ROS formation and antioxidant status in brain areas of rats exposed to sodium metavanadate

In the present work, in vivo ROS formation and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the hippocampus and the cerebellum of sodium metavanadate (NaVO₃) treated rats were studied. Rats were i.p. injected with 3 mg/kg bw/day (V₁ group) or with 7.2 mg/kg bw/day of NaVO₃ (V₂ group) for 5 consecutive days. Results show that after only 5 days of NaVO₃ exposure, reactive oxygen species formation and alteration of the oxidative defence system were observed. Vanadium-induced OH production was detected in cerebellum at the high dose. This result was confirmed by in situ ROS histochemical staining. Neither Cat nor Cu-Zn SOD activities showed changes while GSH/GSSG ratio, in both brain areas, was significantly decreased in NaVO₃-treated groups. The present work indicates that the NaVO₃ dose and the particular brain area constitution would be critical in the cellular and molecular oxidative mechanism of this element.