Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in numerous industries and areas of daily life, mainly as antimicrobial agents. The particles size is very important, but still not suffi ciently recognized parameter infl uencing the toxicity of nanosilver. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of AgNPs with different particle size (~ 10, 40 and 100 nm). The study was conducted on both reproductive and pulmonary cells (CHO-9, 15P-1 and RAW264.7). We tested the effects of AgNPs on cell viability, cell membrane integrity, mitochondrial metabolic activity, lipid peroxidation, total oxidative and antioxidative status of cells and oxidative DNA damage. All kinds of AgNPs showed strong cytotoxic activity at low concentrations (2÷13 μg/ml), and caused an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at concentrations lower than cytotoxic ones. The ROS being formed in the cells induced oxidative damage of DNA in alkaline comet assay. The most toxic was AgNPs<10 nm. The results indicate that the silver nanoparticles, especially less than 10 nm, may be harmful to the organisms. Therefore, risk should be considered when using nanosilver preparations and provide appropriate protective measures when they are applied.

Allelopathy refers to the beneficial and detrimental effects of one plant on another plant in both crops and weeds through the production of secondary compounds. In order to evaluate the allelopathic effects of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) as a crop and redroot pigweed ( Amaranthus retroflexus L.) as a common weed worldwide on each other in intercropping, these plants were cultivated under controlled conditions at Tabriz University laboratory. The ratios of wheat to redroot pigweed were, 100 : 0 and vice versa as a control, 75 : 25, 50 : 50, and 25 : 75. The results showed that at the ratio of 25 : 75 (wheat : redroot pigweed), the fresh and dry weight of roots and shoot length of wheat decreased significantly compared to the control. The fresh and dry weight of wheat shoots showed a significant decrease at different ratios compared to the control. Shoot peroxidase (POD), root superoxide dismutase (SOD), and root and shoot catalase (CAT) activities in redroot pigweed increased in all intercropping ratios compared to the control. POD activity in wheat roots was higher at all ratios than in the control. Furthermore, the ratio of 75 : 25 (wheat : redroot pigweed) led to increased activity of POD enzymes and malonedialdehyde (MDA) content in wheat shoots. Moreover, roots of redroot pigweed showed increased activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and SOD enzymes and MDA content. With increased density of redroot pigweed, the soluble sugar content of wheat roots reduced significantly. However, the content of insoluble sugar and total protein increased. Root exudate compounds such as terpenoids, phenolic compounds, fatty alcohol, steroids, fatty acids, and alkanes were identified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The findings showed that the roots were more exposed to oxidative stress due to direct contact with allelochemical compounds. Our results support the hypothesis that increasing the density can reduce the toxicity of allelochemical compounds and that increasing the activity of the antioxidant system will improve plant growth under allelochemical stress.

In this study defense responses in three potato varieties with different levels of reaction to the late blight disease caused by Phytophthora infestans were analyzed after inoculation with the pathogen. In the resistant cv. Pastusa Suprema, increased intensity of H2O2 and callose deposit accumulation was observed beginning at 24 hours after inoculation, followed by a hypersensitive response at the inoculation points. In the moderately resistant cv. Diacol-Monserrate, the same responses were observed as in the resistant variety, but with less intensity over time. For the susceptible cv. Diacol-Capiro, the responses observed occurred later than in the other two varieties, subsequent to the advance of the pathogen over extensive necrotic areas. These results suggest that early, intense peroxide and callose accumulation and a hypersensitive response are associated with the observed resistance of the cv. Pastusa Suprema and cv. Diacol-Monserrate to P. infestans.

In the present study, the influence of the infection with equine herpesvirus type 1 (non-neuropathogenic and neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1) on the morphology and distribution of mitochondrial network in equine dermal cell line was investigated. Our results indicate that EHV-1-infection caused changes in the mitochondrial morphology manifested mostly by fission and reactive oxygen species generation.

Dehydroabietic acid R=COOH (DHA), a naturally occuring diterpene resin acid, is an activator of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) under biotic stress. However, there had been no report on its functioning under salinity. In the present study, we determined the effects of DHA on salinity and its possible role as a signal transmitter in soybean (Glycine max L.) leaves under salinity (200 mM NaCl). Furthermore, physiological parameters, chlorophyll, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, superoxide (O2‾) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavenge capacity, as well as antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POX, APX and GST) and GmWRKY-71 gene expressions were investigated in the treated plants at 6 h, 12 h and 24 h. The obtained results showed that pretreatment of DHA caused (1) a reduction in salt-induced damage, (2) improvement in biomass yield, water status, chlorophyll and leaf area, (3) regulation of the proline level and relative electrolyte leakage, (4) increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity, (5) induction of SOD and APX enzyme activity at all the investigated periods, while POX only at 6 h, and thus alleviation of the oxidative damage. In addition, the changes in GmWRKY-71 gene expressions were remarkable in soybean under salinity. To sum up, these results showed that DHA can be used as a ROS inhibitor or a signal molecule in increasing salt tolerance in soybean under salinity.