ABSTRACT
Background: CatSper gene, a member of cation channel sperm family, has an essential role in sperm motility and male fertility. Following varicocele, sperm parameters especially sperm movement decreases. For this reason, we hypothesized that CatSper gene expression might be reduced after varicocele induction in an animal model
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of CatSper 1 and 2 genes, sperm parameters and testis histology following varicocele induction
Materials and Methods: A total of 30 Wistar male rats were randomly divided into three following groups [n=10/ each]: control, sham, and varicocele group. Experimental varicocele was induced by partial ligation of the left renal vein. The epididymal sperm parameters, CatSper1 and 2 genes expression, and testes histology were studied two months after varicocele induction
Results: Our results revealed that motility [32.73+/-16.14%], morphology [48.80+/-17%] and viability [31.23+/-9.82%] of sperms significantly reduced following varicocele induction. In addition, we showed a significant decrease in the number of spermatogonia [43.63+/-5.31] and seminiferous tubules diameters [190.51+/-19.23 mm] in experimental varicocele rats. The level of CatSper1 and 2 genes expression evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction was significantly downregulated 2 months after varicocele induction
Conclusion: Our data indicated that experimental varicocele has deleterious effects on sperm parameters, testis structure as well as the expression of CatSper 1 and 2 genes
ABSTRACT
Objective: The genus Thymus L. is a cushion plant that was previously used for the treatment of bronchitis and rheumatism. The present investigation was carried out to study the effects of root, shoot, leaf and seed extracts of five Thymus species and subspecies on peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs] toxicity and HIV-1 replication
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, the activity of the Thymus extracts on HIV-1 replication and lymphocytes population were examined respectively using HIV-1 p24 Antigen kit and flow-cytometer. The Thymus species effect was investigated, including Thymus kotschyanus, Thymus vulgaris, Thymus carmanicus, Thymus daenensis subspecies lancifolius and Thymus daenensis subspecies daenensis
Results: The effect of root methanol extracts of all species on PBMCs proliferation was significantly higher than the other extracts. The intensity of CD4, CD3 and CD45 were decreased in the presence of all root extracts. Although the average median fluorescence intensity [MFI] values of CD19 were increased in the cells treated with these extracts. All methanol extracts showed anti-HIV-1 activity at high concentrations [200 and 500 microg/ml]. Anti-HIV-1 activity of Thymus daenensis subspecies daenensis was significantly more than the other species
Conclusion: These results demonstrated that root extracts of Thymus species might be a good candidate to investigate anti-HIV infection in vivo
ABSTRACT
Multiple sclerosis [MS] is known as a progressive central nervous system inflammatory disease. Certain factors, such as interleukins, inflammatory cells, and oxidative stress are supposed to involve in MS etiology. Because of the important role of oxidative stress, antioxidant therapy for MS has received more attention. Although coenzyme Q10 [CoQ10] acts as an antioxidant, there is a lack of enough research on its effects on MS. Therefore, the present research was designed. C57BL/6 female adult mice [n = 30] were used in this study. The animals were randomly divided into trial and control groups. To induce MS, routine procedure for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis [EAE] was used, and scoring was performed based on clinical signs. By detecting score one, CoQ10 administration was started [10 mg/kg/three weeks]. By using ELISA and real-time PCR, the brain levels of TNF-cc, IL-10, IL-4, and IL-12 were studied. Statistical tests were used to analyze the data and the P value less than 0.05 was considered to be significant. Clinical symptoms in EAE animals were significantly decreased [P<0.05] as compared to control ones. In addition, the level of the TNF-oc was significantly decreased following CoQ10 administration versus IL-10. The ratio of TH1/TH2 interleukins in treated animals was significantly less than that in non-treated animals [P<0.01]. Our findings showed that CoQ10 is capable of suppressing the inflammatory pathway of MS