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A Novogrodsky

Publications and source records attributed to A Novogrodsky.

149 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Hydroxyl radical scavengers inhibit human natural killer cell activity.

As natural killer (NK) cell activity is an essential constituent of host defence systems and reactive oxygen intermediates participate in such defence, the effect of scavengers of oxygen radicals on NK cell activity was investigated. Hydroxyl radical (OH) scavengers (dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), thiourea, dimethylurea, tetramethylurea, benzoic acid, ethanol, methanol and ethylene glycol) inhibited NK cell activity. Catalase, a scavenger of H2O2, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), a scavenger of O-2, either alone or in combination, did not inhibit NK cell activity. Inhibition of the lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism, a potential source of cellular OH, with nordihydroguaiaretic acid and 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA) resulted in marked inhibition of NK cell activity. Inhibition of the cyclooxygenase pathway with acetylsalicylic acid or indomethacin had minimal effects on NK cell activity. Taken together, these findings suggest that OH, possibly generated via the lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism, is critical for NK cell cytotoxicity.

Arachidonic Acids↗

Separation of normozoospermic human spermatozoa into subpopulations by selective agglutination with peanut agglutinin.

Incubation of human spermatozoa of normozoospermic origin with the galactose specific lectin peanut agglutinin (PNA) resulted in agglutination of the majority of sperm. This finding enabled separation of sperm into two subpopulations. The major one, accounting for 87.0 +/- 12.7 (SD)% consisted of agglutinating sperm (PNA+), while the minor subpopulation (PNA-) did not bind the lectin. The correlation between the percentages of PNA- sperm and acrosome-damaged sperm, as detected by light microscopy prior to separation, was analysed and an overlapping has been found. Light and electron microscopy examination revealed that the PNA- cells were either acrosomeless or possessed severely damaged acrosomes while the PNA+ sperm were mostly free of such pathologies. Following treatment of sperm with fluorescin-conjugated PNA the single cells lacked any labeling while the agglutinates exhibited fluorescence. However, the binding of the lectin to sperm was non-uniform and differences in fluorescence intensity at various parts of the head have been observed. The sialic acid content in PNA+ sperm was found to be significantly higher (7.5 +/- 2.2 micrograms/10(8) sperm) as compared to PNA- sperm (2.1 +/- 0.6 micrograms/10(8) sperm). It was suggested that sialic acid content could be a biochemical indicator of acrosomal integrity. Separation of sperm by selective PNA agglutination might be valuable for elimination of sperm affected by acrosomal pathologies from the ejaculate.

Galactose↗

Separation of sub-populations of sperm with higher fertility potential from normal and pathological semen by peanut agglutinin.

Incubation of human sperm from semen with counts below 20 x 10(6)/ml with peanut agglutinin (PNA) resulted in agglutination of about 70% of sperm. An inverse correlation was found between non-agglutinating (PNA) sperm and sperm density (r = 0.48, p less than 0.01) and a direct correlation with acrosome-damaged sperm (r = 0.83, p less than 0.001). Binding of 125I-PNA to sperm revealed high, and possibly also low affinity binding sites on sperm from both normozoospermic and oligozoospermic origins. Quantitative transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that agglutinated, PNA+, sperm had lower frequency of acrosomeless spermatozoa than PNA(-)-sperm (44% versus 77%) and higher fertility score (+0.18 +/- 0.1 and -1.5 +/- 0.87 respectively, p less than 0.01). Removal of PNA- sperm from oligozoospermic semen may increase the fertility score of the remaining sperm.

Cell Separation↗