The aim of this study was to assess the effects of DL-homocysteine (DL-Hcy) and DL-homocysteine thiolactone (DL-Hcy TLHC) on selected serum biochemical parameters, markers of oxidative stress and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD)) in the plasma, as well as on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the cardiac tissue homogenate in the rat. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups as follows: control group (1 mL 0.9% NaCl, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection), DL-Hcy group (8 mmol/kg body mass (b.m.), i.p.) or DL-Hcy TLHC group (8 mmol/kg b.m., i.p.). One hour after administration, the rats were euthanized, whole blood was collected for biochemical analysis, and the heart was excised. Following the i.p. administration of DL-Hcy and DL-Hcy TLHC, the activities of antioxidant enzymes were mostly significantly increased, while plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) was decreased. Administration of DL-Hcy and DL-Hcy TLHC significantly inhibited AChE activity in rat cardiac tissue. Our findings suggest that DL-Hcy and DL-Hcy TLHC exerted prooxidant effects; however, the decrease in MDA points to an inverse response to the increase in antioxidant enzyme activities. While both substances inhibited AChE activity in rat cardiac tissue, DL-Hcy TLHC induced stronger effects than DL-Hcy.

Vinclozolin is one of the environmental contaminants, that has been shown to induce reproductive abnormalities in male rats. The aim of this study was to explore the adverse effects of vinclozolin on testicular oxidative stress in rats. Adult (100 day old) Wistar rats were injected inperitoneally with 1, 5 and 10 mg/kg bw vinclozolin on days 1, 7, 14 and 21 and maintained up to 50 days. The animals were killed by cervical dislocation at the end of maintainance period. Testes were isolated, cleared from adhering tissue/fluid and used to analyze oxidative status. A significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation was observed in the testis of vinclozolin exposed rats when compared with control rats. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the activity levels of antioxidant enzymes such as, superoxide dismutase, catalase was observed in the testis of vinclozolin treated rats when compared to control rats. The results were indicated that exposure to vinclozolin induces oxidative stress in the testis by increasing lipid peroxidation and decreasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes in rats. Our findings are consistent with a major role for accumulated free radical damage in the disruption of spermatogenic process in vinclozolin exposed rats thereby affects reproduction.

Vinclozolin (3-(3-5-dichlorophenyl)-5-methyl-oxazolidine-2,4-dione) is extensively used in the viticulture, agriculture and commercial horticulture to control several fungal pathogens and has been shown to induce reproductive abnormalities in male rats, causing reduced fertility. The mechanism of action of vinclozolin on male reproductive system is not clear. In the present study we investigated whether prenatal administration of vinclozolin induces oxidative stress in the testes and changes in sperm quality and quantity in epididymis in adult male rats. Pregnant rats were injected with 1, 5 and 10 mg vinclozolin/Kg body weight on 1st, 7th and 14th day of pregnancy and allowed to deliver. Male pups were maintained up to postnatal day 100 and used for assessing testicular and epididymal toxicity. Embryonic exposure to vinclozolin significantly decreased in the sperm density, number of motile sperm, viable sperm and HOS tail coiled sperm in adult rats. Significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation with a significant reduction in the activity levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase in testis was observed in rats exposed to vinclozolin during embryonic development. It can be concluded that prenatal exposure to vinclozolin induced oxidative stress in testis of adult rats thereby decreases the sperm quantity and deteriorates sperm quality.

Effects of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate and sodium dodecyl sulfate on the Mytilus galloprovincialis biomarker system. Liu B., Z. Yu, X. Song, F. Yang - Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2009. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2009.12.011 | How to Cite or Link Using DOI Crown copyright © 2009 Published by Elsevier Inc. Bo Liu a, b, Corresponding Author Contact Information, E-mail The Corresponding Author, Zhiming Yu a, Xiuxian Song a and Fei Yang b a Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology & Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China b Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization in Liaoning Province’s University, Dalian Fisheries University, Dalian 116023, China Received 3 August 2009; revised 3 December 2009; accepted 6 December 2009. Available online 31 December 2009. Abstract: The effects of in vivo exposure of Mytilus galloprovincialis to two anionic surfactants (SDBS and SDS) on the molecular biomarker system were studied. After continuous exposure for 72 days, activities/levels of GST, GPx and GSH were significantly higher than in corresponding control groups following exposure to 3.000 mg/L SDS and SDBS. Activities of SOD and CAT were significantly inhibited by experimental SDBS (except CAT in 0.100 mg/L group), but not by SDS. Statistical analysis of enzyme activities/levels suggested that there were significant positive relationships between GST and GPx, and negative relationships were found between GSH and CAT, GSH and SOD. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) results showed that a greater genotoxic effect was observed for SDBS than for SDS. Based on the above results, the biomarker system of mussels can be affected by the two anionic surfactants (≥3.000 mg/L); it was more easily affected by SDBS than by SDS. Fragment of the text: With large discharges of anionic surfactants every year, the effects of anionic surfactants on antioxidant enzymes of bivalve/fish have attracted more and more recent attention (Guilhermino et al., 2000; Ostroumov, 2003; da Silva and Meirelles, 2004; Romanelli et al., 2004; Wu et Keywords: Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS); Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS); Mytilus galloprovincialis; Biomarker; Antioxidant enzymes; Genotoxicity; Metabolism Article Outline: 1. Introduction 2. Materials and methods 2.1. Site description 2.2. Experimental organisms and chemicals 2.3. Experimental setup 2.3.1. Exposure experiment protocol 2.3.2. Biochemical indices analysis 2.3.2.1. Supernatant preparation 2.3.2.2. Measurement of the indices 2.3.2.3. Statistical analysis 2.3.3. DNA extraction and AFLP analysis 3. Results 3.1. Biochemical responses of mussels subjected to various treatments and pearson correlation coefficients between the indices detected in M. galloprovincialis 3.2. AFLP analysis 4. Discussion 4.1. Biochemical indices analysis 4.1.1. Phase II enzymes and cofactors 4.1.2. Oxidative stress parameters 4.1.3. Immunological parameters 4.2. Genotoxic parameter 5. Conclusion Acknowledgements References Thumbnail image Fig. 1. Map of the Jiaozhou Bay with locations of sampling stations. View Within Article Thumbnail image Fig. 2. Examples of AFLP pattern obtained comparing DNA from control (2) and treated (1) SDS 3.0 or (3) SDBS 3.0, using E35-M62. View Within Article Thumbnail image Fig. 3. Dendrogram, computed with SM index, defining genetic differences due to DNA sequences, between SDS 3.0 (1), SDBS 3.0 (3) and control (2). View Within Article Table 1. Sequences of primers used for AFLP analysis. View table in article View Within Article Table 2. Biochemical response (mean with standard deviation in parenthesis) of mussels subjected to various treatments and analysis. C, control; SDS, sodium dodecyl sulfate; SDBS, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate. View table in article GSH is reported as nmol/mg protein; GST is reported as nmol GSH consumed/mg protein/min; GPx is reported as μmol NADPH oxidized/mg protein/min; SOD is reported as U/mg protein/min; CAT is reported as ln(A1/A2)/(t2−t1)/mg protein; AKP is reported as mg phenol/mg protein/15 min; iNOS is reported as nmol NO/mg protein/min. *p<0.05, denotes statistically significantly different from the control group. View Within Article Table 3. Pearson correlation coefficients between the indices detected in Mytilus galloprovincialis (effect of SDS-above diagonal; effect of SDBS-below diagonal). View table in article (**p<0.01, *p<0.05) View Within Article Corresponding author at: Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization in Liaoning Province’s University, Dalian Fisheries University, Dalian 116023, China. ...
Effects of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate and sodium dodecyl sulfate on the Mytilus galloprovincialis biomarker system. Liu B., Z. Yu, X. Song, F. Yang - Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2009. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2009.12.011