Reproductive biology最新文献

{"title":"Elucidating the pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome: Construction and analysis of a ceRNA network in cumulus cells","authors":"Jingjing Li ,&nbsp;Li Fan ,&nbsp;Jiajia Wei ,&nbsp;Wenjie Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100916","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100916","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder with elusive molecular mechanisms. This study explores the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network in the cumulus cells of PCOS patients. ceRNAs are transcripts like mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs that competitively bind shared miRNAs, regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally. We analyzed mRNA, microRNA (miRNA), and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) from two cohorts: 12 PCOS patients and 11 healthy controls (dataset GSE10946), and 5 PCOS patients and 5 healthy controls (dataset GSE72274). These microarray datasets, obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), helped us identify differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs. Our analysis revealed a significant ceRNA network, which may play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of PCOS. In this network, 5 lncRNAs, 3 miRNAs, and 36 mRNAs were identified as differentially expressed. These elements form a complex regulatory schema influencing key cellular processes related to the disease, such as cell cycle regulation and response to estrogen. The HOXA11-AS-hsa-miR-454–3p-CCND2 network emerged as a potentially valuable biomarker for PCOS diagnosis, supported by Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicating strong predictive power. Our findings suggest that the ceRNA interactions in PCOS cumulus cells provide a deeper understanding of the disease's molecular basis and offer new avenues for therapeutic intervention. This in silico study lays the groundwork for further experimental validation of these ceRNA networks as targets for PCOS treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 1","pages":"Article 100916"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142684098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in fatty acids, vitamins, cholesterol and amino acid profiles of ram semen by freeze-thawing process","authors":"İbrahim Halil Güngör ,&nbsp;Recep Hakkı Koca ,&nbsp;Serap Dayan Cinkara ,&nbsp;Tutku Can Acısu ,&nbsp;Figen Erdem Erişir ,&nbsp;Gözde Arkalı ,&nbsp;Şeyma Özer Kaya ,&nbsp;Mustafa Sönmez ,&nbsp;Seyfettin Gür ,&nbsp;Ökkeş Yılmaz ,&nbsp;Abdurrauf Yüce ,&nbsp;Gaffari Türk","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100953","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100953","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The objective of this study was to examine the impact of freeze-thawing on the levels of oxidative stress, fatty acids, vitamins A, D, E, and K, cholesterol, and amino acids, as well as on spermatological parameters, in ram semen. Semen was collected and pooled from each of the seven rams twice a week for three weeks. The mixed semen was diluted with tris + egg yolk diluent at 38 °C (Group 38 °C) and the temperature was reduced to 5 °C (Group 5 °C). Following the glycerolization-equilibration process (Group G-E), the samples were automatically frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor at −140 °C. The semen samples were thawed 24 h after freezing (Group Frozen-Thawed, F-T). A comparison of Group 38 °C with Group F-T revealed significant differences in several parameters. Motility rates, kinematic values, percentage of membrane integrity (HOS), some PUFA levels, ∑SFA and amino acid levels were significantly lower in Group F-T. Conversely, the ratio of dead and static spermatozoa, lipid peroxidation level, some PUFA levels, ∑MUFA, vitamins A, E and cholesterol levels were significantly higher in Group F-T. The majority of these alterations were also evident in semen samples subjected to G-E treatment. In conclusion, exposure of ram semen to G-E and F-T treatments results in modifications to semen, fatty acid, vitamin, and amino acid profiles, accompanied by elevated levels of lipid peroxidation. Moreover, this study demonstrated, for the first time, that oxidative stress was induced, some amino acid levels were altered, vitamin A and E levels were increased, vitamin D and K levels were not affected, and β-sitosterol levels were decreased after freeze-thawing in ram semen.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 1","pages":"Article 100953"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142684097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"FOXD1 activates KIFC1 to modulate aerobic glycolysis and reinforce cisplatin resistance of breast cancer","authors":"Haitao Gao,&nbsp;Jing Wang,&nbsp;Jiacai Liu,&nbsp;Huihua Wang,&nbsp;Tiantian Wang,&nbsp;Sha Li,&nbsp;Lili Niu,&nbsp;Ya Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100969","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100969","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent invasive malignant tumor. Cisplatin (DDP) is a prototype of platinum-based chemotherapy drugs, its resistance severely hinders its clinical application. This project intended to figure out the exact mechanism of KIFC1 in the DDP resistance of BC.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The levels of KIFC1 and FOXD1 in BC as well as their binding sites were investigated by bioinformatics analysis. The signaling pathways regulated by FOXD1 were analyzed. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-luciferase reporter assays verified the binding relationship between the two. Through quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot (WB), we assessed the expression of FOXD1, KIFC1, and glycolysis-related genes. CCK-8 assay was applied in the determination of cell viability to assess the efficacy of DDP resistance. Extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), glucose consumption, lactate synthesis, Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) were measured to evaluate glycolysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>FOXD1 and KIFC1 were significantly upregulated in BC, with KIFC1 being significantly enriched in the glycolysis pathway. Overexpression of KIFC1 significantly enhanced the DDP resistance of BC cells, while promoting aerobic glycolysis. Mechanistically, FOXD1 was bound to the promoter of KIFC1 to activate its transcription. Its overexpression counteracted the inhibitory effect of KIFC1 knockdown on the DDP resistance of BC cells.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>FOXD1 activates the glycolysis pathway by upregulating KIFC1, thereby facilitating BC cells’ DDP resistance. Therefore, the FOXD1/KIFC1 axis linked the glycolysis pathway to DDP resistance and may be a promising new target for reinforcing DDP resistance in BC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"25 1","pages":"Article 100969"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142635260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the impact of extracellular vesicle addition during IVM on the fertilization rate of equine oocytes following ICSI","authors":"Julia Gabryś ,&nbsp;Natalia Pietras ,&nbsp;Wiktoria Kowal-Mierzwa ,&nbsp;Elżbieta Karnas ,&nbsp;Aneta Andronowska ,&nbsp;Agnieszka Nowak ,&nbsp;Joanna Kochan ,&nbsp;Monika Bugno-Poniewierska","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100967","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100967","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The efficacy of in vitro embryo production (IVEP) in equines is relatively limited compared to other species due to the lack of a reliable superovulation technique, limited availability of cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs), low in vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) and fertilization rates. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are nanoparticles involved in intercellular signaling in the ovarian environment, have shown potential as supplements to improve oocyte development during IVM. This study tested the hypothesis that EVs from small (&lt; 20 mm) ovarian follicles could enhance fertilization rates in mares. Follicular fluid was collected postmortem, and EVs were isolated and characterized. The IVM process was conducted with or without EVs (200 µg EV protein/ml). EV internalization during IVM was examined using fluorescent labeling and confocal microscopy. Following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), presumptive zygotes were cultured in a time-lapse system. Confocal microscopy confirmed EV internalization by COCs. Nanoparticle tracking analysis showed that obtained EVs were submicron-sized, and flow cytometry identified surface markers CD81 and CD63 on a subpopulation of EVs. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the characteristic disk shape of EV isolates. After culture, 196 oocytes (36.84 %) exhibited a first polar body and were subjected to ICSI. The EV-treated group showed a significantly higher fertilization rate (34.7 % vs. 20.2 %; <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), reduced degeneration, and increased cleavage efficiency (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.1). Despite early embryonic arrest in both groups, these results suggest that follicular fluid-derived EVs could play a supportive role in equine IVF procedures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"24 4","pages":"Article 100967"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142635254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic potential of diosgenin against methotrexate-induced testicular damage in the rat","authors":"Fatemeh Taleahmad ,&nbsp;Mohsen Khalili ,&nbsp;Narges Haddadzadeh-Niri ,&nbsp;Ensyie Joneidi ,&nbsp;Sara Taleahmad ,&nbsp;Mehrdad Roghani","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100966","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100966","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated diosgenin effects on methotrexate-induced testicular injury in the rats. A single dose of methotrexate (MTX) (20 mg/kg, i.p) was administered, followed by two weeks of diosgenin treatment via gavage starting one day before methotrexate injection. Testicular damage was evaluated through histological examination of seminiferous tubules, as well as analysis of serum testosterone level, oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers, and antioxidant levels. The results of this study showed that in the MTX-exposed group, oxidative stress indices of malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitrite and indices of inflammation consisting of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) have a significant increase compared to the control group. Additionally, reductions were observed in antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH). In addition, testosterone level decreased and signs of testicular damage were observed in the MTX group. Conversely, in the group treated with diosgenin alongside MTX at a dosage of 50 mg/kg, there was a significant decrease in oxidative stress markers (MDA, ROS, nitrite) and inflammatory markers (TNFα and IL-6). Moreover, there was a significant increase in the levels of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH). Diosgenin appears to have the potential to protect testicular tissue from damage caused by the toxic effects of MTX through the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"24 4","pages":"Article 100966"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142579101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptome analysis of human spermatozoa with different DNA fragmentation index using RNA sequencing","authors":"Kailin Yang ,&nbsp;Xue Sun ,&nbsp;Qiyuan Zheng ,&nbsp;Chen Pan ,&nbsp;Siyuan Wang ,&nbsp;Qingfang Lu ,&nbsp;Changlong Xu ,&nbsp;Yangqing Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100964","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100964","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study is aimed to screen the differential expressed genes (DEGs) related to sperm DNA fragmentation in men and provide reference basis of the sperm selection in assisted reproduction based on DNA fragmentation. We evaluated 60 semen samples from patients with high, medium or low sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI). Using multicolor flow cytometry, we measured the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS), phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in these sperm samples. The results revealed that the more ROS content and PS externalization were detected in the sperm with higher DFI, but there was lower MMP level in the high DFI sperm. Next, we conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on 3 groups of sperm samples with high, medium and low DFI. Then, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway were performed on DEGs. Furthermore, we utilized qRT-PCR to validated the significantly DEGs from the RNA-seq assay. The transcriptome results showed a total of 5334 DEGs were found in the sperm sample with high, medium and low DFI. According to GO and KEGG analysis 421 down-regulated genes in the high DFI group were related to oxidative stress and spermatogenesis. Thirteen novel genes were also identified that most likely were involved in sperm DNA fragmentation, which were further validated by qRT-PCR. In conclusion, our study suggested that the sperms with highly fragmented DNA were accompanied by down-regulation of a series of genes related to antioxidant and spermatogenesis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"24 4","pages":"Article 100964"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142579102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From genome to epigenome: Who is a predominant player in the molecular hallmarks determining epigenetic mechanisms underlying ontogenesis?","authors":"Marcin Samiec ,&nbsp;Monika Trzcińska","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Genetic factors are one of the basic determinants affecting ontogenesis in mammals. Nevertheless, on the one hand, epigenetic factors have been found to exert the preponderant and insightful impact on the intracellular mechanistic networks related to not only initiation and suppression, but also up- and downregulation of gene expression in all the phases of ontogenetic development in a variety of mammalian species. On the other hand, impairments in the epigenetic mechanisms underlying reprogramming of transcriptional activity of genes (termed epimutations) not only give rise to a broad spectrum of acute and chronic developmental abnormalities in mammalian embryos, foetuses and neonates, but also contribute to premature/expedited senescence or neoplastic transformation of cells and even neurodegenerative and mental disorders. The current article is focused on the unveiling the present knowledge aimed at the identification, classification and characterization of epigenetic agents as well as multifaceted interpretation of current and coming trends targeted at recognizing the epigenetic background of proper ontogenesis in mammals. Moreover, the next objective of this paper is to unravel the mechanistic insights into a wide array of disturbances leading to molecular imbalance taking place during epigenetic reprogramming of genomic DNA. The above-indicated imbalance seems to play a predominant role in the initiation and progression of anatomo-, histo-, and physiopathological processes throughout ontogenetic development. Conclusively, different modalities of epigenetically assisted therapeutic procedures that have been exemplified in the current article, might be the powerful and promiseful tools reliable and feasible in the medical treatments of several diseases triggered by dysfunctions in the epigenetic landscapes, e.g., myelodysplastic syndromes or epilepsy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"24 4","pages":"Article 100965"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142524011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The alteration in myometrial mRNA transcription of the regulatory genes of DNA methylation in mare with endometrosis","authors":"Beatriz Celeiro e Silva ,&nbsp;Ewa Monika Drzewiecka ,&nbsp;Katarzyna Piotrowska-Tomala ,&nbsp;Joana Alpoim-Moreira ,&nbsp;Agnieszka Sadowska ,&nbsp;Magdalena Karolina Kowalik ,&nbsp;Jorge Pimenta ,&nbsp;Maria Rosa Rebordão ,&nbsp;Graça Ferreira-Dias ,&nbsp;Dariusz Skarzynski ,&nbsp;Anna Szóstek-Mioduchowska","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100962","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100962","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A reduction in myometrial contractile activity can lead to inadequate cleaning of the uterine lumen, resulting in persistent endometritis and potentially endometrosis in mares. Oxytocin (OXT) is a key hormonal regulator of myometrial contraction. While epigenetic regulation of myometrial gene expression has been studied in humans, there is limited information on the expression of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and ten-eleven translocation enzymes (TETs) in the myometrium of mares. This study aimed to evaluate the mRNA transcription of these enzymes and the potential role of DNA methylation in the expression of the OXT receptor (OXTR) gene in the myometrium of mares with endometrosis. Myometrial samples were collected post-mortem during the mid-luteal (n = 23) and follicular (n = 20) phases of the estrous cycle and assessed according to Kenney and Doig endometrial category (I, IIA, IIB, III). mRNA transcription of <em>OXTR, DNMT1</em>, <em>-3A</em>, -<em>3B</em> and <em>TET1</em>, <em>-2</em>, <em>-3</em> were determined using qPCR. DNA methylation analysis at CpG islands of OXTR exons 1 and 2 was performed using bisulfite pyrosequencing. Myometrial <em>OXTR</em> mRNA transcription and DNA methylation in its promoter region showed no significant differences between categories, although increased methylation was observed at CpG island position 6 in exon 2. <em>DNMT1, TET2</em>, and <em>TET3</em> mRNA transcription was altered in the equine myometrium depending on the phase of the estrous cycle and the severity of endometrosis (P &lt; 0.05). These findings indicate that DNMTs and TETs were expressed in myometrium in a manner specific to the severity of endometrosis and phases of the estrous cycle, suggesting a potential regulatory role in DNA methylation of myometrial gene expression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"24 4","pages":"Article 100962"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142515625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Negative effects of ketoprofen and meloxicam on distal cauda epidydimal duct contractions, testosterone levels, and sperm count in rats","authors":"Ramon Tadeu Galvão Alves Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Vitória Barros Marques ,&nbsp;Maria Santana da Silva ,&nbsp;Luana Talinne da Costa Gomes ,&nbsp;Maele Oliveira de Sena ,&nbsp;Bruna da Silva Figueiredo ,&nbsp;Jonas Ivan Nobre Oliveira ,&nbsp;Elaine Cristina Gavioli ,&nbsp;Danilo José Ayres de Menezes ,&nbsp;Edilson Dantas da Silva Junior","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ketoprofen and meloxicam, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs widely used in clinical practice, lack comprehensive investigation regarding their impact on male reproductive health, particularly on epididymal duct contractions and sperm parameters. Therefore, this study investigated the negative effects of ketoprofen or meloxicam on the contractions of the epididymal duct, sperm parameters, and serum testosterone levels in rats. Firstly, we assessed the <em>in vitro</em> effects of ketoprofen or meloxicam (1–100 μM) on the contractions of the epididymal duct elicited by noradrenaline. Rats were also orally treated with 5 mg/kg ketoprofen or 1 mg/kg meloxicam for 15 days following evaluation of epididymal duct contractions, sperm parameters, and serum testosterone levels. In vitro exposure to meloxicam (100 μM), but not ketoprofen, significantly reduced the maximum effect of noradrenaline in epididymal duct. Moreover, <em>in vivo</em> administration of ketoprofen and meloxicam decreased testosterone levels, sperm production, and sperm count in the caput/corpus region of the rat epididymis. Conversely, the sperm count in the cauda epididymis remained unchanged in animals treated with both ketoprofen and meloxicam. Meloxicam, but not ketoprofen, caused a delay in sperm transit time in the cauda region of the epididymis. <em>In vivo</em> treatment with both ketoprofen or meloxicam hindered the noradrenaline-induced contractions in the epididymal duct. In conclusion, ketoprofen and meloxicam can modify sperm parameters by decreasing testosterone levels and the contractions of the epididymal duct isolated from the distal cauda region of the rat epididymis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"24 4","pages":"Article 100963"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142515624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Partial biochemical and immunological characterization of an isolated 52.1 kDa pregnancy-associated glycoprotein charge variant","authors":"Gerardo Perera-Marín ,&nbsp;Giovanna León-Legaspi ,&nbsp;Everardo González-Padilla ,&nbsp;Clara Murcia ,&nbsp;Rogelio Alonso-Morales ,&nbsp;Silvia Ivonne Mora Herrera ,&nbsp;Griselda Valdez-Magaña","doi":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) are synthesized in the placental cells of ruminants and are detectable in blood, milk, and urine. Many of these proteins have been obtained and characterized from placental extracts by precipitation with 80 % ammonium sulfate. The possibility of purifying PAGs by precipitation with other concentrations of ammonium sulfate remains unexplored. We aimed to study PAG proteins obtained from extracts of ovine placenta at 100 days of gestation through precipitation with 40 % ammonium sulfate (Extract 40). The main protein complex (130 kDa) was obtained after Extract 40 precipitation. Under reducing SDS-PAGE conditions, the 130 kDa complex dissociated in two PAG proteins with apparent molecular weights of 52.1 kDa and 26.1 kDa. The 130 kDa protein appeared to be a molecular complex consisting of two copies of the 52.1 kDa protein linked to one copy of the 26.1 kDa protein, presumably by disulfide bonds. Furthermore, the 52.1 kDa protein consisted of at least three isoforms with distinct isoelectric points. Amino acid microsequencing of the 52.1 kDa protein revealed a chimeric structure containing amino acid sequences of PAG1, PAG4, PAG6, and PAG1-like proteins. This procedure recovered a novel 130 kDa protein complex composed of 26.1 kDa and two 52.1 kDa PAGs. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been previously reported as heterologous polymeric molecules.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21018,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive biology","volume":"24 4","pages":"Article 100960"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142444702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}