ABSTRACT
Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), a component of sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome, is suggested to cause damage to lung tissue, and the role of glutamate is not well studied. We used a chronic long-term intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CLTIHH) model of rats to find out if such procedure causes lung injury and the potential effect of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) by using receptor antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine). Thirty-two rats were placed into four groups; a control and three CLTIHH groups where rats were placed into a low-pressure chamber set to 430 mmHg for 5 h/day, 5 days/week, for 5 weeks. Only one group received MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg, ip) daily. We evaluated tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and nuclear factor (NF)-kB for the inflammatory process, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), total antioxidant status (TAS), and total oxidant status (TOS) for oxidative stress, and caspase-9 levels. Blood plasma, bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF), and lung tissue extracts were evaluated. Both oxidant and inflammatory parameters were significantly increased in all the mediums of the CLTIHH groups except the group that received MK-801. Significant evidence was collected on MK-801 alleviating the effect of CLTIHH. Histological evaluations revealed lung damage and fibrotic changes in the CLTIHH groups. It was first shown that the CLTIHH procedure caused chronic lung injury, and that inflammation and oxidant stress were influential in the formation of lung injury. Secondly, NMDAR antagonist MK-801 effectively inhibited the development of lung injury and fibrosis.
ABSTRACT
Propineb is a fungicide with a propylene-bis-dithiocarbamate structure. Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed to 400 ppm propineb concentrations in 5 ml distilled water, 5 days per week until the end of pregnancy. The rats were treated with propineb for 16 days and the brains of litter rats were sacrificed at first day of birth after which their brains were collected. Ultrastructural examination of the brains of the fetuses and propineb-treated pregnant females revealed a variety of histopathological effects. We suggest that mitochondrial damage may be an effective factor for neuron necrosis. These results supported the proposal that the exposure to fungicides such as propineb and to other naturally occurring compounds which inhibit mitochondrial function, may contribute to Parkinson's disease development.
El Propineb es un fungicida con una estructura de propileno-bis-ditiocarbamato. Ratas Wistar preñadas fueron expuestas a concentraciones de depropineb (400 ppm) en 5 ml de agua destilada, 5 días por semana hasta el final de la preñez. Las ratas fueron tratadas por 16 días y las crías fueron sacrificados el primer día de nacimiento para recolectar sus cerebros. El examen ultraestructural de los cerebros de los fetos y las hembras preñadas tratadas con propineb reveló una variedad de efectos histopatológicos. Sugerimos que el daño mitocondrial puede ser un factor eficaz para la necrosis neuronal. Estos resultados apoyaron la propuesta de que la exposición a los fungicidas tales como propineb y de otros compuestos de origen natural que inhiben la función mitocondrial, puede contribuir al desarrollo de la enfermedad de Parkinson.