Dextran Sulphate (dextran + sulphate)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Terms modified by Dextran Sulphate

  • dextran sulphate sodium

  • Selected Abstracts


    Effect of oral iron supplementation on oxidative stress and colonic inflammation in rats with induced colitis

    ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 12 2001
    J. Carrier
    Background: Iron supplementation may increase disease activity in ulcerative colitis, possibly through the production of reactive oxygen species from the Fenton reaction. Aim: To assess the effects of two doses of oral iron on intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress in experimental colitis. Methods: Colitis was induced in rats by giving 5% dextran sulphate sodium in drinking water for 7 days. First, using a 2 × 2 factorial design, rats with or without dextran sulphate sodium received the regular diet or a diet containing iron 3%/kg diet. Second, rats with dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis were supplemented with iron 0.3%/kg diet and compared with rats on dextran sulphate sodium and regular diet. The body weight change, histological scores, colon length, rectal bleeding, plasma and colonic lipid peroxides, colonic glutathione peroxidase and plasma vitamin E and C were measured. Faecal analysis for haem and total, free and ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid-chelatable iron was also performed. Results: Iron 3% and iron 0.3% increased the activity of dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis, as demonstrated by higher histological scores, heavier rectal bleeding and further shortening of the colon. This was associated with increased lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidant vitamins. Faecal iron available to the Fenton reaction was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: Iron supplementation taken orally enhanced the activity of dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis and is associated with an increase in oxidative stress. [source]


    Role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis

    ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 2000
    Y. Yoshida
    Summary Background: Different authors have postulated both toxic and protective effects for nitric oxide (NO) in the pathophysiology of active inflammation. Aim: To examine the role of NO, especially that produced by the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), by investigating the effects of NOS inhibitors and NO donors on inflammation in experimental acute colitis. Methods: Acute colitis was induced in rats by dextran sulphate sodium (DSS). White blood cell counts and levels of thiobarbituric acid reactants in the portal blood were determined, as were histological changes in the colonic mucosa. We then evaluated the effects of NG -nitro- l -arginine methyl ester ( l -NAME), aminoguanidine (AG) and an NO donor on DSS-induced changes in these inflammatory parameters. Results and Conclusions: Inhibition of NO production by either l -NAME or AG worsened DSS-induced inflammation, suggesting a protective role for NO in acute colitis. On the other hand, a NO donor also exaggerated DSS-induced inflammatory parameters, suggesting that acute colitis may be aggravated by either too much or too little NO. These results suggest that medical treatment of ulcerative colitis must aim for maintenance of appropriate NO levels in the intestinal mucosa. [source]


    Effects of heparin and related molecules upon neutrophil aggregation and elastase release in vitro

    BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 4 2003
    Rachel A Brown
    Neutrophil-derived elastase is an enzyme implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Heparin inhibits the enzymatic activity of elastase and here we provide evidence for the first time that heparin can inhibit the release of elastase from human neutrophils. Unfractionated and low molecular weight heparins (UH and LMWH, 0.01,1000 U ml,1) and corresponding concentrations (0.06,6000 ,g ml,1) of nonanticoagulant O-desulphated heparin (ODH), dextran sulphate (DS) and nonsulphated poly- L -glutamic acid (PGA) were compared for their effects on both elastase release from and aggregation of neutrophils. UH, ODH and LMWH inhibited (P<0.05) the homotypic aggregation of neutrophils, in response to both N -formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP, 10,6M) and platelet-activating factor (PAF, 10,6M), as well as elastase release in response to these stimuli, in the absence and presence of the priming agent tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- ,, 100 U ml,1). DS inhibited elastase release under all the conditions of cellular activation tested (P<0.05) but had no effect on aggregation. PGA lacked efficacy in either assay, suggesting general sulphation to be important in both effects of heparin on neutrophil function and specific patterns of sulphation to be required for inhibition of aggregation. Further investigation of the structural requirements for inhibition of elastase release confirmed the nonsulphated GAG hyaluronic acid and neutral dextran, respectively, to be without effect, whereas the IP3 receptor antagonist 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborate (2-APB) mimicked the effects of heparin, itself an established IP3 receptor antagonist, suggesting this to be a possible mechanism of action. British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 139, 845,853. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705291 [source]


    The effects of heparin and related molecules on vascular permeability and neutrophil accumulation in rabbit skin

    BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 2 2002
    Helen Jones
    Unfractionated heparin (UH) has been shown to possess a wide range of properties which are potentially anti-inflammatory. Many of these studies, including effects of heparin on adhesion of inflammatory cells to endothelium, have been carried out in vitro. In the present study, we have used radioisotopic techniques to study the effect of UH, and related molecules, on in vivo inflammatory responses (plasma exudation (PE) and PMN accumulation) in rabbit skin induced by cationic proteins, mediators and antigen. Intradermal (i.d.) pretreatment with UH dose-dependently inhibited poly-L-lysine (PLL)-induced responses. The same treatment had no effect on antigen (extract of Alternaria tenuis, AT)-, formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)- or leukotriene (LT) B4 -induced responses, although i.d. dextran sulphate (DS) significantly inhibited responses to all of these mediators. High dose (10,000 u kg,1) intravenous UH significantly decreased cutaneous responses to fMLP and LTB4. By comparison, the selectin inhibitor, fucoidin, and DS, were very effective inhibitors of these responses, and of responses to AT and PLL. In contrast to the weak effect in the in vivo studies, UH significantly inhibited in vitro homotypic aggregation of rabbit PMNs, showing that it can modify PMN function. Our data with i.d. UH confirm the important ability of this molecule to interact with and neutralize polycationic peptides in vivo, suggesting that this is a prime role of endogenous heparin. The lack of effect of exogenous heparin on acute inflammatory responses induced by allergen, suggests that cationic proteins are unlikely to be primary mediators of the allergen-induced PE or PMN accumulation. British Journal of Pharmacology (2002) 135, 469,479; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704505 [source]


    HIGH-DOSE TAURINE SUPPLEMENTATION INCREASES SERUM PARAOXONASE AND ARYLESTERASE ACTIVITIES IN EXPERIMENTAL HYPOTHYROIDISM

    CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 9 2007
    Melahat Dirican
    SUMMARY 1Hypothyroidism is accompanied by hyperlipidaemia and oxidative stress and is associated with several complications, such as atherosclerosis. Paraoxonase activity has been reported to decrease in several situations associated with atherosclerosis and oxidative stress. In the present study, the effects of different doses of taurine on serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities, as well as on the serum lipid profile, were investigated in hypothyroid rats. 2Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups as follows: Group 1, rats received normal rat chow and tap water; Group 2, rats received standard rat chow + 0.05% propylthiouracil (PTU) in the drinking water; and Groups 3,5, taurine-supplemented PTU groups (standard rat chow + 0.5, 2 or 3% taurine in the drinking water, respectively, in addition to PTU). Paraoxon or phenylacetate were used as substrates to measure paraoxonase and arylesterase activity, respectively. Plasma and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicators of lipid peroxidation, were determined using the thiobarbituric-acid reactive substances method. Serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein,cholesterol (following precipitation with dextran sulphate,magnesium chloride) were determined using enzymatic methods. 3Serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities were increased and plasma and tissue MDA levels and serum triglyceride levels were reduced in a dose-dependent manner in taurine-treated hypothyroid rats. Taurine concentrations were positively correlated with enzyme activities and negatively correlated with MDA and triglyceride levels. 4Further studies are needed to investigate the role of taurine supplementation in hypothyroidism in human subjects. [source]