Asthenozoospermia （AS） is a common cause of human male infertility. In one study, more than 80% of the samples from infertile men had reduced sperm motility. Seminal plasma is a mixture of secretions from the testis...Asthenozoospermia （AS） is a common cause of human male infertility. In one study, more than 80% of the samples from infertile men had reduced sperm motility. Seminal plasma is a mixture of secretions from the testis, epididymis and several male accessory glands, including the prostate, seminal vesicles and Cowper＇s gland. Studies have shown that seminal plasma contains proteins that are important for sperm motility. To further explore the pathophysiological character of AS, we separated the seminal plasma proteins from AS patients and healthy donors using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and in-gel digestion, and then subjected the proteins to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry （LC-MS/MS） analysis. A total of 741 proteins were identified in the seminal plasma, with a false discovery rate of 3.3%. Using spectral counting, we found that 45 proteins were threefold upregulated and 56 proteins were threefold downregulated in the AS group when compared with the control. Most of these proteins originated from the epididymis and prostate. This study identified a rich source of biomarker candidates for male infertility and indicates that functional abnormalities of the epididymis and prostate can contribute to AS. We identified D J-1--a protein that has been shown elsewhere to be involved in the control of oxidative stress （OS）-as a downregulated protein in AS seminal plasma. The levels of D J-1 in AS seminal plasma were about half of those in the control samples. In addition, the levels of reactive oxygen species were 3.3-fold higher in the AS samples than in the controls. Taken together, these data suggest that downregulation of DJ-1 is involved in OS in semen, and therefore affects the quality of the semen.展开更多
Plasma cells, which secrete auto-antibodies, are considered to be the arch-criminal of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, but there are many cytokines involved in inducing the differentiation of...Plasma cells, which secrete auto-antibodies, are considered to be the arch-criminal of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, but there are many cytokines involved in inducing the differentiation of B-cell subsets into plasma cells. Here, we emphasize IL-21, which has emerged as the most potent inducer of plasma cell differentiation. In this review, we focused on the promoting effects of IL-21 on plasma cell differentiation and discuss how these effects contribute to B cell-mediated autoimmune disease.展开更多
Background and Aims:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a silent disease;its spectrum includes simple steatosis,nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis.Pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines play roles in the p...Background and Aims:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a silent disease;its spectrum includes simple steatosis,nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis.Pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines play roles in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and insulin resistance (IR).Moreover,plasma cell antigen-1 (PC-1) is related to IR and associated with NAFLD progression.Therefore,we aimed to detect biomarkers,ultrasonographic and anthropometric findings capable of differentiating NAFLD grades,since most previous investigators were concerned more with NAFLD patients without classifying them into grades.Methods:A total of 87 NAFLD patients (31 with grade 1 (mild NAFLD),26 with grade 2 (moderate NAFLD) and 30 with grade 3 (severe NAFLD) were included in the study,in addition to 47 controls (grade 0).All subjects underwent ultrasonographic examination for NAFLD diagnosis.Serum interleukin-10 (IL-10),plasma interleukin-18 (IL-18) and plasma PC-1 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results:Homoeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR was higher in different NAFLD grades than in controls.Ultrasonographic and anthropometric findings and lipid profile indices (except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,which was decreased) were increased with NAFLD progression.Grade 3 patients showed significant increase in levels of IL-18 and significant decrease in IL-10 and PC-1 levels when compared to grade 1 patients.Conclusion:Anthropometric and ultrasonographic findings were valuable in differentiating NAFLD grades.IR is very important in NAFLD pathogenesis.IL-18,HOMA-index and PC-1 levels could be used to differentiate between NAFLD grades,together with other measurements.展开更多
文摘Asthenozoospermia （AS） is a common cause of human male infertility. In one study, more than 80% of the samples from infertile men had reduced sperm motility. Seminal plasma is a mixture of secretions from the testis, epididymis and several male accessory glands, including the prostate, seminal vesicles and Cowper＇s gland. Studies have shown that seminal plasma contains proteins that are important for sperm motility. To further explore the pathophysiological character of AS, we separated the seminal plasma proteins from AS patients and healthy donors using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and in-gel digestion, and then subjected the proteins to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry （LC-MS/MS） analysis. A total of 741 proteins were identified in the seminal plasma, with a false discovery rate of 3.3%. Using spectral counting, we found that 45 proteins were threefold upregulated and 56 proteins were threefold downregulated in the AS group when compared with the control. Most of these proteins originated from the epididymis and prostate. This study identified a rich source of biomarker candidates for male infertility and indicates that functional abnormalities of the epididymis and prostate can contribute to AS. We identified D J-1--a protein that has been shown elsewhere to be involved in the control of oxidative stress （OS）-as a downregulated protein in AS seminal plasma. The levels of D J-1 in AS seminal plasma were about half of those in the control samples. In addition, the levels of reactive oxygen species were 3.3-fold higher in the AS samples than in the controls. Taken together, these data suggest that downregulation of DJ-1 is involved in OS in semen, and therefore affects the quality of the semen.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China （No. 81173075, 81330081）, the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education, China （ No. 20123420110003） and the Anhui Province Nature Science Foundation for the University （No. KJ2011A177）.
文摘Plasma cells, which secrete auto-antibodies, are considered to be the arch-criminal of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, but there are many cytokines involved in inducing the differentiation of B-cell subsets into plasma cells. Here, we emphasize IL-21, which has emerged as the most potent inducer of plasma cell differentiation. In this review, we focused on the promoting effects of IL-21 on plasma cell differentiation and discuss how these effects contribute to B cell-mediated autoimmune disease.
基金Funding for this research was provided by the Egyptian National Research Center (Project Number 10010205)
文摘Background and Aims:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a silent disease;its spectrum includes simple steatosis,nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis.Pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines play roles in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and insulin resistance (IR).Moreover,plasma cell antigen-1 (PC-1) is related to IR and associated with NAFLD progression.Therefore,we aimed to detect biomarkers,ultrasonographic and anthropometric findings capable of differentiating NAFLD grades,since most previous investigators were concerned more with NAFLD patients without classifying them into grades.Methods:A total of 87 NAFLD patients (31 with grade 1 (mild NAFLD),26 with grade 2 (moderate NAFLD) and 30 with grade 3 (severe NAFLD) were included in the study,in addition to 47 controls (grade 0).All subjects underwent ultrasonographic examination for NAFLD diagnosis.Serum interleukin-10 (IL-10),plasma interleukin-18 (IL-18) and plasma PC-1 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results:Homoeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR was higher in different NAFLD grades than in controls.Ultrasonographic and anthropometric findings and lipid profile indices (except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,which was decreased) were increased with NAFLD progression.Grade 3 patients showed significant increase in levels of IL-18 and significant decrease in IL-10 and PC-1 levels when compared to grade 1 patients.Conclusion:Anthropometric and ultrasonographic findings were valuable in differentiating NAFLD grades.IR is very important in NAFLD pathogenesis.IL-18,HOMA-index and PC-1 levels could be used to differentiate between NAFLD grades,together with other measurements.
