The protective effects of α-ketoacids against oxidative stress on rat spermatozoa in vitro

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of antioxidants,including α-ketoacids （α-ketoglutarate and pyruvate）,lactate and glutamate/malate combination,against oxidative stress on rat spermatozoa. Our results showed that H2O2 （250 μmol L^-1）-induced damages,such as impaired motility,adenosine triphosphate （ATP） depletion,inhibition of sperm protein phosphorylation,reduced acrosome reaction and decreased viability,could be significantly prevented by incubation of the spermatozoa with α-ketoglutarate （4 mmol L^-1） or pyruvate （4 mmol L^-1）. Without exogenous H2O2 in the medium,the addition of pyruvate （4 mmol L^-1） significantly increased the superoxide anion （O2^-·） level in sperm suspension （P≤0.01）,whereas the addition of α-ketoglutarate （4 mmol L^-1） and lactate （4 mmol L^-1） significantly enhanced tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins with the size of 95 kDa （P≤0.04）. At the same time,α-ketoglutarate,pyruvate,lactate,glutamate and malate supplemented in media can be used as important energy sources and supply ATP for sperm motility. In conclusion,the present results show that α-ketoacids could be effective antioxidants for protecting rat spermatozoa from H2O2 attack and could be effective components to improve the antioxidant capacity ofBiggers,Whitten and Whittingham media.

Additive effect of α-ketoacids in chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

α-Ketoacids （KAs） are widely used in chronic kidney disease （CKD）, but their efficacy is not clear. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the benefits of KAs. Two reviewers independently searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane library （http：//www.cochrane.org）, CNKI, and Wan Fang databases from inception to May 31, 2016 for randomized controlled trials （RCTs） comparing K.As plus low protein diet （LPD） with LPD only on CKD patients. Statistical analyses were performed using both a random effects model and a fixed effects model with Rev Man 5.3, followed by sensitivity analysis. We identified 21 randomized controlled trials that enrolled a total of 1448 patients. 726 had received LPD plus KAs and 722 had received only LPD. Compared with simply using of LPD, combining with KAs could decrease serum creatinine （95% CI, 0.46-0.96; P〈0.00001）, serum cholesterol （95% CI, 0.24±3.77; P = 0.02）, serum LDL cholesterol （95% CI, 0.12-0.54; P = 0.31）, and serum triglyceride （95% CI, 0.28--0.83; P = 0.02） while increasing serum HDL cholesterol （95% CI, -1.73-0.07; P〈0.00001）. Likewise, a decrease in p3 （95% CI, 0.90-1.26; P〈0.00001） and PTH （95% CI, 0.70-1.21; P = 0.007） were observed. No hypercalcemia and other ARD or toxicity was reported, which indicated the safety of KAs. Nevertheless, the studies were pooled with considerable heterogeneity. In patients with CKD, there was low-quality evidence suggesting that KAs may perform an additive effect on the improvement of renal function, lipid profile, as well as the correction of calcium-phosphate metabolism disorders. On account of the considerable heterogeneity of the meta-analysis and the costly price and adherence of KAs administration, K.As＇ roles in the management of mild or moderate CKD patients may need more RCTs of large scale and high quality to confirm.

Effects of Compound α-Ketoacid Tablets on renal function, renal fibrosis indexes and oxidative stress in patients with diabetic nephropathy

Objective: To investigate the effects of Compound α-Ketoacid Tablets on renal function, renal fibrosis indexes and oxidative stress in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Methods: A total of 180 patients with diabetic nephropathy admitted to Nephrology Department of our hospital were randomly divided into control group and observation group, 90 cases in each group. The patients in the control group were given conventional treatment, such as antihypertensive drugs, diet and blood glucose control, and the patients in the observation group were given Compound α-Ketoacid Tablets on the basis of the control group. Renal function, renal fibrosis index and oxidative stress levels were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: After treatment, the levels of serum ALB, BUN, Cr, Hcy, VEGF and MDA in two groups were significantly decreased than those before the treatment, and the levels of ALB, Hcy, VEGF and MDA in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, the difference was statistically significant. After treatment, the levels of serum GFR, HGF, T-AOC and SOD in two groups were significantly increased than that before the treatment, and the levels of HGF, T-AOC and SOD in the serum of the observation group were significantly higher than that in the control group, the difference was significant. Conclusion:The Compound α-Ketoacid Tablets has good effect in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. It can effectively improve the state of renal fibrosis and reduce the oxidative stress reaction of the patients, so as to achieve the protection of the kidney.

Effect of compound α-ketoacid combined with routine nutritional intervention on inflammatory response and oxidative stress response in patients with maintenance hemodialysis

Objective: To study the effect of compound α-ketoacid combined with routine nutritional intervention on the inflammatory response and oxidative stress response in patients with maintenance hemodialysis. Methods: A total of 78 patients with uremia who received maintenance hemodialysis in Dangyang Changbanpo Hospital between February 2014 and November 2016 were collected and divided into control group and observation group according to the random number table method, 39 cases in each group. The control group received routine nutritional intervention, and the observation group underwent compound α-ketoacid combined with routine nutritional intervention. The serum levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress indicators in two groups of patients were detected before dialysis and 6 months after dialysis. Results: Before dialysis, differences in serum levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress indexes were not statistically significant between two groups of patients. After dialysis, serum CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, MDA and AOPP levels of both groups of patients were significantly higher than those before dialysis while SOD and GSHPx levels were significantly lower than those before dialysis and serum CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, MDA and AOPP levels of observation group after dialysis were significantly lower than those of control group while SOD and GSHPx levels were significantly higher than those of control group. Conclusions:Compound α-ketoacid combined with routine nutritional intervention can effectively reduce the systemic microinflammatory state and inhibit the oxidative stress response in patients with maintenance hemodialysis.

Copper-Catalysed Decarboxylative Trifluoromethylation of β-Ketoacids

An efficient method for Cu-catalyzed decarboxylative trifluoromethylation offl-ketoacids to achieve a-trifluoro- methyl ketones was developed. A wide variety of synthetically useful α-trifluoromethyl ketones were obtained in modest to good yields under mild reaction conditions. The present method also exhibits good functional-group compatibility.