Insights of Sperm Pathology and Its Association with Infertility

This section considers the structural characteristics of spermatozoon, its assembly, composition, and mechanism behind regulation of their peculiar function. The spermatozoon is tremendously peculiar cell with an arrangement of structural characteristics which furnish it with remarkable capability of carrying the genome of male to the egg. A variety of genes are only expressed in spermatids and result in the formation of proteins that are very crucial and distinctive to spermatozoa. These proteins package the DNA, form the head of sperm, account the component of matrix and enzymes of acrosome, construct the flagellar structure, and work as ion channels that are associated in modulating the motility of sperm and also become adenylyl cyclase which yields cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) to induce signaling effect which regulates the function of spermatozoon. These proteins are critical essential to sperm and, sometimes, mutation inhibits their synthesis or disrupts their function which leads to male infertility. Researchers are trying to identify those proteins that are significant for proper function of sperm through gene knockout approach in mice that are probable to be necessary in humans as well. However, various questions still persist regarding the spermatozoon composition, organization, and function and need to be answered

Terpenoids from Centella asiatica, a novel inhibitor against RNA-dependent-RNA polymerase activity of NSP12 of the SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19)

527-537Covid-19, the first case of which was reported in Wuhan (China) in December 2019 was found to be a strain of coronaviruses like SARS and MERS reported earlier. These viruses are positive strain RNA viruses composed of both structural as well as non-structural proteins. The enzyme RdRp (RNA dependent RNA polymerase) stands responsible for catalyzing the replication of this virus within the host cell. A disruption in the core catalytic subunit composed of nsp12, nsp7, and nsp8 may inhibit the replication of the same. Different drugs targeting different sites on the virus have been developed. In this context, some of the natural products of the plant Centella asiatica was lead for further drug development against the target proteins of RdRp protein (PDB ID: 6NUR) through molecular docking. These compounds are 2,3-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, corosolic acid and pomolic acid which are triterpenoids and have highest binding affinity against RdRp protein thereby arresting the viral replication. Several previous studies showed triterpenoids as pertinent mediators implicated in the in vitro immune response

IN VITRO STUDY OF THE CONTRACEPTIVE SPERMICIDAL ACTIVITY OF ENSETE SUPERBUM ON HUMAN SPERM

Objective: The present study was conducted to determine the spermicidal and contraceptive efficacy of ethanolic extract of Ensete superbum seeds on human sperm in vitro. Methods: The hypo-osmotic swelling (HOS) and the sperm viability test were used to detect the integrity of sperm membrane and vitality. The sperm revival test was also done to check the recovery of the sperm motility. Results: Ensete superbum extract at 100 mg/ml concentration, induced complete immobilization of human spermatozoa and kill 100% spermatozoa within 20s in vitro. The sperm revival test did not show any spermatozoa that recovered their motilities. In the 100 mg/ml extract and N-9 treated groups, the rate of the normal HOS (swollen tails) and the viable sperms (unstained) was 0%, and the rate of the abnormal HOS (unswollen tails) and nonviable sperms (stained) was 100% indicating the plasma membrane degradation of the sperm. Conclusion: The current study indicates that ethanolic seed extract of Ensete superbum possesses appreciable spermicidal potential, which may be explored as an effective vaginal contraceptive

Higher expression of hyaluronan binding protein 1 (HABP1/p32/gC1qR/SF2) during follicular development and cumulus oocyte complex maturation in rat

Ovulation is a complex process of releasing a fertilizable oocyte and depends on the proper formation of an extracellular hyaluronan rich matrix by the cumulus oocyte complex (COC). The formation of a HA rich matrix is dependent on the synthesis and organization of HA in the presence of several biomolecules that mediate its crosslinking. To gain an insight into the follicular maturation and COC expansion, we have studied the expression of hyaluronan binding protein 1 (HABP1), which is known to interact specifically with hyaluronan. The level of HABP1 increased markedly during ovulation after gonadotropin stimulation, and the overexpression was seen in mural granulosa cells, expanding cumulus cells and follicular fluid. However, HABP1 could not be detected in the luteal cells of corpus luteum after ovulation. Such increased expression of HABP1 was observed both during in vivo and in vitro conditions of COC expansion. The level of HABP1 transcript was upregulated up to fivefold after COC expansion as compared to compact COC. Immunofluorescence analysis showed HABP1 to be localized in the cytoplasm and extracellular matrix, suggesting its role in ECM organization. The cultured expanded COC treated with hyaluronidase for different time periods showed the gradual dispersion of COC, which coincide with the loss of HABP1 from the matrix suggesting that HABP1 is bound to hyaluronan. These results indicate that HABP1 expressed in rat COCs during maturation may facilitate the formation of the HA matrix in the extracellular space around the oocyte with cumulus expansion during maturation

Homologous ELISA for detection of 17α-methyltestosterone in serum

17 α Methyl testosterone is a synthetic steroid hormone having androgenic properties. It is used in aquaculture, medical treatments, in sports as doping drugs, in improving food efficacy but its residue in meat and their products can cause risk to the human, animals and environment. In this article, we have focused on developing homologous ELISA using 17α Methyl testosterone-3-Carboxymethyloxime-Bovine serum albumin antiserum and 17α Methyl testosterone-3-Carboxymethyloxime-Horseradish peroxidase enzyme conjugate. Immunogen and enzyme conjugate both were prepared by N-hydroxysuccinimide mediated carbodiimide reaction method. The sensitivity, affinity and ED50 of the assay were found to be 0.11 ng/ml, 0.02x10-8 L/mol and 5.78 ng/ml respectively. The cross reactivity for this assay combination was seen with eight steroids out of 59 structurally related steroids. The assay was then studied for analytical variables like recovery (94.8%-111.6%), precision (Inter and Intra-assay coefficient of variation less than 10%), correlation (R2= 0.96) by comparing with commercially available kit and further validated by measuring levels of 17α methyltestosterone in rat serum after injecting rats intramuscularly

Terpenoids from Centella asiatica, a novel inhibitor against RNA-dependent-RNA polymerase activity of NSP12 of the SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19)

Covid-19, the first case of which was reported in Wuhan (China) in December 2019 was found to be a strain of coronaviruses like SARS and MERS reported earlier. These viruses are positive strain RNA viruses composed of both structural as well as non-structural proteins. The enzyme RdRp (RNA dependent RNA polymerase) stands responsible for catalyzing the replication of this virus within the host cell. A disruption in the core catalytic subunit composed of nsp12, nsp7, and nsp8 may inhibit the replication of the same. Different drugs targeting different sites on the virus have been developed. In this context, some of the natural products of the plant Centella asiatica was lead for further drug development against the target proteins of RdRp protein (PDB ID: 6NUR) through molecular docking. These compounds are 2,3-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, corosolic acid and pomolic acid which are triterpenoids and have highest binding affinity against RdRp protein thereby arresting the viral replication. Several previous studies showed triterpenoids as pertinent mediators implicated in the in vitro immune response

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells as potential prognostic biomarker in multiple Myeloma

Recent studies suggest that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are mobilized from bone marrow to the peripheral circulation and aid in tumor neovascularization. In this study, circulating EPC (cEPC) numbers were assessed and correlation with clinical and laboratory parameters was determined in 75 patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Higher numbers of cEPCs (defined as CD45-/dim CD34+CD133+CD31+cells) were observed in MM as compared to healthy controls (n = 10; p < 0.001), which increased progressively from stage I to stage III (p < 0.001). A significant decline in cEPC numbers after therapy was observed in patients who attained at least a partial response (n = 47; p < 0.001). cEPCs correlated with response duration, at a baseline cut-off value of 19.6 cEPCs/μL (p = 0.006) and 6.5 cEPCs/μL after therapy (p < 0.001). This study suggests that cEPC numbers and changes in their levels may serve as a potential biomarker of disease severity, response to therapy and treatment outcome in MM