Chronic environmental exposure to lead affects semen quality in a Mexican men population.

Background: Male infertility is affected by several factors. Lead is one of the heavy metals more bioavailable than usually modifies the sperm quality in humans.

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish the role of lead in semen quality in environmentally exposed men.

Trichomonas vaginalis acidic phospholipase A2: isolation and partial amino acid sequence.

Sexually transmitted diseases are a major cause of acute disease worldwide, and trichomoniasis is the most common and curable disease, generating more than 170 million cases annually worldwide. Trichomonas vaginalis is the causal agent of trichomoniasis and has the ability to destroy in vitro cell monolayers of the vaginal mucosa, where the phospholipases A2 (PLA2) have been reported as potential virulence factors. These enzymes have been partially characterized from the subcellular fraction S30 of pathogenic T.

Identification and characterization of microRNAs from Entamoeba histolytica HM1-IMSS.

Background: Entamoeba histolytica is the causative agent of amebiasis, a disease that is a major source of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a large group of non-coding RNAs that play important roles in regulating gene expression and protein translation in animals. Genome-wide identification of miRNAs is a critical step to facilitating our understanding of genome organization, genome biology, evolution, and post-transcriptional regulation.

In vitro amoebicidal activity of borage (Borago officinalis) extract on Entamoeba histolytica.

Borage (Borago officinalis) is a plant with nutritional value that is also used in traditional medicine to treat gastrointestinal disease. This study investigated the amoebicidal activity of a methanol extract of borage. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of the extract for Entamoeba histolytica was 33 μg/mL.

Activity of intracellular phospholipase A1 and A2 in Giardia lamblia.

Neither phospholipase A1 (PLA A1) nor phospholipase A2 (PLA A2), nor their respective genes, have been identified in Giardia lamblia, even though they are essential for lipid metabolism in this parasite. A method to identify, isolate, and characterize these enzymes is needed. The activities of PLA A1 and PLA A2 were analyzed in a total extract (TE) and in vesicular (P30) and soluble (S30) subcellular fractions of G.