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Capacitation is a series of morphological and metabolic changes necessary for the spermatozoon to achieve fertilizing ability. One of the earlier happenings during mammalian sperm capacitation is the production of reactive oxygen species （ROS） that will trigger and regulate a series of events including protein phosphorylation, in a time-dependent fashion. The identity of the sperm oxidase responsible for the production of ROS involved in capacitation is still elusive, and several candidates are discussed in this review. Interestingly, ROS-induced ROS formation has been described during human sperm capacitation. Redox signaling during capacitation is associated with changes in thiol groups of proteins located on the plasma membrane and subcellular compartments of the spermatozoon. Both, oxidation of thiols forming disulfide bridges and the increase on thiol content are necessary to regulate different sperm proteins associated with capacitation. Reducing equivalents such as NADH and NADPH are necessary to support capacitation in many species including humans. Lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phospohate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase are responsible in supplying NAD （P） H for sperm capacitation. Peroxiredoxins （PRDXs） are newly described enzymes with antioxidant properties that can protect mammalian spermatozoa; however, they are also candidates for assuring the regulation of redox signaling required for sperm capacitation. The dysregulation of PRDXs and of enzymes needed for their reactivation such as thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase system and glutathione-S-transferases impairs sperm motility, capacitation, and promotes DNA damage in spermatozoa leading to male infertility.

We aimed to investigate the role of thioredoxin reductase （TR） and inducible heat shock protein 70 （iHsp70） and their relationship with sperm quality in varicocele （VAR） patients. Semen samples were obtained from 16 subfertile men diagnosed as VAR and 10 fertile men who applied to the Andrology Laboratory of Istanbul Medical Faculty of Istanbul University. The sperm TR and iHsp 70 expression levels were determined using Western blot analysis. The TR activity of the sperm was assayed spectrophometrically. The sperm quality was evaluated both by conventional sperm analysis and by a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling （TUNEL） technique that assayed DNA-fragmented spermatozoa in semen samples. The percentage of TUNELopositive spermatozoa in the VAR group （16.3%±5.6%） was higher than that in the fertile group （5.5%±1.9%）. Significant inverse correlations were detected between the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells and both the concentration （r=--0.609; P=0.001） and motility （r=--0.550; P=-0.004） of spermatozoa. Both the TR expression and activity were increased significantly in the VAR group （U=22.0; P=0.001 and U=33.5 P=0.012, respectively） as analyzed using the Mann-Whitney UWilcoxon rank sum Wtest. Furthermore, significant positive correlations were found between TR expression and activity （r=-0.406; P=O.040） and between TR expression and the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells （r=0.665; P=-0.001）. Sperm iHsp70 expression did not differ between the VAR and fertile groups. In conclusion, increased sperm TR expression might be a defense mechanism against apoptosis in the spermatozoa of men with VAR.

Because neurons are susceptible to oxidative damage and thioredoxin reductase 1 is extensively distributed in the central nervous system and has antioxidant properties, we speculated that the enzyme may be involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson＇s disease. A Parkinson＇s disease model was produced by intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine into C57BL/6 mice. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR, western blot analysis and colorimetric assay showed that the levels of thioredoxin reductase 1 mRNA and protein were decreased, along with a significant reduction in thioredoxin reductase activity, in the midbrain of Parkinson＇s disease mice compared with normal mice. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the number of thioredoxin reductase 1-positive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta of Parkinson＇s disease mice was significantly decreased compared with normal mice. These experimental findings suggest that the expression of thioredoxin reductase 1 in the substantia nigra pars compacta of Parkinson＇s disease mice is significantly decreased, and that the enzyme may be associated with disease onset.

Human thioredoxin reductase （TrxR） system is associated with cancer cell growth and anti-apoptosis process. Effects of 1,2-[bis（1,2-benzisoselenazolone-3（2H）-ketone）]ethane （BBSKE）, a novel TrxR inhibitor, were investigated on human leukemia cell lines HL-60 and K562. BBSKE treatment induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in both cell lines. Apoptosis induced by BBSKE is through Bcl-2/Bax and caspase-3 pathways. Ehrlich＇s ascites carcinoma-bearing mice were used to investigate the anti-tumor effect of BBSKE in vivo. Tumor-bearing mice treated with BBSKE showed an increase of life span with a comparable effect to cyclophosphamide （CTX）. These results suggest a potential usage of BBSKE as a therapeutic agent against non-solid tumors.