scholarly journals Spermatozoal Fractalkine Signaling Pathway Is Upregulated in Subclinical Varicocele Patients with Normal Seminogram and Low-Level Leucospermia

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salwa M. Abo El-khair ◽  
Mohammad A. Gaballah ◽  
Mamdouh M. Abdel-Gawad ◽  
Sherif Refaat M. Ismail ◽  
Ayman Z. Elsamanoudy

Background. Fractalkine is produced in seminal plasma in small amounts and correlates with sperm motility. Purpose. To investigate the possible effect of low-level leucospermia on spermatozoa oxidative stress and sDNA fragmentation in patients with subclinical varicocele and apparently normal seminogram, and also to study the role of spermatozoal fractalkine and its receptor (CX3CR1) gene expression as a marker of spermatozoa inflammatory response. Methods. This study included 80 patients with subclinical varicocele (45 fertile and 35 infertile) and 45 age-matched fertile volunteers. In semen samples, fractalkine and CX3CR1 gene expression were investigated by qRT-PCR. Moreover, seminal plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured. Results. There are significant decrease in semen quality and significant increase in seminal leucocytes count in subclinical varicocele. Our results show a significant increase in MDA and TAC levels, DNA fragmentation, and expression levels of fractalkine and its receptor (CX3CR1) in subclinical varicocele groups. Conclusion. Subclinical varicocele induces seminal and spermatozoal subclinical inflammatory response in the form of low-level leucospermia and increased mRNA expression of the fractalkine signaling pathway, leading to increased spermatozoal ROS production, oxidative stress, and DNA fragmentation. These could cooperate in the pathogenesis of delayed fertility in males with subclinical varicocele.

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa M. Kratz ◽  
Anna Kałuża ◽  
Mirosława Ferens-Sieczkowska ◽  
Beata Olejnik ◽  
Renata Fiutek ◽  
...  

The expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may be regulated by oxidative stress in various pathophysiological processes; therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyse the associations between the expression of the gelatinases MMP-9 and MMP-2 and their tissue inhibitors TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) in seminal plasma prepared for artificial insemination. Levels of MMPs and TIMPs were evaluated using ELISA, whereas TAC and AOPP in the seminal plasma of 131 childless men and 38 fertile volunteers were determined spectrophotometrically. Seminal MMP-9 expression was higher in childless men than in fertile subjects, whereas there was no significant differences in MMP-2 expression between the analysed seminal groups. TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression was similar in all groups. However, TAC expression was significantly higher in infertile normozoospermic and oligozoospermic men and AOPP expression was higher in astheno-, oligo- and normozoospermic infertile patients than in fertile men. High AOPP, together with an increased MMP-9 : TIMP-1 ratio alters the oxidative–antioxidative balance of the ejaculate, thereby reducing male fertility, and therefore these parameters may serve as additional diagnostic markers of semen quality and male reproductive potential.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3373
Author(s):  
Arnold Markovics ◽  
Attila Biró ◽  
Andrea Kun-Nemes ◽  
Mónika Éva Fazekas ◽  
Anna Anita Rácz ◽  
...  

Diabetes mellitus (DM)-related morbidity and mortality are steadily rising worldwide, affecting about half a billion people worldwide. A significant proportion of diabetic cases are in the elderly, which is concerning given the increasing aging population. Proper nutrition is an important component in the effective management of diabetes in the elderly. A plethora of active substances of plant origin exhibit potency to target the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. The nutraceutical and pharmaceutical effects of anthocyanins have been extensively studied. In this study, the effect of Hungarian sour cherry, which is rich in anthocyanins, on hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction was tested using human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVECs were maintained under both normoglycemic (5 mM) and hyperglycemic (30 mM) conditions with or without two concentrations (1.50 ng/µL) of anthocyanin-rich sour cherry extract. Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory response and damaged vasorelaxation processes were investigated by evaluating the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and gene expression of four proinflammatory cytokines, namely, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and interleukin-1α (IL-1α), as well as the gene expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1). It was found that hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress was significantly suppressed by anthocyanin-rich sour cherry extract in a concentration-dependent manner. The gene expression of the tested proinflammatory cytokines increased under hyperglycemic conditions but was significantly reduced by both 1 and 50 ng/µL anthocyanin-rich sour cherry extract. Further, although increased ET-1 and ECE-1 expression due to hyperglycemia was reduced by anthocyanin-rich sour cherry extract, NOS expression was increased by the extract. Collectively, these data suggest that anthocyanin-rich sour cherry extract could alleviate hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and vasorelaxant effects.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianyuan Li ◽  
Hui Shi ◽  
Xiaoyu Liu ◽  
Yanwei Wang ◽  
Haiyan Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract I. Background: Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) is widely expressed in mammalian tissues. Our previous study demonstrated that Prdx6 was expressed in human epididymis and spermatozoa, and the protective role of Prdx6 in human spermatozoa was also reported. In this study, we demonstrate the potential role and mechanism of Prdx6 in human epididymis epithelial cells (HEECs).II. Methods and Results: Western blotting was used to measure expression levels of key proteins in the JAK / STAT signaling pathway. Digital gene expression analysis (DGE) was used to identify gene expression patterns in control HECs and in HECs after Prdx6-RNA interference (P6-RNAi). The DGE analysis identified 589 up-regulated and 314 down-regulated genes (including Prdx6) in Prdx6-RNAi (P6-RNAi) HEECs. Thirteen significantly different pathways were identified between the two groups, with the majority different expressed genes belonging to the CCL, CXCL, IL, and IFIT families. In particular, the expression levels of IL6, IL6ST, and eighteen IFN related genes were significantly increased in the condition of the down-regulated expression of Prdx6. Compared to control HEECs, the expression levels of JAK1, STAT1, phosphorylated JAK1 and STAT1 were significantly increased, while the expression levels of SOCS3 was significantly decreased in P6-RNAi HEECs. The Malondialdehyde (MDA) level and total antioxidant capacity in P6-RNAi HEECs were significantly increased and decreased compared to that of control, respectively. III. Conclusions: We speculated that knockdown of Prdx6 resulted in higher levels of ROS in HEECs, which in turn, activated the JAK1 / STAT1 signaling pathway induced by IL-6 receptor and IFN.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuya Hasegawa ◽  
Yuya Yamaguchi ◽  
Yutthana Pengjam

ABSTRACTPyruvic acid therapy is used for various diseases, but the therapeutic effect decreases at high doses. The molecular mechanism of high-dose pyruvate is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of high dose pyruvate addition on skeletal muscle using C2C12. The gene expression profile for the GSE5497 dataset was taken from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. GEO2R was used to identify specifically expressed genes (DEGs). Functional analysis and pathway enrichment analysis of DEG were performed using the DAVID database. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built in the STRING database and visualized using Cytoscape. GO analysis showed that up-regulated DEG was primarily involved in angiogenesis, cell adhesion, and inflammatory response. We also showed that down-regulated DEG is involved in the regulation of muscle contraction, skeletal muscle fiber development. In addition, the upregulated KEGG pathway of DEG included Rheumatoid arthritis, Chemokine signaling pathway, and Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. Downregulated DEG included Calcium signaling pathway, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), Dilated cardiomyopathy, Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, and Cardiac muscle contraction. Further, analysis of two modules selected from the PPI network showed that high-dose pyruvate exposure to C2C12 was primarily associated with muscle contraction, muscle organ morphogenesis, leukocyte chemotaxis, and chemokine activity. In conclusion, High-dose pyruvate treatment of C2C12 was found to be associated with an increased inflammatory response and decreased skeletal muscle formation. However, further studies are still needed to verify the function of these molecules at high doses of pyruvate.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariola Herbet ◽  
Magdalena Izdebska ◽  
Iwona Piątkowska-Chmiel ◽  
Monika Gawrońska-Grzywacz ◽  
Dorota Natorska-Chomicka ◽  
...  

Chronic exposure to stress factors contributes to the development of depression by generating excess of reactive oxygen species which leads to oxidative stress and inflammatory processes. The aim of the study was to assess the potential protective properties of α-tocopherol supplementation on the rats exposed to chronic variable stress (CVS). Male Wistar rats (50-55 days old, weighing 200-250 g) were divided into three groups (n=10): control, stressed, and stressed and receiving (+)-α-tocopherol solution in a dose of 100 mg/kg/day. Rats in the stressed groups were exposed to CVS for 40 days. Markers of redox disorders (glutathione reduced and oxidized levels, GSH/GSSG ratio, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase activities, total antioxidant status, and lipid peroxidation) and inflammatory response (IL-1β, IL6, and TNF-α) were determined in the blood. Additionally, molecular biomarkers of depression (expression of Fkbp5 and Tph2) were studied in hippocampus. The biochemical analysis was inconclusive about the presence of oxidative stress in the blood of rats exposed to CVS. However, changes in all parameters suggest presence of redox equilibrium disorders. Similarly, activation of inflammatory processes was observed as a result of CVS. Molecular effects of environmental stress in hippocampus were also observed. Generally, α-tocopherol ameliorated redox equilibrium disorders, tempered inflammatory response, and protected from changes in determined molecular markers of depression.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1739 ◽  
pp. 146835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Likai Shi ◽  
Zhenpu Tian ◽  
Qiang Fu ◽  
Hao Li ◽  
Lifeng Zhang ◽  
...  

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 284-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Kirkham

The suppression of pro-inflammatory gene expression along with the clearance of apoptotic cells by phagocytosis can play an important role in resolving the inflammatory response. Any impairment of these processes can therefore lead to a chronic inflammatory state. Oxidative stress can have both direct and indirect effects on macrophage function. This mini-review highlights a mechanism through which oxidative stress via the production of reactive carbonyls alters the ECM (extracellular matrix) environment of macrophages, thereby altering their behaviour. Carbonyl modification of ECM proteins causes increased macrophage adhesion and activation through receptors that are also involved in phagocytosis. Moreover, interaction of macrophages with these carbonyl-modified ECM proteins leads to decreased phagocytic activity towards apoptotic cells. At a more direct level, both oxidative and carbonyl stress inhibits activity of the transcriptional co-repressor HDAC-2 (histone deacetylase 2), which under normoxic conditions helps to suppress pro-inflammatory gene expression. Consequently, macrophages activated under conditions of oxidative or carbonyl stress can lead to a more enhanced inflammatory response. Coupled with an impairment of the phagocytic response, this can lead to ineffective clearance of apoptotic cells and secondary necrosis, with the result being failure to resolve the inflammatory response and the establishment of a chronic inflammatory state.


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