Toxicological effects of bioactive peptide fractions obtained from snake venom on the structure and function of mouse seminiferous epithelium.

Background: Pathogenesis of envenomations is complex and despite numerous studies on the effects of this snake venom on various biological systems, relatively little is known about such effects on the male reproductive system. In the present study, the toxicological outcomes of the low molecular weight fraction (LMWF) of snake venom - containing a range of bioactive peptides - were investigated on the dynamics and structure of the seminiferous epithelium and 15P-1 Sertoli cells viability.

Methods: LMWF (5 µg/dose per testis) venom was administered in male Swiss mice by intratesticular (i.

Redox modulation of thimet oligopeptidase activity by hydrogen peroxide.

Thimet oligopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.

Processing of metacaspase 2 from Trypanosoma brucei (TbMCA2) broadens its substrate specificity.

Metacaspases are members of the cysteine peptidase family and may be implicated in programmed cell death in plants and lower eukaryotes. These proteases exhibit calcium-dependent activity and specificity for arginine residues at P. In contrast to caspases, they do not require processing or dimerization for activity.

Erratum to: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors of Bothrops jararaca snake venom affect the structure of mice seminiferous epithelium.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s40409-015-0030-y.].

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors of Bothrops jararaca snake venom affect the structure of mice seminiferous epithelium.

Background: Considering the similarity between the testis-specific isoform of angiotensin-converting enzyme and the C-terminal catalytic domain of somatic ACE as well as the structural and functional variability of its natural inhibitors, known as bradykinin-potentiating peptides (BPPs), the effects of different synthetic peptides, BPP-10c (
Methods: The adult animals received either one of the synthetic peptides or captopril (120 nmol/dose per testis) via injection into the testicular parenchyma. After seven days, the mice were sacrificed, and the testes were collected for histopathological evaluation.

A bradykinin-potentiating peptide (BPP-10c) from Bothrops jararaca induces changes in seminiferous tubules.

Background: The testis-specific isoform of angiotensin-converting enzyme (tACE) is exclusively expressed in germ cells during spermatogenesis. Although the exact role of tACE in male fertility is unknown, it clearly plays a critical function in spermatogenesis. The dipeptidase domain of tACE is identical to the C-terminal catalytic domain of somatic ACE (sACE).