Conditioned medium and secretome from epididymal epithelial cell cultures improve sperm kinetics and capacitation

Background and Aim

Sperm maturation occurs in the epididymis through interactions with existing molecules inside the lumen. However, the mechanism of epididymis molecular transfer is currently unclear. This study was aimed to determine the necessity of the epididymal epithelial cells (EECs) in the process of sperm maturation in terms of sperm kinetics and tyrosine phosphorylation.

Materials and Methods

A true experimental research design was used in this study. The medium tested was a primary culture of mice caput epididymal cells (cells and culture medium), conditioned medium (CM) (supernatant of EECs), and secretome (CM filtered at 0.22 μm). Sperm was cocultured in EEC culture, CM, and secretome for 1, 2, 3, or 4 h. The original culture medium was used as the control. Sperm kinetic analysis was performed after the indicated times using computer-assisted sperm analysis, and tyrosine phosphorylation was detected using the Western blot technique.

Results

A primary culture of caput EECs was successfully generated. The results showed increased sperm motility and progressive movement after 3 h of incubation (p < 0.05). There was a significant decrease in the average path velocity (VAP) values after 4 h of incubation (p < 0.05), but there was no significant change in the 1, 2, and 3 h incubation groups. The EEC culture-CM and secretome groups showed a significant increased progressivity and VAP percentage values compared with the control medium (p < 0.05). In terms of percentage motility, the culture and CM groups were significantly different from the control medium, but the secretome group was not.

Conclusion

The sperm kinetics of sperm cultured in CM, secretome, and EEC were significantly increased after 3 h of incubation, suggesting that CM and secretome can be used to replace EECs, especially when analyzing molecules secreted by the epididymal epithelium during sperm maturation. The results of this study highlight the potential of CM and secretome as therapy mediums for sperm kinetic abnormalities.

In silico docking analysis of beta-defensin 20 against cation channel sperm-associated protein 1-4 to predict its role in the sperm maturation

Beta-defensin 20 (DEFB20) is widely expressed in the epididymis with gene features involved in epididymal sperm maturation. However, the action mechanism and function of DEFB20 in sperm maturation are still unclear. One of the important roles of beta-defensin is the ion channel activity. The cation channel sperm-associated protein (CatSper) alpha is an ion channel protein found on the sperm surface. This study aimed to investigate the interaction between DEFB20 and CatSper1-4 protein in relation to the sperm maturation process. Protein sequences were obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Protein modeling and validation were carried out by using the Robetta modeling server and the Ramachandran plot method. Rosetta web server was used for the docking analysis. The results revealed a natural interaction between DEFB20 and CatSper1-4. The interaction occurred at the cation channel (close to the casein kinase II), ion transport protein, and kinase c phosphorylation of the CatSper1-4 active site. The DEFB20 region interacting with CatSper2-4 was the beta-defensin domain, while with CatSper1 was the non-beta-defensin domain. Based on the analysis, DEFB20 may interact with CatSper α subunits, particularly CatsSper1, to affect ion channel activity during sperm maturation.

Various gene modification techniques to discover molecular targets for nonhormonal male contraceptives: A review

The identification and characterization of relevant targets are necessary for developing nonhormonal male contraceptives. The molecules must demonstrate that they are necessary for reproduction. As a result, a sophisticated technique is required to identify the molecular targets for nonhormonal male contraceptives. Genetic modification (GM) techniques are one method that can be applied. This technique has been widely used to study gene function that effected male fertility and has resulted in the discovery of numerous nonhormonal male contraceptive target molecules. We examined GM techniques and approaches used to investigate genes involved in male fertility as potential targets for nonhormonal contraceptives. The discovery of nonhormonal contraceptive candidate molecules was increased by using GM techniques, especially the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/Cas9 method. The discovery of candidate nonhormonal contraceptive molecules can be a wide-open research for the development of nonhormonal male contraceptives. Therefore, we are believing that one day nonhormonal male contraceptives will be released.

Association of Variants in COMT, RASSF1 and GPM6A with the Risk of Paranoid Schizophrenia Patients in Prof HB Saanin Psychiatric Hospital, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Background

Schizophrenia is a multifactorial disease in which genetic factors play a greater role than other factors. The genes of importance in schizophrenia patients are the genes that encode for neurotransmitters associated with low minor allele frequency (MAF) scores. This study was aimed to determine the association of genetic variations in catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT), Ras association domain family member 1 (RASSF1) and glycoprotein M6A (GPM6A) with the risk of paranoid schizophrenia (PS) in patients admitted to Prof HB Saanin Psychiatric Hospital, West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Methods

Genotyping analysis through polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and PCR-amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) was performed in 100 PS patients and 100 healthy controls. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to compare the frequencies of genotype and allotype between the PS and control groups. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated to determine the relative risk of PS with respect to genetic variations.

Results

Polymorphism rs13142920 in GPM6A was associated with significantly elevated risk of PS (P = 0.020; OR = 1.60 [95% CI: 1.08, 2.39]). However, COMT rs4680 and RASSF1 rs2073499 polymorphisms were not significantly associated with PS.

Conclusion

The GPM6A rs13142920 polymorphism holds great potential as a genetic marker in PS patients.

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 is useful as therapeutic efficacy marker in serum but not in saliva of nasopharyngeal cancer patients who underwent radiotherapy

Introduction

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a multifactorial disease with genetic, viral, environmental and lifestyle-related risk factors. Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) can promote the oncogenic transformation of an infected cell into malignant. EBV encodes many stimulating products including Epstein–Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) which plays a key role in the regulation of gene expression and replication of the genome in the latent period of infection. EBNA-1 in serum and tumour tissue of NPC patients correlates with NPC prognosis. Moreover, the presence of EBV DNA in serum samples from NPC patients’ blood circulation can be used as an early marker in the diagnosis of NPC.

Objective

The objective of this study was to find effective methods for monitoring the progress of NPC patients undergoing radiotherapy and therapeutic efficacy by observing the changes in EBV DNA in serum and saliva.

Methodology

The pre-experimental design compared blood and saliva taken from a pre-test and post-test group of NPC patients before and after radiation therapy. The concentration of EBV DNA was measured in the serum and saliva after amplification using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) with compatible primers for the EBNA-1 gene. The data were statistically analysed by paired T-test.

Results

Highly significant (p = 0.0001) increase in cycle threshold qPCR and decrease in the mean concentration of EBV DNA (p = 0.0001) were observed in serum samples, but no significant changes were observed in saliva.

Conclusions

The results suggest that EBV DNA in serum can be used as the gold standard and a marker for monitoring the response to radiation therapy in NPC patients, whereas the examination of EBV DNA from saliva samples is not accurate and thus, not appropriate.

The effect of ethanolic leaves extract of soursop (Annona muricata L.) on human colorectal cancer cell line: cell viability and in silico study to cyclin D1 protein

Latar Belakang: Kanker kolorektal merupakan transformasi patologis dari epitel kolon dan rektum normal menjadi massa jaringan abnormal, perubahan ini terjadi karena ekspresi berlebih dari protein cyclin D1 yang menginduksi proliferasi sel kolorektal secara berlebihan. Pengobatan dan pencegahan kanker kolorektal dapat dilakukan secara alami dengan mengonsumsi ekstrak daun Annona muricata L. (sirsak). Sirsak dikenal karena banyak komponen fitokimia yang berfungsi sebagai anti kanker. Metode: Penelitian ini menggunakan sel kanker kolorektal HT-29 yang diberi ekstrak etanol daun sirsak dan 5 Fluorourasil (5-FU). Tujuannya untuk menemukan konsentrasi sitotoksisitas yang dapat menghambat 50% populasi sel HT-29 (CC50) dan konsentrasi yang didapat sebelumnya akan diuji dengan metode uji MTT. Analisis docking molekuler dilakukan antara molekul-molekul dari ekstrak etanol daun sirsak terhadap protein Cyclin D1 menggunakan perangkat lunak molecular operating environment (MOE) 2013.08. Hasil: CC50 ekstrak etanol daun sirsak adalah 278 μg / mL dan 5-FU adalah 88 μg / mL. Persentase terendah sel HT-29 yang layak adalah 2 x CC50 setelah perlakuan ekstrak etanol daun sirsak (40,4 ± 1,3%) dibandingkan dengan 5-FU (52,8 ± 4,3%), kontrol pelarut ( 97,2 ± 1,4%), dan kontrol sel (100%). Analisis docking molekuler untuk protein cyclin D1 diperoleh asam N-hexadecanoic dan molekul phytol sebagai kandidat yang baik untuk menghambat protein cyclin D1. Kesimpulan: Ekstrak etanol daun sirsak dapat menurunkan viabilitas sel kultur kanker kolon HT-29 dan berdasarkan analisis molekular docking dilihat dari energi bebas gibbs (ΔG) dan afinitas tertinggi (pKi) diperoleh N-hexadecanoic dan molekul phytol sebagai penghambat protein cyclin D1. (Health Science Journal of Indonesia 2019;10(2):96-102) Kata Kunci: Kanker kolorektal HT-29, ekstrak etanol daun sirsak, viabilitas sel, molecular docking, cyclin D1   Abstract Introduction: Colorectal cancer is a pathological transformation of normal colon and rectum epithelial that becomes an abnormal tissue mass, due to the overexpression of cyclin D1 protein that inducing excessive proliferation of colorectal cell. The treatment and prevention of colorectal cancer could be done naturally by consuming leaves extract of Annona muricata L. (soursop). Soursop is known for many phytochemical components that serve as an anti-cancer. Methods: This study was used HT-29 colorectal cancer cell that treated with ethanolic leaves extract of soursop and 5-Fluorourasil (5-FU) to find the cytotoxicity concentration that can inhibit 50% of HT-29 cell population (CC50) and the next concentrations of them were treated for next treatment with MTT assay. Molecular docking analysis of the compounds of ethanolic leaves extract of soursop to cyclin D1 protein used molecular operating environment (MOE) 2013.08 software. Results: CC50 of ethanolic leaves extracts of soursop was 278 μg/mL dan 5-FU was 88 μg/mL. The lowest percentage of viable HT-29 cell was 2 x CC50 after ethanolic leaves extract of soursop treatment (40,4±1,3%) was compared to 5-FU (52,8±4,3%), solvent control (97,2±1,4%), and cells control (100%). Analysis of molecular docking to cyclin D1 protein was obtained N-hexadecanoic acid and phytol molecules as good candidates to inhibit cyclin D1 protein. Conclusions: The ethanolic leaves extract of soursop could be a good alternative treatment for colorectal cancer and its compounds had ability to inhibit cyclin D1 protein (the highest gibbs free energy (ΔG) and affinity (pKi)). (Health Science Journal of Indonesia 2019;10(2):96-102) Keywords: Colorectal cancer, ethanolic leaves extract of soursop, cell viability, molecular docking, cyclin D1

Progesterone decrease plasma membrane in human sperm with subnormal hypoosmotic swelling test scores

BackgroundProgesterone (P4) is known as a female hormone affecting oocyte maturation and developing uterine wall. A proteomic study identified several receptors including P4 receptors on human sperm. The role of P4 in human sperm cells remains unknown as to whether P4 has non-genomic effects on human sperm. The present study aims to determine the effect of progesterone (P4) on the hyperactivated motility and membrane integrity of human sperm cells.MethodsSemen from normal individuals was obtained from donors. The semen was washed by gradient density centrifugation. P4 was added to each semen sample to final concentrations of 0 (control), 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ng/mL. After the sample treatment was completed, the sperm membrane integrity was assessed with the hypoosmotic swelling test (sodium citrate dihydrate and D-fructose) and the hyperactivated sperm motility parameter was determined with the Computer Assisted Sperm Analyzer [CASA] (Hamilton Thorne, IVOS II, USA). The percentage was then compared between the treatment groups and the control group. The percentage differences were analyzed with the Sigmastat version 2.0 statistical program.ResultsAdministration of P4 increased sperm hyperactivated motility when compared with the control group at a concentration of 500 ng/mL, but the increase was statistically not signicant (p>0.05). In contrast, P4 decreased sperm membrane integrity significantly (p=0.042). And the mean of plasma membrane integrity in all groups was subnormal hypoosmotic swelling test score. ConclusionProgesterone administration tends to increase sperm hyperactivated motility. The integrity of plasma sperm membrane was affected by progesterone.

Decreased Expression of CDC25A in Azoospermia as the Etiology of Spermatogenesis Failure

BACKGROUND

Spermatogenesis is a tightly regulated developmental process of male germ cells. The stages in spermatogenesis are mitosis, meiosis and spermiogenesis. One of the genes playing a role in meiosis is Cell Division Cycle 25A (CDC25A). Decreased expression of CDC25A is associated with failure of spermatogenesis and sperm retrieval. Infertility examination for azoospermia has been limited on histological examination. Hence, molecular research to find marker genes for infertility will improve the examination of testis biopsies.

METHODS

This research is a cross sectional study of 50 testicular biopsies with Johnsen scoring categories from scoring 2 to 8. Analysis of mRNA expression used qPCR and protein expression using immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis with Spearman correlation was considered significant at p<0.05.

RESULTS

The result showed that transcript level and protein expression of CDC25A decreased in score 5 of Johnsen scoring categories. Moderate Spearman rho correlation (r=0.546) between mRNA relative expression and protein expression of CDC25A was significant at p<0.01.

CONCLUSION

Decreased expression of CDC25A is associated with meiotic arrest as the etiology of spermatogenic failure in many azoospermic men.