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Yu CW, Yen PL, How CM, Kuo YH, Hsiu-Chuan Liao V. Early-life long-term ibuprofen exposure reduces reproductive capacity involved in spermatogenesis impairment and associated with the transcription factor DAF-5 in Caenorhabditis elegans. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 347:140717. [PMID: 37979808 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are emerging environmental contaminants and have raised significant concern due to their potential adverse impact on the environment. Ibuprofen is one of the most extensively used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and is also considered an environmental contaminant. The negative impact of ibuprofen on non-target organisms has been documented; however, the molecular mechanisms behind its reproductive toxicity remain unclear. We investigated the impact of early-life long-term ibuprofen exposure on reproductive capacity and its involvement of spermiogenesis in the non-target model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. Hermaphrodites were exposed to various ibuprofen concentrations (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 mg/L), resulting in a dose-dependent inhibition of reproduction. In addition, the lowest observed adverse effect concentration (LOAEC) for ibuprofen exposure on the total brood size of C. elegans was 0.1 mg/L, a concentration that falls within the environmentally relevant range for ibuprofen. Outcross progeny assays revealed a significant 47% reduction in total brood size for larval males (him-5) exposed to ibuprofen, while females (fog-2) exhibited only a minor effect. We found that early-life long-term ibuprofen exposure impairs spermatogenesis. The number of mitotic cells significantly reduced by 31%. The rate of sperm malformation in exposed males was 63%, much higher than in unexposed males (11%). Additionally, the percentage of sperm activation decreased from 89% to 39% in ibuprofen-exposed worms. Mechanistic insights indicated that ibuprofen downregulated mRNA levels of genes related to spermatogenesis and DAF-7/TGF-β signaling. RNAi assays provided evidence for the crucial role of the transcription factor DAF-5 in mediating the spermatogenesis impairment by ibuprofen. Our study provides insight into the environmental impacts of pharmaceutical contaminants, such as ibuprofen, on both male and female reproductive systems to safeguard environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan-Wei Yu
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ling Yen
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Chun Ming How
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsuan Kuo
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan
| | - Vivian Hsiu-Chuan Liao
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.
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Marcu D, Keyser S, Petrik L, Fuhrimann S, Maree L. Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) and Male Reproductive Health: Challenging the Future with a Double-Edged Sword. TOXICS 2023; 11:330. [PMID: 37112557 PMCID: PMC10141735 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11040330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 9% of couples are infertile, with half of these cases relating to male factors. While many cases of male infertility are associated with genetic and lifestyle factors, approximately 30% of cases are still idiopathic. Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) denote substances identified in the environment for the first time or detected at low concentrations during water quality analysis. Since CEC production and use have increased in recent decades, CECs are now ubiquitous in surface and groundwater. CECs are increasingly observed in human tissues, and parallel reports indicate that semen quality is continuously declining, supporting the notion that CECs may play a role in infertility. This narrative review focuses on several CECs (including pesticides and pharmaceuticals) detected in the nearshore marine environment of False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, and deliberates their potential effects on male fertility and the offspring of exposed parents, as well as the use of spermatozoa in toxicological studies. Collective findings report that chronic in vivo exposure to pesticides, including atrazine, simazine, and chlorpyrifos, is likely to be detrimental to the reproduction of many organisms, as well as to sperm performance in vitro. Similarly, exposure to pharmaceuticals such as diclofenac and naproxen impairs sperm motility both in vivo and in vitro. These contaminants are also likely to play a key role in health and disease in offspring sired by parents exposed to CECs. On the other side of the double-edged sword, we propose that due to its sensitivity to environmental conditions, spermatozoa could be used as a bioindicator in eco- and repro-toxicology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Marcu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
- Comparative Spermatology Laboratory, Department of Medical Bioscience, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
| | - Shannen Keyser
- Comparative Spermatology Laboratory, Department of Medical Bioscience, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
| | - Leslie Petrik
- Environmental and Nano Sciences Group, Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa
| | - Samuel Fuhrimann
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Liana Maree
- Comparative Spermatology Laboratory, Department of Medical Bioscience, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
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Da Silva ÌEF, Zoca DG, Silva GNAE, Katchborian-Neto A, Cavallari PSDSR, de Almeida SG, Januário AH, Pauletti PM, Andrade JV, Morais-Urano RP, Cunha WR, Santos MFC, Silva MLAE. In vivo evaluation of analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of hydroalcoholic extracts from Handroanthus impetiginosus and their chemical composition by UPLC/MS analysis. Nat Prod Res 2022:1-7. [PMID: 36255125 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2022.2134861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
This study demonstrates in vivo analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of hydroalcoholic extracts of leaves, bark and flowers from the Handroanthus impetiginosus (Bignoniaceae) plant, recognized as 'Ipê roxo' in Brazil. The extracts were evaluated in male Swiss albino mice via oral administration. Moreover, results of the in vivo paw oedema test induced by carrageenan revealed that extracts of leaves and bark displayed relevant anti-inflammatory activity potential at the dosage of 100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, and 500 mg/kg. Likewise, the results obtained for leaves and flowers extracts suggested potent analgesic action in the conventional hot plate test. UPLC/MS analysis of the hydroalcoholic extracts samples identified metabolites belonging to several classes, mainly naphthoquinones and iridoids derivatives as well as flavonoids. Thus, the obtained results indicate that the extracts of H. impetiginosus plant parts could be considered as a complementary herbal medicine for the treatment of pain and inflammation disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniela G Zoca
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil.,Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Samarah G de Almeida
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana H Januário
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil
| | - Patricia M Pauletti
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil
| | - João Victor Andrade
- Departamento de Química e Física, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Alto Universitário, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Raquel P Morais-Urano
- Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, SP, Brasil
| | - Wilson Roberto Cunha
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil
| | - Mario F C Santos
- Departamento de Química e Física, Centro de Ciências Exatas, Naturais e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Alto Universitário, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Márcio L A E Silva
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brazil
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Released ATP Mediates Spermatozoa Chemotaxis Promoted by Uterus-Derived Factor (UDF) in Ascaris suum. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23074069. [PMID: 35409429 PMCID: PMC8999757 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23074069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertilization requires sperm migration toward oocytes and subsequent fusion. Sperm chemotaxis, a process in which motile sperm are attracted by factors released from oocytes or associated structures, plays a key role in sperm migration to oocytes. Here, we studied sperm chemotaxis in the nematode Ascaris suum. Our data show that uterus-derived factor (UDF), the protein fraction of uterine extracts, can attract spermatozoa. UDF is heat resistant, but its activity is attenuated by certain proteinases. UDF binds to the surface of spermatozoa but not spermatids, and this process is mediated by membranous organelles that fuse with the plasma membrane. UDF induces spermatozoa to release ATP from intracellular storage sites to the extracellular milieu, and extracellular ATP modulates sperm chemotaxis. Moreover, UDF increases protein serine phosphorylation (pS) levels in sperm, which facilitates sperm chemotaxis. Taken together, we revealed that both extracellular ATP and intracellular pS signaling are involved in Ascaris sperm chemotaxis. Our data provide insights into the mechanism of sperm chemotaxis in Ascaris suum.
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