To analyze seasonal genetic changes of natural Porphyra patches in the same location, isozymic analysis was carried out by starch gel electrophoresis. Eleven isozyme loci: Aat, Cat, Dia, Gpi, G6pdh, Gdh, Mdh, Mpi, Pgm, 6Pgdh and Sod were scored in Porphyra gametophytic thalli collected between November 1987 and April 1988 from one location, which was divided into 3 sampling sites, from the seas...

The mechanism for ethanol-induced oxidative stress has been disputed because of the controversies on modulation of radical generating and scavenging activities by ethanol. In the present work, we attempted to clarify the acute effect of ethanol on the radical generating system as well as the radical scavenging system. For that purpose, chow-fed rats were given ethanol (5 g/kg) or isocaloric glu...

The mechanisms involved in the nutritional regulation of genes encoding lipogenic (lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and fatty acid synthase (FAS)) and lipolytic (hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL)) enzymes were investigated by comparing the levels of the corresponding mRNAs in the adipose tissue (AT) of underfed or underfed-refed ewes and cows. Refeeding sharply increased LPL and FAS activities (19-25- and...

by injections of hormones6 (20), by theophylline,6 or by adrenalectomy6 (20). These studies have emphasized the diversity of enzyme patterns and adaptive responses present in transplantable rat hepatomas with a wide spectrum of growth rates (6). Recently, a series of transplantable mouse hepatomas of spontaneous origin has been developed, the occurrence of which was first reported by Andervont ...

Alterations in cellular metabolism are among the most consistent hallmarks of cancer. Herein, after a comprehensive metabolic phenotype characterization of MCF7 and ZR75 breast cancer cells, we investigated the activity of bergapten (Bg), a plant-derived compound, against breast cancer. The study of different biochemical pathways involved in cell metabolism revealed that the two cell lines have...

BACKGROUND Rising CO2 concentration was reported to increase phytoplankton growth rate as well as lipid productivity. This has raised questions regarding the NADPH supply for high lipid synthesis as well as rapid growth of algal cells. RESULTS In this study, growth, lipid content, photosynthetic performance, the activity, and expression of key enzymes in Calvin cycle and oxidative pentose pho...

To assess the effects of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) beta-naphthoflavone (beta-NF) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) on liver intermediary metabolism and plasma steroid hormones, immature female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were intraperitoneally injected (2 microl g(-1)) with vegetable oil alone (control) or containing beta-NF or BaP (10 mg kg(-1)) and returned to their tanks; 3,...

Cigarette smoke is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases. However, it may be possible to relieve the smoke-induced damage by increasing the defensive system. In this study, we planned to evaluate the protective mechanism of Sesbania grandiflora (S. grandiflora) leaves against cigarette smoke-induced oxidative damage in liver and kidney of rats. Adult male Wistar-Kyoto rats were exposed ...

BACKGROUND The human tissue kallikrein gene family (KLK1 to KLK15) encodes a group of 15 serine proteases (hK1 to hK15), several of which have been implicated in cancer-related processes. METHODS We established a specific quantitative reverse transcription-PCR assay for full-length KLK7 mRNA that excluded amplification of the exon 2 deletion splice variant (the latter does not encode a functi...