Synergistic effects of punicic acid and alpha lipoic acid ameliorate inflammatory and metabolic genes expression in C2C12 myoblast cells under oxidative stress condition.

Inflammation is a reaction of the immune system to infection and injury; in fact, it positioned at the center of metabolic disorders, particularly obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Thus play a major role not only in their development, but also exerts as a crucial linking factor among those diseases. In this regard, one of the strategies for tackling this problem is application of antioxidants to treat such diseases.

The role of the transsulfuration pathway in spermatogenesis of vitamin D deficient mice.

Vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem and has been linked to defective spermatogenesis and male infertility. In this study, we aimed to investigate the main enzymes involved in the transsulfuration pathway of 1-carbon metabolism, and spermatogenesis function. Therefore, sixteen male C57 mice were addressed to a control (standard diet) or vitamin D deficient (VDD) diet for 14 weeks.

Aberrant Expression of TET2 Accounts for DNA Hypomethylation in Varicocele.

Objective: Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation play a key role in male infertility etiology. This study aimed to explore the global DNA methylation status in testicular spermatogenic cells of varicocele-induced rats and consider their semen quality, with a focus on key epigenetic marks, namely 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), as well as the mRNA and proteins of ten-eleven translocation (TET) methylcytosine dioxygenases 1-3.

Materials And Methods: In this experimental study, 24 mature male Wistar rats (8 in each group) were assigned amongst the control, sham, and varicocele groups.

Fndc5 knockdown significantly decreased the expression of neurotrophins and their respective receptors during neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Fibronectin type III domain-containing-5 (Fndc5) is a trans-membrane protein which is involved in a variety of cellular events including neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) as its knockdown and overexpression diminishes and facilitates this process, respectively. However, downstream targets of Fndc5 in neurogenesis are still unclear. Neurotrophins including NGF, BDNF, NT-3, and NT-4 are the primary regulators of neuronal survival, growth, differentiation, and repair.

New insights into the cellular activities of Fndc5/Irisin and its signaling pathways.

Fndc5, a well-defined myokine and also identified as an adipokine, has a critical role in modulation of metabolism and protection against obesity. These important functions are mediated by irisin, a secretory peptide produced from proteolytic processing of Fndc5. The other beneficial physiological effects of irisin are alleviation of oxidative stress, neuroprotective effects, and anti-inflammatory properties and associated anti-metastatic effects.

Positive effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on the PGC1-α expression under the inflammatory conditions induced by TNF-α in the C2C12 cell line.

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on the expression of the genes involved in the reduction of inflammatory conditions induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). To fulfill this, the C2C12 murine myoblast cell line was used. The experimental treatments consisted of 50 and 100 µM of CLA with 10, 15 and 20 ng/mL of TNF-α.

A comparative study on the effects of acute and chronic downhill running vs uphill running exercise on the RNA levels of the skeletal muscles PGC1-α, FNDC5 and the adipose UCP1 in BALB/c mice.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a single bout and 8 weeks of downhill running versus uphill running exercise on expression of PGC1-α, FNDC5 and UCP1 in mice. Forty-eight BALB/c male mice weighing 25-30 g were randomly assigned into 8 groups: 1) acute downhill running (ADR) on a -15° slope; 2) acute uphill running (AUR) on a +15° slope; 3) acute running without inclination (AWI), 4) acute without exercise as control (ACtrl), 5) chronic downhill running (CDR) on a -15° slope; 6) chronic uphill running (CUR) on a +15°slope; 7) chronic running without inclination (CWI), 8) chronic without exercise as control (CCtrl). Twenty four hours after the last training session, the mice were sacrificed and Calf muscles (including soleus and gastrocnemius) and quadriceps muscles (including Rectus femoris and vastus intermedius) were obtained and expression levels of PGC1-α and FNDC5 in crus and quadriceps muscles and UCP1 in visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues were measured and compared between the groups.

PPARγ/Pgc-1α-Fndc5 pathway up-regulation in gastrocnemius and heart muscle of exercised, branched chain amino acid diet fed mice.

Background: Previous studies have revealed the inductive effect of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) catabolism on fatty acid oxidation and metabolism, especially in muscle cells. In the present investigation, we have attempted to address whether a combination of BCAAs supplement consumption with aerobic exercise could elaborate the expression of γ, and genes in gastrocnemius muscle and heart tissue of male C57BL/6 mice.

Methods: Thirty-six young male mice with an average weight of 18 ± 2 g were selected.

Assessment of PGC1α-FNDC5 Axis in Granulosa Cells of PCOS Mouse Model.

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a metabolic and endocrine disorder which is characterized by hyperandrogenism, anovulation or oligomenorrhea and polycystic ovarian morphology. It is believed that modulation in metabolism of granulosa cells of PCOS patients may lead to infertility. One of the metabolic modulators is FNDC5 and its cleaved form, irisin.

RNA/Protein Discordant Expression of Fndc5 in Central Nervous System Is Likely to Be Mediated Through microRNAs.

Fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 protein (Fndc5) is responsible for producing a secretory protein termed, "irisin." A modified expression of Fndc5 has been reported in different tissues during development, differentiation processes, as well as in metabolic events such as exercise. One of the important issues to be fixed is whether Fndc5 RNA level and protein content are concerted and modified hand in hand.

Fndc5 knockdown induced suppression of mitochondrial integrity and significantly decreased cardiac differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 protein (Fndc5) is a glycosylated protein with elevated expression in high energy demanded tissues as heart, brain, and muscle. It has been shown that upregulation of Fndc5 is regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α), which is known as a master regulator of mitochondrial function and biogenesis. Also, our group indicated that Fndc5 expression increases gradually during cardiac differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs).

Diagnosis of genetic defects through parallel assessment of PLCζ and CAPZA3 in infertile men with history of failed oocyte activation.

Objectives: Phospholipase C ζ (PLCζ) is considered as a nominee for sperm associated oocyte activating factors and is located back-to-back with CAPZA3, an actin-capping protein controlling actin polymerization during spermiogenesis. They contain a common bidirectional promoter. The objective of this study was to identify individuals with parallel low expression of PLCζ and CAPZA3 mRNA, in hope of detecting genetic defects in this bidirectional promoter.

Fndc5 overexpression facilitated neural differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Fndc5 has been recently recognized as a myokine which could be cleaved and secreted into blood stream. It is termed as irisin with an important role in thermogenesis and energy homeostasis. Increased expression of Fndc5 has been reported upon retinoic acid treatment during neural differentiation and its knockdown decreased neural differentiation and neurite outgrowth.

Induced expression of Fndc5 significantly increased cardiomyocyte differentiation rate of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 protein (Fndc5) is an exercise hormone and its transcript profile in mouse showed high degree of expression in heart, skeletal muscle and brain. Our previous studies indicated a significant increase (approximately 10 fold) in mRNA level of Fndc5 when embryonic stem cells were differentiated into beating bodies. As a step closer to identify the involvement of Fndc5 in the process of cardiomyocyte differentiation, we generated a stably inducible transduced mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) line that overexpressed Fndc5 following Doxycycline induction.

An In vitro Study on Chick Somite Ability to Express Cerberus, Chordin, FGF8, Follistatin, and Noggin Transcripts.

Background: In vitro simulation of developmental processes is an invaluable tool to shed light on the intrinsic mechanism of developmental biosystems such as central nervous system in mammals. Chick somites have been used to simulate the neural differentiation of human neural progenitor cells. In the present study, we aimed to indicate whether somites have the ability to express required neural differentiation factors at mRNA level.

Dual effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ on embryonic stem cell self-renewal in presence and absence of leukemia inhibitory factor.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) on self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) in the presence and absence of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). We demonstrated that in the presence of LIF, the activation of PPARγ by Rosiglitazone led to an increased proliferation of mESCs whereas PPARγ antagonist (GW9662) reversed this effect. Additionally, upon PPARγ activation, LIF increased PPARγ expression and resulted in the degradation of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), an important negative regulator of LIF/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3)-pathway.

Characterization and Functional Assessment of Mouse PPARγ1 Promoter.

Background: Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor gamma (PPARγ), a member of nuclear receptor superfamily, comprises two isoforms in mouse. These two isoforms are encoded by different mRNAs, which are arisen by alternative promoter usage. There are two promoter regions upstream of PPARγ gene.

Identification of a novel missense mutation of PEX7 gene in an Iranian patient with rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata type 1.

Deficiency in the PTS2 protein import pathway due to mutations in PEX7 gene results in the rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (RCDP) type 1. In the present study, we have reported a novel missense mutation, W75R, in the PEX7 gene in an Iranian patient with the RCDP type 1. The inability of PEX7 protein to transport PTS2 containing proteins including peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase and PTS2-EGFP protein to the surface of the peroxisomes showed that the W75R mutation in PEX7 gene severely impaired the function of PEX7 protein and was responsible for RCDP type 1 in this patient.

Differentiation of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal progenitors into retinal cells by Sonic hedgehog and/or retinal pigmented epithelium and transplantation into the subretinal space of sodium iodate-injected rabbits.

Transplantation of retinal cells has recently provided a promising therapeutic approach for retinal degeneration. Here, we differentiated initially retinal progenitors (RPs) from adherent feeder-free human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with the use of defined media supplemented with a specific combination of growth factors. The differentiated RPs highly (>80%) expressed related molecular features that included Six3 at an early stage in addition to Crx, Rx, Pax6, Otx2, and Chx10 at later stage.

Evaluation of the leptin receptor in human spermatozoa.

Background: Leptin, a 167 amino acid peptide hormone, profoundly effects reproduction exerting its biological effects via interaction with the leptin receptor (ObR) which is widely expressed on peripheral tissues. In this study, we have attempted to assess leptin receptor expression in the spermatozoa of fertile males and those diagnosed with male factor infertility; both at the mRNA or protein levels.

Methods: Semen samples were collected from fertile males and individuals with male factor infertility.