• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.9-20
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• 2023

The mechanism is unclear for the reported protective effect of hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning against oxidative stress in tissues, and the distinct effects of hyperbaric oxygen applied after stress. The trained mice were divided into three groups: the control, hyperbaric oxygenation preconditioning, and hyperbaric oxygenation applied after mild (fasting) or hard (prolonged exercise) stress. After preconditioning, we observed a decrease in basal levels of nitric oxide, tetrahydrobiopterin, and catalase despite the drastic increase in inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthases. Moreover, the basal levels of glutathione, related enzymes, and nitrosative stress only increased in the preconditioning group. The control and preconditioning groups showed a similar mild stress response of the endothelial and neuronal nitric oxide synthases. At the same time, the activity of all nitric oxide synthase, glutathione (GSH) in muscle, declined in the experimental groups but increased in control during hard stress. The results suggested that hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning provoked uncoupling of nitric oxide synthases and the elevated levels of GSH in muscle during this study, while hyperbaric oxygen applied after stress showed a lower level of GSH but higher recovery post-exercise levels in the majority of antioxidant enzymes. We discuss the possible mechanisms of the redox response and the role of the nitric oxide in this process.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.511-516
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• 2007

A glutathione S-transferase (GST) related to the phi (F) class of enzymes only found in plants has been cloned from the Oryza sativa. The GST cDNA was cloned by PCR using oligonucleotide primers based on the OsGSTF5 (GenBank Accession No. $\underline{AF309382}$) sequences. The cDNA was composed of a 669-bp open reading frame encoding for 223 amino acids. The deduced peptide of this gene shared on overall identity of 75% with other known phi class GST sequences. On the other hands, the OsGSTF5 sequence showed only 34% identity with the sequence of the OsGSTF3 cloned by our previous study (Cho et al., 2005). This gene was expressed in Escherichia coli with the pET vector system and the gene product was purified to homogeneity by GSH-Sepharose affinity column chromatography. The expressed OsGSTF5 formed a homo-dimer composed of 28 kDa subunit and its pI value was approximately 7.8. The expressed OsGSTF5 displayed glutathione conjugation activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane and glutathione peroxidase activity toward cumene hydroperoxide. The OsGSTF5 also had high activities towards the herbicides alachlor, atrazine and metolachlor. The OsGSTF5 was highly sensitive to inhibition by S-hexylGSH, benastatin A and hematin. We propose from these results that the expressed OsGSTF5 is a phi class GST and appears to play a role in the conjugation of herbicide and GPOX activity.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.212-218
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• 2005

Hepatoprotective effects of the extract of Kochiae fructus (KF), a traditional oriental medicinal plant, were evaluated against carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$)-induced liver damage in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control, $CCl_4,\;CCl_4$ plus methanol extract of KF (KFM-$CCl_4$), and $CCl_4$ plus butanol extract of KF (KFB-$CCl_4$) groups. KFM and KFB were orally administered once a day (200 mg/kg body weight) for 14 days. A mixture of 0.2 mL/100 g body weight of $CCl_4$ in olive oil was injected at 30 minutes after the final administration of KFM and KFB. The KFB pretreatment resulted in a significant decrease in the serum transaminase and lactic dehydrogenase levels in the $CCl_4$-treated rats. The $CCl_4$ treatment significantly lowered the activities of glutathione, glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). However, pretreatment with KFM and KFB resulted in a significant increase in the glutathione, GR and GST levels. KFB increased the activities of SOD, catalase and GSH-Px, but KFM did not alter them. Pretreatment with KFM and KFB resulted in a significant decrease in the production of aminopyrine N-demethylase in the $CCl_4$-treated rats. KF extract would appear to contribute to alleviate the adveISe effect of $CCl_4$ treatment by enhancing the hepatic antioxidant defense system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2009

This study was undertaken to evaluate how ${\beta}$-mercaptoethanol (bME), an exogenous antioxidant, interacts with preantral follicles cultured in vitro. Mouse primary or secondary follicles were cultured in glutathione (GSH)-free or GSH-containing medium supplemented with bME of various concentrations, and the growth of preantral follicles, the maturation of intrafollicular oocytes and preimplantation development after parthenogenesis were monitored. In experiment 1, 0, 25, 50 or 100 ${\mu}M$ bME was added to culture medium supplemented with 100 ${\mu}M$ GSH or not. When secondary follicles were cultured in GSH-free medium, no significant change in follicle growth was detected after bME addition. However, exposure to bME in the presence of GSH significantly inhibited both follicle growth and oocyte maturation. Such detrimental effect became prominent in primary follicles and bME strongly inhibited follicle growth in the absence of GSH. In conclusion, there are stage-dependent effects of bME on follicle growth and oocyte maturation, and selective use of antioxidants contributes to establishing an efficient follicle culture system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.381-386
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• 2008

Deep sea water was tested for cancer chemopreventive activity by measuring the activities of ${\beta}-$ naphthoflavone $({\beta}-NF)-induced$ cytochrome P 450 1A2 (CYP 1A2), quinone reductase (QR) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH) levels, and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. The in vitro incubation of rat liver microsome with deep sea water (a hardness range of $100{\sim}1,000$) showed a hardness-dependent inhibition of CYP 1A2 activity. QR and GST activities were induced about $1.1{\sim}1.2$ fold with the treatment of deep sea water in murine hepatoma Hepa 1clc7 cells. In addition GSH levels were increased $1.3{\sim}1.4$ fold in a hardness range of $100{\sim}1,000$. The deep sea water showed 20.3 and 35.0% inhibition of 12-O- tetradecanoylphorbol-13-a-cetate (TPA)-induced ODC activity at hardness 800 and 1,000, respectively. Therefore, deep sea water is worth further investigation with respect to cancer chemoprevention or therapy.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.397-405
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• 2023

Although glutathione (GSH) has been shown to play an important role in the prevention of oxidative damage as an antioxidant, studies on immune regulation by it have not been properly conducted. In this study, we investigated whether luthione^®, a reduced GSH, has an immune enhancing effect in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The results of flow cytometry and immunofluorescence experiments indicated that luthione increased phagocytic activity, a representative function of macrophages, compared to the control cells. According to the results of the cytokine array, the expression of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-1β, and IL-27 was significantly increased in the luthione-treated cells. Luthione also enhanced the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-1β through increased expression of their proteins, and increased release of the immune mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ was associated with increased expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. In addition, the expression of cluster of differentiation 86, an M1 macrophage marker, was dramatically enhanced in RAW 264.7 cells treated with luthione. Furthermore, as a result of heat map analysis, we found that cytokine signaling 1/3-mediated signal transducer and activator of transcription/Janus tyrosine kinase signaling pathway was involved in the immunomodulatory effect by luthione. In conclusion, our data suggested that luthione could act as a molecular regulator in M1 macrophage polarization and enhance immune capacity by promoting macrophage phagocytic function.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2009

In this study, we assessed the effects of Se-methylselenocysteine (MSC) pretreatment on the antioxidant system in the pancreas and the development of alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. The rats were treated with MSC at a dose of 0.75 mg/rat/day for 2 weeks. The MSC-treated rats evidenced significantly increased glutathione content, GSH/GSSG ratio, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GRd) activities in the pancreas. Diabetes was induced via alloxan injection. The alloxan-diabetic rats evidenced significantly reduced glutathione content and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity and increased catalase activity in the pancreas, when measured 3 days after the alloxan injection. 2-week MSC pretreatment was shown to prevent the alloxan-induced hyperglycemia as well as changes in glutathione content, G6PD activity, and catalase activity. The results of this study indicate that the prevention of alloxan-diabetes by MSC pretreatment is associated with its effects on antioxidants in the pancreas, namely, the increase in cellular content and the reduction of glutathione by the facilitation of glutathione recycling induced via increased GPx, GRd, and G6PD activities.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.159.3-160
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• 2003

It has been known that quercetin is one of bioflavonid compounds and has anti-tumor effect by suppressing tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, including multiple biological effects by antioxidant and effective anti-inflammatory agent. The present study investigated whether quercetin can enhance antioxidant enzyme activity (glutathione proxidase: GPX, superoxide dismutase: SOD, catalase: CAT) and regulate the intracellular reactive oxygen intermediate levels on the B16F10 murine melanoma cells in the presensece of vitamin E, L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and reduced glutathione (GSH). (omitted)

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.345-350
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• 2014

We investigate the effect of L-glutathione (GSH), an antioxidant, treatment during the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) procedures on the in vitro development and DNA methylation status of bovine SCNT embryos. Bovine in vitro matured (IVM) oocytes were enucleated and electrofused with a donor cell, then activated by a combination of Ca-ionophore and 6-dimethylaminopurine. The recipient oocytes or reconstituted oocytes were treated with $50{\mu}M$ GSH during these SCNT procedures from enucleation to activation treatment. The SCNT embryos were cultured for 7 days to evaluate the in vitro development, apoptosis and DNA methylation in blastocysts. The apoptosis was measured by TUNEL assay and caspase-3 activity assay. Methylated DNA of SCNT embryos at the blastocyst stages was detected using a 5-methylcytidine (5-MeC) antibody. The developmental rate to the blastocyst stage was significantly higher (P<0.05) in GSH treatment group ($32.5{\pm}1.2%$, 78/235) than that of non-treated control SCNT embryos ($22.3{\pm}1.8%$, 50/224). TUNEL assay revealed that the numbers of apoptotic cells in GSH treatment group ($2.3{\pm}0.4%$) were significantly lower (P<0.05) than that of control ($3.8{\pm}0.6%$). Relative caspase-3 activity of GSH treated group was $0.8{\pm}0.06$ fold compared to that of control. DNA methylation status of blastocysts in GSH treatment group ($13.1{\pm}0.5$, pixels/embryo) was significantly lower (P<0.05) than that of control ($17.4{\pm}0.9$, pixels/embryo). These results suggest that antioxidant GSH treatment during SCNT procedures can improve the embryonic development and reduce the apoptosis and DNA methylation level of bovine SCNT embryos, which may enhance the nuclear reprogramming of bovine SCNT embryos.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 1998

To investigate the role of oviductal environment in early mammalian development, we examined the effects of bovine oviductal fluid (bOF) on the development of mouse 2-cell embryos in vitro. All of the embryos cultured in medium containing 5% or more of bOF underwent degeneration after 48 hr, whereas only 5% of embryos cultured in the absence of bOF degenerated. When bOF was heated at 65 \circ C for 30 min and then added to the culture medium, the embryotoxic effect of bOF was not removed at all such that none of the embryos remained alive after 48 hr. However, when bOF heated at 90 \circ C for 30 min was added to the culture, nearly most (95%) of embryos was alive. Similarly, pretreatment of bOF with 0.1% chymotrypsin for 1 hr or overnight following heating at 65 \circ C resulted in the development of 95.5% of mouse 2-cell embryos to early blastula after 48 hr culture in the presence of treated bOF. Interestingly addition of an anti-oxidant removed the evbryotoxic effect of bOF so that 91.0% of 2-cell embryos developed to morulae or blastulae in the presence of both 5% bOF and 10 mM of glutathione (GSH) after 48 hr culture. Neither oxidized form of GSH (GSSG) nor other antioxidants, however, could support the embryonic development in the presence of bOF. From these results, it is suggested that bOF contains a protein-like factor(s) which becomes embryotoxic by exposing in vitro, probably via oxidation reaction.