Microcystin-RR induced apoptosis in tobacco BY-2 suspension cells is mediated by reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial permeability transition pore status

When tobacco BY-2 cells were treated with 60 mu g/mL MC-RR for 5 d, time-dependent effects of MC-RR on the cells were observed. Morphological changes such as abnormal elongation, evident chromatin condensation and margination, fragmentation of nucleus and formation of apoptotic-like bodies suggest that 60 mu g/mL MC-RR induced rapid apoptosis in tobacco BY-2 cells. Moreover, there was a significant and rapid increase of ROS level before the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta Psi(m)) and the onset of cell apoptosis. Ascorbic acid (AsA), a major primary antioxidant, prevented the increase of ROS generation, blocked the decrease in Delta Psi(m) and subsequent cell apoptosis, indicating a critical role of ROS in serving as an important signaling molecule by causing a reduction of Delta Psi(m) and MC-RR-induced tobacco BY-2 cell apoptosis. In addition, a specific mitochondrial permeability transition pores (PTP) inhibitor, cyclosporin A (CsA), significantly blocked the MC-RR-induced ROS formation, loss of Delta Psi(m), as well as cell apoptosis when the cells were MC-RR stressed for 3 d, suggesting that PTP is involved in 60 mu g/mL MC-RR-induced tobacco cell apoptosis signalling process. Thus, we concluded that the mechanism of MC-RR-induced apoptosis signalling pathways in tobacco BY-2 cells involves not only the excess generation of ROS and oxidative stress, but also the opening of PTP inducing loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Microcystin-RR-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species and alteration of antioxidant systems in tobacco BY-2 cells

Microcystins are cyclic heptapeptide hepatoxins produced by cyanobacteria. It has been shown that microcystins have adverse effects on animals and on plants as well. Previous researches also indicated that microcystins were capable of inducing oxidative damage in animals both in vivo and in vitro. In this study, tobacco BY-2 suspension cell line was applied to examine the effects of microcystin-RR on plant cells. Cell viability and five biochemical parameters including reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxide (GPX) and peroxide dismutase (POD) were investigated when cells were exposed to 50 mg/L microcystin-RR. Results showed that microcystin-RR evoked decline of the cell viability to approximately 80% after treating for 144 h. ROS levels, POD and GPX activities of the treated cells were gradually increased with a time dependent manner. Changes of SOD and CAT activities were also detected in BY-2 cells. After 168 h recovery, ROS contents, POD, GPX and CAT activities returned to normal levels. These results suggest that the microcystin-RR can cause the increase of ROS contents in plant cells and these changes led to oxidant stress, at the same time, the plant cells would improve their antioxidant abilities to combat mirocystin-RR induced oxidative injury. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzymes activity of Anabaena sp PCC 7120 (Cyanobacterium) under simulated microgravity

It was found that reactive oxygen species in Anabaena cells increased under simulated microgravity provided by clinostat. Activities of intracellular antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase were higher than those in the controlled samples during the 7 days' experiment. However, the contents of gluathione, an intracellular antioxidant, decreased in comparison with the controlled samples. The results suggested that microgravity provided by clinostat might break the oxidative/antioxidative balance. It indicated a protective mechanism in algal cells, that the total antioxidant system activity increased, which might play an important role for algal cells to adapt the environmental stress of microgravity. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of some reactive oxygen species scavengers based on the peroxidase-oxidase oscillator

This paper reports a new method for detection of ROS scavengers including superoxide dismutase, ascorbic acid and glutathione based on a 'probe' of peroxidase-oxidase biochemical oscillator. The oscillation period and amplitude change with different concentrations of scavengers. The linear ranges of superoxide dismutase, ascorbic acid and glutathione are respectively 1.56 x 10(-4)-1.56 x 10(-3) mg mL(-1), 1.75 x 10(-7) -1.75 x 10(-5) mol L-1 and 9.38 x 10(-7) -7.5 x 10(-5) mol L-1. The selectivity, linearity and precision for superoxide dismutase, ascorbic acid, and glutathione are presented and discussed. The results compared well with other standard methods for determination of superoxide dismutase, ascorbic acid and glutathione. Some possible steps in the overall reaction mechanisms are discussed.

Highly efficient photoluminescence of Er2SiO5 films grown by reactive magnetron sputtering method

E2SiO5 thin films were fabricated on Si substrate by reactive magnetron sputtering method with subsequent annealing treatment. The morphology properties of as-deposited films have been studied by scanning electron microscope. The fraction of erbium is estimated to be 23.5 at% based on Rutherford backscattering measurement in as-deposited Er-Si-O film. X-ray diffraction measurement revealed that Er2SiO5 crystalline structure was formed as sample treated at 1100 degrees C for 1 h in O-2 atmosphere. Through proper thermal treatment, the 1.53 mu m Er3+-related emission intensity can be enhanced by a factor of 50 with respect to the sample annealed at 800 degrees C. Analysis of pump-power dependence of Er3+ PL intensity indicated that the upconversion phenomenon could be neglected even under a high photon flux of 10(21) (photons/cm(2)/sec). Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) of Er2SiO5 was studied and showed a weak thermal quenching factor of 2. Highly efficienct photoluminescence of Er2SiO5 films has been demonstrated with Er3+ concentration of 10(22)/cm(3), and it opens a promising way towards future Si-based light source for Si photonics. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Room-temperature photoluminescence of ZnO/MgO multiple quantum wells deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering

Wurtzite ZnO/MgO superlattices were successfully grown on Si (001) substrates at 750 degrees C using radio-frequency reactive magnetron sputtering method. X-ray reflection and diffraction, electronic probe and photoluminescence analysis were used to characterize the multiple quantum wells (MQWs). The results showed the periodic layer thickness of the MQWs to be 1.85 to 22.3 nm. The blueshift induced by quantum confinement was observed. Least square fitting method was used to deduce the zero phonon energy of the exciton from the room-temperature photoluminescence. It was found that the MgO barrier layers has a much larger offset than ZnMgO. The fluctuation of periodic layer thickness of the MQWs was suggested to be a possible reason causing the photoluminescence spectrum broadening.

Structural and optical characterization of Zn1-xCdxO thin films deposited by dc reactive magnetron sputtering

Zn1-xCdxO crystal thin films with different compositions were prepared on silicon and sapphire substrates by the dc reactive magnetron sputtering technique. X-ray diffraction measurements show that the Zn1-xCdxO films are of completely (002)-preferred orientation for x less than or equal to 0.6. For x = 0.8, the Elm is a mixture of ZnO hexagonal wurtzite crystals and CdO cubic crystals. For pure CdO, it is highly (200) preferential-oriented. Photoluminescence spectrum measurement shows that the Zn1-xCdxO (x = 0.2) thin film has a redshift of 0.14 eV from that of ZnO reported previously.

Investigation on the origin of wurtzite domains in thick cubic GaN using reactive ion etching

We measured the depth profiling of photoluminescence (PL) in cubic GaN films. The depth-resolved PL of normal grown GaN layers showed that the near-band-edge luminescence intensities of both cubic and wurtzite domains remained constant only until an etching depth of up to 2.7 mu m, but their ratio remained unchanged at all etching depths. Moreover, when a thin In0.1Ga0.9N layer was sandwiched between two GaN layers, the content of the wurtzite domains increased, and its distribution showed a dependence on thickness. As the reactive ion etching depth increased, the PL intensity ratio of cubic GaN to wurtzite domains increased. Based on the distribution, the strain relaxation, instead of the instability of cubic GaN at high temperature, was attributed to the origin of wurtzite domains. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.