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Weigel Muñoz M, Cohen DJ, Da Ros VG, González SN, Rebagliati Cid A, Sulzyk V, Cuasnicu PS. Physiological and pathological aspects of epididymal sperm maturation. Mol Aspects Med 2024; 100:101321. [PMID: 39340983 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2024.101321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2024] [Revised: 09/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
In mammals, sperm that leave the testes are nonfunctional and require a complex post-testicular maturation process to acquire their ability to recognize and fertilize the egg. The crucial maturation changes that provide sperm their fertilizing capability occur while passing through the epididymis. Due to the widespread use of assisted reproductive technologies to address male infertility, there has been a significant decrease in research focusing on the mechanisms underlying the maturation process over the past decades. Considering that up to 40% of male infertility is idiopathic and could be reflecting sperm maturation defects, the study of post-testicular sperm maturation will clearly contribute to a better understanding of the causes of male infertility and to the development of both new approaches to maturing sperm in vitro and safer male contraceptive methods. Based on this, the present review focuses on the physiopathology of the epididymis as well as on current approaches under investigation to improve research in sperm maturation and as potential therapeutic options for male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Weigel Muñoz
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME). Fundación IBYME. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Débora J Cohen
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME). Fundación IBYME. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Vanina G Da Ros
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME). Fundación IBYME. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Soledad N González
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME). Fundación IBYME. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Abril Rebagliati Cid
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME). Fundación IBYME. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Valeria Sulzyk
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME). Fundación IBYME. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Patricia S Cuasnicu
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME). Fundación IBYME. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Muñoz E, Fuentes F, Felmer R, Arias ME, Yeste M. Effects of Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species on Male Fertility. Antioxid Redox Signal 2024; 40:802-836. [PMID: 38019089 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2022.0163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Significance: In recent decades, male fertility has been severely reduced worldwide. The causes underlying this decline are multifactorial, and include, among others, genetic alterations, changes in the microbiome, and the impact of environmental pollutants. Such factors can dysregulate the physiological levels of reactive species of oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) in the patient, generating oxidative and nitrosative stress that impairs fertility. Recent Advances: Recent studies have delved into other factors involved in the dysregulation of ROS and RNS levels, such as diet, obesity, persistent infections, environmental pollutants, and gut microbiota, thus leading to new strategies to solve male fertility problems, such as consuming prebiotics to regulate gut flora or treating psychological conditions. Critical Issues: The pathways where ROS or RNS may be involved as modulators are still under investigation. Moreover, the extent to which treatments can rescue male infertility as well as whether they may have side effects remains, in most cases, to be elucidated. For example, it is known that prescription of antioxidants to treat nitrosative stress can alter sperm chromatin condensation, which makes DNA more exposed to ROS and RNS, and may thus affect fertilization and early embryo development. Future Directions: The involvement of extracellular vesicles, which might play a crucial role in cell communication during spermatogenesis and epididymal maturation, and the relevance of other factors such as sperm epigenetic signatures should be envisaged in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwin Muñoz
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Doctoral Program in Sciences, Major in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Fernanda Fuentes
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Doctoral Program in Sciences, Major in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Ricardo Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - María Elena Arias
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
- Department of Agricultural Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Marc Yeste
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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Najafi A, Mohammadi H, Sharifi SD, Rahimi A. Apigenin supplementation substantially improves rooster sperm freezability and post-thaw function. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4527. [PMID: 38402367 PMCID: PMC10894267 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55057-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
This pioneering research investigated apigenin potential to augment rooster sperm cryosurvival in an extender model. Apigenin is a natural antioxidant flavonoid showing promise for improved post-thaw sperm function. However, its effects on avian semen cryopreservation remain unexplored. This first study supplemented rooster sperm Lake extender with 0, 50, 100, 200, 400 μmol/L apigenin to determine the optimal concentrations for post-thaw quality. Supplementation with 100 μmol/L apigenin resulted in significant enhancements in total motility (from 41.5% up to 71.5%), progressive motility (18.1% to 29.1%) (p < 0.05), membrane integrity (40% to 68%), mitochondrial function (p < 0.001), viability (37% to 62%) and total antioxidant capacity (p < 0.001) compared to the control. It also substantially reduced percentages of abnormal morphology, reactive oxygen species and apoptosis (p < 0.001). Although 200 μmol/L apigenin significantly enhanced some attributes, effects were markedly lower than 100 μmol/L. Higher doses did not improve cryoprotective parameters. This indicates 100 μmol/L as the optimal apigenin concentration. This represents the first report of apigenin protecting rooster sperm from cryodamage. The natural antioxidant improved post-thaw sperm quality, likely by suppressing oxidative stress and apoptosis. Apigenin shows promise for enhancing rooster sperm cryosurvival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abouzar Najafi
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Hossein Mohammadi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, Arak, Iran
| | - Seyed Davood Sharifi
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amin Rahimi
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
- Chaltasian Agri.-Animal Production Complex, Varamin, Tehran, Iran
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Dolui D, Hasanuzzaman M, Fujita M, Adak MK. 2,4-D mediated moderation of aluminum tolerance in Salvinia molesta D. Mitch. with regards to bioexclusion and related physiological and metabolic changes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION 2023; 26:27-44. [PMID: 37259532 DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2023.2216311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
We examined the efficacy of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D; 500 µM) in enhancing the potential of Salvinia species for tolerance to aluminum (Al) toxicity (240 and 480 µM, seven days). Salvinia showed better efficacy in removal of toxicity of Al by sorption mechanism with changes of bond energy shifting on cell wall residues and surface structure. Plants recorded tolerance to Al concentration (480 µM) when pretreated with 2,4-D through adjustment of relative water content, proline content, osmotic potential, and improved the pigment fluorescence for energy utilization under Al stress. Photosynthetic activities with regards to NADP-malic enzyme and malic dehydrogenase and sugar metabolism with wall and cytosolic invertase activities were strongly correlated with compatible solutes. A less membrane peroxidation and protein carbonylation had reduced ionic loss over the membrane that was studied with reduced electrolyte leakage with 2,4-D pretreated plants. Membrane stabilization was also recorded with higher ratio of K+ to Na+, thereby suggesting roles of 2,4-D in ionic balance. Better sustenance of enzymatic antioxidation with peroxidase and glutathione metabolism reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation and save the plant for oxidative damages. Moreover, gene polymorphism for antioxidant, induced by 2,4-D varied through Al concentrations would suggest an improved biomarker for tolerance. Collectively, analysis and discussion of plant's responses assumed that auxin herbicide could be a potential phytoprotectant for Salvinia as well as improving the stability to Al toxicity and its bioremediation efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debabrata Dolui
- Department of Botany, Plant Physiology, Biochemistry and Plant Molecular Biology Research Unit, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, India
| | - Mirza Hasanuzzaman
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Masayuki Fujita
- Laboratory of Plant Stress Responses, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Japan
| | - Malay Kumar Adak
- Department of Botany, Plant Physiology, Biochemistry and Plant Molecular Biology Research Unit, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, India
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Rotimi DE, Adeyemi OS. Plantain-based diet decreases oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in the testes of rats exposed to atrazine. Mol Cell Biochem 2023:10.1007/s11010-022-04639-2. [PMID: 36609901 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04639-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to the herbicide atrazine (ATZ) has deleterious effects on male fertility. This fact underscores the need for measures to protect against the detrimental impact of atrazine exposure on male fertility. The study assessed the protective effects of plantain-based diet (PBD) on rat testes exposed to ATZ by exploring oxid-inflammatory homeostasis. The study evaluated the preventive and therapeutic effects of PBD in a two-phased experiment. Male rats were randomized into seven groups for therapeutic model (Control, ATZ only, ATZ recovery, ATZ + 50% PBD, ATZ + 25% PBD, ATZ + 12.5% PBD and ATZ + quercetin-QUE) while the preventive model had ten groups (Control, ATZ, 50% PBD + ATZ, 25% PBD + ATZ, 12.5% PBD + ATZ and QUE + ATZ). The oxidative stress parameters (DNA fragmentation and MDA level), purinergic activity (ATPase), acetylcholine esterase, and inflammatory markers (NO level, MPO activity, and TNF-α) were increased while the Nrf2 levels were decreased by the ATZ treatment. However, the PBD was able to restore the oxido-inflammatory parameters in the rat testes. The chemical fingerprint of the diet revealed that the diets contained 16 bioactive compounds with quercetin being the most prominent compound. Overall, treatment with PBD was able to protect and prevent the toxicity caused by ATZ by modulating the redox and inflammatory status as well as purinergic activity in the rat testes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damilare Emmanuel Rotimi
- SDG 03 Group - Good Health & Well-being, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, 251101, Kwara State, Nigeria.,Department of Biochemistry, Medicinal Biochemistry, Nanomedicine & Toxicology Laboratory, Landmark University, PMB 1001, Omu-Aran, 251101, Nigeria
| | - Oluyomi Stephen Adeyemi
- SDG 03 Group - Good Health & Well-being, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, 251101, Kwara State, Nigeria. .,Department of Biochemistry, Medicinal Biochemistry, Nanomedicine & Toxicology Laboratory, Landmark University, PMB 1001, Omu-Aran, 251101, Nigeria. .,Laboratory of Sustainable Animal Environmental Systems, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko-Onsen, Osaki, Miyagi, 989-6711, Japan.
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