Jitender Kumar Bhardwaj

Inhibitors of apoptosis in testicular germ cells: synthesis and biological evaluation of some novel IBTs bearing sulfonamide moiety.

Pifithrin-α, a known p53 inactivator, inhibits p53-dependant mitochondrial cell death induced by toxins or γ-radiation. It has been found that aromatic IBT analogues of PFT-α are more cytoprotective and nonpeptide-based, isatin sulfonamides selectively inhibit caspases 3 and 7, responsible for mitochondrial mediated apoptosis. Therefore, we envisioned the synthesis of novel IBTs 4 and 5 bearing sulfonamide moiety and observed the mitigating effects of these IBTs in rescue of malathion induced apoptosis in testicular germ cells of goat. Two IBTs (4b; R = CH(3), 5b; R(1) = Cl) showed very high survival rate of cells whereas IBT 4f (R = NO(2)) showed some exceptional behaviour by increasing the apoptosis. These IBTs nullify the cytotoxic effect of malathion on mitochondria, following p53-independent pathway.

Malathion-induced granulosa cell apoptosis in caprine antral follicles: an ultrastructural and flow cytometric analysis.

Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) like malathion interfere with normal ovarian function resulting in an increased incidence of atresia and granulosa cell apoptosis that plays a consequential role in the loss of ovarian follicles or follicular atresia. The aim of present study was to assess malathion-induced (100 nM) reproductive stress, ultrastructural damage and changes in apoptosis frequency in ovarian granulosa cells of antral follicles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed for ultrastructural characterization, oxidative stress was evaluated using thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay to measure lipid peroxidation, and apoptosis was quantified via flow cytometry. By TEM, apoptosis was identified by the presence of an indented nuclear membrane with blebbing, pyknotic crescent-shaped fragmented nuclei, increased vacuolization, degenerating mitochondria, and lipid droplets. The results indicate a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) level (nmols/g wet tissue) at a 100 nM dose of malathion i.e. 7.57±0.033*, 8.53±0.12*, and 12.87±0.78** at 4, 6, or 8 h, respectively, as compared with controls (6.07±0.033, p<0.01*, p<0.05**) showing a positive correlation between malathion-induced lipid peroxidation and percentage of granulosa cell apoptosis (r=1; p<0.01). The parallel use of these three methods enabled us to determine the role of malathion in inducing apoptosis as a consequence of cytogenetic damage and oxidative stress generated in granulosa cells of antral follicles.

Granulosa cell apoptosis by impairing antioxidant defense system and cellular integrity in caprine antral follicles post malathion exposure

Toxicological studies have demonstrated the exposure‐risk relationship of several pesticides on reproduction of living organisms. To evaluate the role of malathion as a reproductive toxicant, this study aims at assessing the cytological and biochemical changes in the granulosa cells after malathion exposure in dose (1 nM, 10 nM, 100 nM) and time (4 h, 6 h, 8 h) dependent manner. Histomorphological analysis, fluorescence assay, apoptosis quantification, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase d‐UTP mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay were done to determine cytological changes, whereas antioxidant enzyme assays were done to measure the oxidative stress in malathion treated ovarian antral follicles. Histological studies exhibited the occurrence of highly condensed or marginated chromatin with fragmented nucleus, pyknosis, loss of membrane integrity, increased empty spaces, and vacuolization in malathion treated granulosa cells. Ethidium bromide/acridine orange (EB/AO) fluorescence staining demonstrated a significant increase in incidence and percentage of apoptosis after malathion exposure (p < 0.001), both between and within the groups. Malathion exposure also resulted in increased DNA fragmentation and decline in both antioxidant enzymes activity namely catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in granulosa cells of antral follicles. Moreover, there was found a significant negative correlation between the apoptosis incidence and the level of antioxidant enzymes activity, SOD (r = −0.73 p < 0.01) and CAT (r = −0.80 p < 0.01), in malathion treated ovarian antral follicles. Thus, highlighting the role of DNA fragmentation and declining antioxidant level as a possible mechanism underlying malathion induced reproductive toxicity.

N‐acetyl cysteine‐mediated effective attenuation of methoxychlor‐induced granulosa cell apoptosis by counteracting reactive oxygen species generation in caprine ovary

Methoxychlor (MXC), an organochloride insecticide, is a potent toxicant‐targeting female reproductive system and known to cause follicular atresia by inducing apoptosis within granulosa cells. Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in apoptosis; thus, this study focuses on the ameliorative action of N‐acetyl cysteine (NAC) on MXC‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis within granulosa cell of caprine ovary. Classic histology, fluorescence assay, and biochemical parameters were employed to evaluate the effect of varied concentration of NAC (1, 5, and 10 mM) on granulosa cell apoptosis after 24, 48, and 72 h exposure duration. Histomorphological studies revealed that NAC diminished the incidence of apoptotic attributes like condensed or marginated chromatin, pyknosis, crescent‐shaped nucleus, empty cell spaces, and degenerated cellular structure along with the presence of cytoplasmic processes within granulosa cells in dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. NAC significantly downregulated the percentage of MXC‐induced granulosa cell apoptosis within healthy ovarian follicle with its increasing dose, maximum at 10 mM concentration. It also significantly (p < 0.05) upregulated the activity of antioxidant enzymes, namely catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione‐s‐transferase, along with ferric reducing antioxidant power further declining lipid peroxidation in the MXC‐treated caprine ovary. The results revealed a negative correlation between apoptosis frequency and antioxidant enzymes’ activity (rCAT = −0.67, rSOD = −0.56, rGST = −0.31; p < 0.05) while a positive correlation was observed with lipid peroxidation (r = 0.63; p < 0.05) after NAC supplementation. Thus, NAC supplementation reduces the MXC‐generated oxidative stress that perhaps declines the ROS generating signal transduction pathway of apoptosis, thereby preventing MXC‐induced granulosa cell apoptosis and follicular atresia.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of some functionalized 1H-1,2,3-triazole tethered pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-6(7H)-ones as antimicrobial and apoptosis inducing agents

A series of novel molecular hybrids containing pyrazole, pyridinone and 1,2,3-triazoles have been synthesized by one-pot four-component reaction of Meldrum’s acid, substituted aryl azides, 4-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy)aryl aldehyde and 3-methyl-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-amine using L-proline as a basic organocatalyst besides CuSO4.5H2O and sodium ascorbate as catalysts for click chemistry in PEG-400 as a highly efficient and green media. Apoptosis studies have been carried out on ovarian follicles of goat (Capra hircus) and in vitro antibacterial activity has been done against six strains namely Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antifungal activity against two yeast strains namely, Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Effective attenuation of atrazine-induced histopathological changes in testicular tissue by antioxidant N-phenyl-4-aryl-polyhydroquinolines.

Abstract Some of the environmental toxicants acting as endocrine disruptors have been associated with health hazards in human and wildlife by modulating hormonal actions. Atrazine, a strong endocrine disruptor, induces detrimental effects on gonads in male and female, and causes impairment of fertility and developmental problems as well as sex alterations. Atrazine decreases the activities of antioxidant enzymes and thus responsible for oxidative stress. Natural antioxidants have shown ability to reduce/slow down the apoptotic effect of atrazine on testicular tissue. In the present study, some N-phenyl-4-aryl-polyhydroquinolines bearing phenolic or/and alkoxy group(s) (6a–6g) were synthesized and evaluated for antioxidant activity in four different assays. Three best compounds (6e–6g) were studied for their ameliorative effect on testicular tissue supplemented with atrazine in vitro.

Transmission electron microscopic analysis of malathion-induced cytotoxicity in granulosa cells of caprine antral follicles

ABSTRACT Malathion, one of the most abundantly used organophosphate pesticides, has immoderate potency as a cytotoxic and genotoxic compound that induces toxicity in granulosa cells, resulting in its apoptosis. Thus, the present study aims to employ ultrastructural analysis for assessing the cytotoxicity of malathion at nanomolar concentrations (1 nM and 10 nM) in granulosa cells of caprine antral follicles at different exposure durations. Transmission electron microscopy revealed diminished cell–cell contact and cellular integrity, presence of crescent-shaped nucleus, chromatin condensation, and pyknosis with nuclear membrane folding, accumulation of lipid droplets with occurrence of cytoplasmic protrusions in granulosa cells treated with 1 nM malathion, whereas at 10 nM concentration, along with apoptotic attributes, prominent association of nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and lipid droplets, nucleus invagination into lipid droplets, apical localization of lipid bodies, and occurrence of autophagic body were observed as compared to healthy granulosa cells in control with normal intact cellular integrity, well-developed cellular association, and doubled membrane nuclear lamina with homogenously dispersed chromatin surrounded by intact mitochondria with well-developed cristae. Thus, the results of ultrastructural analysis clearly suggest that nanomolar concentration of malathion induces apoptotic hallmarks within the granulosa cells of antral follicles that play a consequential role in increasing the incidence of follicular atresia, thereby affecting the overall fertility.

Influence of Toxic Chemicals on Female Reproduction: A Review

The female reproductive system is very complex and co-ordinated system that works well in the presence of hormonal and other signaling factors. Female reproduction is necessary for growth and maintenance of population. There has been a gradual increase in production and consumption of pesticides in agriculture to meet the population rising demands.

Multicomponent Synthesis of Some Molecular Hybrid Containing Thiazole Pyrazole as Apoptosis Inducer

The present study describes a multicomponent synthesis of molecular hybrid containing pyrazole, thiazole moiety using hydrazone as a linker, which have been synthesized by condensation of 1-phenyl-3-(aryl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehydes 1A-B: , thiosemicarbazide and α-bromoketones 2A-C: .The target hybrid compounds, 1-((1-phenyl-3-aryl-1H-pyrazole-4-yl)methylene)-2-(4-arylthiazole-2-yl)hydrazine 3A-F: are characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C NMR, FT-IR and mass. Apoptosis inducing ability and cytotoxic nature of all the hybrid compounds having thiazole, pyrazole and hydrazone were assessed by using biological assays viz morphological, fluorescence and tunel assays on granulosa cells of ovarian antral follicles of goat (Capra hircus) in vitro. Apoptosis was recognized and quantified using differential staining of ethidium bromide and acridine orange where apoptotic cells exhibited red fluorescence and live normal cells with intact cell membrane and normal nucleus displayed bright green fluorescence. Among the tested compounds, compound 3E: and 3B: showed the maximum potency to induce apoptosis with percentage of apoptosis 25.61±2.95and 23.45±1.46 respectively followed by 3F: (20.95±0.40) and 3D: (20.44±1.60) in comparison with control (5.14±0.44).

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of Arylpiperazine-based novel Phthalimides: Active inducers of testicular germ cell apoptosis

AbstractUnderstanding of apoptosis or programmed cell death has provided the basis for novel therapeutics that has resulted in rationally designed anticancer strategies. Recently, inducers of apoptosis have been used in cancer therapy. In this work, we describe the role of chiral phthalimides functionalized with piperazines as potential apoptotic inducers. The listed twenty phthalimides were assessed for their in vitro apoptotic activity against testicular germ cells. All phthalimides showed a significant apoptotic response (∼39 to ∼68%). TUNEL assay and acridine orange fluorescence staining were carried out to investigate the molecular mechanisms responsible for the cell death. Phthalimides exhibited substantial apoptotic induction following the intrinsic pathway mechanism. Studies advocated that the apoptotic induction was mediated through caspase-9, caspase-3, JNK MAP kinase and tumor suppressor p53, which was accompanied by DNA fragmentation and nuclear condensation. Besides, the best five phthalimides regarding apoptotic action were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic effects against CAL-72 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Compounds showed efficient killing of cancer cells. This discovery of functionalized phthalimides as apoptotic inducers would be highly valuable in understanding the mechanism of apoptosis at the molecular level and opens up new possibilities for therapeutic strategies. Graphical AbstractA new class of phthalimides functionalized with piperazines were prepared, characterized and validated as active inducers of apoptosis against testicular germ cells as advocated by histological and molecular techniques.