Anti-fertility effects of fractions from Carica papaya (Pawpaw) Linn. methanol root extract in male Wistar rats

The methanol root extracts of Carica papaya (Pawpaw) are used in eastern Nigeria for the treatment of malaria, hepatitis and jaundice. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the fractions isolated from C. papaya methanol root extract on fertility in male Wistar rats using sperm counts, percentage defective sperm cells (morphology), biochemical and hormonal assays as biomarkers. The roots of C. papaya were extracted using 80% methanol for 72 h. Oral acute toxicity study was done with the crude extract for 24 h. The extract was fractionated by column chromatography using petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. The petroleum ether fraction was further fractionated on preparative TLC using ethyl acetate–methanol solvent systems to isolate CPFE 1, CPFE 2 and CPFM 1. The 3 fractions (75 mg/kg) were used to treat male Wistar rats orally for 60 days. Animals were euthanized and testes collected, homogenized and used for sperm count and motility. Plasma and serum were used to assay biochemical parameters including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), total bilirubin (TB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), triglycerides, hormones (LH and FSH). Histopathological study of the testes, kidney, heart and liver were conducted. Acute toxicity result showed that C. papaya root extract produced no mortalities at the dose of 2000 mg/kg but induced CNS-related symptoms as well as diuresis. The fractions significantly (P < 0.01) produced decreases in sperm counts and increased the percentage of defective sperm cells. There were significant (P < 0.05) increases in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Histopathological studies showed mild kidney and cardiac hyperaemia, slight hepatic degeneration and severe necrosis of the germinal epithelium of the testes. This study calls for some level of caution in the use of these roots and its extracts/fractions in traditional medicine for treating diseases. On the other hand, it could be a good source of drug for birth control.     

水杨醛缩壳寡糖-Cu配合物与鲱鱼精DNA的相互作用

采用紫外吸收光谱、荧光光谱和循环伏安法,研究了水杨醛缩壳寡糖-Cu配合物与鲱鱼精DNA的相互作用.发现DNA使得水杨醛缩壳寡糖-Cu的紫外吸收光谱呈现增色效应;水杨醛缩壳寡糖-Cu离子在电极上的反应主要由扩散过程控制,加入DNA后氧化还原峰电流急剧降低.结果表明水杨醛缩壳寡糖-Cu与DNA分子之间以静电模式而发生了相互作用.     

高功率微波辐照对雄性大鼠生殖细胞的影响

 采用激光扫描共聚焦显微镜观察受不同参数高功率微波辐照后的大鼠精子细胞内Ca²⁺的变化,同时观察了辐照后大鼠的生殖细胞微核率、畸形率、精子数量、存活率和顶体酶反应的变化。实验表明：此条件下的高功率微波辐照对雄性大鼠的生殖细胞微核率和畸形率没有明显的损伤效应,但4×10⁵次脉冲的高功率微波辐照对大鼠的顶体酶反应有较明显的抑制作用,可能通过改变细胞内第二信使的Ca²⁺浓度来影响其生殖细胞功能。     

铜(Ⅱ)-天冬氨酸-咪唑类配合物的合成及其与DNA作用的光谱研究与比较

合成了两种新的铜(Ⅱ)-天冬氨酸-咪唑类混配配合物([Cu(HAsp)ImH2O]SO4·4H2O与[Cu(Asp)Im (OH)]·4H2O,HAsp代表天冬氨酸分子,Asp代表天冬氨酸离子,Im代表咪唑)。以元素分析、红外光谱及热重-差热分析对其进行表征;以电子吸收光谱法及荧光分析法研究了这两种配合物与DNA的作用。结果表明：两种铜(Ⅱ)-天冬氨酸-咪唑类混配配合物与DNA的作用方式明显不同：[Cu(HAsp)ImH2O]SO4·4H2O为伴随着静电作用的插入结合;而[Cu(Asp)Im (OH)]·4H2O主要与DNA的碱基N发生配位作用,造成了DNA双螺旋的破坏。分析了两种配合物因结构不同而导致的与DNA作用方式不同的原因。     

瘦肉型猪(PIC344)精液酸性磷酸酶功能基团的化学修饰

不同浓度化学修饰剂二巯基苏糖醇(DTT)、对氯汞苯甲酸(pCMB)、N-溴代琥珀酰亚胺(NBS)、苯甲基磺酰氟(PMSF)、溴代乙酸(BrAc)的修饰能抑制瘦肉型猪(PIC344)精液酸性磷酸酶(ACPase,E．C．3．1．3．2)的活力。同一浓度不同种类的修饰剂修饰酶活力降低程度不同。化学修饰剂修饰ACPase不同时间后,酶活力均有不同程度的降低,其中PMSF作用60min后酶活力仅存18％,而BrAe的修饰对ACPase的活力无明显影响。     

Comparative sperm ultrastructure of twelve leptodactylid frog species with insights into their phylogenetic relationships

The spermatozoa of representatives of three Neotropical frog subfamilies, Leiuperinae, Leptodactylinae and Paratelmatobiinae, were observed using Transmission Electron Microscopy, with the aim of identifying ultrastructural traits that provide insights into the phylogenetic relationships among these anurans, which are currently unclear. In the leiuperines, spermatozoa of Physalaemus albifrons, P. cicada, P. deimaticus and P. feioi were characterized by an acrosomal vesicle covering the subacrosomal cone that was not observed in the spermatozoa of Physalaemus centralis and P. cuvieri. The tail of the spermatozoa of P. albifrons, P. centralis, P. cicada, P. cuvieri, P. deimaticus, and P. feioi presented a long undulating membrane, whereas Engystomops petersi and E. freibergi, which form a sister clade to Physalaemus, had an axial fiber, which were absent in Physalaemus. Other leiuperine, E. puyango had an abaxonemal bulb-like swelling distally to the paraxonemal rod, which were also absent in Physalaemus. These differences support the revalidation of Engystomops as a true taxon, distinct from Physalaemus. The tail of the spermatozoa of E. petersi and E. freibergi was similar to that of Paratelmatobius poecilogaster (Paratelmatobiinae). The spermatozoa of Leptodactylus natalenis (Leptodactylinae) had undulating membrane and axial fiber, in contrast with Adenomera marmorata, which lacked these structures. Morphological differences between A. marmorata and L. natalensis sperm cells appeared to validate the allocation of A. marmorata into a genus distinct from Leptodactylus. Overall, dissimilarities in the spermatozoa of the leptodactylids provided an important phylogenetic signal for the understanding of their taxonomic relationships.     

Electrophoretic and zymographic characterization of proteins isolated by various extraction methods from ejaculated and capacitated boar sperms

The presented work focuses on electrophoretic and zymographic characterization of boar sperm proteins isolated by various extraction methods and on comparison of the protein profiles obtained from ejaculated and in vitro capacitated spermatozoa. Sperm proteins of ejaculated and in vitro capacitated boar sperms were isolated with the following agents: 1% v/v Triton X‐100, 1% v/v Triton X‐114, 2% v/v acetic acid, 1% m/v sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), 30 mM N‐octyl‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside (OBG), rehydration buffer (RHB) for isoelectric focusing and finally by the freezing–thawing approach. The extracts were characterized in terms of 1‐DE, 2‐DE protein profiles, 1‐DE glycoprotein staining and proteinase and hyaluronidase substrate zymographic profiles. The results have shown quantitative and qualitative differences in 1‐DE protein and glycoprotein profiles with respect to the employed isolation approach. These differences were seen even more clearly in 2‐DE protein profiles, where it was possible to distinguish the presence/absence, changes in relative abundance and pI/M_r shifts of various protein spots. Proteinase and hyaluronidase zymograms supported the prediction that various isolation protocols result in various profiles of enzymatically active molecules.     

Comparative sperm ultrastructure of three species in Siniperca (Teleostei: Perciformes: Sinipercidae)

Siniperca chuatsi, Siniperca kneri, and Siniperca scherzeri are three of the most economically important sinipercid species. The ultrastructure and morphology of the mature spermatozoa of them are examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sperm consists of an acrosome-less head, a short midpiece and a long flagellum. Ultrastructurally, it has a homogeneously electron-dense nucleus in a granular pattern with nuclear lucent and a nuclear fossa excluding the centriolar complex. One to four mitochondria with lamellar cristae encircle the basal body of the flagellum in the midpiece. The cytoplasm surrounding the centrioles and the cylindric cytoplasmic channel contains glycogen granules and vesicles. Comprising the conventional 9 + 2 axoneme, vesicles and lateral fins, the sperm flagellum is inserted laterally on the nucleus, therefore the spermatozoon is asymmetrical. All of the spermatozoa of the three species are of the primitive or ect-aquasperm form and conform to the teleostean type II spermatozoa instead of the previously supposed type I. Variations in the shape of the heads, angles between the two centrioles, location of the cytoplasmic vesicles, mitochondrial number and structural characteristics of the lateral fins are notable among the three species. S. chuatsi is a sister-group of the other two species and is the most differentiated. The present study provides fresh insights to the comparative spermatology of Siniperca fishes and will be useful to the existing knowledge of the sinipercid fishes in systematic characters, biodiversity conservation and reproduction.     

铜(Ⅱ)-苏氨酸-邻菲咯啉配合物的合成及其与DNA作用的光谱研究

合成了一种未见报道的铜(Ⅱ)-苏氨酸-邻菲咯啉配合物。根据元素分析、红外光谱、差热-热重分析对其进行表征;并以电子吸收光谱法及溴化乙锭(EB)荧光分析法研究了此种配合物与DNA的作用。结果表明：此种配合物与DNA作用时,其电子吸收光谱的最大吸收峰明显红移,并产生明显的减色效应,同时,配合物也能较大程度地猝灭EB-DNA体系的荧光,表明此种配合物与DNA存在很明显的插入结合作用。