Protective effect of astaxanthin against cognitive impairment in offspring prenatally exposed to maternal epilepsy / 中华围产医学杂志

Objective To investigate the protective effect of prenatal astaxanthin treatment against cognitive impairment in adult offspring induced by exposure to maternal seizures in utero.Methods Female adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups:control group,astaxanthin group,kindling group and kindling+astaxanthin group.Each rat was implanted with electrodes.Those in the kindling and kindling+astaxanthin groups were kindled once a day by electrical stimulation of the amygdala.All rats were allowed to mate after one week's amygdala kindling.Rats in the kindling and kindling+astaxanthin groups continued to be treated with electrical stimulation every 48 hours from gestational day 1 to 20,and those in the astaxanthin and kindling+astaxanthin groups were injected intraperitoneally with 30 mg/(kg · d) of astaxanthin simultaneously.Naturally delivered offspring were raised till 12 weeks of age.Morris water maze test was performed to assess the cognitive function of adult offspring.Changes in the morphology of hippocampus were observed with Nissal's staining and transmission electron microscope.Expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in adult offsprings' hippocampus tissues at protein and mRNA levels were determined using Western-blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.Analysis of variance and LSD test were used as statistical methods.Results Morris water maze test showed that from the 3rd day to the 5th day,the kindling group had significantly longer escape latency [(36.33 ±7.85),(28.80± 8.41),(29.50± 11.72) s] than the control [(28.90±7.46),(17.59±9.12),(10.40±3.69) s] and kindling+astaxanthin groups [(28.30±5.75),(18.37±3.39),(15.23±6.63) s] (F=3.601,9.811 and 14.226,all P＜0.05).In probe trials,the kindling group had significantly fewer platform crossings as compared with the control and kindling+astaxanthin groups [(4.40± 1.71) vs (7.20± 1.62) and (6.50±1.84) times,F=6.586,P=0.001].The kindling group spent dramatically less time in the target quadrant than the control and kindling+astaxanthin groups [(27.35±7.63) vs (58.29± 10.48) and (40.41 ± 7.06) s,F=25.825,P＜0.001].Nissl staining showed that hippocampal neurons of offspring in the control group were normal,but there was hippocampal damage in the kindling group and the damage was more severe than that in the kindling+astaxanthin group.Electron microscope observation showed that neurons and synapses in the hippocampal CA1 area of offspring in the control group were normal.However,obvious damage to neurons and synapses was induced in the kindling group and that was worse than the damage induced in the kindling+astaxanthin group.Expression of CREB and BDNF protein in the kindling group (0.19±0.06and 0.32 ±0.04,respectively) were significantly lower than those in the control (0.81 ±0.11 and 0.93 ± 0.04,respectively) and kindling+astaxanthin groups (0.60± 0.07 and 0.80±0.06,respectively) (F were 34.015and 71.074,both P＜0.001).Moreover,the kindling group showed decreased expression of CREB and BDNF mRNA (0.48 ± 0.11 and 0.43± 0.08,respectively) as compared with the control (1.02± 0.65 and 0.99± 0.09,respectively) and kindling+astaxanthin groups (0.89±0.15 and 0.96±0.13,respectively) (F were 13.447 and 21.912,both P＜0.01).Conclusion Treatment with astaxanthin could ameliorate the cognitive impairment and pathological damage in hippocampus of adult offspring induced by exposure to maternal seizures in utero through regulating the CREB-BDNF signal pathway.

Biomassa de Rubrivivax gelatinosus na criação de frangos de corte: desempenho animal e cor dos produtos / Biomass of Rubrivivax gelatinosus in broiler chicken feeding: animal performance and color of products

A bactéria Rubrivivax gelatinosus tem sido utilizada experimentalmente no tratamento despoluente de efluentes industriais de abatedouros de aves e peixes, originando uma biomassa contendo pigmentos carotenoides, substâncias que possuem a capacidade de conferir cor aos alimentos e proteger contra reações oxidativas. Este trabalho teve por objetivo verificar o efeito da biomassa de R. gelatinosus adicionada à alimentação de frangos de corte sobre o desempenho animal e a cor de carne e pele. Duzentos pintos machos Cobb 500 foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em 20 boxes para receber, do 36º ao 45º dia de criação, quatro tratamentos com diferentes quantidades de biomassa na ração (T1 [controle] - 0g/kg; T2 - 1g/kg; T3 - 2g/kg; T4 - 3g/kg), em cinco repetições. As pesagens de aves e rações para a análise de desempenho foram feitas no início da criação e ao fim de cada período de crescimento. Ao final do experimento (45 dias), 20 aves de cada tratamento foram abatidas para a determinação da cor objetiva (L - luminosidade, C - saturação, h - tom) em pele e carne de peito e coxa. Os resultados obtidos foram submetidos à ANOVA, teste t para a comparação múltipla de médias e análise de regressão com nível de significância de 5%. O ganho de peso e o consumo das aves não diferiram estatisticamente entre si (P>0,05), enquanto o índice de conversão alimentar foi superior para o T1. A luminosidade da carne e da pele aumentou significativamente nos tratamentos que receberam a biomassa. O tom da cor em carne e pele aumentou em direção ao amarelo até a concentração de 2g de biomassa por kg de ração, ao passo que, na concentração de 3g/kg, o aumento foi em direção à tonalidade vermelha. Somente na carne da coxa a saturação da cor sofreu influência da presença da biomassa na dieta. Concluiu-se que, até a proporção de 3g/kg, a biomassa não prejudicou o desempenho e foi eficiente em pigmentar a pele e a carne de frangos de corte...

The phototrophic bacterium Rubrivivax gelatinosus has been used experimentally for the depollution of industrial effluents from broiler and fish slaughterhouses, resulting in a biomass containing oxycarotenoids, substances that impart color and protection against to oxidative reactions. This work aimed to check the effect of R. gelatinosus biomass added into broiler chickens' feed on animal performance and meat/skin color. Two hundred Cobb 500 male chicks were randomly divided into 20 boxes to receive, from the 36th to the 45th day of rearing, 4 treatments with different amounts of biomass in the diets (T1 [control] - 0g/kg; T2 - 1g/kg; T3 - 2g/kg; T4 - 3g/kg), in 5 replicates. Chickens and rations were weighted at the beginning of the rearing time and at the end of each growth phase to assess animal performance. At the end of the experiment (45 days), 20 birds from each repetition were slaughtered for the evaluation of the objective color (L - lightness, C - chroma, h - hue) on skin and meat of breast and thigh. Statistical analyses comprised ANOVA, t test for means comparison and regression analysis, at 5% significance level. Weight gain and feed consumption did not differ statistically (P>0.05), while feed conversion was better for T1. Lightness of meat and skin increased significantly in the treatments with the biomass supplementation. Hue angle of meat and skin increased towards yellow until 2g biomass/kg and towards red at 3g/kg. Chroma was only influenced by the presence of the biomass in thigh meat. It was concluded that the addition of the biomass up to 3g/kg was not harmful to birds' performance and was efficient to cause changes in the color of broiler skin and meat...

Estudio del desarrollo, calidad de planta y acumulación de pigmentos en lígulas de tagetes erecta l: expuestas a dos intensidades de luz / Study of development, quality of plant and accumulation of pigments in ligules of tagetes erecta l: exposed to two light intensities

The carotenoids are photosensitive pigments during photosynthesis. The objective of this work was to study the effect on development and accumulation of carotenoids in ligules of Tagetes erecta exposed under two different lighting ambient (with mesh and without mesh of 50 percent). The plant development was evaluated measuring the height of the plant, number of floral buds, the ligules diameter. In adition, the quantification and identification of carotenoids from ligules was done by HPLC. The results showed significant differences (p<0.05) in the height of the plant, number of floral buds and ligules diameter of T. erecta. The group grown without mesh received greater UV radiation and different temperature, that under a mesh. The first conditions lead to a reduction of the ligules diameter and total content of xanthophylls (lutein and zeaxanthin). The plastids ultrastructure in the cells of T. erecta developed with mesh showed the greatest amount of thylakoid membranes and more conspicuous starch granules.

Los carotenoides son pigmentos fotosensibles frente a un exceso de intensidad luminosa durante el proceso de fotosíntesis. El objetivo de este trabajo fue el estudio del efecto en el desarrollo de la planta y la acumulación de carotenoides por la exposición a dos diferentes intensidades lumínicas (con y sin malla de sombra al 50 por ciento). Se evaluó el desarrollo de T. erecta en cuanto a la altura de la planta, número de botones florales y el diámetro de las lígulas. Adicionalmente, en las lígulas se cuantificaron e identificaron los carotenoides por HPLC. Los resultados mostraron diferencias significativas (p<0.05) en cuanto al desarrollo de las plantas expuestas a mayor radiación UV y temperatura, presentaron reducción del diámetro de las lígulas y disminución en el contenido de Xantófilas totales ( luteína y zeaxantina) con respecto a las cultivadas con malla,. La ultraestructura de los plastidios mostró mayor cantidad de membranas tilacoidales y gránulos de almidón más conspicuos en las células de las plantas de T erecta desarrolladas con malla.

Effects of heavy metals and light levels on the biosynthesis of carotenoids and fatty acids in the macroalgae Gracilaria tenuistipitata (var. liui Zhang & Xia)

We present here the effect of heavy metals and of different light intensities on the biosynthesis of fatty acids and pigments in the macroalga Gracilaria tenuistipitata (var. liui Zhang & Xia). In order to verify the fatty acid content, gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) was employed. Pigments (major carotenoids and chlorophyl-a) were monitored by liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Cultures of G. tenuistipitata were exposed to cadmium (Cd2+, 200 ppb) and copper (Cu2+, 200 ppb), as well as to different light conditions (low light: 100 µmol.photons.m-2.s-1, or high light: 1000 µmol.photons.m-2.s-1). Cd2+ and Cu2+ increased the saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid content [14:0, 16:0, 18:0, 18:1 (n-7) and 18:1 (n-9)] and all major pigments (violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll-a and β-carotene). Both heavy metals decreased the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) [18:2 (n-6), 18:3 (n-6), 18:5 (n-4), 20:4 (n-6), 20:5 (n-3), 22:6 (n-3)]. G. tenuistipitata cultures were exposed to high light intensity for five days and no statistically significant differences were observed in the content of fatty acids. On the other hand, the levels of pigments rose markedly for chlorophyll-a and all of the carotenoids studied.

Pigmentos maculares / Macular pigments

A luteína e a zeaxantina são pigmentos amarelos que se localizam na mácula. Devido à sua localização, diminuem e filtram a quantidade de luz principalmente azul que chega aos fotorreceptores, atuam como antioxidantes e podem melhorar a qualidade visual. Esta é uma revisão do seu mecanismo de incorporação, ação, possíveis aplicações e conhecimento científico a respeito.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are yellow pigments located at the macula. Because of your location macular pigments decrease and filter the amount of blue light that reach photoreceptors, protect the outer retina from oxidative stress and may improve the vision quality. This is a review regarding incorporation mechanism, function and knowledge update.

Bleaching of photosynthetic pigments in Chlorella protothecoides grown in the presence of SANDOZ 9785 (4-chloro-5-dimethylamino-2-phenyl-3 (2H) pyridazinone).

The unicellular green alga Chlorella protothecoides was grown in the presence of various concentrations (30–300 μΜ) of the herbicide SANDOZ 9785 (4-chloro-5-(dimethylamino)- 2-phenyl-3 (2H) pyridazinone). When the cells were grown autotrophically in the presence of the herbicide, there was a decrease in chlorophylls and carotenoids estimated on culture volume basis compared to the control. The absorption spectra of carotenes and colourless precursors extracted from photosynthetic particles showed that there was a higher carotenoid precursors/carotene ratio in the treated cells. Similarly the carotenoid precursors/xanthophyll ratio was increased by SANDOZ 9785 treatment. Chlorophyll a synthesis appeared to be inhibited more than chlorophyll b synthesis in SANDOZ 9785 treated cells resulting in a decrease in the chlorophyll a/b ratio.