The response of antioxidant systems in Nostoc sphaeroides against UV-B radiation and the protective effects of exogenous antioxidants

UV radiation is one of many harmful factors found in space that are detrimental to organisms on earth in space exploration. In the present work, we examined the role of antioxidant system in Nostoc sphaeroides Kutz (Cyanobacterium) and the effects of exogenously applied antioxidant molecules on its photosynthetic rate under UV-B radiation. It was found that UV-B radiation promoted the activity of antioxidant system to protect photosystem 11 (PSII) and exogenously applied antioxidant: sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) had an obvious protection on PSII activity under UV-B radiation. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6), peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7) and content of NIDA (malondialdehyde) and ASC (ascorbate) were improved by 0.5 mM and 1 mM SNP, but 0.1 mM SNP decreased the activity of antioxidant system. Addition of exogenous NAC decreased the activity of SOD, POD, CAT and the content MDA and ASC. In contrast, exogenously applied NAC increased GSH content. The results suggest that exogenous SNP and NAC may protect algae by different mechanisms: SNP may play double roles as both sources of reactive free radicals as well as ROS scavengers in mediating the protective role of PSII on algae under UV-B radiation. On the other hand, NAC functions as an antioxidant or precursor of glutathione, which could protect PSII directly from UV-B radiation. (c) 2007 COSPAR, Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The involvement of the antioxidant system in protection of desert cyanobacterium Nostoc sp against UV-B radiation and the effects of exogenous antioxidants

In this study, we found that UV-B radiation decreased photosynthetic activity and boosted lipid peroxidation of desert Nostoc sp., and exogenous chemicals (ascorbate acid (ASC), N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)) had obvious protective effects on photosynthesis and membranes under UV-B radiation. High-concentration SNP boosted the activities of antioxidant enzymes, but low-concentration SNP reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes. Both NAC and ASC treatments of cells decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes. The results suggested that those chemicals possibly had different mechanisms of protection of algae cells against UV-B radiation. SNP might play double roles as a signal molecule in the formation of algae cell protection of Photosystem 11 under UV-B radiation and as a (reactive oxygen species) scavenger, while NAC and ASC might function as antioxidant reagents or precursors of other antioxidant molecules, which could protect cells directly against ROS initiated by UV-B radiation. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ginsenoside R-e increases fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile human sperm motility by induction of nitric oxide synthase

We investigated the effects of Ginsenoside R-e on human sperm motility in fertile and asthenozoospermic infertile individuals in vitro and the mechanism by which the Ginsenosides play their roles. The semen samples were obtained from 10 fertile volunteers and 10 asthenozoospermic infertile patients. Spermatozoa were separated by Percoll and incubated with 0, 1, 10 or 100 mu M of Ginsenoside R-e. Total sperm motility and progressive motility were measured by computer-aided sperm analyzer (CASA). Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was determined by the H-3-arginine to H-3-citrulline conversion assay, and the NOS protein was examined by the Western blot analysis. The production of sperm nitric oxide (NO) was detected using the Griess reaction. The results showed that Ginsenoside R-e significantly enhanced both fertile and infertile sperm motility, NOS activity and NO production in a concentration-dependent manner. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 100 nM), a NO donor, mimicked the effects of Ginsenoside R-e. And pretreatment with a NOS inhibitor N-omega-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 mu M) or a NO scavenger N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (LNAC, 1 mM) completely blocked the effects of Ginsenoside R-e. Data suggested that Ginsenoside R-e is beneficial to sperm motility, and that induction of NOS to increase NO production may be involved in this benefit.

一氧化氮对不同耐旱性杨树幼苗抗旱性的影响

以乡土树种小青杨(Populus pseudo-simoniiKitag)和速生品种欧美杨107杨(Popu-lus×euramericana cv.“74/76”)幼苗为试验材料,在水分胁迫条件下研究不同浓度的外源NO供体硝普纳(sodium nitroprusside,SNP)对2种杨树抗旱性的影响。结果表明,经不同浓度SNP处理后,2种杨树叶片水势对干旱胁迫的敏感程度下降,气孔导度降低,蒸腾作用减弱,叶片含水量升高,保水能力增强。同时,SNP处理能提高杨树叶片可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白含量,降低杨树叶片相对电导率,使杨树在干旱条件下的抗脱水能力提高,减轻了干旱胁迫对细胞膜的伤害。从品种间作用效果看,SNP对107杨的抗旱性提高的幅度高于小青杨,表明SNP更有利于提高速生杨的抗旱能力。