Levels of membrane fluidity in the spinal cord and the brain in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A mutant form of the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) protein is found in some patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Alteration of the activity of this antioxidant enzyme leads to an oxidative stress imbalance, which damages the structure of lipids and proteins in the CNS. Using fluorescence spectroscopy, we monitored membrane fluidity in the spinal cord and the brain in a widely used animal model of ALS, the SOD(G93A) mouse, which develops symptoms similar to ALS with an accelerated course. Our results show that the membrane fluidity of the spinal cord in this animal model significantly decreased in symptomatic animals compared with age-matched littermate controls. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing that membrane fluidity is affected in the spinal cord of a SOD(G93A) animal model of ALS. Changes in membrane fluidity likely contribute substantially to alterations in cell membrane functions in the nervous tissue from SOD(G93A) mice.

Monitoring systemic oxidative stress in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A mutant form of the ubiquitous copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) protein has been found in some patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We monitored oxidative stress in an animal model of ALS, the SOD(G93A) mouse, which develops a disease similar to ALS with an accelerated course. The aim of this work was to show that ALS damages several organs and tissues, from an oxidative stress point of view. We measured lipid and protein oxidative damage in different tissue homogenates of SOD(G93A) mice. The biomarkers that we analyzed were malondialdehyde + 4-hydroxyalkenal (MDA + 4-HDA) and carbonyls, respectively. The spinal cord and brain of SOD(G93A) mice showed increased lipid peroxidation after 100 or 130 days compared to age-matched littermate controls. The CNS was most affected, but lipid peroxidation was also detected in the skeletal muscle and liver on day 130. No changes were observed in protein carbonylation in the homogenates. Our results are consistent with a multisystem etiology of ALS and suggest that oxidative stress may play a primary role in ALS pathogenesis. Thus, oxidative stress represents a potential biomarker that might be useful in developing new therapeutic strategies for ALS.

Melatonin protects against taurolithocholic-induced oxidative stress in rat liver.

Cholestasis, encountered in a variety of clinical disorders, is characterized by intracellular accumulation of toxic bile acids in the liver. Furthermore, oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of bile acids. Taurolithocholic acid (TLC) was revealed in previous studies as the most pro-oxidative bile acid. Melatonin, a well-known antioxidant, is a safe and widely used therapeutic agent. Herein, we investigated the hepatoprotective role of melatonin on lipid and protein oxidation induced by TLC alone and in combination with FeCl(3) and ascorbic acid in rat liver homogenates and hepatic membranes. The lipid peroxidation products, malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenals (MDA + 4-HDA), and carbonyl levels were quantified as indices of oxidative damage to hepatic lipids and proteins, respectively. In the current study, the rise in MDA + 4-HDA levels induced by TLC was inhibited by melatonin in a concentration-dependent manner in both liver homogenates and in hepatic membranes. Melatonin also had protective effects against structural damage to proteins induced by TLC in membranes. These results suggest that the indoleamine melatonin may potentially act as a protective agent in the therapy of those diseases that involve bile acid toxicity.

Melatonin and structurally-related compounds protect synaptosomal membranes from free radical damage.

Since biological membranes are composed of lipids and proteins we tested the in vitro antioxidant properties of several indoleamines from the tryptophan metabolic pathway in the pineal gland against oxidative damage to lipids and proteins of synaptosomes isolated from the rat brain. Free radicals were generated by incubation with 0.1 mM FeCl(3), and 0.1 mM ascorbic acid. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) plus 4-hydroxyalkenal (4-HDA), and carbonyl content in the proteins were measured as indices of oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, respectively. Pinoline was the most powerful antioxidant evaluated, with melatonin, N-acetylserotonin, 5-hydroxytryptophan, 5-methoxytryptamine, 5-methoxytryptophol, and tryptoline also acting as antioxidants.

Lipid and protein oxidation in hepatic homogenates and cell membranes exposed to bile acids.

Cholestasis occurs in a variety of hepatic diseases and causes damage due to accumulation of bile acids in the liver. The aim was to investigate the effect of several bile acids, i.e. chenodeoxycholic, taurochenodeoxycholic, deoxycholic, taurodeoxycholic, ursodeoxycholic, lithocholic and taurolithocholic (TLC), in inducing oxidative damage. Hepatic tissue of male Sprague-Dawley rats was incubated with or without 1 mM of each bile acid, with or without 0.1 mM FeCl(3) and 0.1 mM ascorbic acid for the purpose of generating free radicals. Several bile acids increased lipid and protein oxidation, with TLC being the most pro-oxidative (657% and 175% in homogenates and 350% and 311% in membranes, respectively). TLC also enhanced iron-induced oxidative stress to lipids (21% in homogenates and 29% in membranes) and to proteins (74% in membranes). This enhancement was dose- and time-dependent and was reduced by melatonin. These results suggest that bile acids differentially mediate hepatic oxidative stress and may be involved in the physiopathology of cholestasis.

Melatonin reduces lipid and protein oxidative damage in synaptosomes due to aluminium.

Prolonged exposure to excessive aluminium (Al) concentrations is involved in the ethiopathology of certain dementias and neurological disorders. Melatonin is a well-known antioxidant that efficiently reduces lipid peroxidation due to oxidative stress. Herein, we investigated in synaptosomal membranes the effect of melatonin in preventing Al promotion of lipid and protein oxidation when the metal was combined with FeCl(3) and ascorbic acid. Lipid peroxidation was estimated by quantifying malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxyalkenals (4-HDA) concentrations in the membrane suspension and protein carbonyls were measured in the synaptosomes as an index of oxidative damage. Under our experimental conditions, the addition of Al (0.0001-1mmol/L) enhanced MDA+4-HDA formation in the synaptosomes. In addition, Al (1mmol/L) raised protein carbonyl contents. Melatonin reduced, in a concentration-dependent manner, lipid and protein oxidation due to Al, FeCl(3) and ascorbic acid in the synaptosomal membranes. These results show that melatonin confers protection against Al-induced oxidative damage in synaptosomes and suggest that this indoleamine may be considered as a neuroprotective agent in Al toxicity because of its antioxidant activity.

Melatonin reduces protein and lipid oxidative damage induced by homocysteine in rat brain homogenates.

Numerous data indicate that hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases. At least in part, homocysteine (HCY) impairs cerebrovascular function because it generates large numbers of free radicals. Since melatonin is a well-known antioxidant, which reduces oxidative stress and decreases HCY concentrations in plasma, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin in preventing HCY-induced protein and lipid oxidation in rat brain homogenates. Brain homogenates were obtained from Sprague-Dawley rats and were incubated with or without HCY (0.01-5 mM) or melatonin (0.01-3 mM). Carbonyl content of proteins, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxyalkenals (4-HDA) concentrations in the brain homogenates were used as an index of protein and lipid oxidation, respectively. Under the experimental conditions used, the addition of HCY (0.01-5 mM) to the homogenates enhanced carbonyl protein and MDA+4-HDA formation. Melatonin reduced, in a concentration-dependent manner, protein and lipid oxidation due to HCY in the brain homogenates. These data suggest that preserving proteins from oxidative insults is an additional mechanism by which melatonin may act as an agent in potentially decreasing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases related to hyperhomocysteinemia.

Fisiología del envejecimiento y del estrés oxidativo (B40) / No disponible

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Urinary mutagenicity, CYP1A2 and NAT2 activity in textile industry workers.

The two major causes of bladder cancer have been recognised to be cigarette smoke and occupational exposure to arylamines. These compounds are present both in tobacco smoke and in the dyes used in textile production. Aromatic amines suffer oxidative metabolism via P450 cytochrome CYP1A2, and detoxification by the polymorphic NAT2. The aim of the present work was to assess the association between occupational-derived exposure to mutagens and CYP1A2 or NAT2 activity. This cross-sectional study included 117 textile workers exposed to dyes and 117 healthy controls. The urinary mutagenicity was determined in 24 h urine using TA98 Salmonella typhimurium strain with microsomal activation S9 (MIS9) or incubation with beta-glucuronidase (MIbeta). Urinary caffeine metabolite ratios: AFMU+1X+1U/17U, and AFMU/AFMU+1X+1U were calculated to assess CYP1A2 and NAT2 activities, respectively. The results show that workers present a strikingly higher urine mutagenicity than controls (p<0.0001), despite the implementation of the new restrictive norms forbidding the industrial use of the most carcinogenic arylamines. Neither NAT2 nor CYP1A2 activity had any effect on the markers of internal exposure to mutagens, since no significant differences were observed when the urinary mutagenicity of slow and fast acetylators (p>0.05) was compared, and the urinary mutagenicity was not significantly associated with the CYP1A2 activity marker (r=0.04 and r=-0.01 for MIS9 and MIbeta, respectively). This study clearly indicates the need for further protective policies to minimise exposure to the lowest feasible limit in order to avoid unnecessary risks.

Melatonin and pinoline prevent aluminium-induced lipid peroxidation in rat synaptosomes.

The serum concentrations of aluminum, a metal potentially involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, increase with age. Also, intense and prolonged exposure to aluminum may result in dementia. Melatonin and pinoline are two well known antioxidants that efficiently reduce lipid peroxidation due to oxidative stress. Herein, we investigated the effects of melatonin and pinoline in preventing aluminum promotion of lipid peroxidation when the metal was combined with FeCl3 and ascorbic acid in rat synaptosomal membranes. Lipid peroxidation was estimated by quantifying malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxyalkenal (4-HDA) concentrations in the membrane suspension. Under the experimental conditions used herein, the addition of aluminum (0.0001 to 1 mmol/L) enhanced MDA + 4-HDA formation in the synaptosomes. Melatonin and pinoline reduced, in a concentration-dependent manner, lipid peroxidation due to aluminum, FeCl3 and ascorbic acid in the synaptosomal membranes. These results suggest that the indoleamine melatonin and the beta-carboline pinoline may potentially act as neuroprotectant agents in the therapy of those diseases with elevated aluminum concentrations in the tissues.

Influence of the urine flow rate on some caffeine metabolite ratios used to assess CYP1A2 activity.

Five established metabolite ratios (MRs) to measure P450 CYP1A2 activity--MR1 (17X + 17U)/137X, MR2 (AFMU + 1X + 1U)/17U, MR3 (17X/137X), MR4 (AFMU + 1X + 1U + 17X + 17U)/137X, and MR5 (AFMU + 1X + 1U)/17X--were calculated in urine 4-5 hours after caffeine intake. First, to assess the potential of omeprazole to induce CYP1A2 activity, a caffeine test was performed in 27 subjects on two occasions: before and after 14 days on omeprazole (20 mg/day). Samples of urine were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to quantify caffeine and metabolites used to calculate the different caffeine MRs. MR1, MR3, and MR4 were enhanced after treatment; the percentage of change was inversely associated with that of the urine flow, with r values of -0.48, -0.49, and -0.47, respectively. However, MR2 or MR5 were not modified. To determine the reason for these contradictory results, the authors analyzed data of metabolites, ratios, and their components (numerators and denominators) from 152 subjects (who underwent one caffeine test) and their relationship with the urinary flow. Caffeine concentration in urine was the only compound nondependent on the urine flow. Consistently, ratios containing caffeine (MR1, MR3, and MR4) were highly influenced by the rate of urine excretion, since the flow dependence of their numerators is not canceled out by that of caffeine in their denominators. The dependency of the caffeine excretion on renal factors may explain the opposite results found with the different ratios in the aforementioned prospective study of drug interaction, the absence of closer correlations of the five MRs to each other, the discrepancies about the type of frequency distribution of the different MRs (either normal or multimodal), and the higher sensitivity of MR2 to detect gender differences in CYP1A2 activity found in this study. In summary, the data clearly emphasize the need for a strict control of the liquid intake to avoid high urine flows when MRs containing caffeine are used to assess CYP1A2 activity, especially in studies of drug interactions.