In vitro influence of ascorbate on lipid peroxidation in rat testis and heart microsomes

Experimental therapeutic intervention with alpha tocopherol in ethanol induced testicular injuries in rats

Infertility is well-established harmful effect in chronic alcoholism and so far, there is no effective treatment for this condition. The study was conducted to determine the effects of alpha tocopherol on ethanol induced testicular injuries in male albino rats of Wistar strain. Five groups (n=6) of animals were used. Group I served as control. Group II received daily 1.6g ethanol/kg body weight/day for 4 weeks orally. Group III received 1.6g ethanol+80mg alpha tocopherol/kg body weight/day for four weeks orally. Group IV received 1.6g ethanol/kg body weight for/day 4 weeks and followed by 80mg alpha tocopherol/kg body weight/day for four weeks orally. Group V received 1.6g ethanol/kg body weight/day orally for 4 weeks, followed by 4 weeks abstinence. Twently-four hours after the last treatment the rats were sacrificed using anesthetic ether. Testes were removed and used for the estimation of extent of lipid peroxidation and tissue levels of antioxidants and steroidogenic enzymes. Alpha tocopherol treatment increased the activities of testicularΔ(5), 3β-HSD. Moreover, the treatment was also associated with significant decrease in testicular oxidative stress. Ethanol-induced oxidative stress and decreased steroidogenesis can be reversed by treatment with alpha tocopherol.

Inhibition of cell proliferation and fibronectin biosynthesis by Na ascorbate

BACKGROUND

The importance of ascorbate on the production of extracellular matrix proteins (as elastin and collagens) is now well documented, but no studies have been published concerning its effects on fibronectin biosynthesis. Fibronectin is important for cell attachment and for proliferation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The effects of Na ascorbate were investigated on cell attachment, proliferation, viability and fibronectin biosynthesis by human skin fibroblasts in vitro. Proliferation was followed by the monitoring of [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation; viability by the MTT-test, cell adherence by counting adherent and nonadherent cells and fibronectin biosynthesis by immunoprecipitation of biosynthetically labelled fibronectin.

RESULTS

In the presence of ascorbate, the fibroblasts showed a biphasic growth pattern. At 500 microM ascorbate, [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation was stimulated by 15% as compared to the controls. Higher concentrations gradually decreased proliferation up to 36% of the control value at 5 mM. These effects of ascorbate on DNA synthesis were followed to > 1.25 mM by a strong inhibition, cytotoxic effect and cell death. The non-adherent cell count increased to 10% of the total population at 2.5 mM and to 31% at 5.0 mM ascorbate.Increasing concentrations of ascorbate resulted in a dose-dependent decrease of fibronectin biosynthesis, both in the culture supernates and cell extracts. This inhibition mainly concerned cell membrane-associated fibronectin.Superoxide-dismutase or catalase could inhibit Na ascorbate-induced cytotoxicity and partially re-establish fibronectin biosynthesis. Desferrioxamine, ergothionein and vitamin E were inefficient.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that ascorbate decreases fibronectin biosynthesis of cultured human skin fibroblasts, thereby producing cell detachment and decreased proliferation. This effect is mainly mediated by the reactive oxygen species and can be inhibited by superoxide-dismutase and catalase.

The in vivo toxicity of carbon tetrachloride and carrageenan on heart microsomes: analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

We investigated the sensitivity of rat heart microsomes to free radical attack using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. This physico-chemical method seemed a valuable technique: quite sensitive to changes in the vibrational spectra. The spectral variations observed between normal and treated rats were in great part due to reactive oxygen species that led to changes in protein conformation involving β-sheets, aggregation of proteins, and modification of protein synthesis. Carrageenan-induced inflammation slightly enhanced the total lipid content; rearrangement of acyl chains and accumulation of cholesterol esters and phospholipids also occurred in the treated rats. Carbon tetrachloride induced a decrease in both lipid and protein contents. The level of glucidic substrates was diminished with carbon tetrachloride and enhanced with carrageenan; these changes were due to metabolic interactions between cell components and drugs. FT-IR spectroscopy provided an accurate means to monitor, in rat heart, the in vivo effects of inflammatory and peroxidative damages, to discriminate and classify the affected cells, and to correlate the findings with known physiological and biochemical data in close relationship with metabolic disruptions induced by the two xenobiotics. Key words: heart microsomes, carbon tetrachloride, carrageenan, peroxidation, FT-IR.

Relative efficacies of indole antioxidants in reducing autoxidation and iron-induced lipid peroxidation in hamster testes

Increased iron stores are associated with free radical generation and carcinogenesis. Lipid peroxidation is involved in DNA damage, thus indirectly participating in the early steps of tumor initiation. Melatonin and structurally related indoles are effective in protecting against oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to compare the relative efficacies of melatonin, N-acetylserotonin (NAS), indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), and 5-hydroxy-indole-3-acetic acid (5HIAA) in altering basal and iron-induced lipid peroxidation in homogenates of hamster testes. To determine the effect of the indoles on the autoxidation of lipids, homogenates were incubated in the presence of each agent in concentrations of 0.0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 2.0, 2.5, or 5.0 mM. To study their effects on induced lipid peroxidation, homogenates were incubated with FeSO(4) (30 microM + H(2)O(2) (0.1 mM) + each of the indoles in the same concentrations as above. The degree of lipid peroxidation was expressed as concentrations of malondialdehyde + 4-hydroxyalkenals (MDA + 4-HDA) per mg protein. The indoles decreased both basal and iron-related lipid peroxidation in a concentration-dependent manner. Melatonin reduced basal MDA + 4-HDA levels when used at the concentrations of 0.25 mM or higher, and prevented iron-induced lipid peroxidation at concentrations of 1.0, 2.0, 2.5, or 5.0 mM. The lowest effective concentrations of NAS required to lower basal and iron-related lipid peroxidation were 0.05 mM and 0.25 mM, respectively. IPA, only when used in the highest concentrations of 2.5 mM or 5 mM inhibited basal lipid peroxidation levels and it was ineffective on the levels of MDA + 4-HDA due to iron damage. 5HIAA reduced basal lipid peroxidation when used at concentrations of 0.25 mM or higher, and it prevented iron-induced lipid peroxidation only at the highest applied concentration (5 mM). In conclusion, melatonin and related indoles at pharmacological concentrations protect against both the autoxidation of lipids as well as induced peroxidation of lipids in testes. In doing so, these agents would be expected to reduce testicular cancer that is initiated by products of lipid peroxidation.

The effects of ascorbate and alpha-tocopherol on the NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation in human placental mitochondria

The effects of ascorbate and alpha-tocopherol as antioxidants and as co-operative factors against NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation in human placental mitochondria have been studied. The addition of ascorbate at low concentration (up to 50 microM) to the NADPH-generating system resulted in increasing lipid peroxidation and Fe3+ to Fe2+ reduction. High concentration of ascorbate (150 microM), which produced maximal rate of ascorbate-dependent lipid peroxidation, was found to inhibit almost completely NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation by maintaining too much iron in its reduced form. Either stimulatory or inhibitory effect of ascorbate on NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation depends on the appropriate Fe3+/Fe2+ ratio. Alpha-tocopherol caused a decrease of NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation, inhibiting completely this process at 150 microM concentration. The inhibitory effect of alpha-tocopherol increased rapidly with the increasing ascorbate concentration, almost complete inhibition of NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation being obtained at 25 microM alpha-tocopherol and 50 microM ascorbate. This strong inhibitory combined effect of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate was independent of the Fe3+/Fe2+ ratio, as alpha-tocopherol is not able to reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+ under the conditions employed. These findings suggest that antioxidant effects of ascorbate in placental mitochondria are mediated by recycling of alpha-tocopherol rather than by strong reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+. On the basis of the results obtained, we assume that adequate concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate in placental tissue may prevent the release of lipid peroxide from placental mitochondria and therefore could be protective against the development of preeclampsia.

Lipid oxidation deletes the nanodomain organization of artificial membranes

Nanoscopic domains with different crystal structures have been induced in closed artificial membranes and have been directly imaged by atomic force microscopy at a spatial resolution better than 0.3 nm. These observations provide experimental evidence to the hydrophobic mismatching theory of lateral phase separation phenomena. Under oxidant conditions, the lipid-lipid assembly reorganizes into a new steady-state structure with disappearance of specific nanodomains. This finding may contribute to understanding the mechanism of peroxidative damage to membrane properties. In fact, alterations of specific modes of molecular conformation and packing may lead to perturbation of specific properties.

Enhanced testicular antioxidant system by ascorbic acid in alloxan diabetic rats

The diabetic subject is at significantly increased risk of developing testicular changes. Its etiology may involve oxidative damage by free radicals and protection against such damage can be offered by antioxidant supplementation. Alloxan elicited significant inhibition of antioxidants including superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase activities and decreased glutathione content in testis. These effects were accompanied by significant elevation of testicular lipid peroxidation, decreased plasma testosterone level and a drop in copper and zinc concentrations in testis. The administration of ascorbic acid after alloxan treatment interfered and prevented alloxan action. Ascorbic acid blunted the increased testicular lipid peroxidation and the decreased plasma testosterone level probably by protecting antioxidants and the loss of copper and zinc from testes. The data suggested that ascorbic acid has a protective effect on alloxan-induced damage by maintaining the activity of cellular antioxidants.

Subcellular membrane impairment and application of phospholipase A2 inhibitors in endotoxic shock

The study aims at elucidating the mechanism involved in the cell dysfunction or impairment and the protective effects of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitors in endotoxin shock. Thirty-four rabbits were divided randomly into four groups: (1) normal control group (NC, n = 6), receiving saline intravenously; (2) endotoxin shock group (ES, n = 12), receiving 3 mg/kg of E. coli endotoxin; (3) chloroquine pretreated group (CQ, n = 8), receiving 3 mg/kg of chloroquine 3 min before endotoxin injection and (4) chlorpromazine pretreated group (CPZ, n = 8), receiving 0.3 mg/kg of chlorpromazine 30 min before endotoxin injection. Hepatic mitochondria were extracted either 8 h after commencement of the experiment or when the animals died for detecting PLA2 activity, membrane fluidity, membrane bound succinate dehydrogenate (SDH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Mitochondria of the lung, heart and kidney were also used for detection of the membrane fluidity. It was revealed that the survival rate of 8 h was 100% (NC), 58% (ES), 87.5% (CQ) and 75% (CPZ), respectively. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) dropped soon after endotoxin injection and descended continuously afterwards in the ES group (P < 0.01). Fluorescence polarization, microviscosity and anisotrophy with a DPH probe were elevated above control levels (P < 0.01). SDH was decreased obviously following endotoxin infusion (P < 0.01). Chloroquine and chlorpromazine, serving as PLA2 inhibitors, could abate cellular dysfunction and increase survival rate. It is proposed that PLA2 plays a pivotal role in cellular injury in endotoxin shock. PLA2 inhibitor might serve as a useful adjunct in combating sepsis and shock.

Reduction of lipid peroxidation in different brain regions by a combination of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid

Lipid peroxidation an outcome of free radicals activity has been hypothesized as one of the possible factor involved in the pathogenesis of neuronal damage. We investigated the effects of free radical scavengers, alpha-tocopherol (T) and ascorbic acid (A) combination (TA-combination) to attenuate tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BuOOH)-induced lipid peroxidation in different regions of mice brain. Examinations of effect of three regimens (100, 200, 300 mg/kg body weight) of t-BuOOH on mid brain, cerebellum, striatum, cortex and hippocampus revealed dose and time dependent increase in lipid peroxidation. We observed that prior supplementation of TA-combination reduced lipid peroxidation induced by t-BuOOH in every brain region. These findings suggest that TA-combination may play a vital role in protecting the brain tissue against free radicals.