Culture medium and fermentation conditions for lipid production by Rhodosporidium toruloides were optimized with single factor and uniform design experiment. The best medium recipe was found with 70 g/L glucose, 0.1 g/L (NH4)2SO4, 0.75 g/L yeast extract, 1.5 g/L MgSO4. 7H2O, 0.4g/L KH2PO4, sterilized at 121 degrees C for 15 min, and then supplemented with ZnSO4 1.91 x 10(-6) mmol/L, CaCl2 1.50 mmol/L, MnCl2 1.22 x 10(-4) mmol/L and CuSO4 1.00 x 10(-4) mmol/L. The optimal fermentation conditions were as follows: 50 mL of medium (pH 6.0) in 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask with 10% inoculum (28h) under orbital shaking at 200 r/min for 120h at 30 degrees C. Under these conditions, yeast biomass accumulated lipids up to 76.1%.
Basidiomycota ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Copper ; pharmacology ; Culture Media ; Fermentation ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lipids ; biosynthesis ; Magnesium Sulfate ; pharmacology ; Zinc ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo observe the protective role of the ectogenesis zinc in the rat flap with ischemia-reperfusion injury and study the mechanism.

METHODSAn abdominal island flap was created in Wistar rats. 48 rats were randomly divided into three groups, 16 per group: the non-ischemia-reperfusion group, the ischemia-reperfusion group and the ischemia-reperfusion (IR) group treated with zinc. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured. The expression of metallothionein (MT) was observed, and the image analysis was performed. The ultrastructure changes of the skin flap with ischemia-reperfusion injury and the flap viability were observed.

RESULTSCompared with the IR group, at 1 h and 24 h of reperfusion, the level of MDA in the adding-zinc-IR group decreased 11.3% and 33.2% (P < 0.05); the activity of MPO decreased 14.2% and 22.7% (P < 0.05); the content of MT increased 41.5% and 44% ( P < 0.01) respectively. In the ischemia-reperfusion injury flaps, MT was located in the cytoplasm of many kinds of cells. The ultrastructure changes of the skin flap of the adding-zinc-IR group were slighter than those of the IR group. The flap viability in the adding-zinc-IR group increased 27.2% (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMT could be induced by ectogenesis zinc in the flap of rats. The flap with ischemia-reperfusion injury was protected by MT through protecting the cells in the flap.

Animals ; Graft Survival ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Surgical Flaps ; Zinc Sulfate ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

To investigate the effects of metallothionein (MT) on isolated rat heart, 16 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups. In control group (group C), distilled water was injected intraperitoneally and 24 h later isolated hearts were perfused with Langendorff and stored at 4 degrees C for 3 h with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solutions, and then isolated hearts were perfused for 2 h by Langendorff. In experimental group (group E), 3.6% ZnSO(4) was injected intraperitoneally, 24 h later isolated hearts were perfused by Langendorff and stored at 4 degrees C for 3 h with HTK solutions, and then the isolated hearts were perfused for 2 h with Langendorff. MT content, the recovery of hemodynamics, myocardial water content (MWC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) leakage, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, myocardial cell Ca(2+) content, Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of mitochondria ([Ca(2+)-ATPase](m)) and its Ca(2+) content ([Ca(2+)](m)), synthesizing ATP activity of mitochondria ([ATP](m)), and the ultrastructure of cells were examined. There were a significant increase in group E in hemodynamic recovery, ATP content, SOD activity, [Ca(2+)-ATPase](m) activity, [ATP](m) activity, and substantial reduction in MWC, LDH and CK leakage, MDA content, myocardial cell Ca(2+) content, [Ca(2+)](m) content, and the ultrastructural injury were obviously milder than that of group C. This study demonstrated that MT has protective effects on isolated rat heart.
Cardiotonic Agents/*pharmacology ; Creatine Kinase/*metabolism ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase/metabolism ; Metallothionein/biosynthesis ; Metallothionein/*pharmacology ; Myocardium/*metabolism ; Myocardium/ultrastructure ; Random Allocation ; Rats, Wistar ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism ; Zinc Sulfate/pharmacology

OBJECTIVEThe effects of Jing'an capsule on the quality of rat sperm were studied to supply data for its safe clinical use.

METHODSEighty SD male rats were evenly and randomly divided into three test groups and one control group. Then the test groups were continuously given Jing'an capsule at different dosages: 557.1 mg/kg, 5,571 mg/kg or 11,420 mg/kg and the control group was given starch (20 g/L). Sixty days later, one of the epididymides, the sperm density was made and the sperm motility and morphology were investigated. The data obtained were analyzed by ANOVA, chi 2 test and Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTSThe sperm density, motility and morphology were variable at different dosages. Compared with the control, the sperm density increased significantly at the dosage of 557.1 mg/kg(P < 0.05), and a significant decrease was observed in the sperm density and motility (P < 0.05) at the dosage of 11,420 mg/kg. Although the rate of abnormal sperm morphology decreased at the dosage of 557.1 mg/kg and increased at the dosage of 5,571 mg/kg or 11,420 mg/kg compared with the control, there was no statistic significance(P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSA low dosage of Jing'an capsule might ameliorate the quality of sperm, while a high dosage could do damage to sperm.

Animals ; Arginine ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Combinations ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Zinc Sulfate ; pharmacology

AIMTo study the influence of astragalus and zinc sulfate on the viscosity in erythrocyte membrane during intestinal I/R and their mechanism of action.

METHODSModels of rabbits intestinal I/R injury were made. The effect of astragalus and zinc sulfate on the viscosity and malondialdehyde (MDA) in erythrocyte membrane, superoxide dismutase (SOD) in erythrocyte, oxidase (XO) in plasma and MDA tissues homogenate were observed.

RESULTSThe administration of astragalus and zinc sulfate decreased viscosity and MDA and XO, prevented the reduction of SOD, and alleviated I/R injury.

CONCLUSIONLipid peroxidation injury of the erythrocyte membrane was one of the pathogenesis of I/R injury, and astragalus and the zinc sulfate possessed effects of anti-lipid peroxide, stabilized erythrocyte membrane, increased red blood cell deform ability and raised microcircular perfusion.

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; Blood Viscosity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Erythrocyte Membrane ; drug effects ; Female ; Intestines ; blood supply ; pathology ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; Oxidoreductases ; analysis ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; pathology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; analysis ; Zinc Sulfate ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the method for improving the aging resistance of seeds and seedlings of Perilla frutescens through study on seed germination and physiological characteristics of P. frutescens seedlings.

METHODSeveral physiological indexes of P. frutescens seeds treated by different concentrations of ZnSO4 and PEG were measured. And other indexes like the activities of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) were also determined.

RESULTThe germination indexes of P. frutescens aging seeds treated by different concentrations of ZnSO4 and PEG were all increased. And the seeds that treated by ZnSO4 (600 mg x L(-1)) and PEG (20%) showed the most significantly increase in every index. The germination vigor were 64.7% and 66.8%, the germination rate were 78.7% and 79.4%, the germination index were 11.8 and 12.2, the vigor index were 0.091 1 and 0.0939 respectively. The content of MDA was decreased under different treatment. The activities of three enzymes include SOD, POD and CAT were increased by different treatment of ZnSO4 (0.28, 4.71, 3.82 U x mg(-1) respectively) and PEG (0.29, 4.93, 4.18 U x mg(-1) respectively).

CONCLUSIONZnSO4 with concentration of 600 mg x L(-1) and PEG with concentration of 20% could significantly alleviate the damages to the seeds and seedlings of P. frutescens by aging and promote the aging resistance of the seeds and seedlings.

Catalase ; metabolism ; Germination ; drug effects ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Perilla frutescens ; drug effects ; enzymology ; physiology ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Peroxidases ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; metabolism ; Polyethylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; Seedlings ; enzymology ; Seeds ; enzymology ; physiology ; Zinc Sulfate ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo examine dietary zinc supplementation could alleviate the damage of alcoholic liver disease and the relationship with the expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF-4alpha).

METHODS40 adult C57 BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10): control, zinc, ethanol and zinc plus ethanol, which were sacrificed after fed four different diets for 6 months. Zinc sulfate was added in the drinking water of the Zinc and Zinc Plus Ethanol group and the content was 75 mg/L. Liver regeneration was assessed by immunohistochemical staining of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and the expression of HNF-4alpha was determined by RT-PCR and Western blot. And as to assess the status of oxidative stress of the mice, malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the expression level of HNF-4alpha decreased significantly in the ethanol group (P < 0.05), and the content of MDA increased significantly in this group, while the content of SOD declined significantly (P < 0.05). Compared with the ethanol group, the number of PCNA-positive hepatocytes increased significantly, and the expression level of HNF-4alpha also increased in the zinc plus ethanol group (P < 0.05), and the content of SOD increased in this group, while MDA decreased significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLong term ethanol exposure can lead to oxidoreduction imbalances which can be reversed by zinc supplementation. We suppose that zinc-enhanced liver regeneration is associated with an increase in HNF-4alpha, suggesting that dietary zinc supplementation may have beneficial effects in alcoholic liver disease.

Animals ; Dietary Supplements ; Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; metabolism ; therapy ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Zinc Sulfate ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

The studies were conducted on Balb/c mice exposed to restraint stress twice for 12 h at 24 h intervals. Prior to restraint stress the mice were treated with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) i.p. at a dose of 20 mg/kg five times at 48 h intervals. DTC was used per se or with zinc ions interaction, by adding zinc sulfate to drinking water at a dose of 72 microgram/mouse daily. The results obtained in the study show that restraint stress causes involution of lymphatic organs, decreased the percentage of immature (CD4+CD8+) and, mature (CD4+) thymocytes and CD4+, CD8+and CD19 + splenocytes and proliferative response of thymocytes stimulated in vitro with concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA). The restraint stress decreased also interleukin-1 (IL-1) production by murine intraperitoneal macrophages stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E. coli. Pretreatment with DTC counteracted restraint stress-induced immunosuppression, which is expressed as partial normalisation of the total number of thymocytes, splenocytes and IL-1 production, accelerated regeneration of thymus and spleen, shorter suppressive action of restraint stress on the percentage of CD4+CD8+thymocytes and in total normalisation of the CD4+thymocytes and splenocytes. DTC administered prior to restraint stress augmented the proliferative response of thymocytes to two mitogens. The immunocorrecting action of DTC is enhanced by zinc supplementation, expressed in the increased percentage of CD4+thymocytes and splenocytes, CD19 + splenocytes, proliferative activity of thymocytes stimulated with PHA and IL-1 production. The obtained results show that DTC administration can be supplemented with zinc in order to restore the immune system impaired by stress.
Adjuvants, Immunologic/*pharmacology ; Animals ; Ditiocarb/*pharmacology ; Female ; Immunity, Cellular/*drug effects ; Interleukin-1/biosynthesis ; Macrophages, Peritoneal/immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mitogens/biosynthesis ; Organ Size/drug effects ; Restraint, Physical ; Spleen/cytology/drug effects ; Stress/etiology/*immunology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets/drug effects ; Thymus Gland/cytology/drug effects ; Zinc Sulfate/*pharmacology