title: Effect of protein malnutrition on redox state of the hippocampus of rat.
abstract: The protein malnutrition is a worldwide problem, affecting mainly newborns and children of developing countries. This deficiency reaches the brain in the most critical period of the development. Various consequences are related to this insult, such as memory disturbance, learning, and behavioral impairment. Protein content of the diet plays an important role on antioxidant mechanisms. This study observed the effects of protein malnutrition on rat hippocampus redox state. Wistar rats were separate in four groups, receiving different diets: first group with 25% casein, protein deficient group with 8% casein, and the same two groups supplemented with methionine (0.15%). Diets were isocaloric and were administered since the prenatal period up to the sacrifice. Rats were decapitated at 21 or 75 days old and hippocampus were isolated for measuring the lipoperoxidation by TBARS method, protein oxidative damage by carbonyl (DNPH) levels, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). There was significant alterations in the activities of the enzyme SOD, lipoperoxidation, and protein oxidation in hippocampus of 21 and 75 day-old rats fed with 25% of protein with methionine and the groups fed with low levels of protein (8%) both supplemented or not with methionine. Our data suggest that both the content of protein in the diet and the essential amino acid methionine may alter the antioxidant system and the redox state of the brain.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-anexo, Porto Alegre 90035-003, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonatto
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polydoro
authors.forename: Michael Everton
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Andrades
authors.forename: Mário Luís Conte
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: da Frota Júnior
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dal-Pizzol
authors.forename: Liane Nanci
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Rotta
authors.forename: Diogo Onofre
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Marcos Luiz
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: José Cláudio Fonseca
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology*; D008715:Methionine / Q000502:physiology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D008715:Methionine; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase