Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology
-
J. Nutr. Sci. Vitaminol. · Feb 2006
Ascorbic acid deficiency stimulates hepatic expression of inflammatory chemokine, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1, in scurvy-prone ODS rats.
ODS rat has a hereditary defect in ascorbic acid biosynthesis and is a useful animal model for elucidating the physiological role of ascorbic acid. We previously demonstrated by using ODS rats that ascorbic acid deficiency changes the hepatic gene expression of acute phase proteins, as seen in acute inflammation. In this study, we investigated the effects of ascorbic acid deficiency on the production of inflammatory chemokine, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1), in ODS rats. ⋯ However, the lung concentration of CINC-1 was not affected by ascorbic acid deficiency. Ascorbic acid deficiency significantly elevated the hepatic mRNA level of CINC-1 (to 480% of the value in the control rats), but not the lung mRNA level. These results demonstrate that ascorbic acid deficiency elevates the serum, liver and spleen concentrations of CINC-1 as seen in acute inflammation, and suggest that ascorbic acid deficiency stimulate the hepatic CINC-1 gene expression.
-
J. Nutr. Sci. Vitaminol. · Feb 2006
Effects of different grape formulations on antioxidative capacity, lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage in aged rats.
In this study, the freeze-dried powders from whole grapes, pomace and juice of Campbell Early (Vitis labruscana Bailey) were prepared to determine the amount of total flavonoids, vitamins A, C, and E, and dietary fiber. Effects of whole grape, pomace, or juice intakes on their antioxidative capacity and DNA damage were investigated in Sprague-Dawley male rats. A total of 120 rats at 13 mo old and weighing 549 +/- 4 g were blocked into 8 groups according to body weight and raised for 3, 5, or 7 mo with diets containing 2% (w/w) dry powder of three different parts of grapes and 0.02% (w/w) CdCl2. ⋯ Grape intake increased these three antioxidative enzyme activities while Cd administration decreased catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities except superoxide dismutase activity. The concentration in the kidney of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in the 18- and 20-mo-old rats was higher than that in the 16-mo-old groups, and grape intake showed a protecting effect on DNA from age-related or Cd-induced oxidative damage. In conclusion, grape intakes, especially grape pomace with the highest content of flavonoids, beta-carotene, tocopherols and dietary fiber among the three parts, showed the prominent antioxidative capacity of inhibiting age-related or Cd-induced increase of lipid peroxidation and DNA damage effectively, promoting liver and red blood cell antioxidant enzyme activities.