Hormone-linked redox status and its modulation by antioxidants

Environmentally relevant concentrations of nickel and imidacloprid induce reproductive toxicity in earthworm (Eisenia fetida fetida)

The current research investigates individual and combined toxicity effects of nickel (Ni) and imidacloprid (IMI) on earthworm species Eisenia fetida fetida. Employing standardized toxicity parameters, we assessed the impact of environmentally relevant concentrations (ERC) of Ni, IMI, and their mixtures on key biomarkers and reproductive fitness of earthworms. Our findings reveal concentration-dependent responses with discernible adverse effects on physiological parameters. The ERC obtained for Ni was 0.095 ppm, and for imidacloprid was 0.01 ppm. Two concentrations (ERC and 1/5th) of both toxicants (individually and in combinations) were further given for 14 days, and parameters like avoidance behaviour, antioxidants, histology, and metabolomic profile were observed. The behaviour of earthworms was noted, where at 24-48 h, it was found to be in control soil, while later, at 72-96 h, they migrated to toxicants-treated soil. Levels of antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid), lipid peroxidation, and lactate dehydrogenase were elevated in the testis, spermatheca, ovary, and prostate gland in a high concentration of Ni + IMI. Histological studies showed more vacuolization and disruption of epithelium that was increased in the prostate gland of the Ni + IMI high group, decreased number of spermatids, and damaged cell architecture was noted in testis and spermatheca of the Ni + IMI high group. The highest number of metabolites was found in Ni exposed group (181), followed by IMI (131) and Control (125). Thus, this study sheds light on the ecotoxicological effects of combinational exposure of these contaminants on an essential soil-dwelling organism, where IMI was more toxic than Ni, and both toxicants decreased earthworm reproductive fecundity.

Exploring the role of antioxidants in sepsis-associated oxidative stress: a comprehensive review

Sepsis is a potentially fatal condition characterized by organ dysfunction caused by an imbalanced immune response to infection. Although an increased inflammatory response significantly contributes to the pathogenesis of sepsis, several molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of sepsis are associated with increased cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and exhausted antioxidant pathways. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the involvement of ROS in the pathophysiology of sepsis and the potential application of antioxidants with antimicrobial properties as an adjunct to primary therapies (fluid and antibiotic therapies) against sepsis. This article delves into the advantages and disadvantages associated with the utilization of antioxidants in the therapeutic approach to sepsis, which has been explored in a variety of animal models and clinical trials. While the application of antioxidants has been suggested as a potential therapy to suppress the immune response in cases where an intensified inflammatory reaction occurs, the use of multiple antioxidant agents can be beneficial as they can act additively or synergistically on different pathways, thereby enhancing the antioxidant defense. Furthermore, the utilization of immunoadjuvant therapy, specifically in septic patients displaying immunosuppressive tendencies, represents a promising advancement in sepsis therapy.

Postbiotic production: harnessing the power of microbial metabolites for health applications

Postbiotics, which are bioactive substances derived from the metabolic processes of beneficial microbes, have received considerable attention in the field of microbiome science in recent years, presenting a promising path for exploration and innovation. This comprehensive analysis looks into the multidimensional terrain of postbiotic production, including an extensive examination of diverse postbiotic classes, revealing their sophisticated mechanisms of action and highlighting future applications that might significantly affect human health. The authors thoroughly investigate the various mechanisms that support postbiotic production, ranging from conventional fermentation procedures to cutting-edge enzyme conversion and synthetic biology approaches. The review, as an acknowledgment of the field's developing nature, not only highlights current achievements but also navigates through the problems inherent in postbiotic production. In order to successfully include postbiotics in therapeutic interventions and the production of functional food ingredients, emphasis is given to critical elements, including improving yields, bolstering stability, and assuring safety. The knowledge presented herein sheds light on the expanding field of postbiotics and their potential to revolutionize the development of novel therapeutics and functional food ingredients.

Harnessing the power of nutritional antioxidants against adrenal hormone imbalance-associated oxidative stress

Oxidative stress, resulting from dysregulation in the secretion of adrenal hormones, represents a major concern in human health. The present review comprehensively examines various categories of endocrine dysregulation within the adrenal glands, encompassing glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and androgens. Additionally, a comprehensive account of adrenal hormone disorders, including adrenal insufficiency, Cushing's syndrome, and adrenal tumors, is presented, with particular emphasis on their intricate association with oxidative stress. The review also delves into an examination of various nutritional antioxidants, namely vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, selenium, zinc, polyphenols, coenzyme Q10, and probiotics, and elucidates their role in mitigating the adverse effects of oxidative stress arising from imbalances in adrenal hormone levels. In conclusion, harnessing the power of nutritional antioxidants has the potential to help with oxidative stress caused by an imbalance in adrenal hormones. This could lead to new research and therapeutic interventions.

Protective effects of exogenous melatonin therapy against oxidative stress to male reproductive tissue caused by anti-cancer chemical and radiation therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies

Background

Male testicular dysfunction is a considerable complication of anti-cancer therapies, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, partly due to the increased oxidative stress caused by these treatments. Melatonin is an effective antioxidant agent that protects testicles against physical and toxic chemical stressors in animal models. This study aims to systematically review the melatonin's protective effects against anti-cancer stressors on rodential testicular tissue.

Materials and Method

An extensive search was conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed for animal studies investigating exogenous melatonin's protective effects on rodent testicles exposed to anti-cancer chemicals and radiotherapeutic agents. Using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effect model, standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were estimated from the pooled data. The protocol was prospectively registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42022355293).

Results

The meta-analysis included 38 studies from 43 studies that were eligible for the review. Rats and mice were exposed to radiotherapy (ionizing radiations such as gamma- and roentgen radiation and radioactive iodine) or chemotherapy (methotrexate, paclitaxel, busulfan, cisplatin, doxorubicin, vinblastine, bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, Taxol, procarbazine, docetaxel, and chlorambucil). According to our meta-analysis, all outcomes were significantly improved by melatonin therapy, including sperm quantity and quality (count, motility, viability, normal morphology, number of spermatogonia, Johnsen's testicular biopsy score, seminiferous tubular diameter, and seminiferous epithelial height), serum level of reproductive hormones (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and testosterone), tissue markers of oxidative stress (testicular tissue malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glutathione, caspase-3, and total antioxidant capacity), and weight-related characteristics (absolute body, epididymis, testis, and relative testis to body weights). Most SYRCLE domains exhibited a high risk of bias in the included studies. Also, significant heterogeneity and small-study effects were detected.

Conclusion

In male rodents, melatonin therapy was related to improved testicular histopathology, reproductive hormones, testis and body weights, and reduced levels of oxidative markers in testicular tissues of male rodents. Future meticulous studies are recommended to provide a robust scientific backbone for human applications.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022355293, identifier CRD42022355293.

Oxidative stress, hormones, and effects of natural antioxidants on intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing gastrointestinal (GI) disorder characterized by intestinal inflammation. The etiology of IBD is multifactorial and results from a complex interplay between mucosal immunity, environmental factors, and host genetics. Future therapeutics for GI disorders, including IBD, that are driven by oxidative stress require a greater understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the GI tract, oxidative stressors include infections and pro-inflammatory responses, which boost ROS generation by promoting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) represent two important signaling pathways in intestinal immune cells that regulate numerous physiological processes, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Natural antioxidant compounds exhibit ROS scavenging and increase antioxidant defense capacity to inhibit pro-oxidative enzymes, which may be useful in IBD treatment. In this review, we discuss various polyphenolic substances (such as resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin, green tea flavonoids, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, luteolin, xanthohumol, genistein, alpinetin, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins, silymarin), phenolic compounds including thymol, alkaloids such as berberine, storage polysaccharides such as tamarind xyloglucan, and other phytochemicals represented by isothiocyanate sulforaphane and food/spices (such as ginger, flaxseed oil), as well as antioxidant hormones like melatonin that target cellular signaling pathways to reduce intestinal inflammation occurring with IBD.

The Role of Oxidative Stress in Infertility

(1) Background: Oxidative stress markers in the follicular fluid and serum of the patient with IVF results (number of fertilized oocytes, number of embryos, cumulative pregnancy rate) are important in establishing the causes of infertility. (2) Methods: 42 patients were enrolled in the study over the duration of 24 months and were divided into two groups: the study group divided into the female etiology for infertility as a tubal factor, diminished ovarian reserve, endometriosis, and unexplained infertility, and the control group consisting of the male factor, excluding the sperm donors and with no female factor cause. On the day of ovarian puncture in IVF, follicular fluid and serum were collected from the patients. (3) Results: Malondialdehyde from the follicular fluid was higher in the control group. The total antioxidant capacity in the follicular fluid is positively correlated with the pregnancy rate. There is no statistically significant difference in the oxidative stress markers from serum in both groups. (4) Conclusions: The capacity of the follicular fluid environment to contain the reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to a higher pregnancy rate in the control group.

S. M, Birudala G, Jamous YF, Alshargi O, Kotha KK, Sudhan HH, Mani RR, Muthumanickam A, Niranjan D, Jain NK, Agrawal A, Jadon AS, Mayasa V, Jha NK, Kolesarova A, Slama P, Roychoudhury S. Reactive oxygen species mediated apoptotic death of colon cancer cells: therapeutic potential of plant derived alkaloids

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most deaths causing diseases worldwide. Several risk factors including hormones like insulin and insulin like growth factors (e.g., IGF-1) have been considered responsible for growth and progression of colon cancer. Though there is a huge advancement in the available screening as well as treatment techniques for CRC. There is no significant decrease in the mortality of cancer patients. Moreover, the current treatment approaches for CRC are associated with serious challenges like drug resistance and cancer re-growth. Given the severity of the disease, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic agents with ideal characteristics. Several pieces of evidence suggested that natural products, specifically medicinal plants, and derived phytochemicals may serve as potential sources for novel drug discovery for various diseases including cancer. On the other hand, cancer cells like colon cancer require a high basal level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to maintain its own cellular functions. However, excess production of intracellular ROS leads to cancer cell death via disturbing cellular redox homeostasis. Therefore, medicinal plants and derived phytocompounds that can enhance the intracellular ROS and induce apoptotic cell death in cancer cells via modulating various molecular targets including IGF-1 could be potential therapeutic agents. Alkaloids form a major class of such phytoconstituents that can play a key role in cancer prevention. Moreover, several preclinical and clinical studies have also evidenced that these compounds show potent anti-colon cancer effects and exhibit negligible toxicity towards the normal cells. Hence, the present evidence-based study aimed to provide an update on various alkaloids that have been reported to induce ROS-mediated apoptosis in colon cancer cells via targeting various cellular components including hormones and growth factors, which play a role in metastasis, angiogenesis, proliferation, and invasion. This study also provides an individual account on each such alkaloid that underwent clinical trials either alone or in combination with other clinical drugs. In addition, various classes of phytochemicals that induce ROS-mediated cell death in different kinds of cancers including colon cancer are discussed.

Role of Natural and Synthetic Compounds in Modulating NRF2/KEAP1 Signaling Pathway in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. Prostate cancer can be treated by surgery or active surveillance when early diagnosed but, when diagnosed at an advanced or metastatic stage, radiation therapy or androgen-deprivation therapy is needed to reduce cancer progression. However, both of these therapies can cause prostate cancer resistance to treatment. Several studies demonstrated that oxidative stress is involved in cancer occurrence, development, progression and treatment resistance. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)/KEAP1 (Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1) pathway plays an important role in protecting cells against oxidative damage. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and NRF2 activation can determine cell fate. In particular, toxic levels of ROS lead physiological cell death and cell tumor suppression, while lower ROS levels are associated with carcinogenesis and cancer progression. On the contrary, a high level of NRF2 promotes cell survival related to cancer progression activating an adaptive antioxidant response. In this review, we analyzed the current literature regarding the role of natural and synthetic compounds in modulating NRF2/KEAP1 signaling pathway in prostate cancer.