Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely produced for different industrial purposes. Recently, biogenic synthesis of AgNPs has emerged although the extent of effects from exposure, oral exposure in particular, to nanomaterials synthesized in such a manner remains elusive. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of oral administration of a dose of 50 mg/Kg body weight AgNPs biosynthesized in baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) over a period of eight weeks on the reproductive performance and the possibility of a protective effect through co-administration of morin. Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in four experimental groups (control, morin-treated group, AgNP-treated, and AgNP + morin co-treatment). AgNPs produced no significant alteration in daily food intake or body weight. Both the absolute and relative testicular weights were significantly reduced but not the epididymal weight. Also, serum levels of urea, creatinine, uric acid, and liver enzymes were significantly elevated. Furthermore, AgNPs significantly downregulated the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This corresponds to lower motility and viability percent, reduced sperm concentration, and a higher abnormality ratio as well as a prominent alteration in the blood-testis barrier (BTB) and testicular histology and induction of testicular apoptosis and oxidative stress. The supplementation of morin evidently restored most of the reproductive characters to its physiological range. We can conclude that exposure to the biologically synthesized AgNPs for an extended period of time has proven to be a health risk that can be ameliorated via oral administration of some bioactive agents including morin.

Morin ameliorates the testicular apoptosis, oxidative stress, and impact on blood–testis barrier induced by photo-extracellularly synthesized silver nanoparticles

https://s-space.snu.ac.kr/bitstream/10371/121397/1/000000021282.pdf

Modification of PCNA by ISG15 Plays a Crucial Role in Termination of Error-Prone Translesion DNA Synthesis

Fluoride induced mitochondrial impairment and PINK1-mediated mitophagy in Leydig cells of mice: In vivo and in vitro studies.

Mitochondrial respiratory chain complex abnormal expressions and fusion disorder are involved in fluoride-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in ovarian granulosa cells.

Spermatogenesis is an important biological process in male reproduction. The interaction between male germ cells and somatic cells during spermatogenesis, is necessary for male reproductive activities. This cellular heterogeneity has made it difficult to profile distinct cell types at different stages of development. Here, we present the first comprehensive, unbiased single-cell transcriptomic study of sheep spermatogenesis using 10× genomics single cell sequencing (scRNA-seq). We collected scRNA-seq data from 11 772 cells from the adult sheep testis and identified all known germ cells (including early primary spermatocytes, late primary spermatocytes, round spermatids, elongated spermatids, and sperm), and somatic cells (Sertoli cells and Leydig cells), as well as one somatic cell that unexpectedly contained leukocytes. The functional enrichment analysis indicated that several pathways of cell cycle, gamete generation, protein processing, and mRNA surveillance pathways were significantly enriched in testicular germ cell types, and ribosome pathway was significantly enriched in testicular somatic cell types. Further analysis identified several stage-specific marker genes of sheep germ cells, such as EZH2, SOX18, SCP2, PCNA, and PRKCD. Our research explored for the first time of the changes in the transcription level of various cell types during the process of sheep spermatogenesis, providing new insights for sheep spermatogenesis and spermatogenic cell development.

Characterization of sheep spermatogenesis through single-cell RNA sequencing

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of fluoride (F) on spermatogenesis in male rats. F− at 50 and 100 mg/L was administered for 70 days, after which the testicular and epididymis tissues were collected to observe the histopathological structure under a light microscope. The ultrastructure of the testis and sperm was also examined via transmission electron microscopy. The apoptosis of spermatogenic cells was measured through terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining. The expression of proliferation factors, namely, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67, in the testicular and epididymis tissues, were assayed through immunohistochemistry. F− at 50 and 100 mg/L significantly damaged the structure of the testis and epididymis, and the testis and sperm ultrastructure exhibited various changes, including mitochondrial swelling and vacuolization, and apsilated and raised sperm membrane. F treatment significantly increased spermatogenic cell apoptosis in the testis. PCNA (P < 0.01) and Ki-67 (P < 0.01) also presented positive expression in the testis. By comparison, no significant changes occurred in the epididymis. In summary, excessive F intake results in spermatogenesis dysfunction by damaging the testicular structure and inducing spermatogenic cell apoptosis in male rats. The positive expression level of PCNA and Ki-67 was a good response to spermatogenesis dysfunction.

Xiang-Long Luo

Papers

Positive PCNA and Ki-67 Expression in the Testis Correlates with Spermatogenesis Dysfunction in Fluoride-Treated Rats