title: Cadmium-induced oxidative damage and protective effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine against cadmium toxicity in Solanum nigrum L.
abstract: The effects of cadmium (Cd) on the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and antioxidant enzyme activities in roots of Solanum nigrum L. and the role of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) as a cysteine (Cys) donor against Cd toxicity were investigated. Cd at 50 and 200 microM significantly increased the contents of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), the production of H(2)O(2) and superoxide anion (O(2)(-)), and the activities of catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase. Experiments with diphenylene iodonium as an inhibitor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and NaN(3) as an inhibitor of peroxidase showed that the major source of Cd-induced reactive oxygen species in the roots may include plasma membrane-bound NADPH oxidase and peroxidase. In addition, the effects of NAC on plant growth, antioxidant enzyme activity, and non-protein thiol content were analyzed. Under Cd stress, the addition of 500 microM NAC decreased the contents of TBARS and production of H(2)O(2) and O(2)(-), but increased levels of Cys and reduced glutathione (GSH), phytochelatins, and activity of GSH-Px in roots. These results suggest that NAC could protect plants from oxidative stress damage, and this protection seems to be performed via increased GSH biosynthesis. Furthermore, NAC treatment also increased the contents of protein thiols in S. nigrum roots. By using size-exclusion chromatography, we found involvement of NAC in the Cd tolerance mechanism through increased biosynthesis of Cd-binding proteins.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Hongxiao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhenguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D032324:Solanum nigrum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D002104:Cadmium; D000111:Acetylcysteine