Short communication
Changes in brain glutathione levels during postnatal development in the rat

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-3806(96)80016-2Get rights and content

Abstract

The concentration of glutathione in the rat cerebral cortex, cerebellum and liver was examined during postnatal development. The glutathione level in both brain regions was low at the earliest age studied (postnatal day (PND) 3) and peaked at PND7. In the liver, the glutathione level was maximal at PND30. The glutathione peak at PND7 occurs during a period of intense synaptogenesis and may be related to a neuroprotective role during brain development.

References (31)

  • B.P.F. Adland et al.

    The effect of age, growth retardation and asphyxia on ascorbic acid concentrations in developing brain

    J. Neurochem.

    (1973)
  • J.H. Allison et al.

    Myo-inositol and ascorbic acid in developing brain

    J. Neurochem.

    (1973)
  • Y.A. Borde

    The nerve growth factor family

    Prog. Growth Factor Res.

    (1990)
  • T.E. Duffy et al.

    Carbohydrate and energy metabolism in perinatal rat brain: relation to survival in anoxia

    J. Neurochem.

    (1975)
  • R.S. Fernandez et al.

    Apoptosis or necrosis: intracellular levels of glutathione influence mode of cell death

    Biochem. Pharmacol.

    (1994)
  • Cited by (32)

    • Do glutathione levels decline in aging human brain?

      2016, Free Radical Biology and Medicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      It is difficult to compare our postmortem human brain data with the prior literature on the subject as the animal data, as a whole, are generally contradictory and the human findings are scanty. For example, in studies of the rat, during the first few months of life brain GSH levels were reported to decrease [36,42–44], remain stable [45,46], or increase [47,48] (see also [49,50]). Nevertheless, our observation of different rate of regional GSH changes from infancy through adolescence to adulthood might possibly involve many processes of brain development and maturation including neurogenesis, gliogenesis, apoptosis, myelination, synaptogenesis and synaptic pruning (e.g., see [51]).

    • Acute selenium selenite exposure effects on oxidative stress biomarkers and essential metals and trace-elements in the model organism zebrafish (Danio rerio)

      2016, Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology
      Citation Excerpt :

      The first line of defense against oxidative damage is composed by endogenous antioxidants, like the glutathione system, which includes reduced glutathione (GSH). GSH is a tripeptide containing a thiol group, playing an essential role in maintaining several other antioxidant proteins by preserving the reductive nature of the cell and regulating the binding of xenobiotics with cellular thiol [24–26]. Alterations in GSH concentrations may result in several deleterious effects, such as loss of detoxification capability and changes in different signaling pathways that are modulated by alterations in the redox status of the cell, which may then result in other cellular effects [27].

    • Accumulation and toxic effects of microcystin in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from an eutrophic Brazilian lagoon

      2015, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
      Citation Excerpt :

      These values were similar to concentrations found in tilapia liver and bile, but significantly lower than those observed in gonad and muscle, indicating a significant bioaccumulation of this toxin in this fish species. GSH is one of the major antioxidant proteins, protecting the cell against the effects of reactive oxygen species (Nanda et al., 1996; Rose, 1993; Shila et al., 2005). It is also an essential protein in maintaining other antioxidant proteins, since it is responsible for preserving the reductive nature of the cell and regulating the binding of xenobiotics with cellular thiol.

    • Changes in ascorbate, glutathione and α-tocopherol concentrations in the brain regions during normal development and moderate hypoglycemia in rats

      2014, Neuroscience Letters
      Citation Excerpt :

      Previous studies demonstrate that ascorbate concentrations are indeed higher in the developing brain than the mature brain [15,18,20]. A higher brain GSH concentration during development has also been demonstrated in some, but not all studies [15,21]. These studies have evaluated the changes in the whole brain or in a limited number of brain regions.

    • Effects of ubiquinone on hydroperoxide concentration and antioxidant enzymatic activities in the rat hippocampus during pilocarpine-induced seizures

      2010, Brain Research
      Citation Excerpt :

      The accumulation of hydrogen peroxide is of major concern since the brain contains large quantity of iron and copper, which may catalyze the formation of hydroxil radical that can induce lipid peroxidation (Castagne et al., 1999). The glutathione peroxidase is presented in large amount during the nervous system development, but decreased in aging rat (Nanda et al., 1996). Nevertheless, other scavengers such as ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol also decrease the propagation of radical chain reaction.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text