Magdolna Ábrahám

Biochemical and morphological changes in carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) liver following exposure to copper sulfate and tannic acid

As a consequence of human activity various toxicants reach the aquatic ecosystems; humics may interact with them and may change their toxicity. Many fish are exposed to a considerable concentration of humics and pollutants. Because of paucity of data on the biochemical action of tannins in the presence of the fungicide CuSO4 a comparative study was undertaken. The alterations of redox-parameters in carp liver were monitored and tissue necrosis was followed by measuring the plasma transaminase activities and by electron microscopy. Tannic acid, a representative phenolic/humic compound, exerted prooxidant effects in carp, which may be partially due to formation of prooxidant intermediates/end-products via its biotransformation. Alternatively, tannic acid may partially inhibit the antioxidant enzymes of fish. The response to CuSO4 was more severe. Although tannic acid alone acted as a prooxidant in fish, electron micrographs demonstrated that it reduced the necrotizing effect of copper, which may be due to the complexing activity of tannic acid with the biomolecules of the hepatocytes and to the H2O2-degrading activity of tannin-CuSO4 combination. Our results indicate that the heavy metal-detoxifying capacity of tannin may be significant; however, tannin-exposure alone or combined with metals may be toxic for fish due to enzyme inhibition and oxidative stress induction.

Tissue- and stressor-specific differential expression of two hsc70 genes in carp

Two genes expressing 70 kDa heat shock proteins were identified in Cyprinus carpio. The sequence similarities and the intron-interrupted structure of the coding regions indicate that carp Hsc70-1 and Hsc70-2 belong to the Hsp70 cognate subfamily. The expressions of the two hsc70 genes were followed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Both genes are expressed under unstressed conditions in a characteristic tissue-specific manner. Inducibility of the response to elevated temperature, cold shock, and Cd treatment was investigated in the liver and muscle, in whole-animal experiments. Both genes were insensitive to or only weakly induced by the stressors, with two exceptions: Cd treatment resulted in an 11-13-fold enhanced induction of hsc70-1 in the liver and cold shock enhanced induction of hsc70-2 in the muscle by 7.5-10-fold.

Identification of two hsp90 genes in carp.

Two hsp90 cDNA isoforms (hsp90alpha and hsp90beta) were isolated from the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Gene-specific probes and primers were selected and used in Northern blot hybridization and RT-PCR reactions to measure the basal hsp90 mRNA levels and to follow the inducer-specific expression of the hsp90 genes in different tissues during in vivo studies. The hsp90beta gene is largely constitutively expressed at a fairly high level in all the examined tissues (brain, liver and kidney) and is slightly inducible by an elevated temperature. Hsp90alpha mRNA is present in the brain, but is hardly detectable in the kidney and liver of unstressed animals. In the brain, this gene is greatly upregulated following thermal stress, whereas in the liver and kidney heat shock has only minor effects on its expression. Hsp90alpha, but not hsp90beta, responds to an elevated level of Cd in a dose-, time- and tissue-dependent manner.

Characterization and comparison of soluble and immobilized pig muscle aldolases.

Pig muscle aldolase was insolubilized by covalent attachment to a polyacrylamide matrix containing carboxylic functional groups. The catalytic activity of the Akrilex C-aldolase was 2014 units/g solid, i.e., an activity loss of only about 5% relative to the initial activity. The pH optimum for catalytic activity shifted form 7.25 to 7.5 and the apparent temperature optimum from 313 to 318 K. The Michaelis constant of the insolubilized enzyme was significantly higher than that of the soluble aldolase. Heat- and urea-inactivation experiments revealed that the immobilization increased the stability of the enzyme.

Comparative studies on soluble and immobilized yeast hexokinase

Comparative studies have been carried out on soluble and immobilized yeast hexokinase (ATP: D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1). The enzyme was immobilized by covalent attachment to a polyacrylamide type support containing carboxylic functional groups. The effects of immobilization on the catalytic properties and stability of hexokinase were studied. As a result of immobilization, the pH optimum for catalytic activity was shifted in the alkaline direction to ∼pH 9.7. The apparent optimum temperature of the immobilized enzyme was higher than that of the soluble enzyme. The apparent Km value with D-glucose as substrate increased, while that with ATP as substrate decreased, compared with the data for the soluble enzyme. Differences were found in the thermal inactivation processes and stabilities of the soluble and immobilized enzymes. The resistance to urea of the soluble enzyme was higher at alkaline pH values, while that for the immobilized enzyme was greatest at ∼pH 6.0.

Effects of Kupffer cell blockade on the hepatic expression of metallothionein and heme oxygenase genes in endotoxemic rats with obstructive jaundice.

AIMS Heme oxygenase (HO) and metallothionein (MT) genes are rapidly upregulated in the liver by pro-inflammatory cytokines and/or endotoxin as protection against cellular stress and inflammation. Gadolinium chloride (GdCl₃)-induced Kupffer cell blockade has beneficial consequences in endotoxemia following bile duct ligation. Herein we further characterized the effects of Kupffer cell inhibition on the activation of the antioxidant defense system (HO and MT gene expressions, and antioxidant enzyme activities) in response to endotoxemia and obstructive jaundice. MAIN METHODS The isoform-specific expression of MT and HO genes was assessed (RT-PCR) in rat livers following 3-day bile duct ligation, 2-h lipopolysaccharide treatment (1mg/kg) or their combination, with or without GdCl₃ pretreatment (10 mg/kg, 24h before endotoxin). Lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities were also assessed. KEY FINDINGS All these challenges induced similar extents of DNA damage, whereas the lipid peroxidation increased only when endotoxemia was combined with biliary obstruction. The MT and HO mRNA levels displayed isoform-specific changes: those of MT-1 and HO-2 did not change appreciably, whereas those of MT-2 and HO-1 increased significantly in 2-h endotoxemia, with or without obstructive jaundice. Among the enzymes reflecting the endogenous protective mechanisms, the catalase and copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase levels decreased, while that of Mn-SOD slightly increased. Interestingly, GdCl₃ alone induced lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and MT-2 expression. In response to GdCl₃, HO-1 induction was significantly lower in each model. SIGNIFICANCE Despite its moderate hepatocellular toxicity, the ameliorated stress-induced hepatic reactions provided by GdCl₃ may contribute to its protective effects.

Isolation and characterization of pig muscle aldolase. a comparative study

Aldolase with a specific activity of 10.8 units/mg protein was isolated from pig muscle. Its molecular weight was found to be 150,000. The optimum pH for the catalytic activity was 7.25 and the apparent temperature optimum was 313 K. The Km value was 2.9 X 10(-5) M with FDP as substrate, and 2.8 X 10(-3) M with F1P as substrate. The thermal stability of this pig muscle enzyme was higher than that of the rabbit muscle enzyme. The thermal inactivation of the pig aldolase did not show simple first-order kinetics. The higher conformational stability of the pig aldolase than that of the rabbit enzyme was demonstrated by its higher resistance to the denaturing effect of urea.

Analytical Separation of Reduced and Oxidized Forms of Glutathione from Amino Acid Mixtures by Overpressured Thin-Layer Chromatography

Abstract A new method has been developed for the separation of reduced and oxidized forms of glutathione from amino acid mixtures. The samples were spotted on Kieselgel plates and developed in phenol-water = 7:3 containing SDS. The separation was performed in pressurized ultramicro chamber. The running time was shorter than that in a normal chamber, decreasing the possibility of diffusion. In addition to the two forms of glutathione, nine different kinds of amino acids could be separated. The method affords a possibility for rapid analysis of two forms of glutathione both in the clinical and industrial practice.

Application of an immobilized glucose oxidase-peroxidase system for the determination of glucose in fish blood sera

Abstract An immobilized enzyme reactor usable in a flow injection system has been developed for the dtermination of glucose concentration in biological fluids. The system is suitable for continuous analyses of the glucose level in fish blood serum, proposed as a sensitive indicator of environmental stress.

Immobilization of pig muscle aldolase on a silica-based support

Pig muscle aldolase was covalently attached to a silica-based support possessing aldehyde functional groups. The activity of the immobilized enzyme was 37 U/g solid, and the specific activity calculated on a bound protein basis was 1.9 U/mg protein. The optimum pH for the catalytic activity was pH 7.5. The apparent optimum temperature was found to be 45°C. The Km app value of the immobilized aldolase with D-fructose 1,6-diphosphate as substrate was 1.25 ×10-4M. The conformational stability was improved by the immobilization. The immobilized aldolase was used for the continuous splitting of D-fructose 1,6-diphosphate.