OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of 6-week intensive training on renal function in rats and the mechanism of exercise-induced proteinuria. METHODS: Thirty-six male SD rats, aged 6 weeks, were divided into two groups, including a control group(C,=12)and an overtraining group(M,=24). After the rats adapted to feeding for 4 d, group C did not carry out any exercise, and the M group did 6-week of increasing load swimming, 6 days a week, once a day. Started with the load of 1%weight at the beginning of the 4 week,and gradually increased (to 6% weight). Took a single urine from both groups 30 min after the end of the training. Blood was taken from the main ventral vein, and the bilateral kidneys were to be tested. The levels of tested urine protein, microalbumin and neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin(NGAL) was determined by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assaytest. The content of urine creatinine was tested with alkaline picric acid method,. The serum levels of colorimetric method to determine serum creatinine and urea nitrogen were determined by colorimetric method. The expression of Nephrin in renal tissue was detected by Western blot and the radioimmunoassay was used to test serum testosterone, corticosterone and renin-angiotensin system related index. RESULTS: Compared with group C, the serum testosterone/cortisone(T/C) of group M was decreased significantly (<0.01). The urine total protein(TP), microalbumin (mAlb), microalbumin/creatinine (mAlb/CRE), NGAL, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine(SCr) were increased significantly (<0.01). The abnormality of glomerular structure was obvious, and the paller scores were higher. The protein expression of Nephrin was obviously down decreased (<0.01). The renin activity (Ra) and angiotension Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) in renal and circulating blood were decreased significantly (<0.01). CONCLUSIONS The effects of 6-week intensive training on renal function in rats and the mechanism of exercise-induced proteinuria may be that overtraining can induce the continuous excitation of Reninrenin activity in renal and circulating blood, down-regulated the expression of Nephrin, lead to abnormality of renal structure and function, and proteinuria.
Animals ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Creatinine ; blood ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; adverse effects ; Proteinuria ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; Testosterone ; blood

Stress affects the male reproductive system and can cause sub-fertility or infertility. Although Phyllanthus emblica L. (PE) extract has been shown to have high antioxidant capacity and protective properties in damaged tissue, the preventive effects of PE extract on testicular function from stress-related impairment have never been demonstrated. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PE aqueous leaf extract on testicular impairment and protein marker changes in rats suffering from chronic stress. Adult male rats were divided into four groups: a control group, a chronic stress (CS) group, and two groups with CS that received different doses of PE extract (50 or 100 mg/kg body weight (BW)). In the treatment groups, the animals were given PE extract daily before stress induction for 42 consecutive days. Stress was induced through immobilization (4 h/d) followed by forced cold swimming (15 min/d). Sperm quality and the histology of the testes and caudal epididymis were examined, as were levels of serum corticosterone, testosterone, and malondialdehyde (MDA). The expressions of testicular steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) and tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were investigated using immuno-Western blot analysis, as these proteins are assumed to play important roles in spermatogenesis and androgen synthesis. The results showed that PE (50 mg/kg BW) significantly increased sperm concentration and testosterone levels, while decreasing corticosterone levels, MDA levels, sperm head abnormalities, and acrosome-reacted sperm in CS rats. In addition, PE at both doses was found to diminish testicular histopathology in the CS rats. We also found that 50 mg/kg BW of PE significantly improved StAR protein expression and altered the intensities of some tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in testis. We conclude that PE leaf extract at 50 mg/kg BW can prevent testicular damage in rats with CS.
Acrosome Reaction ; Animals ; Antioxidants/pharmacology* ; Corticosterone/blood* ; Epididymis/metabolism* ; Male ; Malondialdehyde/blood* ; Phosphoproteins/metabolism* ; Phosphorylation ; Phyllanthus emblica/chemistry* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Plant Leaves/chemistry* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sperm Count ; Spermatogenesis/drug effects* ; Spermatozoa/drug effects* ; Stress, Physiological ; Testis/drug effects* ; Testosterone/blood* ; Tyrosine/chemistry*

OBJECTIVETo analyze the effects of acupuncture on the level of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in adrenal gland and the content of corticosterone (CORT) in plasma in rats withchronic emotional stress anxiety, and to explore the partial action mechanism of acupuncture on anxiety disorder.

METHODSThirty-two healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, after 7 days of feeding and domestication, were randomly divided into a blank group (10 rats), a model group (11 rats) and an acupuncture group (11 rats). The rats inthe model group and acupuncture group were treated with unpredictable chronic emotional stress (CES) method toestablish the model of anxiety. Rats in the acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at "Neiguan" (PC 6)and "Shenmen" (HT 7), once every other day, 30 minutes each time. The model establishment and treatment lasted 15 days. Rats in the blank group were treated with identical immobilization but no treatment was given. Theelevated plus maze was used to test the behavioral changes of rats with anxiety; the level of CORT in plasma wasdetected by ELISA, and the expression level of CNP and ANP in adrenal cortex and medulla was detected by immunohistochemical method.

RESULTS(1) The percentage of open-arms time in total time (OT%) in elevated plus maze in the model group was significantly lower than that in the blank group (P<0. 05); the OT% in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P<0.01). (2) The content of CORT in plasma in the model group was higher than that in the blank group (P<0. 05), while that in the acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the model group (P<0. 05). (3) The expression of ANP in adrenal medulla and cortex in the model group was lower than that in the blank group (P<0. 01), while the expression of CNP in adrenal medulla and cortex in the model group was higher than that in the blank group (P<0. 01).

CONCLUSIONThe effects of acupuncture against anxiety are likely to be related to the regulation on the expression of ANP and CNP in adrenal medulla, affecting the release of CORT and inhibition on the activity !f hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis).

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adrenal Glands ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anxiety ; blood ; psychology ; therapy ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; blood ; metabolism ; Behavior, Animal ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type ; blood ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Psychological

In the present study, we examined the effect of pertussis toxin (PTX) administered centrally in a variety of stress-induced blood glucose level. Mice were exposed to stress after the pretreatment of PTX (0.05 or 0.1 µg) i.c.v. or i.t. once for 6 days. Blood glucose level was measured at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min after stress stimulation. The blood glucose level was increased in all stress groups. The blood glucose level reached at maximum level after 30 min of stress stimulation and returned to a normal level after 2 h of stress stimulation in restraint stress, physical, and emotional stress groups. The blood glucose level induced by cold-water swimming stress was gradually increased up to 1 h and returned to the normal level. The intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) or intrathecal (i.t.) pretreatment with PTX, a Gi inhibitor, alone produced a hypoglycemia and almost abolished the elevation of the blood level induced by stress stimulation. The central pretreatment with PTX caused a reduction of plasma insulin level, whereas plasma corticosterone level was further up-regulated in all stress models. Our results suggest that the hyperglycemia produced by physical stress, emotional stress, restraint stress, and the cold-water swimming stress appear to be mediated by activation of centrally located PTX-sensitive G proteins. The reduction of blood glucose level by PTX appears to due to the reduction of plasma insulin level. The reduction of blood glucose level by PTX was accompanied by the reduction of plasma insulin level. Plasma corticosterone level up-regulation by PTX in stress models may be due to a blood glucose homeostatic mechanism.
Animals ; Blood Glucose* ; Corticosterone ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Hyperglycemia ; Hypoglycemia ; Insulin ; Mice ; Pertussis Toxin* ; Plasma ; Stress, Psychological ; Swimming ; Up-Regulation ; Whooping Cough*

Sini Powder (SP), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has long been used to treat depression in patients, although the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we found that rats treated with SP extract for 7 days showed a significant increase in swimming time and reduction in immobility time in forced swimming test in a dose-dependent manner, without changes in locomotion. These effects could be attributed to SP's modulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, because a single pretreatment of SP extract could rescue increased serum corticosterone and plasma adrenocorticotropin levels induced by acute elevated platform stress. A single pretreatment of SP extract could also elevate the mRNA expression of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors. In conclusion, our results suggest that SP extract may act as an anti-stress medication to produce antidepressant-like effects.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Depression ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; genetics ; metabolism

We have previously reported that the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of kainic acid (KA) results in significant neuronal damage on the hippocampal CA3 region. In this study, we examined possible changes in the blood glucose level after i.c.v. pretreatment with KA. The blood glucose level was elevated at 30 min, began to decrease at 60 min and returned to normal at 120 min after D-glucose-feeding. We found that the blood glucose level in the KA-pretreated group was higher than in the saline-pretreated group. The up-regulation of the blood glucose level in the KA-pretreated group was still present even after 1~4 weeks. The plasma corticosterone and insulin levels were slightly higher in the KA-treated group. Corticosterone levels decreased whereas insulin levels were elevated when mice were fed with D-glucose. The i.c.v. pretreatment with KA for 24 hr caused a significant reversal of D-glucose-induced down-regulation of corticosterone level. However, the insulin level was enhanced in the KA-pretreated group compared to the vehicle-treated group when mice were fed with D-glucose. These results suggest that KA-induced alterations of the blood glucose level are related to cell death in the CA3 region whereas the up-regulation of blood glucose level in the KA-pretreated group appears to be due to a reversal of D-glucose feeding-induced down-regulation of corticosterone level.
Animals ; Blood Glucose* ; CA3 Region, Hippocampal ; Cell Death ; Corticosterone ; Down-Regulation ; Glucose ; Insulin ; Kainic Acid ; Mice* ; Neurons ; Plasma ; Up-Regulation

OBJECTIVEOvertraining is a serious problem in sports, assessed by comprehensive multi-index evaluation, but so far there is still no sensitive, specific monitoring indicator or simple evaluation method to evaluate it. This research established a method for detecting plasma cell free DNA (cfDNA) of rats by real time PCR and discuss edits significance: a new molecular marker of overtraining?

METHODSTwelve male SD rats were randomly divided into control group and overtraining group. The overtraining group rats were undertaken overtraining on a motor-driven treadmill for 5 weeks, while the control group rats kept quiescent. All the rats were drawn blood at pre-and after-5 weeks to detect plasma levels of cfDNA, testosterone (T) and corticosterone (Cort) as well as peroxidation/antioxidation parameters (T-AOC, MDA, SOD, GSH-Px) and creatin kinase (CK).

RESULTS(1) Plasma cfDNA of rat was detected specifically by our real time PCR. (2) Compared with control group rats, the plasma cfDNA of overtraining rats increased obviously (about 5.43 fold). (3) Plasma cfDNA was related to plasma T, Cort, T/C ratio and MDA (correlation coefficent were -0.729, 0.854, -0.655 and 0.720, respectively) rather than plasma T-AOC, GSH-Px, SOD and CK.

CONCLUSION(1) A real time PCR method was established successfully to determine plasma cfDNA of rat. (2) A remarkable raises of plasma levels of cfDNA were found in overtraining rats which were associated with T, Cort and T/C, suggested that plasma cfDNA might be a new molecular marker of overtraining. (3) The increase of plasma cfDNA of overtraining rat might correlate with enhanced oxidative stress induced by overtraining instead of muscle damage.

Animals ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Corticosterone ; blood ; DNA ; isolation & purification ; Exercise Test ; Fatigue ; blood ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Plasma Cells ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Testosterone ; blood

Sulfonylureas are widely used as an antidiabetic drug. In the present study, the effects of sulfonylurea administered supraspinally on immobilization stress-induced blood glucose level were studied in ICR mice. Mice were once enforced into immobilization stress for 30 min and returned to the cage. The blood glucose level was measured 30, 60, and 120 min after immobilization stress initiation. We found that intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection with 30 microg of glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride or tolazamide attenuated the increased blood glucose level induced by immobilization stress. Immobilization stress causes an elevation of the blood corticosterone and insulin levels. Sulfonylureas pretreated i.c.v. caused a further elevation of the blood corticosterone level when mice were forced into the stress. In addition, sulfonylureas pretreated i.c.v. alone caused an elevation of the plasma insulin level. Furthermore, immobilization stress-induced insulin level was reduced by i.c.v. pretreated sulfonylureas. Our results suggest that lowering effect of sulfonylureas administered supraspinally against immobilization stress-induced increase of the blood glucose level appears to be primarily mediated via elevation of the plasma insulin level.
Animals ; Blood Glucose* ; Brain ; Corticosterone ; Glipizide ; Glyburide ; Immobilization* ; Insulin ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Plasma ; Tolazamide

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of early scream sound stress on the ability of spatial learning and memory, the levels of norepinephrine (NE) and corticosterone (CORT) in serum, and the morphology of adrenal gland.
 METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were treated daily with scream sound from postnatal day 1(P1) for 21 d. Morris water maze was used to measure the spatial learning and memory ability. The levels of serum NE and CORT were determined by radioimmunoassay. Adrenal gland of SD rats was collected and fixed in formalin, and then embedded with paraffin. The morphology of adrenal gland was observed by HE staining.
 RESULTS: Exposure to early scream sound decreased latency of escape and increased times to cross the platform in Morris water maze test (P<0.05). The levels of serum NE was significantly elevated, with an obvious tendency in the increase of CORT level (P<0.05). The morphology of adrenal gland was also influenced. 
 CONCLUSION Newborn female rats subjected to scream sound stress can enhance spatial learning and memory ability in adulthood, which is related to activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system.
Adrenal Glands ; anatomy & histology ; Animals ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Female ; Maze Learning ; Memory ; Norepinephrine ; blood ; Psychoacoustics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Psychological ; Vocalization, Animal

Ginseng and its effective components are famous for their influence to enhance human immunity, regulate endocrine and antioxidant action. However, the different effects of different components are not clear. In this study, Wistar rats were used to study the effects of main components of ginseng, including total ginsenoside, panaxadiol saponins, panaxtrol saponin and ginseng polysaccharide. The results showed that the effects of panaxadiol saponins and ginseng polysaccharide on improving animal immune organ weight, plasma interleukin 2 (IL-2), interleukin 6 (IL-6), plasma gamma-interferon (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were better than that of the other groups. Total ginsenoside and panaxtrol saponin can effectively increase the concentration of spleen NK cells (NKC) while panaxadiol saponins and ginseng polysaccharide can significantly increase the concentrations of rat plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), corticosterone (CORT) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). As for the effect of increasing organization nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA), total ginsenoside is better than that of other groups. In brief, different components in ginseng possess different effects on enhancing immunity, regulating endocrine and resisting oxidation. Panaxadiol saponins and ginseng polysaccharide are better in enhancing immune, and total ginsenoside shows advantages in resisting oxidation and stress.
Adrenal Glands ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Immune System ; drug effects ; physiology ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Killer Cells, Natural ; drug effects ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Panax ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats, Wistar ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Spleen ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Thymus Gland ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Thyrotropin ; blood