Lead is one of the industrially important heavy metals that causes male reproductive impairment among battery and paint factory workers, but information on the structure-function integrity of human spermatozoa is still limited. Therefore, it was necessary to investigate the effect of lead on sperm structure and functional activity in these workers. Oligozoospermia with concomitant lowering of sperm protein and nucleic acid content and the percentage of sperm DNA hyploidy (P <0.001) suggested the diminution of sperm cell production after occupational lead exposure. Low sperm vitality and hypoosmotic swelling percentage along with high malondialdehyde content and altered seminal plasma ascorbate level (P<0.001) indicating damage of sperm cell surface, might be due to high membrane lipid peroxidation and failure of non-enzymatic antioxidant protection after lead exposure. Alteration of sperm membrane surface was also evidenced from scanning electron microscopy and further authenticated by atomic and lateral force microscopy. Lowering of sperm velocity, gross and forward progressive motility with high stationary motile spermatozoa (P<0.001) suggested retarded sperm activity among the exposed workers, which was supported by high seminal plasma fructose level and reduced activity of sperm ATPase (P < 0.001). Increased incidence of teratozoospermia was also associated with high blood and semen lead level (PbB, PbS) (P<0.001). Therefore, the results suggested that lead not only affects the sperm count, but also damages the sperm structure and membrane integrity, motility and functional activity among the battery and paint factory workers.

Background & objectives: Clinically silicosis is diagnosed by chest X-ray showing specific opacities along with history of silica dust exposure. Diagnosis is invariably made at an advanced or end stage when it is irreversible. Moreover, silicosis patients are susceptible to develop tuberculosis. Therefore, a suitable biomarker for early detection of silicosis is needed. This study evaluated the suitability of club cell protein (CC16) as a biomarker for early detection of silicosis. Methods: This pilot study included 121 individuals from X-ray-confirmed/advanced silicosis, moderate silica dust-exposed workers and healthy controls from western India. CC16 levels were quantified in serum samples through ELISA. Sensitivity and specificity of CC16 values at different cut-off points were calculated in both non-smokers and smokers. Results: Serum CC16 level was significantly ( P <0.01) decreased in X-ray confirmed advanced silicosis patients (4.7±3.07 ng/ml) followed by moderately exposed workers (10.2±1.77 ng/ml) as compared to healthy non-exposed individuals (16.7±3.81 ng/ml). Tobacco smoking also caused a significant decrease of serum CC16 concentration in both healthy (10.2±1.12 ng/ml) and advanced silicosis workers (2.6±2.28 ng/ml) compared to non-smokers. Sensitivity and specificity of CC16 values were also found to be ≥83 per cent for screening all categories of individuals. Interpretation & conclusions: Because of high sensitivity and specificity, serum CC16 could be used as predictive biomarker for suspicion and early detection of silicosis, which would help in reducing/delaying premature deaths caused by silicosis. It would also control silicotuberculosis additionally.

Development of effective agents for treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) has become a national medical priority. D-Allose is a monosaccharide (C-3 epimer of glucose) distributed rarely in nature; because of its scarcity and cost, the biological effect has hardly been studied. In the present study, we demonstrated the inhibitory action of D-allose on proliferation of human HRPC cell lines, DU145 and PC-3 in a dose- and time-dependent manner, while human normal prostate epithelial (NPE) cell line, PrEC showed no remarkable effect. In vitro treatment of D-allose resulted in the alteration of Bcl-2/Bax ratio in favor of apoptosis (programmed cell death, PCD) in both the HRPC cell lines, which was associated with the lowering of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Deltapsi(m)) and the release of cytochrome C (cyt C), the cleavage of caspase 3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and the elevation of calcium concentration in cytosol ([Ca(2+)](c)). D-Allose also induced G1 phase arrest of the cell cycle in DU145 cell line. This study for the first time suggested the antiproliferative effect of D-allose through induction of PCD in HRPC cell lines, which could be due to the modulation of mitochondria mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

The correlation of the subcellular localization of dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptors (DA D(1) R, DA D(2) R) with nicotine addiction has not been studied. We demonstrated the ultrasubcellular organelle localization of DA D(1) and D(2) Rs in the caudate-putamen (CPu) area of rat brain in vivo exposed to nicotine (3 mg/day; oral) and passive cigarette smoking (500 ml each; 3 times/day) for 1, 4, and 12 weeks, respectively. Our results revealed DA D(1) R localization in the presynaptic and postsynaptic dendrites, endocytic vesicles, and secretory granules, and DA D(2) R localization in the presynaptic dendrites and vesicles. DA D(1) R immunogold particles were highly decreased in the secretory granules of CPu, and increased in the postsynaptic area and vesicles after prolonged nicotine and smoking exposures, suggesting the strong influence of long time smoking and nicotine exposures on DA D(1) R subcellular organelle localization. DA D(2) R immunoreactivity was comparatively less changed than that of the DA D(1) R. Western blot analysis also showed the differential expression of DA D(1) and D(2) R proteins upon nicotine and smoking exposures as compared to the untreated controls. Taken together, the results for the first time suggests the execution of addictive behavior of nicotine through modulation of mesolimbic dopaminergic system targeting subcellular organelle of DA D(1) and D(2) Rs in the CPu of adult rat brain that may lead to novel therapeutic approaches related to nicotine's neuropsychological disorders including drug addiction.