Oxidative stress induced sperm DNA damage, a possible reason for male infertility

Sperm DNA damage is an important factor in the etiology of male infertility. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association of oxidative stress induced sperm DNA damage with the pathogenesis of male infertility. The study comprised a total of 66 subjects, including fertile men [n=25] and infertile men [n=41] matched by age. Seminal malondialdehyde [MDA], phospholipid hydroperoxide [PHP], superoxide dismutase [SOD], total antioxidant status [TAS] and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxy guanosine [8-OHdG] were estimated by spectrophotometric and ELISA based methods and the association with the sperm parameters was assessed. The percentages of motile and morphologically normal cells were significantly lower [p < 0.001, p <0.001, respectivly] in infertile men. Seminal levels of MDA, PHP and 8-OHdG were significantly higher [p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p=0. 02, respectively] while the SOD and TAS were significantly lower [p=0. 0003, p< 0.001, respectively] in infertile men. Sperm parameters were negatively correlated with MDA, PHP and 8-OHdG while positively correlated with SOD and TAS. A positive correlation of 8-OHdG with MDA and PHP and a negative correlation with TAS and SOD were also found. These results suggested that oxidative stress induced sperm DNA damage might have a critical effect on the etiology of infertility. Therefore, evaluation of oxidative status, antioxidant defense systems and DNA damage, together with sperm parameters might be a useful tool for diagnosis and treatment of male infertility

Genetic polymorphisms of GSTM1, GSTP1 and GSTT1 genes and lung cancer susceptibility in the Bangladeshi population

Objective: To verify possible associations between polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase Mu (GSTM1), glutathione S-transferase θ (GSTT1) and glutathione S-transferase Pi (GSTP1) genes and susceptibility to lung cancer. Methods: A total of 106 lung cancer patients and 116 controls were enrolled in a case-control study. The GSTM1 and GSTT1 were analyzed using PCR while GSTP1 was analyzed using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Risk of lung cancer was estimated as odds ratio at 95% confidence interval using unconditional logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, and tobacco use. Results: GSTM1 null and GSTT1 null genotypes did not show a significant risk for developing lung cancer. A significantly elevated lung cancer risk was associated with GSTP1 heterozygous, mutant and combined heterozygous+mutant variants of rs1695. When classified by tobacco consumption status, no association with risk of lung cancer was found in case of tobacco smokers and nonsmokers carrying null and present genotypes of GSTM1 and GSTT1. There is a three-fold (approximately) increase in the risk of lung cancer in case of both heterozygous (AG) and heterozygous+mutant homozygous (AG+GG) genotypes whereas there is an eightfold increase in risk of lung cancer in cases of GG with respect to AA genotype in smokers. Conclusions: Carrying the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotype is not a risk factor for lung cancer and GSTP1Ile105Val is associated with elevated risk of lung cancer.

Combined effects of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cigarette smoking increase the risk of cardiovascular complications

Premature atherosclerosis may result from conditions such as hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes, hypertension and cigarette smoking. Any of these four conditions alone or in combination, stimulates the atherosclerotic process through mechanisms associated with a state of increased vascular oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the combined effect of type 2 diabetes [DM] and smoking on lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant status, the primary risk factors of atherosclerosis. A total of 85 subjects were included in this study. Out of these, 65 were patients who attended the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders [BIRDEM] for regular medical check up and 20 were healthy non-smoker volunteers. To investigate the effect of smoking and DM on the risk factors of cardiovascular complications, we divided the study subjects into three groups. Group I consists of healthy non-smoker control subjects, group II was diabetic patients but non-smoker and group III was diabetic and smoker. In group III, the proatherogenic lipid profile [total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol] increased with a decrease in HDL cholesterol compared to control groups. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance [TBARS] and lipid hydroperoxide [LHP] increased in group III a sign indicative of increased lipid oxidation. Total antioxidant status [TAS] and antioxidant vitamin [vitamin-C] were significantly lower in group III [p<0.001] compared to other groups

Effects of Hilsha ilisha fish oil, soybean and palm oil on the serum and liver lipids of experimentally induced hypercholesterolemic rats

To see the effects of Hilsha ilisha fish oil, soybean and palm oils on the lipid profile of experimentally induced hypercholesterolemic rats. The hypercholesterolemic rats were supplemented with 10% Hilsha fish oil, 10% soybean oil, 10% palm oil and 7.5% Hilsha oil for 28 days. Serum and liver lipids and cholesterol excretion through feces were determined. The serum and liver cholesterol of 10% Hilsha fish oil-fed rats decreased significantly [P<0.05] when compared to 10% soybean and /or palm oil fed rats. There was no significant difference in serum cholesterol level between the rats fed with 10% soybean oil and 10% palm oil. The fall in serum total cholesterol in each case paralleled with the fall in serum LDL-cholesterol and an increase in HDL-cholesterol level. Serum total lipids and phospholipid significantly lowered in rats fed with 10% Hilsha oil, when compared with other groups. The Hilsha oil fed rats also excreted the highest amount of fecal cholesterol when compared with rats fed with soybean oil, palm oil, and /or Hilsha fish oil. The present study shows that Hilsha ilisha fish oil is more effective in reducing the serum and liver cholesterol than soybean and palm oil, though both soybean and palm oil are also effective in reducing serum and liver cholesterol

Protective role of vitamin C against neurolathyrism in Guinea pigs

Guinea-pigs maintained on a vitamin C deficient diet for 30 days lost body weight [13.3%] and had reduced level of vitamin C [48.9%] in the serum. These guinea-pigs demonstrated a consistent pattern of neurological signs of neurolathyrism when administered intraperitoneally with an extract of Lathyrus sativus seeds, equivalent to 31.5 mg of active toxin beta - N-oxaly- L alpha, beta diaminopropionic acid [ODAP]. On the other hand, animals in the control group which received the vitamin [15 mg/day/head] throughout the experimental period were resistant to these symptoms after the same level of the toxin administration. The results therefore demonstrate that vitamin C has a protective role against neurolathyrism in adult guinea-pigs