scholarly journals The Importance of Oxidative Stress in Determining the Functionality of Mammalian Spermatozoa: A Two-Edged Sword

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Aitken ◽  
Joel R. Drevet

This article addresses the importance of oxidative processes in both the generation of functional gametes and the aetiology of defective sperm function. Functionally, sperm capacitation is recognized as a redox-regulated process, wherein a low level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is intimately involved in driving such events as the stimulation of tyrosine phosphorylation, the facilitation of cholesterol efflux and the promotion of cAMP generation. However, the continuous generation of ROS ultimately creates problems for spermatozoa because their unique physical architecture and unusual biochemical composition means that they are vulnerable to oxidative stress. As a consequence, they are heavily dependent on the antioxidant protection afforded by the fluids in the male and female reproductive tracts and, during the precarious process of insemination, seminal plasma. If this antioxidant protection should be compromised for any reason, then the spermatozoa experience pathological oxidative damage. In addition, situations may prevail that cause the spermatozoa to become exposed to high levels of ROS emanating either from other cells in the immediate vicinity (particularly neutrophils) or from the spermatozoa themselves. The environmental and lifestyle factors that promote ROS generation by the spermatozoa are reviewed in this article, as are the techniques that might be used in a diagnostic context to identify patients whose reproductive capacity is under oxidative threat. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of ROS-monitoring methodologies is critical if we are to effectively identify those patients for whom treatment with antioxidants might be considered a rational management strategy.

Author(s):  
Dawit Moges Fasil ◽  
Hamida Hamdi ◽  
Amal Al-Barty ◽  
Abeer Abu Zaid ◽  
S. K. S. Parashar ◽  
...  

Selenium and zinc are important dietary micronutrients having antimicrobial and antioxidant roles, thereby assisting in normal development, and an enhanced immune system. Supplementation of selenium and zinc for enhancing the growth performance and reproductive capacity in fish was explored in this study. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) were synthesized by high-energy ball milling (HEBM) using a 10-h dry milling technique at a 10:1 ball-to-powder ratio (BPR) and were premixed with basal feed followed by the administration to adult zebra fish (D. rerio) (2 months old) for 30 days. Growth analysis revealed that zebra fish fed with SeNPs + ZnONPs (2 mg/ kg, equimolar mixture) had significantly higher length and weight than only SeNP (2 mg/ kg) or ZnONP (2 mg/ kg) groups and control zebra fish (p < 0.05). The average length–weight relationships were assessed by estimating the condition factor (C), which was highest in the SeNP + ZnONP group (1.96), followed by a downward trend in SeNP (C = 1.15) and ZnONP (1.11) (p < 0.05). Relative gene expression of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 was significantly high in the SeNP + ZnONP group compared to other groups (p < 0.05), which indicated that combined administration of both the nanoparticles in basal feed enhanced the growth performance of zebra fish. Intracellular ROS generation was low in the combined group, followed by control, SeNP, and ZnONP groups, indicating higher concentrations of both nanoparticles, in particular, ZnONPs induced oxidative stress. Fecundity and the development of fertilized embryos were significantly high in the SeNP + ZnONP–treated zebra fish compared to only the SeNP- or ZnONP-treated group or control (p < 0.05). These findings indicated that supplementation of SeNP + ZnONP in basal feed could considerably improve the growth performance and development of zebra fish which could be exploited for enhancing aquaculture production.


Author(s):  
L. K. Parkhomenko ◽  
◽  
L. A. Strashok ◽  
S. I. Turchina ◽  
G. V. Kosovtsova ◽  
...  

Recently, interest in the problem of free radical oxidation in biological membranes, which is directly related to both the normal functioning of cells and the occurrence, course and outcome of many pathological conditions, has increased again in clinical medicine. The aim was to determine the role and impact of antioxidant defense in boys with hypoandrogenism. The study involved 75 adolescents with hypoandrogenism aged 13–18 years, who underwent a complex of clinical and laboratory examinations. All patients were conducted complex of anthropometric research and determination of the degree of delayed puberty, laboratory and instrumental examination. Free radical oxidation was determined by the levels of malondialdehyde, conjugated dienes, carbonated proteins, superoxide dismutase and catalase in the serum, and restored glutathione and glutathione peroxidase in whole blood. Based on their determination, the coefficient of oxidative stress was calculated. Statistical processing of results was performed using parametric and nonparametric methods. The study of indicators of the free radical oxidation process found that adolescents with hypoandrogenism have multidirectional changes in the oxidation of proteins and lipids, namely: the level of conjugated dienes increases, the concentration of malondialdehyde remains at the level of the control group, and the level of carbonated proteins tends to decrease. As for the activity of antioxidant protection enzymes, a significant decrease in the level of glutathione peroxidase was detected, while the level of superoxide dismutase and catalase remained at the level of normative indicators. Oxidative stress accompanies and is one of the pathogenetic links in the formation or maintenance of the state of hypoandrogenism in boys. This requires the use of antioxidants, the complex of which must be selected individually.


Author(s):  
I. A. Umnyagina ◽  
L. A. Strakhova ◽  
T. V. Blinova

Introduction. To date, age and sex differences have been established for many biochemical parameters. Gender differences in indicators for systems such as antioxidant, thiol-disulfide, oxidative stress and inflammation systems are absent or under study.The aim of the study was to identify gender differences in biochemical parameters reflecting the functioning of antioxidant systems of the body and free radical oxidation in workers of metallurgical production, in contact with harmful production factors.Materials and methods. The blood of men and women working at the metallurgical enterprise of the Nizhny Novgorod region (n=80) under the influence of a complex of physical and chemical production factors was studied. Total oxidative stress, total antioxidant capacity of serum, glutathione levels were studied by photometric biochemical methods. Levels of C-reactive protein and 8-hydroxy–2-deoxyguanosine were studied by ELISA.Results. The average amount of peroxides in the serum of women exceeded 1.6 times this figure in men. In the group of men, the content of 8-Ondg was higher by 26% (p=0.012), the level of GS-by 12% (p=0.019), the activity of SOD — by 1.5–2 times (p=0.0001), the level of CRP — by 2 times (p=0.008) compared to similar indicators in women.Conclusions. Studies of gender differences in workers under the influence of harmful production factors will allow more effective approach to the etiology, treatment and prognosis of production-related diseases. Indicators of oxidative stress and antioxidant protection can be indicators of the health of workers under the influence of harmful industrial factors and be important in the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 459
Author(s):  
Hyerin Park ◽  
Eunok Lee ◽  
Yunsoo Kim ◽  
Hye Yoon Jung ◽  
Kwang-Min Kim ◽  
...  

Chronic excessive alcohol consumption is associated with multiple liver defects, such as steatosis and cirrhosis, mainly attributable to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Barley sprouts (Hordeum vulgare L.) contain high levels of polyphenols that may serve as potential antioxidants. This study aimed to investigate whether barley sprouts extract powder (BSE) relieves alcohol-induced oxidative stress and related hepatic damages in habitual alcohol drinkers with fatty liver. In a 12-week randomized controlled trial with two arms (placebo or 480 mg/day BSE; n = 76), we measured clinical markers and metabolites at the baseline and endpoint to understand the complex molecular mechanisms. BSE supplementation reduced the magnitude of ROS generation and lipid peroxidation and improved the glutathione antioxidant system. Subsequent metabolomic analysis identified alterations in glutathione metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and fatty acid synthesis pathways, confirming the role of BSE in glutathione-related lipid metabolism. Finally, the unsupervised machine learning algorithm indicated that subjects with lower glutathione reductase at the baseline were responders for liver fat content, and those with higher fatigue and lipid oxidation were responders for γ-glutamyl transferase. These findings suggest that BSE administration may protect against hepatic injury by reducing oxidative stress and changing the metabolism in habitual alcohol drinkers with fatty liver.


Author(s):  
Fuli Ya ◽  
Kongyao Li ◽  
Hong Chen ◽  
Zezhong Tian ◽  
Die Fan ◽  
...  

AbstractOxidative stress plays crucial roles in initiating platelet apoptosis that facilitates the progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Protocatechuic acid (PCA), a major metabolite of anthocyanin cyanidin-3-O-β-glucoside (Cy-3-g), exerts cardioprotective effects. However, underlying mechanisms responsible for such effects remain unclear. Here, we investigate the effect of PCA on platelet apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms in vitro. Isolated human platelets were treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to induce apoptosis with or without pretreatment with PCA. We found that PCA dose-dependently inhibited H2O2-induced platelet apoptosis by decreasing the dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and decreasing phosphatidylserine exposure. Additionally, the distributions of Bax, Bcl-xL, and cytochrome c mediated by H2O2 in the mitochondria and the cytosol were also modulated by PCA treatment. Moreover, the inhibitory effects of PCA on platelet caspase-3 cleavage and phosphatidylserine exposure were mainly mediated by downregulating PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling. Furthermore, PCA dose-dependently decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in platelets in response to H2O2. N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, markedly abolished H2O2-stimulated PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling, caspase-3 activation, and phosphatidylserine exposure. The combination of NAC and PCA did not show significant additive inhibitory effects on PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling and platelet apoptosis. Thus, our results suggest that PCA protects platelets from oxidative stress-induced apoptosis through downregulating ROS-mediated PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling, which may be responsible for cardioprotective roles of PCA in CVDs.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 626
Author(s):  
Li Xiao ◽  
Nobuhiko Miwa

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress in adipose tissue is associated with inflammation and the development of obesity-related metabolic disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of hydrogen nano-bubble water (HW) on ROS generation, adipogenesis, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated OP9 adipocytes, and three-dimensional (3D) subcutaneous adipose equivalents. Nanoparticle tracking analysis showed that fresh HW contains 1.17 × 108/mL of nano-sized hydrogen bubbles. Even after 8 to 13 months of storage, approximately half of the bubbles still remained in the water. CellROX® staining showed that HW could diminish H2O2- or PMA-induced intracellular ROS generation in human keratinocytes HaCaT and OP9 cells. We discovered that PMA could markedly increase lipid accumulation to 180% and IL-6 secretion 2.7-fold in OP9 adipocytes. Similarly, H2O2 (5 µM) also significantly stimulated lipid accumulation in OP9 cells and the 3D adipose equivalents. HW treatment significantly repressed H2O2- or PMA-induced lipid accumulation and IL-6 secretion in OP9 adipocytes and the 3D adipose equivalents. In conclusion, HW showed a possibility of repressing oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and adipogenesis at cellular/tissue levels. It can be used for preventing the development of metabolic disorders amongst obese people.


Author(s):  
JaeSang Ko ◽  
Ji-Young Kim ◽  
Min Kyung Chae ◽  
Eun Jig Lee ◽  
Jin Sook Yoon

We examined endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related gene expression in orbital tissues from patients with Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) and the effects of silencing protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) in primary orbital fibroblast cultures to demonstrate the therapeutic potential of PERK-modulating agents in GO management. The expression of ER stress related genes in orbital tissue harvested from individuals with or without GO was studied using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The role of PERK in GO pathogenesis was examined through small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing in cultured primary orbital fibroblasts. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels induced in response to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) or hydrogen peroxide were measured using 5-(and 6)-carboxy-20,70-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining and flow cytometry. Cells were stained with Oil Red O, and adipogenesis-related transcription factor expression was evaluated through western blotting after adipogenic differentiation. PERK, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), and CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)-homologous protein(CHOP)mRNA levels were significantly higher in GO orbital tissues than in non-GO orbital tissues. PERK silencing inhibited CSE- or hydrogen peroxide-induced ROS generation. After adipogenic differentiation, GO orbital fibroblasts revealed decreased lipid droplets and downregulation of C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, and peroxisome proliferator-activator gamma (PPARγ) in PERK siRNA-transfected cells. The orbital tissues of patients with GO were exposed to chronic ER stress and subsequently exhibited enhanced unfolded protein response (especially through the PERK pathway). PERK silencing reduced oxidative stress and adipogenesis in GO orbital fibroblasts in vitro. Our results imply that PERK-modulating agents can potentially be used to manage GO.


2013 ◽  
Vol 113 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Chen ◽  
Jingang Cui ◽  
Qinbo Yang ◽  
Chenglin Jia ◽  
Minqi Xiong ◽  
...  

Myocardial fibrosis results from cardiac injuries caused by various pathophysiological mechanisms including myocardial infarction, leading to destruction of myocardial architecture and progressive cardiac dysfunction. Oxidative stress is likely involved in myocardial ischemic injury and the subsequent tissue remodeling mediated by myocardial fibrogenesis. Our current study aimed to evaluate the implication of NADPH oxidase in overproduction of reactive oxygen species and its contribution to the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrogenesis after ischemic injuries. The effects of Apocynin, a selective NADPH oxidase inhibitor, were evaluated in the mouse model of isoproterenol-induced myocardial injury by histopathological approaches and whole-genome gene expression profiling. The results demonstrated that Apocynin was able to inhibit the development of ISO-induced myocardial necrotic lesions and fibrogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the preventive effects of Apocynin on myocardial injuries were associated with suppressed expression of genes implicated in inflammation responses and extracellular matrix, which were remarkably upregulated by isoproterenol administration. In summary, o ur study provides proof-of-concept for the involvement of NADPH oxidase-mediated ROS generation in myocardial ischemic injuries and fibrogenesis, which will benefit the mechanism-based therapeutic development targeting NADPH oxidase and oxidative stress in treating myocardial fibrosis and related disorders.


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