Hepcidin: A key regulator of iron.

Hapcidin is the central regulator of iron homeostasis in the body. Primarily it is extracted from urine. Hepcidin is a 25 amino acid long chain peptide. Inflammation or iron overload greatly stimulate production of hepcidin by hepatocytes. Recent evidences have revealed that mutations in the human haemochromatosis (HFE) gene lead to deficiency of hepcidin which is responsible for iron overload and contributing to haemochromatosis. Moreover, hepcidin plays a key role in different types of anaemia, mainly anaemia of inflammation in which concentration of hepcidin increases up to 100 folds. Its contribution to renal disease, heart diseases, cancer and obesity-related disorders are also observed. On the other hand, its role is quite inevitable in understanding metastasis in certain cancers. By understanding the mechanism of hepcidin and its pathological roles in blood and iron diseases could lead to new therapies.

Human immune system during sleep.

A joint function of tissues, organs and cells for the protection of body develops immune system. The human immune response against various infections during sleep, its mechanism, neuroimmune interactions, immunoregulatory effect of sleep along with sleep deprivation and role of cytokines in sleep deprivation were addressed. It is revealed that human immune system and sleep both are associated and influenced by each other. Sleep deprivation makes a living body susceptible to many infectious agents. In the result, immune system of human body is altered by releasing immunomodulators in the response of infections as reported by various researchers. Basic reasons and mechanisms of most of the poor sleep networks and release of proinflammatory modulators are still uncertain. The current situation requires improved sleep habits to make immune system efficient for a healthy life.

Glutathione-supplemented tris-citric acid extender improves the post-thaw quality and in vivo fertility of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa.

In this study we evaluated the effects of semen extender supplementation with different concentrations of glutathione (GSH) on buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability and DNA integrity as well as in vivo fertility. Semen from three Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls was collected, and qualified semen ejaculates (n=18) were split into five aliquots for dilution (37°C; 50×10(6)spermatozoaml(-1)) with experimental tris-citric acid extender containing 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0 mM GSH. Extended semen was cooled to 4°C, equilibrated and filled in French straws. The straws were kept on liquid nitrogen vapors (5 cm above the LN(2) level) for 10 min and plunged in liquid nitrogen for storage. Sperm motility (%), plasma membrane integrity (%), viability (%) and DNA integrity (%) were assessed at 0, 2 and 4h post-thawing (37°C). Extender supplementation with GSH (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mM) increased sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity and viability in a dose dependent manner. Sperm DNA integrity was higher (p<0.05) in all experimental extenders containing GSH when compared to the control extender (0 mM GSH). The in vivo fertility rate of cryopreserved buffalo bull (n=2) spermatozoa was higher (p<0.05) in extender containing 2.0 mM GSH compared to that of control. In summary, tris-citric acid extender supplemented with glutathione improved the freezability of buffalo bull spermatozoa in a dose dependant manner. Moreover, the addition of 2.0 mM GSH to the extender enhanced the in vivo fertility of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa.