Sümeyye YILMAZ, Elif TUFAN, Güzin Göksun SİVAS, Begüm GÜREL GÖKMEN, Ercan DURSUN, Dilek ÖZBEYLİ, Göksel ŞENER, Tuğba TUNALI-AKBAY

The Effect of Whey Proteins on the Brain and Small Intestine Nitric Oxide Levels: Protein Profiles in Methotrexate-Induced Oxidative Stress

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of whey proteins on methotrexate (MTX)-induced brain and small intestine damage.Materials and Methods: 30 Sprague Dawley rats (200-300 g) were divided into four groups: Control, control + whey, MTX, and MTX+whey. MTX was administered at 20 mg/kg (single dose) intraperitoneally to the MTX group rats, and 2 mg/kg of whey protein were administered by oral gavage for 10 days to the whey groups. Lipid peroxidation, glutathione, and nitric oxide (NO) levels, as well as glutathione-S-transferase and superoxide dismutase activities were measured in the brain and small intestine. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the brain and intestine tissues were also carried out.Results: While MTX treatment caused oxidative damage in the brain and small intestine, whey protein administration ameliorated MTX-induced oxidative stress. MTX administration did not change the brain’s NO level, while an increase in intestinal NO level was detected.Conclusion: MTX induced oxidative stress in the brain and small intestine changed the protein metabolism in these tissues regardless of reduced food intake. Consecutive 10-day administration of whey proteins has shown its therapeutic effect on MTX-induced brain and small intestine oxidative damage.

Keywords:

Methotrexate, whey protein, brain, small intestine, nitric oxide, oxidative stress,

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