Ethanol consumption is a major cause of male infertility, but the exact mechanism is still largely unknown. This study attempted to investigate the effect of ethanol on sperm morphology, acrosome ...reaction status and the alteration of the testicular protein expressions. Fourteen male rats were divided into control and ethanol groups (n = 7/each group). Ethanol‐treated rats received ethanol (5 g/kg, 40% v/v) via oral gavage for consecutive 14 days. Testosterone hormone, sperm parameters, and testicular and epididymal histopathologies were evaluated. In addition, the expressions of testicular proteins including androgen receptor (AR), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and tyrosine‐phosphorylated (TyrPho) proteins were investigated. The results showed that ethanol significantly increased percentage of abnormal sperm morphology and acrosome‐reacted spermatozoa. Some seminiferous and ductus epididymal histopathologies were observed in ethanol‐treated rats. Significantly, ethanol reduced serum testosterone and expressions of testicular AR and TyrPho proteins. However, the overexpression of StAR and HSP70 proteins in ethanol testis was found. It was concluded that the changes in testicular protein expressions may be involved in mechanism of male infertility caused from ethanol consumption.
Although many studies reported the detrimental effects of type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM) on testis, reproductive parameter changes in DM seminal vesicles have never been documented. ...This study aimed to examine the morphology, biochemical levels and tyrosine phosphorylation in seminal vesicles of T1DM and T2DM mice. Fifty‐six male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups (n = 14/each): T1DM control, T1DM, T2DM control and T2DM. T1DM mice were daily injected of streptozotocin (STZ; 40 mg/kg BW) for 5 days. T2DM mice received high‐fat diet for 14 days prior to STZ injection at a single dose (85 mg/kg BW). At the end of experiments (days 36 and 72), magnesium (MG) and fructosamine (FRA) levels, and phosphorylated protein expression in seminal vesicle were examined. The results showed that seminal and prostate weights and MG and FRA levels of T1DM animals were significantly increased as compared to T2DM mice. Some seminal histopathologies and decreased epithelial height were observed in both DM groups. Significantly, a 72‐kDa phosphorylated protein expression was increased in DM seminal vesicle. We concluded that changes of biochemical components and phosphorylated proteins in seminal vesicle of T1DM and T2DM mice may be associated with low‐quality seminal plasma.
The aim of this study was to show the incidence of vertebral artery of aortic arch origin, its level of entry into transverse foramen, including extra- and intracranial morphometry, and clinical ...significance. A total of 266 embalmed cadavers were studied. We found 14 left vertebral arteries (5.3%) emerging from aortic arch. Most of the left vertebral arteries of aortic arch origin (78.6%) entered the fifth cervical transverse foramina, whereas most of the vertebral arteries of subclavian origin (94.7% left and 99.2% right) entered the sixth cervical transverse foramina. Their average prevertebral length was 8.24 ± 1.09 cm ,which was about twice as long as the right vertebral artery (3.88 ± 1.14 cm). The average outer diameters of the prevertebral part and ensuing intracranial part of the left vertebral artery of aortic arch origin were 4.36 ± 0.93 and 3.62 ± 0.62 mm, respectively. The mean corresponding diameters of the vertebral artery of subclavian origin were 5.06 ± 1.04 and 3.87 ± 0.83 mm, respectively. All of the vertebral arteries decreased significantly in size after entering the cranial cavity. The reduction in caliber of the intracranial part of the vertebral artery compared with the prevertebral part of its own vessel has never been reported elsewhere. Knowledge of such anatomical variations is important in interpreting CT angiography, anterior cervical decompression and aortic arch surgery to prevent iatrogenic injury of the vertebral artery.
Previous studies reported the effects of valproic acid (VPA) on tyrosine‐phosphorylated (TyrPho) protein expression in the testis and epididymis, but its effects on that in the seminal vesicle (SV) ...have never been demonstrated. This study attempted to investigate the expressions of TyrPho proteins in SV treated with VPA. Sixteen rats were divided into control and VPA‐treated groups. The control rats were injected with normal saline, whereas the treated animals were intraperitoneally injected with VPA (500 mg/kg BW) for 10 consecutive days (n = 8/each). The biochemical parameters in blood plasma and SV fluid were analysed. The SV tissues and fluid were investigated for the presence and expression of TyrPho proteins, androgen receptor (AR) proteins and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). Significantly, VPA caused SV atrophy and reductions in secretion and biochemical parameter levels. There were significant increases in many TyrPho proteins in the plasma (a 95 kDa) and SV tissue (a 40 kDa) of the VPA rats. However, the expressions of seminal AR, Hsp70 and TyrPho proteins (50 and 48 kDa) were significantly lower in VPA rats. Recent results have indicated that VPA affected SV morphology and decreased biochemical fluid substances including TyrPho proteins associated with decreased expressions of AR and Hsp70.
Stress affects the male reproductive system and can cause sub-fertility or infertility. Although
Phyllanthus emblica
L. (PE) extract has been shown to have high antioxidant capacity and protective ...properties in damaged tissue, the preventive effects of PE extract on testicular function from stress-related impairment have never been demonstrated. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PE aqueous leaf extract on testicular impairment and protein marker changes in rats suffering from chronic stress. Adult male rats were divided into four groups: a control group, a chronic stress (CS) group, and two groups with CS that received different doses of PE extract (50 or 100 mg/kg body weight (BW)). In the treatment groups, the animals were given PE extract daily before stress induction for 42 consecutive days. Stress was induced through immobilization (4 h/d) followed by forced cold swimming (15 min/d). Sperm quality and the histology of the testes and caudal epididymis were examined, as were levels of serum corticosterone, testosterone, and malondialdehyde (MDA). The expressions of testicular steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) and tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were investigated using immuno-Western blot analysis, as these proteins are assumed to play important roles in spermatogenesis and androgen synthesis. The results showed that PE (50 mg/kg BW) significantly increased sperm concentration and testosterone levels, while decreasing corticosterone levels, MDA levels, sperm head abnormalities, and acrosome-reacted sperm in CS rats. In addition, PE at both doses was found to diminish testicular histopathology in the CS rats. We also found that 50 mg/kg BW of PE significantly improved StAR protein expression and altered the intensities of some tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in testis. We conclude that PE leaf extract at 50 mg/kg BW can prevent testicular damage in rats with CS.
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a group of heterogenous malignancies arising from bile duct epithelium with distinct pathological features. Adaptor proteins have implicated in cell proliferation, ...migration, and invasion of different cancer cells. The objective of this study was to assess whether the adaptor protein XB130 (AFAP1L2) is a critical biological determinant of CCA outcome. XB130 expression levels were investigated in four CCA cell lines compared to an immortalized cholangiocyte cell line by Western blotting. Small interfering (si) RNA-mediated XB130 gene silencing was conducted to evaluate the effects of reduced XB130 expression on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by MTT, transwell migration and cell invasion assay. The immunohistochemical quantification of XB130 levels were performed in surgically resected formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens obtained from 151 CCA patients. The relationship between XB130 expression and the clinicopathological parameters of CCA patients were analyzed. Our results showed that XB130 was highly expressed in KKU-213A cell line. Knockdown of XB130 using siRNA significantly decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion properties of KKU-213A cells through the inhibition of PI3K/Akt pathway, suggesting that XB130 plays an important role in CCA progression. Moreover, elevated XB130 expression levels were positive relationship with lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), intrahepatic type of CCA, high TNM staging (stage III, IV), high T classification (T3, T4), and lymph node metastasis. We provide the first evidence that the overexpression of XB130 is associated with tumorigenic properties of CCA cells, leading to CCA progression with aggressive clinical outcomes.
The molecular mechanism of chronic stress especially reduced motility, a major cause of male infertility, has not been proved. It is known that A‐kinase anchor protein 4 (AKAP4) and ...tyrosine‐phosphorylated (TyrPho) proteins are involved in progressive motility. This study aimed to investigate the effect of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) on sexual behaviours, sperm quality, and expressions of AKAP4 and TyrPho proteins in testis, epididymis, and spermatozoa. Sixteen male mice were divided into control and CUMS groups (n = 8/group). Animals were induced by a stressor from twelve stressors for 36 days. Sexual behaviours, corticosterone and testosterone, sperm parameters, and histopathology were observed. The expressions of AKAP4 and TyrPho proteins in testis, epididymis, and spermatozoa were examined. Results showed that CUMS significantly increased corticosterone while serum testosterone level was decreased. Sexual behaviours and sperm parameter quality were significantly decreased. CUMS mice showed vacuolisation and pyknotic cells in seminiferous epithelium and less sperm mass was observed within epididymal lumen. CUMS decreased expressions of AKAP4 and TyrPho proteins in testis, epididymis, and spermatozoa. In conclusion, the decreased expression of AKAP4 and TyrPho proteins may be a mechanism associated with low semen qualities particularly decrease of sperm motility in CUMS.
Although Dolichandrone serrulata (Wall. ex DC.) Seem (Bignoniaceae) flower (DSF) improves hyperglycaemia, testicular damage and sperm quality in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) animals, its effects ...on the seminal vesicles, secreting seminal plasma, are unknown.
This study reports the protective effects of DSF on seminal dysfunction in T2DM rats.
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (control, T2DM, T2DM + DSF200 and T2DM + DSF600; 10 animals/group). The control group was fed a low-fat diet for 14 days prior to single saline injection, whereas T2DM group was given a high-fat diet and injected with streptozocin (50 mg/kg body weight). The T2DM-induced rats were fed DSF orogastrically (200 and 600 mg/kg body weight) for 28 consecutive days. At the end of the experiment, biochemical components, malondialdehyde (MDA), histology and protein expression in seminal lysate were evaluated.
DSF increased the levels of serum phosphorus (13.66 ± 0.59 mg/dL), ALP (11.85 ± 0.99 U/L), GOT (3938.23 ± 251.41 U/L) and GPT (34.16 ± 4.93), decreased MDA levels in seminal tissue, and elevated the serum testosterone in the T2DM rats. Treatment with DSF ameliorated histological damage, significantly increased seminal 44 and 31 kDa TyrPho protein expression, and decreased that of caspase 3 and 9.
DSF extract was able to mitigate seminal dysfunction in T2DM rats via improvements of tyrosine phosphorylation, testosterone level and biochemical substances, as well as reductions of caspase proteins. DSF may be developed as an alternative medicine in treating of T2DM male subfertility and progressive complications.
Chronic stress (CS) is known to affect men's health especially fertility by reducing semen quality. Although the effects of CS on testicular function and sperm parameters are documented, changes of ...substances and secreting proteins in the seminal vesicle (SV) have never been reported. This study aimed to demonstrate the alterations of contents and expressions of proteins in seminal vesicle fluid (SVF) under CS. Fourteen adult rats were divided into control and CS groups (n = 7/each). Control rats were not exposed to stressor, while the CS animals were immobilised by restraint cage (4 hr/day) and followed by forced swimming (15 min/day) for consecutive 60 days. Biochemical substances and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in SVF were examined. Expressions of heat‐shock protein 70 (Hsp70), caspases (Casp) 3 and 9, and tyrosine‐phosphorylated (TyrPho) proteins were investigated in seminal vesicle tissue (SVT) and SVF. It was found that CS caused reductions of seminal epithelial height and secreted substance levels. Significantly, MDA levels in SVF and expressions of Hsp70, Casp and TyrPho proteins were increased in of CS animals. It was concluded that CS affected seminal secretion. Low quality of CS seminal plasma may associate with increase of MDA and expressions of secreted proteins.
Thai Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. var. pruriens (Fabaceae) or T-MP seed extract has been shown to improve sexual performance and sperm quality.
This study investigates the preventive effects of T-MP ...against seminal vesicle damage, apoptotic and Nrf2 protein expression in mice under chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS).
Forty-eight male ICR mice were divided into four groups: control, CUMS, T-MP300 + CUMS and T-MP600 + CUMS. Mice in control and CUMS groups received distilled water, while those in treated groups were pretreated with T-MP extract (300 or 600 mg/kg BW) for 14 consecutive days. The CMUS and co-treated groups were exposed to one random stressor (of 12 total) each day for 43 days. Components and histopathology of the seminal vesicle were examined, along with localization of androgen receptor (AR) and caspase 3. Expression of seminal AR, tyrosine phosphorylated (TyrPho), heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), caspases (3 and 9) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) proteins was investigated.
T-MP extract at a dose of 600 mg/kg BW improved seminal epithelial damage and secretion of fluid containing essential substances and proteins in CUMS mice. It also increased the expression of AR and TyrPho proteins. Additionally, T-MP increased expression of Nrf2 and inhibited seminal vesicular apoptosis through the suppression of Hsp70 and caspase expression.
T-MP seeds have an antiapoptotic property in chronic stress seminal vesicle. It is possible to apply this extract for the enhancement of seminal plasma quality.
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