Suat Erdogan

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) exhibits significant potential as an antidiabetic and liver-protective agent in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) was screened for hypoglycemic and liver-protective activity in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was established by single dose STZ injection (45 mgkg(-1) bw, i.p.) for 48h. CAPE was injected at doses of 10, 20 and 30 microM kg(-1) bw day(-1) (i.p.) to the rats in CAPEI, CAPEII and CAPEIII groups 2 days after induction of diabetes and continued for 60 days, thereafter. It was found that diabetes down-regulated the expressions of glucokinase (7.8-fold) and pyruvate kinase (6.4-fold) in comparison to control, however, phoshoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA levels were up-regulated by 2.2-fold. CAPE treatments enhanced the expressions of glucokinase (3.4-14.9-folds), and pyruvate kinase (3.2-12.8-folds) mRNAs in diabetic rats. However, phoshoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA expression was decreased by CAPE to varying degrees (1.2-5.5-fold). CAPE increased ( approximately 2-fold) the level of plasma insulin previously decreased by STZ treatment. Here we demonstrate that CAPE significantly decreased the fasting blood levels of glucose, alanine aminotransferase, cholesterol, and triglyceride induced by diabetes. CAPE increased the liver glycogen level lowered by diabetes. In histopathological evaluation of the liver, CAPE treatments were seen to reduce necrosis and anisonucleosis in hepatocytes, and connective tissue elevated in the portal region by diabetes. CAPE exhibits a significant potential as an antidiabetic agent by suppressing hepatic glucose output via inducing mRNA expression of glucokinase and pyruvate kinase, whilst inhibiting phoshoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in diabetes. CAPE also has the ability to decrease the harmful effects of diabetes on the liver of rats.

Effects of ascorbic acid on cadmium-induced oxidative stress and performance of broilers.

The effects of cadmium on performance, antioxidant defense system, liver and kidney functions, and cadmium accumulation in selected tissues of broiler chickens were studied. Whether the possible adverse effects of cadmium would reverse with the antioxidant ascorbic acid was also investigated. Hence, 4 treatment groups (3 replicates of 10 chicks each) were designed in the study: control, ascorbic acid, cadmium, and cadmium plus ascorbic acid. Cadmium was given via the drinking water at a concentration of 25 mg/L for 6 wk. Ascorbic acid was added to the basal diet at 200 mg/kg either alone or with cadmium. Cadmium decreased the body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and feed efficiency (FE) significantly at the end of the experiment, wheras its effect on feed consumption (FC) was not significant. Cadmium increased the plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) level as an indicator of lipid peroxidation and lowered the activity of blood superoxide dismutase (SOD). Liver function enzymes, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities were not changed by cadmium. Cadmium ingestion did not alter serum creatinine levels. Although the serum cadmium level was not elevated, cadmium mainly accumulated in the kidneys, liver, pancreas, and muscle. Ascorbic acid supplementation resulted in a reduction of MDA level previously increased by cadmium and a restoration in SOD activity. However, ascorbic acid did not ameliorate the growth inhibitory effect of cadmium nor did it prevent accumulation of cadmium in analyzed tissues. These data indicate that oxidative stress, induced by cadmium, plays a role in decreasing the performance of broilers and that dietary supplementation by ascorbic acid might be useful in reversing the lipid peroxidation induced by cadmium and partly alleviating the adverse effect of cadmium on performance of broilers.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Effects of dietary supplementation of synbiotics and phytobiotics on performance, caecal coliform population and some oxidant/antioxidant parameters of broilers

The current study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of synbiotics and phytobiotics on performance, small intestine weight, pH and caecal coliform counts of broilers. The influences of synbiotics and phytobiotics on oxidant/antioxidant status in the blood of broilers were also assessed. A total of 200 broiler chicks were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments, either fed a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 1 g/kg synbiotic, 1 g/kg phytobiotic or 1 g/kg synbiotic plus 1 g/kg phytobiotic. The diet supplemented with both synbiotic and phytobiotic had no effect on body weight, body weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency of broilers at the end of the study (p > 0.05). Neither small intestine weight nor pH was affected by any of the treatments. Supplementation of both synbiotic and phytobiotic to diet decreased the caecal coliform count (p < 0.01). Addition of synbiotics and phytobiotics in combination significantly increased plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (p ≤ 0.05), whereasphytobiotic addition alone showed only a slight increase. Similarly, elevated nitric oxide (NO) level was recorded in the synbiotic- and phytobiotic-fed group and in the phytobiotic-fed group (p ≤ 0.001). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities did not differ between the groups. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of synbiotic and phytobiotic improved the gut health by decreasing the caecal total coliform count, but growth performance was not affected by the supplementations. Further investigations are needed to determine the effects of phytobiotics on oxidative/antioxidative metabolism as regards their compositional analysis.

Assessing the effects of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid in the cholinergic synapses of the stellate cells of the mouse cochlear nucleus using whole-cell patch-clamp recording

Imidacloprid (IMI) is widely used systemic insecticide that acts as an agonist on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). IMI has been reported to be more active against insect nAChRs (EC(50) 0.86-1 microM) than it is against mammalian nAChRs (EC(50) 70 microM). The objective of this study was to determine to what extent IMI affects the nAChRs of the stellate cells of mouse cochlear nucleus (CN), using whole-cell patch-clamp recording. Puff application of 1 microM IMI had no significant effect on the membrane properties of the neurons tested, while a concentration of 10 microM caused a significant depolarizing shift in the membrane potential and resulted in increases in the fluctuation of the membrane potential and in the frequency of miniature postsynaptic potentials (mpps) within less than a minute of exposure. IMI at concentrations >or=50 microM caused a significant depolarizing shift in the membrane potential, accompanied by a marked increase in the frequency of action potential. IMI decreased the membrane input resistance and the membrane time constants. Bath application of 50 microM d-tubocurarine (d-TC) reversibly blocked the depolarizing shift of the resting membrane potential and the spontaneous firing induced by IMI application in current clamp and blocked the inward currents through nicotinic receptors induced by IMI application in voltage clamp. Similarly, 100 nM alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BgTx) blocked the spontaneous firing induced by IMI (n=3). The amplitude of the 100 microM IMI-induced inward current at -60 mV holding potential was 115.0+/-16.2 pA (n=7). IMI at a concentration of 10 microM produced 11.3+/-3.4 pA inward current (n=4). We conclude that exposure to IMI at concentrations >or=10 microM for <1 min can change the membrane properties of neurons that have nAChRs and, as a consequence, their function.

Seasonal and Locational Effects on Serum, Milk, Liver and Kidney Chromium, Manganese, Copper, Zinc, and Iron Concentrations of Dairy Cows

Chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) concentrations were quantified in serum (n=112), milk (n=112), liver (n=70), and kidney samples (n=67) of dairy cows from an iron-steel processing region (Payas-Iskenderun) and from an area free of industrial pollution (Antakya) in Hatay, located in Southern Turkey. Samples were collected in the summer and winter and element determinations were carried out by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The mean concentrations of selected elements in serum were found to be similar in both regions. Milk samples collected from the nonindustrial region in the summer had higher Cr, Mn, and Zn concentrations than the polluted region. The liver Cu and kidney Mn levels of samples taken from the industrial region in winter were higher than samples of the unpolluted region. Copper and Fe concentrations in milk, Cr, Mn, Zn, and Fe levels in the liver, and Cr, Cu, Zn, and Fe levels in kidney samples were not found to be different among the regions in both seasons. Copper concentrations were below the critical level in the 25% of serum and 32% of liver samples analyzed in this study. Fifteen percent of serum samples and most of the liver samples had lower amounts of Zn than other reported studies. Although slight differences were observed between the industrial and nonindustrial regions, industrial activities and seasonal changes had no significant effect on selected element concentrations on cows and their milk.

Evaluation of oxidative stress and inflammation in long term Brucella melitensis infection

The Brucella genus is able to cause chronic infection in a wide range of mammals including humans. Oxidative events, lipid peroxidation and inflammatory response against Brucella infection have not yet been well elucidated in vivo. We have investigated oxidative/antioxidative status and nitric oxide production in plasma, brain, liver and spleen during a 60 day period of B. melitensis infection in a rat model. In addition, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-10, IL-12, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha mRNA transcriptions were analyzed by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) in brain samples. Animals were infected with B. melitensis and sacrificed at 7th, 15th, 30th, 45th and 60th day of post-inoculation. Malondialdehyde (MDA), as an indicator of lipid peroxidation, and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations were significantly increased after Brucella inoculation and began to decline to basal levels from 45th day in plasma, liver and spleen. However, iNOS transcription was not induced during the infection period in brains. In contrast, MDA level was increased in brain during the late phase of infection without any change in NO production. The infection did not alter the antioxidant enzyme activities in the tissues; although significantly increased catalase activity was observed between days 30 and 45 in the liver. Transcription analyses demonstrated that IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-gamma mRNA level were not induced in the brain. Only TNF-alpha mRNA was weakly up-regulated in brain 30 days after pathogen inoculation. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that B. melitensis induces lipid peroxidation and NO production in the liver and spleen in the early days of infection, but that these levels subsequently decline. Moreover, Brucella does not appear to induce antioxidant enzyme activities and inflammation during two months of infection. However, the pathogen does stimulate cerebral lipid peroxidation in the late phase of infection without causing significant inflammation.

Effect of Lycopene Administration on Plasma Glucose, Oxidative Stress and Body Weight in Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats

Abstract Duzguner, V., Kucukgul, A., Erdogan, S., Celik, S. and Sahin, K. 2008. Effect of lycopene administration on plasma glucose, oxidative stress and body weight in streptozotocin diabetic rats. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 33: 17–20. To evaluate the role of lycopene, a carotenoid antioxidant, on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, 12 female rats received a single intraperitonial injection of STZ at a dose of 45 mg/kg body weight of which 6 were given 10 mg/kg lycopene orally (test group) once daily for 21 days. The administration of STZ caused a significant increase in plasma glucose and decrease in body weight. The supplementation of lycopene significantly reduced diabetic plasma glucose level by 25% and prevented body weight loss starting from 14th day of lycopene administration. Although tissue lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide (NO) levels were unchanged, lycopene administration significantly reduced diabetes-elevated lipid peroxidation and NO in plasma. It was concluded that lycopene supplementation may be valuable for correcting hyperglycemia and preventing diabetic complications caused by lipid peroxidation and free radicals.

Preventive effect of rolipram, a phosphodiesterase 4 enzyme inhibitor, on oxidative renal injury in acute ascending pyelonephritis model in rats.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effects of rolipram, a phosphodiesterase 4 enzyme inhibitor, on Escherichia coli-induced renal oxidative damage in an acute pyelonephritis (PYN) rat model. METHODS A total of 35 male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 7 groups (n = 5) as follows: control (uninfected), PYN 24 hours, PYN 48 hours, PYN 72 hours, PYN + rolipram 24 hours, PYN + rolipram 48 hours, and PYN + rolipram 72 hours. Ascending PYN was induced in the study groups by E. coli inoculation into the bladder, and the urethras were then occluded by collodium for 4 hours. Rolipram injections (1 mg/kg) were started before bacterial inoculation and repeated at 24-hour intervals in the PYN + rolipram groups until death. The rats were killed at the indicated times. Malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were determined in kidney homogenates. Histopathologic examinations were also performed. RESULTS Tissue malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were significantly increased in the kidneys from the PYN groups. However, rolipram administration reduced renal malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels and enhanced superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. The histopathologic examinations demonstrated that rolipram treatment reduced the inflammation grade in the kidney specimens. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study have shown that rolipram has a protective effect on renal tissue from E. coli-induced oxidative injury. Therefore, phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors might be a novel therapeutic option for the prevention and/or management of acute PYN.

Cisplatin reduces Brucella melitensis-infected cell number by inducing apoptosis, oxidant and pro-inflammatory cytokine production

Brucella species are able to survive and replicate within the phagocytic cells and cause chronic infections in domestic animals and humans. Modulation of programmed cell death by Brucella spp. may be one of the reasons of the chronicity of the infection. In this study, whether cisplatin treatment, an apoptotic anticancer agent, would enhance the host resistance against Brucella melitensis-infected human macrophage-like cells was investigated. The infection neither induced inflammation nor oxidative stress. But, Brucella caused a decrease in infected macrophage viability of 36% at 48 h postinfection (p.i.) as compared with uninfected cells. Treatment of infected macrophages with 20 microM cisplatin for 48 h caused a large increase in nitric oxide (NO) levels in a time-dependent manner via induction of iNOS transcription. Cisplatin also enhanced glutathione peroxidase, myeloperoxidase and xanthine oxidase activities, providing evidence of generation of reactive free radicals. N-acetylcysteine was able to decrease cisplatin-induced NO, and prevented the agent-induced apoptosis, similar to effects found in l-NAME (N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester) treatment. Cisplatin stimulated inflammation through the induction of TNF-alpha and IL-12 secretion, and down-regulated Brucella-stimulated IL-10 transcription. The number of infected cells and their viability were decreased by 80% at 48 h p.i. by cisplatin in comparison with infected cells. Similar to this result, cisplatin treatment resulted in reduced intracellular CFU of B. melitensis being reduced by 80% at 48 h p.i. These findings demonstrate that pharmacological agents such as cisplatin may be considered to influence immune responses and apoptosis to help decrease Brucella-infected cell number.