OBJECTIVETo study the effects of four trace elements Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu on growth of the 2nd- and the 3rd-years Paeonia lactiflora.

METHODThe experiment was designed as randomized blocks. The data of physiological parameters such as fresh weight of root, numbers of bud and root division, length and diameter of the root and the contents of paeoniflorin in root were measured after fertilized with the four trace elements. Also the contents of the four trace elements in soil and roots, stem and leaves of P. lactiflora were detected by atomic absorption spectrometry.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONThe growth of the P. lactiflora was improved and the content of paeoniflorin was increased by proper level of Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu, but depressed by the higher level. Only Zn can be accumulated in the roots of P. lactiflora.

Benzoates ; metabolism ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; metabolism ; Copper ; pharmacology ; Glucosides ; metabolism ; Iron ; pharmacology ; Manganese ; pharmacology ; Monoterpenes ; Paeonia ; drug effects ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; Zinc ; pharmacology

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

Camptothecin is a strong anti-tumor compound isolated from Camptotheca acuminata. One of the most important way for the production of Camptothecin is by cell cultures of Camptotheca acuminata. The effect of Cu2+ on camptothecin accumulation in Camptotheca acuminata cell line was described in this paper. The results showed that the optimum CuCl2 concentration in B5 medium was 0.008 mg/mL, which increased camptothecin production for 30 times compare to the control while has no inhibitive effects on cell growth, at the same time, the peroxidase activity was increased and the anthocyanidin accumulation was inhibited. The promotive effects of Cu2+ on camptothecin accumulation in light was higher than that in dark.
Anthocyanins ; biosynthesis ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; biosynthesis ; Camptotheca ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Camptothecin ; biosynthesis ; Copper ; pharmacology ; Light

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of copper-phenanthroline (CuOP) on pentachlorophenol (PCP)-induced adaptation and cell death of Escherichia coli.

METHODSBacterial growth and adaptation to PCP were monitored spectrophotometrically at 600 nm. Inactivation of bacterial cells was determined from colony count on agar dishes. Cellular ATP content and accumulation of PCP were assessed by chemiluminescence and HPLC analysis respectively. The formation of PCP-Cu-OP complex was shown by UV-visible spectra.

RESULTSEscherichia coli (E. coli) could adapt to PCP, a wood preservative and insecticide used in agriculture. The adaptation of E. coli to PCP prevented its death to the synergistic cytotoxicity of CuOP plus PCP and declined cellular accumulation and uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation of PCP. Furthermore, CuOP and PCP neither produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) nor had a synergistic effect on uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation in E. coli. The synergistic cytotoxicity of CuOP and PCP in E. coli might be due to the formation of lipophilic PCP-Cu-OP complex.

CONCLUSIONOur data suggested that adaptation of E. coli to PCP decreased the synergistic effects of CuOP and PCP on prokaryotic cell death due to the formation of lipophilic PCP-Cu-OP complex, but it had no effect on the uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation and production of reactive oxygen species in E. coli.

Adaptation, Physiological ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; metabolism ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Copper ; pharmacology ; Cytotoxins ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Drug Synergism ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Pentachlorophenol ; pharmacology ; Phenanthrolines ; pharmacology

In order to reveal the induced resistance mechanism of tobacco treated with copper solution to potato virus Y-vein necrosis strain (PVY(N)), disease indexes, contents of virus and some physiological and biochemical indexes in tobacco were studied. The results showed that when treated at the copper concentration of 0.8 mg x L(-1), the symptom displayed and vein necrosis on tobacco were postponed, the disease index and content of virus sharply decreased , and the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity remarkably increased. Furthermore, vein necrosis closely linked to contents of total phenol and flavonoid. In this study, the contents of total phenol and flavonoid were promoted when treated with a solution at the copper concentration of 0.8 mg x L(-1). But the contents of total phenol and flavonoid reached to the first peak at the 3rd day after inoculation, and then decreased to the lowest levels which even were lower than those of the control after inoculating PVY(N). Then the contents of total phenol and flavonoid increased slowly from the 6td but still lower than those of the control. The result implied that spraying copper solution might play an important role in induced resistance of tobacco to vein necrosis disease and strengthen the antiviral capability to PVY(N).
Chlorophyll ; metabolism ; Copper ; pharmacology ; Immunity, Innate ; drug effects ; Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase ; metabolism ; Potyvirus ; growth & development ; Tobacco ; drug effects ; metabolism ; virology

Metallothioneins (MT), small molecular weight metal binding proteins are known to play an important protective role against heavy metal toxicity, either as antioxidants or pre-oxidants. However, the mode of metabolic fate of MTs in various metal complexes is not clearly understood. This study was carried out to better understand the mode of selective turnover rate of various form of MT in complexes with different metals. The degradation of in vitro translated mouse 35S-cysteine-MT was examined in lysosomal or cytosolic fractions from mouse liver by gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Overnight incubations of MT showed extensive proteolysis in the lysosomal fraction but not in cytosolic fractions. However, Cu2+-MT was found to be stable under the same experimental condition. In contrast, Zn did not interfere with MT degradation. These results suggest that lysosomes are chiefly responsible for MT removal and appears to be selective on the metals involved in the MT complex. In vitro, translated, radiolabeled MT provides a suitable substrate for investigating the characteristics of MT degradation.
Animal ; Copper/*metabolism/pharmacology ; Ions ; Liver/drug effects/*metabolism ; Lysosomes/metabolism ; Metallothionein/drug effects/*metabolism ; Mice ; Sulfur Radioisotopes ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Zinc/*metabolism/pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of exposure to aluminum (Al) on Zn, Fe, Cu and Ca contents in hippocampus of rats.

METHODSAlCl(3).6H(2)O was administered orally through diet (8% of body weight) to SD rats at doses of 0 (A), 11.2 (B), 55.9 (C), 111.9 (D) mg Al(3+)/kg BW for successive 90 days. Then Al, Zn, Fe, Cu and Ca contents in hippocampi of rats were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

RESULTSAfter oral exposure to Al, the Al content in hippocampus of rat increased significantly with a remarkable dose-effect relationship (r = 0.731, P < 0.001), The Zn, Fe, Ca and Cu contents in these four groups are as follows: Group A (18.29 +/- 2.48, 24.86 +/- 1.97, 48.69 +/- 22.08, 4.53 +/- 0.99) mg/g, Group B (17.22 +/- 2.06, 27.54 +/- 2.87, 42.79 +/- 14.42, 4.06 +/- 0.41) mg/g, Group C (14.46 +/- 1.90, 20.18 +/- 2.79, 29.95 +/- 7.33, 3.98 +/- 0.25) mg/g, Group D (15.85 +/- 2.54, 20.96 +/- 2.83, 36.14 +/- 12.66, 4.53 +/- 0.58) mg/g. Compared with the control group A, the Zn and Fe contents in group B and group C decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the Ca content in group C also decreased significantly.

CONCLUSIONOral exposure to Al may result in accumulation of Al in hippocampus of brain and thus affect some essential elements (Zn, Fe, Cu and Ca) contents in the hippocampus at different degrees.

Aluminum ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Copper ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Iron ; metabolism ; Male ; Metals ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Zinc ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of mineral cations on the growth of Salvia niltiorrhiza adventitious roots and the accumulation of tanshinone II A and protocatechuic aldehyde.

METHODThe adventitious roots were cultured under different concentrations of metal cations and the contents of tanshinone II A and protocatechuic aldehyde were determined by HPLC.

RESULTFe2 + and Mn2+ in MS medium are suitable for adventitious root growth, but Cu2+ and Mg2+ in high concentration could improve root proliferation, and Zn2+ has no obvious effect on root growth. As for tanshinone II A and protocatechuic aldehyde biosynthesis, Cu2+ and Zn2+ would inhibit the biosynthesis of protocatechuic aldehyde, furthermore, proper Fe2+ and Mg2+ concentration could advance the biosynthesis of protocatechuic aldehyde, whereas, Mn2+ in high concentration could accelerate the biosynthesis of protocatechuic aldehyde. Cu2+, Zn2+, Mg2+ in low concentration and Fe2+ and Mn2+ in high concentration would all advance the biosynthesis of tanshinone II A.

CONCLUSIONThe mineral cations have obvious effects on the secondary metabolites biosynthesis in adventitious root culture of S. niltiorrhiza.

Benzaldehydes ; metabolism ; Catechols ; metabolism ; Copper ; pharmacology ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; Iron ; pharmacology ; Magnesium ; pharmacology ; Manganese ; pharmacology ; Phenanthrenes ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; Zinc ; pharmacology

Phytoremediation plays an important role in the treatment of heavy metal pollution in soil. In order to elucidate the mechanism of salicylic acid (SA) on copper absorption, seedlings from Xuzhou (with strong Cu-tolerance) and Weifang Helianthus tuberosus cultivars (with weak Cu-tolerance) were selected for pot culture experiments. 1 mmol/L SA was sprayed upon 300 mg/kg soil copper stress, and the photosynthesis, leaf antioxidant system, several essential mineral nutrients and the changes of root upon copper stress were analyzed to explore the mechanism of copper resistance. The results showed that Pn, Tr, Gs and Ci upon copper stress decreased significantly compared to the control group. Meanwhile, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid decreased with significant increase in initial fluorescence (F₀), maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSⅡ (Fv/Fm), electron transfer rate (ETR) and photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) content all decreased. The ascorbic acid (AsA) content was decreased, the glutathione (GSH) value was increased, the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity in the leaves were decreased, and the peroxidase (POD) activity was significantly increased. SA increased the Cu content in the ground and root system, and weakened the nutrient uptake capacity of K, Ca, Mg, and Zn in the root stem and leaves. Spray of exogenous SA can maintain the opening of leaf stomata, improve the adverse effect of copper on photosynthetic pigment and PSⅡ reaction center. Mediating the SOD and APX activity started the AsA-GSH cycle process, effectively regulated the antioxidant enzyme system in chrysanthemum taro, significantly reduced the copper content of all parts of the plant, and improved the ion exchange capacity in the body. External SA increased the content of the negative electric group on the root by changing the proportion of components in the root, promoted the absorption of mineral nutrient elements and the accumulation of osmoregulatory substances, strengthened the fixation effect of the root on metal copper, and avoided its massive accumulation in the H. tuberosus body, so as to alleviate the inhibitory effect of copper on plant growth. The study revealed the physiological regulation of SA upon copper stress, and provided a theoretical basis for planting H. tuberosus to repair soil copper pollution.
Antioxidants ; Copper ; Helianthus/metabolism* ; Salicylic Acid/pharmacology* ; Chlorophyll A/pharmacology* ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Chlorophyll/pharmacology* ; Ascorbic Acid ; Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism* ; Photosynthesis ; Glutathione ; Plant Leaves ; Stress, Physiological ; Seedlings

AIMOxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Oxidative modulation of serum LDL is related to oxygen free radicals. Antioxidants have beneficial effects on oxidative modulation of LDL and development of atherosclerosis. Salvia miltriorhiza (Danshen) preparations have been widely used in the treatment of cardio-cerebral vascular diseases in China. Salvianolic acid A (Sal-A), one of the components of Salvia miltriorhiza, was shown to have strong antioxidative activity. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of Sal-A on human LDL oxidative modulation mediated by copper ions.

METHODSOxidation of human LDL was performed in pH 7.4 phosphate-buffered saline with 10 mumol.L-1 CuSO4 at 37 degrees C water for 20 h. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), lipofuscin and vitamin E in LDL as well as the rate of electrophoretic mobility (REM) of LDL were measured. The generation of free radicals during LDL oxidation was detected by low level-chemiluminescence (LL-CL). The chelation of Cu2+ by Sal-A was detected by UV-spectrum scanning.

RESULTSSal-A (10(-6) to 10(-4) mol.L-1) was shown to markedly reduce the production of MDA and lipofuscin as well as the consumption of vitamin E during LDL oxidation. Sal-A (10(-4) mol.L-1) was also shown to inhibit the increase of REM of LDL caused by oxidative modification. In addition, the spectrum of LL-CL showed that Sal-A (10(-6) to 10(-5) mol.L-1) decreased the generation of free radicals during LDL oxidation in a dose dependent manner. The differential UV-spectrum of Sal-A in the presence of Cu2+ indicated that Sal-A could chelate copper ions.

CONCLUSIONSal-A has inhibitory effect on Cu2+ mediated human LDL oxidation through chelating Cu2+ and scavenging free radicals.

Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Caffeic Acids ; pharmacology ; Copper ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lactates ; pharmacology ; Lipofuscin ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Oxidation-Reduction ; drug effects ; Vitamin E ; metabolism