Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reproduction Health

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Outcomes of Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 11195

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Science, Complesso Monte S. Angelo, Via Cinthia 4, 80126 Naples, Italy
Interests: oxidative stress monitoring; reactive oxygen species; analytical and physico-chemical methods; electron paramagnetic resonance; non-invasive environmental monitoring; spectroscopic methods
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Interdepartmental Research Center for Environment, IECEnv (CIRAm), University of Naples Federico II, 80134 Naples, Italy
Interests: climate change and reprotoxicity; antioxidative physiological defense; steroids and steroid receptors; antioxidants under steroid control; reproductive health assessment; endangered species and validation of non-destructive examination methods; biodiversity conservation microassay
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is a growing amount of literature on the effects of reactive oxygen species on reproduction. Stressors, by inducing physiological and reproductive disorders, determine failures in various cellular processes, such as development, differentiation, growth, regeneration, and regression, threatening the survival of living species. Recent technological and methodological advancements allow an increasingly accurate and detailed investigation of the microstructure and dynamics of the systems and processes involved at the molecular level. Many researchers are actively working in this lively research field, in which biology, pharmacology, chemistry, and physics meet. This Special Issue welcomes research focused on how global warming, plastics, biofoulants, metals, disinfectants, sanitizers, etc., during the COVID-19 pandemic induce oxidative stress effects by reactive oxygen species on animal and vegetal reproduction. Therefore, we kindly encourage all research groups covering relevant areas within the reproduction to contribute up-to-date, high-quality mini-reviews highlighting the latest developments in their research field. Potential contributors/invited authors are kindly requested to submit a tentative title and a short abstract to our Editorial Office ([email protected]) for pre-evaluation. Papers will be published with full open access after peer review.

We look forward to your valuable contribution.

Prof. Dr. Gerardino D’Errico
Prof. Dr. Giulia Guerriero
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • free radicals and antioxidants
  • oxidative stress
  • reactive oxygen species (ROS)
  • endocrine disruption
  • ROS and bioremediation assessment
  • ROS and biodiversity
  • reproduction
  • development and nutrigenomics
  • analytical methods for reactive oxygen species detection and determination of antioxidants’ properties
  • investigation on the mechanism of action of ROS and new antioxidants under steroid control

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2638 KiB  
Article
Anthocyanins Prevent AAPH-Induced Steroidogenesis Disorder in Leydig Cells by Counteracting Oxidative Stress and StAR Abnormal Expression in a Structure-Dependent Manner
by Jun Hu, Xusheng Li, Naijun Wu, Cuijuan Zhu, Xinwei Jiang, Kailan Yuan, Yue Li, Jianxia Sun and Weibin Bai
Antioxidants 2023, 12(2), 508; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12020508 - 17 Feb 2023
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2153
Abstract
Testosterone deficiency may increase the risk of sexual dysfunction and the failure of spermatogenesis. Oxidative stress that is derived from the destruction of homeostasis, disease, and exposure to contaminants can damage the steroidogenicity process in Leydig cells, resulting in a reduction in testosterone [...] Read more.
Testosterone deficiency may increase the risk of sexual dysfunction and the failure of spermatogenesis. Oxidative stress that is derived from the destruction of homeostasis, disease, and exposure to contaminants can damage the steroidogenicity process in Leydig cells, resulting in a reduction in testosterone synthesis. Anthocyanins are a group of innoxious antioxidants widely recognized in food sources, and are an ideal candidate to relieve oxidative stress-related steroidogenesis disorder. However, there is still a major gap in our knowledge of the structure–function relationship of anthocyanin on the activity mentioned above. In the present study, four anthocyanins including cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy-3-glu), delphinidin-3-glucoside (Dp-3-glu), pelargonidin-3-glucoside (Pg-3-glu), and cyanidin-3,5-diglucoside (Cy-3,5-diglu) were applied to reverse testosterone generation after employing 2,2′-Azobis(2-amidinopropane)-dihydrochloride (AAPH) as the inducer of oxidative stress in R2C cells. The results demonstrated that all four kinds of anthocyanins can inhibit ROS generation, alleviate mitochondrial membrane potential damage, and contribute to increased testosterone. Among them, Cy-3,5-diglu with diglycoside performed best on antioxidative ability and improved cell dysfunction and upregulated the expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). The molecular docking further revealed the direct combination between anthocyanins and StAR, suggesting that anthocyanins with monosaccharide were more likely to interact with StAR than with diglycoside. Taken together, these data indicate that recipient R2C cells under oxidative stress submitted to anthocyanins exhibited improved steroidogenesis in a structure-dependent manner. Anthocyanins could be considered the ideal ingredients against oxidative stress-induced testosterone deficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reproduction Health)
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18 pages, 3759 KiB  
Article
Antioxidative Effects of Standardized Aronia melanocarpa Extract on Reproductive and Metabolic Disturbances in a Rat Model of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
by Jovan Rudic, Vladimir Jakovljevic, Nikola Jovic, Maja Nikolic, Jasmina Sretenovic, Slobodanka Mitrovic, Sergey Bolevich, Stefani Bolevich, Miroslav Mitrovic, Sasa Raicevic, Kristina Andric, Andjela Dimkic Milenkovic, Dejana Rakic and Jovana Joksimovic Jovic
Antioxidants 2022, 11(6), 1099; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11061099 - 31 May 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3613
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents the most common endocrinopathy among childbearing-age women, with oxidative stress (OS) underlying its etiopathogenesis. Metformin (MET) represents a frequently used agent in PCOS. However, weak results encourage alternative treatments. We aimed to investigate isolated and synergistic effects of [...] Read more.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents the most common endocrinopathy among childbearing-age women, with oxidative stress (OS) underlying its etiopathogenesis. Metformin (MET) represents a frequently used agent in PCOS. However, weak results encourage alternative treatments. We aimed to investigate isolated and synergistic effects of Standardized Aronia melanocarpa extract (SEA) and MET for alleviating reproductive and metabolic PCOS abnormalities. PCOS induction was followed by 28-day treatment with MET, SAE, or MET + SEA. Bodyweight (BW), cyclicity, histological, and ultrasonographical ovarian analyses were performed. Hormonal, glycemic, and lipid profiles were accessed, as well as systemic and ovarian oxidative status; BW, cyclicity, ovarian histomorphology, ovarian volume, testosterone and progesterone levels, as well as LDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels were aggravated after PCOS-induction and improved after MET, SEA, and MET + SEA treatment. MET + SEA had the greatest impact on glycoregulation. Alterations in OS parameters (TBARS, O2, H2O2, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and reduced glutathione) could be responsible for observed differences; (4) Conclusions: Our findings confirmed that SAE alone or along with MET was capable of ameliorating reproductive and metabolic disturbances in the PCOS rat model, with the restoration of OS parameters. SAE alone did not alter the protective effects of MET in PCOS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reproduction Health)
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19 pages, 2645 KiB  
Article
3,3′-Diindolylmethane Supplementation Maintains Oocyte Quality by Reducing Oxidative Stress and CEP-1/p53-Mediated Regulation of Germ Cells in a Reproductively Aged Caenorhabditis elegans Model
by Mijin Lee, Esther Youn, Kyungsu Kang and Yhong-Hee Shim
Antioxidants 2022, 11(5), 950; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11050950 - 11 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4535
Abstract
In recent decades, maternal age at first birth has increased, as has the risk of infertility due to rapidly declining oocyte quality with age. Therefore, an understanding of female reproductive aging and the development of potential modulators to control oocyte quality are required. [...] Read more.
In recent decades, maternal age at first birth has increased, as has the risk of infertility due to rapidly declining oocyte quality with age. Therefore, an understanding of female reproductive aging and the development of potential modulators to control oocyte quality are required. In this study, we investigated the effects of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM), a natural metabolite of indole-3-cabinol found in cruciferous vegetables, on fertility in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. C. elegans fed DIM showed decreased mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and chromosomal aberrations in aged oocytes, and thus reduced embryonic lethality, suggesting that DIM, a dietary natural antioxidant, improves oocyte quality. Furthermore, DIM supplementation maintained germ cell apoptosis (GCA) and germ cell proliferation (GCP) in a CEP-1/p53-dependent manner in a reproductively aged C. elegans germ line. DIM-induced GCA was mediated by the CEP-1-EGL-1 pathway without HUS-1 activation, suggesting that DIM-induced GCA is different from DNA damage-induced GCA in the C. elegans germ line. Taken together, we propose that DIM supplementation delays the onset of reproductive aging by maintaining the levels of GCP and GCA and oocyte quality in a reproductively aged C. elegans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reproduction Health)
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