Study of Seminal MDA Level as a Oxidative Stress Marker in Infertile Male

Plasma oxidative stress in reproduction of two eusocial African mole-rat species, the naked mole-rat and the Damaraland mole-rat

One of the most prominent life-history trade-offs involves the cost of reproduction. Oxidative stress has been proposed to be involved in this trade-off and has been associated with reduced life span. There is currently an unclear relationship between oxidative cost and the reproduction-longevity trade-off. The current study, using a non-lethal and minimally invasive (only a single blood sample and no euthanasia) method, investigated whether an oxidative cost (oxidative stress) to reproduction would be apparent in two long-lived eusocial mole-rats, the naked mole-rat (NMR), Heterocephalus glaber, and the Damaraland mole-rat (DMR), Fukomys damarensis, where breeding colony members live longer than non-breeder conspecifics. We measured the direct redox balance in plasma by measuring the oxidative stress index (OSI) based on the ratio of total oxidant status and total antioxidant activity in breeders and non-breeders of both sexes, in the two species. NMR had significantly higher OSI between breeders and non-breeders of each sex, whereas DMR showed no significant differences except for total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The mode of reproductive suppression and the degree of reproductive investment in NMR may explain to some degree the redox balance difference between breeders and non-breeders. DMR show minimal physiological changes between breeders and non-breeders except for the mode of reproduction, which may explain some variations in TAC and TOS values, but similar OSI between breeders and non-breeders.

Obesity and cancer: A mechanistic overview of metabolic changes in obesity that impact genetic instability

Obesity, defined as a state of positive energy balance with a body mass index exceeding 30 kg/m2 in adults and 95th percentile in children, is an increasing global concern. Approximately one-third of the world's population is overweight or obese, and in the United States alone, obesity affects one in six children. Meta-analysis studies suggest that obesity increases the likelihood of developing several types of cancer, and with poorer outcomes, especially in children. The contribution of obesity to cancer risk requires a better understanding of the association between obesity-induced metabolic changes and its impact on genomic instability, which is a major driving force of tumorigenesis. In this review, we discuss how molecular changes during adipose tissue dysregulation can result in oxidative stress and subsequent DNA damage. This represents one of the many critical steps connecting obesity and cancer since oxidative DNA lesions can result in cancer-associated genetic instability. In addition, the by-products of the oxidative degradation of lipids (e.g., malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal, and acrolein), and gut microbiota-mediated secondary bile acid metabolites (e.g., deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid), can function as genotoxic agents and tumor promoters. We also discuss how obesity can impact DNA repair efficiency, potentially contributing to cancer initiation and progression. Finally, we outline obesity-related epigenetic changes and identify the gaps in knowledge to be addressed for the development of better therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of obesity-related cancers.

Functional features and protein network of human sperm-egg interaction

Elucidation of the sperm-egg interaction at the molecular level is one of the unresolved problems in sexual reproduction, and understanding the molecular mechanism is crucial in solving problems in infertility and failed in vitro fertilization (IVF). Many molecular interactions in the form of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) mediate the sperm-egg membrane interaction. Due to the complexity of the problem such as difficulties in analyzing in vivo membrane PPIs, many efforts have failed to comprehensively elucidate the fusion mechanism and the molecular interactions that mediate sperm-egg membrane fusion. The main purpose of this study was to reveal possible protein interactions and associated molecular function during sperm-egg interaction using a protein interaction network approach. Different databases have been used to construct the human sperm-egg interaction network. The constructed network revealed new interactions. These included CD151 and CD9 in human oocyte that interact with CD49 in sperm, and CD49 and ITGA4 in sperm that interact with CD63 and CD81, respectively, in the oocyte. These results showed that the different integrins in sperm may be involved in human sperm-egg interaction. It was also suggested that sperm ADAM2 plays a role as a protein candidate involved in sperm-egg membrane interaction by interacting with CD9 in the oocyte. Interleukin-4 receptor activity, receptor signaling protein tyrosine kinase activity, and manganese ion transmembrane transport activity are the major molecular functions in sperm-egg interaction protein network. The disease association analysis indicated that sperm-egg interaction defects are also reflected in other disease networks such as cardiovascular, hematological, and breast cancer diseases. By analyzing the network, we identified the major molecular functions and disease association genes in sperm-egg interaction protein. Further experimental studies will be required to confirm the significance of these new computationally resolved interactions and the genetic links between sperm-egg interaction abnormalities and the associated disease.