title: Effects of chronic cold exposure on the activities of cytochrome c oxidase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in rat tissues (Rattus norvegicus).
abstract: The effects of cold acclimation on the activity levels of cytochrome c oxidase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in various tissues of the rat (Rattus norvegicus) were investigated. One group was individually housed at 4 +/- 1 degrees C and the other at 24 +/- 1 degrees C for 6 months. Chronic cold acclimation resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) increased cytochrome c oxidase activity levels in liver, kidney, heart, interscapular brown adipose tissue and gastrocnemius muscle. The activity of glutathione peroxidase was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in liver, interscapular brown adipose tissue, lung and muscle, whereas glutathione reductase was only significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in interscapular brown adipose tissue as a result of chronic cold exposure. The results obtained are possibly indicative of a positive compensatory response against the increased production of oxygen derived radicals as a result of chronic cold exposure.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa. sterblan@pan.uzulu.ac.za
authors: S E
authors: SE
authors: Terblanche
authors: T C
authors: TC
authors: Masondo
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Nel
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV