Biological changes in suspension cultures of Taxus cuspidata induced by dimethyl sulphoxide and ethanol

The biological changes in suspension cultures of Taxus cuspidata caused by dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and ethanol, two commonly used solvents for water-insoluble elicitors, were investigated. The activities of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) changed remarkably after the addition of small amount (0.4% (v/v)) of DMSO compared to those of the control culture at 4 h, however, they were less affected by small amount (0.4% (v/v)) of ethanol within 20 h. The biomass, cell viability, contents of intra/extracellular proteins did not change obviously when the amounts of DMSO and ethanol were below 1% (v/v) and 0.4% (v/v), respectively, but they varied significantly when the contents of DMSO and ethanol were 4% (v/v) and 1% (v/v), respectively. Obvious DNA fragmentation occurred in the case of ethanol at 2% (v/v), while no DNA fragments were observed in the case of DMSO at the same concentration level. It is inferred that DMSO below 1% (v/v) is a better solvent for investigating the effects of water-insoluble elicitors at a long-term contact, while ethanol less than 0.4% (v/v) is more suitable for a short-term contact.     

Osmotic properties of spermatozoa from felids producing different proportions of pleiomorphisms: influence of adding and removing cryoprotectant

The spermatozoon of felids (cats) survives cryopreservation inconsistently. Using ejaculates from three species (domestic cat [normospermic versus teratospermic], the normospermic serval and the teratospermic clouded leopard), this study (1) determined the influence of adding and removing two permeating cryoprotectants (glycerol and dimethylsulfoxide) and (2) assessed the impact of one-step versus multi-step cryoprotectant removal on sperm motility and membrane integrity. Spermatozoa were exposed in a single step to various anisotonic solutions or to 1M solutions of glycerol or dimethylsulfoxide. In both cases, sperm then were returned to near isotonic conditions in a single or multi-step with de-ionized water, Ham's F10 medium or saline. Percentage of sperm motility was measured subjectively, and plasma membrane integrity was assessed using a dual fluorescent stain and flow cytometry. Sperm motility was more sensitive to anisotonic conditions than membrane integrity. Rapid dilution into various test solutions and removal of cryoprotectant with de-ionized water reduced (P<0.01) sperm motility compared to control spermatozoa maintained in Ham's F10. Exposing sperm from all species to a 1M solution of either cryoprotectant resulted in >85% spermatozoa retaining intact membranes. However, return to isotonicity with de-ionized water in a single step or multiple steps always caused severe plasma membrane disruption. In contrast, sperm motility and membrane integrity in all species and populations remained unaffected (P>0.05) when spermatozoa were returned to isotonicity in multiple steps with Ham's F10 medium or 0.9% sodium chloride. Results demonstrate that: (1) felid spermatozoa are resistant to hypertonic stress; (2) sperm motility is more sensitive to changes in osmolality than membrane integrity; and (3) removal of cryoprotectant in multiple steps with an isotonic solution minimizes loss of sperm motility and membrane disruption in both normospermic and teratospermic males.     

The effect of seminal plasma on alpaca sperm function

In order to advance the development of assisted reproductive technologies in alpacas and other Camelids, the objective of this study was to explore the role of seminal plasma concentration on motility and functional integrity of alpaca sperm. Sixteen male alpacas > 3 y of age were used. In Experiment 1, epididymal sperm were incubated for 0 to 6 h in 0, 10, 25, 50, or 100% seminal plasma and motility was assessed. In Experiment 2, epididymal sperm were incubated in 0, 10, or 100% seminal plasma for 3 h and motility, acrosome integrity and DNA integrity were assessed. In Experiment 3, ejaculated sperm were incubated in 10, 25, 50, or 100% seminal plasma for 0 to 6 h and motility assessed. In Experiment 4, ejaculated sperm were incubated in 10 or 100% seminal plasma for 3 h and motility, acrosome integrity, DNA integrity, and viability were assessed. Epididymal and ejaculated sperm maintained motility longer when incubated in the presence of 10% seminal plasma compared to 0, 25, 50, or 100% seminal plasma (P < 0.001). The mean ± SEM percentage of epididymal sperm with intact acrosomes was less (P < 0.001) in samples incubated in 0% seminal plasma (39.4 ± 3.73) compared to 10% (75.3 ± 1.20) or 100% (77.4 ± 0.90) within 1 h after incubation. However, DNA integrity of ejaculated and epididymal sperm was not significantly affected by seminal plasma concentration. The mean viability of ejaculated sperm was reduced in the presence of 100 (12.7 ± 2.33) compared to 10% (36.2 ± 4.68) seminal plasma (P < 0.001) within 1 h of incubation. We concluded that alpaca semen should be diluted to a final concentration of 10% seminal plasma to prolong motility, preserve acrosome integrity, and maintain viability of sperm.     

Effect of feeding a docosahexaenoic acid-enriched nutriceutical on the quality of fresh and frozen-thawed semen in Holstein bulls

The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of feeding a DHA-enriched nutriceutical on the in vitro quality and sperm motility parameters of fresh and frozen-thawed bull semen assessed by CASA. Samples were obtained from nineteen Holstein bulls used for semen collection at Semen Production Center, Karaj, Iran. Control group (n = 10) were fed a standard concentrate feed while treatment group bulls (n = 9) had this standard feed top dressed with 100 g of a commercially available DHA-enriched nutriceutical. Semen quality was assessed on ejaculates collected at the baseline and after 5, 9, and 12 weeks of supplementation. Classical semen evaluation, assessment of sperm motility (subjective and computer-assisted), viability (eosin-nigrosin), and hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) were conducted. Semen volume, sperm concentration, and consequently total sperm output were not affected by dietary treatment (P > 0.05). Feeding the nutriceutical was indeed found to affect sperm motility parameters assessed by CASA after 9 weeks of trial. The treatment has improved total motility (P < 0.01), progressive motility (P < 0.05), average path velocity (P < 0.05), HOST-positive (P < 0.01), and proportion of rapid spermatozoa (P < 0.01) in the fresh semen of bulls. Moreover, the proportion of viable spermatozoa increased (P < 0.05) in the ejaculates collected from nutriceutical-fed bulls compared to the control after 12 weeks of feeding trial. The post-thawed HOST and sperm motility data obtained by CASA did not differ between two groups (P > 0.05). On the other hand, dietary supplementation did not affect body weight, BCS and scrotal circumference. Consequently, it can be concluded that dietary DHA supplementation or its precursors, improve in vitro quality and motility parameters of fresh semen assessed by CASA in Holstein bulls. However, this effect was not pronounced in frozen-thawed semen.     

Pellet cryopreservation for chicken semen: Effects of sperm working concentration,cryoprotectant concentration,and equilibration time during in vitro processing

The aim of the study was to standardize the pellet cryopreservation procedure for chicken semen. Mericanel della Brianza male chicken breeders (Italian breed) were used. Pooled semen samples were processed according to the following conditions: (1) dilution in prefreezing extender to 1 versus 1.5 bill cells/mL sperm working concentration (SWC); (2) 6% versus 9% dimethyl acetamide (DMA) concentration (DMAco); (3) 1 versus 30 minutes DMA equilibration (DMAeq) at 4 °C. Sperm viability and motility were assessed in semen (four replicates/treatment) soon after collection (time 0), after DMAeq (time D), and after freezing/thawing (time FT). The recovery rates (%) of viable and motile sperm after freezing/thawing were also calculated. The low SWC (1 bill/mL) and the low DMAco (6%) indicated a positive significant effect on the proportion of motile sperm (1 bill/mL = 53% vs. 1.5 bill/mL = 48%; 6% DMA = 55% vs. 9% DMA = 47%). Very short DMAeq (1 minute) did not significantly change sperm viability during processing (from time 0 to time D) before freezing whatever the DMAco, and, in contrast, the longer DMAeq showed a significant negative effect on sperm viability. The highest proportion of motile sperm was recorded in semen samples diluted to 1 bill/mL and added with 6% DMA; in this condition, DMAeq had no effect (57% 1 minute and 61% 30 minutes). Increasing SWC to 1.5 bill/mL and adding again 6% DMA, a significant effect of DMAeq was observed, and the higher proportion of motile sperm (58% vs. 43%) was recorded after 1 minute DMAeq. A general decrease in sperm motility was shown in semen samples with 9% DMA (47% vs. 55%), and different conditions in SWC and DMAeq were not effective in the prevention of such decrease.     

血浆游离DNA全基因组甲基化测序的实用稳定性评估

随着液体活检技术的发展,血浆游离DNA成为当前的研究热点之一。血浆游离DNA的全基因组甲基化测序被认为在癌症检测等医学应用拥有巨大潜力,但目前尚缺乏针对该实验流程的实用稳定性评估。文中利用两名志愿者在不同时间采样的血浆游离DNA,在不同实验平台分别进行DNA甲基化的重亚硫酸盐转化前建库(Pre-BS)、转化后建库(Post-BS)和常规DNA建库,获取多因素影响下的测序数据样本。在此基础上,建立了一套血浆游离DNA测序数据分析的质量控制参考流程,综合评估了血液采集提取、游离DNA建库测序过程的实用稳定性,为血浆游离DNA全基因组甲基化测序应用于临床液体活检提供实用性的基础参考。     

不同程度精索静脉曲张对不育男性精浆生化标志物及精子DNA完整性的影响

摘要 目的：探讨不同程度精索静脉曲张（varicocele,VC）对不育男性精浆生化标志物及精子DNA完整性的影响。方法：选取2017年8月至2020年9月至我院生殖医学中心男性专科门诊就诊并进行精浆生化及精子DNA完整性检查的不育患者138例,按照有无VC分为VC不育组62例,非VC不育组76例,选取同期就诊无VC的正常生育者60例作为本研究的对照组,根据精索静脉曲张程度将VC不育组患者分为VCⅠ度组、VCⅡ度组、VCⅢ度组。比较VC不育组、非VC不育组与正常生育组精浆生化标志物及精子DNA碎片率（DNA fragmentation index,DFI）,分析比较VC不育各亚组间精浆生化标志物及精子DFI变化情况。结果：精浆生化标志物分析：VC不育组精浆α-葡萄糖苷酶较非VC不育组及正常生育组明显减低（P＜0.05）,且VC不育各亚组间精浆α-葡萄糖苷酶水平依次减低,三组间两两比较有显著性差异（P＜0.05）;精浆锌、柠檬酸、果糖在VC不育组、非VC不育组与正常生育组比较无统计学差异（P＞0.05）,在VC不育各亚组间比较均无显著性差异（P＞0.05）;精子DFI分析：VC不育组精子DFI较正常生育组升高（P＜0.05）,非VC不育组精子DFI较正常生育组升高（P＜0.05）,VC不育组精子DFI较非VC不育组比较未见明显差异（P＞0.05）;VC不育各亚组间精子DFI逐渐升高,三组间两两比较精有显著性差异（P＜0.05）。结论：VC的发生与进展程度与精子DFI及精浆α-葡萄糖苷酶水平异常具有相关性,其二者可作为评价VC的有效指标,并为VC的分度提供一定的依据。     

细胞膜蛋白质氨基酸组成对自絮凝颗粒酵母耐酒精能力的影响及作用机制

揭示细胞膜组分与酵母菌耐酒精能力的一种新颖关系及其机制。实验显示 ,培养于添加和未添加 3种氨基酸 (异亮氨酸、甲硫氨酸和苯丙氨酸 ,添加浓度分别为 1 0、0 5和 2 0g L)条件下的自絮凝颗粒酵母于 30℃经2 0 % (V V)酒精冲击 9h的存活率分别为 5 7%和 0 ,表明添加该 3种氨基酸能显著提高菌体的耐酒精能力。细胞膜蛋白质氨基酸组成分析和细胞膜流动性测定表明 ,所添加 3种氨基酸是通过组入菌体细胞膜、改变细胞膜流动性从而提高菌体的耐酒精能力的 ,即当细胞膜蛋白质氨基酸组成中异亮氨酸、甲硫氨酸和苯丙氨酸含量明显增加时 ,菌体能有效抵抗高浓度酒精冲击引发的细胞膜流动性的升高 ,从而维持细胞膜的稳定。细胞膜蛋白质氨基酸组成会影响细胞膜的流动性 (膜蛋白中异亮氨酸、甲硫氨酸和苯丙氨酸含量明显增加时膜流动性降低 )是一种新的实验现象。     

Purification and characterization of a sperm motility-dynein ATPase inhibitor from boar seminal plasma.

A sperm motility inhibitor from boar seminal plasma was purified. The purification procedure included dialysis against 0.1 M Tris-HCl containing 0.1 mM DTT and chromatographies on SP-Sephadex C-25 and Phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B. With this procedure, the seminal plasma motility inhibitor (SPMI) preparation was highly purified with a 18% recovery of inhibitory activity. The molecular weight of SPMI in native conditions has been estimated at 50,000 by molecular sieving, but 3 polypeptides with molecular weights of 14,000, 16,000 and 18,000 were observed following polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in denaturing conditions. SPMI is a thermolabile basic protein that is stable between pH 6 and pH 11. The observations that SPMI effects on motility of demembranated spermatozoa are reversed by Mg.ATP and that SPMI inhibited bull dynein ATPase in a concentration-dependent manner suggest that this protein blocks the motility of demembranated spermatozoa by interfering with dynein arm function.     

A Composite Polyaniline-Containing Silica Sorbent for DNA Isolation

A composite sorbent based on porous glass beads modified with thin polyaniline coating was prepared by precipitating aniline polymerization in the presence of carrier particles. It was shown that the modification ensures the uniform coating of the inner surface of the carrier pores with the polymer layer 70 Å thick. It was shown that the resulting material retains the initial porosity of the carrier and is selective in the separation of nucleic acids and proteins. The polyaniline-coated sorbents were shown to be efficient for both the preparative DNA isolation from bacterial lysates and for analytical purposes, in particular, for studying DNA fragmentation during apoptosis proceeding under UV irradiation of cell lysates of colon carcinoma. The morphological and chromatographic characteristics of the new sorbent were demonstrated to be similar to those of the polyfluorobutadiene sorbent.     

细胞膜磷脂棕榈酸含量对自絮凝颗粒酵母耐酒精能力的影响及作用机制

研究揭示细胞膜磷脂脂肪酸组成与酵母菌耐酒精能力的一种新颖关系及其机制。分别培养于添加 0 6mmol L棕榈酸、亚油酸或亚麻酸不同条件下的自絮凝颗粒酵母 ,其细胞膜富含各自所添加的脂肪酸。细胞膜富含棕榈酸、亚油酸或亚麻酸的三种菌体于 30℃经 2 0 %(v v)酒精冲击 6h的存活率分别为 5 2 %、1 8%和 0。通过考察三种菌体于 30℃在 1 5 %(v v)酒精冲击下的细胞膜透性发现 ,细胞膜富含棕榈酸的菌体的胞外核苷酸平衡浓度分别仅为细胞膜富含亚油酸或亚麻酸菌体的 48%和 32 %,其细胞膜透性系数 (P′)分别仅为后者的 37%和 2 0 %,且三者的胞外核苷酸浓度和P′由小到大的排列顺序均与它们的存活率由高到低的排列顺序完全一致。因此 ,细胞膜富含棕榈酸的菌体具有较强的耐酒精能力是与其在高浓度酒精冲击下可维持较低的细胞膜透性密切相关的 的。     

Interactions of Malondialdehyde and 4-Hydroxynonenal with Rat Liver Plasma Membranes and their Effect on Binding of Prostaglandin E2 by Specific Receptors

We investigated effect of aldehydic products of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydrox-ynonenal (HNE) on prostaglandin (PG) E₂ receptors of liver plasma membranes. The modification of the membranes by MDA diminished PGE₂ binding, decreasing receptor affinity for PGE₂ and receptor density whereas HNE increased PGE₂ binding, enhanced receptor density but did not changed receptor affinity. ESR study showed the decrease of the whole membrane fluidity after modification by MDA whereas HNE lowered membrane fluidity only in the internal zone of lipid bilayer and increased it in the surface area. The possible effects of membrane changes caused by MDA and HNE on PGE₂ receptor parameters are discussed.     

A novel cell-based scintillation proximity assay for studying protein function and activity in vitro using membrane-soluble scintillants

Here we describe for the first time a cell-based scintillation proximity assay using membrane soluble scintillants (MSS). MSS have a scintillant "head" group (2,5-diphenyloxazole) attached to a lipophilic "tail." MSS do not scintillate in an aqueous environment in the presence of a radioactive source: however, in a non-aqueous environment, such as a lipid bilayer (e.g., liposome or cell membrane), scintillation does occur. MSS can be incorporated into liposomes. When these MSS-containing liposomes are fused with the plasma membranes of cells in culture the MSS are incorporated into the cell membrane. Radiolabelled molecules in close proximity to the cell membrane will then elicit a scintillation signal. This system has been used to successfully monitor [(14)C]methionine uptake in HeLa cells and may be used in radiochemical and radioligand binding assays either in vivo or on microsomal preparations obtained from tissues. This new scintillation proximity technology could be readily adapted for high-throughput screening.