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Lithium, a common component in various mood-stabilizing drugs, induces adverse effects on spermatozoa and human fertility. Oxidative stress, as a possible mechanism involved in lithium toxicity, can be reversed using antioxidants. Therefore, in this study, the effects of silymarin as a potent antioxidant were evaluated on human spermatozoa treated with lithium. Human spermatozoa were divided into five groups: (1) spermatozoa at 0 min, (2) spermatozoa at 180 min (control group), (3) spermatozoa treated with lithium chloride (500 μM) for 180 min, (4) spermatozoa were treated with silymarin (100 μM) + lithium chloride (500 μM) for 180 min, and (5) spermatozoa treated with silymarin (100 μM) for 180 min. Sperm motility and viability, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) were evaluated in these groups. The results showed that sperm motility and viability significantly (p < 0.001) decreased in the group treated with lithium. In addition, a significant increase (p < 0.001) was observed in MDA levels, while FRAP amount and the activity of antioxidant enzymes decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in this group. Interestingly, these results were significantly (p < 0.001) reversed in the group treated with silymarin + lithium. The finding of the present study showed that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in lithium toxicity in human spermatozoa, and the coapplication of silymarin as a potent antioxidant with lithium can protect human sperm against oxidative stress-induced damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollutants such as cadmium can negatively affect sperm parameters and decrease male fertility by inducing oxidative stress. Antioxidants are considered a useful strategy for oxidative stress conditions to neutralize free radicals and strengthen the antioxidant defence system. In this study, the effects of the common application of silymarin, as a natural antioxidant, with cadmium were assessed on human sperm. The washed human sperm samples were divided into five groups: (1) spermatozoa at 0‐ hour; (2) spermatozoa at 3 h; (3) spermatozoa treated with cadmium (20 μM) for 3 h; (4) spermatozoa treated with silymarin (2 μM) + cadmium (20 μM) for 3 h and (5) spermatozoa treated with silymarin (2 μM) for 3 h. Our results displayed that cadmium reduced sperm motility, viability, plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity by increasing malondialdehyde levels and decreasing the total antioxidant capacity and antioxidant enzymes activity. While silymarin attenuated oxidative stress biomarkers in human sperm treated with cadmium, and consequently improved the sperm quality. In summary, cadmium‐induced oxidative stress impaired human sperm structures and silymarin with its antioxidant properties compensated for the adverse effects of oxidative stress on human spermatozoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionotropic glutamate receptors are expressed in mouse and human spermatozoa. However, the possible role of these receptors has not been reported in the sperm acrosome reaction. This study was conducted to demonstrate the function of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors in the acrosome reaction of mouse spermatozoa. Epididymal spermatozoa from adult mice were release in a culture medium. The sperm suspension was then divided into six groups: (1) spermatozoa at 0 min, (2) spermatozoa at 60 min (control), (3) spermatozoa treated with NMDA glutamate receptor agonist (L‐glutamate, LG), (4) spermatozoa treated with α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐propionic acid (AMPA)/kainite glutamate receptor agonist (kainic acid), (5) spermatozoa treated with NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist (MK‐801)+LG and (6) spermatozoa treated with ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA, as a calcium chelator)+LG. The sperm samples were examined for the acrosome reaction and intracellular calcium concentration. After 60 min, LG but not kainic acid significantly increased both the acrosome reaction and intracellular calcium levels in the spermatozoa compared with the control group. Co‐administration of MK‐801 or EGTA+LG could significantly reverse the effect of LG in the acrosome reaction and the level of intracellular calcium as compared to the LG group. The possibility that LG induced the acrosome reaction and elevated inter‐cellular calcium concentration in mouse spermatozoa and that MK‐801 could reverse the effects of LG, may suggest the involvement of NMDA glutamate receptors, at least in the initiation of the acrosome reaction in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since TLR9 recognises unmethylated CpG motifs in viral DNA, its polymorphisms may contribute to the susceptibility to Herpes simplex virus I&II infection. In the present study, to evaluate the role of rs187084 SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) of TLR9 in Herpes simplex virus I&II infection and male infertility, 103 infertile and 27 fertile blood and semen samples were analysed. We assessed the micro and macro properties of semen specimens and the presence of HSV immunoglobulins. Tetra‐primer ARMS PCR was used to detect SNP and to investigate the genotype distribution of TLR9‐rs187084 SNPs, and the correlation between polymorphisms of TLR9 gene and male infertility. Moreover, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were used to estimate the strength of the association. Based on our finding, a significant correlation was observed between HSV infection, agglutination and polymorphism (TT) under dominant (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 0.94–1.75) and recessive (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.21–0.94) models for the data, which was complied with Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) (OR = 2.91, 95% CI = 1.02–8.30). The result showed a significant association between HSV IgM and agglutination in HSV infection (p <.001), and in addition, there were associations between alleles so that rs187084 SNP might be considered as a risk factor for the incidence of HSV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress‐induced apoptosis in spermatozoa may lead to male infertility. Environmental pollutants and heavy metals such as cadmium cause harmful effects on the reproductive system and sperm parameters through the induction of oxidative stress. Silymarin, as a potent antioxidant, is able to inhibit oxidative stress. This study was performed to investigate the protective effects of silymarin on cadmium‐induced toxicity in human spermatozoa. Sperm samples were divided into the following five groups: (a) spermatozoa at 0 min, (b) spermatozoa in the control group, (c) spermatozoa treated with cadmium chloride (20 μM), (d) spermatozoa treated with silymarin (2 μM)+ cadmium chloride (20 μM) and (e) spermatozoa treated with silymarin (2 μM). Sperm parameters related to apoptosis, such as DNA fragmentation, nucleus diameter, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and expression of caspase‐3, were evaluated in all groups. After 180 min, spermatozoa treated with cadmium chloride showed a significant decrease in nucleus diameter and MMP but a significant increase in DNA fragmentation; however, caspase‐3 expression remained unchanged. At this time point, silymarin in the silymarin + cadmium chloride group could significantly reverse the adverse effects of cadmium chloride on these parameters.Silymarn could partly compensate for the caspase‐independent apoptosis in the spermatozoa. Therefore, oxidative stress could be a consequence for cadmium toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium is an environmental pollutant which induces oxidative stress, while silymarin is a potent antioxidant. This study was conducted to investigate the possible protective effects of silymarin on adverse effects of aluminium chloride on vital sperm parameters as well as its effects on oxidative stress markers in human spermatozoa. Human spermatozoa were divided into 5 groups as follows: (a) spermatozoa at 0 hr; (b) spermatozoa at 180 min (control); (c) spermatozoa treated with aluminium chloride; (d) spermatozoa treated with silymarin + aluminium chloride; and (e) spermatozoa treated with silymarin. The sperm samples were used to assess sperm vital parameters such as acrosome and plasma membrane integrity, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and motility as well as sperm malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the total antioxidant capacity. The percentage of acrosome and plasma membrane integrity, viability, MMP, motility and the total antioxidant capacity of spermatozoa treated with aluminium chloride significantly decreased compared with control group, while the level of MDA significantly increased compared with the control group. In the silymarin + aluminium chloride group, silymarin could significantly compensate the adverse effects of aluminium chloride on these parameters. Administration of silymarin alone significantly increased the percentage of acrosome and plasma membrane integrity, viability, motility and total antioxidant capacity, while significantly reduced MDA levels compared with the control group. Aluminium chloride by inducing oxidative stress exerts disastrous effects on the vital parameters of human spermatozoa and silymarin, as a potent antioxidant, could reverse the effects of aluminium chloride on these parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaporins are water selective channels which play important roles in cell volume regulation during the transmission of spermatozoa to female tract. This study investigated the expression of aquaporin3 and determined the role of aquaporins in human sperm motility and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). RT‐PCR and flow cytometry analysis were done to investigate aquaporin3 expression levels, and immunolocalisation of aquaporin3 in the spermatozoa was detected using immunocytochemical analysis. The sperm suspension was divided into four groups of spermatozoa: (a) Spermatozoa at 0 hr, (b) spermatozoa in control group, (c) spermatozoa treated with HgCl2 (as an aquaporin inhibitor) and (d) spermatozoa treated with HgCl2+ and 2‐mercaptoethanol. The sperm samples were examined in terms of sperm motility and mitochondrial membrane potential. Results confirmed aquaporin3 expression in human spermatozoa and immunocytochemistry results showed an intense immunoreactivity in whole sperm tail. After 60 min, HgCl2 showed a significant decrease in motility and MMP compared to the control group. At this time point, 2‐mercaptoethanol in the HgCl2+ 2‐mercaptoethanol group reversed the effects of HgCl2 as compared to the HgCl2 group. Present study showed the expression and immunolocalisation of AQP3 in human spermatozoa and the potential role of AQPs in the sperm motility and MMP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A robust fractional-order dynamic output feedback sliding mode control ( DOF-SMC) technique is introduced in this paper for uncertain fractional-order nonlinear systems. The control law consists of two parts: a linear part and a nonlinear part. The former is generated by the fractional-order dynamics of the controller and the latter is related to the switching control component. The proposed DOF-SMC ensures the asymptotical stability of the fractional-order closed-loop system whilst it is guaranteed that the system states hit the switching manifold in finite time. Finally, numerical simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium is known as an oxidative stress‐inducing factor. Silymarin extracted from Silybum marianum is regarded as a potent antioxidant. The present study investigated the preventing effects of silymarin on cadmium chloride‐induced toxicity in terms of testis histopathology and serum testosterone level as well as oxidative stress indicators in mice. In addition, the activities of antioxidant defence enzymes was evaluated. Adult male mice were divided into four groups (n = 6 in each group): (a) control; (b) cadmium chloride; (c) silymarin + cadmium chloride and (d) Silymarin. In this study, cadmium chloride significantly decreased the diameter and wall thickness of the seminiferous tubule, diameter of the spermatogonia nucleus and serum testosterone levels compared to the control group. Furthermore, in mice treated with this pollutant, a significant increase in malondialdehyde was observed while ferric reducing antioxidant power level, and the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly reduced in the testis. In the silymarin + cadmium chloride group, silymarin could significantly reverse the toxic effects of cadmium chloride. The findings of this study showed that silymarin, as a potent antioxidant, can compensate the adverse effects of cadmium chloride on testis histopathology, testosterone level, oxidative stress indicators and antioxidant defence enzymes in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preliminary investigations concerning the pharmaceutical effects reveal significant activity for derivative (IVd). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]