ABSTRACT
The induction of in vivo antioxidant potential following small doses of gamma-ray irradiation was investigated in C57BL/6 mice. The antioxidant capacity of various organs was assessed in terms of the scavenging activity of cytosol fractions against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), a chemically stable radical. Significant elevations in the scavenging activity were recognized in several organs, including the liver, pancreas and brain, soon after post-irradiation with 50 cGy of gamma-ray. These increases persisted for 24 h. gamma-Radiation of the liver at 25-50 cGy elevated its cytosolic antioxidant capacity, but this was lowered at 200 cGy. In order to assess which antioxidants underlie this phenomenon, the content of a reduced form of glutathione (GSH) in liver was assayed as a function of time after gamma-irradiation at a dose of 50 cGy. The GSH content was significantly increased from 6 h after irradiation, and this change was consistent with that of the total radical scavenging potency of the liver against DPPH. Further, the elevation of GSH content was accompanied by elevated GSSG reductase activity induced by gamma-irradiation.
Subject(s)
Antioxidants/radiation effects , Gamma Rays , Picrates , Animals , Antioxidants/metabolism , Bepridil/analogs & derivatives , Bepridil/pharmacology , Biphenyl Compounds , Cytosol/radiation effects , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Female , Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology , Glutathione/metabolism , Glutathione Reductase/metabolism , Liver/enzymology , Liver/metabolism , Liver/radiation effects , Liver/ultrastructure , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Organ Specificity , Tissue DistributionABSTRACT
We have isolated an enolase gene (enoA) from Aspergillus oryzae by heterologous hybridization using the corresponding Saccharomyces cerevisiae ENO2 gene as a probe. A 2.9-kb BglII-fragment contained the entire structural gene enoA including 5'- and 3'- flanking regions. The homology between A. oryzae enoA and S. cerevisiae ENO2 genes is 66.9% when introns are removed. Genomic Southern analysis indicated that there is only one enolase gene in A. oryzae.
