Castillopilgaard8529

Telomeres, noncoding and repetitive DNA sequences play a significant function in chromatin integrity. Telomere length is age-dependent in somatic cells, while it increases in sperm cell with age. Therefore, we aimed to assess sperm chromatin, leucocyte and sperm telomere length (LTL, STL) in spermatozoon of 38 infertile and 19 fertile men aged between 20 and 50 years. Protamine deficiency (chromomycin A3 test), DNA fragmentation (TUNEL assay), lipid peroxidation (Bodipy probe) and telomere length (quantitative real-time PCR) were assessed. A significant decrease in mean of sperm concentration and motility and a significant increase in means of sperm abnormal morphology, DNA fragmentation, lipid peroxidation and protamine deficiency were observed in infertile compared with fertile men. In addition, the mean of LTL and STL were significantly shorter in infertile men compared with fertile individuals. We observed significant associations between telomere length with sperm concentration, DNA fragmentation and lipid peroxidation. We hypothesised that increased oxidative stress in spermatozoa of infertile men can result in abnormal packaging of chromatin, damage of DNA and shorter sperm telomere length. Together, these anomalies may account for fertility failure in these individuals. © 2020 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.The purpose of this review is to examine epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) regarding its stability in different conditions (pH-value, concentration, temperature), its interactions with common cosmetic ingredients, and its application in the dermatological field. The literature research considered published journal articles (clinical trials and scientific reviews). Studies were identified by searching electronic databases (MEDLINE and PubMed) and reference lists of respective articles. Higher concentrations of EGCG were reported to correlate with better stability and the same can be said for low temperatures and pH values. The interaction between EGCG and hyaluronic acid strengthens its antioxidant activities. Titanium dioxide coated with EGCG proved a suitable ingredient in sunscreens. The polyphenol possesses antioxidant properties, which proved effective in the prevention of UV-induced skin damage and to alleviate the symptoms of Imiquimod-induced psoriasis. The three endpoints of this review not only showed interesting results but also highlighted some limitations of EGCG. Studies show that the molecule is unstable, which may hinder its dermatological and cosmetic applications. The reported interactions with cosmetic ingredients were limited. As the health aspects of EGCG are well-reported, ECGC has become a focus of interest for health professionals trying to treat common dermatological diseases. © 2020 The Authors. Phytotherapy Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common sexual disorders in men. Excessive activity of the sympathetic nervous system is considered as one of the pathological mechanisms of PE. Heart rate recovery (HRR) is a noninvasive and easily applicable method for evaluating autonomic functions. We aimed to investigate the relationship between PE and HRR. This cross-sectional study included 42 consecutive patients with lifelong PE and 98 healthy volunteers. All participants underwent stress tests according to age-dependent target heart rates outlined in the Bruce protocol. When the maximal heart rate was reached in the stress test, intensive exercise was terminated and electrocardiographic records were obtained for 3 min in the cool-down period. The HRR indices were calculated by subtracting the heart rate at first, second and third minutes from the maximal HR. The two groups were similar in terms of age, body mass index, serum glucose and lipid parameters. HRR indices were significantly lower in the PE group compared with the control group (p  less then  .05 for all). Common factors that affect equilibrium of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems may be involved in the PE and abnormal HRR etiopathogenesis. The cause-and-effect relationship can be more clearly demonstrated with large-scale, prospective studies. © 2020 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signalling is central to multiple cellular responses and processes. MAP kinase p38α is the best characterized member of the p38 MAP kinase family. SGI-110 molecular weight Upstream factors and downstream targets of p38α have been identified in the past by conventional methods such as co-immunoprecipitation. However, a complete picture of its interaction partners and substrates in cells is lacking. Here, we employ a proximity-dependent labelling approach using biotinylation tagging to map the interactome of p38α in cultured 293 T cells. Fusing the advanced biotin ligase BioID2 to the N-terminus of p38α, we used mass spectrometry to identify 37 biotin-labelled proteins that putatively interact with p38α. Gene ontology analysis confirms known up- and downstream factors in the p38 MAP kinase cascade (e.g., MKK3, MAPKAPK2, TAB2, and c-jun). We furthermore identify a cluster of zinc finger domain-containing proteins that is significantly enriched among proximity-labelled interactors and is involved in gene transcription and DNA damage response. Fluorescence imaging and co-immunoprecipitation with overexpressed p38α in cells supports an interaction of p38α with zinc finger protein XPA, a key factor in the DNA damage response, that is promoted by UV irradiation. These results define an extensive network of interactions of p38α in cells and new direct molecular targets of MAP kinase p38α in gene regulation and the DNA damage response. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2020 The Protein Society.X-chromosome inactivation ensures dosage compensation between the sexes in mammals by randomly choosing one out of the two X chromosomes in females for inactivation. This process imposes a plethora of questions How do cells count their X chromosome number and ensure that exactly one stays active? How do they randomly choose one of two identical X chromosomes for inactivation? And how do they stably maintain this state of monoallelic expression? Here, different regulatory concepts and their plausibility are evaluated in the context of theoretical studies that have investigated threshold behavior, ultrasensitivity, and bistability through mathematical modeling. It is discussed how a twofold difference between a single and a double dose of X-linked genes might be converted to an all-or-nothing response and how mutually exclusive expression can be initiated and maintained. Finally, candidate factors that might mediate the proposed regulatory principles are reviewed. © 2020 The Authors. BioEssays published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.