Cancer treatment with cyclophosphamide (CP) may result in reproductive toxicity as one of its side effects. The pumpkin seed is a rich natural source of antioxidant. We have assessed the possible protective efficacy of pumpkin seed extract on sperm characteristics, biochemical parameters and epididymal histology of CP-treated rats. Male adult Wistar rats were categorised into four groups. Group 1 served as control and received intraperitoneal (IP) injection of isotonic saline solution. Group 2 rats were treated with CP by IP injection in a single dose of 100 mg/kg body weight, only once. Group 3 and 4 received CP plus 300 and 600 mg/kg pumpkin seed extract respectively. Six weeks after treatment, sperm characteristics, biochemical parameters and histopathological changes were examined. Results showed that, sperm characteristics in CP-treated rats were significantly decreased. Biochemical analysis results showed that the co-administration of 300 mg pumpkin seed extract could increase the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level significantly. In CP-treated rats, histopathological changes such as vacuolisation, disorganisation and separation of epididymal epithelium were observed as well. Interestingly, pumpkin seed extract could improve the above-mentioned parameters remarkably in CP-treated rats. Our findings indicated that pumpkin seed extract might be used as protective agent against CP-induced reproductive toxicity.

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Introduction: DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 8 (DGCR8) contributes to miRNA biogenesis, and defects in its expression could lead to defects in spermatogenesis. Methods: Here, we assess gene and protein expression levels of DGCR8 in the testicular biopsy specimens obtained from men with obstructive azoospermia (OA, n = 19) and various types of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) including maturation arrest (MA, n = 17), Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS, n = 20) and hypospermatogenesis (HYPO, 18). Also, samples of men with NOA were divided into two groups based on successful and unsuccessful sperm recovery, NOA+ in 21 patients and NOA− in 34 patients. Results: Examinations disclosed a severe decrease in DGCR8 in samples with MA and SCOS in comparison to OA samples (P < 0.001). Also, the results showed DGCR8 has significantly lower expression in testis tissues of NOA− group in comparison to NOA+ group (p<0.05). Western blot analysis confirmed that the DGCR8 protein was not expressed in SCOS samples and had a very low expression in MA and HYPO samples. Discussion: The results of this survey showed that DGCR8 is an important gene for the entire spermatogenesis pathway. Moreover, DGCR8 gene plays an important role in the diagnosis of NOA subgroups, and also the expression changes in it might contribute to SCOS or MA phenotypes. This gene with considering other related genes can also be a predictor of sperm retrieval.

Introduction: Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is a key regulating enzyme in the lipid metabolism pathway, and its gene polymorphism may be a candidate for modulating the metabolic responses to dietary intervention. We thus examined whether the effects of the CETP TaqIB polymorphism on metabolic profiles were modified by dietary plant oils. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of data collected during a randomized triple-blind cross over trial. A total of 95 patients with type 2 diabetes and 73 non-diabetes individuals completed a 9-weekof the intake of sesame, canola and sesame-canola oils. Blood samples were collected at the beginning and at the end of each intervention period for biochemical analysis. Genotyping was done using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Results: In diabetes patients, B1B1 homozygotes of the CETP TaqIB polymorphism compared with B2 carriers (B1B2 + B2B2) had significantly lower diastolic blood pressure, apoB and apoB: apoA-1,and higher Lp(a) after the intake of sesame-canola oil, as well as lower insulin and HOMA-IR after the intake of sesame oil. There was also a significant effect of genotype on adjusted changes of apoB, apoB: apoA-1, insulin, HOMA-IR and QUICKI. A significant genotype-dietary oils combined effects were observed for diastolic blood pressure, and LDL: HDL, TC: HDL and TG: HDL ratios in diabetes patients. No independent or combined effects of dietary oils and genotypes on outcomes were found in healthy people. Conclusion: There was a modulatory effect of the CETP TaqIB polymorphism on some metabolic traits in response to plant oils in patients with diabetes. Taken together, the intake of sesame-canola and canola oils showed more favorable effects in diabetes patients with B1B1 genotype. Future investigations are needed to confirm these results.

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