title: The effect of ingested sulfite on active avoidance in normal and sulfite oxidase-deficient aged rats.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the possible toxic effects of sulfite on neurons by measuring active avoidance learning in normal and sulfite oxidase (SOX)-deficient aged rats. Twenty-four months of age Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control (C), sulfite-treated group (S), SOX-deficient group (D) and SOX-deficient + sulfite-treated group (DS). SOX deficiency was established by feeding rats with a low molybdenum (Mo) diet and adding 200 ppm tungsten (W) to their drinking water. Sulfite in the form of sodium metabisulfite (25 mg/kg) was given by gavage for six weeks. Active avoidance responses were determined by using an automated shuttle box. Hepatic SOX activity was measured to confirm SOX deficiency. The hippocampus was used for determining the activity of cyclooxygenase (COX) and caspase-3 enzymes and the level of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and nitrate/nitrite. SOX-deficient rats had an approximately 10-fold decrease in hepatic SOX activity compared with normal rats. Sulfite did not induce impairment of active avoidance learning in SOX-deficient rats and in normal rats compared with their control groups. Sulfite had no effect on the activity of COX and caspase-3 in the hippocampus. Treatment with sulfite did not significantly increase the level of PGE2 and nitrate/nitrite in the hippocampus.
authors: a Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology , Akdeniz University , Antalya , Turkey.
authors: Ozlem
authors: O
authors: Ozsoy
authors: a Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology , Akdeniz University , Antalya , Turkey.
authors: Sinem
authors: S
authors: Aras
authors: a Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology , Akdeniz University , Antalya , Turkey.
authors: Ayse
authors: A
authors: Ozkan
authors: a Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology , Akdeniz University , Antalya , Turkey.
authors: Hande
authors: H
authors: Parlak
authors: b Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology , Near East University , Nicosia , Turkey.
authors: Burcu
authors: B
authors: Gemici
authors: a Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology , Akdeniz University , Antalya , Turkey.
authors: Nimet
authors: N
authors: Uysal
authors: c Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry , Akdeniz University , Antalya , Turkey.
authors: Mutay
authors: M
authors: Aslan
authors: d Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biophysics , Akdeniz University , Antalya , Turkey.
authors: Piraye
authors: P
authors: Yargicoglu
authors: a Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology , Akdeniz University , Antalya , Turkey.
authors: Aysel
authors: A
authors: Agar
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D050876:Sulfite Oxidase / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D013447:Sulfites / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D013447:Sulfites; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D050876:Sulfite Oxidase; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D015232:Dinoprostone
keywords: COX-2; PGE2; Sodium metabisulfite; active avoidance; caspase-3; nitrate/nitrite