The Hippo signaling pathway is recognized for its significant role in cell differentiation, proliferation, survival, and tissue regeneration. Recently, the Hippo signaling pathway was also found to be associated with oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation, which are important in the regulation of cell survival. Studies indicate a correlation between components of the Hippo signaling pathway, including MST1, YAP, and TAZ, and the generation of ROS. On the other hand, ROS and oxidative stress can activate key components of the Hippo signaling pathway. For example, ROS production activates MST1, which subsequently phosphorylates FOXO3, leading to apoptotic cell death. ROS was also found to regulate YAP, in addition to MST1/2. Oxidative stress and ROS formation can impair lipids, proteins, and DNA, leading to many disorders, including aging, neurodegeneration, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. Consequently, understanding the interplay between the Hippo signaling pathway, ROS, and oxidative stress is crucial for developing future disease management strategies. This paper aimed to review the association between the Hippo signaling pathway, regulation of ROS production, and oxidative stress to provide beneficial information in understanding cell function and pathological processes.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major causes of death in the world. There are two types of DM—type 1 DM and type 2 DM. Type 1 DM can only be treated by insulin injection whereas type 2 DM is commonly treated using anti-hyperglycemic agents. Despite its effectiveness in controlling blood glucose level, this therapeutic approach is not able to reduce the decline in the number of functional pancreatic β cells. MST1 is a strong pro-apoptotic kinase that is expressed in pancreatic β cells. It induces β cell death and impairs insulin secretion. Recently, a potent and specific inhibitor for MST1, called XMU-MP-1, was identified and characterized. We hypothesized that treatment with XMU-MP-1 would produce beneficial effects by improving the survival and function of the pancreatic β cells. We used INS-1 cells and STZ-induced diabetic mice as in vitro and in vivo models to test the effect of XMU-MP-1 treatment. We found that XMU-MP-1 inhibited MST1/2 activity in INS-1 cells. Moreover, treatment with XMU-MP-1 produced a beneficial effect in improving glucose tolerance in the STZ-induced diabetic mouse model. Histological analysis indicated that XMU-MP-1 increased the number of pancreatic β cells and enhanced Langerhans islet area in the severe diabetic mice. Overall, this study showed that MST1 could become a promising therapeutic target for diabetes mellitus.

Background/Objectives: Spermatogenesis is a key process in male reproduction that, if it does not happen correctly, can lead to infertility, with diabetes being one of the most prevalent causes of spermatogenesis disruption. Currently, there is a lack of research examining the potential benefits of targeting cell proliferation to enhance spermatogenesis in this condition. XMU-MP1 has been identified as an inhibitor of MST1, a core component of the Hippo pathway, which is anticipated to promote proliferation and regeneration. This study aims to evaluate the effects of XMU-MP1 treatment on sperm and testicular characteristics in mice. Methods: We used the STZ-induced diabetic mouse model to investigate the impact of administering XMU-MP1 on testicular tissue and sperm parameters. This study compared the seminiferous tubules, specifically focusing on the diameter of the seminiferous tubule, the thickness of the seminiferous tubule epithelium, the ratio of the thickness of the seminiferous tubule epithelium to the diameter of the seminiferous tubules, and the lumen diameter of the seminiferous tubules. We also conducted a comparison of sperm parameters, including sperm concentration, progressive motility, total motility, total motility, and morphology. Results: XMU-MP1-treated mice had a larger spermatogenesis area and better sperm motility than control mice. Diabetic mice treated with XMU-MP1 also showed a trend toward improvements in the spermatogenesis area, sperm concentration, sperm motility, and sperm morphology, although these improvements were not statistically significant. Conclusions: XMU-MP1 serves as a potential compound to improve spermatogenesis in mice.

As a patriarchal country with dominant religious and cultural values, it is not easy to accept feminism in Indonesia. However, the idea has been growing and gaining acceptance in Indonesia for the past couple of years, influenced by media and technology. Feminism is not only embraced by women but also by men, which may affect men’s sexual behaviour with their partners. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study with an online data survey by distributing questionnaires involving 335 participants. Our pilot study reported the sexual behaviours of (heterosexual feminist) in Indonesia compared to (non-feminist) men. Despite some indifferent behaviour, feminist men tend to ensure the satisfaction of their female partners as a form of respect for their partners. Some sexual behaviours that were significantly different between heterosexual feminist and non-feminist men always began with foreplay duration of foreplay (average) asking for the position (p = 0.001), and asking if the partner was satisfied or not. This study implies that heterosexual feminist men exhibit tremendous respect toward women and can contribute to more equitable and fulfilling relationships, fostering mutual respect and more profound emotional connection.

Introduction: Obesity has become a major global issue since it can increase the risk of fatal disease. Genetic variation in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is a potential candidate for obesity, though findings are inconclusive. Objectives: This meta-analysis aims to determine the association between VDR polymorphisms and obesity risk.Methods: All relevant studies from 1990 to January 2024 were screened using PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scopus. This meta-analysis included studies meeting PROSPERO-registered eligibility criteria. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for six VDR gene polymorphisms (BsmI, FokI, TaqI, ApaI, and Cdx2) were generated using RevMan 5.4.Results: This meta-analysis included 23 studies with 5715 obese/overweight and 4887 non-obese individuals from China, Malaysia, Egypt, Turkey, India, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Czech Republic, Greece, USA, Denmark, Hungary, and Belgium. The findings show an association between VDR ApaI polymorphism and reduced obesity risk in homozygous models [aa vs. AA: OR=0.76, CI=0.60-0.97; P=0.03]. The TaqI variant is linked to increased obesity risk in Europeans under allelic [t vs. T: OR=1.33, CI=1.11-1.60; P=0.002], homozygous [tt vs. TT: OR=1.68, CI=1.13-2.50; P=0.010], dominant [tt vs. TT+Tt: OR=1.47, CI=1.07-2.03; P=0.02], and recessive [Tt+tt vs. TT: OR=1.43, CI=1.08-1.89; P=0.01] models.Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggests the aa genotype of VDR ApaI polymorphism may protect against obesity across populations. In Europeans, the t allele of VDR TaqI polymorphism is identified as an obesity risk factor