Humoral Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine-Boost in Cancer Patients: A Case Series from a Southern European Cancer Center.

Background: Cancer patients face a greater risk of complications and death after contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were suggested to provide additional protection. This study aimed to assess how cancer patients' immune systems respond to the booster shots and categorize their responses.

Plasma EV-miRNAs as Potential Biomarkers of COVID-19 Vaccine Immune Response in Cancer Patients.

Cancer patients, prone to severe COVID-19, face immune challenges due to their disease and treatments. Identifying biomarkers, particularly extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived microRNAs (miRNAs), is vital for comprehending their response to COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate specific EV-miRNAs in the plasma of cancer patients under active treatment who received the COVID-19 booster vaccine.

MicroRNAs Derived from Extracellular Vesicles: Keys to Understanding SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Response in Cancer Patients?

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) provoked a global pandemic identified as coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with millions of deaths worldwide. However, several important questions regarding its impact on public health remain unanswered, such as the impact of vaccination on vulnerable subpopulations such as cancer patients. Cytokine storm and a sustained inflammatory state are commonly associated with immune cell depletion, being manifested in most immunocompromised individuals.

MicroRNAs as Potential Tools for Predicting Cancer Patients' Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Vaccination Response.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that is caused by a highly contagious and severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This infection started to spread across the world in 2019 and rapidly turned into a global pandemic, causing an urgent necessity for treatment strategies development. The mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 can trigger an immune response, providing genetic information that allows the production of spike glycoproteins.

Expression of LncRNAs in HPV-induced Carcinogenesis and Cancer Cachexia: A Study in K14-HPV16 Mice.

Aim: To evaluate the expression of lincRNA-p21, H19, EMX2OS, SNHG12 and MALAT1 in a mouse model of human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16)-induced carcinogenesis and cachexia.

Materials And Methods: Chest skin, ear, tongue, penis and gastrocnemius muscle samples from wild-type mice (HPV-) and K14-HPV16 male mice (HPV+) were collected to evaluate the expression of the selected lncRNAs using real-time PCR (qPCR).

Results: In chest skin and ear, H19, SNHG12, EMX2OS and lincRNA-p21 were down-regulated in HPV+ versus HPV- mice.

Towards Drug Repurposing in Cancer Cachexia: Potential Targets and Candidates.

As a multifactorial and multiorgan syndrome, cancer cachexia is associated with decreased tolerance to antitumor treatments and increased morbidity and mortality rates. The current approaches for the treatment of this syndrome are not always effective and well established. Drug repurposing or repositioning consists of the investigation of pharmacological components that are already available or in clinical trials for certain diseases and explores if they can be used for new indications.

Long non-coding RNAs regulate the hallmarks of cancer in HPV-induced malignancies.

High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most frequent sexually transmitted agent worldwide and is responsible for approximately 5% of human cancers. Identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for these malignancies requires a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved in the progression of HPV-induced cancers. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial in the regulation of biological processes.

Measurement of Reactive Oxygen Species in Semen Samples Using Chemiluminescence.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are continuously produced in semen and are essential for important spermatozoa functions that allow fertilization. However, an excessive amount of ROS is associated with poor sperm quality, which can compromise male fertility potential. This chemiluminescence assay is based on the production of light through the reaction between luminol and ROS.

Distinct Proteomic Profile of Spermatozoa from Men with Seminomatous and Non-Seminomatous Testicular Germ Cell Tumors.

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are predominant in young males (15-44 years). Seminomatous and non-seminomatous TGCTs account for about 98% of all TGCTs cases. In this study, we aimed to compare the sperm proteome of patients with seminomatous and non-seminomatous TGCTs to identify possible protein biomarkers that could help distinguish between them in a non-invasive manner.

Endogenous and Exogenous Antioxidants As a Tool to Ameliorate Male Infertility Induced by Reactive Oxygen Species.

Antioxidants are essential for the maintenance of cellular redox homeodynamics in the male reproductive tract, playing a key role in fertilizing potential. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), at physiological levels, are essential for sperm function and fertilization. Under pathological conditions, abnormal production of ROS may occur.

A new thiocyanoacetamide (2-cyano-2-p-nitrophenyl-N-benzylthioamide) reduces doxorubicin-induced in vitro toxicity in Sertoli cells by decreasing apoptosis and autophagy.

Despite conflicting data on doxorubicin (DOX) reproductive toxicity, its chemotherapeutic potential sustains its use to treat different types of cancer. This work was designed to study the protective effect of a newly synthesized thiocyanoacetamide (TA), in comparison with selenium (Se), against doxorubicin-induced in vitro toxicity in rat Sertoli cells (SCs). DOX was administered alone or in combination with Se or TA.

Data on metabolic profile of insulin-degrading enzyme knockout mice.

Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) degrades and inactivates bioactive peptides such as insulin. As insulin is a master regulator of glucose homeostasis, lack of IDE is expected to have a profound impact on both insulin and glucose levels. This article shares data on glucose and insulin homeostasis of control, heterozygous and knockout mice for after 18 weeks of a normal chow diet.

L-Theanine promotes cultured human Sertoli cells proliferation and modulates glucose metabolism.

Purpose: L-Theanine is the major free amino acid present in tea (Camellia sinensis L.). The effects of several tea constituents on male reproduction have been investigated, but L-theanine has been overlooked.

Round cells do not contaminate or mask human sperm proteome in proteomic studies using cryopreserved samples.

Semen contains leucocytes and round cells, besides spermatozoa. The objective of this study was to identify whether the proteins from round cells and leucocytes affect the proteomic analysis of spermatozoa. Cryopreserved human sperm samples were divided into four groups: (1) samples with ≥1 × 10 /ml leucocytes unprocessed; (2) samples with ≥1 × 10 /ml leucocytes processed by 65% density centrifugation; (3) samples with round cells <1 × 10 /ml unprocessed; and (4) samples with round cells <1 × 10 /ml processed by 65% density centrifugation.

Protein Fingerprinting of Seminal Plasma Reveals Dysregulation of Exosome-Associated Proteins in Infertile Men with Unilateral Varicocele.

Purpose: Aberrant expression of seminal plasma proteins are associated with altered homeostasis that may affect the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa. However, the precise roles of seminal exosomes on sperm function remain unclear. The objective of this study was to identify the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) associated with varicocele-mediated infertility by comparing seminal plasma protein profile of unilateral varicocele patients with proven fertile donors.

Knockout of MCT1 results in total absence of spermatozoa, sex hormones dysregulation, and morphological alterations in the testicular tissue.

Lactate is a key metabolite for the normal occurrence of spermatogenesis. In the testis, lactate is produced by the Sertoli cells and transported to germline cells. Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are key players in that process.

Reduced semen quality in patients with testicular cancer seminoma is associated with alterations in the expression of sperm proteins.

Testicular cancer seminoma is one of the most common types of cancer among men of reproductive age. Patients with this condition usually present reduced semen quality, even before initiating cancer therapy. However, the underlying mechanisms by which testicular cancer seminoma affects male fertility are largely unknown.

Knockout of insulin-degrading enzyme leads to mice testicular morphological changes and impaired sperm quality.

Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is a zinc metalloprotease responsible for degrading and inactivating several bioactive peptides, including insulin. Individuals without this enzyme or with a loss-of-function mutation in the gene that codifies it, present hyperinsulinemia. In addition, impairment of IDE-mediated insulin clearance is associated with the development of metabolic diseases, namely prediabetes.

Carbonic anhydrases are involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and control the production of lactate by human Sertoli cells.

The process that allows cells to control their pH and bicarbonate levels is essential for ionic and metabolic equilibrium. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) catalyse the conversion of CO to and H and are thus essential for this process. Herein, we inhibited CAs with acetazolamide - ACT and SLC-0111 - to study their involvement in the metabolism, mitochondrial potential, mitochondrial biogenesis and lipid metabolism of human Sertoli cells (hSCs), obtained from biopsies from men with conserved spermatogenesis.

Presence of Round Cells Proteins do not Interfere with Identification of Human Sperm Proteins from Frozen Semen Samples by LC-MS/MS.

In sperm proteomic experiments round cells and leukocyte proteins are profiled along with sperm proteome. The influence of round cell and leukocyte proteins on the sperm proteome has not been investigated. The objective of this study was to identify if the proteins from round cells, including leukocytes, interfere with the proteomic analysis of spermatozoa in frozen semen samples.

Proteomic Signatures Reveal Differences in Stress Response, Antioxidant Defense and Proteasomal Activity in Fertile Men with High Seminal ROS Levels.

Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a major cause of male infertility. However, some men with high seminal ROS levels are still fertile. The main objective of this study was to understand the molecular mechanism(s) responsible for the preservation of fertility in those men.

Molecular Pathways Associated with Sperm Biofunction Are Not Affected by the Presence of Round Cell and Leukocyte Proteins in Human Sperm Proteome.

In human sperm proteomic experiments, leukocyte and round cell proteins may contaminate the sperm proteome and affect the bioinformatic results. The main objective of this study was to identify the possible interference of these proteins, especially from leukocytes, in identification of sperm functional pathways through proteomic and bioinformatic tools. We have evaluated the sperm proteome by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in four groups: (1) neat semen with round cells and leukocytes ≥1 × 10/mL; (2) samples with round cells and leukocytes ≥1 × 10/mL processed by 65% density gradient centrifugation; (3) neat semen with round cells <1 × 10/mL; and (4) samples with round cells <1 × 10/mL processed by 65% density gradient centrifugation.

New Insights on the Mechanisms Affecting Fertility in Men with Non-Seminoma Testicular Cancer before Cancer Therapy.

Purpose: Patients with non-seminoma testicular cancer (NSTC) cancer can be subfertile or infertile, and present reduced sperm quality, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the sperm proteome of patients with NSTC, who cryopreserved their sperm before starting cancer treatment, with that from healthy fertile men.

Materials And Methods: Semen volume, sperm motility and sperm concentration were evaluated before the cryopreservation of samples from patients with NSTC (n=15) and the control group (n=15).

8-(3-phenylpropyl)-1,3,7-triethylxanthine is a synthetic caffeine substitute with stronger metabolic modulator activity.

Caffeine is one of the most worldwide consumed methylxanthines. It is well-known for its thermogenic and cell metabolism modulating effects. Based on methylxanthines' chemical structure, 8-(3-phenylpropyl)-1,3,7-triethylxanthine (PTX) is a novel adenosine antagonist with higher receptor affinity than caffeine.

The enigmatic seminal plasma: a proteomics insight from ejaculation to fertilization.

Background: The 'omics' approach for a noninvasive diagnosis of male reproductive system disorders has gained momentum during the last decade, particularly from a screening and prognosis point of view. Due to the rapid development in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) over the years, the major focus of proteomic studies has been around the ejaculated spermatozoa. Although seminal plasma is not a requirement for ART, the question arose whether the role of seminal plasma is merely to transport spermatozoa.