title: Effects of Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine Against Paraquat-Induced Oxidative Stress in Vital Tissues of Mice.
abstract: Paraquat (PQ) is a commonly used herbicide that induces oxidative stress via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) against PQ-induced oxidative stress in mice. Male Balb/C mice (24) were randomly divided into 4 groups and treated for 3 weeks: 1) control (saline), 2) NAC (0.5% in diet), 3) PQ (20 mg/kg, IP) and 4) combination (PQ + NAC). Afterwards mice were sacrificed and oxidative stress markers were analyzed. Our data showed no significant change in serum antioxidant capacity. PQ enhanced lipid peroxidation (MDA) levels in liver tissue compared to control whereas NAC decreased MDA levels (p<0.05). NAC significantly increased MDA in brain tissue (p<0.05). PQ significantly depleted glutathione (GSH) levels in liver (p=0.001) and brain tissue (p<0.05) but non-significant GSH depletion in lung tissue. NAC counteracted PQ, showing a moderate increase GSH levels in liver and brain tissues. PQ significantly increased 8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) levels (p<0.05) in liver tissue compared to control without a significant change in brain tissue. NAC treatment ameliorated PQ-induced oxidative DNA damage in the liver tissue. PQ significantly decreased the relative mtDNA amplification and increased the frequency of lesions in liver and brain tissue (p<0.0001), while NAC restored the DNA polymerase activity in liver tissue but not in brain tissue. In conclusion, PQ induced lipid peroxidation, oxidative nuclear DNA and mtDNA damage in liver tissues and depleted liver and brain GSH levels. NAC supplementation ameliorated the PQ-induced oxidative stress response in liver tissue of mice.
authors.affiliation: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, 395 Industrial Park #2, Ponce 00716-2348, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Maricelly Santiago
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.affiliation: University of Puerto Rico Department of Biology, 2151 Avenue Santiago de los Caballeros, Ponce 00716-9996, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Kevin Muñoz
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Forti
authors.affiliation: University of Puerto Rico Department of Biology, 2151 Avenue Santiago de los Caballeros, Ponce 00716-9996, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Edu B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Suárez Martinez
authors.affiliation: University of Puerto Rico Department of Biology, 2151 Avenue Santiago de los Caballeros, Ponce 00716-9996, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Lenin Godoy
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute Department of GI Oncology, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa Florida 33612 USA.
authors.forename: Kazim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.affiliation: Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University, 395 Industrial Park #2, Ponce 00716-2348, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: Wilfredo Hernández
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Muñiz
keywords: Antioxidant Capacity; DNA Integrity; Glutathione levels; MDA levels; Mice; Oxidative Stress; Reactive Oxygen Species