Met-enkephalin modulates resistance to oxidative stress in mouse brain.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of opioide peptide Met-enkephalin (MENK) on resistance to oxidative stress in the brain of 4, 10 and 18 months old CBA mice of both sexes. This was done by determination of oxidant status via lipid peroxidation (LPO) and antioxidant status by determination of total superoxide dismutase (tSOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx). Results showed that brain of adult male mice is less resistant to oxidative stress than brain of adult females. The difference is mainly due to higher CAT activity and lower LPO activity in female brain. MENK decreased resistance to stress in the brain of both sexes but the effect appeared earlier in males (10 months of age) than in females (18 months of age). Also, MENK could pronounce its effect on resistance to oxidative stress in a gender-related manner: in female mice via regulation of antioxidant enzyme activities and in male mice via regulation of oxidant processes respectively.
Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruder Bosković Institute, Bijenicka 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. balog@rudjer.irb.hr
Tihomir
T
Balog
Sandra
S
Sobocanec
Visnja
V
Sverko
Tatjana
T
Marotti
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D016877:Oxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D016877:Oxidants; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase