scholarly journals Variations in Antioxidant Genes and Male Infertility

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bolan Yu ◽  
Zhaofeng Huang

Oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated from both endogenous and environmental resources, which in turn may cause defective spermatogenesis and male infertility. Antioxidant genes, which include catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathioneS-transferase (GST), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), play important roles in spermatogenesis and normal sperm function. In this review, we discuss the association between variations in major antioxidant genes and male infertility. Numerous studies have suggested that genetic disruption or functional polymorphisms in these antioxidant genes are associated with a higher risk for male infertility, which include low sperm quality, oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, oligozoospermia, and subfertility. The synergistic effects of environmental ROS and functional polymorphisms on antioxidant genes that result in male infertility have also been reported. Therefore, variants in antioxidant genes, which independently or synergistically occur with environmental ROS, affect spermatogenesis and contribute to the occurrence of male infertility. Large cohort and multiple center-based population studies to identify new antioxidant genetic variants that increase susceptibility to male infertility as well as validate its potential as genetic markers for diagnosis and risk assessment for male infertility for precise clinical approaches are warranted.

2005 ◽  
Vol 173 (4S) ◽  
pp. 371-371
Author(s):  
Nikolai Leonhartsberger ◽  
Kadir Tosun ◽  
Germar-Michael Pinggera ◽  
Michael Mitterberger ◽  
Peter Rehder ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5995
Author(s):  
Chand Basha Davuljigari ◽  
Frederick Adams Ekuban ◽  
Cai Zong ◽  
Alzahraa A. M. Fergany ◽  
Kota Morikawa ◽  
...  

Acrylamide is a well characterized neurotoxicant known to cause neuropathy and encephalopathy in humans and experimental animals. To investigate the role of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in acrylamide-induced neuropathy, male C57Bl/6JJcl adult mice were exposed to acrylamide at 0, 200 or 300 ppm in drinking water and co-administered with subcutaneous injections of sulforaphane, a known activator of the Nrf2 signaling pathway at 0 or 25 mg/kg body weight daily for 4 weeks. Assessments for neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, oxidative stress as well as messenger RNA-expression analysis for Nrf2-antioxidant and pro-inflammatory cytokine genes were conducted. Relative to mice exposed only to acrylamide, co-administration of sulforaphane protected against acrylamide-induced neurotoxic effects such as increase in landing foot spread or decrease in density of noradrenergic axons as well as hepatic necrosis and hemorrhage. Moreover, co-administration of sulforaphane enhanced acrylamide-induced mRNA upregulation of Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant proteins and suppressed acrylamide-induced mRNA upregulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the cerebral cortex. The results demonstrate that activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway by co-treatment of sulforaphane provides protection against acrylamide-induced neurotoxicity through suppression of oxidative stress and inflammation. Nrf2 remains an important target for the strategic prevention of acrylamide-induced neurotoxicity.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 427
Author(s):  
Enikő Balogh ◽  
Arpan Chowdhury ◽  
Haneen Ababneh ◽  
Dávid Máté Csiki ◽  
Andrea Tóth ◽  
...  

Calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) is a heart disease characterized by the progressive fibro-calcific remodeling of the aortic valves, an actively regulated process with the involvement of the reactive oxygen species-mediated differentiation of valvular interstitial cells (VICs) into osteoblast-like cells. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) regulates the expression of a variety of antioxidant genes, and plays a protective role in valve calcification. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an Nrf2-target gene, is upregulated in human calcified aortic valves. Therefore, we investigated the effect of Nrf2/HO-1 axis in VIC calcification. We induced osteogenic differentiation of human VICs with elevated phosphate and calcium-containing osteogenic medium (OM) in the presence of heme. Heme inhibited Ca deposition and OM-induced increase in alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin (OCN) expression. Heme induced Nrf2 and HO-1 expression in VICs. Heme lost its anti-calcification potential when we blocked transcriptional activity Nrf2 or enzyme activity of HO-1. The heme catabolism products bilirubin, carbon monoxide, and iron, and also ferritin inhibited OM-induced Ca deposition and OCN expression in VICs. This study suggests that heme-mediated activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway inhibits the calcification of VICs. The anti-calcification effect of heme is attributed to the end products of HO-1-catalyzed heme degradation and ferritin.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farnaz Sohrabvand ◽  
Somaye Mahroozade ◽  
Sodabe Bioos ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Nazari ◽  
Fataneh Hashem Dabaghian

Introduction. Idiopathic male infertility is a global problem with almost no definite medicinal treatment. Most patients have to go through intrauterine insemination or assisted reproductive technology for achieving fertility. Unfortunately, success rates are low in cases with very low sperm count. Therefore it seems that improvement in sperm quality can have beneficial effects on assisted reproductive technology outcome. Case Report. A 39-year-old man with history of infertility for 6 years was referred to the traditional medicine clinic with a recurrent unsuccessful intracytoplasmic sperm injection trial. His sperm analysis showed severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. After taking a traditional remedy he had a remarkable improvement in his sperm parameters, which led to the formation of 8 embryos in the following intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle. Conclusion. Traditional medicine presents various food and remedy options for treating male infertility. It seems that combination therapy can be beneficial in obtaining better results in treatment of male idiopathic infertility.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Eviana Budiartanti Sutanto ◽  
Taufiq R Nasihun ◽  
Israhnanto Isradji ◽  
Luciana Budiati Sutanto

Introduction: Cigarette smoke causes oxidative stress which results in reduced sperm concentration, motility and morphology, also increased levels of 8-OHdG as a marker of DNA damage. Vitamin C and E have potential role in repairing spermatozoa damages. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of vitamin C and E combination on sperm quality and cement 8-OHdG level of smoke exposed rats.Methods: This study used a post test only control group design among 18 male Wistar rats subject, aged 8 week, 150-200 grams body weight (BW). The subject was randomly divided into 3 groups, K1: control, K2: cigarettes smoke exposed, K3: cigarettes smoke exposed and given a combination of 0.045 mg/gBW vitamin C and 0.036 IU/gBW vitamin E per oral. Analysis was done on day 21 using one-way ANOVA and post-hoc LSD for sperm concentration, motility and morphology; using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests for cement 8- OHdG levels.Results: The lowest sperm concentration was found in   K2 (K2  32.59  million/mL,  K1 47.91 million/mL, K 339.43 million/mL); the lowest normal sperm motility was found in K2 (K 238.97%, K 164.57%, K3 51.43%); the lowest normal sperm morphology was found in K2 (K2 27.56%, K 138.36%, K 331.18%); and the highest cement 8- OHdG level was found in K2 (K2 20.18ng/mL, K1 3.43ng/mL, K3 5.28ng/mL).Conclusion: Combination of vitamin C and E can improve sperm concentration, motility and morphology and decrease cement 8-OHdG levels of smoke exposed rats.


Author(s):  
Zhibin Li ◽  
Sumin Wang ◽  
Chunli Gong ◽  
Yiyang Hu ◽  
Jiao Liu ◽  
...  

Male infertility is a widespread health problem affecting approximately 6%–8% of the male population, and hypoxia may be a causative factor. In mammals, two types of hypoxia are known, including environmental and pathological hypoxia. Studies looking at the effects of hypoxia on male infertility have linked both types of hypoxia to poor sperm quality and pregnancy outcomes. Hypoxia damages testicular seminiferous tubule directly, leading to the disorder of seminiferous epithelium and shedding of spermatogenic cells. Hypoxia can also disrupt the balance between oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis of spermatogenic cells, resulting in impaired self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonia, and failure of meiosis. In addition, hypoxia disrupts the secretion of reproductive hormones, causing spermatogenic arrest and erectile dysfunction. The possible mechanisms involved in hypoxia on male reproductive toxicity mainly include excessive ROS mediated oxidative stress, HIF-1α mediated germ cell apoptosis and proliferation inhibition, systematic inflammation and epigenetic changes. In this review, we discuss the correlations between hypoxia and male infertility based on epidemiological, clinical and animal studies and enumerate the hypoxic factors causing male infertility in detail. Demonstration of the causal association between hypoxia and male infertility will provide more options for the treatment of male infertility


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 1417-1421
Author(s):  
Jyothi A. Raj ◽  
Heera Sankar ◽  
Sagarika Mahapatra ◽  
Ashima Binny

BACKGROUND Semen analysis is an integral part of work up for infertility in men, with sperm morphology being an important qualitative parameter. Qualitative defects can affect any part of the sperm and are classified as defects in the head, middle piece, and tail, based on morphology. The focus of the study was to assess qualitative defects in sperms by light microscopy, in semen with normal sperm counts. METHODS This study is hospital based, descriptive, retrospective study. Of the semen samples received in the clinical laboratory, fifty with normal sperm counts were included in the study and processed according to standard protocol. For evaluation of qualitative defects by sperm morphology, smears were fixed in ethanol, stained with Papanicolaou stain [PAP], and assessed under light microscope. RESULTS The 50 semen samples included in the study had sperm counts ranging from 15 to 80 million / ml. Thirty samples had less than 10 % abnormal forms, fourteen samples had 11 - 20 % abnormal forms, five samples had 21 - 30 % abnormal forms and one sample had 40 % abnormal sperms. Qualitative defects were classified as morphological abnormalities in head, neck, and tail. Of the fifty cases, most defects were found in the head, followed by those in the neck and tail. Common defects noted were double head (44 %), abnormal sized heads, and bent neck (48 %). Coiling was a common defect noted in the tail (10 %). Most sperms showed a combination of defects. CONCLUSIONS Qualitative defects in sperm morphology are often seen in samples with normal sperm counts. Assessment of microscopic characteristics of human spermatozoa is as important as count and motility in the complete evaluation and work-up of semen samples in cases of infertility. KEY WORDS Semen, Sperm, Quality, Microscopy, Morphology


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (13) ◽  
pp. 2116-2127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaki Miyazawa ◽  
Yoshiaki Tsuji

The mammalian Shc family, composed of p46, p52, and p66 isoforms, serves as an adaptor protein in cell growth and stress response. p66Shc was shown to be a negative lifespan regulator by acting as a prooxidant protein in mitochondria; however, the regulatory mechanisms of p66Shc expression and function are incompletely understood. This study provides evidence for new features of p66Shc serving as an antioxidant and critical protein in cell differentiation. Unique among the Shc family, transcription of p66Shc is activated through the antioxidant response element (ARE)–nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway in K562 human erythroleukemia and other cell types after treatment with hemin, an iron-containing porphyrin. Phosphorylated p66Shc at Ser-36, previously reported to be prone to mitochondrial localization, is increased by hemin treatment, but p66Shc remains exclusively in the cytoplasm. p66Shc knockdown inhibits hemin-induced erythroid differentiation, in which reactive oxygen species production and apoptosis are significantly enhanced in conjunction with suppression of other ARE-dependent antioxidant genes. Conversely, p66Shc overexpression is sufficient for inducing erythroid differentiation. Collectively these results demonstrate the isoform-specific regulation of the Shc gene by the Nrf2-ARE pathway and a new antioxidant role of p66Shc in the cytoplasm. Thus p66Shc is a bifunctional protein involved in cellular oxidative stress response and differentiation.


Circulation ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (suppl_16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Nagayama ◽  
Manling Zhang ◽  
Eiki Takimoto ◽  
David A Kass

Background: We have shown that inhibition of cyclic GMP-phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) by sildenafil (SIL) blunts cardiomyocyte β-adrenergic stimulation, but this effect depends on the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) to generate a specific pool of cyclic GMP. PDE5A normally localizes at Z-bands in myocytes, but localization is more diffuse in cells with eNOS chronically inhibited. Here, we tested whether the influence of eNOS on PDE5A localization and anti-adrenergic action depends upon cyclic GMP. Methods and Results: Mouse in vivo hemodynamics were assessed by pressure-volume analysis. Isoproterenol (ISO: 20 ng/kg/min, iv ) stimulated contractility was inhibited by SIL (100 μg/kg/min, iv ), however this did not occur in mice given N w -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME: 1 mg/mL in drinking water for 1 week) to inhibit NOS. Myocytes transfected with an adenoviral vector encoding a fusion protein (PDE5A-DSred) in vivo were subsequently isolated and examined for PDE5A/α-actinin localization. Normal cells showed strong co-localization, whereas L-NAME-treated cells had diffuse PDE5A distribution. If L-NAME was stopped for 1-wk washout, SIL regained anti-adrenergic activity, and PDE5A z-band localization was restored. If L-NAME was continued but combined with Bay 41– 8543 (BAY: 30 mg/kg/day, po ), a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) activator, both PDE5A localization and SIL anti-adrenergic action were also restored. Chronic L-NAME suppressed phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated protein (VASP), a marker of protein kinase G (PKG) activity, in hearts acutely exposed to ISO+SIL. After L-NAME washout or L-NAME+BAY, VASP phosphorylation with ISO+SIL was restored. Conclusion: NOS-dependent modulation of both PDE5A sarcomere localization and anti-adrenergic activity depends upon sGC-derived cyclic GMP, and is linked to PKG activation. This suggests sGC activators may have synergistic effects with PDE5A inhibitors.


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