The activity of antioxidant enzymes, copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and catalase (CAT), as well as that of the mitochondrial FAD-dependent a-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (a-GPD) in the rat interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) were studied after the treatment with methimazole (MMI) for three weeks or with iopanoic acid (IOP) for five days. Besides, the mitochondrial concentration of uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) and the activity of catecholamine degrading enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO) in the IBAT as well as the activity of the catecholamine synthesizing enzyme, dopamine b-hydroxylase (DBH) in rat serum were examined. Judging by the significantly enhanced level of serum DBH, which is an index of sympathetic activity, and that of IBAT MAO, the increase in MnSOD and CAT activities in the IBAT of hypothyroid (MMI-treated) rats seems to be due to elevated activity of sympathetic nervous system (SNS). However, CuZnSOD activity is not affected by SNS. On the contrary, IOP, which is a potent inhibitor of T4 deiodination into T3 producing "local" hypothyroidism, did not change either SNS activity or activities of IBAT antioxidant enzyme. However, both treatments significantly decreased IBAT UCP-1 content and a-GPD activity suggesting that the optimal T3 concentration in the IBAT is necessary for maintaining basal levels of these key mitochondrial parameters., N. Petrović, G. Cvijić V. Davidović., and Obsahuje bibliografii
An oxidant/antioxidant imbalance is thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We hypothesized that antioxidant capacity reflected by erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and serum levels of the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA), may be related to the severity of obstructive lung impairment in patients with COPD. Erythrocyte GPx, SOD and CAT activities, and serum levels of MDA were measured in 79 consecutive patients with stable COPD. Pulmonary functional tests were assessed by bodyplethysmography. Moderate COPD (FEV1 50-80 %) was present in 23, and severe COPD (FEV1 < 50 %) in 56 patients. Erythrocyte GPx activity was significantly lower, and serum MDA levels were significantly higher in patients with severe COPD compared to patients with moderate COPD (GPx: 43.1±1.5 vs. 47.7±2.9 U/gHb, p<0.05, MDA: 2.4±0.1 vs. 2.1±0.1 nmol/ml, p<0.05). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant direct relationship between FEV1 and erythrocyte GPx activity (r = 0.234, p<0.05), and a significant inverse relationship between FEV1 and serum MDA levels (r = -0.239, p<0.05). However, no differences were observed in the erythrocyte SOD and CAT activities between the two groups of patients with different severity of COPD. Findings of the present study suggest that antioxidant capacity reflected by erythrocyte GPx activity and serum levels of the lipid peroxidation product MDA are linked to the severity of COPD., Z. Kluchová, D. Petrášová, P. Joppa, Z. Dorková, R. Tkáčová., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
We investigated the association between metamphetamine dependence and TaqI A polymorphism of the dopamine receptor D2 gene (DRD2), I/D polymorphism in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and M235T polymorphism of the angiotensinogen gene (AGT) in 93 unrelated metamphetamine-dependent subjects and 131 controls. Our results did not prove any association of TaqI A polymorphism of the DRD2 gene, I/D polymorphism of ACE gene, and M235T polymorphism of AGT gene with the metamphetamine dependence in Caucasians of Czech origin. However, a significant difference in allele I frequency between male and female control groups for the I/D ACE polymorphism (p<0.03) was found., O. Šerý, V. Vojtová, P. Zvolský., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Bradykinin can enhance skeletal muscle glucose uptake (GU), and exercise increases both br adykinin production and muscle insulin sensitivity, but bradykinin’s relationship with post-exercise insulin action is uncertain. Our primary aim was to determine if the B2 receptor of bradykinin (B2R) is essential for the post- exercise increase in GU by insulin-stimulated mouse soleus muscles. Wildtype (WT) and B2 R knockout (B2RKO) mice were sedentary or performed 60 minutes of treadmill exercise. Isolated soleus muscles were incubated with [ 3 H]-2-deoxyglucose ±insulin (60 or 100 μ U/ml). GU tended to be greater for WT vs. B2RKO soleus with 60 μ U/ml insulin (P=0.166) and was significantly greater for muscles with 100 μ U/ml insulin (P<0.05). Both genotypes had significant exercise-induced reductions (P<0.05) in glycemia and insulinemia, and the decrements for glucose (~14 %) and insulin (~55 %) were similar between genotypes. GU tended to be greater for exercised vs. sedentary soleus with 60 μ U/ml insulin (P=0.063) and wa s significantly greater for muscles with 100 μ U/ml insulin (P<0.05). There were no significant interactions between genotype and exercise for blood glucose, plasma insulin or GU. These results indicate that the B2R is not essential for the exerci se-induced decrements in blood glucose or plasma insulin or for the post-exercise increase in GU by insulin-stimulated mouse soleus muscle., G. G. Schweitzer ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenous “gasotransmitter”, exists in the central nervous system. However, the central cardiovascular effects of endogenous H2S are not fully determined. The present study was designed to investigate the central cardiovascular effects and its possible mechanism in anesthetized rats. Intracerebrovent ricular (icv) injection of NaHS (0.17~17 μ g) produced a significant and dose-dependent decrease in blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) (P<0.05) compared to control. The higher dose of NaHS (17 μ g, n=6) decreased BP and HR quickly of rats and 2 of them died of respiratory paralyse. Icv injection of the cystathionine beta-synthetase (CBS) activator s-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM, 26 μ g) also produced a significant hypotension and bradycardia, which were similar to the results of icv injection of NaHS. Furthermore, the hypotension and bradycardia induced by icv NaHS were effectively attenuated by pretreatment with the KATP channel blocker glibenclamide but not with the CBS inhibitor hydroxylamine. The present study suggests that icv injection of NaHS produces hypotension and bradycardia, which is dependent on the KATP channel activation., W.-Q. Liu ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
We tested whether seal location at iliac crest (IC) or upper abdomen (UA), before and during lower body negative pressure (LBNP), would affect thoracic electrical impedance, hepatic blood flow, and central cardiovascular responses to LBNP. After 30 min of supine rest, LBNP at -40 mmHg was applied for 15 min, either at IC or UA, in 14 healthy males. Plasma density and indocyanine green concentrations assessed plasma volume changes and hepatic perfusion. With both sealing types, LBNP-induced effects remained unchanged for mean arterial pressure (-3.0±1.1 mm Hg), cardiac output (-1.0 l min-1), and plasma volume (-11 %). Heart rate was greater during UA (80.6±3.3 bpm) than IC (76.0±2.5 bpm) (p<0.01) and thoracic impedance increased more using UA (3.2±0.2 Ω) than IC (1.8±0.2 Ω) (p<0.0001). Furthermore, during supine rest, UA was accompanied by lower thoracic impedance (26.9±1.1 vs 29.0±0.8 Ω , p<0.001) and hepatic perfusion (1.6 vs 1.8 l.min-1, p<0.05) compared to IC. The data suggest that the reduction in central blood volume in response to LBNP depends on location of the applied seal. The sealing in itself altered blood volume distribution and hepatic perfusion in supine resting humans. Finally, application of LBNP with the seal at the upper abdomen induced a markedly larger reduction in central blood volume and greater increases in heart rate than when the seal was located at the iliac crest., N. Goswami ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The aim of this study was to follow up whether the modification of pro-antioxidant status by oral thiol administration such as N- acetylcysteine and α-lipoic acid affects the hematological response. Twenty-eight healthy men participated in two independent experiments. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: controls (CNAC and CALA ), N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and α-lipoic acid (ALA). 1200 mg of N-acetylcysteine, 600 mg of α-lipoic acid or placebo were administered for 8 days in two doses. NAC or ALA administration significantly elevated plasma total antioxidant stat us (TAS) and reduced protein carbonylation (PC) and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) by more than 30 %. The reduced glutathione (GSH) and hematological parameters changed only in response to NAC administration. NAC significantly elevated the level of GSH (+33 %), EPO (+26 %), Hb (+9 %) and Hct (+9 %) compared with CNAC. The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) also increased by more than 12 % after NAC. The numerous negative or positive correlations between the measures of TAS, PC, TBARS and hematological parameters were found, which suggest the NAC-induced interaction between pro-antioxidant and hematological values. Our study has shown that both N-acetylcysteine and α-lipoic acid intake reveal an antioxidant action, but only N-acetylcysteine improves the haematological response., A. Zembron-Lacny ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The gene for connexin 37 (Cx37) is considered to be one of the candidate genes for cardiovascul ar disease. We evaluated the association between Cx37 (1019C>T) gene polymorphism (Pro319Ser) and ankle brachial blood pressure index (ABI) in women with type 1 (n=178) and ty pe 2 (n=111) diabetes, and in women from general population (n=862). All women were genotyped for Cx37 polymorphism. In addition to traditional cardiovascular risk factors, ABI was analyzed. In women with type 1 diabetes, ABI significantly decreased from TT to CC carriers (p for trend= 0.008). A similar trend was seen in women with type 2 diabetes (p=0.050) and in women with waist circumference above 75 th percentile (94 cm; n=208) of the general population (p=0.049). The gene for Cx37 was associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in women with type 1 and 2 diabetes and in women with advanced central obesity. The presence of C allele indicated increased risk., J. Piťha, J. A. Hubáček, P. Piťhová., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In order to assess whether intratesticular hormone content may be helpful for prediction of successful conception in men with fertility problems, five sex steroids, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione, estradiol and, for the first time epitestosterone, were measured in testicular tissue obtained by surgical retrieval from total 84 men. The group consisted of non-obstructive azoospermic men, aged 21-67 years who attended the centre for in vitro fertilization. Steroids after ether extraction and solvent partition were separated by high performance liquid chromatography and then measured by specific radioimmunoassays. The values varied considerably with means ± S.D. 2.43±2.47, 0.27±0.24, 0.080±0.13, 0.071± 0.089 and 0.31±0.27 for testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione, estradiol and epitestosterone, respectively., L. Zamrazilová ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury