabbits divided into 4 groups were used. One group represented the control (N-CTR). The second group (P-CTR) fed a diet supplemented with 2.5 % of pig fat; the third group (EXP1) received a diet supplemented with 2.5 % of pig fat and 1 g/kg of dried-bay leaves; the fourth group (EXP2) was treated with dried-bay leaves at the rate of 1 g/kg of feed. At baseline and at the end of the study (56 days) the following blood parameters were determined: thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), total phenols, superoxide dismutase (SOD), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORACpca), ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), retinol and alfa-tocopherol. At the end of the follow-up, the eyes were enucleated and the antioxidant profile, such as total antioxidant activity (TAC), TBARS, retinol and alfa-tocopherol of lenses was evaluated. Plasma ROMs and TBARS levels were statistically lower in the groups receiving bay leaves integration. A significant increase of plasma retinol, FRAP and ORACpca levels was found in EXP1 and EXP2 groups, whereas plasma alfa-tocopherol resulted statistically higher only in EXP2 group. Bay leaves supplementation enhanced TAC, retinol and alfa-tocopherol in rabbit lens, particularly in EXP2 group; whereas lenses TBARS levels significantly decreased in both treated groups. These findings demonstrate that Laurus nobilis oral administration exerts a protective effect on the risk of cataract development in rabbits under fat-enriched diet., D. Casamassima, F. Chiosi, F. Vizzarri, M. Palazzo, C. Costagliola., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Leptin, a cytokine-like hormone secreted by adipocytes, is known to regulate food intake but has also emerged as a significant factor in the regulation of bone mass. In humans, states of energy deprivation with low serum leptin have been associated with low bone mass. In mice, leptin deficiency led to increased trabecular bone mass with overall decrease in cortical bone. Leptin regulates bone metabolism indirectly in the hypothalamus thereby activating the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). In addition to the SNS, leptin also interacts with various hypothalamic neuropeptides, such as cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript, neuropeptide Y and/or neuromedin U, which might modulate the effects of leptin on bone. In osteoblasts sympathetic signaling is further gated by the transcriptional factors called molecular clock. As a result, bone loss is accelerated showing that the central effect of leptin seems to be antiosteogenic. Additionally, leptin has a direct anabolic effect within the bone driving the differentiation of bone marrow stem cells into the osteoblastic cell lineage. Besides the interaction between the central and peripheral pathways, the overall effect of leptin on bone might be bimodal depending on leptin serum concentrations. Regulatory pathways triggering osteoblast activity might open new possibilities for anabolic treatment of osteoporosis., V. Cirmanová, M. Bayer, L. Stárka, K. Zajíčková., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
This study was designed to investigate effect of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) on lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide production and antioxidant systems in rats exposed to chronic restraint stress. Twenty four male Wistar rats, aged three months, were divided into four groups: control (C), the group treated with LA (L), the group exposed to restraint stress (S) and the group exposed to stress and treated with LA (LS). Restraint stress was applied for 21 days (1 h/day) and LA (100 mg/kg/day) was injected intraperitonally to the L and LS groups for the same period. Restraint stress significantly decreased brain copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) and brain and retina glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities compared with the control group. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), nitrite and nitrate levels were significantly increased in the tissues of the S group compared with the C group. LA produced a significant decrease in brain and retina TBARS, nitrite and nitrate levels of the L and LS groups compared to their corresponding control groups. LA increased all enzyme activities in the tissues of the LS group compared to the S group. Our study indicated that LA is an ideal antioxidant candidate for the prevention of stress-induced lipid peroxidation., D. Akpinar, P. Yargiçoğlu, N. Derin, Y. Alicigüzel, A. Ağar., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The relative effects of two components of mountain environmental heterogeneity, altitude (1500, 1700 and 2000 m a.s.l.) and habitat (pastures, coniferous forests, wet meadows, scrub and anthropogenic woods) on the diversity of dung beetles in an Italian alpine valley were determined. The additive gamma diversity analysis indicated that differences among habitats (ßH) were always smaller than those among altitudes (ßA), irrespective of the measures used; it also showed that the contribution of ßA to γ-diversity was higher than expected by chance for all the measures of species diversity used, whereas the contribution of ßH was significantly higher in the case of one measure only. Generalized linear models confirmed that altitude was the most important factor associated with local diversity, with all the diversity parameters considered progressively and significantly increasing with increasing altitude. Indicator species analyses revealed that dung beetle altitudinal and habitat diversity patterns depended on local choice of species, with preferences for altitudinal levels being more numerous and apparent than those for habitats. Despite the minor effect of habitat differences, comparing a three-habitat with a single-habitat scenario it was possible to demonstrate that greater habitat heterogeneity is associated with a significantly greater diversity of dung beetles. This study suggests that preservation of local environmental heterogeneity by means of traditional pastoral activities should be encouraged as a means of conserving the diversity of dung beetle species in the Alps. and Matteo NEGRO, Claudia PALESTRINI, Maria Teresa GIRAUDO, Antonio ROLANDO.
The effect of chronic hydrocortisone administration (0.5 mg/kg) on the liver and plasma lipid content was assessed in Wistar rats. It was found after that the liver cholesterol content was significantly increased 6 months of hydrocortisone treatment. At the same time, the distribution of liver phospholipid fractions was altered. The fatty acid composition of liver lipids showed a significant increase of 22:6 n-3. Decreased levels of cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were found in the plasma of the hydrocortisone-treated rats.