Zinc and Its Impact on the Function of the Testicle and Epididymis.

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element; it exhibits a plethora of physiological properties and biochemical functions. It plays a pivotal role in regulating the cell cycle, apoptosis, and DNA organization, as well as in protein, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism. Among other important processes, Zn plays an essential role in reproductive health.

In vitro exposure of porcine spermatozoa to methylparaben, and propylparaben, alone or in combination adversely affects sperm quality.

Parabens (PBs) are widely used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries as preservatives of products. Because of its great use, humans and other organisms are highly exposed daily. However, little is known about the effect of PBs on male infertility.

Genotoxicity and Cytotoxicity Kinetics of Trimethoprim Sulfamethoxazole in Well-nourished and Undernourished Young Rats.

Background/aim: Undernutrition is a serious health problem prevalent in poor countries, affecting millions of people worldwide, especially young children, pregnant women, and sick elderly individuals. This condition increases vulnerability to infections, leading to widespread use of antibiotic treatments in undernourished populations. The objective of the present study was to determine the in vivo genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) treatment according to nutritional conditions.

Participation of apoptotic markers in the process of maturation and elimination of spermatozoa in the epididymis of the Corynorhinus mexicanus bat.

The Corynorhinus mexicanus bat is characterized by a specific form of reproductive asynchrony between males and females. After mating, some sperm remain in the male's epididymis, the organ where the sperm had matured. It has not yet been determined if apoptotic markers participate in the process of the maturation and/or elimination of these cells, so studying this topic is essential for our understanding of this species.

Imidazole and nitroimidazole derivatives as NADH-fumarate reductase inhibitors: Density functional theory studies, homology modeling, and molecular docking.

Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Benznidazole and nifurtimox are drugs used for its therapy; nevertheless, they have collateral effects. NADH-fumarate (FUM) reductase is a potential pharmacological target since it is essential for survival of parasite and is not found in humans.

Alterations in epididymal sperm maturation caused by ageing.

The epididymis is an organ that performs all the biochemical changes responsible for sperm maturation. During ageing, histological alterations in the epididymis and decreased protein synthesis have been found. This might affect the sperm maturation process.

Behavioral consequences of postnatal undernutrition and enriched environment during later life.

In rat models, large litter groups during suckling are used in the study of undernutrition. Large litter sizes are known to promote alterations in memory processes and anxiety-like behavior. Nevertheless, the effect of large litter size on sexual behavior and the reproductive system is still unknown.

Postnatal cadmium administration affects the presence and distribution of carbohydrates in the sperm membrane during maturation in the epididymis in adult Wistar rats.

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal related to a decrease in sperm parameters. The transit of spermatozoa through the epididymis is necessary to generate changes in the sperm membrane, such as the assembly of various carbohydrates that are added to the spermatazoan's surface to prepare it for successful fertilisation of the oocyte. No studies have yet analysed whether Cd alters the presence and distribution of these carbohydrates.

Phosphorylated ATM and H2AX in T and B lymphocytes from rats with moderate and severe malnutrition.

Protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) occurs when insufficient nutrients are consumed to satisfy the biological needs of an organism. The literature supports the relationship between malnutrition and DNA damage, and among the injuries to genetic material, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most dangerous. This study aimed to determine whether the ability of splenic and peripheral blood T and B lymphocytes from nursing rats to recognize DSB-induced DNA damage is affected by PCM.

Moderate malnutrition in rats induces somatic gene mutations.

The relationship between malnutrition and genetic damage has been widely studied in human and animal models, leading to the observation that interactions between genotoxic exposure and micronutrient status appear to affect genomic stability. A new assay has been developed that uses the phosphatidylinositol glycan class A gene (Pig-a) as a reporter for measuring in vivo gene mutation. The Pig-a assay can be employed to evaluate mutant frequencies (MFs) in peripheral blood reticulocytes (RETs) and erythrocytes (RBCs) using flow cytometry.

Reactive oxygen species production and antioxidant enzyme activity during epididymal sperm maturation in Corynorhinus mexicanus bats.

Prolonged sperm storage in the epididymis of Corynorhinus mexicanus bats after testicular regression has been associated with epididymal sperm maturation in the caudal region, although the precise factors linked with this phenomenon are unknown. The aim of this work is to determine the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and changes in antioxidant enzymatic activity occurring in the spermatozoa and epididymal fluid over time, in sperm maturation and storage in the caput, corpus and cauda of the bat epididymis. Our data showed that an increment in ROS production coincided with an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in epididymal fluid and with a decrease in glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in the spermatozoa in at different time points and epididymal regions.

Moderate and severe malnutrition alters proliferation of spleen cells in rats.

Objectives: Previous studies have shown alterations in bone marrow cell proliferation in malnourished rats, during lactation. The objective of this study was to determine in vivo effects of moderate and severe malnutrition on spleen cell proliferation in 21-day-old rat pups.

Materials And Methods: Spleen cell proliferation was determined following administration of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) over a time course of 2, 4, 6 and 8 h.

Effects of moderate and severe malnutrition in rats on splenic T lymphocyte subsets and activation assessed by flow cytometry.

Malnutrition is distributed widely throughout the world and is a particular problem in developing countries. Laboratory animals have been very useful in studying the effects of varying levels of malnutrition because non-nutritional factors that affect humans may be controlled. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of moderate and severe malnutrition on lymphocyte proportions and activation markers of T cells in experimentally malnourished rats during lactation by flow cytometry.

Casiopeina III-ia induces apoptosis in HCT-15 cells in vitro through caspase-dependent mechanisms and has antitumor effect in vivo.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo effects of the new chemotherapy agent Casiopeina III-ia [(4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipiridine)(acetylacetonate) Copper (II) nitrate] on HCT-15 (p53-/-) colon cellular line. In vitro, the drug reduced the viability and induced necrosis and apoptosis in a dose dependent manner, without affecting cell cycle phases. Apoptosis was related to Bax increasing levels, suggesting a caspase-dependent mechanism of death, as verified by nucleosomal fragmentation of DNA.

Differential effects of rapid eye movement sleep deprivation and immobilization stress on blood lymphocyte subsets in rats.

Objectives: There is growing evidence of the relationship between sleep and the immune response. Studies aimed at elucidating the function of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep have found it difficult to separate the effects due to REM sleep deprivation and the effects due to the stress produced by the deprivation procedure. It has been claimed that immobilization is the main stressor that the animals have to face during the deprivation process.