The purinergic system participates in the control of blood pressure. Hypertension promotes the occurrence of gastrointestinal disorders such as intestinal inflammation and gastric emptying delay. This study aimed i) to investigate the participation of the P2X7 receptor blocker Brilliant Blue G (BBG) on gastric emptying of solids and changes in oxidative stress in the gastric fundus, duodenum, and colon of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and ii) to study the putative relationship of this effect with the renin-angiotensin system. Rats were divided into five groups: Control, SHR, SHR+BBG, SHR+BBG+ATP, and SHR+BBG+ANG II. In the gastrointestinal tract, we assessed gastric emptying (GE) and oxidative stress markers (NOx, MPO, GSH, SOD). We observed a decrease in the GE rate (P<0.05) in SHR vs control rats (21.8±2.0% vs 42.8±3.5%). The decrease in GE was returned (P<0.05) to control levels by BBG in SHR rats (21.8±2.0% vs 41.6±3.2%). Co-administration of ATP or ANG II together with BBG bypassed the effect of the P2X7 antagonist on GE in SHR (P<0.05) (21.9±5.0% vs 25.6±3.0% vs 41.6±3.2%). The MPO activity increased (P<0.05) in the gastric fundus of SHR compared to control rats (6.12±2.26 vs 0.077±0.02 UMPO/mg tissue); this effect was prevented (P<0.05) by BBG (0.55±0.15 vs 6.12±2.26 UMPO/mg tissue). Data demonstrated that blockage of P2X7 receptors with BBG can improve the GE delay and oxidative stress biomarkers in SHR animals. This preventive effect of BBG on GE delay was abrogated by ANG II and ATP, thus prompting crosstalk between renin-angiotensin and the purinergic signaling systems underlying this phenomenon.

Strenuous exercise triggers deleterious effects on the intestinal epithelium, but their mechanisms are still uncertain. Here, we investigated whether a prolonged training and an additional exhaustive training protocol alter intestinal permeability and the putative effect of alanyl-glutamine (AG) pretreatment in this condition. Rats were allocated into 5 different groups: 1) sedentary; 2 and 3) trained (50 min per day, 5 days per week for 12 weeks) with or without 6 weeks oral (1.5 g/kg) AG supplementation; 4 and 5) trained and subjected to an additional exhaustive test protocol with or without oral AG supplementation. Venous blood samples were collected to determine gasometrical indices at the end of the 12-week protocol or after exhaustive test. Lactate and glucose levels were determined before, during, and after the exhaustive test. Ileum tissue collected after all experimental procedures was used for gene expression analysis of Zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1), occludin, claudin-2, and oligopeptide transporter 1 (PepT-1). Intestinal permeability was assessed by urinary lactulose/mannitol test collected after the 12-week protocol or the exhaustive test. The exhaustive test decreased pH and base excess and increased pCO2. Training sessions delayed exhaustion time and reduced the changes in blood glucose and lactate levels. Trained rats exhibited upregulation of PEPT-1, ZO-1, and occludin mRNA, which were partially protected by AG. Exhaustive exercise induced intestinal paracellular leakage associated with the upregulation of claudin-2, a phenomenon protected by AG treatment. Thus, AG partially prevented intestinal training adaptations but also blocked paracellular leakage during exhaustive exercise involving claudin-2 and occludin gene expression.

We previously found that acute exercise inhibited the gastric emptying of liquid in awake rats by causing an acid-base imbalance. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO-cGMP) pathway, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) peptide in this phenomenon. Male rats were divided into exercise or sedentary group and were subjected to a 15-min swim session against a load (2.5 or 5% b.w.). The rate of gastric emptying was evaluated after 5, 10, or 20 min postprandially. Separate groups of rats were treated with vehicle (0.9% NaCl, 0.1 mL/100 g, ip) or one of the following agents: atropine (1.0 mg/kg, ip), the NO non-selective inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME; 10.0 mg/kg, ip), or the selective cGMP inhibitor 1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazole[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ; 5.0 mg/kg, ip), the i-NOS non-specific inhibitor (aminoguanidine; 10.0 mg/kg, ip), the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor antagonist (astressin; 100 µg/kg, ip), or the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptor antagonist Lys1, Pro2,5, Arg3,4, Tyr6 (100 µg/kg, ip). Compared to sedentary rats, both the 2.5 and 5% exercise groups exhibited higher (P<0.05) values of blood lactate and fractional gastric dye recovery. Corticosterone and NO levels increased (P<0.05) in the 5% exercised rats. Pretreatment with astressin, VIP antagonist, atropine, L-NAME, and ODQ prevented the increase in gastric retention caused by exercise in rats. Acute exercise increased gastric retention, a phenomenon that appears to be mediated by the NO-cGMP pathway, CRF, and VIP receptors.

O experimento foi conduzido, num Latossolo Vermelho Escuro com 53% de argila e 4,5% de matéria orgânica, objetivando-se estudar a eficiência e seletividade de herbicidas pós-emergentes na soja, cv. União. Os herbicidas foram aplicados quando as plantas daninhas estavam com 3 a 5 folhas. Os tratamentos com as respectivas doses, em kg/ha do i.a., foram os seguintes: misturas de tanque de alloxydim - Na a 1,125, e de sethoxydim a 0,221, com bentazon a 0,72; combinação de diclofop-metil a 0,84, com acifluorfen, a 0,224; diclofop-metil a 0,84, sethoxydim a 0,147, 0,184 e 0,221, fluazifop-butil a 0,25 e 0,37, CGA 82725 (éster 2 - propilínico do ácido 2-4 (3,5 - dicloro - 2 - pyridiloxi) - fenoxy - propiônico), a 0,35; todos combinados com bentazon, a 0,72. Utilizou-se ainda os tratamentos oryzalin + metribuzin (1,125 + 0,42), além das testemunhas com capina e sem capina o ciclo todo. Nas combinações, os graminicidas foram aplicados 3 dias depois de acifluorfen ou de bentazon. O controle de papuã (Brachiaria plantaginea (Link) Hitch) e de capim-arroz (Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv.) foi deficiente apenas nos tratamentos com alloxydim - Na. Milhã (Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.) não foi controlada pelos tratamentos com diclofop-metil, alloxydim - Na e com as menores doses de sethoxydim. Entre as dicotiledôneas, somente guanxuma (Sida rhombifolia L.) não foi bem controlada por acifluorfen. A mistura de alloxydim - Na + bentazon diminuiu o efeito do graminicida, enquanto que sethoxydim + bentazon não demonstrou este antagonismo. A fitotoxicidade à soja foi mais acentuada no tratamento de diclofop-metil com acifluorfen. A altura e a população de plantas da soja não foram influenciadas pelos herbicidas. Fluazifop - butil na maior dose, com bentazon, apresentou o melhor rendimento (2.416 kg/ha), superando em 5,4% a testemunha capinada (2.292 kg/ha). Foram ainda superiores a esta, os tratamentos oryzalin + metribuzin, as duas maio- res doses de sethoxydim e a sua mistura de tanque com bentazon, bem como fluazifop-butil na menor dose.

The experiment was carried out on a Dark Red Latosol, with 53% clay and 4,5% organic matter, to study the ef ficiency and selectivity of post emergence her bicides on soybean cv União. The her bicides were applied when the weeds had 3 to 5 leaves. The following treatments (kg a.i./ha) wer e used: tank mixes of alloxydim - Na, at 1,125, and of sethoxydim, at 0,221, with benta zon, at 0,72; combination of diclofop, at 0,84, with acifluorfen, at 0,224; diclo-fop, sethoxydim, 0,147, 0,184 and 0,221, fluaz ifop - but yl, 0,25 and 0,37, CGA 82725, 0,35, all in combi nat ion with benta zon at 0,72. As che ck treatments, oryza lin + met ribuzin (1,125 + 0,42), hoeing and no hoeing wer e used. The grass weeds her bicides, for the combinat ions, wer e applied 3 days after aciflu orfen or bentazon. The control of Brachiaria plantaginea Link. Hitch. and of Ehcinochloa crusgalli L. Beauv. was defficient only for the treatments with alloxydim - Na. Digitaria sanguinalis L. Scop. was not controled by the treatments with diclo - fop, alloxydim - Na and with the lower dosage of sethoxydim. Among the dicotiledoneous, only Sida rhombifolia L. was not controlled by acifluorfen. The tank mix of alloxydim - Na + bentazon decreased the effect of the grass herbicide, while sethoxydim + bentazon did not show this antagonism. Phytotoxicity was greater in the treament diclofop with acifluorfen. Soybean plant height and plant population, seemed not to be influen - cend by the herbicides. The highest yield (2.416 kg/ha), which was 5,4% higher than the hand hoed treatment (2.292 kg/ha), was obtained with fluazifop - butyl in its higher dosage, plus bentazon. The treatments oryzalin + metribuzin, with the two higher dosages of sethoxydim and its mixture, and the lower dosage of fluazifop - butyl were also superior to hand hoeing.