Onion (Allium cepa L.) and quercetin protect against oxidative damage and have positive effects on multiple functional parameters of spermatozoa, including viability and motility. However, the associated underlying mechanisms of action have not yet been identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of onion peel extract (OPE) on voltage-gated proton (Hv1) channels, which play a critical role in rapid proton extrusion. This process underlies a wide range of physiological processes, particularly male fertility. The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to record the changes in Hv1 currents in HEK293 cells transiently transfected with human Hv1 (HVCN1). The effects of OPE on human sperm motility were also analyzed. OPE significantly activated the outward-rectifying proton currents in a concentration-dependent manner, with an EC value of 30 μg/mL. This effect was largely reversible upon washout. Moreover, OPE induced an increase in the proton current amplitude and decreased the time constant of activation at 0 mV from 4.9 ± 1.7 to 0.6 ± 0.1 sec (n = 6). In the presence of OPE, the half-activation voltage (V ) shifted in the negative direction, from 20.1 ± 5.8 to 5.2 ± 8.7 mV (n = 6), but the slope was not significantly altered. The OPE-induced current was profoundly inhibited by 10 μm Zn , the most potent Hv1 channel inhibitor, and was also inhibited by treatment with GF109203X, a specific protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. Furthermore, sperm motility was significantly increased in the OPE-treated groups. OPE exhibits protective effects on sperm motility, at least partially via regulation of the proton channel. Moreover, similar effects were exerted by quercetin, the major flavonoid in OPE. These results suggest OPE, which is rich in the potent Hv1 channel activator quercetin, as a possible new candidate treatment for human infertility.

To evaluate the role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in intracranial solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma (SFT/HPC). Methods and Materials A total of 133 patients with histologically confirmed HPC were included from 8 institutions. Gross total resection (GTR) and subtotal resection (STR) were performed in 86 and 47 patients, respectively. PORT was performed in 85 (64%) patients. The prognostic effects of sex, age, performance, WHO grade, location, size, Ki-67, surgical extent, and PORT on local control (LC), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were estimated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results The 10-year PFS, and OS rates were 45%, and 71%, respectively. The multivariate analysis suggested that PORT significantly improved LC (p<0.001) and PFS (p<0.001). The PFS benefit of PORT was maintained in the subgroup of GTR (p=0.001), WHO grade II (p=0.001) , or STR (p<0.001). In the favorable subgroup of GTR and WHO grade II, PORT was also significantly related to better PFS (p=0.028). WHO grade III was significantly associated with poor DMFS (p=0.029). In the PORT subgroup, the 0-0.5 cm margin of the target volume showed an inferior LC to a large margin with 1.0-2.0 cm (p=0.021). Time-dependent Cox proportion analysis showed that distant failures were significantly associated with poor OS (p=0.003). Conclusion This multicenter study supports the role of PORT in disease control of intracranial SFT/HPC, irrespective of the surgical extent and grade. For LC, PORT should enclose the tumor bed with sufficient margin.

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