Mechanisms of aluminium neurotoxicity in oxidative stress-induced ...
Mechanisms of aluminium neurotoxicity in oxidative stress-induced ...
Mechanisms of aluminium neurotoxicity in oxidative stress-induced ...
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CHAPTER 3<br />
RESULTS<br />
In vivo effects <strong>of</strong> <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istration on bra<strong>in</strong> lipid<br />
peroxidation and prote<strong>in</strong> oxidation<br />
128<br />
Lipid peroxidation was assessed by the determ<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> TBARS concentration,<br />
and prote<strong>in</strong> oxidation was estimated by both PCC and PTC. As shown <strong>in</strong> Fig. 1A,<br />
animals exposed to <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong> (10 mg Al 3+ /kg/day for 10 days) exhibited a significant<br />
<strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> lipid peroxidation <strong>in</strong> the regions <strong>of</strong> cerebellum (+159%), ventral midbra<strong>in</strong><br />
(+54%), cortex (+20%) and striatum (+33%), while there were no significant changes <strong>in</strong><br />
hippocampus. TBARS levels <strong>in</strong> the striatum were particularly high when compared with<br />
those found <strong>in</strong> other cerebral regions and <strong>in</strong> both <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong>-treated and control rats.<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong> treatment, both PCC (Fig. 1B) and PTC (Fig. 1C) were<br />
significantly elevated as compared to controls <strong>in</strong> cerebellum (+26%, +19%,<br />
respectively), ventral midbra<strong>in</strong> (+135%, +15%, respectively) and striatum (+26%,<br />
+16%, respectively), while there was a significant decrease <strong>in</strong> the cortex region (–12%,<br />
–16%, respectively) and <strong>in</strong> the hippocampus (–20%, –26%, respectively). When<br />
compared to other areas <strong>of</strong> non treated animals, PCC and PTC control levels were<br />
significantly higher <strong>in</strong> cerebral cortex and lower <strong>in</strong> the ventral midbra<strong>in</strong> (Figs. 1B and<br />
1C).<br />
In vivo effects <strong>of</strong> <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istration on the bra<strong>in</strong> activity <strong>of</strong><br />
different antioxidant enzymes<br />
The effects <strong>of</strong> <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>istration (10 mg Al 3+ /kg/day for 10 days) on the<br />
activity <strong>of</strong> different antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, CAT) were also studied <strong>in</strong> several<br />
bra<strong>in</strong> regions, and the results showed that the i.p. adm<strong>in</strong>istration <strong>of</strong> <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>fluenced SOD activity (Fig. 2A). Thus, there was a significant decrease <strong>in</strong> cerebellum<br />
(–26%) and cortex (–21%) <strong>of</strong> the <strong>alum<strong>in</strong>ium</strong>-treated group, while a significant <strong>in</strong>crease