MeHg-induced changes in astrocytic [(3)H]-glutamine uptake were assessed along with changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (Delta Psi(m)), using the potentiometric dye tetramethylrhodamine

ethyl ester (TMRE). Western blot analysis was used to detect MeHg-induced ERK (extracellular-signal related kinase) phosphorylation and caspase-3 activation. MeHg treatment significantly decreased (p < 0.05) astrocytic [(3)H]-glutamine uptake at all time points Selleck AZD0530 and concentrations. Ebselen fully reversed MeHg’s (1 mu M) effect on [(3)H]-glutamine uptake at 1 min. At higher MeHg concentrations, ebselen partially reversed the MeHg-induced astrocytic inhibition of [(3)H]-glutamine uptake [at 1 min (5 and 10 mu M)

(p < 0.05); 5 min (1, 5 and 10 mu M) (p < 0.05)]. MeHg treatment (1 h) significantly (p < 0.05) dissipated the Delta Psi(m) in astrocytes as evidenced by a decrease Ganetespib in mitochondrial TMRE fluorescence. Ebselen fully reversed the effect of 1 mu M MeHg treatment for 1 h on astrocytic Delta Psi(m) and partially reversed the effect of 5 and 10 mu M MeHg treatments for 1 h on In addition, ebselen inhibited MeHg-induced phosphorylation of ERK (p < 0.05) and blocked MeHg-induced activation of caspase-3 (p < 0.05-0.01). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that MeHg exerts its toxic effects via oxidative stress and that the phosphorylation of ERK and the dissipation of the astrocytic mitochondrial membrane potential are involved in MeHg toxicity. In addition, the protective effects elicited by ebselen reinforce the idea that organic selenocompounds represent promising strategies to counteract MeHg-induced neurotoxicity. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“The

real-time polymerase chain Bortezomib reaction (PCR) is considered to be a suitable tool for nucleic acid quantitation because it is accurate, rapid and reliable. The reference protocol for quantitation of ostreid herpesvirus 1 in Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas is based on a Sybr (R) Green real-time PCR developed by the IFREMER laboratory. The Frank Duncombe Departmental Laboratory has developed an alternative protocol based on TaqMan (R) chemistry (alternative technique). The quantitation limits were 1000 and 18 UG/mg of tissues for the reference method and alternative protocols, respectively, and the latter protocol has a detection limit of 6 UG/mg of tissues. The aim of this study was to compare the two protocols using DNA samples obtained from 210 spat. The kappa index (0.41) indicated a moderate concordance between the protocols, according to the measures of Landis and Koch. All samples that were positive by the reference protocol were also positive by the alternative protocol. Of the 76 samples that were negative by the reference protocol, 49 were positives by the alternative protocol.