Physiol. Res. 52: 131-135, 2003

SHORT COMMUNICATION


Oxidative Stress in the Brain Tissue of Laboratory Mice with Acute Post Insulin Hypoglycemia
 

J. PATOČKOVÁ1, P. MARHOL2, E. TŮMOVÁ1, M. KRŠIAK1, R. ROKYTA4,
S. ŠTÍPEK5, J. CRKOVSKÁ5, M. ANDĚL3

1Department of Pharmacology, 2Department of Chemistry and Toxicology and Cell Biochemistry, 3Second Department of Internal Medicine, 4Department of Normal, Pathological and Clinical Physiology, Third Faculty of Medicine, and 5First Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
 

Received May 30, 2001
Accepted July 7, 2002


Summary
Malondialdehyde (MDA), Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (GSPHx) are currently considered to be basic markers of oxidative stress. MDA is one of the end-products of the peroxidation of membrane lipids, whereas enzymes Cu,Zn-SOD and GSHPx belong to the natural antioxidants. The role of oxygen free radicals in the pathogenesis of many diseases is well documented. The aim of this study was to ascertain the influence of insulin-induced acute hypoglycemia on oxidative stress in the brain tissue. Hypoglycemia was induced in ICR mice by intraperitoneal administration of insulin at a dose 24 IU/kg. There was a correlation between the severity of hypoglycemia and the levels of MDA, Cu,Zn-SOD and GSHPx. The results showed that in severe hypoglycemia (serum glucose concentration below 1.0 mmol/l) the lipoperoxidation in brain tissue expressed as the level of MDA was higher in comparison with normoglycemic controls (glycemia around 3.7 mmol/l) as well as in comparison with the levels of MDA during moderate hypoglycemia (glycemia ranging between 1-2 mmol/l). This indicates the enhancement of lipoperoxidation in the brain tissue during severe hypoglycemia. However, both enzymes – Cu,Zn-SOD or GSHPx – did not show a similar tendency.


Key words
Malondialdehyde • Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase • Selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase • Insulin-induced hypoglycemia


Reprint requests
Patočková Jitka M.D., Department of Pharmacology, Charles University, Third Faculty of Medicine, Ruská 87, 100 00 Praha 10, Czech republic, Fax +420 267 102 461, E-mail: Jitka.Patockova@lf3.cuni.cz


© 2003 by the Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences