RESULTS: There were 55.7% females, median age was 58.2 years and median duration of diabetes was 13 years. The majority (79.4%) of patients had poor diabetes control (HbA1c ≥ 7.0%) and 39.6% of patients had low medication adherence. Patients with good glycaemic control had a higher Timeline Acute/Chronic and Emotional Representations score, hence they held the correct belief that diabetes is chronic and experienced negative emotions. Highly adherent patients had a higher Illness Coherence (χ2 = 21.385, p
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified differentially expressed mitochondrial proteins in 50 infertile men with varicocele and in 10 fertile controls by secondary liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy data driven in silico analysis. Identified proteins were validated by Western blot and immunofluorescence. Seminal oxidation-reduction potential was measured.
RESULTS: We identified 22 differentially expressed proteins related to mitochondrial structure (LETM1, EFHC, MIC60, PGAM5, ISOC2 and import TOM22) and function (NDFSU1, UQCRC2 and COX5B, and the core enzymes of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism). Cluster analysis and 3-dimensional principal component analysis revealed a significant difference between the groups. All proteins studied were under expressed in infertile men with varicocele. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy data were corroborated by Western blot and immunofluorescence. Impaired mitochondrial function was associated with decreased expression of the proteins (ATPase1A4, HSPA2, SPA17 and APOA1) responsible for proper sperm function, concomitant with elevated seminal oxidation-reduction potential in the semen of infertile patients with varicocele.
CONCLUSIONS: Impaired mitochondrial structure and function in varicocele may lead to oxidative stress, reduced ATP synthesis and sperm dysfunction. Mitochondrial differentially expressed proteins should be explored for the development of biomarkers as a predictor of infertility in patients with varicocele. Antioxidant therapy targeting sperm mitochondria may help improve the fertility status of these patients.
METHODS: Primary cultures of young, pre-senescent, and senescent fibroblast cells were incubated with γ-tocotrienol for 24 h. The expression levels of ELN, COL1A1, MMP1, CCND1, RB1, and IL6 genes were determined using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell cycle profiles were determined using a FACSCalibur Flow Cytometer.
RESULTS: The cell cycle was arrested in the G(0)/G(1) phase, and the percentage of cells in S phase decreased with senescence. CCND1, RB1, MMP1, and IL6 were upregulated in senescent fibroblasts. A similar upregulation was not observed in young cells. Incubation with γ-tocotrienol decreased CCND1 and RB1 expression in senescent fibroblasts, decreased cell populations in the G(0)/G(1) phase and increased cell populations in the G(2)/M phase. γ-Tocotrienol treatment also upregulated ELN and COL1A1 and downregulated MMP1 and IL6 expression in young and senescent fibroblasts.
CONCLUSION: γ-Tocotrienol prevented cellular aging in human diploid fibroblasts, which was indicated by the modulation of the cell cycle profile and senescence-associated gene expression.