Methods: Thirty adult BALB/c mice were categorized into three groups. The mice in the control group (n=10) were not injected with any substance. The mice in the second group (n=10) received 10 mg/kg of formalin daily via an intraperitoneal injection, while those in the final group (n=10) were intraperitoneally injected daily with a dose of 10 mg/kg of formalin and 100 mg/kg of L-carnitine. All mice were kept in isolated cages for 31 days. Results: The expression of Bax was significantly higher in the formalin-treated mice than in the mice of the control group, while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly lower in the formalin-treated mice than in the control mice. Additionally, relative to control mice, Bcl-2 expression increased and Bax expression decreased in the mice administered both formalin and L-carnitine. Conclusion In this study, L-carnitine was shown to augment Bcl-2 expression and to reduce Bax expression, indicating that this compound may inhibit apoptosis. Due to its positive effects, L-carnitine can be used as a prophylactic treatment for people who routinely come into direct contact with formalin as an occupational hazard.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the localization, expression, and function of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in fallopian tube epithelial cells. METHODS: The localization of TLRs in fallopian tube epithelial cells was investigated by immunostaining. Surprisingly, the intensity of staining was not equal in the secretory and ciliated cells. After primary cell culture of fallopian tube epithelial cells, ring cloning was used to isolate colonies of ciliated epithelial cells, distinct from non-ciliated epithelial cells. The expression of TLRs 1–10 was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and protein localization was confirmed by immunostaining. The function of the TLRs was determined by interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 production in response to TLR2, TLR3, TLR5, TLR7, and TLR9 ligands. RESULTS: Fallopian tube epithelial cells expressed TLRs 1–10 in a cell-type-specific manner. Exposing fallopian tube epithelial cells to TLR2, TLR3, TLR5, TLR7, and TLR9 agonists induced the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and IL-8. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that TLR expression in the fallopian tubes is cell-type-specific. According to our results, ciliated cells may play more effective role than non-ciliated cells in the innate immune defense of the fallopian tubes, and in interactions with gametes and embryos.
Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; Cytokines ; Embryonic Structures ; Epithelial Cells* ; Fallopian Tubes* ; Female ; Germ Cells ; Humans* ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Interleukins ; Ligands ; Primary Cell Culture ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Toll-Like Receptors*

Objective: In this study, specimens from testicular biopsies of men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) were used to investigate whether RNF8 gene could serve as a biomarker to predict the presence of sperm in these patients. Methods: Testicular biopsy specimens from 47 patients were classified according to the presence of sperm (positive vs. negative groups) and investigated for the expression of RNF8. The level of RNF8 gene expression in the testes was compared between these groups using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: The expression level of RNF8 was significantly higher in testicular samples from the positive group than in those from the negative group. Moreover, the area under the curve of RNF8 expression for the entire study population was 0.84, showing the discriminatory power of RNF8 expression in differentiating between the positive and negative groups of men with NOA. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that RNF8 expression had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 84%, with a cutoff level of 1.76. Conclusion This study points out a significant association between the expression of RNF8 and the presence of sperm in NOA patients, which suggests that quantified RNF8 expression in testicular biopsy samples may be a valuable biomarker for predicting the presence of spermatozoa in biopsy samples.