Purpose Vitamin A has multiple functions in the human body, being involved in growth, epithelial differentiation, vision, immune function and reproduction. While normal spermatogenesis is influenced by several factors, it requires vitamin A. Systemic isotretinoin is a vitamin A derivative that is used in the treatment of many dermatological diseases, especially acne vulgaris (AV). There is limited research on the changes in semen parameters after systemic isotretinoin therapy in humans. Our study investigates the presence of varicoceles in patients undergoing systemic isotretinoin therapy for AV and examines whether there were any changes in the semen parameters before and after treatment. Methods Included in the study were 46 men patients who were scheduled for systemic isotretinoin therapy for AV. Before treatment, the patients underwent a physical examination and ultrasonography for varicoceles assessment. The patients underwent spermiogram before treatment and after 6 months of treatment. The spermiogram assessments included semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, progressive motility, viability and sperm morphology. Results After treatment, there was an increase in semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, progressive motility and vitality from the pre-treatment values, but a deterioration in the sperm morphology ( p < .05). Comparing patients with and without varicoceles revealed more changes in semen parameters after treatment in those with varicoceles. There was a statistically significant difference in sperm concentration ( p < .001). Conclusions Systemic isotretinoin therapy negatively affects sperm morphology, but has positive effect on other semen parameters, and these changes in semen parameters occur more frequently in patients with varicoceles. KEY MESSAGES Acne vulgaris is a very common disease and systemic isotretinoin is used as the most effective agent in its treatment. Systemic isotretinoin positively affects semen parameters except sperm morphology. Changes in semen parameters are more common in patients with varicocele.

Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in the diet is a causal factor in the development of abdominal obesity; however, the molecular mechanism behind this association is still up for debate. This study evaluated the metabolic disturbances that are caused by HFCS on adipose tissue as well as the possibility of kefir as a therapy to prevent these metabolic disturbances. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, kefir, HFCS, and HFCS+kefir. HFCS (20%, w/v) was given in drinking water and kefir (1 mL/100 g body weight) by gastric gavage daily for 8 weeks. Levels of insulin signaling, inflammation, and apoptosis-associated proteins of adipose tissues were determined with Western blot and immunohistochemical techniques. Gene expressions were evaluated with semi-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The indirect terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method was used to assess changes in apoptotic cells, and hematoxylin/eosin staining to determine adipocyte number and diameter. Accordingly, HFCS boosted protein kinase B (Akt) and p-Akt while reducing nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) levels and kefir treatment restored Akt induction in HFCS-treated rats despite raising NF-κB, and TNFα. Increased expression of Akt and B-cell lymphoma-2 gene (Bcl2) was contrasted with decreased expression of Nfkb, Tnfa, tumor protein 53 gene (p53), and caspase-8 gene (Casp8). Furthermore, while there was a marked reduction in TUNEL-positive cells in the HFCS group, the number of such cells was greater in the HFCS+kefir group. These results show that HFCS intake suppresses apoptosis in adipose tissues, which may be responsible for tissue development and abdominal obesity and may be reversed with kefir administration due to the activation of apoptosis-associated genes and proteins.

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether high‐fructose corn syrup (HFCS) intake (20% beverages) impacts antioxidative structures and inflammation in the gingival tissue and masseter muscle of rats. Kefir was tested for its potential utility on changes induced by HFCS. Animals were randomly divided into four groups as control, kefir, HFCS, and HFCS plus kefir. HFCS was given as 20% solutions in drinking water while kefir supplementations were given by gastric gavage for 8 weeks. It has been clearly determined that the HFCS diet increased expressions of interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐1β, and tumor necrosis factor‐α proinflammatory structures via lymphocyte infiltration by suppressing antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase in both tissues. Kefir improved these undesirable changes in rats fed with HFCS. The results of this current study, the first investigation to examine the effects of kefir on masseter muscle and gingival tissue, may provide new access to the restorative effects of kefir consumption on oral health disorders caused by high fructose in the diet. Practical applications In this study, at an early age, the effects of kefir on improving inflammation via antioxidation in the masseter muscle and gingival tissue were investigated for the first time. We showed that kefir feeding ameliorates lymphocyte infiltration on the high‐fructose corn syrup (HFCS)‐induced masseter muscle and gingival tissue inflammation in rats. The mRNA expressions of inflammatory parameters measured in the study were supported by protein measurements via ELISA or immunohistochemistry. In the present study, kefir may play an important role in the antioxidation and inflammation process on the masseter muscle and gingival tissue against HFCS.

Motivation/Background:The metastasis of tumor cells consists of steps such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, transendothelial migration and the formation of metastatic colonization. E-Cadherin and vimentin are main proteins associated with EMT, whereas MMP-9 is associated with migration. Method:We aimed to investigate effects boric acid and resveratrol comparatively on metaatatic behaviors on MCF-7. 30μM boric acid and 50μM resveratrol were administered to  BA, BA+RES, and RES groups 48hours. Cells stained immunocytochemically by Anti-E-Cadherin, Anti-Vimentin, and Anti-MMP-9 antibodies and H-Score analysis carried out and migration  analyzed by woundhealing, morphologically. Results andConclusions:It’s been observed that boric acid doesn’t affect the EMT capability of the MCF-7 cells in terms of E-Cadherin and vimentin  expression; whereas, it’s affect  migration both by decreasing the MMP-9 expression and also by inhibiting  migration.

Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide and is responsible for the loss of more than 1 million people each year. It has been reported that the 5-year survival rate of lung cancer is approximately 15% or less due to cell metastasis (World Health Organisation, 2020). Therefore, there is a need to develop adjuvant therapies to prevent death from lung cancer cell metastasis. The aim of our study; The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of boric acid and bevacizumab on the vascularization, apoptotic, and metastasis steps of A549 lung cancer cells, such as invasion, migration, and epithelial mesenchymal transition(EMT) abilities, either alone or in combination. The study was divided into 4 groups as control(CONT) and boric acid(BA), Boric acid+altuzan(BA+ALT) and altuzan(ALT). The IC50 dose of boric acid was determined by the MTT method. 30μM boric acid and 7 μM Altuzan were applied to BA, BA+ALT and ALT groups for 24 hours. Anti-VEGF for vascularization, Anti-Vimentin for EMT, Anti-MMP-9 for invasion, and Anti-Bax, Anti-Bcl-2 and Anti-Caspase-3 antibodies for apoptosis were stained immunocytochemically and H-Score analysis was performed. . Cell migration was evaluated by the wound healing assay. It was observed that MMP-9 immunoreactivity and apoptotic markers increased in the direction of Cas-3 in the BA group, while the immunoreactivity of Vim and VEGF did not change significantly. When the migration was evaluated, it was observed that the cells did not migrate in the BA and BA+ALT groups at the end of the 24th hour, and the wound areas were closed in the other groups. It was observed that while BA affected the migration, invasion and apoptotic characters of A549 cells independently of bevacizumab, it had no effect on their vascularization properties.