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Effects of Chronic Restraint Stress and 17-β-Estradiol Replacement on Oxidative Stress in the Spinal Cord of Ovariectomized Female Rats

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Abstract

Previous studies have shown sex-specific oxidative changes in spinal cord of rats submitted to chronic stress, which may be due to gonadal hormones. Here, we assessed total radical-trapping potential (TRAP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and lipid peroxidation (evaluated by the TBARS test) in the spinal cord of ovariectomized (OVX) female rats. Female rats were subjected to OVX, and half of the animals received estradiol replacement. Animals were subdivided into controls and chronically stressed (for 40 days). Our findings demonstrate that chronic stress decreased TRAP, and increased SOD activity in spinal cord homogenates from ovariectomized female rats and had no effect on GPx activity. On the other hand, groups receiving 17β-estradiol replacement presented a decreased GPx activity, but no alteration in TRAP and in SOD activity. No differences in the TBARS test were found in any of the groups analyzed. In conclusion, our results support the idea that chronic stress induces an imbalance between SOD and GPx activities, additionally decreasing TRAP. Estradiol replacement did not reverse the effects of chronic stress, but induced a decrease in GPx activity. Therefore, estradiol replacement in ovariectomized chronically stressed rats could make the spinal cord more susceptible to oxidative injury.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Research Council of Brazil (CNPq), and FINEP/Rede IBN 01.06.0842-00. Leonardo M. Crema was the recipient of a CAPES fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Bioquímica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Ramiro Barcelos, 2600, Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil

    Ana P. Aguiar, Deusa Vendite & Carla Dalmaz

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Leonardo M. Crema, Luisa A. Diehl, Fernanda U. Fontella & Carla Dalmaz

  3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Lúcia Almeida, Letícia Pettenuzzo, Deusa Vendite & Carla Dalmaz

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  1. Leonardo M. Crema
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  2. Luisa A. Diehl
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  3. Ana P. Aguiar
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Correspondence to Deusa Vendite.

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Crema, L.M., Diehl, L.A., Aguiar, A.P. et al. Effects of Chronic Restraint Stress and 17-β-Estradiol Replacement on Oxidative Stress in the Spinal Cord of Ovariectomized Female Rats. Neurochem Res 35, 1700–1707 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-010-0232-1

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