Foliar application of silicon, selenium, and zinc nanoparticles can modulate lead and cadmium toxicity in sage (Salvia officinalis L.) plants by optimizing growth and biochemical status.

Different techniques have been used to alleviate metal toxicity in medicinal plants; accordingly, nanoparticles (NPs) have a noticeable interest in modulating oxidative stresses. Therefore, this work aimed to compare the impacts of silicon (Si), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) NPs on the growth, physiological status, and essential oil (EO) of sage (Salvia officinalis  L.) treated with foliar application of Si, Se, and Zn NPs upon lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) stresses. The results showed that Se, Si, and Zn NPs decreased Pb accumulation by 35, 43, and 40%, and Cd concentration by 29, 39, and 36% in sage leaves. Shoot plant weight showed a noticeable reduction upon Cd (41%) and Pb (35%) stress; however, NPs, particularly Si and Zn improved plant weight under metal toxicity. Metal toxicity diminished relative water content (RWC) and chlorophyll, whereas NPs significantly enhanced these variables. The noticeable raises in malondialdehyde (MDA) and electrolyte leakage (EL) were observed in plants exposed to metal toxicity; however, they were alleviated with foliar application of NPs. The EO content and EO yield of sage plants decreased by the heavy metals but increased by the NPs. Accordingly, Se, Si, and Zn NPS elevated EO yield by 36, 37, and 43%, respectively, compared with non-NPs. The primary EO constituents were 1,8-cineole (9.42-13.41%), α-thujone (27.40-38.73%), ß-thujone (10.11-12.94%), and camphor (11.31-16.45%). This study suggests that NPs, particularly Si and Zn, boosted plant growth by modulating Pb and Cd toxicity, which could be advantageous for cultivating this plant in areas with heavy metal-polluted soils.

CD147 and MMPs as key factors in physiological and pathological processes.

Cluster of differentiation 147 (CD147) or extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that induces the synthesis of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs, as zinc-dependent proteases and versatile enzymes, play critical roles in the degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) components, cleaving of the receptors of cellular surfaces, signaling molecules, and other precursor proteins, which may lead to attenuation or activation of such targets. CD147 and MMPs play essential roles in physiological and pathological conditions and any disorder in the expression, synthesis, or function of CD147 and MMPs may be associated with various types of disease. In this review, we have focused on the roles of CD147 and MMPs in some major physiological and pathological processes.

Fas cell surface death receptor/Fas ligand genetic variants in gastric cancer patients: A case-control study.

Background & objectives: Various studies have suggested a correlation between Fas cell surface death receptor/Fas ligand (FAS/FASL) variants and multiple types of cancers. The present study aimed to investigate the association between FAS-670A/G and FASL-844C/T and the synergistic effects of both variants on the risk of gastric cancer (GC) in the Kurdish population of west of Iran. Methods: This study was conducted by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique using MvaI and BsrDI restriction enzymes in 98 GC patients and 103 healthy control individuals. Results: According to the obtained results, a significant association (P=0.008) of FASL polymorphism among GC patients and the control group was detected. Furthermore, no significant differences were found in the FAS polymorphism frequencies between GC patients and the control group. Codominant and dominant models in FASL polymorphism showed significant protective effects against GC [odds ratio (OR)=0.307, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.134-0.705), P=0.005; OR=0.205, 95% CI (0.058-0.718), P=0.013 and OR=0.295, 95% CI (0.129-0.673), P=0.004 for models of codominant CC vs. CT, codominant CC vs. TT and dominant, respectively]. Furthermore, the presence of both FAS-670G and FASL-844T alleles represented a significant protective effect against GC occurrence [OR=0.420, 95% CI (0.181-0.975), P=0.043]. Interpretation & conclusions: So far, we believe this is the first study, the results of which suggest that FASL gene variation and its synergistic effects with FAS gene could be associated with the risk of GC in the Kurdish population in the west of Iran.

Beneficial effect of L-Proline supplementation on the quality of human spermatozoa.

L-Proline is a natural anti-oxidative and osmoprotectant agent, playing a versatile role in cell metabolism and physiology. The present study aimed to explore the antioxidant effects of L-Proline on human sperm function during incubation. Thirty healthy, normozoospermic men (27-40 years) were enrolled. Sperm samples were incubated in an unsupplemented sperm medium (control group), or supplemented with L-Proline (1, 2 and 4 mmol/L) to evaluate its effect during 0, 1, 4 and 24 h of incubation. Sperm were assessed in terms of motility, viability, morphology, chromatin and DNA integrity. Moreover, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined in the sperm medium. The results indicated that 2 mmol/L of L-Proline significantly improved the maintenance of sperm motility, viability, normal morphology, chromatin and DNA integrity, and TAC levels compared to the control group during 24 h of incubation (p < 0.05). However, 1 and 4 mmol/L of L-Proline could not significantly preserve sperm parameters, chromatin quality, and antioxidant status during different incubation times compared to the control group (p > 0.05). Collectively, the inclusion of L-Proline (2 mmol/L) in the human sperm medium maintains sperm parameters and chromatin quality probably by modulating the oxidative status.

Human placenta-derived mesenchymal stromal cells transfusion in a critically Ill infant diagnosed with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A case report.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still an emergency in many countries. Herein, we report treatment with human placental-derived mesenchymal stromal cells transfusion (hPD-MSCT) in a critically ill infant diagnosed with COVID-19. A 28-day-old male infant with a history of pneumonia was referred to our center with decreased SpO2 (92%) and fever (38.5 °C). Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and chest computed tomography (CT) confirmed COVID-19 infection. Considering the deteriorating clinical status of the patient despite the routine treatments (SpO2 82%), human placental derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hPD-MSCs) was transfused to him on day 9 and 11 (7 × 106 cells/session). The patient's general condition started to change 3 days after hPD-MSCT and poor feeding and low SpO2 improved day by day. On day 20, the patient was discharged (SpO2 97%) and our one-year follow-up showed a successful response to the treatment with no reported complications. hPD-MSCT may be considered as a possible treatment option in infants/children diagnosed with COVID-19 who fail to respond to conventional therapies. However, required dose, safety, and mechanistic studies are still warranted to further investigate this treatment.

The antioxidant effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Ashrasi date palm on sperm parameters and DNA fragmentation in diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes-induced oxidative stress can have adverse effects on sperm and its DNA integrity. The Ashrasi date palm (ADP) has potent antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant effect of ADP hydroalcoholic extract on sperm parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation in diabetic rats. METHODS: Forty male rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 7): 1, control; 2, diabetic; 3-5, diabetic + ADP (30, 90 and 270 mg/kg for groups 3, 4 and 5, respectively). After preparation of ADP extract and its phytochemical screening, it was administered orally to rats, once a day for 5 weeks. At the end of the study, sperm parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation in all groups were investigated. RESULTS: At doses of 90 and 270 mg/kg, ADP extract significantly increased the sperm viability compared to diabetic group 2 (p = 0.04 and p = 0.03, respectively) and resulted in a significant decrease in immotile sperm (p = 0.002 and p = 0.006, respectively). At a dose of 270 mg/kg, a considerable enhancement of forward sperm motility was observed (p = 0.04) and there was a significant decrease in sperm DNA fragmentation (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study show for the first time that the hydroalcoholic extract of ADP has protective and antioxidant effects against diabetes-induced oxidative stress and can improve sperm parameters and protect sperm DNA integrity.

Royal-jelly-based apitherapy can attenuate damages to male reproductive parameter following nicotine administration.

BACKGROUND: Nicotine administration can generate severe oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Royal jelly, with its antioxidant properties, acts as a scavenger of reactive oxygen species. This study describes the apitherapy effects of royal jelly on testicular damage following nicotine administration. METHODS: Forty-eight male BALB/c mice were divided into 8 groups (n = 6): saline, 3 different doses of royal jelly (100, 150, and 200 mg/kg body weight (BW) per day), nicotine (1.5 mg/kg), and 3 different groups of Nic + Roy (1.5 mg/kg of Nic + 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg BW per day of royal jelly). Nicotine was administrated intraperitoneally, and royal jelly was prescribed orally for 10 consecutive days. Serum levels of hormones (testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone), total antioxidant capacity, nitric oxide (NO) status, malondialdehyde levels, sperm DNA fragmentation, sperm parameters, histopathological changes (H&E staining), immunohistochemistry against apoptotic proteins, and gene expression of Bcl-2, p53, Caspase-3, and Nrf2 (real-time PCR) were assessed to evaluate the molecular and histological changes. RESULTS: Hormone levels, sperm parameters, and status of antioxidants were decreased significantly (p < .05) following nicotine administration. Moreover, royal jelly treatment normalized hormonal and antioxidant characteristics, decreased apoptotic gene expression, increased Nfr2 gene expression, and restored histopathological alteration to the physiological status significantly (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Royal jelly upregulates the antioxidant status, inhibits the mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis pathway, and increases the rate of proliferation. This therapeutic agent effectively protected the testis against nicotine-associated damages by antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects.

New rat to mouse xenograft transplantation of endometrium as a model of human endometriosis.

Background: Endometriosis can lead to infertility. Since there is no definitive treatment for endometriosis, animal modelling seems necessary to examine the possible treatments. Mouse endometrium cannot be separated for endometriosis induction. In addition, transplantation of uterus into the abdominal viscera to induce endometriosis causes organ damage. In this study, we defined a new model of endometriosis leading to separability of endometrium and a safe anatomical region for transplantation. Methods: Forty female mice were allocated to 5 groups: 1, sham; 2, allograft uterus transplantation of mice to anterior abdominal wall of mice; 3, allograft uterus transplantation of mice to mesentery of mice; 4, xenograft endometrial transplantation of rat to anterior abdominal wall of mice; 5, xenograft endometrial transplantation of rat to mesentery of mice. Adult female rats with a previous pregnancy experience were selected and placed in the vicinity of male rats for 2 weeks to induce estrogen secretion and increase endometrial thickness. Results: In the 4th group of animals, compared to sham, the peritoneal concentrations of VEGF-A, TNF-α, NO, MDA, and serum levels of CA-125 and IL-37 were increased and total body weight was decreased, while weight and size of endometrial lesions were increased significantly (P < .05). Genes expression of HOXA10 and HOXA11 were decreased significantly (P < .05) in groups 2 and 4 compared to sham. Conclusions: Xenograft transplantation of endometrium from rat to anterior abdominal wall of mice can potentially mimic human endometriosis morphologically, histologically, and genetically.

TSGA10 as a Potential Key Factor in the Process of Spermatid Differentiation/Maturation: Deciphering Its Association with Autophagy Pathway.

Testis-specific gene antigen 10 (TSGA10) plays an important role in spermatogenesis. However, the exact TSGA10 role and its relationship with the autophagy pathway in the process of spermatids differentiation/maturation is still not clear. Therefore, the present study evaluates the role of TSGA10 gene in the spermatid differentiation/maturation through its effect on autophagy and explores possible underlying pathway(s). Sperm samples from patients with teratospermia were collected. The mRNA and protein level of TSGA10 in these samples were assessed by real-time PCR and western blotting. Using the ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) software, the gene network and interactions of TSGA10 involved in sperm maturation and autophagy were investigated. Based on these analyses, the expression levels of identified genes in patient's samples and healthy controls were further evaluated. Moreover, using flow cytometry analysis, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS( production in teratospermic sperm samples were evaluated. The results showed that the expression levels of TSGA10 mRNA and protein decreased significantly in the teratospermic patients compared to controls (P < 0.05). Moreover, a significant reduction in the expression of the important genes involved in sperm maturation and autophagy was observed (P < 0.05). Also, the levels of ROS production in teratospermic sperm samples were shown to be significantly higher compared to those in normal sperms (P < 0.05). Our findings provide new evidence that simultaneous decrease in TSGA10 and autophagy beside the increased level of ROS production in sperm cells might be associated with the abnormalities in the spermatids differentiation/maturation and the formation of sperms with abnormal morphology.

Cryoprotective Effect of Tretinoin-Loaded Solid Lipid-Core Nanocapsules During Fresh and Freeze/Thaw Media on NMRI Mouse Sperm Parameters, DNA Damage, and Reactive Oxygen Species Production.

Due to the induced oxidative stress that exists in sperm freezing/thawing procedures and handling media, the use of exogenous antioxidant agents seems necessary. Drug delivery by nanocarriers has been designed to overcome the limitations of antioxidants, such as high-dose toxicity and short biological half-life. In this study, we tried to investigate the effects of tretinoin-loaded solid lipid core nanocapsules (TTN-SLN) added to freezing/thawing and handling media (in three experimental groups) on sperm motility (total/progressive), viability, DNA fragmentation, and extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Sperm samples from at least 30 adult male NMRI mice were evaluated in this study. The results of experiments 1 and 2 showed that the addition of 0.5 µM TTN-SLN in freezing and thawing medium significantly increased sperm viability and total/progressive motility and decreased DNA fragmentation and extracellular ROS levels (p < 0.05). Adding 0.25 and 0.5 µM of TTN-SLN to the handling medium (experiment 3), increased sperm parameters and decreased DNA fragmentation and extracellular ROS levels significantly (p < 0.05) compared with the control group. Briefly, our results indicate that SLN can deliver the lowest concentrations of tretinoin in a controlled release mechanism into the intracellular space of sperm. Also, high-dose TTN-SLN is safe during freezing/thawing and handling processes of mouse sperm.

Evaluation of The Relationship among The Levels of SIRT1 and SIRT3 with Oxidative Stress and DNA Fragmentation in Asthenoteratozoospermic Men.

BACKGROUND: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in etiology of DNA fragmentation and lipid peroxidation in sperm, leading to infertility in men. The silent information regulators SIRT1 and SIRT3 are members of the sirtuins protein family known to be involved in cancer genetics, aging and oxidative stress responses. The aim ofthis study is to determine the correlation between SIRT1 and SIRT3 with antioxidants, oxidative stress biomarkers, and DNA fragmentation in the semen of asthenoteratozoospermic and normozoospermic men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this case-control study, after spermogram analysis the specimens were divided into two groups, normozospermic (n=40) and asthenoteratozoospermic (n=40), according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Sperm DNA fragmentation was evaluatedusing the sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test.Catalase activity was measured using the Aebi spectrophotometeric method. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activitywere measured by using commercially available colorimetric assays. Enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure SIRT1 and SIRT3 protein levels of seminal plasma. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level in seminal plasma was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: The asthenoteratozoospermic group had significantly lower catalase and SOD activities and TAC levels in comparison with the normozoospermic group (P<0.001).The percentage of DNA fragmentation and MDA level in the asthenoteratozoospermic group were remarkably higher than in the normozoospermic group. The SIRT1 and SIRT3 protein levels in seminal plasmawere remarkably lower in asthenoteratozoospermic group than the normozoospermic group (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that SIRT1 and SIRT3 protein levels are negatively correlated with oxidative stress and DNA fragmentation in semen. The low levels of SIRT1 and SIRT3 in asthenoteratozoospermic men may lead to an increase in oxidative stress, DNA fragmentation, and lipid peroxidation that eventually result in immotile and immature spermatozoa (asthenoteratozoospermia).

Ceratonia siliqua (Carob) extract improved in vitro development of vitrified-warmed mouse germinal vesicle oocytes: assessment of possible mechanism.

Oocyte banking is a vital step for safekeeping and spreading genetic resources of animals. It is also used for fertility preservation of human. Oocyte vitrification is closely related to the lower developmental competence which includes the cryo-injury arisen during vitrification. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the maturation, embryonic development and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of mice oocytes following the supplementation vitrification media with different concentrations of Ceratonia siliqua (carob) extracts. In this experimental study, germinal vesicle oocytes collected from 8 to 10 week-old female NMRI mice (30-40 gr) were randomly divided into six groups of vitrification media supplemented with 0 (control), 5, 10, 20, 30 and 50 µg/ml C. siliqua. After thawing, oocytes were put in an in vitro maturation medium (IVM) (α-MEM: Alpha Minimum Essential Medium). 3-4 and 24 h (hr) later, the oocyte nuclear maturity was checked. Standard in vitro fertilization was performed on the matured oocytes (MII), and embryonic development was followed. Extra- and intra-cellular ROS was measured in IVM medium after 24 h of oocyte incubation. The addition of 20 and 30 µg/ml C. siliqua extract to vitrification media improved normal morphology of warmed germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes, rate of germinal vesicle break down (GVBD), and metaphase 2 (MII) oocyte formation significantly (p < 0.05). Fertilization rate, (embryonic development to 2 cells stage, 4-8 cells stage, and > 8 cells stage increased in the 30 µg/ml C. siliqua group significantly (p < 0.05). Furthermore, supplementation of 30 µg/ml C. siliqua in vitrification media significantly decreased extra- and intra-cellular of ROS as well as embryonic fragmentation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of GV oocyte vitrification media with carob extract improved maturation, fertilization, and embryonic development rate and decreased extra- and intra-cellular ROS levels.

Enhancing a Successful Pregnancy and Delivery After ICSI in Advanced-Age Woman with Concurrent Disorders: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this case presentation was describing a live birth in an advanced-age woman with an extremely enlarged uterus, an ovary with blocked fallopian tubes, hypothyroidism and generalized anxiety disorder caused by child-birth following intracytoplasmic sperm injection/embryo transfer (ICSI-ET) with autologous oocytes. CASE PRESENTATION: A 47-year-old patient with an enlarged uterus due to recurrent multiple fibroids following myomectomy was referred to clinical laboratory with a high level of desire to follow the prescribed recommendations and approaches to retrieve her fertility. The patient underwent two cycles of oocyte retrieval and two rounds of frozen-thawed embryo transfer. To achieve a successful pregnancy after oocyte retrieval (birth weight of 3300 g at 38 weeks of gestation), a frozen/thawed embryo in the second cycle of ET was transferred. CONCLUSION: Usage of efficient planning and management of ICSI treatments in patient with autologous oocytes and concurrent disorders, can be used as a new approach to cure the affected individuals.

Autophagy related gene expression status in patients diagnosed with azoospermia: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Autophagy affects various aspects of the male reproductive system. Any defects in this process may lead to azoospermia. However, the exact molecular mechanisms of the autophagy pathway have remained largely obscure. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate levels of autophagy pathway gene expression (i.e. Lc3B, Beclin1, ATG5 and Bcl2) in azoospermic patients. METHODS: The levels of Lc3B, Beclin1, ATG5 and Bcl2 mRNA expression in azoospermic patients and fertile males were evaluated by a real-time polymerase chain reaction technique. In addition, diagnostic evaluation based on the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed. RESULTS: The results obtained showed the decreased expression of Lc3B, Beclin1 and ATG5 genes in infertile patients compared to the control group (p < 0.05), whereas Bcl2 expression was increased in samples (p < 0.05). A diagnostic evaluation by ROC curve and calculation of the area under the curve showed that, using a cut-off relative quantification of 4.550, 0.052, 0.056 and 0.012, the sensitivity of Lc3B, Beclin1, ATG5 and Bcl2 genes was 87.5%, 93.8%, 93.8% and 90%, respectively. In addition, a specificity of 76.7%, 76.7%, 93.3% and 81.2%, respectively, was observed. CONCLUSIONS: As a first study, the current research suggests that an alteration in the expression of autophagy pathway genes may be associated with male infertility. Based on our finding, the increased expression of Bcl2 and formation of Becline1/Bcl2 complex, which inhibits Beclin1 recruitment, may lead to a decrease of the autophagy process in azoospermic patients. Accordingly, upon further investigation, the autophagy could be considered as an important aspect during spermatogenesis.

The effect of air dust pollution on semen quality and sperm parameters among infertile men in west of Iran.

Background: Pollutants during haze and Asian dust storms are transported out of the Asian continent, affecting the regional climate and the hydrological and biogeochemical cycles. Nonetheless, no specific studies evaluated the dust particles influence on semen quality in a specific geographical area.Objective: In this article, we investigated the effect of dust particles on semen quality and sperm parameters among infertile men.Methods: A descriptive-analytic study was conducted among 850 infertile men between 2011 and 2015 years. Semen quality was assessed according to the WHO 2010 guidelines, including sperm concentration, progressive motility, and morphology. Four-year average dust particle concentrations were estimated at each participant's address using the Air Pollution Monitoring Station affiliated with the Department of Environment of Kermanshah city were gathered.Results: Dust particle levels were highest in the summer months, in Kermanshah province. Our results show that, dust pollution was found to be significantly negatively correlated with sperm morphology and sperm concentration before and after lab-processing, but sperm progressive motility is low sensitive to dust particles.Conclusions: Our findings showed that exposures to dust particle may influence sperm quantity in infertile men, consistent with the knowledge that sperm morphology and concentration are the most sensitive parameters of dust pollution.

In vitro effects of clomiphene citrate on sperm parameters and fertilisation rate in male NMRI mice.

Clomiphene citrate (CC), as a medication in male infertility, improves the sperm parameters in oral consumption but various detrimental side effects have been reported including testicular tumours, gynaecomastia, skin allergic reactions and ocular symptoms. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the in vitro effects of CC on sperm parameters and fertilisation rate in IVF protocol. Sperm samples of NMRI adult mice were divided into six groups: group 1 received no treatment (control group), while groups of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (experimental groups) were incubated with the doses of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 µg/ml of CC in culture medium respectively. Sperm parameters (viability, morphology and motility), DNA fragmentation levels and fertilisation rate in IVF were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the doses of 0.1 µg/ml (p = .000007 for viability and p = .00006 for fertilisation rate) and 1 µg/ml (p = .032 for viability and p = .005 for fertilisation rate) CC cause a significant improvements; also, the dose of 0.1 µg/ml CC found effective on sperm motility (p = .0003). In the field of IVF, the application of 0.1 and 1 µg/ml of CC in the culture medium may improve the sperm parameters in IVF protocol with no side effects.

Protective efficiency of Ashrasi date palm hydroalcoholic extract against diabetes-induced testicular toxicity: A biochemical and stereological study.

The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Ashrasi date palm (ADP) on diabetes-induced testicular injuries. Adult male rats were randomly allocated into five groups (n = 8 in each group): 1: control; 2: diabetic; 3: diabetic + 30 mg/kg of ADP extract; 4: diabetic + 90 mg/kg of ADP extract; and 5: diabetic + 270 mg/kg of ADP extract. Diabetes was induced by a single dose of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Testicular changes were assessed quantitatively using stereological method followed by measuring antioxidant enzymes including catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and serum testosterone level. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Bcl-2 expression were also evaluated in tissue samples. Diabetes resulted in significant deleterious alterations in the architecture of testicular tissue, suppressed antioxidant enzymes and testosterone levels and increased lipid peroxidation. The expression of Bcl-2 was downregulated in diabetic testis and resulted in enhanced apoptosis. Eight weeks of ADP extract treatment especially at higher doses could markedly improve structural changes of testis and restore the antioxidant defence and testosterone levels in testicular tissue. In conclusion, this findings showed that ADP extract can play as a potent antioxidant and can attenuate the adverse effects of diabetes on male reproduction.

An Experimental Study to Evaluate the Protective Effects of Solanum lycopersicum Seed Essential Oil on Diabetes-Induced Testicular Injuries.

Background and Objectives: Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that can effectively influences male reproductive performance. The present study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of Solanum lycopersicum essential oil (SL) on diabetes-induced testicular injuries. Materials and Methods: Adult male rats were randomly allocated into five groups (n = 8 in each group). 1: control; 2: diabetic; 3: diabetic + 30 mg/kg of SL essential oil; 4: diabetic + 90 mg/kg of SL essential oil; 5: diabetic + 270 mg/kg of SL essential oil extract. Diabetes was induced by a single dose of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Testicular changes were assessed quantitatively using stereological method followed by measuring antioxidant enzymes including catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase, and the serum testosterone level. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and Bcl-2expression were also evaluated in the tissue samples. Results: Diabetes resulted in significant deleterious changes in the structure of testicular tissue, suppressed antioxidant enzymes and testosterone levels, and increased lipid peroxidation. The expression of Bcl-2 was downregulated in diabetic testis and resulted in enhanced apoptosis. Following 8 weeks of treatment with SL essential oil, there were noticeable improvements in the structural changes of testis and the restoration of antioxidant defense and testosterone levels in testicular tissue, especially at higher doses. Conclusion: In conclusion, these findings reveal that the essential oil of Solanum lycopersicum has potent antioxidant properties and can attenuate the adverse effects of diabetes on male reproduction.

Does supplementation of sperm freezing/thawing media with Ceratonia siliqua improve detrimental effect of cryopreservation on sperm parameters and chromatin quality in normozoospermic specimens?

Human sperm banking is an important procedure in the assisted reproductive technique centers. It entails sperm damage. The aim of this study was to investigate beneficial effect of Ceratonia siliqua (C. siliqua) supplement in freezing/thawing media on post thaw sperm parameters and sperm chromatin quality in normozoospermic samples. Forty normozoospermic specimens were included in this prospective study. Each sample was divided into ten groups. In groups one to five, 0 (as control group) 5, 10, 20 and 30 µg/ml C. siliqua were added to freezing medium and in groups six to ten, similar concentration of C. siliqua were added to thawing medium for 30 min incubation. Sperm concentration, progressive motility, normal morphology, viability, aniline blue (AB), toluidine blue (TB) and sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) staining tests were evaluated before vitrification and after thawing. The results showed that 10 and 20 µg/ml supplementation of C. siliqua in freezing/thawing media significantly increased progressive motility, normal morphology and viability of sperm (p < 0.05) as well as decreased AB, TB and SCD (p < 0.05). Also, 20 µg/ml had significantly higher improvement compared to 10 µg/ml C. siliqua (p < 0.05). The present study showed that C. siliqua supplemented freezing/thawing media can improve sperm quality of normozoospermic samples after freezing/thawing.