Table 2

 Effects of estradiol and progesterone on NADH/NADPH oxidase activities, ROS generation, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme levels in cultured rat HSCs without hydrogen peroxide exposure

NADH oxidase (mmol/min/mg protein)NADPH oxidase (mmol/min/mg protein)ROS (channel number/mg protein)MDA (mmol/mg protein)CuZn-SOD (ng/mg protein)Glutathione peroxidase (U/mg protein)Catalase (relative protein level)
On culture day seven, HSCs, preincubated in serum-free DMEM for 24 hours, were then incubated with and without oestradiol (10−9–10−7 mol/l) or progesterone (10−7–10−6 mol/l) in the presence and absence of 10−6 mol/l ICI 182,780 (ICI) or 10−6 mol/l RU486 (RU) for another 24 hours without hydrogen peroxide exposure. NADH/NADPH oxidase activities, the generation of ROS and MDA, and the levels of CuZn-SOD, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase expression were then compared with cultures in the absence of steroid sex hormones and receptor antagonists without hydrogen peroxide exposure (none). The densitometric analysis results of catalase expression are presented as the mean percentages of β-actin signal intensity. Values are means (SD) for six dishes. *p<0.05 compared with cultures without any treatment (none).
None29.0 (4.1)8.1 (1.3)7.5 (1.2)0.46 (0.07)3.2 (0.4)2.0 (0.3)65 (12)
+ Progesterone 10−7 mol/l37.3 (6.6)*10.6 (2.1)*9.3 (1.5)*0.58 (0.09)*2.7 (0.4)*1.5 (0.3)*53 (10)*
+ Progesterone 10−6 mol/l43.5 (9.4)*13.9 (2.9)*11.0 (2.2)*0.68 (0.10)*2.1 (0.5)*1.1 (0.2)*39 (10)*
+ Progesterone 10−6 mol/l30.6 (3.4)8.6 (1.3)7.8 (1.0)0.48 (0.06)3.2 (0.5)2.0 (0.4)65 (11)
+ RU
+ Oestradiol 10−9 mol/l25.0 (3.3)*7.5 (1.0)*6.0 (1.0)*0.43 (0.06)4.5 (0.7)*2.6 (0.4)*82 (16)*
+ Oestradiol 10−8 mol/l22.2 (3.2)*5.8 (0.8)*4.8 (0.7)*0.30 (0.05)*7.0 (1.3)*4.0 (0.9)*119 (22)*
+ Oestradiol 10−7 mol/l16.9 (2.4)*4.8 (0.6)*3.8 (0.5)*0.22 (0.04)*8.1 (1.4)*4.8 (1.0)*140 (27)*
+ Oestradiol 10−7 mol/l28.5 (4.1)7.9 (1.3)7.4 (1.1)0.46 (0.07)3.4 (0.6)2.0 (0.4)64 (15)
+ ICI