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We report here the effects of chronic ethanol consumption on the antioxidant defense system in rat kidney. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided in two identical groups and were treated as follows: control group (water for fluid) and the ethanol-fed group (2 g/kg body weight/24 h). The animals were sacrificed after 10 weeks, and respectively 30 weeks of ethanol consumption, and the renal tissue was isolated and analyzed. Results revealed that kidney alcohol dehydrogenase activities increased significantly after ethanol administration, but the electrophoretic pattern of alcohol dehydrogenase isoforms was unmodified. The SDS polyacrylamidegel electrophoretic study of kidney proteins has revealed the appearance of two new protein bands after long-term ethanol consumption. The kidney reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio decreased, indicating an oxidative stress response due to ethanol ingestion. The malondialdehyde contents and xanthine oxidase activities were unchanged. The antioxidant enzymatic defense system showed a different response during the two periods of ethanol administration. After 10 weeks, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were activated, while superoxide dismutase, glutathione transferase, and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase levels were stationary. After 30 weeks, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were unmodified, but catalase, glutathione transferase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, glutathione reductase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were significantly increased. Remarkable changes have been registered after 30 weeks of ethanol administration for glutathione reductase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities, including an increase by 106 and 216' of control values, respectively. These results showed specific changes in rat kidney antioxidant system and glutathione status as a consequence of long-term ethanol administration.

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UVA radiation induces multiple and complex changes in the skin, affecting epidermal cell behavior. This study reports the effects of UVA exposure on normal (HaCaT) and dysplastic (DOK) keratinocytes. The adherence, spreading and proliferation were investigated by time-lapse measurement of cell layer impedance on different matrix proteins. Prior to UVA exposure, the time required for adherence and spreading did not differ significantly for HaCaT and DOK cells, while spreading areas were larger for HaCaT cells. Under UVA exposure, HaCaT and DOK cells behavior differed in terms of movement and proliferation. The cells’ ability to cover the denuded surface and individual cell trajectories were recorded by time-lapse videomicroscopy, during wound healing experiments. Dysplastic keratinocytes showed more sensitivity to UVA, exhibiting transient deficiencies in directionality of movement and a delay in re-coating the denuded area. The actin cytoskeleton displayed a cortical organization immediately after irradiation, in both cell lines, similar to mock-irradiated cells. Post-irradiation, DOK cells displayed a better organization of stress fibers, persistent filopodia, and new, stronger focal contacts. In conclusion, after UVA exposure HaCaT and DOK cells showed a different behavior in terms of adherence, spreading, motility, proliferation, and actin cytoskeleton dynamics, with the dyplastic keratinocytes being more sensitive.