Biomedical subjects

E Ruiz-Pesini

Publications and source records attributed to E Ruiz-Pesini.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Association between seminal plasma carnitine and sperm mitochondrial enzymatic activities.

Cellular parameters of the seminogram have been previously shown to correlate with L-carnitine concentration in the seminal fluid. Carnitine is involved in a variety of metabolic processes playing an important role in maintaining an active oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Recently, we have found a significant association between the specific activities of the respiratory chain complexes and the seminogram parameters and here we have studied the relationship between the spermatozoa OXPHOS activities and L-carnitine concentration in the seminal plasma. Carnitine, but not prostatic secretions, positive and significantly correlate with mitochondrial respiratory complex activities and the citric acid cycle enzymes citrate synthase and succinate dehydrogenase. It is remarkable that the ratios of the respiratory chain complexes to citrate synthase or succinate dehydrogenase, significant but negatively correlated with L-carnitine concentration. As carnitine in seminal plasma is secreted from the epididymis our results strongly suggest that relationships between carnitine secretion, seminal quality and OXPHOS activities could be because of a parallel response to the same regulatory event.

Carnitine↗

PubMed2000

Human mtDNA haplogroups associated with high or reduced spermatozoa motility.

A variety of mtDNA mutations responsible for human diseases have been associated with molecular defects in the OXPHOS system. It has been proposed that mtDNA genetic alterations can also be responsible for sperm dysfunction. In addition, it was suggested that if sperm dysfunction is the main phenotypic consequence, these mutations could be fixed as stable mtDNA variants, because mtDNA is maternally inherited. To test this possibility, we have performed an extensive analysis of the distribution of mtDNA haplogroups in white men having fertility problems. We have found that asthenozoospermia, but not oligozoospermia, is associated with mtDNA haplogroups in whites. Thus, haplogroups H and T are significantly more abundant in nonasthenozoospermic and asthenozoospermic populations, respectively, and show significant differences in their OXPHOS performance.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2000

Seminal quality correlates with mitochondrial functionality.

Oligozoospermia is an important manifestation of male subfertility and very little attention has been paid to study a possible relationship between the total number of ejaculated spermatozoa and mitochondrial functionality. In this work we report a direct correlation between spectrophotometrically measured mitochondrial enzyme activities (citrate synthase and respiratory complex I, II, I+III, II+III and IV) and seminogram parameters (sperm motility, vitality and cell concentration). In addition, total ejaculated spermatozoa correlate much better with the nuclear-encoded citrate synthase and complex II than with the mitochondrial-encoded complex I, III and IV activities. Furthermore, total number of spermatozoa has a significant but negative correlation with the ratios of complex I, complex III and complex IV to complex II (and citrate synthase). These ratios are significantly higher in aged subjects emphasizing the physiological relevance of this observation. These results suggest that the simultaneous increase of the number of ejaculated spermatozoa and the mitochondrial enrichment of citrate synthase and complex II are both parallel responses to the same regulatory events.

Humans↗

PubMed2000

Direct and highly species-specific detection of pork meat and fat in meat products by PCR amplification of mitochondrial DNA.

Highly species-specific primers for pork D-loop mtDNA have been designed. Use of these and restrictive PCR amplification conditions has improved a reliable and rapid method for detecting a PCR-amplified 531 bp band from pork. It has been proved useful for detecting both pork meat and fat in meat mixtures, including those dry-cured and heated by cooking. Absence of response in PCR-amplified samples or mixtures from bovine, ovine, chicken, and human was also demonstrated. Furthermore, wild boar and pork samples can be also easily distinguished by a simple AvaII restriction analysis.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Respiratory chain enzyme activities in spermatozoa from untreated Parkinson's disease patients.

We studied respiratory chain enzyme activities in spermatozoa homogenates from 12 untreated Parkinson's disease (PD) male patients and from 23 age matched healthy male controls. When compared with controls, PD patients showed significantly lower specific activities for complexes I+ III, II+III, and IV. However, citrate synthase corrected activities were similar in patients and controls. Values for enzyme activities in the PD group did not correlate with age at onset, duration, scores of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scales and Hoehn and Yahr staging. These results suggest that this tissue cannot be used to develop a diagnostic test for PD.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Correlation of sperm motility with mitochondrial enzymatic activities.

Until now, little attention has been paid to the contribution of mitochondrial dysfunction to germinal tissue disorders. The target of this study was to investigate the relationship between sperm motility and mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme activities. The results obtained showed that semen samples of control individuals (n = 33) have substantially higher activities of complexes I, II, and IV compared with those of asthenozoospermic subjects (n = 86). Moreover, a direct and positive correlation was found in the whole population studied between spermatozoa motility and all the mitochondrial respiratory complex activities assayed (I, II, I+III, II+III, and IV). The ratio of these enzymes to citrate synthase (a reliable enzymatic marker of mitochondrial volume) activities did not correlate with sperm motility. This suggests that motility depends largely on the mitochondrial volume within the sperm midpiece. These observations could be of physiopathological relevance because they suggest that factors affecting the mitochondrial energy production could be then responsible for particular cases of idiopathic asthenozoospermia.

Citrate (si)-Synthase↗