Identification and verification of key genes in varicocele rats through high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis

Research progress on the role of autophagy in the development of varicocele

Varicocele (VC) is a common cause of infertility in men. Pathophysiological changes caused by VC, such as testicular hypoxia, high temperatures, oxidative stress, abnormal reproductive hormones, and Cd accumulation, can induce autophagy, thus affecting the reproductive function in patients with this condition. Autophagy regulators can be classified as activators or inhibitors. Autophagy activators upregulate autophagy, reduce the damage to the testis and epididymis, inhibit spermatogenic cell apoptosis, and protect fertility. In contrast, autophagy inhibitors block autophagy and aggravate the damage to the reproductive functions. Therefore, elucidating the role of autophagy in the occurrence, development, and regulation of VC may provide additional therapeutic options for men with infertility and VC. In this review, we briefly describe the progress made in autophagy research in the context of VC.

Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Male Infertility: Established Methodologies and Future Perspectives

Male fertility can be affected by oxidative stress (OS), which occurs when an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the body's ability to neutralize them arises. OS can damage cells and influence sperm production. High levels of lipid peroxidation have been linked to reduced sperm motility and decreased fertilization ability. This literature review discusses the most commonly used biomarkers to measure sperm damage caused by ROS, such as the high level of OS in seminal plasma as an indicator of imbalance in antioxidant activity. The investigated biomarkers include 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine acid (8-OHdG), a marker of DNA damage caused by ROS, and F2 isoprostanoids (8-isoprostanes) produced by lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, this review focuses on recent methodologies including the NGS polymorphisms and differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis, as well as the epigenetic mechanisms linked to ROS during spermatogenesis along with new methodologies developed to evaluate OS biomarkers. Finally, this review addresses a valuable insight into the mechanisms of male infertility provided by these advances and how they have led to new treatment possibilities. Overall, the use of biomarkers to evaluate OS in male infertility has supplied innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, enhancing our understanding of male infertility mechanisms.

Exploring the mechanisms of Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan on varicocele via network pharmacology and molecular docking

Varicocele (VC) is a common urogenital disease that leads to a high risk of testicular pain or male infertility. The purpose of this research was to explore the molecular mechanism of the Gui Zhi Fu Ling Wan (GFW) in the treatment of VC. The main active ingredients and targets information of GFW were screened by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database, and the targets related to VC were determined by GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), and Disease Gene Network (DisGeNET) databases. The intersection of active ingredient targets and disease targets was selected to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network through the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database. Based on the use of CytoNCA plug-in to find the main targets, a 'component-target-disease' network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.8.2. Metascape was used for Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of drug and disease targets. Molecular docking was employed to investigate the binding interaction between the main active components and core targets. A total of 76 active components of GFW were screened out. The main targets of the active components on VC were tumour protein p53 (TP53), tumour necrosis factor (TNF), hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF1A), interleukin-6 (IL-6), caspase 3 (CASP3), catalase (CAT), prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). The PI3K-Akt signalling pathway, HIF-1 signalling pathway, and apoptosis signalling pathway were mainly involved in the regulation of VC. The results of molecular docking showed that the binding potential and activity of the main active components and the core targets of GFW were good. We found that GFW could alleviate apoptosis, participate in venous vessel morphogenesis, and reduce oxidative stress in the treatment of VC. This study can provide a reference for subsequent clinical and scientific research experiments, which can be used to design new drugs and develop new therapeutic instructions to treat VC.

Chloroquine modulates the sulforaphane anti-obesity mechanisms in a high-fat diet model: Role of JAK-2/ STAT-3/ SOCS-3 pathway

The phytochemical sulforaphane (SFN) has been studied for its potential anti-obesity effect, but neither its molecular targets nor its interaction with the antimalarial drug chloroquine (CQ) has been fully delineated. Therefore, high-fat diet (HFD) obese rats were randomly allocated into one of five groups and were left untreated or gavaged orally with SFN (0.5 or 1 mg/kg), CQ (5 mg/kg), or their combination (0.5/5 mg/kg) for six successive weeks to assess their potential interaction and the enrolled mechanisms. SFN effectively reduced the HFD-induced weight gain, blood glucose, and serum leptin levels, and improved lipid profile. On the molecular level, SFN inhibited the lipogenesis-related enzymes, namely sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c, fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in both liver and visceral white adipose tissue (vWAT) of HFD obese rats. SFN also turned off the inflammatory pathway conserved Janus kinase/signaling transducers and activators of transcription/suppressor of cytokine signaling (JAK-2/STAT-3/SOCS-3) in these tissues, as well as the inflammatory markers nuclear factor-kappa (NF-κ) B and interleukin (IL)-22 in serum. In contrast, SFN downregulated the gene expression of microRNA (miR-200a), while significantly increasing the autophagic parameters; viz., beclin-1, autophagy-related protein (ATG)-7, and microtubule-associated protein 2 light chain 3 (LC3-II) in both liver and vWAT. On most of the parameters mentioned above, treatment with CQ solely produced a satisfactory effect and intensified the low dose of SFN in the combination regimen. These findings demonstrated the beneficial effects of using CQ as an add-on anti-obesity medicine to SFN.

Deciphering therapeutic options for neurodegenerative diseases: insights from SIRT1

Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD +)-dependent protein deacetylase that exerts biological effects through nucleoplasmic transfer. Recent studies have highlighted that SIRT1 deacetylates protein substrates to exert its neuroprotective effects, including decreased oxidative stress and inflammatory, increases autophagy, increases levels of nerve growth factors (correlated with behavioral changes), and maintains neural integrity (affects neuronal development and function) in aging or neurological disorder. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective role of SIRT1 in modulating neurodegeneration, focusing on protein homeostasis, aging-related signaling pathways, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity. Meanwhile, the potential of targeting SIRT1 to block the occurrence and progression of neurodegenerative diseases is also discussed. Taken together, this review provides an up-to-date evaluation of our current understanding of the neuroprotective mechanisms of SIRT1 and also be involved in the potential therapeutic opportunities of AD and related neurodegenerative diseases.