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S Pejić

Publications and source records attributed to S Pejić.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Regional differences in antioxidative response of rat brain after cranial irradiation.

In order to examine if differences in activity and inducibility of antioxidative enzymes in rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus are underlying their different sensitivity to radiation, we exposed four-day-old female Wistar rats to cranial radiation of 3 Gy of gamma-rays. After isolation of hippocampus and cortex 1 h or 24 h following exposure, activities of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and catalase (CAT) were measured and compared to unirradiated controls. MnSOD protein levels were determined by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and Western blot analysis. Our results showed that CuZnSOD activity in hippocampus and cortex was significantly decreased 1 h and 24 h after irradiation with 3 Gy of gamma-rays. MnSOD activity in both brain regions was also decreased 1 h after irradiation. 24 h following exposure, manganese SOD activity in hippocampus almost achieved control values, while in cortex it significantly exceeded the activity of the relevant controls. CAT activity in hippocampus and cortex remained stable 1 h, as well as 24 h after irradiation with 3 Gy of gamma-rays. MnSOD protein level in hippocampus and cortex decreased 1 h after irradiation with 3 Gy of gamma-rays. 24 h after exposure, MnSOD protein level in cortex was similar to control values, while in hippocampus it was still significantly decreased. We have concluded that regional differences in MnSOD radioinducibility are regulated at the level of protein synthesis, and that they represent one of the main reasons for region-specific radiosensitivity of the brain.

Animals↗

Alterations in hippocampal antioxidant enzyme activities and sympatho-adrenomedullary system of rats in response to different stress models.

The study deals with activity of three antioxidant enzymes, copper, zinc-superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), catalase (CAT) in hippocampus of rats, following the exposure to single chronic (individual housing or forced swimming) and acute (immobilization or cold) stress, as well as to combined chronic/acute stress. In addition, plasma noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) concentrations were measured in the same stress conditions, because their autooxidation can add to the oxidative stress. We observed that i) long-term social isolation and repeated forced swimming had minor effects on plasma catecholamines, but in the long-term pretreated groups, acute stressors caused profound elevation NA and A levels, ii) chronic stressors activate antioxidant enzymes, iii) acute stressors decrease catalase activity, their effects on CuZnSOD appear to be stressor-dependent, whereas MnSOD is not affected by acute stressors, and iv) pre-exposure to chronic stress affects the antioxidant-related effects of acute stressors, but this effect depends to a large extent on the type of the chronic stressor. Based on both metabolic and neuroendocrine data, long-term isolation appears to be a robust psychological stressor and to induce a "priming" effect specifically on the CuZnSOD and CAT activity.

Adrenal Medulla↗

Effects of estradiol benzoate and progesterone on superoxide dismutase activity in the thymus of rats.

The activity of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and cytosol superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) was measured in corresponding subcellular fractions prepared from the thymi of intact and chronically gonadectomized (GX) rats of both sexes, as well as of GX male and female rats injected subcutaneously with a single dose of 5 microg estradiol benzoate (EB) and/or 2 mg progesterone (P). Animals were sacrificed 2 h or 24 h following hormone treatment. In the females, the activity of MnSOD in the thymus was stable during the estrous cycle and did not change after ovariectomy. Treatment of GX females with estradiol benzoate resulted 2 h later in a significant elevation of MnSOD activity, whereas 24 h later the activity returned back to control values. On the other hand, treatment of GX females with progesterone had no effect on the MnSOD activity. However, combined hormone treatment, in which EB injection preceded progesterone injection by one hour, enhanced the effect on MnSOD activity similar to that of estradiol benzoate alone. The activity of CuZnSOD in cycling rats was increased in proestrus, whereas removal of the ovaries kept the values at low diestrus and estrus levels. Contrary to MnSOD, CuZnSOD activity did not change after EB treatment of GX females, while progesterone increased the enzyme activity at 2 h and 24 h after hormone treatment. However, combined EB+P treatment proved to be ineffective. In the males, neither MnSOD nor CuZnSOD activity was affected by the removal of testes or by progesterone treatment of GX animals. Only EB injection to GX rats significantly increased CuZnSOD activity 24 h later.

Animals↗

Role of antioxidant enzymes in radiosensitivity of human blood cells.

The marked variability in radiation response among individuals of the same age group prompted us to investigate the role of antioxidative enzyme activity. Micronuclei (MN) and enzyme assays were performed on blood samples of healthy male volunteers. The procedure consisted of micronucleus analysis and measurement of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in harvested blood samples irradiated in vitro with 2 Gy gamma-rays and in unirradiated control samples for each individual. We found that the yield of radiation-induced micronuclei was in the range of 112 to 378 micronuclei per 1000 binucleated cells. The activity of cytosol superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) was reduced, whereas the activity of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) was markedly elevated in the blood samples harvested in lymphocyte cultures after irradiation. The analysis of our results showed that MnSOD plays the most important role in radiation-induced cellular damage. The results of this investigation showed that measurement of micronuclei and the activities of SOD in harvested human blood cells can serve as a rapid predictive assay of radiosensitivity in a clinical setting.

Adult↗

Effects of olive oil on superoxide dismutase activity in the brain of newborn and young female rats.

Changes in the activity of brain antioxidant superoxide dismutases (SOD) were followed in newborn and young female rats 8, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 days after birth treated with olive oil. In newborn rats, the content of brain cytosol SOD (CuZnSOD) and mitochondrial SOD (MnSOD) decreased after treatment with olive oil. However, in the brain of rats aged 8 days this effect was lost. The suppressive effect of olive oil on these enzymes reappeared again in 15-day-old rats. In rats aged one month, only the activity of CuZnSOD was reduced after olive oil treatment. In the brain of rats aged 45, 60 and 75 days, neither MnSOD nor CuZnSOD were affected by olive oil. The different effects of olive oil on the brain SOD, during ontogeny suggest that profound changes in the susceptibility of nervous tissue antioxidant enzymes to olive oil take place during sexual maturation.

Animals↗