Antioxidative and neuroprotective activities of peanut sprout extracts against oxidative stress in SK-N-SH cells

Objective: To evaluate the protective effect of peanut sprout extract (PSE) against paraquat (PQ) induced SK-N-SH cells. Methods: Three groups of cells were used in the experiment, together with a fourth, control group. One group was treated with PQ, the second group was treated with PSE, and the third group was pre-treated with PSE. The control group was untreated. Cell viability and toxicity were detected by MTT assay, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by Muse Cell Analyzer, quantitative RT-PCR was applied to investigate the expression of SIRT1 and a-synuclein genes, and Ab42 was detected by western blot. Results: The 50% effective concentration of PQ was 0.75 mmol/L. PSE had no sig-nificant cytotoxicity at a concentration of 1.5 mg/mL. In the group of cells pre-treated with PSE, cell death was significantly inhibited. In the PQ treated group, PQ was increased in the intracellular ROS in the cells. Intracellular ROS was significantly decreased in the cells treated with PSE and also those pre-treated with PSE. PSE significantly downregulated the expression of SIRT1 and a-syn genes, and it was found that PQ significantly increased b-amyloid 42 levels whereas this action was inhibited by PSE. Conclusions: PSE has neuroprotective activities against oxidative stress in SK-N-SH cells induced by PQ, suggesting that PSE is a highly promising agent in the preven-tion of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Increasing of syncytial knot and fibrinoid deposit in high-Cd accumulated human placentas / Aumento del nodo sincicial y depósitos de fibrinoide en placenta humanas con alta acumulación de cadmio

A toxic metal, cadmium (Cd), can accumulate in human organs. Placenta is usually used as indicator organ for Cd exposure. Therefore, we aim to investigate the different of placental morphology between the low- and high-Cd accumulated placentas. The samples were collected from 14 pregnant women who resided in low-Cd contaminated (L-Cd group) and high-Cd contaminated (H-Cd group) areas. The concentrations of Cd in blood (B-Cd), urine (U-Cd) and placentas (P-Cd) were measured by ICP-MS and AAS. The morphological appearance of placentas was examined by using routine paraffin section and H & E staining. The results showed that levels of B-Cd, U-Cd and P-Cd were significantly higher in H-Cd group than in L-Cd group (p= 0.001). Moreover, the B-Cd was positively correlated with U-Cd (rs= 0.823, p= 0.000) and P-Cd concentrations (rs= 0.854, p= 0.000). The appearances of syncytial knot (STK) and fibrinoid deposit (Fd) were obviously greater in H-Cd group than in L-Cd group (p= 0.007, p= 0.026). The STK was positively correlated with both Fd (rs= 0.572, p= 0.032) and P-Cd concentration (rs= 0.766, p= 0.001). Although the chorioamnitis and decidual inflammation features were found in both groups but the appearance in H-Cd group seems to be more severe than in L-Cd group. From these results, we suggested that high Cd level in placenta may be involved in morphological changes, especially STK and Fd increasing and probably disturb the connection between maternal and fetal circulation.

Un metal tóxico, el cadmio (Cd), se puede acumular en órganos humanos. La placenta se utiliza, por lo general, como órgano indicador de la exposición a Cd. Nuestro objetivo fue investigar la diferente morfología placentaria entre las placentas con baja y alta acumulación de Cd. Las muestras fueron recolectadas de 14 mujeres embarazadas que residían áreas con alta (grupo H-Cd) y baja contaminación por Cd (grupo L-Cd). Las concentraciones de Cd en la sangre (B- Cd), orina (U-Cd) y placentas (P-Cd) se midieron por ICP-MS y AAS. La apariencia morfológica de las placentas fue examinada usando cortes histológicos teñidos con H-E. Los resultados mostraron que los niveles de B-Cd, U-Cd y P-Cd fueron significativamente mayores en el grupo H-Cd (p= 0,001). Por otra parte, el B-Cd se correlacionó positivamente con las concentraciones de U-Cd (rs= 0,854, p = 0,000 ) y P-Cd (rs= 0,823, p = 0,000). Las apariciones de nodos sinciciales (NS) y depósitos fibrinoides (Fd) fueron mayores en el grupo H-Cd (rs= 0,007, p= 0,026). Los ND se correlacionaron positivamente con los Fd (rs= 0,572, p= 0,032) y la concentración de P-Cd (rs= 0,766, p = 0,001). Aunque características de corioamnitis e inflamación de la decidua se encontraron en ambos grupos, su aparición en el grupo H-Cd pareció ser más grave que en el grupo L-Cd. A partir de estos resultados, sugerimos que el nivel alto de Cd en la placenta puede estar involucrado en los cambios morfológicos, especialmente el aumento de NS y Fd, los que probablemente alteran la relación entre la circulación materna y fetal.