Immune regulatory molecules as modifiers of semen and fertility: A review

Declining fertility rates in both human and animals is a cause for concern. While many of the infertility cases are due to known causes, idiopathic infertility is reported in 30% of the infertile couples. In such cases, 18% of the infertile males carry antisperm antibodies (ASAs). Such data are lacking in livestock, wherein 20–30% of the animals are being culled due to low fertility. In males, the blood–testis barrier (BTB) and biomolecules in the semen provide an immuno‐tolerant microenvironment for spermatozoa as they traverse the immunologic milieu of both the male and female reproductive tracts. For example, insults from environmental contaminants, infections and inflammatory conditions are likely to impact the immune privilege state of the testis and fertility. The female mucosal immune system can recognize allogenic spermatozoa‐specific proteins affecting sperm kinematics and sperm‐zona binding leading to immune infertility. Elucidating the functions and pathways of the immune regulatory molecules associated with fertilization are prerequisites for understanding their impact on fertility. An insight into biomolecules associated with spermatozoal immune tolerance may generate inputs to develop diagnostic tools and modulate fertility. High‐throughput sequencing technologies coupled with bioinformatics analyses provides a path forward to define the array of molecules influencing pregnancy outcome. This review discusses the seminal immune regulatory molecules from their origin in the testis until they traverse the uterine environment enabling fertilization and embryonic development. Well‐designed experiments and the identification of biomarkers may provide a pathway to understand the finer details of reproductive immunology that will afford personalized therapies.     

Design and in silico modeling of Indoloquinoxaline incorporated keratin nanoparticles for modulation of glucose metabolism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

The following study was done to assess the glucose utilizing efficiency of Indoloquinoxaline derivative incorporated keratin nanoparticles (NPs) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Indoloquinoxaline derivative had wide range of biological activities including antidiabetic activity. In this view, Indoloquinoxaline moiety containing N, N-dimethyl (3-fluoro-6H-indolo [3,2-b] quinoxalin-6-yl) methanamine compound was designed and synthesized, and further it is incorporated into keratin nanoparticles. The formulated NPs, drug entrapment efficiency, releasing capacity, stability, and physicochemical properties were characterized by various spectral analyzer and obtained results of characterizations were confirmed the properties of NPs. The analysis of mechanism underlying the glucose utilization of NPs was examined through molecular docking with identified target, and observed in silico study reports shown strong interaction of NPs in the binding pockets of AMPK and PTP1B. Based on the in silico screening, the formulated NPs was performed for in vitro cellular viability and glucose uptake studies on 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Interestingly, 40 μg of NPs displayed 78.2 ± 2.76% cellular viability, and no cell death was observed at lower concentrations. Further, the concentration dependent glucose utilization was observed at different concentrations of NPs in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The results of NPs (40 μg) on glucose utilization have revealed eminent result 58.56 ± 4.54% compared to that of Metformin (10 μM) and Insulin (10 μM). The identified results clearly indicated that Indoloquinoxaline derivative incorporated keratin NPs significantly increased glucose utilization efficiency and protect the cells against the insulin resistance.     

Nimbolide prevents myocardial damage by regulating cardiac biomarkers,antioxidant level,and apoptosis signaling against doxorubicin‐induced cardiotoxicity in rats

The current work planned to assess the protecting properties of nimbolide against doxorubicin (DOX)‐treated myocardial damage. Myocardial damage was produced with 2.5 mg/kg of DOX given on alternative days (14 days). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels of a lipid peroxidative marker were elevated, whereas reduced body weight, heart weight, blood pressure indices and reduced levels of antioxidants like glutathione‐S‐transferase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, and glutathione reductase were observed in the heart tissue of DOX‐treated animals. DOX‐treated animals showed augmented levels of cardiac markers likes monocyte chemotactic protein‐1, interferon‐gamma, aspartate transferase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase‐muscle/brain, heart‐type fatty acid‐binding protein, glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB, transforming growth factor‐β, brain natriuretic peptide, myoglobin, and cTnI in serum. Histopathological assessment confirmed the DOX‐induced cardiotoxicity. Furthermore, DOX‐induced rats showed augmented inflammatory mediators (nuclear factor‐κB [NF‐kB], tumor necrosis factor‐α [TNF‐α], and interleukin‐1β [IL‐1β]) and increased PI3K/Akt signaling proteins (PI3K, p‐Bad/Bad, caspase‐3, and p‐Akt), whereas decreased oxidative markers (HO‐1 and NQO‐1) and p‐PTEN were observed. Nimbolide‐supplemented rats showed reduced activity/levels of cardiac markers and TBARS levels in serum and heart tissue. Levels of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants were augmented in the heart tissue of nimbolide‐supplemented rats. Nimbolide influence decreased apoptosis, inflammation, and enhanced antioxidant markers through the modulation of p‐Bad/Bad, caspase‐3, PI3K, p‐Akt, TNF‐α, NF‐kB, IL‐1β, HO‐1, NQO‐1, and p‐PTEN markers. The histopathological explanations were observed to be in line with biochemical analysis. Therefore, the finding of current work was that nimbolide has a defensive effect on the myocardium against DOX‐induced cardiac tissue damage.     

Relevance of Non-ceruloplasmin Copper to Oxidative Stress in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Altered copper homeostasis and oxidative stress have been observed in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Non-ceruloplasmin copper, the free form, is a potent pro-oxidant than the protein bound copper. The aim of the present study was to evaluate which form of copper can be correlated with the oxidative stress in the circulation and in the malignant liver tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Hepatocellular carcinoma patients (grades II and III, n = 18) were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of total, free and bound copper, ceruloplasmin, iron, iron-binding capacity, lipid peroxidation products, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants were quantified in serum and in malignant liver tissues and compared with those of normal samples (n = 20). A significant positive correlation between the serum non-ceruloplasmin copper and lipid peroxidation products and negative correlation with antioxidants were observed in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. In liver tissue, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activity were significantly decreased with concomitant elevation in oxidative stress markers. Our experiment revealed that the elevation in non-ceruloplasmin copper has high relevance with the oxidative stress than the bound copper.     

Effects of actinobacteria on plant disease suppression and growth promotion

Biological control and plant growth promotion by plant beneficial microbes has been viewed as an alternative to the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Bacteria and fungi that are naturally associated with plants and have a beneficial effect on plant growth by the alleviation of biotic and abiotic stresses were isolated and developed into biocontrol (BCA) and plant growth-promoting agents (PGPA). Actinobacteria are a group of important plant-associated spore-forming bacteria, which have been studied for their biocontrol, plant growth promotion, and interaction with plants. This review summarizes the effects of actinobacteria as BCA, PGPA, and its beneficial associations with plants.     

A quantitative evaluation of inter-varietal hybrids of Brassica campestris L.

Summary A quantitative evaluation of yield components was carried out in 150 inter-varietal hybrids of Brassica campestris using five each of the three varieties, brown sarson (BS) , yellow sarson (YS) and toria (TR). The results showed both additive and non-additive gene action for plant height, number of primary and secondary branches and number of siliquae on the main axis in all the six cross combinations BS-YS, YS-BS, BS-TR, TR-BS, YS-TR and TR-YS. The general combining abilities of BS, YS and TR indicated that their nature and magnitude depended largely on the other parents which entered the hybrids. There were differences in combining ability between direct and reciprocal combinations. GBS II, Kanpur Lotni 17, Kanpur Lotni 27 and DS 17D in BS, IB 3, IB 5, IB 6 and BP 12 in YS , and T 165, T 244 and T 1842 in TR were identified as potential parents for inter-varietal hybridisation. Reciprocal effects were found when BS or YS was used as parent and they were least when TR was used as a parent. The amount and degree of heterosis was substantial in inter-varietal crosses. Based on the heterosis-combining ability relationship, the role of inter-varietal hybridisation in population improvement of Brassica campestris is discussed. A number of methods of utilising the inter-varietal hybrids in multiple crosses and synthetic complexes is suggested as potential supplements to population breeding in this crop.Part of a Ph.D. thesis submitted by senior author to P.G. School, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi     

A Study on the nature of genetic divergence in rice from assam and North East Himalayas

Summary A representative group of 190 rice types collected from North-East India along with four standard varieties, three of which were indicas and one japonica, was studied to understand the nature of genetic divergence. Preliminary grouping was done by canonical analysis and the resultant 42 groups were further classified using the D² statistic.The final grouping resulted in nine divergent clusters. The three indica standards were found in three different clusters indicating the wide available variability among them. The japonica standard formed a separate group by itself. A majority of the North-East Indian types formed clusters with indicas, whereas some were intermediate and still others were closer to japonica or indica, thus indicating a series of intergrades bridging indica and japonica.Height followed by leaf area was found to be important for primary and 100-grain weight, followed by amylose content for secondary differentiation. It appears that natural selection as well as human selection might have operated for characters differentiating rice types in Assam and North Eastern Himalayas. Geographical distance was not found to be related to genetic divergence. The study suggests that O. sativa contains innumerable but divergent forms, and its classification into definite varietal groups on an arbitrary basis such as isolation barrier, sexual affinity or geographic distribution would be far from reality.