Time dependent impact of reactive oxidants on seminal attributes, mitochondrial membrane potential, lipid peroxidation and capacitation-like changes of Karan-Fries bulls during cryopreservation

BACKGROUND

Cryopreservation of semen is a valuable technique; however, it is also known to be detrimental to the structure of spermatozoa and fertility due to cryo-injury and subsequent generation of reactive oxidants.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the time-dependent impact of reactive oxidants on seminal attributes, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), lipid peroxidation status (LPO) and early capacitation like changes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Semen samples were collected by artificial vagina technique from six Karan-Fries (KF) bulls and subsequently examined at 0 h (before cryopreservation) and at 24 hours, 15 days and 2-months of storage for various seminal attributes, MMP, and early capacitation-like changes. Simultaneously, LPO (TBARS) was determined in fresh and post-thaw seminal plasma.

RESULTS

A sharp decrease (P < 0.01) in semen quality was observed only after 24 h of cryopreservation except for viability and acrosomal integrity. Sperm viability and acrosome integrity reduced significantly up to 2 months of cryopreservation. The lipid peroxidation status was found to be lower in fresh seminal plasma (2.6 ±0.2 vs. 3.5 ± 0.3 units/mL) as compared to post-thaw. Furthermore, the active MMP of fresh semen showed a significant (P < 0.01) decrease after 24 hours (77.9 ± 0.4 vs. 54.5 ±0.3%) of cryopreservation, while there was a non-significant decrease in active MMP after 15 d and 2-months (53.7 ± 0.1 and 52.8 ± 0.2%). Moreover, significant (P. < 0.01) early capacitation-like changes were found in post-thaw spermatozoa (25.7 ± 0.1 vs. 9.1 ± 0.2%) as compared to fresh ejaculate.

CONCLUSION

Spermatozoa incur the majority of damages during the early phase of cryopreservation, however the damage associated by different stressors cannot be neglected. doi.org/10.54680/fr22410110212.

Panchvalkala, a traditional Ayurvedic formulation, exhibits antineoplastic and immunomodulatory activity in cervical cancer cells and C57BL/6 mouse papilloma model

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Panchvalkala, an Ayurvedic traditional formulation has references in Charak Samhita and Bhavaprakasha Nighantu for the treatment of women with endometriosis-related problems, leucorrhea and vaginal ailments. The formulation comprises of equal ratios of the barks from Ficus glomerata, Ficus virens, Ficus religiosa, Ficus benghalensis, and Thespesia populnea.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present study aimed to evaluate the anticancer and immunomodulatory activity of aqueous extract of Panchvalkala (PVaq) against cervical cancer in vitro and in vivo.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The effect of PVaq on disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential in cervical cancer cell lines, SiHa and HeLa, was studied by using JC1 dye. The expression of generic caspases in the cells after treatment with PVaq was evaluated by ELISA kit. The expression of pRb, p53, E6 and E7 proteins were evaluated by western blotting. Acute oral toxicity and DRF studies were performed in Swiss albino mice by following OECD guidelines 423 and 407, respectively. Tumor retardation study was done in C57BL/6 mouse papilloma model. The mice were divided into six groups: No tumor control (NTC), Tumor control (TC), Cisplatin (Cis) (4 mg/kg b.w.), PVaq 100, 200 mg/kg b.w and combination of PVaq (200 mg/kg b.w.) and Cisplatin (4 mg/kg b.w.). The mice were orally gavaged with PVaq daily for 14 days and cisplatin was given intravenously on every 1st, 5th and 9th day. Hematological and biochemical parameters were studied by using hematology analyzer and kits, respectively. E6 and E7 gene expression in the tumor samples was determined by qPCR. Th1 and Th2 cytokine levels were determined by ELISA.

RESULTS

PVaq induced mitochondrial depolarization in SiHa and HeLa, and increased the expression of generic caspases, resulting into apoptosis. PVaq upregulated the expression of tumor suppressor proteins (p53 and pRb) and reduced the expression of viral oncoproteins (E6 and E7). Acute toxicity study displayed non-toxicity of PVaq while DRF study ensured its safe dose for further efficacy studies. PVaq reduced tumor volume and weight in mouse papilloma model and induced immunomodulation in the animals. It increased serum levels of IL-2 (Th1) with a concomitant decrease in IL-10 (Th2) cytokines. The drug did not affect body weight, food consumption and organ histopathology of the animals.

CONCLUSIONS

PVaq exhibited anticancer and immunomodulatory activities against cervical cancer cells and female mouse papilloma model.

Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: Presence of Hypomorphic Alleles in PKD1 Gene

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is characterized by multiple cysts in both kidneys manifesting in adult life. In general, the disorder is caused by a pathogenic variant in one allele of PKD1 or PKD2 genes, while the other allele is normal. Pathogenic variants in both the alleles are rare and have variable phenotypes, from lethal or perinatal presentation to a mild form in later adulthood, depending on the type of variant. Here, we describe a proband with two variants (p.Thr1773Ile and p.Ala1871Thr in trans) in PKD1 gene, who presented with disease at age 24 years. Both the parents and one brother had a variant in one allele, the other being wild type only and had normal ultrasound findings. Segregation studies suggest that both the variants may act as “hypomorphic” or “incompletely penetrant” alleles and acting together resulted in haploinsufficiency of protein PC1 in renal cells, leading to cystogenesis in the proband. The consequences of the presence of two hypomorphic variants have been poorly documented in literature. We reviewed the few published cases having two hypomorphic variants and the data conform to the conclusions that we reached by study of the family described. It is emphasized that to resolve the significance of suspected hypomorphic variants, segregation studies in the parents and siblings are essential.

Cinnamaldehyde, Cinnamic Acid, and Cinnamyl Alcohol, the Bioactives of Cinnamomum cassia Exhibit HDAC8 Inhibitory Activity: An In vitro and In silico Study

Background

The altered expression of histone deacetylase family member 8 (HDAC8) has been found to be linked with various cancers, thereby making its selective inhibition a potential strategy in cancer therapy. Recently, plant secondary metabolites, particularly phenolic compounds, have been shown to possess HDAC inhibitory activity.

Objective

In the present work, we have evaluated the potential of cinnamaldehyde (CAL), cinnamic acid (CA), and cinnamyl alcohol (CALC) (bioactives of Cinnamomum) as well as aqueous cinnamon extract (ACE), to inhibit HDAC8 activity in vitro and in silico.

Materials and Methods

HDAC8 inhibitory activity of ACE and cinnamon bioactives was determined in vitro using HDAC8 inhibitor screening kit. Trichostatin A (TSA), a well-known anti-cancer agent and HDAC inhibitor, was used as a positive control. In silico studies included molecular descriptor Analysis molecular docking absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity prediction, density function theory calculation and synthetic accessibility program.

Results

Pharmacoinformatics studies implicated that ACE and its Bioactives (CAL, CA, and CALC) exhibited comparable activity with that of TSA. The highest occupied molecular orbitals and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals along with binding energy of cinnamon bioactives were comparable with that of TSA. Molecular docking results suggested that all the ligands maintained two hydrogen bond interactions within the active site of HDAC8. Finally, the synthetic accessibility values showed that cinnamon bioactives were easy to synthesize compared to TSA.

Conclusion

It was evident from both the experimental and computational data that cinnamon bioactives exhibited significant HDAC8 inhibitory activity, thereby suggesting their potential therapeutic implications against cancer.

SUMMARY

Pharmacoinformatics studies revealed that cinnamon bioactives bound to the active site of HDAC8 enzyme in a way similar to that of TSAThe molecular descriptors of cinnamon compounds successfully correlated with TSA values. The binding interactions and energies were also found to be close to TSASynthetic accessibility values showed that cinnamon bioactives were easy to synthesize compared to TSA. Abbreviations used: ACE: Aqueous Cinnamon Extract; DFT: Density Function Theory; CAL: Cinnamaldehyde; CA: Cinnamic Acid; CALC: Cinnamyl Alcohol; MW: Molecular Weight; ROTBs: Rotatable Bonds; ROF: Lipinski's Rule of Five; TSA: Trichostatin A; PDB: Protein Data Bank; RMSD: Root Mean Square Deviation; HBA: Hydrogen Bond Acceptor; HBD: Hydrogen Bond Donor; ADMET: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity; FO: Frontier Orbital; HOMOs: Highest Occupied Molecular Orbitals; LUMOs: Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbitals; BE: Binding Energy.

Effects of FSH and LH on steroid production by buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) granulosa cells cultured in vitro under serum-free conditions

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of FSH and LH on oestradiol-17β and progesterone production by buffalo granulosa cells cultured under serum-free conditions. Granulosa cells (3 × 10(5) ) from small (≤ 5 mm diameter) follicles were cultured for up to 4 days in 48-well plates coated with 3.3 μg/cm(2) fibronectin in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) : nutrient mixture F-12 Ham (1 : 1 ratio) supplemented with 10(-7) m androstenedione, 5 μg/ml human apo-transferrin and 0.1% bovine serum albumin, in the presence or absence of FSH or LH (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64 ng/ml each). Basal oestradiol-17β production by granulosa cells from small follicles reduced (p < 0.01) from days 1 to 2 of culture and became undetectable by day 3 and basal progesterone production increased (p < 0.05) from day 1 through day 4 of the culture. Although there was no effect of FSH on day 1 of the culture, FSH at 2, 4, 8 and 16 ng/ml increased (p < 0.05) oestradiol-17β production by granulosa cells from small follicles on day 2. Progesterone secretion was increased (p < 0.05) by all doses of FSH on all days of culture. All doses of LH had no effect on oestradiol-17β or progesterone production by granulosa cells from small follicles on any day of the culture. The results of this study demonstrate a serum-free culture system for buffalo granulosa cells and stimulatory effect of FSH but not LH on steroid hormone production by buffalo granulosa cells under these conditions.

Telomeres, histone code, and DNA damage response

Genomic stability is maintained by telomeres, the end terminal structures that protect chromosomes from fusion or degradation. Shortening or loss of telomeric repeats or altered telomere chromatin structure is correlated with telomere dysfunction such as chromosome end-to-end associations that could lead to genomic instability and gene amplification. The structure at the end of telomeres is such that its DNA differs from DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) to avoid nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ), which is accomplished by forming a unique higher order nucleoprotein structure. Telomeres are attached to the nuclear matrix and have a unique chromatin structure. Whether this special structure is maintained by specific chromatin changes is yet to be thoroughly investigated. Chromatin modifications implicated in transcriptional regulation are thought to be the result of a code on the histone proteins (histone code). This code, involving phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, ubiquitylation, and sumoylation of histones, is believed to regulate chromatin accessibility either by disrupting chromatin contacts or by recruiting non-histone proteins to chromatin. The histone code in which distinct histone tail-protein interactions promote engagement may be the deciding factor for choosing specific DSB repair pathways. Recent evidence suggests that such mechanisms are involved in DNA damage detection and repair. Altered telomere chromatin structure has been linked to defective DNA damage response (DDR), and eukaryotic cells have evolved DDR mechanisms utilizing proficient DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoints in order to maintain genomic stability. Recent studies suggest that chromatin modifying factors play a critical role in the maintenance of genomic stability. This review will summarize the role of DNA damage repair proteins specifically ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and its effectors and the telomere complex in maintaining genome stability.